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THE FIRST MISSION OF THE HOUSE OF THE HAWK PROVED EVENTUALLY TO BE MUCH MORE INVOLVED AND DIFFICULT THAN AS IT FIRST HAD SEEMED. THE MISSION WAS SIMPLE: ESCORT A SMALL CARAVAN FROM TARRANTIS TO GONZIR-GALAD,IN ORDER FOR AS MUCH MERCHANDISE TO REACH READY BUYERS AS POSSIBLE. BANDIT ACTIVITY WAS EXPECTED, THOUGH NO OF US KNEW HOW MUCH SO AT THE TIME. INDEED, HAD ANY OF US SUSPECTED THE TRUE NUMBER AND ORGANIZATION OF THE BANDIT'S ARMIES, WE MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT TWICE ABOUT ACCEPTING THE JOB. AS IT WAS, WE WERE NEW, AND EAGER AND TOTALLY BROKE.THE FIRST COUPLE OF TRIPS WERE PRETTY MUCH UNEVENTFUL.THAT SOULD HAVE TIPPED US OFF, AS THE LACK OF "WANDERING UGLIES" IN THE VICINITY OF THE ROAD WOULD HAVE BEEN A NATURAL RESULT OF A LARGER MORE POWERFUL FORCE OPERATING IN A GIVEN AREA. WE WERE TOO GREEN AS YET TO FIGURE THIS OUT THOUGH.ON OUR THIRD EXPEDITION, ABOUT 5 DAYS OUT ON THE ROAD, WE HAPPENED TO SEE SEVERAL RIDERS ON A HILL TOP AHEAD. AS THE CARAVAN ROUNDED A BEND NEAR THE FOOT OF THE HILL, THE RIDERS CAME CHARGING OUT, WITH A LIGHT COVER OF ARROWS ON THE FLANKS. THEY WERE QUICKLY DISPATCHED,WITH ONLY ONE OR TWO OR THE BANDITS ESCAPING INTO THE WOODS.THE BANDITS WERE FAIRLY WELL EQUIPPED, WITH LIGHT CHAINMAIL, LONGSWORDS AND SHORT HORSE-BOWS. THEIR EQUIPMENT LOOKED WELL MAINTAINED.THE NEXT FEW JOURNEYS OF THE 'COMPANY ON CARAVAN PATROLS WERE NOT UNEVENTFUL. EACH ENCOUNTER WITH THE VILE BANDITS BECAME TOUGHER-THE NUMBERS AND ORGANIZATION OF THEIR RANKS GREW WITH EACH PASSING MOON.SOON, THE 'COMPANY HAD TO HIRE ARCHERS AND A FEW HEAVY CAVILARY JUST TO KEEP THE ODDS EVEN.IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR TENTH MONTH OF ACTIVE CARAVAN ESCORTS, AN ADVANCE SCOUT CAME BACK TOWARDS US AT A GREAT SPEED, AND MATTER OF FACTLY ANNOUNCED THAT AN ARMY OF GREAT SIZE WAS EVEN THEN FLANKING US IN A WELL PLANNED PINCER MANEUVER, AND THAT THERE WAS NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE-WE HAD TO MAKE A STAND, AND QUICKLY,ELSE ALL WOULD BE LOST. THEY WERE ON US AS WE WERE COMPLETING OUR PREPARATIONS.AFTER THE BATTLE, A HEAD COUNT OF THE ENEMY SHOWED OVER 200 (!) OF THEM, INCLUDING SOME HIGHER LEVEL SPELL CASTERS, ARRAYED AGAINST OUR MEAGER 22 MEMBER 'COMPANY.THE BATTLE RAGED FOR OVER TWO HOURS, AND WAS ULTIMATELY WON BY OUR VALIANT COMPANY BY A VERY SLIM MARGIN- A SINGLE 4TH LEVEL CLERIC WHO HEALED ONE OF OUR UNCONCIOUS SPELL CASTERS BACK TO A CONCIOUS STATE SO SHE COULD GET OFF ONE LAST FIREBALL ON THEIR SPELLCASTERS, THUS FRYING THE ENEMY'S HEAVY ARTILLERY, ENSURING THAT OUR FEW REMAINING FOOT SOLDIERS COULD STAY AND FIGHT THEIR FOOT SOLDIERS. IN THE MEANWHILE, THE YOUNG CLERIC WAS ABLE TO ASSIST OTHER UNCONCIOUS MEMBERS OF THE 'COMPANY BACK TO HEALTH, SO AS THEY COULD THEN LEND THEIR SUPPORT AND SPELLS. THE BATTLE TURNED,THE BANDIT ARMY WAS DEFEATED,THUS GIVING THE HOUSE OF THE HAWK MERCENARY COMPANY THEIR FIRST MAJOR VICTORY OVER THE FORCES OF EVIL.WITH THE FALL OF THE BANDIT ARMIES, CARAVANS WERE THEN FREE TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE AREA FREELY, WITHOUT FEAR OF ATTACK.
