Tonight our tale is brought to you by a fellow resistance member- Shadowdancer- and fellow gameplayer- Ridh. Hope you enjoy seeing the action from his point of view as our party finds themselves in combat between two foes.
Dara- Elf- Druid
Aramil- Eladrin - Warlord
Sonea- Human - Wizard
Shadowdancer- Eladrin - Avenger
Mikal- Human- Rogue
Adahan (Boomer) - Human- Swordmage
Bomilcar-Human- Undisclosed Defender Class
Hmmmmm, so Dara keeps a journal of our exploits does she? Well readers, I think I will hold onto this for a little while and tell our tale in my own words.
Whilst myself and Mikal hung back and clung to the shadows to see who was following us, the others went on ahead with the mules. Suddenly from up ahead we could hear the sounds of an ambush as some of the damn armband wearing idiots try to make things even more difficult than they already are.
The mules stampede forwards, knocking down three of those that bar the way. Dara shouts something and turns into a hawk to fly after the mules.
Mikal and myself were the first of the others to react. Mikal throws a dagger and hits one of the hoplites taking him down. Fighting down an urge to exclaim against the fool’s stupidity for being hasty and taking out what may yet prove to be allies, I withdrew deeper into the shadows of the alleyway, only to hear the shout of pain as Mikal hits another with a dagger, in a critical place no less, judging by the shout of pain.
Boomer drives his sword into the ground in front of him, electricity discharging from the point of the strike, catching all three of his assailants in the blast, downing two of them. Bomilcar shield rushes the one who stayed upright, clipping him under the chin and knocking him to the ground.
One of the hoplites scans around and catches sight of Mikal, he shouts out, “There he is!” as he points and slings his shield onto his back, drawing his crossbow and starting to load it.
Aramil turns away from the ambush at the front, heading back the way we had all come, at which point he catches sight of the two other assailants approaching from another alley. He readies a bottle of alchemist’s fire, ready to throw.
The man that Bomilcar had knocked down leaps to his feet in a deft movement that allows no opportunity to attack as he stands. He swings his axe at Boomer and Bomilcar but they use their sword and shield to deflect his blow.
The two ambushers at the rear rush towards Aramil, one swings but Aramil ducks it, the other catches him with a painful slash. Of the two remaining hoplites, one catches sight of Mikal, slinging his shield and also drawing his crossbow, the other, unable to spot Mikal, advances into the melee around Aramil.
Mikal throws a blinding bomb at the two hoplites, obscuring their vision as he doubles back. I meanwhile headed further up the alleyway and up the stairs I found there, seeking a vantage point where I could snipe from.
Boomer shouts “Bomilcar, go help our allies, I will take care of these three”, he then attempts to use his booming blade against his opponent but is unable to beat his defences.
Bomilcar stabs at the axeman in front of him with his spear, but the man sidesteps and avoids it. Bomilcar snorts in disappointment and disengages, backing off.
The wounded hoplite dashes over to the water trough and splashes his eyes, trying to take away the blinding stinging from the bomb.
Aramil tosses his alchemists fire just behind his opponents, catching both of the ambushers and the hoplite in the blast, the two ambushers drop, flailing and on fire, out of the fight. The hoplite manages to catch most of the burning liquid on his shield.
Aramil backs off, readying his sword, ducking under the blow of the hoplite as he retreats.
The axeman swings at Boomer, striking him hard with his axe and dazing him temporarily.
The spearman near Aramil takes a quick step after him and throws his spear at him, hitting him and bringing him to the point of being greatly wounded.
The last of the hoplites stumbles around rubbing his eyes and screaming in pain.
Mikal throws a dagger at the hoplite who is staggering around rubbing his eyes and hits hard enough to take him down. Mikal then climbs onto the roof above him.
I climbed up onto the roof and, hoping to salvage Mikal’s foolishness somewhat, made myself known as I stood up to shout “Brave hoplites of Gate Pass, stand firm, we shall see off these ambushers. One foe lurks in the shadows, but there, with the axe, is a foe you can see and fight!”
The hoplites give a “Huzzah” and seem heartened.
Boomer strikes the axeman with a booming blade, wounding him further.
Bomilcar moves up to engage the hoplite who had thrown his spear, but holds back from striking.
The hoplite by the trough tries to spot Mikal again but can’t see him, he yells out “Where are you? You murdering bastard!”
Aramil rubs some dirt on the spear wound, slowing the blood flow.
He then attempts to shoulder past Bomilcar and get back into the fight but Bomilcar shoulders him back saying “Dont...Step... In... Front... Of... Me”
Aramil backs off towards where Boomer is still fighting the axeman.
The hoplite in front of Bomilcar attempts to draw his sword but is too nervous to slide it from the sheath.
The axeman swings at Boomer and hits again, blooding him and dazing him once again.
Mikal jumps down off the roof and engages the hoplite by the water trough, his short sword flashing into his hands, but the hoplite dodges by diving into the water.
Attempting to salvage the situation I stood up and put a warning blast past Mikal’s head, shouting out “Stand firm hoplite, drive off the assassin!”, hoping that the fool would take the hint and run off, to rejoin us later.
Seeing another possible problem I also yelled out “Bomilcar, stay your hand, the hoplite is a friend!”
Boomer goes on the defensive and catches a second wind.
Bomilcar looks up as I call out, he swings his spear at the hoplite’s knees, knocking him to the ground before levelling his spear at the man’s throat and growling out “Stay down boy”
The hoplite rises out of the water and swings his crossbow like a club at Mikal, clipping him with the improvised weapon, the bolt discharges and flies off into the sky.
Aramil advances on the axeman but the axe wielder takes a sudden unexpected swing at Aramil as he steps forwards, hitting him.
Aramil takes a step back and readies a dagger.
Mikal continues to act the fool and performs a riposte strike against the hoplite he faces, cutting him before stepping back
Deciding to give Mikal a final chance to regain his wits, I put a radiant blast into the ground between the two of them and I yelled out “Flee, vile assassin!” gesturing to Mikal to make himself scarce before the hoplites vision was fully clear.
Boomer uses foesnare followed by booming blade on the axeman before stepping back.
Bomilcar stays with his spear levelled at the hoplite.
The hoplite in the trough grimaces in pain as his already stinging eyes are hurt by the bright light. He stops trying to reload his crossbow and once more splashes water in his eyes to clear them.
Aramil takes a second wind and calls out an inspiring word to Boomer to bolster him. He then backs off a little further.
The axeman assumes a defensive posture but is unable to move.
Mikal finally seems to lose the red haze that clouds his sense and leaps up on top of the awning and away over the rooftops..
Hoping to complete the deception of Mikal’s involvement I stood up and yelled “He’s getting away!” and then pursued him up onto the rooftop.
Boomer shifts back onto the offensive and strikes the axeman.
Bomilcar keeps his spear levelled at the hoplite.
The hoplite by the trough levels his crossbow at Bomilcar and yells out “Drop the spear!”
Aramil hops onto some crates and from there onto the roof, where he turns and throws his dagger at the axeman, hitting him under the armpit.
The axeman swings his axe but is stunned by the dagger hitting him and drops the axe, he then turns and runs off into the alleyways.
Bomilcar steps back and raises his spear into a parade position.
Boomer heads up and joins Bomilcar. The hoplite twitches his crossbow, covering the two of them.
The wounded hoplite crawls back towards his companion.
Boomer attempts to approach the hoplites but the crossbow wielder calls out “Get away from him you murdering scum!”
Boomer attempts to explain that he merely wants to check the hoplite’s wounds. The crossbowman tells him that his own man will see to the downed hoplites.
Aramil jumps down from the roof and heads over to where all this is happening and tries to negotiate.
A few moments later two people reappear. Mikal (now wearing grey trousers and a green tunic) comes walking up the street. Shadow Dancer reappears on the roof, out of breath and brandishing a red armband with a black horses head – one that he lifted earlier from a corpse at the Poison Apple. “He got away, but not before he snagged this on a wood pile.”
(As well as being a very cool move, this act had a number of wide reaching implications for the game. At the risk of metagaming, I chose to reveal a few things to the players that their characters hadn’t learned yet. The Black Horse were a mercenary company working with the City Guard to arrest magic users, in the employ of the pro-Imperial “Appeasement” faction within the assembly. So not only did he shift blame to the Black Horse, he just completely discredited their position in the city, having suggested they had tried to kill members of the Guard to cover up an assassination attempt. I`m sure I don’t have to expand upon the effect this would have on the standing of the Appeasement faction within the Assembly – or the resultant boost in the stature of the Independence faction. This just struck me as so cool that I had to do the big reveal there and then. It will not escape the notice of the citizens of the Pass that the Black Horse were trying to assassinate pro-independence citizens. No doubt the citizens of Gate Pass will be wondering if it’s the Black Horse and not the Imperium who are bumping off their elected representatives).
Mikal circles back, changes his clothing and appearance, he pauses to loot the two downed foes at the end of the alley, taking their weapons and scale mail.
The hoplite lowers his crossbow and seems to reach a hesitant truce with the adventurers.
More guards arrive and citizens gather and the story of the attack begins to spread like wildfire, a city guard Optio arrives and takes charge of the scene, he thanks the adventurers for their aid and allows Mikal to take the daggers that the “assassin” had left for study as evidence, once it has become clear that Mikal is a scout for the City Guard.
The Optio sends runner the Strategos and begins sending missives off about the Black horse mercenary companies, the adventurers help the wounded hoplites to the temple where they meet up with Dara again, who tells them that some of the mules were injured in the stampede and will not be fit to depart for at least a day.
Buron and the senior resistance members express their satisfaction with the efforts of the cell in discrediting the Black Horse mercenaries. We have clearly risen a few notches in the estimation of the leadership. Finally, it seems, they are beginning to recognise our skills.
~Shadowdancer~
Whilst myself and Mikal hung back and clung to the shadows to see who was following us, the others went on ahead with the mules. Suddenly from up ahead we could hear the sounds of an ambush as some of the damn armband wearing idiots try to make things even more difficult than they already are.
The mules stampede forwards, knocking down three of those that bar the way. Dara shouts something and turns into a hawk to fly after the mules.
Mikal and myself were the first of the others to react. Mikal throws a dagger and hits one of the hoplites taking him down. Fighting down an urge to exclaim against the fool’s stupidity for being hasty and taking out what may yet prove to be allies, I withdrew deeper into the shadows of the alleyway, only to hear the shout of pain as Mikal hits another with a dagger, in a critical place no less, judging by the shout of pain.
Boomer drives his sword into the ground in front of him, electricity discharging from the point of the strike, catching all three of his assailants in the blast, downing two of them. Bomilcar shield rushes the one who stayed upright, clipping him under the chin and knocking him to the ground.
One of the hoplites scans around and catches sight of Mikal, he shouts out, “There he is!” as he points and slings his shield onto his back, drawing his crossbow and starting to load it.
Aramil turns away from the ambush at the front, heading back the way we had all come, at which point he catches sight of the two other assailants approaching from another alley. He readies a bottle of alchemist’s fire, ready to throw.
The man that Bomilcar had knocked down leaps to his feet in a deft movement that allows no opportunity to attack as he stands. He swings his axe at Boomer and Bomilcar but they use their sword and shield to deflect his blow.
The two ambushers at the rear rush towards Aramil, one swings but Aramil ducks it, the other catches him with a painful slash. Of the two remaining hoplites, one catches sight of Mikal, slinging his shield and also drawing his crossbow, the other, unable to spot Mikal, advances into the melee around Aramil.
Mikal throws a blinding bomb at the two hoplites, obscuring their vision as he doubles back. I meanwhile headed further up the alleyway and up the stairs I found there, seeking a vantage point where I could snipe from.
Boomer shouts “Bomilcar, go help our allies, I will take care of these three”, he then attempts to use his booming blade against his opponent but is unable to beat his defences.
Bomilcar stabs at the axeman in front of him with his spear, but the man sidesteps and avoids it. Bomilcar snorts in disappointment and disengages, backing off.
The wounded hoplite dashes over to the water trough and splashes his eyes, trying to take away the blinding stinging from the bomb.
Aramil tosses his alchemists fire just behind his opponents, catching both of the ambushers and the hoplite in the blast, the two ambushers drop, flailing and on fire, out of the fight. The hoplite manages to catch most of the burning liquid on his shield.
Aramil backs off, readying his sword, ducking under the blow of the hoplite as he retreats.
The axeman swings at Boomer, striking him hard with his axe and dazing him temporarily.
The spearman near Aramil takes a quick step after him and throws his spear at him, hitting him and bringing him to the point of being greatly wounded.
The last of the hoplites stumbles around rubbing his eyes and screaming in pain.
Mikal throws a dagger at the hoplite who is staggering around rubbing his eyes and hits hard enough to take him down. Mikal then climbs onto the roof above him.
I climbed up onto the roof and, hoping to salvage Mikal’s foolishness somewhat, made myself known as I stood up to shout “Brave hoplites of Gate Pass, stand firm, we shall see off these ambushers. One foe lurks in the shadows, but there, with the axe, is a foe you can see and fight!”
The hoplites give a “Huzzah” and seem heartened.
Boomer strikes the axeman with a booming blade, wounding him further.
Bomilcar moves up to engage the hoplite who had thrown his spear, but holds back from striking.
The hoplite by the trough tries to spot Mikal again but can’t see him, he yells out “Where are you? You murdering bastard!”
Aramil rubs some dirt on the spear wound, slowing the blood flow.
He then attempts to shoulder past Bomilcar and get back into the fight but Bomilcar shoulders him back saying “Dont...Step... In... Front... Of... Me”
Aramil backs off towards where Boomer is still fighting the axeman.
The hoplite in front of Bomilcar attempts to draw his sword but is too nervous to slide it from the sheath.
The axeman swings at Boomer and hits again, blooding him and dazing him once again.
Mikal jumps down off the roof and engages the hoplite by the water trough, his short sword flashing into his hands, but the hoplite dodges by diving into the water.
Attempting to salvage the situation I stood up and put a warning blast past Mikal’s head, shouting out “Stand firm hoplite, drive off the assassin!”, hoping that the fool would take the hint and run off, to rejoin us later.
Seeing another possible problem I also yelled out “Bomilcar, stay your hand, the hoplite is a friend!”
Boomer goes on the defensive and catches a second wind.
Bomilcar looks up as I call out, he swings his spear at the hoplite’s knees, knocking him to the ground before levelling his spear at the man’s throat and growling out “Stay down boy”
The hoplite rises out of the water and swings his crossbow like a club at Mikal, clipping him with the improvised weapon, the bolt discharges and flies off into the sky.
Aramil advances on the axeman but the axe wielder takes a sudden unexpected swing at Aramil as he steps forwards, hitting him.
Aramil takes a step back and readies a dagger.
Mikal continues to act the fool and performs a riposte strike against the hoplite he faces, cutting him before stepping back
Deciding to give Mikal a final chance to regain his wits, I put a radiant blast into the ground between the two of them and I yelled out “Flee, vile assassin!” gesturing to Mikal to make himself scarce before the hoplites vision was fully clear.
Boomer uses foesnare followed by booming blade on the axeman before stepping back.
Bomilcar stays with his spear levelled at the hoplite.
The hoplite in the trough grimaces in pain as his already stinging eyes are hurt by the bright light. He stops trying to reload his crossbow and once more splashes water in his eyes to clear them.
Aramil takes a second wind and calls out an inspiring word to Boomer to bolster him. He then backs off a little further.
The axeman assumes a defensive posture but is unable to move.
Mikal finally seems to lose the red haze that clouds his sense and leaps up on top of the awning and away over the rooftops..
Hoping to complete the deception of Mikal’s involvement I stood up and yelled “He’s getting away!” and then pursued him up onto the rooftop.
Boomer shifts back onto the offensive and strikes the axeman.
Bomilcar keeps his spear levelled at the hoplite.
The hoplite by the trough levels his crossbow at Bomilcar and yells out “Drop the spear!”
Aramil hops onto some crates and from there onto the roof, where he turns and throws his dagger at the axeman, hitting him under the armpit.
The axeman swings his axe but is stunned by the dagger hitting him and drops the axe, he then turns and runs off into the alleyways.
Bomilcar steps back and raises his spear into a parade position.
Boomer heads up and joins Bomilcar. The hoplite twitches his crossbow, covering the two of them.
The wounded hoplite crawls back towards his companion.
Boomer attempts to approach the hoplites but the crossbow wielder calls out “Get away from him you murdering scum!”
Boomer attempts to explain that he merely wants to check the hoplite’s wounds. The crossbowman tells him that his own man will see to the downed hoplites.
Aramil jumps down from the roof and heads over to where all this is happening and tries to negotiate.
A few moments later two people reappear. Mikal (now wearing grey trousers and a green tunic) comes walking up the street. Shadow Dancer reappears on the roof, out of breath and brandishing a red armband with a black horses head – one that he lifted earlier from a corpse at the Poison Apple. “He got away, but not before he snagged this on a wood pile.”
(As well as being a very cool move, this act had a number of wide reaching implications for the game. At the risk of metagaming, I chose to reveal a few things to the players that their characters hadn’t learned yet. The Black Horse were a mercenary company working with the City Guard to arrest magic users, in the employ of the pro-Imperial “Appeasement” faction within the assembly. So not only did he shift blame to the Black Horse, he just completely discredited their position in the city, having suggested they had tried to kill members of the Guard to cover up an assassination attempt. I`m sure I don’t have to expand upon the effect this would have on the standing of the Appeasement faction within the Assembly – or the resultant boost in the stature of the Independence faction. This just struck me as so cool that I had to do the big reveal there and then. It will not escape the notice of the citizens of the Pass that the Black Horse were trying to assassinate pro-independence citizens. No doubt the citizens of Gate Pass will be wondering if it’s the Black Horse and not the Imperium who are bumping off their elected representatives).
Mikal circles back, changes his clothing and appearance, he pauses to loot the two downed foes at the end of the alley, taking their weapons and scale mail.
The hoplite lowers his crossbow and seems to reach a hesitant truce with the adventurers.
More guards arrive and citizens gather and the story of the attack begins to spread like wildfire, a city guard Optio arrives and takes charge of the scene, he thanks the adventurers for their aid and allows Mikal to take the daggers that the “assassin” had left for study as evidence, once it has become clear that Mikal is a scout for the City Guard.
The Optio sends runner the Strategos and begins sending missives off about the Black horse mercenary companies, the adventurers help the wounded hoplites to the temple where they meet up with Dara again, who tells them that some of the mules were injured in the stampede and will not be fit to depart for at least a day.
Buron and the senior resistance members express their satisfaction with the efforts of the cell in discrediting the Black Horse mercenaries. We have clearly risen a few notches in the estimation of the leadership. Finally, it seems, they are beginning to recognise our skills.
