Thursday 12 July 1280, Morning (Ambush Outside the Cave)

"Well this makes it a bit harder," says Duran quietly to the others. "We are either going to need a distraction to bring them down from their trees and to one spot or we will have to split up the targets and take them out together. We could put one under a spell while killing the other two. They don't seem suspicious of Karnak so maybe we can use him to distract or knock one off his perch."

Gaven tightens his helmet and shield and tightens his grip on the ribbon-wrapped handle of his club.

Oloc whispers "I suggest we try and charm one, while we sic Karnak on another. Then the archers can go for the third if we have line of sight."

Duran agrees quietly with Oloc. "Charm one, have Karnak knock one of from the tree while  Varros and I shoot at the third. Any that fall from the tree and are not killed can be rushed by Gaven and the mercenaries."

Varros gives a quiet command to Karnak. The raven flutters off and begins flapping around the nearest bandit in the trees. At the same time, Oloc casts his charm on the middle bandit, while Duran and Varros shoot at the third.

Karnak harrasses the first bandit who dances and swats wildly at the raven, losing his balance and falling with a thud to the forest floor below.  Gaven and the mercenaries dash forward toward the fallen bandit, who appears stunned from his fall. The bandit senses the danger, struggles vainly to get up, but Gaven's club makes short work of him before the rogue can pose any further threat.

The bandit targeted by Oloc's charm spell lowers his arms and stares into space.

Duran and Varros loose their arrows at the farthest bandit, but all their shots miss, leaving a shower of leaves and small branches in their wake. Nevertheless, startled by the arrows whistling past his head, the third bandit loses his balance, tries to catch himself by falling flat on the large branch where he stands, then loses his grip and falls anyway.

The three mercenaries continue their dash forward toward the second fallen bandit, who, despite his fall, is still able to get to his feet as they reach him. The bandit dodges a cut from Stan's sword, only to impale himself on Gweneth's blade, while Jack's axe simultaneously cleaves clean through the bandit's neck, dropping him in a shower of blood.

A dead silence fills the forest. No other enemies appear for the moment. As far as you can tell, your presence has not been detected.

***********************

OOC: Actions?

***********************

Combat Details:

Party has surprise round.

Karnak causes Bandit 1 to fall (result from random table): Damage from fall = 3  .

Gaven finishes Bandit 1

Bandit down and stunned, automatic hit. Bandit 1 killed.

Oloc's Spell: Bandit 2 save roll (d20) = 3; bandit charmed.

Duran shoots at Bandit 3

d20 = 9 + 0 (long range) -1 cover = 8 (miss)

d20 = 12 + 0 (long range) -1 cover = 7 (miss)

Varros shoots at Bandit 3

d20 = 3 + 0 (long range) -1 cover = 2 (miss)

d20 = 10 + 0 (long range) -1 cover = 9 (miss)

Bandit 3 falls, but not stunned (random die roll for each shot, based on the amount by which each arrow missed the target). Damage = 3.

Stan attacks Bandit 3

d20 = 8 (miss)

Gweneth  attacks Bandit 3

d20 = 20 (hit); d6 = 3 (Bandit killed)

Jack attacks Bandit 3

d20 = 19 (hit); d6 = 5 (Bandit thoroughly killed)