Caravan Duty – Chapter Three
The Militia Unbuckled – Ceratosaurus:
29th Day Of The Leaffall (October)
After the intense excitement of the fire Arrow ambush, and the Ceratosaurus still to come, there is some reorganisation of the sleeping arrangements and eventually canvas rustles to the sound of snoring and snuffling.
But not for long as Sigune and Sir ly are surprised during their watch by a willowy figure who appears silently from the darkness. Galan Tara sneeks up on Sir Ly and Sigune who are on watch. Galan Tara greets them and questions them about their intrusion into the lands within which he is sworn to watch over. He wields two Swords, a Long Sword and Short Sword, with Shield slung over back and mottled green cowl o’er studded leather. A youthful Elven Ranger they surmise.
Galan Tara identifies the mysterious footprint we had found on our way down.
Galan: “You are indeed lucky as it is the tracks of a Ceratosaurus.”
It is of the Giant Lizard family, a Ceratosaurus of huge proportions. Mayhap it has strayed from the Lizard Marshes. What foulness is forcing them abroad?
This and sundry Elvish wittering continues until first light. The eternally alert Galan Tara checks the vicinity for untoward tracks, but finds nothing of interest and no Ceratosaurus near.
30th Day Of The Leaffall (October)
Watching Out For Ceratosaurus’:
The party, cows and all, set out on their way, when the outriders spot movement in the undergrowth ahead along the roadway. Galan Tara whistles a warning and draws his Longbow.
The two Paladins, Sir Ly and Sigune, race forward to investigate and their mounts gallop 100′ feet whereupon they come face to beak with the aforementioned lizard creature, Ceratosaurus. Without delay, Sir Ly, strikes first and hits but Sigune misses in her bid to outdo her ally.
The enormous scaly Ceratosaurus stands erect and attacks with both claw and jaw but misses – perhaps the cooling autumn weather has slowed this cold blooded monster.
Frimly and Tobias follow and Frimly hits with one of his few superior ‘Magic Short Bow Arrow’, Galan Tara fire from cover but misses with his Longbow.
Frimly fires again and hits for more damage further enraging the McChicken lizard.
Thora attempts to flank the Ceratosaurus, but it hears her crashing and cursing through the undergrowth. Galan’s concealment is explained as another Ceratosaurus riddled with Black Fletched Arrows emerges from the other side of the road; behind Father Tobias and Frimly.
Frimly turns and fires, hitting it’s poorly protected belly and piercing for 7 points of damage. Screeching and hissing from primordial maw of the Ceratosaurus ensues. Galan follows up with the coup de grace felling the beast as it lets out a final shrieking bellow of pain.
Against the first beast, Sigune unleashes a horrendous slashing blow for 14pts of damage while Sir Ly misses by a gnat’s cock. Thora, though steals the glory with a thudding blow with her axe that cleaves the scaly skull in two, deftly staying seated upon her gritty little steed.
Galan cries out in Common Tongue:
Galan Tara: “ORC!”
As he fires and misses at the fleeing insult to humanity. The Black Feathered Arrows now make sense. We have stumbled across an Orcish egg hunt.
Frimly, Mirafir and Father Tobias return to the cattle herd to offer protection as the animals have been spooked by the battle and smell of Ceratosaurus Blood.
Ceratosaurus, Then Orcs Arrive:
Meanwhile Galan Tara argues about discretion with the gung-ho paladins. He shakes his head at the futility of this argument. Finally sense prevails as Galan’s eye in the sky reveals that more Orcs are attempting to flank us. Sir Ly and Sigune take up position on the opposite side of the road. Thora dismounts and sends Smyler, her pony, back to the herd and melts into the wood line, calling to the rest to hold the herd back.
They await the Orcish counter attack. Weapons drawn, bows strung and breath held.
Thora takes the lead and runs into the woods on the other side of the road. She enters the tree line an Arrow is fired but misses. Thora charges at the nearest Orc Archer, which is comically hit and killed by it’s compatriot. Thora rushes on and decimates another Orc Archer.
Elsewhere Sigune charges between two hillocks waiting for battle and calling upon Sir Cuthbert’s aid at roughly the same time there is an echo as Sir Ly mirrors her actions.
Mirafir has moved off and can’t be seen.
Frimly sees the commotion and sneaks noiselessly into the forest on foot to aid Thora while Father Tobias also looks to protect his allies.
There follows a hail of Arrows as Orc Archers and Orcs reveal their positions.
Thora is rushed by 3 Orcs with Scimitars. Thora batters one and Father Tobias glances another from his Horse.
Sir Ly, on Horseback, has also been surrounded by 3 Orcs and they swipe at each other but without meaningful contact.
Sigune is hit by an Orc Arrow that flies straight into her ample rump.
Frimly sneaks up behind another bow wielding Orc and misses spectacularly. Surprise lost, his opponent drops his Short Bow and draws his Dagger and they go hand to hand.
Mirafir casts ‘Sleep’ upon Sir Ly’s final two Orcs, they drop like stones at his Horses feet. While Sir Ly killed the other Orc after a brief scuffle.
With some distraction from Father Tobias, Frimly smites his Orc.
Galan, having waited patiently for an Orc counter attack, decides to join the fray and immediately comes across a fleeing Orc and runs it through with some style.
The last Orc Archer is set upon by Sir Ly who is then aided by Thora, but the feral little Orc hits her with a savage blow for 2 points of damage – proving that truly, no good deed goes unpunished. Enraged, she…does nothing….as Galan fells the creature with a Longbow Arrow.