"Close the gate," she tells the servant, as she steps back and starts softly singing a lullaby.
Telmarni is on 15.
The bandits seem to be quite surprised and thoroughly demoralized by the sudden ambush, and one of them shouts back toward the roof, "Whoa now, let's not get hasty!"
Oleg takes the momentary distraction to step into his house and shut the door behind him.
Another one says, "Those must be soldiers from Restov."
One of his friends says, "Don't be an idiot. They're not wearing military uniforms and they are all carrying different weapons."
When Carinna brandishes her blade, the one who thought you were soldiers gasps, "Swordlord! We're f!~&ed!"
The one who originally shouted up at the roof gestures with his hand to cut off his fellows and says, "You really don't want to do this. There's a lot of us in the woods south of here and if we don't come back with the tribute, things are going to go badly for this place."
At this moment Valeska's hex goes off and...
...the bandit closest to her, who was the one just speaking, suddenly slumps to the ground, snoring gently.
The fellow nearest him frowns and looks annoyed.
Telmarni comes out of hiding, with her wings spread open trying to look more menacing. She makes a gesture with her free hand and a burst of multi-colored light springs forth to cover the two near her.
With weapon in hand, she prepares for any to come to her.
I think they might surrender if we press them, Cassandra thinks, relieved that it might end here. But Carinna moves forward blindingly fast and strikes true on one of the bandits. Talking was over. They were going to panic and fight back. Crap. Cassandra picks a target and releases the tension from her bow.
But holding for so long had tensed her muscles too much. The arrow flies wild.
Carinna makes a single step and her blade whistles about in a clean arc that perfectly slashes the man's neck. He grabs at the bloody wound and chokes with a sudden, strangled cry.
Telmarni's advance comes with a burst of clashing, vibrant colors.
The bandit with the bow on the right side of the spell is suddenly knocked unconscious, but his ally manages to hold out against the spray.
Cassie's arrow goes wide and thunks into the wall of the building across the way.
: The arrow remains intact and recoverable.
The remaining bandits look sorely upset at this turn of events as they grab for their bows.
[dice=Bandit #3: Fire bow at Cassie]1d20+2[dice]
Bandit #4 disengages from Carinna, obviously outclassed and stumbling as he tries to keep from leaving an opening even as his neck wound drains his endurance.
Bandit #5 holds forth some kind of holy symbol and chants a bizarre string of magical syllables.
The sound of chanting then draws her attention and she gazes towards the bandit holding a holy symbol.
[dice=Spellcraft (DC 16)]1d20 + 7
Valeska looks with curiosity on the caster, while continuing to sing sweetly, despite the chaos about her.
"Shhh...." she replies, "This is how it's done."
Caster. Instinctually, Cassandra swivels to the new prime target. She didn't know what the bandit intended to cast but Cassandra's wasn't about to let them finish.
For some reason Bandit #3's die roll didn't get its terminating slash, let's see if it hit...
Yep! His arrow hisses through the air and thunks into the woman soundly.
Ouch!
On with the battle...
The clashing display of colors knocks bandit #3 unconscious.
Bandit #5 has his spell interrupted by bow and sword, and as he crumples in a bleeding heap from Carinna's blade and Cassandra's arrow, the slumber hex dips him into turbulent sleep.
Bandit #1 stirs on the ground as the slumber hex doesn't last very long, just in time to see #4 collapse prone and drop his weapon, moaning piteously, while the rest of his crew is incapacitated.
With the combat over, Telmarni goes around with wings slightly ruffled, taking weapons from the bandits. Seeing one bleeding out, she wonders if he should be saved. "Should we even bother with "saving" that one?" She points to the downed bandit with her sword.
Looking at the bandit that is awake, but surrendered, she looks around at the others. "We're going to need rope in addition to putting them somewhere for now. Maybe manacles as well."
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Carinna looks around, glad that the fight is over without major incidents.
"Good, well done girls! Korinne, could you run and ask Oleg to lend us some rope? Let's tie them up... And YOU, bastards, move only one finger and I'll gut you! Don't test me!"
She looks at the wounded caster, hit both by her blow and from Cassie's arrow.
Better to spare his life, usually they are the leaders...
"I think so Tel... Valeska, this one is bleeding badly... could you take a look in his wounds?"
The bandits are certainly well-armed. As Telmarni collects their weapons, she counts one dagger, three short swords, one composite long bow strung for a reasonably strong person, three long bows, and a club. Each of the bandits except #5 wears leather armor, and bandit #1 also wears a silver amulet of some sort on a leather thong around his neck. (Once you have them tied up you could go through all of their gear more thoroughly; this is just what's obvious as you're grabbing away swords and kicking bows out of reach.)
Telmarni looks over the bandit caster that has been downed by sword and arrow. "Is that a deity symbol of some sort?" She takes the item off of him to examine it. Not being able to figure out what deity it might belong to, she hands it over to Carinna. "Do you know what deity would have this symbol Cari?"
Valeska giggles and blows the bleeding caster a kiss. "He'll be fine. Oh, and could you get his weapons for me? Thanks."
Tzerny flies down to regard the first sleeping bandit with a steely passerine stare. "You're the leader of this sorry lot," he appraises. "You said there'd be consequences if you didn't return with the goods. Before you fell asleep on your men. Well, there's probably also consequences for you if you don't do your job. Tell us what will happen before your former comrades have discovered you failed."
As the others tie up the other brigands, Valeska looks over to the injured brigand. "There, there, let me take a closer look. I know, you're just trying to survive out here, but really, this isn't doing you any favors, is it? You're lucky Carinna was feeling generous. She could have taken your head clean off."
She pulls some herbs from her pouch and sings something in Sylvan as she blows gently on them before applying them to the wound.
Korinne is quick to collect some rope from Oleg's storeroom. As she returns, the heavyset trader follows her. He practically bristles as he sees the bandits.
"That's him!" he shouts, pointing at bandit #1 while he seems to vibrate with rage. The muscles on the side of his neck bulge out. "That one was here last time, threatening us and kicking around the other bandits."
Bandit #1 sits up from his magical unconsciousness, only to discover that he's already tied up and that his silver stag-skull-shaped necklace has been taken. The bandit cranes his neck around to try to see what's happening and says in a voice half-angry and half-panicked, "I work for Kressle! For Kressle! She'll skin everyone here if we don't come back with the goods! You can't f&%#ing kill me, you'll just draw down every bastard in these woods to burn this place to the ground! Your s+&@ty little pine-box fort will be turned into coffins! You have to let me go or they'll kill every one of you!"
He lapses into a string of particularly colorful cursing, sometimes swearing at the situation, sometimes at his associates.
Oleg says, "I say we hang 'em -- if that's all right with your lordships," he adds, ducking his head and not entirely sure how to address the party.
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With fluid grace, Carinna steps forward and attacks the man right into his neck. Just when the blade would cut his head of, she stops, dropping only a drop of blood from his neck.
"You are one word of loosing your head... Next time I won't hold myself." She looks at her friends. "Girls, we need to talk. Mr. Oleg, could you keep an eye on these men... and try not to kill them yet, they might have something important to say."
When they are alone, she continues.
"We have a problem here... Cassandra, I understood how you feel about killing them, but we have little choice here... I don't know about the others, but the leader is clearly a bad person and should we let them go, he will continue harassing people. We can not take them with us, for they might warn the others in the woods, and we can't leave them here... well, we could, but when the soldiers arrive, they will hang them anyway."
Tzerny lands on the bandit leader's head and nestles his beak into his ear to say, "Kressle, eh? What's so important about you? Why would Kressle care what happens to you? And why wouldn't she already burn down this place? Those threats sound rather empty."
Valeska studies the necklace, holding it up. Yet it's Tzerny who keeps talking. "Or maybe it's this? Maybe she wants this back? What does this mean, exactly?"
"Cassandra, are you okay? Looked like that fellow got in a pretty good shot on you. Valeska seems like she's got things well in hand," she comments, noting the skill with which the half-elf stabilizes the injured bandits, "but let me know if you need me to help too."
"I'm fine," she shouts down from the roof. "For now," she says softly to herself. She tries to put weight on her wounded leg but it won't take much. Right in the fleshy part. That's going to hurt coming out. She has taken it upon herself to act as overwatch as they round up the bandits. She makes sure they don't try anything stupid. And once they are safely secured she rappels down to the ground and limps over to them. She gives all of them a once over for any hidden weapons then joins he others for a convo.
"We have a problem here... Cassandra, I understood how you feel about killing them, but we have little choice here... I don't know about the others, but the leader is clearly a bad person and should we let them go, he will continue harassing people. We can not take them with us, for they might warn the others in the woods, and we can't leave them here... well, we could, but when the soldiers arrive, they will hang them anyway."
The way the man still carried on out there. She had to agree on him. But the others...who knew. This was much harder than she thought. "I know. I know, " she concedes. "I would rather let the guards do it though. I think the bigger issue is the ones not tied up. And I think I know where they are." She then pulls out a small notebook and carbon pencil. Knowledge was a hunters best friend and writing things down allowed them to remember better. She then draws out a rough sketch of the areas she visited and saw. "I went south east first thinking them in the woods. All I found there though were kobold tracks. Fresh ones too. But they are another matter. I didn't have time to search the plains but I believe they were hiding amongst the hills. If that's right then I believe the main camp to be along the Thorn river to the south. I saw a cottage south too but I am not sure its connected. Anyway, we can nicely ask the gentlemen outside if I am right."
As she speaks she shifts away from her wounded leg but never asks for healing. It was a good lesson right now.
"Maybe if they talk, we might be able to help them keep their heads." As Telmarni states. She looks to the group of bandits. "But with the loudmouth, it might be harder to hear them. Maybe someone, should remove his head. I think I would be.... Okay with cutting his head off." As she said with a grimace.
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"I would rather let the guards do it though. I think the bigger issue is the ones not tied up. And I think I know where they are."
"I don't know Casssandra, better not to risk... they might break free, harm Oleg and Svetlana and warn the other bandits. It is not a pleasant work, but I'll do it myself if it is alright..."
Carinna sighs.
"We need to know where their camp is, but I will not torture them... maybe the one that I almost cut his head off, might be willing to talk if me and Cassandra put enough fear in his heart."
"I think I would be.... Okay with cutting his head off." As she said with a grimace.
"No, you won't," Cassandra says with certainty. If she was uncertain how she would feel then she definitely wasn't going to be okay with it. Cassandra had the feeling she was the only one among them who had actually taken a life. She doubted even Carinna, for all her bluster, had either. Bandits that found her home were dealt with harshly but were at least given a chance. They believed in forgiveness and second chances. The same happened when she worked for the Medvyed. She gave them a chance. On the rare occasions she managed to catch one like they had now, she always turned them over to the Medvyed House. She trusted them as they trusted her. They weren't the law here. The law was on the way. So Cassandra decides to call Carinna's bluff. "You would be fine with killing men who did absolutely nothing to you? They did not steal from you. They didn't hurt you. At least I got shot. Could you take their life?"
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"You would be fine with killing men who did absolutely nothing to you? They did not steal from you. They didn't hurt you. At least I got shot. Could you take their life?"
Carinna looks deeply into Cassandra's eyes.
"I am not saying I would enjoy it, but I'd do it because it is what is expected of us." She takes again the charter from her pack and reads it aloud. "The carrier of this charter should also strive against banditry and other unlawful behavior to be encountered. The punishment for unrepentant banditry remains, as always, execution by sword or rope."
"The fact that those man had done nothing to me doesn’t take their guilt away. A murderer should only be punished by the dead or its family? If is that so, please go inside and tell Svetlana that SHE needs to take a sword and kill them.
I’ll do it so others can sleep at night, even if I have nightmares thereafter.
A second chance is given to a boy that is caught steeling to help his family, not to bandits that for who knows how many times have rodded or killed innocent people that will never have a chance to act.
If you want, go ahead and release them, but be around to tell a young girl that her family is dead because the murderers deserved another chance…"
"You build them up to be murderers yet there is no proof of this. Is that how we are going to do things? Judge based on stereotype? He stole something so he's a bandit which means he has, or will, kill someone at some point. Well what about her?" she says pointing at Telmarni. "She's a strix. Should she be treated as a monster because that's how most people see them?" Cassnadra takes a step back and lets out a breath. "I get it. They stole stuff. They are bandits. It says death is the punishment. But I think missed the whole repentant thing. That is yet to be determined. I doubt we are going to agree on this so I say we let the guards, when they get here, make the decision. It's what their hired to do right?"
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"You build them up to be murderers yet there is no proof of this. Is that how we are going to do things? Judge based on stereotype? He stole something so he's a bandit which means he has, or will, kill someone at some point."
"I do not intend to execute them because they are supposed murderers... they are bandits, and not just simple bandits, they are recidivists."
"Well what about her?" she says pointing at Telmarni. "She's a strix. Should she be treated as a monster because that's how most people see them?"
"When my uncle found Tel, she was threatening no one, she was helpless! Do not dare to compare Tel with those bandits!"
"I get it. They stole stuff. They are bandits. It says death is the punishment. But I think missed the whole repentant thing. That is yet to be determined. I doubt we are going to agree on this so I say we let the guards, when they get here, make the decision. It's what their hired to do right?"
"And so we were!" Carinna looks around hoping to find support from her friends. "Our mission here is not a simple one... we need to make these lands a suitable place for good people to live, not a den of bandits. We both know that the guards will execute them... you are not saving them... you are just running from your responsibilities!"
"When my uncle found Tel, she was threatening no one, she was helpless! Do not dare to compare Tel with those bandits!"
"They're helpless right now too! Only difference is there is proof of their wrongdoing!"
"And so we were!" Carinna looks around hoping to find support from her friends. "Our mission here is not a simple one... we need to make these lands a suitable place for good people to live, not a den of bandits. We both know that the guards will execute them... you are not saving them... you are just running from your responsibilities!"
"I am not running away!" Cassandra says, stomping her foot into the ground. Unfortunately she stomped her wounded leg sending a spike of pain through her body. She was forced to grab the table to prevent falling over completely. Ow. What the hell am I even doing arguing? No ones going to trust me like this. And I am only going to make my case worse for when I can hide no longer. Should have just kept my mouth shut. I wish brother was here. I bet he'd know how to handle this. She gingerly lowers herself into a nearby chair, careful to keep the wounded leg straight. "I don't think good people would do that," she says more to herself than the others.
The group manhandles the various bandits into the barn and Oleg sets it up as a makeshift prison for the time being. The beefy trader seems relieved and settled by this turn of events for once.
Questioning of the talkative, foul-mouthed bandit produces some additional interesting information. It's clear that he's pretty frightened by your group but he is also somewhat defiant.
"That medallion was given to me by Kressle. Shows that I'm part of her crew," he says. "Kressle's the mean b+%+~ who runs the show at our camp. You'll know her because she has a pair of axes that she uses when she fights, and she doesn't hesitate to cut off anything that offends her. She's the one keeping the others organized and in check," he says.
The bandit glances about his simple prison and says, "As long as trade goods and furs and things were flowing in like clockwork, this place could stay. Just pay tribute once a month and go about business as usual. Now that there's fightin', Kressle has no choice but to put a stop to it. Show who's in charge. She won't take no for an answer. Believe me, I've tried. This means war, an' you've brought it on yourselves!"
Oleg angrily interjects here, "You brought this upon us! You and your bandits and your thieving ways! Now people are standing up to you and all you can do is make threats. These fine folk defeated you like you were all a bunch of incompetent sheep. They'll make mincemeat of your Kressle."
Svetlana seems surprisingly defiant and angry as she adds coolly, "I remember her, too. The one who threatened to cut off my husband's hand. Her reign of terror will soon come to an end, I think."
Oleg turns to you and says, "Your charter says that you have to stop the bandits, and the penalty for bandits is death. These folks have been bandit...izing my place for months now. I'll get another rope and stretch their necks an' hang them from the southern wall, to show that banditry will no longer be tolerated in these parts. Please, if you let them go they will just go back to their camp and return in force."
"That's right!" says the foul-mouthed bandit eagerly. "There's a f#*+ing army of us in those woods and now you've stirred up the hornet's nest. But the old man's got one thing wrong! Your only chance to survive is to give us the goods and send us on our way. Show that you're willing to co-operate. Otherwise Kressle will get her other fellahs together and send word to the other groups of bandits and then it'll be a giant mountain of flaming s$!@ right on your doorstep!"
Oleg furrows his brow and frowns and says, "It has to stop. Please, you folks took on this charter to stop this. I think he's right about one thing -- if we give in to the bandits, they will just keep coming. The only way they'll stop is if someone makes them, and that's up to you." He takes off his hat and twists it in his hands.
Seeing it go back and forth between Cassandra and Carinna, Telmarni looks to them then back to the bandits. She ignores the comment about strixes and monsters, as she knows it is no help here. "If the don't repent, it is death. But if they wish to help, we can maybe organize some sort of indentured service that they could do? The loudmouth..." She mumbles a bit. "We should at least know his name I guess." She shakes her head and continues. "Anyway, it is very clear that he does not want to change, so he has chosen his fate. The others, if we can talk to each one alone, one at a time, we should be able to see if they are willing to repent, and are willing to help us with information."
With the bandits all gathered up and put away in their makeshift prison, Telmarni listens for any information. But aside from their leader named Kressle, there was not much coming from him but colorful words. He should just get his head chopped off. He is not helping anything or anyone at all. Telmarni thinks. Maybe pull him outside and just use my scimitar on him... I wouldn't like to kill him that way, but he is acting like an animal.
Telmarni sighs and gets a stern look on her face. She tucks her wings back under her arms before announcing to her friends. "I am going to take him to talk with first. If nothing else, he will be quiet afterwards. If you wish to come along, do so, if not, stay put."
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"I'll go with you Tel." Carinna approaches her whispers in her ears. "Tel, I think it is better for you to let me do this... I care for you and would rather not let you give the impression of a 'killer strix'. I know Oleg and Svetlana are good people and would not think about this, but rumors tend to distort some facts, usually in a bad way..."
Valeska looks at the group timidly. "We'll do what we must... but I don't really like killing all that much..."
Tzerny hops on her shoulder and adds, "Dibs on his eyes."
Telmarni sighs and nods. "Yes, I believe you are right Cari. I will watch while you talk." When Tzerny the bird speaks ups, she looks at it with an odd look on her face. "... Eh, not now bird. Not the right time for that." As that face becomes slightly pale.
Valeska sighs sullenly. "I'll talk to them. I traveled throughout the River Kingdoms with a Varisian carnival, I know a bit about road life out here. Maybe they'll be more willing to speak with me."
Killing ones better than killing all of them I guess. "Well, let's get to it," she says getting up. She groans a little at the new flare of pain but keeps going. Let's see what they do when the boss isn't around anymore.
Valeska and Carinna take the opportunity to interrogate the bandits, Carinna as the bad cop and Valeska as the good cop. What you eventually uncover...
* The foul-mouthed one is named Happs, and he used to be a farmer with a wife and two children, but he was caught stealing, killed a man while making his escape from Restov, and took up a life of banditry.
* His confederates are largely desperate men and hardened criminals as well. Most of them, it eventually comes out, are either on the run from the law, or lived in this backcountry for years and fell in with the bandits on the promise of acquiring loot and booze.
* The sullen spellcaster is an adept (hence why he used a holy symbol and no armor).
* If offered clemency, any of these men would eagerly claim to want to "turn over a new leaf" and reform, but the question is, what do you do with them? Oleg would not allow them to stay. If you wait for the soldiers to arrive you could have them shipped back to Restov for formal trial. Here in the wilderness, you are the law, and it's up to you to make these decisions. Sense Motive (DC 20) could give you an inkling of who might actually be reform-able.
* Kressle, the woman that Happs talks about, is apparently a hardened bandit woman who threatens people with axes, enjoys violence, and rules over the bandit camp that this group came from. Apparently she has connections with other bandits in the region, but Happs doesn't know any particulars -- he just knows that she sends him and some of the boys to collect "tribute" from this trading post every month.
* The bandits have a main encampment where the Thorn River meets the Narlmarches, about 18 miles west-southwest of here. (Further than Cassie scouted.) They had a separate overnight camp for this specific group in a rocky valley south of the trading post, well-concealed in a dell.
* Note that the bandits had six horses with them (so you can all ride!), and they had longbows (so Cassie or anyone else who wanted a bow can take one -- and one is a composite longbow with Strength +2).
When they interrogate the prisoners, Telmarni notes what each one says. So his name is Happs? And he has, had a family!? Sheesh... It is saddening.
She stands beside Carinna, and watches over the prisoners. Making sure none of them are trying to slip free of their bonds.
After a good three hours of interrogations, wheedling, pressuring, asking prying questions, and checking various stories against one another, Carinna comes to the following conclusions:
* Happs is largely resigned to his life of brigandry. He's wanted back in Restov -- if he were shipped back he'd probably be hanged almost immediately.
* Bandit #1, you can't quite get a read on. His name is Larik and he claims that he was a cobbler who fell on hard times in Restov when a gnome opened a shop next door to him and he lost all his business. According to his sob story, he was then forced to sell his shop, and he fell in with the brigands while he was trying to travel to Daggermark in hopes of starting anew. They took all of his goods but then spared his life when he demonstrated that he could repair their boots and make their shoes comfortable -- a valuable skill if you're living in the woods for years at a time.
* Bandit #2 is a sad man called Hatch. He's not very smart or well educated. Apparently he comes from a farming family, but his parents died when he was young and his older brother kicked him out of the house. He drifted for a while before falling in with bandits because he lacked any notable skills. He's not very bright and gets confused easily when you ask him difficult questions. At one point he actually breaks down crying and shouting "Just tell me what you want me to say! Just tell me what I'm supposed to say!" He wrings his hands and covers his face as he sobs. His story tells you that he is used to just following directions from the other bandits and doesn't really know any better. This makes it difficult to decide what to do with him, as left to his own devices he will probably wind up in trouble again, but not out of any malice.
* Bandit #3 is sullen and refuses to cooperate much. He says that he knows that he's not likely to survive this, so there's not much you can offer him in the way of incentives. Eventually he gives you the name Scramsax, which you think is probably a pseudonym. You do notice that he tends to talk a bit more, and proudly, when describing some of his past exploits, and he seems to think that he is very clever. At one point he says that he could "make it worth your while" if Carinna were to release him on his own recognizance, and hints that there could be rewards both monetary and salacious, but this seems to be a bald lie.
* The bandit adept calls himself Scratch and he is apparently a devotee of Gyronna, a hag-goddess whose areas of influence include hatred and spite. Though her priesthood is all female, he is not an ordained priest, merely a dabbler (hence an adept rather than a cleric). He is a thoroughly repellent man, convinced that he is not given his due from the world, that people have conspired to keep him from greatness, and that by allying with the bandits he is making a bold statement against the "powers that be," to fight against and overthrow "the corrupt order of the governments of Restov and Brevoy, who mean only to line their own pockets at the expense of the hard-working and deserving. Are they not bandits on a much larger scale than us?" He is also a bizarre contradiction in misogyny and servile nature with regard to women, as he feels that his goddess has wronged men by accepting only female priests, but at the same time he is utterly devoted to her and the idea that she will give his hatred an outlet. He seems to be the kind of man who would go on a killing spree in a brothel because the prostitutes didn't trip over themselves to offer him free services, but he would then run home and tell his mother about it in an attempt to curry her favor. Very disturbed. During most of the questioning he watches Telmarni quite a bit, in a sort of hungry-desirous-hopeful-reverent combination that makes her queasy.