Kalirren's Kingmaker: By Sword or Rope (IC Thread #1)

[Kalirren]

Nothing happens during the cold, yet otherwise blissful, night. The sun at dawn chases the fog down, southeastly from the Kamelands, and it follows you all day. Leeroy and Abby have peeled off with Gerrick and Lithia of your acquaintances from previous nights to head to Varnhold. He promises to visit.

Because of the poor visibility, it takes you the bulk of the next day to get to the turnoff that Snorri promises. Snorri relates that once the Ft. Buhoslav garrison was recalled, caravans stopped staying there, and a new trail that saves about a mile of distance has sprung up that shortcuts the fort entirely.

You say your goodbyes to Snorri, Sasha, and the guards whom you have come to know. As the six of you take the turnoff, Snorri calls after you to say hello to Oleg for him.

You approach the isolated fort. It looks imposing at first, until you realize it's much closer than you think it is. It's a simple, wooden, rectangular palisade built on a gentle hill. You think you can make out some type of siegecraft on one of its towers.

There's only one gate, the main gate, and on its lintel is hung a ragged wooden sign that at the moment reads "Olea's". The tail of the "g" has been markedly cut off by a blow from an axe.

The gate is shut.

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

Throwing back the dew-moistened hood of his cloak, Arash looked around in the mist. He frowned deeply, seeing there was little going on in the fort. There were no visible sentries, the gates were closed... were they expecting an attack or was the fort abandoned?

"Zhubin", he called out to the half-orc. "Do you see anything? Or anyone?" the militant cleric asked, slowly sliding his shield in place, and his blade out of its scabbard. After that, he began moving towards the gates, still alert and still looking, as if he expected someone to try and put a quarrel through his neck.

Perception [roll0]

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

"Relax, Arash. Snorri said that the garrison had been recalled. The fortress is abandoned except for the people who run the trading post."

The half-elf steps closer to the gate. Hallooooo? Oleg! We're travelers. May we come in?"

[Halae]

Tawny Renvar

Tawny frowns behind her mask. An axe on the sign? Not a common occurrence. Not for people with a business to run.

"They're having trouble with bandits and they have no warriors," Tawny says simply. The people here are merchants, not fighters, so whomever the bandits may be are extorting them, likely for protection money. But with no money to be had out here...

"Well then, looks like we know where a few bandits are. Be careful about going inside, their backs are to the wall and they're not expecting us, but they are expecting bandits to come knocking."

[Kalirren]

You smell an unrolled bundle of hay, and now that you aren't clanking about, you also hear that someone's spreading thatch onto a roof. The walls are too high for you to see into the palisade.


Hallooooo? Oleg! We're travelers. May we come in?

"...Hullo? Hullo!" booms a deep bass over the wall. His transition from alarmed to delighted is rather amusing. "Yes, I'm Oleg, let me get off this roof, I'm..stuck...Svetlana! Svetlana, someone's here!"

"I -u- -e - i -ai-..." you hear a reply. It's a piercing alto voice, but her consonants get lost behind the wall. You hear the sounds of someone mounting a ladder, and the footsteps thud on the wall to the gate's left.

"Ah, there y'are," she says as she comes around to the covered portion of the tower. Her accent is much more charming with its consonants. "I see you now." It's a woman in her prime, her late 20's, with a round face, blond hair, wearing a bandana and a slightly surprised look on her face. "How many of you are there? Just the six of you?"

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

The previous evening, returning
To the camp, following Tawny
Zhubin, once more his old damned self
Stilted speech, few words, quiet thanks

Come morn, he'd risen with the dawn
Greeted radiant Sarenrae
With his shining steel and slicked sweat
Boiled up some coffee for their camp

He held the rearguard while they fled
The chasing mists. Shining spear waves
Up over his companions' heads

He'd been looking for spoor
But their hosts spoke 'ere he could
Answer Arash.
To Svetlana, Zhubin says,
"Good morning, ma'am. Need help with
The ladder as well as with bandits?"

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

"Yes, just the six of us. And I assure you, we are not bandits", Arash called out, sheathing his blade once he noticed who was greeting them. "As my hatted associate here stated, we are here to help with the bandits."

For a moment Arash looked down, as if considering something. "As well as with the ladder", he added with a completely straight face. Had the dour young man just tried to crack a joke?

[Yanisa]

Shyladric had a decent night rest and felt a lot better now outside the caravan and with a group of like minded people. She didn't know what to think of everyone so she kept to herself at the moment and quietly observes them.

Suddenly a woman appears on the roof. "Seven" Shyladric replies to her question and picks up Ilves. The cat protest softly against being so high in the sky and quickly gets put back on the ground.

[Kalirren]

"All right. Let me just get the bar up and then we'll see about dinner, shall we?" You hear the rattling of a chain, and the sound of a bar dislodging on the other side. The gate slips outwards and lies ajar. "I'm Svetlana," she introduces herself as she hauls.

She turns and bellows back into the fort, "Hey Oleg, did you hear that? They're here to help us with the bandits..." "Well it's about time!" he responds, stoked.

Stepping into the palisade courtyard, you see stables off to your left, and a long inn cabin full of bunks, a former barracks, off to your right. Where the mustering field was, two long rows of wooden tables and chairs now flank a central firepit. Oleg seems to have commandeered the former main administrative building, across the grounds from the inn, for his own home and the trading post. Between Oleg's trading post and the stables, there's also a small storage pen, and behind that, the middens.

Having worked his way to the edge of the awning of the roof he was working on, Oleg jumps down and lands on both feet with a resounding thud. At some point, his young son, who was helping him throw thatch, scampers over, and Oleg takes him by the hand.

You get a good look at both of them as Oleg happily introduces himself to each of you and welcomes you. Oleg is a strong, determined frontiersman, slightly older than Svetlana is, rather handsome for a half-orc. He offers everyone handshakes, except for Zhubin, to whom he gives the more customary greeting of masking fist with palm. "I'm Oleg Leveton. This is my son Dmitri. Dmitri, say hello." The kid just waves. "Shy boy. Come on now. Sveta and I run this trading post and inn. Please, come inside. Make yourselves comfortable. You've really come just in time."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

Yorveth returns Oleg's handshake and follows him inside the fort.

"Well met, Oleg. Snorri sends his greetings. Uh, just in time for what, exactly?"

[Kalirren]

Oleg, hesitating to choose his words, is just a little slow to respond, allowing Svetlana to get in a word edgewise while coming down the ladder: "Taxes!" "That's not at all the same," protests Oleg.

"Relax, dear. You've been taking it so hard," comes Svetlana's insistent reply. She puts her hand on Oleg's shoulder, and turns to the group. "You don't have any horses or a cart, do you? I can close the gate?"

"Dmitri and I will close the gate," Oleg interjects, having caught his breath. "You take them inside and show them some hospitality." Svetlana nods, approvingly, as if she's won a bout. "Yes. Yes, that's better. Follow me."

Svetlana turns briskly. She leads the group across the green, ascends the two stairs up to the house, and opens its door. "Please, find yourselves chairs. There are so many. We never use them all."

You find yourselves in a living room, of sorts. The furniture is still clearly laid out like a guardpost, but also has all the additional furnishings of a real household stacked up on shelves newly built into the walls. To your left, a fireplace, stove, chimney, and kitchen. To your right, a table used for bookkeeping.

"Now, fellas, what can I bring you to eat? We have bread, and potatoes, and a venison stew, and vodka'n'ale."

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

Taking off his shield, backpack and weapons and placing them to rest against the wall, Arash stretched his shoulders, working out the kinks brought by the long day of marching.

"Ale and stew sounds lovely, milady, thank you", he answered to Svetlana's question as he took off his cloak. He had not taken it off in front of the others before, so now they could see the armor he was wearing. A gorget decorated with his god's symbol and simple pauldrons were the only pieces of full plate he wore; otherwise his chest and arms were covered in a thick layer of steel scales, along with a knee-length skirt of same design, attached to thick fabric.

"If you don't mind me asking so, what did you mean by taxes? To my understanding, the Ruby Throne has yet to reach this far."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth smiles to see some of the truth of Old Deadeye's teachings confirmed in a mere meal. Somehow, it's always the simple meals that drive away hunger most effectively. Yorveth leaves his bow, quiver and sword at the door, knowing that certain traditions of hospitality demand such a gesture from a guest.

"Thank you, ma'am, everything looks delicious. I'm curious about these taxes, too. Your husband seemed somewhat flustered when you mentioned them.

[Halae]

Tawny

"It's a protection racket," the tiefling says, "The bandits come by and take money. if they aren't paid, they break things. Taxes is just a way of making it sound more legitimate."

Her distaste is clear. Tawny will go to sit down as the meals are prepared. been a long road, and sitting down for the meal would be nice. If Olivia has a particular seating preference, Tawny will move with her.

[Kalirren]

The mistress of the hearth looks back at the two men a bit incredulously. She simply points to the tiefling in confirmation. "What she said." She finds two turned wooden bowls, ladles some stew out for Arash and Yorveth, and breaks some bread in for good measure. "And for you?" she asks Tawny. "I guess we have greens too?"

"I just wanted to jostle Oleg out of his shell," she explains. "Remind him that moving back to Restov is still an option. This all has hurt him so much, he's not thinking straight. We both wanted to move out here, for us, for little Dima, but that's before the bandits really got bad. It hasn't always been this way.

"We used to get hunters and trappers bringing furs, wanting supplies and a bed off the ground. Did business that way, and still do. And we've only been here two years. Last year's business was better than the year before. We were looking forward to a wonderful third year." She pets her belly dreamily.

"Then one day in the dead of last winter - tomorrow will make it exactly three months ago, actually - a gaggle of bandits showed up at the front gate. You can take a look at Oleg's books, they'll tell you what happened after that," she says, nodding towards the table, the ledger sitting closed upon its surface. "Restov wouldn't send us any aid without 'documentation'."

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

Arash's whole stance changed at the mention of bandits. He could feel his arms and shoulders tightening, his heartbeat quickening, his stance changing... The very idea of battle seemed to excite the young man.

"How many?" he asked, looking right at Svetlana when he took off his gauntlets and started to take off his armor. "With me, you won't need documentation. The only thing I need is their numbers and a naked blade."

[Yanisa]

Shyladric puts her bag near the fire place. "How worse is it?" she asks carefully. "I mean if you short on food I and Ilves can share a bowl of stew." Shyladric already starts walking towards the ledger to find how bad these attack have been. "Have they been 'visiting' each month and are you implying to come back tomorrow?" Shyladric wondered out loud while flipping trough the records.

Ilves claims a nice chair near the fire heart keeping an eye at the backpack.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Though pleasantly surprised at another person this far West knowing one of the traditional manners of greeting from his native land of distant Minkai, Nanami managed to return the gesture to his fellow orcblood without too much delay. He'd spared a brief smile at the kid, Dmitri, reached into one of his myriad pockets and then waggled a finger at him--- a finger capped with an old, dried rabbit skull.

His hidden eyes move from beneath his wide hat, checking out every shadow and crack in which ambushers can hide. Drab green cloak and light chain over a suit of studded leather beneath merely give the occasional groan or clink as contrasted with his more ironclad colleagues. The mostly stoic orcblood grunts his name out of courtesy, then suppresses a frown and a groan at the courtesy shown by his companions.

That... is one custom that I've never quite understood. Aye, indeed, it does show great trust on the part of both host and guest. But what if the attack comes from without? And especially in troubled times as these. One never knows.

Ah, well. Aye, aye. Honour to the host, practicality be damned. Tsk. Can I at least keep my trusty booze bottle?

Still, he sets his polearm down beside Arash's kit. Next to go is his battered old travelling pack, together with the wicker shield strapped to its back, a spiked brass boss gleaming at its centre. At the left of the pack is a short-hafted shovel, at the right is a Tian-made crossbow. The cloak, he unclasps, folds and drapes over the pack. Beside the hooked lance now rests the quiver of javelins, along with a shorter and thicker spear of Minatan make. He then kneels and unbuckles one of the many belts about his waist, this one holding the scabbards of two daggers with prominent bronze pommels. Next to go is a pair of sword-hilts with broken blades. After another unclipping and a couple of moments of wrapping the straps about the scabbard, a deeply curved Vudran blade joins the pile. Finally, out come a pair of boot-sheathed knives...

...the spiked gauntlet on his right hand comes off as well, an almost abashed afterthought.

"Revolutionary taxes, or highway taxes, or knife-friendly donations, they are called by some." He says from the threshold while still carrying out his extended disarming. Well! These ladies are sharp. That'd be about right. Better not tell 'em how well I've handled highwaymen before... or that I did do my share of banditry. Ah. Dishonour. Wanted in certain settlements of Osirion, Qadira and Taldor. Well... lean times.

"Milady." he says to Svetlana as she asks. "Just the stew and the bread, if you please. A bit of both bits of booze, if they can both be spared." Beneath his hat's rim, he eyes the table and makes for the corner seat opposite Olivia and Tawny.

Seated, Nanami takes his hat off, revealing an unruly black mane which he gives a good shake before rumbling in his throat as he settles in and sighs. The short-statured halforc grunts at their resident zealot and says, "Numbers? And disposition? Descriptions? Any habits beyond a fondness for axes, monthly collections and beer?"

[Kalirren]

"Yes, as a matter of fact, they have." Svetlana answers Shyladric. "How many they are each time has been different," she elaborates. "The first time they came, there were a dozen of them, and the leader was this horrible woman. They walked up and down the place and trashed everything, saying it wouldn't matter, they were going to burn it all up anyway." She shudders. "Thank Sarenrae they didn't. I think the bank of snow on the roof convinced that woman it wouldn't be spectacular enough. It was seven the second time, with a man leading. Compared with that woman, he was almost professional about it. And he's still a disgusting boor." At that moment Oleg comes in the door with Dmitri in tow. He doesn't interrupt Svetlana, and instead makes a beeline for the stew. As Oleg's ladling, Svetlana points him to Shyladric by the fire, and he nods.

"Two months ago was also the first time they started making a ruckus in the middle of night to let us know they were coming. They did it again last month. Only five men actually came. I think they figured because it was winter, we wouldn't have much business, and they were right."

Oleg pipes up after delivering the Ambassador and her human their bowl. "I'm sure you saw the sign on the way in. That was yesterday, so they're due back tomorrow. As I said, you're just in time." He serves the ale. "You're probably wondering why I even opened the door to them in Pharast. I wanted to make them think they own this place. I hope that man Bydon comes with even less support this time. Then I can bury an axe in his fool head."

"Oleg, is that really an example to set for your son?" "Isn't it?"

Yorveth knows that name, Bydon. That's the name of a guard who skipped town about a year ago after his protection racket got uncovered.

Meanwhile, the ledger tells its own story, as Svetlana promised.

Acquisitions, sales, inventory, monthly totals,...it's all there for 9 months of the Levetons' first year. The rather compact format continues in the same meticulous hand through all 12 months of last year.

But you notice that something changes, because starting at the beginning of this year there are not one, but two hands of writing on the page. The spacing is also more loose.

You infer that while the previous years' records were written sequentially, tightly, from one day to the other, this years' records instead show the acquisitions split more clearly from the sales. Space was left between the end of one month's records, and the beginning of the next. This space was later filled, by the documentation of the stolen inventory of furs, and a second set of monthly totals post-banditry, in a different hand. The spacing makes it clear that this part of the recordkeeping has been retroactively done.

You see three months of this newer convention of recordkeeping. Abadius, Calistril, Pharast. To the Levetons' credit, it's taken until the middle of Gozran for their depletion of capital to adversely affect their ability to procure supplies. But if this pattern keeps up, the Levetons will be heading back to Restov by winter.

You also notice that Oleg sells potions. He clearly doesn't have the setup to produce any here, nor likely does he have the knowhow. Looking over to the inventory acquisition column, the ledger confirms this. Oleg consistently buys potions twice a month. A name "Bokken" always appears with these records. The tiny volume of these transactions indicates that the alchemist must live close by.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth sits a bit straighter at the mention of Bydon. "That deserter is still alive? I suppose it was too much to hope that he'd get eaten by something. He's a simple thug. And it sounds like he's getting complacent if he's bringing less men each time."

[horngeek]

Olivia followed the rest, nodding gratefully as she was handed a bowl of stew, the golden-eyed Aasimar frowning. "I suppose we'd better get ready to stop these people, then."

She hummed, thinking. "Hopefully, they'll raise noise again when they come this time. Still... it might be a good idea to set a lookout."

[North_Ranger]

"Better still, an ambush. To me it sounds like these outlaws are thinking you are easy pickings. No insult intended, of course", Arash offered, nodding apologetically to Oleg and his family. "You describe them sending less and less men each time... meaning they are not expecting a fight. But if one of them escapes, they might come back in force."

"So I say we kill them all and let the gods do the sorting."

[Kalirren]

Oleg seems inclined to let their previous arguments stand raised, but Svetlana's not letting him go. "You're telling me, you're telling everyone that you let them in because you wanted to." 'Yeah," he begins. "I agree. But not also because they could make us do it, whether I want to bury your axe in his head or not?"

Oleg's disdainful huff in response prompts Svetlana to yield to his stubbornness. "Okay," she throws up her hands powerfully, having had enough. Everyone at the table notices that she does not wear a wedding ring. "You keep lecturing me about svoboda. Full svoboda. Does it include dishonesty?"

"Is this what it's about?" Oleg asks. "They say it translates. It doesn't. It's not just 'liberty', or 'freedom'. It's that part that comes from the vastness of the land. That you have to take for yourself even if someone gives it to you, and that you can't ever let die in your own heart when someone tries to take it from you. I know you know about that. We both do." As Oleg moves to clasp her hands in his own, you confirm that Oleg does wear a wedding ring. "We didn't just come out here to take our own svoboda. We came to give Dima a chance to know. So that our Dima could learn how to take it for himself. That's what really makes a man out of a boy, and a woman out of a girl..."

"And taking your own svoboda includes the fine art of solving your problems with violence," she jabs in sarcastic resignation. "Sometimes that's involved!" Oleg throws up his hands.

"You miss my point," she says, turning and shaking her head. "Come on, Dima. We're eating dinner inside today." Svetlana walks off down the hallway towards the back of the house. Dima starts walking slowly, then looks over his shoulder at his father. "Go with your mother," commands the half-orc.

The son acknowledges the command by fulfilling it. Svetlana opens the door to their bedroom and they are both gone.

Oleg crosses his arms and sighs. "I'm sorry about that...where were we again?"

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

The ravenous snarfing and scarfing and wolfing and glugging and occasional belching from the famished forestwalker's corner noticably slows as the minor marital disagreement flares between their hosts. His gaze narrows beneath his hat's weave.

Looking after the mother and the child departing, the ranger steers his eyes back towards those on the table. As he speaks, he gestures with a crust of bread that he's using to sop up the last of the stew on his bowl. "I am with Sir Bright Truth Slays All Evil there...

...halfway. Aye, in a fight, that'd be a very real possiblity, but we have to plan beyond the next kill. This is not hunting deer or boar--- this is hunting men.

Aye, we lay in ambush. Sir Oleg, your fort has this greathouse, a barn, a stableyard, a well... what building did I miss? I ask that tomorrow, you act as if nothing is out of the ordinary. That you are paying your revo--- highway tax. As usual. Centre of your courtyard, if it is possible.

You, Sir Purge 'Em All, take up a hide closest to sir Oleg. Lady Olivia, reckon you could stifle your steel long enough to take up a position near the stable doors, far enough to be hidden, close enough to charge into the midst of our bandit friends? Yorveth, greathouse door, opposite Olivia. You two charge 'em on two flanks. I shall hide in the shadow of the greathouse, near the wall--- that's the fourth side of our rat-trap. CLANG. You see? Tawny, Shyladric, hmm. With the flanking chargers.

The signal to attack will be--- once they've got their heads down, inspecting the products, I shall yell like a madman, dash out of cover and hurl a spear at their backs. Whether that hits or not, you all come out of your holes, yelling like mad and hammering into their sides. Tawny, Shyladric, if you have any magicks that can immobilize, so much the better. Arash, no offense to your patron, but think of the greater good--- your first priority will be to get Oleg to safety. Once that's done, support for our flankers. Please. I shall provide ranged support and hope to catch any that try to escape the trap with my lance.

If any are disabled or surrender, take them prisoner. Interrogate them. We then get what details we can of their other comrades, their camp, the works.

Any have objections?"

After that long run of words--- and once his stew and bread have run out--- Zhubin sighs, groans and stands. He stalks over to the fireplace and slugs back a swig of vodka.

[Halae]

Tawny

"It'd be more appropriate to set a pair of individuals with exclusively ranged assault options up on the wall above the gate," Tawny says, "Then we have them close the gates once the bandits are in. No escape, and we capture at least one for interrogation. Higher ground is also better in a fight like this."

"Oleg, when do they usually come? Morning, midday, or evening?"

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Ranged assault options? Koff. She means, 'weapons'.

The orcblooded ranger has his forearm against the mantel, his eyes staring into the fire. He answers without looking up, "Slam the gate shut only if absolutely necessary. They need the illusion of escape--- without it, they become desperate men, and desperate men have the strength of dead men walking. Does not a rat--- or hell, a tiger--- fight fiercest when utterly trapped?"

He then raises his empty cup towards Tawny and says, "High ground. Good point, that. Blast me for not speaking it. Whoever'd be up there needs to be hidden, though, before the trap is sprung. And not exclusively. If some friggers escape the ambush and see the gate shut, they'll make for the walls and might well make mincemeat of whoever's up there, in their need to escape."

The hat nods as he asks, "It is a good point as well, sir Oleg. What time do they usually come? What time do you expect them to come tomorrow?"

[Halae]

Tawny

"Only if they know we won't let them live," Tawny says, "All we have to do is yell out 'surrender and you'll be spared!' and as soon as the fight turns against them they'll surrender, and I don't want to risk them getting away," It seems obvious enough to her.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

"Well an' good..." Zhubin rumbles. "But not a sure thing. What if they don't throw down their arms and 'Boo-hoo-hoo, we're surrounded, we can't cut our way out, or set fire to these buildings or take the jolly host hostage'? What then?"

[Halae]

Tawny

"Then we kill them and hang them from the walls," she says, "they'll have just arrived, so their tracks will be fresh, so we simply tack where they came from instead. Either way, we can't let them get out to warn the rest of the bandits."

[Beowulf DW]

Yoveth

"Hey, General Orgy-of-steel-and-blood, get a feel for your troops' specialties before you tell us to charge in. I prefer to feather my enemies from a distance. I find I get hit less that way. I have a sword, just in case; I can be hard to find when I need to be. I'll be up on the wall over the gate. If any of them try to get away, I'll shoot them dead from there. Sound good?"

This remonstrance dispensed, Yorveth once more attends to his meal.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

The hat almost flies off the halforc's face as he slaps his forehead and groans. And groans again as he sits back down. Judging by the nearest pitcher, it might have been his third tall glass of this heavy Brevan brew.

"Sorreh. Rilleh. Sorreh." he says while squinting at Yorveth, his carefully maintained self-control clearly eroded by glass on glass of vodka.

[Yanisa]

Shyladric

She stares at Ilves for a moment, almost like she is waiting for the cat to say something. Ilves is still thoroughly cleaning out the bowl of stew. "If I may add some ideas to the plan, Ambassadress Ilves looks small, but if needed she is deadlier then a wolf. She also probably outrun any of us or them, so my advise would be to place her close to the gate, so that if we get a runner, she could catch him."
Shyladric ponders again for a moment. She didn't want to fight unless it was necessarily but an ambush might be the easier way to deal with the problem. "I would prefer if we try to get a couple alive for some questioning... but I don't think this place have cells? As for my position, I do stick close to Ilves, so I guess I would also be in the back. Unless you want Ilves in the flank. By the way, I don't have any weapons but I might now an arcane trick or two. Especially if you can get them all together."

[Kalirren]

"They like showing up at dawn." Oleg tries to be helpful. "I've also got a few supplies here in the back. Maybe they'll be useful." He looks to Shyladric especially, as the young lady's wearing nothing in the way of armor. "There's a leather cuirass and some throwing spears. A hunting bow. Even a potion or two."

You also come to notice, near the back of the hall where Svetlana and Dima disappeared to, a mounting of two crossed waraxes under a round wooden shield.

"If'n you catch one of'em, we can put 'em in the stables," suggests Oleg. "Or the shed. Make 'em regret that they took all the hides that would've kept 'em warm, haha ha..."

[horngeek]

Olivia's expression settled on a frown, casting a quick glance at Tawny. "What we will be is better than them. And that means no killing any prisoners we take. Especially not in the way you all seem to be suggesting."

[Beowulf DW]

"At dawn, eh Oleg? Seems appropriate somehow. Oleg, I don't mean to give insult, but how are you in a fight? Half-orcs are usually pretty good with axes and falchions in my experience. Think you could use one of those axes there?. Yorveth turns toward Olivia, "I'd rather not kill prisoners either. But these aren't prisoners of war, Miss. These are criminals who have killed and stolen. And the penalty if they don't turn from their wicked ways is death by sword or rope. We'll spare who we can. But we have neither the manpower nor the prison necessary to incarcerate them."

[Halae]

Tawny
Olivia's expression settled on a frown, casting a quick glance at Tawny. "What we will be is better than them. And that means no killing any prisoners we take. Especially not in the way you all seem to be suggesting."

The tiefling grunts, "It's the lawful course of action, Olivia. We've specifically been charged to do it, no less, 'By Sword or Rope'."

[Kalirren]

Oleg raises an eyebrow as two of his guests converge on that titular phrase. "Appropriate? What would make it appropri...?"

The half-orc merchant interrupts himself to think for a moment. "Now that you mention it, Sveta thinks their camp is within a day of here. She overheard one of them last month saying they were eager to head back, makes her think so. But they've showed up less than an hour after first light for two months now."

"I doubt they rouse at the middle of night to make the trek here. They don't have the discipline for that. I say they must be camped nearby, to the south." he concludes. "They want to raid here tomorrow, then head back, and by days' end be at their base camp."

An idea crosses his head. "By Grummsh. If Sveta's right, and I'm right, we could find them."


"Oleg, I don't mean to give insult, but how are you in a fight?"

"Oh, those? Haven't swung them since I was full-grown fifteen, and I've never worn armor." Oleg shakes his head. "That's my ancestor shrine. If that bunch of boors knew it was more than a conversation piece it wouldn't still be here. Nowadays the only thing I ever use an axe to chop is wood."

[Yanisa]

Shyladric

She heard Oleg's idea and started to think out loud "Hmmm... They attack at dawn... Haven't had any resistance so far... Send less men with each plundering... I guess they are getting overconfident. They barely expect someone to fight back here, but how much more would we surprise them by finding them at their camp? They are probably sharpening weapons and preparing to wake up early tomorrow. At the downside they do have more ways to escape outside. Plus finding would take a lot of time, even if they are an hour away. Any vague direction would help narrow it down but is no guarantee they hide in that direction."
She ponders for a moment. "Hey Oleg, this fort has towers. Maybe we can survey the area from up there, maybe they are sloppy." Although that chance is small.
Shyladric stares at Ilves again and the cat stares back. "At least we got Ilves here, she has a great nose and great eyes and probably hunts bandits as easy as birds. The question is however... Do we want to spend time preparing and let them prepare... or do we spend time searching for them to hopefully catch them unprepared, if we are lucky?" She looks at the rest of group, and especially Zhubin, when asking that last question.

[North_Ranger]

Arash

"Trusting in luck in battle is like giving a child matches: an invitation for trouble", Arash weighed in. "No. We know they are coming here. Let them. We can ambush them, and hopefully take prisoners. These are hardly professional soldiers, but highwaymen more used to frightening women than crossing blades."

"Oleg, I'll stay by your side until you are out of harm's way. Zhubin, Shyladric and Ilves should focus on making sure none escape. The rest of us... we'll make them bleed."

Turning to look at the half-orc tradesman, the zealot stood up. "I would like to see what potions you have available, master Oleg. Any assistance we can gain from those will help assure victory."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

"Hang on now, Arash. Shyladric has a point. Best offense is good defense and all that. And it would keep Master Oleg and his family out of harm's way. And if any bandits get away, it was the work of bounty hunters or a patrol, not guests of Oleg. We can strike in the night and catch them while they're sleeping.

[Halae]

Tawny

Tawny puts a hand to her forehead I'm surrounded by strategists who all have a different idea of how to do things.

"Alright, let's break this down. We have two options, we can either lure them inside and then close the gate in a trap, or we can go out and find them. The first option has potential problems if we can't contain them, and the second has the problem of their escape and warning the other bandits because we can't box them in."

"Now, five came to the fort last time. it's been steadily decreasing, so I suspect that they'll have either three or four people. We have six. However, it's getting late and not all of us are capable of seeing in the dark, and I want to avoid the confusion of a night battle." she sighs, "On top of this, getting those of us who can't see out to where the bandits might be camping would be difficult by itself, and we can't carry light sources or they'll see us coming. What we want is to have the drop on them, so they aren't expecting us, and to do that we need to lure them in. I understand not wanting to wait, Yorveth, but the odds are stacked in favor of setting an ambush, not surprising them in the night."

"Here's my plan. Yorveth and I stay up on the wall to close the gate once the bandits are inside, as we both have ways of attacking from range," She nods to the archer, "I'm sure Zhubin could join us. Shy, do you have a spell that can disable them without killing them? we need them for interrogations."

[Kalirren]

"I would like to see what potions you have available, master Oleg. Any assistance we can gain from those will help assure victory.

"Sure, lemme just make sure I remember right what they are..."

He steps into the storeroom, finds a small chest of vials. He inverts them to mix, then unstoppers them and licks the rims one by one.

"Two elixirs to mend wounds with, a shielding draft, and a coupl'a hangover cures," he says definitively. "Think my distant kinsman there could use one?"

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Despite his hardy flesh and bones
With his sixth vodka, Zhubin's gut groans
Still young and slight, he glares and fights
Pulsing drunkenness and scowling
With approval, slams his tankard
Down on the oaken table hard

And then says, struggling not to slur
"Damned shtrait! WOT SHE SAEHD!
Daht makes dah most sense
All our mouth-flappin'!
'Nutha thing. Shy, ye
E'er seen yer puddy
Take ou--- huh. Wait. Damn.
Anyhow, ish shmall
Raidin' party. We
Go muck about at
Dead o' fuggen night,
Shanka somma few
Ever'body else
Waakes tha shet-frak up
An' stomps us. Even
If we gets away
The rest tracks us down
Or jus' charges 'ere
Razed as reprisal.
Ye want that, Ms Shy?
Coulda been good, though---
---IF cirsh diff'nnnttt...
...gzzzz...nngggraaaaahwwwwkkk... gzzz..."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

"Ummm...Right you are there, General. Sorry, Tawny, I sometimes forget that not everyone can see in dark as well as Zhubin or me."

[Yanisa]

Shyladric

She bows towards Ilves and whispers "Taking the blame for others idea is hard." and pets the cat. Ilves purrs in response. She then turns to Tawny and nods. "Yeah, like I said I don't like killing, so I happen to know a trick to knock people out without hurting them... too much. It is at least not deadly. The problem is the range is kinda close and works better if the bandits are huddled together. For optimal use I either need to strike when they are still a group, or you guys must force them together again. Regardless it still works on one person at a time, its just less efficient. So if I see an early opening I might take it."
As Zhubin slurs out his drunken lines Shyladric frowns with disdain and wonders if he even would be useful in the morning. She shrugs, the plan was to capture and not kill now, so it might be for the better.

[Kalirren]

The door at the end of the hallway creaks open. "What's going on?" asks Svetlana. "Is there a plan yet?"

"The plan is to let them in to the courtyard and ambush them, that's what we've settled, right? And this fine gentleman," he says, deftly substituting the last of Zhubin's drink with the contents of a vial of antitoxin, "has volunteered to lead the charge, or give the signal, and we'll play it by ear from there. You keep Dima safe, inside. I'll say you're bedridden with a fever."

"And what about you?" "Same as usual. Open the gate, walk down and straight to the front door of the house. Watch'em take everything, vandalize something else, and leave." He looks to the group assembled. "Or not. We'll see."

"And who's watching my husband if I'm not?" Getting a raised hand from Arash, Svetlana seems satisfied. "All right. You want to ambush them here? Then we need to make it seem like no one's come." "Good point, Sveta."

The two proprietors get to setting the stage. Svetlana starts with cleaning up dinner. Oleg helps you hide your gear in his back storeroom, or as you otherwise prefer, and asks that you help him carry the stash of furs out to the shed for bait. Then with what little light remains, both of them go outside and sweep dirt over the tracks you left. They suggest before they retire that you should familiarize yourselves with the place thoroughly before you do the same:

http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/285/ugui.png

Feel free to post further interactions, but otherwise, nothing troubles Fort Buhoslav this dreadful night.

[Halae]

Tawny

Once they're all agreed, Tawny will stay up for a while to familiarize herself with the area of the fort before turning in for bed. Gotta get up bright and early for the fight.

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

If no one else takes the shielding draught, Arash added it to the loops of his belt, to be drunk just prior to battle. He eschewed the healing draughts, however. "If need be, I can summon Ragathiel's touch to heal myself and others. Better that the potions go to those who might need it worse than me", he had said.

The evening the young Varisian zealot spent pacing the courtyard, studying the distances between the main house, the stables and the gate. With his scale armor, he was neither fast nor stealthy, so he needed a good spot from which to cast protective blessings before charging into the fray.

[Kalirren]

The break of dawn brings with it the clearest, and coldest, day you've ever had since you left Restov. It's been an hour since sunrise, and no bandits yet. You've been watching since an hour before. For Oleg and Svetlana, the waiting is just frustrating, and you're getting hungry for a good breakfast.

Being that you saw nearly nothing on the way in last night, you can't resist a climb up to the fort wall to scope things out. Only one ladder leads up to the palisade wall, the one next to the southern gate tower. That siege engine mounted on the southeast tower turns out to be a ballista, its machinery rusted, the gut straps snapped.

To the east you see the road you came in on, and to the north you think the caravan might just be over the next ridge.

And to the south and west lie the Greenbelt. You imagine the land sending up a brisk wind to greet you, as your eyes are given by Gozreh's rare generosity to feast upon miles upon miles of rolling landscape, green savannah dotted with copses of trees. Magnificent oaks, standing atop crests of hills like old men, are slow to wake from their winter slumber, even as the lindens and maples in the troughs between are already robed in verdant spring. Tiny creeks crisscross the landscape, the earth's bounty oozing without cease from the soil. Deer browse on hillsides, and raptors and vultures trace out knots in the sky.

You may have gotten here yesterday, but only today do you truly feel that you've arrived.

And apparently you're in good company. You think it's just another family of deer at first, but they're moving far too constantly for that. Unfortunately, their chosen path takes them behind an unfortunately placed hillside just as you're about to make out more.

You're not sure exactly how many people just rounded that bend in the southern distance, but you counted six horses for sure. If those are your bandits, they'll be at the gate in a few minutes.

[Please post, at very least, your final ambush positions. I assume you'll have time to take 20 on your Stealth.]

[Halae]

Tawny

Tawny, as promised, will have placed herself above the gate on the wall. She trusts Yorveth to be on the other side, and for both of them to be on the lookout for the bandits coming up. Once they're here, she waves to the others for them to get into position if they haven't already, then hunkers down.

Six... odd. She hadn't been expecting more than four. We'll have to see what happens.

[North_Ranger]

Doing his best to cloak his armor and weapons, Arash stood with Oleg in the main house's corridor. Once the battle was joined, it was up to him to keep Oleg shielded until he was out of harm's way. For that purpose, he had strapped on his heavy shield already in place. For the few frantic seconds of combat he could use that to catch arrows, until it was time to call on the General of Vengeance.

"Best you take this, master Oleg", Arash said, giving Oleg the shielding potion. "I have no fear of the bandits. But I would rather not face your wife, should anything happen to you", he added, a small smile touching his lips.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

Yorveth positions himself on the side of the gate closest to the ladder such that any bandits that try climbing will meet his sword. He doesn't draw his bow yet, though he does nock an arrow to his composit bow.

perception to get a better look at the bandits:

[roll0]

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

The rotten wood of seeming-pile
At Tawny's feet suddenly stirs
Zhubin crouched behind the parapet
---Eyes on the landscape does whet
As do his hands with spearheads ten
Hidden 'neath rags, ready to hurl
No hat now, no hat, no hat...
...just a ragged hood.
---He nods slowly at Yorveth, Arash, Tawny.


Position, on the parapets. A bit right of the main gate. Beside Tawny, if possible.

[Yanisa]

Shyladric

Hiding in the stables, across Arash and Oleg. Keeping Ilves close and is ready to attack once the bandits appear in the main court.

[Kalirren]

All of those placements are possible. Be advised, however, that the placements on the wall provide poor vantage into the courtyard itself.

Oleg accepts the shielding draft. "Didn't think I'd be the one to use this."

You hear them again, the clop-clop-clop of horses' hooves as they round the southeastern tower. You can identify four male voices, and they are having a loud discussion about the off-tastes of different vodkas. The leader raps the discussion to a rapid halt. "Shush, fellas, we're here." You hear the group halt, and one bandit trots forward on his horse to see the open door. He turns back to the others. "See? This'll be easy. Look sharp and stay sharp!"

Perhaps fortunately for them, the bandits are not disciplined enough to enter together.

The leader, with bow in hand, rides his horse around the cart placed near the entrance and trots straight up to Oleg, who is standing with crossed arms at the door of the greathouse. The two men exchange heated stares for a moment. It is the bandit leader who breaks the symmetry by choosing to glance around. "Hmph. Door was open this time," he remarks, looking around. "What's wrong? Where's your wife?"

"Bedridden with a fever. Probably asleep. No thanks to you, Bydon." He's pulling off the resentful sullenness very well.

The leader seems to consider. "So she still is with you." Two of the other bandits have dismounted and are leading their horses into the courtyard. Bydon himself dismounts, putting his own horse between Oleg and himself. "I guess I lose my bet," he says, tossing a pouch of coins up to his nearest companion, a bald man. Leading his horse around, the leader returns to mocking Oleg. "What a dedicated fool. A pity she's so pretty. A woman like her deserves better than the likes of you..."

The bald man who caught the coin pouch goes to undo the latch on the shed where the furs are stored. A masked bandit dismounts behind him and covers him, moving with his back to the cart. (Those up on the wall lose sight of this one.)

A bearded bandit dismounts just outside the gate, and is crossing under it.

Yorveth manages to steal a glimpse of the last two, one young and one old. They are still outside. The older is spurring the younger to go in, but the latter is reluctant. Must be a new recruit.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

If Zhubin can still see him, Yorveth holds up two fingers and jerks a thumb backwards over the wall, to let the half-orc know that there are still two bandits that haven't come in.

[horngeek]

Olivia

Olivia waits nearby, behind an available piece of cover next to the gate. At least she had time to get hidden.

She held her breath as the bandit leader looked around, trying very hard not to be seen...

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

Arash waited impatiently at the corner of the hallway, ready to stride out the second Zhubin gave the signal. He had his shield equipped, but his blade still rested in its hilt - a choice he disliked, but it was the only way he could cast prayers in combat. To Oleg he had given simple and clear instructions: at the first sign of trouble, he was to run back inside like Rovagug himself was after him. If he was unable to do that, he was to duck under the nearest table which Arash would then tip to provide cover from arow fire.

After that, he would slake the thirst of his blade. It had been a long time since Judgment had last tasted blood. Too long...

[Yanisa]

Shyladric and Ilves

Shyladric carefully watches the bandits, sadly they were not staying close together. She might be able to take advantage of it, but it was risky and would put Ilves in risk at his current size... She cursed herself for realizing she should have prepared better, she was too trusting that these bandits would huddle together like cowards. Acting now on her own, outside the plan, was a bad idea, the group wouldn't know how to react and there were only three bandits in the court while she was sure someone mentioned there were more. She needed a distraction... Or be one... She decided to wait for now.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Zhubin, beneath his rags
Squints down at the foes
A stray finger holds
The rope secret-tied
To the parapet
Black eyes blink but once
In answer to Yorveth
Nothing now that can
Be done about them
'Neath more rags and dust
Wait his javelins
And loaded crossbow
And the long spiked lance
For when the bandits
At the trap are fool
And fully taken.

[Kalirren]

Olivia, given your description there is only one place that you could be - under the cart. Oleg was repairing the thatched roof earlier, so you have a bale or two of hay as cover on the courtyard side, but just a dirty brown textile sheet on the gate side. The closed south door of the gate gives you cover from the approach.

Having gotten the latch open, Baldy creaks open the door and starts to take inventory. "Well, what do we have here...beavers... deer... muskrats... heh heh heh. Not bad for late winter. A few wolves in the back here...Hey Bhayarma!" he yells out into the courtyard. "You wanted a coat made out of one of these, didn't ya?"

No response. Bearded has made his way around the cart, pushing Masked out of his space. Masked proceeds further around the bend, and nonchalantly leans on the stable door. (Unwittingly on his part, this seals Shyladric and Ilves in the stables. Shyladric will need to make an Overrun attempt to emerge as long as Masked remains there.)

Meanwhile, Bydon continues rubbing the salt into Oleg's wounds. Svetlana's absence gives him a unique opportunity. "Don't worry. I'm sure she'll leave you soon enough. She may say otherwise, but just between you and me? One man to another? We both know she's thinking it. That maybe she could have gotten a real husband instead of a mongrel pet like you. That she should just skip on east five days back to civilization." To say the least, Oleg is bristling. "Kressle even saved her the trouble of dealing with the ring. She doesn't even have to lie to say that you couldn't protect her. That it got ripped right off her finger by a woman, and good riddance to such a worthless bedfellow.

"With your son in tow, she'll get sympathy. Such a cute kid. Maybe she'll find my wife in Restov and they can go beg together, hahahaha..."

**

Meanwhile, 40 feet outside the gate, the two are getting louder.

"Go," orders the older one. "Why don't you go?" asks the young.

"I'm second in command, if something bad happens to Kressle's boytoy it's my job to tell her. You think I like that prospect?"

The young one chuckles. "Fair 'nough. Not as if she's going to want what's inside your pants."

"Go," more annoyed this time. The young one passes through the gate, happy to oblige. The older one takes out his bow and just waits.

[Kalirren]

No plan survives contact with the enemy.

Masked has the curiosity to look over the closed stable door before leaning back on it, and catches the girl and her animal companion skulking in the shadow. "Boss! There's an ambush!" her voice rings out. Evidently, Masked is a her.

She blocks the door.

[All, please declare actions for Round 1.]

[Yanisa]

"Ilves, I blame you." She concentrates and starts casting a spell. "Akemay ymay ittenkay owgray! Ilves! Attack! Trough the door if you have too."

Actions:
Initiative: [roll0]
Shyladric casts enlarge person on Ilves and orders the cat to attack. Then moves to the side of the door.
Ilves charges and claws trough the door.
Attack: [roll1] Damage:[roll2]

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

HP 10/10
AC 17 (19 if fighting defensively)
Touch 10 (12 if fighting defensively)

Spells prepared for today:
0: detect magic, guidance, enhanced diplomacy
1: bless, shield of faith
1 (domain): true strike

Destructive Smite: IIIIII
Touch of Good: IIIIII
Channel Positive Energy: III

Initiative [roll0]

"Oleg! MOVE IT!" Arash yelled out as he rushed from his doorway hideout. Lifting his shield high, he tried to position himself between the bandits and the hopefully high-tailing half-orc. If Oleg made the beeline for the door, Arash was already summoning the power of his god, one hand forming the secret signs while his shield hand held the scarlet wing- and sword-emblazoned shield high, the symbol of Lord Ragathiel glowing with flames of scarlet and orange.

In other words, fighting defensively, which gives +2 to AC and casting bless. Everyone in the party within 50 ft. of Arash (should be everyone) get a +1 morale bonus to their attack rolls and saving throws against fear effects.

If Oleg proved cowardly, however, and dashed under the table, Arash cursed and moved to push the table up, providing cover for himself and the half-orc merchant.

Strength check to hoist the table on its side [roll1]

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

"WWAAAAAAUUUUGGGHH!"
Zhubin roars, casting off his rags
Sends a javelin screaming
At the bald bandit's dome
Seizes his spears and
Grabs the tied rope
And leaps down


4 Dex 1 BAB 1 PBS 1 Bless 1 Height
2 Str 1 PBS
[roll0]
[roll1]

Initiative
[roll2]

[Halae]

Tawny

The group will be able to see Tawny stand up from her position above the gate and a silent scream explodes from her lips, audible only to a single bandit, who will have to contend with it drowning out all noise and potentially blowing out his eardrums

It's only got a range of 30 Feet, but that should be enough to hit one of the bandits. DC 15 Fort save or be dazed

Ear-Piercing Scream damage: [roll0]

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

The half-elf stands and draws his bow to its full length and lets fly, his voice taking on a more authoritative tone than usual.

"In the name of Erastil, I judge thee!"

Activating Judgement of Justice. Yorveth will fire at Bydon if he has a clear shot, if not, he'll fire at whoever he has a clear shot at, and is closest to Oleg.

Initiative: [roll0]

Longbow attack: [roll1]
Longbow damage: [roll2]

[Kalirren]

Oleg dashes inside, and Arash strides out. Bydon shoots the lot of them, but finds none of Erastil's favor in the opening salvo of this engagement. First his own arrow against Arash goes wide and stick in the door, a mistake hardly conceivable at that distance. Then he takes Yorveth's in the bow-arm.

Baldy is busy carrying pelts out of the shed to load onto his horse, and doesn't even see the javelin coming. He turns at exactly the wrong time, and the javelin that would have harmlessly thudded into the pile of furs he was carrying instead sinks into his pauldron as it comes to the end of its deadly parabolic arc.

Masked could have sworn that the cat she saw was half that size, and in a panic, throws a bomb at it, coating the cat's sleek fur in sticky fire.

Bearded, feeling himself ill-positioned, protects his leader, but is otherwise of little use.

The young bandit at the gate tries to hold the gate, but the tiefling's artful scream makes him cringe, giving Zhubin the full clear to jump. He now has a half-orc at his back to contend with.

The older bandit is the only one who has shown discipline in the entire group. He attempts to win back dominance of the gate by advancing and aiding his young fellow by shooting the first man he can see in the back. His efforts are to no avail. His arrow flies through the open door and glances off of Zhubin's armor.

Olivia sees her best chance. She emerges from under the cart, kicking aside a small bale of hay. She draws her sword and levels it menacingly at the four bandits in the courtyard. "Yield, and be spared."

Given just how badly things have gone for them, they are all of the same mind. Masked steps to the hinge of the door, letting the overgrown cat emerge. Bearded doesn't finish drawing his sword. Bydon drops his bow and spits. Baldy, with a javelin sticking out his shoulder, would have surrendered on his own.

[Combat, however, is not yet quite over. I need actions for Round 2.]

[Halae]

Tawny

The tiefling will pick up Zhubin's dropped gear; namely his crossbow, and moving the quiver of bolts closer to her, and begin the process of loading the damn thing.

I might be wrong, but I believe picking up the quiver and crossbow is a move action, followed by a move action to load it.

[Yanisa]

Team Shyladric & Ilves

Ilves, being a cat on fire, rolls over the ground in panic. Shyladric quickly tears her cloak of her back and tries to assist the poor cat with putting out the flames.

Action:
Initiative: [roll0]
Ilves attempt a reflex save to put on the flames: [roll1]
Shyladric assists (aid another) [roll2]


Afterwards Shyladric walks outside to oversee the situation.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

Yorveth nocks another arrow, moves along the wall for clear shot, and takes aim at the bandits at the gate.

Drop your weapons! You've lost!

Intimidate check:
[roll0]

Initiative

[roll1]

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

"I'd listen to them, if I ever you", Arash said as he dropped his shield on the ground and pulled out his blade. Now he felt like he was ready for anything; sword or prayer, both were now in his arsenal. And a combination of the two would be most potent, he considered, measuring up the bandits arrayed before him, trying to gauge who would put up the biggest fight.

"Put down your weapons and drop on your knees. Or face Judgment", he added menacingly, giving the long blade he carried effortlessly in one hand a single spin, grabbing it tightly once more in his gauntleted fist.

Drop shield, pull out bastard sword. Aid another in Yorveth's Intimidate, if possible [roll0]

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Snorting with satisfaction as his spear marks his quarry, Zhubin's ear twitches at the close twang of a bowstring and the thrumming of the shaft. He rocks back at the last moment as well as raising his left arm---

---and the angry arrow skips off the hardened leather and brass studs of his armoured sleeve. Taking in their group's mostly successful ambush, he shoulders his quiver of javelins, hauls up his long-shafted hooked lance and stalks towards the older archer who'd just shot him.

Levelling the lance at the bandit, ready to scythe his spear's spike across the archer's hands then follow up with a thrust at the middriff, Nanami growls as he flexes his fingers within his spiked gauntlet, "I ask ye, sir, do ye feel lucky? Well, do ye? Strip 'em weapons an' join yer mates inside."


Initiative [roll0]
Move, AoO.
Intimidate. [roll1]

[Kalirren]

As it turns out, there's a world of difference between what frightened people will do when there isn't a enemy-held gate standing between them and freedom.

A jerk to the reins and two kicks to his horse, and the older bandit is off, before Zhubin is able to quite menace him with his hooked lance. The young bandit is unwilling to play the game, and lays his spear aside.

As he starts to flee, Yorveth, you can take your first shot at zero range increments because you beat him in initiative this round. After that he'll disappear behind the north castle wall and ride straight west. Tawny can get one shot at 1 range increment from the northeast tower, but the crossbow just takes too much time to reload for her to get in a second before 5 increments at the northwestern. Yorveth's following shots can be taken at 3 and 5 increments respectively, assuming that Yorveth double moves from where he is to the southwestern tower, which he might not choose to do, but there's really no downside. After that he basically becomes impossible to hit.

Erastil give you his eyes. Your target AC is 15, "driving riding defensively".

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

Once again, the half- elf looses a shaft.

this is for the first range increment:

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Kalirren]

Yorveth's shot is admirably placed, catching the old bandit in his far arm despite the speed of his retreat.

Tawny takes her shot and misses. He may or may not make it. But wherever he goes, the occasional drip of blood will make him very, very easy to track by scent.

Take more parting shots if you like, and I'll adjudicate them. But combat is essentially over for everyone else, so I'm moving on for narration.

**

Meanwhile, back in the courtyard, the bandits have descended into bickering. "This is all your fault, Bydon," accuses Masked first, as she makes her way over to the shed with both hands up to tend to Baldy. "An easy job my arse. I thought you said you came by this place two days ago to make sure they had nothing up their sleeves..."

"He did," answers Oleg, who has emerged from the doorway behind Arash. He's wielding one of the axes from his shrine. "Guess who came yesterday? And I'd even thought I'd get a swing in."

"Just shut up, Oleg," Bydon instinctively tries to pull his own personality over him. "Yeah that's right," Oleg replies mockingly, "I'll shut up. Why don't you talk?" Bearded tries to move between Oleg and him, but thinks better of it, with Arash closing in rapidly. "Talk about something I want to talk about for a change. Why don't you tell me where you took my wife's ring?"

"I don't have it," seethes Bydon. "Liar!" Oleg accuses, slamming the butt of the axe in his hand down onto the wooden table. "I don't have it. It's gone, " reiterates the bandit leader, shaking his head in bemused disappointment. Even so defeated, he won't pass up an opportunity to mock poor Oleg with the truth.

[North_Ranger]

"But you know who has", Arash spoke, eyeing the bandit leader as he went through with a thorough bodily search, making sure that the man Bydon was not carrying any nasty surprises on his person. He hoped that his partners were doing the same, as well as tying the bandits together. As he did so, he whispered a prayer to Ragathiel, to give steel to the words that next spilled out of his mouth.

"Do you not? Do not lie to me, brigand. Nor should you mock me. I will not hesitate to cut your tongue out of your mouth, should I dislike its waggling."

Enhanced diplomacy on self, followed by Intimidate [roll0]

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

The inquisitor chooses to forgo the banter with the bandits in favor of taking a few last shots at the one that got away.

I'm assuming that my judgement's still working because I'm still fighting (judgements last until the end of combat).

Attack at 3 increments: [roll0]
Damage:[roll1]

Attack at 5 range increments: [roll2]
damage: [roll3]

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

Yorveth shouts a rather long string of elven curses that would make most speakers of that language blush.

He runs to the ladder, climbs down, and runs out of the gate shouting, "Come on, Zhubin! We can still track him!"

[Kalirren]

Disappointed, Tawny lays down the crossbow. The masked tiefling climbs down from the wall to join her paladin friend. Together they move to tie up Masked to a post in the shed rather expertly as Olivia lays hands on Baldy before restraining him similarly.

You find, say, 15 gold on average per bandit between all five you've captured. Some of it is coinage, some of it is just rings. Masked is carrying a small spherical stone that looks intricately carved with pentaradially symmetric grooves. Perhaps a bit unconventionally, the two women didn't hesitate to search her body, but instead refrained from unmasking her. Bydon is also carrying a flask of alchemists' fire. The most distinctive thing he's wearing is a silver cloak clasp that looks like it could be a holy symbol of Erastil. A bit heterodox, to be sure - it depicts not the hunter, but the hunted, the antlers of a stag. Bearded is simply carrying too many knives for his own good.


"Do not lie to me, brigand. Nor should you mock me. I will not hesitate to cut your tongue out of your mouth, should I dislike its waggling."

"Maybe," Bydon spits out. His eyes stray behind Arash, where Svetlana is coming out of the door, with the other axe in hand. He winces. "About three weeks after we first came here, one night we got to sleep, next morning we wake up and there are tracks in the snow everywhere, of tiny feet going every which way around camp. We'd been raided by fey. They took all manner of small shiny things - gems, needles, loose coins and bags, even the metal buttons off of Martinu's coat," he gestures with a nod towards the youngest bandit. "I wasn't wearing the ring. Only reason not was that it dun fit my fingers. I'd put it in a my bag to hide it, along with my own wedding ring actually, and that bag is gone with all the other ones that were ta'en."

"Sorry." You catch a smirk of defiance.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

The hatted halforc snorts
Menaces the younger bandit
Drives him into the fort at spearpoint
Shakes his head at Yorveth and then says,
"Aye... but neither you nor I can catch up, on foot."
He nods at the archer as he bullies the bandits
Into stripping weapons and other kit
Short of indecency,
Barks a "Hah!"
At each
Deadly find.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

The half-elf turns back dejectedly.

"We need to go after him at some point. We can't let him tell the others."

Yorveth walks over to where the bandits have been rounded up. Unwilling to let Bydon loose his verbal shafts with impunity, he fires some of his own insults at the guard-turned-bandit.

"I heard about you while I was still a scout, Bydon. I also heard that your wife took a liking to women after you left. Whatever you did, or didn't do well enough, you've apparently put her off men."

Bluff: [roll0]

[Halae]

Tawny

Tawny waits for now, pacing back and forth, watching with red eyes from behind her horrific mask. She's good with intimidation, and even some diplomacy, but bluffs, for the most part, are beyond her.

[Kalirren]

"Well, if it isn't the Bastard Ensign himself," Bydon slings right back. "Restov's a small place, you're not the only one who's heard of people. And I'm sure you've done your share of begging favors when you were wearing that uniform." He chuckles. "Charmed to meet ya't last, actually. Your mother was a neighborhood friend of my captain's. My condolences for her passing."

"What's an upstanding fella' like you doin' out here anyway? Lookin' for your pa?"

As Oleg watches Zhubin nudge the young bandit into the courtyard with his hands up, he nudges Arash, who happens to be closest. "So what's this 'By Sword Or Rope' provision in this charter of yours you mentioned last night?", he insinuates. "Can we kill them yet? I want a head on a pike. I know just how to mount it too..."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

"Keep talking with a noose around your neck if you can, Bydon. We're to survey the land and punish banditry by 'sword or rope.' Do you realize just how stupid you are? You shouldn't have run to the Greenbelt. You shouldn't have run to the River Kingdoms. You should have run to Qadira. You should have run to Cheliax. Hells, you should have run to the Mwangi Expance! Did you honestly think that the Greenbelt was far enough? You're a deserter and a bandit. That's two death sentences, right there. Any suggestions on how we should carry out those sentences? Should I hang you, find some cleric to raise you, then chop off your head? That would be death by sword and rope."

[Halae]

Tawny

The tiefling considers things for a moment, eyes gleaming from behind her mask.

"Well, if you'll give me a moment, would you boys be willing to bring one of them elsewhere? I have some ideas."

That is... uh oh. Olivia knows that gleam. it means she's planning something potentially nasty, if it gets that far.

[Kalirren]

"Save your spite, Yorveth. We're not at war. Not yet. The guard's not the army. There's no desertion from an army that's not been raised," Bydon argues. He's also right. "And you ought to bet the middle fingers of your right hand that if Regent Noleski does come down with an Issian army into Rostland, trying to claim the King's land, his men'd find my arrows in their backs before they found yours. Well, if you don't kill me first, that is. Oleg wants my head on that pike, I can tell."

Oleg, meanwhile, is confused. "To survey the land? What, wait, I thought you folks were the relief garrison?"

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

"Relief Garrison? I...Shut up for a moment, Bydon, the adults are speaking. No one mentioned any relief garrison to us, Oleg. We were only sent to survey the land and curtail bandit activity per our charter."

[Kalirren]

Surprisingly, Bydon obediently shuts up. Clearly, his mouth moves faster than his head. Maybe it's just getting around to the idea that he might not be able to weasel his way out of a hanging.

"Well if you're not the relief garrison that was promised us, then where in Abadar's name are they...?" Oleg throws up his hands in desperation. "We'd received a message on Oathsday, that was...five days ago now. That there'd be a troop sent and that we should expect them in the week.

"May I see this charter of yours? You're sure you're not the relief garrison...well I guess that would explain why none of you seems to be in command here..."

Doubtlessly he gets shown a copy, whereupon he falls upon it with a practiced, contractual eye, clearly looking for an excuse to keep you here. "...have charged the bearer with the duty to explore the greenbelt, thirty-six miles east and west, and sixty miles south, of Fort Buhoslav,...Really? They're doing this now?" Disappointment leaking from his face, he lays the parchment down on the table, whereupon his wife joins him. "...sixty miles south of Fort Buhoslav...but that's...ughh...the bearer to strive against banditry, good good,...

He gets to the next part, and grins spitefully. "Oh hey, Bydon, I'm sure you'll like this." He goes on to quote, loudly and clearly: "The Punishment for unrepentant Banditry remains, as always, Execution by sword or ro-..."

"Okay, okay, OKAY...!" Bydon interrupts, gnashing his teeth and thrashing against his restraints. "Shush! I get it! You WIN! Rovagug's slimy balls, I repent...There, Oleg, you happy now?"

Svetlana slaps her forehead. You have never seen someone so perversely defeated.

[Halae]

Tawny

Tawny will have provided a copy of the charter at request. She doesn't really think it's the best time for it, but still

The tiefling eyes Bydon for a moment, reading body language. Is he lying? Is he really trying to make good on this? She really just believes he's trying to get out of being hung.

Sense Motive Check [roll0]

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

An unexpected spear-butt strikes the backs of Bydon's knees--- unexpected even to its wielder. "You swear by the Devourer, hmm?" The halforc hisses beneath his hat, then shoots a glance at Arash.

Ease up. They DID surrender, did they not? But...

"Much as anybody'd hate a traitor..." he begins, jabbing again at the small of the bandit's back. "...Ye say ye repent? Prove it. Spill yer guts on yer comrades' whereabouts, conditions, numbers, everything. An' maybe we might not see ta spilling yer guts."

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

The bandit Bydon swearing upon the name - or at least the genitals - of the Rough Beast was enough to make Arash scowl and Judgment slide out of its hilt with an audible hiss.

"You best take my orc-blooded companion's offer, brigand", the Varisian zealot spoke softly, even if his eyes were full of steel and flame. "Because the next offer involves my two other companions. Judgment here", he said, gently sliding his fingers on the glittering steel of his blade. "and Oleg looking for a pike."

[Kalirren]

Tawny
Your impression is far simpler than any of subterfuge. He sure as heck meant what he said when he said it. He probably doesn't realize the full import of it - consciously, anyway. Once his self-image catches up with him, he'll be vulnerable. If you wanted to influence his course of action then, you'd probably need a session with him in private.


You swear by the Devourerer, hmm?

"Only when I want the entire world to shrivel up and die...!" Bydon exclaims under his breath. The (ex-)bandit hangs his head in solopsistic shame. You're pretty sure he's more ashamed of having lost to Oleg than of anything he's done to the merchantman.

"You can't be serious," protests Oleg. "After all he's done?"

In the meantime Bearded wastes no time to start talking. "The camp's a day's ride southwest of here. Hang the edge of the for-"

"Shut up Timur, you don't get to repent before I do," barks Bydon. "You're not my boss anymore, Happs," responds the other. The two start talking over each other for a while, and Bydon is clearly better at it. Eventually Timur just gives up the conversational right of way. "-hat he said. Hang the eastern edge of the forest south until you get to the river, then follow it upstream. If you leave now, you'll be at the river by afternoon and at our camp by sundown. Watch for bear traps. We've set a lot of them.

"You want numbers? Six came with. Jan got away, right? So that means there's eight....no, nine of us left. The better nine, honestly. This was supposed to be a practice run, breaking in some new shoes. Bhayarma and Martinu, I mean." He thrusts his head at Masked and Young. "Those two haven't harmed a soul yet. Except that poor cat."

Bearded chimes in. "Som'of'em are out hunting, though. They're due back sometime tonight or tomorrow. If you were to hurry up and follow him, you might be able to catch the camp before the hunting party's back. But if both Jan and the hunting party gets back, it's an even bet whether you'll find them there again two days from now. Kressle keeps us all on the move all the time. And we've got a delivery to make."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

"Sorry, Oleg, but the charter does give them the option to repent." Turning to the bandits, "But don't think that means that you're all going free right here, right now! You'll be our prisoners until that garrison gets here, then we can arrange for you to be taken to court in Restov. And what's this about a delivery? Speak!"

[Kalirren]

Sorry, Oleg, but the charter does give them the option to repent.

"You sure that isn't just a figure of speech? Maybe I'll ask the garrison commander when he arrives, then." Despite what he says, Oleg seems quite calmly satisfied as he takes a seat to watch the rest of the proceedings.

"He means the liquor. There's a famous Rostlander bandit lord who lives in an old castle down by the lake, past where the Thorn and the Shrike join. He's afond of drink and takes tribute in kind. We pay him tribute, and get recruits. His symbol is on my cloak clasp. Why don't you take it and have a closer look?" Bydon offers, contemplating the prospect of being hauled back to Restov to face his superiors and his family.

"I'm saying that if they aren't there when you go looking for trouble, they've probably just gone to make their delivery early."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

The half-elf accepts the symbol Bydon offers, not ungraciously. He takes out his holy symbol and compares the two.

Perception: [roll0]
Knowledge Religion to see if there's any significance to the symbol: [roll1]

[Kalirren]

The most common form of Erastilene holy symbol in use in this region looks like a bow of elk antlers with a nocked arrow pointing down. The piece is typically executed as a brooch (i.e., a cloak clasp,) with the arrow being used as the pin and the bowstring used as the hinge. It looks like the jeweler who made Bydon's cloak clasp began with a silver holy symbol of Erastil, hammered a copper stag's skull onto the middle section of the bow, attached a catch mechanism to the back of the skull, and reinforced the bowstring to take the extra weight. The resulting object is still usable as a brooch.

Yorveth's K: Religion
Though it may not be to his personal taste, what has been done to this holy symbol is not in and of itself sacrilegious. As Yorveth took his woodsmanship from his military grandfather, he knows Erastil most closely as Old Deadeye. Yet Erastil is also known as the Elk Father, and is sometimes depicted as wearing a helmet made from the head of an elk - alternatively, as actually having the head of an elk. The often fluid relationship between hunter and hunted is an important mystery of the faith.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

Yorveth hands the brooch back to Bydon. "It seems that the herd is in need of some thinning...Tell me of the bandits that the old timer ran off to. He mentioned something about Bydon being a boy-toy. Is this leader of yours the kind of kid that likes to hold on to her toys? Will she come here to take revenge or get you sorry lot back?"

Yorveth starts eying the other horses the bandits brought, wondering if the old bandit might have slowed down when he saw that he was not being pursued.

[Kalirren]

Bydon shakes his head. "Keep it. It's an officer's badge." While he'd be a fool not to recognize how the object was made, it's clear that he doesn't recognize the care that went into not desecrating it. "I won't need that again. And you might."

The thought of Kressle coming after her boy-toy sends chuckles up round.

Bearded is the first to venture a response. "It's possible. I dunno, whaddayou think, Happs? Think she'll rouse everyone and come after you?" "I dunno," he responds with a twinge of flippant optimism. "A bit sad that I'm now duty bound to stick one in her a different way if she comes, hahaha..."

"Oh quit congratulating yourself, Bydon," Bhayarma (Masked) chimes in from the shed. "Kressle just used you as just another way of showing everyone else that she was top dog. She sleeps with the one who stinks least, and doesn't have to deal with twelve other men hitting on her every hour of every day left right and center."

"Unlike you," retorts Timur. "You think I enjoyed your attention? Lady. Even a Calistrian has her limits. And by the gods above, do you push them...Seriously. Six were beaten soundly, think she's gonna lead nine in here? No. Not without some other advantage."

[Yanisa]

Team Shyladric and Ilves.

Shyladric keeps distant from the interrogation, instead spending her time taking care of Ilves. Occasional throwing mean looks at the bandits. The more they talked, the less interest she had in them. The information about the others of their group is useful, but it didn't seem worth all this hassle. All it proves these bandits were cowards and scum, doing anything to survive. She shrugs, if the rest of the group wants to play with the bandits, then they can. At some point they do need to deal with them, one way or another but before that Shyladric doesn't interfere.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

His lance planted in the soil by the gatehouse
The orcblooded ranger, from listening
To the bandits' banter,
Hmself does rouse
Wood and iron, a-lifting
Gate draws closed, locked with a clunker

[Kalirren]

With the interrogation degenerating into a blame-casting fest, Sveta takes Dima and proceeds to round up the horses. Oleg helps you folks herd the five prisoners into the shed, and make room for them all.

After the gate's closed and it's been settled who's bringing the five prisoners their chamberpot, Oleg shakes each and every one of your hands in thanks and approval. He gives praise to Cayden Cailean, and finds for you 50 gp apiece.

It's still morning. Your move. I have one vote from Yorveth to stay for a few days until the actual relief garrison arrives.

[North_Ranger]

"We should move out today", Arash weighed in after the bandits were contained and the situation was over. "We have the initiative now. And with swift horses, we still have a chance of riding down or bypassing the one wounded highwayman that got away. If this... Kressle hears of what has happened here, or notices that her... toys are missing, we will have a much more difficult fight in our hands later on."

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

The hatted halforc nods grimly and says, "Aye, you have it right... But what of that sorry lot yonder? Reckon they could still somehow rally and make a fight of it while we're off hounding their mistress down?"

Zhubin then leans back, nodding his thanks back at Oleg and clasping the grateful frontiersman's hands as he hands over the pouch of gold. Huh? Last windfall I got of something this big, where'd it go? Two nights of good ale, whores, food and baths, that's where. Damn, I should have kept track better, saved better. Ah, well. Next time?

[Yanisa]

Team Shyladric and Ilves, still burned btw.

She offers to shake Oleg's hand and says "Thank you for donating to the green faith. I am glad our actions quickly subdued the bandits and I hope this also will make your little trading post bandit free."

Over the question of what to do next she ponders for a moment, then looks at Arash. "At the one side I understand the need to hunt them now. They are barely expecting us and probably not as prepared then when they get time. At the other hand..." She looks at Oleg. "No offense, but I don't feel it is smart to leave five bandits alone only to be guarded by our host and his wife. If the enemy gives us the slip they might return her before back-up arrives and when we are out there hunting them... It might end up bad. It's not the largest possibility that the bandits will return here that quickly, but I don't like to leave Oleg alone with those five to begin with." She pets Ilves. "And on a personal note, Ilves here is wounded and need to couple of days to restore." Ignoring her own wounds which aren't that bad, at least that was what she was telling herself. "And she never liked horse riding, but she can, maybe." Shyladric falls silent for a moment, considering her own words and the best course of action. There were other options as well, like splitting up, but that seemed like a worse idea, seven against nine is already at the bad side of the odds, let alone less. Four against nine seems like an impossibility, unless all the lucks gods assisted them. Or killing them... but again she didn't feel like killing them and decided not to bring that up option.
She looks at Ilves and ask her also the question: "What do you think?" Ilves in response purrs and nuzzled up against the arm that is petting her. "I agree with Ilves. I prefer to stay here and guard them until the garrison arrives, but if you guys want, I'm also ready to follow them. Especially with Oleg's blessing. He needs to stay behind with those five."

[Kalirren]

Olivia

"I agree with Arash," offers the golden-eyed paladin. "We have an initiative now that we should press, if we can. I'll watch over the prisoners if you five go find their camp." It was her idea to take them, after all, so the responsibility of watching them was most fittingly hers. It was also the privilege of nobility to decide what she does first. "Do what you have to do to make sure this place doesn't get attacked again. I'll make sure nothing happens when you're away."

"Shyladric, do you want me to watch over Ilves as well?"

[North_Ranger]

"Four", Arash corrected Shyladric with a single word and a stern gaze. "if we make an example of one of them. Put the fear of the gods and the executioner's blade upon their wretched souls."

It was hard to tell which was more unnerving - the solemn and devout tone in which the empyreal zealot spoke of beheading one of the bandits, or the fact that he appeared to be dead serious about it.

[North_Ranger]

Turning to look at Olivia, the zealot shrugged. "That works as well, if you insist", he said to her offer to stay behind. If Arash was disappointed at the non-decapitating alternative on the table, he did not let it show.

"Saves Oleg the trouble of finding a pike."

[Kalirren]

Olivia

"No, please." Olivia's objection to Arash is delivered with a disarming smile. "You would not make me betray my word?"

"They have no reason to suspect anything went wrong until Jan gets back. That's one day. Then it's another day here, only if they are ready to move out immediately. I doubt they will be so decisive. And the relief garrison is due here by a week from five days ago. This Kressle's window of opportunity is small.

"Still, it's 2 days, we can't count on the garrison." Her left hand goes to her sword. "I think that makes it more vital that the five of you get to their camp as soon as possible. That way, the worst case scenario is you find them too strong, and decide immediately to come back before they leave. You beat them back, and we're all none the worse for your having gone."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

"I have no objections to riding out after them if Olivia stays behind to guard the prisoners. Come on, Sir Heads-on-pikes, General-let's sally forth!"

[Kalirren]

As you prepare to leave, Olivia helps your two hosts lock up the bandits' equipment. Svetlana comes out the two healing elixirs and the shielding draft. She hands the shielding draft to Arash and the two elixirs to Shyladric. "As it turns out, neither of us ended up using these potions. You might need them." She gives everyone hugs who's ready to receive one. "You're welcome back any time."

It takes you maybe twenty minutes to make sure you've each had something to eat and have gotten all your supplies. As you ride out of Ft. Buhoslav, you hear Sveta and Oleg banter behind you as they wave goodbye. "So, you still want to go back to Restov, Sveta?" "Still want to stay, Oleg?" "Heh, I'm thinking about it."

**

The early morning is clear and cold, but as the sun warms the land the weather becomes far more fair.

The course that the bandits gave you follows the eastern edge of the forest for just shy of 30 miles to the river, then a 1- or 2-hour jaunt into the forest as you turn upstream. At 50 ft. speed, you're moving at 5 mph, so it's 6 hours to the river. In the intervening time, you have a nice opportunity to familiarize yourself with the sort of landscape you'll be encountering over the next few days? months? years?

To your left rise the Kamelands. Kames are huge hill-sized piles of dry, coarse rocks which the druids of the Green Faith teach are left by the recession of glaciers from the landscape. There was a time when this place was nothing but ice. Clearly that time is long gone. Now oaks grow proudly on the weathered kames. In the valleys between the hills, the Kamelands are dotted with small, boggy kettle lakes. Thankfully, it's only Gozran, and the mosquitos and flies aren't breeding yet.

To your right extends the forest of the Narlmarches. The landscape in the Narlmarches is flat, very flat, and amazingly lush. As you periodically ascend to the top of a kame you look out towards the east and the forest just keeps going as far as the eye can see. The greens of pines and hemlocks, ashes and elms, seem to recede forever into an omnipresent mist.

With such distinctive landscape features it's difficult to get lost, and with both Zhubin's and Yorveth's eyes on the path, and three supporting pairs of eyes, it is trivial to follow the trail left by 6 horses made yesterday. The bandits' trail seems to eschew negotiating the trees in favor of crossing from the shoulder of one hill to the next. You recall how foggy it was yesterday. It was probably necessary.

However, I still need a Survival check. Is Ilves with you?

[Yanisa]

Team Shyladric and Ilves.

Rejecting Olivia's offer Shyladric softly says. "Ilves and I haven't been apart from each other since the day we met. I wouldn't leave her alone know. I thank you for your offer, and I would trust her with you, but we will manage. I wish you strength with guarding those five."

Accepting the elixirs back, Shyladric takes her slightly burned cloak and puts them safely in her backpack. "We will put these to good use." She promises.

**

Shyladric takes in the landscape with pleasure, often pointing out interesting things she sees to Ilves, and by extend anybody that listened. Riding horseback she does mean her cloak, that would awesomely dance in the wind. She does her best the remember the many lesson about nature, landscapes and what not.

I know you are looking at me, but even though both Shyladric and Ilves are nature deemed, neither has survival in class nor the skill-points to spare. I can still roll... Poorly average.
Shyladric Survival: [roll0]
Ilves Survival: [roll1]

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

The empyreal zealot rode in relative silence, observing the scenery before him with the wary eyes of a warrior. He did see the natural beauty of the land, but he also worried about its dangers. There was most certainly a reason why the Stolen Lands had resisted settlement for so many generations, and he had no intention to add his bones to the remains of previous would-be explorers and settlers.

No. In time, he hoped to bend this lawless land to his god's will. And the first step would be breaking these bandits, one way or the other.

Survival [roll0]

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

The former scout rode with a happy heart and a heady joy. Being out in the sunshine and the wind, hunting-this was what he was born for.

Incidentally, it seems that I get Track next level (had forgotten about that, it's been awhile since I played an Inquisitor. 'Til then...

Survival: [roll0]

[Halae]

Tawny

The tiefling is more at home on her hooves and in the planes than on horseback and the wilderness of the material plane. Tawny won't really be much use in regards to the tracking as she desperately holds onto a beast she's never ridden before.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Silently he rode
A steadying hand
On Tawny he laid
Before dismounting
And careful checking
For spoor and track there
On rock and fern-fall
While ever wary
Of shadows and mist
Lest come beast or blade


Perception! [roll0]
Survival! [roll1] [Hrm. Does Trait: Survivor count? If so, that's another +4
EDIT: Yeeeeeehaw!

[Kalirren]

In following the bandits' trail, at times you've been forced to choose between following Jan's trail going and the six bandits' trail coming. This is no surprise - obviously, since Jan knows the way back, his trail going back doesn't exactly follow the one they made in coming. They've diverged several times only to converge again. Most of the time this has been a relatively minor choice.

Here, the trail comes to the northeastern corner of a kettle lake, and the party's two sharp-eyed halfblood woodsmen both notice something strange. While the six bandits' trail heads down the eastern shore of the lake and around another kame to the south, Jan's trail this time follows the lake's northern shore around to the west into the forest. You reckon it's still about ten miles to the river, so it's unlikely that this is some obscure shortcut to the campsite. At the same time, the pattern that has held true up to this point necessarily breaks here.

[Yanisa]

Team Shyladric and Ilves

"So trap, panic, hidden bandit camp or is he just ditching his friends?" Shyladric sums up a couple of abilities running trough her head. She frowns and look at Ilves. "Ambassadress Ilves, would you be so kind and search for anything odd. I suspect a trap."
Ilves responds and starts to sniff around.


Ilves Perception Roll: [roll0]
That's including the +8 for scent.

[Kalirren]

Shyladric dismounts, and lets Ilves down. Ilves sniffs around for only a few seconds, and then starts acting strange. Her tail goes bushy and she carries it high. The cat heels without your command, wanting back up.

It's clear there's something she's reacting to - if only she could talk. For what it's worth, she was over by the lakeside by the six bandits' trail when she spontaneously darted back.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

"Well, that can't be good. Should I keep to the underbrush and scout ahead a bit? Or should we just charge in?"

[Halae]

Tawny

"Scout ahead a bit, Yorveth. No engaging though; we need to know what we're dealing with," Tawny says, a hardness to her voice. Yorveth may recognize that as someone sounding like a commander; problem is, it seems a bit silly coming from someone struggling to stay on their horse.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

The half-elf dismounts and takes a moment to help Tawny steady herself before slipping away with a wink.

"I'll be back before you know it."

Provided this stealth roll is any good.

Stealth: [roll0]

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

As the group ground to a halt and Ilves made it clear she did not wish to follow the bandits' trail, Arash slides down from his horse.

"Whatever it is, it's probably close by. Ilves does not strike me as a scaredy-cat", the dark-haired man spoke, apparently trying to crack a joke, as he slid his shield loose from its saddle hoop. "We best be on our guard."

[Kalirren]

Yorveth gets off a mere three steps into the brush before his boot lands in a large pile of scat with a sickening squrlch. The half-elf wishes he'd found out in a different way that it's still warm. His first thought is that it's wolf scat, although it's in so large a pile it might be worg or dire wolf.

Doubtless this was what Ilves was reacting to, her nose being just that much closer to the ground than yours. The six bandits passed by here earlier yesterday. Jan's trail today turns away from it.

Good luck sneaking up on anything in the next hour, Yorveth, because the stink of it is on your boot. You could wash it off, you suppose.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

Certain that his grandfather is rolling in his grave right about now, Yorveth gets back on the horse and proceeds to grumble bitterly at having made such a fool out himself in front of everyone.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

On the ground from where he'd earlier taken tracks and signs, the orcblooded woodsman snorts long and loud at Yorveth's misfortune.

Half-bent behind the cover of his horse's bulk, he hisses towards Arash and says, "Arm up, sword-priest. Ain't no way that wasn't heard. Nor smelt."

Planting his lance in the ground, its sable black pennon twitching in the breeze, Zhubin slowly slips on his battered wicker shield. He then winds the straps of his quiver of javelins about his selfsame left forearm and fist, draws a throwing spear and crouches low.

Ready for either ambush or sudden raid, he makes a quick circuit of their current position, seeking signs once more...


Track/Survival [roll0]
Perception [roll1]

...a lot worse than it coulda been. At least they weren't outright botches.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

Yorveth calls on the power of Erastil and looks at Ilves.

I had forgotten that the Animal Domain gives me Speak with Animals 4 times/day.

Knowing how haughty cats can be, Old Deadeye's adherent attempts to be as polite as possible.

"Ms. Ilves, may I ask what it was that caused you such distress?"

[Kalirren]

The shivering ball of white fur uncoils itself from some of its tension. <Pff. Why don't you always talk in tongues I can understand? Tall two-legs are so strange,> Ilves huffs. She nudges her head towards Yorveth, but then obviously shys away. <You smell like it too now. Go rub it off or something, I don't want to smell LOOKBEHINDYOU>

Ilves, in a fright, just climbs up her human master without regard for her. All of you see a figure darting under the darkness of the hemlock trees some distance away. "Hs-same horsehs," rasps a voice in Common. "But dihfrend apes. Wh'are you? Are you here to hunt?" It's doing its best to break up its outline, and seems to be hugging relatively low to the ground, yet it's moving very quickly.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

Yorveth keeps one hand close to his father's sword as he answers.
"Aye. We're hunting the human that still had his horse. I take it you saw them come through here?"

[Kalirren]

"Wounded, yes? Gone not long 'go. Not ghrar. Why you hunt him? He only one heez me. Other apes halways come here, halways hunting,...poking." The more this mysterious figure says, the more frustrating their speech impediment becomes. "G'ree 'hem now. poking my deer. I warn 'hem, I mark range for 'hem smell." It snarls. "No heez. Now I hunt 'hem."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

"We trapped and defeated them yesterday. The old one got away, but not before I wounded him.

Yorveth shifts a bit before continuing.

"The old one is the only one that respects your kills?"

[Kalirren]

"Hyes, old one. Old one leaves me second of deer, respects my mark. None others."

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

Arash had instinctively unsheathed his blade at the first sight of the darting figure, but try as he might, he could not get a good look at the blasted thing as it prowled around them. But listening to it, he thought it did not sound like it was out for blood. If anything, it sounded curious. Whispering a small prayer to his god, Arash raised his voice.

"We're not here to take your kills. We are here to hunt for the other... apes", he spoke, with some discomfort at being relegated to such a simian status. "If you are without ill intent, show yourself and we'll talk like honest m... people", he added, slowly and clearly lifting his blade and then sheathing it as slowly and deliberately as well. Hopefully that made it clear to the creature that he wished no fight.

"What say you?"

Guidance, followed by Diplomacy [roll0]

[Kalirren]

"Wolfs not lie," comes the reply, as the figure slinks out of the thick undergrowth on all fours. Any remaining doubts are quickly dispelled. You are not looking at any humanoid. You have been conversing with a worg, its fur sleek and brown, its eyes bright, its fangs sharp. "Apes lie." Its canine gaze bears straight at Arash with an accusatory lack of sophistication. The beast stands as tall as your waist, and definitely weighs more than a strong man.

"This is my range," it says with some difficulty. "Hunt deer? food? I want leave me second kill. hunt Yan's pack? They poke my deer. I want none. You keep all."

"But, hunt old Yan? and I drag you down your horhse. 'Onesd."

In retrospect, you suppose that is a valid understanding of the word.

[Halae]

Tawny

Tawny leans down a little closer, "Maybe we can help each other. Are you willing to help us track? We can provide you with some food if you like."

Diplomacy!
[roll0]

plus any modifiers for providing an offer.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

Yorveth leans in towards Tawny, "I don't think it's about food, miss. It's about respect. This is his territory, and we need to give him his due."

The half-elf turns toward the worg.

"Yan's alpha claims this land, and now we claim it, too. we were stronger that the six that you passing here, so we'll drive out the rest. We'll leave Yan alone if we can, but if he fights us we can't promise anything. But what is a second kill?"

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Staring at a wolf that talks
On all fours still stands and walks
With great nose and dripping snout
Up to Zhubin's wiry chest,
Tis to his mind, quite a clout
In times past, he'd have run best
Or fought and slain, still a shock
E'en as a smile he does lock
He finds himself agreeing
With simple beast's reasoning
While he does try to ignore
The haunting fact that he hears
Animals' pain and beasts' fears
At moment of death, before
His knife ends their life's pained core
All else he had simply thought
Nature's grace or voices wrought
By idle imagination
---Of simple wanderer
Zhubin smiles. Eyes the wolf's fur.
Then says, "Methinks he means divvying the deer. Some 'e takes, some Yan takes. Unless I am mistaken."

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

Arash tried his best to keep his hand from jumping back to his blade when the worg showed itself. Though he lacked the paladin's ability to perceive the evil in the hearts of others, he had heard enough tales of talking wolves to be suspicious.

Yet, there might be worse foes to be fought... and the creature was still willing to treat with them, in a rather fair manner nonetheless.

"If it has a tongue, it can lie", Arash countered. "But I won't. If you won't lie, we won't lie", he said, staring the massive worg right in the eye. He did not wish to appear submissive before the creature, but neither did he desire the worg to perceive him as a threat.

"What are you called in our tongue, neighbor?" he asked, loosening his shield and moving his hand away from his sword's hilt. "If we meet others who come hunt in your range, we can tell them this is your range, so they will know to leave you your second kill."

Diplomacy! [roll0]

[Kalirren]

"My name Haruldf," it says. An eminently pronounceable name for a worg. It adjusts its posture slightly, putting more weight on its hind legs. It exposes its side to the group, letting each of you see just how big it is, stopping for a moment before Tawny, who had offered it a deal. "I hunt alone."

Not having anything more to say, it continues trotting off the way you came before melting back into the western forest. (You can take a surprise shot if you want.) Though you might still be confused, you figure it must be satisfied with whatever understanding it achieved, since you get the feeling it left without seeming disappointed. Meanwhile, you're still standing at a fork in the trail.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Zhubin snorts and hefts
The lance in his right.
The shield and short spears
Held by his left arm.
The battered green cloak
Barely rustling, hat laid
With many twigs, leaves,
Unspeaking, he makes
His vote by moving
Down the tracking's path
To the bandits' camp...

[Beowulf DW]

Looking towards Arash, "That's what I love best about the wild. Simple rules, simple consequences. Harsh, but simple. Well, better get going, eh?"

[Yanisa]

Shyladric was more busy with caring for Ilves, again, then whatever the party encountered. She does give it a passing glance, wondering what it is and how much danger it could pose if they would ignore it's advice.

She also nods in agreement with Yorveth.


[roll0]

[North_Ranger]

"Aye, we better. And we best let Oleg know about this... neighbour of ours", Arash said as he picked up his shield and climbed back on his horse. In the back of his mind he wasn't too sure how long the worg could be trusted. But for the time being, he would. After all, they were the ones trespassing on his turf.

But still Arash feared that if the swordlords had their way and settlement of the Stolen Lands began, they would be forced to deal with Haruldf again - in a more permanent manner. Or make sure that every man, woman and child who came near these woods would know to give the creature its due.

"Lead the way, Yorveth."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

"Might be best to let Zhubin handle that for the time being. Erastil seems to have more important things than me on his mind at the moment," says the half-elf without a hint of sarcasm or irony.

Popping another Speak with Animals. I have two more to use today.

<"Miss Ilves, thank you for the warning. Are you well?">

[Kalirren]

OOC: I'll leave, in general, portrayals of Ilves up to Yanisa. I only stepped in this time because I was using Ilves' reaction to let you know about something. You should keep going with that conversational thread, because it's likely to lead somewhere meaningful religiously. (I want to see it, at least.) But I will move on.

**

Following the six bandits' trail, it's another hour and a half until you get to the river that the bandits promised existed. The river runs from northwest to southeast, and the water is high in its banks with the year's snowmelt and recent rains. You know the Shrike River is to the east of here, because Leeroy from Varnhold suggested that the border between a future barony carved out of the Stolen Lands and Varn's own barony would be there, and this is much too far west for that. You figure that this, then, is probably the Thorn River, the other name that Bydon mentioned, and under that theory it's not difficult to see why it got its name. Under a resplendent canopy of sycamore and silver maple, the steep riverbanks are dense with stinging nettles, hawthorn, and buckthorn. If this is the Thorn River, then according to Bydon, somewhere downstream from here, this stream empties into the Shrike, and further past that confluence is this mysterious Rostlander bandit lord's castle.

You, however, are heading upstream. And that presents you with a predicament at the moment. Bydon didn't mention crossing the river, yet there's no good path on the land side that enables you to "just follow it upstream" like they promised would be so easy to do. Following the tracks they left yesterday backwards, they seem to hug the river's edge very closely, and then just sort of disappear into the water.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

"You know why wildsfolk are more polite and less dishonest than cityfolk?" Zhubin says quietly. "You speak ill and you answer to the Lord in Iron. You do ill, there are no barristers, only blades."

The halforc woodsman merely grunts as he bends to the task. "Was that not what I was alredy doing? Though I do doubt that Old Deadeye would look kindly upon a slacker. Whatsay ye?"

Along the way on their trek following the bandits' trail, he takes a moment to straighten up, stretching his back, then frowns at Ilves and haltingly says, Mew? Maaaw? Muw-mieeow?


Lady Ilves. How's the burn doing?


Later on, coming upon the river, he snorts and spits, then says, "Typical. Classic trick, losing one's footprints by wading through a river or stream."

Still, he sighs and breathes deep the fresher air and crouches easily, casting his eyes across the vibrant verdance.

Once he's taken a breather, he stands once more and stalks along the bank, looking for any likely ford while still keeping track of their quarry's passage...


Well... that's... a strange set of rolls. It should work to find a way across... should it?

Perception
[roll0]
Survival
[roll1]

[Yanisa]

Team Shyladric and Ilves, now with 100% less dialogue.

Shyladric steps between Yorveth and Ilves, picking up the cat and doesn't allow the animal to respond. She gives Yorveth a cold and harsh stare, without saying anything. After about half a minute she turns around melodramatically, complete with a "hmph!" and walks away with her head high in the sky. She throws Zhubin a similar look, but doesn't stare.

**

Shyladric has been sulking the entire way, clearly offended by something but refusing to speak about it. When they reach the riverbank she stares at the footprints and wonders if the bandits crossed the river and forced their horses to walk trough the many thorns, or that the river often flows outside its bed.


Knowledge Nature [roll0] to figure out if horses can walk safely through the thorns and if the river increases/decreases in size during the day.

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

"Perhaps there is a ford here? Or is the water too deep for horses to cross?" Arash suggested as he moved closer to Zhubin. Whispering a small prayer in Celestial, he hoped to grant his half-orc companion a better chance at finding the tracks. And if that didn't help, he prayed a little for himself as he also studied the tracks.

Guidance for Zhubin's Survival check, so a +1 to that result.

And aid another to that same check from Arash (with guidance): [roll0]

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

To the silent girl with the cat.

"All right, miss, what did I do? You haven't said two words to me at all. I don't think you've even given me your name. Mine's Yorveth, by the way, in case you didn't catch it already."

[Yanisa]

The silent girl with her cat.

Shyladric frowns. "See that is the problem with you Erastils. Always so blinded by your faith you don't even see how disrespectful you can act! Just because your god upholds goodfulness and lawfulness doesn't mean every action you do is acceptable. There are sacred bonds that you shouldn't cross!" She wasn't really angry at Yorveth, she was jealous. Ilves was her companion and seeing him talk to her like that made just filled with envy more then anything else.

[Kalirren]

The Thorn River is brown with the pigments of all the leaves that fell into it last autumn from the forest upstream, and the decayed fragments and skeletons thereof are scattered to and fro across the river's surface. You look up and down stream, and it doesn't seem that the river changes much in width. It's consistently about a knife's throw (60 feet) across, give or take ten feet. In its middle, the water is uniformly dark and can look deceptively still. But you know how fast it is moving, since where the river nears up against its bank, its surface breaks up in sheets of ripples, revealing the flow's true velocity.

Zhubin
At a ford, a river must run either wider or faster. You don't see anything of the sort, so you don't think there's a ford near here. Yet neither do you see the tracks in the muddy riverbed, so these bandits' ploy to keep their hideout location a secret seems to have worked for now.

Something's off about the way the water ripples near the riverbanks, though. You can't quite put your finger on it.


Shyladric
The understory vegetation here is annoyingly dense, dense enough to preclude access to the riverbank except at certain points. If you were to proceed upstream on the riverbank, you think you'd have better luck on foot than on horse.
While there's no sign of a ford here, there's also no sign of a first floodbank, which you would expect to see in a river this wide - unless the river is currently occupying its first bank, in which case things start to make more sense. The water is rippling on both sides of the channel because it is shallower there.
Also, if the river is in fact flooding its first bank, this means chances are good that heavy rain is coming in from the west, and will hit you in a day or two.


Arash
At a ford, a river must run either wider or faster. You don't see anything of the sort, so you don't think there's a ford near here. The water looks too deep for horses to cross.

You reflect that something is not quite right about what Zhubin said, that they went into the river to lose pursuers. That makes no sense. You're tracking them backwards. They didn't go into the river to lose you; they emerged from it. And as you look at the horses' tracks, by all looks of it they were dry when they did so. There are no droplets that mar the tracks, which you would expect to see if they had emerged wet. But how does that make any sense?

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

"...You're angry because I spoke to your cat? Fine, I'll ask permission next time I need to figure out if we're in imminent danger."

In a slight huff, Yorveth takes his own look at the area.

Survival: [roll0]
Perception: [roll1]

[Kalirren]

Yorveth
Hey, rolls that don't suck!
The understory vegetation here is annoyingly dense, dense enough to preclude access to the riverbank except at certain points. If you were to proceed upstream on the riverbank, you think you'd have better luck on foot than on horse. But it is an option.
At a ford, a river must run either wider or faster. You don't see anything of the sort, so you don't think there's a ford near here, all though its strange that you don't see a floodplain either. You'll have to go either upstream or downstream if you want a ford.
You reflect that something is not quite right about what Zhubin said, that they went into the river to lose pursuers. That makes no sense. You're tracking them backwards. They didn't go into the river to lose you; they emerged from it. And as you look at the horses' tracks, by all looks of it they were dry when they did so. There are no droplets that mar the tracks, which you would expect to see if they had emerged wet. But how does that make any sense?
All this leads you to conclude that the river is currently flooding its first bank. The water is rippling on both sides of the channel because it is shallower there. You trust that a shallow floodplain exists that you could proceed upstream directly on, but wading in it could be risky. The thalweg of the stream might be straight, or it might meander, and there's little telling when the river is flooded.
Also, if the river is in fact flooding its first bank, this means chances are good that heavy rain is coming in from the west, and will hit you in a day or two. Wet horses will not be happy in that weather.

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

"I... I think there's a flaw in your logic, friend Zhubin", Arash spoke up, frowning a little as he studied the tracks. "Why would they wish to hide their tracks? They are coming from their camp, not going towards it. Besides, these tracks look like they were not made with wet hooves. There's no sign of droplets falling from wet horses and riders. But how can that be?"

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

"Bless your eyes, zealot" Zhubin snorts
And says to Arash, "You are right."
Bending low, still studying the tracks
---He then shifts his eyes afar
And says, "Mayhap they had some boat,
Or a barge that had since been rowed
Away and now 'tis kept hidden?
Mayhap we just need to follow
The waters further upstream?"


Once more, unto the breach.

Know: Nature [roll0]
Perception [roll1]
Survival [roll2]

~facePALM~ Wat. Da. Hekk.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

"The river is likely flooding its first bank, General. There's likely a storm to the west causing the waters to rise. We might be able to follow the bank upstream on foot, but that rain will hit in two days at most. We could press on through the weather, or head back to the fort. Either way, if we don't get where we're soon, the rain will wipe out the tracks."

[Halae]

Tawny

"Then heading in with the water or finding Jan are our only options. it's either that or hunker down in the fort and wait for a lot more bandits to arrive, and I don't think anybody here wants that. Let's find Jan's trail and follow that back; he likely has an idea of what to do in a situation like this, and if he doesn't, then we can catch him before he warns everybody."

Tawny, of course, has been sitting here planning this entire time. Partially regarding tactics.

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

"I agree with the tiefling - if the man Jan's tracks are easier to follow. If not, we have to rely on you two good men", Arash spoke, nodding to Zhubin and Yorveth. "to find us a way to the bandits' camp. Returning to Oleg's Post now is not an option."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

Turning towards Arash.

"Time is of the essence. I'd suggest we break for a midday meal and then forge ahead. Turning back could cost us too much time. We may find a way to cross the river if we search for a ford upstream."

[Yanisa]

Ilves and Shyladric, Team

She rolls her eyes and Yorveth and mutters something that sounded like "Discourteous." She seems to be too emotional about what happened to give a proper response.



Shyladric looks at Tawny. "There is a chance Jan might noticed the bank rising or something, and thus on a retreat decided to take a different route 'home'. But to be fair, all our options ain't that great. Going back wastes a lot of time but at the other side, we don't know where our prey has crossed. Finding their trail back also could take long. Even with Ambassadress Ilves here having remembered their scent. I do still think crossing the river might be our better chance... but not by a lot. " As she talks she is rummaging trough her backpack and takes out a piece of dried meat, which she shares between herself and Ilves, spoiling the cat by giving Ilves a far larger share then herself.

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

"Very well. But keep your eyes and ears open. I have a feeling not all creatures of this place will be as willing to parlay as that worg was", Arash agreed but still offered his warning. Getting off his horse he opened his backpack and produced a small bundle of travel vittles: jerky, dried fruit and dark travel bread.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

A bit of venison there emerges,
A chunk of hard traveller's cheese
And as well, some black waybread
Zhubin squats at the bank
He gazes across
The rushing waters
Nodding in agreement
At t'others' pertinent points
But long at last, Nanami asks,

"Who then here is good at swimming? Or shall we double back, and hurry after Jan's trail? We need be careful not to cross Hardulf, since that'd be crossing his territory, unless my gut had taken a chomp at my brain. Your take on the matter, sir Yorveth?"

[Beowulf DW]

She rolls her eyes and Yorveth and mutters something that sounded like "Discourteous." She seems to be too emotional about what happened to give a proper response.

"...not the one who turned the poor thing into a giant fire-bomb target..."

Yorveth returns Shyladric's eyerolls with a few glares.

To Zhubin: "I'm no 'sir' but I think we should press on ahead. Time isn't exactly on our side right now; hesitation and second guessing could get us killed."

The scout takes out some some cold bacon and hard bread, hunger lending the rations a flavor they'd normally lack.

[Kalirren]

With the group having turned their collective mind to the possibility of looking for a ford further upstream, there is an additional matter left to resolve if you do decide upon that course of action - what to do about the horses.

The terrain on this side is not conducive to traveling on horseback, or even lead-and-walk. It's full of holly and alder and dogwood, which aren't easy for a horse to walk through. If you hug the riverbank closely, you'll be able to make more time on foot. Alternatively, you could try to keep on horseback and go further inland, away from the river where the vegetation is less shrubby and woody, but you might miss a ford.

[Yanisa]

Shyladric and Ilves, both afraid of water

She looks at Zhubin with disbelieve. "I might misunderstanding you... you want to swim...? I don't think the horses will like that, and like her feline fellow, the ambassadress also hates being wet. And I hate to admit I got my flaws as well, but I can't remember the last time I had swam." She looks at the river again and wonders how hard it will be to cross swimmingly.


Knowledge Nature: [roll0]
To determine how fast the river goes, how deep the river is and how hard it will be to swim, from the perspective of someone that hasn't swam in years.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Nanami nods at Yorveth, then
Zhubin looks back at Shyladric,
Tilt of his hatted head echoes
The disbelief raised in her voice
He says, "I was merely raising
That as a possibility
Just as we could hurry back
And pick up again Jan's tracks
As well as pressing forward
To try and find us a ford..."
But now fitting deed to word
Putting trail rations away
Careful leading his horse by the reins
The lance in its rest,
Spears stored t'other side
Of the horse's harness
Zhubin slowly picks his way
Bushwacking with bared kukri...


Once more!
Know: Nature [roll0]
Know: Geography [roll1]
Perception [roll2]
Survival [roll3]

Whew! Decent stuff!

[Kalirren]

With the half-orc leading the way, you decide to proceed through the brush. A bit of bushwacking into the shrub reveals a game trail that you decide to follow since it makes your progress (especially with Zhubin's horse) a great deal easier.

You follow this trail for some distance, giving a good spook to more than one family of deer along the way. This continues for an excruciatingly slow two miles at a one mile an hour, with game trail leading on to game trail in the undergrowth, until near the junction of one gametrail to a larger one, Zhubin happens to spot a deviously-positioned bear trap set against the back side of a rock. You're lucky - if Zhubin hadn't noticed it, then one of you, or one of your horses, would almost certainly have stepped in it. And that would have changed just about everything.

[North_Ranger]

"We must be close", Arash whispered when Zhubin pointed out the toothsome trap. "Didn't the man Bydon warn us that there would be bear traps surrounding the camp?"

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

"It could be a regular old trapper's, but you're probably right, Arash. Should Zhubin and I forge ahead a bit; find out if it really is them?"

[Beowulf DW]

Stealth: [roll0]
Perception: [roll1]

[Yanisa]

Team Shyladric and Ilves

"Can we not poke it with a stick, set it off, and wait if someone responds?"


Perception:
Shyladric: [roll0]
Ilves: [roll1]/29 (+8) within scent range

Stealth:
Shyladric: [roll2]
Ilves: [roll3]

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

With one last patting across the snout
Zhubin grunts and leaves
His horse's reins in
Tawny's hands
Dissolves
Into the
Green


Stealth! [roll0]
Aid Another on Yorveth's Stealth, if it's possible. [roll1]
Perception! [roll2]

Well... that was... halfway decent?
Hey, Zhubin! Next time, try being LESS helpful, eh?

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

"Best we let our scouts look around first. No need to alert the brigands to our presence", Arash answered Shyladric's concerns, trailing behind the group. In his heavier armor, he was anything but stealthy compared to the ghost-like Yorveth and Zhubin. Nonetheless, he whispered a small prayer to Ragathiel, hoping that the General of Vengeance would see the logic behind this skulking in the woods.

Shield on back, Stealth with guidance... [roll0]
Perception: [roll1]

[Kalirren]

It so happens that the trail you are following gives access to a single, large, gray granite boulder that juts out into the fast-moving river, and makes for a marvelous sighting post.

The channel of the Thorn River that you have been following northwest takes a bend towards the west, and you can see that it widens considerably. You see in the river's skin a line of riffling white, indicating shallow water and large rocks, and just downstream from that, the stream seems to split into many small braids that converge into the single channel that flows southeast back towards the horses, the way you came. Now that is a ford.

To your dismay you also see that a rickety watchpoint, built straight into a tree, overlooks the ford itself. It tries to be well-hidden, but Shyladric spots it. You're certain now that Kressel's camp is located right there, on the northeastern bank of the river, at the first ford of the Thorn from the southeastern edge of the forest. Its presence there controls the passage. You now know that it will not be safe to explore west of the Thorn River as long as you leave this camp to be occupied by brigands.

You see all of this as you are approaching the camp from the southeast. This is an odd angle, not from either avenue typically taken by the bandits' prey. In between your current position and the bandit's camp is a shrubby crevasse which the occupants of this camp seem to have used on occasion for the dumping of their camp refuse, or so your noses give testimony. The game trail you are now following stops following the rivers' edge and diverts back into the forest around the edge of the crevasse, and is likely to join with a path that arrives at that camp from the northeast.

You also hear the intonational ups and downs of heated conversation, but can't make out what is being said over the rushing of the river.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Still crawling, Zhubin slinks
Away and back
To the others, in whispers reporting
His findings and awaiting
The group's decision on the angle of attack

[Kalirren]

OOCI'm wondering why progress seems to have stalled. Have I not responded adequately to your initiative?

Zhubin and Yorveth are making their way back to the group as a cacophony of devilish yelling shoots up from the camp. Both of them and Tawny recognize the loudest voice - it's Jan's. Your skulking scouts' instinct is to cringe at having been found, but as the hollering continues without aim, or much response, you realize that he's not shouting in alarm, but rather hollering in the pain of having an arrow pushed through his arm.

Barbaric medicine, it is. Isn't this what healing potions are for?

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth glances at Zhubin, "I blame myself for that. Grandfather taught me to shoot to kill."

Turning towards the rest of the group, "Well, we still have the drop on them, at the moment. We could rush them now while he's screaming. They probably wouldn't notice us until we're right on them."

[Miraqariftsky]

A tip of the hat, and Zhubin hisses,
"You go that way. I'll go here, up---
---get their attention. Engage
Once they focus on me."
And with that,
Zhubin skulks back
Creeping up, the boulder's shadow
Once the others are in position, himself charges
Up the slope, hurls a javlin into the bandits' midst and yells,
"WWAAAAAAUUUGGGGHHH!!"


ONCE the others are in position. Delay action, if need be.

[roll0] (+1 from height, +2 from charge, +1 from PBS, if applicable)
[roll1]

[Yanisa]

Team Ilves/Shyladric

Looking at Yorveth, Shyladric is trying to convince herself. 'It is for the greater good, any petty squabble is not worth the goal.' Then she speaks. "How many? and how close in a group are they? I might have the greatest surprise yet, but I don't think we are that lucky."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

"From what the ones we captured said, there's about ten. There might be a few clustered around the one who's injured right now."

With that, Yorveth slips back into the bushes to get into position.

Stealth: [roll0]

Yorveth will try to stay towards the edge of the clearing, and as far out of melee as he can manage. He'll take aim at whichever bandit is closest.

When battle commences:

Initiative: [roll1]

Activating Judgement of Destruction (+1 sacred damage bonus)

Longbow attack: [roll]1d20+5[roll]
Longbow damage: [roll]1d20+3[roll]

[Beowulf DW]

*Sigh*

Longbow damage: [roll0]
Longbow attack: [roll1]

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

Arash Ignezi

HP 10/10
AC 15 (+2 for shield of faith, -2 for charge)
Touch 10 (+2 for shield of faith, -2 for charge)

Spells prepared for today:
0: detect magic, guidance, enhanced diplomacy
1: bless, shield of faith
1 (domain): true strike

Destructive Smite: IIIIII
Touch of Good: IIIIII
Channel Positive Energy: III


"Very well. Let us do this, quickly and decisively", Arash nodded in agreement as he moved closer to the campment. Picking out a bandit he could charge, he silently drank the shielding potion Oleg had given him. The bitter, sharp taste of the magical elixir made him shiver, but he pushed that emotion aside as he prepared his charge.

Ragathiel, guide my blade so I may strike down the unworthy and the heretic, he prayed silently in his mind, his shield strapped to his back. And lo, Judgment began to glow with an inner fire as the General of Vengeance answered his loyal soldier's call.

Once Zhubin hollered out his war cry, Arash joined it with his ululating war chant and charged, his blade glowing like an angry brand as he sought to cleave the hopefully surprised bandit in two.

Alright then... Initiative [roll0]

Drink the liquid shield of faith a moment in advance.

Prepared action: Ready destructive smite, and charge the nearest bandit. Two-handed blow with the bastard sword, oh yeah.

[roll1] (+2 base, +2 charge)
Damage: [roll2] (+2 base, +1 from destructive smite, +1/2 Str rating from a two-handed blow)

[Kalirren]

http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/9494/zk8u.png

You are approaching this whole setup from off the east edge of this map, moving north around the lip of the garbage canyon. The first opportunity you have to visually scout this all out is when you pass across the southern trail leading from clearing (K1) off the eastern edge of the map.

Bydon said there were nine bandits remaining at camp, so if you trust him, then there are six of them you're still not seeing. Only three of them are currently visible, and are making use of the shack's shelter (denoted K2). Jan is lying on a board propped between two wooden ale casks, and is currently being treated by the two others.

The observation tower that Shyladric spotted from the vantage point earlier is at (K3). From your new position you get another look at the observation tower. You can't see anyone through the works, but your feeling is that the works are constructed to have sight over the main clearing at (K1).

[Kalirren]

Round 0 - Surprise

Yorveth's arrow is the first sign the defenders have of the impending attack. "...Augh!" cries one bandit, as it sinks into his hip. Zhubin's javelin follow-up on the same lands short.

As you gain the clearing, you hear only shouts of confusion coming from the direction of the post. The poor bandits, indeed having heard Arash crash through the forest, were evidently expecting some sort of attack along the pathway the fortifications were designed to protect, not up their garbage alley.

Shyl's action may yet resolve.

Please declare actions for round 1.

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

HP 10/10
AC 17 (15, +2 for shield of faith)
Touch 12 (10, +2 for shield of faith)

Spells prepared for today:
0: detect magic, guidance, enhanced diplomacy
1: bless, shield of faith
1 (domain): true strike

Destructive Smite: IIIIII
Touch of Good: IIIIII
Channel Positive Energy: III


A long series of curses in a combination of Varisian and Celestial rose from Arash's throat when his strike failed to connect. Clearly he had overestimated his own charge, and his blade had swung too soon.

An error he would have to iron out in training.

Quickly moving to an offensive stance, Arash pressed on with his assault. Not wishing to let his opponent see the swing coming, he started the strike aimed at the bandit's clavicle. But just as the bandit raised his own weapon to parry the blow, the zealot gave a twist on Judgment's pommel, turning the swing's direction. Hopefully the bandit would not see the ruse before Arash's blade was sunk into his exposed side.

Continue with destructive smiting: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth stands and takes aim at the bandit he just shot.

"Remember, Arash, we agreed to spare Jan if we could."

Longbow attack: [roll0]
Longbow damage: [roll1]

[Beowulf DW]

Used the wrong dice for the damage, but at least I threatened.

Confirmation roll: [roll0]
Damage (for real, this time): [roll1]
Additional critical damage in the event of confirmation: [roll2]

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

After Arash,
Zhubin rushes
Hurls the spear in his hand
At the closest active bandit
Skids to a stop behind the blade-bishop
Flexes his gauntlet, hefts ready his left arm's spike-bossed shield


Initiative: [roll0]

Move: Move to right against Arash's back, so that neither can be flanked.
Standard:
Spearchuck. Target: whichever bandit that isn't the one Yorveth pegged. If possible, the one that Arash had charged.
[roll1] (+1 PBS, +2 running start)
[roll2]

[Yanisa]

Combat Times with Ilves and Shyladric

Surprise Round:
Shyladric sighs, these guys wanted to charge in when they barely see half there enemies. There is no tactical advantage of her powers in this situation... She swallowed her pride and decided if she couldn't be on the offense, the least she could do is help the others, show a bit of.... team support... last she wants to seem useless. She looks around and sees Arash charging out, where the others preferred range and decided he would need the most support.

"Ilves! Defend." She ordered, afraid to send the cat in harm's way again while she was still wounded. The cat quickly responses, jumping in front of her master and ready to attack all enemies that come close to either her or her master.

Then she looks and points at Arash, chanting more of here magic. "Kloaxat Dewol eb Zo Veunkaxain Rien, roct zis Whumaxan yeep Chlockth!"

Actions:
Ordering Ilves to Defend. Ilves moves in position, in front of Shyladric
Casting Enlarge Person on Arash

First Round
Another sigh, the guy who reckless charges into a bandit camp barely hits, and standing there alone, he will be overwhelmed soon. She looks at Ilves, but decided to keep him as a triumph card and bodyguard. Still Arash needed help.

She aims a finger at a unwounded bandit that seems to attack Arash and shouts: "Kloaxat Dewol eb Faxarr eb Yaxaln, ichlaxand zis Simproten"

Actions:
Initiative: [roll0]
Ilves readies an action to attack anyone that has ill intentions against her or her master.
Casting Daze on [Random Bandit]: [roll1] vs Will Save

[Kalirren]

Round 1 Resolution

Deciding not to chance an errant throw into the melee, the half-orc opts instead to finish off the bandit first targeted. The one already hit moves to cover himself, but can't duck behind the furniture fast enough. He takes a javelin to the torso and is in worse shape than the man he was helping just a moment before.

The other, reacting to the charge, bravely moves inside the arc of enlarged Arash's incoming strike, and scores a good stab to the zealot's knee. The heat of battle is more than enough for him to shrug off the force of Shyladric's spell. As if on cue, the first of an incoming volley of arrows from the observation post misses Arash high.

Yorveth's deadly arrows strike again unseen, making a very difficult shot into the melee, to injure Jan's last protector in the hip. Arash's footwork is thrown off and his blow fails to connect. A second arrow glances off of the zealot's armor, as does an innocuous-looking rock - which then cracks against the hard metal shell and detonates.

The ensuing BANG! leaves both Arash and his immediate foe temporarily deafened. Everyone else is far enough away to be merely distracted.

The bandit's last arrow thuds into the roof of the shed.

Meanwhile, more frantic yelling. "Where are they?" "They're behind us!" "Who are --" "Give 'em hell!" Most of the shouting seems to be coming from a channel between the clearing you've taken and the observation post. Once you circle around the shed where Jan's being treated, you'll see the descent down to the creek bed, where three more bandits are waiting at the logs at K4. One of them carries a sword and buckler, one a ranseur, and one wields double tomahawks.

Status, end Round 1:

Jan on the table, doing nothing.
His first protector, bleeding to death.
His second protector, deaf, wounded, and about to be dead.
At least three bandits in the treehouse, all shooting at you. (And by "you" I mean "Arash")
At most three bandits in the ditch between you and the treehouse.

Zhubin and Arash having taken clearing at K1. Shyl having joined them.
Tawny, carrying the now-loaded crossbow, double moves to join the two of them.
Yorveth now at 1 range increment for firing into the observation post, and unable to fire into the creek bed without moving onto the map.

Please declare for Round 2.

[Beowulf DW]

Seeing the arrows coming from the observation post, Yorveth takes aim to return fire.

Initiative: [roll0]

Longbow attack: [roll1]
Longbow damage: [roll2]

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Leaving the bandit quivering with a spear in his chest shuddering
Zhubin tries to ignore the guilt in his heart stirring,
Flattening his ears and reeling from the blast,
Zhubin ducks 'neath shield and hat
Still guarding Arash's back
Hauls out a spear
Hurls it at the
Ranseur-
-reaver.


HP 11 AC 20
Move: Keeping to a counter-flank position, to guard Arash's arse.
Standard: Spearchuck. Target: Ranseur-bandit.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi, Enlarged

HP 7/10
AC 15 (15, +2 for shield of faith, -2 from enlarge person)
Touch 10 (10, +2 for shield of faith, -2 from enlarge person)

Spells prepared for today:
0: detect magic, guidance, enhanced diplomacy
1: bless, shield of faith
1 (domain): true strike

Destructive Smite: IIIIII
Touch of Good: IIIIII
Channel Positive Energy: III


The sudden sensation of growth made Arash cringe his teeth and teeter for a moment, trying to get his bearings. He didn't have much time to orient himself, though: the sharp thud of an arrow and the boom of what he thought to be a thunderstone shook him back to his senses.

Pain throbbed in his body as he heaved his blade, intent on cutting the bandit down. He would need to retreat, get out of the way to heal himself... but not yet. Not as long as the sneering brigand in front of him drew breath. The massive, equally enlarged Judgment spoke...

Attack with destructive smite! [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

...and his sermon of death when unheeded. Arash cursed again, louder than before, though he did not hear it over the steady ringing in his ears. Clearly, he had done something to displease the General of Vengeance for his strikes to be so terrifyingly off.

[Yanisa]

Combat Times with Ilves and Shyladric

Second Round
Another sigh, the guy who reckless charges into a bandit camp barely hits, again!

Realizing most of them are out range, this time she waits for one of the bandits armed with melee weapons to come closer, ready to do the same trick again, hoping this one is stupider.

When a bandit comes in range, she aims her finger at the him and again shouts: "Kloaxat Dewol eb Faxarr eb Yaxaln, ichlaxand zis Simproten"

Actions:
Initiative: [roll0]
Ilves readies an full round action(?) to attack anyone that has ill intentions against her or her master.
Shyladric readies a action to start Casting Daze on [first bandit in sight]: [roll1] vs Will Save

[Kalirren]

Round 2 Resolution

The bandits' fingers are fast to their bowstrings, but their marksmanship pales to that of the devoted Erastilene. Another volley of three arrows streaks out from the bandits' works to hit nothing but terrain, the closest call being the one that plants directly into the elm tree that Tawny uses for cover. Tawny's own bolt misses low. In measured retaliation, Yorveth's single shaft buries itself into flesh atop the ramparts, eliciting a pained yowl, and a few amazed gasps, from one of the defenders there stationed.

The tussle to defend Jan continues. Arash is still unused to his own dimensions, and the bandit facing him, though dazed by Shyladric's spell, yet manages to sidestep the zealot's strike. Ilves hesitates, with her training pitted against her instinct. She hisses with bristling fur and bushy tail.

Zhubin, attempting to take control of the approach to the clearing, rounds the corner of the shed and quickly surveys the creek from the edge of the ridge. He meets with the ranseur-wielding bandit's gaze, and with a growl the latter begins his approach. With a calm, steely eye the half-orc throws his javelin, and the heavy shaft drives down through his target's left leather pauldron. The wounded bandit stays his course, determined to strike at the half-orc's footing and pull Zhubin down.

Unfortunately for him, Kressle also picked exactly the wrong time to throw a tomahawk and miss low. "Holy ****, look out Vasi..." cries the bandit yelling chaotic commands to the archers above. His warning comes too late even to get out the last syllable of the name. Kressle's axe flies, turns, and sinks into her companion's back. Between the blow from in front and the blow from behind, the ranseur-wielder succumbs on the spot to his injuries, falling face-first into the mud. Both other bandits are shocked into silence.

"No!" The bandit leader quickly overcomes her disbelief, and readying another tomahawk, dashes with determination to the edge of the ridge. The ridge itself completely shields her from all missile fire, even Zhubin's. The other one ducks behind a log, reaching for something.

Status, end Round 2:

Bandit 6 is Still Alive, facing a PO'ed Arash, but presumably not for much longer.
Ranseur-wielder is down and will probably die.
Kressle is exactly where I said she is.
At least 3 bandits on the tower.
The other bandit officer is prone and behind a log.

None of the PCs are any worse.

Please declare for Round 3.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

Hoping to make his counterparts reconsider firing out of the tower, Yorveth again takes aim.

Initiative: [roll0]

Aiming for the archer I just hit:

Longbow attack: [roll1]
Longbow damage: [roll2]

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Beneath the crimson-shadowed trees
Zhubin, wolf-orc, hunts and barks
Barks a laugh
And dashes
Once more unto the breach
Skids to a stop by the dying man
Scowls, kneels and whispers to him,
"Hello. Sorry about this. ...Thank you, brother."
Zhubin wrenches the hatchet free
With grind of bone, gristle-drip
Raises his shield and says
Calling over the ridge,
"Milady, shall we dance?"


Standard: Spearchuck
[roll0]
[roll1]
Move: Dash to Accidentally Back-Axed Guy
Free: Draw the axe from said guy's back

[North_Ranger]

Arash howls with celestial fury and presseson with his assault. Every breath that the bandit took was mockery to his faith!

press on...

[roll0]
[roll1]

Sorry for the fugly formatting... Posting this on my iPad...

[Yanisa]

Daze Times with Ilves and Shyladric

Third Round
Most of this is working out great, whatever plan there was. She looks at Arash... Most of this is working out...
"Ilves! Help Arash! Attack that bandit in front of him. And Flank!"

This time she decided to assist Zhubin, walks a couple of steps closers and aims at the bandit, currently in fight with the orc.

"Kloaxat Dewol eb Faxarr eb Yaxaln, ichlaxand zis Simproten"

Actions:

Shyladric:
Initiative: [roll0]
Shyladric walks towards Zhubin and Cast Daze on [Kressle]: [roll1] vs Will Save

Ilves:
Initiative: [roll2]
Ilves walks and flanks and bites him. [B]Attack:[roll3] Damage:[roll4]
If hit, automatically trip: CMB: [roll5]

[Kalirren]

Round 3 - Resolution:

The bandit facing Arash yells like a rabid dog, and the blood of the great bull runs strong in his veins. Exploiting the first injury he dealt to Arash's knee, he manages to find a spot in the giant's defences that can't be covered without turning on the wounded knee. The bandit deals an overhead blow, and his short sword sinks like a fang straight into Arash's spleen. The sudden loss of blood pressure is too much for the magically enlarged zealot - he loses consciousness even before he hits the ground.

And yet the berserker doesn't even have time to yell triumphantly before he gets a cat to the face and goes down trying in vain to shield his eyes from murderous claws.

The hail of arrows from the tower slackens off a bit. Yorveth's second arrow finds the same opening in the works and the slumping of a body against woodwork is heard. A few seconds later, a single arrow returns along the incoming trajectory, showing just how difficult the half-elf's two shots were to make as it sinks into an errant canopy branch, never to menace the archer below.

Once Shyladric rounds the corner of the shed and begins intoning her spell, Kressle's officer finally puts a face to the caster he's been hearing. From behind the log he takes out a second alchemical rock, and chucks it at the ridge. Shyl finishes casting her spell before it goes off, though the ensuing BANG! collapses the magical weave of Tawny's signature scream in its crescendo, and leaves the Archpriestess's ears ringing.

All these events conspire to leave Zhubin and Kressle unmolested, to "dance" mano a mano. Shrugging off the spell, Kressle begins to dart for the embankment and manages to fake Zhubin out. He throws his javelin true, and it ends up right where she would have been, had she continued moving in that direction.

When the half-orc jumps down, the bandit leader emerges from behind the shrub at the foot of the embankment. The half-orc sees white-hot hatred fill her eyes as he confronts her with her own failure. She advances, responding to his taunt only with a keening "~haiii!" that might have been intended to be a word at some point, but lost that focus somewhere along. Her ensuing blow is strong enough to bite his wicker shield, but she manages to extract her weapon before Zhubin can use the bind against her.

Status, end round 3:

Arash down and bleeding.
Ilves eating 'Zerker Bandit's face.
Shyladric at the ridge would be wise to look for cover from the tower.
Kressle and Zhubin are in melee, fighting over positioning.
Bandit Officer has his sword drawn, and well withing charging range of the Kressle-Zhubin melee.
One tower bandit down. (Hey, you outnumber them now!)

Please declare for Round 4.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Zhubin reels from Kressle's kick and axe to his shield
Spying the bandit lieutenant's sword
He tries to keep
Kressle
Between them
His boots crunching on scrub-grass and scree
He kicks a cloud of dust up at her, slams his shield-rim
Against her weapon-arm, and in the same
Maneuver swings the axe
At her
Neck.


HP 11 AC 20
Move: 5ft-step a bit so that he has a clear LoS on the bandit lieutenant who seems to be readying some sort of move.
[rol]1d20+4[/roll]
[roll0]

[Beowulf DW]

Satisfied with having killed one of the archers, Yorveth takes aim at the bandit officer, hoping to keep Zhubin's fight a one-on-one affair. He takes a few steps to the edge of the clearing, hoping that the sight of an archer in the open will tempt him away from Zhubin.

Initiative: [roll0]

Longbow attack at the bandit officer: [roll1]
Longbow damage: [roll2]

[North_Ranger]

Arash lies on the ground, slowly bleeding from the sudden introduction of steel into his gut. Clearly, today was not his day.

[Yanisa]

Heal Times with Ilves and Shyladric

Fourth Round
Being deaf, currently under fire and also her spell failed (again), Shyldric quickly realized that standing here was, in hindsight, a terrible idea. To close to the front, in sight of the archers and an idiot with whatever idiots throw to make people deaf. She looks around to check on Ilves and notes both the bandit and Arash are down. She decided to play safe and walk back to Arash, Zhubin seems to handle himself perfectly and our archers handled their archers decently. She couldn't do a lot on long distances and moving closer proved a death sentence.

Edit: Sitting next to Arash, she decided to something about the wounds, but she lacked something to bind with. She looked n her backpack and found her burned cloak back. And inside two of those healing elixirs. Shyladric had forgotten about them in the midst of combat. But first something about the wounds.

Actions:

Initiative: [roll0]
Shyladric stumbles back to Arash and preforms a heal check [14 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15727853&postcount=370)]

Initiative: [roll1]
Ilves readies to defend Arash, by sitting on the fallen bandit.

[Kalirren]

Round 4 - Resolution

The berserker bandit, his energy completely spent, fallen to the ground and content to play dead. He lets the cat pin him, wagering that it isn't trained to kill a human.

The tower archers, intimidated by their foes' ('foe's' really, but so they think) superior marksmanship, are hasty in their aim. One of them nevertheless manages to catch Shyl in the calf as she retreats to support Arash. Not knowing exactly how to help him, she does her best...[roll0]

The bandit officer leaps out from behind his log with a cheer, and promptly takes Yorveth's yard-long shaft to the shoulder. The arrow's momentum arrests him for a full second, but it's not enough to prevent him from renewing the attack.

In attempting to force Zhubin to yield the ground by the ridge Kressle gives the half-orc an opening upon which he capitalizes. The axe in Zhubin's hand heads towards her neck and she only intercepts it partially. It grazes the back of her left arm and even bites her shoulder blade, but fails to find a lethal mark.

Curling her arm and axe up, Kressle binds Zhubin's axe behind her, and she throws a blow to the edge of his shield, battering his defense, but not harming him. Tawny sees what's coming and summons back her weave, her voice crescendoing to force Kressle to let him go. With a savage, toothy grin, the wicked woman howls defiantly and in pain.

The two of them pivot around a common bind in the promised dance of death, and the two seconds seem to last forever, but the half-orc's determined defense against the axe in front doesn't hold against the sword from the back as it sinks in between the plates of his lamellar jacket. Yet it'll take more than that to drop him.

Eventually the pain is too much for Kressle, and she can't hold on anymore. She lets Zhubin's weapon arm go with a shove and gives him space, hoping that her Officer will take some of the heat for her. There is plenty of defiance, but a glint of fear, in those eyes.

Status:
Zhubin currently flanked, but still up and fighting.
Yorveth, advancing on the melee, needs another move action to fire on it without taking a cover penalty from that ridge. (It's moved closer.)

Please declare for Round 5.

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

Yorveth takes aim at the officer again, taking careful aim and begging Erastil for guidance.

Initiative: [roll0]

Switching Judgement from Destruction to Justice as a swift action.

Longbow attack on Kressle: [roll1]
Longbow damage: [roll2]

[Yanisa]

Healing with Ilves and Shyladric [Round Five]

Shyladric uncorks the healing elixir and tries to, as gently as she can, give it to Arash.
After then she checks the bandit under Ilves, he could prove a prisoner... although to what end?

Actions:

Initiative: [roll0]
Shyladric uses potion of cure light wounds on Arash for [roll1] healing.
Then she checks up the bandit heal or perception: [roll2]

Initiative: [roll3]
Ilves readies to defend Arash.

[Yanisa]

Extra Roll:
Extra Healing Potion: [roll0]

Never happened, please ignore. :smallredface:

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi, Enlarged

HP 2/10
AC 15 (15, +2 for shield of faith, -2 from enlarge person)
Touch 10 (10, +2 for shield of faith, -2 from enlarge person)

Spells prepared for today:
0: detect magic, guidance, enhanced diplomacy
1: bless, shield of faith
1 (domain): true strike

Destructive Smite: IIIIII
Touch of Good: IIIIII
Channel Positive Energy: III


Arash breathes in sharply after Shyladric emptied the second vial of curatives down his gullet. His abdomen hurt like hell, and the glittering scales of his armor had taken a new scarlet hue from his blood - but he was living.

"Thank you", the enlarged, deaf zealot managed to breathe out as he stuck his blade into the ground and pulled him back on his feet.

Using a full round to get up from prone, thus not provoking any AoOs.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Ridge-rocks scrambling beneath their scuffling boots
Having stumbled aside at just the right moment
Zhubin growls aside the worst
Of the sword
In his back

He doubles over,
Then lunges, shield high, obscuring
Axe slashing at Kressle's knee, then darting
Away and whirling to knock the other bandit's sword
Awry with his shield's spiked boss
Binding it low and jabbing
To give himself some
Space
Then spitting at
The bandit's face.


Standard leg-hack
[roll0]
[roll1]
Move: 5ft towards Officer's side.

[Kalirren]

Actions, Round 5
Init: [roll0] for Tawny: Continues to blast Kressle's eardrums for [roll1] and Daze [roll2] to hit Kressle Fort 16
Init: [roll3] for Tower Bandit 1: Longbow [roll4] to hit Tawny AC 10 +8 cover for [roll5]
Init: [roll6] for Tower Bandit 2: Longbow [roll7] to hit Zhubin AC 20 (+4 in melee) for [roll8]
Init: [roll9] for Officer: Longsword [roll10] to hit Zhubin AC 20 for [roll11]
Init: [roll12] for Kressle: 2x Mwk tomahawk [roll13] and [roll14] to hit Zhubin AC 20 for [roll15] and [roll16]

Resolution:

Yorveth, ill-positioned to find an opening in the melee, simply holds his fire and approaches along the ridge. Meanwhile, the rhythm of Tawny's keening wails had become too predictable, and an arrow is already inbound, headed for her position is already in flight as she emerges from behind the tree to loose her spell on Kressle. It is an arrow that would pierce her neck but for impacting her wooden mask first, and to it losing the bulk of its momentum. The shaft still sinks an inch into her flesh, but it's a lucky inch.

Unable to bear the tiefling's relentless magical assault on her senses, Kressle's arms go to her ears as she screams in pain. Her guard is dropped, opening the way for Zhubin's axe to tear with precision through her left knee. She hits the back of her head on an exposed rock as she falls, and doesn't ever come to consciousness again.

Wounded, beleaguered, bereft of immediate aid, and clearly frightened, the remaining bandit steps away from Zhubin, his guard half-heartedly raised. "Mercy," he begs. The remaining archer in the tower doesn't want to fire, lest his commander immediately suffer. No further arrows come from the tower.

[[We are out of combat time. Their will to fight is gone.]]

[Beowulf DW]

"Drop your weapons, and we'll let you live. Continue to hold them, and the big man over there might get the wrong idea," says Yorveth as he points to Arash.

Putting away his bow, he walks over to Jan, to make sure the old man is still breathing.

"You alive, old timer?"

[Kalirren]

"Drop your weapons, and we'll let you live. Continue to hold them, and the big man over there might get the wrong idea," says Yorveth as he points to Arash.

The bandit officer seems relieved to have been offered some quarter, but looks to Zhubin for the final word. Apparently, the giant behind the shed is not so imposing as the warrior who slew the leader of this assembly, and who yet holds an axe but four paces from him.


Putting away his bow, he walks over to Jan, to make sure the old man is still breathing.

"You alive, old timer?"

"What ... do you want?", utters Jan from his improvised bed, clearly unimpressed by Yorveth's honestly cordial overture. "This is your arrow, if my memory yet serves. Did you want it back?"

[Beowulf DW]

"Keep it as a memento, if you like. A reminder that there's not a creature on this world that can out run the justice of Erastil. Hold still a moment. I might have to break the arrow. This will hurt."

Yorveth kneels by the old bandit and grabs a hold of his arm, with an aim toward taking the arrow out and dressing the wound. He's not trying to hurt Jan, but he's not trying to be particularly gentle either.

Heal check: [roll0]

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

You fought well. And were just trying to take care of your crew, weren't you? For a while, Zhubin stands over the unmoving Kressle, chest heaving with the brief battle's exertion, breath misting against his flapping whiskers and jutting beard.

He spares a glance skyward, then kneels beside Kressle and quietly gives her the Iron Cure, slitting her throat, making sure she is actually dead and sparing her any further pain in case she's still alive. He reaches up and closes her eyes with his little finger.

Zhubin slowly stands, growls as he rolls his shoulder, feeling the blood drip from the wound in his back. Still, he glares at the bandit who'd dealt him the blow, puffs his chest out and spreads his arms. The halforc wastewalker gives the hatchet in his hand a whirl, sending the bandit leader's blood spattering into the swordsman's eyes, then bats his quivering weapon aside.

"Drop yer weapons, alla yeh." Zhubin grates, then glances towards Tawny, then at Arash. "An' sit yer sorry asses o'er by hellgirl o'er there ta await yer proper judgment."

[North_Ranger]

"Yes. Sit down. Quietly", Arash hissed, leaning on Judgment. He was clearly on a sour mood now, rather than angry. His failure to bring Ragathiel's fury down upon the loathsome brow of even a single brigand weighed heavy upon him; clearly he had done something that had displeased the General of Vengeance.

"Anyone wounded?" he called out to his comrades, even as he eyed each of the bandits. Hopefully they would consider a field trial - or at least making an example of one of the brigands. Surely Ragathiel would be pleased with a lawful execution carried out in His name?

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Grimacing, Zhubin retorts,
"Sword in me back.
Arrow ta lady
Shyl's leg.
How's Ilves?
Yorveth, ye unscathed?"

He looks over at the tiefling,
Raises a hand towards
The dripping arrow.
"Tawny's neck first. Could Bleed Out."

Zhubin holds his tongue
Before mocking Arash
Either they're THAT good
Or yer bark's worse
Than yer bite.

Wearily sits down on a log,
Hails Yorveth and asks,
"Our beasts and our
Bags, still where
We left 'em?"

[North_Ranger]

After making sure none of the fallen bandits were still lingering at death's door, Arash got to his healing duties. More of a battle chaplain than a medic, he nonetheless knew some healing prayers.

Okay, first round of channeled positive energy: [roll0]

[North_Ranger]

Well crud, that was lousy... Okay, here's another for good measure [roll0]

After this, it's one channel and one healing spell, and then you guys are on your own :smalltongue:

[Beowulf DW]

"They didn't even scratch me, General." calls Yorveth from Jan's side. "I'll check on the horses in a moment."

[Kalirren]

The bandit officer lays his stance off and down to his lower right in an obvious abandonment of intent, before laying down his sword proper on a rock. He looks towards the treehouse, where one bandit is climbing down the ladder. (Incidentally, Jan's horse is tied up there as well.)

"Aron? Where's Miriel?", he calls out. The younger bandit, with quiver but no bow, dashes down and jumps the creek, landing expertly. "She's still up there, she's not leaving Vlad alone. He took an arrow through the chest, can't hardly breathe, can't climb down..." The officer shakes his head. "Get over by the shed," he orders, pointing up the ridge. "I'll Iet her know, these Brevic soldiers want to make war on us, or something, we're surrendering."

"She knows," Aron answers, a bit annoyed. He walks past Zhubin, shoving both his empty hands up in the air to accentuate the glare he's shooting in the half-orc's direction. "Blasted city-folk. Couldn't you just rob us, all simple-like?"


Yorveth kneels by the old bandit and grabs a hold of his arm, with an aim toward taking the arrow out and dressing the wound. He's not trying to hurt Jan, but he's not trying to be particularly gentle either.

"What are you doing?" the old man writhes. "You want to help me, push it through! Or the barbs'll tear it up worse than the point..."

[Beowulf DW]

"Sorry! Oh, I knew I should have bought the bodkin instead of the broadhead arrows," mumbles the half-elf by way of an apology.

If somebody helps me, can I take a 10 on a heal check, seeing that we're not fighting for our lives at the moment?

[Yanisa]

Shyladric and Ilves

She nods to Zhubin. "Ilves is fine. She did a pretty good job in doing with Arash should have done." Shyladric pats Ilves and says "Who's better then Arash? You are!" Then turns her head to Arash. "Just kidding, I guess the suddenly growing in size probably offset you? Maybe we should gets me training in to get you used to it? It can be a huge advantage and the best I could offer during this sudden attack."

When Arash used his healing prayers, she frowned. "Couldn't you do that when Ilves was hurt?" She shrugs, she never understand these priests...

She also walks around the camp, patching up some bandits with the remains of her cloak, insuring the worst wounds won't bleed out. Shyladric also collected the weapons of the bandits, throwing them in a pile and ordering Ilves to defend it. "And also Ilves, remind me to get a new cloak... And some real bandages."

[Kalirren]

Of all the nine bandits you encountered, Jan, Aron, Miriel, and the officer are still awake. The other five are all unconscious or dead. A quick look at Ranseur-bandit Vasily confirms that he won't make it. The 'zerker bandit who scored good hits on Arash is named Istvan, and he's slumped over, utterly exhausted, by the entrance to Jan's shed. Jan's other attendant is a lost cause. As for Vlad, you'll actually have to climb up to the tower to see, but Yorveth has a pretty good idea.

Taking their weapons is no problem, depending on what you think of as a weapon. Jan himself hadn't participated in the fight, and the officer had already laid his sword down. You see that the latter is wearing a distinctive elk's head cloak clasp like Bydon's, and Kressle was wearing one as well. Yet while none of them mind having their weapons taken, they're all wearing knives at their belts secured like tools, much like all the bandits who raided Oleg's were. The way Aron was walking as he walked up to sit by Tawny under the tree, he either didn't even think of the thing as a weapon, or didn't expect to surrender it.

"My name's Kirill, by the way," the officer offers, trying further to defuse the tension. He moves slowly, but deliberately, around Zhubin and up the sandy embankment to approach the others. "Who are you and what are you doing here? You want the booty? It's all under the tower."

[Beowulf DW]

"We're here to make sure you didn't try to take revenge on Oleg and his family after what we did to Bydon and his group. We probably would have been happy to leave you alone for another few days if Jan hadn't gotten away. We thought he might raise the alarm," says Yorveth as he stands up and away from the old bandit, satisfied that the arrow wound is more or less patched up. "Incidentally, Kressle took a certain ring from the trading post, didn't she? Anyone know where it is?"

[Kalirren]

We're here to make sure you didn't try to take revenge on Oleg and his family after what we did to Bydon and his group. We probably would have been happy to leave you alone for another few days if Jan hadn't gotten away. We thought he might raise the alarm.

"I did raise the alarm," Jan protests. "So we had three archers on the tower instead of one, just in case you came knocking," he says, with a bit of pride. "But you should've at least had the decency to tell us what you wanted to rob us for before you started shooting us all up." Aron nods, concurring.

Kirill is disappointed. "By Hanspur, is that all? You think we'd want revenge on that sorry pair for finally having hired some guards? You've got to be joking. If only you'd heard how difficult it was for me to convince Kressle not to break camp and head for the Stag Lord's fort once we'd heard Jan's t- " "Yeah, well maybe we ought to have listened to her," Aron's voice interjects. "Son, we wouldn't have been able to leave before morning anyway. The river's flooded. As I was saying," the officer continues, "you have what you hold. In the end, Kressle decided to watch you. If you'd marched the five of them out in chains for Restov, or wherever you're from, we'd have hit the prison train on the road, given it a good go. But if they're dead? There's nothing we could do. They'd be gone. And we too would've given up hope in a few days."

"Please tell me you came for the booty," he asks the others present. "Else, two people died for this, and that's a sorry shame."

"Two people? Who else died?"

Kirill shakes his head in disbelief, and extends a hand to the back wall of the shed to prop himself upright. "Make that three. Kressle and Vasily. Who else died?"

Yorveth sees the old man's face contort with poignant sorrow as he hears those names. "Andrei too." Jan falls silent, and looks away.


Incidentally, Kressle took a certain ring from the trading post, didn't she? Anyone know where it is?

"Yeah, I remember that ring. Kressle tossed it to Bydon, and Jan said you captured him, so ask him, if he's still breathing. If Bydon doesn't have it still then I have no clue where it went."

"He wagered it in a game of poker once, but he won that hand," Aron added. "Never seen it since. I'll bet the blasted fey took it," The young man winces as if he'd said a curse without meaning to, then gives a paranoid glance over his left shoulder. As if on cue, an acorn drops from the elm tree and hits him on the head. (Elm trees don't have acorns.)

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth sighs and rubs his temples a bit. Is treasure and money all these people understand?

We didn't come for the loot, and Oleg didn't hire us. Charters have been issued authorizing us to survey the Greenbelt and punish bandits that don't wise up, though my friend here likely has more to say on that account," says Yorveth as he indicates Arash again.

When he sees the acorn fall after the mention of fey, Yorveth looks toward the elm, looking for anything else that's out of place.

Perception: [roll0]

[Kalirren]

Pretty much everyone looks up when the acorn falls. Yet nothing can be seen through the flickering openings in the tree's vase-like form, and the only sound that reaches your ears is the sussurus of leaves in the rising wind and the babbling of the creek. A raven's caw breaks the moment of silence.

**

Shyladric, approaching the tower from below as she moves to check up on the last hurt bandit, sees the booty stockpiled there. Three solid wooden crates lie stacked in the shape of an L, the topmost with its lid open, revealing that they contain furs and hides stolen from Oleg's. At the foot of the L, a fourth, smaller case of surprisingly fine liquor. Absinthe, the case claims, from a distillery in Pitax.

Climbing the ladder, she finds Miriel. The waif of a girl who's hidden up here can't be more than sixteen, and she's so focused on trying to tend to Vlad, and becoming more and more distraught at her failure to effectively wrangle the bandages. On the verge of tears, she couldn't care less about the bow at her side.

"You're going to make it, you're going to make it...say something, please...", she pleads.

[North_Ranger]

Arash didn't seem much amused by Shyladric's quips, but he merely grunted as he went back to watching over the prisoners. Clearly he was in a foul mood; it probably had something to do with the fact that his blade had gone clean in this battle, the only thing it had cut being air.

"I did not notice she was wounded", he did answer, however, when the woman chastised him for withholding his healing prayers. "My apologies. I will venture to do better next time."

With his deadpan manner of expressing himself, it was hard to tell whether the brooding zealot was serious or if he was making fun of her...

[Yanisa]

Shyladric

Stupid crow, stupid acorn... for a moment it felt like the bandits might had another card. This is why she was collecting weapons, preventing sneak attacks.

After a walk trough the camp, hearing the bandits talk and finding their loot, Shyladric's opinion did change. For the vile lawbreakers they are, they at least care for each other. She wondered how much damage these bandits did to others. She still felt these bandits should be punished, being friendly with other bandits those not excuse banditry itself.

When she enters the towers the feelings of justice quickly disappeared and made place for pity and emphatic. That poor young girl. She quickly aided, offering a few casual, and general know, pointers about bandages from the temple way back. offering her simple advise. "He is pretty far gone, but still struggling. He might survive if he stayed here. No way he would survive any trip downwards. Keep on eye on him." She grabs the bow and regroups with her party members, giving a small briefing.
"I got most of their weapons, preventing any chance for dirty tricks... Although I start to doubt they are in any shape for that... The loot is where they said it was... the one wounded in the tower is still alive, but barely. Nothing I could do there. So... you guys got anything useful out of them?"

Ilves

Ilves is sitting next to a small pile of a couple of weapons. She did not understand her mistress... Defend what? No member of the group in danger here, no names named... She rather kept her eyes on that one enemy of the group (Istvan) growling and hissing each time he moved.

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Zhubin nods thanks at the sudden jolt of celestial healing...

...But clearly disturbed, by matters simple yet complex
Heartstrings pulled but keeping a hard face
Zhubin kicks at Arash's brazen greave
And simply says, "I'll watch them.
You. Make. Sure. Nobody.
Else. Dies. NOBODY.
Ye friggen 'ear?
Includin' them."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth makes his way over to the tower upon hearing Shyladric's prognosis. He was taught to shoot to kill, to prevent undue suffering. Now he'd only caused even more pain. The half-elf climbs up, intent on helping the young man, or to at least ease his passing.

"Give me some room, lass. Let me see what I can do."

Yorveth prays to Erastil as he begins, "Old Dead Eye, help to set right the pain I've caused, both to this boy, and to this girl."

[roll0]

[Halae]

Tawny

Tawny considers her options. She's here next to the boy because he might try something but... well, she has some skill at healing, right? May as well put it to use.

Tawny will head up the tower as well, and will attempt to aid Yorveth, "I know some healing magic, but I don't have it prepared. I'd have to wait until tomorrow to use it, but if we can get them stable until then, I can help."

Aid Another Action on Yorveth's Heal check

[Kalirren]

It's crowded and cramped up in that lookout loft, so you end up having to take turns going up and down. It almost makes you wonder how they fitted three archers all with room to draw. Thankfully, the bandits did stock bandages, which makes it possible to at least anchor the arrows in Vlad's torso.

You do your best, careful work despite the surroundings. Even after that work is done, it takes you a while of deliberation to conclude that without magical healing, it's very likely that the young man will die, especially if he is exposed to the rain that you expect to be coming. The bandits' works in the tree have no roof. He must be moved.

Proposing this to Miriel takes a bit of courage, but she's been there all the time, taking up as little space as possible, and has also seen all that you have seen. Whelmed yet steadfast, she nods her assent to more drastic measures. You end up removing the arrows first, then magically mending the re-traumatized wounds afterwards, so that he can be safely moved. Eventually it is by a team effort, and by Ragathiel's grace, that the wounded woodsman is given a real chance at life.

**

It's a remorseful Yorveth and a dutiful Arash who eventually carry Vlad's limp frame across the creek back to the others. A tearful Miriel is with Shyladric, and asks her as they find the same stepping stones why a girl like her is with the others. Tawny sympathetically connects the two halves of the procession.

The five of them file up the sandy embankment and past Zhubin, Aron, and Kirill. As Jan rises from his makeshift bed underneath the shed, silently yielding his place to one worse wounded than himself, the ironic doubt sets in for you all that after all your efforts, Vlad may yet die to the law.

"Looks like we have a court here," comments Aron. You get the impression from Kirill's snort that courts, as such, are a mental object of derision in the Stolen Lands. "So who's king? Exactly what kind of sort of judgment are we facing, now?" He looks from Tawny's goatlike legs to Arash's holy symbol. "Please tell me you're not working with the Hellknights?" He may ask it, but his tone is already skeptical.

[Halae]

Tawny

Tawny frowns, "We're from Brevoy, not Cheliax. My parentage has no part in this, even if I wouldn't mind having the Order of the Nail up here to help us."

"Here's the deal though - We're surveying the greenbelt, and our charter tells us that we have to track down and stop banditry, either by killing them, or getting them to repent. It's the same deal we gave to the group we captured; give up banditry and we let you live. Probably even help you live, given we can probably find work for you to do around the trading post."

"On top of this, if I'm right about the charter, we're looking at forming settlements once the region is surveyed. Those who helped early on would be influential in the settlement's forming, and likely end up as fairly important to them. So what do you think? Willing to lay down the bandit act and help us?"

It's a good deal and Tawny knows it. She's not completely certain about the charter resulting in settlements, but it makes enough sense to say, and it's a good pitch to make.

Diplomacy:[roll0]
Hopefully with bonuses for a good pitch.

[Kalirren]

"Now just wait a darned minute," says Kirill, "I think we need to get some principles straight first."

"Yeah," agrees Aron, clearly quick to let his mouth jabber. "Could one of you marauders kindly please tell me what banditry is? I must be confused. None of us have done anything out of the ordinary, nothing against the Six Freedoms, not even to Oleg." He says this with such sincere certainty, it must be true, right? "You, on the other hand..."

Jan takes a deep breath and braces himself. "Banditry, Aron, is when you take something o' someone else's," he interrupts simply. "But you have what you hold," protests the young man. That's the second time you've heard that phrase in less than ten minutes.

"Just listen for a second here," the old man answers, raising a finger. He leans over the table and palms a coin that scrapes on the wood before leaving the edge. "Banditry is when you take something," he begins again, tossing the coin on the ground just a few inches from the lad's feet, "that belongs to someone else," he finishes, as Aron by instinct reaches to grab it. "I didn't say you could have it, lad. That's my coin."

"No it isn't," Aron laughs. He scoops it right up.

Jan shrugs, palms another coin, throws it on the ground again just a tad closer. "That's my coin," Jan repeats. "Get real," the young man jeers, adding the second one and beginning a stack.

The next one, even closer. "Mine." "Uh huh." Aron is on his knees, crawling towards Jan like a bloodhound on a trail.

A fourth, almost at Jan's feet. "That one too." It's gone as soon as it hits the ground. Aron is enjoying this game. You get the feeling they must play these metaphorical games of wit very often, and for once, the lad thinks he's winning.

A fifth, close enough for Jan to step on it. And he does...just barely. There's enough of it for Aron to slide it out from under the old man's shoe, and with an eager growl, sure enough, he does.

A sixth, Jan holds at foot level, like he's feeding a dog. Aron plays along and snatches it with his teeth.

A seventh. "This one's mine." He holds it up in his hand, between two fingers, and palms it behind the other three. He nods. Aron nods with him. "Yeah, yeah it is. What's your point, old man?" He sits right down at his elder's feet.

"And for that matter, so is that one, and that one, and that one, and that one, and that one," he continues, pointing 5 times to the stack in Aron's right hand, then putting his fist on his hip. "Even the first one," Jan shakes his head. "Still mine." Aron shakes his head. Jan nods his head, smirking. "You're a bandit." The old man's deadpan is perfect, leaving just the most incredulous and offended look on Aron's face. It only takes a few seconds for the lad to just shove the stack of coins back at the old man. "Well then, the whole land is swarmin' with bandits! It hasn't got anything to do with bein' a good or bad man!"

"Aha...! Now you understand..." He turns to address you five. "So...the five of you sneak into this here forest, and kill a bunch of folk without making your demands clear first, and you say this is all..." he stammers through a vast sea of not being impressed, "legal because of a few words written on some piece of paper stamped with the seal of a lord who has never ruled these lands and waters before, him or his ancestors? Say what you will, I live Fr-..."

"Now just wait a darned minute," repeats Kirill, in that very same voice. "Do you know what the Six Freedoms even are? say what you will I live free, oathbreakers die, walk any road float any river, courts are for kings, slavery's an abomination, you have what you hold?" The whole string of sounds goes by so fast, it sounds like Kirill's reciting a mantra. You barely understand it, and only do because the hand gestures that go with what he's saying are so fluid. "You want me to give up the Sixth Freedom at spearpoint? I'm not saying no. That's the way that Freedom works. But you want me to lay it down completely? What about every other soul in the Stolen Lands? What am I supposed to do when I meet them?"

[Halae]

Tawny

Tawny grimaces.

"Whoa, hold on there Boys. Keep in mind the Freedoms only apply inside the River Kingdoms. Maybe this'll be a River Kingdom eventually, but right now? This is just a wide swathe of contested ground."

"Read between the lines a little; this is what we're charged to do, and I'm pretty sure the Swordlords expected us to just go about wantonly slaughtering whomever we found wielding a weapon. We have to hold up our end of the charter to get our due, which is why we're making peace with you - asking you to 'repent' is part of the charter, as if you do, there's no reason for us to come after you."

"Basically, all we're asking you to do is not steal, and possibly make friends with Oleg. I even offered healing magic for the men still alive but unconscious; something that'd cost you quite a bit of gold if you ever needed it in an emergency. It's a peace offering."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

The inquisitor steps forward a bit and prepares to enter this arena of philosophy.

"Freedom is all well and good, but I hope you'll all find that when you give up some freedoms, others reveal themselves. For instance, if you give up the freedom to take what Oleg has earned, you may find the freedom from fear that somebody will take what you have. The freedom to not have to keep a weapon on you at all times. The freedom to be weak, and not be powerless before the strong, as you forced Oleg to be for so long."

[North_Ranger]

Arash Ignezi

"Freedom to do as you please? Is a cuckoo just and righteous when forcing others to feed its young? Do you laud a mosquito or a leech for its bravery in stealing your blood?" Arash asked, looking sternly at the gathered bandits mewling about being in the right under the River Freedoms. He remembered such Freedoms, in the burning of his boat and the loss of his crusading gear. He should have been in Mendev by now, bringing Ragathiel's righteous fury to the demons. Instead, he was here in a damp shack in the Stolen Lands, listening to bandits trying to justify their brigandry.

"Look at what you have. A leeking shack, no provisions, no future. I am willing to bet few of you can remember the last time you went to sleep feeling safe and with a full belly. You strive to grab as much as you can for yourself, just to survive. Is that any way for a man to live? Or a woman?" he snarled, giving Miriel a little nod when he included her in his question. "If you wish to live like beasts and vermin, you will be treated as such. Or you can try giving a little to gain a little."

Case in point, Arash rose to his feet and moved over to where Vlad was lying. Removing the wing-and-blade pendant from his neck, the young zealot began to pray, words of Varisian and Celestial mingling as he called upon the strength of Ragathiel. A soft, golden glow surrounded first the pendant and then the wounded bandit's barely-bandaged wounds.

Burning his last 1st level spell for a CLW on Vlad: [roll0]

"Your friend will live through the night", Arash spoke again as the glow faded and he put his pendant back around his neck.

[Kalirren]

Freedom to do as you please? Is a cuckoo just and righteous when forcing others to feed its young? Do you laud a mosquito or a leech for its bravery in stealing your blood?

"Of course not," Aron fires back. "There's a difference between robbery and stealing. That's what I asked Cone-hat before. Couldn't you just have robbed us?" He's not trying to be particularly defiant, yet is succeeding quite handily at being so. "Robbery's fine and good. It's part of life here. Someone robs you for something, you know who they are, you make a decision, whether or not to hold it against them. Either way, they're still someone to you, and you're still someone to them."

Jan nods his approval of the young man's response. "Not like you, you came in shootin' and hollerin' and chantin' like goblins. Andrei was dead before you even said a word. Is that what you think we are? Goblins?" He shakes his head vehemently. "The Six Freedoms are the unwritten law of this land. I know it's different where you're from, but for us it's all we have and share, and they hold as far south as Mivon and as far west as Razmiran. Well, not Razmiran any more... Anyhow, they're the laws that no lord here can break, without havin' their people up and go somewhere else and leavin'em to rule over a pile of dirt. If you'd followed them, maybe we could have settled this whole matter of Oleg's over a duel instead of killin' three people."


"Whoa, hold on there Boys. Keep in mind the Freedoms only apply inside the River Kingdoms. Maybe this'll be a River Kingdom eventually, but right now? This is just a wide swath of contested ground."

"Read between the lines a little; this is what we're charged to do, and I'm pretty sure the Swordlords expected us to just go about wantonly slaughtering whomever we found wielding a weapon. We have to hold up our end of the charter to get our due, which is why we're making peace with you - asking you to 'repent' is part of the charter, as if you do, there's no reason for us to come after you."

"Basically, all we're asking you to do is not steal, and possibly make friends with Oleg. I even offered healing magic for the men still alive but unconscious; something that'd cost you quite a bit of gold if you ever needed it in an emergency. It's a peace offering."


"And for all that we are much grateful, please know," acknowledges Kirill. "I sure am. Aron knows it could've been him. My daughter there's about ready to go over already, I'm just tryin' to negotiate some decent terms for her before she ends up a pauper whore on your streets. Even Jan might be mouthin' off at you, but even he ha'n't said 'no' yet."

"You just wait," Jan chafes. "You're not helpin', old man. Shut up."

"As far as anyone can remember, the River Kingdoms have always been contested ground," Kirill resumes. "But I take your point. Closest thing we've got to a king here now is the Stag Lord." He taps his stag's head badge of office. "I don't know what that liar Bydon told you about him. Bydon never met the man. I have. It took your Swordlords months to send a troop to Oleg's, but the Stag Lord could send a dozen men up here tomorrow, so you'll have to forgive me if I'm cautious about taking your terms."

"You say we might make friends with Oleg, that's a curious thing. I've got nothing against it if he's willing to forgive, but let me tell you, there was a reason why we decided to raid Oleg even before we knew he wasn't guarded. You don't decide to raid a fort without good reason. Plenty of caravans that ply the South Rostland Road are also weakly guarded and can't hope to hold what they carry. They carry all sorts of things - fabric, iron, grain - but we haven't started hitting them yet, I don't think. Kressle never did anyhow.

"The reason why she picked out Oleg's, 'stead of ol' Bokken, is that Oleg's main business is in furs and hides. Trappers and hunters who aren't Riverfolk come down every season for our game. Gaming and fishing is our livelihood, and every beast and every fish they take is one that isn't going to feed us. They take from the land and don't live here. Every winter they go back up to their homes in Rostland." Jan adds, "There's been more of them in recent years, and there hasn't been enough game to go around. You have a word for that, you know. I think it's called 'poaching', heh heh." "Heh hih hih," chuckles Aron.

"Back last winter when the Stag Lord and his officers were deciding how to extend our control, these were all things we considered. There's boggards all to the west past the Narlmarches, and lizardmen to the south, and the land's worth so much less, so he decided to pressure north and east. Kressle figured we'd be protectin' our own livelihoods to boot if we hit up the fur trader in that fort. Lo and behold, the rumors were true, the fort wasn't garrisoned. So we kept hittin' it, hoping to drive him out of business. Once the fur traders left, we'd have the woods to ourselves again."

"Now you're tellin' us to cut that out. Okay. You win. Sounds like you've got enough of our own men inside that fort all 'repented' you'd be able to fend off anything we could try for a while. But that won't be good enough for us repenting, will it?" He looks around. "Didn't think so. You can make promises but I want more than an oath from you, just like I can see in your eyes you want more than an oath from me. Your offer's good, tiefling. But your charter here doesn't spell you out the right to offer it."

"I want to make sure my family and my friends can take that place you're promising us in these new settlements, if and when you beat the Stag Lord and the settlers start comin'. Now you say you're here to survey?" he confirms. "When you make a map of this place? You let us mark in our claims to land, any land we want, as freeholders, before any of your countrymen show up with their families, wanting a claim." Jan buts in, "And you get that map stamped by someone who's written up by your king to give it to us, legally."

Kirill nods, agreeing. "And then we see if you beat the Stag Lord. If you don't, it's all washed down the Sellen anyway, whatever. But if you do, we'll all repent. And until then, the lot of us will stay out of your way, and out of Oleg's way, and any of your countrymens'."

[Halae]

Tawny

Tawny considers this for a long moment, her mind going over the potential ways this could fall through. The stag lord beats them and it all falls through; that's the obvious one, but there's also the idea that Brevoy might want a stronger influential position down here, but for now it works.

"As long as the land you're asking isn't some we'd use for a settlement, your terms are entirely acceptable. I, Tawny Renvar, swear to you that as long as you hold up your end of the bargain, I will do everything in my power to hold up mine. If I break this oath, I'll already be dead at someone's hands - I inherited that trait from the devils that spawned me. If I make a deal I'll see it through."

She'll look at those assembled for a moment, seeing if there's any disagreement in their faces. This is their chance to speak if they want to interrupt the deal.

As long as nobody interrupts, Tawny will extend a clawed hand to Kirill to shake.

[North_Ranger]

"The forces of Hell are not alone in their judgment of oathbreakers", Arash spoke again, looking approvingly at Tawny. "And I understand your concerns, now that you have voiced them, even if your choice of addressing them with Oleg was not to my liking. No man deserves to be driven from his land like a dog, or deprived of the means to provide for his family. And seeing how these lands are lawless, neither part of Brevoy - at least for now - nor ruled by a River King, I suppose we are within our rights to follow our own judgment in making this agreement, for the benefit of all."

I will join the powers of Heaven in your pledge. I, Arash Ignezi, swear in the name of my Lord Ragathiel to do all in my power to safeguard your rights as residents of these lands, as long as you honour your own pledge. My blood on His blade should I break this oath", he continued as he stood up next to Tawny. Slowly he removed one of his gauntlets and then unsheathed Judgment. Without breaking eye contact or even blinking, he grabbed the naked blade with his bare hand and squeezed. A small trickle of blood slid down the glittering steel.

"Oathbreakers die", he voiced one of the tenets Kirill had listed, giving the man a stern gaze.

[Yanisa]

Shyladric, no Ilves

Shyladric rolls her eyes as she turns to Tawny and Arash. "Are you guys serious? You basically are given them permission to let them keep doing what they do. You only excluded us, anyone from Cheliax and Oleg and his wife. The rest of this world is fair game! They are clearly cowards, weaseling out of their guilt and own consciences and I don't see them changing their ways with these 'freedoms' they proclaim they have. And you are just taking their word as well, from the same people who had no qualms hurting and destroying a family just trying to make their living here as well without hurting people! Just because their life sucks and they are the only one in the world with problems. Geeh no wonder the place here sucks, every idiot with harmful intention gets the chance to escape judgement, avoid facing their rightful punishment because they can give a good sob story. Maybe if they proved themselves, but at the moment they are not doing a good job, in fact their are justifying! HARMING! PEOPLE! FOR! OWN! PROFIT!" Shyladric tirade falls silent for a moment and then adds. "And you just agreed with them!" She sighs

[Halae]

Tawny

"Realize for a moment that that's exactly what this deal is aiming to prevent. You'd have us do what? Kill more of them? What's there to gain in that for either side? The deal is to stop being what we identify as bandits, leave Oleg alone, and similar. Think it through," Her tail moves back and forth rather furiously

"And for the record, I'm not from Cheliax, even if the human side of my ancestors are. They aren't my countrymen."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth

Yorveth stands besides Shyladric, facing Tawny and Arash.

"I want no more blood on my hands than is necessary, and I understand that these folks feel that their way of life-the only life they know-is being threatened. But that doesn't excuse what they did to Oleg and his family! The trappers and hunters were making game scarce? Hah! An army of them might be able to accomplish that in the Greenbelt. And I didn't see any army of grizzled hunters hanging around the trading post, did you? If it was the hunters they took issue with, why not simply take it up with those same hunters? Why make a target of a man who'd done nothing to them? And even if they had made a target of the hunters, it would be just as bad! My grandfather hunted the Greenbelt. He kept my mother and I fed and warm with the coin he made from the furs and the meat he took from the animals. What was stopping these people from trading furs and meat with Oleg themselves, eh? They could be living in decent huts, with food and coin to spare from trading. Instead they chose to terrorize an innocent family! These people are either morons, are lying to us, or have been lied to. Shyl has a point. Some form of recompense must be made. An apology and the return of all those furs should be enough."

[Yanisa]

Shyladric
Getting backed up by Yorveth felt odd, based on earlier today, but it was good to have the feeling she wasn't the only one seeing the truth. She still felt he was being light, but at least he demanded action and it was a good first step. first off the others needed to be talked out of this plan.

"Kill them?" Shyladric remembered when she came here, so full of justice and so ready to deliver it to bandits. Now seeing how surprisingly human they were it seemed to harsh. Besides death has been delivered and that part of the sentence was already fulfilled. "No, we kinda already did that. Besides these are not evil people, they are selfish people." She turns to Tawny specifically. "Yeah, you mentioned that, it slipped my mind as I tried to make to example. Regardless it is pretty vague who "our countrymen" are. We should get this deal on paper at least. And again your deal is avoiding punishment! We can't just let them go with the argument 'they said they will better their lives'. They committed crimes, they at the very least need to show they repent, not just say it. Not to mention we are promising giving them land as well!" Shyladric shakes here head.
"We are getting a very bad deal here, leaving criminals with the vague promise of not committing banditry against specific people and an undefined country... and also ending up with giving them land we don't own."
Although there was a good point in giving them land, if they have it, they would be far less likely to commit crime again. But you can promise away land that you don't own, or even first promise and get permission later. Then again these were lawless lands... maybe there was an other way.

Ilves
Ilves is bored by a lot of humans doing a lot of talking. Zzz...

Shyladric, earlier today

A tearful Miriel is with Shyladric, and asks her, as they find the same stepping stones, why a girl like her is with the others.

"Can ask you the same. But let's start with an answer." Shyladric tabs her symbol. "I came with a mission. Offering the world the wisdom I learned from The Green Faith. Lessons like sharing, and being kind to others. Something you guys almost already did... except the whole extortion of Oleg..." She sighs. "Life is odd like that... Also I didn't to find someone like you here... May I ask your question back?"

[Kalirren]

Hearing some bit of dissension in your ranks, and uncertain exactly how it might end up being resolved, Kirill nods to acknowledge that Tawny and Arash are willing to move forward, offering the comment to Yorveth and Shyladric that they're of course willing to return what they can of what they took from Oleg's as part of the terms. He adds that there is also other booty, undoubtedly including some of the payment that the Stag Lord gave them for the hides they took. Earlier shipments have obviously been taken to the Stag Lord's fortress, where there's apparently a tanner. Getting them back will be harder, or impossible. You realize he's playing his position cautiously, not wanting to risk being challenged to a duel if your intra-party negotiations break down.

When you do eventually get around to taking inventory, you find, in addition to the three crates of furs and hides and the case of booze,

321 sp, 90 gp, in specie
A pair of silver earrings of Varisian make, with a pair of large, clear blue gemstones set into a flat plate adorned with filigree,
a wooden music box that plays a slow dance tune,
a violin that Aron claims was made in Pitax. A label glued into the inside of the instrument's body bears the writing "N. Gramati".

Shyladric:
As for the officer's narration about the state of hunting and trapping in these lands, only you are in a position to independently evaluate that claim, as only you went through Oleg's books. Even then, Oleg's books effectively only showed one year, so the insight you gain is limited.

As you re-examine your memory, two interrelated details stand out to you. First, those who do buy supplies from Oleg's have started going out in teams to tackle bigger and more dangerous game. Second, if you assume that hunters and trappers outfitted by Oleg also sell their furs and hides to him, then the catch-to-effort ratio actually looked pretty poor.

Whether this is caused by overhunting, or banditry, or a lack of hunting skill, or natural cycles, was not obvious. It's certainly possible that Riverfolk actually are seeing a dwindling in the abundance of game and are blaming the Brevic influence for it, whether or not that is the real cause.

As for the fishing? Who knows.

**

Shyl earlier
Miriel shrugs. "I've been with Pa all my life..." she says, thinking. "Not much to say there, really. I never knew Ma, she died while I was real young. Pa's always treated me like a son, and done what he had to for the both of us. I think he chose to go with Kressle because he trusted her to look out for me."

[Miraqariftsky]

Zhubin Nanami

Glaring at democracy--- or anarchy--- Zhubin sighs, a hand massaging his temples. No matter how good the company of fellow longshanks... well, people... might be, times like this that he's reminded how beautiful the song of silence was, and is, out in the wilds.

Still, the taciturn ranger had said little. The others had covered that front well enough from many angles.

He has his shovel out. Slowly but surely, he begins to dig a hole near the roots of one of the spreading trees...

[Kalirren]

"In writing? only parchment we've got is what you brought," remarks Aron.

"By 'your countrymen' I mean you Brevic peoples, and anyone who comes down with you into the Stolen Lands. Doesn't matter where you're from, or her. The charter's got Regent of Brevoy's name on it, and it's him I'd be swearin' allegiance to if the Stag Lord bites it." You notice Jan shift his weight at that comment, clearly disapproving. Kirill looks towards Yorveth and Shyl. "If you want it, I'll come plain to Oleg. I'm not expecting a fat lot of good to come of it, mind you, least of all when I come plain about how we were trying to drive him out of business. Then we'll see what recompense he wants of us past what you'll return to him."

"And what if he wants to sell your girl into slavery?" jabs the old man. "I'm tryin' to walk an awful fine line, here, Jan," Kirill protests with patience worn thin. "But I think there's room to come out of this, even for me, someone who swore to serve the Stag Lord. If you don't think there is, then you're free to go drown in the Sellen."

"Maybe I just will," Jan says, trying to walk out. "If they let you," Kirill fires his parting shot, then sighs. He turns back to you, focusing on Arash. "And if after what I just said, you don't think there's a way for me, then better you kill me now, sooner that Aron and Miriel can repent the way you and Oleg might want them to. They haven't taken that oath."

[Beowulf DW]

Yorveth's face registers genuine horror and incredulity for a moment.

"No one's selling anyone into slavery! This is about justice, not vengeance! If it were the other way around, Oleg would have shown Bydon the business end of his great axe."

Yorveth addresses Jan, now. "On a somewhat related note, we met Haruldf, and I promised him that I wouldn't kill you if you didn't try to kill me or my friends. I hope that helps to clear up at least my own intentions, though I speak only for myself in that regard...But...Wait, wait, wait. What's this about an oath?"