As the tree's trunk gave way Trog heard the familiar crack of wood snapping under pressure and managed to throw himself out of the way of the tons of wood now smashed into their camp.

Once it seemed he was out of immediate danger he turned and began aiding anyone who might have been caught in the fall.


Trog rolled 157 using 1d100+70 with rolls of 87.  Athletics.



-

Through both skill and luck, the entire party manages to deftly move out of the way of the falling tree.  Ehrendril, the least physical of the group, is nearly caught and trapped but somehow slips through the tangle.  It crashes down, destroying the camp and leaving the party with nowhere to rest.  In the fray, several members felt limbs scratch against them as the dodged, ducked, dipped, dove, and dodged.  It isn't until they have been moving again for some time that they realize some equipment is missing.

The next day is long, as lack of sleep has each member on edge.  The Old Road has countless trees blown down, though they seem to have fallen before the party crossed them.  Syndelia knows that they are new, likely from this windstorm, as she hadn't seen them blocking the path before.  The wind dies down sometime around high-moon, and an hour or two later the party comes across a series of downed trees blocking the road.  However, it doesn't take much thought to recognize that these had been dragged into the road.  The blockage of trees is about twenty meters in front of the group.

---

OOC: Characters that had partial successes each lost one piece of equipment.  Ehrendril lost his lyre.  Paran and Barakus each lost their shortbows.  Syndelia lost her bundle of herbs.  The lack of sleep will give each character a -10 to all tests until they rest.

Each character should make a Perception test regarding these trees, before being able to approach.

Still bemoaning the loss of her healing herbs, Syndelia guides the bitchy, grumbling group up the Old Road. She's not on her best behaviour herself, as she's had to go without meditation tonight, and the reality that this 'job' is surely going to be a net loss starts to sink in.
No point in complaining about it though: the old man would just give her his usual spiel about Fighting the Good Fight, and if the crownbabe got lippy this might be the moonday she put an arrow through his neck...

She saw the grooves in the mud just in time. Trees stand. Trees fall. But trees don't fall and then crawl through the mud by themselves.

"Ambush ahead!" she hissed, stepping off the road and behind a bush, nocking an arrow. "Get off the road and stay put. Someone's waiting for us."

Or for anyone else who happened to be on that route; it mattered little. A roadblock was never good news. She tried to see who or what was waiting in ambush...

---

Syndelia the Unseen rolled 100 using 1d100+50 with rolls of 50.  Perception.

Trees were new to Trog and he spent most of the rest of the "night" wondering if they are all that dangerous. As they saw more and more of them laying next and across the road he was convinced they were a danger and wondered why they had not been cleared by the villagers.

Once they came across the last group of trees Trog was very much interested in them and took a knee as he studied the pile.


Trog rolled 100 using 1d100+5 with rolls of 95.  Perception.



-

Through the trees, Trog and Syndelia are able to see several forms only lightly hidden.  Clearly an ambush.  As Syndelia herself hops to the side of the road, she hears a familiar voice call out.  "Oi, you'll be laying down arms and purses here.  Turning around ain't much of an option!"  Dralda!  Her distinctive hairstyle, a severe undercut, can be seen peeking through the branches, and the glint of a crossbow bolt is visible just beneath.  A keen eye would also detect more bolts and arrowheads waiting to be loosed.

That was close. I don't want to think what would have happened if I was a little slower... Paran, previously laying on the ground after throwing himself out of the way of the tree, sits up. There was a specific snapping noise that he heard from below him as he fell. Looking down, he notices that he landed on his shortbow, Uh Oh! That isn't good. Luckily I still have my harpoon.

Distracted by his broken shortbow, he doesn't notice the figures surrounding the group. He almost doesn't catch the voice talking, but he does look around for the source of the voice once he does.

---

Paran rolled 52 using 1d100 with rolls of 52.  Perception.

Forewarned, Jerec moved off the road and into the foliage along with the others, but it appeared they were too late; they had been spotted.

Trying to maintain as low key a position as he could, Jerec leaned on his quarterstaff with both hands, as if to show he was but a weary old traveler needing his staff for support.

His eyes peered around trying to determine how many of them there were and where they were located, while his mind went over the spells he could use in this situation to even the odds if they were not able to talk their way through this...

---

Perception: 16

ooc: Can Jerec determine how far away the arrows and bolts are, and how many bandits there appear to be?

OOC: Jerec, with a roll like that, you can't even see the figures in the trees, let alone their weapons!  Even with them yelling at you...

Trog make his way off the road and into the brush or dip beside it made by the rain run off. He still did not feel up to a fight in anyway so he instead tried to stay low and in cover.



-

Syndelia vanished into the shrubbery, crawling through the bushes faster than a squirrel. She didn't wait to hear Dralda's voice, she didn't need to see her to know the ambush had all the hallmarks of the usual signature touches of the damned Dwarf. The Dusk Elf should know - she had did that herself more than once...

Silently she moved to flank Dralda's group, counting heads and equipment, evaluating their chances of winning the fight with a frontal attack - or whether she would need to be sneakier...

---

Syndelia the Unseen rolled 117 using 1d100+80 with rolls of 37.  Stealth -20.

Leaving the rest of her party behind, Syndelia sneaks off into the brush as she is wont to do.  It is child's play, behaving as a shadow as she has practiced so many times before.  Moments later, she finds herself parallel to the ambushing party.  Dralda stands in the center, holding her beloved crossbow "Isolde", and four others crouch alongside her.  All in all, not a difficult ambush to handle.  Or it wouldn't be, if they hadn't found such good cover and been aiming in on the party for some time now.

"Oi!  I said drop your purses and back away!  Don't make us take them from yo... shit, where did that damned Elf go?!  Find her!"  Dralda looks between her companions, and two of them (on on each end) begins heading into the forest to look for Syndelia.

Jerec pretended not to notice his companion(s) melt away and still leaning on his staff looked up towards the foliage and shouted, "Surely you would not rob an old man and his entourage of our meager belongings? We have but food for our travels, which we would be happy to share in return for safe passage!"

He knew he had to distract them long enough and keep them from shooting until Syndelia and the others made their move. He squinted his eyes, trying to peer through the foliage to determine the location of the bandits but could not make them out aside from hearing the voice of what he presumed to be their leader.

---

Deceive: 57

Without knowing where they are Jerec really cannot bring his magic to bear to aid the party. At the moment anyway.

Trog had no idea what a "purse" was or why these people want then so he continued to stay in cover and remain low if he could. Perhaps they had mistaken them for someone else ?


-

Paran looks at his gear, he can't help but notice how little gear he has. With a frown, he looks at the source of the voices, "As you can see, our items won't get you much coin. It certainly won't be worth the hassle of taking it from us. As he said" Paran gestures towards Jerec, "It would be better for everyone if we just have a meal and go our seperate ways. I don't want to give up my items and I also don't want to have to resort to violence."

---

Paran rolled 97 using 1d100+35 with rolls of 62.  Charisma.

A crossbow bolt is the only reply that Jerec and Paran receive from the trees.  It flies out towards the Crowned Warrior, likely intended as a warning shot... however, the bolt slams into his chest and halfway out the back, a spray of blood from his heart spraying across everything behind him.  He falls to his knees, and then, unceremonially, slumps to his side.  Dead.  The crown rolls from his head, laying at the feet of those in the party.

Not knowing the significance of what she had just done, Dralda barks out again.  "Old man, lie to me again and you'll eat the next bolt.  I said all of your money.  And you, Firbolg, I don't care if you have but two coppers to play with.  Those two coppers are mine, now.  So like I said, purses on the ground and flee, like the little rabbits you are."

---

OOC: Holy smokes.  I'm allowing the rolls to stand as they happen, and Dralda just smoked the Crowned Warrior.  Randomly selected the Crowned Warrior, Nat 100 on her attack, another 65 on top of that, and a damned good critical strike roll.  (Note, the attack roll only says Jerec because I considered having the attack go for him instead, before I realized it was an instant kill.)

Paran, given the nature of the ambush and the fact that Dralda is a bandit leader, you would have gotten some hefty penalties to your Persuasion roll, pushing it into a failure.

Jerec jumped as the bolt shot out and thudded into the Crowned Warrior, slaying him on the spot. He sucked in a breath, refusing for the moment to consider the consequences nor the possibilities as the crown rolled to their feet.

They had to survive first.

Quickly chanting elemental words in an archaic tongue underneath his breath he thrust his staff crosswise in front of him and suddenly yelled in a voice almost not his own, "I call upon another favor from the Eastern Wind, honor the bargain struck and defend!"

Immediately a wall of swirling wind flowed from around the mage, flapping his robes and coalesced ahead of him with a muted howl, close to where he figured the shooter had been and covering an area to either side.

"Quickly now, attack and slay them!" Jerec shouted to his companions.

---

Casting Stormwall: Attacks through the Wall suffer a -50 penalty. Attempting to pass through it requires a -20 Athletics test

Duration: 3 rounds

Casting Roll: 75 (85 rolled -10 for Improvised Spell) [-3 MP]

Jerec would like the wall to be as close to the bandits as possible, right in their faces would be best. Not sure what the distance would be in meters, but that could put more modifiers on the roll (page 130: range modifiers table)


This message was last edited by the player at 21:20, Thu 07 Oct 2021.

One less warm body to worry about, Syndelia thought, nocking a shaft. Crouched on the thrny shrub as is it was soft tall grass, the Dusk Elf took careful aim. She had a few seconds before the second man got too close to miss her even with his pathetic human eyes. Radagund, was his name, or something of the sort. He had always been trying to chat her up, brush against her 'accidentally' back when she was with Dralda's crew. She wouldn't mind killing him and could have done so, but she knew she had one shot before all hell broke lose, so...

Scratch that, hell was lose already. She saw the poison dwarf shoot her crossbow, and she didn't have to look away from her aiming to know it had connected with a body. She was too focused on the task to check who had gotten literally shafted, but she hoped it wasn't the old man. He was decent, if a bore. Or Paran, he had been an agreeable enough traveling companion. But the firbolg probably could shrug off shots...

"Let's see you take this, Dra,"she whispered, loosing an arrow headed for the dwarf. If she knew the Bastards, they'd all scatter if their leader was felled.

---

Syndelia the Unseen rolled 211 using 1d100+180 with rolls of 31.  Ranged 90, Aiming +40 + 30 On flank + 20 Surprised

Trog rose from his position beside the road at the prompting of Jerec, but tried to stay low as he moved forward towards the magical screen. As he moved Trog tried to put vegetation between himself and the bandits as he scans for a target.


Trog rolled 105 using 1d100+15 with rolls of 90.  Perception.


-

Paran sees how bad the situation is. The ambushers were prepared and were hidden in the shadows. He knew that he needed to help even the fight by providing some light. He chants while holding his harpoon in front of himself. His harpoon glows with a soft light. He begins to move towards the group.

---

Paran rolled 81 using 1d100+40 with rolls of 41.  Cast Bladelight

His harpoon is providing light up to 3m away

Round One Starts

Assessment Phase
The sound of a bow twanging was enough to alert the bandit nearest to Syndelia, and he looks around hoping to discover where the sound came from.  His eyes lock in on the site where Syndelia hides, but his lack of confidence causes him to falter for a moment.  He begins slowly creeping towards where he suspects she hides.

Movement Phase
As Jerec strides forward, casting his spell, Barakus joins him with his sword and shield drawn.  Trog, as well, moves forward hugging the treeline, hoping to stay out of sight.

Spell Phase A
Before any have the opportunity to strike, Jerec summons the winds to protect him and his, a magical talent he had a particular knack for.  Almost immediately a roar of turbulent air erupts before him, threatening to shake all the foliage from the tree cover the bandits hit behind.  At the same time, Paran holds his harpoon before him, chanting words in a distinct language, one that the party cannot understand.

Ranged Phase A
Having unleashed her bolt, Dralda begins reloading her crossbow with haste.  She has enough time to cry out "Take the gold with their blo..." before an arrow slams into her from the side.  The two bandits still behind cover launch their own attacks, one aiming at Jerec and the other at Barakus.  The deflection of the wind-spell is enough to divert both bolts, and even causes one to falter and attempt to reassess how to hit the enemy party.

Melee Phase

Ranged Phase B
The bandit aiming at Jerec begins reloading his crossbow, hoping that with enough bolts, perhaps one would strike true.

Spell Phase B
Paran finishes his spell, and immediately his beloved harpoon begins to glow with a cold light, reminiscent of his arctic home.  While it makes the Firbolg more of a target, it also helps illuminate the targets, and the enemy bandits are now clearly visible through the brush.

---

OOC: Dralda is wearing a chain shirt and has 30 to defense (medium, metal).  The other four bandits are wearing leather jerkins and have 20 to defense (light).  The two next to Dralda, and Dralda herself, have partial cover for a +20 to defense.

Syndelia needs to make a Critical Success check for Lethal damage (+50).

Syndelia the Unseen rolled 140 using 1d100+50 with rolls of 90.  Lethal Pierce critical (+50).

Dammit, I wanted her alive...

Round 2 Starts
Dralda would have been a great bandit leader, but then she took an arrow to the knee.  She falls to the ground as her blown-out joint fails her, and blood begins to slowly pool around.  The two bandits closest to her begin to swear and drop their crossbows.  They are clearly not interested in a fight of this caliber, especially without their leader.  The bandit nearest to Syndelia finally catches sight of her and raises his crossbow to fire.  The fourth bandit, the one sent off to find Syndelia in the wrong direction, is nowhere to be seen.

Jerec had been preparing another conjuring when two of the bandits threw down their crossbows. He cautiously moved towards the side of his wind barrier when he saw one of the bandits aiming at Syndelia.

Raising an arm with two stiffened fingers extended and pointing towards the bandit, he uttered a quick incantation under his breath; his arm tingled and a bolt of lighting erupted from his stiffened fingers and struck the bandit in the back!

---

Spellcasting Roll: 194 (Outstanding success!) Jerec chooses to use only half magic points for this casting. -1MP

Bolt Attack: 110 vs LA(6 Sup); Critical: 86 (Blast to chest stops foe's heart for a moment: +10 Damage, Prone, Stunned, and target drops any metal object they're wielding.)

Trog scanned the surrounding vegetation unsure as to what was going on and somewhat distracted by all the magic going off around him. He doubted there was anyone left of the bandits to squish.

Still he stay in whatever cover he could find, waiting for an opportunity to come his way.


-

With his glowing harpoon in hand, Paran rushes towards the group of bandits. They have shown their intentions and now they will suffer the consequences.

Wanting to distract them from attacking his allies, Paran shouts, "Why are you looking at them? I am the one you need to worry about!"

---

Paran rolled 85 using 1d100+45 with rolls of 40.  Charisma to attract attention

I am not sure what the difficulty would be for this.