(015) Near Saxxon's Gatehouse

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 5:05 am

waysoftheearth wrote:
The lay of the land is approximately thus:

``````/``````x```x/`````x`````````
`x``````````````/````````/X`````x`X
x`````/``````x``X/```````/x```````/`
``````xX```````/```````````bb````/`
`````x/``````x/```````b``````bb`x`
````/````````/```````x````````````
```/````````````````/````````b`````
`x/``````````x````/`````````X``````
`x`````````x````/``````````x```````
X````````x/````/````O````/x````/```
````````/``G`/``````````/`````/```x/
``````/```W`x``````````/`````````xX
````/``````````DDD```/```````````x/ R
``/`````````/``````/`````````````| a
```````T```X/`````/`````````````X| v
```````````/```/```````````````xx i
````````/X`````````````````````/ n
```````/x`````````````````+==+/ e
``````/```````````````,---)..(=====
````x````````````road/````+==+ bridge
```x```````````````/`````keep`\
`S````````````````/````````````\
E+W``````````````'````````````X|
`N```````````````/````````````x/
b = brigands
G = Gustave & Co
W = Wibert
D = Dieter & Co
T = Thorgrim, mule & cart

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 5:08 am

waysoftheearth wrote:
The opposed companies of fighting Men eye each other warily across the gully, assessing possible strengths or weaknesses... figuring.

What now?

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 1:43 pm

verhaden wrote:
Mads the Fair

Mads calls out over the silence "Ho there! Consider your predicament. Deggerhund foolishly threatened us with violence--now he is but a memory in this world. Perhaps your Saxxon is not so unwise?"

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 7:45 pm

Valandil wrote:

But they are no fools, apparently, for they have posted two Men ahead of them, one atop either of the two ridges which frame the gully, and these Men spy out the advancing company almost immediatley, and alert their fellows.

Andaros is hidden with his fellow ambushers. Can we see the brigands who are atop the eastern ridge? If we are able to spot them, can we notice if they have already seen us?

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 7:49 pm

mushgnome wrote:
Highbough stands proud and intimidating beside Mads the Fair to see whether or not this diplomacy will succeed.

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 9:14 pm

tombowings wrote:
"You soulless fiends wrapped in the skins of men," shouts Pelenwin with the force of a cannon. "Prepare to depart once more to the shadows. You are no kin to those you take and torture. Die by my axe, and may your wits be saved--for this is no small curse."

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 9:17 pm

eris wrote:
Olaf sheaths his sword and unslings his bow. He quietly prepares it and readies an arrow.

He'll let Mads do the talking while he keeps an eye out for any sort of surprise Saxxon's men might spring. If the brigands continue to approach without attacking, he will wait until they are close before switching back to his sword and shield.

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 10:26 pm

tonneau wrote:
Gustave continues to hasten to the south as per the original plan, aiming to surprise from the rear. Those that follow surely note that his silken brochade glistens in the sun - the hole near the shoulder barely noticable and possibly fixable in the hands of that good taylor in Daviston. He treads lightly but swiftly through the long grass, blade drawn and gleaming.

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 11:54 pm

waysoftheearth wrote:

Valandil wrote:Andaros is hidden with his fellow ambushers. Can we see the brigands who are atop the eastern ridge? If we are able to spot them, can we notice if they have already seen us?

From where Gustave, Andaros and Ulric are, loping swiftly down a shallow gully, striding with purpose between rocks, and bounding past patches of muddy ground (with Wibert huffing and puffing behind them), they cannot see anyone else.

At length the echoes of some shouting come to them. Is that the convincing voice of Mads? No Pelenwin -- and he hardly sounds pleased.

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 12:24 am

waysoftheearth wrote:
The band of brigands pause where they are as the shouts of Mads, then Pelenwin carry to them.

Several of the brigands near the centre right of their line seem to hold a brief conference, and then to give curt instructions, for one brigand scurries off the way they came, while the other Men lower their short bows -- still holding them ready, but with bowstrings relaxed and missiles pointing earthward.

One particularly burly fellow with long plaited blonde hair and a thick red-tinged beard takes a pace forward, raises his hand to his mouth and bellows across the gully "Come two to parley!"

The message is clear; Two Men from either side should meet between the opposed forces to make parley.