In the brigand-infested woods...Samuel goes for a double-cane assault, being a reasonable person that does not succumb to such petty threats as brigands!
[Samuel vs. Brigand 1: 1 vs. 1+1]
He is, however, a bit too confused to properly execute any elaborate combat maneuvers, and flies right past a brigand, who chooses to merely point and laugh!
[Brigand 1 vs. Samuel: 5+1 vs. 5+2-1]
[Brigand 2 vs. Samuel: 1+1 vs. 3+1]
[Brigand 3 vs. Samuel: 4+1 vs. 5+1]
[Brigand 4 vs. Samuel: 3+1 vs. 6+1]
The brigand that pointed and laughed goes on a competently executed offensive, but Samuel fends him off with a combination of wild kicking and whirling around with his cane! Another one chooses to attack Samuel with his longsword! He swings like most cats wish they could swing, but sadly for him, Samuel is too quick!
One brigand chooses to stand around scratching his head! Who knows what his deal is.
A final brigand leaps at Samuel with a valiant dagger-thrust! It gets stuck in Samuel's ribcage! Samuel utilizes the brigand's foolish action to try and cave in his skull!
[Counterattack: Samuel vs. Brigand 4: 6 vs. 1+1]
Which he does with quite admirable efficiency! The brigand, his brain being a bit more squashed than he would like to admit, falls backwards and is obviously as dead as they get!
Suddenly, something comes from the woods!
Hm. Arrows.
[Archer 1 vs. Samuel: 2+1 vs. 1+1-
1]
[Archer 2 vs. Samuel: 5+1 vs. 3]
[Archer 3 vs. Samuel: 5+1 vs. 1]
Samuel is hit by three speeding arrows! One lodges itself in his shoulder, one glances off his pelvis, but the last one takes his skull off his shoulders! It rolls off toward the brigands!
[Samuel will roll: 4]
Samuel isn't terribly bothered by this, though! He calmly walks to the brigands, menacing them with his canes!
[Brigand morale roll: 1]
"What in the bloody hell is up with this man? He's got no bloody head on!""Witchcraft, I tell you!""Run for your lives, mates! Damn thing will bewitch us all if we don't!"They do so! The archers seem to back off as well!
Outside the Artifact Vault...Vincent heads right back inside the Artifact Vault! He actually goes to the vault area this time!
[Encounter roll: 2]
There appear to be several people there standing in front of a giant steel door! They seem to be chanting!
[Security measures roll: 3]
The vault door looks... cracked, somehow. Weakened.
[Intelligence roll: ?]
Maybe that's why those people are chanting? To repair it?