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The journey up and over the mountains is supposed to take about two weeks. Of course, with weather and more, it can be a bit difficult. Alzar spends the first few days finishing up his understanding of the local language, and he has a decent proficiency with it. Enough to make sentences, and know normal topics of conversation. He does not know obscure words or have a deep vocabulary. He also has a decidedly Thorasian accent, which no one can identify.
After a few days, the forest thickens and Alzar moves out. Good territory for an attack or ambush. Just as he does, arrows fly out. They mostly miss everyone. Then more follow and two people have been stuck. Alzar orders the fighters forward and the others to take cover. Marilla moves to heal some wounded. He moves up and takes an arrow to the shoulder for 4 damage. He carves out a hedge and opens up line of sight to the archers up on a hill. In front of them are about 10 bandits, and behind them, 10 archers.
More arrows fly at the caravan as the bandits move to face Alzar. Soon Alzar’s reinforcements arrive. As he moves to engage, he hears noise from the camp as arrows begin to come from another direction. He is surrounded by bandits and has to focus on them.
Ten minutes later and Alzar has taken quite a few hits, but his axe mastery has carved up 11 bandits and the rest fled. All of the fighters have died. He turns back and moves to the caravan, but it is a disaster. Arjuna’s head was pierced by three arrows, and his body is a pincushion. Almost everyone else has died as well. Marilla long since ran out of healing magic. The only ones to survive were Marilla, Alzar, and an unconscious boy about nine years of age from the family. The boy was hurt. The bandits tried to stay clear of hitting the animals – they are worth money. Just two horses and an ox died. Two more broke free. All of the other steeds of various sorts are still here.
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