Session 105: If they have no bread, then by all means, let them eat cake! Report

General Summary

Notes were again limited, this time due to an oversight on the part of your chronicler.

The party heard from the leader of the rebels for the first time since leaving on their mission. Speaking in their minds thanks to the telepathic bond Roy created earlier, "What the hell have you done! The entire city just disappeared, as though it was never there. There is nothing but dense swamp where the city was before."

Roy quickly answered that they had done nothing. A short discussion followed. Jeeves rushed off toward the gate keep to climb up and see what might have happened, Roy remained in the conjured keep in the center of the square. Jeeves climbed the walls, struggling at points due to defensive structures designed to prevent climbing. Arriving at the top, Jeeves encountered Bastion who simply flew up using his magical boots, and shook his head wryly. On examining the battlement and roof, they found a single trapdoor entrance to the level below, but attempting to open it both Bastion and Jeeves failed, quickly realizing it was locked and held from below, likely by guards. Bastion used a brick of Blasting Clay found in their keep in Triliobarn to blast open the door, also damaging the roof and apparently killing or injuring several guards below. Rushing in, after telling their friends to join them, Jeeves and Bastion quickly dispatched the guards, and continued down another level, only to find themselves surrounded by a much larger contingent of guards. The guards, backed up by a powerful wizard, quickly brought Bastion low, nearly killing the artificer, but Jeeves was able to revive his companion. The two fought fiercely, and but for a boon of wild magic Jeeves would have fallen, but the two eventually, partly thanks to Jeeves becoming a hawk briefly, managed to get free and flee to the roof. Bastion used a second brick of blasting clay to blast the guards and wizard, also creating a hole in the floor, causing the guards and wizard to fall to the ground level below. Meanwhile, Boris had picked up Roisin and the two flew up using the magical boots earlier provided by Bastion, but Roy remained behind to defend the conjured keep if needed. As Bastion and Jeeves returned down the ladder Boris and Roisin arrived and followed behind. Back on the defensive level of the keep, the group found an arch leading to the space above the gate area, and discovered more guards, likely from the opposite gatehouse, and a fierce battle ensued. The guards were raining bolts on the group when three zombies suddenly appeared behind them, for no apparent reason. Bastion, reluctant to use his thunder fists due to magic in the gate house that turned magical damage back on the wielder, began pulling and shoving guards through murder holes down to the ground level. Boris and Jeeves began engaging their enemies in melee, but Boris started by using a Thunder Feather, despite the warnings about using magic. Boris did blast a couple guards onto the murder holes, but both managed to avoid falling, and the backlash staggered the stout halfling priest. The blast of thunder also destroyed one zombie, which somehow caused damage to Bastion. The melee continued, with Roisin ordering the others to focus on the most dire threats. The wizard launched a few magical attacks up, but the group eventually managed to end that threat. As the warriors shuffled around to deal with the remaining guards, Roisin took a huge risk and leapt down to the ground level to deal with the guards there by throwing out the dust, long held from the distant artificer's freehold, to cause the guards to begin choking to death. Two pinches were used, and a couple guards did succumb, but most managed to resist the choking dust and tried, unsuccessfully, to strike the diminutive princess. Eventually, as the guards above were eliminated, Roisin used the spell stored in her tiara to teleport back up to the higher level, and the group used the advantages of the murder holes to quickly eliminate the remaining guards. The gate area thus cleared, they prepared to explore the second gate house structure and, hopefully, find the outer gate winch in order to open the way for their rebel allies.