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The travel back to the Stag Lands is filled with celebration and praise. People on your kingdom, and in the former Stag Lands, welcomes you and gave you simple gifts of food and hand made goods. A small cloth embroidery, and wooden dragon flight symbol, some flowers or a timid kiss on the cheek. You approach the former Stag Fort, now a smoldering ruin, at the distance.
Ni'Tir, riding on Chimalma's back, waved and accepted flowers graciously as they made their way into the stolen lands. She made sure to purify any food they were given once the giver was out of view, not out of disrespect but because their could be more nefarious plots at work seeing as they were cleaning up the stolen lands.
As they approached the smoldering ruin of the Stag Fort.
"Xi'Tir I thought ya said der was a fort der sista?"
Xi begrudingly acceptde gifts and when someone slipped her a kiss on the cheek she, startled for a long moment, wheeled around like she had been stung. Only to be left walking stiffly with Chi at her heels as people laughed good naturedly, not realizing just how close someone came to being stabbed in the face.
Seeing the smoldering ruin her jaw drops and at her sister's words she reacts like she were being accused of lying.
"Der was Sista! Basta'ds burned it to stop'n us from takin' it. I'll gut da s^&*'s when I find dem..."
"Ya wait der I gonna take a look mon."
She slinks off into the undergrowth then circling around the area a ways to see if anyone was lurking in the old bandit camp...
Ni'Tir scoffs at her sister and rises to her feet, Chimalma barely notices the change in her stance as Ni'Tir summons her powers and transforms into a Hawk.
She trns to Danath and Tarina and nods with her small beak.
"I will take to the sky and see what I see, one screech for foes, two for all clear, see you later!" IN this new form her speech was more clear and understandable. She bobs her head a couple of times before launching skyward...
Danath enjoys the spoils of victory more then most as he tries to get on the best side of the populace on their way to securing the former bandit lands.
He accepts the flowers, pulls a young damsel onto his horse to accept a kiss on the cheek and sets her back down with a flourish. All and all a good show for the deserving people of Slobada whose hopes he wanted burning bright for the glorious days to come!
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The smoldering ruin didn't bother him, it could be rebuilt and seeing that his allies were already on the move he nodded to their expertise and watched them scatter to the winds. Leaving him alone with Tarina and her large companion Azurefang. "Stay between Chimalma and I milady and no matter what happens we should clear this just fine. Though watch out for Chimalma's tail, its got a brutal swing..." He had his lance at the ready and was clad in his pristine dragonscale armor completely ready to charge the first opponent to dare challenge them. He had little time to speak with Tarina and wouldn't mind doing so once they were in a safer position.
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People are impressed by the huge Chimalma first, and then by the presence of Danath and Tarina, and finally by the murdering look of Xi'Tir after a young imprudent man kisses her on the cheek.
You seem to be making a great impression.
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On the fort Xi'Tir and Tarina can't believe the state of the fort. It is burned up, only the charred stone walls poking upward from the devastation.
From the sky Ni'Tir sees a group of 20 or 25 people from the last farms they passed following the group at a safe distance, and 4 or 5 people coming from others directions, also checking your group.
Nothing seems to be moving on the fort ruins (not even birds, strangely) or on the hill. The path leading to the fort seems "disturbed", like the ground was trampled by many people. No undead seems to be active on the hill, but if what they told her is true they are there, underground, waiting.
"Something is wrong here, very wrong, its as if the life of the place has been extinguished entirely." Tarina states, getting a very bad feeling about this.
Ni'Tir wheels overhead to report her findings, giving one screech before swooping lower and landing on Danath's armored shoulder. "Multiple groups, some twenty or more from the farms we passed trailing behind us and a few others comingfrom other directions to investigate us... I will check the smaller groups out..."
With that she flaps her wings, buffeting Danath as she takes off again.
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At the news Danath was more then interested and looked to Tarina then. He didn't share her unease but he trusted her wisdom and instinct. "Not only do you have your mothers good judgment, but it appears you have her instinct as well Lady Tarina, I will trust your knowledge over my own. So perhaps it will be best to go and turn the good people back to their home before they get mixed up in our fight." He wheels Aru around and starts making his way towards the people who were following at a safe distance then.
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The 4 people coming from other directions look like farmers, but 1 of them looks younger and more "roguelike" than the others... he is armed with a short sword, but doesn't seems aggressive. He hasn't seen Xi'Tir, but it will be very hard to approach him unseen, as there is not enough underbrush near.
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The people hears Danath request to get farther away, and they do... to a point, half of them keep at eyesight distance.
Xi'Tir keeps following the rogue-like one and his group. Ready to attack if she had too but holding to the shadows until she needed too.
Ni'Tir keeps to the air, wheeling around and watching the groups from around 120 ft in the air now. She tries to keep the sun at her backside as a way to blind those below her to her presence.
Depending on what the Roguish guy does Xi will eventually step forward with a shockingly loud whistle as she gets her sisters attention and that of her unwary opponent.
"NO FALSE moves and Ya best t'ink wisely Mon. I'm no bandit but I wonder if'n ya be? Eh?"
She makes no move to draw her weapon yet as she wits for his move.
NI'Tir wheeled in the sky at her sisters whistle and dove earth ward in her hawk form.
At her whistle Danath wheels Aru around and heads in that direction, so long as Tarina is close by that is. He trusted in Tarina's skills but he wouldn't be able to face Venetia if he allowed Tarina to come to harm because he was negligent.
"Hello Mon." Her voice drips with honeyed words, which was very unlike her, but she was curious as to why this one was sneaking around. She gives a short whistle before speaking again. "So whatcha doin skulking here eh?"
Xi'Tir nods as she responds. "Do ya know w'at happened to dat fort den?"
Xi smiles and its not a kind one as she raises a lone eyebrow unquestioningly. "When we left eh? So how den do you know us?"
She didnt care if she had to gut this man to find Dovan, she promised Seraph and she would mark good on that promise by returning with the bandit leaders head on a pike. Along with anyone one else that called themselves a stag bandit, to her there was no redeeming them save through a single sword stroke.
Let the boneyard sort them out, she had better things to do. Besides the more he talked the closer that her sister approached...
Ni'Tir was soaring downward and took up a perch on a nearby branch watching the encounter between her sister and this strange sneak.
"Famous eh?" Tarina reacted more to this word then being referred to as the prophetess. "If you know so much about us, then I'm sure we do not need to introduce ourselves, but I'm afraid we know very little about you."
Xi'Tir's smile faded. "F%#+ that, who are ya? Or do ya serve Dovan Eh?" She doesn't draw her blade as her smile returns with a dangerous glint in her eye. "Don't care doe 'cause either way I'll find dat man and kill'em." Her words weren't rash, she fully intended on returning to SLobada with Dovan's head to display it on a pike for Seraph.
Emerging from the underbrush just after Tarina, Danath intervenes as Xi'Tir turns violent. "Enough Xi'Tir, his identity is his own." He reins in and sets his lance in its holder before opening the front of his dragon styled helm to regard this Nobody.
Danath looks the man over carefully before speaking more elegantly then the savage Xi'Tir who may have mucked everything up already. "You do not need to give us your name as that is your choice but please hear what I have to say without bias. Now, since you know us so well then you know why we have returned now. However it is the policy of General Whitemoor to accept the surrender of bandits who wish to reform and this practice has worked quite well. I am not assuming you are one Sir, however this Dovan she speaks of is one that we do not expect to surrender. I am only stating that our objective is not pure and utter bloodshed, but expansion in a peaceful manner, hopefully." He adds the last part genuinely, he'd rather avoid killing men that could be turned to good works instead.
He leans back in the saddle then seeming at ease. "With the fall of the Stag Lord we are here to claim these lands in the name of Slobada, to expand the kingdoms reach further then before. I will personally see to it that any man, woman or otherwise that assist us is rewarded. If they helped to remove those who would try and stop the progress we made, it would be a great possibility that they would be handsomely rewarded indeed. Now, I cannot promise land or titles but I would lend my voice to seeing those that aid us in taming this land be rewarded well justly for their efforts. It would be dishonorable not to and that is a stain I could not and would not allow." He wanted people to see their efforts and rewards in a positive light and not rewarding those who aided them would be counterintuitive to their objectives. He lets his words sink in for a moment before adding.
"What say you Sir, will you aid us or shall we be on our way?"
Ni'Tir launched off her perch then and landed on Danath's shoulder, making him look even more regal.
Chimalma, rumbles his way out of the brush and sits in the small clearing wagging his massive tail around. Watching the talk curiously before turning to munch on some edible grass and leaves nearby, leanign one large foot on a small tree and slamming it to the ground so that he could eat its leaves...
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The man kneels, seemingly moved by Danath and Ni'Tir's words and presence (and also by Xi'Tir's knife :P).
"I have heard of the mercy of the rulers of Sloboda, but I see that it is true! My name is Dionýz Hornick, and I beg your forgiveness! I don't want to be a thief no more! Please let me become a subject of your great kingdom!"
Xi grumbles angrily as the man kneels before Danath. "Dem fancy pants words work for some dem I guess mon. I would h've got dem talking too mon..."
She slinks back off into the woods around them as she watches out for enemies and licks her wounds. Chi follows after her silently, sticking to the grasses to hide her presence...
Ni'Tir in hawk form caws at Xi'Tir's grumbling before taking back off into the sky to continue her vigil.
Danath dismounts after the man kneels. He reaches down and pulls Dionýz to his feet. "Don't kneel to me Dionýz, please, your not my bannerman nor a mere serf. It is good you seek a better path and seeking that forgiveness means you will have to take the same path that others like you have before. It's going to be tough, because you have to gain the trust of the people of Tirvium but once you have you'll be taught a trade of your choosing. He turns the topic back tot the task at hand. "However right now we have work to do and after this is over I will personally vouch for your efforts." He gestures politely for Dionýz to speak.
"Please tell us what you know that is happening in these lands now."
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"i am sure I will have your protection, as my former associates will try to kill me! After you left the people go up the fort and burn it down, to hinder us to reclaim it. Dovan is the leader of most of the surviving bandits now, and is camped some 6 miles east of here. He left me here to keep an eye open, and let him know when you get back."
Danath looked very displeased by the actions after the battle, had the fort been captured intact it would have been more useful. It still could be reclaimed though...
Setting that aside for now he focused instead on where Dovan was encamped and if there was other watchers as well. "And I will do my best to do so. Do you know if anyone else was sent to watch this place as well? Do you know of anyone else who would join our cause and abandon Dovan?"
Betrayal was a word he hated, because for men and women like Dionýz, sometimes life dealt you a foul hand and you did what you could to survive. However today the offer of redemption was genuine, if he could turn the bandits against this Dovan then they had a chance of ending this conflict with minimal bloodshed.
"Dionýz..." Danath said the next words carefully. "What I ask of you may be dangerous, if you are the only watcher this will work. So what I need you to do is go back and tell them we have returned to the fort. That it looks like we are rebuilding it and tell them who is there. Spare no detail. While Dovan plans on how to deal with us I want you to try and careful watch out for those who may listen. Don't approach anyone unless you are absolutely sure they will join. Make sure you are one of those who joins the attack, along with anyone else who will join us, I will need you all here."
He thinks for a moment before adding. "Wear something colored on your head to identify yourselves. That way if fighting starts we know who not to harm. I want to end this with as few lives lost as possible Dionýz." Can you do this for me?"
He slaps Dionýz on the shoulder lightly. "Stay safe my friend and good luck."
Once Dionýz was gone he turned to his companions. "Tarina, what abilities do you have to affect them at range? I have a plan to turn that hill into a gauntlet and I will need your help." His words were genuine and he favored her with a dashing smile, as he was looking forward to finishing this conflict.
He calls to Ni'Tir and Xi'Tir then with a loud whistle. Once they arrived he laid out his ideas. "Ni'Tir, we need to take that hill, secure the top and turn the land against Dovan when he attacks."
He looks to Xi'Tir then. "You will find the highest perch on that hill and be ready with your bow. Shoot to injure and halt any advance. Any that won't seek redemption willingly... Die on that hill."
"Keep an eye out for those wearing colored bandana's on their heads, they should be sympathizers and they will be our advantage."
He will return to the gathered farmers and gather the other groups that are nearby as well. He sits astride Aru as he addresses them all respectfully and proudly. "My Friends! My loyal countrymen! I ask of you what a man shouldn't, I ask for your aid in taking that very hill a tyrant ruled and for your swords to fight for a new land, a decent one! Free of injustice and tyranny by our own hands! Rebuilding the fort will stand as testement to that, but we will be opposed at every turn. So I ask of you, Will you fight!? Will you Stand and free yourselves from the bandit lords hold forever?!"
"Sounds promisin' Baron Orvo~" She says it in a teasing manner but nods in agreement. Danath had a strategy and she would do her best to take that hill.
Ni'Tir now in her human form does as Danath asks, she jumps up and sits astride Chimalma's shoulders as she moves towards the hillside.
"Come den Chimalma, dis gonna be fun!"
Ni'Tir will take the path on the hill. She will ride Chimalma all the way up with Xi'Tir at her back.
Xi'Tir looked at Danath like he was insane, that was until he mentioned her part and she smiled evilly. "Doven is mine ya ken Baron? Dat one dies dis I promised Seraph. But ya plan is simple mon." She still felt like they should have killed the bandit and attacked Dovan but part of her believed in Danath's plan. She followed Ni'Tir up the hill with Chi at her side and her Greatsword drawn and ready.
Ni'Tir casts Grove of Respite at the top of the path to the ruins. It takes 10 mins and she conjures up a sheltered grove of trees surrounding a shallow spring. The grove appears from nowhere.
The area within the grove is temperate and comfortable although the grove provides no illumination and provides no protection from the elements. The water in the grove's spring is clean and drinkable. Additionally, the trees provide a variety of ripe fruit, regardless of season, which acts as a goodberry spell for up to eight people. The grove is warded with an alarm spell that alerts you whenever any creature enters the area. Once the spell expires, the grove vanishes, including all fruit, water, and other materials from it, although any nourishment or healing gained from its effects remains.
She then casts Ant Haul on Chimalma and uses his new (Up to 4800 lbs) carrying strength to pull around and move the heavy debris as needed to maybe rebuild part of a wall or make improvised barriers. She tries to make a stable stack for a higher perch for Xi'Tir.
"I'm afraid that the only thing I can do at range is curse someone, my magic is much more useful for healing in any case. Though it could cause quite a bit of confusion if the enemy was no longer able to see us or understand us." Tarina points to her own eyes, eyes which barely have any life in them as if to explain what she means. "Of course you do realize that I am mostly blind right Sir Danath?" It was true that the young elven girl always had to have her mother...well not her real mother apparently...or Azurefang near her in order to ascertain what was around her.
He notes their lack of real weapons, however his plan wouldn't involve them if he could help it. If anything he had no plans to use them for anything more then labor, defending improvised barriers and bluffing the enemy.
At her words Danath shakes his head and smiles at Tarina as the people gather their farm implements. "I didn't. I never made it my purpose to know other's impairments. Besides, from what you've just said You have the best skill of all Tarina, you will be keeping all of us alive. We will handle Dovan and the rest but these people will need the protection of the Prophet herself along with her powerful dire wolf.
He sees the work of Ni'Tir's magic and chuckles. "I hope Ni'Tir is able to turn the earth against them... As I plan scatter them tomorrow if they press us. I do have a question though... How well can you fight the dead?"
Danath will set people to fortifying sections of the wall, using the grove of respite to feed and hydrate those who choose to fight. Any exteriors doors will be secured and barred save for the rear and front gate. They will create a make shift barrier at the rear door of the fort to make sure nothing can come in from behind. If we can get a cart or even fallen logs from around the edge of the forest we will do that.
If the farmers take care of blocking the front part of the stone wall with lumber she will focus on the rear openings.
Ni'Tir can seal the rear opening with a Stone Shape spell. She can use the second one ot create a rough platform to allow Xi'Tir to stand slightly higher then the wall so she can aim over.