Richard circles around the bandit getting the man into a position where soon his attention would be divided between Mykhael and himself.
From his near point-blank range, Niadroub Kliip unloads his crossbow at the bandit in front of Xantria.
Richard & Mykhael finish off Orange.
Realizing that he is now alone on the field Yellow turns and runs.
Xantria gets an AOO on him, and then everyone else can then have their turn.
Mykhael realizes with his gimpy leg he has no chance of catching the fleeing bandit. In stead he moves toward Richard and casts a spell, "This should stop the bleeding."
Myhkhael's healing flows through him healing his injuries and taking away the aches at the same time. "Thank you, they put up more of a fight than the other groups we've fought." He draws his bow and knocks and arrow swiftly loosing it.
Colwyn quickly sheathes his shortsword and scrambles to retrieve his dropped shortbow.
The arcanist grumbles at his unloaded crossbow and the fleeing bandit, so instead he turns to the bandit who is stunned from his earlier color spray. He'll kick the bandit's dropped weapon away and try to secure him with his rope.
Elena lowers her bow, not willing to shoot a fleeing man in the back.
"Who were these men?"
"Bandits, I would guess," Mykhael said with a shrug. "I'm more interested in what they were trying to hide," he said pointing at the tree.
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Though wounded the running man manages to scurry away with arrows chasing him into the distance.
Digging up the cache takes 10 minutes—the cache itself is wrapped in a heavy leather cloak and consists of:
MW dagger,
A wand of burning hands (CL 2nd, 4 charges),
A silver ring worth 75 gp,
A spellbook.
Unfortunately, rain seeping down into the cache has damaged much of the spellbook, but five of the spells (identify, mage armor, reduce person, silent image, and unseen servant) remain intact.
There is little in the cache to give any reason for such a strong band to hid it, or attack you for it?
Loot:
Blue whinnis - 2.
Oil of magic weapon.
Potion of cure light wounds.
Potion of cure moderate wounds - 2.
Potion of enlarge person - 2.
Tanglefoot bags 4.
MW studded leather armor - 2.
MW chain shirt - 3.
Dagger - 2.
MW falchion.
MW light mace - 2.
MW composite longbow (+2 Str).
MW sap - 2.
MW short sword - 2.
Shortbow with 50 arrows - 2.
breathing tube - 2
Grappling hook & silk rope (50 ft.) - 2.
Thieves’ tools - 2.
172 gp
Also on the body of the man armed with the longbow is an oiled leather purse, used to hold documents and preserve them from moisture. It contains a piece of parchment with instructions on it.
Go east. Scout out the trading post and send word as to how much force is needed to overrun it and remove it for good.
Our gifts to the so called Stag lord are serving us well, he will soon have drunk himself to death.
Find out what you can of these chartered fools scouting the area? Remove them from play if you think it can be done.
There is no seal or signature on the parchment, and the writing is in simple, clear lettering to ensure the writer cannot be identified by his hand.
What are you doing now?
With the attack over, Xan had started to check the bodies for anything useful or that might give them an idea of who they were. Which was when she found the parchment.
"Guys," she said, walking back over to the others and holding the parchment out for them to read, "we may have a problem."
"Looks like whoever is behind this is an ally of the Stag Lord, but not a particularly faithful one."
"But they know about us, that is for sure."
Elena examines the coins found on the... whoever these people were. What country are they from?
"We could try following his trail but we'd have to be careful, he may lead us back to his associates if we are lucky but if we might walk into an ambush. At the speed he was running out of here he'll arrive well before we finish tracking him."
"Beest to just assume that these people know that we know aboot them. We can find oot who they are from our new friend." Niadroub Kliip indicates the now bound bandit. He had searched the man after he tied him up.
He flips through the spellbook and is pleased to discover a few spells that he hasn't yet learned. He also stows the wand.
Too low for the bound man to hear, he says, "Mebbe we can pose as these bandits bringing a geeft to the Stag Lord."
"Who could have guessed that Brevoy could breed such deadly politics," Colwyn asks with heavy sarcasm as he collects and arrays the spoils of war.
"So, is this the first time you folks have had a price on your heads, eh?" he asks with a wry smile.
From the loot, Colwyn picks out one of the foes' fine shortswords and mail shirts. As an afterthought, he also takes one of the saps - just in case.
He also takes a length of silken rope and the accompanying grappling hook, stowing it in Sandy's saddle bags so he can swap it with the hemp rope in his pack later.
He grabs two of the tanglefoot bags to replace his alchemist's fire, and tries to discreetly snatch the blue whinnis.
Colwyn also eyes the composite longbow with longing.
"It's such a fine weapon, but I've little practice with such a bow. Suppose I should expand my talents?"
"Might be onto something there, Niadroub," Xan remarked, "this makes the Stag Lord sound like more of a booze-hound than Master Larek. He's the guy who's been training me, can still fight pretty well even while drunk out of his mind. Sounds like the Stag Lord doesn't quite have that sort of constitution."
Colwyn briefly picks up another of the finely made short blades.
He takes a few practice thrusts and parries with one in each hand, but his balance and form are quite awkward.
He sets the spare sword aside, hoping no one noticed how he embarrassed himself.
"Perhaps after training and practice, but definitely not yet," he groans internally. "But, as long as we're planning ahead..."
The last thought returns the smile to his face, and he surreptitiously tucks the masterfully made, sturdy longbow alongside his saddlebag.
"After this ambush, it may be wise to return to the outpost for now," he suggests after stowing his picks of the loot.
"If we're not pursuing that man. We should consider that their interest in 'chartered fools' may not end with us. They may be interested in the other groups that were dispatched. A letter of warning to the others... they could be placating local opposition with bribes like with the Stag Lord, hoping they'll deal with us."
Looking off into the distance "The letter instructs them to go 'east' to investigate the trading post, so unless people want to tackle the Stag Lord sooner than expected I think we should start focusing on the wooded area to the West and beyond it in our future explorations."
"...we should start focusing on the wooded area to the West and beyond it in our future explorations."
Elena nods. "A reasonable deduction. Shall we go back to Oleg's first? We can probably send messages from there."
So what is your course of action? Back to Oleg's to rest and restock, or track down the runner?
Mykhael sees the wisdom in going back to Oleg's, "Aye, we should make for Oleg's."
On the ride back, Colwyn tries to adjust to the feel of wearing the new mail shirt rather than his leathers.
It's heavier and chafes more on his flanks, but it's a darn sight better than taking a sword through the ribs.
That one headhunter got awfully close, and Colwyn reasons he had been one fortuitous blade thrust away from death.
"Once we get back, I should chat with some of the local woodsman," he thinks to himself. "Put my ear to the ground and see if there's any word about these headhunters."
The journey back is uninterrupted by any encounters. Oleg's is again bustling with activity. Trade is growing regularly now, with more people coming in with hides, pelts and the other riches of the forest.
You can sell anything you want now, MW armor and weapons will still have to be ordered and will take a week to arrive.
Anything you wish to purchase, or do while you are here?
Though the idea that one of the others might be involved, likely not Varnhold being to the east but possibly Brelev , occurs to Richard he is willing to take that risk in sending letters to warn them about the interfering party that is affecting the greenbelt and possibly other areas.
Aside from this Richard talks to Oleg, Svetlana and whoever else is visiting the trading post to share news and get to know people. He'll also start working on a better version of their new map.
Ignoring the others, Niadroub Kliip sits down at one of the tables near the and studies his found spellbook. He casts read magic to decipher the book's spells that he doesn't already know, and then he attempts to copy them to his own spellbook:
Pleased that he figured out two of the spells after a few hours, he stows the found spellbook away while he considers the unlearned spell.
@Niadroub. Best you note down what you are taking on your sheets. I do keep an eye on what you are carrying.
@Elena. No, Composite bows are constructed with that strength rating, it can't be taken down.
Mykhael looked through the treasure the party has amassed during their explorations, "Best we trade the lot for credit." He noses about the post trying to gather information on those who hunt them.
The problem you face at the trading post is that there is a constant stream of new faces. As trade picks up and Oleg's stock increases the local trappers are starting to visit more often.
No one has seen anyone behaving suspiciously.
What are you doing now?
@Niadroub. Best you note down what you are taking on your sheets. I do keep an eye on what you are carrying.
Even if they have no knowledge of these recent attackers, Colwyn spends some of the downtime at Oleg's chatting up the local woodsmen.
Growing more confident that he won't be recognized for his past, Colwyn carouses with the transient visitors to the trading post.
He hopes to ingratiate himself among the locals who flock to the outpost anew. Colwyn misses the days of knowing familiar faces from the Stolen Lands, and new friends are always a boon.
...
As the party prepares for another foray into the wilds, Colwyn stocks his pack with dried boar sausage and other provisions.
He also ensures that Sandy's hooves are free from rocks and that she is otherwise hale and hearty.
While the others were preparing, Xan had thrown on one of the recovered chain shirts they'd gotten ahold of. "Think I've gotten too used to the concealed stuff I was using before," she muttered as she stepped out, "beats having to find an armourer out here, though."
After talking with those present and sending off the letters Richard takes some time to relax and reflect quietly on everything that has happened so far.