GM Inneliese |
1st of Gozran, 4710 AR
It has been a week since the Swordlords of Restov issued charters of exploration for various areas within the Stolen Lands. While other groups were chartered for the Nomen Heights to the east or the Hooktongue Slough to the west, each of you have made your way to a trading post on the border between Brevoy and the region commonly known as the Greenbelt.
An old fort abandoned many years ago, shortly after the Vanishing of House Rogarvia, these days it is known as Oleg's Trading Post. Consisting of four watchtowers connected by wooden palisades, the old fort is easily visible from miles away on the open plains of southern Rostland. The tall grasses, scrub, and occasional stands of trees dotting the area have been cleared away from the area immediately surrounding the fort, and the South Rostland Road runs almost right on up to the thirty-foot wide gate, which has been left open.
There are four buildings inside the fort: a stable, a storage shed, a guest house that likely once served as a barracks for soldiers stationed here, and a squat wooden building that looks to be home to the proprietor of the trading post. Two sturdy wooden tables with benches can be found in between the old barracks and the house. A man can be seen on the roof of the stable, hammering away as he replaces old shingles with new ones. Upon noticing that he has company, he waves down and calls out in a gruff voice, "Make yourselves comfortable, I'll be down shortly!"
Feel free to mingle for a short while until the man finishes his repairs and climbs down to greet you properly. Also, you're all free to make Perception checks to notice additional details beyond what has already been described. Knowledge (geography) will give you some basic knowledge of the general layout of the Stolen Lands (but not much, as it is considered uncharted wilderness these days, left more or less blank on most maps), Knowledge (local) will give more background on the trading post and recent events, and Knowledge (nobility) will fill you in on details of the other groups chartered to explore the Stolen Lands... but that's not likely to be very relevant for the immediate future.
Paza |
Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
The dark-haired girl and her wolf do not answer the man's hail. They are an odd sight, to be sure; a genuine wolf, marked by many battles by its scars, and a teenaged human girl wearing hide armour, her arms, legs and feet bare, now leaning on a staff made of dark wood.
They stalked into the trading post together, the animal's scarred and furry shoulder brushing the girl's hip, feral yellow eyes glancing left to right, seeking threats. The wolf's nose and ears twitch and it growls under its breath at the strange sights and smells. Its tail is hanging low, not quite between its legs.
From this point on, however, there are some differences. Whereas the wolf is clearly upset and twitchy, the girl is cautious -- but interested. Her dark eyes are not much less feral than the wolf's, but they are drinking in the sights, such as they are. There is a small grin on her lips, even if she isn't talking to anyone.
Ary Bishop |
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
Atop a golden horse, marked by a white crest, mane and tail, Ary appeared in the middle distance from the fort, following the road at a steady pace. She was quite large, with long blonde hair hanging down to just below her shoulders, before sweeping away from her studded leather armor. The armor was of muted forest tones, with brass buttons... a color that in a forested region would likely simply look like dapples of sunlight during the day. Beneath the studded shirt, Ary wore explorer's garb, complete with a grey cloak resting across her shoulders. Thick boots, gloves, and a leather tunic completed the ensemble.
To one side of Ary was a long sword, and to the other, was her light shield strapped to her arm, even as she rode. Tiny silver spikes glinted on the front of the shield in the sunlight, even as her hand rested on the horn of her saddle, allowing Libi to lead herself towards the fort. Ary seemed to be talking animatedly, her hand occasionally leaving the horn, as she expressed a particular point or opinion.
As the pair drew closer, it became apparent that the duo was actually a trio. In stark contrast to Ary, the second rider, sitting to her rear was completely unarmored. She had black hair, and was dressed in a tight shirt and pants, wreathed in veils of black and red. She wore a longspear across her back, but otherwise appeared unarmed.
As the two drew nearer the gate, it became apparent that Ary's cloak was two-toned, with a vibrant red interior, as would be expected of an Iomedean worshipper. The glinting spikes formed the shape of light refracting off of a lightly embossed sword in the center of her shield. She grabbed hold of the rein with her shield arm when she saw the girl and the wolf, before raising her weapon hand to wave to the pair that were already visible in the keep, one atop the roof and the more savage-looking girl nearby.
"Easy, Libi. Just pretend it's a big dog." she said in a deep, but consoling voice to the horse, as she guided herself and Kira into the gate. "See, Kira. I told you we weren't lost, that's what the map is for. Or will be for, once I've finished filling it out." she said with slightly less bravado. She dismounted at the gate and began leading Libi towards the stables.
She let her eyes linger on the feral-looking girl for a moment, before speaking in the same tone she'd spoken to the horse before. "Hello there. My name's Ary and I'm somewhat new to the area. This is Oleg's Trading Post... right?"
Kira Holt |
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Knowledge Geography: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Knowledge Local: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Knowledge Nobility: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Kira didn't respond at first as she was too busy gazing over the new environment and mentally comparing it to the stories she had gathered from books, travelers, and other sources.
When she did speak she didn't make any effort for eye contact as she continued to be distracted by the area. "I trusted you, even if you took the long way."
Kira didn't even notice the wolf and it's human until Ary spoke to her."Are you a traveler or from around here?"
Pyotr Orlovsky |
A caravan wagon stopped just outside of the gates of Oleg's, a pair of bags flew from the back, followed shortly by a long-legged youth leaping lithely after them.
"I thank you for the ride and the company Yuri, may the scales always tip favorably toward you as you continue your travels," The smooth baritone called to the driver.
"Aye, be sure to thank your father for me, I appreciated the company and the easy gold." The driver called back.
The youth smiled, putting his left hand on the hilt of his sheathed greatsword to stop its swaying after he landed. He then made the holy sign of Abadar at the passing wagon, before picking up his bags and entering the outpost.
His grey eyes quickly scanned the courtyard. If the wolf caught him off guard, it didn't show. He nodded politely to each of the females, his eyes lingering on the red cloak of the rider.
Knowledge Religion on the Cloak: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18 I'm going to assume a 15 would be high enough to recognize the trappings of a worshipper of Iomedae, especially for a Paladin haha
He then looked up to the roofer, dropping his bags at his feet.
"Need a hand? I don't know much about roofing, but I've got a strong back."
Ary Bishop |
She's also wearing the holy symbol on her shield, if not in -masterwork- form. I've always worked holy symbols of main gods as 'common sense'. If you're below 10 int, you might have problems remembering part of the pantheon. YMMV. I'd say it's a safe bet to know what she is. :)
Ary looked over the youth with a slight smirk, and a nod. Boys and their overlarge swords. He'll be wishing he had a shield when the bandits started shooting. On the bright side, if he were near, she could probably share hers. If he hadn't been in earshot when she gave her name, Ary repeated her introduction, offering her sword-arm, even while keeping her shield on her arm. She hadn't offered her hand to the girl, a relatively easy feat would be to tell that Paza was to Ary what the Wolf had been to Libi. An unknown. "Ary Bishop, a pleasure to meet a fellow traveler."
Ary Bishop |
She shook back with a firm grip, but nothing that would hurt, before making the introductions as best she could.
"Libi," she motioned to the horse, "Kira Holt," she motioned to the dancer, "And... we just met." She motioned to Paza and the wolf. "One moment while I go get Libi undressed. She's been carrying all of our things for the last few days... plus us, when we didn't feel like walking. She deserves to get a little time out of the saddle." She began leading the horse towards the stables, though would still be in earshot for a time, allowing Paza to introduce herself before Ary simply left entirely. She didn't... want to be rude... but she also wanted to get Libi to a place where she wouldn't have to worry about the wolf.
GM Inneliese |
You've heard of significant bandit activity plaguing the Greenbelt in recent months, cutting off trade through the region and causing several families to abandon their homesteads and move to Restov in search of security no longer found along the border these days.
Listed below are descriptions of the three fliers Ary and Paza noticed. They are both free to bring the fliers to the attention of others, and those who haven't yet made a Perception check might still notice them.
Paza |
"Hello there. My name's Ary and I'm somewhat new to the area. This is Oleg's Trading Post... right?"
Paza glances at Ary, eyes meeting briefly before she looks away, jerking her chin at the man on the roof. A nonvocal way of saying 'Don't ask me, ask him'. The girl does not radiate any hostility when she does so, though.
Kira didn't even notice the wolf and it's human until Ary spoke to her."Are you a traveler or from around here?"
Paza blinks when Kira next asks a question, and visibly steels herself before she taps her chest. "Traveler." Next she puts a hand on the wolf's head, causing the animal to close its eyes and lean into her. "Local."
As Pyotr did not ask her directly, Paza only glances at him -- fleeting eye-contact, over almost before it begins -- and then suddenly moves, stalking over first to the storage shed, next to the gates. "Empty," she remarks, rapping her staff against the shed's door. "Stuck," she says, tapping the gate's hinges. "Bad. No supplies. No defence."
Pyotr Orlovsky |
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Knowledge Nobility: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Pyotr watches the girl and wolf as she moves toward the door of the shed and then toward the gate. His left hand absent-mindedly goes to the blue ribbon tied around the pommel of his greatsword. Twisting it gently between his forefinger and thumb.
"Then we'll just have to fix them Za ..." He says with a playful laugh. But then a look of pain crosses his face for just a moment. He blinks then turns back toward the man on the roof.
"Where's your well, I'll pull up some water. I'm sure we're all thirsty."
Ary Bishop |
Ary disappeared into the stables, and was busily taking care of Libi in a swift manner. Ary was used to being able to read people... or at least humans with a degree of practiced ease. The girl was different from most humans, though. She didn't move, speak, or even react the same. Well... there was one minor adventure to accomplish. Figure out the story behind the little feral girl.
How are horse supplies, while Ary is in the stables?
Geliglee Geerwander |
Riding in on a dog, a gnome with multi-colored clothing and flaming orange hair and beard comes into the camp. Apparently observing the wolf, he steers his dog a little distant, dismounts and gives the mutt a bit of a treat and pours some water into a bowl from his canteen. Stretching his back from the ride, the little figure muses aloud, "So this is where the grand adventure is to begin..." He turns to the others in the outpost and smiles brightly, "Are any of you also chartered for the taming of these wild-lands?"
GM Inneliese |
The man waves at Pyotr dismissively, answering, "I'm just about done." When he finishes shortly after, he looks down and seems a bit uneasy at the presence of the wolf, and downright nervous at all the weapons being carried, but still bravely climbs down his ladder to meet you all at level. Crossing his arms across his broad chest and speaking in the same gruff tone as before, he says, "I don't recognize a single one of you, and normally that would be a bad thing, but it means you're not any of the bandits who've already been harassing me, so I'm going to go out on a limb and guess the Swordlords sent you?" Without even waiting for an answer, he calls out loudly, "Svetlana! Company!" He quickly counts off how many of you have already arrived (hopefully there'll be enough food for Arnulf too), "Five of them, here to kill them damned bandits!"
He then smiles and opens his arms wide, his expression and tone warming considerably, "You look more like mercenaries than guards, but you'll have a warm meal and uh... well, I can't actually promise a proper bed for more than four of you just yet, we're still working on expanding our inn business, and all the money is in the trading post, but there's a well behind the main house and a tub if you're not overly shy, so you can at least have a proper bath if you like." He waves a hand in the direction of the two large tables and four benches, finally allowing others to get a word in edgewise as he heads over to take a seat and wipe the sweat from his brow from working on the roof. It's still early spring, but today is rather quite clear and a bit warmer than average.
The well can be found on the right side of the house, next to a large tub that has been covered with a wooden lid to keep anything from getting in when not in use. There's not even so much as a privacy curtain and it would seem that rather than a proper outhouse, the couple and any visitors have been simply using some open-air middens behind the stable.
You are aware of two other groups chartered by the Swordlords to explore other parts of the Stolen Lands. Maegar Varn is the third son of an Issian baron named Androth Varn who answered the Swordlords' call for adventurers accompanied by several mercenaries, collectively calling themselves the 'Varnling Host'. The Swordlords granted Varn and his companions a charter to explore the region known as the Nomen Heights, a region southeast of the Greenbelt which is home to many of the centaurs which Restov's forces have skirmished with in the last few decades. The other group is led by an actual noble, Baron Hannis Drelev, who despite his title controls no actual land within Brevoy. As the only legitimate noble granted a charter, he was granted first pick of regions, and chose rights to the area known as the Hooktongue Slough, northwest of the Greenbelt.
Ary Bishop |
Seeing the state of affairs in the stables, Ary opted to simply take Libi out to pasture in the nearby field. No sense in wasting what little hay and grain were available, plus it'd cost an arm and a leg, if the man were charging.
She made a pair of quick yipping noises, and despite being unpacked, and saddle-less, Libi followed Ary to just outside the gates. A soft and slow whistle told Libi to stay where she was... and Ary headed back in, to go look over the fliers she'd seen earlier. She smirked at the reaction from Oleg, turning to him, halfway through the bandit flier with a crooked brow. "I look like a Mercenary? I really was going for the guard look. What can you tell us about the bandits that are bothering you? Were they locals driven to be thieves or are they outsiders who came for the easy pillaging?"
know(N) Boar: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
"Hey, Kira? Do you know any stories about Tuskgutter, a boar, or River Drakes?" she motioned with her sword arm to the fliers.
Kira Holt |
Kira had dismounted while Ary lead her horse around to the She'd stare at the wolf, it's human, and the great sword wielder respectively, she still seemed distracted and strangely calm until Ary spoke to her again.
"Tuskgutter and River drakes?"
knowledge arcana: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
knowledge nature: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
knowledge local: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Pyotr Orlovsky |
"Mercenaries,"Pyotr said with a raised eyebrow then followed with a haughty laugh. "I assure you sir if that were the case you would not be able to afford me."
"You look thirsty and I am thirsty, I'll draw us some water and then you can tell me more about these thugs."
Paza |
"Bath?" Paza repeats, turning around at Oleg's words.
At her side, the wolf makes a low, unhappy noise and stalks a few steps away, stiff-legged. The girl growls under her breath, and the animal subsides, lying down on the ground.
"Hot or cold?" Paza asks.
Arnulf Juniper |
Ary notices a rather unorthodox duo traveling down the road towards Oleg's trading post: a broad man whose golden hair is decorated with leaves and twigs and a young bear clad in rough leathers that seem to be marked and decorated. The man's hulking form might give any on-lookers the impression that he isn't the bear's friend, but brother. The soft smile on his face changes when he sees a large group of stranger's inside the trading post's walls: two females, two men and a gnome plus a menagerie of animals. He figures that the woman he saw outside is also joining them and immediately the smile disappears, being replaced by a reserved look. His chin dips upwards ever so slightly and he gives the man who must be Oleg the smallest of nods, not wanting to become the focus of attention. If only he could hide behind his bardiche..
Ary Bishop |
The smirk on Ary's face remained with Pyotr's chiding. It remained with Paza's sudden interest in the bath. It remained with Kira trying to think up her stories. It remained while she looked over the gnome and his dog, the pair was so cute! Unfortunately, however, she had not heard his question due to the exact timing of his arrival. It remained as she listened to Oleg offer food, and to her credit, it even remained even while she looked out on Arnulf's arrival. The eyes widening, the shield interposing, and her movement away from the fliers to instinctively press between the group and the bear were only reasonable, if in some cases, trained reactions. 'Lady... what have I gotten myself into..?'
When neither of the two charged forward, or drew weapons in the case of the hunter, Ary cast a glance towards Pyotr and Kira. "You two must be incredibly lonely, without pets of your own."
The hope that no one would notice him, in particular, was largely successful on Ary in this venture: Several hundred pounds of muscle concealed only by a thin varnish of fur, and a thick varnish of leather infinitely screamed 'more interesting' to most every portion of Ary's mind, leaving Arnulf all but forgotten. Hopefully the bear were as well behaved as the wolf or dog.
A high, long whistle, and Libi had moved further out to pasture to clear the gate for the bear and his friend. She kept her distance sheepishly as she grazed, rather than staying nearby, bolting if anything came too close.
Paza |
A low, rumbling snarl erupts from the wolf's throat as it stalks over to Paza and takes up a protective stance in front of her. Hackles raised and teeth bared, its gaze is fixed solidly on the bear.
A second, higher-pitched snarl erupts from the girl behind him, who stands in a fighter's crouch, her teeth likewise bared and her quarterstaff held in a two-handed grip before her. Paza's eyes are fixed on the bear's.
Handle animal to make the bear back down, DC20 unless I'm mistaken: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12.
Arnulf Juniper |
Arnulf kneels down, making sure he remains taller than the wolf, and talks with a calm voice,"Calm down, boy. Medve here is a friend, not an enemy. Besides, he'll knock you out if you try to pick a fight with him. If you'll be good, I'll treat you on some delicious rabbit later on."
Unlike Paza and her companion, Arnulf and Medve haven't been claimed by the wild. The others can see the troubled look on his face as he tries to defuse the situation. Never before has he found himself staring at a rabid she-wolf and her wolf companion.
Geliglee Geerwander |
Smiling cheerfully as he observes the beginnings of conversations and stresses with the animals, ties his dog up some distance away before returning to hear some details of their task.
"Mercenary? So we're being paid then? Delightful. I could use some new inks to chronicle our journeys, and they are dreadfully expensive, but I do agree that we could use a little more information on the task at hand. Bandits is it?"
Paza |
Paza's eyes flash with genuine anger at Arnulf -- and she grabs the wolf by the scruff. The scarred animal snarls over his shoulder, only for the girl to snap at him, uttering a noise that seems to be half word, half bark. With obvious reluctance, the wolf stops growling and allows the girl to pull him away, both human and animal watching Arnulf and his companion with obvious mistrust.
"You two keep away from us," is all Paza says to the Hunter.
Arnulf Juniper |
Arnulf raises himself in a calm and collected manner while holding up his hands to the wild child and her wolf friend,"Okay, if that is what you want. I'm not looking for a fight, I'm looking for friends. The name is Arnulf, and this here is Medve.." he says while patting the bear on the head.
Pyotr Orlovsky |
Pyotr reappeared a few moments later a bucket of fresh water in one hand and some small tin cups some kind soul had left near the well he offered cups to the women first, then the gnome, and finally to Oleg and the Newcomer.
"Hello fellow newcomers," the tall youth said with a broad, easy smile. "I am Pyotr Orlovsky and you are?"
Ary Bishop |
Ary unconsciously slipped between the two and their companions, as she watched the situation peak and trough. Arnulf seemed like a rather nice guy, despite his choices in gargantuan furmonsters, while Paza rather reminded her of a storm, favoring her surroundings with sudden downpours, full of energy at times. Encroaching on Paza's alpha role in her tiny pack didn't at all occur to Ary, so she was effectively at a loss. The smirk had, by now, slipped away, as she caught her lower lip between her teeth.
Pyotr's return caught her attention, drawing it away from the two for a moment. "Yes, thank you." Ary nodded, accepting the cup with her sword arm, to keep her shield free to react, should tempers flair once more.
Arnulf Juniper |
Arnulf happily accepted the cup of water. "My thanks. It has been a long journey and it is good to be inside safe walls after having the wild snarl at me for so long." His eyes then drifted to Ary, a woman who matched his height and whose body told him she was trained for combat. When she caught him looking at her, he quickly adverted his eyes in the clumsy manner of men.
Medve is a SMALL bear! He's all cuddly .. I promise. It isn't until lvl4 that he grows to medium size :)
GM Inneliese |
The man shrugs when Ary and Pyotr seem to object to being called mercenaries, "I didn't mean anything negative by it. I'll take any help we can get." Despite his claim, he does still seem unnerved by Paza's wolf, though not enough not to answer her, "I'm sure a warm bath can be arranged after dinner has been served."
He begins taking a seat and seems about to answer Ary's question about the bandits or perhaps address the issue of the boar and river drakes, when Arnulf lumbers into the yard of the trading post. "Erastil preserve me!" He tumbles onto his back in his haste to try and back away from the large man and his bear.
Recomposing himself and brushing dust from his clothes, he stands and visibly gathers up his courage to address you all, "Ah, hopefully now this is all of you, and hopefully the Swordlords knew what they were doing in selecting all of you. Erastil knows I owe them some patience and trust after granting me this old fort. At any rate, introductions seem to be the first order of business, and I am Oleg Leveton, proprietor of this trading post. For all that you're not exactly what I was expecting when I complained to the Swordlords that their bounty wasn't helping, I'm very grateful all the same."
He takes a seat on a bench and gestures for everyone to do the same, but doesn't wait to see how many take the offer, "We've been plagued by these damned bandits all winter long, and pretty soon there'll be nothing left for them to take from us but our very lives. I don't know how many there are, or where they're camping out, but I'm certainly glad they haven't decided to just slit out throats and claim this fort for themselves. There's at least a dozen of them altogether, but I've not seen their leader in months, and I think she works for someone else altogether."
You're also familiar with everything Ary knows about boars. (See above)
Paza |
"This place has bad defences," Paza says, pointing at the rusted hinges. "Even a scavenger wouldn't happily sleep where enemies can just walk in."
She blinks her dark eyes at Oleg, and adds, casually: "I am Paza."
Ary Bishop |
Ary was careful to maintain her position between Arnulf and Paza, depending on where they went would dictate where she was. Despite being on guard, Ary managed to keep up with the conversation as it went. "Why did the Swordlords give this keep to you? Are you a local?" she asked of the man after his story, trying to piece things together.
Ary didn't like the idea of going out of her way to hurt people that were simply trying to survive, but by that same token, she liked the idea of trying to convert the murderers into a more valorous lifestyle, if the men were going to answer attempts for diplomacy with swordpoints, considerably less. She looked to the broken-down siege weapons, chewing on her cheek, as she thought. This place could use guards, and if Oleg could afford to pay the men, or at least give them board, they could fix the bandit problem -and- bring a bit more valor to the land, where before there would only be death.
"Thievery is a significant crime, but you're also lumping the probability of murder in there. Do you know of any first-hand incidents of anyone who has actually been hurt, beyond an accident, by the bandits? Have you tried to hire any of them?" She knew it sounded silly, but she'd found that a great deal of people who did bad things were more interested in survival, than simply watching the world burn.
Pyotr Orlovsky |
"In the absence of order the natural outgrowth is chaos. Of which the natural outgrowth is lawlessness, which itself devolves into banditry and banditry often gives rise to murder." Pyotr interjected. "Hungry or not, banditry is not the actions of civilized people."
He takes a drink of water.
"Paza is right though. Your outpost is in rough condition, your defenses are null. Which limits its usefulness as an inn in these lawless lands. We'll need to get your gates operational if we're going to be using this outpost as a base of operations, in case trouble follows us back."
"I'm guessing those don't work," he said as he pointed at the catapults atop each tower. "And Paza's already pointed out the issue with your gates. Do you have any oil or grease? Even you're grease catchings from your cooking fire could provide us with lubricant to tend to those."
Ary Bishop |
"Yes, Pyotr, but you're also skipping what causes a lack of order. These people are without direction. Have you never found yourself in a position where you didn't know what you were going to do for your next meal? Each day weighs on you." she shook her head. "And they took from him over the course of the winter. They didn't kill him, they didn't take everything he had and leave him to die. Certainly, they are without law, and certainly they are far removed from valor, but that does not mean that they are unreachable. Tell me, what is the penalty of theft in your lands? Is it death? I'd much rather know what they are guilty of before deciding how to deal with the issue. And whether or not there are even other options available to us."
Paza |
"Farmers, not hunters," Paza says when Ary describes what the bandits have been doing. "Take a little at a time. Leave the animal alive." She shakes her head. "Farm animals are stupid. Humans can't live like that. Not and be free."
Arnulf Juniper |
The words spoken by Ary and Pyotr made him wonder if he had just stumbled into a congregation meeting of the holier than thou club. What was that goddess called again? Yomeday? Well, whatever her name was, he knew the brutal reality of these parts would present itself sooner rather than later. The bandits would come and sink their hungry claws into the innocent once more and force them into action. Turning them into inexperienced and uneducated farmers without any arable land, any equipment and no lifestock? Heh, right. A bitter taste filled his mouth. A taste that hadn't left his mouth ever since that Asmodeus-be-cursed day..
Without saying a word he witnessed the exchange of his companions, knowing that only action would show either the wisdom or folly of their plans. Whatever they'd agree upon, he'd stand by their side, because those who dream of good things deserve at least. A chance.
Ary Bishop |
Ary looked surprised at Paza's point of view, but after a moment, she nodded ascent to the younger girl; perhaps they had been using the man as a sort of 'bank' that they merely used to accrue interest, leaving him alive enough to collect more bounty for them. She returned to chewing her cheek as she thought.
Arnulf Juniper |
"Farm animals made a pact with the humans long ago. In exchange for being fed, taken care of and protected, they will in turn feed the humans when the time comes. Both man and animal benefit in the long run. What I just said is merely the summary of the Tale of Uralda, an ancient Green Faith legend .. I can tell you about it some other time, Paza, if you would like."
Pyotr Orlovsky |
"Paza has the right of it," Pyotr responded. "Just because they're bandits doesn't make them fools. You rob and kill a merchant, and you only rob him once. You take a little off the top for protection and you'll always have a steady stream."
He smiles at Ary.
"And certainly they aren't unreachable. Nothing is beyond the reach of the law. And our orders certainly allow for mercy, for those who seek redemption. In fact many great leaders and nations have offered blanket clemency to those who lived in lawless lands once they've established order. Why should we not follow in their footsteps."
He then takes another drink of water.
"But to offer mercy, we must first administer justice. So Oleg, tell us more about these bandits, do they arrive on schedule or is it random?"
GM Inneliese |
Oleg tries to answer all of the questions in turn, but he's clearly not used to dealing with so many people at once, "Yes, I know the defenses are not what they used to be. The catapults were a lost cause before I ever arrived, and I'm not strong enough to fix the gates on my own, so I've left that off for now." Turning from Paza to Ary, he continues, "My parents fought against the centaurs in service to the Swordlords, but died of a pox out of old Iobaria before they could ever claim the homestead they had been promised. I suppose the charter they granted me over this fort was a delayed inheritance."
He shrugs, then changes the topic to the bandits, "They flat out threatened to burn this whole place down and..." he glances toward the main house, gulping nervously, "What they swore to do to my wife if we didn't hand over all our furs and other trade goods are not topics for polite conversation, so I shan't repeat those threats. I haven't heard from anyone living in the area that they've been visited by those thugs, but then, there are hunters I've not seen in more than a month or more... men and women who used to come through every couple weeks or so."
Gesturing to the old barracks, then around the yard, Oleg asks, "Do you see anyone else here? I've not had a customer in three days, and there was a time I'd rarely go more than one night without at least one bed filled or someone needing to trade furs for cheeses, mead, and other goods from Restov. Either the bastards have scared off my old customers, or they're murdering them."
Nodding at Pyotr's interjection, Oleg responds, "Exactly. I'd take in any orphan child in need of a warm bed and food, but I'm not willingly giving a damned copper bit to savages who've turned to banditry. If it weren't for Svetlana, I'd have gone down fighting rather than hand over my furs month after month. They've bled me near dry already." He then sighs and admits, "I've not even gotten around to purchasing replacement hinges for the gate yet, but if you think you could grease them into swinging freely again, Svetlana should have some spare cooking fat."
Ary Bishop |
Ary nodded slowly. That didn't mean -all- of the bandits were irredeemable, but certainly some, probably most. Anyone who would stick around with allies who would do that sort of thing didn't have much room for a conscience. A wisp of a sigh passed her lips as she thought, and instead opted to listen to the others, allowing them to take the lead in the conversation for now.
Kira Holt |
"River drakes are related to black dragons, They like water, They can spit acid, and are vicious cruel...they like to play with their food. Mated pairs are rarely a great danger, but they sometimes work in groups to raid towns and trade routes."
"I don't really know anything about tuskgutter but any overly large boars can be nasty to fight and hard to take down."
Just did a copy paste with some small reworking for how kira would say it, is that ok?
Kira shook her head when Ary mentioned the pets."I've never been one for owning a pet, guess I'd prefer to just take care of myself."
Kira would kindly decline Pyotr's offer of water and remain silent during the dispute on what they planned to do with the bandits.
Ary Bishop |
Ary nodded to Kira, "That's pretty much what I knew about boars. Mostly 'big and crazy and mean.' So the drakes are basically the same thing, but with acid and swimming?" She shudders a little at the thought. "I've never been much for swimming, but they have a taste for people... so I guess we need to take care of that pretty badly."
Pyotr Orlovsky |
Pyotr gets up and follows the Gnome Wizard.
"I think we should take some time the next few days securing Oleg's and surveying the surrounding area. Until we've taken care of this group that's harassing Oleg and his wife, I don't feel comfortable leaving them alone." He suggests. "But unfortunately, my father neglected my education in the construction of siege works or gates, instead teaching me how to assault or defend them."
Paza |
"Farm animals made a pact with the humans long ago. In exchange for being fed, taken care of and protected, they will in turn feed the humans when the time comes. Both man and animal benefit in the long run. What I just said is merely the summary of the Tale of Uralda, an ancient Green Faith legend .. I can tell you about it some other time, Paza, if you would like."
"Erastil," Paza says, briefly glaring at Arnulf. "That is a story for Erastil, not the Green. Long run ends for the animal whenever the human gets hungry enough. Or they see their children eaten. Or their back is broken through labour."
Oleg shrugs, then changes the topic to the bandits, "They flat out threatened to burn this whole place down and..." he glances toward the main house, gulping nervously, "What they swore to do to my wife if we didn't hand over all our furs and other trade goods are not topics for polite conversation, so I shan't repeat those threats. I haven't heard from anyone living in the area that they've been visited by those thugs, but then, there are hunters I've not seen in more than a month or more... men and women who used to come through every couple weeks or so."
Paza bares her teeth. The expression is not one of amusement.
"Cowards," she spits. "Taking hostages to subdue the strong. They are weak. The strong fight."Ary nodded to Kira, "That's pretty much what I knew about boars. Mostly 'big and crazy and mean.' So the drakes are basically the same thing, but with acid and swimming?" She shudders a little at the thought. "I've never been much for swimming, but they have a taste for people... so I guess we need to take care of that pretty badly."
"Territorial," Paza corrects Ary. "Boars fight to keep their land. Drakes..." She pauses, frowning. "Don't know drakes. If they are too strong in the water, lure them onto land. Bait. Tricks are their own strength."