The Fellowship of the Fourth Age (Part 1): A New Beginning Discussion Thread

[Durelin]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Durelin: What would Adnan think about the situation? I was thinking that the "leaders" would wish to put him into the second row as he's young and inexperienced. Would he be happy about it or wish to be in the front? I could mention something between Hadith and Adnan on that matter, but then I should need to know his basic attitude... (Hadith will be called to the first row)

I think he would be displeased, but Khamir would make sure he didn't argue, and has kind of taken him under his wing. Khamir is going to have to take more of the 'rear' because of his handicap, so they'll keep each other's spirits up. Adnan might speak up about it, though Khamir would help silence him. So, go with whatever you had in mind for Hadith, and then I'll probably follow up soon with a post for Khamir.

Brinniel - You could have one or two more riders as NPCs if you'd like. Rog's and Aiwendil's horses are still free, right? So, make some people up, if you'd like. I'd love to help if you need any, particularly since you'll be so busy and pressed for time. If you'd like, you could even simply toss in a couple names, and perhaps we could work out an extremely short bio for them later? Just to keep track of them. Unless of course they bite the dust...

I'd also just like to make note that my Thanksgiving break will, unfortunately, not be as free as I thought it would due to the death of a classmate...I may still have plenty of time, but things could also turn out even crazier than I expect them to be.

[Folwren]

I've been thinking about where Kwell would be. Adnan (Durelin's character) is 15, correct? And he was considered young for the job at hand, right? I didn't really read the post in which he was mentioned (sorry) and with the little glance that I gave it, I got the impression that he was grudgingly given permission. However, this may be because of his failure a few nights ago.

That being said - would Kwell be allowed to go out and help fight? He's only, what, 13? I forget. 12 or 13 anyway. I am not sure that he would be included in the young men asked to fight/ expected to fight / permitted to fight. Can I assume that he would be put back with the women and other children then? I would like an answer as quick as possible so that I could figure out my next post with him.

Thanks!

-- Folwren

EDIT: A post script:

P.S. If knowing what I would prefer would help you decide, then let me tell you. I would prefer it if he had been told that he shouldn't fight and was sent rather unceremoniously (it would be in a rushed fashion because they would have been so busy, 'No, you can't fight, go along with you, boy.') to the place of shelter. Perhaps that'll help you make up your mind.

[Nogrod]

I would say Kwell surely belongs to the "safe". And as Child noted, there will be a nasty surprise there as the 5+5 slavers will turn out from behind and either group / both of them find the young, women and the elderly...

So also a place for heroism!

[Nogrod]

Save filled.

A a question / a comment.

For the dramaturgy, are those next saves yet to be filled to be "easier" or nearing the battle ones? I mean my post is kind of "here we go"-one, trying to build up the tension and the beginning. So should I move my post at some later date a bit forwards on the thread?

And just to remind and update you my fellows. I have brought forwards a host of named people. You others are free to use them according to your will as they are pure NPCs. (Well I would like to reserve Joshwan to myself as I think I have to kill him, but otherwise)

Beloan is the other leader of the foot soldiers and Khamirs right hand. I think you know him already...

Then there is the "baddie-trio" of Fewerth, Joshwan and Guilledean.

Joshwan is an ex-pirate taken to slavery just a few years ago and seemingly has meddled with the wrong people. His stature has started to show now - and just because he's getting a bit too good a guy I think I will have to kill him.

Fewerth is the "everything to myself with whatever cost" type of guy. He's now in the second row of the foot soldiers. Possibly capable but not the bravest of men.

Guilledean is the nerdiest and weakest of the three and should be among the archers / slingers.

I have also introduced a new guy, Erlech to the foot soldiers. We needed to have at least one or two capable soldiers among our ranks. I have named him and said there is another, bearded and grim former ex-slave. The latter is surely up for grabs to anyone - and Erlech can also be used.

And then there are those women that I have introduced from the beginning of the game, Khala and Cuáran. They are forty somethings (nearing fifty). They are no figthters but might be hard to overcome by the slavers as they are tenacious enough. But they would be the ones to go and help those wounded or otherwise in trouble as they have a caring heart over their fellows. They should reside with the women, children and the elderly gang.

So please use all these as much as you like and in a way you like. They are not copyrighted... (but let me kill Joshwan...)

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

I would say Kwell surely belongs to the "safe". And as Child noted, there will be a nasty surprise there as the 5+5 slavers will turn out from behind and either group / both of them find the young, women and the elderly...

Haha! Heroism chance or not, Kwell will be impatient and won't like waiting for those slavers to turn up, especially if he thinks they never will.

-- Folwren

[Regin Hardhammer]

A class got cancelled at the last minute so I'm home early for the holiday.

Nogrod -- Did you want to respond to Ishkur's post about finding the money, or are you tied up now with the fighting scenes? Either way is ok. If you're busy, should I just go ahead and assume Gwerr agrees to take the chest with Ishkur?

If you're tied up and can't post now, I'll go ahead with a post I wanted to do with Undomie's orcs and also use my own minor character.

Let me know. Thanks.

- Regin

[Folwren]

I just put up two posts for Athwen and Kwell. Tell me if I did alright.

Tevildo, I used Azhar in my Kwell post. If you need anything changed in that, let me know.

And, yeah....Kwell did just do what you think he did in being deliberately insubordinate. I sincerely hope that the women and children are not too badly affected by his absence when the slavers come.

-- Folwren

[Brinniel]

Okay, save filled.

It's a short post, but I think it says what needs to be said for now.

I don't know whether I'll be back online before Thursday, so if not, Happy Thanksgiving!

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Regin Hardhammer

Nogrod -- Did you want to respond to Ishkur's post about finding the money, or are you tied up now with the fighting scenes? Either way is ok. If you're busy, should I just go ahead and assume Gwerr agrees to take the chest with Ishkur?

If you have ideas / time, go on. The next time I may write something is tomorrow evening. If you haven't written anything by that, I'll try to put in something...

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Child - Where does Lindir want his archers?

[Child of the 7th Age]

Hilde -

I was kind of thinking the cavalry would be in the lead, the archers would go forward second, and the foot soldiers "last". We don't want archers shooting arrows down on the head of our own troops, but surely those on horseback would come charging out first. Normally, the archers could stay further behind and whisk their arrows over the others, but that's hard to do with this wind.

As to exactly where the archers are positioned or what they are doing, I would think their attention would be on those heading towards the tunnel. Of course, what they don't know yet is that Imak will be attacking them from the "underbelly" of the camp.

I'm very flexible about all this, partially because I am no expert on battle tactics. If you need something in particular to make it work for your character, just go ahead and I promise to follow suit. Also, even though Lindir will be with the archers, there will be moments in the battle when he'll have to deal with the overall battle strategy and problems such as that posed by those unprotected women and children. So I can't promise he won't go charging off at any minute.

Would Carl be the one to take charge of the archers if Lindir is occupied, or are there others who have more experience in battle?

Since it's Thanksgiving this week, I'll be having fun with visitors and cooking and will likely post sporacically till next week when things should fall into place.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Child of the 7th Age

As to exactly where the archers are positioned or what they are doing, I would think their attention would be on those heading towards the tunnel. Of course, what they don't know yet is that Imak will be attacking them from the "underbelly" of the camp.

But if someone attacks those slavers who follow Athwen towards the tunnel before they reach the tunnel, they will surely cease their pursuit and try to go for their attackers. And thence the whole tunnel was dug in vain as no one gets even near it...

So I think all should hold their fire and / or charging until the slavers have reached the tunnel and the first have fallen into it... At least that should be the plan...

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Archers might intially be well be placed on both ends of the lines of infantry Nogrod mentions. There they would be free to shoot in order to offer at least some protection to the infantry or cavalry as they round the end of the tunnel, as well at at the victims of the trap. Of course, the wind would present a major problem, and the lack of numbers following Athwen could clue them in that something else might be in the works.

While Carl might prove a crack bowman, I don't know about his accepting a formal leadship role, Child. Unless, of course, it was thrust upon him.

Nogrod, Folwren's post has mentioned some of the slavers reaching the tunnel already. I am wondering if the goodguys on horseback might go in pursuit of the rest of the slavers.

E-gads! We have 1 of the fellowship buried and 1 caught by a slaver. Things are not looking good at this point are they?

[Folwren]

Oi! Athwen won't be captured for long, no siree! Dorran will soon be coming to rescue, I've little doubt.

And, yes, the slavers that jumped over the trench are going to be falling into the tunnel without the slightest bit of doubt (at least in my mind). The horses will need a couple strides before they can stop or turn to recover from the jump, and those few strides will take them several yards (consider, each stride is more than six feet, surely!) and the tunnel is not that far from the trench. So....those nine, unfortunate riders are going to go down and probably are going to be thrown in the process.

What about Vror? I am concerned about him. Where, precisely, is he? And does anyone know he's there?

-- Folwren

[Nogrod]

Alrighty.

I've posted now. Please do see whether it is okay by you as I have used Khamir a little and in fact made Athwen suffer a hit.

And if the description of the overall battle around the tunnel is ok. with you.

Naturally I will change / edit everything you don't like.

Just a few comments/questions.

Folwren: Hopefully it's okay that Athwen is hit to the ground. In turn you may use Hadith the way you wish as I have ended my post in a most open situation. Just remember that even though Hadith is a somewhat promising soldier, he's not a ready one (so, prone to make mistakes or anyhow being the weaker of the two fighting).

Durelin: Khamir getting as one of the first into the middle of the action sounded right to me. Is it right with you too?

Tevildo: I hope I haven't destroyed Dorran's possible plans of saving Athwen... and I think it's still quite probable that those two will need some help anyhow, at least if yet another slaver would appear on the sight.

PS. I'mstill wishing you to leave the killing of Joshwan to me...

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Folwren

So....those nine, unfortunate riders are going to go down and probably are going to be thrown in the process.

I was thinking that maybe something like four first ones would fall into the trap and get unsaddled (of those 2-3 have been now killed in my post - but they were the easiest targets, from that on it will become much more harder). The others should be able to stop before the trap as they see what happens? It is against those that Joshwan, Beloan and Khamir are attacking - and thence it should also be one of those who got Athwen.

If Joshwan, Beloan and Khamir manage to engage one slaver each (and four are thrown over by our trap) and one would be taking Athwen, that would leave two slavers loose to do something nasty around there...

[Nogrod]

Regin: If you're not in haste, wait for a couple of hours. I got a nice idea for Ishkur and Gwerr and would have time to write it in an hour or about...

[Tevildo]

Nogrod --

Your post is great but I do have a problem. It doesn't make sense that Athwen would be rescued without her husband even showing his face. For one thing, if he didn't act quickly, he would probably be figuratively sleeping on the sofa for the next twenty years!

Could you possibly hold off a bit and let Dorran come and join in the fray? I'll invent some kind of excuse in terms of why he is arriving "late". As to what he should be doing, if you've knocked off all the available attackers, could he at least scramble to untie his wife? Surely they would have tied Athwen or knocked her out so she couldn't struggle away on her own. She's a pretty strong and athletic woman.

I do have a posting problem because this is Thanksgiving weekend --the second "biggest" holiday of the year. The house is stuffed with food and visitors so it's a little hard to get posts up quickly. I'll do one now for Azhar but push the save for Dorran forward. I'll try very hard to get to it late tonight but it may even be tomorrow till it's filled. Would that be alright?

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Tevildo

Nogrod --

Your post is great but I do have a problem. It doesn't make sense that Athwen would be rescued without her husband even showing his face. For one thing, if he didn't act quickly, he would probably be figuratively sleeping on the sofa for the next twenty years!

Could you possibly hold off a bit and let Dorran come and join in the fray? I'll invent some kind of excuse in terms of why he is arriving "late". As to what he should be doing, if you've knocked off all the available attackers, could he at least scramble to untie his wife?

Don't worry Tevildo! As I addressed you a couple of posts ago here, Hadith will not be able to save Athwen, at least alone (his adversary is just too big and experienced for Hadith to tackle by himself). Indeed, if no one comes to help, Hadith will die and Athwen will be carried away after that... so please, Dorran, anyone, help!

So I'm in no hurry, I just wished to get things moving and as Folwren showed the way, I took to following her. I surely am waiting for everyone to have their share of the battle, don't worry about that. I might post about the fight between the slaver and Hadith, but it will not be conclusive - unless to Hadith's defeat. And Foley should feel free to make her contribution on this thing too. So normal bussiness here, who gets to post dictates what happens (but I will surely be waiting for Dorran to appear).

Regin: I've posted for Ishkur and Gwerr, let me know if there is anything with Ishkur you don't feel at home with... Your turn then.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Yes, the holiday will slow me down as well. I won't have a chance to fill in that save for a bit.

[Tevildo]

Thanks, Nogrod. Sounds good.

I've filled in my save for Azhar. She's said some nasssty things to the departing Kwell but is feeling pretty lousy. I've also put up another save for Dorran.

Plus, Pio, I'd like to have Azhar say just a word or two to Rog. From your save, I don't know if you'll be in the middle of a conversation with Aiwendil that I'll be interrupting. If so, it would be easy to leapfrog that section of my post forward. Just let me know the best way to handle this.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Tevildo

I've filled in my save for Azhar. She's said some nasssty things to the departing Kwell but is feeling pretty lousy. I've also put up another save for Dorran.

Mwahaha! I'm going to go have to read that.

Today, being Thanksgiving itself, I might find it difficult to post anything, but I think tomorrow afternoon and Saturday, I'll have plenty of time. We're going to Grandma's house and at Grandma's there is nothing to do and direct access to the internet, so it really is wonderful.

However, I really don't know if I'll need to do another post for Athwen before she's rescued. I wasnt actually planning to, but things may not go as planned.

-- Folwren

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Folwren

However, I really don't know if I'll need to do another post for Athwen before she's rescued. I wasnt actually planning to, but things may not go as planned.

If I have time, I might write a short post on Hadith meeting the slaver in arms and losing badly... then Athwen, if she would be conscious after the hit she received, could help Hadith (and herself) in turn before Dorran arrives...

[Folwren]

I think what Tevildo meant in an above post was that Dorran would be there at the same time as, if not before, Hadith. However, I will try to write a post about Athwen's response to Hadith's coming and trying to rescue her. It would be fun. But I've little doubt that Dorran will be there soon, and probably before Athwen made any attempt to help Hadith (she's still surprised/in shock and fighting is out of her element anyway. Also, she's probably tied up, as Tevildo also mentioned).

By the way, everyone, I think Athwen might have a dagger or knife after all. I mean, it's not likely that she wouldn't have any weapon whatsover. . . Should I edit into my post that she did try to use it, but he took it away from her? For realisticality's sake? Realisticality isn't a word, so far as I know, so don't go looking for it in a dictionary.

I'm in a somewhat in between time while my rolls rise, so maybe I'll write something now............well, maybe not. I think I should wait for Tevildo to fill his save.

-- Folwren

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Folwren

I think what Tevildo meant in an above post was that Dorran would be there at the same time as, if not before, Hadith.

We may play this so, but I think it's a bit problematic as the people "around" - meaning the "archers" and the "cavalry" - would have noticed that there are only ten slavers after Athwen. So they should come up with a new master-plan and quick as they see some of the other slavers going X direction (towards themselves? - and those who go around to attack the women and children they couldn't even see in this weather!). This doesn't prevent Dorran getting off the rank and making his own decision to save her wife, but it really is a bold move as he's the leader of the cavalry and he will leave his troops without a leader just to see for his wife...

I mean, why to send our only real surprise asset, the "cavalry" of ours, to attack just ten riders as the foot soldiers can do away with them... at least up to a point. They should tactically not waste their power on the ten slavers already in trouble but to counter the surprise as not all the slavers were after Athwen!

Some nuts to crack indeed...

[Folwren]

Oh dear. I really don't know. Tevildo will have to decide for himself.

I still will wait for him to fill his save before I make a post.

-- Folwren

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Oh dear.

[Tevildo]

Everyone is forgetting where Dorran is....

If your heart is set on this, I will not say no. I ask just two things. I will wait till the slavers pass and ride immediately in back of them. I will strip off the insignia of Rohan and dress myself in plain rugged gear such as a common traveler might wear with a hood pulled down over my face. Even if one of the men notices me, he is unlikely to pay attention in the heat of the pursuit. At least that way, if anything happens, I will be right there to help."

He is riding with the slavers and will arrive at the trench just a few paces in back of Athwen. To the blazes with everything else.....he's concerned about Athwen and has set this up with Lindir ahead of time. Anyways, the poor fellow doesn't want to sleep on the couch for 25 years!

_____________

Later Edit:

Thanks Nogrod and Folwren for waiting. I've taken Dorran up to the point where he's racing towards his wife and the battle is about to begin. (I've blamed his slow arrival on the poor horse!) Dorran will just see what others do and respond the best he can. Please feel free to go ahead and post any way you'd like.

[Folwren]

Good, good, good. Excellent.

I will try to post either later on this evening or tomorrow morning. I'm at Grandma's house and I'm not sure what people have planned.

I think it was brilliant of you to switch horses. Dorran's horse would certainly have drawn attention to himself. I thought of Bree trying to disguise himself as a pack horse when you mentioned Dorran borrowing Rog's horse.

-- Folwren

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Folwren

I think it was brilliant of you to switch horses. Dorran's horse would certainly have drawn attention to himself.

Good idea storywise, but really: would a rider give up his familiar and strong horse when there was a battle of life and death ahead? Drawing attention is a thing to be considered, but facing a battle with an old friend and companion should be something much more important... (one you can trust and one you know... not to mention being afraid of what happens to your companion in strange hands)

But surely, suits me well. The situation is opening nicely and we have all the options open. That is good.

[Folwren]

Considering the circumstances, I think what Dorran did was smartest. If he had gone in with his large, rohanian war horses, do you think any of the slavers who had seen him would have mistaken him for anything other than a foriegn rider? As it was, if they saw him, they could have easily taken him for one of their own companions. Also, with the wind and sand picking up, Dorran needed to be as close as he was in order to see what happened to Athwen. If he had been back with the other ex-slave riders, he wouldn't have been able to see clearly and wouldn't have been immediately aware of her danger.

Dorran would have done a bit of riding before going out with the strange horse. He is also very used to working with horses, so he could probably adapt pretty well and fairly quickly to Rog's animal. Of course, it would have been nicer and much more convenient if he had been able to use his own horse, but it wouldn't have worked quite as well.

I think it was fine. I'll try to post something tonight.

-- Folwren

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Tevildo, Folwren and Nogrod, I have filled in the save for Carl, and think that he must be at the opposite end of the tunnel, thus missing out on what has been transpiring with your characters. Yes, as much as I like the fellow, he can pretty oblivious!

[Tevildo]

Nogrod -

I've thought about your idea but decided to stick with my original plan. Here's more explanation than you ever wanted.....

In Dorran's mind, the most important thing was avoiding detection. His own horse would have been a dead giveaway. Forgoil (Yes - Dorran has a wild sense of humor.) was a large battle hardened steed who would have stuck out like a sore thumb. (For similar reasons, Dorran couldn't borrow Lindir's horse.)

What Dorran was doing was risky. The slavers numbered just two dozen and would have known each other on sight. Dorran stayed near the back to minimize his chance of being caught. His only real option for keeping his own horse would have been not to ride with the slavers. Since he didn't know if Athwen might be caught some distance away from camp, he refused to do that. Dorran had little time to "try out" Rôg's horse since Lindir came up with his idea at the last minute. All Dorran could do was make the best of a bad situation. Forced to make a choice between two imperfect options, he chose the one he thought would let him keep his wife safe.

As the 'horse person' in the fellowship, he would have gained a basic understanding of all the horses. He had helped care for them every night during the long trek. Dorran purposely chose a nondescript mount with a steady disposition but made the mistake of overestimating his own abilities. As a gifted rider, he thought he could squeeze more out of Rôg's steed than was possible and ended up taking a fall.

[Firefoot]

If you want to look at it from a different angle, too, you can look at jockeys... racing strange horses certainly isn't something that they would be unfamiliar with. The conditions are a bit different, granted, but comparable, I think.

[Folwren]

Oh, I think it's definitely doable and probably best the way it is.

-- Folwren

[Durelin]

I took some liberties in my post, so I hope it's alright...but I am also completely prepared to change any of it.

First thing: I decided that Khamir and the 'rear' 6 of the fighters were toward the end of the tunnel opposite the one the 'front' five of the fighters are closer to, and are further away from where Athwen is. Khamir has no idea what's going on on that end.

Second: I had an NPC fighter named Tareef sort of 'disappear' he can either be dead, or he could simply have ventured farther away from the others.

Third: I had Khamir realize that there was something amiss, and think of their basically unprotected 'rear.' For now, only three men have been sent to cover the rear, and I imagine hopefully gather some others that can be spared. This was the part I was most uncertain about, because I didn't want to infringe on any plans you had, Child, or any plans anyone else had. So, just let me know if there need to be minor or major changes.

Fourth: Vror has been taken care of...well, sorta. He's at least above ground again. And I managed to mutilate Adnan. So, he's not dead. Just...in lots of pain.

Finally, I was really wondering how we're ever going to keep the slaver casualties realistic. (Just as an amusing thought I wanted to share, not actually as a concern.) We have determined there's 25 of them, but I wonder how true to that we will be able to remain in our posts about our characters killing them. I guess that's why I remained pretty vague except for Khamir taking one down with Adnan's help, and then Adnan managing (barely) to take one slaver down on his own.

Anyway...That is all, I think.

Edit: Oh...eight pages!

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Durelin

Finally, I was really wondering how we're ever going to keep the slaver casualties realistic. (Just as an amusing thought I wanted to share, not actually as a concern.) We have determined there's 25 of them, but I wonder how true to that we will be able to remain in our posts about our characters killing them.

Just my concern too. And yes, I began it with killing 2-3 in my first post (two definitive, one open case) but I must defend that with the argument that my post had the only moment when the slavers really were taken unawares and in clear disadvantage (both my "kills" were slavers who had just dropped from their horses and had had no time to come back to full capacity). Although I think the tally will change as we get the slavers running over the women, children and the elderly, though...

Durelin: good thinking concerning Khamir. And anyway, someone had to come up with it as otherwise there would have been a catastrophe there...

Tevildo & al.: Surely, as I said earlier, this opens possibilities and is good. I have nothing against Dorran riding a stranger horse myself... just mentioned it.

[Folwren]

I have no scruples against killing all the bad guys with few casualties on our own side. Consider movies and books in general - none of the important good fellows get hurt or killed. They simply plow through the bad fellows and kill them with a single blow. That is, until it's time for a little bit of loosing to go on and then suddenly it's the good fellows who can't fight and the bad fellows who can, and then it's the other way around with the bad guys plowing through the good and killing them with one blow.

Alright, so I'm kidding. We should definitely try to make things as realistic as possible. How we're going to do this, I really don't know. It should be possible, though.

One thing I would suggest is slackening the wind and sand force. All this sand blowing around is making it very difficult for me to figure out to make my little boy find his way to the battle and fight. Also, considering the circumstances, whoever has the most experience in fighting (which in this case is the slavers') will have the upper hand of a battle fought in such poor weather. Since we are the weather gods, we need to help our little band of slaves as best we can, needn't we? Has not the weather served as much purpose as it can, or did you have more thoughts on it?

I have no other suggestions at present. Sorry. And I sincerely hope I didn't sound grumpy. I don't want to be grumpy, but I feel so and I'm afraid it might come off in a post on accident.

EDIT: Question for whoever can answer! Are these slavers wearing chain mail shirts?

-- Folwren

[Folwren]

And my save is filled! So sorry it took all day. Was quite busy.

-- Folwren

P.S. Never mind the question about chain mail. I changed my mind and didn't need it.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Third: I had Khamir realize that there was something amiss, and think of their basically unprotected 'rear.' For now, only three men have been sent to cover the rear, and I imagine hopefully gather some others that can be spared. This was the part I was most uncertain about, because I didn't want to infringe on any plans you had, Child, or any plans anyone else had. So, just let me know if there need to be minor or major changes.

Durelin --

Yes, this little diversion was something Pio and I cooked up along with Tevildo. We were going to bring Kwell in as well but he hightailed it out of the grove before we could get to him!

Our original plan was to have the slavers attack the rear unexpectedly. Aiwendil would contact Lindir by osanwe to ask for extra help, which is something Lindir mentioned in my last post. This would also set up a situation where Azhar would have to fight and then need rescuing. The girl would witness one child being slain and feel compelled to do something drastic, although she has no conventional weapon. (Also, sadly, you must add one slave child to the body count.) After this, Rôg must come in to save Azhar's tail. We'd very much like to preserve this subplot but I think there is a way we could do that and still have your men follow through on Khamir's observation.

First, I am assuming that the party of five slavers will split up as they search for the hiding place. Because the slavers aren't together in one group, it would be possible to slay two or three and still have at least two left alive that Azhar, Aiwendil, and Rôg must deal with.

Could you have Khamir's men go and discover two slavers heading towards the rocks where the women and children are hiding? Your men would kill them before they even reach the hiding place. Could your men then be held up, unable to search for any other members of that party because four of the slavers coming up from the south will break through and assault them. (The other six heading up from the south will head to the eastern edge of camp.) Your men will be occupied with the new threat and unable to break through immediately to the women and children.

That would give us the attackers we need for our subplot and supply some angst for you as well. You could put Imak with either group....the one in the east or the one in the west. Whoever fights him.....feel free to give Imak a licking and send him away injured but please don't kill the man. I am thinking he may still have some value in the storyline later on.

Will this work?