Distant shores: Chapter 1 - The voyage North

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

With a long sigh, Anuehl exchanged a glance with Machaon and put his heels to his steed and chased after his two companions, fumbling as he pulled his bow out and tried to control his horse with his knees and left hand. Once he was within range, he would stop the horse and notch an arrow to his bow.

He would stay near his companions without being too close. He would not attack on his own though - only if threatened or if ordered to - or if someone harmed/attacked his companions.

[Morgeruat]

Rastheme

Rastheme looked back, and was pleased that at least Anuehl had come along, shouted back to him, "fire when you can, but stay out of combat, if they come after you, lead them on a chase, and bring them back to us when it looks like we can handle them." The dwarf also drew a pair of axes, one in each hand, holding the reigns in one hand while his other he prepared himself to throw. It was never easy to throw axes from a moving horse, things always seemed to go wrong at the last minute. He then called ahead to Armus, "Lad, cut off the head and the serpent will die, but don't get caught in it's coils, they can still crush you while you try and sever the head."

Those who looked would notice a strange glint in the dwarf's eyes, as though he saw this challenge as a personal insult to be answered swiftly, strongly, and without mercy.

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

"Yes sir, master dwarf!" Anuehl replied - this time without hesitaiton and picked a target. He picked one that was standing away from the travellers, so that should his arrow fly wide, it would not strike them... he hoped. So, with that in mind, he pulled his horse to a halt, and notched the arrow to his riding short bow and let loose. He would do this until he was told to stop or risk hitting someone. Anuehl would try his utmost to hit his targets, drawing the bow fully back and taking careful aim - not wanting to waste a single arrow - trusting his natural elven and goblin dexterity to help him out.

With that, he let loose his first arrow...

[dplax]

For Rastheme, Aneuhl, Machaon and Nytia:

The arrow's flight was faster than Aneuhl had intended it to be, and the direction was also completely off from where he had aimed, the speed of his horse and his relative inexperience with shooting an arrow while moving, but luck was on his side. The arrow buried itself deep into the chest of one of the bandits, who although not yet dead, tumbled from his horse, who went into a frenzy, almost stomping his rider to death.

The uncontrollable animal lifted his hooves and they descended, crushing poor Faldorn's skull.

The leader of the bandits saw that battle had been joined and that they would have to defend themselves. Only three of them remained, but he was confident in the ability of his men. He shouted a curt order to his men in some form of code language and they moved towards Armus and Rastheme, spurring their horses to fast movement.

The leader of the bandits turned to face the druids and let loose another well aimed shot from the crossbow fixed to his wrist. The shot caught Gweanna in the chest and the leader of the small group of druids fell to the ground, on the verge of death.

The leader of the bandits turned once again towards Nytia, eyeing her, still unable to decide whether he should also kill her or try to take her alive.

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

"Oh gods and demons!" Anuehl whispered in horror as he indirectly killed a druid. "Damn, damn, damn..."

He didn't allow despair to overcome but instead frowned as he saw the bandit leader begin to move towards Nytia. Deciding to trust in fate as opposed to his skill, he took a deep breath and took careful aim - for the bandit leader. Then he attempted to snipe him...

[Larry_OHF]

Nytia

It appeared that help had arrived, for the bandits were under attack. Consequently, it cost the life of Faldorn. Tylus had been killed and Gweanna lay dying. Only Brea and Alexia stood unharmed besides herself. She had to stop the killing! She could not bare to lose another soul to these devils.

The helpers coming on horseback were coming quick, but not fast enough. The three of them might be dead before the riders got there. Making her decision, she eyed her opponent as he sat upon his horse like an untouchable god, dealing death down upon them at his whim.

She watched him in front of her...made certain she was ready in the event that his wrist were raising...and then...

She dove under the horse's neck, dropping her staff to the ground, and was out of sight and line of fire from the madman for that instant, coming up again by the horse's right side and grabbing the rider's pants' leg with one hand and reaching up to grab his right wrist with the other so that he could not aim it at her...at the same time, trying to dismount him from his seat on the horse.




[ 06-02-2006, 08:12 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

[Morgeruat]

Rastheme


Rastheme frowned as the travellers fell, cowards attacked others rather than earn an honest living, and worse they bullied those who obviously could not defend themselves. He would enjoy cutting these men down.

Rastheme pulled up on his reigns sharply causing his horse to rear back, When it's feet were once again on the ground he was already slipping off of the saddle, cocking his arm back and letting loose after a moments hesitation to aim. His short, even for a dwarf, legs were already pumping him in the direction his axe had gone. Bandits liked to fight from horseback if they could, but often forgot that the mount was often an even better target than the rider, and if not trained for combat, a small amount of pain could make them balk, buck, or flee, removing the rider from the fight quite well.

OOC: just to be clear I was aiming for one of the bandits at this time, not a horse yet.

[ 06-05-2006, 10:30 AM: Message edited by: Morgeruat ]

[Kazilan]

Machaon

"Well this isn't good at all." Machaon watched as his companions rode off towards the escalating battle. He clutched at his horse's reins while trying to decide what to do. As he watched the pilgrims (so he thought) die before the bandits his anger got the best of him and he dug his heels into his horse's flanks.

The beast roared forward, throwing Machaon hard into the saddle. He bounced side to side as the animal raced forward, quickly catching up to Anuehl. The horse had a mind of it's own, however, and decided to pull up short and make a turn. Machaon barely held on through the quick maneuver, his arms and legs clinging to the horse. His jaw clenched as he struggled to regain control, finally grabbing the reins with one hand, then another, and pulling back as hard as he could. This caused the horse to buck, tossing the alchemist to the ground.

Machaon lay still as the animal stood over him. "Yes, yes, very funny," he mumbled. He slowly sat up, then remembered the battle taking place not too far away. He jumped to his feet, cursed as pain throbbed through his back, then pulled his staff free from it's spot on the horse's saddle. He checked his belt and belt pouch to make sure his potions still sat in their correct places, and then turned towards the melee and hobbled forward, staff ready in case combat presented itself.



[ 06-05-2006, 07:33 PM: Message edited by: Kazilan ]

[dplax]

As events unfold

Moving fastest of all the bandit leader unleashed another of his death dealing crossbow bolts. The bolt buried itself deep into the stomach of Brea.

Aneuhl moved next, but his arrow went wide of its target as Nytia crashed against the bandit leader, knocking him backwards from the saddle. Having grabbed onto his wrist, the female druid was dragged down alongside him and landed on top of the bandit leader on the ground.

Fast and precise was the axe thrown by Rastheme and it struck one of his opponents deep in the shoulder. Disgruntled the rider paused for a moment, stopping his horse from rampaging and lifted his sword, ready to charge the dwarf. In the meantime, Armus was engaged in combat with the third remaining bandit.

Machaon, after his little accident is approaching the combat zone.

[Larry_OHF]

Nytia

The bandit leader had come crashing down and she on top.

She quickly gained control of her situation and crossed her hands at the wrist, making a scissor-shape and pressed her weight down on the bandit-leader's neck, leaning in to it and tightening the hold. It was enough to cut the circulation from his two jugulars without damaging his throat, and would make him pass-out rather than suffocating him to death.

OOC>>>Just wanted to make one move here and not overpost a simple thing.

Nytia is not one to kill anybody and so her move is of course non-lethal.

[ 06-06-2006, 06:45 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]