It is July 15th before you are all cured up and ready for action again.
Trinity takes the four days to identify the potion and the crystal ball.
Tasting the potion, she feels like she can be anything she wants.
She sees if she can use the crystal ball and scans for Hlarn and the orcs and cleric Umboth.
By July 15th, Kadlian is up and dashing about again.
"Nuanna, I would like you to come with us along with Windul and Edelle. Sally and Vastelle, it is your turn to wait here."
"Well, shall we go try to find Hlarn again? Perhaps that was the only majorly powerful demon hiding in the ruins and we can get to the tower without too much more fighting."
Trinity smiles.
"Guess what! We have a second crystal ball," she says, excitedly, "And I have seen where Hlarn and Umboth are... in a room with a throne. And there are a lot less followers than there were," she adds, a bit dejected.
"I think I could teleport us there, or use magic through the crystal ball to get a message to them," the mage says, "If I remember my crystal ball training."
Trinity sees if she can use the crystal ball to communicate with Hlarn. However, she is unsuccessful in her attempts.
"I thought we were going after the tower of evil Zagzax or SadSacks or whatever that guys name was," Dor says. "Is that where you think Hlarn is?"
"We are going to the Tower of Golgar. And, yes, that is probably where Hlarn is as that is where the orcs and Umboth were going."
July 15th is hot and humid. Once again you head through the gate and into the ruined city of Golgar.
Cautiously you again head up the street that leads from the gate to the Tower. You come to the square where you battled the daemon and pass through it without incident. After that the road takes you through a theatre district, before you come to another square, where four roads intersect. This place is deserted, though the faint scent of rotting flesh seems to emanate from the ruined temple on the southeast side of the square.
You pass across the square and enter a district of large warehouses. All seems quiet as you proceed, until a voice to your right speaks.
"And what have we here? Ten little people taking a walk through the city on a summer afternoon. How quaint."
You look over as three men step out of the shadow of a large brick warehouse. Two are armed with swords, while the one who spoke carried a mace.
Galil's eyes immediately scan the other warehouses, roofs and surrounding area to see if she can spot other bandits hiding.
Ragnar will prepare to take cover, should combat break out.
"I am not a little man," Dor replies. "If you doubt me, I will be glad to teach you a lesson with my fists."
"And who might you be, sir?"
Galil smiles at the bandit, but speaks to Kadlian and whoever else might be in earshot, in a low voice without looking at Kadlian.
"There are many taking walks today on rooftops, on both sides of the street and beyond our friends. More than a score all told."
Kadlian's eyes flit back and forth without his head moving as he takes note of those within his range of vision.
Malvis, who has been looking around nervously since the men appeared, casually places his hand on a wand, and tries to look calm and unshaken as he turns and looks to the rear of the group, as if looking for a straggler of the group.
Trinity points her staff at the fellow and uses the paralysis ray.
The man, who had been about to reply to Kadlian, suddenly freezes up solid.
Suddenly there are cries from all around you and from the rooftops, and the air is full of arrows.
Galil's horse is struck for 1 hit point.
Kadlian takes an arrow in a pointy ear for 1 hit point.
Ragnar is struck for 3 hit points.
Malvis is pierced in his left shoulder for 6 hit points.
Windul takes a hit in a leg for 6 hit points.
Nuanna is also struck, for 4 hit points.
At the same time there is a crackle of electricity, and Trinity and Malvis are struck by a lightning bolt. Both of them suffer 13 hit points of damage.
Kadlian looks for any buildings where the party might defend rather than trying to fight in the open.
Charging from the buildings all around you come at least three score of bandits, their weapons glinting in the sun.
Niko whispers "If things get bad, I can get us to paradise."
Niko fingers his wand of fire and turns invisible.
"Gorram it," says Trinity.
"Trinity, next time you want to start something when we are in a bad defensive position, try something that affects more than one person!"
"Whatever, and I'll finish it, too. Just defend me," the woman says, a glint of ire in her voice.
"You heard the woman! Clerics and mages, form a circle around her, but duck low. Fighters, circle around them facing out. Have your weapons at the ready."
"Move! Now!"
Kadlian drags Malvis to Trinity's feet, helping anyone else into the circle.
He then faces outward, bow in his hand and targets one of the archers on the roof.
At this point the first wave of bandits hits you.
Kadlian, aiming his bow upwards, is chopped for 7 hit points by a leather-clad warrior.
Ragnar dodges a sword and kills the man wielding it with a single swing of his hammer.
A fighter slips through your guard and attacks Trinity, slashing her for 6 hit points.
Malvis, after being dragged next to Trinity by Kadlian, attempts to get behind Trinity so to be back-to-back, and then shouts, "Everybody! Face the enemy, and look not at me!"
This warning, once followed by the rest of the party, is followed by Malvis beginning to wave a glowing rod in a strange pattern, hopefully attracting the attention of most of the men coming at them.
Galil follows Kadlian's instructions immediately, keeping to the rear of the party, still mounted and with her lance ready, facing outward.
Another warrior ducks under Galil's horse and slashes its belly for 2 hit points. Mouse shrieks and tramples the attacker.
Dor moves to protect Trinity from armed attack.
The warrior easily cuts down the man who attacked Trinity.
Ragnar moves in close to Trinity.
"Niko, if you get us to paradise, can we return to another place? Or do we come back out here?"
"Be ready with Paradise," Trinity says, "Everyone get close to me. Defend me. Kadlian, remember the Black Keep."
Trinity activates the minor globe from her staff. She will then cast a fireball (from memory) towards the middle of where the bandits are, working to get the most in her area of effect.
Kadlian gauges the opposition. The opposition strikes him again for 7 hit points.
"Trinity, blast the front. Niko, put that wand of fire to work and take out the bandits to the left. Edelle, magic missiles against the archers on the buildings at the back. Malvis, target those to the right."
"Windul and I will concentrate bow fire on those archers on the buildings as well. Ragnar, Nuanna, heal the worst of the wounded. Dor and Galil, get ready. Once the initial volley of attacks from us are done, we are going to break through to one of those buildings. Just have to see which side collapses first. When we figure that out, you two are going first while Windul and I cover the back."
"Understood," Galil replies as she battles whichever bandits want a piece of her.
"I did not bring magic missiles," Edelle replies, "I brought sleep."
She then speaks a word and casts a pinch of sand at the oncoming horde.
"Here," Niko replies, as he casts Stinking Cloud onto one of the rooftops.
"Folks, do not hold back. If you got a trick, use it. We are sorely outnumbered and in a bad position to defend."
Suddenly ten of the attackers drop, snoring loudly.
A cloud rises over one of the rooftops across the street. You hear coughing and choking.
Meanwhile, Niko finds himself attacked, and is sliced for 6 hit points.
Thirteen of the bandits stop dead in their tracks, enthralled by Malvis' spell.
Windul jumps to attack, fanning madly. His foe also misses.
Next, Trinity's fireball goes off just over your heads, engulfing one and all. Thanks to the power of her staff you are not affected.
When the smoke and flames clear a bit you see that most of your attackers are cooked, and the stench of their burning flesh sears your nostrils. Six of them remain: three on Kadlian, Niko and Windul, respectively, who were within Trinity's sphere of protection, plus three others who are burned but still alive, and madder than ever.
From the rooftops you hear shouts. A blaze of magic missiles is stopped by Trinity's protective magic. A few arrows whiz down, to strike the pavement harmlessly at your feet.
"Ah. Fire good," says the woman, admiring the lovely colors of her fireball.
"Excellent Trinity. I especially enjoyed the delicate shades of mauve." Galil replies with a smile.
Galil quickly moves to dispatch the suffering bandits and puts them permanently out of their misery.
Kadlian drops his bow and draws both swords, attacking those in front of him.
"Trinity, Edelle and Malvis, remove the threat of those on the roof. Dor, Galil, take care of those three nearly toasted ones."
"Working on it."
"Trinity, how putting fireballs into the warehouses? It will prevent any other bandits from using them as ambush points. And maybe get the rest of these idiots to give up now."
Niko draws his cutlass and dagger to attack the nearest bandit in the sphere.
Galil spurs Mouse and charges at the nearest burned fighter, skewering him with her lance and all but killing him. He lives, though, and as she comes within his reach he swings at her twice, striking her once with his longsword for 13 hit points.
Kadlian, busy directing everyone else, dodges an incoming broadsword but still manages to cut down his pesky assailant.
Windul takes a hit for 6 hit points. He retaliates and kills the bandit.
Edelle, ignoring her lord's instructions because she has no way to carry them out, instead moves over to the sleeping bandits and starts dispatching them.
Niko avoids an attack and kills the attacker.
Trinity spots an unarmoured person peering over a rooftop at her, surrounded by several warriors, and sends a fireball that way. The flames blossom, and she is satisfied to hear more screams. When the smoke clears, though, she sees that her original targets are unharmed.
Trinity lets off another fireball across the street and over the roofs of the warehouses, and is rewarded by more screams.
On the ground there are three warriors remaining. The one who just took out Galil charges Niko. He wears gleaming plate mail and you see the cavalier's frozen blood on his blade. Another fighter reaches Kadlian. She wears plate mail. The last one goes at Windul. He wears plate mail.
The warriors around the mage on the roof shoot some more arrows. Edelle is struck for 2 hit points. Then, they disappear behind the edge of the roof, evidently in retreat.
Galil stares in disbelief as she is wounded.
"Perhaps it is an illusion or my wounds have made me see things that should not be," Galil comments at the sight of Trinity's first fireball, trying to staunch the bleeding and lamenting the damage to her plate mail.
"Nuanna, stabilize Galil. Trinity, see if there is someway you can figure out where the mage and his friends are hiding. We need to eliminate them."
Kadlian attacks the warrior in front of him. "What is with you people? Can you not find an honest job?"
"It seems an especially high number of bandits to be supported in this area, perhaps they are not what they seem?" Galil replies rather weakly.
"This is an honest job," replies the bandit as she battles the elf.
Kadlian snorts. "Attacking people that have not done anything to you? Well, may you rot in one of the lower hells for your participation in this 'honest' job."
The warrior snorts right back and prods at the elf.
"Youse guys attacked first!"
"After being surrounded, what did you expect? That we would wait for you to attack?"
"Perhaps that is their unique custom of welcome," Galil comments to Kadlian. "Which would make sense as the Constable assured us that only evil vermin inhabited this place."
"That is what he told us when he hired us to clear the place," she replies.
Kadlian's longsword is the first to draw blood as he nicks the woman, then he feels the bite of her steel for 12 hit points. She groans as he puts his flame tongue to her, critically wounding her. She musters her strength and connects again with her glowing sword for 9 hit points. Kadlian takes one last swing with his longsword and she drops.
Trinity casts fly on herself and while she takes off, she turn invisible (via her magic ring). Once she see's what the situation is, she will make a decision how best to wreck havoc.
Dor, no longer able to protect Trinity, joins in against the attacker on Windul. "Let's do some damage, Bill."
Niko grins wickedly and waves his flaming cutlass at the foe in plate mail. "Nice frostbrand..."
He then turns invisible and attacks with his cutlass/magic dagger combination.
As he turns invisible, the man, who is moving unnaturally fast, chops into Niko for 10 hit points. Niko becomes visible again as he attacks, even though he misses. Niko is struck again for 12 hit points, as he finally cleaves his opponent's head in two, killing him.
Close by, Windul is hurt for 7 hit points, staggering him. He brings his sword down hard, and the enemy drops.
Meanwhile, flying up over the rooftop, Trinity is just in time to see the mage and warriors disappear down a flight of stairs into the building below. The rooftop is littered with the charred remains of over a score of bandits.
Across the road on the roofs of the buildings there she sees a similar scene of carnage, but no live bandits.
The people on the street below are currently at peace.
Kadlian looks around. "Nuanna, how is Galil?"
"Badly hurt," says the cleric, "We need to get her back to the inn."
Kadlian nods. "Heal her as best you can. Then please look after the rest of the wounded with whatever you have left. Depending on what Trinity tells us, we may have to split the group to go after that mage."
Nuanna nods, and casts a cure light wounds into Galil for 5 hit points. Her wounds close, though she is still very weak.
"Ragnar, please see to Windul and Niko. I will take care of my own wounds."
Kadlian uses his cure light wounds spells to heal himself for 2 hit points.
"We wait to hear back from Trinity and then figure out how to remove that mage and whatever cronies survived with him. No matter what, I want everyone ready to move out in two minutes."
You hear a crackle of electricity and Trinity becomes visible over the south rooftop as she casts a lightning bolt at a downwards angle. The windows of the third floor of the three storey building light up with a blue flash.
Then, you hear laughter from within.
Ragnar checks on Windul and Niko. He casts a cure light wounds on each of them, for 3 and 4 hit points, respectively.
Malvis speaks up hurriedly, "While I'm in no danger of bleeding to death, I certainly could use some healing."
"Sorry. I thought Nuanna had had a chance to heal you earlier. When she is finished with Galil, we can ask her to heal you."
Dor moves to collect the gleaming swords and armor, being especially careful not to handle the swords with bare hands.
Nuanna eyes the rest of you, and casts her remaining four curative spells into Ragnar (8 hit points), Windul (8) and Malvis (6).
Suddenly you see a movement at one of the warehouse windows, and a fireball explodes just above Kadlian's head, engulfing all but Trinity.
Nuanna, Niko, Kadlian take 12 hit points of damage.
Dor takes 24 hit points.
Ragnar, Edelle, Malvis, Windul, Mouse and Galil take 24 hit points and are toast.
When the smoke clears, you see that Niko, Kadlian, Trinity, Dor and Nuanna still live. Galil, in fact, has been vapourised.
"Ow!" Dor exclaims. "Let's scatter a bit so we don't get hit like that again."
He moves with the loot towards an unguarded doorway.
"Trinity, seems our mage friend is still at it. Please come back and afford your protection to the rest of us."
"Dor, that guy in plate mail was moving way too quick..." Niko says.
Niko casts Detect Magic.
Trinity turns invisible and flies down to provide the protection to everyone. After Niko's spell, Trinity casts a wall of ice to form a protective barrier.
"Kadlian, we might want to consider paradise," the mage says, once the ice barrier is up.
"You mean you do not want to finish off the mage now? Do you have any spells that will go through his protections?"
"If he has a minor globe up as well, that means anything under third order won't effect him. I can try an ice storm and other magics, yes, but what would be best would be to get close to him and let you swordsman deal with him. Niko, do you know D-door?"
Niko nods. "Yup. Is he alone?"
"Don't rightly know, but I'm thinking we go pay him a visit. I'll shrink Kad and Dor, and we can all go in, invisible like and see what happens, with us having the surprise," says Trinity.
"Alternative like we go up top of the building he be in and go in the normal way. Still invisible."
"What about our friends' bodies and equipment? If we leave it here, it will likely not stay when we disappear."
Kadlian swears. "Trinity, send your ice storm into the building. Then we get out of here and get our friends alive and everyone healed. If we need to tear each building down around here to ferret the rest of them out, we will do so."
While you have been talking, you notice that there have been no more attacks directed at you.
Dor has collected the following goodies which Niko has determined as magical: plate mail (H), longsword (frost brand), longsword, ring mail (H), shield, longsword, dagger, 10 light crossbow bolts, shield, scimitar and another shield.
You have also collected ten suits of non-magical plate mail and numerous broadswords.
"Trinity, toss your ice storm into that building, please. Then, we get out of here. Ideally, we need to go to Sandas, since we need a wish to get our friends back to life. Unless anyone has one handy? But, if you want to rest in paradise first, we can do that."
Trinity complies, casting the ice storm centered through the window pointed out by Kadlian.
Ice and sleet billow out through the window. However, you hear no screams of agony, so do not know how effective the attack was.
"I can get us to the anti-wishing flame, if you'd prefer. Unless you know who can get everyone back to health," says the woman, "But I have one teleport left, so we'd be waiting there overnight."
"Sandas would give us more options. If Occa is not in residence, Ray Jay might be. And, if neither of them are available, we can go to the anti-wishing flame tomorrow."
"Dump the non-magical stuff, Dor. This party was well funded, considering all the plate mail they had...we should retreat and re-group. They're probably long gone and so should we be..."
You head back to New Golgar, taking the bodies of the dead and the loot with you.
You make it back to the inn without incident. It is lunch time.
Niko comments off-handedly, "Worse comes to worse, we stay in Paradise for the night...or longer..."
"That expends a charge, right?"
"Yup, but considering our numbers it might be worth it...depends on if you think that mage will be back...or is in fact Invisible and listening to us right now!" Niko gives his best imitation of shuddering and grins.
"Please teleport us all to Occa's mansion with our mounts and all the treasure. We leave nothing behind for it may be a while before we return."
Kadlian collects his followers.
Trinity teleports everyone back to Sandas. With the mounts and all it will take her several trips to do it. The party members go first...