Bluff Check
Perception
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There is very little in the blind. You are about 20 or so feet in the air. A knotted rope is the only way up or down from this vantage point. Two quivers hang from a branch, each holding a score of short bow arrows. A small keg containing water and a leather bag with a few strips of dried meat and a couple hard biscuits round out the supplies. The wooden platform has a number of carvings and graffiti all over its surface. This runs the gambit of crude sculpture and pictures, to insults and gossip.
You are reading through these various tidbits when you hear a rustling coming from below. A few seconds later you see a figure appear across the stream from where you are. It looks like this person is carrying something, and as it carefully crosses the swollen stream, it calls out softly.
"Dinners' here. Throw down the rope and come and get it!"
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Sense Motive:
The two bandits look at each other. The talkative one shrugs and begins to hand over his bow, but the one called Vik stops him.
"I aint givin' up my weapons, Stag Lord or no. He can either trust us, or not, but I am not going into your camp unarmed."
While not upset, it does not look like Vik is willing to give up his weapons easily.
Svetlana shook her head and then shrugged. It's your lives. At least keep them sheathed and holstered if you know what's good for you. The priestess then walks further toward the party's camp. About 30 feet before walking into the group's midst....
Svetlana's voice rings out loudly; I've got two here to see the Stag Lord, all prepare for the two called to see the Stag Lord.
Ulryk did not really make more small talk after Leorn had answered. The man did not provide any further details and Ulryk did not think it his place to press Leorn at this time. He knew that a gap still existed between their trust of one another and a hastily built bridge would not do. He knew that the scouts had only been gone for an hour or so and logically he understood they might be twenty or so more minutes, but he was definitely concerned.
For him however the darkness of the night was thick and the mixing of the rain and the sounds of the wilderness blended together to mask everything. He merely huddled in his white fur cloak and peered into the murkiness beyond.
I get up and ready myself smiling.
Damen's focus in the camp had mostly been to remain basically dry, as the cold was affecting him less than he thought it might. He'd removed his armor and had even managed to doze lightly when Svetlana's voice came out of the rainy gloom that surrounded the camp.
With a start he grabbed his buckler and his morningstar. No time to put on armor - he regretted removing it now. Called to see the Stag Lord? It was obvious there was a ruse at play, but this wasn't Damen's skill set any more than diplomacy. Nothing for it but to play along and see what happened.
Swearing inwardly, Brigid glances around in a hopeless search for a clever ruse. With the rain, a hooded cloak might be able to allow her to pose as one bandit, but never two. And she would never be able to mimic the voices of Vik and his friend.
While musing over her options, she kicks the rope ladder down. Then, as much as she hates the thought of this, waits for a clear shot and sends an arrow into the porter.
At the noise I grab my whip. "Whats going on? Is our cover blown? Are they coming back? What's happening man."
Svetlana shouts again just steps from entering the party's midst, All prepare for two loyal to the Stag Lord! Walking into the camp, the priestess winks at her companions before taking a step back and letting the two bandits walk in front of her. She then shouts, Now! They are bandits, take them down!
Initiative
I take a little peek into the future
Prescience
Then seeing that the omens are good. I fire my heavy crossbow at the bandit farther away.
No further word is needed from Svetlana. He had not expected this, but ample warning had been provided by Damen and so he positioned himself up against a tree with his Heavy spiked flail at the ready, given the close quarters of the hidden camp. He had never yet removed his armor and he was glad for it.
Initiative:
I have my whip out and ready.
Okay since it looks like I go before the bandits I will cast dancing lights and place it right next to them.
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Ok..here is what has happened so far...
Kent, surprised by the sudden voices shot into the dark, luckily missing everyone. Leorn mutters a few arcane words and a number of dancing globes of light suddenly light up the area. You can now all clearly see Svetlana and 2 bandits.
Initiative is as follows...although this round is a surprise one for the party.
Kent
Leorn
Bandit/Ulryk
Damen
Svetlana
Ulryk stepped out from behind the tree he had been utilizing. His buckler on one arm and a wicked spike flail held in his other hand. The white of his fur cloak shone brightly beneath the dancing lanterns that Leorn created over head as the formidable warrior let out a hushed growl.
"Surrender and you may yet live. Call out or raise arms against us and you will die." Ulryk moved quickly to put the situation further in their control. Spinning his wrist about, the flail began whirling about.
Closing the gap between him and the bandit, he dropped suddenly to one knee and swung out with the flail, seeking to ensnare his opponents legs and then suddenly yanking them out from under him.
With Ulryk lashing out at the bandit's legs, Damen held back from any direct aggression. Instead he took a moment to stretch a little, then rapped the haft of his morningstar against his buckler. With a grin and a murderous glint he sized up the bandit. "You should listen to my friend. Otherwise I may have to... help get the point across. It'd be a pleasure."
He lightly tapped one of the points on the morningstar to emphasize his meaning.
Well done, boys! Svetlana's words held a levity and flirtatiousness that belied the situation at hand. A second after walking in camp the lone surviving bandit had seen his ally shot through the chest with a crossbow bolt, had been tripped and now had a very angry and very scary looking man looking ready to bash his head in with a morning star. She seemed the feel this fight was already over.
Striding into camp without losing a step, she looked back to the prone bandit and said. There is one thing I didn't lie about. You really should have given up your weapons. Well...at least he should have. The last was added with a nod back to the dead bandit.
Svetlana turned to the rest of the group. Let's tie him up. Then we need to go back for Brigid. She is fine, but needed to place herself in the blind to help with my ruse. The good news is the west bank blind is ours now. So...who's coming with me?
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You are able to hoist the body back into the blind with you. The cold rain makes his limp body seem to weigh twice what it shoud, but you finally succeed.
About 10 minutes later, you can hear a voice quietly calling out.
Pioter! Where are you blast it!! Kessler wants you back to the camp now. Stop wasting time chatting with Vik and Bego. Pioter! Are you there?"
A figure with a well shielded light source comes oout of the woods across the stream. He stops at roughly the same place you shot the other bandit; Pioter. He seems to be examining the ground.
perception:
He suddenly begins to turn to leave.
"I don't know why you want a prisoner we don't have any kind of holding cell and he is unlikely to have any useful information. I don't see how mercy or practicality is benefited by taking him prisoner. I know you're sense of fair play hurts you when you see someone in such a unfair position, but try and keep it under control. Now we have a useless prisoner"
In hushed tone Ulryk responded to Kent as he finished binding and gaging the prisoner. That last thing he wanted was for this man to call out to his companions. He glanced up to Damen and nodded in thanks to the man's help in further cowing the low-life.
"I do not see why you think him devoid of information? He can tell us how many remain in camp, any defense they might have, watch words and traps... in exchange for our mercy." Ulryk than looked to the prisoner and pulled the gag away, but kept his gaze hard.
"Isn't that right? You want to help us don't you? You don't want to die do you? Now tell us what we want to know... and quickly."
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Again your bow sounds and a foe falls. Unfortunately this time it is not so quiet. The light source he carried spills and now a large area of the stream-bank is aglow with fire. You can hear some voices on the other side of the stream calling out and generally seeming concerned and confused.
Svetlana makes an exasperated expression before kneeling down next to the prisoner. You may want to consider us your last, best chance. Let's say you survive this and Kressle does as well. Does she seem the forgiving type? Especially for someone who got talked out of his post by two outlanders who stumbled into your alarm?? You should realize that there is no good way out, other than see that we are likely far less merciless than your beloved leader out there. Yes?
The priestess barely waits for an answer before standing up impatiently and looking to the group. I'm tired of this already. Let's go fetch Brigid and then question this rube. I can provide a light source. Who's coming with me?
As always after a fight, however brief, Damen felt invigorated, exhilarated. "I'll go with you. The prisoners are, ah, appreciated, but I get the sense things didn't go as planned. We may need to act faster than we expected."
"I'll go with you"
OK then, Ulryk, Leorn, do you want to stay back with the prisoner while we get Brigid? With luck it will be a simple matter of walking back to the area, stopping a little from the area and I'll sneak up and let her know to come down. We should be back in not too long.
I look at the prisoner for a moment and then at Ulryk. I feel my stomach turn a bit and then I turn to Svetlana. "It could be dangerous, i will join you also."
Svetlana shakes her head at the prisoner. That's a shame, looks like you are going to be left alone with the guy who killed our last miscreant prisoner. I'd try really hard to be cooperative if I were you. Readdressing the group, the priestess adds. OK then, Ulryk, we'll return as soon as we have Brigid back in pocket. As she sets out she pauses for a second, looks around at the group until her eyes fall on the wizard. Kent, you seem the least likely of us to resort to stealth, may I use your crossbow as our light source?
I reload my crossbow and we head out.
"be fair he is the reason that this gentalman is a prisoner and not dead"
Ulryk didn't like the idea of being the only one left behind. He grunted and muttered something to himself, but in his armor he wasn't about to go wandering out into the woods and blow Brigid's cover.
"Are you sure all of you going is a wise idea. Kent isn't exactly known for his stealth..." He said as they departed. Then added "Get Brigid and get back here. If something goes wrong, holler." Though in truth he knew that chances were they would be too far away for him to hear. In his gut this seemed like a very bad idea. This scouting mission seemed to be falling apart.
He turned to the bandit as the rest of his group began to slip into the dark night. "How about we start with something simple... what is your name?" Pulling out his rope, he fashioned a noose and tossed it over one of the thick tree branches. He then looked to the bandit, in the encroaching darkness little of his features could be seen but he placed a strong hand on the man's shoulder. "Last chance. Provide some useful information or you hang for your crime of banditry."
Damen glanced from Ulryk to the rest of the party and shook his head. "I'm reluctant to waffle about this, but there's no need to leave Ulryk by himself. I expect the three of you will do fine. I'll stay here just in case."
He moved around to stand a short distance behind Ulryk and watched the bandit, fingers idly playing with the end of his morningstar where it hung from his belt.
Compounding the problem was that regardless whether she stayed or ran, the encampment would be aware of a hostile presence.
With the little time she had, she propped up the body of Pioter so the blind would look occupied from the ground and present an easy target. She snapped off her own feathered shaft from the corpse, took two arrows from the bandit's stores and stabbed them into him. She took the rope off his leg, and lowered it down. She climbed down the rope as quickly as she could manage. Then she turned and shot an arrow at the rope, hoping to sever it entirely.
Brigid gathers up the rope and moves deep into the woods, running along the stream to mask the noise she makes as she moves. After a few hundred paces, she throws the knotted rope into a thicket, and heads back toward the party's encampment.
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While the fire does not spread, it has drawn attention to the area. You have just climbed down from the blind when several people burst forth from the trees across the stream. They do not notice you right away.
Bandits Perception:
You do not have time to cut the rope, but are able to loop back through the forest and escape from the bandits...however you are in unfamiliar territory as you could not get to the stream without being seen.