Round 1
Vishoon cast Stabilize on Happs, and yells at Oleg and Svetlana, "Tie him up and make sure he doesn't die!"
Vishoon then exits the building and moves west to corner of the building(K16) barking "Surrender now you foul knaves or suffer the same fate as your leader."
Holbrecht methodically draws another bolt, examining the balance and angle of the fletching. Loading it into his crossbow, he tries to adjust the tension on the trigger, when it fires over the bandit's head and into the side of the bunk house. "Hmmm, that was on the third rotation... about a two-hundred degree turn too far.... maybe balance at a one ten?" He begins tweaking the tension once more.
As the words of her lullaby come to a close, Valeska looks to see the spell's effect as pulls forth some more petals for a repeat performance.
Seeing Ravens in danger of taking a hit. Areanna risks a shot at bandit no. 1. [ooc]I am not sure if this counts as melee because Ravens said he was attempting to move away. I leave it to our wise DM to decide and I will simply make my roll.[/b]
Applying Arcane Strike and FIRE!
Attack 1: For:
Round 1 continued
Oleg looks at Svetlana and they both nod and proceed to look for some rope to do as you say, Vishoon.
The bandit near Ravens slashes out as Ravens scurried out of the way of the charging bandit, but wasn't fast enough. The bandit managed to get a good swing at you, but you easily sidestep the slash. "I almost feel bad for killing a kid like.. " His remark ends early as a fine elven arrow pierces through his chest. He falls.
Ser Bregan adjusts to the lack of movement just fine as Luck and himself take down the two bandits in front of him with ease. Both bandits are down and bleeding out.
The Pink Petals fall over the two bandits on horseback.
Bandit 5 goes down asleep on the rearing horse as well as Bandit 6's horse. Bandit 6 luckily falls off his horse feet first and lands standing up.
Areanna's shot flies straight into the chest of the bandit the same time Holbrecht's bolt flies way high and over the wall.
Round 2
With the most of Happs' men either dead, dying, or sleeping the only two remaining bandits wise up and surrender. Especially when the one who cut down Happs walks out of the house, blade colored red from Happs' blood, and calls out to surrender. "I surrender!" Says the bandit who fell off his horse.
He bumbles around and still trys to get a hold of his freaked out horse. "Yield! DAMN YOU HORSE! Yield!" He shouts.
Happs horse panics, rears, and takes off squeezing between Oleg's house and the storage pen away from everyone looking for some sort of escape.
Ravens is very slow to creep out from behind the shed where he ended the combat.
At hearing the cries of "I surrender", his first thought was to flee but then realized it was the bandits who were surrendering which caught him as a bit of a surprise.
We won? Our plan worked?!
Ravens will run out to check on Luck the Hero Horse and gather the horses of the bandits.
"Luck! Are you okay?! Are you injured!? You can tell me! Good job, Luck! I'm going to call you Banditbane from now on! You sure are amazing!"
Vishoon will go cast stabilize on all the down bandits, hoping to save them for questioning, while collecting the weapons from those surrendering. Calling out to Oleg and Svetlana "We need more Rope out here!"
Valeska lets out a small gasp of astonished success as she watches her traveling companions rout the bandits, and with surprise as her lullaby takes down a horse--she had never done that before!
She climbs down from the wall and heads over to the group. "Let's at least get these horses into the stable," she states.
Tzerny flies down to land on her shoulder. He turns to the surrendering bandits and adds, "Don't try anything. We will all be watching you."
Areanna jumps into the air and does a fist pump. "Yaha! We triumphed over our enemies! Hail the conquering heroes!" Areanna slides down from the rampart and dances over to join the rest of the party. "Well done everyone! Oh I can't wait to log this in my journal. Is anyone hurt? I can heal if needed."
Holbrecht completely misses the point of the celebration, instead being obsessed by the tension at which his crossbow is set. Inspecting it, another bolt he had loaded while working, fires past his temple missing his eye by a mere few inches. "Aha! I think that's it right there.... It seems the cross piece is askew... if I look directly across the length you can see the tilt.... with a slight turn... There that should do it." He looks up ready to continue the fight. "Poor choice in attac... Oh, why are they surrendering?" He asks the nearest member of the group.
"Round them up. We have some hanging to do."
Bregan trots about the captured bandits, still astride his mount, keeping his lance leveled in case any of them change their mind about giving up the fight knowing what justice awaits them.
Hanging, right? That's Brevan justice for banditry and within our charter isn't it?
No! I didn't save these folks just for you to hang them, we should question them and find out where this Stag Lord is so we can put an end to him and his banditry. looking angrily at Bregan
Turning to Oleg "Do you have someplace where I or we can interrogate the prisoners?"
Oleg and Svetlana rush to do as you say and find some rope. They come back with enough to sufficiently tie them up, but look at you to know how to do such a thing (as well as Oleg's arm being in a sling).
"The shed... someone quiet those horses!.. would do."
Although one horse is asleep, the others are noticeably startled.
One of the bandits remarks "Yes! Question us! We have answers! Please! Just don't kill us! I was just followin' orders. You won fair 'n square. Have mercy!" The other one says nothing.
Holbrecht listens to the conversation before stating as a point of fact, "If I do recall, perchance, the charter itself said, and I quote 'The punishment for unrepentant banditry remains, as always, execution by sword or rope.' That being said, I see sense in questioning them... but would imagine that none would know more than the one in charge of this small group. So, my recommendation would be to hang the others... or it says by blade, but that could be messy.... and I assume it means during battle... I will have to try and find some clarity in the clause... it could be by blade, but how exactly is it conducted.... rope just seems more clear and simple." Oddly enough, realizing he was rambling, he concludes "We should hang all but this Happs fellow, then hang him after the questions are answered." confusion mars his features as he walks away asking himself "What do we do if they ARE repentant though, it isn't addressed within the charter. We should follow Brevoy law, but what if the law is unclear?"
"They're lack of insincerity sickens me. They could have taken up normal careers but instead they chose banditry. If we do not make an example of them, any common individual would take up being a bandit if they knew they could get away with a meager slap on the wrist. Crime would increase exponentially. However, it is not my call. Our fearless leader Ser Bregan should decide their fate. Maybe hang half including the leader and let the rest go with the warning." Areanna waits for Ser Bregan to decide their fate.
Valeska watches the exchange worriedly, little lines appearing across her forehead. She bites her lip, but then turns to Ravens. "We should, um, get these horses into the stable. Could you help? Please? You're good with animals."
Ravens will run out to check on Luck the Hero Horse and gather the horses of the bandits.
Ravens, holding a horses already (having already gotten a horse into the stable), nods at Valeska, "Uhm...sure! Anything for you!"
Ravens will search through the horse's saddlebags for loot/treasure/food and share with the party.
* * *
Ravens stays quiet on the issue of what to do with the bandits.
I don't know much about things like this. We should probably let Banditbane decide. That horse knows everything.
"Ya know when you say answer question then we kill, usually tends not to make people very cooperative. Now if you give them a reason to be cooperative, you might get the info you need. I suggest we talk to them individually, and the ones that tell us useful info, we make slaves to help oleg and svetlana, the ones not so helpful we kill."
Oleg and Svetlana stay and observe Ravens taking care of the horses and then proceeding to search the saddlebags. Ravens has an almost empathic connection with calming the animals as if they understand him and his wishes. "To let them go gives 'em a chance to seek revenge... but you did handle them easily. They'd definitely think twice about coming back to these parts."
The vocal bandit prisoner agrees with Oleg. "Yes! I'm a coward! I'd never come back! Just let me live!"
alchemist’s fire (2); leather armor,dagger, composite longbow (+2 Str) with 20 arrows, 2 days of trail rations, silver Stag Lord amulet worth 20 gp, 35 gp
leather armor, longbow with 20 arrows, short sword, 2 days
of trail rations, 10 gp
Oleg offers everyone 50gp for a job well done.
"I'd like to start with all your names"
Bregan looks at all the captured men sternly.
"Well, they are all bandits - we know this for certain. The law of the land states they are to die by sword or rope."
He trots Luck about in a semi-circle as he continues to talk, so the brigands can overhear.
"If the example we set is that we knock them down, put them to sleep and and let them go with a warning, I don't think that's the deterrent that our lords had in mind..."
I've never hung a man before, not sure I have the stomach for it.
Bregan does his best to look serious and stern.
"I didn't say let them go. I said let them stay and work here as slave. Help around." looking at Oleg's arm and maybe defend this place from other bandits. Especially when we aren't around
The chatty one speaks up. "Phlem's my name. Our boss is Happs. Well actually our boss is the stag lord, but Happs is the man you slew in one swipe! The others are.." He gets interrupted by another bandit. "Shut up you fool! You're words are the only thing keepin' you alive. Don't use all of them."
Holbrecht seems confused by Vishoon's logic, "But... if we are not around... wouldn't they become bandits again... we weren't around when they were bandits... if we leave them here with Oleg, and we are not around.... then won't Oleg be outnumbered once again by dishonest men?" He works the numbers in the air in front of him a few times, but each time the answer causes him to scowl and scratch his head.
Valeska returns from helping Ravens with the horses. She looks over some of the items gathered from them, then joins everyone else speaking to the bandits.
She visibly relaxes as she approaches, her eyes beaming with hope as she sees the bandits. Tzerny flaps his wings and nestles his head by Valeska's pointed ear.
"Oh, what to do, what to do?" Valeska intones, her voice somewhere between matronly and taunting. "Keeping your words safe, trying not to end your lives. Whether we should kill you now or let you go depends not on what is in your words, but what is in your hearts. Shall we see into their souls?"
An odd, inscrutable look appears on Valeska's face, a slight elfin smirk, a human appraisal, with eyes that appear to look past the eyes of the bandits. She pulls forth her Harrow deck from her belt pouch.
Areanna rolls her eyes and paces. "These men should be made an example of. They have hurt countless innocents and could harm countless more if we let them loose. Think back to the wedding day. All those people that died in that fray. We cannot simply show mercy to every group that asks for it. Especially groups that made a dishonest living. It's not like they were unaware of what their actions did." Areanna turns to Vishoon. "You are one of the voices I trust most and a man who is a good judge. If Ser Bregan cannot bring these men to justice, you should. Don't you agree?"
Justice can be served in many ways. Looking at Bregan and Areanna Saying talk so we can hang you will get us nothing. Potentially promising a life serving Oleg and Svetlana to the few who help us the most, will probably get us how to find this "Stag Lord" and get some help around here. Looking at Oleg's arm and the run down contion of the outpost "We can shackle them even if Oleg has any so they are easy to handle. And if they all would rather die than serve here, then I will be happy to take trier heads off with my falchion, and save the rope" Looking at Bregan again "But we can try it your way, it is YOUR expedition, I'm sure you can find another way of finding this "Stag Lord", maybe Ravens or Holbrecht can talk to the horses and they might tell us where he is."
He looks at the Bandits agian "I'm still waiting on yer names at least, If dont hear those soon, I'll just take you heads off now and be done with you."
Ravens returns his borrowed scythe to Svetlana.
"Thank you for that."
Ravens avoids the discussion regarding the bandits and instead goes to rub down Banditbane and feed his horse, Crowbane.
"My expedition?"
Bregan's question comes with a tone of shock in his voice.
"This is not my expedition. I'd rather say I was conscripted into this duty."
Bregan rubs his chin from Luck's back while he considers the circumstances.
"Alright, I suppose we can let one of them live. The rest should hang for their crimes. Perhaps whichever we deem as most helpful gets to receive this magnanimous pardon for their cooperation?"
Bregan speaks loudly so that all the bandits can hear.
"If I recall you were the one looking for people to fill the charter after the bandit attack, tho if you prefer, I will not consider this your expedition."
I suggest we talk to each one individually, and the one we find most useful we let live
Ravens will ask Svetlana to borrow a shovel and where the graveyard is. If there is no graveyard, Ravens will go about 500 yards away and begin one.
Digging. I *hate* digging.
"Me! I'll talk! Anything you want!" Phlem says loudly.
"What about our boss? That... thing... over there did a nice workin' on him." Says the quiet one. The others are too scared to speak right now unless spoken too. Happs moans on the ground.
Valeska reaches out and puts a hand on Ravens's shoulder.
Tzerny replies, "Why dig?"
Ravens looks at Valeska and then at the raven.
Whuh? Which one is the master here?
"Uhm...digging? Gotta bury the bodies. 'Earth to earth' and all that. Did you guys want to help?"
Bregan nods when Vishoon agrees with letting the most useful one live, and hanging the others.
"Alright, you dogs hear that? Whichever we deem as the most useful gets to live. For the rest of you, it's the noose."
Bregan finally hops down off his horse and looks for some strong rope.
"Vishoon, you can decide which one is the most helpful."
The half-orc seems to have a good sense of the truth, or am I imagining that?
Vishoon will lead each one separately into The guest Bedroom Area. First question to each is "What yer name?" Followed up by "Tell me about this "Stag Lord"..and Where can I find him..What kid of trouble can I expect going after him. and lastly After getting all that information he will pull a list of names out of his pocket and ask "What do you know of these people...Where can I find them...Don't lie...The Mother will tell me if you are lying"
Intimidate Happ
Intimidate Bandit 1
Intimidate Bandit 2
Intimidate Bandit 3
Intimidate Bandit 4
Intimidate Bandit 5
Intimidate Phlem
"Help? No!" Tzerny replies. "It's just a terrible waste of good meat. There's a lovely spot at the top of the wall I thought we should take them."
"No, Tzerny!" Valeska chides.
Tzerny hops off her shoulder and lands on the ground. The raven struts about. Valeska shakes her head and sighs. "Ravens, I don't know... I guess I'll help dig. Everyone else is so looking forward to killing people."
"They would have killed you, too, child," Tzerny rejoinders. "That's the world. To stay strong, you must eat. To eat, you must kill. Of course... you could always stay near the killers, seek out the dead, and eat that. That's how you stay strong without killing, child."
Valeska stared at Tzerny in horror.
"Don't give me that, you land-bound, hairy mammal. I'm not saying anything you don't already know. I'm giving you a way to survive without hurting anyone. And you will need to survive a lot in the coming year."
Tzerny puffs himself up and finishes, saying, "Now I'm going to go and figure out what the choicest bits on those bandits are. You can move dirt or cry or pretend you're with Aldern again." He takes flight, heading for Vishoon and the bandits.
"Three times, child. Three times!"
Valeska just stares, agape.
Ravens just stares, agape.
Then backs slowly away to where he should be digging.
Holbrecht muses about the idea of Ravens and Valeska digging so many graves, "Digging... a lot of digging... so many holes.. DIGGING! I could actually use the broken catapults... lever worked in.. reverse tension, if the arm swings both directions... it could decrease the workload..." he starts with paper and calculations, "Basket size equivalent... multiple shovelfulls... though loading the arm, would typically take fifteen rotations..." He wanders away towards the catapults, sketching on his paper, scratching his beard with the inkpen's tip whenever the numbers didn't work into his musings correctly.
Bregan leaves the digging to the others and inspects the horses that the group has come into possession of - for malnourishment, breeding, and what-not.
Once Vishoon returns, he'll ask with indifference, "So, we have a winner of the most-useful-knowledge-for-sparing-me competition?"
Your intimidation is very successful. (They all break down and cry and beg for mercy.. their lives...) Phlem talks the most and between everyone, this is what you gather:
There is a camp of bandits near a place called the Thorn Ford led by a lady named Kressel. She's pretty good with a hatchet. 10, including her, remain there. If they don't come back, she'll know something is up and may move camp or tell the Stag Lord. Oldar's name comes as a surprise to the men. He is a newer addition to the Stag Lord's ranks. He is some sort of liason or ambassador or something. None know since they left when he came to the Stag Lords fort.. but the man was guarded by 2 trolls.
When Ravens finishes diggin', he will help Holbrecht sort and account for the supplies and tend to his ravens.
If given a bit of time, he will retire to a quiet spot and practice more of his magical writing.
I can write magic. I'm the only here who can do that...well, except for Banditbane, probably. Ravens thinks proudly.
Scribe scroll of Jump
-12.5 gp
I like jumping.
Areanna is happy with the 70gp worth of pay. She finds a nice quiet place to sit down and log the adventure. "Today we set an ambush for bandits and won with the greatest of ease. We are truly the bane of bandits this day. Now Vishoon is interrogating the wreches to get whatever info he can. Once he is finished, we will ride forth and deliver Brevoy justic."
Areanna sucks on the feathertip of her quill pen and then an idea hits her. She jots down an entry called "Companions"
"We have a interesting number of unusal companions together on this grand quest. When stories are told of great undertakings one often hears of brave warriors like Ser Bregan, well at least they look like Ser Bregan. I think I will start with him."
"First Companion. Ser Bregan Stone. At first we all presumed he was our leader as he was one of the original surviving members of the expedition crew. Strangely, the brave knight does not seem to enjoy his role. I find this surprising as he is perfect for the job. He is charming looking and wears shiny armor and has a very authoritative voice. However, he seems to lack confidence and is not very assertive. Two qualities that I believe a leader should have. He needs to go around and act dignified and in charge. A little arrogance would be perfect for him. Maybe I should offer him some advise. For now I will keep watching him."
"Second Companion. Ravens. I can't seem to figure this guy out. He is very quiet but he keeps going on about Luck the Hero horse. Horses are useful for doing labor but I have never heard of one being a hero. That's just silly. Ravens seems to be the most melancholy member of the team. Also a bit single minded at times. It will be interesting to see if he develops further on this quest but I wont hold my breath."
"Valeska. Our Third Companion. Such a sweet girl with a really annoying raven. I can't help but get the feeling that it controls her to an extent. She likes fortune telling and seems to be very considerate. It is nice to have another girl on the team. I hope that she and I can become good friends."
"Fourth Companion, a dwarf named Holber...something. His name is really difficult to write. He is a remarkably charming fellow for a dwarf. Not very social, typical of a dwarf but at least he is not as grumy or as greedy as other members of his kind. He is very intelligent. I often love listening to him talk math. It fascinates me that a dwarf can be so smart. Sometimes I try and write down what he says to possibly write a song but he just talks so fast. He's like a chipmunk on coffee. But he is funny all the same. I believe him to be a great asset to the teams.
[b]"Our fifth and my personal favorite. The every vigil and stoic Vishoon. I love Vishoon. He is a good person who has a good heart. I fear that because of his appearance few people could see the beauty in him. I know that he has a heart of gold but I can also tell he has a dark and sad past. I hope that one day he may trust me enough to share it with me. I also think he would make a great leader for our group. He knows how to get things done and he has authority in his voice. I will continue to support Vishoon on this endeavor. This group wouldn't be the same without him."
"Final Companion, me. The Beautiful, Dignified, Arrogant, Archer and Singer extraordinaire, Areanna Delante am one of the greatest assets in this party. I have beauty, intellect, and a marvelous voice. I am also good at archery. I am definitely the perfect pick for this group. For Sure."
"This concludes my analysis of our companions at this point in our adventure. I hope to update the entries as we continue as people always reveal more as you spend time with them. They even change from time to time. I look forward to traveling with everyone here. This is so exciting, I can hardly wait for what comes next."
Areanna closes the book and waits for orders from the expedition captain.
Two more things Vishoon wants to know is where is this Stag Lord can be found or at least his fort, and what does Oldar look like.
"You" pointing to Phlem, Come here."
Pushing Phlem to his knees, he pulls down his shirt so his back shows
Casting Brand Vishoon traces 2 symbols on his back
"They will fade but now I can always track you. You will Work here and help these two out, indicating Oleg and Svetlana and defend this place if necessary. If I hear you do any thing different, you shall join them Pointing to the other bandits
To Bregan "The rest are yours."
After the Hangings
They have a camp southwest of here, by a place called Thorn Ford. There are 10 more of these scum there, led by some woman named Kressel. They are expecting these guys back so we should head there before they get spooked."
To Oleg and Svetlana You know where this Thorn Ford is? What can you tell us about it? Oh yeah put him to work" Pointing to Phlem.