Kytuzian, in the future can you let me know how many guards you have with you in your post? Had to search through old posts to find the number.
In the King's Court, Mid-Autumn...
Erik made a show of considering the proposition, if only for the courtiers that filled the room, and then allowed a broad grin to spread across his face. Rising from his throne, King Erik met Jarl Corv eye to eye and extended his mangled hand in a sign of friendship. "It is done. I shall have my Steward make arrangements for a trade caravan, wool and iron for your coal and tin, and I shall have my soldiers know that your men are free to travel through our lands as allies against Suul."
Behind the smile, however, the King was already planning for retribution against Suul's treachery that went far beyond allowing Weyland Raiders unadulterated access to their land.
In the Eelspine Range, Mid-Autumn...
(Kytuzian 2) You move closer, but the bandits seem to realize what you're trying to pull. Your khopesh clashes against the Suulian mercenary's shortsword with a loud clang. Your two guards draw their own weapons, and move to assist you.
Kytuzian has his Khopesh (+1), Armor (+1), and two guards (+2 HP). The Bandits number in four (4 hp), and have weapons (+1) and armor (+1)
(5+1+1 vs 4+1+1) For your first time fighting together, you and your guards perform incredibly well. Within moments, the one of the bandits has been laid low. (Kytuzian: 5/5, Bandits: 3/4)
However, the remaining Bandits are utilizing short bows, and your men are armed only with short swords. You will lose your weapon advantage until you switch to your bow, or your men reach melee range.
(2+1 vs 1+1+1) You drop your khopesh and move to string your bow. But before you can, one of your guards knocks you aside. One of the bandit's arrows plunges into his throat, and he drops to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Meanwhile, your remaining guard lets out a roar and blindly charges. (Kytuzian: 4/5, Bandits 3/4)
(5+1+1 vs 1+1+1) You notch and arrow and let fly. One of the bandits drops to the ground. Meanwhile, the other two bandits attempt to flank your companion as he backpedals away from them in an attempt to remain alive. (Kytuzian: 4/5, Bandits 2/4)
(2+1+1 vs 3+1+1) You fire a second arrow, but it flies wide from the ongoing brawl. To your horror, one of the bandits finally gets the better of your companion, slipping a curved dagger in between his ribs from behind. The guard sinks to his knees, gurgling in pain moments before the second bandit beheads him with a powerful slash. (Kytuzian: 3/5, Bandits: 2/4)
Your guards have been slain, and you are outnumbered two to one. What do you?
In Sheepstead, Late Autumn...
(Locanil 6) Berte finds a suitable building, alright. However, he's either the worst haggler known to man or the owner is just a dick: The asking price is three ducats.
Needless to say, the King responds in the same manner as he did last time you asked for funds: We don't have any money to spare at the moment.
Elsewhere in the World...
In the Northern Weyland Highlands...
(Pompulion 3) Art informs you that there are no Kingdoms nearby that he knows of, though Jarl Manskinner's Clan might as well be one considering its size and strength. There are also two other clans nearby, though they're nearly as brutal: The McKinley Clan (which controls a village and fortified market), and the Munro clan (which controls a fortified market).
(Sir Jormund and Ehndras) The Knight and Weylander quickly form their small band of five into a circle, with those on the outer edges holding shield and sword and those closer to the center holding torch and blade.
(Sir Jormund 2) The darkness, coupled with the dying torch light and the unnatural feeling of claustrophobia within the cave play on your senses. You feel yourself quaking with fear, and images from the night before flash through your mind with alarming detail -- though every face of those slain is replaced by your own. (-1 to all rolls)
(Ehndras 4) The darkness around you closes in like a heavy blanket, suffocating you. An unnatural sense of perversion fills these caverns, but you steel yourself against it. There is not to fear but fear itself, and you'll be damned if you cower before these things. Your knightly companion does not fare as well.
(Both 3) Ehndras' display of resolve, combined with the fact that Sir Jormund has yet to turn tail and run, is enough to keep your men from fleeing. But fear is visible in their eyes, and there's no telling how useful they'll be in a fight. (-1 to all rolls that require the aid of your companions)
Ehndras has Weapon (+1) and Armor (+1) as well as 1 Companion who, due to their near pants-wetting terror, is useless for this fight.
Sir Jormund has Armor (+1), Weapon (+1), and two companions though only 1 is of any use (+1 HP). However, he is filled with soul-wrenching fear, and isn't thinking clearly (-1)
The creatures are incorporeal (+1), and have a variety of strange abilities (+1). You are unsure how many there are.
(Sir Jormund 2-1) You move to lead your men back towards the entrance of the cave in an organized retreat, but you don't move quickly enough. These nightmare beasts already have you surrounded.
(Sir Jormund 1+1 vs 3+1+1) A face leers out from the darkness at you, flayed and dripping with maggots. You stagger back, lashing out only to strike darkness. To your left, you hear a sickening crack and a thud as one of your warriors' arms is bent back far beyond its limit. A moment later his sobbing is silenced by a loud crunch. (Sir Jormund: 3/4; Shadelings: 3/3)
(Ehndras 2+1+1 vs 1+1+1) Sir Jormund staggers past you, lashing out at shadows. You step around him, careful to avoid his wild swings as you move to guard your torch-bearing companion. Something flickers off to your left, and you spin and slash, your blade coming away with a neat trail of blood. You're quite certain that the blood only appears to be black because of the darkness of the cave. (Ehndras: 3/3, Shadelings: 2/3)
(Sir Jormund 5+1 vs 6+1+1) You move to guard your torch-bearing companion, lashing out at the dancing shadows with your blade. A flurry of movement appears at the corner of your eye, and as you turn to meet it something crashes into you from behind, knocking you off your feet. The torch your remaining companion bore goes out with a hiss. (Sir Jormund: 2/4, Shadelings: 3/3)
(Ehndras 3+1+1 vs 4+1+1) You draw yourself into a defensive posture, trying to find out where the beast you just struck has gone off to when your companion lets out a cry of pain and slams into the nearby cavern wall, dropping his torch in the process. As you turn to aid him, something tears into your leg from behind with a terrible growl and you are forced to your knees by the pain. (Ehndras: 2/3. Shadelings 2/3)
(Sir Jormund 5+1 vs 4+1+1) You roll onto your back and kick out. Your feet meet with something warm and slimy, and you pin it against the cave wall where your blade has an easy time finding it...however you're only able to get off a single stab into the darkness before something tears through your pauldron, nearly severing your shield arm. (Sir Jormund: 1/4, Shadelings: 2/3)
(Ehndras 5+1+1 vs 2+1+1) You grab up the fallen torch, lashing out at the creature behind you. You only barely catch a glimpse of some dark, hulking beast before it releases its grip on your calf and flees your onslaught by escaping beyond the torchlight once more. (Ehndras: 2/3. Shadelings: 1/3)
(Sir Jormund 3+1 vs 1+1+1) You drop your longsword and pull a dirk from your belt, stabbing it into whatever has bitten into your shoulder. The blade sinks in deep, impossibly so, and the creature releases your shoulder and flees, tearing the dirk from your grip in the process. (Sir Jormund: 1/4, Shadelings: 2/3)
(Ehndras 6+1+1 vs 1+1+1) You attempt to stand, but your injured leg buckles beneath your weight. As you fall, you swing out with your torch and connect with something. The caverns fill with a horrific wail and a strong rush of fetid air, extinguishing your torch -- which also happens to be the last. As you roll onto your back, something briefly passes overhead and you lash out with a powerful kick, knocking it away from you. (Ehndras: 2/3, Shadelings: 0/3)
(Sir Jormund 4+1 vs 2+1+1) A horrific wail fills the caverns, and the last of the torch light, which is some ways away from you, goes out in a burst of rotten air. You hear a thud, followed by a grunt, and something lands next to you with a moist thump. With a squeal of terror, you grab up a nearby rock and swing it down. A sound not unlike shattering carapace fills the air, followed by a brief, blinding red flash. And then there is silence, save for the gentle drip of blood and your own harsh breathing. (Sir Jormund: 1/4, Shadelings: 0/3)
(Ehndras) A blinding red flash fades away to pure darkness. You are not alone, as only one pair of lungs can be heard aside from your own, but without any torchlight there is no telling who else survived. Your right calf has been torn open, and is bleeding heavily. There is no way of knowing if you'll ever be able to walk correctly again, but you'll likely need to take a season of rest before you can even try to limp.
(Sir Jormund) You can hear nothing over your own panting breath, and the darkness of the cavern prevents you from seeing anybody else. The fear that has filled your gut slowly subsides, melting away like snow. The muscles in your shield arm's shoulder have been torn to shreds, and the entire arm has gone numb. You are bleeding heavily, and likely have a few broken ribs to go with the lacerated shoulder, but it appears that the immediate danger has passed.