Caelus continues to hold the sword to the throat of the bandit, waiting to here the response to Caelius' response.
Aldarion also awaits the bandit's response. He wonders after Caelius speaks,
What, I wonder, does Caelius propose we do then, if we are not to kill nor press our prisoner into service? Is he willing to simply release him, to trust him at his word that he will do no harm again? Likely, he will run back to his master and report our deeds to him. But I will keep silent until after the bandit tells us his story...
"Repent? Of course I repent - if it will spare my life. "
Putting aside this "repentant" bandit's fate until after hearing his story, the gardener nudges him to continue.
"Please, do tell us what you know, then."
"I know what your blood looks like-" the bandit replies before stopping himself. "Please. My wife and kids..."
"This is going nowhere..." Timothy interrupts. He walks up to the bandit and nods at Caelus. "What are their names? I shall endeavor to save them if possible. Unless your wife is also a bandit, only your child shall be saved. He shall grow up on the right side of the law if I can help it. What is your name?"
Aldarion raises an eyebrow at the bandit's insult.
I grow weary of this time-wasting endeavor. And I really do not trust him.
Looking at Caelus's blade, he sternly puts the bandit in his place. "And we will know what you look like without your head, if you continue to stall. Answer the questions. Now."
Remembering Happ's earlier comment, the gardener repeats in a low, disbelieving tone, "Wife and kids, indeed."
To emphasis the point, Caelus jabs the man lightly with the point of his sword. "You heard the gentlemen, answer their questions!"
The bandit refused to divulge any additional information about his peers, and following the same manner as his leader, was hung from the ramparts of the fort.
Svetlana and Oleg heap praise on you for the rest of the day - it's clear they are quite grateful for your service and support. Svetlana makes a fine lunch and then she and Oleg leave you to make plans for tomorrow's expedition into the Greenbelt.
Caelus looks out at the greenbelt from his vantage point at the front gate of Oleg's. He breaths a long sigh from the fresh air.
Once everyone has arisen from their sleep he will say, "I think it prudent to see if we can track any trails the bandits left on their arrival to see if we can follow it back to their campsite. I mean to eliminate any reprisals from the remaining bandits as quickly as possible."
"A sound plan. I am a skilled tracker in fact. But perhaps some assistance would expedite the process even further."
After the deed is done Timothy walks away and sees to Bran, returning him to his stall and giving him some breakfast for his trouble. "Good boy Bran. We have a long way to go yet."
"Yes we need to track them. The horses may even be able to lead us back there if we have trouble tracking."
Both from the direction which the bandits arrived and the clear hoof tracks in the soft ground, you're able to discern that the bandits came from the southwest.
You reflect on your knowledge of horses' culinary choices and recall that they enjoy radishes and beets. Unfortunately, as you know nothing of the area, you don't really know where a suitable place to grow them would be.
Aldarion indicates the direction of the tracks to the others, then ponders aloud.
"I surmise the bandit camp might not be very far from here, perhaps a few hours, considering the four today arrived early in the morning. Unless of course they rode through the night without respite."
Stroking his thin goatee, the gardener continues, "Shall we head out now, without further delay? Or rest up to replenish ourselves," he says while eying Timothy and Maja, "and perhaps head out tonight, under the cover of darkness?"
Caelus will saddle up one of the bandit horses while Aldarion scouts. "The ambush this morning failed to cause me any real harm, so I am ready providing you are still feeling up to it." He smiles and pats the Noble Gardner on the shoulder.
"Come friends. Let us not be hasty and rush off without clearing our heads. Let us help these good folk and make sure all is well here." Timothy says to all. It seems he isn't used to fighting or people dying around him and having them killed while he watches. You surmise he isn't nearly as tough as he pretends to be. "One more night in a comfortable bed would surely do us all a world of good. Wouldn't you agree Aldarion? Magical healing can do wonders, but there is nothing that beats a proper nights rest to get one back on their feet."
And it sure beats sleeping in the dirt again.
While Svetlana is carrying a bag of something that looks like feed, she overhears your conversation. She looks around the yard and approaches. "I don't mean to interrupt, but if you are heading out into the Greenbelt, I was wondering if you could do me a favor? Oleg’s been under a lot of stress lately, and I would love nothing more than to cook him his favorite meal - moon radish soup - to help him relax. Unfortunately, moon radishes are difficult to find, and the man we typically trade with hasn't been by for a while. A patch grows about 16 miles south of here. Would you be so kind as to retrieve a basket of them? I know you have far more important tasks at hand, and that you've already done far more kindness than we can repay, but I would be most grateful." She leaves you to your planning.
Aldarion smiles wryly back at Caelus's pat. "Fear not, Lord Vraie. For while I may have lost the edge of youth, I remain far from finding my grave!"
...thanks to Maja, no doubt.
After Timothy and Maja speak, the gardener raises an eyebrow as he nods to Svetlana's request. "Moon radishes, eh? We shall be on the lookout for them."
Hmmm...
"Though I am feeling much better now," he states as he smiles at Caelus, "perhaps some rest would be wise after all. Indeed," he raises his index finger, "we might do well to query our dear hosts some more before trekking out into the wilderness. They have surely garnered some knowledge of these lands, which might prove fruitful to our endeavors in ways we cannot yet imagine."
He pauses a moment before continuing.
"It occurs to me, however, that the bandit camp is likely not far from the radish patch of which Svetlana speaks. One of the horses the bandits rode probably meant that patch when he mentioned they sometimes were treated to 'red plants.'"
Aldarion does not bat an eye as he speaks of conversing with a horse.
"And as the tracks head in a southerly direction, that helps to confirm my suspicion."
He strokes his thin beard now.
"Sixteen miles is easily covered in, say, half a day's travel on horseback. If the other bandits are expecting their return, they may not wait long to set out for the trading post here. I will abide by the consensus, but we should not tarry for long. Perhaps we should rest and prepare ourselves for the rest of the day, then head out under the cover of night so we might catch the criminals unawares? If we delay further," Aldarion cautions with a wiggle of his finger at Timothy and Maja, "we might see more bandits at the post soon after the next sunrise."
Aldarion smiles at Maja, "I can indeed, my... friend."
Whew, caught myself.
Caelus nods to both his compatriots, "A day of rest is not objectionable. But I would like to go out for a small ride to scout the immediate area to make sure we don't have any stragglers or enemy scouts."
"Suit yourselves. I shall get what rest I can." Timothy graciously retreats into the house until time to leave.
The rest of the day is spent resting, exploring the area and preparing for the night's journey.
That evening, Svetlana serves a delicious meal of roasted goat, potatoes and a coffee-flavored dessert. At the conclusion of the meal, Svetlana clears the dishes and Oleg takes the opportunity to make a request of your group. "Although Svetlana claims it’s not a big loss compared to what the bandits could have taken, I know the theft of her wedding ring has distressed her," Oleg says softly. "She’s expressly forbidden me from risking my life and limbs to recover it, but perhaps, once you track down those f*~#ing bandits, you can find the ring and return it to me. I don't have much to give, but if you manage the task, I can offer 1,000 gold in credit here at the post. You've already done more than we can repay, but I'd be more than grateful if..." He cuts off abruptly as Svetlana reenters the room.
As night falls, your horses are loaded up and prepared for the journey.
Aldarion spends much of the day in a trance-like state, recuperating his remaining stamina for his night journey.
After Svetlana returns from cleaning the dishes, Aldarion nods in acknowledgement to Oleg.
As the companions make their final preparations, Aldarion leads his horse to the front, taking the lead so as to follow the bandits' trail. Pulling his hood over his head, he grasps his staff in one hand, the reigns in the other.
Past the trade post gate, he looks up, then around, to take notice of the ambient light from the moon as it rises. He also pays heed to the softness of the ground beneath him as they go.
Motioning the party onwards, he keeps his speed in check so as not to miss a thing.
As they go, Aldarion pauses here and there to look up around him, and scan the horizons. If and when he thinks he can safely look up for a few seconds while riding, he does so instead.
Timothy leads Bran and will follow closely behind Aldarion.
"We will return before long Oleg. These lands will be rid of bandits someday and I mean to see that day." Timothy nods goodbye to Oleg and Svetlana.
You ride for nine hours across open plain. The night is clear and warm. You encounter no living threat. After those uneventful nine hours, you come to a river just as the sun begins to rise.
The trail you're following goes along the northern bank of the river and heads into the forest. You notice many other horse tracks in the soft ground - it appears that you are very near the bandit's camp.
Caelus slows to a trot as he comes to the river. "So do we sneak in and take a look, or rush in, swords in hand? Thankfully none of us are the valorous type, so stealth might be a good option."
Aldarion smiles at Caelus's suggestion, "Stealth would be my preference as well."
...though I'm not as agile as I once was.
Aldarion dismounts and examines the tracked ground more carefully in the rising sunlight. He tries to discern how many horses have passed within the past 24 hours, and in what direction(s) they lead (besides the six heading to the trading post). He also tries to discern from which direction the four bandits' horses came from (up or downstream).
He also scans around both upstream and down, in case of any distant riders, or to note if there are any bridges. And also looks to see how wide the river is.
Mr. Nicos has been rather withdrawn following the battle at Oleg's. He says nothing he does not have to and responds to questions with monosyllables and dark stares.
Nearing the camp he breaks his silence. "I will be willing to take a look, perhaps there is a way to avoid another bloodbath."
You all sneak towards the edge of the forest, and though you're not all the best at being sneaky, you seem to manage the task without alerting anyone. Surveying the tree line, you spot what you suppose is the camp - though it looks pretty rough and disorganized. You spot two guard towers with a guard posted in each, but one is still asleep and one appears to be eating something, so they fail to notice you.
Caelius and Aldarion split up, both walking around the perimeter of the camp before meeting back up with the rest of the group to report their findings.
Apart from the two guards in the towers, you don't see any other bandits, but that's simply because the trees are too thick to see through into the camp.
Caelus slightly indicates the two bandits in the guard towers and indicates his bow. He then makes the hand signals to flank from the opposite side and hit them at once
...
At the campsite, Aldarion nods in agreement, and stays with Caelus as Maja and Caelius (preumably) both head to the western edge of camp.
It looks as if there are about dozen different hoof prints. The most recent impressions show about 4 horses leaving the camp. The next most recent show six horses leaving camp - it's been at least a couple of days since horses have entered the camp, at least from this direction.
Initiative Checks
Surprise Round
Initiative: Aldarion, ??? (no action), Timothy (delay for now), Maja, Caelus Bandits (no action), Caelius
Caelus will cock an arrow to his bow, pull back and aim, waiting for the signal from the others to attack upon their targets.
Surprise Round
Aldarion walks silently past the western side of the tree trunk to his immediate south, and stands behind the next tree trunk. He places his hand sadly upon his amputated wooden friend, while looking
mischievously at the fuller tree north of the guard...
Maja's stone sings through the air, striking the unaware, eating man in the back of his head. His head whips around to see where the attack came from, but appears to not have noticed you yet. "You gits! Why'd you throw a rock at me? I'm awake!" he yells down to his comrades, stirring them awake.
You hear a woman's voice respond, "No one threw a rock at you, Tims. What are you going on about?"
A moment later, a yell is heard as the other tower guard cries out in pain. "I've been shot!" he yells. It would seem Caelus' arrow has found its mark, too.
Aldarion, having moved closer, now spots two additional bandits lying on the ground.
Caelius follows the lead and also fires at the tower guard hit by Maja's stone.
Unfortunately, his shot sails wide.
"We're under attack!" the woman's voice yells out. "Ready yourself, fools!" You still don't see where the voice is coming from, but it's from the western side of the camp.
Round 1
Initiative: Aldarion, Woman, Timothy (delay for now), Maja, Caelus, Bandits, Caelius
Smiling to himself, Aldarion mutters some esoteric syllables and gestures with his hands for several seconds. And then, monkey appears in the tree branches, 10 ft. north from the guard just awakened by Caelus' arrow.
The little guy screeches in bemusement as he reaches to his backside, then flings poo at the guard's face, aiming for his mouth. If the guard moves to attack him, the monkey climbs 5 ft. down into the branches for cover.