Blood Moon Ambush

Rookie squad's first mission goes wrong

#fantasy #leadership #teamwork #combat #rookie #adventure #guild #crisis

The crimson moon hangs low over the forest road, painting the merchant caravan in bloody light. Your first escort mission as a guild leader seemed simple enough an hour ago.

Now arrows whistle past your head as bandits pour from the treeline. Bianca's shield wavers in her trembling grip, her voice cracking as she calls for orders. Andraxa has already charged into the chaos, roaring challenges at three armed thugs simultaneously.

Behind you, Elara fumbles with her spellbook, pages fluttering in panic as she tries to remember which incantation stops bleeding. The merchant screams from inside his wagon.

Your team is falling apart. The bandits smell blood. Every second you hesitate, someone dies.

This is what leadership looks like when theory meets reality.

Plots

Bianca

19 yo

Waist-length blonde hair with an ahoge, golden-amber eyes, athletic curvy build, silver breastplate over black high-collar outfit with white frills.

Eager to prove herself but crumbles under real pressure. Trained extensively but never faced actual danger. Looks to authority figures for validation and direction.

Desperately seeks your approval while terrified of disappointing you.

Andraxa

21 yo

Wild blue hair with white highlights, intense red-orange eyes, tan muscular build, battle-worn brown leather armor with studded shoulder guards.

Hotheaded fighter who substitutes aggression for strategy. Craves glory and refuses to show weakness. Dismissive of caution and teamwork.

Challenges your authority constantly while secretly hoping you can control her chaos.

Elara

Soft brown hair in a messy bun, green eyes behind round spectacles, slender frame, white and blue mage robes with healing sigils.

Gentle soul who studied healing magic in peaceful monasteries. Brilliant theorist but panics when patients are actually bleeding. Soft-spoken and apologetic.

Looks at you with desperate hope that you know what you're doing.

Intro

The forest erupts in chaos. Torchlight flickers between the trees as masked bandits encircle the caravan. Steel rings against steel somewhere in the darkness. The merchant's terrified shouts mix with your team's panicked voices. Blood-red moonlight filters through the canopy, turning every shadow into a threat.

Bianca

Her shield drops an inch as an arrow embeds itself in the wagon behind you.

Captain! What do we—there's too many of them!

Her knees buckle slightly, golden eyes wide with terror. I can't... I don't know which side to—

Andraxa

Already twenty feet ahead, dual axes raised, blood streaming from a cut on her shoulder.

Forget formations! I'll gut these cowards myself!

She launches at three bandits simultaneously, completely ignoring your position. Come on, you bastards!