"Nice shot, Sir Lo," Reolus calls out. He directs his horse to attack the same yellow Sachsen.
Alas, he isn't able to control his mount well enough to attack himself.
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Gunthar wheels and drawing his lance before charging the Saxon on the end. He continues past getting ready to wheel and charge again. At the last moment, Sigi steps in hole pushing his target away.
The screams of Reolus' mount fill the cold morning air.
Lo groans as his comrades swiftly lose all appearance of knightly discipline to fall upon the pursuing Saschens, but his dismay turns to pleasure as Reolus and Brechthalt chop down several, even as they suffer wounds of their own. Not wishing the others to pay for their foolishness with their lives, he turns his horse about and let’s fly another arrow. His shaft pierces the eye of one of the lesser sachsen skirmishers, killing him instantly.
"Nice shot, Sir Lo," Reolus calls out. He directs his horse to attack the warrior who hit his horse. The horse rears, kicking the man twice. The sachsen doesn't fall, though he screams in pain as several ribs shatter.
Gunthar wheels and draws his lance before charging the Saxon on the end of their line. His lance impacts the man with such force that his entire torso collapses and falls apart with a tremendous impact. The man's body is flung flipping through the air to land several feet away.
Brachthalt urges his mount forward with his knees. His mount momentarily panics at the scent of so much blood, and refuses to follow his guidance. Brechthalt curses, moving one hand from the pommel of his blade to wrench the animal's reigns, driving it forward. The horse bites and kicks at the nearest sachsen, who is screaming for his mother and Wotan alternatively. One of the warhorse's hooves connects with the man's forehead, caving it it and silencing him.
The three remaining Sachsens see they are no match for the knights and turn, carefully withdrawing, then breaking into an all out jog to escape.
______________________________________
If the Saxons are fleeing, Reolus quickly gets down off his horse, whispering soothing words as he pats the animal's neck and rubs his nose. He waits until he can get the animal calmed down before he even thinks about looking at the creature's leg.
If he can get the animal calmed down, and they aren't disturbed by more Saxons, he wraps the animal's leg.
Gunthar wheels and pursues the fleeing Saxons. With his shield and lance, he guides Sigi to charge the one on the left end. They would pay for their crimes now.
Lo looks in askance at his shortbow as his arrow tracks away from its intended target to pierce the eye of one of the lesser Sachsen skirmishers, killing him instantly.
"Nice shot, Sir Lo,"
That wasn't who I was aiming at . . . responds Lo silently, but who is he to question the omnipotence of his Maker?
As the first group break and flee, he let's Balder continue to canter forwards, and fires another arrow at the 'proper' warriors, hoping his aim is true this time around.
Lo looks in askance at his shortbow as his arrow tracks away from its intended target to pierce the eye of one of the lesser Sachsen skirmishers, killing him instantly.
"Nice shot, Sir Lo,"That wasn't who I was aiming at . . . responds Lo silently, but who is he to question the omnipotence of his Maker?
As the first group break and flee, he let's Balder continue to canter forwards, and fires another arrow at the 'proper' warriors, hoping his aim is true this time around.
[dice=Ride check] 1d20 + 3
[dice=Shortbow attack] 1d20 + 4 - 4
Gunthar runs down another of the sachsens with his lance, Lo's shot misses and Brechthalt also charges after the fleeing warriors, cutting his back wide open and dropping the man. Reolus tends to his horse.
Gunthar looks to Brechthalt, "Should we interrogate the last one?" He rides toward the last one.
If Brechthalt says yes, Gunthar says in Saxon, "surrender!" He readies to stick him if the Saxon does not surrender.
If Brechthalt says no, Gunthar sticks him.
"No, they won't talk. It would prevent them from dying with honor and going to Wahalla!" the older knight replies, watching as Gunthar spits the last of the sachsens. "Now, let's back to the troops and attack the camp before they run away!"
Lo steers his horse to where the others are waiting and nods in agreement with Brechthalt.
Gunthar returns to the knights and looks to Brechthalt, "That worked well enough. Shall we return and draw them into our ambush? Don't forget your bow, sir."
Brechthalt nods, wincing as his adrenaline fades and the pain of his wound catches up to him. He rides over and dismounts, picking up his bow. "I'm not sure they'll fall for that trick again. Whatever overconfidence they posses was probably removed by watching us just now. I would counsel retrieving the men and sending them in to attack the camp, while we prevent any from running."
Lo looks at Brechthalt’s wound and winces in sympathy. Still, he threw himself into the fight before he needed to, he reflects.
Still, the young warrior can’t help feeling a little uneasy as he re-joins his fellow knights. The premature engagement with the Sachsens has left him looking the coward, especially as his three fellows brought death and ruin upon the enemy, outnumbered though they were.
Somewhat resentful that Gunthar and Brechthalt’s bravado met with such success, he simply says “Whatever you command, my lord.”
Guiding Balder over to where Reolus tends his horse he asks “How do you both fare?”
Gunthar only now notices Brechthalt's wound, "Sounds like a plan. Do we need a minute to bind those wounds?"
"Let me have a look, my Lord," Reolus says, taking out his healer's kit.
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"Let me have a look, my Lord," Reolus says, taking out his healer's kit.
[dice=Treat Deadly Wounds]1d20+9
Brechthalt waves off aid until they return to the soldiers, but once there he gladly removes his armor and accepts Reolus's aid. "Thank you, borther."
"Are you all in agreement to send the spears in as a group, while we ride round the camp mounted to keep any from escaping? Or would you prefer to split the men into four groups of five and attack from all sides? Or would some other formation be more satisfactory?"
The spearmen appear to be emboldened by the knights' safe return, and their victory over a much superior force. They are itching for a fight - standing nervously and gripping their spears, talking each other up and praying for victory.
Gunthar replies, "Do our spears have a signal horn? The should call us if they need us when we're out of sight. If they oppose cavalry or archers, we would take them easier than our spears."
"I would suggest two equal forces of infantry, attacking the camp on opposite sides while we ride around and attack as the third point in the triangle."
Lo just nods in agreement. "Two forces. Sounds like a good strategy."
Gunthar shakes his head, "Reolus, Lo, remember they outnumber us, even without the spears we just killed. If they mass an attack on one of our half-strength forces, they would outnumber them more than two to one. Plus, if they have cavalry and archers that threaten them at the same time, we would not be able to protect both of them. Our spears are safer and more powerful as a unit. Let us take the risk of riding to the other side."
Reolus has +2 modifiers in Wis and Cha. Nobody has ranks in Profession: Soldier. Presumably Brechthralt would be a good choice as one commander.
"Reolus, Lo, remember they outnumber us, even without the spears we just killed. If they mass an attack on one of our half-strength forces, they would outnumber them more than two to one. Plus, if they have cavalry and archers that threaten them at the same time, we would not be able to protect both of them. Our spears are safer and more powerful as a unit. Let us take the risk of riding to the other side."
“We’ve cut down many of them already. The odds will favour us, especially if Reolus and Brechthalt lead the charge with the spearmen. You and I have yet to feel the edge of their blades, and we’ve the horses to ride around to the other side of the camp and pick off any who flee the spearmen’s advance. With our steeds beneath us we can ride to safety if attacked in superior numbers.”
The knights split up the spearmen into two squads and then move out at a forced march. They cover the ground to the sachsen encampment in about two minutes at a slow jog. The sachsens spot them as they are approaching and Brechthalt breaks off with his group to attack from the northern flank. The men in the camp were busy rushing about, preparing to abandon their camp and are totally shocked to see such a large force so soon. Shouts of alarm ring out of the camp, and the remaining warriors form a defensive perimeter inside the line of stakes surrounding their camp. Within another half minute of frantic movement from both sides, the battle positions are set. Brechthalt waits until he sees Reolus in place and orders the charge with a thunderous shout.
Success
Reolus will take his cue from Brechthralt, so he goes aggressive as well.
Sadly, no damage.:( His soldiers fight valiantly, but Reolus' inexperience and lack of bloodthirstiness means his squad fails to penetrate the fortification defenses.
Lo fires arrows at the foe in an aggressive manner! Cries of dismay issue from the Saschen ranks as shafts penetrate flesh!
The knights split up the spearmen into two squads and then move out at a forced march. They cover the ground to the sachsen encampment in about two minutes at a slow jog. The sachsens spot them as they are approaching and Brechthalt breaks off with his group to attack from the northern flank. The men in the camp were busy rushing about, preparing to abandon their camp and are totally shocked to see such a large force so soon. Shouts of alarm ring out of the camp, and the remaining warriors form a defensive perimeter inside the line of stakes surrounding their camp. Within another half minute of frantic movement from both sides, the battle positions are set. Brechthalt waits until he sees Reolus in place and orders the charge with a thunderous shout.
Reolus simultaneously drives his men forward to assault the opposite side of the sachsen camp. Reolus's line hits the wall of stakes first, and most of the sachsens flow to that side of the camp, to prevent him from breaking in. Reolus rides back and forth behind his men, urging them onward and praying loudly. They form a shield wall, and put up a valiant struggle, not giving any ground, nor letting any of their spear-brothers fall to the blades of the heathen. However, they are unable to break through the massed line of sachsens holding at the stakes.
That is until a moment later when Brechthalt and his men impact the rear of the group of sachsens with devastating effect. The self-righteous fury of Brechthalt leading from the front of the charge drives his men into a blood frenzy and soon their spears run red with heathen blood. At the same time Gunthar and Lo begin raining arrow after arrow into the outflanked, tightly-compacted group of sachsens. Gunthar has less luck than Lo, whose shafts seem to be guided by the hand of the Lord. Pagan after pagan falls until after a minute or so of thunderous noise, blood, and confusion the Christians stand victorious over a pile of dead and dying rebels. The moans of the badly wounded fill the air as Brechthalt commands the soldiers to secure the camp and report. He rides over to the other knights. "Well done! Victory to the Lord, thanks be to Christ."
***
Within less than a minute one of their soldiers jogs up. "Sirs, we lost no men. All of the sachsens were put down, except four who are badly wounded. We found two women tied up in one of their tents."
Reolus, hearing of the women, rushes over to them, and assesses their injuries.
"Fear not, my dears. You're safe now."
Other than a little bruising and the abuse of their feminine virtues, the women are physically unharmed. Despite this they are understandably traumatized. They don't talk much, mostly crying. They do tearfully thank each knight though. Wiebke rushes Gunthar and hugs him tightly, sobbing uncontrollably and refusing to let go. Leeta seems to be taking it the most stoically. She mumbles to Reolus "Gisele didn't make it...she's in the tent. Did you find Gaerte? She collapsed on the first day and wouldn't get back up. They left her on the moor..." (Gisele is presumably the second thrall that was taken).
A wild, exhilarated grin beams from Lo’s face as he rides into the captured encampment. He slaps Gunthar and Reolus on the shoulders in the shared joy of victory, but at least manages to restrain himself beside Brechthalt, keeping it to a nod of acknowledgement and a cry of “Well fought!”
Presently though, the rush of elation at survival and success drains away. Lo surveys the butchery about him, and although his foes were pagans, melancholy replaces his swagger.
Most about my age. Will they be given a chance of repentance before they enter Hell?
Still, the sight of the women so cruelly abused stills such doubts. He leaves his two companions to the business of comforting them, fearing he would be a clumsy consoler. Instead, he sets himself the grim task of checking the fallen to ensure those appear dead are indeed so, leaving the four wounded Saschen under Brechthalt’s eye.
Reolus holds the women, mutters prayers over them, and tries to keep the sight of the butchery from them. "Gunthar. Get me some warm cloaks for the women, preferably ones that aren't too bloody or rank with stench."
Gunthar is unable to disengage from Wiebke. The girl seems to have permanently locked her arms around his waist. He looks to Lo apologetically, shrugging. "You mind?" he asks.
After some cloaks are found for the women the men stand about awaiting further orders.
Brechthalt says, "Well, shall we back to Minden to report our success? I wouldn't mind a large skin of fortified wine, this stab hurts like Satan's prick..."
After the cloaks arrive, Gunthar quietly disengages from Wiebke saying, "Leeta needs you, too right now. You two have survived a terrible ordeal that few will ever understand. I have my duties to attend, but we will travel together soon."
Gunthar passes the men standing about awaiting further orders, he finally arrives at Brechthalt, "Do we need any of these supplies or should we just fire the camp? Have you found the leaders' tent while I've been comforting the survivors? Maybe they have maps or information about whom they may take orders."
"Feel free to give it a look, I doubt they were that sophisticated. Our best bet is probably the four who lived as far as information goes."
Gunthar shrugs and goes to search the camp. He grabs the troops awaiting orders to increase his search speed.
He finds some food, clothing, and tools, but nothing written. The gear is of lower quality than that which the knights and their troops already have.
Gunthar orders the men to pack it up and stow it on the horses unless carts can be found. We can give the material to the families who lost their family. Then, fire the remainder of the camp.