Company+of+the+Phoenix+Session+22

**5-12-2017** **The Decimation of the Hillsfar Fort**

Alaric, Nalen, Charlemagne, Rhain, and Alix had rejoined Tiri, Karlissa, and Urd in the forest. The companions discussed options. "As much as I'd like to burn the whole thing down right now... I believe we could certainly stir up mayhem on our own, but I don't think we have enough to take on the fort ourselves," Charlemagne shook his head. "If we could get into one of the towers and gate ourselves inside, you could probably kill one hundred men, Cousin," Alaric nodded to him. "Sure I could! Absolutely," the muscular Rallyhorn lord agreed. "Well what if we could draw some of them into the woods... kill them and take their uniforms as disguises, and then go in," Alix suggested. "That would certainly get our elf and ranger into the fortress," Nalen nodded. "We can get in easily... the problem is the 100 men inside," Alaric shook his head and looked to the blue haired priestess beside him, "Do you really want to kill these guys?" Tiri's steel blue eyed gaze held a lot of hate. These people were looking to exterminate her kin, wearing their hair as decorative trophies, and flaunting their heads on walls. There was no diplomacy that could fix this... and Corellion would not allow such an atrocity on The People. If she were to be true to her god... these people were going to have be stopped... and they left her little choice beyond blood and death. She nodded her head once, her eyes never leaving his. Alaric blinked... pulling his gaze away from her to return to the others.

"I would really like to kill that shadowvar that stirred all of this up. We're probably going to have to kill a bunch of these guys to get to him, but in the end... the leader of Hillsfar could easily send another hundred men. A hundred men would be nothing to him. We need to take down that shadowvar," Alaric stated. "So you would rather send a diplomacy party to speak with the Hillsfar leader and sneak in to kill the shadowvar?" Tiri asked. "That's an awfully risky move, lady," Alix frowned at her. "Without a gamble... there is no reward," she countered. "If we were to get some elven help..." the golden haired sorcerer suggested. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Tiri nodded, "We can certainly go back to the city and speak with the queen." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I would really like to have an elven force waiting here in the woods when everything goes haywire inside," Charlemagne agreed. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I believe we could lure several out to the woods... ambush and kill them... take their uniforms to disguise an elven force... then we could get into the fortress and kill the rest," Alaric nodded his head.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Urd in the meantime had set several traps in the woods as an escape plan in case things had gone wrong. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Hearing the plan, she slung her bow over her shoulder, "Come with me. I know just the guys for the job." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I thought we were the guys for the job," Charlemagne frowned. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"You certainly are. Don't you worry... you're the best damn door opener in the business," she winked at him. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The brown haired warrior blushed slightly, and answered a little sheepishly, "Thanks." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Urd led her companions through the woods off of the trail. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Charlemagne looked around, pondering who exactly she had waiting in the forest... perhaps there would be a sign posted, "Rent a Thug".

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">As they rounded a rocky outcropping, they could smell a campfire ahead. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">A band of a half dozen elven rangers greeted Urd warmly. One of them was at a work table in the back, arguing with a dwarf. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Are you sure this'll do it?" the dwarf sounded skeptical as he held up a small barrel. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I swear to you, Brunish, it will do what you ask. If you want to blow a vault door, this will take the door right off the hinges," the elven alchemist was trying to assure the dwarf. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"The last one didn't have that kind of punch," Brunish frowned, looking over the half keg before eyeing the elven man directly, "If I need to take a vault door off, this had better do it." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"It'll do it," the elf nodded again.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Brunish Nexbring," Tiri took a step forward into the camp. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Who's calling me?" the dwarf spun around to eye the blue haired priestess, "I don't know you... how do you know my name?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I am Tiri'elenae Embermoon," she curtsied in greeting. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"The pleasure is mine, mi'lady," he softened, offering her an intrigued smile. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"We ran into some of your father's work... it was a door that required three keys," she nodded to him. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I've heard of the door," he nodded to her, "Never went and visited it me-self." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Sadly there are very evil people who are currently looking for those keys," she began to explain. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Good luck to them," he answered gruffly, clearly not interested in the door. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"They have two of the three keys. Do you know anything about them?" she inquired. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Some big fancy machine... take over the world... blah blah blah," he shook his head, "Me dad was kind of far fetched." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Tiri laughed softly, "Alright then... but we still don't want it to fall into the wrong hands."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I am Alaric Goldsword from Cormyr, Tiri's companion," Alaric stepped up beside the priestess, "We were under the impression that you had or knew of the third key... so we've been seeking you out." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I might have it," the gruff dwarf shrugged, "It's probably in me old pack." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Well these powerful people... they are shadowvar, remnants of ancient sorcerers who have returned to our part of the world," Alaric began. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I've heard of 'em," Brunish nodded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"There is one that is nearby," the charismatic sorcerer explained, "which dovetails into why we have come here..." He nodded to the elven alchemist and the rangers who were watching the conversation, "We scouted out that fort that the Hillsfar people are building on the northern edge... and we found that there was one of these netherese sorcerers in that camp. It's likely he's here looking for that key. Now whether he has manipulated the red plumes into building the fortress and harassing the elves, we're not quite sure, but we found evidence on the humans of suggestion magic. They have committed horrible atrocities there." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"We are well aware of what they have done," one of the elven scouts answered. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Tiri raised an eyebrow at Alaric, "Harassing is a very kind word..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">He smiled, ignoring her comment, and nodded to the scout, "We want to kill this shadowvar, or at the very least not allow him to get this key. We've come up with a plan, but we really need the help of some more elves. We wish to lure some of them into the forest into an ambush. We'll take their uniforms and disguise the elves to get back into the fort when we can kill the shadowvar and the rest of the Hillsfar soldiers."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"How many elves do you think you need?" one of the elven scouts asked. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"There are 100 men inside the fort," Tiri answered. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"So we'll need about 12 dwarves... I mean elves," Charlemagne nodded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Brunish perked up, "That's right! 12 dwarves and we could take it all!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The others laughed along. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Alaric pondered, "I'm not sure how many we can lure into the forest for the initial ambush, but if we could lure 20 of them out... that would leave about 80 inside." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"That's a fair number of men," the elven alchemist nodded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"You're aware of the barrels of heads inside and the colorful braids of elven hair that they wear as trophies?" Tiri asked. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"We've seen them," one of the scouts nodded, gesturing back to a table where a dozen of the red plumed helmets sat. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">She smiled, nodding to him, "Very nice." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"However many men you could get here within a day," Alaric nodded, "We could send a few of you close to the gates to send a few pot shots at them, and then run back into the forest to lure them in." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">One of the elven scouts nodded, "We could do that."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Brunish dug through his pack and pulled out a strange shaped item that looked similar to the other keys. Not interested in his father's vault, he offered it to the group. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Tiri touched her neck in memory of the last key that was stolen, and turned to Charlemagne, "Perhaps you should carry this one?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">He nodded to her, tapping the sword at his hip that the sand people had wanted, but were unable to get. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Is there something we can do in return?" Alaric asked, "I heard you talking to the elves about a vault? Perhaps we could help..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The dwarf quickly cut him, denying any vault and clearly not wanting anyone else near it if there was such a vault. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Charlemagne accepted the key from his hand and looped it on a cord around his neck.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Certainly if you decide you want our help... just call us. We're the company of the Phoenix from Cormyr," Alaric suggested, "If perhaps you run into some guardians that you can't handle on your own." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Cormyr?" Brunish blinked at him, "What are you doing way up here?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Our priestess of Corellion," Alaric gestured toward Tiri, "She wanted to visit her homeland, Myth Drannor." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Right," he nodded to her and back to the others, "But I'm good, thanks." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Try not to let the dragon out while you're down there," Charlemagne nodded to the dwarf. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"It's already out," Brunish shrugged. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"What?" Charlemagne blinked. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Nothing," the dwarf assured him.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"We will lead the elves to where Urd has set up traps," Alaric went to gesture to their companion only to find her missing. After a moment, he continued on, "If you can lead them back through here... we'll ambush them on the other side of the traps... and then we can finish them together."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Everyone moved into position, and the elven rangers dashed with stealth out toward the fort. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> They took a carefully aimed first shot with a bow, impaling one of the guards on the wall. After that, the rangers shot several times toward the fort and then exited quickly to the safety of the wood... Screaming and then horns came from the fort and torches immediately lit up! The elves bolted through the wood toward the waiting companions as about a dozen men trotted out of the camp to watch the elves flee. One of them blew a horn and about ten more men came in behind them. Almost 25 red plumed helmets followed the elves into the wood, but they had no idea the traps that lay in wait for them.

Hearing the men approaching quickly, Charlemagne stood ready, "I'll take the first 10. You take the rest." "Deal," Urd replied, her breath on his neck as she stealthed next to him. The great muscular warrior nearly jumped out of skin in surprise from her sudden presence, "Where did you come from?" Tiri said a quick blessing of Corellion over her companions. 20 yards into the woods, the traps went off... broad branches swung to cave in men's chests, trunks smash together, spikes of sticks skewered several... 15 of the men died as they rushed in through the traps! Horrifying screams of pain could be heard among the charging metal boots, and there was a blood mist in the air. "I got my 15," Urd whispered proudly beside Charlemagne. He laughed, "That's why I love you." "What?" she turned to blink at him. "That's why I love watching you work," he nodded to her.

The surprised Hillsfar men, slowed their charge as the massacre of traps slaughtered men around them. The companions seized the moment to make their attack. Alix sent a pair of arrows into one of the soldiers, dropping him to the ground. As the remaining soldiers turned back, Charlemagne stepped into the path between them and their route back to the fort, flames licking off of his elven blade in the darkened wood. He cleaved into the first fleeing soldier, cutting him in half and setting the body on fire! Flames washed outward from Alaric's hands, dropping four of them into a charred heap! Tiri moved in beside Charlemagne and a holy spear of light leapt from the eight pointed star resting on her forehead to impale one of the soldier with a heavy thwap! Light washed out from his eyes, mouth, and ears before he exploded! Nalen and Karlissa waded into the fray, slashing down two more soldiers, one of their heads sailing through the wood. Brunish moved in to fully explode one of red plumed heads like a watermelon with his great hammer! Suddenly it went quiet... and there were no soldiers left to scream for help or try to retreat. It was as though the forest had devoured them. A breeze rolled through to rustle the leaves. Torches moved back and forth along the wall of the fort and the great double doors closed.

The companions gathered the best of the uniforms, and Alaric wove a spell over the heads of the fallen soldiers to appear as elves. "Those look good, Cousin. I didn't know you could do such a thing. I'm fully behind this plan," Charlemagne nodded to the gold haired sorcerer. As the companions turned around, they were met by an additional 20 elven rangers who had come as reinforcements, "We heard that you were taking the fort." "Indeed," Tiri smiled at them, nodding her greeting. Alaric nodded, "We are." "We have lost good friends here," one of the rangers nodded. Tiri bowed her head in condolences, "We fight for your friends then." Alaric nodded his agreement, "We will need half of you to get into uniforms and pretend to be dead soldiers... once we get in, we will lock open the doors for the rest of you." "When do you plan to go in? While it is still dark?" one of the squad leaders asked. Alaric nodded. "Excellent," the leader gestured at a female elven ranger, "Rhyleis, your group will take the uniforms." She nodded, stepping forward with her squad to don the disguises. Tiri put on one of the soldier's longcoats over her clothing to hide among the other elves. Urd volunteered to wait with the elven squad in the woods.

They hooked up a makeshift plank to two of the horses to drag the disguised "corpses". Alaric led his companions toward the fort, surrounding the bodies, and held their banners high. Recognizing the insignia, one of the soldiers hailed them from the wall, "Phoenix company... you have returned. So soon!" "Yes," Alaric nodded to him, "We had barely made our way into the forest when we heard the horns call out. We went to investigate to find that some of the elves had ambushed your men in the forest. We ambushed them in return. We were unable to save your men, but we killed the elves and brought back your men for an honorable burial." He held up one of the guard heads that appeared elven, "And for our bounty, of course." The door guard stepped forward to meet him, inspecting the rack of disguised bodies that were magically enhanced to appear as the men who had died. The guards were distressed, these were their friends who had died, "You killed all of those responsible?" Alaric nodded, "Yes, there weren't that many of them... they used traps to kill most of the men." "How cowardly!" the guard replied, heavily kicking one of the "dead" elven bodies. The elf was an amazing actor, holding his composure to roll like the dead with the kick, a new bloody gash in his flesh. "Bless your timing," the other guard nodded his appreciation, clearly broke up over the loss of his comrades. "If it's not too much to ask, I'd like a braid of their hair for my own ornament," Alaric nodded. "We'll get you one from each one of them," the Hillsfar soldier nodded.

The double doors opened, and the Company walked in towing the dead. Alaric felt guilt weigh on his shoulders from the grief of the guards. These were people... brave soldiers doing what they were told and likely magically suggested to do. The group barely made it through the doors when the two guards hit the ground, dead from impaled arrows as the forest became alive with elves moving in. Alaric moved to bar the doors open. As the elves poured in, there was a blood-letting that hadn't been seen in years. Red-plumed men fell to the ground, some of them before they even had the chance to draw their sword.

Charlemagne bulldozed his way, leading the others directly to the building where they had seen the shadowvar before. A line of soldiers on the wall launched a barrage of arrows at them as they moved up the stairs to hit the door. The door gave way easily to his brute strength, splintering into the room as from the sky... a large gryphon came in to rake the archers from the wall! Prince Nuada leapt from it's back to slash his blade cutting one of the soldiers in half! Some of the red plumes attempted to flee toward the doors only to met by a giant wolfen coming in! Half of a shield rolled back into the fort with half of a man still attached to it. Arrows from the elves peppered across the fort and the clang of swords and shields echoed from every direction.

Alix aimed his bow to shoot a pair of arrows into a soldier in their way, dropping him to the ground as the others filtered into the room ahead of him. Inside, the shadowvar created an inky black darkness that filled the corridor. Alaric came in behind Charlemagne, swinging his dragon scepter in an arc to spread a cone of flame into the room. Anticipating his cousin coming in behind him, Charlemagne managed to avoid part of the fire, but the shadowvar took the full wash of flames. Coming in right behind the sorcerer, Tiri prayed to Corellion, casting daylight to counter the darkness.

Still rocking from the cone of flame, Charlemagne stumbled from the sudden light refilling the room as he charged toward the scorched robes of the shadowvar. Hanging back at the door, Alix shot another round of arrows to drop another soldier among the chaos of battle. Regaining his composure, the shadowvar released a cone of cold back at the companions! Alaric and Tiri barely skirted the edge of the attack, but icy frost covered Charlemagne!

Outside, Nuada and his gryphon cleared their way to one of the towers where the winged beast broke a soldier in his beak! The elves and the soldiers clanged back and forth in a whirl of chaos, bodies littering the dirt floor. Alaric used a wand to select around Charlemagne in front of him as he sent another cone of flames through the room! Tiri stepped forward to put her hands on his back, mending some of his wounds as she whispered prayers. The courageous warrior stepped forward, driving his flaming blade through the chest of the shadowvar before him! He put his foot on the charred corpse, dragging it back off of his blade to slump to the ground. The magic faded off of the corpse, revealing a very withered young man... there was youth to his face, but he was skin stretched over bones.

Searching the corpse and the room for any clue to a link between him and the others in the desert, they found (Alix) Ring of Protection +2 (Charlemagne) Ring of Feather Fall  (Alaric) Wand of Cure Light (50 charges) 1D8 + 1 (Tiri) Wand of Hold Person (5 charges, lasts 2 rounds each)  (Alaric) Ioun Stone Scarlet and Blue Sphere +2 Intelligence /skill   1000 gold to each

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> The companions walked back out of shadowvar's quarters. Standing at the top of the stairs along the wall, The sun was just coming up on the horizon to the east where they could Nuada on one of the towers. His silhouette had an amber glow from the rays, and his gryphon was perfectly framed behind him with his wings aloft. Tiri didn't seem to notice the grumbling of the golden haired sorcerer behind her as she headed down the wall, calling out, "Nuada!" "Tiri!" he leapt down to the wall to meet her, sweeping her into his arms, "You are well!" She embraced him warmly, delighted to see him unharmed. "Company of the Phoenix," he set Tiri down onto her feet and embraced the arms of the companions, "Well fought!" "Words can not express how glad we are to see you," Alaric managed a smile and nod of greeting as he accepted the arm embrace. "I'm surprised to see YOU here," Charlemagne warmly embraced the elven prince's arm. "We could not let the atrocities of these men go unpunished. We need to send a message to both the shadowvar and Hillsfar that this was unacceptable," Alaric nodded. "I agree whole heartedly," Nuada nodded, "I had arrived in the Crescent City to find one of my gryphon riders who had been wounded. He told me a tale of an elven healer and a group of warriors sporting a Phoenix banner. There are a number of other soldiers heading this way. I'm afraid they missed the battle. I had ridden on ahead, and when I seen the commotion going on at the fort, I came down to join in the fray."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> "We do not know if this shadowvar was fully responsible for influencing these men, but perhaps with him dead the ruler of Hillsfar will be less inclined to continue such rash actions," Alaric explained. Nuada frowned, "I can tell you that he wont likely take this lightly, but we will see." "We will deal with it as the time comes," Tiri nodded, "The rest of your squad is well?" "Yes," he nodded with a smile, "Thanks to you." "It was my pleasure," she returned his warm smile.

Alaric turned to the blue haired priestess, "Shall we gather the remains of the elves so that you can perform the proper rituals?" "Absolutely," she nodded. "Will we be going back with them to the elven city to regroup or are we going home from here?" Charlemagne asked. "Nonsense! You have fought well in battle in the name of the elves," Nuada answered, "This will be celebrated." "It is settled then," Charlemagne grinned at him. "I would hear nothing else," the elven prince nodded to him. "You shall hear nothing else... only rejoicing," the strong warrior agreed. "That we shall. You have fought well today," Nuada nodded.

Charlemagne looked around for Urd, spotting her hanging the captain's body from the wall. He moved toward her with a slow clap. She smiled back at him, "Just a few decorations." The captain twitched, still alive. The elven rangers were spilling the oil from the lanterns over the wooden palisades and buildings while Tiri performed the last funeral rites over the elven remains. They pulled out of the fort and nodded to Alaric to burn it down. The charismatic sorcerer sent a couple of scorching lances of fire to light the fort on fire. Tiri stood next to him watching the fire climbing the towers... as she noticed the captain squirming against the rising flames, she closed her eyes. As much as she wanted to see them all pay for what they had done... she didn't want to see anyone tortured. Alaric sent a couple of magic missiles to put the captain out of his misery, not wanting to watch the torture either. Charlemagne and Urd sank into each other as they watched the fort burn to the ground, it almost seemed romantic with the sun rising to show a blue sky. The grey smoke of the fort was lit by the new day's rays of the sun.

Everyone gathered to head back into the wood... the adrenaline that had been living on through the night was beginning to fade. Tiri moved to embrace and thank the wolfen as Charlemagne thanked the dwarf for both his help in the battle and the key. "Aye, it had been awhile," Brunish nodded. "If you ever need help with anything... if it is within our power, we will be there to help," the Rallyhorn warrior assured him. Tiri nodded her agreement, "You can leave word at the Embermoon estate in the Crescent City. They will know how to reach us. You're coming to the celebration, aren't you?" "Of course!" he nodded to her. Tiri engaged the prestidigitation ring around her finger to shed the blood and dirt that had been clinging to her. Nuada offered a hand to Tiri, "Would you like to ride with me, my lady?" "You know I am really bad at riding horses, I would be most grateful to ride with you," she accepted his hand to follow him to the gryphon. Flasks of mead were passed around the group as they headed back toward the city, the celebration was already beginning.

They returned to the fanfare of the city. Gryphon riders were circling the city displaying banners of the Company of the Phoenix. They were welcomed in by the clear sound of trumpets and heralded as heroes... the right makers for what those folk were doing in the forest. Nuada and Tiri arrived at the aerial stables where a squad of gryphon riders cheered and greeted their arrival. Several recognized the young priestess and she met them with warm embraces as she talked up Nuada's part in the battle.

Crowds were gathering and chanting. "We thank you, but we could not have done it without the aid of these fine elven rangers," Alaric gestured to the elves near to them. More cheering rang out for the rangers. "And of course the wolfen, Brunish, and Prince Nuada," Tiri chimed in. Her parents met her, both proud and concerned for what she was thinking. Many took their turns in the bath houses and fell into bed. Drinking and celebrations were starting for an all day event.

The group met with the Rose who was there to greet them. "Option one was that should things go wrong... you would have disavow knowing us," Tiri nodded to him, "Option two was that we would kill them all. We went with Option two," Tiri explained. He nodded to her, "Very well. I will let the queen know." "We hope it does not bring more war," Alaric suggested. "Are you thinking that this was just the first battle of the war?" Charlemagne asked. Alaric nodded with a slight shrug, "It very well could be." "My friend is an eternal pessimist," the brave warrior nodded to The Rose. "I share in his skepticism," The Rose nodded. Alaric continued, "I hope that negotiations can begin now and hopefully it was mostly that shadowvar's influence... but we shall see. You may have to call upon us again." The Rose nodded. Urd dragged Charlemagne off to the bath house.