Greed is Good (IC)

[Destro_Yersul]

OOC Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=238825)

Wheels rumbled over packed earth, the wagons they belonged to trundling at an even pace along the road to Seabreak. It was just approaching midday, and the sun had risen high in the sky. If it weren't for the wagons providing shaded places to sit, there was little doubt it would be a miserable journey. As it was, though, their journey had been pleasant. The caravan was well-established, attracting merchants of all sorts, which of course meant that nothing was ever in truly short supply around it, a fact which made the owner exceptionally proud of himself.

The owner was Mr. Willam Tallhelm, an ironically short man who spent an inordinate amount of time talking to anyone who would listen. Most of the old hands had long since tired of him, and it was the new help who had been forced to endure his long-winded stories on the trip out from Ferrum. There were six of them sitting behind Willam in his wagon, hired on as guards or negotiators or simply going in the same direction. Tallhelm's caravan was taking the coastal roads up north towards Stormgate City, which was a good way to go if you wanted to get out of lands held by the Court of Altyr. Seabreak was another day's ride north still, a small farming and fishing village just on the edge of Court territory.

Of course, any civilization meant a break from Tallhelm, which was welcome news. He was blabbering on now, re-telling the story about his humble start as a miller. They'd heard it already: Willam didn't have a huge number of stories, he just liked telling them. The caravan was approaching a bend in the road, where it curved around a small copse of trees sticking out of the hills around them, when he was interrupted. One of the regular guards, a young man by the name of Dayne, rode up on his horse.

"Sir?" He began, "The horses could use a rest. It's hot out, and we've been travelling since morning."

"Nonsense!" Willam frowned. He had been stopped just before one of his favourite parts of that story. "I want to be in Seabreak by midday tomorrow. We can't lose time now." Turning his head to look at the passengers behind him, he continued. "Isn't that right?"

[Artemis97]

"It is too hot." Laelaer Oussiryn complained, not concerned with contradicting their employer. The drowess was suffering somewhat in the heat. The chain shirt she wore was not the most comfortable thing, but she refused to remove it. Laelaer had been hired to defend the caravan, and she could hardly do that unarmored. The noonday sun did not agree with her, either, as she kept her eyes hidden behind a set of dark lenses. Their purple tint gave her naturally orange eyes a reddish hue. "Why are we rushing to reach this small village, anyways? Will an hour or so make any real difference?" Besides, if they stopped, she would have a chance to get away from Tallhelm's constant yammering, and those trees looked like they might be a cool place to sit for a little while. "It's about time we stopped for lunch, too, right?"

[The Orange Zergling]

"A little heat won't kill ya." In truth, Thorus was uncomfortable and tired as well, but he would never let it on. Besides, he wasn't getting paid by the hour. He ignored the sweat he felt under his arms and held his head high, attempting to appear nonchalant. He'd learned to just tune out the owner's ramblings by now. "Ya know, in the army, they'd make ya march in this kinda weather. Toughens you up."

[Slii Arhem]

"If my mule gets any tougher, we'll have to serve her as jerky rations." Glaffin grumbles from outside the wagon, where he's checking on his mule's feedbag. The dwarf is just barely keeping pace with the wagons on his animal, and will most likely have to spur it on ahead just to get back into the wagon unless they stop soon. Still, it's better riding out here with the breeze blowing by and the sun on his face, and he'll be better able to respond if a horse breaks its ankle in a rut, or an axle snaps, out here.

That is his job after all, a healer and craftsman all rolled into one. Hopefully he'd prove worthwhile to Mr. Tallhelm, since he was putting a lot on the line by picking up and coming along with this caravan. If he didn't make enough to support himself, he just may have to thrash Cecily for suggesting it.

Not that his prospects in Ferrum were so bright, but at least he had stability there. All he had here was a sore arse from riding all day.

[Gullara]

Cecily has seated herself near the front of the wagon, nearest to Tallhelm. She's been listening to his stories with polite interest, never letting on her increasing weariness to his repeated tales.

The young woman idly toys with the metal zills along her tambourine's edge. She significantly more comfortable in her light, airy dress than her companions could hope to be. You'd think she didn't feel the heat at all the way she sits, straight and upright, a small smile on her face.

She wipes her brow. Well, maybe the heat is getting to her a little bit. She takes off her bandanna and shakes out her red locks. "Of course we don't want to lose time. Money to make after all. But look at the horses. Their feet are starting to drag, I'm sure of it. Some rest might do them good, and they can set a faster pace afterward." She gives Tallhelm the most honeyed smile she can manage.

[Sophistemon]

Indrys fans himself with a crinkled sheet of parchment that succeeds only in driving dry, hot air across the surface of his neck. His resplendent, gold-trimmed white coat lies folded across his knees, revealing the dyed lavender undershirt he wore beneath. He doesn't sweat, but that has less to do with his fortitude than it does to the expensive oils that he habitually massages into his skin after his daily ablutions. He sighs discontentedly while the others argue amongst themselves over a course of action. It would appear that, once again, he was needed to negotiate for sanity. "With all due respect to the esteemed Mister Tallhelm..." he looks towards his employer and bows his head in homage before continuing: "The town of Seabreak isn't going anywhere, and the horses do look to be in need of a reprieve. I would suggest an hour's recess at the least, perhaps even two, before going any further." He indicates upwards, gesturing to the sun. "It is, after all, only yet mid-day. We have hours and hours before we would need to make camp for the night. A brief interlude for food and rest would not tax our journey overmuch, I'm certain you'll agree." And then he steels himself, preparing to make a noble sacrifice for the others. "While we eat, sir, you could perhaps tell me the rest of your story. I am ever so interested in hearing how it ends."

[Blarghy]

At least one person doesn't so much mind the sun as the lack of a stout breeze; he sits at the door in hopes of catching what little wind might be passing. His beard and half-open shirt are already damp. This certainly isn't coat weather, so like the grey elf, that sits rolled-up on his lap.

Having largely zoned out thanks to Tallhelm's ramblings, Alec finds himself a few steps behind the rest of the conversation, but he decides not to pitch in since most of the others have already called for rest. He isn't keen on having to help pull one of the wagons if the horses start to stagger in the heat.

"Those trees would make nice shade for the animals. Us, too." Alec leans his head out the window to look at the copse at the bend. It also occurs to him that between the cover and the hills, that'd be a decent place to lie in wait and ambush a sizeable caravan. But surely the guards aren't so dim as to let them get this close to such a spot without riding a bit ahead and having a look in advance.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Well, the time... We'd have less in Seabreak to sell goods. We'd be behind schedule," Willam protested, but he could see that he'd lost. "Oh, alright, we can stop for a moment. Let's just get the wagons up to that grove there, and we can pull them off the road."

He seemed to have brightened, somewhat, at Indrys' suggestion, at least. Dayne pulled off, riding back up to the front. Shouts of agreement went floating in his wake, and the caravan's pace slowed as it reached the trees, drawing to a stop just before the bend in the road.

"Now then," said Tallhelm, climbing down from his wagon. "Going to need some help getting these all the horses unhitched, hm?" He was looking pointedly at the group of passengers as he said this.

[Blarghy]

Alec expected (and planned for) as much. He's used to pitching in. With Cecily closer to the front of this particular wagon than him, he hops out and goes for the horses behind them. Far from being work, this gives him the nice opportunity to stretch his legs after hours in an enclosed, bouncing sweat-box. Even walking provides a little bit of air current.

The driver of the next wagon in line gets a quick grin before Alec slides past the horses to fiddle with the reins, pull off their collars and breaststraps, and positions one of the pair at each of his sides. From there, hands gripping the bridles right below each horse's jaw, their front legs in line with him, clicking his tongue lightly to the roof of his mouth (that soothes horses, right? Alec doesn't know, but it sounds like the sort of thing you should do with a horse), he aims for the copse and cheerfully wonders if someone's going to jump out and swing at him when he gets closer. It'd damn well give Tallhelm a new story to tell, so maybe he should pray for the trouble.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus wordlessly disembarked from the wagon, stretching his neck and rolling his shoulders. His legs ached from sitting in such an enclosed vehicle for so long - inactivity made him restless and irritable, especially in armor, but he did his best to not make a bad impression in front of his employer. Marching made you sore and tired too, but at least you got something out of it. He made his way over to the nearest horse and began untying its reins, absently keeping an eye on the copse. He felt the reassuring weight of his morningstar and shield on his belt. Strictly speaking, it seemed innocuous, but then again, Thorus was being paid to be paranoid.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin dismounts his mule with a groan, the knots on the inside of his legs speaking in protest at the movement. The swaybacked beast stares at him dully as he clips her feedbag around her muzzle, and it takes a few seconds before she begins to chew.

The dwarf shakes his head. At least she doesn't fight for control when they're riding.

Then he heads to the front of the lead wagon, intent on getting the horses unhitched as requested. The sooner it was done the sooner he could sit under some shady tree for a spell, sipping cool water.

Cool water... now there's an idea.

Glaffin turns in towards the wagon as his fingers clumsily work at the first horse's bridle, calling out, "S'cuse me Messir Tallhelm, but how're we for water? Assuming you have an empty barrel kicking around after we've watered ourselves and the horses, I could top up our supply." And make note of the barrel. At least he'll know the water granted to him by Tharius will be fresh and clean, assuming the barrel he decants it into has had a good scrub.

[Destro_Yersul]

"What's that? Water?" Willam looked over at Glaffin, his hands on the reigns of one of the horses. "I'm sure someone has an empty barrel. Check the wagons, we can always use more water." Patting the horse on the neck, he led it slowly towards the trees, leaving the dwarf to find his own barrel. The other merchants, and much of the help, were doing the same.

1

Before long, there was a whole group of horses tethered to low branches, munching contendedly in their feed bags and whickering. A soft breeze had starting blowing in from the sea, helping to cool them, and their masters. Most of the guards, Indrys noted, had taken seats on the grass far from Mr. Tallhelm. The caravan owner was beckoning enthusiastically to him and the others to come over.

"Mr... aneron, was it?" He called over. In the short time they had been travelling together, he had not pronounced the elf's name correctly even once. It seemed to be a sort of mental block for him, no matter how many times he was corrected.

[Sophistemon]

After thanking his employer for the brief reprieve, Indrys makes his way out of the shadowed wagon and into the blinding sunlight and his eyes, although not as sensitive as Laelaer's would be, take a moment to adjust to the change. After blinking the spots from his vision, he carefully watches as the others work to release the horses from the tyranny of their bonds. He looks down at his own smooth, unblemished hands, and sighs resignedly at their inevitable dirtiness. He attempts the mimic the others as best he can and, after a few false starts and a mistake here or there (with at least one of the latter bringing a snort of discomfort from the horse) he manages to free the beast from its reigns so that he can head towards a soft seat on the grass beneath the natural shade of a tree. He looks instinctually to the larger grouping of people, but any hopes of a relaxing rest are dashed when he hears the ineducable Mister Tallhelm once again butcher the pronunciation of his surname. He turns and approaches the human with as much dignity as one can muster after having ridden for an uncomfortably long amount of time within the confines of a cramped wooden box. "Aneirion," he corrects, again, trying hard to avoid sounding snappish. "Ahn-ehr-eee-ohn. It means 'of the line of Neirion', who was the progenitor of my ancestry and the founder of my House. It is what marks me as an heir." Or would have, he thinks, not unbitterly. He takes his seat and folds his legs beneath himself. He'll have grass stains on his trousers for sure, but he luckily has more than one pair locked safely away in storage.

[Gullara]

Cecily moves over to Glaffin before he joins the rest with Tallhelm. "And how was your ride, sir dwarf? You look a little stiff. A sit down over by Mr. Tallhelm will do you well. Maybe he'll regale us with another one of his stories." Her voice is full of amusement. You'd think that the hot day and Tallhelm's tales weren't getting to her at all.

She turns to join the others before Glaffin gets so much as a chance to think about replying, but she casts a look over her shoulder and beckons for him to join her.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin grumbles as he stalks after her, having filled a barrel with six gallons of water earlier. "I've never had to suffer so much riding in all my life... but at least it isn't sea travel." Glaffin hasn't heard much of Tallhelm's stories yet, being new to them caravan and spending most of his time on his mule rather than in the comfort of the wagon. So there's always a chance he may hear a fresh story.

A slim chance, but a chance nonetheless.

Glaffin will sit with his back to a small sapling, legs splayed out in front of him and fingers working at the inside of his thighs after a brief attempt to swipe the road dust from his clothes. These cramps will be the death of him, he's sure.

He continues his grumbling in dwarven, "<And the least you could do is call me by my own name. It's not like you don't know it, Cecily.>"

[Blarghy]

Tempting as it is to slip off, Tallhelm has apparently already spotted him, so Alec grudgingly comes over. He still doesn't sit; if they've got another day in the wagons, he'll use his legs while he can, before they atrophy. On his feet, he can also turn to hide the grin from Indrys's annoyance. The whole matter amuses him more than it probably should, but everyone has to find their entertainment somewhere.

[Gullara]

Cecily seats herself daintily next to Glaffin and gives him a wide smile. She suspects he forgot she can speak his language. "<Oh, I'm sorry, Glaffin. Where are my manners? I didn't think you'd mind.>" She pats his arm before looking over at Tallhelm.

[Artemis97]

"<He'll never get it right, you know.>" Laelaer calls out to Indrys in the Elven tongue. "<It's a losing battle.>" She giggles and keeps walking past the group gathered around the caravan master. The drowess was tired of the man's stories and desperately needed to stretch her legs. As warm as the sun was, it was good to be moving. Stetching as she goes, Laelaer walks over to the animals and lends a hand putting the last of the feed bags on the horses. The animals fascinated her. They were powerful, graceful, and beautiful. There was nothing like them in her homeland, and they were even rare in Vayentsia, where the street was more likely to be a canal. She thought she might learn to ride one, some day, or at least earn enough gold to buy one. Maybe she would be rich enough one day to buy a stable and breed them, like the horses from Cairath.

[Slii Arhem]

He didn't forget, he's just slipping into dwarven out of annoyance as is his habit.

With nothing else to do but massage his ailing legs, Glaffin fishes around in his pack for a moment before drawing out his tools. These masterfully crafted tools have been his livelihood, and one of the few things he could salvage from his ancestors after his home crumbled to slate and dust.

So it's once again time for him to take care of them. Wipe them clean of dust, inspect for rust and dents, and give them a light coat of oil before wrapping them back in their kit. A daily ritual he nearly always finds time for, one way or another.

[Sophistemon]

<But a battle worth fighting, regardless,> he retorts, the words flowing smoothly off his tongue as Laelaer passes by. He much prefers his native Elvish to the gutteral pig-speech that is the Common language of mankind. He doesn't believe that he'll ever truly understand how they manage with only five vowels, and simply speaking it aloud makes his mouth feel dirty. Indrys takes a moment to admire Laelaer as she moves away, not out of any sort of improprietous attraction, but because she so excellently exemplifies the innate gracefulness that is at least somewhat inherent in all elves. Granted, she is a drow, but no-one can be faulted for the misfortunes of their birth, and the benefits of her company far outweigh the negatives borne of her woefully tainted ancestry. The truth is, having another elf along (no matter the breed) almost makes the constant indignation of traveling with the caravan even remotely tolerable. He might even be able to enjoy himself, if not for Tallhelm's incessantly repetitive recollections. The gray elf manages to pry his eyes away from her and forces them towards the grass between his knees. He sighs, wistfully, and awaits the coming story.

[The Orange Zergling]

After leading the horse to the camp, Thorus went back to the wagons to raid the water and rations. While he maintained an indifferent exterior, he mentally scowled at the elves and dwarves speaking in tongues. People speaking languages he couldn't understand always made him nervous, as if they were conspiring against him. The hell was wrong with Common, anyway?

Thorus walked over to the others, long and heavy stride in stark contrast to the grace and lightness of the elves. Food and water in hand, he sat down heavily on a fallen log and scarfed down the hard, dry bread in as few bites as he could, and chugged half the waterskin at once. He felt awkward in such company; elves and dwarves were otherworldly to him, but not in a way to inspire awe, such as the beasts of myth and ages past. Thorus could understand and, if needed, manipulate other humans just fine, but he couldn't get past the different ways other races thought and acted.

For now, he contented himself with watching the others, eager for when they got to town and he could get his pay and be back to civilization.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Of course. Sorry." With a smile he probably hoped was disarming, and his usual careful ignorance of anything spoken in a language that wasn't common, Willam launched into a spiel that sounded rather carefully rehearsed. "As much as I would like to finish my story, I think that can wait for when we're back on the road. If we must sit here and rest for a while, we may as well use the time to discuss something productive, hm? That way, the time spent isn't a complete waste. I know some of you were only hired on temporarily, but I thought you might like a bit of a more permanent posting? I'm always looking for skilled people to come along with my caravan, you know. It can be so difficult to find good help. Back when I was living in one place it was much easier, I could simply hire the local boys to lend a hand around the mill for a few coppers an hour, and I knew who the best craftsmen were around town."

Mr. Tallhelm sounded like he was getting dangerously close to lapsing back into his tale, no matter how important he thought the original subject had been. Fortunately, he seemed to remember himself before he got too far into it. "Anyways, to get to the point. You haven't been with me long, so you might not know the route I usually take. I do a simple circuit, between Holdfast, Lagrange, Ferrum and Stormgate, as well as a few other towns. Seabreak of course, and there's this little mining village in the mountains called Stonehalt. We never end up going anywhere too cold or too hot, and..."

Tallhelm trailed off, looking back towards the wagons. Alec had seen it a second before the miller turned merchant did: someone had just darted out of the hills to the south, around the back of the caravan.

[Blarghy]

Alec is ready to accept, if not with giddy eagerness. It's a good offer. He could have access to a variety of places and a reason and means to move on before the locals could start calling for his head; with a nice, wide loop like this, his crimes (hopefully undocumented in the first place) might even be forgotten by the time he comes around a second time, particularly if he's willing to change his looks a bit. And of course, there's nothing to stop him from signing on now and leaving whenever he likes.

The pirate is mostly just waiting for Tallhelm to stop talking long enough for him to agree when he spots the movement. A fast grin quirks over his mouth before he looks back.

"I think someone else wants to join as well." Under the circumstances, Alec suspects that this isn't a sign of danger, but probably just a thief or hopeful stowaway. Or, perhaps, bait to draw their attention while a larger force attacks from a different direction. Either way, he doesn't move just yet.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin looks up from where he's putting away his tools and fishing out a bit of road jerky at Alec's proclamation. Up until that point he'd been silently considering Tallhelm's offer, and what it represented. A steady income, a chance for advancement and better pay, maybe even recognition as a merchant on his own merits one day.

And riding. Constant, uninterrupted riding. There were far worse things, and he's sure he'll get used to it in time, but spending the rest of his days on the road was not the most appealing thing in the world when each beat of his heart brought new pain to his abused legs and backside.

He's nearly ready to answer in the negative, or at least tell his employer he needs more time to decide, when Alec gets his attention, "What's that, see something back there?" Glaffin turns towards the back of the caravan as well, looking somewhat intently at it.

[Gullara]

Like the others, Cecily considers the offer carefully. It's a decently large route, though she knows from experience having the same route all the time will get dull eventually. Then there's the matter of a steady income. Hm, perhaps she'd at least agree fr now. It'd server well for a good while at the very least.

The woman is about to reply when their attention is directed toward the mystery person. Cecily looks around too late to see the person, but she'll trust those that did. "Hm, someone better attend to that I imagine." She looks at her companions expectantly. Specifically, those that look more suited to fighting if need be.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Yes, yes, so it would seem." Looking over his shoulder, Tallhelm seemed to be counting the people milling about amongst the trees, feeding the horses, or working quietly on small tasks.

"I don't believe that was one of ours. Let's go have a look, shall we?"

Obviously confident in his backup, the caravan owner took off at a brisk pace towards the wagon he had seen the mysterious shadow vanish behind. Though, he couldn't seem to resist looking back over his shoulder to see who was coming with him.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus groans quietly, amazed at his employer's confidence (or stupidity). Gods know who or what's behind that thing. Banishing the fleeting thoughts of Tallhelm's deal - consistent income would be nice, but he hadn't had trouble finding jobs before - he drew his morningstar and shield and held them firmly. "Watch yerself, sir. Dunno how many there are or what they want," he said, swiftly following Tallhelm. He tried to keep tabs on all of the good places for an assailant to stage an ambush from, but his employer's brisk pace likely made that information moot.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin groans, and slowly stands, but by the time he's up Tallhelm and Thorus are already ahead. Between his short stride and sore legs, there isn't much chance he's going to catch up by the time they reach the back of the caravan, unless Tallhelm decides to slow down first.

Still, the dwarf will unhook his own little-used morningstar from his belt. Never know what could happen.

"I'm not liking the look of this. Keep on your toes." He had a spell ready for these situations, but he didn't expect to have to use it so soon. Let's just hope it's a curious animal then.

[Sophistemon]

The offer of continued employment pleases Indrys in a way that he hadn't quite expected. Certainly, the money would be useful. Although it does not and would likely never equal the monthly stipend that he had once received from home, Tallhelm's pay was adequate for the work performed. The ability to travel from city to city, to see the many sites and states of Mercadia, was additionally welcomed. It would appear that traveling the breadth of the sea - twice - that he had acquired a taste for journeying. But he then decided that the most wonderful part of the offer was the sense of belonging that it raised in him. Tallhelm wanted his continued presence, enough so that he was willing to pay him to stay around. That felt good, in a way that he hadn't felt since Laelaer had shown him that he was capable of making friends at Shadeveil. He is grateful for the offer, especially so because he won't have to stoop to asking. Just before he is about to voice his gracious acceptance, however, they are interrupted by Alec's mysterious interloper. When Tallhelm rises to give chase, the Gray Elf follows suit. "Caution, sir. They may be dangerous." He then turns towards Alec. "Did you get a good look? How many were there?"

[Artemis97]

Still standing near the horses, Laelaer notices the group moving towards the back of the wagon train.What was going on there? Some of them had even drawn weapons. The drowess goes on alert, drawing her rapier and following, trying to catch up quickly without drawing too much attention and creating a panic.

[Blarghy]

Alec seems to be the only one who doesn't pull out his weapons and go hunting. He just tags along at the back of the group, moving casually. At Indrys's question, he raises his index finger. "Only one. I don't expect much trouble. Raiders come howling on horseback with bows in hand, not sneaking in the daylight. Likely a runaway looking to steal food and water."

[Gullara]

Alec isn't the only one who doesn't grab a weapon. Cecily picks herself off the ground and follows tho others are a leisurely pace. She does have her rapier with her at least. She keeps silent for the moment, though she's obviously not overly concerned.

[Destro_Yersul]

Turning the corner of the wagon, Willam folded his arms across his chest. Someone had done a very rushed job of making a mess out of the wagon's contents, as if hurriedly searching for something. A sack had been sliced open, spilling dried apples across the ground. Caught with his hand in the metaphorical biscuit tin was a young boy, probably around 14 or 15 years old. His face went red when he realised he'd been caught and, pulling his hand back, he stammered out an explanation.

"Ah, sir.. I, ah.. I was just... our wagon broke down, and I ain't got any money, y'see, and, ah... well, I need to eat..."

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin will arrive a few moments after William does, but he was close enough to hear the lad's stammered excuses.

Once he's done panting, he says his piece, "Broken down out here, days from civilization and with no food? Forgive me for being cynical lad, but just how did you and your friends get into this situation, hm?" He's already admitted to having others around, which does nothing for Glaffin's nerves. Never trust a caught thief until at face value.

[Blarghy]

Glaffin isn't alone in suspecting a con here, particularly being as relatively close as they are to at least one town. Starvation can take about three weeks (depending on the variables), and most people can even go a few days without water in this kind of heat before dying. Surely a stranded group would be better off marching for Seabreak rather than waiting in the hills for someone to steal from, unless robbery was their actual profession and this boy was a distraction meant to draw the guards away from their posts. And so, Alec shifts sideways with one shoulder towards the wagon and the other towards the hills, to alternate between looking at each. He doesn't voice his ideas yet; even if this is a trap, it isn't a bad one, and he'll freely give the boy credit for it. Best to wait and see what happens for now.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus furrows his brow. "Son, I ain't here to be compassionate." Something rubbed him wrong about this whole situation. Many somethings, in fact. Thorus glances to either side, briefly, more suspicious than ever. This kid couldn't possibly be alone. "Ya got any friends with ya, kid?" Thorus looks back at him and glares.

((Can I try to Intimidate him?))

[Sophistemon]

Indrys follows after, stretching his legs with every step. Thanks to his leisurely pace, he is among the last to spot the boy. He first narrows and then rolls his eyes. "A child?" he asks, rhetorically. "We interrupted our hard-earned reprieve for a child?" He sighs and turns to leave, to go back to the shaded hill, beneath the tree, when the others, much more used to the threat of banditry than himself, voice their own concerns. He about-faces and rubs his chin with a hand. "Just bind the child and tie him to a beam of the wagon. If he's alone, we can just drop him off at the office of the local authorities once we reach the town, and he'll be punished there for his theft of our edibles. If he's not alone, we can exchange his release for our own safe passage onwards." He folds his arms across his chest and leans back against a post. "Either way, let us not unduly worry ourselves. After all, do any of you see any danger lurking about?" He looks, then, to Thorus. "Interrogate the whelp if you must, but do be quick about it. Time is not with us, and our travels must soon resume." He sighs, puffing his cheeks, and watches the others, looking bored.

[Gullara]

Cecily could sympathize with the kid. How many apples did she have to steal to get by only a few years ago? That said, this is rather suspicious. If they were in a town or city, sure, but not out here in the middle of nowhere. "Maybe a couple of us should have a look around for his friends?" She suggests.

[Artemis97]

"Tie him to a wagon beam? Really, Indrys?" Laelaer asks, shaking her head. "And I'm supposed to be the ruthless one." She notes with a laugh. The drowess hangs back a bit from the group, as there seemed to be no real threat anymore. Since she had her blade out anyways, she practices a few strikes and thrusts. "Tie him up if you think it's necessary, certainly keep an eye on him, but I agree, we should search for his friends. Either they need help, or they're planning something."

[Destro_Yersul]

"Well, I think tying him to one of the wagons might be a little bit extreme, but certainly we'll need to sit down and have a chat with him, hm? I won't have thieves stealing from my caravan, no matter how desperate. A man needs to earn his way, isn't that right? You fine folks have been doing good honest work for me, and I'm only too happy to keep you all fed, of course. If this fellow had offered something in exchange for his bit of food then maybe I'd be a bit more accomodating..."

Tallhelm started up a speech, but the boy clearly wasn't listening. Looking from unfriendly face to unfriendly face, he had deflated even further.

"No, I'm telling you..." He began, only barely audible under the torrent of words coming from Willam. "It's just over that way..." He turned slightly, as if to wave a hand and indicate direction, then took off running.

OOC:
I've rolled initiative checks OOC, as well as noting a couple possible ways to slow the kid down.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin curses in dwarvish, and seemlessly transitions into a short prayer to Tharius as he grabs his coil of rope from his pack. The silk rope slips across his fingers, moving as if a thing alive as he casts it at the thieving boy's feet.

"Stay where you are now!" Glaffin cautions the boy as the animated rope attempts to ensnare his legs, slowing him up.

OOC:
Pulling 50ft of silk rope from my pack as a move action, then casting Animate Rope on it as a standard action, and dropping it into the boy's square as a free action so it can try to entangle him. I cleared it with Destro first, and he says it should work.

Reflex check is DC 14, for reference.

[Sophistemon]

Indrys huffs and raises his chin. "Practicality is hardly ruthlessness, Laelaer. The boy is an admitted thief, and it is simply logical to restrict his..." It's at about that time that the boy, fearing for his freedom and/or safety, bolts off in his attempt at escape. "...oh," murmurs the elf. "How tiresome." He raises a pale, thin-fingered hand and takes aim, pointing at the small of the fleeing child's back before, like Glaffin, quickly reciting the lyrical words of a spell. Before a cone of multicolored light erupts from his extended digit and races towards its intended target, Glaffin's spell takes effect and a magically-animated length of rope entangles the boy's legs, incapacitating him with extreme efficiency. Indrys shrugs and lowers his hand, the spell's magic returning to him unspent. With that done, Indrys folds his arms across his chest before he smiles like a crocodile cries - with false emotion - and waits patiently to see how things turn out for all persons involved. "Well done, dwarf."

Out-of-Character:
Indrys is using Color Spray (http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndLive/spells.php?ID=3074), which is cast as a Standard action and has a Will DC of 15 (save negates).

[Gullara]

Cecily was just starting to turn away to look around when the boy makes his break for it. It's safe to say that she's caught unaware. The woman whirls around to already see her companions springing into action and the boy tripping. Well then, now she gets to stand around looking at a loss.

OoC:
Nothing to see here. :smalltongue:

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus curses, breaking into a sprint after the boy with the eventual goal of tackling him to the ground. "STOP!" he bellows, in as an authoritative voice as he can muster.

Out of Character
Thorus uses the Run action to get as close to the boy as he can (~120 feet).



Sorry for the double brackets earlier - old habit of mine. :smalltongue:

[Blarghy]

The magic earns more of Alec's attention than the flight. Thieves run all the time; it's nothing new. A rope coming to life and tangling someone is a different matter. Even so, he looks away after a couple of interested seconds to scan the hills. If this was a trick, then a scout (if not a whole company) is probably watching the situation to see if anyone snatched up their piece of bait.

((Spot: [roll0]))

[Destro_Yersul]

Glaffin's rope sprung to life, twisting up the boy's legs and tripping him up before he could get far. Tangled in the rope's coils, he crashed to the ground, crawling around the corner of the wagon in a last-ditch effort to get away. Thorus was close behind, though, the much bigger man having little trouble grabbing hold of the boy and pinning him down.

"I yield, I yield!" He said, his voice sounding strained. "Please don' tie me to a wagon."

The hills around them, if there was indeed anyone with the boy, were quiet for now. Alec didn't see anybody watching who wasn't supposed to be.

Treating this as a charge and grapple from Thorus for his tackle attempt.

AOO: [roll0]
[roll1]

Throus' melee touch attack: [roll2]

and opposed check:
T: [roll3]
Kid: [roll4]

[Artemis97]

With the boy now pinned, Laelaer strolls over and holds the sharpened tip of her rapier close to the thief's throat.

"Tie you to a wagon?" The drowess laughs. "You should be begging me not to slip your throat." A rather feral grin spreads across her lips. "Since you tried to run we know you're lying. Which means your friends are probably waiting to ambush us. Isn't that right? Be honest, and I'll make your death quick."

Intimidate: [roll0]

[Gullara]

Cecily blinks in surprise at the drow's sudden display of ruthlessness. She quickly decides she must just be trying to scare the boy, but it's still a tad unsettling. "Neat trick with that rope." She comments quietly to Glaffin as she moves over to his side.

[Sophistemon]

Indrys leaves Laelaer to her interrogation, knowing better than to interrupt her interpretation of 'fun'. Instead, he takes a few short steps towards Glaffin. "I concur!" he says, referencing Cecily's assessment. "That was masterfully cast." He smiles, again, and this one has an actual soul behind it. It would appear that, at least when magic is concerned, the gray elf is capable of genuine emotions after all. "The way it jumped out and ensnared his legs in constricting coils - ah, it was perfect, sir dwarf." His yellow eyes glitter with barely-contained excitement. "Wherever did you study such miraculous technique?"

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin nods in response. His selection of spells was somewhat limited when it came to those coming directly from Tharius' domain, but they did always seem to come in handy.

"Thanks. Usually it's just a parlor trick, but it was all I could think of in the moment." Laelaer's threats don't make Glaffin as uneasy as they seem to make Cecily. He's seen worse justice done to thieves, but nontheless he'll speak up in the boy's defense.

"It's not for us to decide. We ought to just tie and gag him and leave him under guard until the next town. If that don't work for you, just knock the poor blaggart senseless and leave him for those friends of his to find. I'm willing to bet the caravan can make better time then they can, if they're inclined to give chase."

And then to Indrys, who Glaffin had nearly written off as stiff necked before this point. The dwarf's chest puffs up, and he stands just a bit straighter, clearly proud of his skills, "I'd worked under my father's teachings my entire life to learn how to wield this much divine magic, as little as it is. Tharius provides what I need though, and in exchange I give my thanks to him." Most of those teachings weren't clerical in nature, so much as they were about how to properly bend metal to his will. For the dwarves of Glaffin's mountainhome, crafting and worship went hand in hand.

[Sophistemon]

The gray elf nods, smiling. "Your modesty does you a disservice, mister... Glaffin?" He nods, certain. "Yes, you're far too talented to self-efface." He points a slender finger at the bound child. "Your conductive posture, the admirable finesse of your movements as you wove the magic, the exceptional cadence of your words as you cast the spell... it was perfect, flawlessly efficient, not a mote of power wasted or misused." He breathes deeply, calming himself. "Your father," he says, his voice lowered, "Must have been a superlative educator, if your abilities are an example of his tutorship." He shakes his head and sighs, almost exacerbated with himself. "If I may be honest, sir, I have to say that if I had known you to be such a skillful practitioner of the Art, we would have had many more conversations during the course of our journey." His pointing finger moves from the boy and aims at Laelaer, or at least her general direction. "Laelaer and I, we studied at Shadeveil University."

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus exhales heavily and, ensuring that the boy is sufficiently incapacitated by the rope, gets up and brushes himself off. For safety's sake, he plants a foot on the boy's chest, firmly enough that he knows not to struggle but not firm enough to restrict breathing. At Indrys' ramblings of magic, Thorus can't help but roll his eyes and make a mocking mouth-flapping motion with his shield-hand, hoping the shield obscured it. He had to blink in surprise at Laelaer's sudden threat. He hadn't expected an elf, of all people, to be making threats of physical violence. Still, though, he figured it was the right course of action.

Some time during the confrontation, Thorus' demeanor shifted from a quiet, apathetic presence to an authoritative one. "I'd talk if I were you, kid, we ain't messin' around. I ain't gettin' paid for lettin' people like you get away." He increases the pressure on his foot slightly.

Out of Character
Thorus changes his active draconic aura to Presence: he and all allies within 30 feet gain a +1 bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate.

He then attempts to aid another Laelaer's Intimidate check (or, if Destro wants, this can be its own check; I'm not quite sure as to when you make an aid another check as opposed to a second check of your own :smalltongue:).
Intimidate: [roll0]

[Blarghy]

Of the two, Alec isn't sure what amuses him more: Laelaer's reaction (even though he suspects there's more to the apple-thief than he let on, they're still, as a whole, jumping to conclusions with little real proof) or Indrys's. Talk about undermining the interrogators, unless the aristocrat plans on playing the friendly voice of reason in a minute, to "rescue" the boy from all these bloodthirsty savages if he cooperates.

Two threatening faces are plenty, anyway, so he declines to participate. The sailor just sits at the back of the wagon and observes for now.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Friends? What friends? With the wagon, you mean? They went the other way, looking for help. I were supposed to go this way, and if I found it first..." The weight of Thorus' foot on his chest made the boy cough, and he trailed off. The rope's magic had slackened, but it was still tangled around his feet, and with the larger man near standing on him, he wasn't about to be going much of anywhere.

"Alright, alright, look.." he began, "I'm not gonna do a runner. Can I sit up?"

[Slii Arhem]

"Hasn't been much of a journey since I got here, since I just joined up in Ferrum. I'm just a decent healer and a better than decent smith, no need to butter me up on either account. If you think there's any spell of mine you'd like to look over, I'd be happy to scribe it for you later, once I can find the supplies needed." Which will probably be in Seabreak, or even farther if they don't have much in the way of special ink there. Still, it will be nice to help such an... enthusiastic young man with his studies.

"I'll tell you something though." Glaffin leans in, lowering his voice to try to keep others besides Indrys from hearing, "I made those goggles the lass Laelaer fancies, when I was passing through on my way to Ferrum. She hasn't recognized me, but I'd know my own work anywhere." Just by the tone of his hushed whispers, Indrys should be able to tell there's a story behind those goggles more complex than just a simple purchase.

[Gullara]

Cecily frowns at the continued threats. She's not a fan of heavy handed threats at the best of times. The woman moves over to the group and watches the boy closely. She especially watches for any signs that he's lying to them. She may not like her companions' methods, but she knows they need to find out what's going on here.

[Artemis97]

"No!" The drowess replies immediately. What sort of fools did this boy take them for? He'd already tried to run, and if they let him up, he'd just try it again. "Now, answer our questions."

[Blarghy]

((Diplomacy roll is in the OOC thread. I'd hoped for a higher result, but ah well.))

This could be going better, by the looks of it. Alec bumps his heels against the wagon wheel in thought and finally hops down to approach the prisoner. He might as well pitch in; he hasn't done much else so far during the confrontation.

The pirate smiles, and it isn't even fake. Lesson time, boy. Not everyone who speaks softly to you has your best interests at heart. At least, not your interests as you'd think of them.

"Let's not crush him, now," Alec begins. "He's a thief, and maybe a bandit scout, but we can still be civilized. There's no reason we can't tie his hands and feet and prop him up so he can at least breathe."

He crouches down beside the youth. "That said, you have to understand why we don't trust you. If you were sent to look for help, why didn't you ask for it? We could've given you a meal and let you work it off. Then we could've gone to find your friends and had you all follow along to Seabreak. But this? Stealing out the back of our wagons and trying to run away? All very suspicious. Even so, it hasn't gone too far to work in your favor. Your friends are still out there. If they're just lost and hungry like you say, then we can at least point them in the right direction."

Alec's faint smile smooths away and he shrugs a little. "On the other hand, if you're lying and they're hoping to come at us with fire and swords to take what we have, then your situation is more complicated. You'd be a part of that. It's a serious business. But you're young; if you told us the truth, we could help you out of that life before it kills you. If you and your friends planned to take blood rather than just apples, it could kill you today. So please, boy. Be smart and help us so we can help you."

He thinks it's a decent speech. However, as Alec is well aware, he's also still a sizeable, bearded man with weapons at his belt and a friend's foot on the thief's chest. That hardly sets the best mood for peaceful negotiations.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Run? Like this?" The boy wriggled his legs, indicating the rope that was still tangled around them. "Wouldn't work very well." Then Alec started talking, and he fell silent.

Nodding at the pirate's words, he stayed quiet for the whole speech. If it seemed odd to him that the large and intimidating bearded man was the one with words of comprimise, he didn't show it. Rather, he looked like he was trying very hard not to cry.

"It weren't my fault," he choked out. "They threatened me. Let me up? Please? I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

[Sophistemon]

"Perhaps," he states, "But we could have spoken since Ferrum, if I had known about your skill. Laelaer is a dear friend, and a talented magician in her own right, but she is..." he quirks his head in her direction before whispering: "...volatile, and quick to emotion. To have another scholar along is a blessing." He grins, and his eyes light up. "That would be phenomenal," states the elf, regarding the scrolls. "My education at Shadeveil was cut prematurely short, due to... extenuating circumstances, and I hunger for knowledge like a wolf for fresh meat." He moistens his lips with the tip of a nervous tongue. "I have always suspected that the arcane and divine magics aren't as different as some people say - it's all just the careful manipulation of mystic energies, directed by a conscious will, towards a desired outcome. Of course, your energy comes from the divine, a patron god, whereas mine is drawn from..." he pauses, thinking, and then shrugs. "Who knows? It was going to be my doctoral thesis, but fate, that conniving weasel, intervened. I have theories, but nothing yet substantiated by evidence." He looks, again, to Laelaer. "You made her glasses? Are you sure?" He chuckles. "I've long admired them; the metalwork is so fine, that glass so smooth... and the shading! However did you tint the glass so uniformly? I've never seen such a thing. You must be a master of your craft."

[Slii Arhem]

"We met in Vayentsia while I was on a ship taking me down the coast. I guess I wasn't quite remarkable enough for her to remember after all this time, but it's heartwarming to see she's kept them. The trick to getting the tint right is heating the glass before you apply the alchemical darkener, and it'll soak right through the pores that way." Glaffin is a bit put off by the sudden enthusiasm, but talking shop, especially about his preferred trades, is always a welcome distraction.

"I'm sorry to hear about your shortened education though. Such tragedies befall us all every now and then. All you can hope is that that was your last such tragedy. A few words of wisdom and comfort that my father passed to me, as we went our separate ways." Glaffin resolves to pick up some more lighthearted conversation down the road, and learn just what spells the lad can cast, so he can scribe out the divine versions for comparison.

[Blarghy]

Alec gives him a small, serious nod and motions politely to Thorus. He doesn't repeat the obvious; trying to flee again, even discounting the rope, is likely to end in arrows. Having said all he needed to say for now, he just stands and moves back a step to give the boy some breathing room.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus raised an eyebrow and looked at his comrades, as if asking for their approval. "It is six to one," he said. His foot remained on the boy's chest, but he marginally reduced the pressure.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin turns from his conversation with Indrys momentarily and nods, "Let the kid sit up, and put a foot on where the rope is knotted around his legs. He'd be hard pressed to run that way." There, he's said his piece.

[Destro_Yersul]

Following Glaffin's suggestion, the boy was allowed to sit against the wagon, though his legs remained bound. True to his word, he didn't try to run, although Thorus standing firmly on the ends of the rope may have had something to do with that.

"Alright," the kid began, getting himself as comfortable as he could. "The broken wagon bit, that's true, only it weren't broken by itself. We got attacked by bandits. They must be hiding in the hills somewhere. We didn't have much of worth, though. They got angry..."

He was looking as though he found this extremely hard to recount.

[Gullara]

Cecily moves closer to the boy at this point and gives him a gentle, and hopefully reassuring, smile. "Take your time. What happened then?" She hides the twinge of urgency she feels. Bandits might be nearby? There's no use rushing him, though, just as long as he keeps talking.

[Blarghy]

Like Cecily, Alec doesn't rush him. He has questions, but he'll save them for the end. They have a little time. The odds of being attacked before the end of the story seem slim to him, although it might come not long after. His guess is that the scout was extorted into checking out the caravan and reporting back, but did a particularly poor job of getting a closer look. Smart bandits would've sent someone more trustworthy to do the job, or at least to watch this youth's attempt; by now, news of his failure might be reaching the other camp. In that case, ambushing the bandits, or outright hunting them in turn, is more risky.

On the other hand, the pirate suspects that their numbers, experience, or both are on the slim side. A larger and more capable raider band wouldn't have needed a captive to do the spying (thanks to the likelihood of this very outcome). Maybe this trial can be overcome even without the advantage of surprise.

[Sophistemon]

Indrys sighs, despondently. "I can only hope," he says, his head down. "I very much enjoyed my time at the University." He straightens his back and shrugs. "But we move on, and I work with the caravan now. All of the traveling from place to place is an education in its own right." He casts another glance towards the dark elf. "And, of course, I have Laelaer around. Her being here makes everything a little more tolerable." It's at about that point where the boy begins to tell his story, and Indrys has the presence of mind to stop talking and listen. When the gray elf learns that the child's wagon had been attacked by bandits, he arches an eyebrow. "If your people were assaulted," he begins, "why did you sneak into our caravan in an attempt to abscond with our goods? Why not seek help?" He narrows his eyes and crosses his arms in front of his chest. "Your reception here would have been far warmer if you had approached as a victim, and not as a thief."

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin stands back, preferring to let the others do the interrogating. Bandits recruiting their victims sounds like a full pantload to him, unless they've got the kid's family held hostage to keep him compliant.

Still, the kid seems to be more fearful for his own life than for others. It's definitely a hard thing to crack.

[Artemis97]

Laelaer stands back as well and reluctantly sheathes her rapier. The boy wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, and even if he did try to run again, she really wasn't going to try to run him through. Although if he kept refusing to answer their questions, the drowess may reconsider that. It was annoying her terribly.

[The Orange Zergling]

"Aye," Thorus says, in agreement with Indrys. He thumbs his nose and sniffles. "Where was yer caravan when it was attacked? And when? Those bandits could've stuck around, maybe still lurkin' nearby." Thorus was aware that the boy might find this sentiment distressing, but he didn't particularly care.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Aye, I was about to say. They wanted me to help 'em get someone who did have something worth taking. Said they'd kill me if I didn't. They ain't here, they're a bit further down the road."

Looking off towards Seabreak, in the direction the caravan was travelling, he stopped for a moment.

"Don't let them kill me. It were only a few hours ago they got us..."

[Blarghy]

Grimness comes to Alec's expression, less because of what was said than of what wasn't. Very little mention of the rest of this group, presumably still in the hands of the bandits. Unless they're already dead, his friends don't seem to concern the boy so long as he keeps his own health. He comes off as cowardly rather than mundanely selfish. Someone should do him a favor and fix that.

"What was supposed to happen, if you found us and this went according to plan? We need to know their numbers, too."

[Slii Arhem]

So the road to Seabreak is set for an ambush then. Glaffin scowls for the first time since the boy was caught, considering things carefully. Skirting around the bandits would be impossble if they were watching the road from the hills, at least without knowing their exact locations. Turning around and heading back to Ferrum would be a waste of time and resources, even if they could convince guards in the city to help deal with bandits this far out.

More thoughts come to his mind. Why have there been no reports of highwaymen come back? It's either because the bandits are too new to the area or they were good enough that there was no one surviving to tell of the attacks. If it was the latter, it wouldn't be long before people in Seabreak or Ferrum became suspicious of missing cargo and merchants.

"How far is it from here to where you were ambushed?" Glaffin still doesn't quite believe the kid's story about not being one of the bandits, even if he might be a conscripted one. They wouldn't trust him not to run away on a duty like this unless they had some hold over him besides a fear for his life.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Not far. Five or ten minutes, maybe? Took me longer on foot, but you have horses." The boy shuffled to one side, adjusting his seated position in an effort to get more comfortable. Now that the immediate threat of death had vanished along with Laelar's rapier, he seemed more compliant, and less terrified. "I was supposed to draw off the guards, seperate you so it was easier for them. There's not a lot of them. Twenty, maybe? I guess one of you saw me before I was ready, though..."

"Quite right, we did!" Put in Willam, silent until now listening to the boy's story. "Good thing too, aye? Lead us right into a trap, you would have. Well, I'll have none of that. Nobody makes a fool of Willam Tallhelm, you'll see!"

The master of the caravan had begun pacing back and forth, waving his hands and apparently thinking out loud. "Twenty bandits. We're sure to outnumber them there... maybe we ought to clear them out, make the roads a bit safer. The villagers in Seabreak would be grateful, I'm sure..."

[Blarghy]

On one hand, this is something Alec thinks the nearby town should have to deal with. If they want to continue enjoying land trade and travel, anyway. Fixing their problem for them won't encourage better control of the surrounding region. That said, he and the others have clearly come across the highway robbers for a reason. He cannot ignore an obvious trial.

"Very grateful, I'm sure. You could retell the story in detail while we set up the wares. I'll be surprised if this doesn't draw a crowd, ready to buy." He adjusts his sword belt, then raises one index finger. "Even so, I would send a scout to confirm what we know. No offense to you, boy, but your trustworthiness isn't as solid as it could be."

[Artemis97]

"I agree, we should scout ahead." Laelaer speaks up. "There is no point in risking the entire caravan to this one's lies."

[Slii Arhem]

"We'd be better served to rush through them assuming they haven't barricaded the roads or dug pitfalls for the horses. No offense meant to you or your guards Sir Tallhelm, but I don't trust the kid's estimates, even if his tongue isn't lying. If we have to fight, we'll be ready for it, but this is a task for the guards of Seabreak, not us. Just think of the riveting tale of a running battle you can tell later, if nothing else." It may not be very heroic, but Glaffin thinks this way would save the lives of the guards that likely didn't sign up to be bandit killers.

[Gullara]

"We should be careful. The last thing we want is to lose someone when we have other options." Cecily speaks up, clearly directing her comment toward Tallhelm foremost. "And yes, a couple of us should definitely look ahead." She looks toward the others. Being stealthy isn't exactly within her talents.

[Sophistemon]

Indrys listens to the others, a hand cupped under his chin, pondering. When a few of them have had their say, he feels compelled to speak up on a subject he feels may have been forgotten. "Are we taking into consideration the possibility that the bandits have taken this boy's people hostage?" he asks, raising the hand in an inquisitive gesture. "If we do decide to assault their fortifications, they may threaten to slaughter their captives if we do not stay our retribution." He looks at the others, his amber eyes glinting brightly in the sun. "Do not misunderstand me, I am as eager as the rest of you to see justice done, here. Banditry must be punished, and refusing to do so would only encourage them to continue their predation of the honest merchants that travel these routes. But if we pursue a course of action, we have to be cognizant of the fact that we'll be placing the lives of others at risk of premature cessation." He sighs, then, and shrugs his sloping shoulders. "If we choose to take responsibility for the bandits, we must also take responsibility for their unfortunate victims." He looks at the child and shakes his head. "I truly wish you'd come with honest intent."

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus strokes his chin in a manner he hoped was thoughtful, listening to the others. "I say we send a scout ahead to see what's up. If there's bandits in the way, we take care of 'em. If there ain't, then they ain't our problem. This caravan doesn't need to go wanderin' off into the wilderness sniffin' out every foul odor."

[Destro_Yersul]

"Excellent plan," Tallhelm concluded. "And of course, there is the threat of hostages. Not that I didn't think of that, but yes, very good point. Where's Dayne got to? He'd make a good scout, I think."

The caravan owner began to head in the direction of the copse, then paused. "Oh, umm, would you be so kind as to find somewhere to put our young friend? Don't, you know, untie him or anything. I'm not about to leave him here, but I'm not taking risks with my wares, either."

The boy in question had gone silent again, seeming none too comfortable with the things being said.

[Blarghy]

The ropes in their current tangled state don't seem too tough to escape if given enough time, so Alec sits down by their prisoner to unravel the pile and bind him again. He isn't cruel about it; lashing the boy's hands together and later tying the other end to a beam somewhere should be sufficient without needing to wrap him head to foot. While he works, he asks another question.

"We've assumed that the bandits took everyone else in your wagon, but you haven't mentioned it much. Did they? Do they have your friends or family?"

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin grumbles under his breath a bit as he sees Alec appropriate his rope. That was good rope! His only coil too.

"I'd better be getting that rope back, or at least be reimbursed for it if the kid manages to break it trying to escape again. That reminds me, we should take any knives he's got on him before he gets any ideas." Whether ones for escape or otherwise. Assuming there's no protest from either the boy or the others, Glaffin will grab the knife that it was mentioned the kid had in plain view. He'll leave it to the others to pat him down for any more weapons, if they care to.

[Destro_Yersul]

While ALec worked with the ropes, the boy hung his head. He wasn't resisting, though he squirmed a bit when Glaffin took his knife. "I was travelling with friends. I don't know what's happened to them. Two of them."

Use Rope test for Alec, please.

[Blarghy]

"You don't know?" he repeats with some confusion. "Were you separated? Did the bandits not capture them as well?" Alec works quickly with the ropes and does a pretty decent job; must be his sailor's background. Or maybe he's done this kind of thing before.

"The more you can tell us, the better chance we have of saving them. Please be clear."

[Destro_Yersul]

"Seperated. Bandits got them too, but I dunno where they got sent. They got a camp. The bandits, I mean." Alec's rope work was solid, the knots well secured. It was unlikely, he thought, that the boy would be able to escape, whether he tried or not.

[Blarghy]

Alec just nods, with most of his attention on the knots. He isn't sure he trusts the boy (well, he doesn't trust him in the overall sense anyway, but his individual claims feel just a hint shaky too). Still, he probably isn't a threat now, other than as a source of potentially faulty information. Perhaps, Alec thinks, he'll be more than that if he gets the right sort of help. To do that, the pirate would first need to find the other two captives and have a chat with them.

"We'll do what we can," he finally says. He helps the boy up to his feet. "Come on. Let's find somewhere safe to put you while we sort this out."

He's open to suggestions, if anyone offers them, but if left to his own devices, Alec will look for a wagon without anything sharp inside it and tie the rest of the rope to a secure interior beam or fixture. Failing that, he'll lead the prisoner over to the trees and do it there. Either way would give him some shade, but the second is a last resort because Alec would prefer not putting him so close to a convenient horse.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin mulls over the new information, "If they've got a camp, they'll be much harder to rout than just twenty loose bandits. There would be scouts posted, probably some way of defending it too even if it is just a few tents lashed up. This is looking like a much larger problem than some new bandits." Any camp they'd have would be far enough away from the road that their cook fires couldn't be seen, and both leaving the caravan for long enough to find the bandits or taking the entire thing over hills and off roads aren't real options.

"If we get attacked, we should deal with them as we can, but I can't say I approve of going after them when we don't know what we're getting into."

[Blarghy]

Upon his return, Alec frowns at the suggestion. So many people want to avoid clear opportunities like this. The pain and peril that ride hand-in-hand with growth frighten off all but a few. It's a real pity.

"Our decision should depend on the scout's report, first of all," he recommends. Not that his own feelings are likely to change, unless the bandits are truly beyond their capabilities. "But I suspect we had better be on the offensive. The highwaymen know we're here; unless they're frightened of our numbers, they're almost certain to attack. If we wait for them, they'll choose the site of engagement and the arrangement of the battle. I would much rather catch them in their camp. If even a few of them aren't yet combat-ready, we'll be better off than otherwise. They also aren't likely to be mounted this way."

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus sniffles and furrows his brow. He doesn't like the sound of this. "I agree, we oughta wait for the scouts. Need to know how many they are, else they could outnumber us. Camps can be big; sometimes it doesn't matter how surprised they are."

How many armed people are there in Tallhelm's caravan, roughly?

[Gullara]

"Could there be more than the twenty we know about at the camp, though?" Cecily suggests, but then immediately shakes her head. "This speculation won't get us anywhere. Who's going to go to scout?"

[Sophistemon]

The gray elf inclines his stately head towards Alec, causing his tightly-bound topknot to bob. "I concur with the bearded gentleman," he says. "If - if - the boy has recounted the events of his abduction truthfully, allowing these nefarious highwaymen to determine for themselves the time and place of our inevitable confrontation would be a foolhardy lapse of tactical judgement." He shakes his head and his thin, pale lips press together and curve downwards in a frown. "No, indeed. I agree that we should send a small group of persons to investigate the child's claims of an enemy encampment. Once they have reported back to the caravan with their findings, I believe that we should very strongly consider a preemptive counterattack." He slams a closed fist into an open palm with a dramatic clapping of flesh. "We should crush them," he advises. "We should wipe them out, take their spoils for ourselves, and arrive at the city as heroes deserving of the peoples' adulation that will certainly be ours if we do so." He raises his hands, palms up. "They expect us to behave as prey-animals, passively awaiting the slaughter. We should strike them while they think us weak, take advantage of their weakness to win the day."

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin frowns expressively, shaking his head at Indrys' speech with wonderment. Could the man really be that naive?

"You're making this out to be some wonderful and glorious thing, but from experience I've never seen combat to be glorious. It's messy, brutal, and people die. If they don't die then you stitch them back up as best as you can and they go off to try dying again. I've never seen someone come back a second time. My home clan has fought in feuds, recent and historical, that've soured me on the glory of combat." His piece said, Glaffin raises a hand to his nose and rubs at either side of it, something Cecily might recognize as a comforting gesture.

"If we're going through with this, every fighting man here should be doing it of their own free will. Your plan will probably save more lives here than just running through the bandit's trap if it goes off well, but if it doesn't there'll be a lot more bodies than I can patch up on my own."

[Destro_Yersul]

Leaving the boy secured in a wagon filled with sacks of flour, Alec rejoined the others. Willam had gone over to speak with the guards, most of whom were still under the trees. A few were moving towards the flour wagon, intent on either spectating or trying to make sure their new young friend didn't affect an escape. Snatches of conversation drifted over to where the group was talking; apparently, none of the other men felt any sort of need to be quiet.

"...still say we ought to wait," one of them was saying. Cecily recognised him as Erne, an older, bearded man who had been with the caravan almost as long as Tallhelm himsef. "No sense running off on a wild goose chase through the hills. The wagons won't take it, and the horses aren't used to it."

"You know Tallhelm, though." Another put in. "Once he's got an idea in his head? If Loktar 'imself rose up from the fields, I'm not sure it'd give ol' Willam much pause."

Erne just grunted in response. "Least he's doing the sensible thing and sending Dayne to have a look first."

[Sophistemon]

Indrys remains silent for a moment before speaking, which is somewhat wondrous in and of itself. When he does speak, his words are cool and measured. "I think," he begins, "that you have underestimated our advantages." He motions towards the spot on the ground that had recently held the boy, only to notice, too late, that he has been taken away. He continues the gesture regardless. "The boy has alerted us, albeit inadvertently, to their presence and intentions, which would have gone otherwise unknown before they launched their attack. The element of surprise has been therefore denied them, and we now possess it. Additionally, without the information that the child would have taken back with him, they are in the dark regarding our capabilities to combat them. They will be caught unawares, and incapable of generating a proper counter-defense." His gesturing hand points upwards, then, indicating the sky. "The sun is high, giving us excellent visibility on the field of battle, and we are recently fed and rested, albeit briefly." He folds his arms over his chest and inclines his head. "That said, sir dwarf, I will of course defer to your council."

[The Orange Zergling]

"Combat's messy alright, but it ain't always all bad. Gets the blood flowin'. Literally. Heh." Thorus shakes his head, realizing he's going off on a tangent. He hates it when people do that. "I gotta say, though, I don't like the odds. Sounds like there's twenty of them, an' about twenty of us. If we take every sword to fight 'em, we'll only be even, and then who's gonna protect the caravan while we're gone?"

[Destro_Yersul]

Over by the trees, Dayne and one of the other guards had mounted horses, making ready to scout ahead. Tallhelm looked like he was offering words of encouragement, and the group was glad to be out of earshot. Of him, at least. Erne had overheard them, coming over himself instead of joining the others guarding the boy's wagon.

"Heard you talking," he offered as explanation, leaning carefully on another wagon. "What was your name again?" He asked Indrys.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin frowns deeply, "I'd prefer you not take that tone with me sir Aneiron. All I said was that each man should fight as he wishes, because this goes beyond the duty of guarding a caravan. If you can convince them to go along with this plan of yours, I'll follow it."

[Sophistemon]

Indrys looks at Glaffin and his amber eyes soften with the slightest hint of shame. "You... you have my apologies," he says, softly. "The heat, and the excitement... it has made me irritable. You're absolutely right: that tone was unacceptable." He shakes his head. "And, no, of course, I'd never suggest shanghaiing any of our fellows into a battle that they're unwilling to fight." He sighs, and unfolds his arms from in front of his chest, letting them hang loosely. "I do believe, though, that once we're properly informed on the subject of the enemy, we may very well have the means to triumph in an attack against them." It's at that point that Erne approaches, and asks the gray-elf his name. "Ah, Indrys," he replies. "Indrys Aneirion, of the House of Neirion. Could I help you with something?"

[Destro_Yersul]

"In a manner of speaking. I'm curious about your plan, to fight the bandits. If there are bandits, and that we'll know soon enough." Coughing slightly, Erne nodded in the direction of Dayne, the younger guard having just rode away. "Master Tallhelm pays us to mind the wagons, not go chasing outlaws over rough terrain. Now, I've no problem with fighting back. We get attacked, that's our job, right? It's just..."

Erne paused, as though searching for the right words to make his point. "Well, as I was trying to tell Mr. Jens over there, we can't take carts across the hills, and our horses ain't bred for fighting. If you got a good plan, I'd like to hear it."

[Blarghy]

Alec shifts a little at this piece of unwelcome news. "The horses that the caravan guards hope to use to ward off attackers aren't trained to stay calm and keep to their commands in battle?" Clearly, this is something he finds strange.

[The Orange Zergling]

"Attacking 'em unprovoked seems like it's gettin' to be a worse and worse idea." Looking over at Alec, Thorus replies, "Just because they ain't bred to be warhorses doesn't mean they ain't trained to stay calm. Ain't optimal, but could be worse. Good horses can be expensive."

[Destro_Yersul]

"Aye, your friend has the right of it. These are cart horses, and good ones. I'd trust 'em not to panic and run off, but I ain't about to ride into battle on one." Erne looked somewhat perplexed at the question. "What gave you that idea?"

[Sophistemon]

After listening to Erne's question, his follow-up, and then to the others' responses, Indrys is forced to regard his former idea with a high degree of despondency. He cups his chin in a palm and ponders for a moment before speaking. "Perhaps," he says, at last, "a full-scale assault against the enemy is... unwise." He sighs, and when he speaks again his voice is calm and measured. "Mister Erne, I would have to hear our scout's report before being able to formulate a more concrete plan of action. To produce a strategy based entirely upon the hypothetical would be a waste of time and mental effort." He shrugs and looks down at the dusty ground beneath his feet. "But, from what I've learned about our own capabilities, I rescind my earlier suggestion that we assault the enemy bandits with the intention of destroying their operation. I suggest, instead, that we should make rescuing their captive hostages our main goal. Routing the enemy would be justice, but unless we hear from our scout that they are woefully undermanned and under-equipped, I don't see that as being possible at the current time. So, perhaps a smaller group, sent under the cover of darkness, to disrupt their activities and rescue the kidnapped victims."

[Slii Arhem]

"I hate to be a negative voice once again, but the lad said we were about five or ten minutes from where the bandits would ambush us. If they go looking for him, they'll find us, and we'll be stuck waiting for them to attack. We can't afford to wait for nightfall unless we're sure they'll wait as well." Getting the hostages sounded like a grand idea, if it weren't for the threat of being found out beforehand.

"But let's wait on the scout before deciding on anything. We can all agree on that at least."

[Destro_Yersul]

It wasn't long to wait, sitting in the shade under the trees, before Dayne returned, the other guard with him. The horses looked tired, but happy to be back with their fellows, trotting over to stand in the shade as soon as their riders had dismounted.

"Just like we expected, sir." Dayne strode up, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "There's a broken cart pulled just off the road, and a lot of footprints. Didn't see any horses, or any people, but..." Reaching to his belt, the young man withdrew an arrow from his satchel, the iron head fitted with cruel-looking barbs. "Plenty of these. Pulled this one from next to the driver's seat of the wagon."

[Blarghy]

This news is considerably less useful than a report of the bandit camp, to Alec, which he'd assumed was the scout's destination. But maybe Dayne is just relaying it a piece at a time. If not, he might have to go personally take a look to move this decision along.

"No corpses?" he asks.

[Slii Arhem]

"What was the condition of the road like? Any lines running across it in the dust where they could've had ropes stretched across there, or holes dug to foul up a horse's footing?" Glaffin wonders if they just used numbers and force to stop the kid's cart, because if so then there's a good chance the caravan could barrel through with minimal damage if they picked up to a good running pace. It's unlikely that bandits would chase them that far if they really pushed the horses.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Didn't see any bodies, no." Shaking his head, Dayne looked over at Willam.

"Come on," said the Miller-turned-merchant. "I'd like to have the rest of it. We certainly don't have all day to wait around, not if we want to catch the bandits at it. And we've still got to make Seabreak!" He motioned for Dayne to continue, keeping any other comments he might have had to himself, for now.

"Alright," the guard said, moving on with his report. "There weren't any holes in the road, or anything like that. Lots of footprints, and a couple sets of hoofprints, going slow into the hills. They weren't in a hurry. I couldn't see any campfires or anything like that from the road, but I know which direction they went. I left Tarn here watching the horses, and tried to get a little closer. I didn't get very far, though. Spotted a group of them coming back, so we left pretty quick. They're going to be back to watching the roads, I figure."

Nodding to himself, Tallhelm let his opinion out at last. It seemed to be a strain for him to keep quiet for so long, the words coming out in a veritable torrent. "Alright, so, the boy was telling the truth, mostly. Or at least, we can assume so. Which means around twenty bandits, and a little more than twenty combatants for us, though I'm sure I could find a few crossbows spare for anyone else who wanted to contribute. They've got bows, which puts them at the advantage unless we can get right up close to them, see how they like swordwork. They'd see us coming if we rushed them, though, and I'm not waiting until night for some fool assault in the dark. Good way to twist an ankle, moving around the hills at night, and I would know!"

From the sounds of things, Tallhelm was about to launch into another anecdote.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus shakes his head, trying to respond before Tallhelm can begin his next test of patience. "If they'll know we're comin', then we don't even have the element of surprise. I ain't seein' how we're supposed to come outta this with fewer bruises than them." Though he does silently admit to himself that getting out of this situation without fighting seems like less and less of a possibility. He doesn't mind fighting - far from it - he just doesn't like the idea of dying. "You sure there ain't some kind of way to get the drop on 'em, or use the terrain to our advantage, or sabotage 'em somehow?"

[Destro_Yersul]

Tallhelm stopped in the middle of forming a sentence, looking somewhat nonplussed at the interuption. Thorus seemed to have succeeded at heading off his story, though; rather than start again, he lapsed into thought for a moment, muttering to himself and looking around at the wagons.

"I've got it," he said. "They're likely to try and ambush us, expect us to be surprised, but we can ambush them right back. Sabotage isn't likely to work, too hard to get close to them unseen with nothing but hills for cover. It might be enough for a small group to get around behind them, though, and we can conceal guards with crossbows in the wagons. Then, when they strike, up we come already in cover."

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin nods in agreement, "That sounds more like it to me. Make ourselves seem like an easy target and rout them from behind. If we're lucky, they might take us for the Seabreak guard and break rank to flee, but only if we hit them hard enough and confuse them."

[Blarghy]

Actually, one big glaring flaw stands out to Alec: when the unwilling spy they captured doesn't return, the bandits will presumably know that something went wrong, and may rightly guess what the group is planning, when they come riding down the road as normal. Tallhelm's ambush might backfire by the bandits expecting a trap and springing one in return.

And yet he keeps his theory to himself. Everyone finally seems to be up for a fight, so he isn't about to spook them again.

"Where would we find this small group to enact your plan?" he asks, amused. He and Tallhelm are probably on the same page for once.

[Destro_Yersul]

"I was hoping you and the others might volunteer for that. No strangers to that sort of thing, from what I've gathered. Especially... Thorus? That was your name, right?" He said, looking over at the ex-soldier.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus scratches his chin thoughtfully. "That's more like it. Kinda risky, but doesn't look like we can do anything that ain't." He glances at Tallhelm and replies, "Yup. S'long as we ain't all headin' to our deaths, I'm up fer any fightin' you send my way."

[Sophistemon]

Indrys thinks it over while the others talk, his eyes narrowed against the waning noon-day sun. It could work, he muses. It was simply a partial revision of what he had already suggested: strike the enemy in their moment of weakness. Granted, it wouldn't be a the glorious, all-out charge that he had initially proposed, but that was fine. He's far too self-absorbed to kick himself for not deciding on subterfuge in the first place, but he does conclude that it's a good idea, playing opossum. Not quite as glamorous or good for his reputation as waging a righteous battle against the bandits, but in this case, perhaps, it would be far more prudent a course of action. And who knows? There may yet be opportunities for heroic actions that would lead to his name being recorded in tale and song. At last, the gray elf nods his head. "I insist on being one of those sent behind enemy lines, master Tallhelm." He eyes the others. "I couldn't very well suggest that we engage in dangerous conflict with the enemy and then stay behind and cower in a wagon when the fighting starts. Those who are of the blood of Neirion do not shy away from bloody combat."

[Destro_Yersul]

"Excellent. I'll begin the preparations." Tallhelm scurried off to talk to the guards, taking the two scouts with him. The small group, meant for behind-the-lines duty, was left to make whatever preparations they felt necessary before facing the bandits.

Here, you can do whatever you like. Search out more weapons, supplies, anything you think you might need from the caravan. If my input is needed, I'll chime in OOC. Once you've all done that, move on to the next bit, below...

Later, with the horses once again hooked to the wagons, and half the guards hiding behind makeshift fortifications piled inside the closed ones, the caravan readied itself to move. The sun was still high above, shedding warm light on the men and horses below. Visibility would be good, which might turn into a blessing or a curse. Certainly, it would make the job of the infiltrators more difficult. They were riding at the tail end of the caravan for now, ready to break off just before they reached the spot where the bandits had ambushed the other wagon.

With the crack of reins and the grinding of wheels, Tallhelm's caravan began to move. The caravan master himself had taken command of the second wagon, wanting things to appear as normal as possible. The minutes wore on, each one that passed seeming like an hour, every ear alert for the slight snapping of twigs or rustling of grass that would betray their enemies. Once, a group of rocks cascaded down the steep side of a nearby hill, but that turned out to have been nothing more than a startled rabbit.

At last, after what seemed an age, they were getting close. The infiltration group left the caravan, slowing their pace and hiding in the dust cloud raised by the wagons. Their clothing, by this point, was gritty with dust from the road, tossed up by the hooves and wheels ahead of them in line. Just up ahead, through the haze of dust, the ruined shell of a wagon was visible by the side of the road.

OOC:
And here we are. Spot checks if you want to try and make out anything more than the broken wagon. Other checks will be handled on a case-by-case basis. What are you guys going to do?

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin volunteers for the infiltration group as well, before they begin their task. He's sure that the majority of the casualties will be with the smaller group, and being able to tend to them quickly will be his prime concern.

After that, he searches out and replaces his coil of silk rope with another, assuming he has Tallhelm's blessing to do so. Shouldn't go anywhere without a good sturdy coil of rope.


-----

After they begin their approach, Glaffin's eyes rove over the hills, searching for anything that might tip him off as to where their ambushers might be hiding. Tracks, disturbed brush, or dust clouds especially.

Spot Check:
[roll0]

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus peers at the wagon briefly, but suspects that it is merely bait. Ambushers would surely come from the nearest cover on either side, trying to surround them in some kind of pincer. At least, that's what he would do. So he looks elsewhere for anything unusual. His legs itched with inaction, and his eyes were irritated from the dust. He ached to feel the thrill of battle again, as he fully opened his senses to the world.

Out of Character
Thorus changes his active draconic aura to Senses: Allies within 30 feet gain a +1 bonus to Spot, Listen and Initiative rolls.

Spot check: [roll0]

[Gullara]

Cecily likewise ignores the wagon in favour of the surrounding area. She's heard enough similar stories to guess that the wagon is probably bate. Her eyes flick back and forth agitatedly. She's not well suited for combat she knows, but they need everyone they can to fight and she knows it.

Out of Character:
Spot Check: [roll0]

[Blarghy]

In contrast, Alec stares across the distance at the carriage (everyone else seems to be covering the hills, after all). A handful of bandits could be hiding behind the wreckage, waiting to attack investigators, draw attention, and distract the caravan while the rest of the band rides in from the side or rear to attack in surprise. Essentially the opposite of what the merchants are planning.


Spot: [roll0]

[Sophistemon]

Before the group sets out on their mission, Indrys spends his time fretting about between the various wagons, checking on his belongings, preparing his gear, and mentally reviewing his catalog of spells and incantations. When it's time for them to leave, he takes a few crucial seconds to compose himself before mounting a horse and following along with the others. His back is ramrod straight, his face grim, and his knuckles even paler due to their gripping the reins. It would appear the the elf is no fan of horseback. As the group move their mounts into the concealing dust kicked up by the wagons, Indrys' lips curve downward into a frown as he considers the damage being done to his clothing; the dust and grit might stain his garments beyond repair, and they would be expensive to replace. As they pass the disabled wagon, a likely place of ambush, the elf casts his eyes hither and thither, seeking out signs of trouble. If we're to be attacked, he muses, it would be here. He draws one of his favorite spells to the forefront of his mind and keeps it there, much as in the manner of an arrow knocked and ready on the string of a bow.

Out-of-Character
Rolling a Spot check. Taking into account Thorus' bonus, it's a +7.

[roll0].

[Destro_Yersul]

At first, the hills around the broken wagon appeared to be deserted. On the right side of the road, they dropped off in a smooth slope to the ocean, bare apart from a few stands of tall grass. It would take a skilled man to hide there alone, forget a party of them. The ruined wagon offered slightly more opportunity, but it didn't seem to have been used. One of the axles had broken, putting it on an angle, and removing the most obvious spot as an option.

That meant, if there were bandits, they'd be on the left side of the road. Squinting through the dust thrown up by the caravan as it continued to rumble forward, Indrys thought he could just make something out over the crest of one of the hills. Moments later, a flash of light told him he was right. The sun above had betrayed their enemies, reflecting off the metal of a weapon, or a buckle.

That was why it was better to attack at night.

Pkay, everyone got awesome rolls, so here's what there is to see:

You don't think there are bandits to the right, or in the wagon.
The hills provide decent amounts of cover, but you've all seen something from three hills away. Basically, near where the broken wagon is. Not far to walk, not far at all for horses. I'll do a map later. What you can't tell is exactly how many somethings there might be. At least a dozen.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin gestures to where he's spotted the glint over a few hills, surprised at himself that he could have picked it up. He doesn't speak to his fellows, not wanting to give their position away should an errant breeze carry his words farther than intended.

There's not much more he can do though, besides wait for the bandits to get overconfident and attack. Despite his heritage, he's woefully under-prepared to be a fighter, and has resigned himself to support the others as best as he can, and maybe whack a few of the louts over the head with his old rusty cudgel if they come too close.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus nods in acknowledgment to Glaffin. He grips his morningstar and shield, trying to keep a low profile. Keeping his eyes glued to the spot of the glimmer, he feels a familiar - and welcome - rush, preparing for the upcoming battle. He is very much looking forward to whacking some people over the head with a stick. A very heavy, spiked stick.

[Destro_Yersul]

Thorus was to get his wish soon, or hopefully soon. The caravan rumbled slowly forwards as their group picked its way slowly around the hills, their horses carefully avoiding rocks and divots as they made their way forwards. So far, no attack had been forthcoming. They could see their wagons through a gap between the hills. Tallhelm's wagon had already passed the broken one, when one of the guards riding along on horseback gave a shout. It sounded like Dayne.

Rounding the last hill, the small group of infiltrators got a good view on what had caused the young man such alarm. Rising out from the grass at the top of the hill where they'd seen the flash were bandits, and lots of them. The boy's estimate hadn't been far off, if this was the reception they were getting. There were certainly more bandits than there were nearby guards; not knowing which part of the wagon train would get hit, Tallhelm had chosen to put two guards per wagon, plus a handful of outriders on spare horses. The bandits, on the other hand, had clustered together on the hill. Thorus saw shortbows and short swords, for the most part, though a few of them carried longbows. Behind the main group were three riding horses, including one with armour that looked better made than the rest. His sword was better made too, a long cavalry sabre that he had probably stolen hanging from his belt, complemented by a bow in his other hand.

It looked like it would be a tough fight, but they had one advantage. The bandits, their attention focused on the caravan, hadn't seen them yet.

And battle is joined! You lot get one round of actions as a surprise round, since the bandits are apparently as ignorant of your tactics as they are bad at hiding.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus looks back at his companions and murmurs, "I say we take out that fella in the back first. Disorganize 'em." Without waiting for an answer, he spurs his horse into a gallop, sending it towards the armored figure. As the beast nears his target, he swings his morningstar downwards, letting the horse add its momentum to the blow. He is vaguely aware of the fact that he is the first to join the fray, but if that becomes a problem, well, he'll burn that bridge when he comes to it.

Thorus spurs his horse to charge the bandit leader, suffering a -2 penalty to AC until his next turn.
Attack roll: [roll0]
Damage roll (if applicable): [roll1]

Based on the previous dialogue about the horses, I assume I don't need to roll a Ride check?

[Sophistemon]

Indrys stares, his mouth gaping open, as Thorus rides off to engage in single combat with the bandits' supposed leader. Declaring your intent to charge into battle and then proceeding to charge into battle did not count as a plan! "You--!" he sputters. And then, "He--!" It's at around that moment that his brain kicks in, having recovered enough from the shock and surprise to do so, and he comprehends Thorus' intent. "He's right," he says to the others. "Attack their rear and draw them away from the wagons!" With that, the elf spurs his own horse and follows after the bloodthirsty Thorus. When his mount brings him within one-hundred and ten feet of the more heavily armored bandit, Indrys reaches into a pouch at his belt and retrieves a pinch of fine sand and three dried rose petals. Rubbing it all together and staining his fingertips in the process, the magician recites a quick, musical incantation before directing the resulting spell towards Thorus' intended target. If the magic has the intended effect, the brutish bandit should find himself overcome by an overwhelming drowsiness, bringing an untimely and yet undeniably overdue end to the rapscallion's reign of rampant ne'er-do-wellism.

Actions:

Move: Indrys will move his horse towards the Bandit Leader, until said man is within the 110ft range of Indrys' spell.
Standard: Indrys will cast sleep (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/sleep.htm) on the Bandit Leader.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin swears aloud as he spurs his horse forward. Damned heroics will get one of those two killed if they aren't careful.

It looks like the first two have the battle with the leader well in hand at the moment, but if they aren't careful they'll be rushed and surrounded before the reinforcements from the wagons can surmount the hill to distract them. Looks like he'll have to do something foolhardy himself if they're going to make it out in one piece.

So he'll spur his mount into a charge, hardly knowing what he's doing as he does, but unhooking his own morningstar from the loop on his belt and swinging it in a low arc as the mare reins up next to his target. He's aimed for the closest bandit to his position, the one just barely on the edge of the hill, which will hopefully draw some attention to him that would otherwise go towards Thorus.

Glaffin could almost appreciate the humor of the situation. He hadn't wanted violent attention directed his way so much since that fiery redhead he'd had his eye on took a drunken go at kicking him in the goolies and ended up tumbling in a heap with him instead.

OOC:
Glaffin is moving 85ft in a straight line towards the southernmost bandit and attacking with his morningstar on a charge.

AC for the turn: 11
Current Health: 8

Attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1]

[Gullara]

Celily flounders for a moment as the others spring into action. She looks after them for a moment, debating what to do. She can use her sword, but she's no fighter. She grits her teeth, and spurs her house forward.

Unlike some of her companions, Cecily doesn't immediately join the fray. She stays back a ways and begins to sing. The song rings out across the battlefield. It speaks of great battles and greater victories, of proud warriors winning honor and glory. Her voice reaches into the hearts of her allies and bolsters their courage.

Current HP: 7

Cecily will move forward 50 feet.
She will use Inspire Courage.

[Blarghy]

The pirate isn't as quick to react as the rest, having half-closed his eyes and begun to mutter softly to himself. He continues his whispers as he kicks his horse into a charge like the others; were it not for the thundering hooves and hectic circumstances, a keen listener might recognize it as a prayer. Unsurprisingly, Alec isn't asking for mercy or peace.

He doesn't ride all the way to the leader, but instead joins Glaffin, not so much to protect anyone else, but rather because he sees a serious problem with centering himself between the collected bandits. If he'd had his way, he would've directed the group to wait until their enemies had charged to meet the wagons, and then rushed in. Their original plan only works so long as the bandits don't just turn and finish this threat before redirecting their attention to the caravan as a whole; now Alec can only hope that the other guards will be kind enough to drop what they're doing and rush to join the battle. A more cautious (and perhaps saner) man would've hung back entirely. A more cautious man also wouldn't be looking to end many lives today in the service of a dark and terrible god.

If possible, Alec puts himself on the opposite side as Glaffin, to flank their common enemy. Either way, as he leans over the neck of his horse to lash out with his sword, forearm rotating to twist the blade, he whispers a last, short phrase to the other man.

"Darkness take your soul."


From my reading of the SRD, it looks like you don't have to attack the person directly in front of you to make a charge work, so if Glaffin goes for the bandit's back, Alec could end his charge at the front (or vice versa), leaving the south square empty. Maybe. I can definitely say that at this low of a level, the flanking bonus would be golden for both of them. There's also the matter of tasty, tasty sneak attack bonus damage.

I'm not including that bonus, though, or rolling SA. If Destro does like the idea, then hopefully his low-rolling dice will be kinder to me than they are to him. =P

The bonuses from Inspire Courage are included, since Celily acts before Alec. Along with the charge bonus, naturally.

Attack: [roll0]

Damage: [roll1]

[The Orange Zergling]

Feeling the satisfying thunk travel up his arm from the bandit leader's gaping wound, Thorus lets loose a feral cry of victory. He scans the surrounding area, taking in what his allies are doing. Deciding the bandit leader is wounded enough, possibly slain, he spurs his horse to bring him closer to the third mounted bandit, and swings his morningstar in a downward stroke.

I've been informed it would be more convenient for Destro if I posted again before he updated, since I'm at the top of the initiative order.

Thorus and his horse move adjacent to the third mounted bandit, the only one who has not been engaged in combat yet. Thorus then attacks it.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Additionally, as a Swift action (not a free action; I was mistaken), Thorus changes his active aura to Vigor: Allies within 30 feet gain fast healing 1, but only when below half of their maximum health.

[Destro_Yersul]

Thorus charged forward, spurring his horse towards the likely leader of the bandits. The man barely had time to turn his head before Indrys' spell hit him, forcing his eyelids to drop of their own accord. Moments later, Thorus smashed him from his saddle, sending his horse fleeing. Alec and Glaffin had chosen a different target, singling out one of the solitary bandits closer by. The two bore down on him, their mounts' hooves churning up the ground. Alec's blow was mis-timed by a hair, his sword whistling through the empty space above the bandit's head: he had ducked, but the movement took him right into the path of Glaffin's morningstar. The force of the impact sent him sprawling, blood staining the grass on the hill.

Behind them all, Cecily had pulled up her horse next to Indrys, her voice ringing across the battlefield. The caravan was still moving slowly, the guards having only just revealed themselves. They gathered their crossbows hurriedly, loading the heavy weapons as quickly as they could. It wouldn't be fast enough for an immediate volley, but their appearance combined with the death of the leader had given those who remained pause. They were splitting their attention between two groups, barbed arrows like the one Dayne had retrieved beginning to fly through the air as they reacted to the unexpected charge from behind. Glaffin had to bit back a curse as one found a crack in his armour, burying itself in his leg. It would be Tharius' own job to get that back out, but the immediate concern was Alec. Both the arrows aimed at him struck home, black-feathered shafts piercing his armour and kncoking him off his horse. He hit the ground insensate and rolled downhill, finishing face up with his eyes closed.

One of the bandits was clearly a spellcaster of some sort, arcane words spilling from his lips as he ran for the protection of the far group. He had clearly been expecting to hang back and provide backup, but Thorus' sudden appearance and subsequent attack had forced him much closer to the wagons. His spell worked despite the armour he was wearing, the ground underneath the horses pulling the lead wagon growing suddenly slick. The animals struggled to keep their footing on the unexpectedly slippery surface, neighing in fear and surprise; the one on the left fell, screaming, as a bolt from one bandit pierced its neck. Willam fought to control the one that remained standing, pulling hard on the reins. It was all he could do to get the wagon stopped before it rolled over the fallen horse, tangled as it was in its harness. That was the worst of the damage, though. Fear or surprise had made the bandits sloppy, many of their arrows failing to find a mark. One sailed past Dayne as the guard wheeled his horse around behind the protective bulk of the lead wagon, sending an arrow of his own back in reply. It thudded into the dirt inches from its target, eliciting a cry of alarm. An echoing cry came from behind them, as Thorus' morningstar sent another bandit to an early grave. The dragon shaman turned to look for the last enemy horseman, only to find the man's weapon descending towards him. Smashing the blow aside with his shield, he turned to face this latest threat.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin bites back an epithet and nudges his horse forward just a bit so it is facing Alec's own before dismounting by his wounded comrade's side. The adrenaline pumping through him prevents him from noticing any pain the shaft in his own thigh for now, although it is no less urgent, and he knows it will have to be dealt with immediately once the greater concerns are taken care of.

Chanting under his breath with a somewhat unsteady voice, he touches Alec's brow and discharges a prayer of healing into him, hoping it will be enough to rouse him from this state. As much as he hates to think this way, they need moving bodies if they're going to survive the next few seconds.

And just where the heck are those guards? Glaffin thought they'd be ready for something like this. He clearly wasn't.

If he sees Alec rousing, he'll advise the sailor to stay low so that any more arrows have a hard time of hitting him, "Stay down for now, alright?"

OOC:
Glaffin is making his horse take a 5ft step forward and then dismounting into a space adjacent to Alec as his move action.

Then he's expending his Unseen Servant spell to cast CLW onto Alec as his standard action.

Since Glaffin and Alec have their horses between them and the archers, they have a +4 AC against any more arrows.

Cure Light Wounds: [roll0]

AC: 13 (melee), 17 (ranged)
HP: 2

[Gullara]

It takes a considerable effort for Cecily to convince herself to move toward the fray. This is no time to be a coward, no matter how unprepared she is for this kind of fighting. When an arrow whizzes over her head she knows she has to move. At least she can do something if they're within the reach of her sword. As she approaches the fight she keeps up her singing. It's the least she can do to aid her companions.

Move action: Cecily moves forward twenty five feet and to the right five feet.
Standard action: She maintains Inspire Courage.

Current HP: 7

[Sophistemon]

The gray elf gets the extreme pleasure of seeing the bandit leader's head droop into slumber before it is caved in - Bursting open rather like an overripe melon, he muses - by Thorus' mighty strike. "I knew that we'd make a good team," he murmurs, if only for his own ears to hear, and then feels another pang of guilt (which is an unfamiliar emotion) for having treated his new ally with earlier disrespect. Deciding to make it up to his new friend by proving himself to be a valuable addition to the caravan, Indrys spurs his horse, urging the beast to bring them closer to the enemy. The elf's mind is whirring as he calculates important variables in his head. The spell's maximum range is fifteen feet, expanding outwards from me in a convex cone-shape. If I'm to get as many enemies in its area of effect as possible, I need to position myself... here! As before, when they were attempting to restrain the thieving child, Indry's slim-fingered hands dart into the interior pockets of his coat and retrieve multiple pinches of differently-colored sands and powders. Thus armed, the magician thrusts his hands forward, towards the enemy, and recites a spell.

Actions:

Move Action: to position Indrys at an optimal point on the map, where his spell (a fifteen foot cone) can affect the most enemies possible.
Standard Action: to cast Color Spray (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/colorSpray.htm) (Will DC15) on a group of bandits.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus snarled in defiance to his opponent, and whirled his morningstar in an arc to try to catch him on the side of the head. He was idly aware of being alone with his foe in the back - after dispatching him, hopefully the guards will have joined the battle and he would be able to catch the bandits in the back.

Thorus attacks the bandit next to him.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Destro_Yersul]

The caravan ground to a halt, its passage down the road blocked by the lead wagon. One horse was still on the ground, crying in pain, while Willam was trying frantically to get it back on its feet. The caravan owner wiped his forehead, taking hole of the reins with both hands and trying to direct the wounded animal to stand back up. Its cries were unnerving the other horses; they stamped and snorted, shuffling back and forth in their harnesses and rocking the wagons. At last, the caravan guards returned fire, resting the stocks of their crossbows on the wooden beams of the wagons for added stability. A series of shots sounded in rapid succession, the reliable weapons sending a flurry of steel towards the hill. Some of the shots missed, sailing past their targets or adding to the collection protruding from the broken wagon. Others struck home, pitching their targets to the ground and eliciting nervous looks from the other bandits. Already, things were going badly for them. One of the outriders drove the point home, spurring his horse forward and leaning down from the saddle to strike one of the bandits sheltered behind the wagon. The man's head rolled away, his body dropping to the ground. Moments later, a storm of return fire from panicking bandits peppered the horseman. He tensed, pulling the reins, and his horse reared. Tumbling from the saddle to land in a heap, the guard lay still where he had fallen.

Behind the furious contest of archery, Indrys rode forward, pulling powders from a pouch and raising his hand. In a flash of multicoloured light, one of the bandits fell, knocked insensate by the magic. His companion raised his bow, sending a shot at the elf as he backed away. It struck home, raising a bloom of pain in Indry's leg. His display of magic had served to incapacitate one bandit, but it had also earned him some unwanted attention. A bolt of magical force slammed into him, directed by the bandit spellcaster. Secure amidst the largest concentration of remaining bandits, the man was looking intently at Indrys, eager to see if his spell had finished the job.

Barely thirty feet away, Thorus' morningstar whirled, his target ducking under the swing and retaliating with a badly aimed stab that didn't even scratch the ex-soldier's armour. The other bandits, unfortunately, were doing considerably better. Confident that their friend was keeping the enemy horseman busy, and that the sorcerer would deal with Indrys, the three with crossbows took aim at the caravan once again. Bolts flew, thudding into their targets and sinking deep. One of the guards - Cecily thought it looked like Erne - ducked, the metal shaft glancing off his helmet. Willam, contrary to his name, had not thought to bring a helmet, or didn't see the shot to duck. He slumped sideways in the driver's seat, the reins falling from his hands. Perhaps sensing its master's fall, or desperate to get away from its fallen brethren, one of the horses pulling the lead wagon jerked forwards, its harness snapping as it took flight. Dayne shouted, kicking his mount to give chase, but he never made it: the last of the black-feathered bolts arced over the wagon beside him, striking him square in the chest and hurling him from his horse.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin is beyond cursing now. The caravan's owner is down, and between him and the man stand two lowlifes, one of which had the misfortune to put an arrow in his leg.

To put it simply, the dwarf is mad as all hell as he tugs his horse out of the way by the reins and runs up to his quarry, the closest bandit he can spot. He's flexing his knuckles and snorting like a mad bull, and without saying a word lashes out at the bandit's skull with a backhanded swipe, Cecily's song ringing in his ears.

His intent is clear. All obstacles between him and William are going to be cleared, or he doesn't deserve to be called a cleric of Tharius.

OOC:
Glaffin is commanding his horse to move to M11/M12, out of the way, then walking up to charging to M9, and making a single attack against the bandit in N8.

Attack Roll: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

AC:11
HP:2

Probably ill advised, but here goes nothing.

Edit: I didn't know I had control of the horse without a handle animal check, but after confirming it with Destro the horse is moved, and Glaffin can charge. That attack roll should thusly work out to 13, at least.

[Gullara]

Cecily casts her gaze over the battlefield, looking for a good target. When she sees her friend moving toward the pair of bandits behind the wagon, her choice seems clear. Cecily kicks her horse forward in a charge, lifting her sword so it's point will meet her foe.

OoC:
Cecily will charge at the bandit on N7, ending up in M7 and L7 herself.

Attack Roll: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

HP: 7
AC: 10

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus grows aggravated. His morningstar came down in a downward arc, in an attempt to end the fight with a head-blow. He growled deep in his throat, wanting dearly to dispatch the immediate foe and join the greater fray, or at least aid his allies.

Thorus attacks the bandit in front of him.

Attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1]

[Destro_Yersul]

The guards had left the wagons now, or at least the ones in the rear had. They were advancing carefully towards the broken wagon, pausing only to send a couple more bolts at the remaining group of bandits once they had reached the relative safety of the wooden cover. Their noble efforts were matched by the guards still with the caravan, bolts flying. Two more bandits fell. Their numbers were severely diminished since the start of their attack, and their resolve was clearly weakening. The spellcaster and one of the others took flight, running north away from the battle as fast as their legs could carry them. Their shortbow-armed compatriot was quick to follow, sending one last arrow in Cecily's direction before turning to flee himself.

Cecily, sitting atop her horse, pulled her rapier from the body of the bandit she had practically run down, blood dripping from the tip of the weapon to land in scattered droplets on the grass. Beside her, Glaffin smashed in the head of the other bandit, howling like a berserker. It was a clear shot to Tallhelm, now. It wouldn't take him more than a few moments to reach the caravan's owner, very possibly saving his life. Indrys had directed his horse up beside the wagon, shielding them from incoming fire. Behind the dwarf, there were sudden dual cries of pain.

Cecily slumped in her saddle, and arrow protruding from the bard's chest. It looked like a bad hit, but she was still breathing as far as the dwarf could tell. Back closer to the last remaining bandits was Thorus, holding a bolt he had just pulled out of his armour. The tip of the projectile was stained red, but the ex-soldier seemed to be fine, for now.


[roll0]
[roll1]

again, 1 is out, 2 is in. I've also included a d6, in case she falls. She stays on the horse. Two in a row! This is progress.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin snaps back to his senses as he hears Cecily cry out and sees her slump on her horse. Damn everything into the fires, he couldn't just leave her like that. Tallhelm would have to wait another few moments.

Glaffin takes a small step towards Cecily, just far enough to touch her boot, dangling over the flank of the horse, as he utters a short prayer.

This would have to be enough for now. At least she'd stop bleeding until he could tend to her properly.

OOC:
Glaffin is taking a 5ft step over to Cecily's position and then expending Detect Magic for a Cure Minor Wounds on her. It will heal her for 1, and stabilize her.

AC: 13 (17 against ranged attacks from beyond Cecily's horse)
HP: 2

[Blarghy]

In the midst of the dimming yet unexpectedly bloody battle, Alec finally manages to clear his head and realizes that the field looks a lot less organized and more screamy than he remembers it. Taking an arrow to the lung can do that. The two small favors he can count are that his horse has been astonishingly calm about the whole matter, rather than running for its life and leaving him exposed, and the bandits seem to be worse off than his team. Maybe not much worse, he can't help but think after a glance around, particularly at Cecily. But even without her song, the echos throb between his ears (actually, that could be the concussion he sustained while falling from his saddle).

He peeks under his horse's neck to see both of the crossbowmen who put him on the ground at the onset of the fight. A sensible approach might be to stay where he is and let someone else take care of that problem, ideally someone who can't still taste iron when they breathe. On the other hand, that list is looking increasingly small. Not to mention that the bandits have already proven their skill at range, so he probably isn't much safer here than he is right in front of them.

His skin looks ashen as he slips around his horse, jumps over the body of the man Cecily mostly-killed moments before, and makes a mad dash north. Mad in this case looks a lot like drunken weaving, given the way his skull pulses and his chest swirls with fire. Nevertheless, Alec leads with his short sword and tries to put some blood on it.


Moving to K2 and attacking, still including the bonuses from Inspire Courage (so glad that bard songs last for a few rounds even after the singing stops).

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus snapped the bolt in twain with his fist in defiance. It was only a wound to his pride, thankfully. He ground his teeth and spurred his horse towards the remaining two foes, who would pay dearly for their transgression. He howls a battle cry and swings his morningstar in a reckless but powerful arc, hoping to finish the fight.

Thorus charges into K0-L0, attacking the furthest crossbowman.

Attack: 1d20+5
Damage: 1d8+1

The attack roll takes into consideration the charge and the bard song from earlier.

[Destro_Yersul]

Proxy Post Due to Server Issues:

Indrys

When his spell has a lackluster effect, in that it only defeats one of the two bandits that he had targeted, Indrys is more irritated than worried. The apt pupil that he is, there are more spells at his disposal – more than enough, surely, to take care of a few dirty highwaymen. The elf is midway through preparing another incantation when he is interrupted by thin, reedy whistle that terminates in a soft, meaty thunk that is followed immediately after by an agonizing pain in his left thigh. When he looks down to see the shaft of a poorly-constructed arrow sticking out of the bloodstained white fabric of his pants, Indrys begins to worry, but he was not yet panicked. The panic comes when he looks back up just in time to be struck in the chest by a bolt of magical energy that bypasses the protective layers of his coat and slams into him with the force of a crossbow bolt, knocking the wind from his chest and forcing him to the edge of consciousness. His spell now thoroughly forgotten, Indrys thinks only of escape. He was wounded, badly, and the dwarf Glaffin was a healer. One plus one equals survival, and so the bleeding magician turned his horse about and sent it charging back across the field of battle towards his new best friend.

When he reaches the other spellcaster, his words are as jumbled as his thoughts: “Glaffin! Help me! It wasn’t… I can’t…!” His eyes are wide and staring, and he looks paler than usual, like he’s going to be sick.

[Destro_Yersul]

Alec broke from the cover of his horse, sword held in front of him. Caught in the middle of reloading, his target dropped the crossbow and drew a short knife, stepping to the side and attempting to parry the stroke. The pirate had enough experience with combat, sometimes on the decks of a rolling ship, to see the move coming. His blade struck home, transfixing the man and adding to the death toll. The ground shook as Thorus charged in at the second, his morningstar arcing over the bandit's head. Scrambling to get out of the way, the man failed to see the return stroke coming. The heavy weapon smashed him to the ground before he even had a chance to bring his own weapons to bear.

Behind the melee, the guards weren't done yet. Bolts and arrows arced over the heads of Thorus and Alec, seeking the group of fleeing bandits, even as two of the guards rode past on borrowed horses. They were joined by the outrider from behind the caravan, who added his own arrow to the volley. Two of the distant bandits stumbled. One of them didn't get back up.

"Ho, there!" The voice was another guard, paused in the act of clambering onto Alec's abandoned mount. He was looking at one of the bandits, on the ground right next to him. Struck cold by Indrys' spell, the man's chest was still rising and falling steadily. "This one's not dead yet."

[Blarghy]

Slow, shallow breaths follow Alec's minor but satisfying success; it hurts to suck in too much air too quickly. He turns north, then south, and decides not to join the pursuing party, on the grounds that someone just stole his horse and he's fairly sure he'd pass out if he tried to run after the others. Just staying on his feet is enough of a task for now, yet he doesn't sit to rest. The pirate tilts his head to give his sole victim a long, thoughtful look, as though he has something to say. It can wait for a moment; Alec doesn't stray far from the body, as though protective of it (maybe he's greedily laying a claim), but he does hobble over to Thorus's horse.

He claps a hand against the man's knee and laughs, impressed. "Well done," he congratulates. "Will you be going with them?" He points, somewhat shakily, at the riding guards. "I don't think they'd turn down your help, not after this."

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin takes one look at Indrys' state, and looks past him to Tallhelm, who's slumped on the wagon unconscious. He looks stable for now, but is still in a worse state than Indrys, and there may be more wounded even farther out of sight.

"If you can stand the pain, you'll be alright for the moment. There's only so much healing I can do, and if it'll save lives I'd rather spend it there than on relieving pain." Glaffin gestures to the bolt still embedded in his own leg, wincing as the movement shifts its point a bit and digs it in a bit further. Damned barbed shafts aren't going to do anyone any good when it comes to tending these wounds, especially if he has to do it when he has limited access to his god's favor.

To the guard standing over the unconscious bandit, he tosses the spare coil of silk rope he picked up before the fight, "Tie him up tight then. Maybe he can tell us how many of his friends we missed once we wake him." Barring the two that got away, Glaffin is sure that this wasn't the entire camp worth of bandits. If retribution was coming for this, he'd rather know now.

Then to Thorus, how seems to be in the middle of being coaxed to go off to fight by a sailor who's in nearly as bad a shape as Indrys, "I could use another pair of hands here if you know anything about healing! There's too many for just me to tend at once." The most important thing about field work is speed. If you don't stop the bleeding in everyone, it won't matter how fancy your stitches on the first guy looks when the second and third had to be buried under stones in a ditch.

[Sophistemon]

The elf is stunned - couldn't the dwarf see that he was terribly wounded? He had an arrow in his leg, for goodness' sake, and his chest felt like it was a single gigantic bruise that was also on fire! But then the magician sees that the dwarf is similarly wounded in his leg, and the indignation fades. Indrys, always a quick hand at composing himself, does so. He nods his head and struggles to disengage himself from the saddle. "O-of course, sir Glaffin. Please f-forgive me; I was panicked. I'll be fine for now." He winces when the head of the arrow grazes against bone, but the adrenaline surging through his blood helps to dull the pain to a dull, persistent ache rather than a searing agony. When he's safely on the ground, he hobbles to the dwarf and tries to smile. It is thin, and pale, but serviceable. "H-how can I help, Glaffin? Direct me, and I'll offer whatever aid that I can." It's then that he sees Tallhelm, who looks to be unconscious, or... or... "Oh, no," he whispers. "No, no!" Without Tallhelm, there was no caravan. If there was no caravan, then there was no gold. If there was no gold... "We have to help him!" he insists.

[The Orange Zergling]

With a feral grin, Thorus shakes his head. "I think they've got it covered. 'sides, even if they don't, I think those bandits'll think long an' hard 'bout whether they wanna tangle with us again." He begins wiping the gore from his morningstar, feeling his bloodlust fade, and then he dismounts and begins helping people however he can, though his lack of medical knowledge hinders that somewhat. His mighty and, as he hopes, inspiring posture never diminishes.

Thorus hangs around the wounded long enough for his aura to heal them to half health.

[Destro_Yersul]

Distantly, one of the guards shouted as the first of the two fleeing bandits dropped to the ground. The storm of bolts from the wagons was unrelenting; Tallhelm's guards weren't any more keen on having escapees than anyone else. Another victory cry a few moments later heralded the death of the last remaining bandit. It was a fine shot, at that range, and likely one the man who fired it would never be able to duplicate again.

Closer to home, Glaffin's rope found its way into the hands of the guard. "Yessir, master Dwarf." The man set about binding the last living bandit, being none too forgiving about the tightness of the rope's coils. "How long d'you think he'll stay out for? Indrys? Was your spell blasted this one."

Glaffin was already back to work. Thorus helped, though more thanks to the limited magic of his aura than any special skill at healing. The people he stood near found the worst of their wounds closing of their own accord, and it wasn't long before Cecily woke up, the pain of her injuries slowly receding. He couldn't fix everything, though, and many of the cuts, scrapes and bruises remained to trouble their owners. While the magic did its work, Thorus assisted Glaffin in moving the wounded to one location, near the lead wagon. With everybody in one place, it would take less time overall to tend them.

Alec, meanwhile, had stayed by the man he killed. Dead men had no need for possessions, and the pirate wanted to know how many of them this particular dead man had owned. The suit of armour would need some repair, but was otherwise functional, and the crossbow had been kept in good working order. There was a small quiver, with five of the black-fletched barbed bolts, the knife, a short sword similar to Alec's own and, surprisingly, a finely made pair of boots. They were probably stolen, given the man's former profession. There was also a little pouch attached to his belt, the top flap tied securely. It jingled when Alec shook it. Obviously where the bandit had kept his personal wealth, the pouch proved to contain a handful of little gold coins, each stamped with the seal of the mint where it had been made.

[Blarghy]

Back by the dead bandit, Alec carefully gets to the ground, first kneeling, then using both hands to steady himself as he sits. He’s next wracked by a sudden, violent cough; it bends him towards the dirt with a deep grimace. He turns his head when it passes and spits a pink glob. Yet strangely, he feels just a little better than he did a minute earlier, before he spoke to Thorus. What an odd coincidence.

”My friend, for a time I thought you’d be the one to send me off instead,“ he says to the corpse. The pirate’s smile is almost welcoming—and almost sad. ”Had you been a bit quicker, or I a bit slower, I’d have to hope you knew the Rites.“ Leaning in closer, he speaks more softly: ”The priest over there would offer me his, I’m sure, but that isn’t much good for the likes of us.“

Alec, in sharp contrast to his cheerful attitude, ruffles through the man’s pockets briefly. He’s pleased to find more gold than he expected and liberates it, along with both blades and, after some consideration, the boots. The crossbow and ammunition he looks at with an odd expression; after a glance to his friends, he sets that weapon to one side. Now, he turns more solemn, more formal, yet his eyes and the tilt of his lips keep a sense of hopeful camaraderie. He prepares some improvised funeral sacraments from what he can find on him, clears his throat, and begins.

”I, Alec Dandelen, have condemned you to the Cold Lands. I took the life you could not protect. Feel no shame, but rather opportunity: the First World’s lessons were insufficient, and so I send you to a place of higher learning. When I also fail my final test, as I someday will, then we’ll walk there together, across the ice sheets and through the untamable jungles and over the mountains of ash until the Laughing God gives us new names, or his shades feast upon our souls. Find comfort in peaceful oblivion, if you fail. Find joy in rebirth, if you prove your strength and wit.

“Though I stole the breath from your lungs, as is my right, I give you gifts for your long journey. No coins for your eyes: you must see clearly. No tokens from those who loved you: those bonds are severed. Instead, I give you a knife to fight the specters, to cut the vines, to hold at bay the beasts that crave your blood…” If Alec were a proper priest, or if he just had the luxury of throwing away a good weapon, he’d leave the bandit’s dagger (or, better yet, leave his own and take the trophy he earned). But it’s just a symbol, so he takes one of the crossbow bolts, snaps the shaft a few inches below the head, and places that sharp half on his victim’s chest.

”…A rope to climb the cliffs, to bind your enemies, to use as the moment demands, for as the Secondborn said, ‘Listen up, ye poor, dumb bastards, don’t ye know there ‘tisn’t such a thing as too much rope?’…“ His faint smile turns into a quick, full grin. Again, if he could afford to he’d leave his silk coil, or at least a foot of it; instead, Alec uses three pieces of intertwined thread from the edge of his shirt. They go beside the crossbow head.

”…A torch to light your way, to push back the fog, to scorch those who stand against you…“ The pattern continues; Alec doesn’t even have a torch, so regardless of whether or not he feels generous, he has to improvise. Several tightly wrapped blades of grass get the point across.

”…And courage, all that I can spare, to steady your hands, to steel your heart, to keep you warm when no fire can.“ This, at least, he can do correctly. Alec kisses his first knuckle, thumps his fist to his chest, and touches his closed hand to the bandit’s diaphragm.

Finally, he repeats the phrase he said at the beginning of the battle, this time with more success: ”Darkness take your soul.“

Standing up turns out to be a serious job, but the pirate eventually manages it, still feeling woozy at the end of the process. He collects his modest treasure and leaves the body where it is. Buried, burned, or left for the crows, it doesn’t matter now. Not by his code, anyway.

In a humorous transition given what he’s just done, Alec heads for Glaffin. By now, the priest has probably had time to finish at least his magical healing; if he’s still at work, Alec waits for his attention.

”We can give you a good portion of the credit for our success, I’d say,“ he grins. ”I know I wouldn’t be here without your help, and it looks like many others can say the same.“ The pirate holds out his hand to shake Glaffin’s—and then he holds out the crossbow.

”To show my thanks,“ Alec explains. ”It nearly took my life, and you returned that to me, so I think you’ve earned it. Besides, it’s had a taste of me, and I’d rather make sure it was in the hands of a friend from here on.“

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin is glad for the bolstering presence at least, even if Thorus and Indrys are unable to lend him much aid. He'll first pull Cecily safely off her horse before she falls off, and ask Indrys to watch over her, then head over to do the same with Tallhelm. When there, he spots Dayne's body lying unmoving, and curses under his breath.

"There's another one back here! Looks to be in the worst shape of us all." Without much left to do in terms of magical healing thanks to Thorus, it's time for the unpleasant part.

"Anyone struck with an arrow has two options, since they're barbed. Someone can try to cut around the head and get it out cleanly, or we can drive it straight through the leg or arm and pull it out the other side. Either way, it'll hurt, and the second one isn't an option if you're hit in the middle." Which would be why most people prefer magical healing to good old fashioned surgery. Glaffin is no doctor, but he's worked with members of his family and watched their techniques before healing their patients of what he could. It was certainly a rough experience, and after the time required of him he spent very little near those particular cousins. He still healed for them, but watching their practices made him ill.

Dayne looks to be in serious condition, and is far from Thorus and the rest, so Glaffin lays his hands on the man's brow and utters a prayer of forgiveness and strength to bolster him. Hopefully it will be enough.

Expending my last 1st level for a CLW's on Dayne
[roll0]

Then he comes back to the rest of the wounded, and presumably finds them in much better health than he left them, with Cecily and Tallhelm being roused from unconsciousness and Indrys looking much heartier. He seems confused at first, but after stepping closer to Thorus and feeling... something, his curiosity is replaced with mild suspicion, and then simple gratitude. If there was more to the scarily capable warrior than was first visible, he'd just be glad it worked out in their favor this time. He nods his head in thanks to Thorus, and then is intercepted by Alec.

He takes the crossbow and immediately sets about looking down the sights, testing the draw with a finger, and looking for any rust or pitting in the trigger mechanism and arms. Wouldn't be hard to fix it up a bit, replace some things and oil the joints. With a bit of care, he could turn this into a workable alternative to the brutality of melee combat he's clearly unsuited for.

"It's a fine piece of work, probably better than a bandit could've afforded themselves. Just hold on a second now." Glaffin turns to a nearby bandit corpse, the one that stuck him in the leg with an arrow, which he felled in turn. He picks up the shortbow the man had held, and holds it out in exchange. "From a man who nearly sent me into the same state I pulled you out of. His failed attempt to kill me saved us both, so take it and we'll both be better off on the road ahead." It may be nowhere near as complicated as the crossbow, but it was a similar gesture, and just because he couldn't understand the sailor's traditions didn't mean he wouldn't respect them.

"Now, let's get this unconscious fellow stripped of weapons before he surprises us." Always a sound plan. Glaffin, unless stopped by anyone else, will begin by unbuckling the armor the man is wearing, to check for weapons slipped under the hardened leather.

[Blarghy]

The dwarf earns a grateful grin with a bit of surprise to it, and Alec taps one end of the bow to his forehead in an informal salute. He very much needs something to open future battles with, before he goes running in like a fool.

He watches the search of their prisoner momentarily before wandering off and ending up near Indrys. Having seen part of his reaction at the end of the skirmish, Alec meant to give him some encouragement.

"You look like you'll survive," he jests. Then, quieter and closer, he adds, "It might not be fun earning them, but a good king needs some scars. I have a feeling you'll take on more before our bargain comes to a head--and more still when it does." He puts one hand on Indrys's shoulder. "Someday you'll lead armies from the back of a horse, or a dragon, or from the flagship of an armada, and you'll be glad for experiences like this."

The elf gets two friendly taps of Alec's new shortbow to the top of his head. "All the same, next time remember your bow and keep a bit more distance. Let us grunts do most of the bleeding."

[Sophistemon]

Indrys is seated, relaxing his leg and responding to the guard's query when Alex arrives. "It shouldn't take too much longer for him to become conscious," the pirate hears him saying. "The spell should only have a short-term affect on its subjects. I would actually expect him to be awake already." When Alec approaches, the elf looks up and noticeable brightens. "Alec," he says. "How are you?" And then, after the human has his say, the elf nods. "Yes, I'll be fine. Having the projectile removed from my leg was worse than having it go in... and needing to have my pants cut off to facilitate it was humiliating. Luckily I had spares in my trunk, or I'd be looking a much sorrier state than I do now." He breathes deeply, enjoying the affects of Thorus' magic aura. "The wound started to seal itself closed the moment the barb was removed. If it does scar, it will be a faint one." The truth be told, if it did scar, the elf would look to have it magically removed at the earliest opportunity. Anyway... "Thank you, for your vote of confidence, and for your bravery in battle. They'll sing songs about it, I'm sure."

Then he grins. "And next time, I'll bring my bow with me."

[Blarghy]

"If this is all it takes to get your own song, the bards of my generation have lowered their standards," he believes dryly. He sits down too and watches Glaffin work. "Then again, there's something to be said for gratuitous dishonesty. If we'd overcome a legion of bandits, no, the dark army of that archmage who fled, and saved this whole region..." He whistles through his smile at the mock-idea.

[Sophistemon]

Indrys laughs. "By the time we reach town, the bandits won't be bandits anymore; they'll have been gnolls, or an orcish raiding party." It's at that point he notices the boots. "Ah, those are nice. Did you get them from a bandit? Best to clean them out before wearing them, then; vagabonds aren't known for their cleanliness. Do you plan to keep them?"

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin scoffs, even though he's apparently the only one aiding the guard in disarming the sole living bandit, he finds Alec and Indrys' back and forth amusing.

"Why don't you ask Cecily to compose you a melody then once you're done slapping each other on the back?" Once the armor is off of the bandit, Glaffin will go through the man's pockets and pouches, trying to find any weapons, or anything else he has on him. Appropriating whatever this man had before he chose to attack them is the job he's the most focused on. Anything he can't get hold of, he can't use against them if things go sour.

[Blarghy]

Alec holds up the footwear. "Only until I find a cobbler in town. I'll wear down something this nice in a short order anyway, so I'm better served by selling them while I can."

Glaffin's critique is accepted in good humor. The pirate hmmms to himself at the idea. "Now that's a thought. We know she can sing..."

[Sophistemon]

"If anyone deserves to be immortalized in song, Glaffin, it's you. There are quite a few of us that would no longer be breathing if it weren't for your efforts." He nods his head respectfully towards the dwarf. "Your magic was much more useful than mine, this day. I still have much that I need to learn, it seems." With that, he turns his attentions back towards Alex and his shiny new boots. Without much fanfare he reaches into a pouch and withdraws the necessary components. After a quick incantation he uses the magic to investigate the boots for any sort of mystical resonance that may reside within them.

Standard Action: Indrys is going to cast Detect Magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/detectMagic.htm) on the boots.

[Blarghy]

"True, true," Alec agrees with the praise, but he's distracted, his attention on a rare chance to see magic close up. It doesn't look as flashy as he expected, at least not yet. He leans in closer to the boots, squinting at them as though waiting for them to start dancing.

[Destro_Yersul]

The boots, unfortunately, proved to be completely ordinary to Indrys' spell. Something else, however, tugged at the back of his mind, near the fallen bandit leader. Some of the guards had begun searching the dead, turning out their pockets and looking for anything that might have some value. They had already collected a small pile of coin pouches and purses, and one was in the process of stripping the armour off the fallen men. Amongst the items so far removed were a pair of small vials. Those were the things tripping the elf's magic sensing spell. The bandit leader, actually, seemed to have a number of valuable items. Aside from the obviously fine workmanship of his sword and armour, Cecily had picked out the telltale glint of a ring on his left hand. Whatever else they were, the bandits seemed to have been successful until now.

The living bandit had been shifted over near the wounded, in order to keep him near Thorus. The combination of the healing aura and Glaffin's magic had put everyone back on their feet by now, and Tallhelm was proving to be quite impossible to keep still.

"No, no, let me up," he was saying, practically shouting. "I demand to see the battlefield. Did we win? We must have won. A glorious charge to break their strength, was it? I want to count the spoils, there have to have been spoils. We can sell their weapons in town."

Pulling himself down from his seat, and paying little heed to his freshly closed wounds, the caravan owner hobbled over towards the hill. "This will make a fine story, I tell you. Tallhelm's Caravan, making the roads safe for travellers. I won't have any bandits on my route, no sir. Gave these ones what for, and I'll show off any more of them myself."

It didn't seem to occur to him that he had spent the entire fight trying to stop the horses from running away, failing, and getting shot in the chest. Nor did it matter that he was just a merchant, no formal training with weapons to speak of. In his mind, he was already the hero. Indrys could only imagine the tales he'd be telling from now on, in every tavern they came to. Maybe it would convince people to buy things from him, at least.

"Someone shut him up," Mumbled Dayne, the younger man having made the much more sensible decision to stay still. Glaffin's magic had done wonders, but he'd still lost a good deal of blood. "Where'd my horse go?"

Tallhelm, of course, completely ignored the remark, if he had even heard it. The merchant was picking over the remains, inspecting the swords and bows and armour. "Did we lose anyone? Yes? No?" His answer came a moment later, as he found the body of the outrider who had been shot from his saddle. "Ah, that's unfortunate. No battle without loss, is there? Well, we'll have to make sure he recieves a proper burial. Perhaps our priest could do the service. Dayne! Tell Glaffin we need funeral rites for this man!" His torrent of words unabated, Willam started to direct the guards stripping the bodies where they should pile the armour and weapons.

Behind all the chaos, back near the caravan, the unconcious bandit was finally waking up. Thorus noticed it first; a slight flickering of the man's eyelids, as he regained his senses and noticed where he was. "Can't see," the man muttered, trying to move and discovering the ropes. "Dammit."

Untrained Use Rope test for the guard who tied this one up. +2 for the silk rope. [roll0]

[Gullara]

Cecily, when she had awoken, had been a bit withdrawn from the others. She's quite obviously shaken by the fight, and the painful wound she suffered. She sticks her fingers through the hole in her dress to touch what will soon be a scar for what must be the hundredth time. Or at least it seems that way.

The bard wanders aimless, and soon comes before the corpse of the bandit leader. She stares at the lifeless body for a long moment before the ring catches her eye. Cecily crouches to get a closer look. Well, that is a pretty little thing. It wouldn't be the first time she's taken from a corpse, though she expects it'd never stop being so... unsettling. She slips it off his finger and onto her own, standing as she does so.

[Slii Arhem]

"If anyone deserves praise, it's the man who felled more of these bandits than any other. Let's give thanks to our resident spirit of vengeance before we shower adulation on the poor healer who's out of spells and feeling woozy now." Glaffin sincerely means that. Thorus really stood out as the only combat trained man among them, and it showed.

And then Tallhelm finally begins running his mouth off at the seams, and if Glaffin thought his stories tedious before, it's nothing compared to how grating he is now, puffed up and full of pride for a victory he did not win.

The just now waking bandit's pockets full of silver distract the dwarf though, as he runs the coins through his hands. The armor will be put to more proper use, but the silver...

"If each of these bandits was so armed and provisioned, there'll be quite a bit of money to go around. I propose we pool it, and a share of it each goes to each fighting man here, and double shares for everyone wounded." That's the most fair way he can think to divide the spoils without causing a fight.

"Armor and weapons should go to those that need it before we consider selling anything sir Tallhelm. If we're better equipped, we aren't going to need to worry as much if there are more bandits out there." And he doesn't doubt there are more of them out there. They might be few, but that won't mean they won't be bold.

"And there's still the matter of the prisoner Indrys was so thoughtful to provide. With luck, he'll get us a bit more information about things in exchange for an unmarred hide." He can't believe he just uttered those words, but if he can make the bandit fear for his safety, perhaps he'll be a bit more free with information before they have to resort to less savory methods.

[Artemis97]

From the back of the wagon train, where she had been staying as a rearguard, comes Laelaer. Her face was set in a grim expression as she walks through the carnage that was left in the wake of the battle. "Is everyone alive?" She asks, obviously not counting the bandits in 'everyone'.

[Blarghy]

The reappearance of the head merchant draws Alec's attention away from even the spell, and he starts to get up without waiting for a verdict. "If you like them, I'll give you a better price than I hear in town," he offers to Indrys. "Look them over, try them on if you want. I've got something to attend to.

"Just as you do, it looks like," he says to Glaffin, and points with his new bow at the sole corpse Tallhelm mentioned. "Though I don't think he's going anywhere. Then again, neither is this one." The bow-tip shifts to the last bandit, and Alec shrugs. Both jobs have more suitable undertakers here than him; he isn't much for interrogation, and he suspects that the caravan as a whole would rather that its fallen member had Glaffin's rites than his.

Alec has other business anyway. Dayne in particular might be relieved when he draws Tallhelm's focus to himself, like a soldier diving on a live grenade. With a flick of his wrist, Alec draws the spare short sword he pilfered from his corpse and presents it to their employer, held out flat with his fingertips under the pommel and the tip of the blade.

"It's an old custom to give a gift of the spoils to the commander after such bloody business as this. I hope you won't sell it; keep it as a personal trophy. You'd have taken your own, I'm sure, if you hadn't had to keep the wagon train in order. If we'd fallen to chaos in the battle, there's no telling what could've happened."

The pirate'll never hear the end of this, he's sure, the story repeated over and over and over, but he wants to earn a little good grace from the other man before he makes his upcoming recommendation.

[The Orange Zergling]

"Somethin' that doesn't kill ya can only make ya stronger," says Thorus, to nobody in particular but rather the collective wounded, though he does look at Indrys and Cecily while saying this. He then sets about aiding the scavenging of the corpses, though in stark contrast to Alec and Glaffin he shows remarkably little respect for the dead; he recites no rites and extracts weapons or valuables without regard to how he has to finagle the corpse to do so.

He finds one of the stray crossbows and examines it carefully. He didn't actually know how they worked before, but looking at the mechanism it seemed to be a pretty straightforward contraption. Satisfied it wasn't obviously broken or malfunctioning, he looks for a quiver and a fair number of stray bolts, which he then straps to his belt. You never know when you might want to hit somebody, but are too far away to do so.
He then finds two knives and tests them for balance. He mimes throwing one of them without letting go of it, and then tucks them into his belt alongside his current one.

He scavenges a crossbow and quiver (with a decent number of bolts - however many you're willing to give), 2 daggers and his share of the gold from the bandits.

At Glaffin's praise, Thorus looks almost sheepish for a fraction of a second, then regains his composure. He straightens his back and says "Thanks, though someone ta stitch up the deep wounds ain't ever a bad thing." He sniffles from the dust and thumbs his nose. "Ain't exactly complainin', but if I'm honest I'm not sure why I can patch people up just by standin' near 'em. I ain't a priest, just a guy who knows how ta take a man apart, not put 'im together."

Noticing the prisoner awaking, and Glaffin's words regarding getting him to talk, Thorus pipes up again, making sure he speaks loudly enough that the bandit can hear him. "I can mar his hide for ya, if he doesn't cooperate." More for the sake of scaring the prisoner than anything.

Just in case it's needed:

Thorus switches his active aura to presence: +1 bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate.

Intimidate check: [roll0]

[Slii Arhem]

"Well, while you're watching him, I'll see to our fallen friend. Make sure his ropes are good and tight, and if he tries to run, use your best judgement. The information isn't worth his hide." Glaffin nods his thanks for the reprieve, and then trudges over to the deceased guardsman, waving over someone nearby to help him lift the body and place it off by the side of the road. He could do it on his own with some effort, but it's best to be respectful of the peaceful dead. Laelaer should be able to get the answer to her question just based on his bearing, and somber countenance.

Then he takes a shovel from the back of a supply cart, and begins to dig. He'll be at it a while, even if all he can provide is a shallow grave. Unlike the bandits, he'll permit no looting to be done here.

"Did anyone know this man's name? It should be on the ledgers, if nothing else." The dwarf wipes at his brow with his shirtsleeve, going over the rites in his head as he speaks. It won't be the burial the man would have received had he died at home in his bed, but a dwarven ritual, slightly adapted, will hopefully ease him along past his lingering suffering.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Yes, yes, quite so." Tallhelm looked over at the small pile of coin purses, which by now had ceased growing larger. "It's a good plan, I think. We'll divide up the money to pay the men who fought here today, a noble sentiment. As for the armour, well, it might fetch a bit of coin, but it's no use to... most of my men. They've been outfitted with similar. I regret I had no chances to get any of you some proper armour, though, so you're welcome to take any if it suits you. I may keep a suit myself, for that matter. It shall need to be adjusted of course, but that's why I hired a smith, isn't it?" Ever self-satisifed, the merchant hurried off to find his ledgers.

He was interrupted along his way by Alec, and the pirate's offering of a sword. The expression he made, there was no doubt Alec's worst fears were correct. He would never, ever, hear the end of this one. Willam took the blade, careful not to touch the edges. "Thank you very much, my friend. I'll wear this with pride, I assure you. We all have our own battles." His chest was puffed out, and to be honest he looked more than a little absurd, but he took no notice. "I would have had at some of those bandits myself, but you're right, I had to stay with the caravan. It was a near thing, it was, and my poor horses! Someone will have to go after the one that ran, actually."

Tallhelm looked like he was about to go shouting after Dayne again. If the pirate planned to say more, he'd have to be quick about it.

"Most of us," a voice told Laelaer. Erne, the old guard, had come up next to her to look at the battlefield. He was still clutching his crossbow, as though he were afraid it might vanish into nothing if he didn't keep hold of it. "Corb there, he didn't make it. Damned fool, charging in on that horse. Suppose he thought he were being heroic." The older man shook his head. "Never be a hero, miss. Only get you killed."

That was the man's name known, at least. It likely wasn't much consolation for him, but at least Erne had remembered who he was.

The last bandit, seated near Thorus, was listening to the back and forth-discussion with an increasingly worried expression. His vision seemed to have come back now, and he recognised the ex-soldier as the one who had rode in and killed his boss in one blow. Thorus' words didn't make him any more inclined to be friendly, it seemed.

"You, you stay back!" he said, struggling and failing to free himself from the rope. "I ain't talking to you. You shouldn't even damn well be alive right now." Slowly realising, perhaps, why that state of affairs was the current one, the man raised his head to stare at Thorus, then glanced back and forth to see if anyone else was listening. Satisfied that they weren't, he lowered his voice. "Look, what're they paying you? I saw you fight, you can do better than this."

[Artemis97]

"Heroes are for stories." The drowess replies. "And they fall, more often than not." At least, that was how the tales she heard as a child always went. Her people had more of a taste for tragedy, rather than something that might inspire. It was better to learn lessons from.

Laelaer scanned what remained on the battlefield, looking for spoils that another scavenging soul might have missed. She wasn't going to try to claim riches, having been out of the fight, but if something useful was left, why shouldn't she pick it up? Her orange eyes alight upon a fallen archer, or more particularly, his bow. With a polite nod to old Erne, she leaves him behind and picks up the item, examining it for damage. Laelaer smiles, satisfied that the weapon was serviceable and then, slinging the bow across her back, searches for a quiver and whatever arrows it might contain.

[Gullara]

Cecily leaves the bandit and gradually makes her way toward Glaffin. She stops a couple times on the way, once to pick up a shortbow. The bard is not keen on putting herself in a position where she's in the reach of enemy weapons. At least this way if it comes to it she can duck behind some cover.

When she does stop by her friend and the dead man, she doesn't say anything. She stays respectfully silent until Glaffin is finished.

[Blarghy]

"I'd say you have the rights to the highwayman horses too, if we can catch them." It can't be that hard to appeal to a successful merchant's greed.

Alec waves off that comment before it has a chance to steal Tallhelm's focus. He puts his hand on the other man's shoulder and keeps him walking as he was before; going for the ledgers should give them a bit of privacy. Their discussion isn't meant to be a secret, precisely. Alec just doesn't want anyone helpfully pitching in an opinion.

"But with your permission, I'll borrow some of the guards and go see how many of them we can find. The bandit mounts might've just gone home. We should find and search that base anyway; there's still the matter of the hostages. Which leads me to something we should talk about: the boy we caught. I've given that some thought."

He sighs, probably a little more dramatically than necessary, but he wants to make sure Tallhelm notices. The merchant doesn't seem like the most perceptive man. "You may be surprised to hear that I got into my fair share of trouble as a child, so I know about this sort of thing. Once you start down the wrong road, if you don't have guidance to put you back to right, only a god can say where you'll end up. That boy in the wagon made some serious mistakes this afternoon. It's our duty to set him straight, even if he might not appreciate it now."

All honestly spoken. All completely misleading. Alec's definitions of wrong road, guidance, serious mistakes, and straight are between 160-180 degrees from the average person's, and a keen listener might feel a nagging doubt about how he didn't say which god he meant.

For a pirate, Alec has never been a good liar, and he knows it. The closest he can come is telling empty truths.

"Trying to steal from you was the least of it--" his personal problem being trying; the kid did a lousy job. "And I needn't mention how he worked for the bandits. The arrow you took says it better than I can, and dead Corb says it better still. He had his friends to think of, sure, but the lives of us strangers are worth the same as theirs--" very little. "More than that, he should've had the sense to get our help from the start." That, finally, means just as Alec says.

"The point I hope to make is that he did a great deal of wrong. He won't learn from his mistakes if he isn't made to. Men have laws for a good reason. We also have punishment. When we get to Seabreak, the proper thing to do would be to turn him over to the authorities. Prison for theft and aiding murderous robbers is a harsh price to pay, but not as harsh in the long run as thinking he can get away with business like this."

There's a pause, and then Alec raises one finger as though he's just had a thought. "That is one option, but I sense that you're a merciful man. I can suggest something kinder that'll still do what needs doing: bring the boy into the caravan. Have him work off his crimes. He'll get food and shelter, a chance to see more of the world than he might otherwise, and a good, moral education." Maybe it's still his slightly aching head, but Alec almost thinks he hears a distant, mad cackle at that phrase. He shakes it off. "He could, say, make one of your route rotations, then end his sentence right back here, assuming he and you both don't want to continue the arrangement with pay, you being as good an employer as you are. Of course, you can't force him by law, but if the choice is either your service or hard labor and a small cell, I think he'll make the smart decision."

[The Orange Zergling]

Upon catching wind of the hero discussion, Thorus mentions "What matters is if you get the job done or not. If doin' so makes you a hero, then all the better. If ya gotta die to pull it off, well, might be worth reconsiderin'."

Seeing nobody else go for the well-crafted armor the leader was wearing, he decides to lay claim to it. When the captured bandit starts talking, Thorus stops and rumbles with gravelly laughter. "Well, that depends. If people like you and your friends keep showin' up, beatin' that offer's a tall order." He grins and jingles his plundered coin pouch. "On tha other hand, if you got more you ain't tellin' us about, both of us'll have a better time extractin' it."

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin nods briefly when he catches the man's name, and begins his intonation. It will be a short one, meant for use on the battlefields of war in times when all you could do was shut the man's eyes and leave his corpse in the muck.

"Bless you to the earth Corb, and bless your earth to the stone. Let your body be the foundations on which our children build upon, and let the creations you support reach until they touch the sky. Though you may now walk the endless steppes, let this blessing reach you from beyond the horizons, and ease the weariness in your feet, wipe the sweat from your brow, and bring a song to your heart." The dwarf reaches down and touches the man's brow, expending the last minute trace of healing magic left to him into the guard's body. To ease his passage beyond.

Then he turns to Cecily, eyes narrowed against the sorrow he's feeling, "Do you think you can sing him something for me, while I find some rock to cover him with? I don't want the animals disturbing him once they've had their fill of the rest." Glaffin scans the hills for any large rocks he can drag over to lay on the corpse. He may be another half hour at this, if he's to do it on his own.

[Artemis97]

"Generally, cowardice is not considered heroic, Thorus." Laelaer replies. "However, I cannot say the same of prudence. A hero should not go looking to die." Although she had head plenty of such stories as well. The drowess thought it was impractical. What good would dying do anyone?

Her piece said, Laelaer moves on to help Glaffin collect rocks for the bier. The dead had to be respected and cared for, lest they return, vengeful. Of course, they couldn't take their time to bury all of the dead here. But those men chose their path, to risk their lives for coin, where failure meant death away from family and friends. She doubted, if any other bandits still roamed the hills, that they would bother to give their former companions any final respects.

[Destro_Yersul]

By the Grave

"That they do," Erne agreed, slowly making his way over to the gravesite where Glaffin was digging. The old guard listened through the brief eulogy, the mouth behind his beard kept firmly shut.

"I'll help you find a few stones," he said once Glaffin had finished. There were plenty of those around, scattered by the side of the road and trailing off towards the ocean. Most of them were embedded in the grass and dirt, but a few looked like they would be easy to free, if one did not mind getting one's hands a little dirty. A few of the other guards were following the older man's example, which would make the work go a lot quicker. It wouldn't be long before there were enough stones for a small cairn.

By the Wagons

Over by Tallhelm, Alec was making his pitch. The merchant kept interrupting, replying to each individual proposal before Alec had completely finished. "Yes," he would say. "That's a good idea. I don't know if you'll be able to bring them back, there's no telling where they've gone, but I could certainly use some new horses, and perhaps we could sell one in town. Good horses can go for a lot of money, you know."

"Of course, upbringing is important. Impressionable minds, need some appreciation for good, hard work drilled into them. What I always say, and I've proven it myself. Look at everything I have, up from my start as a miller. Most men would say it's too hard for them, but not me, no sir. Willam Tallhelm takes command of his own destiny."

At least he seemed to be listening to the Pirate, and actively considering what he said. "You make a convincing argument, sir, but how am I to know he won't make off with some of my goods the first chance he gets, eh? We put some proper fear into him, no mistake, but I don't especially like the idea of a known thief lurking about my wagons." The irony, of course, was lost to him.

"Still, it's a good point. I don't think prison would be too hard for him, but then honest work has a way of knocking a man's head straight. For that matter, an extra set of hands is naught to frown at. I'm a good judge of people, I am, never wrong. Thought the moment I saw that one 'he's trouble now, but with the right hand on his shoulder he'd go far.' So, I'll tell you how this can go. If you can guarantee he'll leave the goods alone, and he won't cause any trouble or try to run off, I'd consider letting him stay. You seem a good man to me, bringing this up." They were back to the lead wagon now, and Tallhelm was alternating between running off at the mouth and getting the ledgers out from the box he kept them in. "Now don't be humble, it's obvious you're concerned for his welfare. Concerned hand is the best hand to steer the wheel, am I right?"

By the Wounded

Once again, the bandit by Thorus looked around to check if anyone was paying close attention to their conversation. He wasn't bad at subterfuge; Thorus only saw his eyes shifting because he was standing so close.

"It's not here," he said carefully. "That many coins, it gets heavy, see? So we kept a few locked chests, for storing the extra. Maybe I know where we kept 'em."

[Blarghy]

"Right indeed." Alec looks off for a bit, only halfway thinking about where Tallhelm keeps his paperwork. For once, the merchant is onto something. He just might've missed some details. And there's that old saying about details and the devil...

"I cannot promise he won't run off, with or without something of yours, unfortunately. But I can promise that I'll take responsibility for it if he does." 100% honest, too. "Starting now, in fact, if you'll let me get him from the wagon. I'll take a walk to explain things, maybe take him along with the others to collect his friends and anything else at the camp, depending on how he seems. By now I wager Thorus has gotten that last highwayman to tell him where they stayed, what they've got, who his childhood love was, his nickname, favorite color, and everything else that he's watched flash before his eyes. While we're gone, you might want to move the caravan a bit up the road to somewhere less gruesome and maybe settle down for the evening, to let everyone recover. Then we could hit Seabreak tomorrow and dazzle them all with stories of your victory."

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus leans in, doing his best to be inconspicuous, although the hulking warrior is not nearly as adept at it as the bandit. "And where might this cache be? I reckon it's in both of our best interests that you tell me. Wouldn't want somethin' bad to happen to ya, after all..." He cracks his knuckles quietly.

Intimidate check: [roll0]

[Destro_Yersul]

Alec

"Hmmm." Willam considered the idea, turning it over in his head while he searched for a pen. "That will have to be good enough, I suppose. As long as you're willing to pay for anything he breaks or steals, I can live with having him around. Good idea, this. Glad I had it. Do what you see fit with the boy."

The quill was located, along with a pot of ink, and Tallhelm went to start taking stock of the items they'd acquired from the dead bandits. After a few steps, he paused, something else Alec had said working its way into his mind. "While you're gone? Do you mean to go off and search for the bandit encampment yourselves, then?"

Thorus

"No, wouldn't want nothin' bad to happen. Then you might never find it." Thorus thought the bandit looked scared, at least a little. He was keeping his cool, though, after the initial burst of panic. Talking quickly, but quietly enough not to be overheard.

"Look, I want to deal, here. You can search the hills for the camp, and maybe find it, and maybe get the loot before it gets moved. Or I can show you, and we both get to be rich, aye?"

[Gullara]

Cecily nods to Glaffin wordlessly. She moves to the foot of the grave and closes her eyes. She takes just a moment to recall the words before she begins to sing. The song speaks of loss and mourning for the fallen, and wishes for strength for those left among the living. She sings softly, but her voice still carries to even those furthest from her.

The song ends shortly before the others finish piling the stones. Her eyes open as she falls silent.

[Blarghy]

"Oh, no. That's why you keep Thorus around, among other reasons." Though not close enough to hear what either of the two are saying even if they spoke at normal volume, Alec gestures at the distant pair. "He'll find it, and I'll see who wants to go claim it for the caravan. If the bandits have been in this area for a while now, there's no telling what all they've collected; I can only carry so much by myself on one horse, not to mention the task of collecting the runaway mounts."

The merchant seems like his focus is wandering, which suits Alec fine, so he only keeps a hook in him for a second more: "As for our business, a verbal agreement is well and good, but the fairest thing would be to put it in writing. Would you draw up something for you, the boy, and I to sign, assuming he agrees to all of this? It'll seal my promise and keep your new worker from feeling homesick by Stormgate and telling the city watch that we kidnapped him, or some other such trouble." And it'll let Alec see both of their handwriting in one swoop. Even the contract itself might be useful at some point.

[Slii Arhem]

Grave

Glaffin pauses to wipe the sweat from his brow after the work is done, nodding his thanks to everyone who lent a hand. Then he walks up to Cecily, looking as if he wants to hug her, but instead lays a hand on her shoulder if she'll let him.

"We weren't ready for this, and nearly died for it. Let's... do better next time, alright?" It's a hard thing to get over, especially standing over a grave that could have been his own had his luck been a bit worse. He wonders if, when his time comes anyone else will have a shovel in hand and a song to send him off.

The half heard snatches of Tallhelm's conversation with Alec are mulling about in his head. There are hostages up in that bandit camp, and probably more bandits on top of that. From what he can see of that bandit off in Thorus' care, he's not buckling as much under pressure as Glaffin hoped.

The dwarf sets his jaw, and heads for the pile of weapons, bending down to scoop up a sheathed dagger that feels like it has a good weight to it. without missing a beat, he continues walking until he's come up even with Thorus and the prisoner.

"Good evenin' lad. I'll be yer cleric while you're in our care. That means, whatever happens to you, so long as you keep me in a good mood, I'll keep you healthy and right as rain. If fer example I took this knife." Glaffin unsheathes the dagger with a satisfying swish of well oiled leather, "And tickled your intestines with it, I could leave you bleed here for a while, come back after a good night's rest, and put you back in order. Well, mostly back in order. Only so much magic I can care to spend on a prisoner when everyone else is still ailing of course. You understand, don'tcha?" Glaffin is all smiles and cheer, even adopting what most uneducated people would consider to be a proper dwarven accent for the occasion.

"So, tell me one thing. By my count, there's seventeen of you around here including yourself. How many did we miss, and where do we go to say hello?"

Straight 1d20 since I'm making it untrained with Thorus' aura going. Going to try to aid another for Thorus, so I need a 10 or better.

[roll0]

[Sophistemon]

So then, the boots were mundane. Nice, of course, finely tooled and well-oiled if a bit scuffed by the common wear and tear of banditry, but nice. A shame, then, that they were the wrong color entirely. Indrys sighs as he sets them down; they would clash terribly with his outfit, and he had an image to maintain, such as it was. He stands, then, and steadies the residual wobble in his leg that he hoped and prayed would shortly vanish. It does, and he breathes a sigh of relief before setting off to find the dwarf, Glaffin. As he travels - slowly, so as to reduce the impact on his recent wound - he picks up, inspects for damages, and then shoulders a longbow that he finds resting on the ground. He had neglected to take his own shortbow into battle, thinking that his spells would be enough to carry the day, and look at how that had rewarded him. This weapon, while perhaps not as finely tooled as his own, was still serviceable, had a greater range, and would propel its projectiles with a greater velocity. When he reaches his objective, he finds the dwarf indisposed by his clerical duties (namely the interrogation), and therefore he waits patiently, with his hands clasped neatly behind his back, until he is invited to speak.

[The Orange Zergling]

"Rich, you say? What kinda stash are we talkin' about, here?" Thorus then pauses to let Glaffin speak, slightly surprised the dwarf heard enough to play along. After he finishes, Thorus sniffles and spits a glob of mucus into the grass. "Anyway, you were sayin'?"

[Destro_Yersul]

"Big enough." Now that Thorus had backup, the bandit was looking a good deal more nervous. "Mostly silver, but that's almost as good as gold, aye?" With another glance at Glaffin and Indrys, the bandit jerked his head towards them. "You two want in? More than enough to go four ways, back at the camp. I can show you where it is, and there's only a few men left there. We put four as guards. Guarding each-other as much as the camp, really." Chuckling at his own joke, he looked around at the faces arrayed against him. "What do you say?"

1

"Oh, naturally, naturally, everything in writing, nice and legal, hm? I'll have work on that done by the time you and Thorus and whoever else gets back from catching horses. Perhaps some goods as well, if you can find the camp? Of course you'll find the camp. I have every confidence in that man's abilities as an interrogator, and there's no honour amongst thieves, they say. Rough the brigands up enough, they'll turn right over, you mark my words."

Shifting the ledger under his arm, Tallhelm gestured at the few unhitched horses, standing together under the control of a guard. "Take a few horses, when you go. Don't go riding them over hills like this, they're not meant for that. Rocks and hidden little foxholes all over the ground for them to trip up and break a leg on. Horses are expensive, I've said it before, so be sure mine aren't injured. Now, I've got to take note of everything we collected, so you'll have to excuse me."

[Artemis97]

Finished helping to build the grave, Laelaer bows her head and whispers, "Gods guide your soul." Adding her own rite to the ceremony, she unties the waterskin from her belt and uncorks it, spilling a few drops on the grave. A brief word of prayer in her native tongue completes the offering. It was a simple thing, but in her homeland, there often wasn't time for anything more.

The drowess moves on, heading back towards the wagon train. She finds a group of guards taking stock of the items stripped from the fallen bandits. Still looking for anything useful, Laelaer looks over the collected pile. One item stands out from the rest: a masterfully crafted blade. Wondering why no one else had claimed it, the duskblade pulls it from the pile and gives it a few experimental swings. A grin spreads across her face. The curved sword was beautifully balanced, easily following the motions she put it through.

"I'm taking this." Laelaer informs the guards, her tone leaving little room for arguments. She doubted more than a handful of people in the caravan knew how to use such a weapon, and who among them could wield if half as well as she? The drowess puts the saber through a flashy spin before sliding it through her belt and walking on.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin looks from Indrys to Thorus. Four men? He'd rather go with six if that was the case. Even if Thorus could heal, and Indrys still had spells left at hand, he liked their odds better if they outnumbered the enemy.

There's no way he would take the bandit with them either. He'd rather trust literally anyone else, even that kid in the wagon with a knife at his throat.

Well now there's an idea...

"Why don't we send someone to squeeze a bit of info out of our other prisoner? If this one keeps wheedling and won't tell us where the camp is, a bit of leniency for the other might loosen their lips more." The boy had to have been around the camp, and if he could point them in the right direction, they might not need to deal with this conniver at all.

[Gullara]

Cecily (belatedly) nods to Glaffin. "Yeah, we will." She gives him a slight smile. She's gone through hard times in the past before. She'll bounce back from this like she has everything else.

When a gathering is rather apparet around the prisoner, and considering Glaffin among them, the bard goes to investigate just in time to catch what the dwarf says last. "I could talk to him. I'm sure I could get him to help us." She offers.

[Blarghy]

Someone else is already on the way to their younger captive. Alec lets Tallhelm leave without further comment; he has what he wanted.

When he reaches the wagon where he left the thief earlier, he pauses for a better look at him before untying the ropes and helping him up. That isn't a bad note to begin on, in the pirate's opinion.

"My name is Alec Dandelen," he says, and holds out his right hand. "Under the circumstances, I didn't think to introduce myself before."

[The Orange Zergling]

Seeing other people come by, Thorus decides he can pop out for a minute. He mumbles "Be right back," to nobody in particular and strides over to the fallen bandit leader. Thankful that he doesn't have to bully someone else for the armor, he starts trying to unceremoniously extract the well-crafted armor from the corpse. He is careful not to harm or damage the armor at all, but cares for little else, including the sanctity of the dead.

[Destro_Yersul]

If any of the guards had objections to Laelaer taking the weapon, none voiced them. The display of mastery drew forth a few smiles, but they seemed mostly pre-occupied with discussing how to spend their new coin. Thorus, collecting the armour, was similarly unchallenged. Then Tallhelm strode up, carrying a fat book under one arm, and a quill and inkwell in his hands. The merchant flipped the book open and started taking stock of the remaining weapons and armour, talking as he went.

"A fine haul, don't you think? Little extra money for the men, and perhaps some more once this is all sold off. I'm not sure what the market will be like in Seabreak, don't imagine we'll be able to shift it all there, but perhaps once we reach Stormgate... plenty of men in need of supply in the city, hm?"

1

"Other prisoner?" The bandit looked confused, raising an eyebrow at Glaffin. "The elf and his spell got the better of me, but I think I can still count. You killed the other lads, didn't you?"

1

The other prisoner was right where Alec had left him. Once untied, he accepted the hand up after a moment's hesitation. "I'm Adrian, sir. Adrian Cooper." Looking at his surroundings, the empty coil of rope and the unguarded wagon, he paused, unsure of what to say next.

"D'you mean to let me go? Only, that merchant, he seemed fair upset earlier."

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin snorts, "How do you think we knew where you'd be? We caught one of you snooping around even before we came across you. Now, you can either shut your trap or tell us where the camp is. I'm not going to suffer any more of your conniving peacefully." The dwarf tests the edge of the dagger on a thumb, waiting for Cecily to come back with whatever she can get from the boy.

"All you're doing by denying us that information is ruining your only chance at leniency for yourself. We're not letting you go to get a share of money yourself. You lost that when you and your fellows collapsed in the dirt, and only a bit of fate made it so you even got up again. Be thankful for your life, for as long as you'll have it."

[Blarghy]

"William Tallhelm, yes," Alec supplies. "I can't say he's happy. Well, he's happy in a general sense, now that we're all still alive. That might've inspired a little leniency on his part. He's agreed to give you a few options--" that's certainly true; agreeing was involved, "--and I came to discuss them with you. Unless you're fond of this wagon for some reason, we can talk while we walk. We're leaving to find your friends soon, Mister Cooper, and you can come along if you like. In fact, it's more convenient if you do; otherwise, I'll have to stay behind. I'm to keep an eye on you while you're with the caravan."

[Gullara]

Cecily nods to the others and heads toward where the boy was left. Along the way she spots the obsidian charm on another of the bandits. It barely takes her a moment to grab it and continue on her way.

Looks like she's beaten to the punch by Alec, however. The bard holds back, moving just close enough so that she can overhear what they're saying, assuming they don't lower their voices for whatever reason.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Seems I ain't likely to have it much longer, anyhow." The bandit sighed. "So, you caught the bait? Explains that, but he don't know where the camp is. How many landmarks you think there are in these hills? You want the money to yourself, fine, but I ain't telling you where it is until you let me go. Don't like that, too bad, you'll be rotting alongside my corpse before you ever find it."

1

"Alright. Can't say I much care to stare at the inside of this wagon much longer." Hopping lightly down to the road, Adrian turned to wait for Alec.

"If I'm getting options, that means you won't just turn me in, right?"

[Blarghy]

"That's the first option. Mister Tallhelm thinks that the hard labor and strictness of prison would be good for you; I told him I didn't think you'd like that. I take it I was right."

Alec sees Cecily and gives her a small smile and polite nod, perhaps indicating that he's glad to see she's recovered. He steps around to Adrian's opposite side so that she can come closer and walk with them if she likes.

"Before I tell you about your alternatives, I want to warn you of the obvious: we're still on the site of the battle. I don't know if you've ever seen a dead body before. We have a number of them lying around. The aftermath of even small war is usually a shock until you've become familiar with it, so take your time if you need to."

[Gullara]

Cecily moves to walk alongside them when Alec makes room for her. She gives them both a small smile. She can't put too much energy into it so soon after the battle, however.

"You don't have to go near the bodies." The bard adds. He should be able to stay away from the site of the battle for the most part. (If her player understand how things are laid out correctly.)

[Sophistemon]

Indrys glances at the others before smiling down at their prisoner. It is a cold smile, a smile of imperious authority that sits easily on his features, and it speaks volumes without a single word. One of the phrases implied by the smile could be understood as Is that so? or, We'll see about that. There are other things in that smile, especially when he briefly quirks his upper lip to reveal a flashing glimpse of white, white teeth, but we'll not speak of that now. "Gentlemen," he says, his voice calm and even. "Let us not be swayed by thoughts of treasure, as there is silver to be earned in town regardless. Instead, let us remember that our primary goal is the rescuing of hostages. Their lives should matter more than coin, yes? Besides, we cannot trust so recent an enemy to tell us the truth, not even to save himself. We would find his dagger in our backs before too long." He looks down his nose at the bandit. "Sir Glaffin, I offer my services. I believe that I can wring the truth from him without the need for violence." He quirks his lip again, prompting another pearly-white flash for the bandit. The meaning of that should be obvious.

[Slii Arhem]

The dwarf considers Indrys' offer, and nods decisively.

"By all means, see what you can get. If you don't get anything, We'll just have to bargain a bit more, won't we lad?" In his head, The dwarf is already thinking about a search plan. These hills can conceal, but not nearly so much as a dense forest could. With enough people, they could fan out and easily comb over the hills using whatever the boy could give them. It was nowhere near as hopeless as the bandit made it out to be.

In fact... if there was a tracker among the guards, the horse's hoofprints could lead them straight back to the camp. It would take longer than being lead by directions, but it was an option, and probably far easier than spreading out.

[Destro_Yersul]

"There's an easy way to get the camp, and the money, I already told you. You untie me, I tell you where it is, and then we never see each other again. Why d'you want to go making this complicated?" The words were brave, but it was clear the bandit didn't really want to see, or experience, exactly what Indrys was talking about.

1

"Aye, sir." Adrian took a few steps forward, peering around the wagons. Perhaps a sense of morbid curiosity compelled him; whatever the case, he caught sight of the bodies on the hill. They weren't close enough to see details, but it was still enough to elicit a curse. "God damn, there's a lot of them. How many were there? Not saying it's less than they had coming, but..."

[Blarghy]

Given the circumstances, Alec doesn't correct the profanity. He surveys the carnage too; considering it in Adrian's mindset makes him feel younger for a moment, and reminds him of earlier days.

"Hmm, yes," he says thoughtfully. This is a good platform from which to start. Some sympathy for the fallen is beneficial, in his opinion, particularly in the beginning when death seems like a bad thing rather than an inevitable transition in the chain. That can be worn down gradually if necessary; in the case of the alternative, it's very hard to mold a sociopath into anything but a sociopath.

"You may be right. These men attacked us for our belongings, and they kidnapped you and your friends for their own purpose. How do you feel about their end?"

[Sophistemon]

"Be not afraid." The words are kind, almost gentle, but when they come from his mouth, that smiling mouth, they can be interpreted as anything but. "We will not harm you," he continues, and this time it's his eyes that flash, glinting in the sun like two gold coins. The gray elf motions to his allies with a hand. "Take a step or so back, please. Can't you see how nervous you've made him?" With that said, Indrys kneels down beside the captured bandit so as to look him in the face, smoothing his coat as he does, to prevent any wrinkles. "There now. That's better. Please excuse my allies; the battle has put them on the edge, I think. I would say that there has been enough violence today already, though, wouldn't you?" That glinting smile! Those flashing eyes! "I much prefer it when everyone is getting along, don't you? When everyone is nice and friendly with each-other, and no one is afraid of anyone else. It's so much better than crude threats of cruel punishments, in my opinion. I much prefer cooperation to confrontation." His voice has lowered to a whisper, so that the bandit has to strain to hear his words. "Will you cooperate, my friend?"

Actions:
Standard: Indrys will cast Hypnotism (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/hypnotism.htm) on the bandit, in an attempt to make his attitude two steps more friendly. It's an Enchantment spell, so the DC is raised to 16 thanks to Indrys' Spell Focus feat. To avoid the -2 DC penalty that would normally be caused by focusing the spell on only a single target, Indrys will allow some of the magic to spill over Glaffin who, as a Cleric, likely has the willpower to resist. Sorry, Slii! Finally, and really as more of a formality than anything else, the spell can affect [roll0] HD's worth of targets.

[Gullara]

"There were something over a dozen of them." Answers Cecily. She's fairly certain there were at least a few more than that. It was hard to say, though.

The bard eyes Alec curiously. It strikes her as a strange thing to ask the boy. Alec doesn't know the boy, so why the interest in what his opinion is?

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin steps back, curious as to Indrys' methods. The beguiling elf certainly thought highly of the dwarf for some reason, but how much of that was dissembling and how much was genuine awe Glaffin had yet to see. It would be a treat to watch the elf work his own spells, and take a measure of his true ability.

Even a sturdy craftsman like Glaffin can appreciate the study of magic. Some things could not be crafted so ably without calling upon arcane and eldritch forces, or beseeching the gods for their aid.

[Destro_Yersul]

Watching Indrys, the bandit seemed to find something fascinating about the elf. His eyes, perhaps, or the way he was speaking. His objections ceased, lips slowly moving to repeat what Indrys was saying. "Yeah..." he said, nodding his head. "Yeah, cooperation is better. Lot better than threats."

Turning his head to look past the group, into the hills, he spoke again, sounding dazed. "You want the money, right? It's hidden. Buried, in a chest, under a rock. You'll know the rock, it's right on the edge of camp. Too big to move."

1

Adrian stopped to think, looking at the hill and its collection of bodies. "Well, sir..." he said, scratching under his chin. "Over a dozen dead, that ain't supposed to be good. But then, they weren't good people, neither, were they? I don't know for sure, but I ain't really sad to see 'em gone."

[Blarghy]

Judging by his kind smile, that's more or less the answer he'd hoped for. "Yes, no one can argue they didn't bring this on themselves. You can't raise your sword to someone and then complain if they kill you first. But like you say, this isn't supposed to be good." Not even by Alec's code; he wants people to succeed at their tests, although in cases like this, someone probably has to lose. "But not just because of their numbers. We don't know why all of them chose this life; some for greed or bloodlust, probably, yes, but others might not have felt they had a choice. People have done stranger and harsher things to provide for their families; some might've even been brought into the crew by threat of violence, like you were. That doesn't mean they weren't responsible for their decisions, but all the same, we shouldn't hate them out of habit or treat them like they aren't people. All of them had parents; most had brothers or sisters; some had kids. Some respect and courtesy is still in order. At this stage, we can't give them much more than a decent send-off, so when we get to Seabreak tomorrow, I'll be speaking with the locals to see if we can find any of their families in this area. Putting their burials or burnings off for a day or two seems better than a quick, mass grave right now."

Bandits and farmers, kings and pirates, they all should have some of the same basic privileges. Alec's list of rights merely includes some uncommon items in addition to a funeral with someone who cares. Whether or not his bandit victim had that final ceremony in mind, at least it met that criterion.

[The Orange Zergling]

By this time, Thorus has meandered back over to the now-hypnotized bandit and company, clutching his newly-found prize. He'll put it on later, he decides, after they get the opportunity to rest. The sudden shift in the prisoner's attitude elicited a raised eyebrow from Thorus; he could only assume a spell had been cast. He spits into the grass and sits himself down on a rock (or, failing that, simply the ground) and waits for events to unfold. He did not wish to get in the way of magic he did not know the parameters of.

[Sophistemon]

"That's good, my friend," says the elf, his voice soft, soothing, as though speaking to a favored pet. One might almost expect him to reach out a thin-fingered hand so as to ruffle the bandit's hair in gratitude. "Thank you. But I need you to tell me more about the camp. Can you do that? How many guards are posted there? What sort of resistance might we expect? Where are the hostages being kept?" His questions are spoken rapidly, and in quick succession, so as to prevent the bandit's mind from forming a mental resistance. Indrys has had some experience with this spell, having used it once before, back at Shadeveil, to coerce a teacher's aide into lending him the keys to the university observatory. That quiet night spend gazing up at the evening sky had made the gross violation of mental sanctity seem almost worth it. But here, lives were at stake... not to mention the wealth to be gained. But it was the lives of the hostages, hanging in the balance, that drove him on. It truly was. He must believe that, or be sickened by himself. It was the hostages.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin coughs into a fist to try and get Indrys' attention, "And the location of the camp itself. Without that, we won't find those hostages." He mumbles loudly enough for the grey elf to hear. There'll be enough time for one more question, he hopes, or else they have to go back to the uncivilized approach. While Glaffin is strangely willing to threaten this bandit, he knows that it won't amount to much, and he's not as willing to actually harm another in cold blood as he's claimed so far.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Yeah, I suppose... There's an undertaker in Seabreak, actually. Dunno how many families we'll find, though, if you want to go looking. Most folk I know don't care to be associated with bandits." Adrian had torn his eyes away from the hill and associated bodies. "What were those other options you mentioned, sir?"

1

"The camp? Just the four men we left to guard it. Wouldn't suggest we try and take it if there was much more, would I?" The bandit was still speaking slowly, his voice measured, his eyes glazed over. The spell the elf had used was helpful, but it did have a few drawbacks. "It's over the hills. That way," he said, pointing at the horizon. "I could show you. Easier that way. We put it away from the trees, on purpose."

"The hostages..." Here, he stalled, looking for words. Even with the spell, there seemed to be a few things he was reluctant to talk about. "Gone." He finally decided, "weren't to do with me."

[Blarghy]

Alec almost latches onto that and asks if Adrian is from this little village, but he's too off-topic as it is.

"Ah, right. Sorry, Mister Cooper; sometimes I ramble. As I said, the first option is to let the law in Seabreak decide. The second is for you to make amends with Mister Tallhelm himself. He can always use good workers, and you've got the hands of one of those. You could make a rotation with his caravan, following his route north along the coast until we come right back here. You'd be provided for, of course; you won't go hungry. You'd see the world, or at least a nice piece of it. And if you keep your eyes open, you might find yourself learning the merchant trade." Or a different one, perhaps.

"I don't mean to push you one way or another, but that sounds like a better choice to me than prison. I hope you'll think about it while we go to find your friends."

No matter what Adrian chooses, Alec can be satisfied. Yes, he'd rather help the young man himself, teach him what he can while they travel and keep an eye on him, but jail wouldn't leave him too far off the mark. Seabreak unfortunately probably doesn't have as many iron-hard criminals as a larger city, which limits the education somewhat. Still, it'd stiffen him up, pass on some useful skills, and toughen his outlook on the world. But Alec would prefer to ease him into all that and give him a friendly mentor; believe it or not, kindness does matter.

[Sophistemon]

Indrys pauses, his eyes narrow with trepidation, staring out of his face like two gold slits. "What do you mean, they're gone?" he asks, and his voice is harder, now, instead of soothing. The bandit feels it like a drill inside his mind, pressing and scraping against his psyche. "What happened to the hostages?" If the worst has happened... what will they do? What could they do?

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin's fingers tighten painfully over the hilt of his new dagger as the bandit's words reach his ears and his heart drops to the pit of his stomach. Gone could mean a lot of things. Dead, sold as slaves, or even escaped, although the last is unlikely given this bandit's demeanor while under the effects of the spell. The dwarf says no more for the moment, not wanting to disrupt any more information they might get that could lead to the truth.

[Destro_Yersul]

"I'll think about it, for certain, sir. I'd like to ask my friends what they think about it, too. When we find them, that is." He wasn't saying it, but the 'if' hung in the air, unpleasantly making itself known, like a bad smell. Adrian knew he might not find them.

"Shall we go now, sir, or are we waiting for someone?"

1

"Well, you see..." The spell hadn't worn off yet, Indrys noticed. It didn't usually last for very long, this particular enchantment. They must have been lucky, or the bandit just had low resistance to this sort of thing. Whatever the case, he was still talking, even if he didn't seem especially comfortable with that fact. "They weren't co-operating. We were just going to hold them for a while, as leverage on the kid, but one of 'em was stubborn. Kept trying to get loose. The boss, he don't take kindly to complications. Or..." Some memory stirred, and the bandit's monotone faltered, for a moment.

"Well, he didn't. Shot 'im with one of the crossbows, then the other so as nobody would hear the screams. For help. He said we'd tell the kid they'd escaped, run off without him. Get him to stay with us easier, if he even came back. Some of the other lads buried 'em."

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus thumbs his nose, unperturbed. He glances around to make sure the kid isn't within earshot. "Well, still got the gold, at least. Wouldn't want that to go to waste." He didn't really care about the fate of the hostages one way or the other, but hoped he didn't have to be the one to break the news.

[Blarghy]

Well, that was received more calmly than he'd expected. Alec has to admit that he's pleased with Adrian's relative composure. Maybe he had time to get himself together while in the wagon.

"We're waiting for him, actually," he points to the surrounded prisoner. "As you may remember, some of my friends can be persuasive in their own ways, so they're asking the survivor about the camp, likely its defenses, and such. Although, anything you remember would be helpful as well."

[Gullara]

Cecily frowns at the implied 'if' and looks toward the group surrounding their prisoner. She doesn't like this situation where there are still more bandits and there are prisoners to think of too.

[Destro_Yersul]

Adrian shook his head, walking slowly in the direction of the little group around the bandit. "I haven't seen the camp, sir. I knew they had it, but I was never taken there."

The bandit didn't notice his approach, even when he had drawn level with the others. Adrian spared him a look, hanging back outside of the circle of people around him. He didn't go too close, only looking for a moment, before turning away and hurrying back into the shelter of the wagons, where he could observe the battlefield, but not the living prisoner. The bandit said nothing, still held under Indrys' spell. Without questions to answer, he wasn't going to be voicing opinions.

[Blarghy]

Alec watches him go, but doesn't follow. Sometimes people need space. He does consider pushing Adrian to confront his fear of the highwayman, but the adolescent has done so well with the battlefield that he thinks it's enough for now.

So as to not disturb the interrogation, Alec nudges whoever in the group is furthest from the prisoner (probably Glaffin or Thorus). "What do we have so far?" he asks.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus looks at Alec and says "Our friend here told us he's still got some wealth stashed away in the hills. We were gonna go liberate it." He glances around to make sure Aidan is out of earshot. "His buddies also killed the kid's, uh, companions. Shot 'em back at their camp." He thumbs his nose, seemingly indifferent to the subject matter.

[Blarghy]

Alec blinks, more at Thorus's demeanor than the news. He files that information away for later use before thinking about Adrian's friends. Honestly, this suits him pretty well. It saves him the daunting task of quietly seeing to it himself; whoever the other travelers were, they obviously didn't do a good job influencing Adrian to the pirate's liking, and their continued presence might give him a reason to stay in this area, neglecting Tallhelm's offer. Now those ties are severed. That doesn't mean, though, that he isn't sympathetic to how the boy'll take this news. Losing people never gets easy, no matter your outlook on death.

"I think we should verify the truth of this before we tell him. Do we know where the camp is?"

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus gestures vaguely into the distance. "Over the hills somewhere. Didn't say where, but he was gonna take us there." He sniffles from the dust. "I don't hafta be the guy to tell the kid, do I?" he says, less out of concern for Adrian's well-being and more out of a desire to avoid awkwardness.

[Sophistemon]

The elf's mouth dries to parching, and his tongue sticks in place so that he can't speak for several moments. "Dead," he murmurs. So, then, there was no heroism here to be had. The battle had resulted in the death or serious injury of some of their number, and there were no longer any hostages to rescue. This was not at all like storybooks. It was a great deal more... viciously depressing. But it wasn't just that, of course. His voice has been the loudest advocate of seeking out the bandits and engaging them in combat, and he had then been among the most useless of the combatants when the blood began to flow. He looks up at the others before lowering his eyes, ashamed to face them. "I'm sorry," he explains. "I was... away for a second. Do we have any further questions for our prisoner, here?" His mouth twists down into a sneer. "If not, we should get to dealing with his comrades. His presence offends me terribly." He stands, then, so that even his minimum elf-height towers over the sitting prisoner. "We know where the camp is, where the treasure is buried, how many people are guarding it, and that they no longer have any living hostages."

[Blarghy]

"...No, I think the news should come from someone else," he agrees with Thorus. Anyone else, really. "We can decide that once we've confirmed the deaths. Our informant might be lying, or simply wrong. But yes, I think we have enough to go on for now; let's take a few horses and have a look at the camp. Who plans to go?"

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin comes back to the conversation at this point, "I doubt he'd be lying with the mojo our Indrys worked on him, but you're right. Those four up in the camp are loose ends anyway, so we should tie them up, and see what we can find about the hostages, dead or not." The craftsman nods once with finality, and walks over to Indrys, reaching up to put a hand on his shoulder.

"We should take six or more, from anyone who still has fight left in them. Any less than that would be near to even odds, and we aren't as fresh as they'll be, even if we can catch them unawares." Even as he speaks, his eyes convey something more to the grey elf, a silent question tinged with a bit of concern. He needs to know that his unexpected comrade will be fit to fight, mentally, before he's ready to charge in. As cold and callous as it would be, he saw Indrys falter because of a wound once, and if it happens again at a critical moment, Glaffin must be ready for it.

[Destro_Yersul]

It's at about this time that the bandit stirs, eyes clearing as the elf's spell wears off at last. Shaking his head, the man muttered to himself. "Get a grip then..."

"Sorry," he said, looking back up at them. "Think I dozed off, or something. You, uh... you still want directions? Figure I got a better chance of leniency if I cooperate, right?"

[Blarghy]

Not really, Alec replies internally. Given the news this bandit has just delivered, he doubts the man's future is bright. Not that Alec feels concerned; if he could manage it without jeopardizing his standing within the caravan, he might just let their prisoner go free, but for now he's in less forgiving hands.

"I'll ready the horses and find a guard or two." And he leaves to do exactly that. The horses, he fits with empty saddlebags; as Tallhelm said, they're for carrying any cargo, not for riding over the rocky hills. Alec also packs some spare reins in case they find the other horses, before he looks over the caravan for the least bloody guards. Of course, during the process he keeps watch on Adrian as best he can.

[Sophistemon]

The elf looks at the cleric, and then casts his eyes aside, embarrassed when he understands the hidden meaning. It takes several breaths before he can speak. "Your worry is not... unwarranted," he says. "My earlier failure was brought about by a tactical error caused by overconfidence. Please believe me when I say that I have been properly humbled." His hand reaches down and massages the still-aching wound on his thigh. "Such a thing will not happen again, sir."

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus nods his head. "Aye, I'm up fer it. I'll come along." He still had plenty of fight left in him today. He holds his head high, looking down to the bandit and answers "That was the idea." and plants a hand back on his morningstar. Thorus was unsure of what to do with the bandit once they had extracted what they wanted from him; he figured they would burn that bridge when they came to it. Which, he notes with slight amusement, may or may not be entirely a metaphor.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin seems grateful for the reassurance, and softens his expression so that Indrys can see he didn't mean anything by it. Then, he turns to the bandit with a fair approximation of a grin.

"Here's what I can do for you. We'll let you lead us to the camp, gagged, with your legs bound so you can't run, and with bows trained on your back so you'll think better of it. Once we get to the camp, provided you don't try to alert your friends there, we'll be looking for something. If we find it, you'll get your freedom, deal?" Glaffin feels a sinking, hollow pit in his stomach as he speaks, knowing that he's openly decieving the man by hinting that there's even a chance at freedom waiting for him. If what he said under hypnosis was true, then they wouldn't find the hostages alive, and "deal" would be void. It was vile, in his opinion, to decieve a man like this, but not nearly as vile as giving him no chance to redeem himself for his unredeemable actions.

Actions that, however unwillingly, Glaffin had also partaken in today.

[Artemis97]

Laelaer sees the others preparing to move out and makes her way over. She checks her weapons as she walks, making certain she would be ready for whatever they would encounter. The drowess was not going to be stuck as a rearguard this time. She wanted in on the action. She wanted blood.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Alright, yeah. Though, how am I supposed to walk with tied feet? Unless you plan to put me on a horse..." The man sounded as though he thought that unlikely.

Adrian, happy for a distraction, had followed Alec. From the looks of things, most of the outriders were in no shape to help, but those who had stayed in the wagons were fine, for the most part. "How many horses are we going to take?" the boy asked, walking carefully up to one of the large animals. The horse snorted at him, swishing its tail.

"Good question," put in one of the guards. "That was a big group, to take on a caravan like ours. Ehrlson and I figure they got a lot of loot stashed away."

[Blarghy]

"That's a happy thought," Alec smiles slightly. "But we know the camp is guarded, if lightly. We shouldn't take so many horses that we can't control them all while still defending ourselves. You should come along, Ehrlson too; we could use the help. Once we clear out the bandits, if we find too much plunder to carry back, I'm sure Mister Tallhelm will be glad to send us for a second trip."

He sets about equipping the mounts, then considers Adrian. Putting him in charge of a horse probably isn't the best idea when they're away from the wagons, but teaching him to care for the animals shouldn't lead to harm. He'll either try to run away at some point, or he won't; knowing how to put on a saddle probably isn't going to be the deciding factor.

"Have you ever worked with horses before? You don't look too comfortable around them," given his cautious approach.

[Slii Arhem]

"There'll be enough slack in the rope between them for you to lift your legs, but not enough to run with." He's thought this through, although there's no way of telling if it will work in practice. Hopefully, a bow or two to his back will keep him deterred, even if the rope doesn't.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus scratches his chin. "I'm thinkin' we can just go back fer more trips. Chests ain't goin' anywhere, after all. Not that I'm implyin' anythin', but we gotta make sure somebody ain't takin' more than their fare share, too," he says, having just been contemplating how to pull off such a thing. He eventually decides to wait and see the loot to see if it's even worth the effort.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Alright then. Let's just get this over with..." Unhappy, but not able to do much about it, the bandit nods in Glaffin's direction. "Ready when you are."

1

"Happy to. First crack at whatever we find, right? I'll fetch Ehrlson." Leaving Alec and Adrian alone with the horses, the guard left to find his friend. The boy had raised his hand to the horse, gently rubbing its nose.

"I've not worked with them much, no. Sir," he added. "These ones are friendly enough though, right? I mean, they don't know me." Alec knew, from experience, that it didn't matter much. Tallhelm had foresight enough, or had been doing this long enough, to own horses that were comfortable working with unfamiliar faces. Adrian, of course, wouldn't have had any way of knowing that.

[Gullara]

Cecily seems quite disturbed to hear that the boy's friends were dead. Disturbed, and angered too. The thought of those bastards killing them is enough to make her blood boil. Her twists her grip on her new bow, making the decision to go with the others. She wants to see that those remaining are punished for this crime.

[Sophistemon]

If you were to ask Indrys, he would say that the bandit deserved nothing more than to be dragged behind the horses by a rope around his ankles... but nobody asked, and so he keeps that opinion to himself. Simultaneously, his opinion of the dwarf, Glaffin, is only becoming increasingly positive. That the cleric would show such concern for the young elf despite his previous failures was... nice. He became resolved to speak to Alec and Laelaer about bringing Glaffin into their fold - though of course he didn't need the pirate's permission, or the dark elf's, it would be at least prudent to give them a fair warning that he was planning to expand their enterprise. Besides, whatever three could do, four could do better, wasn't that so?

He shakes his head and clears his thoughts.

"I am ready," he says.

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin nods, a determined scowl setting into his features. He was walking away from a battlefield directly into another one and he wouldn't allow himself to forget that, or the fact that it was his own decision to wage battle on people he'd never met this time. Assuming the bandit is willing to cooperate as he says he is, Glaffin will retrieve a short piece of rope that will serve as temporary shackles for the time being.

"Let's gather up those who are coming along and get moving then. We have some time before the guards get suspicious of their comrades not returning, since looting a caravan this size could take all day, but we shouldn't waste any of it." He coughs after the rather authoritative speech is done with, clearly unused to giving orders like that. One wonders where he might have picked it up from.

OOC:
Just in case Destro needs a Use Rope check for what Glaffin is doing, I'll put one here. Mechanically, he's trying to Entangle (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#entangled) the bandit so he can't move quickly. It's up to Destro if it works, or this is just fluff.

[roll0] The roll includes the bonus for binding someone and for using silk rope, on top of Glaffin's dex bonus. Feel free to subtract the former from it if you decide it doesn't apply Destro.

[Destro_Yersul]

The bandit didn't resist, nor did he seem especially keen to test the strength of the rope. Maybe it was the knots keeping him in line, and maybe it was the threats. Whatever the case, he stood once bound, looking down at his ankles forlornly.

Now, the only thing left was to wait for Alec to finish readying the horses.

[Blarghy]

"You don't want unfriendly ones in a caravan this size. This many people might spook high-strung horses. Besides; the excitable breeds probably wouldn't like slowly dragging wagons all day."

He tightens a saddle strap and moves onto the next mount. "Here: watch me set the rest of them up. It's a good skill to know, and you'll especially need it if you stay with us. To start, you..."

For the best learning experience, Alec would prefer to have Adrian do the job himself with instructions and supervision, but letting him watch is the next best thing when they're in a hurry. The rest of the group already looks nearly ready. Maybe he'll let Adrian strip the horses down when they get back later in the evening.

[Destro_Yersul]

Adrian watched with interest, trying to help by passing Alec the necessary equipment when needed. The guard Alec had sent returned with Ehrlson, and after that it was only a few more minutes before they had the horses ready to go. Glaffin gagged the bandit, and they set off over the hills. The last thing they saw of the Caravan before it was hidden by the terrain was Tallhelm, a tiny figure in the distance, running about organising things in complete disregard for his injury.

Without the ability to speak, their captive had to guide them by hand gestures. It was slow going, leading the horses over the rough terrain, but fortunately the camp wasn't too far away. Thorus estimated a kilometer, or so, before they reached it. Or at least, the edge of it. It looked almost empty, but there were a number of boulders in the area that could have concealed bandits. The camp itself was simple structures, made of wood and canvas, able to be packed up and on the move in a very short amount of time, and no big loss if they needed to be left behind. Most of them looked like housing, with bedrolls layed out underneath, but there were a couple larger ones with indeterminate function.

Creeping closer, the group heard voices. Three men, were sitting around a makeshift table behind one of the canvas structures, playing dice.

"Ow long you figure till they get back?"

"Damned if I know. Maybe they caught a big fish today."

"Hope so. More to go around, eh?"

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus takes off his armor and begins donning the new set. He then begins inspecting his weapons and other gear, ensuring that everything is in order before the journey. After this is done, he strides over to a horse and clambers onto it, grabbing the reins and holding his head high. Though, while he waits, he does eye the bandit rather warily, keenly aware that honor is not the strong suit of a man of such a profession.

---

After the trip commences and they arrive, Thorus opens his senses to the world, staying vigilant in case of some unheard-of surprise or ambush. He readies his morningstar and shield in anticipation of a fight, though if the bandit spoke truly and no surprises are in store, the fight should be more than easy enough. There were only three bandits, though, which meant the fourth was likely in hiding.

Thorus readies his morningstar and shield, and changes his aura to Senses (+1 Spot, Listen and Initiative).

He jerks his head into the direction of a distant rock, narrows his eyes and cries "Watch it!" then spurs his horse into a charge towards the rock, swinging his morningstar in a mighty arc at a shape behind it.

Thorus charges the archer behind the rock, suffering -2 AC until his next turn.

Attack roll: [roll0]
Damage roll: [roll1]

[Sophistemon]

Indrys was nervous following his brief encounter with the specter of death, and therefore walked with his head up and his eyes darting, an arrow knocked and ready to loose on his 'new' bow. Truthfully, it was a simple weapon, not at all ornamented and thus not really his style. But he had to admit that he admired the simple functionality. It worked, and that was enough, for now. He'd procure something more fitting to his station later, once they - what was that? A brief flash of light, several dozen feet away, partially concealed by a rock. His mind screams at him: arrowhead! Ambush! He nudges the dwarf, Glaffin, as he pivots smoothly on a heel, raising the bow to shoulder-height and drawing back the arrow. The string twangs satisfactorily when it's release and the loosed arrow flies towards the ominous glint of the bandit's deadly projectile.

[Destro_Yersul]

Thorus spurred his horse, guiding the animal around the worst of the rocks effortlessly. The bandit lookout, unprepared for the charge, scrambled hastily back, his arrow flying over Thorus' head. Indrys' luck was little better, his own shot missing badly.

"Attack!" screamed the lookout, fumbling for another arrow. Immediately, the three around the table abandoned their game, leaping to their feet and looking around for the fight. It wouldn't be long before they saw the party.

Ok, bandits failed at initiative. Everyone, have at 'em! Map:

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n199/ArtemistheHunter/AmbushBandit.png?t=1344024861

[Artemis97]

Laelaer too had her bow out, an arrow nocked onto the string. She had been walking like this for most of their journey, keeping most of her focus on the back of their prisoner and guide. If he tried to run, the drowess had no real qualms about putting an arrow in his back. Well, maybe just the leg. They still needed him to lead them, afterall.

Alerted by Thorus' warning, the duskblade shifts her focus from their prisoner to the visible bandits playing cards. Laelaer looses her arrow, aiming for the furthest bandit.

[The Orange Zergling]

Thorus, undaunted by his missed swing, spurs his horse to close the gap and puffs out his chest, letting bloodlust fill his arms and fuel his strength. He swings his morningstar in a powerful downward arc towards the bandit's head with a grunt of effort. He catches the other bandits spurring to action in his periphery, but wants to focus on the immediate threat first.

I assume not, but just in case a Ride check is still needed for earlier: [roll0]

---

As a swift action, Thorus changes his aura to Vigor: Fast healing 1 when below half health.

Then he takes a five foot step forward and attacks the archer.
Attack: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]

[Slii Arhem]

Glaffin doesn't hesitate for an instant, swiveling his crossbow from the prisoner to the nearest dice-playing bandit he can see as soon as the alarm is sounded and firing off a bolt as steady as his hands will allow, the thwap of the string striking the prods the only sound he makes.

He reloads the crossbow with the same efficiency, waiting for another opportunity to get in a clear shot.
OOC:
Shooting his crossbow at the southmost bandit. He looks to be just within the first range increment to me, but that's for Destro to decide I suppose.

[roll0]
[roll1]