Everyone present againt this week, although its Duncan's last week until after Christmas. There may be one or two sessions in the new year just to bring things to a neat stopping point. It very much depends what happens next week.
After getting a second trump call from Finoa stating that Benedict is in trouble, even he can't handle odds of 1000:1, Charity runs round like a headless chicken trying to organise a relief force. In the middle of this she trumps Benedict to find out exactly where and what his situation is. He's not having much luck. He managed to meet up with Merlins scouts, and they've been harrying the army to try and slow it down, but there are simply to many of them, and they've already lost three of the scouts. She manages to get a couple of Shaman from Fred plus Bill and Ted from the day before. The Chaos commander lends her 6 troopers, and she commandeers 40 men and 2 mages from her own troops. Since her men are having to be drawn from off duty troops, by the time the Shaman have the Abyss gate open to Ygg she finds that she only has 20 available. Joining her on this little expedition are Alfred and Isla.
Apart from Ygg the place is quiet. She tries trumping Benedict again but he doesn't answer.
Doing a little pattern searching, she sets off towards him. After 5 minutes she tries his trump again, and this time he answers. He and the two remaining scouts choose to join her.
Benedict arranges the forces he has to best effect and sets of through the forest towards the enemy.
When battle is joined,Charity gets an in oppertune Trump call from Dierdre. Allagahn has been trying to contact them, but she has his trump. Can she call him. The tide of battle initally turns their way as Benedict cuts a swathe through the leading ranks of troops. The lead ranks wrap around the party's formation and Benedict chooses to hold. His troops are holding, and there are two heavier units approaching. One holds about 100 yards away, whilst the other continues forwards.
As the heavy unit gets 50 from the party, they throw power words at Benedict, and charge. He's wracked with pain and disorientated, and collapses to the ground. The Abyss shaman throw energy balls into the charging forces giving Charity time to dive forward to rescue him. As she does so the world around her goes grey and soundless and everything including Benedict freezes. Neither she or the demons are affected. She hoists Benedicts frozen form onto her shoulders and pulls back. As she does so Benedict comes round and orders a retreat. They pull back.
They've lost half the human troopers and three of the Chaosites. They settle in to wait whilst the enemy plots its next move. The enemy break up their existing formations, and deploy groups of 20 men mad up of 10 of the smallest demons, 6 larger demons, and 4 of the even large power word throwing demons. They array these in a semi-circle around Benedict's position. Even though he knows what's coming he can't retreat or attack since that would leave them free to reach their objective.
Charity decides to make an assessment of one of the units by scrying it. As she looks is over one of them senses her and shouts and alarm. She throws a tendril at him with a view to gaining control by is hit with three pattern disrupts. She barely maintains control of her lens. She tries again but this time is hit by four power words, breaking her lens apart. As she recovers her senses the enemy begins a steady approach. Isla asks her what happened and after she explains, throws a ball lightening attack into the enemy unit responsible.
Remembering, Dierdre's message, she decides to call Allagahn. The enemy continue to close the distance. She establishs contact, gets an update on Allagahn's situation and aks him if he wants to come and die gloriously. Before he can answer the enemy charge, and she's force to end the call.
Fireballs and Abyss balls hurtle into their ranks thinning their number but again the enemy use power words, throwing a parrage of Pain Attacks, when they're about 30 feet away.
This completely breaks the cohesiveness of the party's forces, and they enemy hits like a Tsunami. Charity takes to the air, and releases one of the Napalm bombs she brought with her. Alfred spots this and shouts an warning. Isla teleports out, as does one of the Abyss demons. The party's right flank explodes in a ball of fire giving them a means of retreat. Its not looking good. Bendict is still on his feet, protected (just) by Alfred and one of the Abyss Shaman. Charity lands to help out - she's spotted possible help arriving from the rear. As she lands the shaman goes down. Benedict picks up the pace of the retreat. He's not attacking now only defending enough to stop being swamped. They prepare to turn and run. As they do so there's a crashing in the underbrush behind them and a horde of furry soldiers charge past them and into the demons. As they gather their wits, a second rank of mail clad foot soldiers storms past them on on towards the enemy. They can now hear what appears to be the sound of approaching thunder. Benedict recognises the sound of charging horses. They press themselves against trees.
A line of heavy knights thunders towards them lead by a man in 19th century dress, with a silver rose tabard, and wielding a sword that flashes in the light. They recognise it a Corwin. The knights thunder through and into the enemy.
The fight lasts perhaps another 10 minutes before the defeated demons depart. Corwin recons about 60 of the biggest escaped. Of the 400 men he had with him, consisting of 50 Knights, 50 Grenadiers, 150 furry foot soldiers, and 150 human foot soldiers, he has less than 80 left.
With the fight over Charity calls Allagahn again and he joins her this time. They are about to trump back to Elysium when Charity remebers they haven't seen Isla for a while.
Leaving Benedict to discuss matters with Corwin they Shadowwalk back to Ygg to find Isla sitting an waiting. Corwin said he'd come back for her. She chooses to go back to Elysium with the others.
Isla, Alfred, and Allagahn go back to the hall, whilst Charity goes to find Fred to explain what happened. She then goes to see Dierdre and check on Cordelia. Allagahn begins modifying another Gauss rifle whilst Alfred starts racking spells before commencing work on enchanting his crossbow.
Deciding that its about time Allagahn and Alfred learnt to use trumps she tries to trump Allagahn but he doesn't anwser. She tries Alfred who does. She's just getting to the point where Alfred should try to trump her when she gets a call she wasn't expecting. Its Fiona, Benedict wants to come to Elysium, but doesn't trust Dierdre. Charity says she'll call him.
When he arrives, she is forced to abandon Alfreds tuition as he wants the royal tour.
They all meet in the Greathall for dinner. Benedict suggest they wait until after dinner before discussing any assault on the Keep to retrieve the Book of Selheim. He then wants to know where dinner is. Alfred scuttles of to the officers mess and they bring it over shortly after he returns.
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