K'Tzhang heeds Polson's words, "I suggest you rest well for the evening, this should make you feel a little better and stop and further bleeding. That OOK for you Polson?" The little blue kobold doesn't really wait for any answer, as he says, "I can help these bandits recover without using positive energy and return to the old traditional mundane methods of healing we use even today in our clan. I'll look in my bag for some herbs and start on them right away, then if they are on their feet tomorrow you can ask them some questions. If we can stay here a couple of nights, I'll be able to pray for guidance to identify some of those things we found today, which look magical." K'Tzhang starts to pick out the herbs, preparing a poltice and applying it to the injured captives, he tends them for as long as he can.
Once the items are set to one side Polson begins stripping the dead bandits naked and piles their kit to one side.
"If we are going to stay I suggest we dig a pit big enough for them. They are not going to be fresh for long and I don't want to attract too much attention to our camp. As for the live ones, we keep them prisoner tonight and then we decide on what we are doing with them in the morning. We need to keep them bound and they are guarded all night. If any try and escape, we kill them all, agreed?"
Polson begins looking for suitable tools for a large grave but not before thanking K'tzhang for his healing...
Sunny helps K'Tzhang with the bandaging and caring of the bandits, .
"I in't too fussed about goin' on middle or last watch." Sunny offers.
Well might as well start with the dirty work and make a common grave for them with some sort of a gloom of doing much more than he wants
The we best leave some space for 3 more just incase they do try to run away
I'll help with the digging.
Do you think they'll wake up over night? Let alone be able to escape. If they're tied up real good then we shouldn't have a problem really.
Assists K'tzhang with identification of the items, once completed with that task, he helps Donk with the digging of the mass grave, giggling quietly while he does, using acid splash on the bodies to hasten their transition to the void. It is obvious that he is truly enjoying the sounds and smells of the dissolving corpses, absentmindly chewing on some scrap of flesh.
Sulna keeps to the other side of the pit from Nerik since he is getting a bit creeped out by his behavior.
Fussing about with K'Tzhang, Suny skips about with the helping of setting up of camp. Also volunteering to gather water from the nearest stream or creek.
Part way through the day after the fight, the three prisoners regain consciousness. Initially, they all struggle against their bonds, passing out from the exertion in less than a minute each.
Two remain unconscious, one wakes up a few minutes after passing out.
"What do you want from us?"
Suny wanders over and begins checking the ropes to make sure they're still confining, with out being constricting
"Well." She grins at the lucid bandit, "Why dun't we start wi' somat simple? How's about yer name then?"
"On top of that, I'd like to know what this is called."
Sulna holds up the urumi.
Polson approaches the bound bandits and sits down, cross legged. "As you boys are no doubt aware the punishment for banditry is a rope and a tree which I'm inclined to oblige with. That said, I'm equally happy and of a mind to just throw you alive in with your friends and fill in the hole. We want to know who you work for as a starter and the more information you are inclined to offer the better my mood will become."
"On top of that, I'd like to know what this is called."
Sulna holds up the urumi.
Polson approaches the bound bandits and sits down, cross legged. "As you boys are no doubt aware the punishment for banditry is a rope and a tree which I'm inclined to oblige with. That said, I'm equally happy and of a mind to just throw you alive in with your friends and fill in the hole. We want to know who you work for as a starter and the more information you are inclined to offer the better my mood will become."
Beaten, bloody, and obviously not willing to talk, the only bandit currently awake spits in your face.
Sunny rolls her eyes at the bandit's behavior.
"See? I told ya we should'a done it my way..." She fiddles about for a cloth or rag. As well as trying to stop Polson reducing the living numbers of captives.
K'Tzhang looks on as the bandit shows his resistance to the group, and Polson in particular. Turning to Suny he says loudly enough for the bandit to hear, "Maybe we shouldn't save their bodies or their souls, let them pass on to Pharesma's care. Why should I waste my time healing them, when all they do is want to continue to fight us and be obnoxious." The little kobold angrily looks away mumbling to himself.
"I'm sure they are worth more alive then killing them."
Turning to the conscious bandit.
"What do you want?"
Polson begins looping a rope into a noose and selecting a sturdy branch.
We might be able to sell them as slaves or change them for a reward
Sunny rolls her eyes some more. Grimaces and other wise pulls faces to show her displeasure of the ideas being bandied about.
After seeing sunny faces Well ok, we can just take them in as prisoners to Oleg's and figure out what to do with them from there
Sunny bounces back up onto her knees.
"Look, whut I said was 'We fix 'em up first an' then we see about sortin' things out'." She explains to every one.
"Jus' goin' 'round throwin' lead about makes us no better'n this trumped up tosser whut folk's be sayin' has a descent rack." She puts her hands on her hips.
"We's got to start givin' folks somat better t' want to do" She insists, "Other wise, whut are we doin'? No more'n exchangin' one set o' antlers fer anuther?" The set of her features could almost be called a glare....kind of. She again looks at the bandit who's awake at least.
"So then. How's about we start at th' beginning, hey?...and go along till we come t' th' end? I be known as 'Sunny', whut be your name?" She asks.
The little kobold walks past the prisoner and points towards Polson as he puts the noose up, "See what being uncooperative means. Best be nice to him, and you may not experience hanging up there."
In Elven:
I like the idea of turning them in. Is there a reward for bandits?
I agree with Sunny. I'd rather not kill them.
"The reward will be living or dead Sulna, and unless they start talking I'm inclined to start stringing them up. it's a fair trek back to Oleg's and not sure what will happen to them there. The punishment for banditry is the same if we do it here or they do it back there which I guess these boys already realise. I will leave it to the group to decide but none of you need to do the dirty work, Nerik and I will do that..."
After a few more minutes, a second bandits wakes up again. Seeing the group discussing the fate of he and his two comrades, his attitude changes. "I'll talk! Just don't string me up!"
Seeing another bandit come round and at least seem to be more helpful, K'Tzhang says to Polson, "Best let that objectionable bandit take more sleep, it seems at least this one might cooperate." The blue kobold looks at the more pliable bandit and smiles, hoping to make him feel more comfortable. "I'm sure my friends will look kindly on man whose truly repentant and can help with a truthful and helpful discourse. Answer my friend's questions and we shall see."
Well... looking at Sunny I'll go with Suny on this one but let us hear what this bandit has to say first
The first bandit says, "Don't you tell them a damn thing! You've heard the stories about what the boss does to those who talk. You don't want that."
The second bandit responds, "The boss ain't here. Here we has what looks to be a Sootscale healer, the titan mite, a pair of drow, some kind of undead guy, an sun-bleached elf, and a human vagabond. They managed to take down all of us in the camp without a single death on their side. If talking to them keeps me alive, I'm talking."
The first starts yelling at the second, using very colorful language, until Donk comes over and slaps the guy. He rolls a few feet and just lays there unconscious. "Mean talk him, Donk no like."
The second bandit says, "Thank you Titan." He looks to Polson. "What would you like to know?"
While the bandit is talking to Polson Sulna will go over to Donk's target and lay him out flat and make sure his ropes are still tight.
Still gnawing on some scrap of flesh from a dead bandit, walks over to the living bandits and examines each closely, looking in their ears, checking their eyes, poking and prodding them, all the while humming to himself.
Addressing the second bandit only Polson asks "You are very much correct that talking is what will keep you alive, and you can start by telling me who the 'boss' is."
Addressing the second bandit only Polson asks "You are very much correct that talking is what will keep you alive, and you can start by telling me who the 'boss' is."
"The Stag Lord."
Sulna walks over to Polson and says quietly, in elven, "Let's find out where he is and if he can tell us his strengths and weaknesses."
Sunny sighs as one of the bandit's is 'Hit for six' by Donk. She helps put the fellow back near the others, making sure no lasting damage has been done. Then she folds down in front of the currently talking bandit.
"See? That weren't so hard." Then she frowns, "Well, maybe fer th' fellow whut upset Donk..." She muses quietly.
"So then, whut is it ye be called?" She asks brightly (^_^).
He looks over Sunny, pausing at the good parts, eventually saying, "Deacon's my name, and who may I ask are you?" He winks and grins.
Sunny grins happily, completely ignoring the 'over all' looks she's been given.
"I say t' folks t' call me 'Sunny'. Since people seem t' have th' hardest time gettin' them selves around th' kin way o' sayin' m'name proper." She explains.
"So, whut d'ye think we c'n say t' yer friend there whut'd help alleviate some o' his concerns?" And she leans forwards slightly in eagerness for Deacon's reply.
"I dun't s'pos ye know his name as well? Kind o' save us some time an' maybe him gettin' bonked by Donk agin." (^_^)
"The one smacked by what you call Donk is named Rogors. The other joined us in camp while I was out hunting. Never had a chance to learn his name."
Sunny nods at Deacon's answer. "Okeys then, so's be there anything ye c'n think of whut might be interestin' fer us t' be knowin'?" She asks.
Sunny nods at Deacon's answer. "Okeys then, so's be there anything ye c'n think of whut might be interestin' fer us t' be knowin'?" She asks.
"If you're planning on taking down the Stag Lord, get more people. He's faced the Titan and walked away victorious." He nods his head in Donk's direction. "I also hear there be some kind of special defense around his fort, but I never seen it, at least not active, so I don't know what it is."
"If you're planning on taking down the Stag Lord, get more people. He's faced the Titan and walked away victorious." He nods his head in Donk's direction. "I also hear there be some kind of special defense around his fort, but I never seen it, at least not active, so I don't know what it is."
Sunny nods at Deacon's words. "Thas interesting...thats very interesting..." She mutters.
"Well, I dun't think we's in'a position t' be gettin' a hold of any artillery soon..." She ponders some more, then looks at Deacon as her smile returns, though she also twists and looks at the rest of fer companions as well.
"Y'see? Makin' friends and winnin' people's t' our side means we's gon'a have th' numbers we be needin' t' deal with this feller whut dunt seem t' be th' most sociable of types." She frowns a little,
"So, whut say we make camp here fer th' time bein', then?"
"I think it's too early to camp. We really need to get more information from this guy. Then we can make a plan of some kind."
Sulna says to the bandit, "How many men in the Stag Lords camp?
What do you mean he's fought the Titan?"
Sunny nods at Sulna's comments, "Aye, an' we be wantin' t' catch up wi' th' folks whut've been nicked too." She looks at the talkative one.
"Whut c'n ye say of th' burnin' of th' home a ways back?" She indicates the general direction with a thumb flicked over a shoulder, "An' th' takin' of folks from there?"
"I think it's too early to camp. We really need to get more information from this guy. Then we can make a plan of some kind."
Sulna says to the bandit, "How many men in the Stag Lords camp?
What do you mean he's fought the Titan?"
"How many? That depends on what's going on. If he calls in his cut of the loot, there've been upwards of 40 men there. That's the only time I ever go there. Not a fan of the drunken fool. As for the Stag Lord fighting your friend, it may just be a story, but I've heard more than one of the Stag Lord's men talking about fighting him."
Sunny nods at Sulna's comments, "Aye, an' we be wantin' t' catch up wi' th' folks whut've been nicked too." She looks at the talkative one.
"Whut c'n ye say of th' burnin' of th' home a ways back?" She indicates the general direction with a thumb flicked over a shoulder, "An' th' takin' of folks from there?"
"What burning home? I work out of this camp and do my best to only take party in attacks on overly wealthy merchants and the like. Maybe he knows more about this burning home you speak of." He nods his head to the guy he doesn't know. "If they took any prisoners, they'd've taken them to the Stag Lord's Fort."
Sunny nods at Deacon's words and goes about getting ready to put the unconscious bandits over a horse or into a wagon.
"We do be takin' these folks with us, right? T'is not like we c'n jus' leave 'em behind where they'll be a mite tempted t' do mischief..." She adds.
"Tell me more about this fort. Location, numbers, fortification, warning systems, protection, the whole works. You keep co operating like this and I may even speak at your trial for you."
K'Tzhang watches the interogation, without getting to involved. He does however start to tidy up the site, to make it habitable for camping in this evening.
"Tell me more about this fort. Location, numbers, fortification, warning systems, protection, the whole works. You keep co operating like this and I may even speak at your trial for you."
"I ain't sure, but I think if you follow this stream, it should lead you right there. Just look for the old fort on a hill near the lake. I don't know how many he keeps with him regularly, only been there a couple times, and that was when he'd called in his share of loot and lots of people showed up. It has a wooden palisade around an old, probably Taldan, fort that has seen far better days. I would expect whatever folk he keeps there are probably on guard, unless the Stag Lord is in a drunken sleep, and then I'd expect them to be playing cards, or somesuch. Beyond that, I don't know. I'd tell you more, if I knew more."