As the limping bandit staggers away, both Gorn and Chaul attack him as he drops his defenses in his retreat. However, both weapons collide with each other, knocking them both aside from the bandit's feathery hide.
Dagat sends an arrow flying into the shoulder of one of the fleeing bandits as Gorn charges at the fleeing bandit staggering along, digging his axe deep into the ground beside the bandit.
Thael, giving up on the confounded contraption, sends a bolt sailing high over the bandits heads. Surely his words meant that he intended as such and that he hadn't yet fathomed how to use the damnable thing.
Group 1
Party Buffs - Bless (+1 Atk rolls, fear saves, 4 rounds remaining)
Elian [+2 deflection AC, 3 rounds]
Chaul [5/10 HP]
Critters
Bandit 2 [2/10 HP]
Bandit 4 [0/10 HP]
Group 2
Dagat [8/12 HP]
Gorn
Thael [6/12 HP]
Chaul chases the bandit, swinging and missing as he stumbles forward. Elian stands in the middle of the road watching the two bandits retreat, perhaps waiting for them to turn back and start the fight anew.
The lead bandit clambers onto the horse he stands next to and spurs it down the road back the way you came. As he gallops away, he lowers himself in the saddle , hoping to avoid any incoming arrows, or bolts... The other, heavily wounded, bandit continues to try and stumble away from the men trying to cut him down as he retreats.
Group 1
Elian [+2 deflection AC, 2 rounds]
Chaul [5/10 HP]
Dagat [8/12 HP]
Gorn
Thael [6/12 HP]
Critters
Horse 1 [13/15 HP; 300' off the north side of the map ]
Bandit 2 [2/10 HP; 300' off the north side of the map; +4 dodge AC bonus]
Bandit 4 [0/10 HP]
Group 2
Gorn and Dagat continue with their personal form of diplomacy and cut the wounded bandit down as he hobbles down the path. Dagat looses an arrow that flies well short of her target.
The peasants stand trembling on the side of the road, wide eyed, not seeming to understand your words. The older man stands between you and the others, perhaps trying to shield them with his body.
|
Gorn, looking at the terrified villagers, cleans and puts his axe away along with his shield. He moves to the villager shielding to the others, and reaches out with his hand.
"Ah'm Gorn." He gestures his thumb at himself as he does so. "Ah mean ye no harm. Is ev'ryone alright?"
He repeats himself in Dwarven and common, hoping they understand him.
|
Elian leaves the tengu to his companions and likewise approaches the group of peasants until he sees them shying away from the group. He stops short and puts away his weapons like Gorn. He sighs in relief as the dwarf's words in Common are understandable. "They may not be able to understand the Common tongue. We may need Dagat to translate..."
The harassed family consists of an old man, a young woman and a young man, and two children. With the bandits taken care of, the old man steps forward and thanks you in common, "I am Xien Wun Lao, and we are grateful for your timely assistance. I was hoping to flee Nesting Swallow because of the continuing bandit threat. Unfortunately, this group here spotted us on the road, and I fear what would have happened had you not arrived. We have next to no money, and what few coppers we did have only seemed to incite the bandits to perform more acts of violence."
He sighs, wiping a dirty hand across his forehead, "I see now the shame in my own cowardice in convincing my family to flee, and that flight is not an option. Even if our mule were not now dead, we risked being attacked by more bandits as we traveled further."
He looks up at Chaul with a gleam in his eye, "But there may yet be redemption for me, after all... You plan to travel through Nesting Swallow, yes? That is the direction you travel, right?" he asks, pointing down the road.
The man claps his hands together, grinning broadly, "That would be most kind of you! You must come and meet with the village council. I understand that you do not intend to stay, but I ask you, just hear us out. We could use people with your talents. If you still have no desire to stay in Nesting Swallow after meeting with the council, I will then tell you everything I know of what lays beyond down the road."
|
|
Dagat offers out her name before returning to her translation, as terse as ever.
Suspicious of Xien Wun Lao, she attempts to discern his full motives, if he only seeks to use them for his family's own protection or if there is something he has conveniently left out.
There is little room for compassion in Dagat's heart. She is well-versed in the harshness of life and the fact that kindness is too often laid down for what is necessary.
Wun Lao looks confused, having already introduced his family, and looks back and forth as whoever wishes to introduces themselves.
It takes a while for the family to gather up what belongings they can carry, leaving behind much more. One of the children, a young girl, cries at the dead mule's side, stroking it as the rest of the family works. Eventually, they are ready catch up to you. As the group starts walking down the road, Wun Lao says, "Nesting Swallow is about ten miles further down the road."
He gives a wistful look at the horses being left behind and then catches up to the rest of the group for the ten mile hike to the village.
|
"Ten miles! You have come far."
Working the stiffness out of his limbs, Chaul asks more about the village.
"Tell me about your village. How long have bandits threatened it? Do you not have a lord to protect you?"
He makes what inquiries he can - as much to occupy the time as to find out the information.
"Well, you see, Nesting Swallow is a tiny farming village. It has remained unchanged since for the hundred years following Imperial Lung Wa's collapse, even as Shokuro itself grew and transformed. If it weren't for the bandits..." Wun Lao trails off, sighing.
"The bandits, the Thundering Eclipse they call themselves, are led by the self-proclaimed warlord Kankhonu. They have been preying on the villagers and farmers around here since the Sun Shogun Shokuro Toriaka claimed rulership over Shokuro. They come each harvest season, claim the lion's share of the crop and leave us next to nothing to subsist on through the months following."
The old man turns to you as you walk down the road, "I do not know if you are familiar with our lands, but we've recently had a drought. We hoped that the bandits would overlook this upcoming harvest since the villages are already half-starved by seasons of theft, but those hopes were dashed away when sentries spotted tengu scouts near the village. With the harvest surely comes another raid, and we will not be able to make it through the winter on what little the tengus leave behind them. You must help us!"
From atop one final hill, the object of your quest finally comes into view. From this height, the village of Nesting Swallow is laid out almost like a map. The small town consists of little more than a few dozen huts encircling an open common area. Rolling hills surround the village to the north and west, while the east is bordered by a light forest. South of the village, the brush has been cleared, and a long string of paddy fields stretches out into the distance, webbed with irrigation ditches branching off from a stream that separates the village from the farmlands.
As you accompany the Xien family back to town, you're met by curious stares and whispers. You're excorted back to the Xien family hut , and invited to relax while Wun Lao arranges a meeting with the council. The Xien family offers you what food they have, mostly rice and millet.
After a short while, you are escorted across the village common and into another building . This hut differs from every other one in the village only in size, easily twice as large as most of the other dwellings. Otherwise, it is identical, being another slightly elevated circle of bamboo and wicker walls surrounding a packed earthen floor. The interior has some rooms partitioned off the main one, and the collection of furniture and possessions indicates that this is another family home when not in use for official purposes. Against one wall stands a simple shrine with a collection of clay tiles hung from it, each bearing a different name. The lowest hanging tiles look quite new, a few months old, maybe. The highest and oldest tile on the shrine, however, bears the name “Li Yao.”
The center of the room is cleared, and an assortment of cushions has been laid out in a semicircle. A dozen or so old men and women sit on the cushions, Xien Wun Lao among them. A woman standing in front of the shrine finishes a prayer and turns to join the seated elders; she is clearly the youngest among them, not even middle-aged, in spite of a face beset by worry and a hard life. Her youth is attested by the fact that she is greatly pregnant; six or more months along. After settling down into an empty place among the council, she motions to several empty seats opposite her.
Once you are settled, she welcomes you, "Welcome to Nesting Swallow. What manner of business brings you to these parts of Shokuro?"
|
|
Elian thanks the family for their hospitality and food. While they all eat, his eyes constantly rove the inside of the hut, taking in all the minute details until they are escorted to the next hut...
The half-elf watches the young, pregnant woman as she approaches them and asks them about their business. He nods politely and takes a seat. "Thank you for your hospitality and that of your people. My name is Elian Darkstar, and these are my companions." He nods to the others, allowing them to introduce themselves.
|
|
Chaul introduces himself.
"I am Chaul Drammarson. We were on the road when we spied Xien Wun Lao and his family being attacked by bandits."
He puts a pained expression on his face.
"We thought it advisable to escort him back to the safety of the village, as it was in the direction we were travelling anyway."
He takes a bite to eat.
"Our thanks for the food. It is much appreciated, especially as we understand you have little to share."
|
|
Gorn introduces himself.
"Ah cannae take food from the mouths of folks gonna starve." Gorn says glumly, as this means trail rations tonight... again.
"If'n ye got a bandit problem, an' it means ye won't starve, Ah'll help take care of 'em, but no food fer me 'til it's done. Have ye any warriors, any scouts to tell ye when the raid will come?"
She shakes her head, sadly, "We are not warriors, but we will fight. Every able-bodied farmer will stand beside you. We have few true weapons but our farm tools: sickles, pitchforks, and simple spears of sharpened bamboo. If you take charge of our defense, we will be your army. Additionally, we have been preparing defenses for the village; barricades, pits, anything to disable their riders. We will confer with you in detail on this later, if you accept to aid us in these dark times."
<snip>Still, the journey’s end lies no more than half a day’s travel away, in the village of Nesting Swallow, a hamlet so small it could easily vanish into a crease on a map. No more than a few more miles through these sparsely wooded hills and valleys rests the last known home of Master Li Yao, and here, with luck, his descendant still lives. In this speck of farmland may be found one who can, by right of blood, bring forth the forgotten power of the Braid of a Hundred Masters.<snip>
<snip> <snip>
She looks puzzled at Chaul's words, "Tell me, please, where you travel to that lies beyond Nesting Swallow? There is nothing further past here other than the Gossamer Mountains, and those are a dangerous place. Do you travel to the Gossamer Mountains?" she asks with an odd look in her eye.
After hearing of Li Yao, she quietly smiles and speaks again, "With that in mind, permit me to introduce myself. I am Je Tsun, and the last of Li Yao’s descendants." She rubs a hand across her swollen belly as she says this and smiles slightly. "At least for now. So, perhaps you look upon me and see the end of a quest. I look upon you, and I see hope. Hope for my village, my family, and our future. You have become familiar with the troubles facing us?"
She turns to Gorn, "We have fifty able-bodied villagers, men and women, available. All of the other villagers are too young, old, or infirm to be of any use, I'm afraid."
|
|
Chaul looks both pleased, and somewhat crestfallen.
"I'm not much of a solider, but if it comes to battle, I can help heal many in a short time. That may be enough to sway the battle. At the least, it should reduce the cost of standing up to the bandits."
He looks hard around the table.
"I know village folk and farmers. You have known each other your entires lives. Some of you will likely not live through this if you choose to fight."
Je Tsun looks to Chaul, the other council elders seated around her on cushions on the floor looking to her, "Either you help us and some of us die, or we all die from starvation and bandit raids. I believe the choice has already been laid out for us."
Turning to Thael, she shakes her head slowly, "None of the villagers are versed in the ways of magic, I'm afraid, no."
|
|
"That's that, then. Bandits need to go, an' ye need to learn how to defend yerselves. Do ye know where they might be hidin'? Ah'm thinkin' about strategy and where to send 'em through. Some covered pits with spikes'll get a few of 'em if yer willin' to dig holes an' sharpen sticks..."
He looks to the others' horrified expressions.
"This is about yer survival. Bandits are no better 'n a goblin. Both'll kill ye, an' they'll do it slowly. Ah'll train as much as Ah can, but we also need ta know how roughly long we have afore the bandits come this way."
|
Thael nods as the conversation turns to the defense of the village.
"Let us survey the area and find an optimal location for our defense," Thael says. "We have seen that these bandits are very capable combatants, and we should allocate every resource optimally to achieve success. Ideally, I might also prepare spells specifically tailored to our defense."
"In past seasons, they always arrive soon after a harvest. After all, there is no point in milking a cow before she calves. The barley crop is ripe; we need to bring it in this week or lose it. Soon after, the crows will descend upon us. So judging from past behavior, I'd say they'd be coming sometime this week," she answers to the queries about the time frame for the village's defense.
"You, of course, have full allowance of the village. We place ourselves in your capable hands to prepare us for the coming fight. You may use the Xien family home, as Wun Lao and his family have graciously offered to stay with their neighbors while you rest and draw up plans. In addition, we have this small supply of potions that you might find useful in the times to come," she says, motioning to a bundle of four potions tucked a cloth off to the side.
"Now, unless there's any further questions, you should get some rest, for the upcoming days will be taxing not just for us, but for yourselves, as well. Wun Lao, please escort them to their accommodations." With that, the meeting is broken up and the elders start speaking quietly with themselves. Je Tsun seems to go into some sort of inner reflection
Day 1
The new day greets you and promises to bring labor and pain, just the two things that most joined the Society to avoid. Speaking with some of the villagers the previous night, you know that Bringing in the Harvest is one of the top priorities for the villagers, even above establishing defenses. Without food stored, they face starvation regardless of whether or not the bandits are fought off. Until the harvest is brought in, you will only have 30 villagers at your disposal for other assignments. The harvest can be brought in much faster with more than 20 people working it.
A quick peek around determined that ranged weapons more effective than simple slings are a rarity in Nesting Swallow, but a handful of villagers own crossbows for hunting purposes; while they have never had to shoot at a target better armored than an antelope or hare, they can be drilled into effective support archers with a bit of Archery Training. Only ten villagers seem to know how to handle themselves with these hunting weapons.
While unskilled combatants, the villagers could also be given Combat Training, allowing them to maintain the barricade as a unit. Their weapons are limited to adapted farm implements and makeshift bamboo spears, but they are all willing to take up what arms they can and assist you in the defense of their home. Since only ten seem to be proficient with hunting weapons, the rest, forty or so, could be trained in melee training, in 10-person units.
Controlling possible attack routes is key to not being overwhelmed. Constructing Barricades from wood and bamboo aids in this endeavor. Incorporating the landscape and the existing structures of the village into this barricade allows the defenders to contain attackers to several choke points. Construction was already underway before you arrived in Nesting Swallow; by continuing to assign workers to it or overseeing construction, it looks like you can assist in making it sturdier and more effective. It would take 6 days with 30 able bodied people working on them to complete this task, but could be quickened with more folks thrown at it.
After the harvest is completed, and only after the harvest is completed, you could Flood the Fields. The crop fields are low-lying and designed to be irrigated by the stream. With work, they can be turned into a virtual moat by adjusting the flow of water, causing them to flood. This limits the routes the bandits can attack from, giving significant tactical advantage to the defenders. In order to flood the fields, 20 villagers are required, and would take 2 days of work to accomplish. Increasing this number would not reduce the time requirement; damming the stream and flooding the ditches is work where only so many hands are of use at one time.
Finally, the villagers are, obviously, already alert for horsemen in the hills, but Posting Scouts to keep a closer eye on the wilderness can help give an estimate of how much longer until the raid comes. Villagers can be posted as lookouts in increments of 5. Each group of 5 would increase the likelihood of determining when the raid is coming.
|
|
"I'm no warrior, but I think we should concentrate on bringing that food in. With the possible exception of having the archers practise we should be concentrating on that."
He shrugs out of his armour.
"I'm willing to lend a hand, and in fact, I may be able to help keep peopel refreshed, and thus working hard for longer..."