The stable loft seems like a cozy place to wake up, but not for Grund who makes a late night foray back to the drawbridge for another beechwood-aged crate of Marley’s Marvelous Mead. Grund takes on all the night watches in exchange for sleeping in.
The day shift hears a horse approach from the drawbridge. Atop the horse is a shady half-elf. Surrounding the shady half-elf’s horse are the shady half-elf’s shady henchmen. Together they are the Seven Snakes plus Xolkin Allasander’s horse. Baergar knows this lot by reputation, and their reputation is that of ruffians doing dirty work for a Zhentarim boss, The Snail.
Xolkin shouts for his “sweety” Kella and for Nightstone’s immediate surrender. Kella scowls, and the rest of the town, largely ruined by falling boulders, picked over by raiding goblins, and abandoned by its citizens, makes no response at all. Xolkin plants the Seven Snakes Black Winged Serpent banner and declares victory for Zhentarim. That’s just fine by the party who are more concerned about the missing citizenry who supposedly fled to the dripping caves. The adventurers prepare to abandon Nightstone as soon as the opportunity to evade the Seven Snakes presents itself.
Mel and Baergar slip around free and clear, but Xolkin easily spots Adrik and Harry heading for the drawbridge. Xolkin’s thugs stop them with aimed crossbows. Xolkin attempts to discover who is in charge so that someone, anyone, may be permitted to surrender to him. Adrik explains their leader, Grund, is sleeping off some Marley’s behind a barrel somewhere. Xolkin isn’t having any of this excuse and forces Harry to surrender on behalf of the town. Whatever, may we go now? Well… yes. Yes you may. Xolkin seems surprised.
Sounds of orcish screaming interrupt the win-win situation. The Seven Snakes, now responsible for town’s safety, raise the drawbridge. Orcs begin to assemble outside the town yelling, Kill them all! Get their ears! Their necklaces of elven ears attest to their proficiency at this plan. More and more orcs arrive as Mel impatiently checks her sundial; has it stopped? To fill the time, Baergar surreptitiously cuts the purse of a Snake and slips the pilfered 13 gp into Adrik’s pocket. Baergar bets Xolkin 13 gp that he has underestimated the threat from the gathering orcs.
Eventually the orc number levels off at a score. The hoard includes a warg-drawn skull cart piloted by one-armed Gurrash, orc in charge. The orc with the most elf ears is one-eyed Norga. They have come to claim Nightstone which the Seven Snakes have just rightfully stolen. Gurrash sends over some swimming orcs who are stopped by the palisades. Harry and Mel retort with a couple of spells threatening to ignite the cart. The orcs withdraw.
The Seven Snakes’ victorious self congratulation is interrupted by the sounds of the orc war party marching through town from the direction of the keep. Baergar collects the 13 gp bet from Xolkin. Xolkin offers his personal stash of gemstones and coin for the party to help protect the town. They were probably going to do the “right thing” anyway, but the treasure clinches the deal.
The approaching orcs draw first blood with a volley of javelins taking out one of the Seven Snakes. Baergar takes cover behind the remaining Six Snakes. Mel and Harry take positions at the tops of the drawbridge towers where they can safely burn down orcs with spells. Adrik bravely advances.
The battle goes poorly for the Snakes as they fall one by one. Baergar is challenged to find new Snakes to hide behind. Waves of orcs wash over Adrik. Mel does her best to keep Moradin’s healing words flowing into Adrik. Harry’s orbs chromatic and missiles magic flash overhead to clear a path of retreat for Adrik, but the orc menace is thick and persistent. Adrik begins to suffer lingering wounds and a cycle of perpetual unconsciousness. The Snakes hold off what they can with crossbows, but the orcs’ inexorable advance overwhelms Xolkin’s horse, then Kella, and finally half-vulnerable Xolkin.
Orc warchief Gurrash advances up the stairs toward Mel, trapping her. Orcs circle dying Adrik and beat her just in case she’s pretending to be dead. Norga stabs at Harry with a spectral spear. Baergar cleans out Xolkin’s deceased pockets to the tune of over 500 gp net worth and holds the treasure conspicuously aloft to lure the orcs into chasing him. The orcs show no interest in wealth.
Mel hefts her warhammer, ready to face her demise in proper dwarven fashion. Harry nervously regards the stairs up to his own tower, calculating the precious seconds he has left in multiples of six. Adrik, delusional from her brief and painful encounters with consciousness, wonders if house cats make very warm winter hats. Baergar weighs the risk of certain death at the hands of the orcs versus Grund’s inevitable ire if Baergar escapes death having abandoned the party.
Just then Gurrash has some kind of epiphanous breakdown and calls a retreat. The nearly doomed party is alive, well, and rightful owners of Nightstone.