Aftermath

[Cedwyn]

"If they're dead, they can't wake up and yell for help," Cedwyn explained.

"I have my people to get home to and they serve a witch. A Saxon witch at that."

Cedwyn seemed adamant about that.

"We need to get moving. Let's tie the survivor properly and keep him bound so that he cannot speak. We have precious few moments."

Cedwyn reached over to undo the manacles on the old man.

[GM Craig]

When you release the old man, his face turns serious. He no longer appears the dottering old man.

"Quickly, take their weapons. Leave everything else - we have little time."

He moves to the open door as if he had just woken from a bed, rather than spent weeks clapped in irons. No limps, so signs of stiffness, and with a clear purpose to his stride.

[Cedwyn]

Cedwyn bent down to quickly scrounge their weapons. He hoped for a dagger or dirk as well as the sword.

"Which way is out," he asked.

[GM Craig]

[OOC: They each have an axe and dagger.]

[Geoffrey]

Rodric relieved the still living guard of his weapons and gave him a blow to the head with the pommel of his sword.  It was unlikely the man was in any condition to call out anyway, but better safe than sorry.

[GM Craig]

[OOC - Earlier I may have said the saxons had swords. I lied. Saxons carry axes as their default weapon.]

Without answering, the old man turns right and strides confidently out of sight as if he know exactly where he is going. You hear his voice call after you, "Come along now!"

As you step into the corridor, you find it dark and dank and lined with doors similar to your own. You can hear moans and the rattle of chains from other cells. You are not alone down here.

The old man is halfway down the corridor towards a door at the far end. Through the grate of the far door you see stairs leading up.

[Cedwyn]

Cedwyn said as he caught up to the old man, "What about the others? We can't just leave them here. They'll be taken eventually as well."

[Geoffrey]

Rodric took up the rear, letting Gwynn follow behind Cedwyn.  Hearing the moans, he tried to glance into a few of the cells they passed.  His thoughts echoed Cedwyn's words, but he also wondered if by trying to save others, they would greatly decrease their chances of escape.

The knight remained silent, and waited for the old man's reply.

[GM Craig]

He waves a hand dismissively. "Yes, yes! We will release them of course - they are all Cymric folk and worthy of their freedom. But we will not help them if we die because word of our escape reached the Saxons. We must move quickly. There will be time enough to saving once the witch is dealt with."

Without waiting for a response, he throws open the door and moves briskly up the stairs.

[Cedwyn]

Cedwyn almost stopped. He'd thought they'd been fleeing for their lives.

"Oh right. How do we fight a witch? We can stand against any Saxon but a witch? We have no talismans or amulets nor a priest to call God's eye down on the sorceress."

Of note, excepting for a slight hitch in his step, Cedwyn had kept moving. There was an edge of concern in his voice but his heart and courage would not let him stop.

[Geoffrey]

"Deal with the witch?" Rodric mumbled to himself.  Who was this old man that he was so ready to battle a witch?  But if they were successful, it would mean a great blow to the Saxon filth.

"Axe or dagger?" he asked Gwynn, offering him the choice of which weapon the knight wished to wield.

[GM Craig]

"Dagger," he says. "Never had much truck with axes."

The old man opens the door and, bewilderingly, you find yourselves walking into the great hall of the castle.

A revealingly-dressed woman is standing over a table. On the table, a Cymric male has been strapped down. There are perhaps a dozen guards in the room.

The woman hisses at the old man. "You!"

The guards ready weapons. The old man says to you, "I will deal with her, you take care of the guards! Keep them off me!" As he says this, he waves a hand at the great double doors, and they slam shut. A moment later, the bar drops in place, seemingly of it's own accord.

[Actions?]

You'll each face a single guard the first round, more will come after unless you move.

[Cedwyn]

Cedwyn had opted for a dagger as well, having never practiced with an a e; a Saxon weapon after all. He wished for a sword but twas not to be.

He silently went for the closest guard, hoping to get inside his reach.

[GM Craig]

[OOC: You guys are unarmoured, so that gives you a +5 on your weapon skill.You guys also have a +5 from a source I do not want to mention at the moment. So, even if you are unskilled with your weapon, you will still have an effective skill of 10.]

I need combat rolls from each of you.

Also, we haven't mentioned it before, but you can invoke a passion. It's a risk, but if you succeed, you could gain bonuses to combat. This might be a good time to try. Failure, however, can hamper you in combat, so the choice is yours. Successfully invoking a passion will earn you a check to increase that passion in the winter phase. Note that passions and traits above 15 may take some decisions for your character out of your hands in the future.

6 SAXON WARRIORS (using Axes)
SIZ 16, DEX 8, STR 14, CON 14, APP 11; Move 3; Armor 6 + shield; Unconscious 8; Major Wound 14; Knockdown 16; Hit Points 30; Healing Rate 3; Damage 5d6.
Combat Skills: Axe 14
Skills: Awareness 15, Boating 12, Swimming 10.
Traits: Valorous 12.
Passions: Honor 10.]

[GM Craig]

[Also note that daggers do 1d6 less damage than your damage stat, with a minimum of 1d6]