Known World

Attack!

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The next few days were fairly uneventful; two more female spies were located and the portal construction was completed. We didn't identify any potential weaknesses in the attack planning, although we did suggest that the Special Squad be sent back to the castle vicinity a day before the main attack to check out any preparations that Antonio might have made.

"I'm glad you suggested that" replied Captain Osterman, "I was about to tell you, you are being teleported back into the valley two bells before light tomorrow morning. You'd better get an early night!"

So we did.

Two be'light saw us milling round outside headquarters waiting for the wizards to arrive.

"Just like a wizard" grumbled Stanley, "always damn late"

A small contingent of wizards trooped in a few minutes later, and we were soon equipped with a standard TPS coordinate ball, a ring of Ultravision, a scroll of Go Directly Home, and a nice big Looking Tube with a tripod stand. They also made us all invisible which was pretty cool, although Stanley and Randy kicked up a bit of a stink about having spells cast on them. It wasn't until Captain Osterman told them that unless they let the wizards cast Invisibility they could just stay here all on their lonesome, with the wizards.

"Fine then" shouted Randy, "but I want it recorded that this whole Invisibility thing is against my advice"

POP ... and we were all standing in the dark. Stanley was wearing the ultra-vision ring and he slowly scanned the surroundings.

"No obvious enemy in the vicinity" he whispered, "it looks like we are about six hundred paces from the cliffs below the castle, close in to the left hand side of the valley."

"Find a way up to the ridge above us" commanded Bookem, "and everyone move quietly. Remember that we might be invisible, but not to those damn undead"

"Who said that?" whispered Randy.

We linked up using a rope and Stanley led us off up the steep hillside. I was able to use my infra-vision to see a bit of the ground in front, but poor old Jabu and Randy were totally in the dark and kept tripping on the scrub and rocks littering the hillside.

"How about a bit of f'n light?" swore Jabu after smacking his shins for the sixth time.

"No" whispered Bookem patiently, "and try and be a bit quieter when you walk into things. We don't want a patrol of ghouls or skeletons to find us, now do we?"

"Be more fun" muttered Jabu.

We finally made it to the ridge where Stanley located a rocky clump of bush that would make a good observation post. He set up the Looking Tube and camouflaged it with broken scrub, and had us all wait just over the ridge, out of sight of the castle, until it was light.

Light fell (or does darkness ascend?) and, despite the thick black clouds that billowed overhead, we were able get a good look at the castle and surrounds from our location. We took turns peering through the Looking Tube and then Bookem had us all give our observations.

"The main gate is closed now" stated Jabu, "and there are guards in the turrets"

"The Black Bird statue is back, sitting on the apex of the castle just above the lean-to" noted Opera, "and it's looking out over the valley, although not moving at the moment"

"Ghouls" said Bookem, "quite a few patrols of ghouls all over the place"

"The ground around the front and rear entrances is covered with small barrels" commented Stanley, "I suspect they will be some form of exploding devices. They might give the attack troops a bit of a problem!"

"If they explode" suggested Lon, "then perhaps the attack should start with a few Fireballs, before any troops, just too warm things up a bit and clear the ground"

As we discussed the merits of the Fireball attack Opera suddenly squealed.

"Eeek, the bird, it has just taken off" she panicked.

"Don't worry" replied Jabu, "I'll look after you, and don't forget that we are invisible, it probably won't even see us!"

"It saw us!"

"Quick, gather round" commanded Bookem as his scroll appeared in mid-air, extracted from his pouch, strategically placed for a quick getaway.

POP ... and we were all standing back outside the Goldenton militia headquarters.

"Well done," stated Captain Osterman after we had reported out findings. "I will suggest the Fireball tactic to the wizards. You take a break and be ready tomorrow morning, the attack will commence at first light."

We all arrived at the staging area well before light, hoping to see some exciting action. Unfortunately it was all very chaotic and actually quite boring. Lots of troops milling round, sergeants yelling, psionicists chanting, and wizards hopping from foot to foot.

"All they ever do!" noted Randy.

"Let there be light" stated Bookem.

And it was light.

Two small "Gates" were created to both the front and rear of the castle and a series of Fireball spells were cast through.

A boiling mass of flame and smoke belched back from the Gates as they detonated among the barrels outside the entrances to the castle.

"Ye ha! Old Zippo would have loved that" yelled Lon

Then the big "Gate" was activated. There was a small pop, a dull flash, and the crystal encrusted ring was suddenly filled with a light purple glow.

A couple of knobbly kneed wizards waved their arms about and cast a few more Fireballs into the rings, and then hurriedly stepped back as hundreds of troops started to run through the portal. The Gate had been located to emerge on the hilltop to the rear of the castle. The first objective was to take and secure the lean-to structure at the rear, then launch the attack on the main castle proper.

We had been instructed to wait for the second attack phase, to move in with the siege engines once the lean-to was secured. We had to wait for about two hours as troops spasmodically passed in through the portal, and the injured were carried out. Reports of fierce fighting against ghouls, ghasts, and skeletons were passed round.

"My goodness" noted Randy, "I'm quite glad we weren't in the first phase. Just look at that guy's hair"

A stretcher was just being carried out of the portal with a badly burnt trooper moaning and groaning. It looked like he didn't have any hair left, certainly his legs were both missing and most of his remaining body was blackened and crispy looking.

After two hours, we got the word to move in. The siege engines rumbled past, stirring up large clouds of dust, and we joined the troopers just behind the last catapult. Stepping through the portal was like stepping into a different world.

"A much noisier one" yelled Stanley

The lean-to was pretty much destroyed, fires flared and smouldered everywhere, bodies of undead creatures littered the ground, and troopers were resting behind the rubble and temporary shelters. Officers were yelling, enemy troops were firing spasmodically from the castle battlements, and something dark could be seen flying about up near the clouds.

"Look out" yelled one of the troopers, "here it comes again"

The black bird (more like black dragon) was swooping down from the clouds towards us. It's mouth opened and a cloud of black gas and liquid sprayed out and fell over a group of troopers beside us.

"Holy Vingt" gasped Opera as the men literally dissolved in front of us.

Lightning crackled from about three spots as the wizards returned fire.

The creature screamed and flew off again into the clouds.

"What now?" wondered Bookem.