Rayneps examination of the dome revealed one entrance in that she could find. An opening that the weapon must likely used when it was fired. teturning to the groups she details all that she found as well as what she did not find.

"Suggestions are needed. I do have several spells prepared that may well help us fould the weapon itself. If it is made in part of wood, I could use Warp Wood, IT there is rope that hold it together or is used inany way I have Flane strike. IF ther is enough vegetation under that dome them Entangle may wll foul whatever weapon is in there. However Entangle is not as permanent a fic as the other two are. I have some familiarity with such weapons. The throwing arm could be warped make it useless, or the triggering mechanism, Flame can burn any wood and ropes used. and bottles of oil can fan the flames. though if they have spares that could be repaired given enough time."

Knowing how scarce supplies are in out own army we can surmaise they are not overaboundently supplied with replacement parts. So the more we can damage on each of tose weapons the harder it will be for them to try to repair them."

"I will need to see inside there to cast my spells on whatever is inseide."

Lexson had remained on the party's heels keeping quiet and observing. She still hadn't quite formed opinions about anyone yet since they seemed to kind of brush her off. Not that she minded attention was something she only cared about when facing an enemy, for it could easily turn the tide of a fight. She looked at the magic domes and palmed the blades on her hips.

"well I don't think pushing our way though is a option, though normally that would be my first idea. Tangling with those against and an unknown amount of soldiers may not be wise." she said mostly to herself as she thought hard. She bet that if thee got close there may be a hidden entrance. She wished she was like her grandfather and had wings but sadly she had been born wingless and not remotely like him aside from what reminded in her hair and eye color. Gathering up her thoughts again as she got side tracked she tapped her ringers on the handle of her fire blade impatiently Trying to come up with some way to help though it was truly not her responsibility.

"why not channel raw magic into the dome itself?" she said. She had been schooled a little into the ways of magic. Overloading it with pure magic would cause it to break and to her it seemed like there were plenty among them to make the job fast enough as not to draw a lot of attention and still Accomplish their goal. She reached out to the man Eclipse or at least that's what she thought the man's name was. "Overload it with magic. That may work"

The party had finally gathered on a knoll. There below were the five machines that had rained destruction on the walls of the Core. A slightly glowing dome protected their targets. Rayne’s keen eyes spotted a opening into the dome on the far side. Ulthok reckoned that the other side had to be nearly 1000 yards away. The dome was huge, it appeared to be 500 yards across and 1000 yards long. The machines were near the middle and seemed to separated by 100 yards between. Two giants slept next to each with a small camp of some creatures too.
Surveying targets Ulthok whispered to the party, “This could be very interesting….As for the destruction of the machines we should decide who goes after which ones.

I have been with you or took the time to learn more about each of you, so I see that we do have a few folks with spells that may help and these are what I know.

Cor you have Dispell Magic and Flame Strike.
Eclispe, Warp Wood.
Rayne, Flame Strike and Warp Wood.

Sirene.. Oh you have so many.!!!!!

Valene, Warp Wood & Flame Strike.,

I have ready Burning Hands ,Fireball, Lighting Bolt and Disintegrate.

So maybe Cor should assign machine to groups of two and we then assist others as needed.

Lexson, Bareel and Lother, you are great warriors you would be the pure defenders of the magic users and party.

Cor, Eclipse and Rayne are the secondary defender, fighters and Peri can just creates chaos by casting various spells on the enemy.

To me this needs to be a coordinated attach, at least to start. We can make our way around to the back and then travel the 500 yards to the machines. Or perhaps I could open a hole on the side so we only have about 100 yards to first machine. We charge through damaging each machine as we go. Then rally and have invisibility cast over us and we make way to one of the two openings.

We know all plans are good until the battle begins.

Well that's some food for thought any other ideas…………….. Cor?

Cor spoke, "Well now lads and lasses, tis a wee bit of a task ahead of us. I be thinking that perhaps Peri would be so kind as to cause a diversion some distance away from the dome to draw attention away from us. Then Sirene can shape shift into a digging animal and tunnel under the dome. The rest of us can move under cover of invisibility to the rear entrance and slip in. Once Sirene gets in, she can shift again and attack the first ballista. That will be the signal for the rest of us to attack as well. We'll try magic first but if that fails then it will be greek fore, oil and torches or simple hacking teh ballistas to pieces. I can try to wall the back entrance shut behind us with a wall of force as we enter. Might keep them out or at least make them drop the shield so magic will be in play."

A chill wind blew across the ridge, causing strands of Sirène’s unruly hair to splay across her face. But the elven sorceress seemed oblivious to it. Her attention was focused solely on the scene down below: of the trebuchets, of the giants, and the protective blue dome.

‘A wall of force?’ she wondered, before deciding, a moment later, to whisper the words of a minor incantation.

[Sirène will cast Detect Magic to find out what kind of magic the blue dome is made out of.]

“Then Sirene can shape shift into a digging animal and tunnel under the dome…”

“Hmm?” She had only caught a fragment of the conversation. And, even then, she was only pulled from her own thoughts when she heard the elegant Elven syllables of her name being mangled by the Dwarven gutturals of Cor.

“I have a spell that could help us get through the door of this dome. I could disguise us all as a kobold maintenance crew. The draconic squeaks of most kobolds are not hard to imitate. Once through those with the Art should be able to disable the devices with bursts of fire and lightning. We’ll just need get close enough so that the trebuchets are in range of our spells.”

[Sirène will cast Veil to disguise us all as Kobolds, if the others agree. Note that there is no saving throw for anyone else to see through the disguise, and the only magic that can penetrate the Veil is True Seeing etc.]

Valene stays near Ulthok, not really knowning what kind of spell a veil spell is, but will drop the disguise if necessary. "Any task you assign me, I am willing to do."

"Does anyone have an enlarge spell? Because it also will shrink the target as well. Perhaps a smaller ballista would be easier to destroy? Or a bigger animal could dig under faster? Just a thought..." Valene whispers as a suggestion.

"That tdea of shrinking the ballista has merit, and could be very useful, Valeene. A smaller ballista would be easier to destroy."

"Cor I thing one group chould go in and if they are successfyl the secong group should do the next ballista while the first destroys there. Leaving the second group ready in case there is a problem,. Then wehn the second group goes in the first will be ready to assist the second if it is needed."

"

"Alright, time to get to it. Here is the plan. Sirene will tunnel herself under the dome and as teh rest of us move to the entrance under the veil spell. Once Sirene is in we will start the attack and that should divert attention away from her. She can then transform and attack the far ballista. Fighters please be ready to keep the bad things away from the casters. We want to hit and move so cast your spells and go on to the next target. Ulthok, the first ballista is yours for disintergrate spell. Second one is Valenes either flame or warping. Third one is Eclipse and I have the last. Once our four are destroyed we will meet up with Sirene and tele out. Now if the plan fizzles due ta no magic working we just go with greek fire, oil and hacking the ropes. Then we run out to find a spot to tele. I will seal us in at thr beginning with a wall of force ta keep out reinforcements I hope. Lets get going/" Cor offered a prayer to Odin to grant them success.

Ulthok nodded to Cor,"Lead on Sir Knight, and everyone stay close so the spell keeps us all disguised. When it comes time for our escape, Val, Peri, Rayne and Lexon to me the rest to Sirene. We can only teleport so much weight and that should work it properly. Getting in may be easier than getting out. We’ll go around that side there where the machine is nearest the so Sirene will be close when she emerges. Everyone say your prayers too, we’ll need all the help we can get. Let’s go, Game On!!"

Peri nuzzled Uthlok nervously as she listened to the others in the party. Her ears peaked up when she heard her name.

"Distraction? I can do that.... What exactly did you have in mind?"

She continued to listen as the others made suggestions. Valene mentioned something about enlarging. Hmm, she thought, didnt she have an enlarging spell? She shook her head, she often got so confused with these spells she didnt know what to do. She fiddled with her necklace as she turned her attention back to Cor, then to the group, and finally back to Uthlock.

This should be rather interesting for the fairy Dragon.

"Peri lass, just flitting about might be a diversion. I am sure most of the vile beasties have never seen such as you. Course make sure ta stay out of reach. Other than that, I am sure you can come up with something mischevious." Cor winked at Peri.

The party of ten quietly discussed how to attack the enemy artillery before them. Five large slug throwers protected by a magical dome and the forces crewing and defending them. With a Detect Magic spell cast by Sirene, lucky for the Elf Druid Sorceress that the dome itself glowed as to go undetected They soon knew that the dome consisted of high level protection magic of a spell unknown.
After about thirty minutes with a number of idea’s given they finally came up with a plan.

With Sirene changing to a Badger to tunnel under the front of the dome and attack the far ballista. The rest of the party thanks to a Veil spell also cast by Sirene before changing, would join Valene in the guise of Kobolds and move through the rear entrance into the dome. Once all nine were inside and Sirene at her target Ulthok, Valene, Cor and Eclipse would each attack one of the other four with Sorin, Lexson, Lothor and Barreel holding off all enemies within the dome. Then with the ballista destroyed, a party meet up, and teleport away.

With everyone agreed Sirene cast the Veil spell then transformed into a badger that rapidly scooted away. The rest of the party, all but Peri due to her resistance to such magic, now disguised as Kobolds began to move towards the opening to the domes interior. However as with any plan rarely does it survive contact with the enemy, or this case another raider parties contact.

Just as the nine ‘Kobolds’ had gotten halfway down the small hill and unto the area to the side of the dome, then loud crashes and flares of light erupted to the East. All knowing another artillery camp was under attack. The fallout here was quick with a pair of Black Robes shouting commands, Orcs and Kobolds pouring from the tents and one giant from each machine gathering to them. Then it was up and through the rear entrance the add hock force headed to the East.

What a lucky roll of chance as the forces arrayed against the parties own target were now half in number. Maybe they would be able to do as the plan decided and be gone successfully having destroyed the targeted ballista’s before they were overwhelmed by sheer force of numbers.

Then a voice came from the darkness as a Black Robe appeared moving towards them. Behind him followed a large number of both Kobolds and Orcs.

“You there, you Kobolds, to me…..”
SIRENE
Facing no foes as they seemed to take no notice of her as a badger Sirene easily made it to the edge of the domes front and began to dig. And dig and dig the dome going quite a ways down into the dirt. Finally she borrowed below it’s edge and then up and found herself inside the protective dome. Though well lit she was still ignored as she moved to the far ballista. Then the commotion to the East caught her attention and she knew as had the others that another raiding party was attacking their target.

Then she waited, and waited for the rest of the party to act and was rewarded by nothing. Orcs and Kobolds, though less then before, now on alert and guarding each ballista. Hill Giants up and armed also, ready to crush any threat. Sirene knew things had just gotten harder with all enemies now more alert.
The only question left, where were the rest of the party?

(DM OOC: Ok this weeks post is up, enjoy. Next post next Sunday as norm and I'm very happy to see that everyone posted these past two weeks. Keep it up)

The plan was working well as Sirene cast her spell and then began digging. The rest of teh party moved towards the opening when all hell broke loose. It seemed another party had begun their attack and now the place was a buzz of activity. Ignoring it all the party continued towards to opening when a man in black called for them to "come to me". "Cor whispered to Peri who was hidden, "Now would be great time for a distraction if ye could manage." Cor hoped that the fairy dragon woudl take the man's attention away and the party could slip in. If not he had already started to slowly move towards the man.

The veil was working and they proceded toward the dome. Sirene was able to change and start her tunneling under the dome as the party moved on around. A commotion arose from the east as it was apparent that the other parties had started their attacks. The element of surprise was now lost but the plan was still holding. They watch as Black Robed figure appeared and started commanding the guards of the dome to follow toward the east. Nearly half of the defenders in the dome, including half the giants left to follow the robed leaders. Just as they thought their task might be a bit easier a third Black Robe stepped from the darkness with a troop of Orcs and Kobolds. It motioned to the party, “You there, you Kobolds, to me…..”it commanded. Time for a change of plans.

Cor whispered to Peri, “Now would be great time for a distraction if ye could manage." Hearing this Ulthok’s thought linked with the Small Dragonet. “Peri, if you could vanish and then fly up close the Black Robed one, cast a suggestion spell and whisper to it “You do not need these additional Kobolds, you have enough problems the ones you now have, just send them to guard the dome enterance.” I will cast a confusion spell on those following the Robed one so it will need to direct its attention there.
Ulthok whisper back to Cor, “ Advance to the Black Robe slowly, Peri and I will see if we can get it to dismiss us. If we must attack the Black Robe must die quickly.”

Ulthok then cast his Confusion spell on the Orcs and Kobolds following the Black Robe.

After many suggestions Cor had decided on a plan of action. Sirene was to turn to a badger and cast veil upon the whole party giving each member the appearance of a Kobold. It was not the most noble or romantic of plans, but importantly it was a practical one.

With the transformations achieved, Lothor looked about him and saw the others and was shocked to see they were almost identical. Furry limbs, furry bodies, furry everything. Lothor's body convulsed a shiver climbing up his spine. It all seemed so unnatural to him and he wasn't helped by the scurrying footfalls of Sirene, as her new form hurried to the anti magic shield.

The party began to move out and start their mission proper. When they were about halfway to the shielded catapults a great bang echoed through Lothors ears and after a few dazed seconds it clicked, another sabotage party must've been successful. Lothor was encouraged by this and he began to notice the real Kobolds were being grouped together and sent to the scene of the explosion, less to deal with for him and his companions at least.

The plan was fitting together well and it seemed that they might even pull off the apparent impossible, but as always things didn't run smoothly.

A voice came out of the darkness behind them. “You there, You Kobolds, to me...”

Disaster.

Lothor began to feel the shady tendrils of panic begin to grab at him and he had to try hard not to let it show. As he turned, with the rest of the group, a black robed figure was confronting them. Alone the mystical figure was daunting enough and it was even worse that a host of Orcs, Goblins and Kobolds were packed in behind the eerie figure.

Lothor was no talker and was on the verge of panic. All he could do was stand his ground, grit his teeth and hope one of the others could talk their way out of this situation.