Hendra shrugs, and looks at the area.
Finding them as if they were carved in stone, Hendra nods. "Have trail." Turning to the twins she points the general direction the trail leads. "Portal was that way? If not, bandits not go there direct."
"Deeper into the forest," Freyr says. "I don't think they're headed exactly in the same direction, but it's mostly right. They probably have to work their way around the trails and what not in the forest rather than traveling in a straight line."
The hobgoblin humms. Perhaps there weren't bandits in the first place. Perhaps they were always the undead and the man we met mistook them for Bandits...
"No, there were bandits." Fryja assured Grievous. "My brother and I ran from them before we found the town... in fact it was when we reached the road that they broke off their pursuit of us. I believe it was because of the carriage." She tells them somewhat shamefully.
Greivious pulls her pipe back out, taking a drag and blowing the smoke out at the human. Hm? They chased you off? Well, are you sure these where the same bandits? Infact, I see no dead bandits among these bodies... We can't observe the zombies, they're too burned for that. I see only dead guards. she looks at the other witch with a scowl.
Speaking of Which! she moves over to the bodies and begins looting them, taking weapons and armor.
The Ambush Site of the South Road –
Hendra investigates the trail and comes to the same conclusion as Lanyssa, it is clear that the Bandits took the surviving horses that were with the caravan. With the snow in this mysterious winter bubble, it will be easy to follow them, even for someone who has no experience in tracking, at least until the snows begin to fall once more. Currently it is still not snowing.
The bandits marched single file so it is difficult to ascertain their numbers. It seems they took their dead with them as some of the horse tracks imprint deeper than others. If there were fey, they hid their tracks well enough to blend in or left no tracks.
Freyr confirms that at the very least, they head back in the direction from whence they came as he and his sister were the original subjects of pursuit in this case.
Faethara’s diligence is rewarded as under the seat of the charred wagon she finds a lock box containing a lock box with a signet ring a pair of earrings, a set of pearl-inlaid bracelets, assorted gold and silver necklaces, and one sapphire pendant.
Grievous inspects the other bodies but finds nothing to loot as the bandits got to it all already. The Captain’s body has masterwork breastplate emblazoned with Taldoran heraldry and a masterwork longsword. In his belt pouch is decent coin – 25 gp, 15 sp, and 3 pp. His backpack contains basic goods to camp and cook with but nothing more interesting than that.
With the rest of the group searching the site, Freyr looks over what they've found. "That's definitely the lady's signet ring," he says, looking at the ring that Faethara recovered. "The mark is a local noble house if I remember correctly." He had wondered why they'd been drilled on Taldan noble houses before being sent off to work at the tower. It made a lot more sense now that he understood the plan a bit better.
"So, do we follow the tracks? If we don't take the chance now, it's likely that it will start snowing before we have another shot at it." If they're already involved in this mess, they might as well put their full effort into it. At least that way he had plenty of bodies around when they inevitably ran into trouble.
Hendra shrugs. "Took dead with them, plain from deeper horse print." Pointing to the track as if it should be obvious, the drow woman takes the late captain's sword. "Well crafted, good balance. Will take with, never have enough weapon." Pulling back the folds of her outer garments, she reveals the bulk of her arsenal as she clasps the belt and scabbard to it... along side her short sword and pair of hammers. The prominent bandolier filled with daggers is also clear to see, and those who were in the inn recognize the bulge as her hand crossbow's hiding spot. Picking up her scythe once more, she nods at Freyr. "Yes. Follow track, find portal, slay foe responsible. Secondary objective, recover lady, alive preferred."
I am happy to come along, but just to warn Hendra and Freyr, I have no more healing for you this day. Try to stay standing! I do think we should track them while we still can.
Faethara widens her eyes at Hendra's veritable arsenal. "Never enough weapons? I beg to differ," she murmurs. Louder, she says, "While I am reluctant to steal from the dead, we do not know what we may face ahead, and a good sword or piece of armor could be lifesaving. The Captain's breastplate seems to be of good quality; I would borrow it, but it is a tad heavy for my use. As for the tracks, I think it would be best to continue on, lest we lose the trail in this heavy snow."
Whatever happens, before leaving the area, Faethara looks for a sheet of canvas or something of the sort to cover the body of the captain and any other relatively intact bodies to protect them from wild animals. She doesn't really pray for them, it's just to show respect to the dead.
"Yeah" says Lanyssa, hurrying herself to be ready for the trail blazing, "Let's find them today before they get lost".
Lurruk hefts the breastplate. "I have no issue taking from the dead in order to avenge them. I suspect the nobility won't care to see me wearing this so I shall need to do something about the markings."
With that, he removes his scale mail and dons the Captain's breastplate.
"What have you got there, Faethara?"
"Acid works. Hammer works. File works, slow. All mar surface, not look nice after." Hendra absently rattles off the first three ways she can think off to remove the crest. "Might want keep emblem. Assist Lady, ensure trust. Perhaps earn title, crest, from her."
Greivious blows some smoke out. ah, I would have just sold the lot... No use to me She pockets the coin.
After Them!
The snow is still little more than light flurries as the new companions begin to follow the trail of the bandits into the snow covered Border Woods. As the trail enters the full expanse of the Wood, it passes through a small clearing among the taller trees before continuing uphill and out of sight. A large chest lies half-buried in the snow, apparently dropped or discarded by those who hastily passed this way.
Lanyssa stops dead in her tracks, surprised by the discovery. "What's that?" She decides to have a look, since it could bring to the table certain clues that would certainly worth one or two minutes of their time. "Okay, becareful" she says, and she explicitly adds a coda for Grievous "Try not to burn it, okay? No fire."
Hendra nods. "No fire, unless troll again. Then plenty of fire."
Stepping toward it with Lanyssa, she studies the chest and its surroundings intently.
Greivious nods. No fire... I call dibs on any wands inside! she shouts, not bothering to investigate at all, she moves up and jabs the chest with her Trident, not hard- just enough to make a thump.
Eth stands back and waits for whatever chaos Grievious causes to occur.
Might want to be careful with that, but whatever...
"Do bandits often leave things they loot in the snow?" Fryja asked as she looked over her brother's shoulder at the chest in question. "It seems like a... odd thing to do."
"No, they do not. It was either an accident, or far more likely a trap." He waits for the drow's assessment of the chest to see if they should open it or leave it be.
"Perhaps they were ironically ambushed by someone else and forced to flee? Back home the best time to attack someone was when they were celebrating a victory."
"Unlikely. Signs of battle missing, would be present with chest. Snow makes hard to hide."
"Sure, let us investigate the obvious trap," Faethara says sarcastically, and she keeps a good ways back in case they do decide to get near it.
Hendra gives Faethara the type of glance typically reserved for the sources of foul odors or annoying noises.
"Typical cowardly behavior we have come to expect from our surface 'kin'. No wonder they fear us, they fear the shadows cast from rabbits at high noon...."
"Yes. Stay back. Would not want coward blood accidentally spilled by chest splinter." Rolling her eyes, she focuses again on the chest.
Faethara bristles. "Excuse me, drow! Oh, yes, I am so sure that the giant chest in the middle of the snow is perfectly innocuous! Open it up and we shall find riches beyond measure and a djinn who will grant you a wish!" "If all her kind are as fools as she, it is hardly a wonder they would put their faith in the hands of demons, blind that the cure is worse than the sickness."
Nevertheless, she does not get any further away.
"Heh. Djinn in chest. Would be funny." Hendra smiles mirthlessly under her scarf as she says this.
"The world would be a very different place if I could have my wish. Both on the surface and under it...." Putting such thoughts aside, she turns back to Faethara and begins speaking with an almost exaggerated air of patience.
"Best case bad luck from bandits. Drop off last horse in column, not notice, perhaps not time to stop. Worst case, trap. Even trap tells story of trapper. Either case, worth a look."
"I'm sure you two have some kind of moral obligation to hate each other, but if we could not argue in the middle of what's potentially enemy territory, that would be great."
Hendra looks at Freyr with a bit of a shrug.
"Can not say for her. True most from my blood bear grudge against cowardly cousins. My House tolerates, expects reciprocation. Necessity from surface proximity, can not fight all old grudges, needless loss of life, enough foes to slay."
The Tra.. er Perfectly Harmless Chest
As Grievous moves to poke at the chest, Hendra places a hand up, "No Troll but Trap".
"I sense no magic, though that doesn't mean it is safe. You can open it, though, but try to leave it in one piece."
Not having much confidence in Grievous abilities, Lanyssa takes a step back and braces herself waiting for anything bad to happen.
Seeing the other woman's eagerness, Hendra shrugs and takes a few steps back.
"Trapped. Any skilled with removal?"
well, trapped? rather than poking it with her Trident she pulls out a Javelin. Unless anyone objects, I can try to trigger it from a distance.
Or even better if we are sure it is a trap, we could just ignore it and continue on. It seems unlikely they would have left anything valuable in a trap...
Hendra shrugs. "Fine with range trigger if none can disarm. Should disarm, townfolk may come here. Not normal to care about, not my town. Still, chance trap might give mindset of trapper. See preference for damage type, if interested in taking captives, if willing to poison, among other things." Taking an additional few steps back, and readying her scythe in case the trap has a living element that requires killing, she awaits the others.
"Hendra is correct. If some hunter comes through here thinking they got lucky they could get hurt. These bandits have already hurt enough people... I don't think we should leave it here as it is. Triggering with some form of range attack maybe? That would be the best idea." Fryja said softly
Lanyssa has both ideas in mind. They cannot leave the box as it is, since it can be important, and they cannot let the ones they're following escape.
"Okay, do it. Now. No time to waste."
Faethara draws her own sword, just in case. "Have at thee, then."
Greivious lifts the javelin she's carrying and chucks it at the chest.
She throws the spear which lands harmlessly to the side. Err... Sorry... Let me try that again...she retrieves the weapon and tries again
the second throw is much better than the first.
The Tra.. er Perfectly Harmless Chest
Grievous' two javelin throws strike the chest but the trap does not trigger.
Lurruk looks at Hendra. "If you really wish to open the mystery chest then go ahead. I will do my best to patch you up afterwards. Otherwise let's leave this red herring behind and continue our chase."
Freyr really doesn't care about the trap enough to risk himself playing around with it. "Unless one of you has a skill in disarming traps or is reckless enough to open it, I suggest we just leave the damn thing and move on. If anyone comes far enough out here to find it, they're far more likely to be killed by a monster or the bandits than a box."
"Not trigger from impact. Good info. Watch selves, will try trigger. Preference not need trip to boneyard after."
Taking out a pair of her daggers and the silk rope from her pack, the drow woman embeds both within the lid. Wrapping the rope around one, through the latch that opens the chest, then around the other dagger, she steps a few feet behind the chest, holding onto both ends of the rope.
"Open in three, two, one!" At one she gives the improvised contraption a pull, releasing whatever horror awaits...
Frjya took another step back as Hendra went to open the chest. "I do not believe this is such a good idea but it is better than leaving it here for another. But Freyr does have a point. Few would get out this far with bandits and fey."
The Tra.. er Perfectly Harmless Chest
As Hendra approaches, the trap reveals itself as the pressure from her book causes the rope trap to trigger! A spiked log comes swinging down from above with a wide radius swinging wildly around the chest.
The Tra.. er Perfectly Harmless Chest
Oofff... the spiked log smashes into Hendra damn near impaling her and certainly knocking her into the snow flat on her back!
Soon enough it stops swinging and the chest is ripe for the taking.