[IC] Into the Unknown

[thirdkingdom]

Cadmus the Confused

Cadmus swings again at the same target.

[Wyzard]

Tacitus the Multiloquent

"The first to surrender lives! The second will receive no quarter!" Tacitus turns mount and blade on his opponents.

[Vektunaxa]

Alfius the Aeviternal, Fighter

Alfius continues to attack with all the blades and spikes that adorn his polearm.

I don't know why I keep calling it a halberd. It's supposed to be a billhook. Not that it really makes any difference.

[MonsterMash]

Decimus Numerous

Decimus looks to sneak up on the vile varlet fighting Cadmus to attack him from behind with his dagger.

[Julius Sleazer]

Combat Round Three

The assassin with whom Cadmus is engaged continues his attack on the cleric, but is unable to close for an effective thrust with his dagger. Meanwhile, the other one still in the fight snarls with rage and incoherent defiance at Tactitus' words. The dirty-fighting desperado drools some greenish slime, and then stabs at Meatboy!

The stalwart steed rears up, and Tacitus maintains control as his horse steps away from the thick of the fray. The young man hangs on for dear life as his panicked mount rears up again, aiming two deadly kicks at the despicable dagger-man. The first hoof shatters the man's skull with a sickening squelch, and the second adds insult to injury as the lifeless attacker slumps into the street.

Decimus sneaks up on the man fighting Cadmus and thrusts from behind with his dagger. The foeman grunts in surprise as Decimus' blade grazes him. Advancing, Alfius adeptly brutalizes the back-alley brigand, causing the contemptible crossbowman decisive defeat---and death. Cadmus' mace-stroke whistles through empty air, for the foe's body now lies in the street.

The street is still a scene of disorder. Civilians continue retreating in a panic; the man in the red cap is many yards away. The merchants' guards come from their now-abandoned dice-game, cautiously drawing blades and treading carefully.

The old-timers point their belt-knives at the crossbowman who still stands rooted to the spot. "Time to haul him before a magistrate!" one cries. The other nods emphatically.

Combat Round Three Initiative: 1d6 1 1d6 6

The enemy retains the initiative.

C3 will continue his attacks on Cadmus; C1 will turn and attack Meatboy.

Attack vs. Cadmus: 1d20 7 1d4 2 Miss.
C1 vs. Meatboy: 1d20 13 1d4 4 That is actually a miss, by one.

PCs and their actions:

Wyzard/Tacitus: Please refer to the sblocks for the last round where I explicitly state that I am not allowing an attack with a 2H sword from horseback.
Wyzard/Meatboy: Attack C1: 1d20 12 1d4 3 1d20 10 1d4 2 Both of those hit, for a total of 5 points of damage. hp?: 1d8 3 Crossbowman One is dead.
MM/Decimus: +2 rear attack, -1 STR penalty, attack C3: 1d20+1 12 1d4 1 That's a hit for one point of damage.
x: 1d8 4 The foeman has 4 hitpoints and is down to 3/4 hit points.
Vek/Alfius: vs. C3: 1d20+1 15 1d10+1 4 C3 is dead, and combat is over.

[MonsterMash]

Decimus Numerous

Decimus cleans and sheaths his dagger and makes placatory gestures to the merchants' guards.

"We were just defending ourselves against an unprovoked attack. Just ask those two old fellows there who we were just having a friendly conversation with before these bandits drew out crossbows to attack us with".

Turning to the old men he continues "yes, its right for this remaining bandit to face the law as he came to attack us with no provocation or warning".

[Julius Sleazer]

An Old-Timer

"Ayup, these outland bastards started firing off their bows without any provocation. Could've killed me too, what with shooting in this direction all careless."

Second Old-Timer

"I can confirm he tells true. These men fought in self-defense."

A Merchant's Guard

"Makes sense to me, but I'm not the one you have to convince---like enough a magistrate and some Queen's Guards will be by in a few minutes, since the alarm-bell rung."

[Vektunaxa]

Alfius the Aeviternal, Fighter

"You have a magistrate? Good, that will let us dispose of this incident correctly." Alfius cleans the blade of his polearm, and encourages his comrades to wait for the Law to arrive.

[thirdkingdom]

Cadmus the Confused

Cadmus pulls put his holy symbol and holds it high. "We're on a mission from God!" he exclaims, "someone had better stop that red capped man attempting to flee!"

[Julius Sleazer]

20th Springmonth I
Streets of Concangis

"Mission from God?" says one of the greybeards with a note of marked suspicion. "You're not with the Faith Militant, are you?"

The other old-timer's face takes on an expression of mingled fear and loathing.

"Who are you to tell me to stop any man?" says one of the merchant's guards. "Man's got a right to ride any way he wants is how I see it."

"That's for true!" agrees another. "I'm no simpering lackey, to do the bidding of any stranger."

"Maybe he's right," opines a third. "Man in the red cap coulda had something to do with this fight. Besides, chasing 'im down could be a bit of excitement. Ain't been much interesting on the job the past couple fortnights."

From off to to the east, a gathering of persons is heading towards the party.

[thirdkingdom]

Cadmus the Confused

"Not the Faith Militant, no. But there's a bounty of 200 gold coins on the head of that man that's running away!"

[Julius Sleazer]

Second Old-Timer

"Sounds like a hell of a mission to me, son! Two hundred swiving eagles. Now I understand why you're so animated about it!"


***

Some of the merchants' guards stand where they are, idly holding their blades. Three dash off in the direction of a stables, calling out to the ostler to ready their mounts.

***

The crowd of people, perhaps two or three dozen in all, approaches. Most of them are gawping townsfolk of one degree or another. One of the men clumps along in riding boots; he has an unshaven face, wild hair, bleary eyes, and an exhausted expression. A white shirt hangs untucked over a hastily-buckled sword-belt, and his red coat is unbuttoned. Another of the men has a sleek and prim look; he is neat black garb, and has both an official and officious look to him.

[Vektunaxa]

Alfius the Aeviternal, Fighter

Alfius mounts his horse and stows his polearm away. He nods at the approaching man and says, 'Ave!"

[thirdkingdom]

Cadmus the Confused

Cadmus swings up onto his horse.

[Julius Sleazer]

Bleary-Eyed Man

The bleary-eyed man introduces himself as Calogerus, a lieutenant with the Queen's Guards. He soon commences a brief investigation. After conferring with the black-clad man, a magistrate, as well as with the two old-timers, he makes a pronouncement.

"We have two local witnesses stating that these strangers were attacked unprovoked, and in a dastardly and cowardly fashion. Furthermore, one of these strangers appears to a priest. I therefore find no cause to arrest or detain any of these strangers; the killings that occurred here were justifiable homicides."

"The dead men were, de facto, intestate. As they died upon the Queen's road, their goods are forfeit to the Crown. Yonder man who is frozen in apparent terror over there I order to be arrested and detained forthwith. In due course of time, he shall be brought before the magistrate and tried on charges including but not limited to dastardly assault, willful and flagrant association with assassins, and concealment of a weapon for nefarious purposes. Based on the statements he gives during questioning, these charges may come to include attempted murder. These words I speak as a lieutenant in the Queen's Guards; my words carry the awful majesty and full force of the Crown's power. Seize him!"

Several townspeople swiftly move to seize and bind the crossbowman who is still rooted to the spot. They begin dragging him in the apparent direction of the local lockhouse or something similar. The crowd begins to disperse to a certain degree.

The lieutenant works on tidying his clothes somewhat, and eyes the adventurers.

"Obviously this assault upon your persons was unlawful and without just provocation. Was there any unjust provocation? Both parties seem to have come from the west. Was there any previous contact? Additionally, I hear that you have communicated news concerning a sizable bounty on a man's head. Please elaborate."

[MonsterMash]

Decimus Maximus

Decimus stands next to his horse tending his wound.

"I am glad to see that the law is still well respected in these smaller places unlike those towns where anarchy holds sway. I know of no reason just or unjust for us to be assaulted so".

[thirdkingdom]

Cadmus the Confused

Cadmus draws the lieutenant and magistrate aside and speaks to them with his voice low. "In truth there is no bounty, though well there should be. I merely made the claim in an attempt to rouse those guards over there in an attempt to convince them to prevent the man with the red cap from fleeing the seen. He fled as soon as we begin to get the better of these men here; I am nearly sure that he is the same man who ran over and trampled to death a young lass crossing the road in the small town just west of here. We promised the blacksmith there to try and bring whomever did such a dastardly deed to justice. If he were indeed the guilty party I would have gladly paid the bounty myself, as I am a man of no small means."

[Julius Sleazer]

Magistrate

"I find this utterance of a false tale of a bounty somewhat unseemly from a man of your position."

Lieutenant Calogerus

"Well, if he has the coin to back up the bounty, there is no cause to arrest him on charges of fraud. What's this about a young woman being trampled?"

[thirdkingdom]

Cadmus the Confused

"A young woman was ridden down night before last by an unidentified individual. She was to have been married soon. I have a . . . premonition? A . . . feeling? That man in the red cap is the guilty party. I wager if you were to ask you would find he had arrived in town sometime during the night riding a horse near lathered to exhaustion."

[Julius Sleazer]

Lieutenant Calogerus

"I suppose it couldn't hurt to send a man out after him. I'll do so. I'll warn you that if this scarlet-chapeau'd individual is indeed a hardened criminal, he will likely be able to evade pursuit. He has a head start, after all. I'll assign one of my men to it, though. At the least, no man can say that we did not try."