Seeing the bandit laying the ambush Modoc crouched to both steady his aim and make himself a smaller target in case another bandit was already leveling a crossbow on him from somewhere nearby. Drawing back hard on his bow he brings the arrow back to the corner of his mouth, kissed the fetching on his shaft and released....
Perception
Escape artist
Lathar looks up from stashing his staff and finds the reins in a complete mess around the head of the oxen. bah what a pain!
He grabs the reins just before they become completely wrapped about the heads of the beasts and get drug under foot. hopefully all my foolish thrashing about gives the old man a good distraction.
Not that this was a planned situation but Lathar tries his best to play it off.
bad guys? -
Modoc -
Lathar -
Evidently ignoring what the man was doing with his hands you attack. Despite the range your arrow flies true and pierces the man's back. He cries out even as he tries to reach around to get it. Your move.
Man 1 - 3 damage
As youre finishing up with the reigns you hear a man cry out over where Modoc disappeared to. Even if you remembered his earlier request at just such an occurence; your attention will be drawn to the two men jogging down the hill on your right. One has a crossbow loaded and the other a sword on his right hip and is waving at you. They are about 100' away. Your move.
Modoc smiles as he hears the mans cries of agony. Reaching to his quiver he quickly draws forth another arrow, placing it on his string and staying in a low crouch moves as quickly as he can towards the man...(obviously signaling his bandit brethren for the ambush)...Modoc yells out to his companion.
"Ambush!!! Stay put protect the wagon!!!"
Looking up and seeing the men charging his way lathar pulls the foot brake and locks it on the wagon. Dropping off the side of the wagon he stands his ground and prepares to defend the wagon.
Hold there or prepare to defend yourselves!
As you hurry towards the bandit he gives up on the arrow in his back, turns and fires his readied crossbow at you.
the bolt whistles harmlessly over your head. Youre up. Youre now 60' from him.
You can hear Modoc yelling from somewhere. All you catch is 'bandits'. The men approaching hear it also and grin evilly. The man with the sword speaks up.
Your friend has it right pal. All we want is your Homestead dead. Pass it over and there will be no trouble. We could always take it from your dead body...
His threat dies off as he draws his blade and clenches his fist. You just see the other man levels his crossbow at you as a burst of llight flashes in your face.
Will Save DC 12 or dazed
Your move.
Lathar blinks as theflash goes offbut pays it no attention.
the true threat was the man with the crossbow right now.
Lathar breaks into a full charge and a flying kick at the man with the crossbow.
Modoc held his breath as heard the click from the crossbow lever release, tensing up as he waited for the impact of the bolt on his body, but heard it whistle past. Stopping for a
moment he drew back in the bow and released his arrow...
After releasing the arrow Modoc dropped the bow, pulled free his tomahawk from his belt and made a sprint at the bandit...
Your arrow flies nearly as wide of the target as the bandit's and the man's eyes widen as you run at him with tomohawk out. He drops his crossbow and fumbles for the short sword as his belt while hissing Sh!t and just has time to stand up before you get to him.
bandit 1 damage - 3
As you sprint towards the bandit he unloads the readied crossbow.
Bandit 2 attack -
And the bolt just misses tearing a hole in your shirt. You launch yourself into the air with foot extended and fly right by the man missing as well. He drops his crossbow to the ground and draws a wicked looking dagger. Now in range; the sword bearer steps up and slashes at you.
Gonna make it hard on yourself huh? he says.
Bandit leader attack -
even as his sword goes well wide of you he then backs up 5'.
bandit 2 damage - 0
bandit leader damage - 0
I hate to have to hurt you but you have left me no room to reason. My future is in this wagon you shall not take it from me.
Circling to keep the man with the dagger away, Lathar steps to the man with the sword and unleashes a flurry of blows.
hit damage
hit damage
Racing up to hit...
The bandit nearly impales you with his short sword. As luck would have it your wild swing actually saved your life as instead of through your guts the blade cuts a score on your side.
bandit 1 damage - 3
Modoc damage - 3
Your punch audibly cracks the ribs of the sword wielder and he withdraws as far as he can even as the other man attempts to stab you in the back unsuccessfully.
bandit 2 damage - 0
bandit leader damage - 9
Recoiling from the sword cutting into his side, Modoc gasps in pain and fear, taking a very unbalanced swing in retaliation....Whiff...
Hearing the sound of the blade whiff by, lathar turns and lets fly a series of low kicks to the mans knees and groin area followed by a quick thrust to the throat.
att damage
att damage
Dm Rolls
With more hissed curses the bandit stabs at you again and barely misses.
bandit 1 damage - 3
Modoc damage - 3
The second man slashes at you with his dagger and doesnt even come close. A position you are also familiar with as your feet and hands hit nothing but air. You do get slammed in the back by something that almost takes the breath from your lungs.
bandit 2 damage - 0
bandit leader damage - 9
Lathar - 3
The unbalanced fighting contined the awkward downward chop from Modoc saved him from another sword thrust as his overswing staggers him a step past his foe. Takinh a small step with his right foot placing it behind the bandits planted foot, Modoc starting low, reversed direction and swung a wide high arc with his tomahawk toward the rear of the bandits skull...unfortunately missing yet again and opening himself up for a backward thrust to the side or kidneys...
"Aaarrrghhh! Die you stinkin' bastard!"
Lathar grunts against the pain and calls forth the power of the four winds. He reaches out with an open palm attack directed at the dagger wielding man's chest.
Feeling the attack connect solidly he release his inner charge
If I call out to Modoc then it may give him away. I hope that he can see me and is coming soon, this could get worse if there are more than i can see.
As he release the shock into the mans chest Lathar tries to see who shot him and with what.
Modoc and the bandit continue to miss each other. Often by a hairs breath as the man growls in frustration and what could be fear.
Lathar lands a solid blow to the man with the dagger and electricity flows through him even as his chest caves in a sickly sounding crunch. You dont see the other man at first having beeen engaged but you definitely see a coruscating ray of 'something' fly right by you! The tall man with the sword has moved closer.
Trying to refocus his efforts Modoc decides to take a slightly different approach. Taking a deep breath he swings around plants his feet spread apart raising up on the balls of his feet he grasps his hawk in both hands and focuses on defending himself, as he begins to feel the wet blood soaking his side...
Lathar wonders for just a moment whether to stick with the cart or to run toward the swordsman and end his threat.
HIIYAAAH!!!!!
Not skipping a beat Lathar moves straight towards him and jumps with a spinning back kick at his head.
DM Rolls
@ Modoc - Again the bandit's shortsword slices through your shirt but misses skin as your tomohawk swishes the air above his head.
@ Lathar - Your kick proves to be ineffective as the man easily steps around it. He mumbles almost incoherently and his flingers flutter right before he strikes with his sword. He looks clearly frustrated at his failure.
Your failure is the price you pay for banditry. Your natural karma is against you as well as my fist.
Lathar launches a number of quick attacks to the face before feeling a solid hit land on the side of the mans head.
Realizing if it wasn't for his defensive stance the bandit would have skewered him and spilled his lifeblood out upon the bandits blade. Continuing to fight and protect himself...Modoc with feet planted wide brings his tomahawk down for another chop at the bandit upper torso where the neck meets the shoulders...
DM Roll -
@ Modoc - the bandit must be part eel as he is somehow able to easily avoid your every attack and he must also be crosseyed as his repeated stabs at you just miss the mark every time.
@ Lathar - The dull thud you hear from the man's head is exactly how your master described it would be and you dont need to check to know that he's as dead as the other one with the crushed chest. Its earily quiet now except high pitched cacophony of cicadas and grasshoppers.
Lathar crouched low looking around waiting for a bolt to come from some direction. He listened intently for signs of Modoc and hoped the old man was alright.
Although Modoc was older than the wide eyes man before him he was in fantastic physical shape and was in no way growing weary. Still silent in concentration, Modoc tried desperately to find a good balance between offense and defense...
Dm Roll -
@ Lathar - you dont hear much of anything over the insects and you dont see your partner either. Last you remember he slid behind those hills to the left of the wagons about 60' from where you are now.
@ Modoc - the bandit seems to be tiring and sweat is pouring down his brow and has plastered what little hair remains on his head. He's tiring and it shows as he swings wildly missing you yet again.
Although Modoc could see that the bandit before him was starting to show the signs of muscle fatigue...wild swings...lack of control on the back swing and the recovery after an attack, Modoc's mind began to fade off from the task at hand, stunned by the cold path of nature. It did not matter who was wrong or who was right in this conflict, virtue & divinity plays no role on this stage. Only the simple rule of law of the physical realm. Muscle will grow tired, oxygen becomes scarce, mind foggy...combat as it seems and the future of these two mortal, insignificant creatures will be resolved by banausic truth...
Lathar drags the corpses over to the edge of the treeline and searches them.
If these fools were robbing folks of their land deeds then others may have not been so lucky as to have gotten away.
Looking around at where he saw Modoc enter the woods last, he moves quickly in that direction hoping to find the old man in one piece still.
@ Modoc - this was taking much longer than it should have so the bandit decides to cut his losses and withdraws over the hill.
@ Lather - as your moving the bodies and searching them a balding man comes huffing over the hill, looking at the wagon expectantly. He doesnt see you right away.
With no objections, Modoc retreats back as the man withdraws and grabs his bow where he dropped it before closing with the bandit. Stuffing his tomahawk back in it belt loop, me reaches down picks up the bow and pulls another arrow free from the quiver...nocking it on the bow string he turns to see the man disappear over the rise towards the wagon. Setting off at a trot he headed after the man.
Lathar steps towards the man with his hands raised in a guard position.
If you are coming to seek aid from these two other men you are looking in the wrong place. Nature chooses the strong to survive and they have been found wanting. If you want their corpses to bury then they are yours.
lathar steps between the man and the wagon.
If you want to join them in natures way... then you had better speak now and explain yourself.
@ Lathar - A look of terror takes over the bandit's face at the sight of his two fellows dead on the ground and he sprints off in to the woods. An apparent practitioner of the 'flee and fight another die' the other side of true survival.
Free from danger for the moment you can return to searching the bodies on which you find.
Long sword
dagger
light crossbow w/14 bolts
one suit leather armor
12 gold
6 sp
@ Modoc - cresting the hill you see your assailant pause long enough to look at Lathar standing over two bodies before he makes a dash for the woods. You have time for one shot before he makes the wood line.
Modoc stops at the rise takes in the scene before him...shaking his head, he thinks to himself..."and I thought I was the one going to keep him alive."
Lathar watched as the man fled. I hope he has learned a life lesson from this.
Continuing his search he looks around for modoc and sees him crest th hill from the tree line.
Hey there are you ok!?. I had to defend the wagon from these two dead men here. .
Lathar feeling the effects of the ball of force that struck him in the back looked thru his kit to grab some water. When modoc approaches hr will offer some to him as well.
Modoc took the water and took a large gulp. Handing it back to the half-elf, he looked down at the two dead corpses, then looked back up at Lathar...
"Jus' magin' er mush trubble day'd a givin' ya if'n day wer alive!"
Looking the half-man up and down, then showing Lathar his blood soaked side, he winced.
"Guess'n I coulda' fared bett'r myself.
We are still living and these two are not and I am sure that a lone person out here will have a very difficult time of it. I would say we fared best. They should not have attacked us. They wanted our land deeds, I told them they would not have it and killed them.
Looking at Modocs side.
Here let me see your wound.
Lathar pours water on a strip of cloth and begins to clean and dress the wound.
I searched these men and found some money and weapons. The weapons and armor are of no use to me, but we can split the gold evenly if you would like.
.
Shall we break for camp now or press on till the evening?
"Thank you fer tha healn'. Waz yers s' mine, n' waz mine s' yers. Weez a team now. Put da spoils in a genral' fund, n weel both pull from dat."
With a good smile and a solid handshake.
Very well friend, that is the way it will always be then.
Lathar begins to drag the corpses off the road and into the treeline.
These two should be left off the road to feed the wild beasts, maybe they will be kind enough to leave us alone as well. Let's move on and put some distance away from this place.
Lathar collects their gear and puts it in the wagon then mounts up and gets ready to move.
The sun has reached its zenith as you once again move out. According to the map you should be within a day or so of your destination. The rest of your day passes thankfully uneventfull except for the fact that dark clouds start rolling in as the day wanes.
What say we stop off here and get ready for a good drenching?
Lathar guides the cart to a good spot near the treeline and gets the animals watered and unbridled.
Modoc continued with the same routine that has proven effective so far by setting the wagon on higher ground and dressing down the beasts.