Cappi kicks his legs for a moment as he's lifted into the air, his leather armor trying to bunch up about his chest and armpits. He steadies himself and spits in his hands, rubbing them together for added grip.
His eyes narrow, and he nods.
Brom's muscle tense as his crouched body explodes into motion, muscled arms pulling and fighting gravity and long body uncoiling like a spring to launch the halfing upwards towards the nearest branches, a huge smile on his face at the recklessness of the attempt. Once the halfling leaves his hands, he watches, head unconsciously jerking from side to side as he wills Cappi's flying body to arrive at his destination safely.
Brom's aim is true, and he launches Cappie up into the trees with his tremendous strength! Cappie sails through the air, arms flailing as he attempts to right himself and prepares to land on a fairly wide branch. As he does, he loses his balance and tumbles backwards, his arms spinning wildly to find a hold in the tree...
...but his agility pays off and he manages to grab on to a limb as he falls. His hands skid along the slick wood, sending leaves falling all around his head as he applies pressure to the branch, slowing his decent, but removing all of the leaves in the process. Finally he stops, hanging from both hands from a bent branch, two feet off the ground.
Brom watches Cappi sail through the air, starting when the halfling nearly falls, and then relaxing slightly as he rides the branch back to the ground. He raises both arms in a gesture of triumph, "Yahoo!! Ve did not break anyzhing!" He realizes he's nearly yelling as other are trying to sleep, and claps a hand over his mouth worriedly. But he removes it after a second, smiling hugely at Cappi, "Zhat vas good, yes?!"
Wide-eyed and perspiring greatly, Cappi tries to act relaxed. He releases the branch, which springs back to something resembling its usually erect position though much worse for the wear. The short fall to his feet his nothing after such a flight, but the halfling can't help but feel like he's shaking a little bit.
"I always try to botch the first go. Get it out of the way eh?" He laughs nervously. "But if you can repeat that, we've got something bene."
Brom nods in agreement with Cappi, "Yes, perhaps zhat can be used in battle. Ve vill try again later, yes? he looks at the rogue expectantly.
The party moves out that morning, getting soaked by the rain, which does everything it can to make the trek miserable. By midday the downpour slows to a steady drizzle, with the cover of the forest helping to lessen the overall impact of the ongoing rain. A few hours later it clears up, and the sun peeks out from behind the trees overhead, brightening the remainder of the day.
A few hours before dusk Dendarial picks up the signs of footprints in the undergrowth, and indicators of regular movement through the area.
Along the way on the trip with Den out front most of the time he will take any game he can. He will not take extra time hunting but will take any opportunity to that presents itself. He has a thought that they will need the food and that skins could be good trade goods.
When he picks up the trail he motions for the others to stop. Moving back to them he quietly informs them of his find. We are close. he says pointing out the tracks.
Brom kneels down and, with Dendarial's help, see's the tracks. "Ve leave zhe pack animals here, yes?" The barbarian prepares himself mentally for battle, a quick process for the large man, and opts to keep Krasa with him rather than use the bow. Maybe after a little more practice he thinks to himself.
He returns his attention to the others, "Shall ve go and end zhis?"
Cappi has come to accept the weather for the day, finally learning to revel in the cleansing skyfall. His clothes, heavy with the rain, hang from his small frame as he jovially struts alongside the others. Captain Bojangles, his feline companion, still carries a black cloud as he springs from cover to cover in an uncharacteristic display of alacrity and effort. His pug-faced scowl is even more pronounced amongst the mane of red fur.
As Dendarial returns to the group reporting on the tracks ahead, the young vagabond steadies his demeanor, instinctively loosing his blades from their sheathes. "Peel your eyes for traps," he warns the elf, who undoubtedly is already aware of such a possibility. "At many of our own forts in the past, we'd lay set a trip or too. But I know some ways to loose 'em."
Brom shrugs and looks closer at the tracks, trying to determine their freshness so they can hone in on the bandits.
Den looks at the tracks with Brom, discussing them briefly with the man and comparing thoughts.
Working together the party manages to figure out the direction and source of the tracks, the ranger and barbarian working together to cover more ground. About an two hours later the party comes to a treeline, and beyond that treeline they spot a plume of smoke rising up from nearby campfire. Dusk has fallen and night has begun. Around the campfire the party can make out humans sitting around warming themselves.
Brom smiles when he spots the bandits, turning to whisper to the others, "Zhere are five. Zhat is zhe number zhe captive gave us. Anyvun see zheir horses?"
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Sir Karse, unfettered by the darkness, mutters quietly, "I think that we should keep lighting to a minimum, to surprise them. If one of you spellcasters has the ability to create light at a distance from us, that would be helpful as a distraction, but otherwise, we can approach by following the light from their fire and perhaps gain an advantage."
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Will muffles a chuckle at the "one of you spellcasters" comment "I am afraid I am the only spellcaster you have, and while I can create light, I must be touching the object" he whispers. "This darkness favors us, because all but me and Brom can see well in this light. My thought would be to have Dendarial strike from the woods, like he did against those orcs, and then we hit hard in the chaos that would ensue. There is one alone from the others, he would probably be the first target, no?"
There are 6 Brom. 1 at the North and 5 at the south fire. 1 of those is not near the flames. He nods at Will in the dim light of failing dust and begins to move at half speed as quietly as he can towards the enemy camp.
Brom watches Dendarial start moving in, but isn't so sure about his ability to stay quiet. He keep the distant fire and the bandits around it in his sights, and starts to move forward as quietly as possible. "Zhis is very not good..." he mutters as he makes his way through the blackness towards the fire. He tries to work his way south a little, intending to approach the larger group when he does make his move.
As the party moves towards the camp they see no indication that the bandits are aware of their presence.
Brom holds tight once he's sneaked as close as he dares, waiting for someone else to spring the trap, and gripping Krasa tightly. He pats the hammer, as if to calm it's tensed nerves, but it's clear it's more of a calming practice for himself when battle is imminent.
The party creeps forward under the cover of the night, closing the distance between themselves and the bandits in the camp. As Sir Karse makes his way forward his shield rings against his leg armor, sending a chime of noise through the air.
(Negatives given for distance)
As the party moves forward they see the men by the campfire stand up, looking in their direction and scanning the darkness. From about 40 feet ahead of Dendarial a voice calls out into the night, "The stag runs free..." and then there is silence.
Dendarial cringes at the loud crunch behind him an readies to loose his first shaft at one of the bandits.
Brom's thoughts turn red as he thinks of the captured bandit failing to provide them with the verbal password, I will smash that mans head in myself! he promises, and hopes they can somehow bluff their way through this.
May as well give it a shot, these used to be my sort of folks after all. he thinks to himself, and tries for a bluff. "Ho zhere! Vould you be believing I have forgotten zhe password! Heh." and curses his accent for the first time in a long time.
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Karse stops when his shield rings against his leg, cursing under his breath. "میں ماؤس کسی قسم کی طرح جنگل میں کے ارد گرد چپکے کے لئے بنایا نہیں کر رہا ہوں."
Hearing Brom's challenge, he waits for a reply before moving further. The bluff is a long shot, but it may be better than nothing.
From ahead of Dendarial again there is a stir of motion in the darkness, too far to make out properly.
"Happs, is that you? What's with the crazy accent man? You trying to give me a fright or what?"
From inside the camp one of the men calls out, "Eggs, what's going on over there?" to which the man that just spoke replies, "Happs is out here being funny, fancies himself a jester now. Come on out Happs, jokes over!"
Brom gapes openly as the man seems to buy his performance, his amazement invisible to the gullible bandits. "Ha ha! Yes! Very funny joke is vhat I am doing! I, uh, zhis blackness is very black!" he casts around in the darkness, not prepared for success and scrambling on what to do with it! The blackness is very black!?! What kind of a moron am I? he thinks to himself and waits for their response.
Those that can see Dendarial see that he is motioning for them to close.
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Will slowly begins trudging toward the camp, going close enough to Brom’s location that the voice may seem to be coming from Will, and hoping his hood and bow at least give him the look of this Happs the bandits expect to be seeing. Putting his bow on his back as he goes, Will works his left arm into his shield, but keeps the bulk of it behind him as he walks, figuring a big wooden barrier would be a clear indication he is not the head archer.
(Another chance at detecting the ruse)
"Happs you fool!" as the other man laughs out loud, still thinking the whole thing a big joke, "Of course its black out there, black as Asmodeus' arse tonight! Now get in here and stop horsing around. Speaking of horses, where's the crew? Tell me you all managed to swipe some more of that radish soup from that wench!
With the last words the man takes a few steps forward to greet Brom, now Happs, and falls into Dendarial's field of vision.
Hearing the others approach (hopefully Karse as well) Brom starts walking with them, calling out, "I have... my crew here vizh me. Ve're on our vay to zhe fire! Ha! Zhis is being a very funny joke!" he says the last part loud enough to encourage those in his group to walk forward, so they aren't too spread out when the ruse is discovered.
That damn barbarian won't shut up. Why isn't he closing? They will figure out he is not Happs any second. There is one of them now. I am taking the shot.
Den lets his arrow fly. As the shaft leaves the bow he calls out Now
Dendarial takes a shot at the man as he appears within his sight, the whisper of his bow and the following sound of a body hitting the dirt is all that most of the party have to go on.
The men at the campfire actually sit back down, assuming everything is in order.
Brom doesn't bother to hide his steps as he continues forward to the edge of the light, trying to maneuver into a position he can charge unobstructed straight into combat when the fighting starts.
Cappi has had to pull his scarf up around his mouth to keep from giggling. Occasionally he snorts and has to bury his face in his hands, body shaking as he tries to control himself.
He eventually breaks off south of the rest of the group. He hopes to get near those at the fire and see if he can disable them before a fight even happens. Perhaps they have their weapons lying about, or perhaps there is something nearby that can provide for a distraction.
His eyes scan the bandits as he draws closer, blades at the ready being fully aware that this ruse has gone far beyond what ever could have been expected.
Guess it's time. he says with a mental shrug. Brom follows the half-orc closely, swinging Krasa up over his head as he charges full-bore towards the near/best target. "KRASA!!" he shouts as he charges into glorious battle.
Sir Karse and Brom drop the ruse and charge into the camp, screaming wildly at the bandits and preparing to lay waste to their plans of looting the Greenway!