Elab Korat
Soloquest: Elab Korat
Prisoner
Elab Korat is separated from the party. He is at the foot of Nelfonad Mea'a, Hope's Eyrie. He soon finds that he is pursued by five armed men.
Churgani Soldiers:
Soldier: d12; Woodsman, d10; Hunter: d8; Initiative d8
He can fight, and they will beat him unconscious then take him prisoner. If he beats them, more show up; there are twenty in all. When they find that he is a doctor, they will not kill him, but order him to their camp, down a canyon parallel to that where Khus Shachep's house lay. They cross a low knee of the mountain ridge.
In Vadhdhada Dhe'aferchu, the Red Canyon, the faTheyist soldiers have their camp at the site of Gutat Ke'arat; the Hat River. There is a camp with ten tents and a command tent, plus an enclosure for prisoners: there are five, including Korat's comrade and former helper, Khelathen son of Gurret. He wil notice Korat and attempt to speak to him quietly.
These men were captured from Khus Thuvalch's legion in a battle at the mouth of Vadhdhada Che'ar, in which Banchat village (where Khus Shachep lived) is located. They know that the faThey army is large and well-equipped, able to take the East Road from the Alegani and then move to the Nurro itself.
The faVashala soldiers are all wounded and are:
Soldier:d10; craft: d8; engineer: d6. Initiative d6
They are at random amounts of HP.
Doctor
The soldiers return before firstday ends and carry their wounded commander, the Khus Kharalt, Baram's son, a Khus of Ekhavok in Churgan province. He needs immediate surgery for arrow wounds or he will probably die. If the soldiers know that Korat is a doctor, they'll pressure him to treat a prisoner first, to prove his skill, and then the commander.
The wounds are grave and there are four of them, each being d10 difficulty to heal. Even if the commander is healed, he will need some days of rest. Korat could, of course, use this scene for leverage: better treatment, food, shelter from the night rain (which is coming), his own freedom (they will not let him go). He could kill the commander by simply doing one or two things “wrong”, but would be unwise to advertise this. If he does operate, a sergeant will sit in to watch him, and will detect any wrongdoing with d6 skill.
The commander's tent is well-made and contains a locked box of dispatches, a heliograph, a codebook and code disc, and a sketchbook, in which pictures of clocks and watermills alternate with designs of huge, fan-winged dragon-like birds, the “sky dragons” of legend (actually military gliders thrown from catapults). If Korat steals or copies anything, the sergeant will know on d6, again, and will punish him if he can.
If the commander dies, the faThey soldiers will execute one or more of their prisoners, starting with the most wounded. Korat will then be tortured and killed unless he escapes (next section)
Escape
Any escape needs to wait for night or the eclipse. The soldiers each take four hours on and four off, measured by a bamboo-pole sundial. Elab can try fighting, but he will be guarded and not allowed arms. The faThey soldiers do sleep, but their comrades are awake and round the camp.
He can try bribing soldiers, but the penalty for desertion is hanging. He has little to bribe them with in any case.
When he has healed his comrades they may try escaping during the change of the guard. Soldiers will pursue on foot (the group has no manhorses). Outrunning them means a series of successes until he had beaten each one at least once.
If he and his friends don't stop, everyone with wounds will take 1 health from fatigue. By taking more health they can run further. They may escape...if they survive.
Battle
The escapees (if they do escape) will run into another patrol of the same army, larger (forty men) and armed with composite bows. These men will march them down toward the Athulm, tie them if they're fractious, and beat them if they resist (they carry spiked maces also).
The bowmen are:
Archer: d12; Woodsman d10; Craft d8; Intiative d8.
Bow, 20 arrows, knife, mace, supplies and so on.
One has a first-aid kit and is Medic d8.
Their officer is a sworn-virgin, named Telech Gintapson
Soldier d12; Intelligence Officer d10; Hunter d6; Initiative d10
He is noble in manner and will trust the escapees until they misbehave, and then punish them.
The escapees will be marched for one sleep, and then the soldiers will camp and tie the prisoners. They'll be guarded of course.
Afterward, the whole group will spot a faVashala troop ahead of about fifty men and women with bows, spears and manhorses. The rugged canyon will provide a battlefield.
The battle begins unless Korat can do something to stop it.
The faThey will hold off manhorse charges and set up a med station where Korat will be set to heal wounds. If he can think of a way to escape, such as changing clothes with a corpse, or watching for a charge which comes close, then he is welcome to. Note that the faVashala troops will not recognize him at once.
Korat will reconcile with his friends among the army....if he survives.
Prisoner
Elab Korat is separated from the party. He is at the foot of Nelfonad Mea'a, Hope's Eyrie. He soon finds that he is pursued by five armed men.
Churgani Soldiers:
Soldier: d12; Woodsman, d10; Hunter: d8; Initiative d8
He can fight, and they will beat him unconscious then take him prisoner. If he beats them, more show up; there are twenty in all. When they find that he is a doctor, they will not kill him, but order him to their camp, down a canyon parallel to that where Khus Shachep's house lay. They cross a low knee of the mountain ridge.
In Vadhdhada Dhe'aferchu, the Red Canyon, the faTheyist soldiers have their camp at the site of Gutat Ke'arat; the Hat River. There is a camp with ten tents and a command tent, plus an enclosure for prisoners: there are five, including Korat's comrade and former helper, Khelathen son of Gurret. He wil notice Korat and attempt to speak to him quietly.
These men were captured from Khus Thuvalch's legion in a battle at the mouth of Vadhdhada Che'ar, in which Banchat village (where Khus Shachep lived) is located. They know that the faThey army is large and well-equipped, able to take the East Road from the Alegani and then move to the Nurro itself.
The faVashala soldiers are all wounded and are:
Soldier:d10; craft: d8; engineer: d6. Initiative d6
They are at random amounts of HP.
Doctor
The soldiers return before firstday ends and carry their wounded commander, the Khus Kharalt, Baram's son, a Khus of Ekhavok in Churgan province. He needs immediate surgery for arrow wounds or he will probably die. If the soldiers know that Korat is a doctor, they'll pressure him to treat a prisoner first, to prove his skill, and then the commander.
The wounds are grave and there are four of them, each being d10 difficulty to heal. Even if the commander is healed, he will need some days of rest. Korat could, of course, use this scene for leverage: better treatment, food, shelter from the night rain (which is coming), his own freedom (they will not let him go). He could kill the commander by simply doing one or two things “wrong”, but would be unwise to advertise this. If he does operate, a sergeant will sit in to watch him, and will detect any wrongdoing with d6 skill.
The commander's tent is well-made and contains a locked box of dispatches, a heliograph, a codebook and code disc, and a sketchbook, in which pictures of clocks and watermills alternate with designs of huge, fan-winged dragon-like birds, the “sky dragons” of legend (actually military gliders thrown from catapults). If Korat steals or copies anything, the sergeant will know on d6, again, and will punish him if he can.
If the commander dies, the faThey soldiers will execute one or more of their prisoners, starting with the most wounded. Korat will then be tortured and killed unless he escapes (next section)
Escape
Any escape needs to wait for night or the eclipse. The soldiers each take four hours on and four off, measured by a bamboo-pole sundial. Elab can try fighting, but he will be guarded and not allowed arms. The faThey soldiers do sleep, but their comrades are awake and round the camp.
He can try bribing soldiers, but the penalty for desertion is hanging. He has little to bribe them with in any case.
When he has healed his comrades they may try escaping during the change of the guard. Soldiers will pursue on foot (the group has no manhorses). Outrunning them means a series of successes until he had beaten each one at least once.
If he and his friends don't stop, everyone with wounds will take 1 health from fatigue. By taking more health they can run further. They may escape...if they survive.
Battle
The escapees (if they do escape) will run into another patrol of the same army, larger (forty men) and armed with composite bows. These men will march them down toward the Athulm, tie them if they're fractious, and beat them if they resist (they carry spiked maces also).
The bowmen are:
Archer: d12; Woodsman d10; Craft d8; Intiative d8.
Bow, 20 arrows, knife, mace, supplies and so on.
One has a first-aid kit and is Medic d8.
Their officer is a sworn-virgin, named Telech Gintapson
Soldier d12; Intelligence Officer d10; Hunter d6; Initiative d10
He is noble in manner and will trust the escapees until they misbehave, and then punish them.
The escapees will be marched for one sleep, and then the soldiers will camp and tie the prisoners. They'll be guarded of course.
Afterward, the whole group will spot a faVashala troop ahead of about fifty men and women with bows, spears and manhorses. The rugged canyon will provide a battlefield.
The battle begins unless Korat can do something to stop it.
The faThey will hold off manhorse charges and set up a med station where Korat will be set to heal wounds. If he can think of a way to escape, such as changing clothes with a corpse, or watching for a charge which comes close, then he is welcome to. Note that the faVashala troops will not recognize him at once.
Korat will reconcile with his friends among the army....if he survives.