Saviours, the game!

[Dracos]

O'karn grunt suspiciously at Miaka, "What the hurry?"

Dracos

[Corwin]

"They promised to show me something fun in the morning," Miaka replies, before repeating, "Besides, sleeping indoors is much, much better."

[Dracos]

O'karn grunted suspiciously.

"We sleep here.  Go there tomorrow."

Dracos

[Corwin]

Miaka deflates. "Oh well. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to wait till the morning, then...."

[Figment]

Devon looked around to see if a suitable place to make camp was readily visible.

[kpjam]

Devon noted that plateau didn't have much in the way of coverage.  The slight hills and trees to the north of the cliff face were the only sights around, though nothing caught his eye as saying, "shelter."

[Figment]

Shrugging at the lack of shelter, Devon set about selecting an area of ground and making it suitable for a temporary campsite.

"Someone should go gather some firewood," Devon indicated the trees with a negligent wave.

[kpjam]

The travelers decide on and make a camp.  Taking turns keeping watch, they settle in with minimal conversation and get a sufficient amount of rest.

The next morning, they woke from their sleep amidst the bright dawning light.  They quickly packed up their meager belongings, and set off back to the castle.  Hauling themselves and their injured prisoner down the mountain, they trudged back towards the castle.

Devon was the first to notice something wrong.  The sentries weren’t at their post upon the outer gate.  O’karn and Daggedal, who were already suspicious, made disparaging remarks, even ready to threaten their comrades.  Curiosity, and lack of ulterior options, overrode their common sense as the moved on.  The outer courtyard was desolate.  They circumspectly inspected the two houses from a distance.  One stood with its door swaying open in the breeze, but no one stirred.

A hasty discussion resulted in ignoring the apparently abandoned house in favor of pressing forward, through the second set of gates and into the inner courtyard.  The castle stood as the three who had previously visited, remembered, save the open gateway with heaps of belongings littering the entranceway.  

After carefully edging forward, they found the remains of numerous bodies, charred beyond immediate recognition.  Going forward, they made their way into the castle proper.  The sights and smells of recent fighting assaulted their vision.  Death surrounded them.  The putrid odor of burning flesh and fresh blood overrode their sense.

They traveled through the castle, the main throne room, which Miaka had stood in awe of appeared to the last bastion of the defenders.  There, upon the throne laid Zaphiel, fresh blood still dripping from his breast.  The centerpiece of the throne protruded from him.

The travels stared at the grotesque scene. Noticing belatedly, the jeweled diamond wedged in Zaphiel’s mouth.  Looking around the dead guards that seemed to form a ineffective, protective ring, the three return guests notice a face or two that is familiar, but no one that they remember by name.

[thepanda]

"What in the name of the Goddess happened here?" Arael breaths.

[Carthrat]

Daggedal snorts. "Someone raided the castle during the night, obviously. Wonderful.. seems that Orkanel didn't need us after all.

I wonder if they have any spellbooks in the library.. or maybe this guy has some magic on him."

He extends his magical senses to locate any such items, and discern their purpose..

[Figment]

Devon examines the area to see if he can determine approximately how long ago the battle was fought.

[Dracos]

"Mmm...  Let's go loot.  Then have scrawny human mage send us back.  After all, job is done."

Dracos

[kpjam]

Daggedal noticed undefined magics coming from the throne and the diamond.

[kpjam]

Devon determined that the battle was waged reletively recently, from the state of the blood around the room:  Approximately six to eight hours.

[Figment]

"Our big friend may have the right of it," Devon sighed. "There is little point fighting a battle that appears to already have been lost."

"This," Devon indicated the bodies with a wave, "took place somewhere around midnight. But there's no guarantee that the perpetrators have all departed. Be on your guard if you want to loot." Devon gazed at the carnage before shaking his head sadly, "I'm going to go see if there's anyone left alive."