Hearing combat ahead, Luthor had to fight the urge to spur his mount onwatds ahead of the others. "Keep going, we need to help the others!" He called, looking a Kazimir.
Graelem glances into the opening of the fortress, a look of eagerness on his face. Knowing his mounted combat skills were not very practiced he instead waits for Kazimir's cue to charge inside the gates.
Turning his horse to the last standing bandit, Kazimir raises his lance, momentarily overtaken by the moment. "Turn away from your cruel lord now, and be spared," he offers as a parting word, before leading the charge through the fortress gates.
As the party surges past the gate, it quickly becomes apparent that whatever this old fortress used to be, it’s not the most open space. While it’s nowhere near as tight as the mite lair, half-collapsed stone walls pose a serious threat to a galloping horse, and the party takes a moment to regroup.
A moment is all they have. From a semi-open, drafty room, filled with makeshift furniture, to the north run a pair of bandits, while two more charge from the east, around the main building. Behind the two in what could only be the common room lurks a hooded figure near an iron gate, and to the west, standing near the entrance to an armory, stands Akiros Ismort, longsword drawn in one hand, steel shield with the scratched-out symbol of Iomedae on it in the other, and chain covering his torso and legs. ”Get them, you currs, or the Stag Lord will have your heads too!”
Graelem's heart swells with rage as he sees the symbol of his goddess profaned, but stays hi anger for now. Seeing the bandits trying to flank the group he quickly dismounts and casts a protective spell upon his shield. Soon it crackles with a glowing blue electrical field. "Go forward. I shall hold off these unfaithful curs." He then motions to the two charging bandits, "Behold the wrath of the Dawnflower!" He cries out in a fury.
Lali dismounts Wild in one fluid motion, then turns and smacks the horse across the rear. "GET" she barks; the last thing she wants is one of these bandits shooting her horse.
She aims for the first bandit she sees.
Following Lalytsas example, Luthor climbed from his saddle, albiet with considerably less grace. Taking several slaps to muster up the force to actually make his horse leave the premises, he turned to Kazimir. "Onward Knight, the fates will be with you." Underscoring his comment, his eyes became cloudy as he held up a hand.
Feeling Luthor's hand on the small of his back, Kazimir takes a deep breath and nudges Surefoot forward. The horse rears up, before slamming two hooves at the bandit before him, while guided by fortune, Kazimir stabs down with his lance. Dropping the weapon afterwards, he draws his axe, preparing to dismount.
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Kazimir's lance finds a purchase in the shoulder of the bandit he faces, who's picked up before being slammed back down beneath his horse's hooves. Lali adjusts, sending her arrow into the blue bandit, who manages to keep his feet.
Dovan, for his part, draws his rapier, then pulls on a bit of rope against the wall. "Beaky, pull your damn weight!" A second later, there's a mighty "Scree-Roar! as the iron gate falls away, revealing a very angry owlbear.
As Nah's bomb flies in, Akiros raises his shield, deflecting it expertly away. He seems barely fazed by the explosion, the sounds of dozens of weapons falling out of racks, or the bits of wood and stone that fill the room for a moment (some of which cut at his exposed face), instead giving a bit of ground while staring over his shield.
The owlbear scree-roars again as it pushes past the downed gate, then moves its head left to right, then left again. Eventually, it settles on the nearest bandit and lays into it savagely, dropping him to the ground with one blow and then squeezing him brutally for a moment before letting go. Dovan looks on in horror.
The bandits to the flank begin pressuring Graelem, one moving into melee and taking a vicious swing while the other takes a more cautious approach.
Graelem grunts in pain as the axe cleaves into his side but he puts the pain out of his mind, his blood flowing with battle-lust. Out of the corner of his eyes he spies the appearance of the owlbear but can do little about it as he knows he need to hold the line here. His return stroke is ineffectual as it glances off the bandit's armor.
"Nah, don' throw bombs at that one" Lali tells the Kobold. "...fer now. 'Less he attacks us."
"Lali! Is this thing trying to kill us?" Kaz yells over his shoulder to Laliytsa, before digging his heels into Surefoot's sides and charging the bandit in front of him. The charge carries him towards the owlbear, and he brandishes the axe warningly, locking eyes with the beast from atop his horse. Though he tries to guide Surefoot, the horse warily refuses to strike.
Lali's arrows do what Graelem could not, and the two arrows send another bandit to the ground, where he moans piteously for a few seconds before falling silent. Kazimir's charge smashes his target's defenses, leaving just one very large, very angry owlbear between Dovan and him.
For his part, Dovan slinks away, taking advantage of the chaos to climb through the rubble of a long-broken wall and out of sight.
Continuing to alter fate, Luthor moved to the only remaining member who had yet to get the treatment. Holding his hand at the ready, he stepped to the side to give Laliytsa a clear shot, then stood ready to favorably shift her fates.
The good news for Nah is that the bomb explodes near the owlbear, sending hot shrapnel across its flank. The bad news is it does the same for Kazimir, who finds himself the unintentional target of Nah's aggression.
Akiros pulls himself through the rubble that, a moment ago, Dovan disappeared into, shaking his head. "Those idiots! They let her go too early!" From the party's distance, it's not clear if he's talking to someone behind him or to the party. A moment later, he's on the owlbear as well, swinging his sword expertly and hewing a long cut into the bird-bear's side.
The owlbear screech-roars again, flailing its claws into Kazimir's horse. As it makes contact, it grips Surefoot's side, ripping upward and flipping Kaz out of the saddle.
From behind Akiros steps another man, but it's certainly not Dovan. This one wears the skull of a once-massive stag as his helm and carries a bow that's every bit as well-built as Laliytsa's, and perhaps even more so. He touches the eyes of the helm, draws back on his bowstring, and looses an arrow at Kazimir. Fortunately, the arrow zips overhead, sticking harmlessly into the wall of the makeshift common room.
Graelem feels a sliver of fear pierce his soul, but stands resolute despite the doubt gnawing in his gut. I...I cannot let my friend down. I must prevail here! He grits his teeth and lunges forward slashing hard at the bandit, but overcompensates for the man's dodging maneuver and misses him badly.
Finally it's come down to this. The Stag Lord stands within her metaphorical reach. He's going to go down and Lali's going to take that fancy bow of his and use it for good. But first they need to deal with the rampaging Owlbear.
Kazimir finds himself thrown from his saddle and frantically rolling on the ground to extinguish the alchemical fire that covers him. "Nah, watch where you're throwing those!" he yells, more in alarm than annoyance.
Looking up at his horse, clutched in the owlbear's claws, Kazimir grits his teeth in a growl. "Hey! Down here!" he bellows, scrambling to his feet and swinging his axe at the beast's hip.
Noting that Surefoot's breathing is slow, but steady, Kazimir briefly touches a hand to the horse reassuringly before springing to his feet and heading for the Stag Lord. With his enemy close, he charges recklessly between Akiros and the other bandit, straight for the horn-helmed archer.
Surefoots life was already in his thoughts, but seeing Kazimir spare a moment in combat for his mount reminded him that if not to the others and himself, atleast to Kazimir the horse was practically a member of the group. With a hurried "Ive got him Kazimir!" He ran to the horse just as Kazimir was leaving. A halo of motespecked light around it, he touched his hand to the horses flank.
Lali's volley of arrows thud into the owlbear, which takes another half-hearted swipe at Surefoot, though it connects with nothing except air, before collapsing into the room's floor with a crash that pushes up a flurry of dust. Kazimir's movement brings himself in between Akiros and the bandit, who lashes out at the farmboy-turned-knight with his axe. The force of the blow sounds like a bell against Kazimir's armor, but doesn't leave a dent against the well-built suit.
In the armory, Lali can make out a hooded figure moving furtively toward a flight of stairs, then disappearing up them.
Luthor's heal stabilizes the horse, who panics, trying to stand. Nah's spear slips home, poking the bandit and drawing blood, but not causing massive damage so much as a bit of pain and some annoyance. The bandit, in retaliation, takes a swing back at the lizard, but proves to continue demonstrating extreme incompetence with his axe. A second bandit stumbles over the rubble, his swing thrown askew by his trip and swooshing through the air in front of Kaz's face.
Akiros shrugs, then drops his shield, taking his longsword in a two-handed grip and smashing it into the (purple) bandit. The blow drops him instantly.
For his part, the Stag Lord sees the tides of battle turning and fires another shot toward Kazimir. This one finds some purchase between the joints of his curriass, punching deep inside. The Stag Lord seems to grin, then takes a few steps back across the rubble that once was a wall, moving deeper inside his fortress.
Lali keeps her focus on the Stag Lord, grumbling when he moves out of her sight before she can shoot him in the face. With her main target out of view she switches to the bandit that's back with her and Graelem.
Graelem feels the arrow whizz past his cheek and slam into the bandit's side. Risking a glance back towards Laliysta and, seeing the encouraging look on her face, encourages him onwards.
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Wanting to get to the Stag Lord, but not wanting to leave Nah on her own - especially considering Akiros' unsteady loyalties - Kazimir unstraps his shield and drops it before switching both hands to his axe and taking a vicious swing at one of the bandits.
Kazimir's vicious attack leaves a dent around the bloody gash in the bandit's chest. For his part, the bandit simply falls over without so much as a scream, unconscious before he hits the ground and not breathing shortly after. Lali's first arrow is wide of its mark, but the second one sinks into a shoulder, half-spinning her target around. Unfortunately, that half-spin is enough that Graelum's blade misses as well.
The bandit fighting Graelum, for his part, takes another swing at him with his axe, but only succeeds in catching armor.
Order is
Satisfied to see Surefoot spring back to life, stepping away as the horse awoke in a panic, Luthor was spurred into action again as the arrow dug deep into Kazimir. Managing to quell a startled shout, he rushed up behind their knight, applying an arguably more intensely glowing hand than usual, to the arrow wound.
The effect was powerful, pushing the arrow from the wound, causing it to fall and clatter against the rocks.
The red bandit feels Nah's spear dig into his side, moans a bit, and looks over his shoulder at The Stag Lord, who seems to glare and then turn away. With face draining of color, he steps around Kazimir, struggling to find a weak spot with his axe.
Akiros shakes his head, then bursts into laughter as he moves forward, swinging his sword with seemingly-reckless abandon at the remaining bandit, who quickly succumbs under the weight of the blow. "Get the Stag Lord. I have business in the basement."
For his part, the Stag Lord heads down into the armory, then sends an arrow zipping toward Laliytsa. Though the arrow punches deep into her thigh, she manages to keep her feet.
Graelem sees the arrow penetrate Laliysta's thigh out of the corner of his eye. "Hang on there Lali, I just need to put this filth down!"
Kaz grunts in relief as the arrow in his chest clatters to the ground, before looking at Akiros. "Horns keep you," he mutters, before hurrying across the rubble, following the Stag Lord.
Lali is thoroughly sick of being shot through with arrows. She reaches into her belt pouch, pulls out a potion and drink it before pulling the arrow out.
Graelem and the brown bandit continue to pound away at each other fruitlessly, neither able to land a meaningful blow, as Lali drinks a potion and Kaz heads off in hot pursuit of the Stag Lord.
"He really has it in for you, huh?" Luthor called back to Laliytsa, pausing a moment, considering running back to heal her. Then the noises of the chase inside drew his attention again. "I trust you will be alright." He called, then followed Kazimir and Nah.
"Please dont be a trap." He thought as he ran, suddenly overtaking Kazimir and finding himself practically face to face with the Staglord. "Stop! Surrender!" He blurted out in a flabbergasted tone.
Akiros sprints off to the north, disappearing into the doorway of a small room that a bandit had come out of earlier. The Stag Lord pulls back on his bow, looking down the shaft at Lali again before spinning and loosing at Kazimir. The arrow sinks deep into his chest, almost to the fletching. Almost without waiting to see the results of his shot, the Stag Lord sprints up the stairs.
Graelem glares at the persistent bandit, as he waves his sword threateningly. "Surrender and I will offer quarter."
Lali's shot goes wide. She curses loudly and just starts walking away. "Screw this"
Kazimir coughs as the arrow sinks through his breastplate, slipping between two ribs. He takes a moment to check his own breathing, feels his lungs clear, and hurries after the archer. "Luthor, with me!" he barks. "What magic do you have left?!" As he reaches the top of the stairs, he briefly surveys his new surroundings, breathing deeply and feeling the pain in his chest subside.
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With Graelem's blow finally connecting, the bandit throws down his weapon and falls to the ground, sobbing as he holds his shoulder. "I didn't think you'd actually do it! I didn't think you'd actually do it!" Lali's dash away from Graelem and the bandit takes her through the armory and to the foot of the stairs, just in time to see Kazimir making his way up them.
For his part, Kazimir encounters the Stag Lord only a a scant ten feet or so away, bow in one hand and the other on the hilt of a sword strapped to his waist. He seems to be picking his way across a rickety wooden bridge, toward a stone floor that's half-fallen into the room below. A shut door to the south blocks a different path forward.
"Just this!" Luthor called out in response to Kazimirs question, as he passed him coming up the stairs. Coming to a half, he immediately launching into a series of arcane syllables, his voice acquiring a slight otherworldly echo. Just as quickly as he had begun, he finished with one final, booming word, sweeping his hands in the direction of the Stag Lord. A cascade of sparkling motes of light flew from his fingertips, rushing towards the Stag Lord and encircling him, before violently erupting in a shower of golden sparks and blindingly bright sunbursts.