The Three sent out scouts (rangers, scouts, mounted fighters and rogues, and students imbued with fly spells) to watch for the coming forces. The defenders arranged into several groups, each with its own general: Cleymarch, Alissiya, Saynat, and Captain Aleshku each led a mix of archers, cavalry, footsoldiers, and arcanists, while several of the more prominent adventuring companies (including the Windless Ring) led scouting parties or held key positions in the citadel’s defense.

The Windless Ring chose to defend the western gate, the most likely point of enemy attack. Captain Aleshku assigned them a few “supplementals” to help secure the gate: Theriandôr (arcane archer), Manudhar (cleric of Mitra), and some archers.

Several hours into the night, a flying apprentice carried the news: undead cavalry approach, followed closely by footsoldiers and the Dread Lord’s flying hut.

Vampire generals on ghoulish horses led skeletal archers and wight (and zombie and ghast) footsoldiers. It was a pitched battle, but ultimately successful. The flying hut was ruined and crashed inside the walls near the apothecary. The necromancer and his lieutenants survived the crash, but one of the Three’s pupils ignited a mana burst that destroyed the lieutenants and disabled the necromancer himself – who the Three retained for questioning.

As the din of combat subsided, soldiers congratulated one another on a well-fought battle. But then they heard a distant din growing louder… another force approaching.