Having held of till the sleep spell could do its work, Dyrm leaps out and moves with more speed than most would imagine a dwarf having, slashing at the nearest awake foe he can find.
Dyrm holds a position over one of the still awake bandits, "If you are vise, you vill not try anyting that vould force me to cut your fool heads off, Ja?
Theodric puts away his lance and shield, then dismounts.
"Now Dyrm, why would we cut their heads off?"
Theodric pulls out his dagger from his belt. A violent smile crosses his face.
"After all, there are so many other parts to remove first! Be creative, don't limit yourself to a boring decapitation. There are fingers and toes, eyes and ears...ears! That gives me a fun idea."
Theodric walks over to the corpse of the bandit he killed. He crouches down on one knee and quickly but carefully cuts the ear off of the corpse. He carries it over to one of the awake bandits and shows it to him.
"This will look great on a necklace, don't you think? Although it really would look better if it had a couple friends to go with it."
Gliadel moves quickly to the sleeping bandits, disarming them and binding them. As Theodric dismembers the corpse of a dead bandit, she sighs, but does not interrupt what she hopes is his theatrical way of interrogating his prisoner.
On the contrary, she wakes one of the sleepers and invites him to watch.
"Of course, we wouldn't harm someone who helped us," she said. "You are no longer a bandit, but speak quickly, tell me your leader's name and where his stronghold is, tell me how many men are there and how the place is guarded, and you may yet remain whole. In time, if you make amends for the harm you've done, you may even be freed. Please, give me a reason to give him to spare you."
"I'd say kill the two sleepers; we'll have enough trouble keeping these two without having to kill them..."
Kern watches Theodrc perform his bit of theatre, then shrugs. No harm done, he's already dead
She climbs down the wall and leaves the trading post, hobbling along after the rest patting Ging on his back.
Lanya exhibits a slight smile as Theodric goes about trying to intimidate the bandits.
Crude but effective no doubt, a bit too barbaric for my taste. He should let them imagine what he would do to them, not give examples. Usually things they can imagine are far worse and scarier than what we tell them.
"You should really listen to the lady you know, I've seen what this man is capable of with prisoners, it's best to leave those things unmentioned and trust us first before he gets his way with you."
Theodric puts his knife away and pats the bandit on the head like a dog. "Good job. You get to stay in one piece, for now at least."
Turning his attention away from the terrified bandit, he looks over to Happs.
"So Happs, you're the leader? That means I'm going to need some special equipment to deal with you."
Theodric starts walking away towards Oleg's main building. With his back to his companions he says, "The rest of you can start without me. I've got to go find a bucket, some cinnamon, and a ten foot pole."
Cromwell stays put on the ramparts for a moment listening to the interrogation, shuddering as he imagines what Theodric cut off of the bandit.
Well he's a little vicious. But effective I suppose.
" It looks like that worked rather well, don't you think?" He addresses to no one in particular as he rises and climbs down into the fort. " So, Theo what ARE you going to do with the bucket, pole and cinnamon? Which I might add is a little costly to waste on a bandit."
Pondering fort a moment he adds." Wouldn't a sharp knife and some salt be more effective?"
Raising his voice to be heard outside the fort.." By the way, is anyone hurt? Besides the ruffians?"
Theodric doesn't bother turning around, but responds to the bandit. "Now we don't want you dying from an allergic reaction. That's not too much fun to watch. Oh well, no harm done. I was somewhat reluctant to use this method anyways, it was a little mild for my tastes. No worries though, Alika Alizan's classic The Joys of Life in Nidal taught me plenty of other methods. I'll start gathering materials for all of them, just in case you are allergic to something else."
Dyrm looks troubled by something. Having gone stoic and all 'dwarfy' while the others talk.
I do not much care for torture. Let us hope Theodric is bluffing
We're going to need to talk about this torture nonsense, I don't care to have that kind of reputation.
”Well, Happs, it seems that we have established that you do not wish to die. Our charter, however, explicitly calls out the punishment for unrepentant banditry as death.”
”It is by that one word, unrepentant, that your life hangs. It remains for you,” Kern gestures to the other awake bandits, ” and these others, to prove that you have renounced your banditry.”
”The first step in that regard is to give us all of the information we need to stamp out the rest of your companions. Understand that we will do so anyway, but if you do not strive to make the task simpler and more sure for us, you will not live to see the result.”
Dyrm's eyes narrow, "Bah. Zis man is about as repentant as a proeztitute who found out she'd been paid in fake coin!" he raises his axe, "No torture. Let us kill him clean and honorable."
" Not so fast , my larcenist friend. You must prove your repentance, and do as Kern asks. Give us the information needed, and when verified as legitimate, we will decide on what kind of punishment is necessary for your criminal deeds. If the information is false it will be as the charter states. Death by rope or sword. If proven correct we will find some other way for you to atone for your crimes. "Cromwell states as he approaches.
" And , just a note, it states we cant KILL you. Not that we cant HURT you. Or punish you for that matter. So cooperation would be a boon for you right now. The more you cooperate, the less likely we are to allow Theo to play with his cinnamon, rope and pole. Or whatever items he has in mind. Quite painful and vicious I presume."
He will smile benignly at them the entire time he is talking, and for a few minutes after, while waiting for their response.
Lanya looks on as the bandit calmly and coldly states that he repents his crimes.
Not a chance that he will repent, you could easily distinguish the repentant ones from the real villains. I should try the other one, he looks more scared and not a long-time bandit like the other one.
She walks over to the other bandit and kneels down beside him. In a friendly voice she says to him.
"Well you don't look like a long-time bandit as much as Happs does. What is your name? How long have you roamed around with them?
As I see that Happs is not going to take us up on our offer, I'm hoping you will be more forward with information. Everything you tell us could be useful to clear this area of bandits. Perhaps you could settle here as well, clear your name for the future."
She lays a hand on his face as she says these last words, hoping to at least make him think on the matter.
She turns her face towards the others and Happs.
"I agree with Dyrm, Happs doesn't sound like someone who would truly be repentant. I knew men like that. Theodric gather up some rope instead, we can't let men like him live."
"To expand on Brother Cromwell's statement, our charter states that we must kill the unrepentant...but says nothing about what must be done otherwise."
Kern turns toward Happs, "Your statement is not a magic spell that protects you. We decide your repentance, not you, and by you statements and attitude, you've sealed your fate. Let's hope your compatriots are wiser that you."
"As Lanya says, it is time for a noose"
I don't trust him still. His answer could mean that he sets us on to another target, not the actual bandits. I wonder..
Lanya inspects him as he says those last words, hoping to see a slight twitch that would give away his true intent.
She keeps kneeling down by the other bandit. "He is your leader so I suppose you don't want to rat him out, but you can at least tell your own story separately from his you know. Honesty will be appreciated."
She stands up and turns towards Happs.
"Happs, you might say you repent, but I'm not convinced. You can't teach an old fox new tricks, though you must change your actions too. The ones you have hurt might not believe nor forgive you that easily for your actions these last times."
She turns to the other young bandit tied up on the ground.
"To be really repentant is to also change your ways and help people here to fix what you and your kind have caused. Eventually people will forgive you and life should be more easy here."
She looks around for Oleg.
"Oleg! This Happs guy over here, he is an long-time bandit right? How about the other one?"
The dwarf paces back and forth as the others interrogate the bandits.
While his companions interrogate the bandits, Theodric heads over to Oleg's main building to find the trader or his wife. Once he finds one of them, he makes sure he's far enough away the bandits can't hear him and asks
"Excuse me, would you mind if I borrow some supplies? I'm trying to get the bandits to talk and they're not responding to orthodox methods, so I'm going to try something a little different. Ideally I'd like a ten foot pole, a bucket, a bell, about 100 feet of coarse rope, some pitons, a hammer, a wheel of cheese, a blind fold, enough wood to start a small fire, a whip, and some lantern oil."
" Yes, Happs is it? I can understand the difference. However in this instance your 'friends' ARE the bandits. So we run into a conundrum of sorts don't we? Repentance isn't taken for granted, you have to prove it. The Writ of Law states that we must hang or execute by the sword those whom we find to be guilty of Unrepentant banditry. Soo ... in the interest of saving your own life, I suggest you prove your sincerity, by giving us the information we require. Or else..." He ends by making the motion of jerking a rope above his head and twisting his neck as if hung.
" You see, I don't recognize any rats here. Just a group of criminals who need to be punished. You can mitigate the punishment by helping us. However, the choice is yours. Help or make peace with your Makers."
we won't be letting them go, by any means. they will serve some kind of sentence for their crimes.
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The other bandit starts to speak, but Happs cuts him off.
"No! You know he'll kill you. You're dead either way, don't be a coward."
Happs turns to the group.
"I have repented. I have agreed to help you, except in naming my friends or betraying their whereabouts. If that does not meet your 'code' then kill me and be done with it."
"You zay you vill not betray your friends or betray zeir where abouts, but vhat of der goods that your 'friends' have stolen from dis place? Where are those items, goods and coin kept? To repent normally means to make tings right. Helping us restore vhat was wrongfully taken vould be a start to that," the dwarf says.
" I am afraid we may have to hang Happs here as an example to the others. He says he will help but gives us nothing. How is he to help if he won't give us the information required? How can you help to make amends Happs? As Dyrm says you can give us the location of the stolen goods, but that would reveal your 'friends' whereabouts as well. So I don't see you forthcoming with that info. Help me to help you. What can you do to make things right?"Cromwell will rant at Happs for a moment then turn to the others.
"It may be that Theo's methods can produce the required results. Other than that all I can suggest is hangings and beheadings until someone talks. I am going to confer with Theodric."
With that he will turn and walk inside the fort toward Theo and Oleg.
Seeing that Happs has a sway over the other bandit, Lanya steps up to the other bandit and pulls him up.
"Walk! I've seen some stables on my way in and you're going there with me to get some rope."
She whispers to him after this loud message.
"Don't be afraid, I just want to talk away from the others."
As they arrive at the stables, Lanya looks around to see if they can't be seen by the others, especially Happs.
"Well now, it seems you have more sense than your former leader. You wished to talk right? Now talk to me and help yourself. What is your name and where do you come from? How long have you been a bandit?"
Kern watches, but is content to let things develop.
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"I am willing to help with your mapping and eploring, and I have pledged never to steal again. I think that should suffice. If you deem otherwise, I will fight you until you kill me. This is the only life I will have and I intend to avoid the boneyard until Pharasma drags me there herself."
_______________________________
"I am Ned from Galt. I've lived this life for close on 7 years. I'm not sure I should be talking to you though."
This man is clearly not as bright as Happs.
Dyrm listens to Happs, "Und vill you varn those friends who still bandit? Ve do not vish a spy among us turning mercy into revenge." He looks to the others, "Ve must also ask Oleg for his view. It is easy to us to talk of mercy or justice, but he and his vife have been the victims."
At the Stables
"Well Ned, you should continue to talk to me, it would be in your best interests to do so. 7 years? That's longer than I would have given you credit for.
Are you happy with this way of life? What of the main leader? the one people say is a daemon of sorts on the battlefield?"
"Well, then ve vill ask Oleg if he agrees mit you," he says to Happs.
Bewildered at such an extensive list, but not willing to question the knight, Oleg gathers the requested supplies. "You'll be billed for anything you actually use."
Cromwell heads back into the fort, but doesn't go find Theodric. Instead he climbs back up on the ramparts, and looks around at the surrounding countryside.
This Happs is somewhat of a hardcase. I wonder if we can trust his word or if we should hobble him somehow.
It would be very difficult to oversee prisoners and explore such open territory.
"Abodar, guide my hand and balance the scales so that we may yet reap some benefit from this endeavor." He will intone a quick prayer and keep watch on the horizons with an occasional glance to be sure all is ok with Dyrm and the remaining captives. He will also check to be sure his crossbow is ready to be fired at a moments notice.
"I'll pay if I use the wood, oil, cheese, or rope. Nothing else should be at all damaged by my methods, and I'm hoping I don't need to use most of this in the first place."
Arms loaded up with his supplies, Theodric starts walking back to where Kern, Dyrm, and Happs are.
"Dyrm hat den Banditen zu sprechen begann noch?"
"Dyrm has the bandit started talking yet?"
in Dwarven, Dyrm replies
Theodric nods along as Dyrm talks. When he finishes, he replies.
"It is best we assume he can speak your tongue and not give away any secrets. I can respect him not wanting to betray his companions. It's a surprisingly honorable sentiment for a bandit. As for working for Oleg, while the idea of him paying off his debt to Oleg is a nice one I am also reluctant to risk Oleg and Svetlana's safety. I do have an idea of how he could do something to start paying back his debt to Oleg though without risking his family's safety. Let's not discuss it in front of the bandit to be on the safe side though."
Switching to Common, Theodric calls over to Gliadel.
"Gliadel, would you mind watching the bandits while I have a discussion with Dyrm and Kern here. I'm in need of their particular expertise. Gentlemen, if you'll follow me."
Theodric walks over out of hearing distance from the bandits, and once Dyrm and Kern get over to him starts talking again.
"I presume the underlying purpose of our charter is to begin laying the groundwork for the eventual settlement of this region by the people of Brevoy. One thing that would greatly improve the ease of settlement is the construction of a road network. Such a road network would surely benefit Oleg if we link it up with South Rostland Road here, putting our host in the perfect position to facilitate trade between new settlements in the Greenbelt and Brevoy."
"I propose we begin the construction of such a road network and use the captured bandits as indentured servants to assist in this effort. They could perform unskilled labor and if they prove trustworthy possibly help us figure out ideal spots for settlements and rest stops to determine the course of the road. They would work for a number of years we all agree upon, after which they would be free to go their own way or continue working on road construction and maintenance for a respectable salary. Hopefully if they have the possibility of taking honest jobs they won't be tempted to return to banditry after they are released. We would start small of course, just one simple road branching down from Oleg's to the nearest area we deem to be ideal for a settlement. If we capture more bandits, we could send them back to be used as laborers as well."
"Obviously we will need materials and some skilled labor for such an endeavor, along with hired guards to make sure the bandits don't run off. I suspect we may be able to get the Church of Abadar to finance this endeavor. They may have an intolerable obsession with rules, but they do like spreading civilization. Cromwell probably knows the right people to talk to about this sort of idea."
"Before we start asking for money though we need to assess the practicality of such an endeavor. You both are far more knowledgeable about the subject of engineering then me or anyone else in this group. What sort of workers and materials would it take to begin such a project, and how much would you estimate it to cost? Keep in mind we have at least four bandits who only require food and shelter to use as laborers."
Kern thinks about it for a bit...
"I would suppose it to be possible, but I have a number of concerns. First and foremost I do not trust this Happs. He is a slick talker, but has shown no real remorse at what he represents, and instead seeks to dictate the terms of his surrender. To be blunt, I think we should hang him and put him up as an example."
"Either way, I think it premature to discuss roadbuilding before we've even surveyed the territory. There is no good way to estimate costs and materials without knowing the terrain, though 4 people seems an awfully small road gang...and that doesn't include the guards you'd need to hire to ward over forced labor."
Cromwell perks with interest when Theodric calls to Gliadel to replace Dyrm in guarding the bandits. He will pick up his crossbow and aim it at Happs. Until the switch is completed and everything looks to still be ok. Once she is safely in control of the situation he will descend to the ground near Theo, Dyrm and Kern.
" One thing we need to also be concerned about my friends. These bandits were sent on a specific task. One that they apparently do on a regular basis. They will be missed. It might be in our best interest to fortify the outpost, in preparation for the next group to arrive. Looking for trouble I might add, and probably with more help. It may be that this Happs is stalling and hoping to be freed when his allies show up. I agree with Kern. we should hang him as an example and prepare for more to come."
Theodric listens thoughtfully to Kern's assessment, then to Cromwell's.
"You are right Kern, my road plan probably isn't practical. I just have some qualms about hanging a man with the decency to not rat out his friends. He has every reason to betray his comrades in hopes of lenient sentencing, yet he still won't. Despite whatever else he's done that shows he's still got at least a shred of honor. If we have to kill him we'll behead him instead of hanging him. I'll be the one to do it myself to make sure its as quick and painless as I can manage."
"Unless we can get the catapults working again I don't know what else we could do to prepare for an attack that we didn't this time. Maybe add some boiling oil vats above the gate to pour on the bandits when they come in? What we can do to mitigate a bandit response is make it look like the bandits died on the way to collect from Oleg instead of at the actual outpost. Maybe we could stage it to look like an Ogre attack with Ging's help? Leave a couple of the bodies and have him stomp around to leave tracks and take a bite or two out of staged horse corpses. With any luck they'd forget about Oleg to hunt the non existent ogre, or better yet unsuspectingly send another group of six so we can pull off this exact same ambush again."
"Well if that's the case Ned, what else do you know that would be of use to us? What is the nearest camp or group in the area? Where do you bring the goods from Oleg?"
She pauses a moment waiting for an answer then continues with another question.
"Content but not happy? Is something missing in your life? A partner or wife perhaps? Because there probably won't be that many women living as a bandit. If you are just content, why did you choose this life Ned?"
The dwarf keeps his voice low as he speaks with Kern, Theodric, and Cromwell, "Fortifying dis place mit repaired siege und new weapons on stronger walls vould be far more economical I tink. Und even dat vill not be cheap. Fire ist ever the enemies, and der bandits always have dat to fall back on." He frowns at the talk of hanging, "I do not doubt Happs deserves death, but if ve kill him, ve may drive the other bandits to desperation where they vould rather die zen surrender. Also, zis is Oleg's place. Ve must respect that. Ask him if he wants zis Happs ' service, and the risk that comes mit it, Ja? If he declines, so be it. Frankly, I am tempted to allow Happs his chance, but to take a finger or hand as a reminder to him that ve vill come for der rest of him if he should EVER take up banditry again. But vhatever ve choose, I vant Oleg's input."
"I'm sorry to hear that Ned, hopefully we can make this a land where you can live your own life again, not just resigning to a way of living."
Lanya pulls him forward, indicating with her hand that he should walk towards the others. She picked up a few ropes as to not raise suspicion with Happs and followed him closely.
"I'll talk to Oleg and the others on your behalf, just be forthcoming after with your information. We'll need that to change the lives for people living here, including you."
"Kill him or pardon him, we should do it quickly, and then follow the backtrail of these brigands to their origin, and attack the others before they begin to suspect something is amiss. We have to strike them quick and hard, enough that they are no immediate threat to Oleg's while we explore."