Mikhaela looks around at the post.
"This is quite nice. Thank you for your hospitality." She turns and addresses Svetlana specifically. "Thank you for this meal. May 'Old Deadeye' bless us all and may this food give us the strength for our rightful endeavours." Mikhaela speaks with both sincerity and amusement.
Outside before we approached
"I bet Orsino could whip up a 50 gallon barrel of of Alch fire that would easily cover the distance to here that has quite a burst radius. We used that over near Pitax if I recall correctly."
Inside
"Hello Oleg, I am Ranzo." Ranzo offers his hand. Nice to see you, since your expecting to see us, do you need to see our Warrant?"
Ranzo puts his pack against a building and stretches.
"Stew sounds great but I could use some cold water if you have it?"
Delighting with the stew, Komana asks Svetlana. "You´re were expecting us?"
But, before any reply from Svetlana, she stops saying. "Incidentally, your meal is a delicacy!"
Upon hearing that they expected, Bexer places Fidget in the stable, rubbing him down and setting some of his own feed into the trough.
When he comes out, he is back in his leathers. He sits, but doesn't eat.
"As Lady Komana said, you were expecting us? That's a bit of a surprise."
Oleg goes over to Ranzo. "Warrant? I thought it was just simple guard duty..." He holds out his hand to receive the warrant.
Svetlana looks at the party inquisitively. "You mean you aren't the guards? But we sent our missive to the Swordlords several weeks ago, and Eliasz said the Lord Mayor was sending a party... And thank you for the compliment on the stew. It's just a little something I whipped up."
Ranzo hand him the warrant and lets Oleg read it.
When he finishes. "Looks like a bureaucratic mix up, or something. We might be able to come to a agreement meeting both our needs. Assuming everyone agrees."
Ranzo pauses for a moment.
"Why are guards required?"
"Sorry Svetlana, but we´re not the guards who you ordered. The bureaucracy along the demands to swordlords is one of the most annoying things.
Why the missive, problems with bandits, or something worse? We´ve observe the catapults as we approached."
After reading the warrant and hearing the news directly from Komana and Ranzo, Oleg suddenly becomes quite red in the face. "We work to restore this place for them, and worked hard! And what do they do? They send mappers! Mappers! This is why I despise that city." In a huff, Oleg throws his hands in the air and walks toward the stables. "If you need me, I'll be feeding the horses!"
As Oleg storms off, Svetlana sighs deeply. "Don't mind him, he's just really frustrated. See, about three months ago, some bandits came up from the woods and demanded what money we had and some supplies. Poor Oleg wanted to fight them, but there had to have been over a dozen of them. And at the beginning of every month since, they've shown up demanding the same thing. Fewer each time, but still far more than either of us could handle. I finally convinced him a few weeks back to send for help, and we sent a letter to the Lord Mayor. Eliasz, a hunter we know, came back with the news that they were sending some guards. When we saw you... Well, you know the rest."
Her eyes turn towards the catapults. "Those were here when we took over, and Oleg thought they might come in handy, but try as he might he just can't get them running."
Bandits eh? Well never let it be said that a Lotusmaster doesn't know how to fix such a problem...I will need time and perhaps some advice on the local wilderness but I should be able to prepare a suitable poison for your "guests". It will once ingested knock out those who are weak of body, serving several strong drinks to them before actually giving them the poisoned drinks will weaken their ability to resist it.
diplomacy to convince Oleg's wife of plan
Bexer gives Orsino a quick look before shrugging and turning towards Svetlana, "It may be that the Lord Mayor intended us as a response to your reguest, madam. We are more than just 'mappers'; we are explicitly charged with combating banditry in the area."
He rubs his chin for a moment, "You said that these bandits come at the beginning of the month. We sit now at the end of Calistria. Do you expect them in the next day or so?"
Komana fixedly looks to the sky. "Bexer is right. Today is 28th of Calistril, tomorrow begins Pharast. According what was said by Svetlana, the criminals come to "collect taxes" at the beginning of each month. So, I don´t know anything about poisons and potions, but they can appear tomorrow. I don´t believe we´ll have time for your plan Orsino. We need an emergency plan to deal with this problem".
Even if we don't have the time to brew up some poison we would still be advised to use some ale for the trap... A drunken man is easily fooled, baited and killed. Furthermore bandits tend to lack any discipline, these are not professional soldiers but thugs. Let them believe that this is another routine "payment" trip and indeed let them feast at your table, when they have grown comfortable and unwary then we plant daggers in their backs. Please also remember this, we were sent here to secure the greenbelt and rid it of bandits. The warrant did not in any way, shape or form tell us how to go about that task. In effect we can go about enforcing the edicts of the warrant with any method we choose so long as we get the desired result. We don't have to do this the dumb way of paladins and honor bound knights who would wake a dragon before killing it, if we want to do this the smart way nothing is stopping us.
"I have no scruple against letting a stupid man let his guard down, but I think we are putting the cart before the horse. Svetlana, can you tell us what the routine is for these bandits? Do they demand a meal or drink? What exactly do they do when they arrive?"
"To be honest, I doubt that they could be so distracted that they would not notice the six of us and our horses secreting ourselves about the fort, and hiding outside would put Oleg and his wife in unacceptable danger. Unless these are inordinately stupid even for bandits, a simple ambush seems the best option."
Bexer seems to realize he's been talking quite a bit recent, and settles back, "However, if others feel differently, I can be adaptable."
Svetlana nods at the party, then sits down at a table. "When they first arrived, some really bossy lady ordered the bandits about, and told us that we had to pay tribute to her. Some of the bandits made some rather lewd comments about me, and the cruel woman seemed to make it out that those horrid things would happen to me if we didn't go along with it. We lost so much that day.
The next two times the numbers aren't quite as large and the woman hasn't come since, but this big man with a bow seemed to order the men about. He made it obvious why they come, and they took our wares again. They didn't linger about the last two times, but still threatened us all the same."
She looks at you all with teary eyes.
"Please, we don't care how you do it, just help us. We'll help you in any way we can, but please take care of them!"
I have a scheme in mind, this fort is an ambusher's paradise. What my plan entails is that one of us will on the fort wall's and will act as a sentry and alert us as to when the bandits are coming. Then you Svetlana will get to cooking the most delicious or at least delicious smelling food of your life. The bandits being used to your submissiveness will demand a meal, you will then proceed into that building () as if to get a herb or spice of some sort. That will be our signal to strike, as by that time we will have hidden ourselves in the two buildings to our right and left (). The bandits won't know what hit them until it is too late, we should ideally kill the leader first to shake the morale of the bandits. Do leave one of them alive, we will need to interrogate him or her as to the actual whereabouts of the bandit encampment.
"Why don't we just lurk in waiting and then fight them? If mayhaps they have one or more amongst them who are being coerced then the poison would hurt or kill them as well. In a fight, such persons could easily surrender and thus not be slain."
Mikhaela pauses, then continues.
"By waiting, observing and lying in ambush we gain all the advantages of surprise as well as of scouting and yet assure ourselves that we are only killing those that deserve it."
"I have no tendency to be paladin or even a code of honor, however, I just dont like to kill people. I agree with Mikhaela and Bexer, we just lurk to waiting them, to an ambush, Orsino, your idea is the best one, we´ll focus on the leader, to shake their moral. So, I, Bexer and Ranzo, we´ll take the frontline. Initially I can hold them for a few seconds alone, provoking them."
"Sounds good to me Komana. Given some extra lumber I can build a hunters blind for Tessandriel so she can support with the bow. Just tell me where you want it. One thing we need to do is make sure we get everyone, in case they leave the horses outside with someone."
Svetlana rises and rushes to shake all of your hands. Thank you! I'll get Oleg to give you what supplies we have to help you."
Build a hunters blind :
I will leave it to Tessandriel to place and camouflage.
Any stores of herbs or Lotus Flowers that I should know of?
Tessandriel sighs. "Even with camouflage do you really expect that to hide me? Something like this is so easy to spot. I will stay up next to one of the catapults. Better vantage point."
@Ranzo: You make a good hunter's blind after about two hours
Looking at Orsino with a quizzical look, Svetlana seems halfway confused. "Lotus flowers? I don't know about that, but we might have something in the storage room in the house. I'll get Oleg to open it up for you."
Oleg, hearing his name, returns to the group. "What you all need? I have business to take care of before those bandits finish it off."
Good news, we intend to kill the bandits that have been causing you problems. Although we do need to take one or two alive to figure out where the nest is, do you have any herbs or Lotus Flowers available?
"Its a .. when I finish it more to keep incoming arrows from hitting you, not to stop animals from seeing you. You lay down by the catapults, they come in, you stand and flip it up and you have coverage and concealment, and you can shoot thru the holes or around it."
"Is there room for more than one? That sounds like an excellent device."
"Considering the layout, I am thinking I may best be placed behind one of the gates. I will be hidden when the gate is open, and can close the gate as the opening of the fight, so that we can prevent escape."
"Let me take the front when the fight starts, I will try to get their attention, so you´ve got some initial advantage."
"Oleg, I would like a bow with arrows next to one of the horses, in case of one of bandits try to escape."
"I'll stand with Komana, I will try to make two of them Mikhaela."
"You think me stupid. I know how to hunt and what that is for. I want mobility, not to be tied to one spot. If Mikhaela wants it she can have it." Tessandriel says in an exasterated tone.
"Could you first target anyone outside the gates when they close, Mithlynnta? Your preferred position would be good for it, and it will help assure no one gets away."
Oleg shrugs. "I have a few herbs and poultices in the storage room. No Lotus Flowers though. Not exactly sure where you'd find that round these parts exactly."
Oleg takes Orsino to the storage room at area A9. The room is mostly empty, containing only a few small supplies.
[ooc]@Ranzo: There is enough supplies to make one more blind.
{b]"Thank you."[/b]
"No I don't think your stupid, we have different ways at looking at thing, we will learn each others way of thinking. They are both good just different."
Looking at Mikhaela.
"Coming right up, Komana could you check the grounds, roots and holes and such. Where do we bunk Svetlana?"
Svetlana, you know exactly what day they these thugs will arrive?
Mithlynnta, if we don´t know the exact time, I believe that you can stand by, you seem to be the most skilled to observe their arrival and let us know.
In the remainder of the day Komana still will be available to help Ranzo, Orsino, or any other mate who needs a hand ...
Svetlana motions to the southeast building (A2). "We have some beds here for travellers. They aren't the best, but they are the finest beds for miles. And as for the bandits, like I said earlier, they've been coming here at the first of every month and taking what money and supplies we have, so I doubt they will come later than that. Since they seem so timely, my husband and I suspect that their camp can't be too far away, but we haven't had the means to finds these brutes"
She turns and poars herself some soup, a smile of relief on her gentle face.
Orsino examines the herbs and supplies...anything useful in this pile I wonder?
taking ten on perception for a total of fourteen
Bexer spends the balance of the evening tending his equipment (and magically mending any tears and scuffs), going to sleep very early.
He will get up well before dawn, check on Fidget, and call forth his armor, spending the pre-dawn hours walking the walls and watching for trouble. ().
If there is no pre-dawn trouble, he will retire to just behind where the western gate meets the wall, and wait there.
"Could you first target anyone outside the gates when they close, Mithlynnta? Your preferred position would be good for it, and it will help assure no one gets away."
"I will. Nobody will get away if I can help it."
Tessandriel retires early and arises well before even the first hints of dawn. She prowls around the small fort to familiarize herself with the area and to enjoy the cool air before dawn. She silently moves about to avoid waking anyone as she does not want to talk just now.
At morning on the following day, and the days hereafter, when she´ll be waiting the arrival of the outlaws, Komana will costuming her swordlord uniform. She believes that making clear her position of "authority" can help defy them, to call their attention.
Anyway, on waiting, she harnesses the freshness of morning on this early spring to begins to write on her diary her experiences and relationships. Komana venting her anxiety at that moment, she knows that the impending conflict will require all her attention and readiness.
"So we have Komana and I hiding in a nearby building to spring out when its required. Tessandriel is hiding near a catapult to provide an arrow or two where its best needed. Bexter near the gate, either to assist us or intercept anyone waiting outside. Mikhaela will be hiding and come out with the Pavise to provide spell support when needed. Orsino, where are you going to be and what are you doing to assist when it comes to it?"
If Bexer sees Mithlynnta as he is walking the walls in the dark, he nods an acknowledgement, but keeps his focus towards the outside.
Bexer seeks out Oleg.
"I don't think this ambush is going to work if the bandits find the yard completely empty, so I have to ask you if you can wait by your goods until we spring our ambush."
"There's no reason Svetlana need be at risk, however. I think it safest if she stays out of sight. For that matter, the moment we attack, it's my hope you will join her wherever she is."
I will be with Bexer and do not worry as to my combat ability, my blows can punch through bone and chainmail alike.
@Orsino: You recognize that the herbs are good for making potions of cure light wounds.
@Tessandriel: You're prowling goes largely unnoticed.
@Bexer: Oleg gruffs in acknowledgment. "I don't want anything to happen to her, so I'll make sure come morning she's in the house. But so help me, if even one hair on her head is hurt... He glares at the sky, breathing in deep. "Gods protect us"
Orsino will be turning the herbs into cure potions.
alchemy craft potions of cure light wounds