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Kalans Revenge Mercenary Company
Company members:-
A cast of extras
Elven Scouts
Spearmen
Elven Cavalry
Engineers
Other appearances by Jillian – Tarans Betrothed, Dwarven Priest of Clangeddin Silverbeard, Paladins Lackey, Thief type

Survey Company

Another group of the minions are tasked with planning out a secret road to link the mines (that another group is clearing) with a landing space so we don’t move everything past the Barelinian forces to and from the mine.
A group of engineers are tasked with surveying the area and finding the best location for the new road.  Jillian, Sharin Cals junior and Tarans betrothed, is to give guidance also from a natural perspective to ensure no areas of outstanding natural beauty are harmed in the planning of the road.  It’s likely to be less Roman and more drunken in its nature as it will no doubt twist between each tree, pool of water and the like.
The group proceed with the elven scouts roaming ahead and behind and the elven cavalry riding on the flank of the main group. The scouts report back that we are approaching a burial ground, we skirt around the area but notice movement around the graves.  Undead pour forth and grasp at us, several of the humans are paralyzed by their grasp but none of the elves succumb, we defeat these undead and wait for the paralysis to wear off before continuing.
Later in the day we spy some huge lizards a great distance away. They look to be 20’ from tip to tail but they are 500’ away, either that or our scouts have a problem with depth perception and they are only a foot long and about 20’ away.  We debate about letting them go and wait awhile, but they don’t seem to budge and there is some clamor that they be good eating ‘specially with us about to make camp.  The rednecks in the party get their way and we launch missiles and generally close the distance.  The cavalier wannabe demonstrates his skill with the lance and hits one of the beast squarely only to find that the beast hasn’t been turned into a kebab and he has to dismount to try and kill off the huge beast.  These creatures are difficult to kill off, taking many wounds before they perish; they also inflict quite a few injuries on our party.  Anyway we have deep fried lizard to supplement our evening meal that night.
Awaking bright and fresh the next morning we continue and are warned by the scouts that there is some evidence of gnolls in the area, we move on keeping a careful eye about us.  Suddenly one of the scouts is knocked senseless by a huge rock, the cavalier spurs his horse and lowers his lance at a huge figure about 600’ away, the rest of the party move quickly and it takes quite a while for the charging knight to close with the giant, having to dodge two more rocks hurled at him.  Again a solid hit with the lance wounds the creature but he is hit back a couple of times for his pains.  By then the rest of the party has closed into combat and through numerous arrows and spear jabs the creature is bought down.
It is interesting to note that while the engineers are a sharp bunch and can explain to anyone how their intricate crossbows work, but they are unable to hit a thing with them.
Jillian and the dwarf once again heal up wounds and we continue on our way.
We spot some webs strung between trees on the gnoll tracks we are following and a debate ensues about do we want to take on the large spiders spotted in the trees or bypass the area and possibly lose the trail.  There are several voices that say a fireball is the best way of dealing with these critters but our druid/mage worries it might set the trees on fire, the unenlightened ones in the group can’t see any problems with this, warranting an angry glare from the leader.  We therefore have to resort to missile fire and hand to hand fighting when these absolutely huge spiders are not killed off by volleys of arrows and wild misses from crossbow bolts.  Rather worryingly the spiders bite paralyzes instantly, quickly dropping half the party, although we do win through and have to wait quite a while for the venom to wear off.
Continuing on the trail we spy some gnolls in the distance laying an ambush.  The scouts and thief start sneaking up on them and we move ahead quietly but not quite quietly enough as the gnolls start firing into our ranks, we return the fire and gallop into the fray.  We quickly take the majority of these beasts out but the leader who is noticeably larger than the others makes a break for it.  The cavalier leaps back onto his horse and lowers his lance into kill mode, unfortunately the leader has a large spear which he grounds and impales the warhorse although dies at the same moment as the lance runs him through.  Jillian is quick to heal the horse which is in some distress.
The gnoll trails are more numerous and it is not long before the scouts report back that an encampment is over the next rise, a palisade surrounds some huts and a couple of other structures.  As night is drawing in we make camp some distance off so we are refreshed for an early morning attack.
We slowly make our way to within bowshot of the encampment and fire at the gnolls in the two closest guard towers as Jillian uses her betrothal gift, a rather splendid Staff of the Woodlands, to create an animated tree.  The engineers rush forward with ladders they have made and we swarm over the walls. The spearmen run around to the entrance of the stockade where prisoners are seen as the dwarven priest chops through the back of the building.  Some arrows are fired at us and we beat off the first wave of attackers.  Jillian calls forth a huge wall of thorns across the front of the area we plan to defend and our groups split into two to beat off the wave after wave off gnolls and hyenadons that rush at us.  A strange thing happens, when the engineers put down their finely crafted crossbows and fight with their military picks they are transformed into bloodthirsty warriors, who slay all about them. The huge tree stomps all about it and after we must have killed at least 100 of the enemy the remainder run away with their tails between their legs.  We set any of the gnolls slaves free, who are predominantly other monster races such as goblins and kobolds and rest ourselves before tracking down the escaped creatures and making the area safe.