Slime Salad

Hyne tries his best to relax, but thoughts weigh on his mind. The murder of Cygnus, though part of a clergy that does horrible rituals, isn't justified in the slightest. Maybe the axe did it? But that's why he brought it to the clergy, he figured they would be best equipped to stop it from doing anything. There is also the spy that wondered about the Umbarlee priest, there might be some things she didn't tell him about how she really felt.

Still, beautiful days are nothing new to him at this point, he only wishes his feet were on the ground and not in the carriage unable to enjoy the nature about him.

The procession crests the hill. There is a small flat plateau before the road goes down the other side. On the horizon the ocean is visible, stretching out to the left and the right. The capital of Srappa is build on a large peninsula. The ocean is blue and bright, but with tall storm clouds towering in the far distance over the water.

Many passengers stand up or lean out windows to get a better first view of the distant ocean.

The rider who had been catching up behind the procession suddenly tears past. They must have been riding the horse hard to go at such a speed up a hill.

As the horse and rider flash past the carriage, Hyne recognizes Jerrold. Her face looks harrowed and dirty, and her false beard is gone. There is a fine splattering of blood over her clothing. The horse is streaming sweat and looks ready to keel over. She is focused ahead and does not see Hyne. She continues at full place towards the King's wagon.

Hyne curses under his breath. It is clear: 'Jerrod' murdered the priest. The damned bastard must be one of the Queen's pirate cronies if she decided that offing an Umbarlee priest was worth her time.

As the horse rides past, he presses to , but it becomes evident that he won't be able to jump far enough. He places his hand on his knife at his side considering to throw it past her to slow her down, but isn't sure he could pull such a stunt. He only watches and sees how the the guards will react.

Jerrold catches up with the King's wagon, and begins shouting. They are a little too far for the exact words to carry, but the frantic tone is clear.

One of the guards stops and responds, and gestures back down the hill towards the township from where they came.

Jerrold continues to yell, and waves his hand in the direction of the mountain to the east.

The guard hand droops, and he seems momentarily frozen.

1D20+3+3 => (10 + 3 + 3) = 16 - perception to read their mouth movement

Suddenly the sight of what Jerrold is doing is peculiar. Did Jarrold say something that was absolutely shocking to the guard? Why isn't the guard alarmed by the blood stains on Jarrold's shirt after a recent murder?

Hyne attempts to read their lips, and is able to make out a few words.

"...ride back..." the guard seems to be saying.

"...all die!..." Jerrold exclaims forcefully

The guard calls over one of the others, who salutes and turns back and begins riding back rapidly along the procession back in the direction of the township.

Jerrold shakes her head as if frustrated and exasperated. Her horse's sides are heaving as it walks apace with the horse of the guard she is talking to.

Jerrold points to the sky over the mountain. She is clearly shouting "Look!"

The guard looks.

1D20+3+3 => (19 + 3 + 3) = 25 - Perception on who is attacking and what they look like

Hyne darts his gaze to the mountain, ready to look out for another attack on the caravan band.

Hyne looks towards the mountain, and his sharp eyes immediately notice that something is odd about those birds that were circling over the mountain. They are coming closer, and though exact scale is hard to judge against the blue sky, they don't seem to be birds.

There are three of them flying in a triangle formation. They are still too far away to resolve any details, bit it seems that the lead is some kind of wyrmling, and the two flanking ones are some kind of winged horses. They all have riders on their backs.

Hyne pulls out his bow and an arrow, and yells out to the coach driver, "We're being attacked again!"

They might have confirmed their crown is fake.

"And I don't trust they'll attack only military this time."

The coachwoman, who had also been watching Jerrold and the guards with curiosity looks where Hyne is indicating. She reaches under her seat and produces a shiny new crossbow. "First thing I bought in Bovo yesterday." she says.

Other drivers and passengers are taking note that something is wrong, but not everyone is looking skyward. There are spreading sounds of fear and confusion. Some wagons speed up, while other slow down.

The guard who had already started heading back down the hill towards the town is now galloping full speed.

As the flying beasts come closer, Hyne can make them out more clearly. The two on the sides are Hippogriffs. The center one is definitely a wyrmling, of a sandy color.

The hippogriffs are being ridden by persons wearing clothing similar to the Jenn ambushers who attacked the procession yesterday. Their forest camouflage colors stand out against the sky.

The rider of the wyrmling is all gleaming chain-mail and glistening bare bronzed skin. She has a brightly colored head-dress that is flapping wildly in the wind.

"Jasputin? Can you tell everyone that we're being bombarded by an airborne unit and get Miss Goduvna to somewhere safer? I'm going to be busy here."

He scrapes his arm across his nose momentarily and pulls on the string of his bow, "I'm going to try to kill the woman on the drake once the opportunity arises, she could be an ensign leading the rest into battle."

1D20+2+3 => (14 + 2 + 3) = 19 - Stealth to remain hidden for the time being

"What! Huh!?" Jasputin drops his book and looks out the window. Goduvna jostles him to try and see out herself. Plucksley wakes up and starts roar-squawking.

Hyne conceals himself well

The attackers fly closer. They seem to be headed towards the King's wagon

Hyne can hear Oxnar's voice bellowing. "Circle! Circle! Make a ring!"

DM wrote:The attackers are now close enough that you can make an attack, but far enough that it will be at disadvantage

He says to the coach driver, "On the other hand.. they're too far for a good shot. We should get to safety."

The ranger looks to see where they could go that would best elude the attackers.

Immediately around the road is flat ground without cover. Some wagons are already maneuvering in this space, turning around. Others are staying on the road. Beyond the clear area, the slips of the hill have abundant low thick patches of scrub oak where people on foot could easily hide and take cover, but there is absolutely nothing big enough to hide a whole wagon.

The attackers are almost upon the king's wagon. The bellowing screeches of the hippogriffs fill the air. A few wild shots from crossbows miss them. It seems Hyne's coach driver was not the only to have armed themselves.

The three remaining guards are rallying in front of the king's wagon.

"Let's get out of here while the flying monsters are distracted, I can't shoot at them or they'll all go after me with you guys around," he suggests, recalling the last time he tried to take pot shots at distracted Jenna soldiers. "We might have to ditch the wagon."