| With a lurch , the cloud castle started once again to skim across the sky. A roar of rage echoed down the hall as the Giant came across the bodies of his slaughtered hounds. The intuders could see his pain and anguish as he filled the doorway, there was no escape.
"Two ranks , Vipers ready " screamed Gul, the Drow fell into place and trained their pistols.
The Giant came on through the volley of darts and clashed into their ranks scattering the Drow, as some drew swords and others continued to fire pistols at point blank. One Drow , a recruit, drew forth his battleaxe to face the fury of the berserk defender but lasted only a heartbeat as he was crushed against the wall by a mighty blow from the Giants club.
Kalan then drew Giant-Killer his two handed magic sword and smote the Giant a biting blow. The giant screamed with shock and pain turning on him in single minded fury. Kalan was struck with some force but skillfully rolled with the power of the blow. Returning another upper cut as he emerged from the roll, and felled the Giant.
The looters then ransacked the castle and taking the slaves ,their fallen shipmate,a small library, and great deal of Silver they returned to the waiting Airship. After a short debate between Captain Vixia and the Professor, she returned with him and the slaves to the castle and emerged later with two large chests. Which she declared was the Captains Share.
The crew returned to Shanizar to cremate the crewmate who fell against the Giant, and take onboard a replacement.
And also to resupply and offload the liberated hoard of Silver.
The Despair commenced its journey, travelling to the White Orc lands and capturing a small patrol. The survivor was sent back with a message detailing a meeting point and the ransom.
An Orc wizard on a cart waited patiently . There were three chests aboard contaiang the ransom demand, 20,000 gold pieces in total. The wizard had orders to hand over the money for the Princess and negotiate a price for an assassination attempt on the Red Army high command. But to be wary of treachery from the Drow.
To wit, he had cast invisibilty on two ten orc squads of palace guard.
The drow approached , a new recruit going forward to check the chests. The Princess held to the back and closely guarded.
But the lone drow scout, a new recruit named Gorlab, heard the invisible Orcs and called a warning to his shipmates. At this Kalan cast a detect invisible spell, the Wizard not knowing the spell cast to be harmless, summoned a Daemon, and called on the orcs to attack.
A short fight took place; Gul killed the Wizard with a Lightning Bolt. Then drove the cart over some sleeping orcs.
Joruus " the Collector" got the Daemons amulet from the dead wizard.
Zaen "One Hand" killed the princess as she struggled.
Kalan , Nasar and Gorlab dealt with the orcs
Having squared away the hoard in the ships hold, the Despair departed for House Kobra.
Troubled only slightly by a flock of Giant Bats on the way back , which were dispatched with skillful swordsmanship.
Arriving at the House, they unloaded the treasure and prepared for their next sortie.
It seems the Professor has a map of an ancient tomb, scrawled on the inside of an old book. | 
