Elena turns to the bandit. "Well? Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
"We were sent by the Swordlords, and one of our responsibilities is to strive against banditry." She pulls out her copy of the charter. "It says right here... *ahem*... 'The punishment for unrepentant banditry remains, as always, execution by sword or rope.'" She gives the bandit a keen look as she rolls the charter back up and stows it in her bag.
"So here you are, saying you are a bandit. What would you do in our place? We are supposed to execute you. Is there anything you have to say that will make us reconsider?"
Just outside the fort, Colwyn digs his pack out from its hiding spot among the underbrush. He plops down on a large fieldstone beside the road they were travelling, setting the pack between his legs.
He looks to the horses grazing on the roadside sage grasses.
"You beasts better not have any moral dilemmas waiting out here for me," he groans. "I've had enough of that."
"I really don't want to see that lad killed, especially after I somehow kept him alive - even if I was the one who gutted him. I wish we could've just let him go, but the charter says...grr, and I'm in no position to defy the law, not again."
Colwyn looks up to the dark sky and briefly wonders whether they'll pitch camp outside or within the reclaimed walls.
"I can't wait to get moving again."
Serafina pauses for a minute, looking at the bandit. Her friends in the Gilded Eyes had all had a story of how they'd gotten there, whether it was a hard childhood, a family needing the money, or a military campaign gone wrong. They hadn't been the best people, but there'd been a reason they were who they were. These men hadn't had anything to show that, and the survivor hadn't been interested and explaining himself.
After a moment, she heads to the door, turning around quickly. "Just make it fast. He doesn't need to suffer more than his friends, just because he survived the fighting and they didn't."
She joins Colwyn as he's finishing up he talk with the horses. "I can't either. It's a bit too close to home for my liking, and what we've just done is a bit too close to my life for comfort."
"He's said nothing new. No need to draw it out and the majority have spoken. Anyone who wants to leave should do so now. Tale the moment to beseech whatever gods you hold dear." Richard waits til anyone else leaving is gone and efficiently puts an end to the bandit.
Once he stands outside a short while later he's quiet for a while before speaking. "We were given the charter not as individuals but as a group. I think not just for our skills but for our differing viewpoints. Together perhaps we can be wiser than any one of us alone. But if I believe a foe is going to strike at any of you without just cause I will not stand idly by."
"If we have to stop to rest then best to do it here after we secure the rest of the building. Lock the gate and we will be safe enough for the night though someone on watch is still sensible. When we leave last one out goes by rope. Keep this place closed."
"Is anyone else injured after the fight?"
Niadroub Kliip stays to watch the execution and then shakes his head in the negative for the need for healing. Otherwise, he stays silent while Richard speaks. Afterward, he'll offer to partner up with somebody to explore the rest of the fort.
"Bit of a nasty cut on my arm, but no other injuries."
Xan would stay. She'd kept out of the debate because she wasn't sure herself which way to go. Part of her wanted to suggest letting him go with a very clear warning about what would happen if they found out he hadn't learnt his lesson, but she was also aware of what could happen if they did let him go and he went right back to banditry.
"I got off lucky - nary a scratch. I'm going to try leading some of the animals inside the yard for the night. Seems like a good idea to practice my hand at dealing with beasts for once we're in the true wilds."
Colwyn walks over to Niadroub's nag, cautiously inching a hand towards her bridle.
"Easy there, um...Niadroub, does your horse have an actual name?"
It's clear to you all after looking over the Fort that it's abandonment was planned. There is nothing left that would be of any value to looters or scavengers.
After a quiet night you set off again, from here on you are outside the borders of Brevoy, in lands where the law is one you decide and enforce yourself. Brevoy, or to be more precise Rostland want to change this. That is why you are travelling south. Even so the further south you move the less support you will have from any form of authority.
The days travel is quiet, there is no road, only the light trail left by the small traders that travelling to Oleg's. By late afternoon you can see the former fort where it sits on a rise.
The gate is opened and as you enter the post you can see a solid looking middle aged man atop the roof of what looks to be the main building. He's busily repairing the tiles, glancing at you when you enter, but making no move to greet you.
A woman bustles out the door of the same building with a much more pleasant greeting. "Welcome, welcome." She greets you all with genuine warmth. "Please put your horses in the stables. I've got a hot meal ready and waiting for you."
She looks you over curiously."Oh! Where are my manners. I'm Svetlana Leveton. We received word that adventurers would be arriving only a few days ago."
What are you doing once you arrive?
"Easy there, um...Niadroub, does your horse have an actual name?"
"Ah-heheheheh! No, don' want et fooling me by becooming femilier with et."
What are you doing once you arrive?
Niadroub Kliip doesn't do well talking to others since he left the farm, for some reason. He'll let the others talk and do his best to listen in. Noting that Oleg's is a landmark mentioned in their charter, the ex-soldier arcanist climbs the walls to try and get a lay of the land.
"Hello, Mrs. Leveton! Or shall I call you Svetlana? We appreciate the hospitality. The road was long and there aren't many comforts along the way. I am Sister Elena."
Elena leads her mule to the stable.
"Does it get lonely out here on the frontier? What inspired you to come out to the Stolen Lands?"
Richard is also trying to get a lay of the land so to speak. Rumours, locals to the area who will be of note, what kind of supplies do they have.
Do they have cold weather gear, caltrops and or bear traps? Are they willin to buy excess gear that we took off those bandits and aren't using.
Svetlana smiles happily and chats away with Elena, clearly pleased to have someone new to talk with. "Oh we decided somewhere remote and quiet would be a good place to settle. Especially with the situation back in Brevoy you know? At first it's just political talk, then before you know it the blades are out and your home is on fire!"
Oleg comes down from the roof and wanders in as his wife serves you a hearty stew, along with warm bread and a bottle of red wine. He seems to be constantly unhappy about something? Neither of the Leveton's talk much about what has been happening around the trading post.
At least that is until Richard asks about selling the unwanted gear the party took from the bandits. Svetlana looks away, hands wringing together in worry as Oleg finally speaks up ."Already dealt with some bandits have you?" He asks, looking over the gear with interest.
He looks up and meets your eyes. "There will be more coming. Tomorrow, in the morning they'll show up here and take the pelts I've traded for. Six of them, lead by a man named Haps Brydon."
Haps Brydon is wanted back is Restov. A former guard who was found to have been running a protection racket. When it was dicovered he anandoned his wife and two children, fleeing to the Stolen lands.
Oleg explains while Svetlana looks saddened, how shortly after they opened the trading post twelve bandits, lead by a woman named Kressle showed up and told the Leveton's that they would be taking tribute each month. "Or they'd kill me and take Lana for the boys to have some fun." He finishes, hands clenched in frustrated rage.
You can see if it had been just Oleg he is stubborn enough to have fought, but with Svetlana at risk he dares not.
Since then the bandits have shown up first thing in the morning on the same day every month, grabbed what there was to take and ridden away quickly, which Oleg suspects means they must be camped a day or so nearby?
At first it was eight to ten, but as it grew into a routine it's been just Haps and six bandits showing up to take the tribute.
"If they are operating like this and we plan to engage them I think we should.then we need to make sure none get away." He looked around the group with grim determination.
"We either fight them hear using our surprise and a set up with ranged elements in elevated positions. Priority for targets has to sadly go on runners. We can't let them know we are causin problems. If their numbers are down lately either they have more elsewhere or have taken numbers."
"The other option is we lay an ambush for before they get here but I don't like this one. It keeps it further from here but there is no guarantee of which route they will use."
"If someone has magics to help well you understand your abilities better than me."
Oleg doesn't have much in stock at the moment, with the constant drain on pelts he can't get enough cash coming in to order more supplies from Restov.
If you do take out the bandits in the morning he'll happily buy the gear you don't want for full price, and even give you a reward.
Also Oleg points you to the notice board outside the building.
Noting that Oleg's is a landmark mentioned in their charter, the ex-soldier arcanist climbs the walls to try and get a lay of the land.
Noting that Oleg's is a landmark mentioned in their charter, the ex-soldier arcanist climbs the walls to try and get a lay of the land.
Oleg's is set on the plains, so you see lots of rolling grassland, the treeline about 10 or more miles away to the west. The catapults are all wrecks and unusable.
Oleg and Svetlana were granted the trading post on the condition they repaired it after years of no use, so while Oleg has put a lot of work into getting it livable, it's not really a military post anymore.
"Haps Brydon? Hmm, can't say I've heard of the fellow. Either he's new to the game or just very small time. If we aim to stop him and his boys, laying an ambush here would be the best wager. Far better to fight on our terms than theirs."
Any chance Elena heals Xantria and Richard. Five hit points is not a fun place to be if Oleg turns out to be a faceless stalker.
"Let's see about those wounds."
"I've heard of him," Xan remarked, "was a guard in Restov when authorities found he was running a protection racket. Fled out here to avoid being arrested, abandoned his wife and two kids in the process."
Richard looked about the area and nodded. "Niadroub, Serafina and Elena on the ramparts. Lay low til the trap.is sprung. Prioritise runners. If they get away then the enemy is forewarned. If none escape here we can maybe follow their trail and get a measure of the others. If we can catch them unawares it will be more manageable. Elena if you stay near the ladder there you can do Old Deadeye proud but if needed you can move to give healing."
He turned to the west and pointed to the building. "Xantria you can hide in there easily without much finesse at stealth. Any noise not too blatant could be put down to a beast of burden. When you come out press towards the gate so Colwyn and I can support you and watch each other's backs."
Richard looked at Colwyn. "I reckon the two of us can easily hide out of view and get the drop on them to the South side of the inside of the gate."
"Now none of us take pleasure in this but these are criminals made of sterner stuff. If we can capture some alive then we can question them and consider what to do. However we can't hesitate when we spring the ambush. They'll likely have numbers so we need to hit hard. The group on the ramparts should combine fire. Holding back could lead to some or all of us dying."
"If we can practice how long it takes to close the big doors but they look substabtial enough."
"Oleg and Svetlana have suffered enough at these bandits. Honest men and women like them are why we are here. We need to send a message to the bandits in the area. If we take out this group it will be the start of their education that they will no longer be tolerated and if they tarry will face arrow, blade and spell." He looked around to get a gauge on the reactions of the others.
"Deadeye's Antlers! It sounds like you are planning a war. Is is always like this out here on the frontier?"
"Frontier, Restov, Mivon... it doesn't matter where you are when you are heading into a fight it's best to have a clear and flexible plan. Priorities laid out plainly."
Niadroub Kliip climbs down from the walls, satisfied that they'll see the bandits coming. He overhears Elena's comment as he joins the group.
"War es jest keelling people as fast as poosible without geetting keelled yoorself. Not sure how to do thet without looking like war."
"Weell the bendits be moonted?" he asks the Levetons.
"It also minimises the risks and keeps people safe. Never go into a situation that can turn violent without at least some idea of what to do when things go south."
"Et's a good plen." Niadroub Kliip confirms. "Leave one get cloosed so we oonly need to cloose the other when the bendits get here."
Colwyn tries to get settled after days spent on the road.
"Thank you for your hospitality, m'lady" he says to Svetlana with a slight bow and a smile. "Might I stow my pack somewhere? I swear it grew heavier with every half mile we traveled."
Once he is directed to a bunkhouse, Colwyn whispers to Richard in passing.
"Think I should lay out some caltrops in lieu of a welcome mat for Haps and his boys?"
"We need them to get all in first so the entrance wont work but perhaps you can find a good spot for them... just make sure we know where they are!"
Elena sighs.
"Before they arrive I can call on Erastil for a minor blessing that will enhance our aim. It will only last a minute though, and everyone needs to be within fifty feet of me when I call upon it. So I should probably do that just before they arrive."
"Also, once the bandits are inside, I can cause the ground to grow thorny and overgrown. They will have a hard time moving around in that growth."
Hardly an hour after the sunrises the bandits ride through the gates, brazenly looking around as it it's their regular stopping place. They quickly dismount, showing the discomfort of unskilled riders.
Oleg is again on the roof repairing tiles, you know this time he has a crossbow concealed in his tool box, while Svetlana is just inside the door to the main building, ready to close and bar the door the moment the fight begins.
"Oi! Where's the goods Old man?" The leader (Green) jeers up at Oleg. "Or have you decided to cut yer loses and hand over the woman?"
Richard dashes forward bringing his blade down on the nearest bandit, hoping to get the bandits to pay more attention to him. "Throw your weapons down now or face our steel!"
Niadroub Kliip casts mage armor on himself when they see the bandits coming towards the fort from the treeline.
Once the bandits are inside the fort, he casts color spray as soon he senses that it's time to attack. From where everyone is arranged and from his vantage point, he can only get the rear bandit and maybe its horse. But if it works, that meets their "take one alive" requirement.
Elena mutters a prayer as the bandits approach the gate of the fort.
No sooner had Richard struck that Xantria followed suit, dashing out of the shack to engage the nearest of the bandits.
Richard steps up and lightly slashes one of the bandits (purple).
Elena casts her Bless as the bandits close on the gates, when they enter and dismount her arrow thuds into (Orange), wounding him.
Xantria steps up and catches her man flat footed.
Cutting down (Teal) with one expert strike.
Niadroub casts Color spray on (Purple)
Both the man and his horse slump to the ground unconscious.
If you are able to take only a standard action on your turn, you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up to your speed (instead of up to double your speed) and you cannot draw a weapon unless you possess the Quick Draw feat. You can't use this option unless you are restricted to taking only a standard action on your turn.
The walls are just too crowded, so Switch takes a place behind the stables and shed. She pulls back on her bow, scanning for a decent target, and then releases.
From the shadows under the rampart, Colwyn looses his arrow at the orange bandit.
Serafina steps out and puts an arrow into her target (Yellow), nearly ending his life.
Colwyn puts his arrow into the bandit already wounded by Elena (Orange) and he slumps to the ground dead.
Panicked by the sounds and sight of violence the horses scatter and get out of the combat area quickly.
Haps Brydon looks around in shock, anger and desperation on his face. "Ambush!" He yells hoarsely. "Gettem boys!"
He takes a shot at the nearest to him which is Xantria
The arrow thudding into the barn door beside her.
Badly wounded (Yellow) drops his bow and holds his arms up in surrender.
(Red) decides to try and escape, running for the ladder on the north wall.
(Purple) is out cold and will be a little while longer, along with his horse.
The party can now act again.
"Yeah, that's not happening," Xan told Brydon as she moved for him, planning to take out the leader quickly.
Seeing the man infront of him collapse unconscious alongside his horse Richard shrugged muttered "Nice"
Seeing a bandit try to run he calls out to Colwyn "I'm going after the runner."
[OOC]Double move[/b]
As he closes on the bandit he whistles once within striking distance "Running isn't allowed. Surrender!"
Colwyn sets eyes on the bandit leader, this Haps Brydon fellow, engaged with Xantria.
"The battle is in our favor, but it could always favor us more," he thinks as he moves to flank Brydon.
He drops his bow, which clatters dully to the gravelly ground, and draws his sword.
Elbowing past the surrendering (yellow) bandit, Colwyn cautiously approaches while sizing up this mark.
Raising his crossbow, Niadroub Kliip takes aim at the only other bandit he can see that's still fighting.
As Colwyn moves to aid Xantria, Niadroub's bolt thuds hard into the man, finishing what Xantria started. Haps Brydon drops to the ground dead.
Red turns and lashes out at Richard desperately, his face white with panic.
Richard you get an AOO as he tries to make the ladder.
Yellow stays surrendered, and Purple will but out for another few rounds.
The party may now act, unless Richard kills Red, in which case the fight is over.
Not knowing how the fight is going elsewhere Richard hasn't called for back up, this Haps may yet stand. As long as he can keep pace with this man he can harass him but the man might be desperate enough to jump from the palisade... and if he gets to the treeline the advantage could well become the bandits.
"Kep yer boow trenned on thet one,"Niadroub Kliip says to Elena while pointing at the surrendered bandit. He then hops down and binds the bandit that succumbed to his spell before the man wakes up.