2. Beregost

Stella's ice bolt shatters on the building and immediately melts into a great splash of water, putting out many of the flames on the outside of the smithy.

Taerom makes it past the stable where the party's horses are tied, and just puts a hand on the backdoor, hand on the handle, when the door and surrounding wood explode outward in an enormous blast of flame.

That is no regular fire, the companions realize, but the result of a mage's fireball spell.

Taerom's thrown back a dozen feet, hitting the ground hard and rolling. The fire itself doesn't seem to have hurt him, for he shows no burns, but a long shard of wood is lodged in the smith's chest. He lies there groaning, apparently unable to move.

Chaos ensues as horses slam against their stable stalls in an effort to escape biting flames, and then the companions see a half-dozen figures emerge from the ruined wall of the smithy. They're dressed in dark clothes and armor, and each carries a sword and shield. Two of the enemies' swords already drip with blood.

These swordsmen see Stella and Aiwe and rush forward in pairs, their hostile intent evident in their movements!

Round 1 Player Phase!

Round 1 Summary

Aiwe's threatening spell thunders forth, injuring two enemies, and then the darkly-clothed swordsmen clash with the party's front line. Dieter engages one pair and his blade draws blood, but they strike back just as hard against the young warrior. Fortunately, Stella's starlit magic rips into one of them, leaving Dieter against just one foe.

Runeson, stalwart as always, occupies two more of the swordsmen. He focuses on defending himself and holding ground.

The last two come for Aiwe, slashing out and testing her defenses. One of them manages to score a deep cut on her upper arm, but then is forced back when Taerom, wielding a flaming timber as a club, steps up alongside her. As seems normal for him, he ignores the flames biting at his makeshift weapon.

Despite their injuries, the party seems sure to win out over these swordsmen, given time. But another combatant makes his presence known: arcane words float from midair, and a small bead of fire appears floating near the blasted hole in the smithy's back wall. The bead zips forward between combatants and through Taerom's front door. It stops in the air just inside for the briefest of moments, and then explodes!

Round 2 Player Phase!!

Round 2 Summary

The wizard's fireball is pure devastation. Glass shatters and blows out from the windows of Taerom's house as the explosion is unleashed, followed by a wave of heat and flame. The groan of wood sounds over the crackle of magical fire, and the roof comes crashing down. Where moments ago stood a home, now smoke, rubble, and ash are all that can be seen between the gleefully dancing flames.

Stella.

The mage's satisfied chuckling carries from where he stands. "That's one! Tazok will reward me greatly for bringing down these fools!"

The remaining party members do their best to recover from the shock and continue the fight. Runeson desperately blocks with his shield against his two attackers. One block. A second. A third! And then one of the swordsmen feints cleverly, then twists around the paladin's shield and scores a cut along the back of his thigh (Runeson takes 4 dmg).

The mage's chuckle grows to full laughter as Aiwe, dazed from the blast, takes a crushing pommel strike straight to the face (Aiwe takes 4 dmg, leaving her at 1 hit point).

The laughter stops when Dieter, with blood being spilt all around him, continues the fight. "You can't win, boy!" A bolt of simmering energy slams into Dieter (Dieter takes 3 dmg). "Lay down your sword, and I promise you a relatively quick death!" But for all his arcane knowledge, this wizard fails to understand the strangely-dressed warrior. Giving no heed to the mage, Dieter becomes a whirlwind of death. Two of the swordsmen drop dead, their lives stolen away by the fighter's sharp blade and sharper fury.

"A brave fool." Another magical bolt begins to form in the air, likely to spell Dieter's doom, when an angry shriek comes from the wreckage that is Taerom's home. A starlit figure steps through smoke and fire, a glowing nimbus causing the flames to bend away from her. "No!" The mage turns his magic towards Stella and unleashes the crackling bolt. His desperation is no match for her rage. Her own radiant magic blasts through his and continues on to strike him fully, throwing him backwards and to the ground (Stella might take 3 dmg from magic missile).

And thus begins the party's comeback!

With one of his opponents slain by Dieter, Runeson recovers his stance and is ready to continue the fight.

Taerom dodges away from his enemy's swings, and then downs the swordsman by slamming him with the makeshift, burning club (Swordman 5 dies).

Aiwe, nose splattered against her cheek, refuses to drop. Her defiant war cry rips through the air, bloody tusks bared, and her foe decides he's had enough of this monstrous girl. His sword clatters against the ground as he turns and runs (Swordman 6 fails save vs Fear. Incurs opportunity attack from Aiwe if she wants!).

"What? No, you fool!" The mage's voice is shrill as he picks himself up, invisibility spell shattered. "Where are you-" He meets Aiwe's eyes and staggers under a wave of fear. "No... I'll kill... I'll kill at least one of you!" Once more he throws out a sparking bolt, fully expecting this horribly injured elfling to meet her end. The bolt hits Aiwe... and she doesn't even flinch but continues her magical drumming (Aiwe takes 3 dmg... but remains at 1 due to Relentless Endurance!).

Having nothing left against this party of indomitable adventurers, the mage whimpers, then turns and flees into the smithy! (Mage fails save vs Fear)

The last swordsman, standing between Dieter and Runeson, drops his sword and shield and lifts his hands up in surrender.