Keep on the Borderlands: Chapter 17: Monsters at the door

[mikewyant]

Session 17: Monsters at the Door

Upon their safe return to the keep, the party met with Lord Drysdale to pass along all they’d learned of Benwick’s forces, then sought much-needed rest. They were awakened the next morning by the trumpeting alarm of the imminent attack.

Outside the Great Hall, Lord Drysdale gave each of the heroes a battle horn, to mark them as having the authority to give orders to the keep’s other defenders. As a black dragon soared overhead, a page rushed up to the group, reporting that a large force of lizardfolk were assaulting the front gate with the aid of an immense behemoth. Without hesitation, Drysdale charged the heroes with repelling the main attack, telling them to meet him in Fountain Square after the gate was secured. The party rushed to the outer gatehouse, where the siege was in full swing.

Within moments, a huge, horned beast crashed through the thick wooden gate and thundered into the sturdy portcullis while a troop of lizardfolk warriors threatened to swarm up and over the outer wall. The heroes took up positions atop the wall and at the portcullis, fending off the onslaught.

The party was able to slay a lizardman shaman who was controlling the Behemoth, signaling the turning point in the battle. The Beast fled the fight and the adventurers redoubled their efforts atop the walls, and slowly beat back the attack.

From the elevated height, the group spotted Moxulhar, who was surveying the scene. With a blast from one of the battle horns, the adventurers summoned the copper dragon to join the fray.

Additional soldiers arrived to relieve the heroes and hold the now-secured gate. The party regrouped and turned their attention toward the other side of the keep.