Mikhail waited for an answer to Fost's concerns before moving. He wanted that information himself before they went on their way.

He does perk up a bit when they mention mounts. It had been a long time since had done any riding. That would have been before he left his father's lands, before he joined the Circle. It would be nice to get back to feeling comfortable in a saddle once more, even if it would take as much time as it did before to relearn everything.

Randon answered, "The boy's name is Alistair and he's about ten years old. Blond-ish hair, bit of a frowner. Average size for a boy his age.

"The prioress at the monastery is Mother Andrea. Bann Gerald of Bournshire is also aware of the boy's impending arrival. Regarding identifying yourselves, your medallions will more than suffice; Alistair idolized your heroics. Honestly, he'd probably be delighted just to know it's you who are rescuing him."

Ser Perth answered the question about the survivor. "He was barely able to relay the fact they were ambushed, his companions slaughtered, that the boy was taken, and that they were two days on the West Road when the attack happened. The man is truly in a bad way; if Brother Loran can work his trade and save him, we might get more from him."

Meanwhile, Mother Hanna escorts Brother Loran to where the soldier is resting.

His injuries are extensive. Two untreated arrow wounds, one in the thigh and the other near his heart, both terribly infected; several bruises that appear to have been from a fall; a massive bruise around a pinprick on his breastbone - possibly what was meant to be a killing blow absorbed by his armor? He certainly won't last the night without aid, but the severity of the infections may already be beyond traditional aid.

OOC: In other words, only magical healing will pull him back from the brink. And, given the severity of his condition, Loran only gets one shot at a healing spell. Go ahead and state how much Mana you're committing, attempt the Magic test vs. the Heal spell's TN 10, and roll the Healing effect, if you succeed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:11, Sun 13 Sept 2020.

Ooc:
19:27, Today: Brother Loran rolled 14 using 3d6+4 with the AGE System with rolls of {3}, 2, 5.  Heal (TN 10) 3 mana.

Brother Loran moved quickly over to the wounded man and laid a gentle hand on his brow.

Feeling the fever with his hand he quickly set about making herbs and applying them to the wounds as his hands were busy tending the man's physical needs the brother started praying to the maker to me and his devine power to guide his hands and make the man while again.

Fost waited patiently until Loran came back, maybe with further details.
Meanwhile he felt a bit uncomfortable in the presence of the important figures of Redcliffe. Especially as he became aware that he would cause further dealy. He had to go back to his room and grab his gear, after all.

As he presses the herbs into the infected wounds, he intones his familiar prayer. The crushed herbs melt away and spread to the corners of the wounds, destroying signs of infection and knitting the flesh together. The prick on his breastbone closes entirely, leaving no evidence that it had ever occurred (although faded bruises remain around it), while the other wounds leave the telltale scarring that will later fade.

The soldier's breathing, once ragged, slows and calms, and his eyes open slightly.

"Thank you, Brother," he whispers before closing his eyes again.

The soldier falls asleep, and Loran and Mother Hanna return to the main hall.

"The young man will survive his wounds," the revered mother announces. "He's asleep at the moment, and we should probably let him do so without interruption."

Brother Loran looked up at the mother superior as the wounds closed he'd prayed before and the maker had guided him. Ut it was the first time anyone had seen this up close.

He waited for mother Hanna to say something but when she stayed quiet he simply collected his belongings and followed her back to the main hall.

Maybe she knows? Maybe she's always known? Maybe she isn't sure what she sees? Maybe she missed the miracle in the work? Maybe she believes the power is within the poultice?

Mother Hanna only ever seems to wear a look of compassion when she looks at him; it's difficult to tell what other thoughts or emotions may linger beneath it.

Loran has never heard her speak for or against apostates, even as she has publicly cautioned against the dangers of magic and the vulnerabilities of mages to demons; in fact, her sermons dealing with the subject are often translated into the personal lives of the villagers, and how such dangers mirror the choices and vulnerabilities in their own lives. Loran can't say he truly knows her stance toward those with magical ability and their place in society, beyond the warning of Transfigurations 1:2: "Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him."

Fost nodded and muttered.
"No further information then."

The warrior adressed his companions.
" So be it, I guess that is all. We cannot wait for him to wake up in the hopes of some more to learn. Time is of essence, any tracks may be lost."
"I'm going to pick my gear and then we are good to go."

He turned to the Arl and his advisor and the Chantry mother.
"If you'll excuse us, we'll be on our way. Where will we be able to pick up the equipment you supply ?"

Once the logistics were settled and nailed down, Fost left to get his gear.

About half an hour later he was geared up and waiting for departure.

When he returned he noticed Ser Perth and approached him.
"Hello again. This is quite a long trip and yet the ambush happened only four days out? Do you know how they, the boy and the soldiers, travelled? By cart, mule, horse? I want to get a notion how far off Lothering they were."

Holding a small pack of books, ink and parchment, Mikhail was preparing to leave right alongside Fost, Richard and Loran. Strange things abounded around this particular mission. "I certainly hope it's by cart. I haven't ridden a horse since I joined the Circle. A shame, really. I was pretty good at it as a child. However, you bring up a good point. Do we have the information on where this location is?"

"He didn't give us much, but he did say two days out on the road," the knight says. "Based on that, we expect they were about a quarter of the way to Lothering along the West Road. They left with a wagon drawn by two mules, with a third to rotate them out."
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:52, Sat 19 Sept 2020.

Brother Loran arrived with his healers pouch across his back and his walking staff in hand ready to travel

The arl entreats them to accept his hospitality to the quartet before they leave, and they dine on something deliciously other than fish for the first time in forever, it seems. The soldier wakes up just as the meal ends, and is able to tell his story.

He says they were on the wagon on their second day out of Redcliffe, where the West Road descends from the highlands and turns eastward again, when they were ambushed by a group of at least seven “bandits.” He was surprised that they attacked such a well-armed company (four footmen) that clearly wasn’t hauling any real valuable goods. They fought valiantly, but surprise and their lack of numbers helped do them in.

The soldier thinks they injured at least two of the attackers, maybe killing one, before they were overwhelmed - he says the bandits had a pair of “wickedly-accurate” archers. He can’t remember if he was the second or third man to fall, but, when he awoke, all of his compatriots were dead, the boy and the wagon were missing, and it was all he could do to drag himself back to Redcliffe. As far as he knows, the others’ bodies are still alongside the road.

He doesn’t remember magic being used at any point during the attack.

Armed with this information, the men set out in the dark, not wanting to wait until morning to start their search and rescue. It takes a little more than an hour to reach the crossroads, the cottages quiet and hearthfires low as every reasonable thinking being has already retired for the night.

The men turn east and head up into the Outskirts, passing the last of the farming houses on their way along the West Road. They only stop when the second moon Satina is nearly overhead, and allow for a short rest on a flat area just off the road.

Brother Loran, having taken the last of the watches, wakes his compatriots as the unseen sun starts to cast light into the eastern sky. They expect they have the full day to travel, and then some the next morning, before they reach the soldier’s description of the ambush site.

Fost had considered sneaking into the village to say good-bye to Gemma but refrained having no wish to listen to the mockery of his comrades. That, and the fact that it was early in the morning and the girl would hardly be happy about being woken by a man armed to the teeth.
And so he had watched Richard warily as the closed in on Crossroads who obviously had similar thoughts.
"Just keep going.", he said a bit more harshly than he had wanted to.
Richard was driving the cart. If he had any fancy notions about hurrying off to snatch a kiss they would all have to wait and that just would not do.
"We have been tasked by none other than the Arl himself. Not the time to fool around.", he warned and tried to remind his friend of the responsibility laid upon their shoulders.
Not that he could do anything if the rogue chose to do otherwise.
Fost steered his horse next to the ones pulling the cart, blocking the path down to the village.
"Just keep going.", he repeated.

Brother Loran was not naive to the ways of the heart although never having been with a woman he knew the signs well enough and smiled to himself at Fost's manner and actions.

He jumped off the wagon, after all he was fit and able to walk not wanting to burden the horse with unnecessary extra weight.

Gathering his healing pouch he strode along side with his sturdy walking staff to aid him

Taking the offered cart, Mikhail would let his companions lead the way with the cart, preferring to spend the time keeping with his lessons and studies as they moved, occasionally making notes or waving his hands to pull a bit of the Fade into his hands in a controlled manner, even if this brings some strange looks from a few of the others nearby.

As they began to approach the ambush sight for the first time, Mikhail was not convinced that the bandits were completely gone. Or whoever these people were. Any way, gripping his staff, it was time to track down this Alistair boy.

Time passed quickly while Richard assisted the others in getting ready to leave and track down the missing boy, so quickly even he was unable to sneak away to say farewell to the lovely Gemma.  Any time he tried, someone came up to him with another task, which grew increasingly annoying.

Before he left, however, he requested a guard deliver a note to Gemma from him explaining, in essence, his situation and he would come to see her upon his return.

All too soon, however, they were on the road heading to the ambush site.  Even though he was driving the cart, he still had to pay attention as bandits were all to frequent once you left the relative safety of town.

Tension fills the space between the two suitors as they pass through the Crossroads, although it seems to ease by the time they take their rest. They’re off again just as the sun peeks over the eastern horizon.

The men remain vigilant throughout the day; the elevation keeps the temperatures moderate for the summer season, helped by breezes that rise up from Calenhad and find their way into the pass. Thankfully, their progress is unimpeded and the group makes camp in a small roadside “travelers shack” in the bend north. The night is a bit cool, but quiet, and morning greets them once again.

OOC: Sorry this took so long. How are you folks aligned? Richard is driving the cart, but where are the others in relation to it. The West Road is wide enough for two carts or wagons to pass each other.

The men eat some rations to break their fast and get themselves back on the road. They travel northward for a time, until the sun has fully cleared the horizon and is lighting the whole of the land to the lake. As the bend approaches, the whole of the lake can be seen, glistening in the morning light.

Now heading eastward and knowing that they should be approaching the ambush site, the quartet redoubles their watchfulness. Rounding a bend, Fost about 10 yards ahead of the rest of the crew, they hear barking and growling sounds, as if a group of dogs are fighting.

From his position, Fost sees a trio of feral Mabari “arguing” over what appears to be at least a pair of decaying human corpses.

OOC: Okay, the nearest dog is about 44 yards from Fost. Map 0 shows positions.

"I would think we could ambush the mabari, if we acted quickly." claimed Richard, already stringing his bow at the sounds of growling.

11:36, Today: Richard rolled 17 using 3d6+3 (6 stunt points) with the AGE System with rolls of {6}, 2, 6.  Dex (Init)

I don't think initiative rolls grant stunt points, do they?

"I'd have to disagree with you on that. If we can see them, they probably could just as easily be smelling us. However, they apear to be having a bit of a row. Let's... see how this works out first. Prepare, of course. Don't ever let me tell you not to prepare." His staff was always out and ready, of course. However, that didn't mean it was the only or best way to go about this.

---

09:49, Today: Mikhail Loren rolled 11 using 3d6+2 with the AGE System with rolls of {1}, 2, 6.  DEX (Init).

Brother Loran moved to the left side of the wagon and readied his walking staff

21:54, Today: Brother Loran rolled 11 using 3d6+1 (2 stunt points) with the AGE System with rolls of {2}, 4, 4.  DEX init .

Aware that he did not ride a wartrained horse and realizing that his mount may bolt at the smell of blood and the barks of the growling canines, Fost grabbed his shield which had been slung on his back for the journey and rode closer keepoing on the right side to allow Richard line of sight. Maybe they would run from intimidation alone.
"Come on, we need to give those soldiers a decent burial, we cannot allow them to be feasted upon."
He did not even bother to comment on the possible outcome of an ambush on feral Mabari.

rolled 14 using 3d6+3 (3 stunt points) with the AGE System with rolls of {3}, 4, 4.  DEX (Initiative)
rolled 21 using 3d6+5 (6 stunt points) with the AGE System with rolls of {6}, 5, 5.  DEX (Riding) (if required)

Minor: Move @ horse speed of 18
Major: Ready shield
This message was last edited by the player at 06:12, Mon 05 Oct 2020.

Fost urges his mount forward as the others prepare where they are. The Mabari stop their infighting at the newcomer's approach, and place themselves between the interloper and "their" lunch. Each growls a low, menacing growl; it's clear they don't appreciate the interruption.

OOC: Okay, we're starting with Round 1. Initiative order is below. Since Richard and one of the Mabari tied all the way through the third tiebreaker, I'm going to say that the PC goes first in that situation. (I've updated the rules clarification thread to include the initiative house rules.)

We'll start with Richard, but everyone feel free to post actions for the round when you're able.