(057) Dawn Patrol

[Olroda]

Dropping his pack with a curse, Beringar hurries to Gustave's side, shield raised and spear braced to recieve the oncoming beasts.

[coffee]

Momentarily before they land upon the wall, our pair penetrate the illusionary "skin" surrounding the abbey--and their perception of the place "switches" from the clean, peaceful exterior view, to the blackened, stained, ruinous interior view. They immediately spy a black robed figure upon the battlement barely 30ft to their right--perhaps searching for whatever has caused the wolves to make such a racket?

| Ref rolls surprise for both parties: Do the players surprise the black-robe? d6=6! Yes. Are the PCs surprised by the black-robe? d6=2. No. The PCs will have a surprise turn. |

The black-robes figure wasn't looking over the apple orchard--apparently not expecting an intrusion from that direction; nor from the sky. He turns with a start!

What now?

Dieter sets Desmond on his feet, draws his new sword, and rushes at the black-robed figure to cut him down before he can raise any alarm.

[sully]

Should Olaf or Wen find themselves on the ground and threatened by wolves, Dorgan will charge to their location and lay into their assailants.

Otherwise, assuming they reach the treetops and safety, Dorgan will remain with the main group, joining Gustave, Beringar, et al., in a defensive semi-circle around Highbough, Ulric, and the other non-melee types.

[Eris]

Olaf slings his bow as he scampers to the nearest Apple tree and climbs. Once up it, he'll consider what to do next...hopefully, he still has his bow. If so, he'll brace himself and fire down upon the wolves. If he doesn't , he'll climb higher and see if he can go from tree to tree to the wall and over it to the roof.

[mushgnome]

If there is no rope then Highbough climbs the apple tree!

[doctorx]

"Desmond's whistle would be useful now," Josiane muses quietly as the horde of devil-wolves rushes upon them.

"Win me a moment, gentlemen, if you would be so kind," she says.

She then steps back behind the forming battle-line, raises her sword before her eyes in an almost formal salutation, and attempts to invoke The Benediction of Thull...

[flightcommander]

Assuming there is time to do so, Armando heads up an apple tree and thence to the nearest the wall. Once there, he will either sling a bullet into the noggin of the figure atop the wall or into any canine form threatening those below. Ideally he'd be able to do all of this while hiding in shadows ...

[verhaden]

Torben

Torben will too ascend the apple trees. Failing that, he has his bow ready.

[ehiker133]

"Desmond's whistle would be useful now," Josiane muses quietly as the horde of devil-wolves rushes upon them.

OOC: I thought about that, but figured the timeline for actions was such that he would have seen the sentry and decided to deal with him before he noted the wolves and so stayed with his initial action. But if the sentry can be dispatched quickly, then...

[waysoftheearth]

Upon the wall, Dieter rushes at the black-robed sentry as Desmond/Mondes alights and draws an arrow back upon his bow... but it's too dangerous to shoot directly past Ogre-slayer. However, while Desmond is angling for a shot, Mondes casts a glance around the ruinous courtyard below and spies several other black-robes down there. The nearest pair--20 or 30 yards off--are looking in his direction with a surprised attitude.

Dieter Normal combat vs normals: 4d6=3,3,3,6: one kill. drives the black-robe back with savage swings culminating in a mortal thrust to the chest that splits flesh and bone with a sick crunch. The black-robe gasps--then gurgles a moment, dangling on Dieter's sword before he rips it free--then collapses in a bloody heap.

| Desmond/Mondes can switch targets to those in the interior this same turn, if desired. |