"Let me see if I can find something." Jaska looks at the ground, trying to figure out where the outlaw might of run off to. "Solid stone floor and too many mixed tracks, I can't find the right one.
You are unable to determine the bandit's most recent tracks. One way seems to lead in the direction of the entrance, the other deeper in. Whatever is over the cliff you can't see.
"I would guess he went farther in," Mwenye states.
"Seems reasonable." Ryoken nods.
"Let us press on, but if we leave those back there on their own for long, they will try to escape" - Erianna nods.
"I'll take the lead, to make sure there aren't any more traps."
Jaska cautiously makes her way in the corridor, hoping to see any traps before her step on them.
After about 75ft. of squeezing through the tight passage it opens up a little and splits off to the left and right. Thanks to Jaska's sharp eyes you all avoid the pit trap in the middle of this room.
Mwenye quietly points to the left, suggesting the group go that way.
Erianna nods in agreement, waiting for Jaska to take the lead.
Ryoken shrugged. One way was about as good as another.
Again, Jaska takes the lead and keep an eye out for traps. This place is a maze... She hopes that they will get to the leader's room soon, since the longer they wander around, the more time he as to prepare himself.
It seems the small passages don't have any pit traps in them as they are too narrow. Jaska leads the way another 80ft. before it opens up into a much larger cavern. There is lots of smoke here and many burnt bodies are scattered on the floor of the room. Several of them are missing heads or arms too. It is a massacre worse than before. About 50 ft. straight ahead of you looks like the floor has fallen to some lower area. Further south of you Jaska can just make out a few living people gathered together but she cannot see the whole room without moving into it further.
Erianna's face goes stern at the sight - "Dragons are unforgiving creatures..." - she whispers, waiting for Jaska's complete report of the area.
"Yes...and it appears it was a bit hungry upon waking up." Ryoken does his best to keep low and avoid too much of the smokey air.
Mwenye growls softly, thinking just how different this red dragon is from the silver dragon that was his ancestor.
"We must see what the survivors are doing," he whispers, with a nod at Jaska.
Erianna waits for Jaska, nudging her on.
Turning to her new colleague, Jaska whispers a few words. "Stay here." She prowls silently in the room, almost completely disappearing from sight. She tries to get a better view of the room, without walking too far in.
Jaska darts out quietly and hides among the bodies strewn around. At the far end of the room stand 10 bandits. 9 of them are paying attention to one who seems to be giving orders.
Ryoken remains quiet and still, waiting for some sign to proceed or for their scout to report back.
Mwenye likewise is waiting for Jaska.
Erianna waits patiently.
Jaska sneaks back to the rest of the group. "I saw nine men and one leader. Are we strong enough to take them?"
"We have faced perhaps five or six bandits at a time with little trouble. The leader is a bit more worrisome as most likely the strongest of the group and unknown to us. The last bandit leader we ambushed while she was asleep, but she appeared to be a spellcaster of some sort. But we must also remember that if they think we will win the confrontation, they are likely to bolt down another little passage like this one."
"With time to prepare before we attack, we may well be able to defeat them," Mwenye whispers back. "Prepared with our own magic we are a deadly group."
"They deserve a chance to surrender and be redeemed" - she adds.
Jaska uses divine energy to enchant her bow and then herself. "As long as that leader stand, I don't think they will surrender." She then stealth back out, hugging the wall as she does, hoping to get a clear shot of the leader.
As you prepare, the men gather round their leader and they start to move out through the passages behind them. When you come back into the room you only see a few of them left.
Erianna dashes into the room without any further hesitation - "Stop fiends! You will answer for your crimes. Surrender!" - she roars, moving closer to the group.
Growling, Ryoken likewise charges forward at superhuman speed.
Mwenye also charges forward, his long strides eating up the distance as he catches up to those departing through the southern tunnel.
Since she is invisible, Jaske tries to get as close as she can to the exit that the bandit are leaving from. She hopes to get a glimpse of the leader somewhere in there.
You all race to catch the bandits as they shuffle through the other passages. They are almost all through but you catch one of them whom you recognise as the one who fled earlier. He turns to you with his sword held defensively between you and tries to fend you off but misses Mwenye. Through the passage you can see that it leads to the top of the cliff that you passed earlier.
Ryoken shakes his head at the bandit foolish enough to try to stop them. He had shown more brain when he had run for his life. He then steps forward and unleashes a mighty torrent of attacks, far faster than any would expect.
,
,
,
Mwenye strikes three times at the nearest (still-living, after Ryoken) bandit, throwing a swift punch then a kick then another punch. In spite of his current size and strength, he does his best not to just kill the man.
Erianna moves behind his companions to reach the other tunnel - "Remember Ryoken - it doesn't matter how eager you are to show your prowess, Redemption is not perfection. The redeemable must be given a chance to realize their imperfections"
Still invisible, Jaska tries to get in front of some of the bandits. She still hopes to see the leader. Killing or capturing her followers might reduce her strength, but she can still recruit new bandits. Take out the head and the rest will crumble.
Ryoken shrugs. "They have made their choice to become bandits, to live outside the law and hurt others for their own gain. Now they must accept the consequences of their actions. Only by accepting their fate gracefully can they hope to reclaim some shred of the honor they have abandoned."
Ryoken slays the bandit with several swift strokes and Mwenye knocks unconscious another who was trying to flee. The others make it through.
Jaska follows them and finds them gathered on the other side near the edge of the cliff. They have just lowered a rope ladder and it seems they were gathering to leave these caves. "Quickly. We can take the side passage. I'll hold them off." The leader, a female half-orc, says as one starts climbing down. Others hold bows and prepare to fire if anyone comes through after them. Little do they know of Jaska's invisibility.
Seeing he must fit through another small passageway, Mwenye dismisses his enlarge person and then follows the bandits, trusting to his magical protections and skills to protect him as he advances.
Realizing that trying to fight around Mwenye would likely not work well, Ryoken uses his enhanced speed to dash down the other tunnel towards the bandits.
Eriann a moves carefully across the bottom tunnel.
Jaska waits for a better view of the leader. Come on, I just need one clear shot.
Jaska waits as the bandits start climbing down the ladder and heading towards one of the passages but she doesn't get a clear line to the leader yet. They see they are chased by Mwenye and the others and fire off arrows at them but miss.
Ryoken continues to move forward, ready to start swinging left and right to lay the bandits low.
Mwenye steps forward and attacks at the bandit blocking him from the leader, striking with both hands and a kick.
The moment that there is only one bandit between her and the leader, Jaska start releasing her arrows. It takes only seconds, but three arrows her heading toward her target. She is hoping that they will all hit, but Jaska has her doubt.