Into The Stolen Lands ~ Say What You Will, I Live Free.

Game Master Ravenica

"Well..." Aluxion starts, unsure of the tactics involved, "I don't reckon there's much sense in puttin' heads on spikes. It's like makin' a scarecrow, right? Maybe a lone outlaw might be a'scared by 'em, but y'all are expectin' a big group of bandits tomorrow. Heads or scalps would just make 'em ornery and expectin' a fight, y'know? Maybe we could catch 'em by surprise instead?"

He then addresses the other pressing issue of the ex-bandits. "Maybe y'all should sit this fight out... tied up in the stables. It ain't that I don't trust y'all, but --" he pauses for a moment. "Alright, I don't trust y'all with my back quite yet. If things go poorly, I wouldn't blame y'all if you switched sides again. You'd be thinkin' of your son. If y'all are tied up and we lose, y'all just claim that we took ya prisoner." The ex-bandits are clearly not seasoned fighters, and Aluxion doesn't see too much reason to put them in harms way for no reason.

I think I'm going to change Aluxion's picture. His current one really doesn't match his demeanor

Farin comes riding into the yard at a gallop. Ravboom, Hella! He yells loudly staying on his horse.

Ravboom listens to Aluxion, then shakes his head and sounds ornery in goblin. When the eventual translation comes, it is...

"Not really test bridge if only put empty wagon on. Either bridge safe, or bridge not. Better know sooner than later. Either blondie elves be telling truth and were forced be bandits, or else blondie elves lie. If tell truth, then need prove now, else might as well kill. No want leave blade at back later. Rather have blade at side now."

I'm assuming Farin spoke in goblin or something?

Ravboom listens to Farin's spate of goblin.

How do you want to divide the loot? Miri wouldn't mind a couple of the things picked up. Also I'm assuming we escorted the prisoners by way of chaining them together somehow and having them walk with the wagon (or Ravboom, who knows).

Once in the camp, Mme. Pindles introduces herself to Svetlana.

"Lovely to meet you, madame! Pray tell, are you gifted with magic? You must be! I'm simply blown away by how stylish you look, especially here in this godforsaken backwater! And the inside of this fort looks so homey, so warm and inviting! How do you do it?"

She makes small talk with the woman as the other party members confer with Oleg, and when the woman begins preparing supper she will insist on assisting in some way, even if it's just setting the table.

As they chat and work: "How are you liking it out here on the border? I've heard a great deal of stories from around here- not just the bandits, but... Oh you know, people dreaming up fairy tales when they've had too much wine in the woods!" Mme. Pindles laughs gracefully in her distinctive warbling manner. With a conspiratorial wink, she leans closer to the woman. "Have you seen any fairies or spooks in these parts yet?"

"We could perhaps dig a few minor pit traps or something along their path, when they approach tomorrow, we might get lucky and hurt one or two, as for disguises for our... allies here its not a bad disguise, though i would let a few of us handle that over my little friend Ravboom." He tried to smile at the goblin to show he meant no hard feelings. He glanced about the little fort and frowned slightly.
"I'm sure we can come up with all sorts of nasty surprises about the place assuming they breach the walls. Do your front gates lock at all? Do we have any excess latern oil about? I am of the agreeance with our ... 'allies'. No bandit should leave here alive tomorrow if we want any chance to catch them off guard at their camp. He did make his torwards the master of the trading post.

"The lords who sent us down this way claimed that others had been sent before us in a way. Did they stop here? Were their two elves with, them, a male and a female. About my height, the female would have my hair color?" He asked politely. It would probably be pretty obvious he was related to them in some way if they had been seen.

Hella frowns after she reads the vellum and wait's to see the reaction of what the parent's said to her words and Ravboom's. Ravboom's idea was a good idea.

"Everyone, it seems their leader had prior knowledge of us coming. A spy in Restov sent the information that the trader was coming with passenger's and guards which was unusual. I don't think our intent was known but they could have thought it was a good haul." She passes on the vellum to who want's to read it next.

Hearing Farin call out she turned her horse to him riding up to him and listening to his words.

Ravboom listens to Hella, then to Farin's horrible Goblin speech, and finally to Hella's and nods. He suddenly begins spilling goblin all over the place, as fast the words can come out of his little mouth. He grabs a stick and starts drawing in the dirt of the compound.

Ravboom's Plan!

"Farin good idea, ambush Bandits! No expect that!" As he draws in the dirt, he points to various bits and names them, like the swirly bit as 'Forest'. "Ravboom and Wolf hide HERE!" He points to the swirly bit. "Hella, Farin and dumb horses hide HERE!" He drags the line toward a big square he drew. "Trail Farin Find, Oleg Fort!" Then he draws in a bunch of little circles along the trail between the forest and the fort. "Dig little pits! Deep as Ravboom Hip! Cover with brush! Leave open space wide as Ravboom is tall, mark it with broken limbs."

He goes back to the 'forest' bit, and draws a hexagon and a big arrow. "When bandits get here, Ravboom, Wolf, Hella and Farin race in from behind and STABBY STAB KILL MAIM bandits, then run through pits, between broken limbs." He marks the trail again with the stick. "Bandits get angry, spread out, chase... horsies hit pits, BOOM! Horse break stupid leg, no fight good broken leg, Horsie lunch! Bandit on foot running, hit hole, break leg, no fight good with broken leg!"

Ravboom finally stops and tries to catch his breath, the plan laid out on the ground. Without words, just symbols, all the words on the map are what he said, not what he wrote, no writing from Ravboom! He needs all his words in his head!

Farin nods his head in agreement with Hella. Agreed. turning to Ravboom Not a bad idea. If'n we can attack 'em from behind perhaps we can force 'em into the compound. Then our other people will be on them. We'll have them in a meat grinder that way. Hella may be right. An ambush farther out is dangerous. Lots o' variables. The dwarf scratches his beard in thought. Ere now Rav, whadda he think o' hiding in one o' them holes? That'd be a gruesome surprise!

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!"

Nedyr IS impressed, humans really can get things done quickly, "Six months and all this? you do have a right to be proud sir."

Hearing the bandit worrying for his son, he nods at the good cleric's comment "I think Aluxion has the best compromise. If things go badly for us, it will keep your son safe if he thinks you were captured against your will. If we win, well, then good. And truth, it is prudent to keep you tied up for us as well."

He listens to Ravboom's idea.

"Maybe I'm not catching all that, but Are we sure they won't end up going around Ravboom's plan?"

Aluxion scratches his head. "I ain't follerin' ya, Ravboom. The bandits come across them pits and you attack 'em in the rear. It makes no sense fer them to run INTO the fort that they don't know is safe. What if they stop an' fight as soon as they hit them pits of yers? Sudd'ly we're all runnin' out through the pits to save yer hide."

He thinks back to his years hunting on the plains. "Y'all don't want ta spook your prey afore the trap. They're comin' for the fort, so that's the bait. They know Gunter had help on the road, but they might think we'll be headin' back with 'im. I ain't heard of a merchant hirin' guards for just one way."

He pivots and starts pointing around the main yard as he outlines an alternative plan. "So we shut the gates, pretend everythin's all normal like. No stakes, no pits. Oleg yells at 'em from the wall, but agrees to let 'em in 'cause he's outnumbered. We open a door halfway, let in at least the leader, then slam it shut, trappin' em all inside. Ravboom can hide behind the door and shut it. Archers like me wait on the wall, the others in or behind buildings. Boom, they're surrounded. That's how you hunt a stag."

Ravboom grunts, and mutters in goblin about big people having small ears and not being able to hear. "No no no. Clean out small ears! Ravboom, Farin, Hella and Wolf hide in woods. When bandits go past, we charge and attack and keep running! We no fight, we hit, stabby stabby, and run! Is good tactic. Bandits chase Ravboom, Hella, Farin and Wolf. Ravboom, Hella, Farin and Wolf run through pits, follow markers, avoid pits. Bandits no know markers, bandits run into pits chasing, break legs!" He explains the plan very slowly for Aluxion.

Then he continues. "Why believe bandits if bandits no willing die to prove not want be bandits? Bandits had choice, be bandit, be kill. Bad choice. Ravboom see bad choice. But they kill others, if no kill bandits now, they kill others in future. Must prove no be bandits, or just kill them. No care if hard for them. Is whole point. If can't do right thing when hard, and only easy, what be difference between them and bandits."

Woohoo! I landed a mystery roll!

Arilyth looks about the minor fort/trade post. "Hit and run is a good idea, though I doubt we can take all at once, judging the supposed numbers. I propose Ravboom, Farin, Hella and Wolf 'nip their heels', so to speak. Pick off some of the lesser ones, drive the main group towards the post. We at the post will pick them off with arrows and magics. We break these bandits here, and end this scourge of unlawfulness now. Then we begin mapping the region and mopping up remnant bandits. Thoughts?" Feeling her plan fairly thought out, she leans against a nearby wall, trying to make herself look more self-assured than she actually felt, praying to Desna for luck in the coming fight.

As the evening wears on Gunter manages to get his buisness complete with Oleg and mounts his wagon once more to leave. Calling Arilyth over he hands her two things. The first is a bag of coin, "You guys kep my from being overrun by bandits out there and I appreciate it. Gold is the traditional thanks for services rendered in my buisness so these 100 gold pieces should be split amongst you and your friends. However this..." He hands her the coin he earlier called Fortune, "This is a real token of my thanks. It's special, it can bring you like or heal the injured as long as it is treated well. There are some rules to it. The man who passed it to me told me the tale and I'm passing it on to you. The coin is called Fortune and it a token from a god of luck and commerce even older than Abadar, and maybe older than the world. Fortune favours the bold and will not heal a coward or someone injured while commiting a cowardly act. But once a day it will heal someone if touched to their forehead. When it's flipped it will always come up in the possessors favour so long as they aren't looking to cheat someone. If touched to a weapon it will make the next strike with that weapon lucky, and if touched to a piece of armor it will give you luck the next time you are attacked. If kissed for luck before an endeavor it's even said that it will give you the best of luck for that attempt as well. If you ever trade it off as a mere coin it is said it will visit a horrible curse on you, but if given away as charity it is said to bring a great final blessing. The only other way to pass it on is to someone you are truly wishing the best of luck to." With that final explanation he rouses his horses and makes his way off with a wave but no further delays.

Hella shifted and shook her head. "Hit and run tactics only work if you know the territory. We don't have time to learn territory. Keeping ambush here would be good. Archer's high on the walls. Keeping watch and ready to alert. Expect fire, even from a distance so be ready with water buckets. Farin, your expertise is better for this. I would expect us who don't have ranged or prefer close up fighting would find hiding spot along the ground. In stables, buildings and behind them. Inside of here is the killing zone. If we heckle them they have no reason to come to post, only back into their territory."

Turning she looks at the bandits. "You never answered or acknowledged what I said. What is your answer? Do you give up and die, fight, or stayed tied up?"

Ravboom mutters under his breath for several minutes, then speaks in common.

"Ravboom no care if ambush outside and lead into trap, or if lure in Oleg Fort and trap inside and ambush. Only care that prisoners..." He points to the prisoners, all still restrained. "...either fight, or get punished and leave, or be in prison." He points to the pits in the back of the fort, with iron bars on them. "Gagged." He looks at Oleg. "Is Oleg Fort, which plan Oleg choose? Ambush outside, lead through traps, fight from walls? Or let inside, kill inside fort?"

Reynholt pipes up, "Hell's if it means anything I'll fight. Ain't got any love for the Buck's." Elset and his wife look at each other, "We can't risk our child we will stayed tied up as long as you deem necessary and I'll tell you all I can about the Bucks, the Does and the Stag Lord himself."

The last and youngest of the concious bandits is Benny, barely much larger than Ravboom he looks terrified at all 3 prospects but pipes up for the first time, "I just want to go home. But Pa and Ma are dead, and they took Chrissy and I know shes dead too now, Pellot had his way wi'fer and he never left much of anything or anyone when he were done wi'fem. Ya already gave him his due so I don't even have revenge to go on..." Even Elset for all his bravado looks ashamed at the lads treatment at the hands of the Stag Lord's people.

Hella would move up to the boy and lift his head to look into her eyes. Loss of family is something she understood more than anything else. "Then young one, it is time to be reborn. I will teach you to evolve, to become more than human." Her tone was gentle and warm, one who knew pain to another. "For now stay out of the fighting. I agree with the parent's concern and its best to have less possible blades at our back. What about those two, the two unconscious."

A quick list is run off by the concious bandits on the crimes of the two who are still knocked out. Many of the heinious and the list leaves you no doubt that these two would stab you in the back with no remorse.

Arilyth stares at the coin and at Gunter after a few moments. "Words cannot express the gratitude I have now, Gunter. I am so honored at this gift. May all of your future days be filled with good fortune, warm days, and clear trails. After the man leaves, she waves goodbye to him.

She slips Fortune into a pocket, securing it fastly, then rejoining her fellow companions. She felt almost as if she could feel the luck rubbing off on her already.

Arilyth hears the crimes listed, shaking her head solemnly. "I am not one to push for death, but there are times when Pharasma must sort souls. I move that after the attack tomorrow, we have a quick trial and hang these men 'by the neck until death overtakes their body,' and burn the corpses to prevent disease."

Ravboom listens, and pulls his sword off his back, sitting the point down between the heads of the two unconscious prisoners, obviously waiting for someone to pronounce sentence on them.

While he waits, he watches Hella with the cub, and snorts. Turning to Wolf, he patters out in Goblin.

The goblin bursts into a nearly hysterical laughing fit, looking from Wolf to Hella to the boy.

"I call for mercy for the boy, Benny, and for Elset and his wife at the very least. By mercy, I mean no removal of any part of the body, let alone letting them live. Call me soft if you will."

The Witch elf shrugs, " As for the attack, whichever we go with...If we have time, I'll try to prepare a sleep spell, that may change the odds."

At the mention of spells, Arilyth pipes up. "I know a number of spells, amongst them is Grease. What Nedyr's Sleep misses, I can slick up.

Cerian listend quietly as the group mulled over choices and decisions, they would eventually at some point have to sit down and talk and decide whom the decision maker was, now of course was not that time. He watched and listened, both to the exotic Hella, and the elven Bard Arilyth. It was in his mind a good thing she (hella) seemed to want to look after the boy. Hell he was inclined to teach the boy a thing or two about useful skills if indeed that was what the boy wanted. If he had that long to learn that is, the shorter lived races never seemed to pick up the mastery of some things.

Hella mentioned needing buckets to perhaps fight fires, before we lock anyone up perhaps they can help us that way, If we are going to ambush them within the walls we should start to prepare immediately, there is no telling when they could show up to attack, its not like the buckets of water or earth will spoil.

Ravboom mutters under his breath, and shakes his head at Cerian, as if disappointed.

"No use water! Water spread fire.." He breaks off, and says several words in goblin, as if tasting them to try to figure out which one to translate. It takes about 20 or 30 before he does. "...not fire, stupid language, only handful words for fire. Oil fire. Water only spread oil fire. If burn down fort, they throw alchy fire or oil fire. Want dirt sand put out alchy oil fire."

hence why earth was mentioned... still love ravboom though *nods and lawls*

"I think the plan to ambush them once they are inside the walls is a sound one. I'm not sure we have the time to set up the area outside the walls to suit our needs, and we can better control the battle from inside. Just set me up in a position where I can charge from the back of Fortune, and I'll be ok. Now, let me know what I can do to assist with the set up."

Rodric moves to Ravboom, "I'm thinking people didn't want to get left out of the fun with you hacking away at the bandits before they can even get into the fort, HA!"

Ravboom considers Rodric's words, and tests the edge of his sword. Finally he nods sagely, understanding that fear at least.

Since no-one calls for leniency for the two unconscious bandits, Ravboom wicks his sword sideways into the throat of each.

CDG: 2d10 + 14 ⇒ (6, 1) + 14 = 21
CDG: 2d10 + 14 ⇒ (3, 8) + 14 = 25

As the heads roll away, Ravboom flicks his sword clean again, then grabs both heads and takes them out to the pile of bandit parts outside. He then returns and begins hauling the bodies away.

Given they don't want to display them yet, the goblin takes all the carrion and spends an hour or so covering it with stones in the corner of the garden.

After the battle tomorrow, he'll put the bandit's heads on poles out by the main road, as a warning.

Nedyr tries not to wince as the heads are abruptly severed then adds, "Yes, I'd feel terribly bad if our fine hosts ended up needing a new home."

When Ravboom returns from his messy tasks, he looks at the assembled group. He begins, well, it has to be complaining, although kvetching seems more appropriate in Goblin.

Finally, he speaks slowly in common, with his expression that one would normally reserve for an especially slow and dim-witted child. "Ravboom want know if any other murdering bandit scum he not supposed kill tomorrow? Ravboom consider this vital, important, need know information. If not tell Ravboom now, Ravboom will kill all Bandit."

"Somethings are fluid, Ravboom BUT as a general suggestion, I'd say those that surrender in battle should be allowed some mercy. It seems more might be coerced against their will. Slaves should not be bound by the evils they must do for their masters."

Having finished setting the table, a thoughtful Miri rejoins the group clustered about. A brief toss of her pale magenta hair seems to clear her head, and Mme. Pindles listens avidly to a brief explanation of the previous conversations. "It seems we're going to let the brutes enter the fort and ambush them- how lovely!"

The gnome chews her lip distractedly as she considers what options she may have for the upcoming fight. "I can use my magic to give us false walls or other illusions if there's a place we might want to try. Would creating an illusion of the front door help at all? That way we don't have to risk them damaging it when they come in- it'll be completely solid when we trap them."

"After that... Well, I have quite a few other tricks up my sleeve." Mme. Pindles smirks haughtily, rosey eyes sparkling above her upturned nose.

"Oh! And Svetlana said to mention that dinner was almost ready. Anyone care to wash up?" She looks pointedly at the blood-encrusted goblin.

Ravboom droops suddenly, his ears touching his shoulders.

"No want take bath..."

Likely the first words his companions have heard him mutter in common without first spouting Goblin. Apparently that is a phrase he knows so well, he doesn't need to confirm the translation first.

Aluxion sighs as the beheading takes place. "It's a darn shame some folks just can't get along with others." He offers help to Ravboom as he hauls the bodies off and covers them all with stones.

Over dinner, he proposes that the archers on the walls hide behind stacks of lumber or small barrels as the bandits enter. If they can store water, sand, or loose packed dirt in the barrels, that would be even better.

Ravboom will make the following suggestions after dinner :

1) Dig a couple of holes next to the wall, inside the fort, behind the gate doors. Put two people with high strength inside them to pop up and close the two doors. One of them (with the higher strength) holding the bar to bar the gate.

2) Oleg and Oleg's Wife actually leave the fort, and go tonight, hiding out somewhere in the forest or on the road.

3) Miri use her illusions when the bandits get here to make someone look like Oleg (and Oleg's wife if necessary, shouldn't be).

Miri smiles brightly at the forlorn little green man.

"No water- just get clean!" She waves her hand dramatically and utters a single word in that strange deep voice: her eyes flash silver again for a moment-

and now the goblin's skin, clothing, gear and armor are free from caked-on blood and grime!

"I wonder if you'll smell any better now?" the gnome comments off-handedly, seeming very proud of herself.

Ravboom pulls his sword as the gnome unexpectedly casts a spell on him.

But fortunately it finishes before the blade is more than raised into the air. Even more fortunately, he blinks and realizes the spell didn't hurt him.

Returning his blade to the sheath, he looks his armor over.

He mutters in Goblin, but there is a look of awe on his face.

Nedyr bows to Miri, "As we'll need to save water for the fire, if you could do the same for me I'd be grateful, good lady."

At dinner, he listens over the excellent meal, and when Ravboom suggests Oleg and Svetlana go to somewhere else safe for the night, he is curious to their response to it.

"Of course!" Mme. Pindles lends her prestidigitation to anyone who'd like to clean up a bit before supper.

During dinner, Miri considers the idea of creating the illusion of Oleg. "I can certainly make a copy of the man-" she begins, examining him through squinted eyes to pick out the details of the clothing he wears- "and I can make him walk, dance, or play dead. Only thing I can't do is make him talk. If we have his illusion we'd need someone to speak for him."

"I mean... I can try to do it myself, it's just not part of the spell." Taking a sip from her glass, Mme. Pindles straightens up and screws up her face in concentration.

In a growling baritone: "Ruffians! Thugs! How dare you come to oppose me! I've more right than you to be here!"

Bluff: 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 6 ⇒ (16) + 7 + 1 - 6 = 18
Additional +1 from the Brigand trait, will be relevant for the check with the bandits; -6 for being wrong size, race, and gender

"How was that? Anyone else care to try?"

I'm not sure what the correct roll for that is, actually. I think Bluff, Disguise, Perform (Oratory) or Perform (Acting), maybe even Linguistics could all be applicable. And I'm certain I would take at least a -5 penalty for being a short female gnome instead of a burly male human.

Ravboom mutters under his breath, after dinner, in goblin for quite some time, shaking his head several times as he's unhappy with his translation. Those with Goblin understand it's something about painful ears and setting off an ambush.

Finally though, he digs into his now clean beltpouch, and pulls out four small metal objects. "People in pits behind doors no be able see, need be able know when spring trap." He puts one of the objects to his lips, and blows into it. The goblin winces in pain as he does, and Wolf and Darbi both begin to whine and growl. Miri hears a painfully high-pitched shrill sound coming from Ravboom's lips.

Several of the horses outside also begin to stamp and whistle and neigh in upset.

"Best talky talk person look like Oleg, best hidey sneak person watch and blow whistle when time to stabby stabby kill. Gate people have Wolf and Darbi with, when they hear whistle, they let gate people know jump up and seal gate. Bandits no know it coming until gate closed."

I was actually thinking you could just put an illusion of the side of the main house, plus Oleg, over the side of the house, and have the best actor (Perform Acting) impersonate his voice. The illusion would completely cover them if it can affect an entire 5 foot space, and until they interact with the illusion, it's real to them so it covers the person hiding.

Moving to the discussion board side!

"I'll be not going anywhere if my trading post is to be attacked. I'll fight alongside yer'all and give these ne're do wells what for!" Oleg growls at the idea of him being turned out to protect him. "I'm all for Svetlana being taken to safety, if'n one of you don't mind playing escort she can stay with old Bokken, bandits won't go near his place, their afraid of the old nutter." He points at the barn, "Got about 50 buckets of dirt in there in case of fire. And plenty of barrels we can fill with water and drag up to the top of the wall too." He looks thoughtful, "If'n the gate is open they are just gonig to think I didn't spot them coming again this time. Doubt they will expect trouble from you lot, who'd have thought you'd rush here after your little run in with the other group."

The gate is a single piece and swings in towards the barn, you won't have to dig pits to hide behind it to close it behind them

Then Ravboom would not have suggested the pits. I was going off the graphic, which showed two doors.

Hella turns to Svetlana. "Do you wish to go to safety?"

Svetlana answers reluctantly, "I have no wish to be in danger, but I don't like the idea of leaving my husbands side for such an uncertain fate. But I also know he'd do something damnfool if he thought I was in danger. If I go he might just be sensible!" She quickly fills a bag with some basic necessities for an overnight trip and waits for someone to take her.