Start Date: July 9, year of the Badger, before dawn
Start Status: The Plan
Start Location: On the road west of the church ruin
The Turn
Hasty whispers. Quick hand gestures. Slight clanking and clunking of armor. Glares from the Elves at the noise. The quiet snick-snick of flint on steel as Locky lights a hooded lantern in the deepest part of the dell.
The party spreads out in a loose V, with the base anchored by Raúguey, Grit and Durego. Urúvion goes wide left with Saurabh, who has some skill with a sling trailed by Nissa and Dagmarten. Ingvild follows Rawon wide right, trailed by Maro and Gorvil. Locky, Ohwatoo and Jonquil stay in the dell, with Jonquil trying to keep the mules calm — something he seems to have some proficiency with.
In the distance, the enemy is scattered, three or four surround the tree, most of the rest are gathered in a huddle just to the west. Two have wandered away from the main group, seemingly at random.
"Pertwee! Pertwee!" The sound of a night-thrush reaches Locky from the left.
"Time to go," he mutters, as he tosses handfuls of tinder on the campfire coals. It smokes, then flares to life. He adds a few small branches, and the light grows.
The two stragglers are the first to notice the light. They pause and half-crouch, apparently staring at the light. One rises and snarls something over his shoulder, then the pair head toward the camp, moving at that same loping, occasionally leaping gait. They're fast, definitely faster than a human with armor on. Of course you only have to outrun Grit... The tree-group pays no mind, or doesn't hear the cry, they're still trying to light the big elm on fire. The others take more interest. Some split off and follow the pair in front, the others mill about, perhaps deciding what to do, perhaps waiting to see what happens. In the woods, the torches are moving closer, but slowly.
Closer. Closer. The front pair pass the ends of the V and keep coming. Abruptly, one stops, crouches, and whirls, looking straight at Urúvion! It snarls something and its companion stops as well. Back in the dell, Ohwatoo whispers "Fire, you fools, fire! They smell you!" No one can hear him, but it seems others reach the same conclusion.
OOC: The two lead creatures are about 20 feet past the lead pairs, who I've spaced 100 feet left and right of the main line of travel. Everyone will be at a penalty firing at range due to lack of light. Some range penalties may apply.
Party Surprise!
There's a sudden flurry of sound, the twang of bows, the snap of crossbows, and the whirling hum of slings, as everyone with a missile weapon unleashes on the two creatures. Nissa and Rawon score direct hits, both on the more alert foe [1+8 damage]. It yowls in pain. No one else scores a hit.
Round One (party initiative)
Those with quick missile weapons fire again, as the two creatures begin to head for Urúvion and Saurabh. [Note: crossbows only fire every other round — probably been doing that wrong]. Everyone misses! Seeing that the foes are turning, Grit drops his crossbow, sweeps out his sword, and charges forward. Raúguey follows suit. Durego looks uncertain, and decides to stay put.
"Uh oh!" says Urúvion as the two creatures charge toward him, snarling and growling! As they get closer, the unwounded one spots Saurabh, and diverts toward him. Both creatures attack, stabbing spear attacks that both draw blood! [Urúvion: 2 HP, Saurabh: 2 HP]. Saurabh drops like a stone! Luckily Raúguey and Grit catch up, and both swing, Grit at Urúvion's foe, Raugúey at Saurabh's. Raúguey's buzzing sword swings past his foe's ear, but Grit scores a *very* solid hit [10 HP]. The creature's head flies off and its body slides to the ground, twitching a bit.
By this time, the first wave of the second group has started to close. Two are headed toward the sound of the fight, the third stops and Rawon calls out, "The horn-blower!"
Round Two (party initiative)
Free of immediate threat, Urúvion whirls toward the new foes, drops back a few yards, and fires at the trailing creature. Rawon does the same. Both miss by wide margins. The two closer foes are at the edge of Nissa's bow range, but she takes a shot, a miss. Durego curses the darkness, "Enough of this!" He grabs the hooded lantern at his feet, lights a bundle of kindling from it, and tosses the flaring twigs into the oil-soaked ground in front of him. The flames gutter and swirl for a moment, then flare up and spread.
Meanwhile Grit charges out to meet the two new foes, leaving Raúguey to deal with the survivor of the first wave. The big man swings again, this time scoring a solid blow with his buzzing blade - snicker-snack, another foe drops. [10 HP damage]. Grit's foes see him coming. One howls and hurls a spear, the other steps forward and braces his spear against the Dwarf's charge! With a howl of his own, Grit ducks the thrown weapon, dodges past the braced spear, and hammers at the nearest foe with his sword. Unfortunately his dodge has thrown him off balance and the blow goes wide.
Dagmarten stows his sling and runs to Saurabh's still form, and kneels next to the poor servant. "I'll take care of him," he says to Raúguey, "go help Grit!"
Maro and Gorvil both take shots at the horn-blower, both miss. The horn sounds, a high-piercing call that carries across the open ground. There's a brief pause in the action, then, in the distance, a reply...
OOC: The nearer foes are on the map. There are two more behind those shown who will be in range next round. The remaining pair is well back, and will take a couple rounds to catch up.
Urúvion: 2 HP damage
Saurabh: 2 HP damage (DOWN)
End Date: July 9, year of the Badger, before dawn
End Status: Known as the Plan
End Location: On the road west of the church ruin
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