Oleg's speech with the exaggerations was amusing to Wetscale, but the man's mention of guards coming was sobering. We'd better be on our way.
"Thank you for sharing your food and drink with us." The man might be brash, but he was honest.
"For what it's worth, I too would err on the side of caution. We are not properly equipped to fight a larger host than this. Some of us nearly lost our lives in the first battle," Karina says.
Tyanos shakes his head again.
"If I was a bandit and some of my fellows did not return. I would move the camp then call back all the other bandits as well as any reinforcements I could get. Then deal with the problem once and for all. We will lose all our advantage and be outnumbered, at best we will be here when it happens and deal with a siege which won't last once a few fires are set. At worst we come back to a smoking ruin like that farm and have no where left to return to. Hoping we find someone to help against bandits with in their territory or stumbling upon treasure to fund future attacks is not practical. The repercussions are on you then, that's all I'll say on the matter."
It made no sense to him, if your going to make an enemy. Finish the enemy or show them you are not to be tested. Do no prick them then cower, it only feeds them.
I understand what you're saying, Tyanos. Maybe it would be best to pick on small groups of bandits, one at a time. Some hit and run tactics, to disorganize them as fast as we can. Of course, if we could take that Kessle woman down, maybe the other bandits will abandon her. She rules by fear and might, not by loyalty and honesty. We'll use the horses for our counterattack. I'm not used to ride, but they are the quickest means to attack and regroup, and we'll have to use all tools we got.
He looks to Karina
If the group lead by Kressle looks too tough for us, we'll change our strategy. I don't want to risk anyone's life.
It may be that I can scout them. I am quite in the woods. Dendarial offers.
I still figure the best approach, would be to ride near, dismount, scout, then plan with current information.
However, I don't think we should take any of the former bandits,
as I think the temptation of returning back to that life, might be to strong.
Oleg shrugs. "I still say the best approach is some more hanging's, but them's just me. I don't much care for what ya lot decide to do, so long as those bastards all get what's coming to 'em." He takes a swig of ale, then belches quite loudly.
After a quiet laugh, Svetlana speaks up. "If'n y'all are going to leave those two here with us, y'all don't need to worry." She flexes an arm and then wraps it around her inebriated husband. "We'll manage a pair of those buggers just fine, I reckon."
Tyanos shrugs before taking another sip of his ale.
"Well concerning Mr. Tork, I thought he would be more dangerous to leave unattended is all. Even if it does seem like he has no interest in that life. Young men do better when not around even former bad influences too. But if safety is not a concern then I relent, would have been good to have a personal guide to the camp mind you. No need to worry about finding the place when you have someone who knows where it is."
I just remembered, none of them gave us anything like numbers that may be in thier camp, nor where it might be located.
I will be back in a minute.
With that, Thomas goes to ask the two remaining bandits those questions.
Wetscale remains focused on their hosts, hoping to speak of something more pleasant. "What was this land like before the bandits? Did you have many traders? Was the hunting good?" Right now, Wetscale knew little more than the climate and some vague geography; if they were to make their home here, a little more insight would help.
Oleg, don't you fear hanged corpses on your walls would detract potential future customers, and attract wild carrion-eating beasts ? The smell might quickly become a problem too... and I'm sure your sweet Svetlana could do without this gruesome sight.
Oleg looks to the woman at his side. Svetlana shrugs, laughing a little. "After being with Oleg here, I can't imagine the smell would be much worse!"
The gruff man laughs, pulling her closer with a wide smile. "Maybe, but we wouldn't leave them there too long! Just long 'nuf for word to get out, ya know, however them bandits work. They'll learn 'don't mess with that Oleg! Or else ya'll be hanging from the wall!' Or some such." He laughs it off, taking another swig of ale.
He nods at Wetscale, continuing. "It weren't always this way. Been out here since last spring, near enough to a year's now. Trade weren't never too much, but there was some regular passerby and trappers and hunters and them folk. Hunting was good to the south, farming up in the Rostland's alright enough, and little ol' Oleg's was right in the middle of the two, far 'nuf out from civilization to make folk wanna happen on by for business. I'd been planning on building a real guesthouse instead'a that shack... but well, then these bastards came calling."
Dendarial makes himself useful around the post. He has recommended that the group begin to explore these lands and to do that in the general direction of the bandits. He is willing to try to scout the bandit camp alone but does not want to go with people who are not trained at stealth.
Thomas also makes himself useful around the post for the rest of the evening.
"I hope we can rid this place of them. Then things might go back to how they were."
Yet for all the reversion he hoped for the bandits' presence, Wetscale enjoyed his new freedom. And these people see me as a person too. Their manners lead him to respect them out of volition, not necessity.
That night, Karina has some trouble falling asleep, but eventually falls into a fitful state of rest. The smirking face of the man she killed haunts her dreams.
Tyanos keeps company with Oleg until it is time to rest. Again he sleeps in his clothes with ease and no ill effect. No doubt the lack of odor or grim comes from some magical trick he has.
Dawn rises on the morn of the following day. There is no Oleg to wake the heroes, and the looming danger of an attack has faded. While the night is quiet and peaceful, the tension of making a decision remains in everyone's mind.
While a small group of bandits have been handled, the question remained: What to do about the others? Where were they, and how would they react if their comrades did not return? To hunt the survivors, or look for aid elsewhere? To defend the trading post, or to go on the attack?
But the time for talk was over - it was now time for action.
Shortly after the sun comes up, Thomas rises.
He then proceeds to the stable to care for his horse.
After that, he finds a quiet spot to pray for an hour.
He will then prepare his spells for the day.
Iomedae, give me the strength to help those around me through this possibly most trying of days.
After this hour, he goes into the workshop and returns after 30 minutes and heads to where the meals are served.
Karina, you mentioned that you need this Thomas hands her the repaired light crossbow, and the remaining bolts that weren't fired yesterday.
Dendarial is up early and has the captured horses saddled and prepared for the trip before he breaks his fast. I recommend we scout the area around the post before advancing in the direction we believe the bandit camp lies.
"Thank you Thomas," Karina says when the half elf hands her the crossbow. "It should serve to make me more than a mockery when blood starts flowing, I hope."
Was not a problem, I hope that you may make use of it better than the last owner.
With that, Thomas digs into the breakfast that is set aside.
Hadin prays to Erastil lenghtly, and then eats his breakfast, listening to Dendarial
Is everyone ready to go? I think you're right, Dendarial. We must eliminate any dangers for Oleg and Svetlana, whether they are far or near
Svetlana smiles, happily doling out a warm porridge to her guests. "Well, shucks, fellas. Y'all don't need to go that far outta your way to help us. There isn't much more we can offer y'all except for gratitude. They done took everything we owned that weren't nailed down."
Dendarial offers to lead or to aid someone else that might lead.
"I think Dendarial should be at the fore, he is likely the best tracker among us," Karina says. Nevertheless, she keeps an eye out.
Hadin confers with Dendarial about the road to follow
Let's go.
After a few hours of uneventful and relatively pleasant riding, the vast and sweeping wall of the Narlmarches is upon you. The day's light is distilled through the canopy of the thick forest, its interior choked with creepers and bushes. Already you can see several fauna bounding away from your approach.
While travel across the plains to the forest may have been easy, this was the part where navigating would really grow tough. Somewhere within those thickets, though, lurked a party of lawbreakers that had brought Oleg to his knees. Finding them in the vast wilderness might be a little more challenging than first anticipated, though.
With Hadin's help Dendarial leads the group to explore the hex the trading post is in and then on to the hex to the SW. He routinely sends Acio up to have a look around and hopes to find the bandit camp before the group is spotted.
Riding a little behind Dendarial and Hadin, Thomas keeps an eye out while enjoying the sunshine.
That looks nasty.
By the inheritor, those woods look thick. I hope that we can find the bandits before we ride into them.
More hours pass by agonizingly slowly as the party treks through the thick forest. The horses are forced to slow down somewhat, though the ones acquired from the bandits seem somewhat at home in the thickets. At every turn the sounds of the wilderness assault you - beasts and bugs, movement in the brush, the calls of innumerable birds making their homes in the branches above. It is tranquil, if not relaxing, but you remain alert and ready for danger as you move forward.
Dendarial, blazing the trail, raises an arm to indicate a stop - a large buck had crossed their path. For a moment, the elf and deer merely regard one another. Then Dendarial, with all the grace of the elves, draws his bow and plants an arrow into the side of the beast. It twitches and tries to run, but a second arrow catches it as it flees, and it falls motionless to the ground.
It is hard to tell the exact time as the hours pass because the thick canopy blocks the sun from view. Eventually the trees start to thin out a little - you've reached a riverbed. It is a wide, flowing river - perhaps 150 feet across at this point. With a quick glance both way, you confirm that it stretches and bendes for a great distance both north and south. Unfortunately, there's no indication of whether or not this is the right river, nor which direction the bandits may be encamped if it is.
At least you can finally get a somewhat clear view of the sky. It is mid afternoon, perhaps 8 hours since you had first set out. The horses, at least, have been thankful for the relatively slow going and are not as tired as they could be. But if you tarry much longer, it is quite likely darkness may fall.
Dismounting for a minute to rest his horse, Thomas grabs some food from his saddlebags then comments to his horse.
Remind me Sae to get some oats for you the next time we are in Oleg's
Looking around at the others Upstream or down ?
The elf dismounts as well and checks the area for tracks.
Wetscale enjoyed the pristine wilderness. Free of judgment and bountiful of resources, it seemed the area would make a find foundation for the time ahead.
Yet it had to be purged first.
As they approached the river, he gave it a glance in both directions. "If there is no wasted washed shore, I think they are downriver. I will see if anything is at the bottom."
Doing just that, the amphibious reptile kept his eyes peeled for manmade debris; lack thereof was a good indicator their foes lay in one direction and not the other.
Hadin kept an happy smile while they were in the wilderness, even if he seems to be clumsy on a horse. He dismounts and rubs his back, then walks to aid Karina to get off her horse, if needed.
The horse will enjoy the water too, after this lenghty treck.
Tyanos shifts in his clothes before speaking. Adjusting himself to the saddle.
"I would stay to the edge of the woods. Being too deep in the forest makes raiding more problematic when you return with loot. So follow the stream that way is what I say."
Tyanos keeps alert as always.
Scouring the shoreline, the group seeks any indication of where the bandits may be. If Wetscale's advice was to be heeded, there were no signs of any encampment or civilization from up the river. He plumbed the depths of the river, a nimble swimmer even in the brisk, swift water. Here, too, he finds no signs of humans. Which meant, then, that the bandits had to be further downriver - south - along its banks.
Dendarial puts his best efforts into finding any sign of activity, but finds nothing more than the usual forest denizens. A nearby game trail emerges from the woods only a few dozen feet from the horses - well traveled, but apparently not by humans and humanoids. Wherever they were, it doesn't look like they followed the river to this particular point any time recently.
Meanwhile, Tyanos keeps alert for dangers - his keen eyes seeing several passing animals, some even predators, in the depths of the wood. None of them, however, look like they care to tangle with a group of six adventurers and their horses.
Men have not passed this way in a long time. Dendarial notes after his search of the area. Wetscale makes a good case for following the river downstream. Let us do that. We need to explore that way anyway.
In that case, lead on as Thomas remounts after the short break.
Dendarial takes the lead once more as the group follows the river's flow to the south. At a few points it grows wider and more rapid, but eventually the river seems to slow to a fairly lazy pace. It remains quite wide until about two hours down the trail - when it seems to trickle down into a remarkably narrow, rocky region. At points the river is little more than a 50 foot wide puddle of indeterminate depth.
Narrowing gradually over the next few hundred yards, it finally trickles into a dozen or so streams - some larger than others, but most only a few feet across and deep - in a sort of boggy mess. A game trail is evident to all but the most oblivious of travelers, marking the shallowest and quickest passage across the river. Dendarial is about to push on when Tyanos and his keen eyes direct your attention to a small trail leading off from the larger one. It leads almost directly away from the riverbank, and looks relatively well traveled.
After having the path pointed out.
Thomas dismounts, Well, I think this might be near where the bandits are camped.
I think we should wait here while Dendarial looks around to determine if it is safe