More posting of old games. At this rate I may catch up!

Well, last game session ended mid-combat. This one began mid-combat with the following people characters involved in the assualt:

1) Todd (DM)
2) Alex the Fighter (Overladen fighter with a thing for helping farmers)(Tony)
3) Yattannee (Human Tribal Druid)(Brian R)
4) Yoric (Half-Elf Sorcerer) (John)
5) Zathrus (Kobold sorceror in disguise) (Tim)
6) Kuric (Taciturn Human Barbarian) (Brian L)
7) Rhiannon and Grimtooth (The crazy wolf girl and her pet wolf)(me)

Of those present for the previous session, Only Brian L (Kuric's player) was unable to make it. Also, present for this session:

8) Nailghus (Human Monk)

Todd started with Nailghus, who was retrocon’d as being part of the assault team (along with the sinister npc), but not part of the initial assault. The reason for this was that when the group charged the courtyard Nailghus noticed that the sinister NPC was not following, but instead was being dragged into the swamp by some long, octopus like tentacle. Attacking the tentacle and attempting to free the sinister NPC, he was quite surprised when it turned out to be a lizardman shaman with tentacles for arms.

Ultimatly, Nailgus succeeded in fighting off the lizard man, only to be turned on by "the sinister NPC” However, "the sinister NPC" appeared to be possessed by an entity known only as Voltiz. Voltiz seems to think he is powerful, and taunted Nailgus repeatedly. Nailgus rendered him unconscious and continued towards the battle.

Meanwhile, with the main hall breached, all hell began to break loose. The hall contained numerous bandits and at least one man capable of casting spells. Kuric, Yattannee, Zarthrus, were fighting in the main hall proper. Alex the fighter and Yoric fought their way in the right side passage.

About this time Nailghus finally reached the main hall. Seeing the spellcaster in back, Nailghus rushed in and immediately began to grapple with him. The spellcaster managed to attack Nailghus with a shocking grasp, which convinced Nailghus to shut him up with an elbow to the throat once he was pinned. Kuric, Yattannee, and Zathrus continued the battle with the bandits, doing quite well against them.

Rhiannon and Grimtooth fought with the bandit who remained in the left side passage. Ultimately the bandit was killed and Rhiannon attempted to follow her fleeing enemies down the passageway.

Alex ultimately managed to get quite far down the passageway through several of the spring-loaded doors. Unfortunately he quickly found himself alone and surrounded by enemies. He fought them bravely, but found the evil clerics mace he was using would injure him with each strike before healing him with stolen life force.

Rhiannon found the left passageway barred yet again as her enemies continued to flee before her. Rather than continue her attempt to batter down the door, she chose to turn around and join then fight in the main hall. About this time, Zathrus and Yattannee started down the right hallway to offer what aid they could to Alex. Yattannee kept one of the spring-loaded doors open while Zathrus began making ranged attacks. They were soon joined by Rhiannon, who threw her produced flame at the bandits. In the end, it proved insufficient as they watched Alex fall to his numerous attackers. Yattannee let the door slam closed and the party regrouped in the hall just in time to see Nailgus finish the spellcaster.

Unknown to the group, at that time Alex's soul entered the magical cloak he was wearing. As his body was looted, one of the bandits took the cloak and Alex found himself possessing the body of the bandit. Not knowing what else to do, he followed the bandits as they continued up to the second story and regrouped after the attack.

Nailghus refused to leave Alex's body behind, and the group decided to follow the bandits up the the second level. Rather than risk another fight in the narrow side passage, they decided to climb up the inner courtyard wall to the second level. Using Yoric's knotted rope, Nailgus, Rhiannon, Yattannee and Kuric made their way up while Zathrus and Yoric stayed in the courtyard below. Since the second level was open air, a battle began with the bandits. With Kuric and Nailghus' hand-to-hand combat prowess, aided by ranged support from their allies, the bandits were quickly dispatched despite the fact that one of the bandits was using the evil clerics magic mace. Kuric came accross Alex the Fighter hiding in a corner and looking like one of the bandits. "Bandit Alex", knowing he would have little chance to explain himself before he was killed, told Kuric to "put on the cloak" before attacking him. Kuric quickly dispatched "bandit Alex". Remembering what the bandit had said about the cloak, he chose to remove it and tear it in half... which destroyed its magical properties and probably Alex's soul. Oops.

The group also used this opportunity to bury Alex's body under some rubble on the moat house’s second level, as well as toss the evil mace Alex had been using in the moat. Everyone then regrouped in the main hall and the session came to an end.

As always, please feel free to post with your comments or corrections. Thanks!