Chapter 1: Into Haranshire

"My eyes! Witchcraft!" cries the leader of the bandits, before a well-aimed shot from Hanzel lands true. Stumbling around and swinging his sword in the air, the man ends up tripping over one of his unconscious comrades. (Leader is prone on the ground, "Farmer" A is awakened but prone).

The rest of the group rushes up to defend Scarlet, with Aldeera finding an opening in the melee to stab the bandit (2 damage to Bandit B). Although he tries to retaliate by striking her, it's just not possible with so many enemies surrounding him.

The other bandit, now no longer engaged with Aldeera, rushes to the aid of his leader and comrades, awakening another "farmer" up as he helps them get back on their feet (Farmers A and C are now conscious and spend their round to stand up).

Hanzel takes a shot at the other bandit.

With everyone rushing to Scarlet's aid as they gang up on the bandit, Aldeera lands another lucky blow that shocks her target enough for him to drop his defences just in time for Umbar's flail to smash into his skull with a sickening crunch. (Bandit B – Dead). Meanwile, Hanzel opts for a new target and less risk of friendly fire, sending another stone from his sling to smash at the other bowman (3 damage to Bandit A).

"Leave me, get them!" says the group's leader, directing his men as he's still stumbling to get up while blinded. It would be a comical sight, if this wasn't a deadly combat situation. The "farmer" with the club kneels down to shake his staff-wielding fellow awake from Scarlet's spell, while the one with the pitchfork charges straight through to Hanzel, knocking him down to the ground (3 normal and 2 subdual damage to Hanzel, who drops Unconscious and Bleeding).

The remaining swordsman lets out his best impression of a battlecry and joins the fray, swinging wildly at the group that felled his ally. His blows are wide and clumsy though, with the best one swinging a few inches away from Almadel.

Umbar swings his flail around like a madman (madgnome?) and although it doesn't land against anything that stops is momentum, it keeps the bandit occupied enough to avoid it that a combined attack from Aldeera and Almadel lands on the front and back of the bandit's chest, bringing him to his knees as blood gurgles up his throat (Bandit A - DEAD).

The remaining three "farmers" all charge up at the party, trying to take down as many targets as they can while forming a line of sorts and keeping their blinded leader at a safe distance from the fray. It is a desperate march, with no one really landing any proper blow, but at least they do manage to keep their leader out of melee while he's still vulnerable. Perhaps this could be the moment that the tide of battle turns in our heroes' favour?