"Hmm for the weapons I will give you what I can." Oleg thinks a moment doing some mental calculations "Well Bandits have taken a large chunk of any profits I could have made, I can offer maybe 120 gold. But I could keep the horses on as spares for you know just in case you need them."
Oleg replies to Arial "Yep they did. Not sure how many there is in total."
Svetlana comes out of the house, her face pale with fear, she glances momentarily at a blood stain and the burned cart before walking faster. Once she reaches you she says in a shaky voice "You...You just make yourselves at home. If there is anything you need just ask."
'One hundred and twenty gold sounds like a fine deal, Oleg. And given how we're likely to need those horses, it makes sense to keep them around here.'
Shalia would hop down from the non-burned cart with a smile and shake Oleg's hand, confirming the deal. She'd then turn to the rest of the party.
'Well, if we desire to move on the bandits as soon as possible, we should consider leaving today. The day is still very young. If, however, some of our group need rest, we could do that and still head out around midday.
Or we could spend the day feasting. I certainly could do with some good wine.'
"Either or," the tengu says. "Striking fast is good, but we don't want to get in over our heads like I did. These bandits are a little tougher than I gave 'em credit for." He glances at Arial, who still looks a little injured. "Some rest might be in order if we want to stay together."
He glances at himself and his things, then looks up again as Shalia suggests a feast. "Seems a little... odd, at a time like this, don't you think?" Avizzi shakes his head. "If that's what you want, I could go for one myself, though. Wine's not my cup of, er... wine, but if there's any good ale to be had." The tengu shrugs.
'As I mentioned, we could let those who need it rest and recover, and still head out around midday... though the weather may deny us a lot of sunlight.'
Grinning over to Avizzi as he questions the feast idea. 'And what's odd about having a good time, my friend? We have survived a brutal fight against bandits who sought to disadvantage our friends here at the trading camp. That's as good an excuse as any for a drink.'
"Early tomorrow morning would be best. We still need to carry out the hanging and it will take some time to deal with all the bandits bodies and give them a proper burial."
Arial sees the Tengu glance at the wound made by the arrow. It was still tender, but Kaylee's magic had closed it. It seems a small thing to hold the entire mission on.
"Perhaps we can rest today, scout this evening, and strike just before dawn, when we will have the advantage of darkness."
Caelus cleans himself up and sharpen's his blade. He replaces his shortbow with one of the spare longbow's and continues with the rest of his day.
Shalia would organise a bit of a mini feast during the day, paying for food and wine out of her share of the profits gained so far, attempting to improve the mood at the trading post after striking the first blow against the bandits.
Svetlana prepares the small banquet at Shalia's request, she seemed happy to have something to do. She refuses to accept anymore than 5 gold.
She serves boar meat, alongside steaming piles of roast potatoes, carrots, peas, parsnips and other vegetables. She brings out a boat of gravy and several plates. Ale and wine is also served freely.
After you have eaten, she leaves you to your own business and eventually night falls. You return to your beds in the guest house.
Sunlight peaks through the curtains indicating that morning has arrived.
Kaylee wake up early to say her daily prayer to Erastil and then goes about getting her gear and horse ready to head out.
Arial wakes before dawn to study his spell books and to carefully repack his flasks of Alchemist's Fire. Just when the sky begins to brighten in the east, he comes down to the yard where the battle was fought.
"Good morning," he says.
Naturally, Shalia would be a little hungover after all the wine consumed yesterday, not quite remembering the feast. But upon waking, she'd head off to get a bath and take sometime over that, ensuring she was nice and clean before getting her gear and horse (borrowing one from Oleg), ready to head out.
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Tam wakes up from a good nights sleep and ready to take on the day. After a gear check and a silent prayer he steps out and sees the others. "morning, neighbors"
He claps Arial lightly on the shoulder. "feeling better?"
"everybody sleep well? we'll want our wits about us out in the forest. Who knows what we'll find out there."
Kaylee looks over at Tam as he joins them outside. "Good morning Tam." Turning back to finish buckling one last strap on the saddle she asks: "Is everyone about ready to head out? We don't want to waste any daylight here."
You see the door to Oleg's home open and out pops the big man, stretching as he walks a huge smile wrapping around his face.
"Morning All. You on your way? As far as I can gather the camp is a couple of days ride to the south so if you need any more provisions just ask." His smile is warm "Make sure to bring some loot back."
'Last one out loses their share of the loot!'
With that, Shalia would ride out of the trading post, waving to Oleg and Svetlana, telling her to prepare a bigger feast for when they arrive back.
Caelus mounts his horse and rides out after Shalia, he keeps his bow and quiver handy and his sheath on his sword ready just in case the run into any trouble. He was getting the odd feeling that they were biting off more then they could chew.
Kaylee mounts up and heads out after the others, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of the bandits as she does so.
Avizzi wakes up a little groggy and ever so slightly hung over from the ale he drank at the feast. He also demanded to sleep on his bedroll outside, with his horse nearby. He wastes little time getting ready to go-- the tengu isn't the most concerned with his appearance or hygiene, although he certainly doesn't smell-- and is ready before the others, seated on his horse at the gate. As Shalia calls for the party to leave, Avizzi whispers in tengu to his horse, snaps the reins lightly, and sets off, making sure to pace himself a little in front of all the others.
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As everyone mounts up and prepares to head out, Tam is apprehensive. He came to the trading post on foot not because he couldn't afford a mount, but because he never really took to the art of riding. He learned as a child, but he felt far more comfortable, and safer, with his own two feet touching the ground.
Heading out on foot would slow the group down. It could also bring him up for ridicule. Who's ever heard of a paladin that doesn't ride? Tam borrows a horse from Oleg. After a muttered "When in Absolom..." Tam rides out with the others, praying that he doesn't make a fool of himself.
Arial mounts a horse and rides out last of all, having had some confusion with his stirrup and discovering that Alger is somewhat afraid of the great beast. At last, the rat settles down on top of his head, clinging fearfully (and a little painfully) to his hair. The elf bounces along somewhat awkwardly for a while before he finds a comfortable posture.
"Much better, thank you," he says to Tam, catching up. "With luck, I won't be used as a pin-cushion this time."
As they ride, he keeps his bow handy, and his eye peeled for any sign of the exotic fey creatures rumored to reside in this area. Oh. And the bandits, too, of course. He also makes notes of any landmarks they pass, envisioning a chronicle of the group's adventures.
You set off at a steady pace following a well worn track that leads over the short grassed plains. The land dips and rises every now and then but the way is easy going.
The grass is lush and green, small red and yellow flowers grow at the side of the track and you pass several small groups of trees as you travel.
After several hours of travelling you crest a small hill and upon reaching the top you see that the track becomes less worn and fades as it crosses the few miles of plains left and enters the huge stretch of forest. The thick piles of dark green leaves that decorate the branches manage to almost completely block out the light of the noonday sun. This forest is a menacing yet beautiful sight.
Caelus keeps a firm grasp on his longbow as they ride.
"I assume at least some of you see that?" Avizzi mutters with a small nod at the figure. "So what do we do?"
"No Avizzi, you're just hallucinating. Seriously though, we should go have a little chat with whoever that is. If he lives about this area he may have have some useful knowledge regarding the terrain or he could be allied with the bandits. Either way, we should find out." I swear the bird's about as condescending as a brevoy nobleman.
Kaylee will turn her horse and head in the direction of the fellow. She'll go at a slow pace so as not to frighten the person.
Caelus straps the bow on to his saddle and checks the strap on his sword, he readies himself just in case. "Keep you eyes peeled on your surroundings as we approach him, we don't want to accidentally walk into an ambush"
'Well, I could make sure we're not walking into an ambush..
Handing the reigns of her her horse off to someone, she'd climb off her mount and take to the woods and undergrowth nearby, sneaking up towards the man at a different angle to the rest of the party, crossbow loaded and ready.
Avizzi also believes stealth to be a good option. He murmurs to his horse, sliding from the saddle to the ground. He begins to skulk among the trees and shadows, looking for anything of importance, as well as for a good tree to climb. He slips a chakram out from the folds of his clothing, ready to throw.
As you close on the figure Shalia and Avizzi slink off to either side of the track and disappear into the undergrowth. Avizzi manages to climb a small stunted tree and perches in the branches. Whereas Shalia manages to move into a direct flanking position ready to attack if needed.
The figure itself is slowly revealed to be a hunched man, carrying two large tattered sacks on his back and a three or four overflowing puches hang from his waist and shoulders.
He wears a long travel stained robe with a hood that comes over to cover the majority of his head but revealing just enough to show a grizzled and gaunt human face. He stops as the party approaches and simply stands in silence, not looking up from his hunched stance.
Kaylee reins in before the hunched over figure. "Good day to you sir. We are travelers new to this area and were wandering in you can tell us anything of the terrain around here and if there are any dangerous animal about?" Well, let's see what kind of answer we get from this fellow.
With contact made with the hunched over figure, Shalia would quietly examine the nearby area, checking to see if there are any other figures around ready to ambush the party.
Arial rides a little behind Kaylee, more interested in the man's appearance and his burden than in what information he might have. However, he decides to keep his curiosity to himself for the moment.
He looks up slightly as Kaylee speaks, revealing an old and wrinkled face "Animals...I ain't seen no animals." He smiles revealing a single blackened tooth. "Well there is grass and there is trees and a hill here and there. Not much more to tell." He resumes his stare at the ground. "Why you be asking me these questions."
Caelus dismounts from his horse and walks closer to the old man "We are explorers from Brevoy, here to tame the wilds as it were."
The man suddenly barks in laughter, "Tame the wild lands! Best thing I've ever heard. Well good luck to ya!!" He adjusts his luggage "Any other claims you want to make or can I just get on my way?"
Caelus doesn't mind his mockery, he didn't quite believe in the mission either, just that he was trying to find his lost brother. He looks at the old man.
"Can I offer you any help with your burden?"
"Hmm, would you accept help from a bunch of people armed to the teeth? No not here, not in the Greenbelt will I accept help from strangers." He looks up from his slouch "But maybe I can help you if your willing to pay."
Caelus smiles slightly, "And what exactly do you have to barter with?"
The hunched man smiles and slowly lowers the bags to the ground, he opens up one of the sacks and pulls a small vial from it, he swishes the glowing orange contents "Quite a lot if you have the right gold."
Kaylee peer down at the contents of the vial. "And what is in that vial to make it worth any gold?"
Avizzi watches everything with piercing eyes, the chakram gripped tightly, ready to throw as soon as anything indicates a fight. He also glances around, gauging distances and generally getting ready to attack if need be.
Perception
beneath the distant forest tree line you think you can see lurking shadows but you cannot be fully sure, you also cannot be sure that they have any link to the man.
"Well in this vial there is health, in others there is fire, strength. I also make sure to stock a healthy dose of death." He smiles and stretches his back "Name what effect you want and I will see what I can do." He thinks for a moment "If you don't wanna buy here and now I am heading to Oleg's if you ever want to find me again."
Caelus nods to the old man, "We are stationed at Oleg's, we shall defiantly see you there."