Jory slips into the trees and brush with silent grace, soon easily scenting something cooking over a fire, followed by the sounds of voices.
Cautiously looking through a gap in the undergrowth Jory can see a camp, bandits gather around a fire where a small deer is cooking. None seem very alert. A woman struts about the camp clearly the leader.
It's clear that their time spent here without any danger has made these bandits very comfortable and relaxed.
Jory does pick out two bandits using concealed platforms in the trees as watch posts, but even they are only scanning the woods carelessly, more interested in the coming dinner.
What are you doing now?
Lisl waits patiently with the team as Jory scouts.
"They seem easy enough to hit. If we can hit the two platforms quietly, we can take the rest unawares." Rok says as Jory gives his report. "Good job by the way! I'm not one for stealth, but if we have enough of us with ranged weapons we might be able to take the lookouts before they raise alarm. We should probably go on foot though." She casts an apologetic look to Kasper knowing the horse won't like having to wait around.
Jory casually brushed some bits of foliage off of his chain shirt as he reported on the bandits' disposition, confident that he had caught the bandits unaware. I could get used to this country life. Got a knack for crawling about the forest, it seems.
"I've been know to turn a trick or two that'll get a man down and snoring before you can say 'nite nite'! Maybe we save our bolts for the group 'round the fire."
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"I can charm one of them if need be, or we could just wait until they serve dinner and are all distracted?" Isabel offers, not entirely keen on the sneaking, and presumably dirt, involved in the current plan. "We should take down the leader first - if we can fell her then the rest may well break and run. Rok, Darian if you focus on her the rest of us can sink the other bandits."
Darian nods, ”I...I’ll focus on her, try and defeat her or at least occupied while you guys work on her men. Rok...you’re too skilled with fighting from Kasper to leave him out of this. Maybe hand back just a bit and then charge in once you see or hear us engage? I’m sure Kasper could close the distance in no time.”
"I'll keep Kasper alert, but I'm not moving him nearby until those lookouts are taken care of." Rok says. "In a fight he's good but we're both vulnerable to archers. As for the leader, let me worry about her, but stick near me, I can point out when she's vulnerable."
”Let Isabel and I silence the sentries. There’s a trick I know that will let us coordinate with nary a peep. Then we can call for the cavalry. Be a shame to leave Kasp out of a good brawl, no?”
"Sounds like a fine plan."
"When we are ready, I will call for the blessing of Abadar to bring law to the lawless," says Lisl.
Jory rubs his hands together, as the larger group prepares to go into action. "No worries, m'lady. If there's mud to crawl through, I'm yer man. Much cleaner than what you find in the alleys of Restov."
He thought for a moment. "If you can work you charms on the outer-most sentry, I can ensure the other takes a nice long nap. I will contact you by arcane means to ensure the task is done. But, how then do we signal back to the others?"
He eyes the iron pot in Isabel's kit, raising an eyebrow...
Before the pair leaves, Darian pulls Isabel close, ”I...I don’t like you heading off without me there...even if it does make sense strategically,” He looks her in the eyes, ”You know...this will be the first real time we’ve been apart since Kintargo...please be careful out there.”
He then looks to Jory, ”Do me a favor and don’t let anything happen to her.”
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Isabel returns Darian's gaze as the pair whisper together. "I'll be back before you know it. Besides..." her eyes begin to twinkle with mischief, "if something does go wrong then my knight in shining armour will come to my rescue. Or should that be slightly dirty leather? Just be ready - I'll use the ravens call, just like we did before."
With a last kiss Isabel slips out of Darians grasp and turns to Jory. "So Master Lightfoot, where to?"
Jory circles around to approach from the south. Approaching carefully to gain sight of the near sentry, he mutter his incantation.
________
Once Isabel and Jory move out, Darian turns to the others. ”This leader woman, we should try and take her captive. If she is one of this ‘Stag Lord’s’ lieutenants, she surely has some information in him that may prove useful.”
__________
Darian moves as quietly as he can to close distance on the group from the east, before charging out to take the rest off guard. ”For Honor and Justice!” he cries out as he surges from the underbrush, moving to attack the nearest bandit!
__________
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Hidden, she hoped, behind a decently sized tree Isabel reaches out again with her magic and imposes her will on the bandit lookout - convincing him that she is a friend.
Once the spell takes effect Isabel steps cautiously out from the tree, just enough for the lookout to see her. She smiles widely and puts one finger to her lips in the universal 'shush' gesture.
As Jory's voice whispers success to her Isabel exerts her will in an old, familiar pattern. the harsh caw of a raven bursts out behind her, near where the others wait.
Both the Guards fall prey to magic. Isabel's nods agreeably at her request for silence, while Jory's slumps further down and dozes off.
The signal has been given, the rest of the party may now act.
Darian sprints out of the undergrowth and cuts down his man with shocking ease.
Job done, Jory reacts to Isabel's signal and moves toward her, in case the bandits in camp threaten her position.
________
"Yahh!" Roksana shouts as she spurs Kasper into motion. The horse rushes toward the camp, and into one of the bandits.
After the signal has been sounded, Freya exits the wood from the east targeting the gray clad bandit with her hex.
Rok storms out of the woods on Kasper, getting yells of surprise from all the bandits. The Bandit she targets (Blue) scrambles desperately away from Kaspar's flailing hooves, only to run head first into her warhammer, his head caveing in with a sickening crunch.
Isabel gestures elegantly at (Purple & Black), a bright array of colored light hits both men.
Freya slips out of her cover, her eye catching (Grey) with eerie intent.
His feeble will no match for hers he slumps to the ground asleep.
Lisl advances, calling down another divine charm upon herself as she goes into the thick of the fighting.
"Bastards!" The woman 9Red) in command of this group screeches in fury as over half her men go down before they or she were aware of you.
She bolts towards Darian, aiming to cut him down and make her escape.
Despite her skill she ends up flailing wildly at him.
From the description given by Oleg and Svetlana you know this must be Kressle, the leader of the bandits in this region of the Stolen lands.
One (Teal) turns and strikes out at Lisl as she closes on him.
His blow ineffectual and no threat.
The other (Purple)has clearly seen enough and bolts for the cover of the trees.
The party can act now.
Darian easily parries one of the woman’s axes away with his sword, and blocks the other with his shield. ”Surrender now! There’s no chance for you to win or escape!” Darian says as his magic flows out from him, imbuing his own sword and his allies weapons with energy, causing them to glow white once more.
__________
Jory sprints out of the tree line, moving to a position where he can support his allies in the two melee battles taking place.
______________
Lisl closes and engages with the bow-wielding bandit, once again putting her shield to good use as she wards off his shot and looks for an opening to slam it into him.
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Knowing the necessity of her actions, for all that she doesn't like it, Isabel rounds the barricade drawing her sword cane as she does so. She waves to her new bandit friend as she does so.
"Would you make sure he doesn't get up please?" She asks, gesturing to purple as she steels herself to end black's life.
"I'm sorry..."
Seeing the axe wielding woman as the true threat remaining, Freya moves in closer and attempts to subdue the woman with her hex.
Rok spurs Kasper into a quick run to get behind the bandit leader, passing Lisl and her foe in the process
"Turn and fight Kressle!"
Nodding agreeably the Green bandit hops down and slits Purples throat, displaying the loyalty you've come to expect from these scum.
Lisl hammers Teal with her shield, nearly killing him and leaving him bleeding badly.
Rok thunders across the camp and slams into Kressle, Kapsar missing as she frantically dodges, only for Rok to nearly take her head off with her Warhammer. Kressle staggers but keeps her feet.
She shakes off Freya's hex and glares around with nearly psychotic fury. "No one takes me!" She shrieks.
Teal has had enough, looking into Lisl's face he drops his weapon and pleads for mercy.
Kressle sidesteps away from Rok and decides to take her chances with running.
Darian you have an AOO on Kressle as she moves past you.
Lisl keeps her shield poised near the bandit she slammed and kicks away his weapon. Then she calls to Roks, "Please kindly finish this."
As she moves past him trying to flee, Darian takes a swing at her head with the flat of his blade.
Seeing that he has subdued Kressle, Darian looks towards where the other bandit that had previously fled. ”We’ve got another runner!”
He looks about the camp, satisfied they managed to subdue so many rather than kill them, he calls out to Jory and Isabel, ”Tie them up. They might be able to provide us information...or repent their criminal lifestyle.”
Darian's blows send Kressle to the ground in a heap, and in only a few seconds an armed camp has been overrun and demolished.
What are you doing now?
Once the bandits are secured and detained, Darian takes a moment to check on Isabel and the others.
”Good job everyone. That couldn’t have went better, in all honesty,” he says, giving Jory a pat on the back as he walks through the camp.
Once he has made sure everyone is alright, he returns to the bound bandits, specifically Kressle and wakes her and the others up before squatting out of reach and addressing her.
”Ma’am. My name is Darian Aulamaxa. We have been charged by the Lords of Restov to bring peace to this region, and put an end to the banditry activities you are clearly guilty of partaking in. We know you are in service of some ‘Staglord,’ and we would like you to tell us about him. But, before you outright refuse, know this...our charter offers us the flexibility to reward those who truthfully repent from their lawlessness and agree to live peaceful lives in the future. We have means at our disposal to insure that such proclamations are genuine, so don’t think you can lie to save yourselves. But, if you mean it, it will spare you the justice of the law, and we would endeavor to see to it you are granted honest work, though under supervision for a time. But that will come tomorrow.”
He stands and looks them all in the eyes one at a time, ”For now, one at a time, I will point at each of you, and I would like you to tell me what you know of this Staglord, his location, number of men at his command, and anything else you may know.” He then points to Kressle first, then each of her subordinates one at a time.
Freya stands glaring at the captured bandits. One would almost think that she was hoping a number of them would not be repentant.
Roks assists in tying the Bandits up, wanting to make sure they don't go scurrying off. She lets Darian take care of them, as the man seems to have a fire under him about justice and bringing people to it. It's a motivation she respects, while she stands beside him, arms crossed and scowling.
"You'd best do as he says." She says threateningly. "Not all of our companions are as eager to spare you."
When she regains consciousness Kressle immediately threatens you. "Listen you jumped up Ponce! I work for the Stag lord and he's got nearly fifty men under him! I don't send my report and he comes up here and turns you and your little circus clowns into bloody smears."
Any time another man tries to speak she glares them into silence.
Kressle is completely unrepentant and treats your offer with scorn.
What are you doing now?
"Sword or rope, then," says Lisl calmly.
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Isabel, standing near the other bandits, winces as Kressle promptly throws Darian's mercy in his face. Seeing how her defiance keeps the other bandits from speaking she whispers quietly, allowing a tendril of magic to carry it to Darian's ear. "You have to kill her. She is unrepentant and I believe some of the others will speak if you make a show of strength now."
Isabel turns to the remaining bandits. "You can see that we are true to our words. Kressle was too proud and has paid the price. I do not want to see any more dead than I must - please, consider what you are doing. I know many like you are driven to it by desperation, not cruelty - we can offer you a different life, a better path. The chance to be part of something great. Please, allow the goodness inside yourselves a chance."
It's not Isabel's best speech, but her sincerity shows through even if her words are lacking.
Darian sighs and says, ”Very well.” He draws his sword and moves over to a nearby stump, letting some other members of the group bring Kressle forward. Once Kressle’s head is placed on the chopping block, Darian holds his sword in front of him as he says, "By the authority of Restov, House Surtova, and the Dragonscale Throne, I, Darian Aulamaxa, sentence you to death for the crime of unrepentant banditry."
He then lifts the sword up and the blade flares with white fire as he brings it down across her neck! He then turns to the others and says, ”Anyone else have anything they would like to say?”