Reinforcements and siege equipment continue to pour through the portal. When all is said and done 600 soldiers, 40 Berethenu knights, 300 Dwarven warriors with the Black Mountain Brewing Brigade, and also the Shadow Hunters and 100 Rangers from the Long Patrol have joined us.

Josephus calls us together for a meeting after a while, and several members of the other groups join us. He gives us a map that he himself drew, saying that he is something of a cartographer. The map is superb in its detail and shows the area near and inside the city of Dakar, which must sack if we are to turn the tide of the war. The city is surrounded by a 25-foot wall and a river runs through it, but it is also protected by huge gates.

Many suggestions of how to make siege on the city are thrown out, including blocking the flow of the river so it would swell and flood the city, an all-out assault (suggested by Sir Bradford, natch) and digging under one of the gates and planting explosives (suggested by the Dwarves). Josephus is oddly quiet during this time and seems to be listening intently. Sarthisis suggests that he use his “burrowing” spell to dig a small hole in the wall in which explosive powder will be placed and then detonated to blow through the wall.

We discuss the placement of the various buildings inside the city, and realize that though all of its inhabitants are being mind controlled by Galignan’s spores, we must be careful of the civilian casualties and save them by removing Galignan’s control.

Another option discussed is to flood the river with oil and then light it on fire to cause havoc in the city and allow for our assault. On the northeast side is the stable for the cavalry, and we identify this as another possible point of attack since horses certainly are averse to fire. From this area the soldiers would have to cross the whole of the city to attack us, and with the river aflame this would be difficult. Our rangers would be attacking from the treeline.

We decide on the following:

1. At dusk we will move our forces into place. We will have the 100 rangers from the Long Patrol on the northeast bank of the river in the treeline. The siege equipment will be brought from the northeast just outside the treeline. Bradford’s crossbow men will be hidden in the cornfields further to the east. His Berethenu knights and other swordsmen will be hidden in the forest just north of of the wall penetration point and close to the river. The Shadow Hunters, our group and the dwarves will be nearby.
2. From the safety of the woods, we will empty many barrels of oil into the river. We will then light it on fire using Sarthisis’ magic or flaming arrows.
3. The Brewing Brigade will set and detonate a charge at the wall very close to the river.
4. While the Brewing Brigade is setting the charge, the Shadow Hunters will attack and destroy the middle guard station.
5. After the walls are destroyed, the Dwarves and our group will pour through the holes and slaughter the cavalry. We will then slip past the fighting and continue south towards the castle.
6. The rolling towers will be brought up towards the wall to let more of our troops in and the crossbowmen will man them to fire on the enemy inside the city below. The catapults will be fired from the treeline at all areas of the north wall and the northmost bridge to choke the enemy’s advance.
7. While the assault at the north continues, our group along with the 300 Dwarves will continue south towards the castle and use explosives to get through the wall. We will raid the castle and Josephus will free the king from Galignan’s control.

The first part of the plan goes flawlessly and we are able to get inside the castle with little resistance. The siege machines are attacking behind us as we advance. As we come through the residential area we are cut off from the dwarves and surrounded by a group of 14 troops. A furious battle ensues and we cut down the attackers.

We continue on towards the castle as fast as we can manage.