Saerin 5/18
TorchBandit -3/9 [Stable]
OlegChaseBandit2 4/9
XbowBandit3 9/9
Stablized
Round 1 Wrap-up
Dendarial and Thomas both return fire on the bandits, though in the fray their shots go wide. As they duck back into cover, the elven leader of the bandit rides further away and fires his own arrow at Karina.
While the rangers atop the battlements grew bloodied, so too did the fray on the ground. Hadin charged in to join the battle, while the clubbed lizard only grew more desperate. In his desperate strike at the bandit near him, he tumbles off balance - but his claws still manage to find purchase in the man's chest. Tearing straight through the man's leather, Wetscales claws come away wet.
The bandit chasing Oleg stopped and turned just in time to see Hadin charging for him. He hardly had time to move out of the way before the heavy weight of Hadin's flail crashed into his chest. Two of his ribs cracked as the man staggered backward from the blow.
Karina and Tyanos, not to be outdone, set their sights on the bandit leader. Though Karina carefully weighted her throw, she was not as practiced with javelins as she'd care to be. Combined with the man's nimble horse, the javelin falls short. Tyanos' magical counterpart, however, has no such problems. The magical missile flies across the battlefield and impacts the elf. For a moment he looks off balance, but he keeps his composure.
Round 2
Growing desperate as his ally falls before him, the crossbow wielding bandit taking shelter in the market stall hurries to reload his weapon. With an incredible amount of haste, he loads a bolt in and stands to fire-
Only to have it explode in his face with a resounding snap. As several of the gears fall away, the quarrel launches at a skewed angle, sticking into the wooden support. He spits a curse, licking at his injured fingers as he drops the broken weapon.
Meanwhile, the bandit intercepted by Hadin turns his blade upon the paladin. With a quick duck and dive, he lunges with a low slash in hopes of catching the man off guard. Already ready for the counterattack, Hadin easily hops back and out of the bandit's short reach.
"Heh," laughs the elf. "Not bad, not bad. I see my kinsman has taught you well!" He raises a hand and gestures towards Dendarial upon the walls. "But the Greenbelt is only large enough for one of our kind!" With a flash of steel, he pulls an arrow and launches it towards Dendarial.
It thunks into the heavy wooden beams of the Trading Post's walls, the arrow snapping to pieces from the force. Despite avoiding injury, Dendarial notes the impact was exactly where his head was. Did the bandit miss, or was he trying to prove something?
Though still regaining his balance, Wetscale's eyes saw the archer was the true threat among them. But perhaps they wanted him alive for questioning? He closed the distance between the two of them and made to knock out the man.
Thomas, takes aim on the Bandit leader.
only to have the leaders horse side step at the last second.
Karina stands up once more, shifting the second javelin into her left hand as she stands, one remaining in her right. She cocks her arm and throws it at the bandit leader once more. She goes back to ground before the javelin even reaches its target and is unsure of whether it connected.
Hadin swings the flail with accuracy once more, standing in the way of any bandit wanting to attack Oleg and Svetlana.
You won't harm innocent people today, if Ol'Deadeye allows...
The young man didn't put his full strenght in the blow, anyway, or so it seems
Stepping from full cover back to partial cover the ranger fires another shot, choosing a target based on cover etc, and choosing a human over the elf due to his favored emery selection.
Tyanos figures with his magic exposed to keep using it. He recast his last spell.
Saerin 2/18 [10 Nonlethal, stable]
TorchBandit -3/9 [Stable]
OlegChaseBandit2 1/9
XbowBandit3 5/9
Nope.
Round 2 Wrap Up
Dendarial pops out from behind cover to see the bandit's crossbow explode into bits. With a steady hand, he raises his bow and plants an arrow into the man's lower thigh. The bandit careens sideways, ducking back behind cover. Thomas tries to follow his elven compatriot's lead, setting his sights on the bandit's leader, but the wind catches his arrow and pulls it away.
The elven horseman, in his overconfidence, kept still at the far end of the battlefield despite making a target of himself. With another wave of arcane gestures, Tyanos launches another bolt of mana-infused energy, striking the elf dead in the chest. His armor scorched, he grips the reins with weary hands. Karina tries to follow suit, but her non-magical missiles lack the uncanny accuracy of Tyanos's.
Wetscale, having downed one foe, set his sights on bigger prey. Dashing across the battlefield, he ran and leapt for the mounted man, his clawed fist balled up to prevent any truly permanent damage. With a forceful punch to the kidney, Wetscale hears the man gasp for breath, sputter half of a curse, and then double over sideways. He flops down off of the horse, landing face up in the dirt. He does not move.
Meanwhile, Hadin battles the bandit who had chased after Oleg. With a quick feint and sidestep, he lands another blow on the bandit. Anxious not to lose more ribs, the bandit dives backwards, lessening the force of the blow.
Round 3
Despite his aches and pains, though, the bandit was not about to relent. He'd only just started his battle with Hadin! With another desperate lunge, he tries to impale Hadin upon his blade. The young paladin proves too quick, easily evading the clumsy blow.
The now-bowless bandit peeked his head up from behind the market stall. He saw one of his compatriots bleeding out in the center of the yard, his leader falling from his horse (which was now running away from the battle, free of its rider), and a set of four archers bearing down on him from above. He reached for his blade, clutched it tightly in his hands, and ducked back behind the wooden panels. He dared not move an inch further.
Yeild!! Thomas hollers at the still standing bandits.
He then readies his bow to shoot at any that don't yield.
Tyanos speaks while preparing a third casting.
"In case anyone is wondering I still got more of those shiny bolts for you, and I don't need to aim in case you did not notice. Drop your weapons or we drop you."
Wetscale stands guard over the boss, ready to strike him against if he was feigning.
Karina once again stands up, passing the last javelin to her left hand and cocking her arm for a throw. The small woman shouts instead of throwing this time, however, "Lay down your arms or lay down your lives!"
Saerin 2/18 [10 Nonlethal, stable]
TorchBandit -3/9 [Stable]
OlegChaseBandit2 1/9
XbowBandit3 5/9
The bandit cowering in the market stall crouches down a little further. "Sure, sure! Whatever! Just stop!" His companion, trapped between Hadin, Oleg's house, and a sheer wall takes a good few seconds to process the situation. He looks towards the wall, watches Hadin, then glances over his shoulder.
He bolts for the wall, leaving his sword in the dust behind him. "Forget that, I know what you people do to criminals!" He runs for the wall, trying to scramble up the side...
Tyanos was not about to let a bandit escape with knowledge of his magical abilities, there was also the whole bad guy thing. His spell takes effect striking without fail.
"I warned you."
Is all he says in his defense of striking a man in the back.
Throw your weapons out, and we will stop Thomas yells.
Still has readied attack for if he doesn't.
Saerin 2/18 [10 Nonlethal, stable]
TorchBandit -3/9 [Stable]
OlegChaseBandit2 -8/9
XbowBandit3 5/9
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
This dude is so dead if no one stops him from bleeding out.
Guess not.
The fleeing bandit, scrambling halfway up the wall in fear, is knocked back down by Tyanos' strike. The man crumples to the ground, blood pooling from a magic-induced burn.
The other frantically throws his weapons out from behind the wall - a broken crossbow, a sword, and a puny looking dagger. "Yeah, yeah, sure!" He sneaks a peek towards his now mostly-dead friend and makes an audible noise somewhere between a yelp and a cry. He ducks back into the market stall as Oleg comes stomping out of his home, a javelin in his hands.
"Where're they? I'll stick 'em good!"
Tyanos not one to take a bandit at his word keeps another spell ready if he tries anything. Slowly moving out from his hiding spot looks over at Oleg.
"Well there is one, over there, and there. Only one not looking at his eyelids is that one cowering over there. But seems like he surrendered so I guess we are done. Got any rope to tie them up?"
After pointing at the bandits in turn, he proceeds to strip those that are knocked out of everything but their underwear.
Once the others to tie up the bandits, Thomas then looks at the others of the group that are injured.
If you are hurt, please come near the bandits
Karina comes down from the wall, gathers the other two javelins she threw, and stands near Thomas once he offers healing.
"That could have gone both better and worse," she says.
Dendarial too readies to fire if a bandit tries to run or fight. Tyanos is too fast and takes down the first runner. Den calls for the second one to fall to his knees with his hands up or be considered a threat.
Oleg stomps forward looking wholly unready to impale someone on his javelin, but still clearly angry. "Surrender, eh? Well I'll be damned. Yer not half bad. Still ain't the people I called for, but eh, what can ya do?" He tosses his javelin down, apparently satisfied.
Svetlana peeks out a few moments later, apparently interpreting the relative silence as the end of the battle. Hearing Tyanos' request for rope, she ducks back inside and quickly returns carrying a coil of hemp rope. She offers it with a smile. "If'n I weren't married, I'd be happy enough to kiss y'all!" Oleg offered his usual grumble; Svetlana laughed it off with a carefree expression.
"So what'll we do with this one?" Oleg gestures to the surrendered bandit. The bandit watches him with fearful eyes, still unwilling to leave the shelter of the market stall. He keeps stealing glances at Dendarial, who hadn't let the man out of his sight yet.
"Let him live, I hope," whimpers the bandit. He was a little smaller than the rest, and probably younger too. Maybe two decades under him, if that. Oleg grins, taking the lead on tying the man up. "Aw, come on! I surrendered and everything! Do I look stupid enough to try and run?" Oleg makes the man's bonds a little tighter, a vengeful glee on the otherwise sullen man's face.
The others finish tying down the bandits, though Oleg gives the elven leader a swift kick before they're done. Lining them up along the walls of the fortress, Oleg sees fit to grab his javelin again before they began any interrogating in earnest. Sitting there, mostly naked in the cool spring air, Thomas does them the honor of soothing their wounds with holy power...
Before speaking to the bandits he thought it best to speak among themselves.
"Well I say we talk to them each at a time alone. Best not give them a chance to work a story together or be influenced by the presence of one another. Save the leader for last, as personally he seems most likely to be found guilty. A death sentence makes wicked men more prone to shoving aside their ego's. Which is what we don't want sense those are the ones we would want gone I take it."
It seems a good plan. They won't have time to speak to each other and to construct a web of lies and deceit.
Agreed. We need to find out if any were involved in the killing of that family up the road. If so, they die. Murder in cold blood is not forgivable. Dedarial says resolutely.
Wetscale looked back towards their path of entry. "Ask them too if there are others like them - and where they made their camp. We can claim it for ourselves. Even if it is small, it may ward off their rivals if they have some." The monk was not a specialist in politics, but he did know a show of dominance would lessen forays from other bandits.
Thomas looks at wetscale
We will have to take out their camp, but let us make sure that this place is safe first.
Looking at the others.
The questioning, I will leave to others, but I will listen in.
I will do my best to find if we can trust them.
With a wave of his javelin, Oleg laughs. "Trust 'em? Yer all nuts! After what they've done... Talk if'n that's what you want, then I'm sticking 'em and hanging them from the walls for all their buddies to see!"
He does not appear to be joking. The one that was still conscious grimaced. He clearly did not like Oleg's sense of justice. He quickly looks to you for someone sympathetic to his cause, but decides to just remain silent instead.
"Put 'em in the stable if ya want some privacy. I'd be glad to keep watch on the rest of these bastards."
Tyanos looks at Dendarial.
"You know I have been wondering but are all elves blood thirsty in the south? Really it seems like you and their leader are the same in that respect. Just on different sides."
He shrugs not waiting for a reply as he turns to Hadin and Wetscale.
"Anyways would someone drag a bandit over so we may begin. Would like to get this sorted out quickly regardless of the result. Personally the thought of dwelling on my fate would seem a bit cruel I think."
He makes his way to the stable once a bandit is chosen and taken there.
Thomas stands the young man that first surrendered Come with me. and takes him to the stable.
He will then listen in on the questioning.
Dedarial scoffs at Tyanos. First, yes. Based on the humans I have known I believe elves are quicker to realize what must be done and to do it without a lot of back and forth. But second, I am calling for justice against murderers and would not have them wandering free to murder again. Its the human Oleg who says he shall "stick them all and hang then on the wall". And to that, will you deny the man when he has been robbed beaten and harassed by these bandits for so long?
He moves to gather the weapons, armor, and other possessions from the bandits before questioning them. There may be clues here that we need.
Tyanos snorts.
"Oh yes your brethren over there made that clear. So perhaps their mistake was following his lead rather then thinking more thoroughly and for themselves."
He lets that settle over Dendarial a moment.
"Life is not such a simple thing. One man's justice is another's crime. I rather have proof of evil not assumptions of guilt. After all if that boy chose banditry over starvation then he has little fault in my eyes, if that meant survival. Not all were lucky enough to be granted skills by others or a life of easy choices. Or are elves sprouted from the forest with all they need to know and blessed by the gods with swords and bows lying at their feet there after. From what I have seen none of these men have murdered anyone, granted they attempted harm. Now if your so set on your thoughts that you can not be bothered to find the full truth of things then kindly stay out of it."
He makes a shooing motion at the elf.
"The punishment will fit the crime, nothing more or less."
He follows Thomas so they can get started on the young bandit.
Now you grow so bold as to direct me? And to deny me part of this process? I think not human. You may not say your opinion is worth more than mine or that mine does not count. I have said just the opposite of that. I have clearly said that I wish to find the truth. Are you intentionally trying to provoke me?
Whoa the original comment was an off hand observation. Tyanos has met a handful of elves in his life, not many up north at least not outside cities or secret enclaves. Two of which seem to have killing as their go to option. Dendarial has been played as a rigid and aggressive character (at least that's my impression so far) but not a unrestrained or indiscriminate killer. Tyanos is a former bandit, which I have no doubt will come out at some point. That's why he is persistent on that subject. Does not want to be branded as scum or anything simply for something he used to do out of need. That being said he is not ordering or telling anyone anything, he is stating his impressions and opinions granted in a colorful manner. He has not stopped Dendarial or dismissed him, if he had he would not have bothered to respond to him at all which would be more insulting I think. If Dendarial goes along he proves him wrong, if not he proves him right. That's an opening for your character to progress or influence the relationship in any way you want.
I would ask you don't give me motives I do not have. This is a game and I treat it as such. I play purely for enjoyment and immersion. If you feel that my RP is going to be a problem then I will tone it down with regards to Dendarial, but nothing is personal. I don't take things that way and I don't intend them to be taken that way.
"Sir I provoke no one, that is entirely up to them. If your interested then by all means or look for clues as you said. I only ever suggest."
Oleg gives the two men an incredulous look up and down. "We're arguing the politico, now? Damn, boys, we got better things to do. Debate the sizes of yer members later." Svetlana, who had been quiet until now, stifles a chuckle.
He points in the direction Thomas had gone with the sole capitulated bandit. "Now - we doin' this er not?"
Tyanos walks off he had made his choice and had nothing more to say.
Please, we are not here to argue among ourselves. We were at our best as a group, fighting the bandits, and now that the fight is done we are here bickering and you are throwing barbs at each other. Tyanos, you can't say all elves are bloodthirsty killers just from a few bad experiences. There is probably more killers in the human race, if you want to think that way, just because there is probably more humans than elves on Golarion. Now I suggest that you two, Dendarial and Tyanos, take a few minutes to cool of. Maybe the battle just put us on edge.
"Man children," Karina thinks, surmising that it would be best to hold her tongue. She does, however speak about the interrogation, "Separation is the best course. I am willing to do what is necessary to get what we need from them."
You all are right. My apologies. Den says to the group. I should not let anyone get to me that way. Let us concentrate on this next step. Oleg, can you tell us how many times you have been robbed and extorted by these bandits? And do you recognize any of these men here from previous visits? Also, I would like to hear what threats they made against you and your wife. This is part of their crimes.
With a shrug, Oleg gestures to the one Thomas led away. "That little fella's been around. Seemed like the runt of the bunch. Didn't stop him from taking our things, though. I suppose'n he ain't ever actually laid a hand on me ner Lana though. And fer the others..." He looks them up and down, pausing at each.
"Well, like I said, the elf here's been a pain in our arse. The other two I think I've seen 'round. The more portlier one, I think he was the one who got Lana's weeding ring. Their cantankerous boss took it - and nearly my hand - and gave it to the schmuck. She was a right demon, that girl." Svetlana nods her assent, still content to stay mostly out of the conversation.
"That was the first visit, when they came in force..." He pauses, thinking for a second. "It's been three times now? This woulda been the fourth, hadn't y'all come. Or the damned guard!" He kicks a nearby rock, sending it scuttling across the packed dirt of the trading post. "Fregin' Brevic politics."
For the first time, Hadin seems angry as he hears Oleg
Taking a woman's wedding ring? Out of her hand, and in front of her husband? REALLY? I have no word to say how rude and disgusting this is... That's an insult to the family, a slap in the face of evertything Erastil hold dear and sacred. Svetlana, I swear I will do my best to get your wedding ring back.
He looks furiously at the portlier guy, and grabs him by the collar, his calloused hands half lifting him from the ground
Where is the ring? Who's got it now? Speak, lowlife.
Hardly awake after being beaten nearly to death, the portly bandit nearly has the life choked back out of him. He writhes in Hadin's grip, desperately trying to escape his bonds but lacking the strength to try. "It's gone, it's gone!" he stammers between breaths, sweat forming on his brow. "I didn't do it, see? She, Kressle, the boss! She gave it to me! Then, some nights ago, yeah? Some little blue folk took it! Stole a whole pile of our stuff, they did!"
The elf, still leaning mostly motionless against the wall, scoffs and spits. He looks up, his eyes full of hatred. He speaks, but his voice is low and serious, lacking all sense of bravado he'd had earlier. "Keep talking, idiot. You're already dead. As soon as we're out of here, Kressle'll bleed you dry and bathe these bastards in it, just for fun."
"Shaddup." Oleg stands over the man, his javelin in hand. The elf hardly flinches.
"Some backbone, dog." His eyes shift to Hadin, giving the young man his most spiteful grin. "Our watchman should be halfway back to the camp by now. You're all dead men." The trademaster scowls, another Leveton growl rumbling within. With a surprisingly dexterous flourish of the weapon, Oleg spins it around and brings the flat haft of the javelin down and across the elf's face. He jerks backward, apparently knocked out again.
Oleg looks to the group and shrugs. "Deserved it, the bugger. You'll have to question 'im after his headache fades."
The ranger looks concerned for a moment but then concludes if there were watchmen Acio would have seen them when she was flying. Its likely just a bluff.[/b]
Unable to catch even the slightest tell from the elf's mannerisms, Karina decides the best course of action is to assume the worst, that he's telling the truth. She walks over to the runt of the bandits, backhands him and says, "Stand boy. I've got some questions for you. Follow." She waits to see that he complies and then strides over to the stables.
Once Thomas turns the young man over in the stable, he listens in on what he has to say.
Hadin payed attention to what the elf said, when he talked about a watchman.
Was the leader lying or not?
You're fairly certain that he's being untruthful. If he'd expected any trouble, he wouldn't have walked into an ambush in the first place.
Taken aback by the sudden strike from one of the only two women in the trading post, Runt looks up at Karina as though he'd been truly wounded. Perhaps he'd been expecting sympathy from the women. Svetlana's razor-pointed eyes offered as little as Karina's hand. He scrambles to his feet as best he can. "Okay, sure." He sneaks a glance at his unconscious boss, then instinctively clams up again. Runt remains silent as reach the stable, waiting for one of his captors to make the first move.
Meanwhile, Tork hadn't taken his eyes off of Wetscale since he'd awoken. With the lizard's wounds still aching across his body, he looked on the creature with abject, silent terror.
Hadin yells Thomas, Can we get your assistance in here.
he then steps back into the stable, and mostly closes the door.
Tyanos waited in the stable, there would be a moment for him to swoop in. When it came he would take it, until then best leave the ruff stuff to those with burrs and sand.