Hella looked at Cerian. "That's what I mean by prey. Us wolves love to hunt." She said with a wide grin truly believing Cerian's point was a good one. Ravboom would probably eat them or do something viciously goblin to them.
Looking each of them over she would glance at everyone else as she rode Blue Moon. Her wolf by her side again. Nine total survived and the gear from the ones that didn't was added to the wagon. Human's had burial rituals but to her leaving it was its own ritual. Nature would take its natural course and that would be that. But Ravboom wanted to use them it seemed. 'Ahh, there it is.' Hella thought as Ravboom's viciousness came out.
"Where did your pack mates run? Your Alpha was a poor alpha, not fighting with his pack. He ran also, where would he go?" Her voice was calm surprisingly. As if the attack hadn't flustered her at all and seemed perfectly normal. "What territory does your pack claim and who is this Stag Lord?"
Rodric stows his shield, and carries his lance upright. Guiding his large horse by the reins, he circles back and forth behind Ravboom as the Goblin offers his terms to the bandits.
"My friend Ravboom here has shown great restraint in not slitting your throats where you sit. As he has stated, we carry a writ from the Lord Mayor of Restov giving us power to execute unrepentant banditry. I suggest that you consider your next words carefully." The cavalier maintains eye contact with the bandits as Fortune continues pacing in the same slow, steady circle.
"One humbly suggests that you should heed these threats as quite serious," The elf witch smiles as his owl flutters onto his shoulder. I do not like the maiming of these men as Ravboom suggests as a mercy. Still, we shall see how they respond
One of the warriors who had been caught up in the vines begins to babble, "The stag lord is the bandit king, his fort is located near the lake, we serve him or die! I don't want to die! The others will probably scatter but the Captain will be headed back to the river camp..." He looks shocked at his own free tounge, and the dawning on him that even if you let him go he's a dead man if anyone finds out he spoke...
Ravboom suddenly leans in, his beady red eyes directly in the talker's line of sight.
"You tell Ravboom true when you say Staglord make slave of you?" He growls at the man, his goblin teeth inches from the man's nose.
Arilyth steps forward towards the man who tongue just wagged. "You need not worry about the Stag Lord." Turning towards the rest of the warriors, she begins to speak loudly in a clear voice.
"Listen men and take note! We have come to tame these lands, to make them ours. Banditry will not be excused, and those found having committed it will face the harshest of sentences from our goodly Ravboom here (motioning towards the little green ball of fury). But swear yourselves to us, and turn towards helping your fellows in our endeavor, and not only will you be spared, but we may yet find a place for you amongst us!"
"Join us Wolves and we will teach you to be better than what you are. As she said you do not need to worry about the Stag Man. I know banditry ends with death. So in a way you will die and be reborn in the natural cycle. Swear yourselves to the Pack and you will learn to become a wolf."
"A bandit king Stag Lord? He mocks my god's symbol, I'm thinkin'. Any of y'all what help us take him down could land some property of yer own. There's honest work on a farm. Less like for a bounty to be put on y'all's heads, too."
Aluxion grins over at where the bandits sit. Now that they're not a considerable threat to the group, he channel's positive energy again to heal the wounds of all who remain alive.
Miri and her thylacine have been collecting the gear scattered along the hillside. As she stacks bows dropped by archers into a neat pile next to the wagon, she overhears the others attempting to reason with the bandits, and rolls her eyes at the showy grandeur. Darbi adds one more bow to the pile and Miri scratches the thylacine's head affectionately, then cleans the blood from her friend's muzzle with a wave of her hand. Speaking as if to the thylacine, but looking toward Hella and the rest: "Can't reason with brutes, Darbi. There's a reason they're skulking about on this crummy hill, and it's not just their horrid stench!" She sticks her tongue out in a gesture of defiance at the half-elf with the bolt wound and torn-up ankle. That'll teach 'im to pull a sword on Darbi.
"Would you like a little help, Ravboom?" she offers idly as the goblin attempts to clean himself.
Who said anything about hiring on criminals that prey on good folks? Farin pushes his way through. I came to help stop bandits! Not hire em on as our own! I ain't never agreed to be followin anyone's orders. If this groups to be functioning, it's going to be through agreement not half cocked schemes to be putinyourselves in power as kings and queens! Farins face flushes bright red with anger. It is quite evident that he is passionate about this subject.
Two of the wounded regain conciousness as the healing energies flow over them. The elf and the half elf, both look confused at their surroundings and bindings. All but one of the other prisoners glare at the talkative fellow. He thinks for a few moments and continues, "We camped back in the copse where our horses are hidden, the Captain had our orders there. I... I wouldn't say I was a slave, but serving as a sword was better than some of the alternatives he offered. Food for his pet was probably the second best option..."
Checking the copse you find the remains of their camp, clearly they have been staked out here for a few days, speaking of more than a simple random ambush.
2 Shortbows, 1 Light Crossbow, 1 Sling, 2 Longbows
67 Regular Arrows, 12 Bolts, 17 slingshot, 5 MWK Arrows
5 Longswords, 4 Shortswords, 1 Dwarven Waraxe, 3 Battle Axe, 1 Small Shortsword, 4 Daggers
2 MWK Studded Leather, 11 Chainmail, 1 Small Chainmail, 3 Heavy Wooden Shields
2 Thieves tools, 16 Bedrolls, 2 cords firewood, cooking kit, 16 mess kit, 32 rations, set of gaming dice
4 Horses
4 Bit and Bridle, 2 riding saddles, 2 saddlebags, 2 pack saddles
total coin collected
GP:13
SP:54
CP:30
Scroll tube with roll of Vellum inside, Vial with unidentified liquid.
"SHUT YOUR FACE REYNHOLT!" the wounded prisoner next to him, a victim of vines and a crossbow bolt screams, throwing himself into his former ally.
Hella calmly looks at Farin before looking at the one talking. Hella did not think it was wrong that the others wanted them dead. But you didn't know who would talk. The motivations of others were strange and she knew being nice would more than often reveal information if they didn't believe death was coming.
"This was more than a simple ambush. How long did you know we were coming? Are you saying this man control's the Greenbelt?" She looked at the one that wasn't glaring at the one talking.
She was surprised by the attack from his companion and knew that things were about to erupt again.
Arilyth turns towards Farin. "It is true that our first duty is the elimination of banditry in the region, but eliminating a large part of the threat with little chance of injury is better than throwing oneself into an archers sights. Rumors will permeate the region that a small band defeated a much larger one, and we offered them a chance at a better life. So if faced by a superior threat, would you not surrender if given the chance or throw your life away at a chance of a small amount of coin or furs?"
Turning and walking back towards Hella having overheard his rather logical deduction. "It does seem to indicate that someone controls the region, at least indirectly, and no doubt has spies throughout. Probably heard of the Lords plans for the region and planned to nip it before it got anywhere..."
Reynholt wiggles free of the more aggressive bandit and continues, "The Stag Lord claims the greenbelt but there isn't much to rule. I know we were sent here to ambush a trader as he passed and I can only assume it was your wagon. They didn't tell us thugs much but the sarges would know more." He glares at the man who attacked him, "Pellot here is one of them, the other is Elset, the elf at the back of your wagon there. I'll tell you one thing, the Captain will be making for the river camp tonight, come sunup tomorrow there was supposed to be a raid on the trading post, if he reaches before they leave for that I don't doubt they will burn it to the ground for good measure now instead of just robbing him blind."
The other bandit not acting hostile looks to be little more than a boy, lacking the callouses of weapons work and the demeanor of someone who enjoys banditry.
Ravboom can't decide whether to believe the talker or not. But then the other man attacks him, even trussed up.
Ravboom's hands move like lightning, and his greatsword whispers out of it's sheath, and the the blade descends like the very scythe of the gods, reaping the attacker's life in one blow.
As blood splatters the other 3 prisoners, Ravboom eyes them all. He speaks very slowly in goblin, eyeing all 3.
His ears are pinned back, and his eyes rock solid, his voice low and gravelly. "NO STABBY KILL OWN ALLY! RAVBOOM STABBY KILL!"
"That is warning. You live because you behave. You try attack each other or us, you die." The goblin's voice is somewhere around the temperature of vacuum.
He looks at the talker, then flicks his blade sideways, shedding blood from it before putting it back in it's sheath. He stalks over to the pile of loot and retrieves the talker's sword and sheath. Returning, he slams the sword and sheath into the talker's chest hard (sideways, not the pointy bits first). Then he starts untying his hands.
"Do as I say or be eaten make you slave of Stag Lord. Ravboom know. Ravboom let you kill Stag Lord. You be no slave then. You try run, Ravboom kill you. You try hurt Ravboom or Ravboom ally, Ravboom kill you. After kill Stag Lord, you be free. You stay, you go, Ravboom no care."
The offending party is riven under the goblins assault. The look of shock on the remaining bandits faces is clear and you suspect they will behave themselves for a while. Reynholt looks shocked as he's let loose. He rubs his wrists and looks down at the body. The youngest of the bunch actually begins to cry. From the back of the wagon the elf speaks up (having not witnessed the bloodshed) "He's right, the captain will burn Oleg's to the ground, probably take his wife for himself as well. Pellot, get your head out of your ass and cooperate."
Ravboom turns his back on the man he just untied, and looks to Wolf, and then to the assembled party. He speaks in goblin for about a minute, then speaks out loud in common.
"Ravboom think we need kill man on pony. And other bandits. No have base if outpost burned to ground. Or have to rebuild it. Ravboom no like build. Ravboom prefer chop chop." He looks at the crying bandit, and frowns. "Ravboom still confuse big two legs. That one baby? Or female? Why cry?" He seems seriously confused by the crying boy. "Anyway, Ravboom think time to hurry on and kill pony man, pony, and bandits at camp. Then go outpost." He picks up Pellot's head and tosses it into the elf's lap. "Head not in ass, head on lap."
"Farin, if these men can manage to still be good folks, then they deserve a chance. That's just you're supposed to do." He scratches his head, trying to figure out exactly who might be the "good folks" among the remaining prisoners.
The elf actually snorts out a laugh as Pellot's head lands on his lap, "Well that's one problem solved. Rest of you listen up, these folks are our ticket out of this rut. I'm Elset, and a lot of us don't serve by choice. Reynholt there was taken from his fathers farm in Pitax, Benny was taken in a raid recently from just inside Brevoy, my wife and me here only serve because he has our son. The rest of this scum are volunteers looking for power, glory and gold. They will stab you in the back without a second thought. I'd be careful how far you trust them."
The last unnamed bandit hears his turning out by Elset and tries staggering to his feet to run.
Ravboom kills the runner without even really paying much attention to him, sliding the sword out, through his (or her) neck, and then a swing and flick to get the blood off and back into his sheath in one fluid motion.
Hella moves forward to the younger and puts a hand on his shoulder gently.
"He is young, and scared. Do not fault him Ravboom. We need to track down the captain and quickly. Before he warns the others. Tracking will take time unless we get directions and have a way to cut him off."
The spray of blood and such offending Blue Moon and he snorted stamping a hoof but didn't move as the one bandit run. "I think their live number's just dropped." She said looking at the ones left trying to see if they were telling truth.
Ravboom nods at Hella, spits some goblin at Wolf, and then comments aloud. His posture is relaxed.
"Ravboom not..." The he breaks off, staring at the arrow sticking out of his shoulder. There's a curse in goblin as he jerks it free and throws it at Pellot's corpse. "Ravboom not sure Ravboom understand. Ravboom ask explain.. please?" The goblin seems genuinely confused. "Wolf, big two legs make slaves fight? Not understand, stupid give slave weapon, slave jump on and choppy chop and maim and gnaw on you when you give it weapon. Why cub used for fight in field, cub for fighting other cubs and make strong. Why stay slave to save cub when make new cub easier?" Ravboom looks around and especially at the two elves. "Ravboom think they not talky talk fake talk..." "Ravboom think all big two legs confusing and stupid." The goblin says finally, looking ready to pick a fight. "Ravboom prefer kill stabby people who try kill stabby him, not try figure out who kill stabby without wanting kill stabby."
Miri laughs uproariously as the goblin's sword rends the troublemakers where they sit. "See, I told ya! Can't reason with brutes! Nice swingin', good sir." She grins and tips her head admiringly to the little green man.
The gnome hops up from her perch on the ground and paces in front of the remaining survivors, now with names. "Maybe some of 'em ain't brutes, though," she ponders aloud, searching their faces. Darbi strides behind Miri, matching her pace exactly, which gives their actions a somewhat comical look.
Ravboom preens at the compliment.
Arilyth is wide eyed at the goblins attack, but understands it was necessary. "I must agree with Miri. At least one of these... people can't be as dumb-witted as that fool. And if they all are, and we will find out soon enough, they'll meet the same fate."
Hella shifts and would nod. "I believe the ones that haven't tasted Ravboom's blade are telling the truth. Ravboom, human's and Elves are not like Goblin's. They can not reproduce as fast and hold strong pack Bonds. Wolf understands. They can only have a few pups."
"Alright, then were can we cut off the Captain? How can we track him and get to him before he get's to the River Camp? And how long does it take to get there from here, and from there to Oleg's?" This question directed at the one's still left standing?
"Well, that was nice of y'all to help with the trial," Aluxion shrugs at the remaining (ex-)bandits. "I think we kinda skipped back and forth some between the talking bits and the execution bits, but it worked out in the end. Sorry to hear about your famiily, Elset. I'll do what I can to help you out if you stick with us."
He pulls out his copy of the map. "Hella, I think we'd best see to the trading post first. It's closer than any river camp could be, supposing that they put their river camps on rivers. We can wait for the bandits there, I reckon."
The boy, Benny, is clearly terrified of Arilyth, visibly shaken. Reynholt recoils slightly but answers the question, "We'll never catch him, he knows this area like no other, and the damn horse of his has the endurance of a dwarf." Elset agrees, "He's got a head start and no one below captain is even allowed to look at a map of the area under the stag lords rule. Keeping us ignorant is just one more way to control us. I could find the river camp eventually but likely not in time."
Gunter pipes up, "Well if there isn't likely to be any more surprises and we push the horses a little we could reach Oleg's before nightfall. I can get you there but I promise I won't be staying. I'll take my chances on the road tonight rather than face an attack in the morrow." He is slightly pale at the bloodshed of the two less cooperative priosners but is clearly not going to interfere.
Upon getting to the outpost, Ravboom grins and nods, looking it over. He begins muttering in Goblin, but the dour little goblin seems to be in a better move than he was before. He quickly breaks into a trot, leaving the wagon and party, doing a quick circuit around the fort, and upon his return from the opposite direction, the little goblin is grinning from ear to ear and muttering rapidly in Goblin.
He pulls up to a stop in front of the wagon, and slams his fist into his chestpeice a few times to get everyone's attention. "Ravboom like! Good walls! Siege Engines! Good place kill attackers!" He points to what looks like a small garden. "Need move plants inside until after battle or food be destroyed. Look like room for horses, may need kill smoke bandit horses make room." He seems happy about that. "Need go in and tell little chief in charge about attack coming. Also need find spy inside fort and kill spy. Hang spy from walls. Hang body parts of dead bandits from walls, scare attackers. Put small boss bandit heads on poles over gates, scare bandits." All this as he walks into the fortress with the caravan. He looks around at everyone in the fortress, looking for someone that looks like they're a spy. "Talky Talky Bandit people, who spy?" He demands of the bandits they allowed to live.
Once they arrive at the fort, Cerian too takes a quick glance at the place looking for places to hide... not in fear of the upcoming battle but for far more... aggresive purposes. "Before we decorate the walls with entrails perhaps we should both check with the owner of this trading post and well..." He turned to the 'helpful' bandits. "How liable are they to assume we are here and start with a straight out attack? Will they want to close first and try and sneak in or are they liable to try and set fire to the walls. If its the former perhaps we can set our own ambush, the later well we will need alert guards waiting."
"I dont think the hanging of carrion about the walls the most sound idea, but im not an experianced warrior as some of you seem to be." He glanced torwards the others, Hella, and Miss Arilyth, even the human cavalier. He trusted in Ravboom sense of destruction and combat abilities, but he trusted in their opinions on everything else more.
Hella looked at Cerian and then the trading post. "Ravboom, let us talk to those inside. Keep the carrion out here and don't take it inside. If Oleg is here with his wife, that sort of display may make them very unfriendly. If we want to use this place as a den it is best to be on friendly terms with its owners." It had made her wonder why he had insisted on bringing the bodies but now she knew. Part of her understood but animals did not have such displays. There was no need.
"I understand the warning you want to put up Ravboom. Those kinds of display would also make the bandits suspicious if he didn't get there in time to warn them. As Wolf says, if they smell blood, they expect a fight. They don't then they are at ease. Plus, I don't want my den to smell of filth."
Nodding to Cerian. "I believe we have one that speaks with the gods. I have heard they can heal and seen the power from it. If his power is not tapped I believe he would be best suited to heal our wounds so we may be fresh for any fight that comes. If it is tapped we start bandaging the wounded."
"Mister Gunter, if you would help us with introductions that would be good I believe. You are known to these people and we are not." Hella would follow the wagon and tradesman into the trading post. She looked at Ravboom confused about words about a spy.
Ravboom glares at Hella.
Ravboom then leans against the wall by the gate. "Ravboom no stay with stupid horses. Horses go hell. Ravboom stay with horses when Ravboom can chop horses up." He says in a foul tone of voice. "Stupid Hella, hope horse bite Hella face off."
"I never said you were to stay out here with the horses. I was saying leave the Carrion out here. Did I say for you to stay out here?
As they set off, Rodric uses his rope to tie two of the horses to the pommel of his saddle. Pulling the rope when necessary, they follow the cavalier and his stallion with little hesitation.
As the group approaches Oleg's:"I agree Hella, we should be very cautious with our introductions. Master Gunter, Hella's proposal is a sound one. If you can speak with Oleg, and speak on our behalf, I think it would serve us well. I will accompany you."
Turning to Ravboom, "Can you stay here and make sure the gate is secure while we speak with Oleg? I think the presence of a Goblin may upset someone who has not the good luck to have met you Ravboom. I will introduce you once we are in his good graces. Will that be okay?"
Rodric, enters the outpost with the others, still astride his horse. He glances around warily, looking for any potential ambush.
The trading post is nestled in a quiet little valley, the immediate area flat and clear of all but a few trees. A small garden is surrounded by a half wall just outside the gate. Within the sounds of someone hammering away can be heard. The walls of the fort appear recently repaired, they are old but look sturdy enough. The siege weapons on the towers have not fared so well, they are little more than heaps of rotting wood and rusted fastners. The gate is a rough affair of freshly hewn logs, you suspect it would not hold agains't a true siege but would easily be enough to keep out a few troublemakers.
Gunter nods at the suggestion that he start the introductions anddirects the wagon through the gate after the bodies have been removed.
"Only people living here are Oleg and his wife, doubt either of them are in the Stag Lord's pay." Elset answers to the goblins inquirey. Inside the walls the forst is a cramped afair, a pair of long tressle tables dominating the yard to the east, a large shed is directly north of the entrance, piled high with goods. Beyond that you see what appears to be cesspits. To the West is a small stable with a wagon parked in front. What appears to be a small bunkhouse rounds out the structure just east of the gate. You see two seperate wells under the eaves of the wall, one just to the east of the gate and the second under the eave east of the tables. A man appears to be making repairs to the roof of the bunkhouse, at the sound of the wagon he looks up. A woman comes out of the larger of the buildings, seeing Gunter she claps her hands, a wide grin covering her face that seems somewhat shadowed with worry. She rushes forward to greet the newcomers.
"Gunter! Good to see you! Bring anything good with you for a change? Who are your friends?" Oleg calls out jovially from the roof as he finishes up the last few repairs.
"Hey y'all!" Aluxion calls out. "We was just makin' sure Gunter made it here alright. Ran into some o' them bandit types on the way, ya see." He grins over at Oleg, making it obvious that it went well.
Rodric waits for Gunter's response to Oleg. When Oleg has climbed down, and Gunter finishes speaking, Rodric begins, "Well met Oleg! Gunter here spoke well of you during our journey. I am Rodric Armstead. I am one member of a party charged by the lords of Brevoy to map the greenbelt, and rid it of banditry. We hope to make this area more secure for your business! We are pleased to make your acquaintance. I am sure we will have much time for business, but there is a pressing matter that we must discuss." At this, Rodric leaves an intentional opening for another member of the party to inform the merchant of the incoming raid. If no-one does so, Rodric will tell Oleg of the bandit plans.
Gunter greets his old friend with a smile, clasiping his arm, " Oleg you old dog, I should have come sooner. I see you turned this wreck into a real home now!" He sobers somewhat, "I'm not staying long though, going to unload these folks and make our trades and be off quick tonight. Got word the local bandits will be giving you trouble tomorrow and I don't want a part of that deal. These folks are made of solid stuff though, I'll stake Fortune on it. They'll give you a hand." He holds up the odd coin he used ealier.
Thoroughly enfuriated at being completely ignored Farin pulls a large antler handled knife and goes to work removing scalps of the dead bandits. For the rest of the trip to the trading post he remains well ahead of the group alone and watchful.
Upon reaching the outpost, rather than head inside with the rest, the fowl spirited dwarf scouts around the perimeter of the compound. Then a bit farther out.
Nedyr listened quietly, then looked to his owl, then listened again to the bandits. The idea of children being held as hostages to force someone to a life of banditry angered him, and his eyes glinted at the thought.
"I'm all for giving those who WILL reform a chance, particularly if they've been essentially slaves. The fault lies with this stag lord, and...frankly, he must be removed."
Later when they arrive at the outpost...
The witch glances around, "Oh this will be up and strong in no time, a few years at the most." Then he recalls he's dealing with humans, "Or am I thinking too much like an elf again?"
Stepping forward from the group and up to Oleg, Arilyth puts on her best airs.
"A pleasure to meet you, Sir Oleg. We have been sent from the Lord Aldorini and the Lord Mayor of Restov to deal with the bandits in the region. We have several in our party needing rest, and some former bandtis."
She bows deep, sweeping her arm up to place her right hand across her heart.
"If you will have us."
Hella had to agree with Nedyr, those that weren't willing to change were as good as fodder to be dealt with however they wished. Death seemed to be the selection from this group. Not that, that mattered to her. But the young one and the couple she saw potential in and the three of them would find her watching them seeming to think something over.
Hella nods to Oleg not saying anything as she watched Oleg and Gunter talking. Then the others starting their introductions. She would nod to Oleg and growl something unintelligible and her wolf did the same looking at him. Then in human speech. "I am Hella Wolf. This is Red Wolf, Blue Moon, and Shrieker." She said pointing first to the wolf, then the horse and then points up at the hawk circling above. "Pleasure to meet you. May we den here? Once she got his answer she would pull back so others could move forward.
Hella stays mounted and would look over at the bandits and move to them. "What about the two still unconscious. What kind of people are they? Are you okay young one?"
Ravboom waits until everyone is in the fort, including the 'reformed' bandits, who are really just on borrowed time, with the goblin waiting for them to pull ANYTHING against the Brevoy company. Once they are all in, and the carrion covered horses are tied down.
Finally, he moves into the fortress, limbs akimbo, still a bit upset about having to keep a low profile this long.
"Big folk talk too much, say too little. Ravboom swear all Elves way they talk. Ravboom tell Oleg Fortowner that Bandit's be attacking soon, maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow, maybe next day, but soon! Bandit probably try burn fort down and take Oleg Mate. If not want fort destroyed and mate taken, we need plan slaughter of Bandit Attackers. Ravboom group bring trophies of war! Mount and scare Bandits!" The small goblin is still married to the idea of showing the corpses as proof Bandits can be killed. "Have head of Pellot and other Big Bandits, plus bodies! And Bandit Prisoners who swear were slaves of Stag Lord! Ravboom kill them if they lie! If no fight Stag Lord, Ravboom know they lie." He finally winds down, arms crossed over his chest. Due to the haste of travel, his armor is still coated with drying blood and a few bits of viscera, not that it seems to bother him much. It does appear as though the small goblin had been on the verge of exploding from holding himself back.
"Bah! The ruffians only got in once back when we didn't have a gate and the walls were a ruin. They've been back twice since then and all I've had to do was pick off one or two with my bow and they leave. Doubt they have the stomach to really try and get in here!" Clearly overconfident in the strength of his walls, and not quite cluing in that your solid defeat of them today may cause a desire for bloodshed tomorrow. He greets both Aluxion and Rodric with a hearty handshake as Gunter begins unloading your belongings and the trade goods from the wagon. "We'll have plenty of time to chat over dinner my good man." He responds to Rodric, "This is my wife Svetlana, shes an excellent cook." He introduces the still attractive older woman who came out of the lodge. She takes that as her cue to begin preparing a meal and starts a fire in the large pit between the tables.
Hearing Nedyr's comment Oleg grins, "Well considering me and the missus only moved in here in the last 6 months and the fort had been abandoned for years I'd say we've worked wonders! Not a lot of trade to get by at the moment but the few hunters and trappers that live out her bring in such prizes that it's picking up. We figure on being a full fledged outpost within a year!"
Giving a rough bow to Arilyth he seems impressed. Svetlana tries to hide a mild look of hostility, likely displeased with the attention he is paying to the attractive elf. "Well it's lovely to have some civilized company out here for a change! Our hearth is your hearth of course."
A little taken aback by the strange womans growling and then her perfect common he responds, "Well we have the bunkhouse here we usually rent out to guests. Only beds 8 though. We aren't exactly equipped to house this many people normally. I certainly don't have accomadations for your prisoners..." He looks thoughtfully for a moment. "Actually we did just dig a new cesspit, it hasn't been used yet. Could probably stick them down there, though even that won't hold them all."
Shocked by the appearance of the goblin he can only stand there slack jawed at his tirade. As the flow of words cease the a massive grin spreads over Oleg's face and he slaps his knees with a hearty laugh. "Well keep me from Pharasma's sorting house, I'll be damned, I think I like you! Sadly the missus will have none of that, I did it with the first bunch and it did keep them at bay for a while but it attracted all sorts of critters that kept us up all night. Once that got cleared up I was still left in the cold for a whole month more just for the attempt." He says the last part lower with a conspiratorial wink at the goblin, expecting him to understand.
Elset address' Ravboom with a snarl, "And if I and my wife fight tomorrow, and you let any more of them escape with that news, my son is dead. Might as well just kill us both now and be done with it you little savage." Shifting so he could look at Oleg he adds, "They're coming tomorrow and all that remains of the Buck Council will be here, they plan to take down your gate and make sure you understand exactly who is in charge of this region. You'll be lucky if they only take a hand. I'd take this a little more seriously if I were you."
Hella looks down seeing the scrollcase and lifts it up and open's it pulling out the vellum. Unrolling it she would look over it as she listened to Elset's snarling words.
She understood that and would growl softly. "Your pup is in danger and you are worried greatly. You feel like any action you take will end his life. You feel hopeless. Do not give up on your pup so easily. He has your strength. You have a reason to fight to keep him alive. You pup would not want you to simply give up on him. I would never give up on my pack, my blood." She said looking at them. "I will do everything in my power to bring your son back alive. We will need your help to do so."
Looking at Oleg she nods. "Indeed, we know there is going to be a raid tomorrow by their words. If the leader of this group makes it to them in time, they will come prepared for territorial war. If not we have advantage and can take those that come out."
Ravboom looks at Oleg for a minute, then mutters in goblin for a few seconds before replying in common. "Then put heads on poles by road, not on fort. Still tell Bandits bandit be bad idea." He nods firmly, but grins at the wink.
When Elset screams at him, Ravboom eyes the elf askance. With ears pinned back, the goblin growls out some very gutteral goblin as he walks over to a lantern. Opening the lantern, the goblin runs his fingers inside it, then stalks over to Elset. Jerking the elf down by grabbing the front of their armor and jerking, the Goblin rubs the sooty black fingers over Elset's face, the lamp black leaving the pale skin a dark umber. "Blondie elf be dead. Cut off blondie hair, put blondie scalp on wall of fort. Ravboom have two elves with dark skin and short hair. Blondie elf dead, no reason kill blondie elf baby." He releases the elf's collar. "Unless elf just no want kill bandits because bandit friends. Then Ravboom be happy kill blondie elf." Ravboom points at Farin. "Farin like keep scalps, Farin have many, put Pellot head on pole by wall. Hang scalps on fort wall until after bandits attack. Then take down so Oleg Fortowner can mate."