Posted originally: 2010-05-29
After we travel for about 30 minutes and a large wolf-dog darts out from the underbrush and spooks the mounts, snarling and barking. Belim is not able to get his buckler in time, and Grumwell’s mount makes of with his crossbow. A group of 5 men rush us as we try and prepare for attack and Belim fires his crossbow while Beeddel snaps off a shot with his long bow – our foes cover the distance quick and we find ourselves in combat. For bandits, they are well organized. One, the leader, faces off against Belim with a broadsword, another 2 have short baldes and the last 2 turn out of be the peddlers Jim and Jack. Ace and Beeddel each fight 2 foes, one of them armored on each of them. Bill is stuck trying to control his mount while the wolf dog attacks the horse he on. During the course of combat, Grumwell enshrouds the half wolf in flames, causing it to run away, and allows Bill to unmount and enter the fight. Both Beeddel and Ace manage to hold their own, but things are not going well – three of our foes have leather armor and good weapons – hardly bandits in the normal sense. Belim and the leader with the sword square off in a match of blade on blade. A dizzying exchange is made with neither gaining the upper hand. Nearly a minute of full combat passes before our first foe is fallen. Grumwell climbs atop the rocks that held our foes from view and surveys the scene. An arrow flies from the distance as the hunter Steed attempts to take out our wizard. Grumwell decides that its too risky to be the only target out of combat, and with no skill launches himself upon the man fighting Belim, catching him by surprise and drives a dagger strait into his skull. They both tumble down in a heap. Over the next 30 seconds, Belim rushes the archer while Bill enters combat, turning the tide and the foes are whittled away. Though Belim shouts for captive, in the heat of battle and without coordination all our foes are downed – except Steed the hunter whom we take captive.