" Actually.. yeah, she' brutally honest.. that's a pretty good quality. You aren't around here but understand, the way life is.. what she said is a product of this place. Expect Betrayal, Be strong or die, keep mobile, get stronger. Nothing is wrong with it, you just had the luxury of not having to worry about.. things like rape, murder and betrayal every waking moment of every day. " Sugua says matter-of-factually.
Miro shook his head before smiling, turning to look at Zeleysa. "We don't have to trust her, we just have to be clear about how useful to her we can be. Money binds tight, especially for lawless folk. As long as we provide a service that she wants and we don't mess her around, she probably won't stab us in the back."
Longfang snaps his jaws indignantly at Zeleysa's words.
Kressle nods to Miro, "The Halfling is shrewd."
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Kressle spreads her arms slightly, "What is a bandit without her word?"
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"A politician!" Miro replied, with a small laugh.
"I would love to say, 'Do we have a deal?', but I feel like we must talk among ourselves first. Are we safe to walk back out the way we came, just for some privacy?"
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Listening to Miro and Kressel, Kailee considers how to respond:
You and your . . . bandits, could work as wild rangers, protecting the fringes of the land. You would be citizens of the land and receive payment as any soldier. But, due to the nature of your duties, would likely be able to obtain additional compensation from what you recover from those who are enemies of the state.
Kressle nods to Kailee as well, "Go to the east about five hundred feet and then proceed back the way you came and you'll avoid trouble."
"Ill wait here until tomorrow night, if you don't show up, I'll consider us enemies. If you do, we'll talk more."
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Miro bows his head to the woman before turning to the group. "What do you think? Does any more need to be said right now or should we retire and discuss?"
Once we are clear of kressle, zel speak up. I don't like making a deal with the likes of her, and the wolf gives me the creeps. She will most likely betray us, maybe not soon, but eventually.
sighing and shaking her head, zel continues But the goddess teaches us that things are rarely as they seem, perhaps this is the best course for now. I just worry that she may become a larger threat than even this stag lord
When they are well away from the meeting point and on their way back to the Outpost, Miro speaks up. "Making a deal with her and that messed up pet of hers, is what is best for right now. It will allow us to accomplish our goals and to grow strong. There are things we should not discuss in the open however, the Forest has ears, after all!"
"I do not like it any more than you do, Zeleysa. However, what Miro has said has seemed to prove true thus far...coin binds tight in these parts. For the moment, I would be content to make this deal if for no reason beyond it giving us one less enemy right now."
"She will, perhaps, one day be a greater threat than the Stag Lord...but when that day comes, we will have grown and become a greater threat, as well. I do know that we have yet to encounter a bandit who was willing to simply surrender. When first we freed Oleg's fort from a group of bandits working under Kressle, I offered the last one living a chance to keep his life and be taken to stand trial for his banditry. He pointedly refused."
Khargol draws in a slow, deep breath, then huffs it out, shaking his head. "It is the lesser of two evils, to be sure, but a lesser evil is certainly more welcome than the greater one."
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Kailee nods at Khargol's statement:
True, but an ally is even better. The question is whether she and her bandits/troops will be able to be trusted. As I said, if they want nothing to do with our civilization, they are welcome to leave. If they want to be part of it, we can make them into a patrol that watches the area near and just outside of the borders of the land. Doing this, they will be welcome to "protect" the land, and if they find wealthy enemies, smugglers, other bandits, or the like, they will be welcome to whatever goods are recovered.
The one thing that we cannot allow is her and her bandits to operate within the boundaries of the land.
"I agree with Khargol. No use making an enemy of everybody we disagree with. We can't make any change happen if we're dead from our own foolishness. If the time comes to kill her, so be it. Let us fight with her...for now."
Miro smiled as he took up the back of the line, walking along silently in the wake of the tall people.
It's as the others are on the way back to the outpost that a pale-haired figure stumbles out of the bushes ahead of them. The cloak around her hid most of her figure and gear aside from the heavy backpack over one shoulder. As she noticed the other people, a look of relief crossed her face.
"By whatever gods are paying attention; tell me this is the way to Oleg's trade outpost."
Sugua actually didnt leave with the rest of the party. He observed Kressle longer. He waited until they were at the fringes of earshot.
" What do you really REALLY want? This is alot of hoop-jumping for something so simple. " he asked when they were relatively alone.
Khargol freezes in place, blinking in clear confusion at the sudden appearance of the woman from the foliage, looking somewhat disheveled.
"Well...not sure which way you were coming from, but at the very least, we have just come from Oleg's. Don't tell me...you're answering the charter? And how did you manage to avoid the traps that were set out? Whatever god watches over you needs their accolades for keeping you from stepping into something deadly..."
"I was heading there from Restov and got lost - there was an... incident, just after I left town and someone must have pick-pocketed my map while I was distracted," she explained, clearly annoyed at herself, "and if there are any traps in here, Desna must be smiling on me. Either that or she's winding up for something really big."
She stood a bit straighter before bowing to the group. "Xantria Aldori, Swordlord Apprentice under Master Larek Aldori of Restov."
Alphonse had remained silent during that negotiation as he knew he lacked the skills with words that some of his companions had but as they waled away Sugua seemed to not gather what Alphonse saw just transpire and spoke up "Here is how i see it friend, we could have just killed her, you would have liked that fight, but what we got was more less an allegiance with a powerful woman who can keep control over the men in her command. and one that doesnt expect a place of power in our new kingdom. a woman that is content living on the outskirts and content to only feed on our enemies or so she says. we have in essence recruited a ranger core for our lands before a true army has even began. we cant, and frankly shouldnt, kill them all. we will need to test her loyalty to her word but if she can be trusted this is a fair deal id think"
Seeing yet another approach from someone who it would seem is joining their party Alphonse extends a more formal greeting than the one Khargol had used "What my friend here ment to say good lady is welcome to our motly crew, big, small, feathered or green all are welcome to the common interest of settling these lands for the common folk. My name is Alphonse, despite my wings and glowing eyes you are likly to find me the possible the most "normal" one among us."
"Khargol Uzgurn, Enforcer of Abadar, at your service, Lady Xantria. We shouldn't go too far. Another of our members is still in "negotiations" with...someone. Almost certainly one day an enemy, but it seems possible that a pact of mutually staying out of each other's hair might be possible...for now, at least." he says to the newcomer in way of formal introduction, extending a hand to her in greeting.
Miro raises a hand in greeting to the woman, but stands there silently, staring around him with a bored expression on his face. 'We could be back in the Trading Post talking this over already... What is going on? Why the hold up?'
He sighed and began to mentally run through the spells he knew, focusing on the runes he needed to manifest their power. It was a boring, mind numbing process but it wasn't like he was doing anything else.
Xan shook Khargol's offered hand before looking over to Alphonse. "Gotta be honest; never met another aasimar before. Or at least not one who looked like an aasimar, I wouldn't be surprised if I'd passed plenty in the streets who just looked like normal humans."
Zelysia, cleric of Sivannah, welcome Xantria, perhaps the goddess saw fit to help guide you to us. It seems we are going to be undertaking a difficult challenge and i'm sure we could use all the help we can get
Kressle responds to Sugua, "I want to keep the Greenbelt how it is to me. Few places like it left in this world. It's a long walk to Darkmoon Vale."
"I don't have any long term plans, never have."
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Sugua stretches his body a bit a she speaks, absorbing the knowledge. " And what exactly is it TO YOU? You say you don't have any long term goals.. yet keeping this place the same seems like one. It's almost like you have an aversion to change, really. Or dependance, not that its wrong. You don't seem to trust anyone but Longfang over there.. I'm actually curious why he sticks to you. "
"Untamed." says Kressle flatly.
"Longfang's relationship with me isn't up for discussion, you should leave soon before your allies get too far. A snake without its head gives me little reason to fear it."
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"Alright. Well...with our new companion having found us and introductions being made, I think this is far enough. I'm not taking another step until Sugua catches up with us. I'm not fool enough to abandon him to the whims of either Kressle or the wilds." the half-orc states plainly, turning to look back in the direction they'd come from. Though he doesn't draw his sword, his hand rests on the pommel of the weapon, ready to free it at a moment's notice.
"No...I don't think going back would prove beneficial. If he'd wanted us there, he'd have said so. As shoddy as I find his philosophies, he is no fool. If he'd thought he was in any actual danger, he wouldn't have hung around. That doesn't mean I'm going to jog back to Oleg's and leave him out here, though."
Sugua sighs shrugging his shoulders, " We've both tasted each other's venom. I don't fight for good and I don't fight for evil.. i just fight. So I respect your strength and whatnot, was makin' sure there wasn't anything you wanted between us ta say. I'll leave this wineskin here for ya' troubles.. it's pretty good and makes you relax after alota' stress. Iff'n ya need someone to drink with or Ever want a rematch you know where to get me. "
Sugua unstraps a wineskin, tastes a nice portion of it in front of Kressle and places it on the ground. He then turns around and flashes a backwards wave as he starts back near the group.
" See ya later "
If there is a decent sized rock or stump, Zel will take seat, if not she shifts the balance of her weight from one leg to the other. Well, while we wait for our other green friend, question for the group. Once we return to Oleg's, what then?
"We talk, we vote, we decide what to do. Then we plan. And that is the important part!" Miro keeps his eyes peeled for any sign of danger.
"Plan for what? Sounds like you guys have something big coming up."
Xan was curious now; the charter hadn't mentioned any specific threats it had to deal with, but it sounded like these guys had found one.
"An eventual unseating of the local bandit lord...however, I still do not think it a good idea to pursue such action until we have charted more of the surrounding terrain. There may yet be a considerable distance between us and him and I am loathe to leave unfamiliar ground behind us. We have to come back here through the same territory after the confrontation, after all."
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Kailee takes out a piece of parchment:
What all have you faced? Lets map out what we have found. Perhaps there are patters or certain areas where we would expect to find certain types of creatures that could end up being friends, or foes.
With that, she begins taking notes, including about the area around Kressel which they just left.
Khargol huffs out a sound that could almost be some sort of laugh or chortle at the question. "It might be easier to answer what we HAVEN'T faced..." he immediately remarks, half under his breath.
"Let's see, though. We made an uneasy alliance with the Sootscale tribe of kobolds after killing a dozen or so of them. We've killed a shambling mound, I'd guess around thirty or forty bandits, some Zon-Kuthonite monks at a temple that is also inhabited by something much worse than pain-worshiping monks...even opening the door knocked three of our group unconscious with a wave of deathly cold, but fortunately it did not pursue us outside the temple itself. We've killed a bear, four trolls, taken out a tribe of mites, encountered some sort of fiendish giant centipede those mites were worshiping, a group of tatzlwyrms, some wolves. I'm probably missing something here or there...we'll have to ask Sugua when he returns to see if he can remember any others."
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Kailee begins taking notes and trying to draw the location of the creatures that have been fought, making notes about each one as she goes.
Wow, some of those would be expected, but some are strange magical creatures. And, tell me more about this centipede. It was fiendish? Do you know if it was somehow tied to hell or the abyss? Why didn't you slay it?
"If I recall one of our group identified it as a giant whiptail centipede. We managed to injure it relatively severely, but it fled before we could finish it off. It was completely impervious to fire and clearly somehow armored against all weapon attacks. To my eye, it looked like the taint of the abyss clung to the vile thing."
"Apparently it gave a telepathic warning to the others; something about bewaring the dark, but it had knocked me unconscious before delivering that message and fleeing."
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Kailee nods in understanding, taking yet more notes.
Um, ok . . .I suppose if we are to make this land safe, we will have to find and eliminate this centipede. Can't have large vermin eating the settlers after all, that would be . . . um . . not good.
Kailee seems to be trying to figure out what might have caused such a strange and huge vermin to be in the Stolen Lands.
"Sounds like you guys've really had a time of it." Xan remarked. She wasn't sure how trustworthy that kobold tribe was, but then she figured everyone else thought the same. Whatever was in the temple they mentioned had her curious, but by the sound of it, it was too powerful for them to deal with at the moment.
at the mention of the Temple, Zel stands up, excitement on her face Perhaps we can revisit this temple, I would like to find out what drew worshippers of Zon-Kuthon to that place and what is behind that door. Perhaps there are secrets that we can learn to protect ourselves against from whatever monstrosity hides within
"Oh, that temple will certainly be revisited someday. But not today nor any day in the near future. As I said, the very aura of the thing nearly killed three of us. I did detect a strong evil presence within the temple from the edge of my detection ability's range. The temple itself was not originally dedicated to Zon-Kuthon, just taken over by his acolytes. Also, did I mention that when we tried to force the doors open, copious amounts of blood poured from between them? Because it did. I am in no hurry to repeat the experience. After we are stronger, then certainly whatever taints that place must be dealt with. Just not now."
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"You figure out if you need me. Like I said before, I'm not interested in bringing law to the Greenbelt, I was born where the strongest rule, and that's how I'll die."
"But I'm not above allying with those with give me my space and let me live how I want."
"I think you understand that."
Kressle thinks to herself, "I might take you up on drinking sometime, you let them know so they don't die of fright when they see me. As for a duel, you and I both know its a fight. I ain't ever fought fair, because combat never is."
"But, it doesn't ever do to spar a man you're stronger than. You teach him and learn nothing in exchange; I'm not looking to foster in my own killer. You're good. I'm better. Maybe some other time."
Sugua keeps walking waving his hand behind him as he laughs, " HA! That's what I like to hear, Fighting beautiful women is my SECOND favorite thing to do! I'll tell'm about what ya' said though "
Sugua disappeared into the brush and foliage following the the path of the rest. it wasnt hard considering their pathway and abundance of prints.
Several minutes later Sugua emerges to find the group he sports his great smile and Sword along his shoulder. " Well Well.. you all were kind enough to wait?! I hope you werent too bored without me. " His white eyes settled on an unknown face.
" And what's this.. are they falling from the sky now? Who is this one? " Her fingers at Khargol then the newcomer. " She any good in a fight? "
Miro shakes his head softly before standing up and shouldering his crossbow again. When Khargol replies to Sugua, Miro jumps in with, "If we move we could do a little exploring before we go back to the Post. It would mean we haven't wasted a whole day, only part of one."