"I´ll help you anyway in this interrogation, but, without killings, If we're the law here, I dont want to participate in any slaughter kind of punishment".
"About questions, we need to know about any others dangers here, beasts, monsters, more outlaws groups, well, if we´ll start to map this area, this´s is a good start".
Oh we won't kill them, after all the Salt Mines of Brevoy are always chronically short of laborers. These young, strapping men would make excellent miners... Indeed they might just live past their sentences!
After a short while, the third bandit (from K2) finally wakes, freaking out about being tied and surrounded by folks they don't know. Add to that one bandit with arrow wounds and another nearby looking scared, bound and hobbled. Needless to say, they are panicky. "Wha... Wha... What happened? Where's Kressle?"
The fletched bandit shoots him a glare. "Dead. Most likely how we'll be soon enough." He looks back to the ground, a little dazed. "Never should have joined up with that Hell-spawn wench..."
"It is not too late for you to repent. Erastil is a god who metes out justice, but he also forgives those who are sincere. If you make a true and full confession, then I promise I will intercede most vehemently on your behalf. Otherwise, your ultimate destination will be decided by those less kindly disposed towards you." Mikhaela finishes sadly.
"Alright, everyone that's enough talking. Ranzo stands up and checks his bandages and walks to the bound men.
He checks the wounded man and binds his wounds.
Looks at the fletched bandit and helps him stand.
"Your first, come with me."
I'm not sure if his feet are bound now, but one way or another I get him away from the others.
"Your not necessarily on a death sentence, unless you did something worth it to the owners of the fort. Are you? Did anyone else that is alive?
Respond to my questions truthfully and forthright, because I am going to ask all the other survivors the same things, and if we get a different response, WE Have problems."
Questions include.
Any other treasure hidden
Who is in charge, besides Kressle
Where are there other bandits
Is that booze?
Why are you in this area, it seems empty here.
Do you have any maps, you will make one.
Do you have any other skills besides being a common bandit?
Your first job is to dig a grave for your dead fellows, after I finish the interrogation of your surviving compatriots.
Ranzo will take the other man to another spot, tell him to sit and question the next man and again until all are questioned and then get them working on a grave.
Then share the info with the group.
Bexer stands stiff for a long moment after Ranzo speaks, but responds before he leave with the bandit, "Ranzo, don't get me wrong. I respect you, and I am willing to work with you."
But, and I want to make this clear...I do not answer to you. Do not presume to give me orders."
"It we choose a leader in the future, and that leader is you, then I will comply with any order that does not violate my morals. However, that is not the case, and you have not earned that right. I'll listen to suggestions, but I will not obey you, particularly when you attempt to order me not to express my opinion."
"Was not talking specifically to you Bexar, its all good."
Bexer shrugs, "The others may or may not feel the same, but I wanted the issue clear."
Ok:
Who is in charge, besides Kressle
Where are there other bandits
Why are you in this area, it seems empty here.
is this what you meant?
Tess will observe the bandit that Bexer interrogates and watch for any signs of untruthfulness.
Tess will observe the bandit that Bexer interrogates and watch for any signs of untruthfulness.
As will Mikhaela.
Bexer takes the bandit who surrendered to him off to the side, "Before all the tiresome threats get trotted out, I'm going to ask you a simple question, and I expect a simple, honest answer. You've tried to hide something from me once, and it didn't work. Don't try it again."
"By the words of your surviving fellows at Oleg's, Kressle should have had at least a dozen men under her command, but there were only nine here. Where are the others, and when are they due back?"
Presuming Bexer gets what seems to be a truthful answer (I assume Tessandriel and Mikhaela will pipe up if he lies), he'll follow up with
"Are there any other Bandit Camps in the area? Where are they?"
@Ranzo: The bandit before Ranzo looks at him, anger still in his eyes. "The 'boss' is called the Stag Lord. Me and some of the men think he's a disguised devil, able to shoot his bow the way he does. Wears his mask to hide his face. But beyond that? Don't know. Haven't been around him enough to know more 'sides he has the other 'freemen' round here under his thumb."
He thinks for a minute and continues. "Most the others that ain't out and 'collecting taxes' are down near the lake, day or so south, if the weather's with ya. And why we here? Kressle and the 'Lord' had a thing. Damnable woman was given most this region to take. She paid alright, I guess, but so much as try and cheat her, and you'd probably lose something off your person. Valenk, poor sap, lost his ear and got sent to work with the 'Lord.' Last I heard, he's shoveling horse crap for a copper a day."
@Bexer: The bandit before you is terrified, shaking visibly. "Ddddon't know where th...th...the others are. Hunting, ppprobably. Never seen any other ccccamps either. I'm new here, a see! Only been around for week! Had to, they threatened my ma ya see! If you don't kill me or send me to the mines I'll tell ya a secret! Please..."
sense motive
perception
Perception:
While the group attempts to determine if the bandit before Bexer is lying, Bexer hears something coming from the nearby tents. Muffled and far away sounding, but there.
"So angry man, hows your artistic skills? I want a map of what you know, and your two buddies are going to make one also. You go over there and start one." Hand him the paper and ink.
"OK, next, come here and see if your answers match angry guy.
@Tessandriel: You can tell the man is holding back on something, not telling the whole truth, especially when it comes to his 'ma' statement.
@Both Mikhaela and Tessandriel: Tessandriel hears it like Bexer, Mikhaela hearing the same noise only just.
@Ranzo: The man nods and takes the paper. "How much detail? Just their camp or the whole River Kingdoms?" He may be helping, but doesn't mean he has to be too helpful...
"The whole kingdom is fine, be sure to designate all important bandit locations. You got that? You will be around in case there is a mistake…."
Shrugging, the man begins to do a large outline of the whole of the River Kingdoms, doing little rivers and forests, dots for the carious kingdoms capitals. He's obviously spiting Ranzo for this whole ordeal.
As the noise from the tents becomes more evident, since a number of people in the party have now glanced that way, the bandit in front of Bexer goes wide-eyed. "Stay away from it. It's a demon. Kressel caught it this morning, thought the Lord would like it..." It's almost difficult to tell, but he seems almost more afraid of what is over there than he is of Bexer...
Orsino speaks in a terse, harsh voice.
Explain bandit, bandits who are not forthcoming with information tend to wind up in the salt mines... Or used as bait.
"What's that noise?"
"Right, well then...you stay here, I'm not done with you"
Bexer stalks over to the tent, sword at the ready just in case (though he doubts these bandits could have caught anything supernatural), and flips open the tent flap.
A three-eyed seagull demon? No, wait, I've heard of these...a Tengu? Are they supposed to have three eyes?
Bexer shrugs after a moment and reaches out with an armored claw to slice off (I presume) the bindings around the creature's beak.
"Who...or what...are you?"
During the period when her companions were interrogating the prisoners Komana remained distant in her mind, walking away, meaningless violence always makes me tense, I need to relax, a time alone, she thought, then moves toward the bottles of liquor.
Sitting in the woods, drinking, she starts thinking about the faeries creatures and spirits, the energy of life and death, and the lessons had as a child, but her mind doesn't remember the teacher. A lot of my past just vanish, my memories ´re just fogs on shadows, her experience while in the Gronzi Forest was a time of pleasures and mysteries, so, she begins to write in her diary about the new experiences. For now Komana forgets the world around you.
The three-eyed birdman eyes the armored man who spoke to him. He cocks his head at an unnatural angle and speaks in a strangely refined, resonant voice, "I am that which you are not, just as you are that which I have yet to be. I am Tengu, I am steward of this land: master and slave, father and child. For the sake of simplicity, you may call me by my rookery name, Kossuuk strange cawing noise, or 'The White', in your tongue. And what of you, child of man? What are you? My eyes see much, but truth told plainly carries more value in the River Kingdoms than gold."
"Who are you talking to, Bexer? Did the bandits have a captive?"
Bexer calls back, "Yes, a captive, an unusual one, so be prepared."
He then turns back to Kossuk, cutting the rest of his bond and helping him to his feet as he speaks, "I am Bexer. As to what I am...I'd like to think I am a good man. In any case, my friends and I are working to remove the bandit infestation in this area, so we find ourselves here."
Finished with removing the bindings, Bexer steps back and holds the tent flap open.
Kossuuk stands up and brushes himself off, eyeing the strangely armored Bexer, third eye on the Tengu's head glowing blue for a moment "Good yes, but man? That much is not clear. Something not of this world lies within you, something that makes you more, and less, than a mere man. You know this to be true, even if you choose to ignore it. That aside, pleased to meet you, Bexer."
Kossuuk exits the tent and looks upon the woman who called out to Bexer. After examining her with his still-glowing third eye, he walks forward and strikes up a conversation with her, "Another almost-human? What are the odds? Convergence of chance or confluence of fate? Hmmm... What do you think, child of two worlds?"
The air reeks of death, so some of the bandits have been dealt with. That is the way of the world: the weak fall by the wayside, the prey overtaken by the predator. Predators these saviors be as well, there is no mistaking it.
"Our fates, as always, are in the hands of the gods. We will see what they have in mind in the fullness of time." Mikhaela says warmly.
"Greetings, good sir. I am Mikhaela Greenhilt, priest of Erastil. How may I be of service to you?"
Kossuuk's third eye ceases it's ghostly glowing, returning to it's normal, vibrant red shade. "You speak true and you speak wise, Mikaela. I am Tengu, servant of the land, Kossuuk the White. And I seek not service, but information. Pray, where are my possessions, I would ask you? There should be a two-bladed sword, my family's heirloom, a white porcelain mask, and some silver claw-sheaths, among other things."
Ranzo looks over his shoulder from interrogating the 2nd bandit gets a puzzled look and goes back to the questioning, then steps over to the angry map maker to check on him and back to the interrogation.
The bandit that Bexer had been interrogating is freaking out, scooting as far away as he can. "Keep that beast away! I won't be having my soul taken to some foul pit!"
As he shouts this, Ranzo's captive shows him the map. It is of the River Kingdoms proper, not just the stolen lands. A smug little smile is on his face. "Mapping is done, sir" He's obviously trying to get a rise from Ranzo.
Strange, I have heard of Tengu in the great cities of Tian Xia yet I have never seen one in Brevoy. Tell me, do you know of the sacred Lotus flower and where it might be found in these lands?
Ranzo rolls his eyes, turns to the Tengu; "I read a few books and I have heard of your kind, mostly observations. What are you doing here, and we have not seen your equipment, hold on."
He turns to the 2nd man. "You, where is the demons equipment?" Pointing at Kossuuk, and smiling to himself.
After the response he looks at 'angry man' and his offering. "Very good, you can make a map, now since you want to work this way, turn it over, make a close up of the area, using Olegs as North and the river fort as south and at least as wide. Your going to do this till you get it right, all right son?"
The first bandit Ranzo talks to just gives him some wide eyes before muttering his response. "Umm... Uh... I think... Uh... Kressel has it in her tent. I'm not sure... It's the one over there that's bigger than the rest."
The 'mapper' simply shrugs. "I'm not too familiar with the other bandits. Stag Lord's place? No problem. Any others? So far as I know we're the only actual camp, rest o' the 'teams' operate outta the Lord's camp, just ride out for a few days then head back." He does a very rough map of the area, not too sure it's accurate though. A few minutes later though he hands it up to Ranzo. It's not very accurate, but gives the group a small idea of where the hills, woods and rivers are.
Let's look for them."
Mikhaela begins searching for the items described.
"Good enough, let her check. Be careful for any traps." Turning.
"Are there traps?"
To the angry mapper.
"Good enough for now, to bad we had a position in our group as mapper, I guess you don't qualify." <smile> Let me check your other responses with the bandit scared of Tengu.
"Now tell me about the Stag Lord."
Ranzo