Outskirts of Norin

Session XVI The Fight with Julian, SummerFest 1

Having breakfasted at Fiona's abode with naught but a warning to "trust no one" in Norin, the party ventures to Norin, only to find a dark figure on a coal-black steed watching them from a rise over a riverbed. Xavier named the man Julian, his half brother, huntsman and protector of the outlying woods of Norin. As the party prepares for the encounter, a group of horsemen come up over a hill and a pair of chariots tore around the bend along the stream. Needless to say, they all looked like they had bad intentions.

As the foes began to charge, Doc made short work of the horsemen; the knight errants were consumed in a fireball. He then turned to help Dagny combat the charioteers. Dagny waited for the chariots to come to her, but was run over for her trouble. Fortunately, the chariot capsized. Dagny was cut, bloodied and bruised but she got up and smote them upon the ruin. Xavier had succeeded in entangling the second chariot with a spell and he and Lume were in a pitched melee with its occupants when Dagny and Doc helped finish them off. About then Julian's hellhounds were loosed and the fight continued.

Meanwhle, Cadman raised his darkwood lance (made of wood from the Dark Tree encountered earlier) and signalled a challenge to Julian detecting the evil of his character with his paladin ability. Julian acknowledged the challenge and charged down to joust. They met over the creekbed in midjump and slammed into each other, Cadman delivering the better blow, shivering his lance and unhorsing Julian with a critical hit that left a darkwood shard in the dark ranger's chest. Cadman had little trouble felling the man after that and charged to help his companions.

In the aftermath of the battle it was found that Julian had survived. Xavier took the terrific mount Morgenstern and nursed the captive Julian to health--but kept him unconscious and bound. Xavier used a spell of trickery to make himself appear to be the Huntsman, took the steed and passed the others off as prisoners to gain entry into Norin. The ruse successful, the party prepares itself for the intrigue and politics of Norin....

Xavier Cle4Rog2 23,647
Doc Sor7 24,006
Dagny Bar5Dru2 23,831
Lume Rog1Sam2Ftr2 16,643
Cadman Pal7 24,006