Black Sunday

Synopsis:
The party became embroiled in a costly battle on the evening of 02 Detenday, 1002 (Real world: 11 February, 2006). After investigating the deaths of some Whillip's citizens, Our heroes came under the scrutiny of a group of Elven supremacists (A group called C.O.E.P.A.S.). While the party has yet to take this recent threat seriously, someone is obviously taking the party seriously. While the party slumbered, an Elven assault group approached the Manor. The grounds of X's estate are quite large, and it's difficult to prevent unwanted visitors. The gaurds who man bridge post are mainly there to greet visitors and deter solicitors.

Stalking towards the Manor, this group didn't go completely unnoticed. With a cascade of multi-directional yelps, the party was alerted to the presence of intruders by an unlikely source. An orphaned Blink-Dog that's been hanging around the manor ever since Grenco freed it from a slave pen. It's calls alerted Grenco, who stood watch on the fateful night in question.

After alerting the rest of the party, the intent of the intruders became clear. Amid a startling series of thuds, thwacks and impacts, came a volley of flaming arrows. A barrage that set the manor's roof ablaze. As servants and hirelings scrambled to fetch ladder and bucket, the party emerged from within, ready to do battle with whatever evil might confront them.

The assault seemed rather straightforward. Elven warriors dressed in black leather and carrying barbed chains, the small assault group put up a valiant show as our adventurers filed out onto the battle-ground. It soon became evident that these warriors were way outclassed, as they fell from a single blow. Little did the party know that they would soon be in some serious trouble.

After two rounds of overmatched fighting, a new threat appeared. A strange looking beast, hopping and squealing, it lopped onto the field like some strange rabbit-pig mutant. Tanar immediately recognized these beasts for what they truly were. Hopping Pink Oinkers! A magical abomination, capable of draining away spells and charged items, a dangerous foe indeed; especially for a party that's heavily dependent on magic.

Within moments, the depth of the party's troubles became clear. Immune to normal weapons, and unaffected by everything but magical damage, these beasts grow as they take damage. After taking more damage than their bizarre life can endure, they explode in a shower of shredded flesh and gore - The damage from the blast isn't trivial, and Tanar suffered greatly after experiencing this particularly devastating passing. After finally defeating one of the beasts, the party was dismayed to find that absorbing magical damage causes these creatures to reproduce; instantly generating a new Oinker hungry for more magic.

We left the session with all but one of the Elven assault troops dead, and the party gathering around their anti-magic gem. An anathema to the Hopping Pink Oinkers, the anti-magic gem has once again proven it's worth. As the Oinkers seek magic to eat, the party is slowly trying to come to grips with this difficult enemy.

What will happen when the whole party has retreated to the safety of the anti-magic gem? What will the Oinker's do then? Are there more troops waiting in the woods? Ashedyn didn't see any. How will the party deal with these diabolical fiends that eat magic, explode when killed, and reproduce by absorbing magical energy?

(For a more detailed recounting, you should check out the next journal entry (promised by Nicholis)).

Thalidimar - Standing inside the anti-magic zone, he's low on spells, but thankfully, the party hasn't sustained a lot of damage.
Ashedyn - Just returned from a circuitous scouting mission. An attempt to encircle the enemy that took much longer than anticipated.
Duracell - Flying high above the fray, she's been picking off opponents with a wand of black fire. Will her wand be the key to destroying these menacing creatures, or just another source of food to feed their reproductive cycle?
Zeddishous & Fang - After defeating several Elven warriors, this Ranger is seeking shelter from the Hopping Pink Oinkers.
Tanar - As a magic user, Tanar has been a focus for the voracious appetite of these hellish creatures. Drained of charges and magic, Tanar has found refuge within the anti-magic zone created by the anti-magic gem.
Grenco - Despite his ring of invisibility, Grenco finds himself surrounded by a horde of magic hungry Hopping Pink Oinkers. What will happen when they realize that he has no spells or charged items for them to feed on?
Caed - The anti-magic gem has revealed Caed to be a Fey'ri, not the Half-Elf the party presumed him to be. What does this deception mean for the party? Flying above the fray with bat-like wings, Caed has been able to dispatch several of the Elven warriors, but now the party is eyeing him suspiciously.

The remains of the Elven horde litter the battlefield (aligned diagonally). Dressed in uniform black leather, wielding vicious chain-like whips. These Elves fought fanatically. Fourteen corpses stain the well manicured grounds adjacent the manor. Their crimson blood stains the vibrant green, marking the scene of a violent struggle.
One member of the Elven horde has been captured by the party. Currently bound and unconscious, he nonetheless has become the target for Tanar's rage. What mysteries if any, will this prisoner reveal once revived?
The non-combatant fire brigade. Despite their efforts, X's servants, Caed's man-servant, and Tanar's retinue combined haven't been able to stem the tide spread by the flaming arrows. The roof of the manor is now ablaze with a coat of red that threatens to consume the party's home. They continue to shuttle water up onto the roof; one bucket at a time.
Hopping Pink Oinkers - A new threat. A monster unlike anything the party has encountered before. These strange beasts have left quite a dent in the party's supply of magic items. Despite their inability to invoke deadly blows, their penchant for leaching magic is generating great concern among our intrepid crew. In their search for magic to consume, they've surrounded Grenco. Despite the fact that he's currently invisible, the ring of Oinkers surrounding him could become a deadly trap.

We stopped playing at a crucial point in the encounter. The party has found shelter with their anti-magic gem, but the Oinkers still pose a significant threat. What will happen when they can't reach the magic they desire? What of the manor? With the roof on fire, the party could easily die in an inferno of searing pain if something isn't done about the flames which threaten to destroy the manor!

Nicholis has promised a journal entry, and Stacy will be providing a player description of the Hopping Pink Oinkers. Be sure to check back later, to find out how the party plans to extract themselves from this menacing situation.

A costly encounter for the party The aftermath of our session on the 11th of February 2006

A costly encounter for the party
The aftermath of our session on the 11th of February 2006