"It's possible the one to the West is there to take our attention from those to the South. Or to simply observe how we deal with the potential ambush. I am loathe to use any of my powerful vallences on these people as the journey to the tainted lands will require all the strength we can muster. That said, those lands are more dangerous at night and, if our journey only brings us to the edge of those lands at night, it may make sense to sleep and wait until morning. But I am wary to sleep on the threshold of a powerful evil."
Careth casually glances towards the west.
"Hmm, you may be right." The half-orc's horse shifts and snorts.
"Easy." He paths the horse on the neck. The animal senses the tension in your voices.
TaranTheWanderer said:
Phar thinks more,
"If there was a way to break line of sight and then sneak away, I would do it. Or to even find a way to counter-ambush those to the south and then parlay. A show of skill and power may dissuade them from attacking. Perhaps some kind of fog or illusion could aid us in hiding and allow us to sneak by but that is not within my power."
"I can't make a fog cloud right now, but I can put up a wall of thorns," Caerth says.
"If they choose to fight, I can call lightning from the sky or produce an ice storm."
Aureus keeps her focus on Lady. The horse is visibly distressed.
"Easy girl," she says.
Maur looks around as the ambush is noticed.
"I am not a sneaky one, on the horse or on foot. Call them out and lets see what they want. I would rather not waste the spells...but I will to finish the encounter early. We can waste more time outside the danger zone to recover than inside."
Thinking on tactics, he analyzes the situation from military point of view. Dwarves are rarely cavalry, but there are few points always relevant.
"We should use our horses and charge toward the closest group. Or maybe the observers, if they are leaders. Not to attack, but get in the position for easier attack and to get further away from the other group. The point being the same, demonstrate that we're aware of them, but not willing to just fight blindly."
Phar nods to Maur, clearly seeing the wisdom of his suggestion,
"Charging may cause them to react harshly. Let us proceed as if we have not seen them and, as we approach, we can call them out. If they choose violence, we can charge that closest group, towards the direction we wish to travel. I can cut the path of the others with a Firewall to split the groups."
"Don't forget that not all of our horses are trained to fight," Aureus adds.
"We could force them, but I'd rather not risk it." She sighs.
"But, these people might not give us a choice."
"They've already faced a lot," Caerth reassures her.
"But, I can cast traveller's mount. They won't balk at taking us into combat, but they won't attack themselves. They also will move swiftly."
"Let us try the one on the hill. It is not really hiding. Maybe it is there to negotiate the passage, given that it is high enough it is safe from us."
Litrix guides the horse toward the right. Flicking his shield arm, the shield widens and the bottom drops down a bit, increasing body area covered by the shield.
No one objects to to Litrix taking the lead.
MetaVoid said:
"Hello, overthere on the top!" he yells in common, continuing immediately in Orc
"Guruk, traknar ob da' zash, kul dor!"
(Yo, up there, pay attention!")
"We just want to go through, we will not bother you or yours."
He waits for the answer before deciding if diplomacy or intimidation is better tactics. And which language to use.
The person on the hill remains standing still as Litrix approaches. The man is dressed in chain armour, which looks like it it has been patched and reinforced with old leather. His hands, arms and legs are wrapped in white cloth, and he wears old worn boots. He wears a deep hood and a metallic skull mask. A battered metal shield is strapped to his left arm, and he wields an equally battered longsword in his other hand. The blade is pointed at the ground. He lifts the blade and points it at Litrix.
"You should not be in these lands, knight!" the man replies loudly.
The other people hiding in the hills come out of hiding. There are ten of them in total including the man speaking to Litrix. Five to the east and four to the south.
Litrix can see that the man's body is scarred and possibly diseased. The man's hands look gaunt and his eyes are blood red.
Aureus turns to look at the people in the hills. All of them have deep hoods and metal skull masks. Their equipment looks like it has been dragged out of the earth. There is menace in their movements. Several have dirty bandages wrapped around their torsos as well as their arms and legs.
Lady shifts uncomfortably at the presence of these foes. There is fear in the animal's eyes.
"I don't like this... there is something unnatural about these people."
The man on the hill glares at Litrix. "The life you radiant is sweet. Your souls will feed the brood."
OOC: Roll for initiative.
