Session 2: Trouble at the Festival Report

General Summary

The distant rumbling soon gave way to chaos and pandemonium. All throughout the throngs of festival goes, figures in masks emerged. They were not monsters or magical creatures, but fellow countrymen who had decided they must turn their blades on their defenseless festival going kin. At the center feasting tables Indalell and Longwei moved quickly towards the high tables where the suspicious individuals they had been following were going. Behind them among the throngs of feasters, screams, the wet slick sound of knives and swords piercing flesh, and the flipping of tables and falling of bodies could be heard. Indalell was the first to act, approaching from the south he ran past the first two attackers, his twin blades piercing each thru the back and coming out their chests, to the shock of the high tables who had just started to take notice of their peril. Indalell yanked on the intricate hilt of his side swords spinning his victims as he did and rolling with ease under the high table disappearing from site as the two fell dead. Longwei moved with haste towards his father and brother who were before this broke out discussing the political situation within the city with several other family heads. The dissidents descended upon them, Ikehara drew his Katana and moved to defend himself and his son. Tidwert Violetgear of the Engineering consortium in his lavish clothes and wide brimmed hat drew his rapier and seemed delighted at the turn of events. Indalell emerged from beneath the table, cutting another attacker down and wounding a second who moved to swarm Longwei's father. Ikehara removed the head of the wounded attacker and spun decapitating the second in a display of skill and carnage. Lord and Lady Curunis, the leaders of the Councilst faction were swarmed next, Ivassar putting himself between his lady and the attackers, skillfully dodging their attacks despite his lack of armor or weapon. Kaylessa Curunis did not need weapons however, her eyes flaring with psionic power as an invisible wave of energy shot from her eyes, her husbands own Psionic fortitude allowing him to resist but stunning their attackers, give them and their party time to escape. Longwei flew into action, his fists a blind flurry as he put down the last attacker around his Father and Brother. Giving them a nod, the Yong family made their escape, while Longwei moved to put himself between the fleeing aristocrats and the stunned attackers. Indalell rolled across the tables and dispatched another attacker with his blade before pommel striking the second, dragging the unconscious body under the table for later questioning. The stunned attackers blinked back seeing the half dragon monk before them in his perfect stance ready to face all five of them. Three leapt upon him, two of their short swords glancing his flesh causing thin lines of blood, before his fist broke ones jaw and a kick knocked the wind of the second. The other two darted past to chase the fleeing aristocrats. Indalell from beneath the table cut the Achilles tendon of an attacker and as he dropped, Longwei tumbled his way thru his enemies for a more advantageous position and as he rose kicked the man in the side of his knee breaking his leg. Tidwert had dispatched his attackers and were making after the two chasing the other Aristocrats. Longwei and Indalell moved from the grand square to more open ground to see what was going on....*thud* *thud* *thud*  

At the list fields a larger force of these dissidents had mustered, since they expected several here to be armed, they had cut thru the stands and spectators quickly and descended on the aristocrats and fighters gathered at the arena, in various stages of disarmament. Ismaril was the first to see the threat and shouted for her Crystal guard to protect Ambassador Sildanaer, a shimmering crystalline energy engulfing her soldier who went from simple clothing to intricate black crystal half plate. A'lar nearby moved to stay close to the Clan Starlight ambassadors guards, calling from his own guards form a nearby tent. Disguising his magical incantation illusionary bouncers from his tavern came rushing to his defense. Across the field House Enre members were chatting when the attack came, Merialeth calling for them to form around her, as she loosed arrows felling to rushing attackers. Ayriens companion Vaera's claws raked another as they approached before Ayriens spear burst thru his chest. Adalons curved blade cutting another down before he shimmered and vanished, reappearing behind another coming from the south. The Crystal Guard rushed forward engaging the attackers as their long swords flashed and cut, joined by Sildanaer to Ismarils protests, the first attacker was put down, her own Crystal Thinblade downing the next. Alars illusions crossed blades with the attackers, before one realized they were not real and growled moving past. Alar noticing Lirien Leafwhisper was rushing into the fray to the south dragging wounded spectators into the arena, where the magic of the contest would not allow them to perish. His magic reached out to her, shrouding her from sight to let her work more safely before realizing the attacker was just about upon him. Stepping back a massive beehive making an enormous ruckus would incase the attacker, to his screaming dismay. The Enres were quickly gaining the upper hand as Merialeths arrows cut down two more, Ayrien and Vaera moved with grace upon the battle field cutting down the next wave of attackers, and Adalons blade and magic allowed him to teleport into the most advantageous of positions for the cleaving blows of his curved blade. A'lar began to make good his escape, shrouding himself and moving into the areana, but the man in the beehive had seen enough of these tricks as the bees sting never came. Ismaril and her guards cut down the remaining attackers as they fought A'lars illusions, not seeing A'lar vanish into the arena. Merialeth put two arrows into the man as her rushed A'lar and surveyed the field as Adalon put his blade to the final attacker. Lirien was still hysterical, covered in blood as she screamed in frustration over the dead and moved to the next wounded to drag them into the field of the sands. A'lar moved to hand her a bandolier of potions to help, she just asked for help moving more as they would be stable in the field....*thud* *thud* *thud*  

As everyone made some distance from the clustered areas of the festival and to open spaces they could see across the Ary, massive humanoid figures emerged from the western halls, skin a cool blue and covered in great furs, Frost Giants were in the Ary! Their axes cut down the Council guards here, as dozens of Ogres poured out of the western halls. The Council Guard was rallying in the east with Ivassar and trying to put down the attack from the dissidents. Citizens running in panic began to clog the paths and streets, now fleeing from the Giants that could kill dozens in a single strike. A'lar realized in horror that the Ogres and Giants were moving towards the norther halls, where the hatchery was. Pleading with the Enre and Clan Starlight ambassador to come and protect the eggs A'lar began to push his way thru the crowd north while creating a massive audible illusion shouting to protect the hatchery to any who might listen. Encountering Indalell and Longwei as they pushed north, they joined their comrades and made for the hatchery. Sildanaer created a telepathic bond of all those venturing to save the hatchery to heighten their senses allowing each to perceive the others fields of view, as well allow him to enhance them with his psionic power. What seemed like hours as they crossed 300 yards of the Ary swarmed with panicked people and the occasional skirmish, they arrived at the northern halls. The broken and cloven bodies of 4 Council guard lay here who stood against the ogres and Giants. They rushed further inside and down thru the subterranean caves to the hatcheries.  

As they entered the balmy caves that housed dragon eggs of every clan, their nose were immediately assaulted by the scent of blood and an eerie quiet, the distant *thud* of the giants footsteps could be heard. Mangled bodies of Council guards were found next, and a bit further in the massive body of a Giant lay in their path, ringed by 3 more guards. Moving quietly and careful they could hear ogres to the south, Ismaril having just toured the facility said in the minds of the others thru the telepathic bond "They are ransacking the supplies keepers rooms, the eggs are this way" and moved east into the tunnels. The first main hatchery chambers had two large carts moved out to collect eggs and Ogres were brining them up from the incubator chambers to load in the cart. Wasting no time Indalell let his arrow fly while Aryien and Adalon charged ahead. A'lar to the north created an illusion of an earth elemental to distract the ogres there. Ayrien and Vaera cornered one ogre who set his egg down, Aryiens spear piercing his throat, while Adalaon shimmered past the falling body to cut down his companion. Indalell dropped his bow as two ogres streamed past him, drawing his blades, A'lars spell upon him shrouding him from view. Longwei thru his shuriken's piercing the flesh of several ogres. The Ogres raised their clubs to strike down Ismaril who stood before them but as they drew close to attack, her form was replaced by visions from their nightmares, terribly creatures threatening to cut them to pieces, they froze in place. Merialeths arrows cut one down as Ismarils blade drove thru another. Adalon would grunt in pain as an Ogre club smashed into his ribs, the Crystal Guard surrounding and delivering wounding blows to his attacker before his own curved blade put an end to the ogre. A'lars second illusion a draconic guard dog distracted a second ogre to the west. Indalell moved past his side swords piercing the first ogre to the west and putting the creature down, the second ogres club delivered a crushing blow to A'lars illusion, but the creature would not die, no matter how many times the ogre bludgeoned it. From behind them the ogres ransacking the kitchens would arrive, surprising Merialeth, she would duck and roll to safety behind a cart, Ismaril stepping up to protect the ambassador. Longwei spun another hail of shurikens at the newest attackers leaving them cut and pierced as they moved to strike Ismaril. Two like before would see their dooms in her eyes and freeze, the third however was not afraid, his club smashing into her arm. Adalon and Ayrien would arrive with the crystal guard beside Ismaril dispatching the last of the ogres behind, while Shurikens and Indalells blades put the last to the west down. Pressing forward the group soon came to a long tunnel, the sounds of magical incantations could be heard down it.  

Longwei would turn hearing faint footsteps behind them, to find a very angry Gnomish woman wielding a butchers cleaver, "Who the fuck are you, you arent the Council guard" she would spit venom at the company. Pushing past Longwei she would make her way towards the tunnel with the chanting, Adalon recognizing her as the head of the hatchery, Holvyt Shellkeeper, would ask what was going on. "I have no fucking idea!" the infuriated gnome would say "That elf some how teleported in, the ogres brought some device that let him get thru the teleportation barrier!" Knowing the eggs were in danger and some magic afoot they began to discuss a plan, when Adalon strode forward into the tunnel "We have to stop them".......