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There's no initiative in mass combat. In the ranged phase damage is done at the same time. It's the offensive roll minus the defensive vale of the attack (12 here), whatever is excess reduces hit points... which would be nine in this case... they had seven!
After the Ranged Phase is the Melee Phase... which is pretty similar. Some funky stuff might mess with it but your army doesn't need a bunch of bows to fight in this one. Both armies resolve their attacks at the same time.
Once the melee phase is over it's back to the tactics phase and around you go.
The paladin's form up in a disciplined manner following your orders. As the enemy comes into view the battle hardened paladins release a volley of arrows... tieflings soon collapse to the ground while a few survivors start to flee. The paladins cheer the good fortune and their leaders... though not the most challenging fight it is good for morale.
As you and the knights move in to destroy or apprehend the remaining tieflings you see one figure standing among their number wearing heavy robes.
Bloodied but Unbroken: The commander inspires the army to be at its greatest in the most desperate times. When an army’s hit points are at half its full normal hit points or fewer, it gains a +1 bonus on Offense checks. A commander must have Leadership 4 or higher to select this boon. At Leadership 10 or higher, this bonus increases to +2.
Bonus Tactic: Choose one tactic. The commander always knows this tactic, and the commander’s army can use this tactic even if it doesn’t know that tactic on its own. You can select this boon multiple times; each time you select it, choose a new tactic.
Defensive Tactics: The commander is especially good at defensive tactics. Increase the army’s DV by 2. A commander must have Leadership 5 or higher to select this boon.
Flexible Tactics: The commander trains the army to be receptive to multiple orders during a battle. The army gains a +5 bonus on Morale checks to change tactics during a battle. A commander must have Leadership 6 or higher to select this boon. At Leadership 12 or higher, this bonus increases to +10.
Hit and Run: The commander drills the army in quick attacks followed by a fast retreat. After attacks are resolved in the Ranged phase or the first Melee phase, the army may use the withdraw tactic with a +2 bonus on its opposed Morale checks. A commander must have Leadership 5 or higher to select this boon. At Leadership 10 or higher, this bonus increases to +4.
Hold the Line: The commander is skilled at convincing the army to maintain morale against dangerous opponents. If the army fails a Morale check to avoid a rout, it may reroll that check. It must accept the results of the second check, even if it is worse.
Live off the Land: The commander makes the army trap game, hunt, and fish to augment its food supplies. Reduce the army’s Consumption and speed by half for any week this boon is used. The GM may rule that Huge and larger armies deplete the available resources from a hex over 1d3 weeks, requiring the army to move if it wants to maintain the reduced Consumption level.
Loyalty: The commander inspires great loyalty in the army. The army gains a +2 bonus on all Morale checks. A commander must have Leadership 6 or higher to select this boon. At Leadership 12 or higher, this bonus increases to +4.
Merciless: The commander encourages the army to be ruthless in its tactics and spare no wounded enemies. The army gains a +1 bonus on opposed Morale checks to prevent another army from withdrawing and on the last Offense check against a routed army or one using the withdraw tactic.
Sharpshooter: The commander drills the army in precision ranged attacks. The army gains a +2 bonus on Offense checks against armies using fortifications. This boon has no effect if the army can’t make ranged attacks.
Triage: Whether using magic, alchemy, herbalism, or folk knowledge, the commander drills the army in using emergency methods to treat wounds. Once per battle, the army may take a –4 penalty on its Offense check during the Ranged or Melee phase and heal damage equal to half its ACR. If the army has the healing potions resource, it also gains the healing from this boon (without the Offense check penalty) when it uses healing potions.
Seeing how far away the robed man is, Claire pulls out a wand in her off hand, waves it in the air, and exclaims, "RAINBOW BLAST!"
The wand fires out a trio of rainbow coloured magical bolts that zip across the battlefield, swerve around the other enemies, and slam in the robed figure's chest!
"Get him!"
Though Claire manages to injure the figure it teleports away to leave it's minions to die.
Aron slip into the surrounding regions to scout out the place and ensure no other enemies lie in wait. At the same time Sosiel, and Nurah set
out separately to seek survivors to heal and rescue from the aftermath.
What will our heroes do?
Davok asks Anaba if she can pick up the scent of any "scared humans."
With the battle over, Kaeldron called the injured crusaders to him. Many were wounded, and even though they were fellow paladins, that all of them could completely recover. He prayed, causing a wave of divine energy to wash over his comrades.
Amongst the chaos and distraction of the aftermath of battle Davok and Kaeldron spot Nurah skulking around discretely trying to find an area to be unseen... Kaeldron notes that unlike himself and Sosiel she is not seeking out the injured as is her stated intent.
Davok makes eye contact with Kaeldron and then juts his chin at Nurah. Davok, with Anaba at his heel, starts advancing towards the bard to investigate...
...not saying anything, but not trying too hard to be quiet.
Kaeldron nodded, and...
...used the tool most readily available to him.
Fredric nods at Kaeldron's advice on battle formation.
"That makes sense. And besides my favoured tactics -", he smiles slightly, "- I am not the fastest here. I would also like to make sure if a potent foe seeks out our battle leader, that she is not completely distracted."
************************
Fredric yells in triumph at the destruction of the foe, and advances with the others, maintaining the line.
"I am less deft at finding survivors. I can lift debris, crash open doors, and heal.", he states, before looking to do just those.
Nurah does not register as evil to Kaeldron.
Davok sees Nurah find a secluded spot and looks around before she casts a spell and disappears.
Kaeldron’s face darkened. ”I do not like this subterfuge. She does not register as evil, but whatever she is doing is underhanded. We cannot have this kind of disorder happening in our army. This is not an adventuring company, it is an army.” His hand involuntarily squeezed his spear. ”She had best have a good explanation for this.”
Davok asks Anaba if she can sniff out Nurah.
Anaba is able to follow Nurah's scent. The trail leads you away from the battlefield towards it's edges...
...you find a satchel on the ground you recognise as that Aron had and he is lying flat atop a rocky outcropping surveying the area. At your approach he begins to slide downwards. Anaba walks straight to the satchel and sniffs at it. She paws the pack but looks off as if the trail continues.
"No sign of any other forces." Aron says looking a little confused.
”Is her scent on the pack? I don’t understand? Aron, I apologize for the intrusion, but I need to look into the satchel. Something may have been placed within, and for the good of our forces we must check.”
Aron picks up the pack "Not much to get excited about." He starts taking out potions "Healing, restoration-"
Aron stops abruptly at a few dark vials and goes several shades paler, his hands starting to shake. The glass vials clink a little in the bag as you notice his hands start to shake.
He looks up "I didn't put those there. Sosiel helped me I-" He shakes his head and practically forces the bag into Kaeldron's hands before backing away.
Letting Kaeldron talk to Aron, Davok has Anaba continue following the trail, knowing that Kaeldron will be able to catch up.
Kaeldron took the pack and examined the vials...
...he had no idea what they were, just that they were obviously bad.
He glanced up at Aron to see if he could detect any falsehood...
.
Davok and Anaba continue to follow the trail as it starts to circle back though is not using the same route.
Kaeldron doesn't know what the substance is but one thing for certain Aron is badly shaken by it's presence, afraid but there is a underlying desire.
"It's Shadowblood, a drug- Abyssaly tainted... but I don't know where these came from."
”We need to check the water and food supplies. Now. If these were placed in your pack, then you may well be set up to blame for poisoning the army. And we need Nurah detainee.”
Kaeldron motioned for Aron to come with him as he made his way to the quartermaster to share the news. All of their supplies would have to be checked for corruption. He also had to find Claire. Orders had to go out to detain Nurah and to investigate all of her completed tasks. But how to go about that was an issue best decided by their general. Until then, though, he had to act fast to ensure the safety of the crusaders.
Like the others, Claire sets out to look for survivors in need of help, healing, and uplifted spirits!
When she's done she wanders through the ranks of soldiers complimenting everyone on a job well done and super-amazing aim!
"It'd be spread too thin, each vial is a dose... it's be pretty hard to miss that amount in the trail rations we have." Never the less he moved along Kaeldron, happy to leave the paladin hold onto the bag.
Davok and Anaba spot Nurah moving about the battlefield as if she were looking for injured.
"Nurah Dendiwhar! Come with me, please."
Assuming Nurah follows, Davok brings the bard to Kaeldron and Claire, not offering any rationale if she asks why Davok has called her.
If Nurah makes a break for it, Davok will send Anaba after her with the 'Flank' command, so that the wolf heads her off and Davok comes at her from the other side. He'll tell her to come with him one more time before getting physical.
Nurah does a very convincing job of remaining calm and innocent as Davok leads her off. "Is everything ok?"
Kaeldron was in the process of telling the quartermaster about the need to check the supplies for sabotage when he saw Davok bring her back. He waited until she was within easy striking distance, and motioned to have both Frederick and Davok on each flank. Between the two of them, he couldn’t imagine anyone escaping.
”Nurah. You stand accused of sabotaging our efforts, and before you ask, we have proof. Before you panic, the reason why you are here is because we want an explanation. This is your chance to come clean.”
He listened to her response with a careful ear and watchful eye.
As Kaeldron starts to mover towards into position Nurah get's spooked stepping just out of reach of Davok and Anaba, "Don't hurt me!" quickly casting a spell before disappearing.
Kaeldron is a bit unsure if this is more proof against her or if she took his body language the right way.
”Find her again!” David barks at Anaba. The wolf dutifully tries to find Nurah’s scent again.
"Huh?" Claire remarks with curiosity. With a smile to the knight she's speaking to she adds, "I think my friends have lost something over there, so I'm gonna check it out. Bye!"
Claire wanders over to the group to see what's up...
”Ah, Lady Claire. It seems that Nurah betrayed us. She said that she was going to help the wounded, but instead put shadowblood in Aron’s pack. It is an abyssally tainted drug. When she was brought here to explain herself she went invisible and fled. Sir Davok is tracking her down as we speak, and the quartermaster will he checking our supplies for any evidence of sabotage.”
Frederic rushes to Davok's aid while Kaeldron explains the situation to Claire.
Anaba sniffs the air before lunging forward and snapping her jaws into something. Nurah's voice cries out "They're attacking me! I knew they were going to, help! Help!"
”Excellent work! Men, bind her so that she may not escape.” And Nurah...”
”We are not going to harm you. You stand ACCUSED of aiding the enemy against our holy work. The only solution I see is to return you to the queen under armed guard, at which point your spells will be removed and you will be put to the question. Before it comes to that though, is there anything you would say in your defense or that you would like to admit? Your honesty now will get you much further than if we have to wait until inquisitors are summoned.”
Fredric stands by, keenly listening to any reply by Nurah. And for any last-minute treachery.
"Oh, wow! That doesn't sound good. And she's right here?" Claire gestures at the noisy empty space everyone seems to be grabbing.
"Nurah? Do you think you could become visible again, please? No one wants to hurt you, but I think you've scared them! It'll be SUPER hard to chat with you when I can't see you. I might spend the whole time, like... staring at your tummy or over your shoulder or something. Which is SUPER weird!" Claire giggles. "So, like, what's going on, Nurah? Did you really hide some evil drugs in Aron's things? That's like... SUPER SHADY! Why'd you do that? And why to him? Are you a drug dealer? Or a one of those meanie demon-cultists?"
Kaeldron stepped back to let Claire take over. She had a way of disarming a person with her words. That, and someone like himself, Frederic or Davok’s demeanor might well scare even an innocent person. He just wished that Sariel was around. If Nurah could go invisible maybe she could fly to? An archer would be handy.
"I didn't do anything, someone's setting me up!"
Nurah leans forward and whispers to Claire. "Help me get away from these idiots and I promise to set you up go, we could do really well working together for the powers that be! I'll split any reward fifty fifty with you. This crusade is doomed and filled with idiots."
"Gee, you think so?" Claire replies in surprise. "Thanks for the offer! That's like SUPER sweet, but I don't really want to join the..." Claire pauses, leans in close and whispers, "...demons. They're like... HUGE meanies. You know? And super evil." Continuing to whisper she asks Nurah quietly, "Who do you think is the 'powers that be'? Are they really that strong? Have you met them?"
Nurah gives Claire an innocent look before whispering back. "Top entities, right hand people that rub shoulders to Demon Lords. I haven't met them but some of their people yeah, and even they are scary. They've got a plan in the works. The wardstone was only part of it."
"A plan? What kind of plan?" Claire whispers back curiously.
Nurah smiles Coyly "I don't know but people who do are very excited. You'll come spring me in a bit and we can make our escape right?"
Claire crinkles up her nose. "Not me. I still have faith in the crusade. And I really think you should give it a helping hand. Are you sure I can't convince you to leave the demons and help us for real?"
"Oh come on Claire, you're my best friend. I know we haven't known each other that long but I'm only trying to look out for you." The enchanted halfling looks genuinely upset that her best Claire isn't willing to betray all she knows for a place in the new disorder.
"The crusades not so great. Back in the Fourth Crusade I marched on Drezen under the banner of Lord Trezbot. But he wasn't trying to achieve some great good, he was after glory and to make a name for himself." She giggles "He ended up a demons dinner for his trouble. They freed me Claire. They're not that different from Devils in many ways. I'm really not supposed to tell you this but my boss is a powerful Shadow Demon called Eustoyriax, he's real powerful but I've proven myself to him. With me vouching for you then you'd be set up in no time. The two of us can march on Chelliax in a few months and free all the little halflings. Claire, Breaker of Chains, Protector of Halflings! Doesn't sound so bad now does it."
Claire considers. "Well, that part doesn't sound too bad. But, that shadow demon part does. Eustoyrix, hey. I'll have to remember their name."
Claire gives her pal Nurah a big hug. "I think we've run out of time to chat. Don't try to fight back against the knights, kay? They're going to arrest you but I'll make sure no one hurts you or does anything bad, kay?" Claire pulls back and turns to her other pals. "Nurah's ready to be arrested now, but no one's to hurt her. And she won't fight back or anything. Alright everyone?"
Claire looks back and forth between Nurah and her paladin pals to make sure everyone's alright with that. She clearly expects Kaeldron and Davok to continue with the actual 'arresting' part.