Brom welcome the others back with happy grins and even several manful hugs. He's sure to tell his story about the bear attack and show off the skin and scars on several occasions.
When discussing their plans Brom pipes up, "Zhere are many places yet to go, and I zhink ve can handle any challenge. I vould like to go to zhe kobolds vhen ve are ready."
"I am fine with going with either group," Castor declares as plans are being discussed. "I am no diplomat, nor am I a warrior, therefore neither group would benefit from my presence more than the other."
Brom grins, more of a baring of teeth than a smile, "Vhy be diplomats vhen Krasa can do zhe talking, yes?" and gazes fondly at the large weapon.
While the break has been nice, giving Cappi time to drink, to smoke, to meet some new people and fabricate some new stories... the walls of the fort are beginning to feel a bit confining.
"I'll go anywhere!" he bursts, as the groups begin to discuss different courses of action. "I mean, either group would probably like the opportunity for me to join them. And I don't like playing favorites. Not that I don't have favorites. I do. But I'll keep them secret for now."
"I'm not very good at dealing with bandits, I'm sure I'll fair much better sweet talking the kobolds." Winifred tosses her opinion in, of course she had wanted to visit the kobolds earlier anyway.
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Karse draws his straw with some trepidation.
"Looks like I'll be handling some bandits," he sighs. It is difficult to tell if he is saddened or secretly glad for the result.
"These kobolds sound a bit more interesting than more bandits. Think I'll go with that group."
I'd like to join the fight against the bandits.
Brom nods as he see's how their arranged, "If Rufus is going to find zhe Kobolds, I zhink ve are being set to go." and looks around for confirmation.
Rufus nods in acknowledgement as he sees to the preparations for coming to some manner of 'understanding' with the small reptilian humanoids.
Speaking with the former bandits over the course of the party's stay at the post Rufus uncovers a good deal of useful information about what the men know of the Stag Lord and his fort.
The men explain the fort was built upon the ruins of a small monastery to the goddess Gyronna. They explain that there is a legend that the monks once angered the goddess, and in punishment she caused the dead of the surrounding hillside to rise up and drag the monks into the earth, to serve as guardians. They mention that the main path to the fort is safe, but that any other approach is cursed and rumored to trigger the ancient guardians to once more rise from their graves.
They also explain that there are passwords required for safe entry into the fort, since the number of bandits moving in and out of the area is so high, but the passwords are changed weekly due to the Stag Lord's paranoia, so the ones they knew will likely no longer be accepted. There are also passwords used when a bandit suspects another of being an infiltrator.
The Stag Lord himself is rarely seen, but is known to be a raging alcoholic and very abusive to his men. He has a number of lieutenants that serve under him and do most of the day to day running of the fort. He does love to hunt and prides himself on taking down large and dangerous game. His favorite weapon is a longbow and he is well known for his skill in its use. Many a bandit who thought to run from the fort against orders has found himself skewered at 200 yards by one of the Stag Lord's deadly arrows.
Shortly before the two groups set out, word comes from Restov of a bounty that has now been placed upon the head of the Stag Lord, as the rumors of his existence are proven to be true by the bandits that returned to the post with the party. The lords of Restov have offered a 5,000gp bounty for proof of the Stag Lord's death or his capture, either being perfectly acceptable to them.
Hearing all this about the Stag Lord fills Brom with both excitement and a nagging sense of caution. "Well, zhe men make it sound like a challenge to get it. Maybe ve should locate zhe Fort, and see if ve can find any veaknesses. Perhaps pick off some sentries or a patrol. Zhen eizher or attack or return here and explore along zhe vay. Vhat are you zhinking?" he looks to Will, Hadin, Karse, and 'Den', curious of their thoughts.
What kind of hearts do these little men have I wonder. Full of courage and vigor, or caution. This will be a most educational trip. Eyes and ears open Brom! he thinks to himself.
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"I should prefer to take this Stag Lord alive, if possible, but if that proves difficult, then we will do what is necessary to insure the safety of this region. That said," Karse pauses to glance at Rufus, "Discretion is the better part of valor. We should learn as much as we can about the defenses mounted by this fort before rushing in, and if we can reduce their defenses by a few men in the meantime, so much the better."
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Will listens as Karse and even Brom talk about caution and preparation for what very well may be a siege of a fortified encampment. ”I like those ideas, and although the area around it is said to be haunted, it would not do to leave the area as it is. WE are supposed to be taming these lands, and that means going where others fear to tread. I propose this: we head down to where the camp is located, and explore the areas around it first. This should allow us to pick off any sentries or patrols as Brom suggested, allow us to better examine their defenses, as Karse would like, and also make sure there is nothing at our backs in case we need to tactically withdraw.” scratching the scruff on his chin, he pauses for a moment before continuing, ”Given the nature of our mission, and the less than stealthy tromping of horses, I suggest we let the other group have the mounts. They may seem more impressive all riding up together than if they were mostly on foot. Your thoughts guys?”
Brom considers, thinking that this might be wise, "I zhink ve should see how far zhe camp is located, as it may be a vays distant."
So suggesting Brom considers what the reformed bandits told them and goes to get additional details if needed.
We need to approach with caution: a full camp of bandits cannot be attacked head-on, because it's a sure defeat and it would only serve to irate the Stag Lord, who seems to be quite foul mooded enough. I don't want to think about the kind of retaliation he would bring upon my auntie and uncle, or others innocents, if we fail.Erastil teach us to be brave for the good of the community, not to be foolhardy and to give it new threats to fear.
Having spoken, Hadin keeps quiet.
"It would seem you need to get the proper passwords, and be ready to scuttle from there, takin' the culls before they smoke it. You can snag all the words you want, but try it on a week later and you're pinched. And you'll need to make sure the buff is true, cause you'll queer it with a spoiled password." Cappi takes a drag from his pipe, which he spent the past 10 minutes preparing while the group discussed, seeming falsely detached. "All I'm saying is be ready to act quick once you've got the words. You don't lift a man's keys then wait a week to hit the house."
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Will listens to Cappi, not really sure what he’s talking about until he sums it up at the end. ”Not really sure we are planning to try and infiltrate the camp. I think the plan is to try and pick off the outskirts and then go for the head. Brom, Karse, and Hadin don’t really seem the stealthy types, and I doubt they’d go for pretending to be bandits.”
Seeing all the extra mouths to feed Dendarial sets off with his owl to hunt. He hopes to bring back both furs and meat. Before heading off to hunt he recommends There is much to explore and secure before we must face the bandits. Let us see what this land may offer us. Perhaps we will find more allies. Even the kobolds may wish to see the bandits overthrown. And perhaps we will find outriders of the bandits that can be taken down, weakening their overall strength before we must fight them in their fortified stead.
The party sets off after much deliberation and discussion, heading southwest towards the area that was pointed out to them as the location of the Stag Lord's encampment. The first few days of travel are uneventful, as they pass through areas that were previously visited. Their additional time moving through those areas completes the exploration of the outlying area of the forest which makes up a large portion of the Stolen Lands.
As the party makes their way through the area of the first camp, Dendarial spots a rather large set of tracks which he quickly identifies as those belonging to a rather sizable bear, likely larger than the one that Brom claimed the fur from during a previous battle. The tracks lead west, deeper into the woods and away from their goal.
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Will looks at Brom, and then the rest of the group, having heard the stories of their fight during his time back at the Post. ”So you say this one looks to be bigger than the one you just fought eh? I’m torn then on what to do. I would prefer to deal with our bandit problem as quick as we can, but I don’t fancy leaving something that big and probably that dangerous behind us, lest it attack during a moment of rest or weakness. What do the rest of you think?”
I say let us follow the bear. Such a creature will surely cause problems for either us or less capable travelers eventually. And there is something about the bear and a shrine, yes?
Tracks lead this way.
There is something about the bear and a shrine, Dendarial, as you said. I hope this is the right bear. It will be a good omen for us if we manage to free the old temple of Erastil from this beast.
There is a glint of hope in Hadin's eyes
The party decides that tracking down the bear sounds like the best course of action, and they change their course to the west, following the tracks as best as they can.
After another day of travel, the party reaches what they feel might be the destination they were looking for. The thick tangle of brambles gives way into a large clearing in the woods, its border partially defined by ruined stone pillars. The western face of the clearing is dominated by a looming, upthrust ridge of rock, nearly 300 feet across and rising to a moss-topped height of 100 feet at the center. The side of this towering boulder facing the clearing has been carved in the likeness of an immense elk, its antlers drooping down from its weathered face to frame a 50-footwide cave entrance. A flight of stone steps leads up to this cave entrance from the forest clearing—both the steps and elk face feel quite old and are thickly encrusted with layers of moss. A 50-foot-long oval pool sits in the middle of the clearing, its waters thick with algae.