Falnis sends the ranger a thoroughly unimpressed look, before twisting about in a fluid motion and tossing six of the stolen crossbow bolts at six different thugs, who collapse to the ground in unison. While the less sharp-sighted of Valdan's men may be wondering what's happening here, all the majority of mercenaries see or hear are six thuds and six fallen companions with Valdan's men-at-arms' crossbow bolts in them.

OOC: Hide Checks for six attacks: 19, 32, 29, 15, 31, 32.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:13, Fri 31 Dec 2021.

Calvorn takes pains to avoid meeting Falnis' gaze as he begins cutting free the other men-at-arms about him, keeping an eye out for any mercenaries who might not be distracted by the sortie about them.

Caled is as confused as anyone about what is going on down below, but it is clear that the hiding part of the plan is over, so he rises from where he is crouched in the grass, his crossbow trained on one of the mercenaries nearest to the prisoner wagon. The man gives a cry a moment later as the knight's bolt strikes him in the neck and he falls from his mount into the mud.

OOC: Caled Aravor dealt 13 points of wound damage to Caladormist.

The first of Tyronius' men to be freed by Calvorn wastes no time in leaping from the wagon to snatch up a fallen crossbow from one of Falnis' slain mercenaries. He fires point blank into a mercenary in the process of raising his blade to hack him down. The man gives a garbled gasp as it crashes into his stomach. His blade slips from his grasp as his mount gallops off in a frenzy, the man's limp form bouncing twice then crashing sideways onto the muddy road.

OOC: Thanian Man-At-Arms dealt 18 points of wound damage to Caladormist.

The remaining mercenaries fly into chaos. Several of them fire crossbow bolts at Valdan's men, who they assume have anticipated their betrayal. One man-at-arms raises his shield hastily in confusion, while another has only his armour to thank as two bolts glance of his breastplate and another jams into his pauldron. Another four of the mercenaries charge forward to engage the remaining pair of man-at-arms, each two to one. The first one has barely time to draw his blade as he is slashed across the leg and then neck, crashing from his horse. The second swiftly draws his blade, blocking the blows from the mercenaries. Another mercenary gallops to charge down Tyronius' escaped man-at-arms before he can reload, but the man quickly ducks the blow as he scurries forward to snatch up a fallen blade. The final two mercenaries direct their mounts up the embankment to where Calad is hastily running for his horse, his sword drawn. The knight turns to duck one of their blades and parry the other, staggering backward but maintaining his footing as they begin to circle him.

OOC: Caladormists dealt 32 points of vitality damage to Caladormist Man-At-Arms.
Caladormist dealt 9 points of vitality damage to Caladormist Man-At-Arms.
Caladormists dealt 14 points of wound damage to Caladormist Man-At-Arms.
Caladormist dealt 6 points of vitality damage to Caled Aravor.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:14, Fri 31 Dec 2021.

The pair of Valdan's men targeted by the crossbowmen hastily charge their attackers, who are already tossing aside their weapons to draw their swords. Each slashes one of their attackers, the first a shallow gash on the arm, the second a deep gash across the side, but neither man falls from their saddle. The remaining man-at-arms who is now being swarmed by four of the mercenaries slashes wildly at one of the attackers, gashing his arm and drawing a stream of curses, but little more.

OOC: Caladormist Man-At-Arms dealt 9 points of wound damage to Caladormist.
Caladormist Man-At-Arms dealt 5 points of wound damage to Caladormist.
Caladormist Man-At-Arms dealt 3 points of wound damage to Caladormist.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:14, Fri 31 Dec 2021.

Valdan's unfortunate warrior beset by four of Galnor's thugs guesses he has his fellow men at arms to thank as all of them collapse a moment later each with a crossbow bolt in them.

OOC: Hide Checks: 19, 28, 25, 32.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:16, Fri 31 Dec 2021.

The pair of captains, meanwhile, continue their duel. Dared attempts a wild slash at Valdan, but before he can bring his blade around, Valdan lunges forward to impale him through the chest. The mercenary captain gives a grunt of pain and dismay as he drops his blade and slips lifelessly from his mount. He turns in time to see the four mercenaries collapsing in unison from Falnis' bolts, and narrows his eyes as he glances first up into the trees, then along the ridge of the embankment.

OOC: Valdan dealt 16 points of wound damage to Dared Galdon.
OOC: Valdan Felrand rolled 21 using 1d20+4. Spot.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:16, Fri 31 Dec 2021.

Calvorn frees another of the knights, before passing the man his hunting knife and leaping off the wagon to scoop up another of the discarded crossbows.

Caled waits until the first of his attackers moves in to attack him once more. The man raises his blade, but before he can swing Caled slashes him across the side and he falls from his saddle to land heavily in the grass. He does not rise. Caled swiftly turns to face the remaining mercenary.

OOC: Caled Aravor dealt 12 points of wound damage to Caladormist.

The man of Tyronius' who is off the wagon slashes at his attacker, but this mercenary is quick enough to dodge aside as he passes.

The fortunate mercenary also manages to dodge the form of Caln Deran, who, having been freed and his gag removed, wastes no time in leaping off the wagon in an attempt to pull the man from his horse. The guard captain gives a curse as he lands facedown in a puddle of mud, splashing about as he attempts to pull himself up and rub the mud from his eyes.

The remaining mercenaries seem to be doing a bit of quick arithmetic. Their number swiftly reduced from two dozen to eight, their captain dead and Tyronius' men rapidly arming themselves seems to be all it takes for them to decide this battle is not worth continuing, and, leaving their injured companions to their fate, they begin to gallop through the trees and across the farmland beyond. The man who is attacking Caled glances back to see his companions departing, and gives a curse before directing his own horse away from the knight and the battle.

The injured mercenaries who had until this point been sitting as surreptitiously as possible in their wagon seem to decide that this is not the ideal situation to be in, and begin to attempt to pull themselves up and stagger down onto the road, some looking for weapons, others hobbling after the horsemen.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:42, Thu 04 Apr 2019.

Those in the second wagon are the most unfortunate, as the battle seems to have been too much for the horse pulling the cart, and with a whinny it attempts to bolt. It crashes into the wagon before it, containing Tyronius' men, and with a crunch its wheel breaks off, sending the injured mercenaries and men-at-arms inside spilling onto the road. The horse pulling the wagon with Tyronius' men then decides to bolt as well, almost overturning the wagon as it turns, and throwing several of his men-at-arms into the mud, hands still bound. The remaining men swiftly attempt to leap out before the wagon can gather too much speed down the road.

The mercenaries in retreat, Valdan's men seem to feel that Tyronius' men, along with Calvorn, pose the greatest threat. They charge toward the man-at-arms of Tyronius' who has armed himself and Calvorn. The man-at-arms is able to skillfully avoid the strokes of his attackers, albeit narrowly. The man attacking Calvorn has the unpleasant experience of the agent giving his swordhand a smack with the butt of his crossbow as he passes, and curses as the blade slips from his hand and into the mud with a splash.

OOC: Caladormist Man-At-Arms dealt 12 points of vitality damage to Thanian Man-At-Arms.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:19, Fri 31 Dec 2021.

I thought rangers were supposed to be good with animals, Falnis signs snidely to Calvorn as the chaos unfolds. Is there anything you have contributed to this battle, beyond hiring me?

He seems to feel as he steps forward to jam two longknives into the back of one of the men-at-arms attacking Tyronius' soldier, that disarming one man doesn't count. The man-at-arms doesn't look like he's getting up any time soon.

OOC: Dalmar dealt 228 damage to man-at-arms.
Hide 18, 20, 21, 17, 26.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:17, Thu 04 Apr 2019.

"I'm not that sort of ranger," Calvorn shoots back dryly, feeling the situation well enough in hand to warrant speech once more, "And are you suggesting hiring you was not the most useful contribution to this battle?"

"It's over," he calls in a louder voice to Valdan, "Tell your men to stand down."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:46, Thu 04 Apr 2019.

Falnis, ever susceptible to flattery, smirks at the complement, though he frowns at Calvorn's next words.

Why are we not just killing them? he signs, nevertheless reluctantly not running the second man-at-arms through.

Valdan glances at the carnage which has unfolded within the past few minutes with understandable dismay. By this time Tyronius' men have for the most part armed themselves, and Caled has swung onto his horse and is in hot pursuit of the out of control wagon containing the remaining men. The remaining pair of his men-at-arms glance at him, trying not to look to hopeful that he will acquiesce to Calvorn's demand. His injured men from the wagon either lie in the mud, or else stand weakly with their appropriated blades raised in desperation.

"Give me your word my men will not be harmed," he says resignedly.

Calvorn smoothly signs back.

We need information. We still do not know the extent of this plot and how Galnor managed to acquire an army of well trained men so swiftly.

To Valdan he smiles grimly.

"A bold demand for someone in your position. I will make no such promise. What I can promise is that you and your men will all die if you do not stand down immediately."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:21, Fri 31 Dec 2021.

Valdan does not seem to doubt the sincerity of this promise. He makes a distasteful expression. At that moment one of the mud covered crossbows being held by one of Tyronius men suddenly releases its bolt with a hiss, missing one of the remaining men at arms by a couple of inches. The man gives a yelp and flinches to the side. This seems to be the final straw for the captain, who quickly tosses down his blade.

"Very well," he says resentfully, "Stand down!"

Indeed. Falnis signs, wiping his blades off on one of the dead body's cloaks and sheathing them.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:22, Fri 31 Dec 2021.

"Wise," Calvorn commends the captain as the remaining men-at-arms throw down their weapons.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:18, Thu 04 Apr 2019.

Caled appears to have caught up with the wagon, and, reaching out a hand, takes hold of the panicked horses bridle, murmuring gently to it as he beings it to a canter, then a trot, and finally a halt. The remaining couple of men inside clamber out, leaving only a pair of injured men lying inside. Caled cuts the bonds of the uninjured men, before turning the wagon about and trotting it back to where the others are gathered.

OOC: Caled Aravor rolled 25 using 1d20+10. Handle Animal.

"Now," says Calvorn as Valdan dismounts and two of Tyronius' men move forward to bind his arms behind his back, "Why don't you start by telling me who you work for and who is backing Galnor?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:24, Fri 31 Dec 2021.