Chapter 6: Up the Rebels
Military action
Ambushed on the road, Rathgul's squad survives an attack by rebels. They follow the fleeing survivors and discover a fortified palisade in the woods.
Finishing up their noonday meal with the traveling potion merchant, Ristin, he offers the squad two potions: one for the stories, and one for Lupe -- a fellow itinerant scholar.
The squad kept a firm eye on the road for the rest of the day and into the next. That afternoon, however, one of the regulars, Dulton, and Lupe, noticed something amiss in the surrounding woods. Just as the road dipped between two flanking hills, they spotted a waiting ambush of rebels in the trees.
Armed with crossbows, the rebels opened fire on the mercenaries. Forewarned, Rathgul ordered a counterattack with Amon and Lurch leading the charge up one hill, Rathgul and Kruosk, the other. McDunnough's men and also Shaw and Masker were all wounded, but they routed the rebels quickly, slaying most of them. The rest of them, including their leader, escaped. Amon pursued him into the woods and he just barely made of, gravely wounded.
Begging permission to give chase, Rathgul told the corporal not to go too far. They pursued the fleeing rebel ambush leader while the wounded and Rathgul stayed behind. A mile into the Shetwood, they noticed a structure off in the distance to which the rebel leader seemed to be fleeing, trailing blood. They also noticed concealed bear traps in the wood. Ordering Jazelle and Ursula forward, the two scouted ahead while the rest of them waited.
They found an armed palisade in the midst of the wood, filled with at least a dozen rebels and with what looked like several mounted gatling crossbows on turrets. Returning to the others, they were spotted by a picket and fled rather than fight. The mercenaries decided they had best regroup before attempting any sort of assault on the rebel outpost, and consult Sergeant Rathgul first.
Back on the road, Amon reported what they'd found to Rathgul. The sergeant declared his eagerness to route the outpost, maybe waiting for nightfall to assault them in surprise.
