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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Greenfield" data-source="post: 5984071" data-attributes="member: 6669384">Closure, sort of...I thought it a good basic courtesy to tell you how this came out.We found out that the reason they'd been waiting was that all four armies weren't there yet.  They were different compositions, wit Orcs and Ettins selected for siege, Goblins for swarm attacks, anothe group specializing in ranged assault, etc.We spotted the Goblin army approaching, marching in Roman phalanx columns, of all things.  Standard bearers were to the front, and an officer corps on wolf-back.  While we realized that a pair of spell casters with Invisibility and a few Lightning bolts could pretty much devastate an entire phalanx, the remaining troops would swarm and overwhelm them.We fell back and attempted the Empty Fortress strategy.Our archers were placed in high positions watching the gateway plaza on the East gate.  We used our variation of the Mages Mansion spell (a variation that creates the structure in the real world) to create, stock and populate a market square (4,500 square feet from the spell, when the Bard bumps his Caster level temporarily) means 300 linear feet of covered market stalls, 15 feet deep, and 45 solid, fully visible Unseen Servants cast in the roll of merchants and townsfolk.)The Orcs sent in scouts to see what we were up to, and we let them in unmolested.One of them decided to grab a girl from one of the market shops and was amazed that she somehow slipped beyond his reach.  (Attacking an Unseen Servant is really pointless, since technically you don't even get an attack roll).  She shrieked appropriately as she ran, he chased, getting more angry and frustrated as he went.  She never gets tired, and he does, so...We talked to him when he was finished playing, asking what he wanted here, other than the girl.  He said he was supposed to be looking for specific people, namely us.  We introduced ourselves, making light of the death of our Cleric.  "He's a son of Jupiter.  The last time he died his body was burned, so it took almost three days before he came back.  We'll probably see him at dinner."We proposed a meeting between our leader, the "Lord of the city", and his leader, one of the four sisters.  We suggested neutral ground, meaning an open spot in no-man's land where either side could drop overwhelming arrow fire if there was any treachery.It took a few tries, but their leader agreed.  We spoke.Bottom line, she had a contract to deliver the city to some Abyssal lord in exchange for the soul of their master.  She had to have that city.We proposed an alternative way to free their master's soul.  She considered it, saying that she would discuss it with her sisters.  It seems that scout, having seen what looked like a lightly populated but otherwise normal market day, had reported that the city was populated, leading life as usual.  He never got beyond the plaza, so he didn't see that the city was otherwise deserted.The proposal we'd made would either free their master's soul, or breach their contract with the Abyss, and in the process probably get them killed by the Demon lord.  They went for "Door number three".  An Abyssal Citadel (floating fortress) appeared above the city, and we were told to get out by dawn, or everything would be destroyed.We evacuated.Our troops emptied the armory on the way out, but specifically left the wine cellar that we'd so carefully restocked behind.We waited in the woods while the armies went in.  Then the citadel left.Now that their troops have taken up residence, they're constrained by city streets.  We slipped in at sunset, and are working our way through, guerrilla  style.  Fighting monster armies with no troops doesn't work.  Invading a monster stronghold as a party of adventurers?  We're back on familiar ground now.  And we even know the lay of the land we're going into.</blockquote>

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