Rhees, seeing the determination in Daegwyn's eyes nods understanding, "It is a decision each of us must make. I would only slow Daegwyn and Antonia down. And, aside from my predilection for untimely discussion," Rhees allows a self-deprecating grin to creep up, "I believe I can be useful in facing the Bishop. I will follow Ullar - I've never been in a Lord's resistance army before."
Ullar grins at Rhees' comment. "Hmm.. doesn't a Lord need Knights to run his army?" he asks, with a questioning look at Forte and Rhees.
"Be careful, my friend," Forte says with a wink at Rhees. "It is a rough life, being a soldier in this Resistance Army. Battling goblins, gargoyles, and Catoliks. Endless forced marches through the rain. Centaurs picking on us. And the food! Not fit for an orc, I tell you. Oh, the wretched, wretched agony!" Forte rolls his eyes in mock anguish, hoping his humorous tirade would make him feel better. But--in his own mind, anyway--his antics only mask the reality of their situation for a second, and almost immediately all he can think about is Rhune, Asif, and her terrible predicament.
Rhees is surprised to find himself laughing out loud at Forte's warning, "It would seem, however, that the entertainment is quite good." Rhees' best
attempts at a sardonic grin fail as the remnants of the belly laugh still linger.
Plebius, the quiet one, speaks to his traveling companions," So is it to be that we ride with this other group? We certainly are tied in purpose, and in desire to see the blue tube and its contents."
Eventually Arkady returns (45 minutes or so) looking like he did the night the archers ambushed the group. His clothes are dirty and he is a mess of mud, sap and leaves. He casts the broken hilt shards of his black handled blade onto a table as he storms upstairs. "I'M GOIN AFTER ASIF" He yells down to the rest as he packs.
Pietro slowly stands up from the table, suppressing a small sigh. He walks into Arkady's room, seeing him pack frantically. "Arkady, may I have a word with you before you leave? What do you think you can do for Asif and Rhune? You cannot possibly overtake Asif, or even Antonia and Rhees. Your horse isn't fast enough, and the roads are dangerous. Life is hard, the choice has been made by the gods. Asif chose his family for the moment, though I know he will be back after he straightens things out back home. If he chose to stay with us, he'd lose part of himself, and that wouldn't do his relationship with Rhune any good. My last question is this, what would Asif want you to do? Ok, I will leave you now, I can't and do not want to force you into anything. Just expressing my own feelings here." Pietro manages a smile on his face, and leaves with the words. "If you even want any help or just have a talk, you know where to find me."
During Pietro's speech Arkady continued to pack with great fervor. But as the priest turns to leave he hears. "Stay Pietro. Your wisdom is valuable. You speak the truth and it is like a cool rain to my fevered brain. What do you advise??" Arkady slumps down on the edge of his bed and stares at Pietro, tears in his eyes.
She listens to his words, "Yes I know, Pietro. And I know more about why he went home than most here do. I love him and I will wait for him. I just wish I could have told him about the baby before he left." she says with a sigh and eyes starting to brim again.
The other party is force to keep a fairly slow pace, gathering the horses and pacing into the night. Fortunately, your steeds are very well rested. However, Manus' horse is slow, as is Ullar's due to the weight of their riders and armor. In the darkness, it is impossible to tell the trail of those you pursue, or the scouting group that left shortly before you. As there is only one path and Tolik told you the Arabs followed it, there is no need to in any case.
Not a strong rider, Caboto tries to keep up while the others are riding after Asif.
Fortunately, the pace continues to be slow. It is not particularly treacherous, as the moon is nearly full now and thus there is enough light to safely travel along. The path rides hard along the south flowing river, heading almost directly north.
Rhune rides along with the others somewhat numbed by this turn of events. After a bit of travel she feels her stomach protesting somewhat. Not exactly nauseous but hungry. Managing to twist enough to reach her pack of iron rations she takes out some jerky and eats it slowly while she rides, feeling somewhat better by doing so. As she rides along a tear escapes once in a while and she gets a desperate feeling of wanting to be with her parents right now.
Some miles north, after midnight, the group comes upon a body lying across the path. It is a human woman, and she has three black-fletched arrows sticking out of her. It appears that the body was concealed behind a bush, but your best supposition is that Daegwyn came across it and left it here for you all to stumble upon.
Pulling up Rhune stops and dismounts to take a look at the body. "Does anyone recognize the arrows?" she says as she looks the woman over. Upon hearing whose they are, "Why would he have killed her?" she looks worried that the others may have come to some harm in their pursuit of Asif.
No one recognizes the black fletching. They do not look like Asif's nor any of the pursuing group. Indeed, none of the advance team bore a bow.
She searches the woman's body to see if there is anything that might tell them who she is.
There are no valuables of any kind. No purses, pouches, backpacks, or equipment of any kind. She does not even wear any boots.
Hours later, as the sun begins to break over the eastern mountains, you can a couple of miles ahead the terrain begins to ascend up into the mountains, which quickly rise up on either side of the river valley. Stephen informs you that directly past the valley entrance, the two sources of this river combine. One is a high lake, upon whose shores Threshold sits, and the other goes up into the Death's Head country.
Stopping for a moment and dismounting, Rhune looks at the others, "Thank you Stephen. I think we need to go to Death's Head country first. If the runes on the tube are indeed their script then they may hold the key to opening it. Then we can return to Threshold if necessary." she says as she holds onto her horse's saddle. she looks tired and a little wan but at the moment seems ready to continue to travel.
As you ride north, able to increase your pace due to the sun's increasing light, you can see the tracks of several horses very recently passed. It's impossible for any of you to tell which horses they were.
It is a warm and breezy day as the group begins to ride through an area of overcast trees, which cool down the ride considerably by their shade. Indeed, it is a good day to be riding, you think.
Not yet decided on which way to go when the path diverges, your choice is delayed for the moment. Ullar and Forte's horses, well-trained beasts they are, slow down, snorting a bit as you advance. Pushing them forward a touch, they stop abruptly. Looking down, the warriors see that a fine rope has been pulled taught in front of the path. Were the other riding up front, surely this would resulted in a nasty fall.
However, there is no time to think of that, as the party is besieged by wild men jumping down upon them from the trees! They are leaping onto your horses with uncanny accuracy, daggers springing from their fists, aimed with lethal intent at your backsides!
"AMBUSH!" yells Ullar, while retrieving one of his daggers from his knife sheath.
The fellow smacks at Ullar with the hilt of his drawn dagger, but misses the big fellow's head and hits his plated shoulder instead.
With a vicious stroke, Ullar tries to plant his elbow in the stomach of the wild man jumping on Zephyr.
The fellow gasps as Ullar rabbit-punches him, but responds by again attempting to whack him in the head. This time he is more successful, but his blow does not hurt the large warrior much. Ullar follows up by a strike of his dagger. The fellow slides off Zephyr as he is stuck like a pig. He falls underneath the horses hooves and is done for.
Amibar, who was sitting in front of Ullar, as he could not handle a horse on his own, is quite alarmed at these goings-on. He cowers in his seat, trying not to obstruct Ullar in his struggle with the assailant. Once the man falls off Zephyr, he breathes a sigh of relief.
With a quick glance around, Ullar tries to get an impression of how many attackers there are.
Eight appear to have leaped down from the trees, with more or less success, while another group of that many have come out from behind the group and are rushing toward the rear. Ullar's attention is drawn away from them by a much more menacing fellow who rushes toward he and Zephyr even now.
The man is Ullar's size at least, armored in beaten plate mail similar to his own. His horse is also of similar size. He waves a long sword over his head as he comes charging toward them!
Seeing he is about to get in the way again, Amibar quickly tries to dismount, so as to give Ullar some maneuvering room. " Ullar, give me a hand!" he gasps, as he hangs by the pommel, too high to drop down.
Once he is on the ground, Amibar quickly scurries to the side, so as not to get trampled by any of the horses. He watches the struggle from the side, and waits for an opportune moment to cast a spell.
Ullar spurs Zephyr to run towards the man. In the meantime he drops his dagger, and unsheathes the handaxe, strapped on his belt. When Zephyr and Ullar are close enough, Ullar pulls the reigns to get Zephyr on his rear-legs, with the intention to crush the man with Zephyr's forelegs, followed up by a strike of his handaxe.
The two horses rear up together, as the opponent apparently thought of the same strategy, and instead of hitting the riders, they crash into each other. Zephyr takes the worst of it, as the other horse seems to be a nasty customer, though they are approximately the same size.
The riders have a go at each other as well, but both cannot penetrate each other's heavy armor. And again they smash into each other as the horses collide as well. It's a nasty go around, as Forte, Manus, Rhune, and Amibar gather around to help if necessary. But they are unable to engage in this fight.
The large man, who sports a shaggy beard and long hair beneath his simple helmet, draws first blood, a very minor wound along Ullar's neck, but Ullar still has no joy in return. Redoubling his efforts, he smashes the axe into the fellow, whose helmet turns the brunt of the blow, but it sends him backward with the impact.
Stunned by the quickness of the attack Manus, freezes in confusion for a moment then attempts to swing himself down from his mount, plowing over the attacker on his horse if need be. Once on the ground Manus swing his great sparth axe at the closest wildman to his location bellowing... "Morrigan be fed!"
Manus' attempt is not particularly graceful, as he more falls off the horse than dismounts. Gathering himself and his axe, he sees the fellow laying into his horse, and galloping down the path past the large armored warrior.
Manus mutters under his breath..."At least I retained my weapon." as he charges up the path in the same direction his stolen mount was headed. He will smack dead on with the closest enemy...be it the large armor clad man or any one of his lackeys. He whirls his sparth axe above his head...the great shaft and head spin about him as if he was trying to take to the air.
Turning, Manus sees the wild man on Pietro's horse come rushing by toward the front rank. Forte turns to face him, also on horseback. Manus gets a chance at dismounting him with his great weapon, but misses badly as the fellow engages Forte. Turning, he sees that Rhune is fighting on foot against another one of the tree-hoppers, so he moves to assist her.
"What the!" Pietro doesn't finish his sentence, but immediately lunges forward to his left side, getting of his horse as fast as possible.
His method of leaving the horse is quick indeed, as he is knocked off cleanly. He falls roughly to the road, knocked senseless. His attacker turns to the rear and gallops of with his horse.
Rhune, unable to draw her sword, twists and turns in her saddle trying to dismount without falling while trying not to get stabbed in the back. When she manages to dismount she immediately draws her sword and attacks the first wild man.
Rhune's attacker hits the horse and rebounds roughly, falling to the ground. Unused to fighting from horseback, Rhune dismounts and draws her blade, facing the fellow.
Swinging her sword at the man she attacks with a vengeance. Her frustration concerning the last few hours evident in her attacks.
Rhune lunges at the fellow with abandon, but he dodges aside and swings at her head with his dagger hilt. Her head swims with even the glancing blow, but she clears herself easily enough. Seeing that Manus is coming up next to her to help, she is much encouraged. As she turns to face the fellow, Manus reaches up and over her small elfin body and smashes his great axe into the opponent, who crumples in a heap.
Forte grabs his mace and tries to swing it around, hopefully hitting the scoundrel on his horse.
The fellow hits Forte solidly in the back, but does not shiver the massive fellow, nor his steady horse. With a shrug of his arms Forte smacks the fellow off his horse, mace in hand. He falls back to the ground and does not rise.
Forte holds his mace tightly and turns his horse around, a satisfied grin on his face as his horse tramples the fallen warrior underneath. Preparing to attack the first of the ground troops approaching from the rear, he smiles at the good fortune of his first kill this evening, hoping the second kill comes as easily.
The horse willfully complies, smashing the fellow into the dirt, while Forte turns him back toward the rest of the group, leaving Ullar man-to-man with his similar opponent. He sees Manus take a swing at the thief of Pietro's horse, missing badly, and engages him on horseback. As the fellow tries to cross, Forte's horse neatly cuts his off, and it's bulk is enough to cow the simple riding horse. Meanwhile, Forte spectacularly smashes the rider's head like a pulped melon, with grey matter and blood flying all over the place.
He turns and sees that Ullar is fighting solo against the largest opponent, while there is a general melee involving quite a few of the bandits and the rest of the party at the rear. Manus and Rhune see the same. All three are closer to Ullar, but will have difficulty interfering in that vicious combat.
Plebius quickly speaks a few quiet words and moves his hands to create the desired effect that will hopefully leave him out of the melee.
Those coming from the rear abruptly dash past Plebius to get to the others.
The wild man attacking Arkady hits him in the head, knocking him to the ground and senseless along with Pietro. The one attacking Taglio misses the horse completely and falls awkwardly to the ground. The last of the tree-jumpers falls onto Ratlin and begins to try and dislodge him from his horse.
Taglio, realizing that Beatrice is not trained for combat, dismounts quickly and draws his rapier and dueling dagger. "Mettere in su la vostra protezione, ruffian!" He aims to dispatch the man efficiently. His chainmail armor ripples as with lightning quick movements of his blades, he advance on the man like a chef slicing the vegetables.
Exchanging a series of blows, Taglio then lunges and takes the man in the face, felling him with a thrust.
Arkady slumps unconscious to the soil. In his battered brain images of Asif courting the Bishop's favor dance feverishly.
Since burning hands is not an option at the moment, Ratlin casts Magic missile at one of the strongest looking men.
The only opponent he can be concerned with at the moment is the one upon his horse trying to rake him off, so he casts his spell point-blank. It is quite a feeble energy bolt, and though the fellow feels it, he shakes it off and resumes his efforts. Well-used to trying to stay alive, Ratlin dodges as best he can, drawing his dagger. The two engage in quite a display of martial incompetence.
Looking up as the remainder of his companions fall, the one on Ratlin's horse drops his weapon. "I quit. Don't kill me!"
Ratlin promptly ties the man up, hoping he doesn't struggle too much.
Rhees thanks his lucky stars at not having been a first target. Grabbing his spears and shield he dismounts. Seeing the eight reinforcements charging in Rhees hurls his medium spear at the one in the lead shouting, "MORE FROM BEHIND". He readies his short spear for melee.
Realizing that he and Caboto are engaged at the rear with overwhelming odds, Rhees does not like his chances. His spear hits one of the approaching men right in the face, and he falls like a rock. Grabbing another, Rhees prepares to face their onslaught. Caboto seems stunned by the attack, and seems to be preparing a spell.
The wheels are churning inside Plebius' head, but he is unsure as to what action to take. For some reason, these attacker are willing to forfeit extra men for the attack simply to take the party's horses. Unlikely that they are simply highway robbers. The priest-mage looks around at the attackers and tries to determine within himself his best course of action. Should he attempt to save the horses being ridden away, put some of the attackers in a magical sleep, or simply use his god given sanctuary to simply heal the wounded. Reasoning that the group can well handle themselves in a battle, and healing can be seen to afterward, Plebius takes after the fleeing men who have stolen horses. He follows them until they regroup, whereupon he casts them into magical sleep.
Heading off to the side, Plebius sees that one of the men has gotten free to the north, and a second to the south. The others did not manage to escape the conflict. The one to the south leaves his horse and pats it, causing it to run to the south, then turns to rejoin the large group attacking Rhees and Caboto.
Recognizing this is the greatest threat, Plebius casts his spell at them, felling a full five of them. In response, he gets clobbered by the one who left his horse, dashing back into the fray. The fellow slams into him just a second after the spell is cast, knocking him to the ground in an attempt to stop his magicks.
Seeing the odds evened quite a bit, Rhees steps forward to engage his foe as Caboto does the same with his dagger. The first leaps toward Rhees' face, and he feels the heat of the blade lunging toward him. It hits him in the cheek, but the fellow was attacking with pretty poor tactics against a spear, as he now has about two feet of wood protruding from his backside.
Caboto meanwhile gets stabbed once each in either leg, but manages to dispatch his foe with a thrust to the belly. He and Rhees look up to see Plebius fall from a dagger thrust to the chest from the only remaining woodsman. Leaping up from Plebius, he falls to a spear thrust from Rhees.
Caboto grimaces, sheathing his dagger. "My thanks Rhees, I would have perished had you not been with me. I have a magic missile spell with me, but was unable to attempt it. I will tend to my cuts then check on Plebius. "
Still wild-eyed from the battle, Rhees nods quickly, "that's why we travel together. One day your magic missile may save one of us. Tend to your leg and then secure the sleepers. I'll see to Plebius." Rhees moves towards Plebius, but pauses for a moment. "You stood your ground in the face of eight charging attackers, Giovanni. And lived to tell about it. Be proud of what you did here." He then turns to tend to Plebius.
Manus overhears Caboto and Rhees talking and chimes in along with Rhees. "Aye be proud. I have seen men with great reputations for battle soil their armor when faced with such odds. When it is all said and done...the only judge of your actions resides in your chest." He then makes a strange face as if he isn't even sure if his message came across in this strange tongue.
Wincing, Caboto nevertheless beams uncontrollably at the stirring words from Rhees and Manus. "We are surviving, indeed, friends. My magic is at your service." Scanning the land, he muses, "I wonder who these wild men were, and what drove them after us."
"Did anyone recognize their language?" he asks, studying and searching the newly slain. "I was not aware that the mountains were home to these people."