Stigr sets about binding the hands of the sleeping bandits behind their backs and lifting them to carry inside. Best keep an eye out, though.
Charlotte is impressed by, and thankful for, Indras's ability to end the fight. As the Prophet begins to rope up the the bandits, she approaches the leader, putting her crossbow away, but narrowing her eyes. "How do we know following you inside isn't a trap? You could have more men waiting."
Indras sheathes his sword and walks over to where he dropped his bow.
He picks it up and nocks another arrow on it.
He walks back to the leader and points the bow at him. "One wrong move. I won't miss." His tone is very clear on this matter.
After leading the group inside to avoid prying eyes, and to gather near the fireplace, Roknar speaks, "Lady Argentea is in the cellar, you will find a trap door under the bear skin rug, she is alive, Izoze and Teb Knotten had plans for her, but I was not privy to the specifics, I just know that they would not let me kill or ransom her. Izoze and the cold fey are responsible for all of this, but even she seems to answer to someone else. When the winter came, Izoze, Teb Knotten and their cold fey allies were the ones who brought it. My men and I only sided with them for survival." The man takes out a ring of keys and hands it to Indras, "The key to the trapdoor is there, and there is also a key to a cage that we have one of the cold fey trapped in, should you wish to question them."
Stigr moves up and offers to take the key to the trapdoor. "The Lady will most likely respond to a kinsman better than a total stranger."
"By all means, Prophet." Indras says, clearly not intent on releasing the woman himself.
Heroes should take credit where credit is due, luckily I'm not a hero.
"Well, I will come along. I am not the most trusting sort."
He turns to Indras,
"Lock these men down good. I do not like the number of prisoners we have. It puts a burden on us, especially with the watchers outside."
Stigr moves the bearskin rug aside, revealing a trap door, just as the man had instructed would be there. Opening the door, he sees half a dozen boxes and barrels that take up the majority of the underground cellar. In the southeast however a rough blanket lies in the corner next to a bowl of half eaten food. A woman similar in appearance to how Lady Argentea was described to look previously is in this room, but the Taldan noble appears to have suffered some injuries and appears underfed.
Stigr steps forward into her view after stowing his axe. He bends down and tries to put on a smile for the woman. "Lady Argentae? I'm a countryman of your guard, Yuln Oerstag. I'm here with allies to free you." Stigr approaches her and crouches down, freeing her from any ropes using his knife. "You seem to have fared poorly, but Erastil's care is here. Would you like water, or food?" Stigr offers her any rations or creates water in his tankard if she likes.
"Everybody ok with moving them into that sleeping room?" Indras points to the northern room, with the open door.
If the others agree, Indras will hard-handedly move the thugs into the room, one by one their arms tied behind their back.
Drazheek shrugs.
"Sure."
"That is my personal room" Roknar responds to Indras' suggestion, "Might I suggest putting them in the room to the south instead? Several of my men are sick and need their rest, and it is a larger room."
"Well, I'm still alive, that is more then most of my party have to say." Lady Argentea Malassene responds as Stigr frees her, "Tell me, how is Yuln? Is he still alive?" She adds as she takes the offered food and water, having more appetite now that she is not the bandit's prisoner.
Indras rolls his eyes at the bandit leader suggesting another room.
"Fine! Though you should remember that I am not humanitarian around here." He still has his hood up, but glares with his white eyes at the leader.
"Grayson help me move them into that southern room. Charlotte can you search the rooms? Start with that one." He says as he points to the bandit leader's room.
Drazheek stays and keeps an eye on the bandit.
"Drazheek not care if your room or not. I stay and watch this one."
"Holy man stay and help?" he says with a sideways look at Gaandik.
Charlotte nods, pleased to have some way to make herself useful, and moves towards Roknar's room.
"Yuln fares well, all things considered, Lady. He was wounded and suffered from the cold, but Erastil provides. He's being seen to in the village." Stigr stands by as she eats and drinks, then offers his arm to lead her upstairs. "Do you know anything of your captors, and those behind the bandits?"
Three doors open into this room. A sturdy bed heaped with blankets sits near the only window, and a large maple chest occupies the southwest corner.
The chest is locked, and unfortunately, Charlotte while trying to jimmy the lock instead ends up jamming it.
Lady Argentea takes Stigr's hand and follows him up the trap door, and then speaks to the group, after glaring at Roknar, "When we were attacked by the cold fey and these bandits, they fey were led by a mephit named Izoze. However the mephit is not their leader, that would seem to be the one named Teb Knotten, but I fear I know little more then him other then his name."
After a moment, Roknar speaks up, "I can tell you more about Teb Knotten. Teb Knotten is a troll, he is the leader of the operation in these woods. They have something sinister they are protecting at the center of the woods, but they wouldn't let me and my men any closer then this, I suspect that they trusted me less then I trusted them."
Indras looks to the corner of his eyes as he listens to Roknar speaking up. His other eye still fixated on the other bandits.
"So how do we kill that Izoze and Teb Knotten? I know how to kill animals and men, but trolls and mephits are different."
Stigr pauses for a moment at this news of Teb Knotten, recollecting what he knows of trolls.
Gaandik casts a quick cantrip and his words seem more convincing.
The cleric bows to the Lady: "We came as fast as we could, but I urge you to let us get you and these prisoners back to town as possible. Do you require any healing?"
Gaandik turns to the others: "Let us grab the chest and other valuables too and resume our explorations when the Lady is safe and the prisoners secured."
Indras turns his head around and looks puzzled at Gaandik.
"You want to take these bandits with you? Back to town? Who says we don't get backstabbed on the way?"
Charlotte steps out of the bedroom, looking somewhat embarrassed about not being able to open the chest, but quickly her look turns to surprise at Gaandik. "If I may, sir, they aren't sheep we can just herd back. The dangers we faced in the woods will be multiplied by having prisoners to watch. It also seems likely that it won't take long for Izoze to learn of our movements."
Stigr recalls that trolls are very difficult to kill without the use of fire, and that there are several different types of trolls, but most if not all of them have some adverse reaction to fire.
Lady Argentea looks at the cleric sizing him up before she speaks, "I could use some healing, I'm afraid these bandits did not take the best care of me, speaking of which, I hope you don't plan on simply letting them go, surely they will get into trouble again if not dealt with properly." She adds her thoughts to the conversation.
Roknar sneers at her in response to this however, "If my men and I wanted to we would have already taken the town, I strongly suggest that you worry about defeating Izoze and Teb Knotten, my men pose little threat compared to them."
"On that we agree." Lady Argentea retorts, turning her head away from Roknar.
Gaandik asks with a look of confusion: "So are we considering taking these prisoners and Lady Argentea to engage Izoze and Teb, the largest threats to the town because it is safer than retreating to the town quickly and dropping them off? There is another alternative, but after the incident with the sole survivor of an earlier ambush, I am reluctant to mention it."
He asks Charlotte: "What do you want to do with the prisoners then. I do not consider them as trustworthy."
He speaks to Indras: "I would rather them make their move on a trip back to town than in the den of Izoze and Teb."
"I know that we must move cautiously, but if hands are bound properly these men should pose a small threat on the way back to town, and I agree with Gaandik that I would not like to have them with us when we confront Izoze and Teb."
Grayson shuffles around by the bandits, and stares intensely at each.
"A battle with trolls would be very dangerous," Stigr says. "They are nigh impossible to harm without the aid of fire, and there are several variants of the monsters. I would only consider allowing these bandits to come with us if they swear they will help, and if they understand that the first sign of betrayal will mean an arrow in their empty heads." He turns and stares into the eyes of Roknar. "And they will receive judgment under Erastil, if not the laws of Heldren."
"If they ever run, they won't get far before my arrow finds it mark in the back of their heads, that should be warning enough. Got it Roknar?"
He remarks grimly to the bandit leader.
"Was that all there was in the rooms Charlotte? If so we'd best leave for Heldren now, lest those fey catch up to us."
Exploring the other rooms on the ground floor, Charlotte locates another chest in the room adjacent to the first, this chest is similarity locked.
"Before we leave as your prisoners, there is one more prisoner who might be of interest to you." Roknar speaks, pointing to the staircase. "Upstairs, I have in a small cage one of the cold fey held prisoner, Izoze seems unaware of this, but I am willing to turn him over to you."
"Interesting." Stigr keeps an arrow nocked on the bowstring as he nods toward the stairs. "Anyone want to investigate while I keep Deadeye's watch on these men?"
"Drazheek will go." he says while moving towards the stairs.
"Well our prisoners can haul the chests. See if we can bring the cage too."
Charlotte gets to work on the second chest, deciding to leave the more moral decisions up to the others.
Charlotte goes about working at the lock, but unfortunately cannot seem to open it at this time back in the main room however, Roknar speaks up, "You know, that chest does have a key, I believe the half orc cook had it."
Roknar then turns to the rest of the party and speaks to Stigr now, "The keys I gave you also have a key to the room where the cold fey is locked up, as well as a key to the fey's cage."
"Well Prophet, if you and me keep watch here, the most diplomatic or intimidating one of us should go question that evil fey downstairs. I would pull out the wings if it were up to me."
"Upstairs," Stigr murmurs, clearly thinking about the possibilities of dealing with the fey. "I'm not fond of interrogations, but I'm competent enough in their principles. Though if anyone else wishes to attempt a friendlier approach, I welcome them to it first."
"A proper interrogation would take hours. Can we not grab the cage and take it back to town?"
Gaandik goes to get the fey. A long interrogation not in his plans.
Gaandik casts a simple cantrip as they confront the fey. Gaandik speaks with patience and respect for the words of the fey.
"Servant of Great Izoze--I admire the power of those that bring winter early. It is unfortunate you had to end up with such as these bandits. How would I get you to Izoze and what boons can she grant?"
The honeyed words seem to have an amazing amount of inflection and power.
"Let me out of this cage and I will tell you everything you want to know." The cold fey says from inside the cage, looking at Gaandik very carefully.
"You cannot expect to earn your freedom so easily. With the power to roll over these bandits so easily, I could not be expected to let you go with nothing offered. They way of the fey is full of gifts and respect. I offer you much, and you do not repay me in kind. How an I believe you serve the great Izoze?"
"I have little interest in anything you have to offer me aside from ky freedom, if you don't free me how do you expect me to tell you anything?" The cold fey pleas for it's freedom.
Gaandik decides to play it haughty.
"We will see what the humans think of you. They can probably pay more than your information is worth."
Gaandik brings the cage downstairs.
"We consolidate all our gains and move quickly. Prisoners can haul large chests and anything we have difficulty carrying."
Indras looks up from his bow as Gaandik brings down the caged fey, his brow furrowed as far as others could see that under his hood.
"So that's the creature we're worried about? Heh, right, just let's get a move on back to Heldren."
The small caged fey speaks, rattling the cage, "I swear when I get out of here, Izoze will freeze you all!"
To this Roknar laughs, "Entertaining little bugger, isn't it?"
"Heh who says you'll get out? Also who says Izoze will not freeze us anyway even if you do get out?"
Indras smirks as the fey tries to threaten them.
"So if we kill you now or not, we might still be in trouble right? So where's the point in keeping you alive or setting you free if you don't tell us anything?"
He loads a cold-iron arrow on his bow and smiles at the tiny creature.
"One move is all I need."
"Go ahead, if I tell you anything, Izoze will kill me anyway, and its not like you can so easily defeat her." The fey says provoking Indras.
"I will call this one Snowball. Let us head back."
Gaandik brings the cage.
"Snowball!?!? My name is Vrixx, not Snowball!" The fey responds, glowing in fury.
"I can make snowballs!" Drazheek says excitedly.
He cocks his head to one side as he looks at the fey.
"Want one?" he says in a somewhat playful manner.