Heroic Combat: Riders

These situations occur when you raid or are raided by your fellow Hyalorings.

### Consequences

Keep in mind that **shooting at a healer** is a grave violation of Rider custom—and those customs are enforced by the gods themselves, who may well turn their faces on you for offering violence to an Erissan pacifist.

### Notes

There is some variation in the text here; sometimes the Erissa priestesses offer to heal one of your wounded warriors, for example.

This scenario has Ram and Wheel counterparts: Chalana Arroy Mercy Petition and Erildar Mercy Petition. And Riders Injure Warleader is the flipside, when you're seeking the enemy's mercy instead of the other way around...

## Nyalda's Monstrous Lizard

### Dialogue

1. Scatter the earth priestesses.
2. Fight the beast head on.
3. Direct archers to target the beast from a distance.
4. Rally your side to strike the monster en masse.
5. Have your earth priestesses perform counter-magic.

### Consequences

**Scattering the earth priestesses** or **rallying your side** can take the earth lizard out of this fight... though it will be back.

**Fighting the beast head on** can lead to its death, but is likelier to lead to your hero's.

**Arrows** will do little good against this creature.

**Your own earth priestesses** can magically calm the beast, though as usual, impromptu magic in combat situations is a chancy business.

### Notes

If you mercilessly and persistently attack one particular Rider clan, eventually they will ride to the Gods War and receive this beast from Nyalda, a blessing against those who disturb her peace (i.e. you). This is one excellent reason to vary your targets a little!

(Although they are said to have performed Nyalda Marriage Maker, this is not a reward you can get from the ritual yourself! Just to be clear.)

This event has Ram and Wheel counterparts: Orlanth's Monstrous Ram and Samnal's Monstrous Chariot.

## Rider Hero

### Dialogue

1. Ask <Our Hero's God> to wreathe <his/her> steed in flame.
2. Command your Bows to concentrate fire on <Enemy Hero>.
3. Meet <Enemy Hero>'s charge head-on.
4. Remind your warriors that <God> can favor them without disfavoring the <Our Clan>.
5. Lure <Enemy Hero> into a fruitless chase.*Easier if you have a Raven shaman chief.*

### Consequences

**Luring the enemy hero away** is a relatively easy choice. **Fighting them head-on** is only a good idea if your hero here is one of your top warriors.

### Notes

This event has a Wheel counterpart in Samnal Blesses Chariots, as well as a couple of Ram ones: Flying Orlanthi Hero and Berserker.

## Riders Injure Warleader

### Dialogue

1. Ride alone to <Warleader> under the protection of Erissa's banner.
2. Ride with armed escort to <Warleader>'s side.
3. Have <Cow Priestess> threaten them with spavined herds, if they do not allow <Warleader> to be healed.*Only available if you have a Busenari noble.*
4. Have <Earth Priestess> protect her with earthshaking magic.*Only available if you have a Nyaldan noble. May be surer to work if you have a Nyalda temple and/or a Nyaldan chief.*
5. Offer to cure one of their warriors, then <Warleader>.

### Consequences

Obviously, your warleader is important to your clan! While they can survive without the healer's aid, that's quite chancy...

If you threaten a cow curse, you'll have the option of whether to follow through.

A pious clan (like the Pure Horse Clan) will let a healer pass unmolested **with no escort**, and be slighted if she insults their piety by taking an escort. An impious clan (like the clan known for shamans) may shoot at an unescorted healer, making an escort a necessity.

**Offering to heal one of their people as well** can work, but they may refuse, and it's also possible that your warleader will die while the healer sees to their foe.

### Notes

This event is the flipside of Erissa Mercy Petition.

It has Ram and Wheel counterparts: Rams Injure Warleader and Wheels Injure Warleader.