19: In Defense of Blackwall Keep

The Diamond Lake heroes readied themselves for the long trip to the Ruins of the Six. A lieutenant in the Garrison spoke with the heroes. Since the Garrison was busy reforming the Sheriff's men, guarding Mayor Neff, and patrolling Smenk's property for signs of the rogue mine owner, they have been stretched very thin. They neew someone to escort the monthly wagon full of supplies to Blackwall Keep. A tower on the edge of the Mist Marsh roughly 3 days by wagon to the south-east. Since it was on the way to the site of the ruins the heroes planned to explore they assented.
The next morning they met with the drover MacCubbin, a gregarious middleaged man, his wagon loaded to the 9s. The trip was uneventful, due in no small measure to their presence. On the third day they approached Blackwall Keep and saw smoke coming from the top of the tower, and as they approached, from in front of the entrance. The keep itself consists of a large 50' tall crenelated tower, with a battlement 20' up the wall. The keep sits atop a large outcrop of rock, making it the higest thing for miles around. Surrounding the steep incline to the keep are large sharpened wooden stake as think as a man's leg, and protruding 3-6 out of the ground. This combined with the dark grey granite blocks forming the keep make it a formidible place indeed.
Lath, Aarth and Azrael spotted small groups of lizard men bearing clubs and shields scattered in the marshland surrounding the keep. In Lath's case he saw a lizard man eating a human arm. The lizard men couldn't help help but see the two horse drawn wagons and the nearly dozen men/elves/dwarves with the wagons.
The Lizard Men led by a lizardman on a vicious giant riding lizard attacked. As they did so groups of Lizard men sprang up all around the keep, and with the savage beating of drums a full scale attack on the keep, and the intruding heroes commenced.
Felnar's fireballs swiftly sent the surviving lizard men into a defensive retreat. They rallied along the road to the entrance of Blackwall Keep. The Keep itself was thronged with lizard men beating the gate open. The few archers along the battlements were anwsered by Lizard man javelins, and a few javelins scored hits amongst the heroes. Felnar took a hit as the lizard men were ordered to target him.
The heroes split up as they harried the lizard men, and a few defensive spells from a female lizard folk druid keep the heroes distracted. A lizard riding leader lunged his beast at Felnar and the giant riding lizard snatched him in it's huge jaws. Aadgal and Bornir beat at the beast, but Felnar was gnashed and torn by the beasts jaws. He lost consciousness, and only the healing spells from Bornir and a lucky blow from Aardal did he survive.
Felnar recovered and cast a web on the entrance of the keep, blocking the entrance of the pressing lizard men. Unfortunately one large lizard man had already broken in and was savagely killing soldiers with it's massive club.
By this time Azrael had cast a fly spell on himself and had flown up to the battlement s and in to the fray on the ground floor. He was followed a few rounds later by Stigand who had cast Spider Climb on himself and had scaled the walls.
The main lizard man leader was almost slain by Aardgal, then healed by the lizard folk druidess with a wand. He was eventually cut down and all resistance ended and the few remaining lizard men fled into the Mist Marsh to the south.
Felnar offered a wounded lizard man terms in draconic "Yield and you will be spared." THe lizard man replied vehemently "Spawn killers! I'd never surrender to you!" At which point he ran for it and Felnar shot him dead.
The remaining 6 soldiers cheered the victory. MacCubbin cautiously crawled but from under his wagon. After things had died down, a soldier who was wearing the deceased commanders armor introduced himself as 'Hawkins' and said the 'Scalies' had attacked at dawn. THey caught the keep unprepared and a lot of people were killed before they could mount a proper defense. They got into the keep and were eventually beaten back, but not before they captured 3 or 4 soldiers and the keep's battle mage 'Marzena'. "They beat 'em down and run off with 'em."
When asked Hawkins said one of unconscious soldiers, Dawson, had some skill at tracking. The heroes were determined to track the lizard men to their lair and rescue Marzena and the men.