Millispil: Bandit Hunt!

Another bandit is slain, this time feeding the bloodthirsty drake adorning Kara's axe. The blade glints with a ferocious hunger and keen edge.

Round Two of Combat
Combat Order
Party
Enemies

"Get your arse up here, Styr! There is blood to be shed, and get the witch!" cries out Ambrus! He stands resolute as his companions fall, knowing reinforcements are near. He continues his attack against the warrior-woman, this time landing a mighty blow against her as his spear drives through her armor to stab straight into her shoulder. The pain is excruciating, but she manages to focus through dimming vision.

From the chimney comes three new bandits; two wield spears while the third bears a sword and a mighty ugly face. His face is coarse and marred by a scar on his chin that looks like a snake’s tail. His hair and clothing are generally disheveled, and appear to be splattered with dried blood. A woman also appears to be emerging from the cave, but was slowed by the three before her.

Snapping back to reality, Oren drops the horn and stabs his sword into the ground in favor of his bow. The bard snaps off two shots at two of the bandits standing around the chimney, humming a battle hymn as he goes...

Seeing Kara hard-pressed by Ambrus, Runar springs to her aid. He knows close-fighting without armour is suicidal, but he can't just watch his friend get cut down. Are the seeds of heroism beginning to take root in the young skald's heart?

The dragon-headed staff feels like a live thing in his hands. He has never wielded a weapon so accurately in his life. Did the runes carved into the Jarl's gift give it some mystic potency? With a wordless yell of fury, he crashes a blow into the back of the bandit leader's skull.

Yäns steadies his bow after hearing the bandit called Ambrus summon a witch. He trains his eye on the chimney opening and lets loose two arrows as soon as her head appears.

Rin narrows his eyes at the coming of he supposes is a witch, but stays focus on the men at arms for now. He strikes the nearest bandit again.

For a moment the world becomes narrow. Kara hears her own blood rush through her body as she forces the darkness away. As all strength seems to leave her shoulder, the Jarl's axe, her axe, sinks to the ground. It's sudden weight is another sign of the severity of Ambrus' blow.

It is Runar's courage that saves her skin for now, as he engages the bandit leader. This gives Kara another moment to find her breath, get up from one knee and drive the blade into the fiend once more.

Rin crushes the chest of one bandit, while Oren fills another with arrows; both drop dead and offer no more danger. Meanwhile, both Kara and Runar retaliate against Ambrus after he removes his spear from the warrior-woman. He defends himself with great skill, but both of our heroes manage to get glancing blows through his parrying.

Round Three of Combat
Combat Order
Bandits
Party

Ambrus keeps up his attack, now more than ever trying to stave off death as blows rain from all sides. Through it all he manages to stab once more through Kara's armor and draw just enough blood to drop her to the ground. Closer to the cave, the ugly bandit rushes towards Oren, figuring that an archer would be easy prey, and shows his proficiency with his blade as he cuts the bard wickedly. The witch pops her head out of the cave and tries to scramble out, but two arrows come flying in rapid succession and she instead falls down the ladder, dead.

Runar redoubles his desperate attack on Ambrus, but his wild swing goes wide.

Seeing Kara down and Oren in difficulty, Rin attacks Ambrus.

Anticipating one attack, Ambrus times his strike to connect with Kara's hand. The tip of the spesr slices through bone and sinew, destroying the appendage. It will have to be removed, and the stump cauterized. But only should you survive.

The warrior-woman falls unconscious.

Oren, ignoring the pain, fires two arrows point blank at the chest of the bandit who cut him...

Yäns, after seeing the shieldmaiden lose her hand and drop, puts down his bow and rushes into the bandit leader drawing his relic sword as he approaches. When the sword reaches its apex above its head, the huntsman beseeches the gods to infuse his blow with their accuracy. Then he brings the ancient blade down on Ambrus’ skull.

Oren manages to place an arrow in Styr's chest and the man visibly recoils. Meanwhile, several attacks are directed towards Ambrus who easily parries blow after blow. That is, until Yäns brings down Hægtesse through the man's head and halfway down his torso. Ambrus drops down as a ruined corpse, having underestimated the band and not knowing about the artifact.

Styr drops his sword and cries out "I yield! I yield!" Seeing you slaughter everyone around him including the witch was apparently too much for the bandit. Bodies litter the ground around you, and only Styr lives. Amongst your own people, all but Kara stand ready for more.

Oren shoulders his bow and draws his sword once more from the ground which he then points at Styr's throat.

"Tis better to die in battle, is it not?"

Oren takes two steps back from the man as if daring him to pick up his blade.

Styr pauses for a moment and watches the reactions from the others. He does not seem keen on dying, but he is also uninterested in being captured.

Before we bind your hands for the trip back to face the Jarl and his huscarls, why don’t you help us collect the heads of your crew?
Yäns sizes up Styr and then,
See? I thought not.
At this, the huntsman prepares to tie the bandit’s hands using one of the traps he had prepared.

With reluctance in his face, Styr opts for life... at least for now. He finds himself held tight by Yäns' bindings, and drops to his knees in shame. He clearly knows he will face judgement for his crimes, but you find that he mostly just looks tired.

The bodies of outlaws lie all around you, and the cave sounds empty. What do you do?