Hadin tries to hit the closest bandit with his flail
unfortunatly, the flail hits a branch from a nearby tree, breaking it
Dendarial chooses to shoot at an unblinded bowmen.
Camp Bandit 1-Torch 9/9
Camp Bandit 2-Bow 9/9
Camp Bandit 3-Bow 5/9
Kressle 8/17
Round 3 Wrap-up
Karina shoots her crossbow, but is still getting used to the clunky thing's wear and tear. The bolt goes wide, missing. Tyanos and his magic do wonders upon the bandits, though Kressle spits a laugh back at him.
The sole bandit capable of seeing attempts to return fire, but fails to do any damage as he backpedals towards the treeline.
Dendarial, however, is loathe to give him the opportunity. Swinging out from behind the tree he was using for cover, Dendarial sets his sights on the bowman and fires. The arrow catches the man in his calf, staggering him but doing little more.
Meanwhile, Wetscale slides through the trees and leaps down atop their enemy's leader, Kressle. The woman never saw him coming, a flurry of tooth and nail.
Hadin rushes into melee with the bandits, but with the cold words of Kressle resounding through his heart, his aim is not what he wishes it were. May Erastil guide his hand!
Round 4:
Kressle gasps as a flying lizard cuts a wide gash through her arm. She grins at Wetscale, licking blood from her arm as she raises her weapon. "Aha! They've got a pet beastie with 'em! Maybe we'll keep him for Ol' Staggy, eh?" She takes a quick step to the side, then swings her axe with all her might.
Dendarial tries to take out the wounded bowman he struck before. He will fire and then retreat some gain partial cover from a tree.
Tyanos keeps his cover, after all his shots did not miss if he did not want them to. Now that the cat was out of the bag so to speak, no point in using the crossbow in his hands unless he had to. With a gesture and word he sends a glowing serpentine missile at the bandit woman. He was sure once she fell the others would crumble or surrender.
Thomas moves to where he can clearly see the bowman.
Trying to get the hang of the crossbow, Karina fires once again, this time at the target that Dendarial has wounded. As she expected, she once again fails miserably, sending the bolt harmlessly into the trees, far from hitting the intended target.
Camp Bandit 1-Torch/sword 9/9
Camp Bandit 2-Bow 9/9
Camp Bandit 3-Bow -7/9, bleeding
Kressle 6/17
Another volley launches at the bandits - an impressive combination of arrow, quarrel, and magic. Though Karina's bolt once more flies astray, Thomas' arrow finds purchase in the bowman's chest. Immediately the man sputters blood before collapsing to the dirt. Tyanos' magical volley finds similar luck in targeting Kressle, though she seems to shrug off the majority of its impact through sheer, unbridled anger.
Shaking off what was left of the dust in his eyes, the swordsman opens his eyes to see the bowman bleeding at his feet. "Bastards! You'll pay for killin' Hillock!" He charges at the nearest enemy, the paladin Hadin. He makes it about halfway there - but fails to notice the torch he'd discarded in his panicked state. He trips over the length of it, falling face-first into the dirt.
The remaining bowman manages to reach the trees, taking cover behind the breadth of one of the larger oaks. He nocks and arrow and spots Wetscale engaged with his boss. With a quick thwip of the bow, he sends an arrow the lizardfolk's way. It comes dangerously close to nicking off Wetscale's ear, but sticks firmly into the bark beside him. Kressle shakes her head in disappointment. "Worthless curs... Maybe I'll feed you to this beast, eh?"
Her wicked blade digging into him, Wetscale hissed in pain. The blow was solid, and it would take some time to heal. Yet he had no time to waste; the deadly woman who liked to add insult to injury needed to be put down first.
The blow knocking his accuracy aside, his claws missed their mark.
Hopefully, her axe will miss too...
Seeing that his opponent is prone and won't threaten anyone soon, Hadin comes to the help of Wetscale
But the bandit woman intimidating words-and the fact that she IS a woman- makes the young man hesitate and miss his chance.
Camp Bandit 1-Torch/sword 9/9
Camp Bandit 2-Bow 5/9
Camp Bandit 3-Bow -7/9, bleeding
Kressle 6/17
Round 4 Wrap-up
Dendarial, not to be outdone, swings out from behind the tree and sends an arrow at the bowman that still stands. It punches through the man's armor with ease, sticking firmly into his shoulder. The bandit winces, but refuses to go down.
Engaged with the axe-wielding Kressle, Wetscale does his best to outmaneuver the woman and land a solid blow against her. Despite his adept dexterity, the lizardfolk is unable to get past Kressle's guard as she grins wickedly. Hadin charges up to the pair, giving Wetscale a little breathing room as he swings at Kressle with his flail. The close-lying brush intercepts his blow, and all Hadin manages to accomplish is the death of a small twig.
Round 5:
Kressle snarls, spitting something between a cackle and a growl into Wetscale's face. "Have to do better than that, beast." She slips one of the other axes loose from her belt, holding it in her offhand as she ducks sideways - around Hadin and a bush - to get at Wetscale's flank. She swings low and hard, aiming to end the lizard.
The woman was too fast for Wetscale - a remarkable feat considering his natural agility. Perhaps practice really did make perfect.
The lizardfolk fell to the ground.
Thomas seeing the intrepid wetscale go down, moves up so that he can get to him the next round, and shoots at the bowman.
only to have his shot go wild due to hitting branches.
Karina reloads and shoots at the bowman once more and against all odds, actually hits the man. She looks rather stunned as she reloads the crossbow once again saying to herself, "I actually did it."
Tyanos still keeping his cover fires another glowing missile at the woman. That's right keep ignoring him and thinking you will win.
Camp Bandit 1-Torch/sword 9/9
Camp Bandit 2-Bow 1/9
Camp Bandit 3-Bow -8/9, bleeding
Kressle 2/17
Round 5 mid-round.
Tyanos sends another magical volley at Kressle, this time piercing straight through the trees and impacting the woman's chest. She staggers slightly, now visibly wounded.
Meanwhile, Karina and Thomas send another pair of missiles downrange - though this time it is Thomas who fails to hit his mark, and Karina - to her own surprise - who lands a deadly blow upon the bandit. The man clutches at the bolt in his chest, badly bloodied but unwilling to go down so easily.
The swordsman stands up, narrowing avoiding the arrows that flew past him as he does so. He catches a glimpse of Tyanos' magic, and his head darts in the direction of the sorcerer. He clutches his sword in both hands and runs at the man, closing the distance but a little too slowly to swing...
The surviving bowman, barely alive despite taking cover behind the trees, wearily grabs an arrow and returns fire at the woman who so gravely injured him. Unfortunately for him, his quivering hands are incapable of aiming quite straight, and his arrow flies into the woods, harmless.
Hadin feels he must end the fight quick, before Kressle hits him or worse, Wetscale. The scaly man would probably die if the bandit woman uses her axes on him again. Pushing her slightly with his wooden shield, he slams the flail to her face
May Erastil have pity of your wicked soul, Kressle!You will not take anymore lives!
Den readies a shot at the swordsman that has closed on Tyanos and calls out Step back Tyanos. but at the same time he gives a shrill whistle and Acio falls from the sky, charging and attacking the wounded bowman.
Camp Bandit 1-Torch/sword 4/9
Camp Bandit 2-Bow 0/9
Camp Bandit 3-Bow -9/9, bleeding
Kressle -10/17
Round 5 Wrap-Up
As Wetscale's blood seeps from his wounds, Hadin grips his flail with divine fervor. His flail gleams with holy might as he brings it down upon Kressle. For a brief moment, her eyes go wide - and then the impact sends her sprawling. She clutches at the gaping wound in her chest, sptting expletives. "Bastard..."
Meanwhile, Dendarial lines up his shot on the swordsman and whistles for some avian assistance. Dendarial waits for Tyanos to take a quick step back while Acio falls from the sky. His claws scratch across the surface of the man's face, but do little more than cosmetic damage. The bowman swats at the bird with the length of his bow. "Ah, birds now? What the hell!"
Dendarial releases his arrow and it finds its mark in the swordsman's flank. It punches through his leathers and the man immediately flinches away from the attack.
Round 6:
Only a badly bloodied bowman and the swordsman still stood, their eyes wide as Kressle falls, the men slowly coming to the realization that victory has escaped them and imminent defeat and death lay just ahead.
Thomas moves up to help the injured Wetscale.
Iomedae grant me your help this day.
Wetscale regained consciousness, though very sore, feeling the priest's hand against him. It would take him a few moments to regain his senses. All he could do is manage to stand - and to give his thanks.
"Bless your soul, priest."
His eyes made a cursory glance to find Kressle unmoving on the ground.
Good.
The bird, now in the bowman's square full attacks if given a chance.
Dendarial draws another shaft and levels it at the swordsman. Drop the weapon bandit, or get feathered a second time.
Tyanos steps back and as the damage is done and the leader falls he gives the swordsman a toothy smile.
"I suggest you surrender or you may die."
None the less he is prepared should the swordsman continue to threaten him.
As her companions order the bandits to surrender, Karina levels her aim at the swordsman, ready to fire if he starts to run.
It was my honour to help you wetscale, let me help you up.
Thomas then offers a hand to wetscale to help him up. Then gathers up his borrowed bow, and aims it at the bowman that is still on his feet.
The swordsman looks around in disbelief, as though the idea that he and his compatriots could have failed was truly unbelievable. Slowly, he drops his sword to the ground and does little more than sigh deeply.
The bowman, bloodied as he is, grudgingly follows suit. His bow falls to the ground, closely followed by himself as he sits himself int the dirt and clutches his wounds. "Bastards," he mutters, "You and Happs."
Hadin stands in shock, after leaving Kressle's face in a bloody mess. He walks towards the nearest big tree- quite an easy feat in a forest- and hides behind it, emptying his stomach violently
When he comes back a few minutes later, his face is really pale, and tears freely drops on his cheeks. He keeps silent for a while, then looks closely at Kressle hands, searching for something.
Hadin peers over Kressle, and while he notes numerous scars and a battered set of chain beneath her leathers, there is no ring on either of her hands.
Den reluctantly calls the bird back to him and as he moves to the the bowman and begins disarming him he asks. Who is this Happs. I have heard his name before. He notes Hadin's reaction to killing. Could this be his first kill? he things to himself trying to remember if he had dropped a bandit back at the trading post. Even if he dropped one, the man mightn't have died.
Den will strip and secure the living bandits, tying them to trees not facing each other. He welcomes help, but does not stop until all are secured. He piles what he finds in a pile to be assessed later.
Once the living are secure,
Tyranos, Wetscale, can you come over here please
Thomas walks a little ways away from the living with both Tyranos and Wetscale I asked you here to keep away from the dead for this.
Iomedae give us your blessing
I am sorry that is all I can do for today
Let us move everyone back to the bandit camp. Its possible there are still threats there.
As angry as Wetscale was at the despicable bandits, being knocked-out had a halting effect on his ire. As Thomas lead them aside to work his healing, he felt greater restraint come over him.
"You have done much already."
The man seemed a good mender, and though Wetscale was still rather injured, he had all his functionality back. [i]Which is good because there are likely more about.
"Maybe with the woman dead they will not need to attack more."
How about we check that camp first before moving us all into it Thomas mentions.
We just ended up fighting six of them, and would hate to find out if there were more in camp and we came strolling in.
He then walks near the pile of gear that was extracted from the bandits, and casts detect magic.
Tyanos first ties up those still alive, then proceeds to strip the living and dead alike. Even if the bandits escaped in the forest they would die shortly in such a state. At Hadin's reaction he walks up to him and cast a cleaning spell before clapping him on the back.
"Your going to need to develop a stronger stomach if your going to remain out here."
While the others are talking and retching and whatnot, Karina retrieves two lengths of rope from the animals. She ties up the two conscious bandits, kicking their weapons away before doing so. She then checks the remaining bandits for signs of life.
Who is this Happs. I have heard his name before.
The bandit looks at the elf wide-eyed. "You mean you ain't with him? Aw, s~@*. Forget I said nothing. If you ain't with him then who the hell are ya?"
As the pile of collected gear grows larger, Thomas peers over its contents with a more magically-discerning eye. Only a single flask, pulled from the belt of Kressle, appears to glow with any hint of enchantment.
Karina, meanwhile, puts herself to work checking on their handiwork. The battlefield - once a relatively serene woodland trail - lay coated with blood and displaced dirt, fallen arrows, and the bodies of the dead. Only one of the fallen bandits clings to the last vestiges of his life, laying still in a pool of his own blood.
For armaments, you count two shortswords, three longbows, three hand axes, and four daggers. The hand axes look particularly well-crafted. Additionally, there are five suits of leather armor - most of which needs a good cleaning before further use - and one battered chain shirt, once tucked beneath Kressle's leathers. Between their collective coinpurses, you count 142 gp, 8 sp, and 7 cp in various coinage. There is also, as Thomas is quick to point out, a singular vial that emanates a magical aura.
"This one's still alive, are we giving him a trial or the knife?" Karina asks.
Tyanos first ties up those still alive, then proceeds to strip the living and dead alike. Even if the bandits escaped in the forest they would die shortly in such a state. At Hadin's reaction he walks up to him and cast a cleaning spell before clapping him on the back.
"Your going to need to develop a stronger stomach if your going to remain out here."
Hadin shakes his head
how many evil doer do I need to kill before I become an evil doer myself? I pray to Erastil I'll be forever able to be sick after killing someone. If I become accustomed to it, I'm no better than the men we condamn.
Tyanos did not want to shatter the man's world. But people grew used to killing, that was no more evil then a town butcher practicing his trade. It was more a matter of survival then malice. What was judged was the reason behind killing, in the wild it was to eat or keep from being eaten. By so called civilized folk it was punishment for grave crimes and in defense of one's life or rights.
"Hadin, if your busy losing your lunch every time you kill something. Your going to find yourself without a head as someone like Kressle takes the chance to chop yours off. You won't be doing yourself or anyone any help then will you. But I guess the moment you stop worrying about the morality of it all is when you should be concerned. Not everyone is as simple as me I guess."
He give him another clap before looking over to Karina.
"I would like to put him through the same process as the others we captured and gain any information on this Happs. It may be a bandit from another camp near by."
Wetscale passes Hadin and Tyanos on the way to the banks. "If there are more though, they might not wait for this group to return. We must be quick about it."
Heading to the river, he submerged himself a few times to wash off the blood and dirt before returning.
Thomas looks at the vial and does a quick attempt to identify it.
He then starts lashing the pile of gear to his horse.
I think separating all of this back at Oleg's would be best.
Karina, I doubt these ones are salvageable, so my vote is the rope, but I would say we should check their camp first.
"If we can pack up their camp, it could just look like they left. Or disturb whoever comes back. These forest are dangerous and a camp disappearing is not unheard of."
Sounds to me like this Happs fellow turned on them. Might be an ally, or maybe just another bandit that wanted to run his own show. Turning back to the wounded bowman he states Seems to me you should be trying to make friends about now. You might want someone stating that you were cooperative at your trial that will start very soon. So here is another chance to tell me about Happs...
Dendarial, lets keep them here, while we check the camp.
As soon as we determine their camp is safe, we will tear it down, and try them.