Two mace-heads are better than one

Heading towards the captive Gnomes, Pauling leads the Party along side corridors as long as he is able.
It is only when they enter a grand hallway, that Dokan realises that they’ll have no choice but to fight from here onwards. The corridor has been blocked with barrels, furniture and everything else the Vedics could get their paws on.
It’ll take hours to get through that way.
This only leaves a large ornate door leading to one of the many libraries.
With Dokan and Orestes leading the way, Dokan carefully pushes the door open…
The massive room inside is truly impressive. An octagonal shaped room with doors in four opposite walls. The walls themselves stacked with thousands of books.
The room itself cascades downward, level-by-level, like the inside of a staggered cone. Each level holding more books and tomes.
The lowest level has some sort of ornate cupboard in its centre and whatever it contains must certainly be precious.
All of the upper tiers contain human children strapped into painful looking devices. The purpose of these devices seems to be the force-feeding of information into their eyes, ears and minds. These machines are connected by entrail-like tubes and wires into eight, much more comfortable looking, chairs at the penultimate level, each of them containing young Gnomes.
This is all that Dokan can take in before his attention is pulled to the sight of the enormous, two-headed, chainmail wearing giant.
“At last; sumfing for us to hits!”

Orphan Crossbow Gunship of Doom

The frightened orphans listen intently to Lukas. He is promising them a chance to fight back against the horrible monsters that have abducted and hurt them, and done horrible things to their friends. A couple of them voice some objections, but the rest are excited by the chance of getting to handle real crossbows and fly into real battle with real heroes.

10th Level up!

After the last skirmish, everyone (Including Rudha-an) zooms up to 10th level!
New Feat and new Utility power.

After my adventure finishes, all survivors will rise to 11th level.
I've decided this for two reasons...
1) We might as well restart after the summer at 'Paragon' status.
2) Starting a 10th level would make it very hard for the next DM to find a balance.

Vogir gets: 'Adept power' and 'Resume the Hunt'.
:)

From the dead Vedics...

Spider (Crossbow) Bolts +1 x 22 Lvl: 3 (30each)
Chainmail armour x 18
Longswords x 18
Large shileds x 18
Crossbows x 18
Regular bolts x 340

A Pauling behavior

While both in awe and frightened of the strange psionic Gnome, Pauling explains what he can of High Vedic Liebniz’ plan.

“A millennium ago, our people were created by the Gnomish elders. A slave race. Our ancestry was certainly lycanthropic, but we were made to be so much more than that. The Gnomish Lords gave us the intelligence to understand their very work. To build it. To maintain it.”
Pauling falls silent for a moment before chittering on.
“But then they disappeared. Our ancestors were too timid and simply failed to seek out the truth. As a race we survived, but little more. Our salvation didn’t come until a little over a century ago. And then by the hands of a band of adventurers much like yourselves.”
The tri-coloured Vedic smiles at the irony.
“The Gnomes we discovered though weren’t the all-powerful race that they once were. They were reduced. Unimpressive. All the old knowledge had been lost to them.”
Lukas can’t help but feel a small measure of sympathy for this prostrate creature. It had been created to fulfill a purpose no longer available to it.
Lukas listens as the creature continues its tale.
“Despite our disappointment, many of us went out into the world to explore its wonders. Many died but we are fast breeders and some of us stayed to guard the wonders of the Elders.
My ancestors.
It was then that the High Vedic: Leibniz came to realize that maintaining what was there wasn’t enough. We had been created for a purpose.
To serve our Gnomish makers.
The answer was so obvious, I’m surprised it took us a hundred years to reach the conclusion.
It has become our mission and our sacred duty to raise the Gnomes to their former glory.
We have the knowledge; all we needed were the Gnomes. A few came willingly. Too few unfortunately. Not enough to make a difference.
We needed more.
We needed a lot more.
We needed them young.”

No one makes an ape of the head librarian

“They’re coming this way?” Questions the Head librarian. “Are you sure?”
The young Vedic nods at his orange furred superior. “I’m afraid so Head librarian Godel. They might go another way, but according to Pascal’s notes, this route is the invaders most likely with a probability of over sixty percent. I’ve been told that we must interrupt lessons for today.”
Looking over to the dozens of Gnomes and Humans strapped into the inculcation chairs, Godel makes a decision. “It’ll take too long to unharness them. Send for more reserves. We’re staying put. If the invaders come this way, they’ll not harm the children.”
The young Vedic scurries off to raise whatever reinforcements he can.

Scholars not soldiers

Everything is quiet as the handful of Vedics wait behind the closed door. It’s sturdy enough, but they know it won’t hold. The enemy at the bottom of the stone steps are too strong.
Panini looks around at his fellow soldiers.
“Soldiers?” he chitters under his breathe. “Hardly”.
Still, they have to hold the line as long as they can. Hold the invaders back until support can come.
Raising his voice, Panini tries to rally his troops.
“I know you’re scared. I know we can’t hope to defeat them. But we don’t have to. All we need to do is delay them. Stay alive and hamper their advance. We can do it if we’re clever, and frankly, who’s more cleverer than us?”