"Better hurry. Before they investigate too far."
After the group was ready, Durova used his Invisibility spell on Mordesi, and took up a spot away from the inn to await the results.
Once the evidence was created and passed on to the others, Anton moved off to see Yalana at her home. and perhaps this little event can get me closer...
"I apologize for imposing on you once again my dear. It seems that the guards have sealed off the inn for the time being. It looks like there will be no performance today. Do you happen to know of another inn or some place where I can at least stay overnight? The events today were... unsettling and trying on me."
@Anton:
Sion wants to sleep and hope that the rest of them are safe for now.
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Durova wants to find a safe place for the night, and to figure out what to do in the morning.
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The sun is setting when a group of mounted riders come down the road, bearing lit torches and scanning the area. One figure stands out, obviously in charge. They follow Dane's path...
...and they come close...stopping and looking for the trail...
...but they go right past where you turned off...and keep going for a while.
Everybody sleeps...but nobody sleeps well. It's not the villianous deeds of the day...most of you could serve parents their roasted children if it meant a path to power, and sleep peacefully...
No, it's that nagging understanding that the job just got harder. Nobody knows you...as if that mattered, with your abilities, thanks to Thorn...but they're on alert, now, looking for anything out of place.
...anything.
...like...evidence that the dwarves might have cut a deal with the worst of traitors.
...not that anybody loses sleep over that particular.
Dane nods satisfied as the riders turn off. "Well, 'Jack? Think we'd be able to take 'em? That's the prey I was bringing you, may be a bit much though." The man strokes his chin. "Is quite the prize though. Take out another of their captain's and their best tracker no doubt, would make my work a lot easier." Dane tromps down towards Mia from his overlook and announces to her flatly, "They lost the trail." When there's no hope for better, that's when people accept their circumstances. Come on, break...
Durova's plan still involves casting Invisibility on Mordesi, so he can make an attempt to plant the information about those treacherous dwarves!
Durova's plan still involves casting Invisibility on Mordesi, so he can make an attempt to plant the information about those treacherous dwarves!
Dane strokes his chin as he continues to ponder his options. "I'm still slightly wounded, they've tripled their numbers, and looking at them they've pulled for the best they've got. But I can see in the dark where they cannot, I've doubled my numbers, and me and Jack are more than a match for any one of them... If we take them by surprise, attack in the night when they sleep and few are wearing armor or carrying weapons... no magic-wielders amongst their ranks. And it's unlikely that their best is much better than what Eddarly levied against me, since he came expecting to confront and arrest an armed man. The trail will get colder the longer time passes, and if they find my trail into the city, they'll likely not bother searching the hills and valleys for where I used to be. But..." if I continue on my plan and protect my family's line, I'm bound to be making sorties into the city and causing a stir near without fail. And the more times I flee to the wilderness, the more times I will find myself hunted, the more men they'll send, and the more likely they will search the woods for my hiding place, steal the women and kill 'Jack... damn, don't like my odds, but we'll just have to make the attack decisive.
"'Jack! If you're happy with our odds, we're taking that party out tonight, get ready to follow them! We'll see if we can't find the right moment to strike." Gathering his belonging and putting his armor back on, Dane takes the time to put an edge back on his Rhomphaia with a whetstone. Then, Dane hoists Mia into a sturdy enough looking tree to tie her to.
"I'll be back my love, but for now, this should keep you from considering running without leaving you prey to wolves." With that farewell, Dane takes to attempting to track his prey from where he last saw them.
With a matching grin, Dane replies. "Let's go then, the trail should still be quite fresh."
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From there, Dane's likely just going to wait until they go to sleep, wait for a careless looking watchman, and strike in the night. As to the specifics of the attack, well we'll have to wait and see where they decide to camp. :)
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They're in a bit of a clearing, maybe a hundred feet off of the road...the horses, picketed to the side, know nothing about stealth, and you follow their soft snorts and pawing straight to the camp.
It's not a bad night out, but most of the menvare gathered around the fire...under something of a rock outcropping, where two men sit back-to-back...each watching two guards some thirty feet out, one more or less in each cardinal direction.
In all likelihood, the captain is among those sleeping.
Dane makes a short tally of the men, and smirks and quietly mutters to Grumblejack. "We'll give it some time. See how many are on watch right now? They'll have to lower their guard soon, or they'll not get enough rest and be exhausted on the 'morrow. My guess is that they're expecting any ambush to happen in the first watch, after which, they'll only have one or two men on watch for the rest of the evening. We should rest too, an hour each I think. That should be enough time for us to see how things will play out. Which watch do you want?"
After the time passes, Dane double checks the watch, and prepares his assault. "Alright Grumblejack, here's the plan. We rob them of their fire, and there's no way they'll have a chance. The horses hearing battle but being unable to see will likely panic, they'll be barely able to fight, and if we need to run, they'll be hard pressed to chase with any speed. So our first goal is to douse that fire as quick as we can. After that, stay close to me, and kill anyone you can. Understood?"
Assuming that Grumblejack has no objections, Dane soaks through both his bedroll, and the sheets and blankets from the inn with all the water from his waterskins. Then, he creeps towards the encampment, from one of the non-cardinal directions, blankets ready.
At the first sign that he's been noticed, or when he reaches 60ft from the fire, Dane sprints full tilt towards the fire and slams the blankets down on top of it, hoping the smother it instantly.
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You're right, they do switch to a more relaxed watch...still, when you start moving close to the perimeter, you manage to step on something that crunches rather loudly...
There are two on watch, and they're on the outcropping. One hears you, but doesn't see you until you break into the clearing. The good news: That's only about 40-45 feet from the fire. They're calling out an alarm as you get to the fire.
The blanket covers most of the fire on the first shot...and suddenly, huge amounts of smoky steam billow oput into a much darker clearing. For a moment, even you have trouble seeing. (Fort save, please - fail a 15 and take a -2 for 1d3 rounds due to the hot smoke in your eyes.)
The camp is moving quickly, but you have an obvious immediate advantage.
Dane coughs and blinks hard as the smoke burns his eyes. Squinting heavily, he rushes towards one of the men scrabbling out of bed, hoping to cut them down before they have a chance to truly react.
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...just in time to notice Grumblejack tearing into the camp, roaring at the top of his lungs...GRUMBLEJACK SMASH LITTLE MANS!
...something he proceeds to do.
...dropping one, but the second one sidestepping his AoO.
Already, five are out of the fight. The remainder arm themselves and stand.
Dane frowns as one of the men manages to escape his wrath. Even with the smoke in his eyes, those swings still felt true. The muscle memory was well engrained in him, and an unarmored, sleepy, blind by darkness man shouldn't be able to avoid that. So, you're the Captain they speak so highly of... Dane's frown turns into a smile as he laughs and pronounces, Dane focuses his attention on the one who got away and keeps up the assault.
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His eyes flicker to you, then Grumblejack, then back again, as his men start recovering from their disarray and form up.
The ones on the outcropping actually stand fast where they are, but lack the reach to get in an attack, so the bows come out.
...amazing shots...that simply bounce off the excellent armor you wear.
Grumblejack swings his massive club again, as one of the slow ones try to get away...
...and another shatters against the weapon, blood flying everywhere.
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...then your blow hits, cleaving deep into his chest...astoundingly, he maintains his feet, if only bartely...as the blade eviscerates the man, and he barely manages to hold his intestines in...
...and then the last of the fire sputters out...leaving it dark but for the light of a crescent moon.
Dane maintains his focus, his eyes beginning to clear as he strikes the devastating blow to the Captain. "You've done better than Eddarly, I'll give you that much." With the half-hearted compliment, Dane shirks away and towards Grumblejack, throwing another swing at Varning.
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Knowing his time has come to an end, Varning collapses forward, weakly proclaiming, Into thy hands, Mitra...
...and his blood soaks the ground.
The two men on the outcropping run, while a knot of soldiers do their best to get at you...two make it in to attack, two more sprawl on the ground, victims to the curve of your blade...
"To the last of you, I applaud your courage, have the honor of dying on your feet." Dane opens the space between him and the soldiers again and throws another swing.
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Grumblejack picks up a meaty forearm and starts crunching on it.
Thanks for dinner. It's good, but not as tender as young, or woman. You should have some!
Dane sets off in pursuit of the two watchmen, hoping to put them to a quick, miserable end.