Roksana stands next to Jacobus showing her teeth in a violent sneer. She stands with her back straight, allowing her full height and figure to be easily measured. She doesn't say much, but she keeps her eyes locked on the bandits and her warhammer held in a tightly clenched fist.
"Talk!" is all she says once the others have finished.
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— Starday, Pharast the 4th, 4610 AR
— Evening
— Oleg's Trading Post
— Cloudy and temperate
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It takes a bit for the bandit healed by Jacobus to realize the situation he finds himself into. He’s the one who has been unsuccessfully trying to hit Serolt twice with his longbow. Once he comes back to him, the bandit seems nervous and scared, and even more after realizing that all of his fellow bandits have been defeated. When Jacobus explain the current status of his companions, the man’s face turns blush and he starts shaking. «W-Will do, Sir…», mumbles the man.
«I-I…I know where’s the bandits camp. I can lead you there if you promise to spare my life. Please, good lords, I wasn’t even supposed to come here today, th-this…this was just a coincidence. D-Don’t blame me, please, they said they will kill me if I didn’t comply…Please…», he pathetically says with a humble voice. «I-I…I…Well, there are many dangers here. All sorts of beasts stalks the Kamelands and the forest…and fey…oh, and owlbears…I don’t know much…Please, good lords, spare my life…I’ll take you wherever you wish, but please, I’m innocent…I never agreed on separating this good man from his goods, I…»
Serolt looks at the man and wonders... That's the story I would use if captured too I suppose. Hard to know the truth.
He turns to the others, "Hard to know if he's incompetent or just lying."
Serolt takes out their map. He shows it to the man and notes Oleg's on it for frame of reference. "Where is the bandit camp?"
Kryolani mutters back to Serolt
"Not sure if it matters. The law doesn't make a lot of distinction between being a bandit because you were greedy and being a bandit because you were a coward."
Roksana isn't able to determine how honest the bandit is, but she nods in agreement with Kryolani.
"Oleg already want's to string these men up in the trees outside the trading post, I doubt his sob story is going to turn that curmudgeon off the idea."
The half-orc looks at her captive with a frown. "You tried to kill us once, and I don't recall any hesitation in your poorly shot arrows, why should we trust you not to lead us astray?"
Jacobus nodded pleased, "Good, this is good."
He looked at his companions, "See, I told you this was the smart one of the bunch."
He turned back to the thief, "Ok, you will draw the location of the camp in a map or will let us know how to get there... in detail. You're not coming with us. And I also want to know how many people are in the camp and any special defenses you may have. You know... sentry positions, traps, that sort of thing."
He turned to his companions again, "Is there anything else we ought to know?"
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— Starday, Pharast the 4th, 4610 AR
— Evening
— Oleg's Trading Post
— Cloudy and temperate
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Kryolani, Serolt and Roksana could swear that the bandits is being honest about his intentions and motives. Only Jacobus has some doubts about the truth of the bandit's story: he's able to discern some gestures in his behavior betraying his anxiety-signs he's seen before when dealing with people who were somehow manipulating the truth.
Out of fear and still shaking, the bandit points with his index finger the location of the bandits' camp on the map Serolt is showing to him. The camp is located in the Narlmarches, about a day's ride from Oleg's trading post.
As Roksana addresses him, the bandit stops shaking and trembling for a second to answer, though his speech is somehow distorted by the chattering of his teeth: «I-I was forced to join their ranks, I swear it...».
The bandits looks at you, hopeful as he was praying that you could show him some mercy. «I-I won't lead you astray, I swear it...O-Otherwise you would kill me, right? I would have no reason to...». He nods overly when Jacobus praises him, failing completely to understand Jacobus' true intentions. When the Abadaran tells him he won't be coming with you, he catches a quick sigh of relief: «Yes, yes! Here, here, this is the location!», he says readily.
When Jacobus asks him for further details, the bandit hesitates for a moment.
After a short pause, the man swallows, takes a deep breath and gives up: «We call the place "Thorn Ford Camp". The camp is relatively large, and well defended by numerous hidden platforms placed in the trees. The camp itself is about 60 feet from the Thorn’s north bank—a path winds alongside a shallow creek that leads directly up to the campsite. This path continues for another 200 feet north of the camp before turning into a standard game trail». The man swallows again before ensuing: «There are two watchposts, one to the east and one to the west. The east watchpost is a wooden platform 20 feet off the
ground giving a great view of the campsite and the trail to the west. A rope ladder allows access, but if pulled up to the platform, access from below is possible by climbing one of the nearby trees. We kept tents, firewood, food, and other supplies under a canvas tarp below this
post. We kept our loot under all of this, hidden from casual view».
The man pauses. He's not trembling anymore, but his troath is clearly dry for the long speech. «Good lords, I wouldn't mind a cup of water if isn't too much...I-I...Still sense the taste of blood in my mouth...».
If he's given water, he drinks avidly. Then, the bandits continues his description: «Thank you, I'm all right now sir. Apart from these wounds, I mean. So...Yes, the western watchpost. It's identical to the east watchpost, save that no supplies are stored below it.»
The man smiles. He looks at you hopefully. «Have I earned my freedom, good lords? Not yet? Ok, so listen. I can tell you about the bandits and their leader if you promise me you will set me free after I’ve said everything I know».
---
The bandit smiles gratefully, bowing several times in order to show his gratitude. «Thank you my Good Lords, you won’t regret this. Name’s Jarelt, and I swear that I won’t be joining any group of bandits again in my entire life». His face is covered in tears. Once he dries his tears, the man smiles again and continues his report: « The leader of the Thorn Ford camp bandits is a woman named Kressle, a sadistic criminal and career bandit who grew up in the River Kingdoms. There are a dozen of bandits stationed in the camp, in total, but Happs took three of us with him to come here. If they suspect someone is going to come for them, Kressle will make sure all the remaining eight bandits are present and ready to fortify the camp. Otherwise, four of them are usually out hunting, gathering firewood or otherwise on patrol. If you take too much time, they will know something bad happened. They were waiting for us to arrive tomorrow morning. A slight delay might not alarm them, but if you take too much time they will surely raise their alertness», suggests the bandit.
The bandits pauses again to catch his breath, swallows and ensues: «One of them is always stationed on the eastern watch platform, and another on the watchpost to the west. They have thunderstones, so if they’ll see you, they’ll likely use them to raise the alarm. Beware of Kressle: she’s incredibly skilled with her axes. I’ve never seen a woman-ehr, anyone I should say, perhaps, fighting with two weapons with such skills. She’s also very good at throwing daggers». The bandit takes a deep breath and wets his lips. «This is all I know, you have to believe me…», he concludes.
The bandit’s face frowns. He looks at you with hostility and refuses to speak. «I won’t betray my former companions for nothing. I won’t», are the only words you will be able to get out of him, even if you threaten him.
---
After you’re done questioning the bandit, Svetlana calls you, inviting you to take a seat around the table: she has prepared a rabbit stew and put several cups of ale on the table for you to eat and drink. Oleg joins you for the dinner. The man looks nervous and maybe even a bit suspicious about your intentions regarding the bandits. He glance several times over the tied bandits, but he does not speak until you’re done eating. As Svetlana returns to the building where she lives with his husband, Oleg finally dares to speak: «I don’t know what’s on your brain, but one thing is certain: I won’t sleep with these criminals staying in my trading post. What you do with them, that’s your business. But I won’t allow them to stay here anymore. Deal with them, or you won’t be welcome guests anymore», says the man with his usual stubbornness. He’s been very categorical about it.
---
______________________________________
The inquisitor shakes his head, "I'm very disappointed in you. it turns you're a liar."
He looks at his companions, "He's lying about being forced to join the bandits, which makes me believe that he enjoys killing and stealing. This should not be tolerated."
Jacobus sighed, "He seems to not want to betray his former buddies, you know those that also kill and steal. And he's apparently telling the truth about the layout of the camp."
He turns to bandit again, "Have you earned your freedom? No, not after you tried to steal from these good people and tried to kill us. My vote is that you hang, but I'm not king here so you can plead to my companions."
Kryolani sighs heavily, "Yet to me it sounded like he was telling the truth. I vote exile. Send them north with their knives and nothing else. If they are seen in these lands again, they swing. Clearing out that bandit base should be our priority anyway. We need to hit it before they get wind of trouble. Let us be done with this."
Kryolani looks up at the others, "If there's anything my time as a barrister has taught me, it's that ascertaining guilt is nearly impossible at the best of times. A rush job will not improve those chances. If we want to be fair-handed, I'd err on the side of caution."
The inquisitor shakes his head, "I'm very disappointed in you. it turns you're a liar."
Serolt stands up and draws an arrow. He points his bow at the brigands throat, "You should not have lied. This was your one chance, and you blew it."
Kryolani sighs heavily, "Yet to me it sounded like he was telling the truth. I vote exile. Send them north with their knives and nothing else. If they are seen in these lands again, they swing. Clearing out that bandit base should be our priority anyway. We need to hit it before they get wind of trouble. Let us be done with this."
sigh... Now what?!
He lowers his bow, slightly, "Kryolani, I beg your pardon but you're wrong. We gave this man one chance to save his life, and he's lied to us. About what doesn't matter. He has engaged in banditry, and lied to the court when pressed."
"If we don't kill him, you would have us kill no one. I say he dies. Oleg is right. It is time to decide, and you are right - let's end this now."
He raises his bow, looking at Kryolani, You don't have to do the deed wizard, but you need to decide...
He waits.
"He lied to us about why he joined their ranks. That's true, but Jacobus just said he thinks we were told the truth about the details of their base of operations."
Roksana frowns and crosses her arms, looking over the sniveling bandit.
"We don't know for sure that this man has actually ever killed anyone. Even if he has, the deal was he gives us information and he walks free. That's what we told him and I don't intend to be made a liar."
The half-orc stands in front of Serolt's bow and leans down to start undoing the bandits bindings unless anyone stops her.
"Not giving you any weapons of course, wasn't part of the deal."
Roksana takes note of the weather, seeing storm clouds on the horizon and an ache in a few old wounds means the temperature will be dropping. She speaks with Oleg, to see if he has any available clothing to combat the cold, suggesting that the rest of her group does the same.
Kryolani stands and turns his eyes to the doomed bandit. "I'll stand by the group's decision. Clemency is a valuable thing out here in the wilds, but so is order. Unless Rok or Reknar say otherwise..do it."
"Vote is split, life or death. Reknar? The choice is yours."
Kryolani joins Roksana in meeting with Oleg in the hunt for warm clothes, and possibly even a nice comfy bedroll. His assumption that nights would be spent laying on loam next to a fire, counting stars with his cloak for a pillow have thus far not held up well at all.
Jacobus was exasperated, "We're wasting too much energy on a liar!"
He looked at Reknar, "Save your breath friend, a 3 to 2 vote decision is too close anyway so we'll have to settle this another way."
He looks at the bandit, "So it is judged. Your life will depend on whether you killed anyone with malicious intent, that is... NOT in self-defense. If you did, then you'll die. If not, we'll be allowing you to leave."
He looked at his companions, "Agree or disagree; if you have anything to say, now is the time to say it..."
He fingered his golden key while he turned to look at the bandit, "Now remember that I am an envoy of Abadar, the Lawgiver, and can discern when men lie to me.. So, have you ever killed anyone with malicious intent?"
Roksana looks at Jacobus and shakes her head in disbelief.
"We told him we'd let him go if he told us about the bandit camp. He did that. Now you're renegotiating once we have the upper hand? That hardly seems fair. You've already labeled him a liar, what's the point in asking him to tell the truth."
The look on her face makes it clear that she finds this whole thing ridiculous.
Serolt lowers his bow. "Rok is right. If he told the truth about the camp, which seems likely, he's bought his life - even if he lied about his banditry. Let him go..." he turns away.
"You're a lucky man." he mutters beneath his breath as he walks away.
"It's going to be cold and wet coming up. Assuming we can get warmer clothes from Oleg, we should do so before we go hunting bandits. No sense surviving the fight only to lose to the elements."
Roksana gives Serolt an appreciative look although he can't see it.
"We still have these two unconcious ones including the one who led them. We should probably rouse them in intervals and see them off in seperate directions." She shrugs, unsure how much more healing they have to spare on the two unconcious thugs.
On the subject of clothing to combat the elements Rok waits patiently to see what Oleg has available.
Seeing the prisoner was to be 'exiled', Jacobus nods, "Let's hope we don't come to regret this."
"Live and die by your deeds so I'll let the more compassionate of us to deal with the prisoners. I have no more healing to spare for them. I've done enough to not let them bleed to death."
"I trust you guys to let me know if it's going to get cold and if Serolt is buying some winter gear, then I want some too."
Serolt does vote to kill the remaining bandits. No deal was made for their lives, and we'd be wasting resources we need to heal them enough for them to walk out of here. We don't want to leave them with Oleg - and if we did, he'd likely kill them anyway.
"...So let's do the right thing, and kill the two remaining bandits. Their lives were forfeit when they attacked us."
Realizing she's not going to win that battle twice Roksana throws her hands up and walks away. "Fair enough, we made no deal with them, but I'm not doing it."
The group has finally agreed upon a decision: the questioned bandit will live, the other will die. Who will carry out the sentence?
---
When you have dealt with the bandits, Oleg is pleased to know they are no more a problem. Relieved and suddenly gaining a good mood, he leads you into the building where he lives with Svetlana and quickly shows you a room where he keeps a good collection of goods. Among them, there are the winter clothes you're looking for. Oleg is happy to trade them with some of the useless objects you've taken from the bandits, if you wish so; otherwise, he will gladly accept your gold.
Kryolani nods, "Sounds like the vote has swung the other way for those two. Don't wake them for it, as there is no need for cruelty." His frown shows his discomfort, "If we're to tame these lands to any degree, we need some middle ground between freedom and a rope for lawbreakers. Another time, perhaps, when we've got the resources for such determinations. But we don't have a jail, and right now these men are undoubtedly guilty of banditry, which carries a death penalty in these lands. The aggrieved party, Oleg, is not seeking a gentler resolution. So it's execution. I'd offer to do the job myself, but I'd really rather not risk botching the work, and acid or flame is too cruel by far."
Serolt will do the grisly deed. When he's done, he cleans himself up and asks Oleg where to bury the bodies. He'll then attend to that too before it gets too dark.
He arranges all the gear for Oleg and swaps armor and weapons for cash and a few clothes.
The bandit you've decided to set free praises your name and bows before you several times, even when Roksana has finished undoing his bindings. «You won't regret this, Good Lords, I swear...I've never wanted to be a bandit...I-I...Thank you», he mumbles before running away pathetically, with just some clothes to cover him and no weapon to protect himself.
---
Oleg seems well-satisfied for the trading. He also tells Serolt to bury the corpses outside the trading post, possibly where no one could see the pit.
---
It's now the perfect time for the party to start making plans on how to deal with the bandits' camp. You're in your dormitory, preparing to start your guard duties, but before that you have some time to discuss you plans in detail.
Jacobus helped Serolt with carrying out the sentences and burying the bodies.
He praid for better lives for the settlers of this lawless land and less hangings in the future.
Bundled up with his new clothes but still close to the fire, the inquisitor broached the subject, "So what did we learn from the sum we let go? if we are going to strike, I suggest we do it quickly, before these bandits start to be missed or our friend makes it back to the camp to warn them."
"So... there's a platform granting superior sight and, presumably, their best archer lines of fire. I think we take this person out first."
"I suggest we creep up as close as we can and open fire. They'll have cover, but so will we. We shoot whatever we can to bring them down. If we manage to do so quietly, we creep the rest of the way into camp and attack! If we make noise, they'll come to us - but at least they won't have ariel support when they do." he grins.
Serolt thinks a moment, "Say, what do you say we give a pair of the horses to Oleg and his wife? We only need four - I already have one - and it would be a very nice thing to do. After all, some of this loot was certainly bought with the money stolen from these fine folk."
"I think that's a fine idea. We sure don't need them, but we absolutely need the continued good will of this trading station. Besides, I don't want to pay for feed on two horses I can't do anything with."
"This makes a lot of sense. Besides, if anyone is going to give alarm, it'll be a lookout in a tower. I presume we're going to attack at night? That's how these things seem to be done in the books I've read, but I lack practical experience on the matter."
Roksana nods her approval in regards to giving the horses to Oleg if he wants them, than turns her attentions back the plan.
"I like the plan, I'm a decent shot and I can see just fine in the dark so time of day doesn't matter, but I wouldn't expect stealth to last us very long, not with me around." Even as she speaks her armor and shield clatter against each other. "We should bring the mule with us, and maybe one of the horses we want to offer Oleg. Depending on how much they have in food and supplies, we might be thankful for the extra storage."
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— Starday, Pharast the 4th, 4610 AR
— Night
— Oleg's Trading Post
— Cloudy and temperate
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Oleg smiles when Serolt gives him two horses. "That's...kind of you, thanks", says the man losing his gruffness for a moment. "You've just earned free livery for all of your horses here at the trading post". The man nods and disappears in the stable to brush his new animals.
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— Sunday, Pharast the 5th, 4610 AR
— Dawn
— Oleg's Trading Post
— Cloudy and temperate
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After enjoying some sleep in Oleg's dormitory, you all wake up early in the morning. As yesterday, your awakening is greeted by a warm breakfast prepared by Svetlana.
While you eat and drink, Oleg asks you what you're going to do next. If you reveal your plans to him, Svetlana quickly chimes in and asks: "So it was where I supposed it was. The bandits' camp, I mean. Guys, would you mind doing me us a little favor while you get there? Or perhaps while on the way back?". "If they come back", mumbles Oleg as he drinks. Svetlana gazes at her husband with a reproving look and ensues: "I'm sure you'll be coming back. Well, you see, there's a patch of a rare plant known as moon radish about 16 miles south of here-" Oleg almost chockes to his death upon discovering the subject of her wife's request. Svetlana looks at him with a sweet gaze but does not halts her speech: "Well, you see, Oleg’s been under a lot of stress lately, and I would love to cook him his favorite meal to help him relax a bit. Also, there's a herbalist with whom we're used to make some business. He's been searching for moon radishes too of late, and I'm sure he would be willing to give up a few of his potions for free if you get him a basket of moon radishes". That being said, Svetlana looks at you with hopeful eyes as Oleg, red in face, walks out and goes into the stable.
______________________________________
----- -----
While you eat and drink, Oleg asks you what you're going to do next. If you reveal your plans to him, Svetlana quickly chimes in and asks: "So it was where I supposed it was. The bandits' camp, I mean. Guys, would you mind doing me us a little favor while you get there? Or perhaps while on the way back?". "If they come back", mumbles Oleg as he drinks. Svetlana gazes at her husband with a reproving look and ensues: "I'm sure you'll be coming back. Well, you see, there's a patch of a rare plant known as moon radish about 16 miles south of here-" Oleg almost chockes to his death upon discovering the subject of her wife's request. Svetlana looks at him with a sweet gaze but does not halts her speech: "Well, you see, Oleg’s been under a lot of stress lately, and I would love to cook him his favorite meal to help him relax a bit. Also, there's a herbalist with whom we're used to make some business. He's been searching for moon radishes too of late, and I'm sure he would be willing to give up a few of his potions for free if you get him a basket of moon radishes". That being said, Svetlana looks at you with hopeful eyes as Oleg, red in face, walks out and goes into the stable.
”But of course Svetlana, if all goes well, we’ll look for your treat. We need to investigate the surrounding territory anyway, might as well start there.”
He laughs, but to himself, at Oleg’s unease. I wonder if it’s a virility plant around here?
- - -
"I like the plan, I'm a decent shot and I can see just fine in the dark so time of day doesn't matter, but I wouldn't expect stealth to last us very long, not with me around." Even as she speaks her armor and shield clatter against each other. "We should bring the mule with us, and maybe one of the horses we want to offer Oleg. Depending on how much they have in food and supplies, we might be thankful for the extra storage."
"We should have enough storage with all our steeds if we walk back. If they have more stuff than that, well, we'll be truly blessed! Also, they're likely to have their own horses as well. Let's leave Oleg's here as true and proper gifts."
He takes in the clanking and looks around the group. "Darkness is well and good, but then we can't see either - only Rok here will be at an advantage. It should be raining at dusk however, if my guess is right. That might be an ideal time to strike. The sound of the rain will help cover our noises, letting us get closer than we might otherwise before combat begins."
"So I say we ride in so as to arrive before dusk. We find a good spot to tie up the horses, and proceed on foot once the rain starts - or when dusk begins to settle, whichever comes first. We get as close as we can to the lookout, and take them out as quick as we can. And we go from there!"
Jacobus nods at Svetlana's request, You've been so kind that we could porbably get those for you. But only after we deal with the bandits for I fear if we wait too long, it will only complicate things."
With Reknar's pointers, the inquisitor sat on his horse more or less comfortably although his backside would probably let him know otherwise once he got off.
He addressed his companions, "I'm a decent shot with the crossbow but don't expect me to sneak around too much. What's the overall plan? Take out their sentries if possible? I'm assuming we go there to kill and not parley, correct?"
Kryolani bounces around in his saddle like a man trying to sit too stiffly in a moving chair. The first half-hour of travel was laughable, but now it looks merely excruciating. This progress might lead to the slight man being able to actually sit a horse properly within the month. If his backside doesn't give way first. "I say we should swing wide to the east before we get there, so we can approach the camp from the side. At night, obviously. Who wants to make the climb into the eastern watchpost? We have to assume they've pulled up the ladder, so it sounds like whoever does it will have to climb the tree next door and, I don't know, hop over I guess? Then kill the guard and drop the ladder for any other archers that want a little height. Regardless, I vote 'Not Me'. Whoever goes up there, I can give them a sack full of pebbles with the Light spell cast on them. That way we can brighten up the camp as needed. Everyone else can stay down below and work their way through the camp east to west. How does that sound?"
"I'm fine approaching from the east, but I think we should stick to my plan and expect not to get so close as to be able to climb up to the lookout. I'm the only one with that kind of quietness out here, and there's no reason for me to get that close." he grins.
"Oh, and sit a little straighter, you'll feel better. Let your hips glide with the horse, don't fight the rhythm. Go with the flow.... that's it."
He tries to loosen up and bounce with the horses gait. The results are not entirely horrible. "Oooh, so you meant shoot down the guy in the tower from the ground? Ok, yeah, I guess we could do that couldn't we? We'll stick with the bag of glow-rocks though. I don't know about the rest of you, but I can't see in the dark for anything."
"Moon radish eh? Never heard of it, can you tell us how to identify it?" Roksana smiles at Svetlana, "Thanks for the tip about the herbalist too, I'm sure a few potions will come in handy."
When the party is ready to leave Roksana mounts her horse and smiles wryly. She never could quite get used to riding, but it was better than walking both ways. Leaning forward in her saddle she considers the plan again.
"If you're right about the rain, and I'm pretty sure you are, we should be able to take out quite a few before they know what's going on. If we start at dusk and we're quick enough, we'll be done before it's too dark and we won't have to worry about how well you can see."
Svetlana readily answers Roksana’s question about moon radishes: “They are black, and have black leaves as well. They smell good too, like raspberries”.
You travel south, everyone mounted on a horse. You pass through several miles of plains, varyingly from relatively open plains to swaths of tall grass that grows up to 3 feet high in places. Small copses of two to six trees are not uncommon here. Then, you enter the Narlmarches and keep heading southwest. The forest is densely vegetated, but generally crisscrossed with game trails and numerous clearings. The trees here typically consist of oaks, beech, rushleaf, and smaller scrub.
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— Sunday, Pharast the 5th, 4610 AR
— Afternoon
— Thorn For Camp
— Rainy and temperate
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You reach your destination in 8 hours, as estimated, when dusk is approaching. The rain starts falling from above, growing thicker as the time pass by. You’re close enough to see the bandits’ camp, and it seems like the bandit you’ve questioned earned his freedom honestly: the camp appears to be exactly as he described it.
---
______________________________________
As they neared the bandit camp, Jacobus whispered, "So are we going to split up and try to take both sentries at once or should we hope to take out one sentry without the other one having noticed?"
With the horses some distance away, he was glad to be on his feet, "Not that I don't trust any of you but it might be best if we get them one at a time and we all fire...whatever we can at the sentry at more or less the same time. Makes sense?"
The inquisitor knew that combat and assault planning was new to him so he let others take the lead as he listened carefully and prepared for his role.
Serolt rides into the brush until it feels close. He tethers his horse, and commands Regin to guard it.
”We should stick together. If we’re so lucky as to drop one sentry without being noticed, we can creep around to the other, but I doubt we’ll be so lucky.”
Proceeding on foot, he approaches until he has a shot at the man in the nest.
Cold Iron Arrows = 39/40
Conditions = None
ranged: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +4 Damage: Str +2
melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +2 Damage: Str +2
When he has a clear shot, he readies himself, waits briefly for the others to get into position, and shoots!
(cover)
The sorcerer whispers in the rain-gray twilight, "If we get spotted, we just sweep through the camp, east to west. Don't waste any time letting them get a defense organized."
Kryolani creeps several steps behind Serolt. He doubts even the driving rain will mask his voice in the middle of an incantation, but his inexperience overrides his caution as soon as the arrows fly, and he slings a blob of conjured acid at the man in the watchpost
Jacobus wiped water off his face as he neared the watchtower. Trusting the rain and darkness to allow him to creep closer, he lined up his target, prayed for guidance, and let a bolt fly.
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Thankful for the cover of the rain, Roksana stumbles through the forest in an ungainly fashion, snapping twigs and kicking up rocks despite her best efforts to the contrary.
Grumbling to herself, she takes up position with the rest of her companions and lets a bolt fly, hoping to have better luck firing her bow.
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— Sunday, Pharast the 5th, 4610 AR
— Afternoon
— Thorn For Camp
— Rainy and temperate
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“Hmpf?” The lookout get alerted by Roksana noises and turn his head in her direction, immediately spotting the clumsy half-orc. The lookout also spots Kryolani, Jacobus and Reknar. Thus, the only one able to catch the lookout off guard is Serolt, whose arrow hits the target although the rain interfering. Or at least that what the archer would have bet once he fired his bow. Unfortunately, the darkness plays a trick on him, and his arrow misses the target! “”, shouts out loud the lookout.
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• Roksana
• Jacobus
• Serolt
• Reknar
• Kryolani
•
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"Oh Hells," Kryolani winces upon hearing the alarm cry out. He rears back to fling a spell at the watchman, hoping to shut him up before more bandits show their faces...
"It always rains on a wet spot," was a fatalistic saying that Jacobus had heard his pessimistic father all the time.
He loaded another crossbow bolt, "There goes our carefully laid plan..."
He sighted the sentry and loosened his bolt, hoping to silence him forever.
Cold Iron Arrows = 38/40
Conditions = None
ranged: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +4 Damage: Str +2
melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +2 Damage: Str +2
Serolt shoots again from his spot, hoping to hit the target this time…
He shoots quietly, and wildly, as the opposition continues to elude him. He waits for the ground forces to arrive, forces that will be easier to hit!
Round 2
Roksana whips her head back to clear the water from her eyes and takes aim with her bow again, cursing as her arrow flies clumsily through the air.
"You keep with the shooting, I'll prepare for anyone that arrives on foot!" As she speaks she drops her bow and draws her hammer and shield, then waits patiently for any reinforcements.
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