Redlun XXVI

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="12a8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <B>Redlun Archives </B></div> <div> <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun I"><U><B>Volumes I to XXIV</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id295.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXXVI"><U><B>Volumes XXXXVI to L</B></U></A><B>XV</B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id259.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun Village"><U><B>Redlun Village Map</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id181.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun Plans"><U><B>Redlun Manor Plans</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id178.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun Survey"><U><B>Redlun Survey</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id179.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun Decree"><U><B>Redlun Decree</B></U></A></div> <div> <B> </B></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="12b8dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#336666" FACE="Arial" ><B>Missiledine's Archives</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Missiledines Archives"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id202.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXV"><U>Redlun XXV</U></A>   |   <B>Redlun XXVI</B>   |   <A HREF="id207.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXVII"><U>Redlun XXVII</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id213.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXVIII"><U>Redlun XXVIII</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id214.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXIX"><U>Redlun XXIX</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id215.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXX"><U>Redlun XXX</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id232.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXI"><U>Redlun XXXI</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id255.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXII"><U>Redlun XXXII</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id261.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXIII"><U>Redlun XXXIII</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id263.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXIV"><U>Redlun XXXIV</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id264.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXV"><U>Redlun XXXV</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id266.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXVI"><U>Redlun XXXVI</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id271.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Redlun XXXVII"><U> Redlun XXXVII</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id278.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXIIX"><U>Redlun XXXIIX</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id280.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXIX"><U>Redlun XXXIX</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id281.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXX"><U>Redlun XXXX</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id284.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXXI"><U>Redlun XXXXI</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id285.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXXII"><U>Redlun XXXXII</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id288.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXXIII"><U>Redlun XXXXIII</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id290.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXXIV"><U>Redlun XXXXIV</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id292.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Redlun XXXXV"><U>Redlun XXXXV</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Missiledines Archives"><U><B>Archive Directory</B></U></A></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="12b8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Redlun XXVI</I></div> <bR> <div> <Missiledine>  Hello </div> <div> <Missiledine> Hang on a sec, I'm just finishing a nasty letter to tech support... </div> <div> <tacit> who's tech support? </div> <div> <Missiledine> Tellix, the company that makes the software I use for my site </div> <div> <Missiledine> Trellix </div> <div> <Missiledine> ok... that is finished </div> <div> <Missiledine> on to important things... like scragging your characters... </div> <div> <tacit> sounds kinky </div> <div> <dukejr> you wish </div> <div> <Missiledine> when last we parted, you were trailing a group herding horses in the badlands south of Redlun </div> <div> <Missiledine> The herd was being taken west, into an area that you believe is uninhabited </div> <div> <Missiledine> there are 8 riders and a dog </div> <div> <dukejr> I thought threre were 6 riders, 2 gobs on foot and a dog </div> <div> <Missiledine> Jacinta and Miklas had ridden on ahead to scout... Jacinta was riding back to report </div> <div> <Missiledine> no </div> <div> <tacit> no, none on foot </div> <div> <dukejr> gobs were armed? </div> <div> <Missiledine> you don't know if they are goblins or not </div> <div> <Missiledine> presumably anyone out in this country is armed </div> <div> <Missiledine> or brain dead </div> <div> <tacit> I coose that teh enemy be brain dead :) </div> <div> <Missiledine> Jacinta will return to the main party in about a half hour riding </div> <div> <dukejr> okay. they are heading toward goblin held territory? what is the legal situation here. is there enough evidence to think they are outlaws? </div> <div> <tacit> report to Athamar "we found 8 riders, herding about 20 horse - they are about 3 miles ahead... </div> <div> <tacit> and about 12-15 miles from teh woods - they'll likely have to stop for the night before they get to goblin territory" </div> <div> <Missiledine> tough call oh Lord of Redlun... You are the closest thing to an authority figure in the area.. You certainly have the right to question them </div> <div> <dukejr> "Good. Keep following them for now. I will want a closer look when they camp." </div> <div> <tacit> "Yes M'lord"  <waht time of day it it? </div> <div> <tacit> <what time of day is it, that was supposed to say> </div> <div> <Missiledine> late morning, maybe 10:30 </div> <div> <Missiledine> Jacints: You are riding right back to Miklas? </div> <div> <tacit> she will take along enough food & water to last her & Miklas till night </div> <div> <Missiledine> ok </div> <div> <tacit> he doesn't love us anymore </div> <div> <Missiledine> as you approach the area you expect to find them in, allowing a bit over an hour of movement,  </div> <div> <Missiledine> lol </div> <div> <tacit> she's hoping to spot Miklas first... </div> <div> <Missiledine> can you re invite him/ </div> <div> <Missiledine> ? </div> <div> <tacit> trying... </div> <div> <tacit> no luck so far </div> <div> <Missiledine> As you approach the area Miklas will flag you from some cover </div> <div> <tacit> dismount, stay low, approach his position </div> <div> <dukejr>  yay </div> <div> <tacit> yeah </div> <div> <Missiledine> good </div> <div> <Missiledine> Miklas says, "They have stopped to let the horses water at a small stream. They are eating </div> <div> <Missiledine> I've kept my distance because of the dog." </div> <div> <Missiledine> "What does Lord Athamar plan?" </div> <div> <tacit> "makes sense, to me -wpeaking of which, I brought some food.  We're to follow them until they camp for the night" </div> <div> <Missiledine> Miklas takes the food and eats while you wait. No telling when you'll get a chance again </div> <div> <Missiledine> about a half hour later you hear whistles and cries as the riders get the herd started again. </div> <div> <tacit> J eats as well "sounded like Lord Athamar wated to take a look for himself to decide how to handle them" </div> <div> <Missiledine> Miklas is looking down the back trail. "Lord Athamar can't be more than a half hour or so behind us by now." </div> <div> <Missiledine> a few minutes later you judge that the herd and riders have cleared the gully where they watered </div> <div> <tacit> "was about a half hour ride for me to reach them, so yes, they should be close" </div> <div> <tacit> head out, carefully </div> <div> <Missiledine> Miklas mounts up..."Shall we go?" </div> <div> <Missiledine> ok </div> <div> <Missiledine> you move down into the gully. The area is heavily churned by all the horses, so you can't make out details, but the path is easy to follow </div> <div> <Missiledine> As you trail out along the waterway, Miklas reins in and is looking around suspisciously. </div> <div> <tacit> they shouldn't be hard to follow -mostly need to watch out for an ambush </div> <div> <Missiledine> He turns his horse around sharply, saying "Come with me." </div> <div> <tacit> J does </div> <div> <Missiledine> instead of going out the western end, like the herd did, Miklas leads you south over the ridge and in a half circle to the west </div> <div> <dukejr> <smart boy...> </div> <div> <tacit> excellent </div> <div> <Missiledine> about fifteen minutes later you can again see the herd... it is now accompanied by 6 riders </div> <div> <Missiledine> and the dog </div> <div> <tacit> watch our back, stay very low </div> <div> <Missiledine> "We could drop down after the herd passes and pick off their rear guard as they come through to catch up." Miklas says </div> <div> <tacit> good idea - reduce their numbers, and it'll slow them down if they stop to investigate </div> <div> <Missiledine> "We'd best leave our horses here." Miklas says. "Too hard to hide them down there." </div> <div> <tacit> brb </div> <div> <tacit> J will get her bow off her horse - should prob picket them as well, leave some grain for them if we have any inteh saddlebags (keeps them quiet) </div> <div> <Missiledine> ok.. Miklas will do the same. Taking his crossbow </div> <div> <tacit> I there a good abusk point we can stalk to? </div> <div> <tacit> ambush, that is </div> <div> <Missiledine> you wait until the herd and it's keepers pass from site... there are several promising thickets along the sides of the gulley </div> <div> <Missiledine> <site? What the hell am I writing?> </div> <div> <dukejr> you have web site on the brain>< </div> <div> <Missiledine> "Stick together or spread out?" Miklas asks </div> <div> <dukejr> <brackets> </div> <div> <Missiledine> <yeah> </div> <div> <tacit> <I'm thinking much fater than I'm typing tonite> </div> <div> <dukejr> <lets hope so> </div> <div> <Missiledine> lol </div> <div> <tacit> "spread out - cover as much area as we can, but close enough to support each other" </div> <div> <Missiledine> "Stay on this side of the gulley." Miklas advises. "That will allow us an easier retreat" </div> <div> <tacit> <it's either this or typo's in every word - that is one thing i like about the AIM chat> </div> <div> <tacit> "yes" </div> <div> <Missiledine> <AIM corrects your Typos? Please tell me how!> </div> <div> <dukejr> <kill!> </div> <div> <tacit> <no, but you don'th have to backspace through teh entire statement and redo it to correct typo's in the front> </div> <div> <Missiledine> you move down the slope, keeping a wary eye on both ends of the gully, but see nothing. </div> <div> <Missiledine> <ah> </div> <div> <tacit> watch behind us, as well </div> <div> <Missiledine> The thickets are mostly thorns, so you don't want to crawl into them. They are pretty dense though, so even without leaves it is good visual cover to hide behind </div> <div> <dukejr> <cool> </div> <div> <Missiledine> Miklas loads his crossbow and kneels behind the thicket.  </div> <div> <tacit> k - keep an arrow knocked on the bow </div> <div> <dukejr> <takes notes, we will be doing a lot of this> </div> <div> <Missiledine> "If we hear Lord Athamar attacked, we'll hit them from the rear." Miklas whispers </div> <div> <tacit> "right" <we just wanna attach someone> </div> <div> <Missiledine> about fifteen minutes pass with nothing happening. Miklas says, "Athamar will be stumbling into this soon." </div> <div> <Missiledine> as you sit there watching, you see from further down the eastern end of the gully, a man stand up, face the western end and wave. Then he drops out of sight </div> <div> <tacit> J nods, waits... </div> <div> <tacit> how far down the gulley? </div> <div> <Missiledine> maybe a hundred yards </div> <div> <tacit> sounds like they see Athamar approaching - can we crawl closer to them? </div> <div> <Missiledine> The gulley itself varies in width on the floor. At the point where the sides are shallow slopes its maybe three hundred feet wide. Where it is steep maybe 75 to 100 feet </div> <div> <Missiledine> the area is dotted with thickets, boulders and stunted, scrub trees... cover is not continuous at any point for more than twenty or thirty feet at a stretch </div> <div> <tacit> They will be more focused on A's approack at this point "let's move in" j whispers ot Miklas </div> <div> <Missiledine> you can see Athamar and company rounding the farthest visible point about four hundred feet to the east </div> <div> <tacit> we move in for the kill </div> <div> <Missiledine> Miklas shakes his head and points west </div> <div> <Missiledine> "They will see us." </div> <div> <tacit> <the larger party will see us?> </div> <div> <Missiledine> Athamar and company seem to be moving warily, but making good progress along the gulley.... It is possible, if they saw the signal </div> <div> <tacit> <so the signal was to the larger party?> </div> <div> <Missiledine> That seems to be what Miklas is assuming </div> <div> <tacit> k, we wait... </div> <div> <Missiledine> Athamar's group is now drawing abreast of the hiding area where you saw the man wave </div> <div> <tacit> what way are we facing as we watch this? </div> <div> <Missiledine> the thicket the man was hiding behind is not really the best place to attack from, it's too far up the slope.... Athamar and co are coming from the east </div> <div> <tacit> are we north or south of their position? </div> <div> <Missiledine> south </div> <div> <Missiledine> the signal came from the north side </div> <div> <Missiledine> Athamar and company are now passing the thicket where the man is hiding </div> <div> <Missiledine> You can't see any movement from the thicket </div> <div> <tacit> J is ready to tattack the person in the thicket at the first sign of an attack </div> <div> <Missiledine> <Can you hit someone that far away?> </div> <div> <tacit> no, but the's ready to closee and attack </div> <div> <Missiledine> Athamar and company have now passed the thicket and are leaving it behind... in a minute or two they will be abreast of you... </div> <div> <tacit> sit tight... </div> <div> <Missiledine> As the party passes below you, Miklas looks at you and shrugs, "What now?" </div> <div> <tacit> "let's wait - maybe we can still take out the 2 scouts" </div> <div> <Missiledine> Just past you the gulley starts to narrow down and as the last of the party passes by the thicket you are in, you hear from further west, the thunder of hooves... getting louder and louder... </div> <div> <Missiledine> Athamar, you hear it too </div> <div> <dukejr> okay. what cover is there? </div> <div> <Missiledine> thorm thickets and a few boulders </div> <div> <dukejr> "Everyone over there" he points to a boulder prefeably near a thicket. "Ready to recieve cavalry" </div> <div> <Missiledine> a mass of stampeding horses rounds the corner ahead.... the entire herd has been stampeded at you... Everyone runs for cover  What do you do with the pack horse? </div> <div> <dukejr> take pack horse along. get it in lee of the boulder. are there any riders? </div> <div> <dukejr> tie it to a sturdy bush if possible. </div> <div> <Missiledine> Jacinta, you and Miklas see two men break from cover down the Gully and run along the side, out of way of the stampede, to clearly attack the distracted party from behind </div> <div> <Missiledine> none that you see yet </div> <div> <Missiledine> The panic of the herd seems to be affecting the pack animal, he rears and breaks loose, running off east ahead of the stampede </div> <div> <tacit> we take off after them, hopefully we can attack them before they attack the party <if I'm visualizing this right> </div> <div> <dukejr> Athamar sighs. </div> <div> <Missiledine> Jacinta, you are on the south slope, the men are on the north </div> <div> <tacit> unlett they are coming toward us, then we just wait </div> <div> <Missiledine> they are headed your direction, west, but they are staying up, out of the way of the horses </div> <div> <Missiledine> <Damn! BRB!> </div> <div> <dukejr> Athamr says. "Clever....   Steady now. we will see the riders soon." </div> <div> <Missiledine> <sorry> </div> <div> <dukejr> <np> </div> <div> <tacit> <cool> </div> <div> <Missiledine> Behind the horses is a line of 4 riders, three armed with crossbows, one with a whip. Behind them are two more riders with shortbows... as they come into sight of you the crossbow men aim in the group's direction </div> <div> <dukejr> Athamar is tryingto remain cool. he steps forward looking for someone to cast a spell at. </div> <div> <dukejr> how far? </div> <div> <dukejr> <you can just tell me the spell minus> </div> <div> <Missiledine> they will be on you in about three seconds... <that's how long you've got.> </div> <div> <dukejr> what kind of radius to catch them all? </div> <div> <dukejr> or at least most </div> <div> <Missiledine> 40 foot radius for all35 </div> <div> <Missiledine> sorry 35, tried to delete </div> <div> <Missiledine> what are you casting? </div> <div> <tacit> <ya see> </div> <div> <tacit> 11 or 12 hex </div> <div> <dukejr> Athamra is nto casting right now. he will wait til they are closer and perhaps more bunched. He says "Hold your fire, aim at the crossbowmen," </div> <div> <dukejr> what cover do we have? </div> <div> <Missiledine> Basicly all you have is a thicket. If you go all the way around it the cover is about eight feet high. At the ends, where you are now, it is 4' high </div> <div> <Missiledine> it's lenght is about 30' </div> <div> <dukejr> okay. so, do the men have bows or crossbows out or shields and hand weapons? </div> <div> <Missiledine> missile weapons are ready </div> <div> <dukejr> is everyone crouched? </div> <div> <Missiledine> as the two groups reach a distance of thirty to fifty feet the crossbows on both sides start snapping and whirring... No, not if you want accurate shooting </div> <div> <dukejr> gotcha </div> <div> <Missiledine> You can hear the bolts buzz past you, but fortunately no one is hit. Unfortuneately no one on their side is hit either.... </div> <div> <dukejr> <whee!> </div> <div> <dukejr> are they still approaching? </div> <div> <Missiledine> the lmounted line gallops past... two things happen.. the man with the whip lashes out at you, Athamar while Jacinta, you see the two men stop and aim at the group below </div> <div> <dukejr> past? I thought we had 3 rounds </div> <div> <tacit> how far are the two men, and what is between them and us? </div> <div> <Missiledine> Miklas will pop up to shoot at the two... they held their fire to thirty or fifty feet </div> <div> <Missiledine> at a gallop that distance is crossed in 1 rd </div> <div> <Missiledine> of course, at a gallop you can't shoot worth shit </div> <div> <tacit> J will fire as well </div> <div> <Missiledine> you and the men are at roughly the same level.. so nothing between you </div> <div> <dukejr> Athamar will cast stone rain on them at the closest point, using all three points from his powerstone for a 11 hex radius spell catching as many as possible with it. </div> <div> <Missiledine> the second line of horses, the archers will be coming abreast the next round </div> <div> <Missiledine> the four or the two? </div> <div> <dukejr> the four. </div> <div> <Missiledine> ok </div> <div> <dukejr> the two will ride into it. </div> <div> <Missiledine> the two across the gulley are about two hundred feet from you J </div> <div> <dukejr> maybe. or they might rein in </div> <div> <Missiledine> they clearly did not know of your presence </div> <div> <Missiledine>  </div> <div> <dukejr> are they wearing helms? </div> <div> <Missiledine> the whip lash snapped the air a few inches from your face Athamar.. he was just out of range </div> <div> <dukejr> k </div> <div> <Missiledine> a couple are </div> <div> <dukejr> good.then they will take head blows. poor horsies. </div> <div> <Missiledine> the spell goes off and the stones hammer down... </div> <div> <tacit> would J have a better shot at teh footmen accross teh gulley or the horsemen as they ride past? <if she hasn't fired already> </div> <div> <Missiledine> horseman are closer </div> <div> <Missiledine> you hear the horses scream and two of the riders pitch right off.. the other two, including the whipman, make it through, though not unscathed... </div> <div> <Missiledine> your call J </div> <div> <Missiledine> Miklas has shot and missed </div> <div> <dukejr> <I hope the galluping bowmen plow right in.... :-) </div> <div> <tacit> closer but moving... she shoots at teh footmen </div> <div> <Missiledine> the two bowman... one does gallop in and takes several blows but goes on through... but you see him slumped in the saddle... the second man pulls up, dropping his arrow, horse rearing </div> <div> <dukejr> how far away is he? </div> <div> <Missiledine> J, you shoot... wow! A hit! </div> <div> <dukejr> <critical!> </div> <div> <tacit> yippee! </div> <div> <Missiledine> he never saw it coming </div> <div> <Missiledine> a 4 </div> <div> <Missiledine> it doesn't kill him, but it sends him scrabbling for cover. </div> <div> <tacit> good </div> <div> <dukejr> Athamar order two of his men to "Get that guy" pointing at the man with the rearing horse. </div> <div> <tacit> is Miklas readying his crossbow or drawing weapon? </div> <div> <Missiledine> The plunging horse is rearing about twenty five feet from where you stand Athamar. The rider is trying to regain control... </div> <div> <dukejr> okay. A casts a 1 hex rain of stone on him </div> <div> <Missiledine> Miklas is running down slope after the departing horsemen </div> <div> <Missiledine> two of your men, who had run forward to grab him, immediately back off a bit </div> <div> <dukejr> they were that close already? </div> <div> <Missiledine> to be hit? No, they're just being careful </div> <div> <dukejr> okay. that is sensible </div> <div> <dukejr> how far away arethe footmen? </div> <div> <tacit> j will stay withMiklas </div> <div> <tacit> <moral support and all that> </div> <div> <Missiledine> this man does have a helm, but has clearly taken several hits, so has the horse. But somehow he mnanages to kick the horse into flight, though it is running up the slope, heading north, rather than with his friends... It </div> <div> <dukejr> <good idea to stay in pairs.> </div> <div> <Missiledine> doesn't look  liker he really has control of the horse </div> <div> <dukejr> <north. towards J? </div> <div> <Missiledine> no, she is south </div> <div> <tacit> J is south </div> <div> <dukejr> oh. are WE north or south? </div> <div> <Missiledine> you are on the north side of the bottom of the hgulley </div> <div> <dukejr> will he be passing near us then? </div> <div> <Missiledine> he is riding up slope </div> <div> <Missiledine> no </div> <div> <dukejr> <sigh> okay </div> <div> <Missiledine> no closer than he is now </div> <div> <dukejr> is it the next round? can A cast another stone rain on him? </div> <div> <dukejr> or is there a closer target? </div> <div> <Missiledine> from the shouts behind you A, something is happening up slope on the north side but further east </div> <div> <dukejr> okay. Athamr looks there. </div> <div> <Missiledine> yes, you could get a spell off before he crests the gulley and gets out of sight </div> <div> <dukejr> A casts it on him again </div> <div> <Missiledine> ythree of your men at arms are advancing up slope, giving each other covering fire, against a thicket where apparantly more or hiding </div> <div> <dukejr> gotcha. next round A will give them spell support </div> <div> <Missiledine> the spell works and just as the rider reaches the crest he is hit again... both he and the horse go tumbling back down the slope in a confusion of legs  </div> <div> <Missiledine> and whinnies </div> <div> <dukejr> poor horse. </div> <div> <Missiledine> <damn! there goes $2,000!> </div> <div> <dukejr> <hope the horse is okay. the guy is probably quished.> </div> <div> <dukejr> squished even. </div> <div> <Missiledine> you can hear the snap of crossbows from up slope... from further to the east you hear the sound of steel clashing... </div> <div> <Missiledine> J... you follow miklas </div> <div> <dukejr> <let me know when Athamar can act again, I assume you are running J for a few> </div> <div> <Missiledine> the horsemen that got past... the last archer falls from his seat as you run behind Miklas.  At first you think he is finished, but you see him stagger to his feet as Miklas approaches and draw a scimitar </div> <div> <tacit> huzza!  we run dow the ambush wanna-be's! </div> <div> <Missiledine> <yes> </div> <div> <Missiledine> Miklas will run around the man, clearly leaving him for you as he pursues the other two </div> <div> <tacit> j continues to approach, drawing her sword </div> <div> <Missiledine> at first the man seems confused when Miklas avoids him, but then he sees you coming and moves towards you... he looks a bit... battered </div> <div> <tacit> she will tak ehim out of his misery </div> <div> <Missiledine> being in better shape, you have initiative </div> <div> <Missiledine> you attack, he is surprisingly fast for his condition and manages to parry it.. he has no shield </div> <div> <Missiledine> he counter attacks...but misses </div> <div> <tacit> all out attack </div> <div> <tacit> 2 attacks </div> <div> <Missiledine> <one more rd of J then back to A for a rd>  ok </div> <div> <tacit> 2 per round, that is </div> <div> <dukejr> <k> </div> <div> <Missiledine> hit and hit... his light leather armor offers little protection and he goes down with gaping wounds </div> <div> <tacit> <bonus> </div> <div> <Missiledine> A.... what are you doing?  Your men appear tpo be flanking the thicket on each end </div> <div> <Missiledine> your other men are also charging up slope </div> <div> <Missiledine> to support the first three </div> <div> <dukejr> how far away and how big of a thicket? </div> <div> <Missiledine> the thicket is maybe 20' feet wide and forty long and 10' high. it is about 75 feet from you </div> <div> <dukejr> has any missle fire issude from it? </div> <div> <dukejr> issued </div> <div> <Missiledine> it is too thick to see through or shoot through... the two men took cover here when the attack went bad </div> <div> <Missiledine> they are behind it </div> <div> <Missiledine> not since the ducked for cover </div> <div> <dukejr> okay, A starts casting Rain of stone behindthe thicket, one hex at a time, marching up the thicket. </div> <div> <dukejr> the spell lasts for a minute, </div> <div> <Missiledine> two of your people are circling right, one left. the other two coming up slope are headed left </div> <div> <Missiledine> left to right or right to left? </div> <div> <dukejr> left to right.  </div> <div> <dukejr> sincethe two headed that way aren't there yet </div> <div> <dukejr> A walks toward the thicket as he does so. </div> <div> <Missiledine> a moment later two men run out, one with an axe, the other a shortsword.. and attack the men coming up on the right </div> <div> <Missiledine> they are clearly more interested in escape then combat and are engaging only because they have no choice </div> <div> <dukejr> A stops casting and looks around the battlefield to see where the other two horsemen have gone </div> <div> <Missiledine> looking east you see J finishing off the archer in a sword fight... beyond that you see Miklas running hard, disappearing around a distant bend... the other horsemen are no where to be seen </div> <div> <Missiledine> J, what will you do now? </div> <div> <Missiledine>  </div> <div> <Missiledine> sorry </div> <div> <dukejr> I presume the other three men are converging on the two engaged? </div> <div> <Missiledine> yes </div> <div> <tacit> Is this guy's horse nearby? </div> <div> <dukejr> "I want a prisoner, if possible." A commands. </div> <div> <Missiledine> about forty or fifty feet up the gulley... it looks kinda battered too </div> <div> <tacit> wondering if J will catch up miklas more quickly on foot or if she tries to catch hte horse and ride it? </div> <div> <Missiledine> You hear Wendal, one of the two in the skirmish, yell... "Yield or die!" </div> <div> <Missiledine> <won't know till you try> </div> <div> <tacit> J goes for the horse - uses her animal handling to calm it </div> <div> <Missiledine> it sidle away at first.. but then stands trembling </div> <div> <dukejr> what of the other riderless horses? </div> <div> <Missiledine> A, the skirmish continues with a brief exchange, then one man goes down, the one with the axe, and the other throws down his sword </div> <div> <tacit> J tries to assess if it is trembling from fright or injuries </div> <div> <dukejr> "Take his boots and tie him with the laces."  </div> <div> <dukejr> "Gag him too" </div> <div> <Missiledine> the one you nailed at the crest hasn't gotten up... there are several horses standing around the gulley... other then the one J is calmoing now there is only one visible with a saddle </div> <div> <dukejr> I thought therer were two hosemen who were thrown in the firs rain of stones. what of their horses? </div> <div> <Missiledine> don't see them </div> <div> <dukejr> "Who is a good runner?" </div> <div> <Missiledine> there is one other saddled horse in sight.... one is down, one is with J two were ridden away </div> <div> <Missiledine> Wendal points to the two youths </div> <div> <Missiledine> "I'm to old foer that." </div> <div> <dukejr> "You two. Miklas went that way. See if you can lend him a hand. </div> <div> <Missiledine> J... the horse seems mostly frightened </div> <div> <Missiledine> they take off running </div> <div> <dukejr> "Jacinta! Where are your horses?" </div> <div> <dukejr> A shouts. </div> <div> <tacit> k - continue soothing it - how far away are J & Miklas' horses? </div> <div> <Missiledine> over the south slope, maybe two hundred feet further on.. all together four hundred from Athamart </div> <div> <dukejr> Anyone wounded? </div> <div> <Missiledine> The two boys will run past you headed around the corner where Miklas went </div> <div> <tacit> is this horse calm enough to ride yet? </div> <div> <Missiledine> yes </div> <div> <Missiledine> one man took a bolt in the shoulder, though it wasn't serious (1 pt through armor) another was cut in the final skirmish by the guy with the sword (spts) </div> <div> <Missiledine> 2pts </div> <div> <dukejr> A starts patchingthem up, using medical bag. or was that on the packhorse? </div> <div> <Missiledine> on the horse, but there are a couple first aid kits available </div> <div> <dukejr> okay. A applies bandages. </div> <div> <Missiledine> J? </div> <div> <tacit> is the horse calm enough to ride yet? </div> <div> <Missiledine> yes </div> <div> <dukejr> <yes twice> </div> <div> <tacit> than J goes after Miklas </div> <div> <tacit> <i didn't know if the previous yes was to your question or mine> </div> <div> <dukejr> <yah. just figured that out> </div> <div> <Missiledine> you mount up and canter down the gulley and around the corner... about two hundred feet up you see the two youths standing over a body. Miklas is sitting on a boulder cleaning gore from his sword </div> <div> <dukejr> <I read the first sentance and my heart skipped> </div> <div> <tacit> <whew> only one body? </div> <div> <Missiledine> as you ride up he looks up and says, "The other one got away." </div> <div> <Missiledine> lol </div> <div> <tacit> "which way" </div> <div> <Missiledine> he nods east </div> <div> <dukejr> Athamar sends a man to get J and M's horses. </div> <div> <Missiledine> J didn't tell you where they are. If she had shouted back she wouldn't have calmed the horse enough to ride </div> <div> <Missiledine> <I was waiting for that!> </div> <div> <tacit> J will try to track him - she tells Miklas "I'll try to find him, if you can send for some backup" </div> <div> <dukejr> okay. then we head off toward where Miklas and the rest of the horses went </div> <div> <tacit> J might have waved her hand to indicate the direaction they left the horses... </div> <div> <Missiledine> He nods and says to the two. "You wait here. Tell our Lord." He will follow you </div> <div> <Missiledine> <Uh, huh> </div> <div> <tacit> <worth a shot> </div> <div> <Missiledine> nice try\ </div> <div> <dukejr> <miklas going on foot?> </div> <div> <Missiledine> yep </div> <div> <tacit> Is there another horse?  If not, J will have Miklas ride with her </div> <div> <Missiledine> J. you heading off? </div> <div> <Missiledine> "Go ahead." He says, "I'll catch up." </div> <div> <tacit> "OK" she heads out </div> <div> <Missiledine> there are several unsaddled ones visible, now grazing calmly, but nothing obviously rideable </div> <div> <dukejr> hmmm... </div> <div> <Missiledine> A... you come jogging around the corner and see the two youths standing with a dead body by them... they come to meet you and tell you what Miklas and Jacinta are doing </div> <div> <Missiledine> one of your men comes riding up from behind on the other saddled horse that was running loose </div> <div> <tacit> J will try to leave some kind of trail - hack at branches, or something </div> <div> <Missiledine> not a lot of opportunity for that.. </div> <div> <dukejr> "The"Good. Miklas is on foot. take that horse to him" Is he stil lviable on foot trotting away?" </div> <div> <dukejr> <just knock down grasss> </div> <div> <Missiledine> tracking is tough too. The area is a churned up mess of hoof prints going in all directions </div> <div> <Missiledine> yes, you can see him further down the gully </div> <div> <dukejr> Athamar points to him. </div> <div> <Missiledine> the man rides on past </div> <div> <tacit> yah, I thought as much - any dust still kicked up from his passing? </div> <div> <Missiledine> lot of dust... from about thirty horses </div> <div> <Missiledine> you will see more and more horses grazing, resting etc. </div> <div> <dukejr> A has his people start policing hte area. in pairs. gathering horses. looting bodies. A will want all teh bodies dragged to a central spot so he can inspect and burythem. </div> <div> <Missiledine> a few minutes later J you will hear a horse coming up behind you </div> <div> <Missiledine> ok </div> <div> <tacit> well, not much cnace at all tehn, unless he or the horse is bleeding </div> <div> <Missiledine> Miklas, mounted, comes into view </div> <div> <tacit> once she sees who it is, she goes back to trying to find a trrain in among all the trails </div> <div> <Missiledine> He watches you for a minute, then says. "Come on, head for that watering hole. Most of the horses will go there, I bet he will too." </div> <div> <Missiledine> he kicks his horse into a canter </div> <div> <tacit> right - off we go </div> <div> <Missiledine> about five minutes later you see the stream and about twenty horses, including your pack animal, all drinking at the stream </div> <div> <tacit> <found the money - I mean, the horses> </div> <div> <Missiledine> lol </div> <div> <Missiledine> you all see the missing, empty, saddled horses </div> <div> <Missiledine> But there is no sign of the missing man and his mount </div> <div> <tacit> J suggest that her and Miklas approach the herd from different sides, trying to see our guy - and slowly, as not to spook the horses </div> <div> <Missiledine> Miklas studies the area for a minute and sighs, "I was sure we'd find him here... but I think he's gone." </div> <div> <Missiledine> He agrees </div> <div> <tacit> "true, but we're hardly empty handed" </div> <div> <Missiledine> you approach carefull;y, but the horses seem to take no notice </div> <div> <Missiledine> there is no sign of your quarry </div> <div> <Missiledine> Miklas will catch the pack animal, yours and theirs, and the saddled horses </div> <div> <tacit> are the unsaddled horses wild or tame? </div> <div> <Missiledine> they seem at least half wild </div> <div> <Missiledine> but they are not too spooked by your presence </div> <div> <Missiledine> however, they are clearly not saddle broke </div> <div> <tacit> are they tame enough to e lead by bridle, or would they have to be herded? </div> <div> <Missiledine> herded </div> <div> <tacit> k - J will assume that Athamar will want to do that, and start mingling with them so they get used to her presence and smell </div> <div> <Missiledine> ok </div> <div> <tacit> <we about done?> </div> <div> <Missiledine> Miklas says, "Shall I take these horses back?" </div> <div> <Missiledine> <yes> </div> <div> <Missiledine> <lets get everyone reunited> </div> <div> <tacit> "yes, go ahead and separate them out" </div> <div> <Missiledine> "Will you be all right by yourself?" Miklas asks </div> <div> <Missiledine> He will lead the pack animals and mounts back down the trail to Athamar </div> <div> <Missiledine> A... You see Miklas come riding back with a string of animals in tow, including your pack horse. </div> <div> <dukejr> yay. how many  riding horses? </div> <div> <tacit> "I'll be along in a moment"  she leads her horse, and heads toward the party </div> <div> <Missiledine> 4 plus the one he is on </div> <div> <dukejr> cool. how many do we have? </div> <div> <Missiledine> the herd will not follow on their own volition </div> <div> <dukejr> I think we have enough for everyone now. </div> <div> <Missiledine> well, Miklas will send the youths to recover the other two mounts... so with them, and what J is riding and the two pack horses... 10 </div> <div> <dukejr> A will be casting Seek Earth looming for silver a coupletimes. but we can take care of that later. </div> <div> <Missiledine> right </div> <div> <dukejr> looking even </div> <div> <tacit> I know, but J wants to find out what A's plan is before she becomes one with teh equines </div> <div> <Missiledine> ok then.. J, you leaving the herd? </div> <div> <Missiledine> ok </div> <div> <Missiledine> ok, lets wrap it here </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>