New Frontiers #5

A continuation of the Frontier Game from the Q Files section.
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GM Mad
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New Frontiers #5

Post by GM Mad »

New Frontiers #5


En route to Twin Forks in pursuit of Lothar, the adventurers have come across an ambush. The sharp elven senses of Laucian detected the ambush before they could ride fully into it. Laucian led one part of the group off the road to circle around this area, while Validar took the others. Only Sherwood did not follow either group.

Suddenly arrows fill the air and the blunted ambush begins! Men emerge from concealed places and rush Laucian's group. This action is noted by Validar's band and they begin to ride closer to the conflict, the cluttered terrain preventing rapid progress.

Grondar, Lilia, and Laucian, being prepared to fire beforehand, launch their own counterattacks. Each hits one of the approaching enemy attackers, but all remain on their feet.

Setting his bow down, Laucian begins to cast his Entangle spell. One of the onrushing men throws a spear that just clips Laucian, ruining his spell.

While Ivy, Corley, and Grondar prepare for the enemy to arrive on foot, Lilia casts a Web spell and traps four of the six attackers.

The two remaining bandits continue onwards. One approaches near Grondar and he attacks the dwarf with his short sword. The blow glances off Grondar's shield and ruins the casting of his Bless spell. He retaliates with his mace. The strike connects with a sickening thud and the bandit goes down.

Close by, the remaining bandit assaults Ivy. She avoids his spear thrust, but is wide on her quarterstaff attack. Enraged at such un-chivalrous behavior, Lord Corley rushes in and slashes the varlet with his massive sword. He goes down in a bloody heap.

Seeing no more immediate threats from the on foot bandits, Laucian looks to locate the enemy archers. He spots movement in the forest up ahead and fires an arrow off in that direction, but misses.

The enemy archers fire once more upon Laucian and company. Ivy and Lilia are struck by rival shafts but are protected from harm by Sherwood's Stoneskin spell. Grondar is not as fortunate and an arrow penetrates his armor above his left knee.

Lilia watched as the shafts came in and located another archer perched up in the trees. He is out of range of her Sleep spell, so she sends a pair of shafts off in his direction. Both strike their intended target, but fail to remove him from the battle.

On the other side of the road, there is movement in the trees and boulders as Validar rides closer. Another half dozen bandits emerge from hiding! A pair of spears is thrown at Validar but they miss badly.

Kylie who had been riding behind Validar notes this. Realizing that she also istoo far away from the archers to make use of a Web spell casts it on the ground bandits instead. Three of the six are entangled in her web.

Further behind, Sherra takes the high ground and climbs higher in one of the trees. Once reaching a good location, she looks around for a target. She spots another archer in a distant tree. Taking aim, she fires. One of the shafts hits the target, the other just missing.

Chareos follows Kylie in and also realizes that the archers are out of spell range. Instead he sends his Sleep spell towards the bandits. The three trapped in Kylie's Web fall asleep along with one of the remaining three.
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GM Notes:

Post by GM Mad »

GM Notes:

That covers rounds 1 & 2 of combat. Validar's group spent round 1 doing a full move to get closer.

On Laucian's side of things, 2 of the bandits are down and bleeding with the other 4 Webbed up by Lilia.

On Validar's side, 3 of the bandits are Webbed by Kylie and then put to Sleep by Chareos. Of the remaining 3, one of them also fell asleep, leaving 2 playmates for Validar.

The leaves an unknown number of archers a bit further away, in the 40-50 yard range from the present locations. At least four different archers have been noted thus far.

Sherwood hasn't been seen since the battle started. Strangely enough, those happening to look up see an eagle flying overhead.

Hit Points:

Grondar - 35 of 39
Laucian - 48 of 49

Now what?
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Grondar
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To Battle!

Post by Grondar »

Grondar:

He's impressed by their accuracy, as all three of them strike home with their ranged attacks. Even better, a spell cast by one of his friends - looking the other way, he can't see who - ensnares four of the six attackers, leaving but two to deal with directly.

Unfortunately, one of the attackers reaches him before he can finish his spell, but his sword skitters off Grondar's shield. Grondar lays the bandit out with his mace, ensuring Lilia's safety for the nonce.

Focussed on his own efforts, Grondar doesn't notice what happens to the other bandit right away. Glancing in that direction after his opponent hits the ground, Grondar sees the other bandit down as well and nods in satisfaction. At least his companions are unhurt.

This changes quickly as another flight of shafts comes whistling toward them. Ivy and Lilia seem unhurt by the arrows that struck them, but Grondar is not so fortunate. He grunts in pain as the sharp arrowhead slips by his armor and tears into the muscle just above his knee.

Knowing he's not going to be able to fight effectively with an arrow sticking out of his leg, Grondar moves over behind the nearest tree. Calling on his knowledge of medical care, he removes the offending shaft while doing as little further damage as possible. The wound is small, and there is still a battle to finish, so he won't bother Healing it right now.

That taken care of, Grondar calls upon his chosen diety's power once more and endows himself with Sanctuary. He then emerges from behind the tree and starts running toward the rocks where the arrows seemed to come from. He knows this makes him a target, but by drawing fire toward himself, he can protect his friends.
Last edited by fanchergw on Sat Aug 16, 2003 6:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Kylie
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To Battle!

Post by Kylie »

Kylie:

Following in behind Validar, Kylie is glad of the extra feel of safety provided by such a large target in front of her. It comes as something of a surprise, though, as another group of bandits emerges from behind the boulders and rushes in their direction.

Unable to get enough distance with the spell to reach the archers, she casts the Web at the oncoming attackers. To her satisfaction, it binds up half of them. Another spell cast from behind her, likely by Chareos though she can't see for sure, puts these three to sleep and another besides. Hopefully, Validar can handle the remaining two.

Turning her mount, Kylie continues the circling movement on around the location where the archers appear to be hiding. If she's lucky, this will give her a better view of the archers and allow her to respond with her own bow.
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Validar
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Eliminate the immediate resistance

Post by Validar »

VALIDAR -

As Validar closes in, enemies erupt from the surrounding area. He breaks into as fast a galop as he can, avoiding the clumsy attacks of thrown spears coming at him.

As he closes in, four of the attackers are suddenly ensnared in a magickal web and Validar closes with the remaining two. If he can attack both of them this round, then he will, otherwise concentrate on one and then move on. He will try to tie up and eliminate both of the remaining bandits in this area to allow the others to get closer to deal with the archers.

Seeing Kylie try to continue to circle around, he is pleased that she is continuing with their plan. Validar will also keep his eyes open for the other group moving forward. He expects that they should easily be able to handle the initial attack directed at them as well.

Once the two are dispatched, Validar will continue on to where the archers are, using his Keen Eyesight to try and locate more of the offending attackers. He will try to point out where they are to the others.
Last edited by Validar on Mon Aug 18, 2003 10:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Sherra
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I see you...

Post by Sherra »

Sherra:

I thought as much, Sherra thinks, smiling to herself. Somebody sure did go out of their way for this invitation though. I wonder if we, or some other large group, was expected today.

Sherra will fire once more at her wounded target, looking to finish him off quickly before he or any other enemy archers notice she is up with them and she becomes a target herself. If her first arrow hits and finishes him off then she will look around for another target. Otherwise she will fire both arrows into her wounded opponent, and as many arrows as it takes until he is out of the equation.

If she can find no other enemy archers after dispatching this one, she will try to keep the adventurers in her line of sight, moving as needed, and pick off any bandits trying to flank or attack one of us from the rear.
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Lilia
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Lilia takes aim...

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Lilia:

The Elf Maiden lets loose with her first arrow and her aim is true. This doesn't surprise her in the slightest. She spent many hours learning and mastering the shortbow as part of her combat training for the clan. At that time it was a source of annoyance to Lilia as she would have rather been studying magic or reading some arcane tome. But, it was time well spent and provides a solid back-up should her magic not be effective.

But the time for her first love has come! She quickly chants the words of power and conjures a web around four of the attackers! A smug look comes upon Lilia's face as she sees the effects of her spell.

She'll call out in common, "Worry not about those trapped in the Web. It will hold them fast for over an hour! Concentrate on the others!"

The remaining attackers come in and one seems to be heading towards me, but is intercepted by the dwarf. He holds off a sword attack with his shield and brings the human down with his mace.

Before Lilia can say anything the sound of arrow fire reaches her ears once more. A shaft slams into her left shoulder and simply bounces off! The incident momentarily startles Lilia. Then she remembers the protection spell that Sherwood Elf-Friend placed upon her. This is impressive magic indeed! Lilia makes a mental note to learn this spell as soon as she is able.

The sound of an arrow piercing metal reaches Lilia's ears and she realizes that the dwarf has been struck. "Take cover!", Lilia shouts to him. "They cannot harm me! I'll draw their fire!"

Tracing the arrow flight path back to its source, Lila can make out an archer perched high in a tree. Reclaiming her bow, the Elf Maiden fires off a pair of shots both reaching her intended target. However, her target does not fall for the shots did not hit anything vital.

Cursing to herself in Elvish, Lilia spurs her mount on riding directly towards the archers. Once close enough she'll cast her Sleep spell, attempting to cover as many archers as possible.
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Corley lends a hand

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Corley:

“You cowards!”, Lord Corley rages as the enemy goes to engage the others. “What kind of mongrel are you? Feel safer attacking a woman than dealing with one bred for battle? I’ll teach you the error of your ways! Fear not, fair Ivy! I shall save you!”

Corley rushes across the short distance to where Ivy and the bandit are engaged in battle. He is pleased to find the Azrellian is uninjured from this cowardly assault.

“Have at you, varlet!” With that, Lord Corley swings his massive sword and it cuts into the bandit’s leather armor as if it was not there. Predictably, the thug goes down bleeding profusely.

“Fear not, fair Ivy! I’ve have dealt with this mongrel! Stay here while I go to engage the rest of these dogs!”

Turning away, Lord Corley runs towards where the archers seem to be. To his immense surprise, he sees the quiet Elvin woman riding in that very same direction! “Hold, good maiden! You ride into the very teeth of their attack!”

Concerned for the fair maiden’s safety, Corley rushes after the elf as best as he can in his plate mail armor.
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Ivy
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Ivy

Post by Ivy »

Ivy:

Ivy stands ready for battle, her staff gripped tightly in both hands. She’s much more comfortable with her mace in battle, but the weapon is far more dangerous than the simple staff. The mace is saved for undead and worse.

A flurry of activity erupts around Ivy. Arrows and bolts fly out at the enemy wounding their targets. Magicks are invoked and most of the attackers are caught up in a spider-like web.

“Well done, Lilia! That should take the fire from their bellies!”

Ivy spoke too soon as one of the remaining bandits attacks her! She avoids his prodding spear, but is wild in her attempt to strike back with her staff. The next thing Ivy knows, Lord Corley is yelling something that she can’t quite make out. There is blood and the bandit goes down bleeding profusely.
“Fear not, fair Ivy! I’ve have dealt with this mongrel! Stay here while I go to engage the rest of these dogs!”
“But…”, is all Ivy manages to spurt out before Lord Corley is off again. It was certainly gallant of him to assist me, but wholly unnecessary. I’ve had sufficient combat training to have dealt with this thug, but that is no longer an issue.

An arrow slams into Ivy’s stomach and it miraculously bounces off. Her blouse however was ripped in the process. “Thank you, Sherwood,” Ivy mouths gratefully. “And curse me for my absentmindedness!”

Seeing no other foe around in the immediate area, Ivy bends down to tend to the bandit who attacked her. She’ll bind his wounds and make sure that he does not perish.

After completing that task, Ivy will see what is going on else where in the battle and where best she can help.
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Post by Laucian »

Laucian

After the ambush is ensued, Laucian looses an arrow at his intended target. His target, as well as 2 others, recoil at being hit but They still advance on our position. Setting his bow down he begins to cast his entangle spell but is foiled by a thrown spear that just grazes his arm.

Cursing softly in Elvish he gathers his bow and glances at his arm. A small cut in his armor can be seen but no blood from what he can tell. He looks towards the others seeing if he can be of assistance. None of his companions seems lost for wear. He returns his gaze at the trees some 40 yards away and sees some movement. 'Surely the archers' he thinks to himself and draws back on his bow. Taking aim he lets loose and misses wide of the mark.

Another volley of arrows is sent in return. A few scream by but none find Laucian, much to his delight. His delight is short lived as he hears the familiar sound of an arrow splitting metal.

"Take cover, I'll draw their fire" Lilia shouts. His eyes move between his comrades and Notices Grondor finding shelter behind a tree, removing a shaft from his leg. He will move to him and see if he can assist him, hoping to get him on his feet sooner.

His gaze returns to the tree line in which the arrows originated, finding no movement. Laucian will knock an arrow to his bow and move towards the archers last position keeping to cover and moving as fast as he can. Along the way he will scan the trees looking for snipers and fire upon them when seen as well as the archers ahead if he has time.
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Post by Chareos »

Chareos

Upon seeing the others get ambushed Validar tells us to charge. Riding as fast as he can in this terrain he follows Validar and Kylie toward the fray. Much to their surprise Several men Erupt from behind trees and boulders.

Seeing that the archers are out of range, He begins to cast sleep upon the footmen. Kylie apparently came to the same conclusion and casts web on them, trapping three of them. Soon after they drift off to dream land along with one other, Leaving two left to fend for themselves.

Leaving the two men to Validar he will move behind Kylie and continue circling to where the archers are believed to be. He will draw out a sleep spell from the Ioun stone and cast it on as many archers as he can.
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Post Continued:

Post by GM Mad »

Post Continued:

The combat with the ambushing bandits continues!

Two of the bandits close in on Validar. Both men wear leather armor and are brandishing short swords. One moves in to attack and Validar strikes him with his longsword. The bandit remains standing and requires a second blow to dispatch.

The other bandit sees the ease at which his comrade went down and runs for it! Validar gallops after him on Havok.

Up in the trees, Sherra fires on the archer she wounded earlier. This time she hits the target twice and the archer falls from the trees. He screams a bit on the way down, but is silent after the sickening thud.


On the other side of the road, Lilia rides towards the archers in hopes of getting in range to cast a Sleep spell. Behind her, Lord Corley gives chase, moving faster than one seemingly should while wearing plate mail armor.

More arrows fly towards Lilia as the archers target the elven maiden. None of the arrows touch her, but one does strike her mount! The horse unexpectedly rears up from the wound sending Lilia sprawling to the ground. Lilia's horse then runs off and away from the battle site.

Somewhere off in the distance, behind the archers a lone horn sounds. This sends the archers scurrying down from their lofty perches.

Kylie rides on towards the archers. She locates one climbing down a tree and draws her bow and fires. The first shot hits her target, but movement of her mount causes the second to go wide. However, one shot was all that was necessary as the arrow impact caused the archer to loose his grip. He plunges to the ground below.

Chareos follows Kylie in. He spots a group of fleeing archers and casts Sleep upon them. Three of the group collapse to the ground.


A bit further away, Ivy binds the wounds of the bandit Corley skewered earlier saving his life. Laucian goes to aid Grondar and helps remove the arrow from his knee. The injury stings a little bit, but will not hinder Grondar.


Lilia gathers her wits after being dumped by her wounded horse. She opens her eyes and finds two bandits hovering over her!

"Lookie what we got here", one of the men sneers. "An elf!"

"And a pretty one at that! Grab her!"

Noise and movement attract the attention of all three as Lord Corley charges into the clearing! He yells a battle cry and brings his massive sword into play once more. The one bandit is nearly cleaved in half by the weapon. The second also goes down in a bloody heap.


Kylie and Sherra both fire on fleeing bandits. Kylie wounds one, causing him to collapse to the ground. Sherra's shafts are true once more and the last archer goes down.
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GM Notes:

Post by GM Mad »

GM Notes:

And that concludes the battle!

Hit Points are as listed earlier. Lilia's Stoneskin protected her from the fall damage.

Here's how the bandits break down:

There were 12 footmen in total. 7 are currently being held in 2 different webs, 3 of those 7 are asleep, along with one of the remaining 5 footmen. Validar killed one and killed or captured a second, (His choice.) The one Grondar attacked perished from his wounds. That just leaves the footman that Ivy bandages.

So you've captured 9 or 10 footmen, depending on what Validar does. The webs will last around an hour or so. The sleep spells about 20 minutes.

There were 10 archers. Five were killed outright, 3 were put to sleep, and the last 2 were wounded and captured.

And still no sign of Sherwood. The horn that was heard came from further down the road, past the point of the ambush, and in the direction that you were riding.

Now what?
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Validar
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Bandit removal

Post by Validar »

As the bandits close in, Validar gallops forward and strikes one of the men. He turns out to be a more formidable opponent than originally thought, but Validar easily dispatches the first man. The second loses the strength of his meager convictions and runs. Spurring his mount on, Validar easily closes the distance with the man.

If the man were an honorable foe, Validar might have offered him a chance to surrender. However, we are dealing with thugs and scum and already have more than enough prisoners in the webs. Validar chops the cowardly bully down.

Validar hears the horn and sees the archers start to head for the ground, he starts to spur Havok on to the closest bandit, but sees them all dropped by his allies.

Validar will ride back to his group and congratulate everyone. "Well done, my friends. Especially for our first combat together. We dealt with that attempted ambush like a minor interruption. The only thing that worries me is the horn signal that they sounded further down our path. We should round everyone up now before we are attacked again in force."

Validar will head to the web and hold his sword to the heart of one of the held bandits. "We do not need all of you as prisoners, so give me a reason NOT to kill you now. What was the meaning of that signal horn we heard? And what is waiting for us further down the road? How many are in the main group? As the saying goes: spill your guts, or I shall do it for you. And do not even dream of altering the truth, cur. You will not survive the attempt."
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Grondar
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To Battle!

Post by Grondar »

Grondar:

Kindly, Laucian joins Grondar in addressing his wound. Once the arrow is free and Grondar can apply a quick bandaging to the injury, he looks up at the elf. "Thank you, friend Laucian! Fortunately, it's not a serious wound, so I should be fine."

By time he steps out from behind the tree, Grondar finds that the battle has ended. Grondar returns to the man he struck down, only to find him dead. Saddened by this outcome, Grondar pauses to pray over the body, hoping that his soul will find a better place in the afterlife than in this world.

That done, he moves toward the bandits caught in the magical webbing. "Does anyone have any way of getting to these men without getting caught in the webs so we can bind them properly?" he calls out to anyone nearby. Perhaps one of the mages will be able to assist.
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Kylie
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To Battle!

Post by Kylie »

Kylie:

A horn sounds, surprising Kylie as it's tones ring through the forest. Finally, Kylie spots one of the opposing bowmen attempting to respond to the summons. Though her second shot misses, the first is sufficient to knock him from the tree. She grimaces as the man thuds to the earth, thinking how painful that must have been, but figures that he wasn't killed.

Continuing on, Kylie finds another fleeing bandit and manages to take him down with her bow as well. She rides up to him, finding that he is still alive. With another arrow nocked, she slowly herds the wounded man back toward where the other fell from the tree. Eventually, they will rondevous with the rest of the group and the other captured bandits.

Kylie has no doubts that questions will be asked of these men.
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Sherra
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in the trees...

Post by Sherra »

Sherra:

Sherra watches with satisfaction as the enemy archer plummets to his death after two more of her shafts are imbedded in him. You really shouldn't fight up high if you can't survive the fall she thinks to herself smiling.

As Sherra searches for more archers, she hears the distant horn call and tenses a bit, not sure of its meaning. When she spots the remaining enemy archers fleeing, she relaxes and lines up another pair of shafts into one who thought he would be getting away. Oh no you don't, it's over for you she thinks as first one and then the other shaft strike true.

Once she is sure the trees are clear of enemies, Sherra climbs down and retrieves her mare, walking it over to where the closest group of webbed bandits are. Sherra listens to Validar threaten one bandit and gives a smirk. She is glad that even though Validar may be a noble, he has the stomach to dispatch worthless fools as needed.
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GM Notes:

Post by GM Mad »

GM Notes:
Validar will head to the web and hold his sword to the heart of one of the held bandits. "We do not need all of you as prisoners, so give me a reason NOT to kill you now. What was the meaning of that signal horn we heard? And what is waiting for us further down the road? How many are in the main group? As the saying goes: spill your guts, or I shall do it for you. And do not even dream of altering the truth, cur. You will not survive the attempt."
Nervously, the bandit will reply, “You’ll give me your word of honor that I will not be killed?”

A few of the other bandits will curse the speaker, while others say that you should speak to them instead. When it comes to saving ones own skin, it’s every thief for himself…
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Corley
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Corley:

Post by Corley »

Corley:

Lord Corley chases after the elf maiden Lilia and her horse. Fortunately, the terrain is a collection of trees and large rocks, lessening the speed at which the mount can travel. Corley’s magical plate mail is lighter and allows far greater motion than ordinary armor. Because of this, Corley is able to run at a respectable pace.

Corley looses sight of Lilia for several moments, but he continues to follow. Breaking into a clearing, he finds the woman lying on the ground, her mount nowhere in sight. Even more ominous, two more of these cowardly bandits are hovering over her! The sight is more than Lord Corley can bear!

“Stand away from the fair maiden, you cowardly curs! Prepare to face my wrath!”

Swinging his two-handed sword in wide arc before him, Corley nearly cleaves the first vermin in two. His comrade in crime goes down just as fast.

Panting slightly, Lord Corley lowers his six and a half foot long sword. Blood stains the blade from the combats of this day. Corley will have to clean the enchanted sword at the evening’s camp.

Turning to face the prone Lilia, Corley raises his visor and offers his hand to the fair maiden. “I trust these curs didn’t harm you, milady? Come, fair Lilia, let us see if there are any more of these bandits to battle!”

However, the fighting seems to be just about over with. Disappointed that the battles were so brief, but at the same time very proud of his role in the conflict, Corley returns to his companions. None appear any worse for wear, while numerous bandits were captured.

“A short, but glorious conflict, my friends! It pleases me to no end that none of you were seriously injured! At least these dogs will not seek to waylay travelers any more!”

As Corley approaches, he sees his friend Validar conversing with the bandits trapped in the magical web. For the moment, Corley is content to simply watch what transpires next and see if the bandits have any useful information.
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Validar
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Negotiations..

Post by Validar »

VALIDAR -

Nervously, the bandit will reply, “You’ll give me your word of honor that I will not be killed?”

A few of the other bandits will curse the speaker, while others say that you should speak to them instead. When it comes to saving ones own skin, it’s every thief for himself…


Before speaking again to the man he first addressed, Validar will step back and address them all. "You each may get a chance to speak, but if you interrupt me, I will not be inclined to mercy." Returning to the first bandit he spoke with, Validar continues, "I am Lord Validar, first-born son of the Baron of Pyris. My word is my bond. If you speak and speak truthfully, then you will not be killed, that I swear. If you speak and speak untruths, then I can offer no guarantees. And no protection. Do not speak at all and your fate may be at the hands of my less noble companions. The choice is yours."
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Lilia
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Lilia:

Post by Lilia »

Lilia:

Gripping the reigns of her horse tightly, Lilia races through the forest towards the archers. She's confident that the spell Sherwood Elf-Friend placed upon her will save her from harm. The sound of arrows whistling past reach her sensitive ears but none find the mark.

Or so the Elf Maiden thought. One of the shafts strikes her mount, causing it to rear up in pain! Everything happens in a blur and Lilia finds herself prone on the ground dazed and disoriented. She curses silently to herself for doing something so stupid. She might have been magically protected from harm, but the horse wasn't! At least no one saw her foolishness.

Gathering wits about her, Lilia is startled to find two of the bandits hovering over her small form. They leer at her.
"Lookie what we got here", one of the men sneers. "An elf!"

"And a pretty one at that! Grab her!"
Fighting back her own disgust and afraid of being touched by these foul humans, Lilia feels around for a weapon to fight back with. Alas, her weapons were scattered in the fall. She quickly runs through her spells and memory and deems only her Sleep spell as being powerful enough to deal with these brutes.

Before Lilia can attempt to cast her spell, she hears a familiar voice crying out in shock.
"Stand away from the fair maiden, you cowardly curs! Prepare to face my wrath!"
Both men look away, as does Lilia, to find Lord Corley rushing in with his massive two-handed sword. Before Lilia's startled eyes, he nearly slices the first bandit he strikes in half with his giant blade! A shower of blood goes everywhere, covering Lilia in the process. The second man goes down just as quickly and just like that the bandit threat is over.

This human has quite possibly saved Lilia's life. She never would have believed that such a thing be possible before. This incident, coupled with the dwarf trying to protect her earlier, does give Lilia something to think about. There actions go against many of her preconceived notions about their races.
Turning to face the prone Lilia, Corley raises his visor and offers his hand to the fair maiden. "I trust these curs didn't harm you, milady? Come, fair Lilia, let us see if there are any more of these bandits to battle!"
"I-- I am uninjured," Lilia stammers out as she is helped back to her feet. The strength Lord Corley possesses seems tremendous. He lifts me up without seemingly a thought. Brushing the dirt away from her garments, Lilia discovers numerous splatters of blood on them. Her garments will need a good soaking to come clean again.

Lord Corley is off in search of more foes to vanquish before Lilia can say more. Quietly, Lilia gathers up her spilled belongings and goes in search of her mount. She finds her horse about seventy yards away, an arrow still sticking out of its flank.

"My apologies for my foolishness," Lilia gently tells the horse in elvish. "Let see if any of my traveling companions can heal the wound done to you this day."

Lilia will pet the horse, trying to calm him. She'll lead him back to the others on foot and seek out Laucian for his aid in removing the arrow and healing the wound.

Arriving back near the others, Lilia hears the dwarf's question about the magical web imprisoning the bandits.
"Does anyone have any way of getting to these men without getting caught in the webs so we can bind them properly?" he calls out to anyone nearby. Perhaps one of the mages will be able to assist.
"Outside of burning the web, which I do not recommend, we must simply wait until the spell expires", Lilia states confidently. "However, I can relieve the thieves of their weapons, making them easier to handle when the spell ends."

With Validar's permission, of course. When the okay is given, Lilia will simply walk into the web, seemingly unaffected by its sticky strands. She'll then walk up to each bandit and pull their weapons away. Once they are all collected, she will exit the web and toss the weapons into a pile.

Lilia has little interest in interrogating the bandits. They are thieves and no doubt murders, so their fate has been justly earned.
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Laucian
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Post by Laucian »

Laucian

"You are more than welcome, after all you would do the same for me." as he offers him a hand to get up.

A Horn blows in the distance causing the archers to flee in what appears to be retreat. Somewhere deep within himself he wonders if they will regroup and come back in force. He quickly dismisses this thought though he would not dwell on it.

Laucian will move amongst the dead/ unconscious men and begin to search for any parchment or maps (he is doubtful of this but he will search anyway) that may be of use, as well as concealed weapons. If any at all. Of those men he finds alive and merely knocked out he will disarm them and carry them to where the others have gathered.
"Here are a few more, What do you wish to do with them?" he will reply if he finds any alive."

After doing this he will find his mount and any other's mount that may be missing and return them to their owner. And move amongst the others with an arrow knocked to his bow.

When Grondor asks anyone if they have rope Laucian will reply "Sadly I do not, though we could use vines or reins of a horse or two if need to be."

Laucian will look at the wound of Lilia mount closely trying to judge the severity of the wound. "I will do the best I can." looking at the horse's flank. After he judges the wound he will proceed to remove the shaft with the hopes of causing as little pain to the animal as possible. Afterward he will clean the wound and wrap it. Afterward he will assure Her mount is okay. "It is a fine animal, the wound wasn't serious and should heal nicely."
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Post by Chareos »

Chareos

A horn bellows at a distance, Chareos Looks alertly around looking for any newcomers that may arise. Finding none he will move towards the three archers that fell asleep from his spell. Chareos will eye all three men cautiously and slowly approach them for they may be faking. Once among them he will disarm any weapons that they may have had, pick them up and place them lying down on his mount. Once they are on his mount he will proceed to move to where the others are and place them in a pile and bind their waists together with his horse's rein. If he can not tie all of them together he will tie two and leave the third standing guard over him.
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GM Notes:

Post by GM Mad »

GM Notes:

Bandit Questioning:

All the bandits will agree that the horn that sounded was a signal to retreat.

The two leaders of this group of bandits were watching the combat from further along the road. These two leaders are Lothar’s lieutenants. Lothar gives them the orders and then they trickle down to men. These bandits have no direct contact with Lothar himself and don’t even know what he looks like.

Their task was to ambush travelers and adventuring parties come to Twin Forks. Typically they only attacked travelers and the adventuring parties were just added to the list. They weren’t thrilled with this change of orders, but Lothar was offering a high bounty for any adventuring parties that were stopped and that cured most of the grumbling.

Any other questions?
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Validar
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de-weaponing

Post by Validar »

VALIDAR -

"Outside of burning the web, which I do not recommend, we must simply wait until the spell expires", Lilia states confidently. "However, I can relieve the thieves of their weapons, making them easier to handle when the spell ends."

With Validar's permission, of course. When the okay is given, Lilia will simply walk into the web, seemingly unaffected by its sticky strands. She'll then walk up to each bandit and pull their weapons away. Once they are all collected, she will exit the web and toss the weapons into a pile.


"By all means, Lady Lilia. I am sure we all agree that would be a fine course of actions." Validar is sure she must have some magickal means to thwart the stickiness of the webs and is pleased she spoke up about it on her own.
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Ivy
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Ivy:

Post by Ivy »

Ivy:

After binding the bandit Lord Corley struck down, Ivy looks to see where she can help out next. Laucian assisted Grondar in removing the arrow, but they bandit Grondar fought with has perished. What a waste of life.

Ivy is saddened by it. To those who follow Azrella, all life is precious. But at the same time, these men have chosen a dark path to follow. No doubt they have robbed others and battled others, perhaps killing in their pursuit for material wealth.

The notion of killing men to save others is a very troubling one for those who follow Azrella. On the one hand it is a waste of life, and on the other it is a small sacrifice to pay to protect others. It is a conflict of beliefs that most Azrellians have yet to successfully come to grips with. It is an argument that Ivy herself has struggled with in the past and would no doubt face again in the future.

By now the battle seems to have ended. Ivy will see if anyone has been injured and if they need healing or not.

Upon hearing Lord Validar’s conversation with the webbed up bandits, Ivy is at first shocked that he would threaten a completely helpless foe! She almost says something but bites back her words. Ivy doesn’t know if Validar’s threat is genuine, or if he is just attempting to scare information out of them. If it were the later, then Ivy’s intervention would ruin the attempt. Unsure just what to do, Ivy watches silently for the moment.

Fortunately, the bandits seem eager to tell what they know about this situation. Relief comes to Ivy, as while she doesn’t know much about Lord Validar, she is sure that he is a man of his word.

The elf woman Lilia arrives with her injured horse and herself covered in blood. Greatly concerned, Ivy approaches her. “Have you been injured? Do you need healing?”

Upon learning that she is just covered by the blood of others and is not hurt, Ivy will return to the others. Seeing that Laucian is tending to her mount, Ivy will not interfere with his task.

“I say, has anyone seen Sherwood? What became of him?”
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Lilia
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Lilia:

Post by Lilia »

Lilia:
Laucian will look at the wound of Lilia mount closely trying to judge the severity of the wound. "I will do the best I can." looking at the horse's flank. After he judges the wound he will proceed to remove the shaft with the hopes of causing as little pain to the animal as possible. After word he will clean the wound and wrap it. After word he will assure Her mount is okay. "It is a fine animal, the wound wasn't serious and should heal nicely."
“Thank you, clansman”, Lilia will say in elvish. “It was through my stupidity that this noble steed was injured. It is a great relief to know that the wound was not serious. Thank you again for your help.”
"By all means, Lady Lilia. I am sure we all agree that would be a fine course of actions." Validar is sure she must have some magical means to thwart the stickiness of the webs and is pleased she spoke up about it on her own.
Lilia will nod towards Lord Validar, trying to look the part of a competent sorceress. The blood and dirt covering her garments tend to shatter that attempt. “As you wish, Lord Validar. So shall it be done.”
The elf woman Lilia arrives with her injured horse and herself covered in blood. Greatly concerned, Ivy approaches her. “Have you been injured? Do you need healing?”
“I am unharmed, Ivy of Azrella. This blood belongs to bandits Lord Corley has slain.”
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A busy evening for conversations...

Post by Validar »

VALIDAR -

Pleased that none of his companions were moved by idealism to interrupt the interrogation, Validar listens with interest to the cacophony of answers as the bandits all try to speak and answer questions at the same time.

The two leaders of this group of bandits were watching the combat from further along the road. These two leaders are Lothar’s lieutenants.

"How many remained behind with the lieutenants then? And knowing those men, what do you expect their reactions to be when none of you return at the called retreat?"

Their task was to ambush travelers and adventuring parties come to Twin Forks. Typically they only attacked travelers and the adventuring parties were just added to the list.

Turning to his nearby companions, Validar will state, "It appears that someone in Pyris likely informed our friend Lothar that adventurers would be coming. It seems that they are expecting us. While that should not deter us in the slightest, we should make note of it and be better prepared."

Addressing the bandits again, Validar will ask, How many of your group are based in the Twin Forks and surrounding area? What kind of impediments are we likely to find? How will Lothar and the rest of the men react now that we have arrived with a show of force?"

At the end of the questioning, Validar will ask a curious question, one which he is very eager to hear the answer to. "Now that we've decided not to kill you, what do you thugs say your punishment should be?"

IVY - “I say, has anyone seen Sherwood? What became of him?”
If Validar hears the question, he will respond, "I last saw Sherwood still on the path as Laucian was leading the group around the ambush. Who knows where he has gone off to. It is difficult to judge his motives. Add to that the fact that he considers this an audition of sorts for most of us and I would imagine he is off somewhere observing."
Last edited by Validar on Wed Aug 20, 2003 12:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Ivy

Post by Ivy »

Ivy:
“I am unharmed, Ivy of Azrella. This blood belongs to bandits Lord Corley has slain.”
Ivy smiles at that statement and gazes at the blood on her own garments courtesy of Lord Corley’s combat prowess. “Yes, Lilia, he seems quite proficient at that. However, I doubt that he will clean our clothing from the fruits of his labors.”
If Validar hears the question, he will respond, "I last saw Sherwood still on the path as Laucian was leading the group around the ambush. Who knows where he has gone off to. It is difficult to judge his motives. Add to that the fact that he considers this an audition of sorts for most of us and I would imagine he is off somewhere observing."
“I see, Lord Validar. Then perhaps he should return soon?”

Ivy will accept this answer for the moment, but is concerned about Sherwood’s absence.
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GM Notes:

Post by GM Mad »

GM Notes:

Laucian:

Laucian searches some of the bandits. He doesn’t find any maps or scrolls. Each bandit wears a battle-tested suit of leather armor. Weapons range from shortbows, to shortswords, daggers, and spears. None of the weapons look particularly special. Each does carry a small amount of coins.

All the mounts are gathered up. Sherwood’s horse is located back up the path where you rode in from. It is tethered to a tree, but Sherwood himself is nowhere in sight.


Chareos:

Searching the archers turns up results similar to Laucian’s. In addition, each man has a quiver of flight arrows.

All the unconscious and captured bandits outside of the Webs are herded together for safekeeping.


Validar:
"How many remained behind with the lieutenants then? And knowing those men, what do you expect their reactions to be when none of you return at the called retreat?"
There is no one else behind with the two lieutenants. Their expected course of action is to flee to Twin Forks to warn Lothar of your impending arrival.
Addressing the bandits again, Validar will ask, How many of your group are based in the Twin Forks and surrounding area? What kind of impediments are we likely to find? How will Lothar and the rest of the men react now that we have arrived with a show of force?"
There’s only about another dozen or so men in Twin Forks. The exact number changes, as the bandits tend to move around a bit. Those men are pretty much armed as these men were. If Lothar is warned, he will flee down river to a different hiding place. Where they don’t know, but they do know that Lothar has lairs in most of the towns and villages in this area.
At the end of the questioning, Validar will ask a curious question, one which he is very eager to hear the answer to. "Now that we've decided not to kill you, what do you thugs say your punishment should be?"
They think they should be let go. They promise to flee this area and not be seen again.
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This is not finished...

Post by Validar »

VALIDAR -

As the bandits tell their information, Validar considers the possibilities. He will gather everyone together, if there are any stragglers from the group, but everyone seems to be forming back up. "My friends, we have an interesting course of action to maintain. I am curious to everyone's thoughts and recommendations."

"If the two lieutenants do exist, and someone is there based on the retreat horn, then if they get to Twin Forks before us, we may lose the chance to capture Lothar. We could be forced to go from town to town and hideout to hideout to root the vermin out."

"We can split up and have one group try to take them down or we can go after the lieutenants now in force. If they beat us to Twin Forks then we are back to the start of this investigation. Each of those options have a down side. Splitting the groups could be risky in enemy territory. If we go in force, what do we do with the prisoners? And we have some who are not as quick as others in the party."

Each moment that passes gives them one more step to get further away. What do the rest of you say?"
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take them down..

Post by Sherra »

Sherra:
"We can split up and have one group try to take them down or we can go after the lieutenants now in force. If they beat us to Twin Forks then we are back to the start of this investigation. Each of those options have a down side. Splitting the groups could be risky in enemy territory. If we go in force, what do we do with the prisoners? And we have some who are not as quick as others in the party."
"If they are on foot then even the slowest of us can catch them, especially if we go soon," Sherra will reply. "If they are on horseback, then only the fastest riders among us have hopes of catching them, especially since they will realize no others of their band will be returning. Since you have them blabbering away, Validar, maybe you can get the rest of the info," she will smirk and thumb back at the collection of bound bandits.

"As far as the bandits fates, we've squarely shown them how bad they are at their chosen profession. I do not believe just letting them go teaches them any values. I have a coil or rope if we need it. We can have Sherwood watch them while we track down the lieutenants. After removing all their meager gear they are no more of a threat than newborn puppies. Tymora was definitely not on their side this day or probably ever." Sherra's reply seems forced at certain points, almost as if she has an unseen struggle going on.

Sherra will go get the rope from her pack if we choose to use it. She will also see if any of the bandit's arrows are good enough quality to replace the ones she fired this combat.
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Post by Kylie »

Kylie:

Lilia's ability to move unhindered by the webs astounds Kylie. She will have to ask the elf later how she does that!

Kylie listens impassively to the questioning of the captured bandits. She doesn't much like the idea that they may have been anticipated. Upon hearing that the leaders are not far away, Kylie is about to mention chasing them down when Validar and Sherra begin discussing it.

"We should send a few to chase them down. I will volunteer to ride after them with Sherra. Since you are conducting the interrogation, Validar, perhaps Corley and a few others could accompany us. I doubt it will take many."

She looks sceptically at the bandits. "And I would not trust their promises. Even if they leave the area, they are likely to continue the same activities elsewhere."

Sherwood's absense brings a pang of anxiety to Kylie's breast. While she enjoy's teasing the often-stuffy - to her way of thinking - mage, she also feels a personal connection to him. Validar's comment provides her some assurance, though she can't help continuing to scan the area from her position atop her horse.

At the mention of rope, Kylie digs through her bags and pulls out a stout length of fine silk rope. "I will need that back," she says firmly as she hands it down to Validar. Still mounted on her horse, she looks around. "Are we ready to chase down the leaders?" she asks of Sherra and any others wanting to join the chase.
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Last edited by fanchergw on Wed Aug 20, 2003 4:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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To Battle!

Post by Grondar »

Grondar:

Having bandaged his knee, Grondar makes his way - with a slight limp - over to where the rest of the group have gathered. The last to arrive, he didn't hear any of Validar's threats, which would have concerned him gravely.

Looking to Laucian caring for Lilia's horse, Grondar asks, "What happened? Has the animal need of magical healing?" If called for, Grondar will spend a spell to ensure that the mount can continue on for the rest of the day.

He will then begin checking the captured bandits to see if any of them have wounds that need to be treated, or are likely to die without magical aid.

The issue of what to do with the captured bandits is raised. "The bandits should be turned over to the proper authorities in the nearest sizable town. There they can receive the proper justice as determined by the town's administrators."

At Kylie's mention of riding off after the leaders, Grondar shakes his head. "I will remain behind; I would only slow you down."
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Decisiveness is good.

Post by Validar »

VALIDAR -

Since Sherra and Kylie seem to agree that chasing down these lieutenants is a good idea, then we seem to have our answer, at least in part. "Very good, Kylie and Sherra. Since you two are ready to go, i think we should not tarry. Lord Corley! Do you think you could accompany these fine young ladies on their hopefully brief journey and mission?"

"Anyone else who wishes to head after them would be helpful as well. Only a few of us are required to remain behind. Lilia? Laucian? Either of your skills would be helpful in finding those curs. Chareos, I think you would be a help to them as well." If none or only one of these three will go after the remaining bandits, then Validar will remount and leave the bandits behind to the others and head after Kylie, Sherra and Corley.


IVY - “I see, Lord Validar. Then perhaps he should return soon?”

Ivy will accept this answer for the moment, but is concerned about Sherwood’s absence.


"I would not be overly concerned, Ivy of Azrella. Sherwood may return at a moment's notice and he may not return for days. I for one do not presume to know his motivations or his true plans. Until he returns, we have to make our decisions and continue on with our mission."


BANDITS - They think they should be let go. They promise to flee this area and not be seen again.

Validar smiles a mirthless smile beneath his great helm. The audacity of these fools. "Do not mock me. I have the authority to administer low justice by right of noble birth. And while I have given my word that you wouldn't be killed, I could think of worse fates were my wrath to be ignited."

Validar will step aside to speak with Ivy privately, still keeping an eye on the bandits. He will remove his great helm to better speak softly. "Ivy of Azrella, do you possess any skills that would help us determine the truth of statements or in the intent of one's heart? Or would Grondar have such abilities? I know nothing of his diety. I am considering offering freedom to a select few who will assist us in finding Lothar and making the process of getting around this area much simpler."

Validar will return to the bandits and ask if either or both of the lieutenants had horses or if everyone was on foot.


Grondar - The issue of what to do with the captured bandits is raised. "The bandits should be turned over to the proper authorities in the nearest sizable town. There they can receive the proper justice as determined by the town's administrators."

When Validar hears Grondar's suggestion, he is not surprised, but he is a bit dismayed at the dwarf's naivete. "My dwarven friend, the problem with that idea is that all the surrounding towns that are within the area are under the influence of Lothar and his bandits. We may as well turn them loose after giving them our weapons. Elcadan does little to thwart the bandit activities within its borders, especially along the borders and is even thought to promote such attacks. I am afraid we are far from the laws of your brethren."
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Post by Laucian »

Laucian

Laucian begins to rummage through the bandits gear. After a few moments he has found nothing of importance except a few coins and some weapons. He will gather what coins he finds and place them together, taking a dead bandits pouch if they have any. Not having the time to properly deal with the swords and spears he will leave them where they lie.

The bows are another story. Drawing out his dagger he will begin to cut the bow strings while bending them so there is a little bit of slack.

Returning amongst the others Laucian finds Validar speaking

"My friends, we have an interesting course of action to maintain. I am curious to everyone's thoughts and recommendations."

"If the two lieutenants do exist, and someone is there based on the retreat horn, then if they get to Twin Forks before us, we may lose the chance to capture Lothar. We could be forced to go from town to town and hideout to hideout to root the vermin out."

"We can split up and have one group try to take them down or we can go after the lieutenants now in force. If they beat us to Twin Forks then we are back to the start of this investigation. Each of those options have a down side. Splitting the groups could be risky in enemy territory. If we go in force, what do we do with the prisoners? And we have some who are not as quick as others in the party."

Each moment that passes gives them one more step to get further away. What do the rest of you say?"



Laucian will sit for a moment before speaking up. "If there is any truth in what these men say," eyeing the men suspiciously,'"then we should act quickly. These lieutenants should be removed . If we strike now and quickly, Lothar could lose his left arm. I will ride in search of these men, as fast as my mount will carry me. Pausing for a second, "These men were not protecting their homes nor themselves. They should face some sort of punishment for what their actions warrants. Though Im not familiar with your ways."

Laucian will join Sherra in acquiring arrows in which to replace those he spent. Afterward he mounts his horse ready himself to follow Sherra and Kylie.
Last edited by Laucian on Thu Aug 21, 2003 9:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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To Battle!

Post by Kylie »

Kylie:

Kylie nods in acknowledgement at Validar when the big warrior agrees with her and Sherra. She walks her horse a few steps further away, looking back over her shoulder to see who will join them.

Suddenly, she notices Laucian cutting the bandits' bowstrings and becomes alarmed. Quickly, she rides over next to him. "Laucian, why do you waste good bowstrings? As often as bowstrings get ruined, we are likely to need replacements soon enough. Would it not make more sense to just unstring them from the bows and bring them with us?"
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To Battle!

Post by Grondar »

Grondar:

Hearing the large noble's words, Grondar looks up at him. "I did not know that, my friend. That does present a bit of a problem. The nearest reliable city would then be Pyris? And we are what: a day and a half from Pyris by horse? And these knaves are on foot. Most troubling. I'm sure Sherwood could solve the problem were he here, but he seems to have departed our company.

"Hmm... That leaves us few choices, and slaughtering them out of hand is no choice at all. Perhaps our next best option is to strip them and send them on their way. Or one or two of us could accompany them back to Pyris. I will volunteer to do so, if the only other choice is to slay them in cold blood."
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Corley:

Post by Corley »

Corley:

Lord Corley watches quietly as Lord Validar questions the curs. He is mildly shocked that Validar would threaten a helpless and defenseless foe, but quickly decides that it must be a ruse to gather information. Surely, no man of honor would slay an enemy unable to defend himself!
Since Sherra and Kylie seem to agree that chasing down these lieutenants is a good idea, then we seem to have our answer, at least in part. "Very good, Kylie and Sherra. Since you two are ready to go, i think we should not tarry. Lord Corley! Do you think you could accompany these fine young ladies on their hopefully brief journey and mission?"
Lord Corley will smile brightly. “Of course, Lord Validar! It would be an honor and a privilege to ride with such fine company! Let us be off to capture the leaders of these scoundrels before they go crawling back to their master!”


Upon hearing Lord Validar and Grondar’s discussion on laws and justice, Lord Corley will add, “Indeed, friend Grondar. As members of the nobility, we do have the right to exercise the King’s Law as we see fit. We have taken an oath to our liege to do so. It is perfectly within our rights to capture, judge, and carry out the King’s Law in this matter. In some areas, a Priest of Heironeous will act as a judge in such matters and he will decide the fate of the criminal. It all depends on the discretion of the local ruler.”

“Were we dealing with simply banditry, and then our course would be clear. Return the men to Pyris to be punished. Typically imprisonment and hard labor. Their attack upon us muddies the matter. If these men have killed or been a party to killing, then they themselves may be killed or they may be imprisoned as mentioned above. The proper course of action would be to return them to Pyris so that could be punished as the Baron sees fit.”

“However, that would adversely affect our mission. Therefore, a compromise must be achieved. I say strip them of their belongings and send them on their way. Leave their fate in the hands of Istus. If the Lady of Fate is willing, they will safely reach civilization. Perhaps the experience will make new men of them. If not, then they will have paid for their crimes.”
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Post by Grondar »

Grondar:

The dwarven priest listens to Lord Corley's comments. "I understand what you are saying. However, I feel compelled to point out that having the right to do something doesn't always make it right to do so. For example, I have the right to refuse to heal anyone I choose to, but it would be wrong for me to do so. Certainly, the Revered Mother would likely disapprove and might well punish me for such actions."

The stern look on his face softens somewhat. "It sounds like we may be in agreement regarding the fate of these men. I would also encourage them to go far away. I have an excellent memory for faces, and if we encounter any of them again engaged in dishonest activities, there will be serious consequences."

That said, Grondar will begin moving about the captive, examining each on carefully. He does his best to commit each face to memory.
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Kylie
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To Battle!

Post by Kylie »

Kylie:

Seeing that Corley has agreed to join the hunt for the lieutenants, Kylie smiles. They seem to have sufficient volunteers now, so she turns her horse and begins to ride down the road in the direction from which the horns were heard. Kylie rides at a trot to enable the others to catch up. Once they do so, she will spur her mount to a moderate run. It would not do to let the spies get away!
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Lilia
Queen of the Sylvan Realm
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Lilia

Post by Lilia »

Lilia:
Ivy smiles at that statement and gazes at the blood on her own garments courtesy of Lord Corley’s combat prowess. “Yes, Lilia, he seems quite proficient at that. However, I doubt that he will clean our clothing from the fruits of his labors.”
That comment elicits a small chuckle from the Elf Maiden. “A fine jest, Ivy of Azrella. Perhaps if you were ask him politely he would clean the blood from our garments.”
Looking to Laucian caring for Lilia's horse, Grondar asks, "What happened? Has the animal need of magical healing?" If called for, Grondar will spend a spell to ensure that the mount can continue on for the rest of the day.

“My noble steed suffered for my own arrogance, good dwarf,” Lilia will explain, but will not comment on that any further. “Laucian seems to have cared for him quite well. But, I do appreciate your offer and your efforts to shield me in combat.”

On the subject of the bandits, Lilia will say, “The fate of these men matters not to me. Were our positions reversed I doubt they would have even have discussed the matter. Do what you will to them. I know that I would not be so gentle if our paths were to cross again.”

“However, we must reach these lieutenants before they warn the object of our mission. Every moment we delay puts them further away.”

After removing all the weapons from the bandits in the webs, Lilia will add them to the growing pile. She'll examine them closely, checking to see if any happen to be enchanted.

Edit Note: Reposted because some dummy posted it under the wrong name! :wink:
Either by my magic or my bow you WILL fall!
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Ivy
Priestess of Azrella
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The Real Ivy...

Post by Ivy »

Ivy:
That comment elicits a small chuckle from the Elf Maiden. “A fine jest, Ivy of Azrella. Perhaps if you were ask him politely he would clean the blood from our garments.”
“Aye, good elf, he may at that.” Ivy will grin widely at that thought.
"I would not be overly concerned, Ivy of Azrella. Sherwood may return at a moment's notice and he may not return for days. I for one do not presume to know his motivations or his true plans. Until he returns, we have to make our decisions and continue on with our mission."
“I confess that I too am in the dark to his goals and motivations. I’ve only met him briefly. It was Elspeth who personally requested that I join this mission. She was like a sister to me while we were growing up in the orphanage, so I could not refuse. I know that she assists both Sherwood and Lady Sallavarian frequently.”
Validar will step aside to speak with Ivy privately, still keeping an eye on the bandits. He will remove his great helm to better speak softly. "Ivy of Azrella, do you possess any skills that would help us determine the truth of statements or in the intent of one's heart? Or would Grondar have such abilities? I know nothing of his deity. I am considering offering freedom to a select few who will assist us in finding Lothar and making the process of getting around this area much simpler."
“Unfortunately Lord Validar I do not have any spells that would accomplish such a thing prayed for. While it is true that a regular Holy Warrior has the talent to determine the quality of one’s soul, I do not have that talent. As part of my Undead Hunter training, I have the talent to sense the presence of the unliving instead. I can pray for a Know Alignment spell tonight and then come the morn I would be able to determine the quality of their souls.”

“I must confess that I do not have the full measure of Grondar’s abilities either. I know of his Goddess’ healing aspect since it lies close to that of Azrella. From what Grondar has stated his Goddess also extends to protection, guardianship, and maintaining history and lore of the dwarves.”
For the glory of the Blue Lady!
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Sherra
Adventuress
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the chase...

Post by Sherra »

Sherra:
Seeing that Corley has agreed to join the hunt for the lieutenants, Kylie smiles. They seem to have sufficient volunteers now, so she turns her horse and begins to ride down the road in the direction from which the horns were heard. Kylie rides at a trot to enable the others to catch up. Once they do so, she will spur her mount to a moderate run. It would not do to let the spies get away!
Sherra quickly mounts and rides off to catch up with Kylie. She hopes that someone among the 'hunting' party is good at reading tracks so that we can hopefully follow where the ambush party parted ways with the lieutenants, and from there where the lieutenants went to. If they were on horseback that should be able to be determined as well.

When Sherra catches up to Kylie, she will slow a bit if the others have not yet caught up and ask if anyone has the ability to track.
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Chareos
Humble Mage
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Post by Chareos »

Chareos

Returning to the group Chareos finds Validar questioning the captured bandits. One of the men speaks up and says there are Lieutenants in the area.

"There is no other action I can think of. I will ride towards Twin Oaks with the others. These lieutenants have to be dealt with as soon as possible."
As for their fates "The idea of killing them is not an option as Grondor has stated. I am in favor of leaving them too and let them find their way to town."

He will mount up and ride after Kylie, Sherra, Laucian and Corley.
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Laucian
Ranger of Ehlonna
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Location: Dense Forests of the Elfholds

Post by Laucian »

Laucian

As he draws his dagger and begins cutting the first bowstring Klyie approaches,

"Laucian, why do you waste good bowstrings? As often as bowstrings get ruined, we are likely to need replacements soon enough. Would it not make more sense to just unstring them from the bows and bring them with us?"


"I was under the impression that we were to move fast as possible . I thought it best to disable their bows in case we had to leave quickly. Sadly I was not thinking about using the strings for ourselves." :oops: He will place his dagger in his boot. "You are right", looking somewhat disappointed with himself " If we can use them they will be worth their weight."
He will unstring the bows, minus the one he cut, as quickly as possible and stow the string within his saddle bag.


Laucian will mount up and ride as quickly as he can to catch up with the others. When Sherra asks if anyone amongst us knows how to track he is some what taken back. Apparently she has little knowledge of Followers of Ehlonna, for she favors woodsmen.
"Aye, I was taught at an early age."
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Kylie
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To Battle!

Post by Kylie »

Kylie

Kylie notes Laucian's disappointed expression. "It comes from a life of surviving with barely enough to live. Makes you very frugal and teaches you to scrimp and save wherever possible. While bowstrings don't usually cost a lot, it is possible that we won't always have a handy place to acquire more. Having to return to Pyris for replacements could really handicap our mission."

=====

Kylie smiles as Chareos catches up, bringing the number of their squad to five. That should be more than sufficient to deal with the two lieutenants. To her mind, catching them is the best way to avoid unnecessary combat later, and she'd rather not endanger herself needlessly.

They race off down the road in an effort to catch the bandit leaders before they can make good their escape.
_______________________________
Fortunately, bowstrings are very light, certainly no more than an ounce apiece and probably a fraction of that.
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GM Mad
Game Master
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