Having returned from Rothberry all restored, you entered the keep through the main door under cover of illusion. Inside was a disaster – bits of broken stuff, blood, and filth everywhere. You split up so you could watch from all three main halls while you tried the first door. Out came an ogre with a large great club who dropped Wolfgar like a hot potato. You frantically tried to reorganize personnel in the next rounds to handle this obviously dangerous ogre. The noise brought the attention of another ogre from down one long hallway. Bach met this one head on and started trading blows. Kaven moved down the hall to help. However the distance and the fact that Bach was enlarged made getting into a flanking position a bit challenging. Eventually Kaven succeeded. From the third hall, two more ogres appeared in the third hall. D’Argo exploded an acid ball on them and Vale finished one off right away. The last one tried to make for the door but was quickly cut down. It took some doing, but the first two were eventually killed. Edwin Got Wolfgar back to his feet and started the healing process. You finished exploring the first floor. The most notable room was the armory where Malloric was pleased to find more arrows than even he could use.
The sneakier of the group headed upstairs first to get into positions to watch the halls. The rest followed and tried to open the first set of doors you came to and failed. A small stone affixed high on the doors started screaming in alarm. And a loud voice from inside bellowed in Giantish, “I told you to leave me alone. I’ll kill the first one of you I find!” Pirozzi ran up and used a wand to knock the doors open. D’Argo opened the fight with another acid ball catching an ogre with a large falchion and a human in a chain shirt and shield. Bach, Golian and Kaven headed in. Malloric started with arrow fire to cover. The first in the room was attacked by an undead creature with a corrupting touch.
The others guarding the hallway were ready when a door at the end opened, but weren’t expecting the lightning bolt that lashed out. Inside were an ogress and her body guard. Yet another was opened and three more ogres entered the fray. Wolfgar and Henrik went after the tree and Vale took off after the caster. Pirozzi, D’Argo and Malloric took spell and arrow fire where they could in the cramped hallway.
Golian and Kaven had surrounded the cleric but were having troubles landing blows. The cleric drew the life force from all those living in the room, including the ogre leader, and got much better in the process. With spell support and massive damage dished out by Bach, the ogre leader soon fell, but not before heavily wounding Bach. The cleric soon cursed Kaven and then cast an obscuring mist protecting himself further from sneak attacks. After some curing, Bach reentered the fight and helped drop the cleric.
The group managed to draw the caster’s bodyguard into the hall and were trading blows while the ogress cast a few relatively non-effective spells. The door to her room was closed to shut her off from the fight. The group concentrated on the remaining ogres. Edwin was needed at both ends of the fight for cures by now. Vale went down fighting the bodyguard.
Reorganizing, the group opened the door to the ogress’ room to find it empty. Bach said he could smell her and narrowed down the area where she could be. She responded with a barrage of spells like shout, rays, and a couple confusions. Those unaffected by the confusions converged on her only to find that she had re-buffed. Golian and Kaven spent time in the hall trying to keep those confused from fleeing. The ogress soon went down and the group had to fight themselves until the confusion wore off. This included Golain trying to sap a few party members with Kaven’s assistance.
The rest of the second floor was checked and body’s looted. You then turned your attention to all the other ogres in the courtyard. The plan developed involved drawing them to the main doors by with arrow fire from the roof and having the melee oriented folks and healers waiting downstairs. Kaven ferried arrows, equipment and communications between the two groups. The plan worked beautifully. The orges tried to storm the keep and the two groups were able to keep them out. A significant amount of damage was absorbed by those holding the main doors and at the end, both arcane and divine casters were depleted. Two regular ogres fled after the last of their leaders was felled. You took a few parting shots, but the still made it to the gate. At some point during the fight, Kaven disappeared.