Turn 2 -- Ambush!!Turn 2 -- Ambush!!Shadowdale. 6th Day of Hammer. Morning.
You all meet early the next morning outside the Old Skull Inn to prepare for your journey. The night passed rather uneventful for you all, Beleg stayed up till late hours playing songs on his lute and recorder and singing (all of which were quite excellent you noticed) while most everyone else had a few drinks before going to bed early. Brother Randor spent the evening at prayer at the local Temple of Tyr and arrives refreshed and with a positive outlook for the journey. Talimar was the first to appear in the morning and be ready and has been waiting patiently for everyone else to appear. After waiting only a few minutes Gordrenn appears from around a corner with a servant who is carrying the chest. It’s not too big (12”x18”x18) and appears to weigh roughly 20 pounds or so. Gordrenn is wearing some type of expensive-looking fur coat to protect him from the cold as it has been snowing for a week now. He instructs his servant to strap the chest onto Beleg’s war-horse and wishes you good will on your journey. Before he leaves you hear Ortho ask him about some mysterious man named Pericles but Gordrenn says he has never heard of such an individual. This is not the first you have heard Ortho mention this man but have had no explanation as to why Ortho looks for him.
The only member of your party not to show up is Kre Novablade, the young half-elven thief. Figuring that he decided to try another way to make some easier cash you decide to set out without him. After travelling only a few miles outside of town you meet Kre on the side of the road holding the reins to a paltry mare and wearing a big smile.
“I will assume that you acquired that mare legally my friend Kre. If I find out otherwise, Tyr’s judgment will be quick and harsh,” says Brother Randor as he fingers his warhammer meaningfully.
With a smile and a deep bow, Kre replies, “Of course father, I would not challenge the judgment of Tyr.”
“Well just in case, I suggest we put the chest on this mare to free up Beleg’s war-horse and I’m sure you won’t object if I lead the animal?” suggests Randor.
Kre shakes his head and allows Brother Randor to take the reins as the smile slowly fades from his face.
With that you set out on the road once again. Zir’zool and Kersath (being rangers) chose to scout ahead a few hundred yards for the group. Following them in three ranks of three people each are Beleg, Druckner the Red, Gnore then Rasmussen, Dain Blackfeather and Brother Randor followed by Kre, Ortho, and Talimar.
Zir’zool Kersath Beleg Druckner Gnore Rasmussen Dain Brother Randor Kre Ortho Talimar
You then continue your journey to Thurmaster in the falling snow. Around noon you stop for lunch and the snow stops falling. As you set out on the road once again Beleg brings out his lute and recorder and sings some spirited songs to cheer the group up. Everyone’s spirits are lifted and you begin to have a brighter outlook on your journey but that is short-lived. After only an hour or so the skies cloud up and the snow that has falling for the past week turns to a heavy rain. Beleg returns his lute to its protective case and everyone gets quiet and turns to their inner thoughts.
The rain persists the rest of the day and puts a dark mood on the whole group. You meet a few travellers throughout the day, mostly farmers from Milbourne (the next town) taking crops to the market at Shadowdale or traders, certainly no one that would give your group any trouble. You camp along the side of the road that evening and are able to maintain a fire to have a warm meal only through the valiant efforts of Kersath and his fire-building proficiency and the cooking skills of Dain. No one is in a mood for conversation following the meal though and everyone retires early for the evening. You set up guards in shifts but the evening passes without any disturbance.
You awake early the next morning to find the rain gone, the sun shining, and the prospect of a beautiful day ahead. On the road you meet more travellers as you get closer to Milbourne and many are very eager to talk as you pass. When you are only a few hours outside of Milbourne as the day is getting close to evening Zir’zool and Kersath return to the main group so that you can go into Milbourne together for the evening. As you come around a bend in the road where it runs close to the Lyrchwood forest you see a group of farm laborers on the road ahead moving toward you at a steady, weary pace. As they draw closer and appear to pass with a wary nod, 3 arrows fly out from the woods around you followed shortly by 3 more. From the initial volley one arrow hits Druckner hard in his chest for a serious wound (6hp) while the other two miss Beleg and Gnore. The second volley one misses Zir’zool while the other two graze Kersath and Beleg respectively for minor wounds (3 and 2 hp).
The farmers (5 of them) brandish clubs and staves, point to the woods and yell “Bandits!” They hurry forward as if to close ranks with you for your mutual defense.
And the battle begins......