Once again, we were asked to scout ahead of the army. It was only a day’s ride to the capitol of Naht-strat’holm, but the Black Wraith would make it in a fraction of the time, though not so much a difference that it would be useful for more than just a quick scouting mission. Nindrol also promised to reach out to other commanders who had forces near at hand, to ask them to intervene. With any degree of luck, we would not be facing the same situation as we had in Andor’s Hall.

I was at the bow of the ship when Naht-strat’holm came into view. Even then, I knew that we were too late. The city was not burning, like Ah Alora was. Instead, looking through the captain’s spyglass, I could see the telltale signs of a festival being thrown, with the Queen’s banner raised throughout the city.

“By all the gods!” Zinlana gasped as she stood next to me, a spyglass of her own in hand. “A street festival? The entire city will be tainted by now!”

I sighed, knowing full well that was the case. It took a will of iron not to go around eating the food offered in a street festival. Especially if someone was smart, and had the crown pay for it all, so that, to the people, it was free. Everyone would have had some, by now.

And we knew of no way to reverse the damage, once it was done. Not that I cared for the people. But I disliked being caught up in someone else’s game, and not being able to stop it in time. The fact that the prophecies were playing into this only made it worse.

“How many people in the city?”

“At last counting? Two hundred thousand, at the least. Some say it could be as much as three hundred thousand, and more if you count travelers and merchants bringing goods from cities like Andor’s Hall. Fully one in twenty tenth of all the elves in Silverwood live in the capitol. That’s where most of the industry is, as well.”

“Then, it would seem that Silverwood is in for a very troubled future. At the moment, the best we can do is see to it that no one leaves the city. The tainted cannot be allowed to escape, and infect others, or the problem will grow beyond anyone’s ability to control it.”

Zinlana nodded solemnly. “I will send word to the General, and try to get him to hurry the pace.”

“OY, LASS! HOW CLOSE TO THE CITY YE BE WANTING TO GET?”

Captain Dawson’s call snapped me out of contemplation. I glanced over to the favored soul, who considered for a moment. “The Sel’than River flows from the north and east to the south. The river is deep enough for shipping, and the trees do not overhang. You’re unlikely to find any large clearings near the city, save those in the city itself.”

I nodded, and turned to face the stern. “RIVER TO THE NORTH. MAKE IT A HALF HOUR’S RIDE FROM THE CITY!”

“AYE, LASS. YOU HEARD THE GIRL, YOU LAZY PILES OF BONES! MAKE READY TO LAND!”

Zinlana looked my way. “The General and the Crown Princess will meet us there. He is already sending out word to the Rangers in the forest nearby, letting them know we are no threat, at least for now. We may have a party of them approach us, in order to coordinate with the General.”

Landing in the river was an easy experience, the Captain once more showing off his skill with the smooth landing. That done, those who weren’t part of the crew debarked, since being too close to the undead might set off the elves. We set up a small campsite by the riverbed, and settled in to wait for the General and whatever other forces were coming. We weren’t expecting the wait to be that long, just a few hours, but it was better to be prepared, just in case something went wrong. In fact—

Unseen Attacker’s Attack (Melinda): 1d20+29 = 33 (Miss)

“FUCK!” I yelped, jerking my head back just in time to see a blade slice close enough in front of my face to see it trim my eyelashes.

The next instant, I found myself surrounded by black-clad elves, with wings that reminded me of the twins, when they weren’t hiding them. More elves started appearing out of nowhere, as though they’d dropped out of thin air. “ENEMY ATTACK!”

Initiative

Toross

Melinda

Demon Blades

Vestele

Ebonheart

Fartooth

Zinlana

Siora

Toross’s attack (Melinda): 1d20+25 = 35 (Miss)

Toross’s attack (Melinda): 1d20+20 = 21 (Miss)

Toross’s attack (Melinda): 1d20+25 = 45 (Crit Threat)

Toross’s attack (Melinda): 1d20+25 = 45 (Crit)

Damage: 2d6+22 = 31 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 14d6 = 36 (DR 15/Cold Iron)

Flaming: 1d6 = 2 (Fire) (Fire Vulnerability)

Frost: 1d6 = 2 (Cold) (Cold Immunity)

Toross’s attack (Melinda): 1d20+20 = 33 (Miss)

Toross’s attack (Melinda): 1d20+15 = 23 (Miss)

The elf in front of me moved with an obscene quickness. Her blades (and I could tell, now, that my attacker was a ‘she’) flashed in front of me. In her right hand a katana that appeared to be surrounded by a misty haze, making it hard to judge the blade’s path. In her left was a wakizashi, surrounded in a shadowy aura like my own blade, though fire and frost swirled around it.

I quickly got introduced to those blades quite intimately, as she launched into a flurry of attacks. I managed to deflect the katana once, before causing her to overswing, dropping that blade. My victory was short-lived, however, as that second blade slashed out, cutting me deeply in the side. I couldn’t take too many more hits like that.

Melinda’s Concentration Check: 1d20+36 = 43 (Success)

Utterdark Doom: 14d6 = 52 (Negative Energy)

Toross’s Ref Save: 1d20+17 = 20 (Fail) (Full Damage)

Toross’s Fort Save: 1d20+6 = 17 (Fail) (2 Negative Levels)

DB1’s Ref Save: 1d20+9 = 18 (Fail) (Full Damage)

DB1’s Fort Save: 1d20-5 = 10 (Fail) (2 Negative Levels)

DB2’s Ref Save: 1d20+9 = 29 (Fail) (Full Damage)

DB2’s Fort Save: 1d20-5 = 1 (Fail) (2 Negative Levels)

DB3’s Ref Save: 1d20+9 = 15 (Fail) (Full Damage)

DB3’s Fort Save: 1d20-5 = 7 (Fail) (2 Negative Levels)

DB4’s Ref Save: 1d20+9 = 19 (Fail) (Full Damage)

DB4’s Fort Save: 1d20-5 = 12 (Fail) (2 Negative Levels)

DB5’s Ref Save: 1d20+9 = 18 (Fail) (Full Damage)

DB5’s Fort Save: 1d20-5 = 1 (Fail) (2 Negative Levels)

I grit my teeth as I drew Soul’s Violation. “They have to be assassins of some type! Watch yourselves!” Turning my attention to the elves around me, I took a breath, and unleashed a wave of inky black energy from my hand, a dome of blackness washing over the area around me. The dome did not hit my allies, but the assassins sure felt it.

DB1’s Attack (Melinda): 1d20+27 = 40 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+10 = 12 (Slashing)

Iron Vulnerability: 1d6 = 5

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 29 (DR 15/Cold Iron)

DB1’s Attack (Melinda): 1d20+22 = 37 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+10 = 15 (Slashing)

Iron Vulnerability: 1d6 = 5

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 23 (DR 15/Cold Iron)

DB1’s Attack (Melinda): 1d20+17 = 20 (Miss)

DB2’s Attack (Melinda): 1d20+29 = 41 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+10 = 17 (Slashing)

Iron Vulnerability: 1d6 = 2

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 22 (DR 15/Cold Iron)

DB2’s Attack (Melinda): 1d20+24 = 28 (Miss)

DB2’s Attack (Melinda): 1d20+19 = 25 (Miss)

DB3’s Attack (Melinda): 1d20+29 = 40 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+10 = 11 (Slashing)

Iron Vulnerability: 1d6 = 4

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 23 (DR 15/Cold Iron) (Dying)

DB3’s Attack (Melinda): 1d20+24 = 26 (Miss)

DB3’s Attack (Melinda): 1d20+19 = 25 (Miss)

DB4’s Attack (Ebonheart): 1d20+27 = 47 (Crit Threat)

Confirm Crit: 1d20+27 = 46 (Crit)

Damage: 2d10+20 = 22 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 33 (DR 4/-)

DB4’s Attack (Ebonheart): 1d20+22 = 38 (Crit Threat)

Confirm Crit: 1d20+22 = 41 (Crit)

Damage: 2d10+20 = 33 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 40 (DR 4/-)

DB4’s Attack (Ebonheart): 1d20+17 = 18 (Miss)

DB5’s Attack (Vestele): 1d20+27 = 28 (Miss)

DB6’s Attack (Vestele): 1d20+29 = 47 (Crit Threat)

Confirm Crit: 1d20+29 = 41 (Crit)

Damage: 2d10+20 = 24 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 27

DB6’s Attack (Vestele): 1d20+24 = 26 (Miss)

DB6’s Attack (Vestele): 1d20+19 = 28 (Miss)

DB7’s Attack (Zinlana): 1d20+29 = 44 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+10 = 15 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 35 (DR 10/Cold Iron)

DB7’s Attack (Zinlana): 1d20+24 = 39 (Hit)

DB7’s Attack (Zinlana): 1d20+19 = 33 (Hit)

DB8’s Attack (Zinlana): 1d20+29 = 44 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+10 = 18 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 44 (DR 10/Cold Iron)

DB8’s Attack (Zinlana): 1d20+24 = 30 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+10 = 16 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 33 (DR 10/Cold Iron) (Dead)

DB9’s Attack (Siora): 1d20+29 = 41 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+10 = 14 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 28

DB9’s Attack (Siora): 1d20+24 = 28 (Miss)

DB9’s Attack (Siora): 1d20+19 = 20 (Miss)

DB10’s Attack (Siora): 1d20+29 = 41 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+10 = 14 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 33 (DR 10/Cold Iron)

DB10’s Attack (Siora): 1d20+24 = 26 (Miss)

DB10’s Attack (Siora): 1d20+19 = 25 (Miss)

The other elves attacked. I had a vision of long, slender blades. Not a katana, but something more distinctly elven. But then I could not think any more, as blade after blade sought my flesh. I fell, and blackness began to claim me.

In the distance, I could hear the others scream, in pain and surprise. A thump. Someone falling? I couldn’t tell. It was starting to go cold. Cold like I had not felt in years. Was this how I died again?

Vestele’s Concentration check: 1d20+28 = 39 (Success)

Vestele’s Mass Heal: 190 HP

From the blackness, I heard Vestele’s voice, and light and life returned. “BY THE POWER OF MALCANTHET, I DENY YOU, SERVANTS OF GRAZ’ZT!” I had to smile as my eyes opened. Looks like the priestess had identified our attackers, at least.

Ebonheart’s Horn Attack (DB4): 1d20+38 = 40 (Miss)

Ebonheart’s Bite Attack (DB4): 1d20+32 = 50 (Hit)

Damage: 1d8+9 = 12

Vile: 1 (Vile)

Ebonheart’s Hoof Attack (DB4): 1d20+32 = 51 (Hit)

Damage: 1d4+11 = 13

Vile: 1 (Vile) (Dead)

“DEATH! DEATH AND SLAUGHTER TO ALL! IN THE NAME OF GARAGOS!” That was Ebonheart raging. He hadn’t had much chance to get in a good fight lately, and he was reveling in it, clearly. The black-clad elf he attacked managed to avoid his horn, but a bite and a kicking hoof brought him low. Good, one fewer to deal with.

Fartooth’s Swarm of Arrows: 1d20+31 = 48

Damage: 1d6+11 = 15 (Piercing)

Wounding: 1 CON

Toross: Miss

DB1: Hit

DB2: Hit

DB3: Hit

DB5: Hit

DB6: Hit

DB7: Hit

DB8: Hit

DB9: Hit

DB10: Hit

Fartooth chittered in surprise. By some stroke of luck, the little lizard had been overlooked by the elves who had attacked everyone else on shore. A blue light filled his eyes as he channeled his psionic power. Bolts of mental energy flashed out in rapid fire, striking all but the leader of the attacking ninjas. “Rude! Rude! You all die now!”

Siora’s Concentration Check: 1d20+31 = 38 (Success)

Mass Whelm damage: 10d6 = 39 (Nonlethal)

Toross’s Will Save: 1d20+14 = 15 (Fail)

DB1’s Will Save: 1d20+1 = 17 (Fail) (Unconscious)

DB2’s Will Save: 1d20+1 = 12 (Fail) (Unconscious)

DB3’s Will Save: 1d20+1 = 15 (Fail) (Unconscious)

DB5’s Will Save: 1d20+13 = 31 (Success)

DB6’s Will Save: 1d20+13 = 30 (Success)

DB7’s Will Save: 1d20+13 = 28 (Success)

DB8’s Will Save: 1d20+13 = 23 (Fail)

DB9’s Will Save: 1d20+13 = 30 (Success)

DB10’s Will Save: 1d20+13 = 16 (Success)

Siora grit her teeth. “These are the minions of Clan Miawraek! Try and keep a couple alive for questioning!” As she said that, she unleashed a wave of power, knocking three of the elves to the ground. “We need to know how many of their agents are in the country!”

Well, that changed things. Apparently, the twins recognized something about these elves. That led credence to their claims that the Demon Prince of Lies was behind all this.