I think it's a good idea to pause to ask them.

I don't think I'm proficient with any of that stuff! ha.

Abe sniffs one of the jugs of hillman moonshine, wrinking his nose. He hands the containers to Amon, clapping him on the shoulder.
"You display a unique style of swordsmanship, bother! When this all blows over, you must show me some of your technique in greater detail."

He assists in securing the salvagable equipment, and then climbs stiffly back on to his horse and prepares to head out.

To Masa: "A decent ambush indeed. They spent many men on this attempt, and suffered the destruction of their ... doubtless expensive crockery. Life is not easy in the mountains, and they will feel the loss. I would feel more comfortable with understanding of why they would take such a risk..."

Takeshi's eyes slowly open as Nidashi's small ritual restores some of his vitality. He looks puzzled for a moment, looking around at the carnage.

"Thank you, friends." He winces as he slowly gets to his feet and bows.

"You fought well." He looks a bit sheepish, before muttering under his breath, "better than I did, anyway..."

"What are those things?" he asks, indicating the clay soldiers. "I have never seen the like. Certainly I did not think the hillmen could craft such things."

He roots around in his pack for a while, before finding what he was looking for - a small tin vial. He twists off the wax seal and drinks from it.
potion cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Seemingly much refreshed, he begins poking around in the remains of the hillmen, looking for something that might provide an explanation of why they were attacked.
perception to search: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20 ... is taking 20 2 minutes? maybe I should just do that?
kn(local), do I know anything about this red warrior, or maybe anything new about the hillmen?: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

The pained expression on Abe's face relaxed as the wisps knitted the worst of his wounds and the flow of blood reduced to a slow seep. Sakiko thought she might have seen a brief smile cross his face just before they dissipated.

Oh, that's a longspea--

stabilize vs dc10: 1d20 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (9) + 2 - 5 = 6

Abe crumples as the abomination nearly skewers him with its spear.

bleed a bit

Abe watched some of his companions less forceful strikes deflect harmlessly from the hardened clay, and considered Matsukaze's slender profile. Neither of us is well-suited to crushing bricks, friend. Let us at least provide a distraction.

He circled around the remaining creature and threw a series of feints at it, trying to draw its attention away from his companions.
aid another vs dc10: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
move, then aid another to give +2 to someone's attack. I guess I have to pick someone - let's say Nidashi.

Abe skirts around the horses to cautiously advance on the clay men. Daemons? Or artifice? I did not know men could build such things...
double move

trying to see if i can free y'all up to go after the other guys
Takeshi circles the warrior in red, watching for an opening. When the man's eyes flicker for a moment from Abe to Yangsheda's horse, Abe seizes the opportunity and launches a forceful thrust toward the man's abdomen.
to hit commander, flanking: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 2 = 22
damage?: 1d6 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 1 + (4) = 7

Abe sidesteps the hillman's attack, then dips his head in thanks as Sakiko runs the attacker through, freeing him to focus once more on the warrior in red. He sees his moment as the warrior is pressed by Nidashi's powerful attacks, and attempts to slip Matsukaze through his defenses once again.

to hit commander, flanking: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 2 = 20
maybe?: 1d6 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 1 + (4) = 8

Abe catches a glimpse of the Devilbreaker's rampage through a gap in the forest, and considers his movements for a moment. Unconventional. But not devoid of structure. I will have to study this one in more detail...

Ducking a blow, he notes the enemy commander's preoccupation with Yangsheda and decides to take advantage of it, slipping away from the mountain-man to his north. Matsukaze hums in his hand as he aims a flurry of strikes toward the man's vitals.

step to flank with Yangsheda('s horse?), and then attack the commander
attack vs (fatigued?) commander: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 6 + 2 = 23
?damage + sneak attack?: 1d6 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 1 + (6) = 10

I moved you. Unfortunately I think I need to step over toward Big Red in order to flank him, and my initiative is before yours, and delaying is questionable since they are one step after you...so I may need to move out before your flank. Anyway I guess the outcome is the same. It's a little difficult to keep track of all of this in a pbp!

Abe diverts his attention to one of the hillmen long enough to dodge a clumsy spear thrust. His contemptuous smirk is rendered somewhat less effective by the crimson stain slowly spreading through the broken sleeve of his nerigawa...
And then he is back on the man in red, trying to maintain pressure on him with a quick, if more cautious, series of thrusts from the man's bad side.

5' step to flank the commander, then an attack on the commander.
attack vs commander: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 6 + 2 = 21
I don't think that's good enough even with the fatigue, but just in case, damage: 1d6 + 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + (5) + 1 = 8

Ok, I'm back. (though not rolling so hot!)
Sorry about that.

Kiyoshi, that sounds reasonable. Fated string of coincidences, very nineteen. I sort of like that.

Abe struggled through the underbrush as Sakiko rode past him to engage the dragon-faced warrior.
Unusually well armed for a hillman. And the crimson dragon -- an ill omen.
As he closed in to assist, his eyes widened as he saw the man skillfully dodge the pony's attack. From bad to worse. I must circle around him some to cause him to divide his attention.
Abe flitted swiftly from tree to tree, trying to make his around the commander to assist Sakiko.
Thinking to see a momentary advantage as the man craned his neck around to watch, Abe lunged in recklessly with his blade, only to be parried at the last moment.
This man is skilled...

acrobatics to tumble through squares threatened by the commander. well, maybe(?) he won't AoO anyway due to tree cover?: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
to hit commander, +2 is for flanking: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 2 = 17

Criminal dealings, huh.
I was thinking Abe is a bit more stand-up, but he has some experience sneaking out and whatnot, perhaps we ran into some kind of situation while he was on one of his walkabouts? (maybe an illicit art deal. ha!)
Alternatively, I suppose he may have (as a minor nobleman) had call to execute a murderer or something like that, perhaps someone we know in common.
Any ideas?

Guys, I am so sorry to do this (especially as my sort of first impression), but I have a friday-saturday-sunday camping trip that I am going to be away for. I'm not sure if I will have reception to post on my phone or not. (posting on my phone is likely to be a disaster in any case). You can play for me if you like. I'll be responsive starting on monday. Again, sorry about that.

knowledge(local): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Abe raises an eyebrow at the halfling as the forest comes alive to impede the mountain men.
quick dismount? doh: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
He climbs down from his mount, and advances on the villains while drawing his blade with a flourish.
I want to move NE a few squares through the woods, to threaten the guy who is just outside the circle, sort of to prevent him from closing on Sakiko and Yangsheda.

That was quick!
I have a couple of loose ends, sorry.
level 2 hp: 1d8 ⇒ 5
and I will go change my light horse into a heavy horse and get the light horse cash back. Is he combat trained?
Thanks for running this!

OK, here's a draft of jerrys' artist. (I guess he'll have a bit of a tough time of it through second level, but I think he'll be formidable at third with that finesse training.)