D&D: The Genjobi Pass

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The Lizardman's cry of battle was taken up as Darius rose to his feet, shield and mace at the ready. He leapt down from the ridge and onto the gravel slope leading to the convoy, breaking into a full sprint.

When all was said and done, there was nothing else to consider. An ally had put his life on the line and now honour was at the stake. Perhaps Darius's comrades or the frail pages of history would scoff at his actions, but it was not for them that he did this. It was for the few... the few who would see and know the truth... that there are no perfect men but only perfect ideals.

And so, he charged... and he followed Kryx into the jaws of battle, praying that the stars would look on and see their fire reflected.

He moved through the boulder field south of the convoy, ducking low to maximise the cover. He was a foot behind Kryx... they were almost there... the clash was coming...
 
'Hey...' Sales started, but he couldn't believe that Darius and the lizard man were actually going to charge towards a well armed and well aware army. Sales knew he was ment to follow Darius, but to this extent?
With a sigh, Sales cast a protection spell on himself and went after Darius and the lizrad man.

[Sales casts 'Sanctury' on himself]
 
The ranger looked down in defeat for a moment, there wasn't a lot he could do now. He sighed and notched an arrow, until he saw Kryx and Darius charge forwards.

"Go for the troll!" he shouted, sure that they wouldn't listen and they'd keep on charging on, but he realized it after he said it. He aimed for the man who had the leash on the slaves, and let go of the arrow, nothing lost if he missed.

The shot felt short.
 
As Darius and Kryx charge forth, Xenoxis draws his bow and readies and arrow. Xenoxis looks down at the bottom of the hill and picks his target carefully. Realizing that Darius and Kryx might have trouble reaching the crossbowmen atop the wagons, Xenoxis takes aim and lets fly his arrow. The arrow finds it's mark in the neck of a crossbowman standing atop the neasrest wagon. The arrowhead pierces clean through the man's neck, spraying the man's friend behind him with blood upon it's grisly exit. After a few short gurgles, the man falls dead, tumbling off the back fo the wagon.
 
Ayumi muttered an incantation and moved her hands in preset symbols, an orb of soft white light showing up above her head. Darius, the lizard man, and Sales all headed towards the battle and she followed, taking cover behind the boulders.

(Ayumi casts Light of Lunia)
 
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As the others headed off, Fielli stayed beside Xenoxis and sent a bolt of magic flying over the heads of her comrades. A second after Xenoxis's arrow took down the first crossbowman, her own missile blasted the second sniper on the middle wagon. The man was lifted off the roof and flung into the mountainside, his weapon firing harmlessly into the air.

Meanwhile, Karwik started heading off along the ridge, flanking towards the woods on the west side of the slopes.
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The two footmen around the middle wagon scrambled to reclaim the crossbows from their dead comrades. And as they did so the four closest horsemen formed up, readying longswords and axes as they faced the charging party members.

Meanwhile, the three horsemen at the rear of the convoy chose an altogether bolder course of action, spurring their mounts into a charge. The trio of riders tried their best to deliver a flank attack on Kryx and Darius, but only two got through the maze of boulders. Of these two, the first soldier lost control of his mount and had to re-sheathe his weapon to take the reins again. But the second rider got through the boulders, too late to catch Kryx but soon enough to lash his sword at Darius. The paladin stumbled as the back of his shoulder was ripped open, and he had to roll forward to avoid being trampled [7 damage to Darius]. The horseman ended up between Darius and Sales, the mount rearing up.

And as the flank attack was delivered, the remaining crossbowmen took their shots from the wagons. The snipers on the first and second wagons took their aim at the Lizardman and unleashed a volley of fire. One bolt sailed down the mountainside and slammed straight into Kryx's collarbone, inches from his throat [1 damage to Kryx]. Then seconds later another bolt pierced his side, barely missing another vital organ [6 damage to Kryx]. The lizardman staggered as Darius had, but kept on his feet.

Meanwhile, the crossbowmen on the fourth wagon lost sight of Kryx behind the horses, so switched their fire to Sales. But even as they squinted their hands began to tremble, pulses quickening as the magics of the Elf's Sanctuary spell worked upon them. They managed to pull their triggers, but the shots went wide and struck the rocks either side of Sales.

The crossbowmen on the last wagon didn't get a chance to fire. They were both being distracted by the Snow Elf who had just caused a disturbance. Neither of them had seen Iston take the key, but they were aggrevated enough to point their crossbows at him. The civilians in the carriage screamed as the two men yelled. "MOVE AND YOU DIE!"

Finally, the lead horsemen had formed up and were yelling orders down the convoy. The platoon started to get organised, the infantrymen taking up guard positions around the wagons as the drivers held the reins tight. The soldiers stood ready, hoping the flank attack and the crossbow-fire would finish their enemy off.

And all the while, the Troll waited in the cave entrance, retreating slightly into the shadows and watching all that unfolded...

Convoy-1.jpg
 
Angus muttered a curse, gripped his bow tightly, and went down the ridge into the rocks. If they came out alive, they'd need to fix a lot of the teamwork. He aimed for one of the wagons, to the crossbowmen, a tight shot, but while Darius in his shield and Kryx with his gigantic axe could defend themselves from the cavalry, they didn't have much chance against the crossbowmen.

He notched an arrow and took another shot, he didn't aim for the cold winds, and the shot fell wide, but it hit the wagon, scaring the crossbowman for a second. He'd need to get closer, or soon enough he'd be fighting melee again alongside Darius and Kryx, and this time he wouldn't have such an advantage over the enemy.
 
Sales tried not to think of the sounds of bolts hitting the rocks next to him, he just concentrated on getting to the wagons as soon as possible. Darting past the first horseman and ducking a swing from the second, he continued running for the convoy. He kept his faith in Corellon Larethian to protect him, and vowed that if he gets through this 'gauntlet' alive he would do something to prove his faith in his god.
Sales breath was fast when he slid to a stop, on one knee, in the gap between the two wagons, then went straight into casting a spell, not letting the fear take him over.
Sales opened his eyes to see all around him disapper in a thick cloud emanating from his body.

[Sales casts 'Obscuring Mist' between wagons 3 and 4, 20ft radius around caster]
 
Just as Sales placed faith in his god, Darius placed faith in his allies to deal with the cavalry behind him.

As blood streamed from his shoulder, the Paladin rushed onwards, overtaking Kryx who was reeling from the crossbow bolts buried in his ribs and collar. With a martial yell Darius lunged at the first horseman guarding the middle wagon. But the swing only tore his shoulder-wound further and he could not raise his arm high enough to strike the rider.

The Paladin recoiled from the horse as it panicked, bringing up his shield to block the inevitable counter-attack.
 
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Fielli's nostrils flared at the sight of people, flesh and blood, attacking her comrades. There was a certain protectiveness that took over and her hard glare displayed angry intent. As though to mirror her vexation, Pipqua let out a low 'hiss' before curling around her arm.

Raising her arm and pointing at the crossbowman that Angus had been aiming for, Fielli murmured a few words and tiny veins of ice wove over her fingertip momentarily.

A shard of ice streaked across the air, flying true with her anger supporting it and the man found a glimmering shard of ice lodged below his ear, causing him to yelp in pain as blood trickled down the side of his face.

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"How fortuitous." The snow-white elf remarked with an approving nod. It certainly counted as a wonderful distraction. He'd keep his key on him and secret for just a while longer. He didn't really enjoy the fact of being separated from what seemed to be allies, if they were attacking the Scorpions... though they could be rival slavers, he considered for a moment.

Shrugging, he decided he'd go ahead and find out... after a few more of those nasty individuals were gone. Internally, he cursed himself for not studying further before he left for this continent. A good 'Fireball' spell would clear this right up.

"Or cause horrible casualties on both sides," he reconsidered.

In any case, he'd stick with the other prisoners for just a few moments longer... It would be dangerous to do anything just yet. He couldn't much help if he was dead, after all.
 
Pain tore through his frame, but the warrior managed to keep his footing. Within the swamps, combat was an eventuality their kind often faced. While well protected by the layer of armored scales, they were certainly not impervious. The first crossbow bolt scraped by his shoulder, tearing off a scale or two in its passing. The more pressing injury came from the bolt still holding perilously to his stomach. Hissing away the bite of steel, Kryx continued his relentless advance.

The human on his horse reared backwards as the lizardman moved into combat range. His hand went to swing for the monster before him, but Kryx's body pumped with adrenaline and used the next step forward as a pivotal point to swing his axe forward and up.

In the moment of attack, the horseman pulled his reigns back sharply, jerking the legs of his mount up to disrupt the momentum the swing. Barely managing to avoid the flashing hooves, Kryx managed to swing back to circle the rider. Cold reptilian eyes met the dark frenzy of the scorpion soldier and darkly, Kryx lamented on his missed chance of a strike.

He may not get another.
 
Seeing Darius and Kryx surrounded by horsemen, Xenoxis quickly knocked an arrow and took aim. Xeno stopped his breathing for but a moment, and in that moment, he let his arrow fly. And fly it did, straight into the head of the horseman nearest Kryx, sending him toppling of his horse. Startled by the sudden fall of it's rider, the horse let out a frightened whiney before turning and running off.
 
Ayumi saw the horsemen moving to flank them quickly dispatched by well aimed arrows and spells, leaving only one remaining in the rocks. He was her first target, and the blast of holy light punched through his right eye and out the back of his head.

Her second was the horseman near the back of the slave wagon closest to her; this time her aim was off, and the beam went flying over the top of the wagon.
 
As Sales' obscuring mist emanated outwards, it caused chaos around the third and fourth wagons. The horseman fighting Darius was lost on the edges as his horse went wild under the Elven magics. And the footmen who were caught in the mist stumbled blindly, swinging in vain at the Elf knlet in the heart of the gloom.

And further out, by the rocks, one of the horseman chasing Ayumi was engulfed in the mist. The second carried on moving, trying to navigate between the boulders and find the cleric, but his mount was panicking too much to be controlled.

As the centre of the convoy was plunged into disorder, the front and rear wagons pulled their defences tighter. The civilians being offered to the Troll were instead pulled behind the lead wagon, while the three lead horseman set off at a charge towards the party members on the ridge. Circling the forest, the trio of riders spurred their horses towards the gravel track leading up to the ridge.

Back in the centre, the two horseman by the second wagon spurred their mounts towards Kryx. One of the horses lost its nerve and pulled away, but the second rider kept coming, his sword slashing down and glancing off the Lizardman's hide. The crossbow men on the second wagon tried to add their fire, one taking aim at Kryx while the other drew on Darius. But both bolts went wide.

Meanwhile, the crossbow men on the front and back wagons were hampered by the obscuring mist. Unable to find targets up close, or even to notice Karwik moving through the trees, they instead switched fire to the party members on the ridge and took a chance on the long-shots. The bolts flew overhead or clattered off the rocks around Angus and Xenoxis. But Fielli was not so lucky. A bolt richocheted between the boulders and pierced her shoulder, an inch from her throat. [4 damage to Fielli]

Hissing with pain, the mage rolled into cover, clutching the embedded arrow.



"COME ON, KRYX!" yelled Darius, spurring on his comrade even as he rushed past him and lunged at the second horseman. A shield-bash to the horse's head brought the steed around, and before the rider could react the Paladin's mace slammed into his hip. With a yell the horseman fell and Darius brought in the backswing, cracking the man's ribs with a sickening thud. The horse scrambled away and dragged the rider off by his ankle-stirrup.

Darius continued advancing, his stride unbroken as he stared down the soldiers by the second wagon. "Mercy is yours, if you leave now," he shouted.

Convoy-1-1-1.jpg
 
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Fielli whimpered, a small and uncharacteristic sound of vulnerability issuing from her as she curled into a fetal position, clutching her shoulder where the arrow pierced flesh and drew blood. Tears rimmed her eyes as she stood shakily, Pip slithering around the arrow with dissatisfied confusion. Fielli attempted to cast another spell, but could not concentrate enough to wrap her mind around the required components.

Searing pain greeted Fielli when she twisted to clutch her dagger in hand. Fielli attempted to stay hidden in the chaos of the fight, eyes wide for an unsuspecting target she could easily stab. Fielli hustled painfully to stay near Darius, though the mist hampered her in this while helping her stay hard to find.
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Angus moved a bit closer to the rocks, he wanted the most cover he could get. He readied his bow, and quickly aimed at one of the horsemen making a run for the people at the ridge, Darius and Kryx were wounded, but he couldn't do much with the fog that the elf had set up, and the magician and the rogue weren't much of a match for the horsemen.

He let go of the arrow, shooting at the last of the three horsemen making a run for the ridge, and the arrow flew straight into the rider's side, and he fell to the ground, clutching to the reins of the horse for a few moments before he let go and fell, still bound to the horse by his foot in the seat.

Then he quickly readied his bow again, aiming for the second horseman, and he felt too, the shot went to the man's neck, and in clutching the wound in reflex, he also fell to the ground, his weight, dragging the horse along with him to the ground.
 
Glad to be hidden away in his mist from flying objects, Sales had a more controlled environment. He recalled from memory where the closest enemies were, and with a look around he could just see the outline of 2 of them either side of him. He could tell they were disoriantated, so wasted no time. He got a dagger out and rolled towards the soldier on the left and jammed it into his thigh. The soldier dropped to the floor in agony in front of Sales, giving him cover from the other soldier, if he could find him.
 
Xenoxis watched as the battle raged on, as the enemies feel before them like so much wheat before the scythe. He watched as the fog rolled across the valley, providing cover to some of the more vulnerable members of their party. That's when he saw Angus looking not at the valley, but to the left, where a bit of the cliff had collapse some hundreds of years before. The same place that horsemen were now riding to 'greet' them in a way that would surely be unpleasant at best. As Angus fired off his shots, dropping the two rear horsemen, Xenoxis knocked another arrow. Xenoxis released his arrow, and straight it flew. However, the lead horseman was more alert, having just had his two wingmen killed, and managed to duck just in time to avoid the arrow. Xenoxis grit his teeth in anger for missing his shot, and prepared for the arrival of the horseman.
 
Turning even as his proclaimed opponent tumbled from his mount to the gravel, Kryx took stock of the battlefield. Still badly outnumbered, only he and Darius stood on level ground with the enemies. Arrows and bolts rained from both sides, the rocks themselves seeming to rise and fight as the rangers and rogues of Darius's tribe shifted from cover to cover. The rider-less horse raised its feet in fear, but Kyrx paid it no mind and allowed it to gallop away with its master dragging from a stirrup. Two horsemen charged from the second caravan, the slaves within calling out piteously for assistance or aid. So weak...so helpless...like youngling Lizard kin before their scales hardened. Where had they been taken from? What home was perhaps razed? Fed to trolls seemed brutal but what made it inexcusable was that no prisoner was armed. Led to slaughter without a chance of escape or defense...such was the nature of true cowardice.

The dull thwack of sword against durable scales brought Kryx from his pondering and into the battle. It was inexcusable to allow his angers to cloud his perception of combat and it was only the blessing of Jalgarus that had saved his life from the human's blade. Turning as the rider moved past him, Kryx swung up his axe with unrestrained ferocity and connected with the man's chest. The force of the blow brought him off the horse and through the air, a gurgled scream his final reproach before crashing into the earth, his skin and bone broken by a furrow of gore.

Roaring, Kryx wrenched his axe from the corpse and faced the remainder of the men. Mortal men knew not what they faced this day...no mere flesh and scales...they answered to the justice of Jalgarus...and no force would stand against it.
 
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