"Speak for yourself.." Autumn muttered as she rubbed the side of her head were a bruise was starting to form. "I'd do many things if I needed to make a living and being a bandit isn't one of them." She mentioned. "I'd be more sympathetic if it was to feed and protect their families, but neither of you look like family men."
"You never know," he defends the man. "I'm sure that many of these men weren't always what you call bandits. Do you have a family, Sasha? Were you always a warrior?"
"One never knows, true." Autumn said before she whistled for Frostbite.
Frostbite swiftly jogged to Autumn's side, happy to be back by her alpha.
"But there is a feeling around people often..." She added however she didn't say anything more, simply giving Frostbite a pat.
"I'm not so good with horses." But Jhod sets off dutifully to fetch the animals.
Bombarded by questions, Sasha chooses to answer Autumn.
"Told you. We're soldiers. That's why we don't look like family men. The other says nothing. Probably because of his severe injuries from axe and bow.
"I don't buy that. There is a man named Kesten back at the Trading Post who is a soldier and he looks like a family man." Autumn states simply. "But I'll leave this to my friends here." She added before she moved to Herger and gave him a nod towards Frostbite. "She listened to you last time, so I'll leave her with you in case you need her to run down one of these two. I'm going to help Jhod with the horses. If he isn't good with them then the ones we have may be too many for him." Autumn in forms the group before she heads off to help get the horses.
"One moment before you go Autumn."
He said gripping his holy symbol and casting a simple healing spell on her, He had been quiet watching and listening to the soldiers but he was about done with the farce.
"Very brave of you climbing up that tree after them."
He added before turning to face the bandits around the fire.
"Well then, soldiers consider yourself war prisoners. You will get fed as long as you work and do what your told. Until the stag lord is defeated. Then you will be free to either go as you please or do the smart thing and straighten your lives out. Until we get you to Kesten we are gonna keep you tied up. Im going to tend to your fallen, do you know if they had any family or what faith they are of?"
He asked calmly. Almost serenely as if burying their dead wasnt the most natural thing he could think of. He took a hold of his anytool and sort of willed it into a shovel before moving off to the small grave site already there from the last time they battled and killed bandits here.
"He's from Galt. He's from Avendale. He was from Razmiran. Always going on about having a wife and kids, and how he was gonna send them money." Sasha smirks. "I think he spent it all on booze and doxies, though. He never said where he was from... Them two were from Brevoy."
Autumn paused when Herger asked her to, and closed her eyes as he touched the spot of her head were the bruise was surfacing. The calming magic didn't remove all of the headache but it did take away the more piecing part of it. For a moment Autumn reached up and touched his hand as he removed it from the side of her head, giving it a gentle squeeze in thanks. "Thank you." Autumn said with a slight smile. "It took the worst of it away. That one is pretty good with a sap, so keep an eye on that. Also if you need to send Frostbite after them." She added before she looked to Frostbite and and pointed to Herger as she said "Famulor"
Then she turned to leave, yet stopped once more and pointed to the bandits and said "Territo."
Before she left to get Solstice and help Jhod with the rest of the horses.
Frostbite, who was obviously happy at being back with the rest of the pack, looked to Herger from time to time for any order he might give. However when her alpha gave another command the more pup like demeanor fell away. Frostbite looked more like a true wolf, her eyes fixed upon the bandits, hair straight up on end, head close to the ground. Small growls left her throat but no teeth were bared... Yet.
Torek stays to guard the prisoners, he is not too sure if these are redeemable but will follow Herger's lead. "That is generous to consider them soldiers as though they followed a true lord. But let them convince the good at the settlement of their value, and they can live fruitful lives." Torek seems a bit disturbed at what seems inconsistent justice.
Jhod, and Autumn return with the horses.
The animals had only wandered over to a patch of grass. Trained riding horses are supposed to stay, if the reigns are left hanging in front, but Jhod's fat, lazy, part draft horse had led the way into mischief.
The bandit's have been quite busy, not only have they added another platform for an archer, but also a three sided lean-to for shelter.
"What are you going to do with these two?" Jhod wonders. "By their own admission, they are part of the Stag Lord's gang."
"That depends upon them." Autumn answered as they made it back to the others. "The charter that we have been given calls for putting unrepentant bandits to death either by hanging or the sword. We give them a choice, repent and return to the community or meet your end. We've had one out of about five bandits that we have taken actually repent and return to the community. The man had simply lost his way. His wife died, then fever took his children, and the place he lived taxed his farm into destitution. With nothing to hold him there he left... just wanted to feel like he had something again. When we reminded him what his family would think of what he has become he woke up to what he had been doing. He is still at Oleg's actually, going to become a farmer when we settle this place. So if they truly wish to start again we will help them turn back to the proper path, if not we will make it quick." She explained.
”Most anyone would claim that they will change their ways, if it will keep their neck out of a noose.” Jhod points out.
"One way or another, we now have prisoners," Drazen intercedes. "Difficult to imagine heading further with them in tow."
He shakes his head, then turns to the prisoners, "where is the Stag Lord camped, at present?"
"If he's camping, I wouldn't know where he might be." The bandit smirks. "More likely he sits on his throne. The fellow's eyes flicker. "As a king should do."
"Then where is this throne?" Drazen asks to the point, ignoring the man's smirk.
Torek suggests, "Perhaps it would be better to question them separately?"
If no one object Torek takes not Sasha far enough not to be overheard.
"What is your name?" Torek opens the conversation.
Assuming a suitable response, Torek follows with, "Well <insert name here>, giving information is a good start to proving sincere repentance. So where is this so-called Stag Lord's base of power?"
A growl came from deep within Autumn's chest, her eyes narrowed. She was done with this foolish man and he was wasting her as well as her friend's time. Drazen had been very civil and he was ignoring everything to play a game! Since Torek was going to attempt to speak with the other one, she was going to drive home the point try to help him. Autumn let go the the leads for the horses and stalked foreword.
Grabbing Sasha tightly around the neck she hoisted the bandit into the air, giving his neck a tight enough squeeze to remind him how vulnerable he was. "They have been civil, even rather helpful to you give your circumstance. Yet here you sit, telling half truths and flying in the face of a better life. Fine. You are so pleased with the life you have now? Then we've nothing left to gain from speaking to you. You're unrepentant, a vial man, and a waste of air! By right of the charter you will hang for the crime of banditry. You have till I finish making your noose to convince my friends your life is worth keeping." Autumn said before she dropped that man to the ground and stomped back to get more rope. "That one is lost Drazen, I believe we only have one prisoner, unless he is the same as his friend here."
Sasha opens his mouth to answer Drazen. But he is interrupted by the angry Autumn. After that he lays on the ground face flushed, and breathing heavy.
The other one answers Torek weakly, with laboured breath. "Redach Naph. [Wheeze.] He's got a keep. Uh." Perspiration shines on Redach's face. He coughs a shallow cough, and grimaces. "On the shores of Tuskwater Lake." He coughs again, then spits blood on the grass at his feet. At the inlet of the Shrike. Can I sit down?"
The fellow does seem unsteady on his feet.
Jhod walks over by Titian. "I can call on Erastil to heal your wound, if you so wish."
Autumn stopped what she was doing when she heard the other bandit now known as Redach, speak. That had been the one she fought with, which meant the wounds he was bleeding from came from her... The anger that had flashed up from Sasha had cooled down to a simmer. The man had been toying with them after all, but this one... He was at least trying... And he couldn't help more because of the pain he was in, pain Autumn had put him in... Even if he was attacking back he did use a sap, which wasn't lethal. Letting out a long sigh she put the rope she had gotten out for the other bandit onto the saddle and made her way to Redash. "Let me use my power first, I did the damage after all." Autumn said before she helped Redach sit down. "Sit, try to steady your breathing. I'm going to take some of the pain away. After all I caused it and you are being helpful, it wouldn't be right not to take responsibility for my actions." Autumn explained as her hands glowed with a softly green light. She focused on the worst of the wounds first, trying to repair the damage she had done. During her time training Ulfger she had done her best to express taking responsibility for the actions you take, for the moment you let your arrow fly or swing an axe it made no difference.
"How does that feel?" Autumn asked, though it was plain to see she was uneasy about this.
Torek turns to call for Herger's aid when Autumn comes over to magnanimously heal the injured bandit. Torek can only be awed at the generosity that Autumn displays given the tragedy in her life.
"See us Redach as we truly are. We prefer to be kind not to kill. Sasha seems to be trying to talk himself into a noose we do not wish to use. We must protect the innocent, though so help us. We can get to specifics in a moment but what do you believe is the most important thing we need to know now?"
Win Redach's allegiance at least for now.
Sasha struggles to his knees. "Hey! I was just gonna tell you that! If you hadn't roughed me up."
"Much better." Redach gives Autumn a look. His wounds healed, he looks around, then answers Torek. "I don't want to feel no noose on my neck, but you maybe should get to your specific questions. I really don't know how to answer that one."
Sasha is the younger of the two, a tousled haired lad of perhaps late teens or early twenties.
Redach is older, in his late twenties or early thirties. Both wear rough homespun clothes under studded leather armor. They are both blood stained and sweaty from the recent fight.
"No you were going to keep dragging us around with your foolish arrogance." Autumn declared as she stood fully up and looked down upon Sasha. "You sit there and call yourself a soldier, but you have no rank or file, your armor isn't uniformed and you have no markings that would make you acknowledged as a soldier." Autumn pointed out. "I may not be able to tell you much about soldiers but even I know that. You're a bandit, maybe you didn't want to be, or you bought what they told you, I don't know. But your arrogant tone will cost you your life. Is it worth that?" Autumn asked as she moved to Sasha, got him up and sat him down next to Redach. "You want to be a real soldier, boy? Leave this life behind. Come with us back to Oleg's and speak with Kesten. Pay, protection, and a real future. I greatly suggest you think about that."
"We're going to take this Stag Lord down." Autumn explained to Redach, to try and clarify what they wanted. "We want any information on him, those he has with him, and this keep of his. Whatever you can give us."
Herger had quietly let the others take the lead while he was out burying their dead but he was within earshot. He rose from where he was digging and called out to them.
Sascha, since you are a soldier you know how to dig. And since you are a prisoner of war, it means you can dig for us. Or would you rather be treated as a bandit?"
He called out standing there with the anytool glaring.
"Mister Ismort ordered us up here to re-take and fortify this crossing." Redach says. "He's second in command. Keep is on a hill. You're gonna need some troops to take that place. Stag Lord wears a helmet of bone, with the antlers of an elk. I only seen him once. He don't need no armor. His chest is a scarred up, but they protect him. Nobody can beat the Stag Lord."
"How'm I supposed to dig with my hands tied?" Sasha questions Herger.
"I will show you. "
The cleric began sounding very serious, with the man near the area he had been digging the graves he concentrated on the anytool changing it from a shovel to more of a spade. With the shorter handle it was easy enough to make a digging motion, just not as efficient and probably far more tiring.
"You are going to want to think long and hard about your life choices over the next hour or so. Miss Autumn is a wonderful woman, sweet and caring. If you have found yourself on her bad side, its not going to look good on you. . . Not when Kesten wants to try you for banditry, and certainly not when you find your soul in judgement in the afterlife."
Sasha gives Herger a look, rolls his eyes, then dutifully begins to poke at the ground with the digging implement. He seems to do alright at penetration, but the dirt mostly falls back into the hole when he tries to throw it out. Due to hands being tied, he is basically shoveling with one hand.
"Ismort?" Autumn asked with a raised eyebrow. "This Ismort is the second in command yet he is the one giving orders?" She added, finding it rather odd. "So your Stag Lord doesn't even lead his people? I mean I understand delegation is important but there are some things one has to do themselves."
Taking a moment she sighed and crossed her arms. "Is there a way to get in that isn't with an army? A back way or... something?"
”I didn’t really question the chain of command.” Redach admits. ”Nother way in? I don’t think so.” He says.
"Why?" Autumn asked. "Why do this Redach? What made this be the only thing you could do?"
Torek nods as Herger reseparates the two prisoners. He goes over to keep an eye on Sasha then looks at the uselessness of what he is doing. Torek goes and gets a shovel from his saddlebags, and exchanges the manytool with the shovel as a anytool can be used to cut (a saw or knife is a tool) the bonds. He ties Sasha to the shovel in a way to allow him to work passably well. Sasha could free himself from his bonds with some time because of this degree of freedom but Torek is paying attention.
"Now you can continue Sasha, and please think careful what kind of life you would want in the long run here."
"Eh Thank you Torek."
He began simply enough. He moved to collect one of the fallen bandits carrying it to the gravesite.
"Whats your pay like as a soldier Sasha?"
He asked sounding curious.
"Walks like anybody else." Redach tells Titian. "He's good with weapons. People usually do what he tells 'em, so I reckon he's a good leader." Redach shrugs. "Everybody knows he speaks for the Stag Lord, so maybe that's why."
"Doesnt speak highly for a kingdom to not pay its soldier's regularly. Especially not when they call it loot."
He said simply and directly.
"how many battles have you been in?"
He continued to ask waiting for the answer before collecting more of the fallen.
Torek nods and smiles at Herger, "Just too kind Brother Herger."
When Sasha replies to Herger Torek will follow up with, "Hard to build much of a fort with a few men and tools and supplies would be needed. In this wild land banditry could not provide all that. Where is this Stag Lord getting all that?" Torek, keeping alert for any trouble from Sasha, casts his gaze about looking for any tools or other building material about.
Stuff around and anything else he can see while staying close to Herger and Sasha.
"So you mean that if we had simply walked through peaceful and calm you and yours would have let us be?" Autumn asked with a raised eyebrow. "After all, your group was talking very loudly about how they wanted to hit Oleg's trading post. Such an odd thing to say if you're not bothering anyone isn't it?"
"I will also note that you never answered my question, Redach." Autumn said while crossing her arms. "Need I remind you I only ask once? This will be the only chance you have to plead your case."
Torek does actually see quite a few tools. 5 Shovels, 1 iron dig bar, 3 picks, 2 axes, 2 big two-man saws, and a smaller bow saw. Sacks and boxes are stacked in the lean-to, out of the weather.
"I'm just a foot soldier, I wouldn't know where the supplies come from." Sasha grumbles.
"That depends upon you." Autumn states very simply, a shrug rolling from her shoulders. "I hate to waste life but I don't weep for the stupid. Else I'd be crying all day. You've thrown your lot in with the bandits now, is that were you plan to keep it? If so, then you'll be deemed unrepentant and hung as a bandit, unless you wish for the sword to be your death. But that isn't the only path you can choose Redash. You still have years left, two hands and two legs that haven't even yet begun to fail you. You could easily learn a trade. Maybe even settle down here when we've finished, make yourself a nice little house? Possibly even get married and have a family. The future can be many things, but it isn't going to just be handed to you. You must choose to plant a new seed, nurture it, guide it. I know this is hard to hear from a person such as me, after all I'm the one that put a axe in your gut. But remember I was also the one to heal you, and I despise bandits... Yet I know we mortals make mistakes. I know some times, you can't see a better way... I'm offering you a second chance Redash, the choice is yours to take it. To start a new." Autumn said as she held out her hand to Redash. "Will you?"
Torek follows up with Sasha, "Good tools here but five men to build a fort? Unless very small, that would take months of labor, leaving no time to hunt or otherwise get food. You said you were well fed, so how did the food come to you?"
Keep Sasha talking...
"You work for the Stag Lord, something both of you have admitted to, both of you are dressed in armor with homemade clothes under them not something a soldier would be wearing as they wear the colors and markings of the one they serve, not to mention your friends were talking about hitting Oleg's trading post, and if that isn't enough how about this Redash," Autumn said before she forced Redash to look her right in the eyes and added "I cleaned this bandit camp out the first time. After I ended those who came to steal from Oleg and his wife! Those who strangled their trade and threaten terrible things, and stole Svetlana's wedding band! Those who worked for the Stag Lord the same as you! Those aren't soldiers Redash!! You are a bandit! He" Autumn pointed to Sasha, "is a bandit! I don't need any more proof, don't you get that?! You've been caught. The only question that remains is if you die one too. There is nothing that makes me feel better about killing someone, a life is a life... Even if it is a vial bandit. We've saved one from this life, he was here the first time we cleared it out. We are not without mercy, can your Stag Lord say the same?"
Which him?" Autumn asked. "Sasha? Ismort? Or the so called Stag Lord?" She added to be more direct on her asking for clarification. "Which I do plan to speak with this Stag Lord in time... I am not a fool who rushes in.... Redash, who do you call yourself a soldier? Why do you believe you are?" Autumn asked curiously.
Torek glances towards the other group, Redach's shouting and Autumn's clear intensity drawing his attention for a moment, but turns back to Sasha.
Torek probes a little deeper to get a better picture of events. "When and how did you join up, Sasha?"