08.2 Surrounded

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Kalans Revenge Mercenary Company
Company members:-
Taran – Half Elf Fighter/Priest of Mannanan Mac Lir, cousin to Carinne and Galvish
Carinne Rhianne Talynnart – Half Elf Ranger/Mage, Cousin to Taran and Galvish
Galvish – Half Elf Fighter/Thief, Cousin to Taran and Carinne
Krachtig – A Gnome
Barrigan Stonebeak – Dwarf Fighter/Priest, Company Engineer.
Lanneus Tuard – Paladin of Manannan Mac Lir
Saeryn Ghent – Fighter – (Kalans Sister)
Derek Summers – Fighter - Squire to Taran

Uninvited Guests

Taran hosts a splendid dinner at his house announcing his engagement to Jillian.  Lord Arlos is in attendance as well as all our close friends.  The evening passes quickly and we bade our guests a fond farewell as they are escorted back to their homes. Corinne, Krachtig, Barrigan, Galvish and Taran are chatting about life in general when they hear a knock on the door.  Taran looks through the peephole and sees a heavily armored knight in the Barelin colors.  He states that we must return the money we stole else suffer the consequences.  We deny all knowledge of this and quickly prepare for battle.  The Knight steps back and seconds later the door bursts in with great force.  Barrigan departs through a dimensional fold muttering about being underdressed for the occasion.  We peer past the shutters and can see nothing but the natural darkness.  Several arrows emerge from the inky blackness and one strikes Taran who quickly secures the shutters.  A huge barrel of flaming oil arcs toward the house and hits the roof, although they were likely aiming for the doorway.  Corinne cast a wall of fire to illuminate things outside, while Galvish brings forth a wall of force to try and prevent a second strike on the house.
Armor is donned, spells are cast and Krachtig disappears as does Galvish.  Corinne and Taran really hope they are not the only ones left in the house.  Our eye in the sky (Krachtig) reports that he can see a lot of archers. Flaming arrows are fired towards the now smoking roof and we decide to bring the fight to our foes.  Barrigan returns fully armored and thanks to Corinnes haste spell we now move quickly.  Taran casts a dimensional fold to emerge at the rear of the troops in front of the house with the siege weapon.
Barrigan, Galvish and Taran erupt in a whirlwind of flashing blades amongst the heavily armored soldiers.  These are veteran fighters we face but our superior skills quickly reduce their numbers.  A ballista is pointed at Taran who is missed by a whisker.  Krachtig is getting some blows in behind us at the squad leader and a priest.  Galvish has made short work of his enemies and goes to help our diminutive assassin.  Barrigan lops the head of his last foe before getting his weapons caught up in his armor.  The Barelin officer from earlier confronts Taran and told him that we were suitably warned and we should expect our comeuppance.  Barrigan, now free of his straps leaps over and cuts the head of this rather pompous official clean off – good, we were growing tired of his authoritative nature.
Corinne has cast a magnificent chain lightning spell which dances from one enemy to another on our south flank and although it didn’t drop any of them, it was pretty.  This has drawn their attention to her and Taran rushes through the wall of fire to offer his assistance.  Moments later the squire rides up to the combat having seen all the noise and lights from a distance away.  He falls off his horse but maintains consciousness, gets held by a spell then has his head skewered in short order.  At least he provides a moments distraction.
Galvish and Barrigan head to the North of the house to get close in with the archers.
Saeryn and the paladin are the next to arrive at the battle and both fair better than the squire.  Lanneus gallops past a wall of ice (thanks Krachtig) to combat the troops who were on the west side and have moved to the north flank to bolster their comrades who are surrounding the flashing blades of Barrigan and Galvish.  One by one the two comrades go silent and the dwarfs head seems to be tossed around, not for the first time we think.
Corrinne is desperately trying to stay alive, having become surrounded by the enemy.  Finally those around her are defeated.  Reinforcing troops rush around the east of the house only to be fireballed, struck by a cone of cold by Krachtig and generally mashed up into dead people.
Taran has sped to the aid of Lanneus, the two of them are about to strike at the last man standing when he yields.
We have killed over 100 heavily armed men and half of us are still standing.  We question the last man alive and dispatch him on his way warning of the corrupt nature of the governor.
Meanwhile Taran has been talking to one of the dead soldiers and negotiated with him that if he is bought back to life he can follow Taran for a year, for decent pay.  The man agrees and his life is restored.
Mass stripping of armor is undertaken from the ones who remain dead, ransoms are negotiated and the coin soon pours in.  A profitable business this!
Taran thinks it’s time to leave his house as it can not be defended that easily.