Attacked from the Citadel- October of 477 BC

After sailing from the Nile Delta and into the Middle of the Lands Sea, the party pried opened several crates to discover items of significant value including gold and ostrich feathers. Per the party?s previous adventures, these items are now property of Delos and pledged to support the Egyptian rebels against Persian occupation. The party manages to sail without event to Delos where they tied up their heavily laden ship.

Upon arriving, they were met by stevedores who offered to unload their ship. The party demurred until Sergeant Cleander showed up ? coffee cup in hand -- and offered to make sure that all the cargo was safely unloaded into a government warehouse. Cleander then proceeded to welcome the party back from what had been thought to have been an early demise. He then complained that Cimon of Athens himself had donated the money for their memorial plaque on the Delian Acropolis and that once a plaque was up their was a sacred rule of not taking it down. So now he would have to get up on a ladder and turn it around until the party did indeed die. He seemed a little put out.

Cleander then insisted that Hotep ? the newly joined Egyptian Ranger -- be enlisted or cast out. He adds that he isperturbed that the party did not bring back any any coffee after their trip to southern Egypt and that he needs to bring them to go and meet with the boss, Aniestes the Delian Oligarch. Aniestes, in his palatial office and surrounded by his bodyguards, warmly welcomes the party back from their ?Successful Egyptian Mission?. ?Good show about taking down the Gyrogenerator. Spot on! Etc, etc etc?. He then goes on and tells the group that they have a new mission. They are to sail to Syracuse and meet with the Tyrant of Syracuse Gelon, who recently defeated a Carthaginian invasion led by Hamilcar Barca. He adds that he insists on transmogrifying the Druid from a hawk back into a human. Mutters something about dirty feathers. Aniestes ends by promising that there will be a promotion warrant for the Mage (the senior PFC in the group) if they are successful.

Carthage is an ally to Persia with Carthage sending a token tribute annually. In 480 BC Xerxes invaded Greece, the two became full allies, and Carthage launched a huge army against Syracuse, resulting in the disastrous defeat at Himera in 480 B.C. at the hands of the Syracusans. Aniestes wants the party to bring gifts to Gelon to secure Syracuse to the Delian Cause. Aniestes suggests that the party arrange for Syracuse to mount an invasion of Melita (Malta). Melita is a Carthaginian base east of Sicily that, if held by Greek Allies, will prevent the Carthaginians from supplying any aid to the Persians east of its location. Plus, occupation will cut down on piracy. Aniestes says that the Delian League will supply 50 ships and 100 talents to support such an invasion.

The party reached Syracuse and were well received as fellow Greeks. Gelon has passed away and has been succeeded as Tyrant by his brother Hiero. Hiero will suggests that the party launch a recon of Malta and see its state of readiness. The party then sail from Syracuse to Malta. They bring a cargo of grain, which a Syracusan merchant/pilot offers sells on the Maltese quay for them. They start to investigate the Maltese citadel but are met a half-drow and several human fighters. The half-drow is clearly a spell caster. The mage tells convenient truths but reckons they have been discovered and decides to beat a hasty retreat. They leave in a hurry and make it out of the cliffed Maltese Harbor with little difficulty. The Druid, though, retaining some of his hawk like characteristics, spots a hawk way above their sailing vessel that tails them all the way to Syracuse.

The party then reports to Heiro. The invasion fleet is assembled, and the Delian/Syracusan forces execute an amphibious assault on Malta. The party and some Marines attempted to sneak in the harbor city but are detected and beaten back, but this left the opposite site side open to Syracusan forces, who storm it. Most of the Carthaginian garrison fights to the death or retreats to the center of the island, where another citadel remains. The native Maltese put up a stiff fight but when they saw it was hopeless, capitulated.

The party is enjoying their victory, that is until a large raiding force emerges from the mid-island citadel and ransacks the allied camp outside of the harbor city. What is worse, the raid struck at night and consisted of a mixed force of orcs, hobgoblins, and gnolls. Gnolls refuse to travel by sea and all three races are prone to staying in darkness and caves. Heiro is convinced that the mid-island citadel must have a subterranean tunnel network that leads into the core of the island or further, as there are little foodstuffs on the island to sustain any sub-human army. The drow are known to have their slaves cut such highways, perhaps as far as to mainland Africa.