Rise of Drekis: Chapter 1 Episode 04

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==Synopsis==
Elaine returns to camp and realizes that the deserters that were chasing her did not follow them all the way to camp. That night, one of her soldiers reports they saw a scout in the woods and Elaine chases after them and kills them. The next day, one of the 2 knights allied with the deserters sends Elaine a message to meet with him alone in the woods.  Elaine meets the knight and he challenges her to a duel. Elaine tells the knight to think about his actions and agrees to duel with him at the same time the next day. The next day, the two knights begin their duel when Willa and 6 of her bowmen appear out of  nowhere and kill the knight.
The next couple of days are peaceful as Elaine rests and the soldiers prepare for battle. On May 17 the battle began. Both sides fought bravely and suffered heavy losses, but in the end Elaine and her soldiers prevailed killing most of the deserters and captured the cleric alive.
==Recap ==
===Day 11 (715 rations): A Scout in the Night===
The party makes it back to camp after outrunning their pursuers. Elaine reports back to the camp that the deserters plan to attack them and take their ship. Everyone agrees to remain on high alert and be ready for a possible assault. During that time, the sailors approach Elaine, and she suggests to them that they will need to take up arms if they wish to travel back with the rest of the soldiers. They are resistant at first, but Elaine makes it clear they have no other option. Elaine then informs the other sergeant, Karl, that Gregor died after falling into an icy river while fleeing their pursuers. 
In the middle of the night, a soldier who was on lookout runs into the camp and informs Elaine that they spotted someone scouting their camp. Elaine, along with some bowmen, leave immediately to follow the tracks of the enemy scout. She catches up to him and fires an arrow, killing him. Elaine and her bowmen return to a tense camp. 
=== Day 12 (687 rations): Challenged to a Duel ===
During the day, a group of soldiers who were collecting firewood came running back to camp very excited. They reported that they spoke to one of the deserter knights,  Kel Friedrch Goblinstompen, who sent back a message for Elaine. The message to Elaine was to meet with him 100 yards from camp to parle one-on-one. Elaine leaves camp to go meet the knight on her own. The two knights meet face to face in the woods and introduce themselves. Kel Friedrch challenges Elaine to a duel on the condition that the losing side will surrender all their soldiers to the winner. Elaine asks him what would happen if she were to lose. The knight explains that they will not hurt any of her men and would set them free when they arrive in Sulom. Elaine then asks the knight how a single cleric could have turned him and his twin sister against a country that has been so good to them. The knight responds as such:
“Mother Ilse shared with us the things she had seen at court, the things she had gathered through her prayers, and these were confirmed in part by Kel Shohan, our late leader who was thrown overboard. There is an old saying, ‘when you fight monsters, be careful you don’t become one yourself’. I think our empress has strayed from the path of righteousness that we have all sworn ourselves to. We seek to overthrow our enemies, we do not wish to replace them by being the same. I do my people honor by knowing when to exchange my life, my vows, and my rank for the good of the people. For the good of our future. I do not want us to become like our enemies. You have undoubtedly seen the gold dragon that sits in the capital. Her scales burned red from her encounters with enemies. Her eye plucked out in battle. Some people might see the darkening of her scales as physical scars of conflict. I think they are a symbolic scar upon our nation; that even the goodness of a gold dragon is being tainted red by the evils of our empire. Kel Shohan has seen the empress, has seen those the empress has trusted and confided in. She has reported a deeply uneasy feeling around the upper echelon. I think mistakes have been made, and it is not too late to correct them.”
Elaine finds the knight's story unsatisfying and accuses him of damning the people he claims to want to protect to more war and bloodshed. She uses the Akuban Civil War as an example of the horrors that internal strife can bring upon a nation and that what he is trying to do will bring about another war just a year removed from the bloodiest conflict in the history of Drekis. Elaine informs the knight that he needs to start thinking of the bigger picture and what the consequences of his actions will be. After he has thought about it, she will meet him at the same place at the same time tomorrow.
=== Day 13 (659 rations): The Duel ===
Before going out to face Kel Friedrich, Elaine talks to her 2 sergeants. Willa asks if she can patrol the area to make sure there isn’t an ambush. Elaine gives the okay to Willa under the condition that she does not ambush the knight, giving him a chance to surrender. 
After saying a prayer to Martha, Elaine heads out to face Kel Friedrich. The two face each other in the woods, and after some brief words of declaration, they begin their duel. Elaine misses her first attack and Kel Friedrich hits his first attack. Within just the first round of combat, things are looking bad for Elaine, when Willa and 6 bowmen reveal themselves from behind cover and take shots at the deserter. It takes several volleys of arrows, but eventually Kel Friedrich Goblinstompin goes down.
They bring the body back to camp and Elaine gives a speech about how men like this do not deserve the honor and respect other soldiers get. She explains how he and the rest of the deserters are no longer one of them, and they should treat them the same way they treat the monster that wanders these woods. She goes on to say:
“This man came here to take charge because he thought he could bring all of you under his command. He wanted to take your food, he wanted to take your ship home for his own people. He is no longer one of us. Today we kept each other safe, because that’s what we do as an army; we stand up for each other and we stand up for what is right.”
After Elaine’s speech, Willa proclaimed proudly: “Death to deserters!”
=== Day 16: The Battle of Arrow Island ===
Elaine reads a note written by Kel Friedrich to his wife and thinks of home and the warmth she desires to return to. She then tosses the note into the fire when a shout from one of her men alerts her to the 20+ soldiers marching towards their camp.
Enemy: 1 cleric (lvl 4), 1 knight (lvl 4), 9 mercenaries (lvl 2), 10 spearmen (lvl 0). Total: 21
Allies: 1 knight (lvl3), 2 sergeants (lvl 2), 13 spearmen (lvl 0), 7 bowmen (lvl 0), 5 sailors (lvl 0). Total: 28
==== Combat Begins ====
===== Round 1 =====
2 out of the 3 guards on the cliff jump down into the camp taking damage but survive.
The enemy cleric casts on 6 soldiers
Elaine yells out orders and prepares her troops for battle.
Ally losses: 0 Enemy losses: 0
===== Round 2 =====
* The mercenaries move to the edge of the cliff and kill the 1 remaining spearman up there.
* Elaine throws a dagger and misses.
* The 7 bowmen and Willa fire 2 shots each for a total 16 attacks with only 3 hits killing 2 enemy spearmen.
Ally losses: 1 Enemy losses: 2
===== Round 3 =====
* The enemy spearmen move around to the north of the camp.
* The mercenaries slide down the cliff into the camp taking some damage.
* The mercenaries kill 1 spearman and 1 sailor.
* The bowmen and spearmen all miss their attacks.
Ally losses: 3 Enemy losses: 2
===== Round 4 =====
The cleric casts on the enemy knight. 
The enemy knight slides down the cliff taking damage before killing a spearman.
The spearmen make attacks against the mercenaries for a little damage but get no kills.
The enemy spearmen position themselves at the northern entrance of the camp.
The bowmen hit the enemy knight, heavily damaging him. They also hit and kill one of the mercenaries.
The mercenaries make their attacks dealing heavy damage to Karl. However 1 mercenary who is low on health flees and gets cut down.
Ally losses: 4 Enemy losses: 4
===== Round 5 =====
The spearmen make attacks against the enemy knight dealing significant damage.
The mercenaries kill 2 spearmen, 1 bowman, and 1 sailor.
The cleric casts on Elaine.
Ally losses: 8 Enemy losses: 4
===== Round 6 =====
Elaine rolls in the snow as she takes her armor off.
The mercenaries kill 2 sailors.
The bowmen deal some damage to the mercenaries and kill 1.
The spearmen continue to attack the enemy knight dealing a small amount of damage.
The cleric casts another on Karl.
The enemy knight kills 2 spearmen. 
The enemy spearmen charge into the camp and 1 dies. 
Ally losses: 12 Enemy losses: 6
===== Round 7 =====
* The bowmen kill 1 mercenary.
* 1 mercenary flees the battlefield.
* Karl, despite his armor burning him alive, continues to fight bravely and kills an enemy spearman.
* Willa kills 1 enemy spearman.
Ally losses: 12 Enemy losses: 9
===== Round 8 =====
* The bowmen kill 1 mercenary.
* The enemy knight kills 2 spearmen.
* 2 mercenaries flee the battlefield.
* Karl, while burning to death, still manages to kill another spearman.
* Elaine kills 1 spearman.
Ally losses: 14 Enemy losses: 12
===== Round 9 =====
* Elaine finishes taking off her armor.
* The cleric kills 1 spearman.
* The mad man Karl, knowing he will probably die this round from the hot armor around his body, makes his final 2 attacks killing 1 spearman and wounding a mercenary before dying.
* Willa kills an enemy spearman.
* The bowmen hit the cleric dealing heavy damage.  
* The last remaining enemy spearman surrenders.
* The enemy knight flees the battlefield.
Ally losses: 16 Enemy losses: 14
===== Round 10 =====
* Elaine grabs her bow and shoots the cleric, bringing her unconscious but not dead. 
* The bowmen kill 1 mercenary.
* The final mercenary flees.
Ally losses: 16 Enemy losses: 15
==== End Combat ====
==== Battle Debrief ====
* Allies killed: Karl (lvl 2), 10 spearmen (lvl 0), 1 bowman (lvl 0), 4 sailors (lvl 0)
* Allies alive: Elaine (lvl 3), Willa (lvl 2), 3 spearmen (lvl 0), 6 bowmen (lvl 0), 1 sailor (lvl 0)
* Enemy killed: 5 mercenaries (lvl 2), 9 spearmen (lvl 0)
* Enemy captured: Mother Ilse (lvl 4), 1 spearman (lvl 0)
* Enemy alive: Kel Frieda Goblinstompen (lvl 4), 4 mercenaries (lvl 2)
==Experience==
No experience this episode.
Category:Rise of Drekis Episodes
Category:Rise of Drekis