The wild elves have grown increasingly restless by the adventurers' foray back to Vraath Keep and are all too eager to bear their passengers back to Brindol, and more to the point--return to Starsong Hill, far from the concerns of Elsir Vale.

One among their number, Vaxfar Leaf, has agreed to join the adventurers, a point which his kin have difficulty understanding. In any event, Vaxfar is capable of making his own decisions, and hid brethren say little of the matter thereafter.

Ushering the adventurers aboard the great owls, the elves soon take flight and once again soar high over The Witchwood, bearing eastward toward Brindol. In the distance, the party sees a line of destruction along The Dawn Way. Drellin's Ferry, Terrelton, Nimon Gap, and Talar are now little more than smoldering ruins. The Red Hand has spared nothing in their war-path. The adventurers soon see evidence of the hobgoblin horde, camped a few miles west of the city, in their final preparation before the siege begins.

Gliding high overhead, the great owls bear their passengers toward Brindol...

It is impossible to miss the fact Brindol is a city at war, even though as yet there are no smoldering fires or war-torn battlefields. Soldiers toil in what only a few weeks ago were idyllic orchards and productive farms, digging trenches, raising watchtowers, and securing wooden palisades.

The city is almost completely surrounded by a twenty-foot-high wall of stone. The only stretch not protected in this way is the section along the river that marks the city's northern boundary. Two bridges cross the Elsir and connect the city with the river's far bank. The highest point in town is a hill nestled in the southeastern quadrant. A large, well-built keep of stone surmounts this hill, its majestic towers rivaled by the presence of a nearby grand cathedral.

Despite the city's size, the streets are strangely silent and empty. Patrols of soldiers march down some roads, but there is little sign of the normal mercantile activity one might expect. Upon closer inspection, it seems many of the town's buildings have been boarded over. War had indeed come to Brindol.

The wild elves land their mounts on the Elsir's east shore, 100 yards or so from two watchtowers serving as the city's eastern gates. The wild elves deposit their passengers and hastily make their retreat. Their task complete, the Tiri Kitor take flight and wing northward, back toward their ancestral lands. This battle is not theirs to fight and to this point, have no reason to get involved.

Standing at the edge of Brindol, the party looks at the walls ahead and sees a group of nervous soldiers warily inspecting the new arrivals. As the adventurers approach the west gate, they hear one of the soldiers remark, "Let 'em in! That's them!"

The west gate groans as its doors open and a weary looking soldier wearing the livery of the Golden Lions, the city's army, greets the party. "You must come quickly. Lord Jarmaath is expecting you."

With little explanation or fanfare, the party is quickly ushered through the walled city, following a series of orderly streets winding up a large central hill. They soon pass the magnificent Cathedral of Erathis, beyond which, at the top of the hill, rises Brindol Keep.

Brindol Keep is a squat, four-towered keep perched atop the central hill rising above the surrounding city. A short conversation with its garrison ensues before the adventurers are permitted to enter. Their Golden Lion escort ushers them through the keep to the Great Hall...

The low murmur of a dozen muted conversations falls silent as the great double doors at the southern end of this great hall are opened by a pair of guards. The room beyond is a large chamber, the floors polished smooth and the walls set with many alcoves, each containing a trophy or work of art. The ceiling rises to a cavernous height of nearly forty feet, and deepest narrow windows reach nearly to that height along the northern wall.

A single long table dominates the middle of the room, its surface covered with books, maps, ledgers, parchments, sketched, drinks, and plates of half-eaten food. Here, the Defense Council has assembled.

Seated at the table are the following individuals:

Lord Jarmaath: The Lord of Brindol, a lean man with a short, well-trimmed beard, graying hair, and wrinkles that don't quite belie his thirty-five years.

Lady Verrasa Kaal: The leader of a wealthy merchant family, Lady Kaal is elegantly dressed and keeps her vibrant red hair in a complicated extravagant fashion.

Captain Lars Ulverth: The leader of Brindol's Lion Guard, Captain Ulverth is an imposing man covered with numerous scars.

Tredora Goldenbrow: The local high priesess of Erathis and most prominent cleric in Brindol. Priestess Goldenbrow possesses an otherworldly beauty that causes stirs of infatuation in nearly every person that sees her.

Speaker Wiston: The Town Speaker of Drellin's Ferry, whom the adventuers have already met.

Captain Anitah: The captain of the Drellin's Ferry militia, whom the adventurers have also previously met.

"Greetings, and welcome to Brindol," Lord Jarmaath begins. "I wish your visit to our great city was under better circumstances, but that cannot be helped."

Lord Jarmaath proceeds to introduce himself and each of the council members in turn. The Defense Council seems to have already heard about the party, courtesy of Speaker Wiston, but the council is eager to hear what the adventurers have to say. Once introductions are out of the way, chairs are brought out and the party is invited to sit at the table.

"My name is Sister Eoni Daflin, Captain of the Trailbreakers.  I pray you received the map and letter we sent by way of the Tiri Kitor," she said, sitting heavily in the proffered chair.  Little use was it now if they hadn't.

"Our trip to the Thornwaste was successful.  The Red Hand and armies of the Ghostlord have been split asunder.  Though I pray the repercussions of returning the Ghostlord's phylactery will not haunt us." She gave an involuntary shiver as she remembered what he'd said.

"As we flew in from the west, we saw only destruction.  The Red Hand is camped a few miles west of the city, as you already know.

"In our travels we've seen in their army a green and a red dragon, wyverns, ogres, a bull headed beast of a man, a two headed giant, two wyrmlords who seem to be lieutenants of Azar Kul, and a very large number of hobgoblins.

"We did destroy the acid beasts they were raising in the ruins of old Rhest," she added as an afterthought.

Lord Jarmaath nods to indicate he did in fact receive the missive Eoni had previously sent.

The Defense Council takes in Eoni's report, eager to learn of news from beyond their city's walls, and listen closely as she relays the party's exploits thus far. When she is finished, Lord Jarmaath says, "We are most certainly pleased to hear of your successes thus far, and, I for one, hope you will help defend the city in the days to come."

Keen observers might notice Lady Kaal give Lord Jarmaath, seated to her right, the hint of a contemptuous glance. But otherwise, she says nothing on the matter.

Captain Ulverth uses this opportunity to introduce question of his own, "You fought, and prevailed against all these things you describe. What can you tell us of the Red Hand's tactics in battle?"

For her part, High Priestess Goldenbrow remain quite aloof throughout the council, perhaps even a bit skeptical of Eoni's account. She casts her attention to other members of the group in an effort to read their body language in relation to the information presented.

Captain Anitah and Speaker Wiston hang on to Eoni's every word, but seem content to allow the other council members to steer the conversation.

Taerix catches himself gazing too long at Priestess Goldenbrow and turns his attention back to what Eoni is saying. At a pause, he interrupts.

"The others are better at tactics than I am. I just know that we got beat up quite a bit getting all that done. I think we all could use some rest and some healing."

"They are very well organized and disciplined," Eoni explained.  "Various creatures working together, following orders.  You've seen their battle plan to cross the Vale.  Their strategy has been well planned.

"One of the hobgoblin patrols we ran into had a shaman of some sort and the last wyrmlord was a sorceress flanked by two more shaman.  Expect them to use magic against us and tactics you wouldn't expect from them.  Feints, creatures working together in concert, wolf riding cavalry.

"They know what they're doing."

"And they've got dragons," Valthur adds.

With that somewhat unnecessary detail repeated, he feels his face blush and turns his gaze to his feet. He thinks about how much he hates meetings like this. All the planning and talking to speakers and lords and leaders and ladies. He finds it stifling. Much better fighting the Red Hand than talking about them.

Having just joined the group Vaxfar hangs back listening quietly. [Private to DM Pawn: I cast my esp spell.  Focusing on Captain Ulverth first.]

Sarah just looks at everyone without really meeting their gaze(s).

[Private to DM Pawn: . . . and tries to determine if Lady Kaal is wearing has any jewelry that might be worth stealing.]

Captain Ulverth appears impressed with Eoni's accounting of important facts to help determine the enemies discipline and resolve, though this isn't purely an academic discussion. Lives are at stake and as the gravity of her report weighs in, the veteran soldier sighs deeply and strokes his temples while he contemplates the implications. When Valthur adds in the fact about dragons, his demeanor grows more grim.

"Then it is worse that we thought," he says to his fellow council members.

[Private to Vaxfar: Captain Ulverth's thoughts are centered around determining whether your group are as capable as Speaker Wiston and Captain Anitah seemed to have indicated. He appears to be satisfied with what he sees thus far. The implications of Eoni and Valthur's report are weighing heavily on him though and he appears to be internally deliberating defending the city and retreating to Brindol.

Lord Jarmath is thinking of ways he can defend his city and seems quite confident the walls will hold.

Lady Kaal is resentful of the position she has been put in, but views these events as an opportunity to wrest power from Lord Jarmaath.

Priestess Goldenbrow is quite skeptical of your party and is looking for any indication you are nothing more than greed-driven mercenaries. In particular, she has unfavorable thoughts about Sarah, but is consciously trying to give you the benefit of the doubt.

Speaker Wiston is quite frightened by the report and is thinking about the fate of his citizens whom had to flee their village several days ago.

Captain Anitah is concerned about her children and her thoughts keep revolving back to their whereabouts.]

[Private to Sarah: Lady Kaal has an elegant ruby brooch pinned to her lapel which might be easy to filch if the opportunity presented itself. You estimate it could easily fetch 750 gp to the right party.]

Lord Jarmaath says, "We have spent the last several days going over this many times and the conclusions are always the same. We have but two options. Neither of them perfect. But, we must now decide..."

Lord Jarmaath then explains he wants to meet the horde in the fields outside the city walls. His hope is this will slow down the horde's advance, and if successful, keep much damage from being inflicted on the city itself.

To this, Captain Ulverth counters, "This will cost many lives. Perhaps unnecessarily! We are clearly outnumbered. Such a ploy would be foolhardy!" He then asserts, quite strongly, that the army should use the city walls and buildings as fortifications. "Let's meet them in the streets if we must!"

To this, Lord Jarmaath counters, "They will raze the town. You have heard reports from the villages they have already passed through!"

Lady Kaal, Priestess Goldenbrow, Speaker Wiston, and Captain Anitah appear indecisive about which tactic would be best. None of them want to see damage to the city, but at the same time, they don't fancy the lives that will be lost in a pre-emptive attack.

Lord Jarmaath then turns to the adventurers. "You have battled them thus far, what would you say?"

The council cease bickering and listen intently for what counsel the adventurers might offer...

 Vaxfar continues to listen quietly, assuming Eoni will continue to take the lead. [Private to DM Pawn: Vaxfar focuses on the thoughts of his group.]

Eoni paused and looked about the room.  She wasn't a tactician, just a Sister of Avandra.  The tenets of Avandra were simple, yet nuanced in their interpretation.  She tried to find the one best suited.

They'd been bold.  They'd struck back against those who'd oppressed their freedom.  All that was left, was change.  Marklin and Aldara were gone.  Things had changed.

"Change is inevitable," she said steadily, looking at each of those around the table as she spoke, "but it takes the work of the faithful to ensure that change is for the better.

"The Vale may never be the same after this.  Drellin's Ferry is gone.  Terrelton, Nimon Gap, and Talar.  All gone.

"We must ensure above all that we stop them here forever and never again.

"Villages, towns, and even cities can be rebuilt.  The hands and hearts to rebuild them cannot.

"Above all, we must ensure our victory by using every advantage we have."

Her gaze stopped on Lord Jarnath and she asked, "If you were leading their forces, would you hope to meet in the field or against these fortifications?"

Lord Jarmaath meets Eoni's gaze for some time before sighing, his shoulders sagging slightly. "Though, I am several years remved from my own days as an adventurer, my memory of hobgoblins is they would not care where the battle occurred. Once driven by the thirst for blood and plunder, those vermin will be driven forward regardless of the cost."

"It just doesn't seem right. To wait for an attack, when we could seize the initiative..."

Lord Jarmaath strokes both sides of his temples with his fingers then leans back into the chair. "Very well," he says in a more sure voice. "Let's put it to a vote. All those in favor of defending the city from the walls, say aye."

"Wait a minute my love," Priestess Goldenbrow says. "Why must we choose between either of these, poor options?"

"Why not abandon the city entirely. We can take what forces we have and fall back and meet the horde at Dennovar. There, our numbers will be bolstered by what forces that city can bear? It too is fortified..."

Lady Kaal regards the Priestess Goldenbrow with a suspicious glance and cuts in curtly, "The Lord has already proposed a vote. Let us be one with it..."

Priestess Goldenbrow looks right through Lady Kaal and says nothing. Lady Kaal stares icily at her and says, "Aye."

Once put to a vote, the Ayes are unanimous, even Priestess Goldenbrow offers her own, heavy-hearted support of the plan.

"How can we help?" Eoni asked.  She was glad they weren't going to meet them in the field.  They did need every advantage they could get.

Lord Jarmaath lays out the plan for the defense of the city, with Captain Ulverth providing some technical details here and there. The other council members largely remainly silent, though attentive to the plan. The plan consists of the following:

• The vast majority of the standing army will be stationed atop the wall, to repel invaders as the siege begins
• Numerous barricades will be built along the major streets and alleys will be blocked off to present only a few viable options of movement, so as to funnel the attackers along a few well-defined routes in the event the wall is breached
• Small groups of soldiers will be stationed inside buildings to serve as snipers and guerilla forces
• The Cathedral square will serve as the central marshalling point and general headquarters during the siege

On these points, the council is largely in agreement; however the point of contention proves to be how the defense is to position its precious few clerics during the battle.

Lord Jarmaath says, "They should be at the Cathedral. We can use this as a battlefield hospital. We should pool our resources to maximize their effectiveness. This will also prevent our clerics from harm's way...if the wall is breached."

Countering this point, Lady Kaal and Captain Ulverth assert it would be more prudent to station the clerics throughout the town, several triage stations, to make their services more accessible to those on the front lines. "Besides", Captain Ulverth says, "if the Cathedral falls, so too do our clerics. Too many eggs in one basket."

The council cannot agree on this point and several tense minutes of discussion ensues, with no consensus reached.

Lord Jarmaath then looks to the adventurers, "Let them have a voice too. Let us hear what you have to say on this point?"

"How many clerics do you have here in town?" A 'precious few' should be as protected as they can be.

Priestess Goldenbrow responds, "We have but 19 clerics remaining. Of those numbers, most are acolytes and adepts, with but a few full priests and priestesses among their numbers, and but one perfect."

She then adds, "Twenty, if I am to be accounted in those numbers...and 21 with Sister Eoni."

"I think having them about town will allow them to help as soon as they can," Eoni explained.  "Perhaps a handful at the central cathedral to tend the most seriously wounded.

"I for one, wish to be near the walls with my companions."