Whatta nightmare

Carrying on the assault, the party quickly scans the inside of the manor house and the surroundings, looking for the presumed occupant of the guarded room. A secret door is found and it is surmised that the occupant has used it to flee. Malchor, Bababobo and Kormier move towards the barracks and catch a glimpse of motion as one of the shuttered windows is pulled shut. While the bemused druid watches from a rooftop, a nightmare bursts forth from the stable and becomes airborne within seconds.
As he decides what to do about it and is busy watching the creature’s flight path, the wounded mountain giant crawls out from the stable building. He hurls a dead horse at the cleric and strikes him, causing him to tumble to the ground. When the ranger goes to shoot his shortbow, he wrenches his knee and tumbles to the ground as well. Between arrows and fireballs, the giant is slain as he flees through the ruined gate. It is at this instant that the barracks occupants choose to launch an attack and attempt to rush to the gates. The last is slain as he tries to climb over the giant’s cooling corpse. The secret corridor in the manor house is further explored and the whole place is investigated as fully as possible. the escape route ends beyond the walls and a second track runs to the stables, Within the stables, a trio of devilish looking folk lie dead, slain by the cleric’s cloudkill spell.

Leaving the castle behind, the group skirts the forest and heads towards the city of Eastwatch and then Uthmere. Along the way, the intercept a column of ungern, giants and some spellcasters headed towards the region. Fearing this is the first thrust of the Rotting Man’s forces towards sealing the region off from Impiltur, the group sets about disrupting the forward progress. Malchor uses his invisibility and flight to good effect, casting fireballs and the like from the air. He draws fire, but there is little the hapless foe can do, as the spellcasters are slain in the first assault. Once the giants are slain, the rest of the force breaks up into foraging bands and begins to move westwards, though not in any organized force.

Assuming that they have bought some time, the group hastens to Eastwatch and alerts the townsfolk. From there they journey to Uthmere and deliver the news to the town council. The group prepares for the next step…whatever that may be is not entirely clear.