Thyrik rummages around in the available equipment, glad to have some additional tack on hand.
While the others-Udo, Brunhilde, Felver and Imrik- takes only minor items, like more useful weapons, they wait for more instructions
Brunhilde breaks the sudden silence
Do we have a plan? Should we all walk in line, or using another strategy? I'm no soldier, but I'll do what I can.
Rush it, says the street thug turned wannabe honest citizen. Its always worked for me.
He explains that the group should stealthy approach the building in question, check the door then rush in with overwhelming force.
Hans nods with Gottfried, and picks up a bow and a couple of arrows as well.
"If we know where our enemies are, that's good enough for me. Let's not waste more time."
Night has fallen across the land, and only Morrslieb rises above the mountains and forests, casting a chill light, causing the winds of magic to blow strong and the dead to stir. It’s as if the viridian light could snuff out the town’s candles, and lamps.
The doors to homes are shut fast, and locals wrap themselves tightly in bed, fearful of what evil stalks the land. There is no light coming from the small houses. No one alive roams the few streets. Hallt is as silent and as dark as a tomb.
You open the gate of the town, and the sight sends shivers down your spine: outside of the walls, the snow falls and the layer of whiteness, which is considered as pure and innocent, is stained by the tainted light of the green moon.
Soon, the wolfs howl. You cannot see them, but you can hear them. Are they far enough?
In the distance, the pale light coming from the old windmill, standing up the hill and silhouetted by Morrslieb, calls you.
The youth walks quickly, clearly trying to put on a brave face and what he thinks is a 'ard expression but one that makes him look fiercely constipated.
Lets get in there... no mucking' bout.
Thyrik admired the human's boldness, but attempted to stick to the shadows while keeping up. Mixing the two approaches proved overly difficult however.
Hans carries his new weapons with the air of a man who knows only the principles of how to use them, and joined the rest.
The bunch of adventurers walks at a brisk pace in the snow, hoping to reach the windmill before... what? They don't know, but they feel something will happen. And of course, it won't be something good.
Meanwhile, Thyrik follows them, more discreetly, or at last he hopes so. The fact that, being a dwarf, he already walks slower than the humans doesnt help.
He hears the wolves, which seem much closer that he'd like to.
Hans pushes towards the windmill, driven by both knowledge and fear.
you trod in the snow, Thyrik way behind you.
The windmill seems closer, guided by Hans, who seems to have to knack to retain his bearings despite the snowy winds.
Unfortunatly, the howls of the wolves are closer too.
You tries to walk quicker, and Brunhilde and Felver calls for the dwarf, hoping, maybe, for his short legs to stretch.
Imrik is the only one to spot two very different things: one seems to be a tall and burly man, not too far away between you and the windmill. The other is an horseman, coming from the wilderness, in the distance.
There seem to be three or four different howls, for the moment... But more will come, surely.
The youth hurries in the direction of the man... is he the ally they need or the cause of the appearance of the horseman? Who can tell but he's pretty sure that Bugger is important.
Oi, you there!, he calls out, subconsciously lapsing into the speech of a watchman, so often used against him in his checkered past, Whats' all this about and what are you doing mucking about here?
Hans readies his weapon, standing aside Gottfried and backing him.
whoever the man facing you in the falling snow bellows back, while showing off a massive two handed axe
You are the ones in the bad place. Get off, and maybe you will live longer. Maybe even a few hours more.
You can't recongnise the voice, and the man's face is too far. But his intentions are clear. The fact that he faces your whole group without fear is quite unsettling
Hans pales but does not step away.
"What should we do?" he asks, turning to Gottfried. The apparently 16-year old seemed to be the leader of the band. To Hans, that indicated that he had an unexpected measure of courage and trust from the rest.
Well... I'm for wearing the rude sods guts for garters but let's try sweet talk first eh?, he replies to Hans.
The youth yells back to the figure.
Look here Bruv, if yer here to put paid to any re-appearing headless horseman then we're in the market to help. If'n yer here to do something sodding Eldritch we'd jus as have it you'd sod off an' leave the place alone. We don't care about it that much being newcomers and all buuuut a jobs a job.
So that's a dead-end job.My axe will see to it.
The man shows a big axe, held two handed. You can't help but shiver at the thought of the damage it can do on your body if your not careful enough. He advances, crushing the snow under his feet
Gonna use the horseman's sword on this git now... anyone want this bow?
Despite the snow, the arrow flies true, and buries itself deep in the big man's arm. He screams in incredulous pain, which changes to a scream of pure fury and hate as he charges at Gottfried, axe raised high
Fortunatly, both Konrad and Hans can act before the axe-wielding maniac, and maybe protect Gottfried
Alerted to combat, Thyrik rushes toward the fight.
Hans intercepts the axeman with his shield, ramming into him.
Hans nearly lose his footing in the treacherous snow, and put himself in a very dangerous situation, as the big man facing him aim at his body with his massive axe.
Only Konrad can help him now... The axeman is focused on Hans, sensing he's an easy target, and he will probably put all his weight and power in the attack: out of balance, he should be less able to defend himself.
SL +5
SL 0
SL -4
SL 5
In a comedy of errors and mistakes, Hans, rushing to the rescue, lose his footing on the slippery snow.
By instict, he tries to break his fall by reaching, with his hand, on the closest thing: the madman's already wounded arm.
As Konrad's hand catches the arrow embedded in the arm, the burly man screams in pain and nearly loses his own grip on the handle, and the blade never strikes his intended target: Hans's head
He curses his bad luck, while Konrad manages to regain his balance, ready to parry any future attack.
Meanwhile, Imrik and the others try to help the dwarf, who strugles in the snow. In the distance, the horseman comes closer, his mount on full gallop. The wolves call, and run, trying to surround the lonely horseman
Hans pulls out his smaller axe, and moves to strike the evil axeman.
SL+4 with Critical attack, Localisation Left arm
SL +3
Hans strike makes a cut in the man's belly, but its not a very deep wound, and the foe is still standing, if barely, nearly enraged at the peasant. But one or more wound and he's down.
The lad uses the headsmans sword to attack after dropping the bow.
If this sword is WS basic then it's 50. If the sword is some sort of heavy blade etc then it's basic WS of 40
Weapons clang feverishly in the dark, as Gottfried and the foe exchanges strikes and parries.
Finally, Gottfried manages to land another blow in the man's gut, widening the wound made by Hans.
Still, the foe is, amazingly, standing into the bloodied snow, maybe not realising how bad he's hurt.
Soon, reality comes knocking to his brain, and the foe kneels in the foe, blood gushing from his wounds, before falling face down on the ground.
Thyrik moves back toward the horseman, nearly surrounded by wolves. He might have spurred his mount, as the horse gains speed, with the wolves following him, still howling into the wind.
The dwarf understand that he will soon be passed by the horseman, and will have to face the wolves himself. He hears the shouts of the elf, screaming him to coming back.
The woman-Brunhilde, wasn't it? A tavern wench or something like that- shouts again, saying that the wolves will have enough to eat tonight, with their bleeding foe, unless Thyrik wants to be on the menu too...
S#!*! The wolves! Into the windmill!
Hans nods, adrenaline pushing him beyond thinking about the fact that he helped murder a man, and runs with Gottfried towards the windmill.
Seeing the horseman free of the wolves menacing him, Thyrik races toward the windmill. He can only hope that his dwarven legs will see him there in time.
Ruuuuuun!
You all start to run, some of you being slower than the others, lacking in athletic prowess or being simply short legged.
Still, fuelled by fear, you do your best. Imrik is the first to reach the door of the windmill, followed by most of your group. Only Udo and Thyrik close the ranks, Udo being a little short of breath.
You glances behind you, and see that Brunhilde's grim promise has been fulfilled: the wolves indeed feast on your fallen and bleeding foe. But you are sure they will seek more meat.
But your fear gains in intensity as you watch the horseman reaching the windmill not too far from you...
It's none other than the Dullahan!
Felver and Konrad already reaches for their weapons, as Brunhilde covers in fear behind Udo.
Imrik, the elf, realises that the door is locked and closed, and sturdy.
Whatever you do must be done quick!
Absent a better plan by the others, Thyrik will try to smash his way through the door.
Dammit, I thought that guy was the Dullahan... doing wizard s+##e
Seeing that none of his companions had ideas to finesse the situation, Thyrik opted for a more direct approach. "Out of the way!" he shouted as he lowered his shoulder and charged at the door.
”Let me try,” Hans says, and the peasant raises the ax to slam it into the window chains, leveraging them out of place.