Upon the Desert Road (IC - Outside the City)

[Paladin]

Yeees. Give me an attack roll with +2 for sheer bravado.

[cybersavant]

Corthalis aelvynwynne will run to one of the guard horses and mount up, then follow the others away.

[Bluetongue]

Shylock

What he seems to lack in wisdom he makes up for in dramatic theatre. The halfling leaps at the rider on the right hand of the pair, swishing his sword in the air as he catapults into him.

Shylock leap attack +2 [1d20+2]=11+2=13 damage [1d6]=4

[Paladin]

In the Heat of Battle, Late Morning

Alec did a lot this round, from leaping down from his sniper nest and making his way back to the wagons to removing the dead horse, hitching a new one, lighting the buildings aflame, and driving the wagon away. Dude is busy!

Rather than splitting that up or saying part of it didn't happen, we'll allow the bad guys to act twice and call it good.

The cavalry from Nuz Edrak thunder on at a whirlwind pace, their horses' long strides eating the ground and drawing them rapidly nearer the struggling party. Alec leaps down from his perch and begins scorching the earth behind him. The building with the oil splashed upon it lights quickly and burns brightly, but it remains to be seen if the wind will spread the flames.

While he hitches the new horse, the others find or steal mounts and make ready to depart. Arrows begin falling perilously close to the wagon, though most land flat, buffeted by a current of the hot desert wind beyond their normal range.

You can see your pursuers more clearly now. At their head is Artabanu, the unfortunate guardsman from whom you rescued Jasmine previously. He whips his mount on to urge greater speed and stabs an accusing finger at you, but whatever words accompany the gesture are lost to the wind.

Meanwhile, the final barbarian horseman faces off with Shylock. In a moment of inspiration, the jousting halfling takes a flying leap and sails artfully from his horse to the next, landing with a solid thump upon the saddle, his momentum carrying him behind the big warrior. His blade glances off the man's thick armor, but the unexpected nature of the attack takes the warrior off guard and he plows ahead, trying to twist in the saddle and strike a return blow. For the moment, his efforts are fruitless.

Alec whips the wagon into motion and the horses leap ahead, though it will take some time for the pair to operate as smoothly as the team did before.

Gil - 36/39
Jasmine - 51/55
Corthalis - 10/10
Alec - 22/22
Shylock 23/23

[Bluetongue]

Shylock Cravat

Straddles the saddle and tries to knock the rider off by bashing him but the lack of stirrups abd the fact the guard wrestles to stop him being back stabbed means he is unable to land a blow, killing of otherwise.

Shylock attack [1d20]=5 damage [1d6]=1

[Grognardsw]

Gil, barbarian skald



The northern warrior grimaces at the odds that force his decision to flee. He gallops near the wagon and yells to Alec.

"Kazak can replace our gear
but not our lives I fear!
We have need for speed
Our deaths have been decreed!"

Gil points to a free horse tethered to the rushing wagon. He then lashes Mount to keep and extend the lead they have.

[cybersavant]

Corthalis Aelvynwynne rides after GIl.

[Paladin]

Waiting on Alec and Jasmine. I'll move us ahead this evening either way. Get an action in if you want to take one.

[Bluetongue]

Shylock Cravat

What I would like to do if I can cast the body of the ruder out if the saddle is to lean over the side of the horse gripping the saddle and stirrup and stretched out using the body of the horse as a visible shield so that onlookers view the horse as running away unmounted.

My hope is the other guard will believe I fell off the horse alongside his comrade and thus I can whip the horse to gallop away after the others out of bowshot range.

[Darklin2]

Alec

Questioning his accusation with this new group whips the horses to gather as much speed as possible to get out of the shanty town. Not stopping for anyone this time keeps the horses at full gallop through the town and once clear whips it back around heading back to the road away from the town and pursuit.

[tarlyn]

Waiting on Alec and Jasmine. I'll move us ahead this evening either way. Get an action in if you want to take one.

JAsmine jumped on a horse earlier and was waiting for everyone else, wasn't she?

[Paladin]

There's always something she might want to do to advance the cause. I try to avoid going forward until I've made certain you're all satisfied with your progress. Fell asleep before I could post last night, but it's incoming today!

[Paladin]

In the Heat of Battle, Late Morning

Whether on horses of their own, the wagon, or clinging to the enemy, the party dashes ahead. The wagon rumbles along more slowly than the others, but so far seems to be staying ahead of their pursuers, if only just.

The men following are heavily armored and move relatively slowly, but their advance is inexorable, the mass of black horses bristling with spearpoints. They swarm the road behind you and cut off any chance of circling back. Only the desert offers sanctuary now.

Shylock struggles with his enemy atop the rushing horse. The man twists in the saddle and clamps an iron hand around the halfling's wrist, grunting and heaving. Give me a hard Dex or Str check to avoid being flung out of the saddle.

You pass out of the old town and into the wide open sands. Nothing is visible ahead but sand and cobblestones. The mounted party members pull ahead of the wagon by thirty yards now, and your pursuers race forward some fifty yards behind the wagon. Arrows thunk into the wooden frame, but none threaten Alec or the horses. Yet.

Gil - 36/39
Jasmine - 51/55
Corthalis - 10/10
Alec - 22/22
Shylock 23/23

[Bluetongue]

Shylock Cravat

The guard flails and tries to toss the halfling off the horse but despite his best efforts, Shylock remains as glue, clinging to the man's arm as he dangles precariously.

Shylock. Hard dex skill check vs 18 [4d6]=18

He then stabs at the riders torso, nailing him between the seams of his armour.

Shylock attack [1d20]=14 damage [1d6]=6

Hopefully now the guard does fall and he can continue the ruse of a rider less horse whizzing by.

[tarlyn]

Jasmine

Jasmine eggs her horse towards Shylock and his foe. Unsheathing her hunting knife, she will attempt to

get side by side with Shylock.

Using one hand to guide the horse, the other one will snake out and attempt to stab Shylock's foe.

Using her Land-Based riding skill and her Horsemanship to help in this crazy endeavor!

Paladin, let me know what kind of roll I need to make heh.

[Grognardsw]

Gil rides hard ahead but glances back frequently to see how his comrades are faring.

[cybersavant]

Corthalis Aelvynwynne continues on into the desert, following the trail of dust kicked up be Gil's horse.

[Darklin2]

Alec

Keeps whipping the horses pulling the wagon. The wagon will be their salvation when the dead walk at night so he must save the wagon.

[Paladin]

The Coming Storm, Late Morning

The combined efforts of Shylock and Jasmine prove too much for the barbarian warrior and he tumbles head over heels from the saddle, his corpse mangled by the passing hooves of other horses. He lies across the path behind you as a grisly warning to those who follow.

Somehow, you manage to increase the distance between you and your pursuers. It's unclear why until you look ahead deeper into the wasteland and see sullen black stormclouds bearing down upon you.

You hear a muffled shout from behind you as Artabanu calls to his men and raises an arm. The column grinds to a halt and the horses prance nervously. Your own beasts seem oblivious to the danger as you urge them to greater efforts.

I'll take a Hard(4d6) wisdom check from everyone with your next actions, please.

The wind picks up as you ride into the teeth of the coming gale, the sky darkens, and tiny pinpricks of sand sting your cheeks.

Gil - 36/39
Jasmine - 51/55
Corthalis - 10/10
Alec - 22/22
Shylock 23/23

[cybersavant]

Corthalis Aelvynwynne pulls his tunic up around his face and follows the others.

wis11
[_4d6]=(3+2+3+3)=11