Richard cursed as he knocked another arrow and fired it at the last sentry .
Hopefully out of sight from the other bandits, Niadroub Kliip reloads his heavy crossbow.
When the undergrowth sudden rose up and engulfed them cries of panic rang out from the bandits.
Green hissed in pain as Richards arrow wounded him, tearing himself free he returned fire. His arrow just glancing Richard leaving a line of blood on his arm.
Grey Hurriedly scrambled out of the suddenly hostile plants.
Black & Purple tore themselves loose and fumbled for their weapons.
Orange wailed for aid as he could not free himself.
Results of the bandits actions. 1 point of damage to Richard.
Serafina, Xantria & Elena can now have their actions.
Dropping her bow, Xan moved for the one who'd gotten free of the plants as she drew her sword.
Serafina, Xantria & Elena can now have their actions.
"Aim for the leader! They won't surrender while she is alive!"
Elena takes a shot at the one called 'Kressle.'
Taking a step forward Serafina hears Elenas call and aims carefully.
Already cursing foully thanks to the arrow Elena had just put in her Kressle gasps as Serafina's penetrates savagely.
Spurred on by her closeness to death Kressle tears herself free of the plants holding her and fumbles for her weapons. "You will die slowly for this you whore!" She howls in blind rage.
Colwyn can now act. Then Richard and Niadroub, but Colwyn's action will go first.
His crossbow now loaded, Niadroub Kliip runs south, to line up for a shot with the other sentry . The most direct path to where he needs to be runs through a thick, fallen tree that seemingly blocks his way. He runs directly for it, and at the last second he blinks out of sight, only to reappear on the other side of the trunk to continue running.
He pauses at the edge of the entangle area of effect, takes aim at the sentry, and fires.
Colwyn hustles towards the shallows in the river, nocking another arrow as he moves.
He pauses at the crossing, the water lapping at his boots, and quickly looses the arrow at the bandit on the watch platform, hoping that the distance doesn't muddle his aim.
Colwyns arrow finishes the last watchman, he slumps limply against the tree with two arrows in him.
Niadroubs bolt hits his target (Pink), he yelps as his troubles only grow worse.
Seeing the last sentry fall Richard moves up skirting the edge of the area affected by the spell to fire an arrow at Kressle.
Richards arrow hisses passed Kressle.
Bandits actions.
Grey lashes out at Xantria desperately.
His blow coming close but not even glancing her armor.
Clutching his wound Purple decides to run, lurching out of the entangling undergrowth and heading away.
Black scrambles out as well and joins in the attack on Xantria.
Cutting her as she defends against Grey
Orange struggles against his bindings again.
And whimpers as again he is too well bound to escape.
Serafina, Xantria & Elena are now up.
Dodging the first sword had left her off balance and open to the second, though a last-second turn had blunted it somewhat so that the edge didn't hit straight on and fail to get through her armour. Though she was sure it would've left a nasty bruise.
Slipping away from the one she'd attacked before, she lashed out at the one who'd landed a hit on her.
Elena continues to shoot at Kressle, while advancing forward.
"Keep shooting at the leader!"
Colwyn watches the bandit fleeing through the trees. Outside of the heat of battle, his mind might have turned to Yuri, Piotr, and the incident back at Fort Serenko, prompting him to consider letting this man go.
Such a near-death experience could have been the impetus for him to turn his life around, like Colwyn.
Unfortunately for the bandit, with another arrow in his hands and adrenaline in his veins, Colwyn's mind is more occupied by tactics than mercy, and he does not want anyone escaping to warn the so-called Stag Lord.
"Second chances, much like luck, are not for everyone," he would reason to himself later.
Stepping lightly through the river narrows, Colwyn moves to intercept the bandit.
Once he clears the mighty tree trunk initially sheltering the fleeing man, he fires another arrow.
"Then again, maybe luck is on this man's side," Colwyn rues as he watches his arrow lodge in the tree trunk beside his target.
Serafina continued the assault on the savage leader of the bandit troop.
Kressle's eyes went wide as the final arrow buried it's self deep in her gut, she slipped to her knees and slowly collapsed dead on the ground.
Kressel is dead, so Colwyn had his action and missed. Which means Richard and Niadroub are up.
Not sharing Colwyn's need to justify letting a man escape, but also not having a crossbow bolt cocked, Niadroub Kliip moves in the direction he saw the escaping bandit running, and casts his remaining spell. The earth beneath the fleeing bandit violently rips apart, shoving five cubic feet of earth off to all sides of the newly-formed hole.
Kressle was down but the bandits still needed a little more encouragement to surrender so Richard decided to help them along with that. Dropping the bow he advanced towards Xantria and drew his blade. As he made the final few steps the thrust forward with his sword.
Richard moves quickly, darting across the small clearing, his blade cutting the chosen bandit down before he even knew he was in danger.
Grey looks at the odds before him and drops his blade quickly, raising his hands in surrender.
Orange Groans in despair, "This isn't fair." He whines, giving himself up as well.
Purple Squawks in shock as the ground disappears from under his hurrying feet. Hitting bottom with a thud. He looks up to see Colwyn standing there awaiting him an arrow ready in his bow. Sheepishly he raises his hand in surrender.
The combat is over.
Richard looks at the bandit "But we were led to believe ye liked unfair fights. Are there others outside the camp?" Richards checking to see if they're starting to tell the truth when the give us information. If they forget the group who went to Oleg's trading post they are definitely holding back information. Otherwise he'll be corralling them and removing their weapons and gear.
Purple Squawks in shock as the ground disappears from under his hurrying feet. Hitting bottom with a thud. He looks up to see Colwyn standing there awaiting him an arrow ready in his bow. Sheepishly he raises his hand in surrender.
Niadroub Kliip reloads his crossbow while the others interrogate and disarm the bandits. He mutters something about "woorthlees seentries" all the while, and then goes to inspect the wagon and any place else that might have the bandits' belongings.
”Well now, what do we have here?” Colwyn taunts, peering down at the man in the crevice.
Casting his eyes between the surrendering - and dead - bandits, Colwyn plumbs his memory, wondering, ”Do I actually know any of these sorry sops?
Looking back downwards, he presses the trapped man for information.
"Sparing your life is one thing, getting you out of that hole is another matter. See, I think I forgot my rope back home. I could be wrong, though. While I think about it, why don't you tell me where you boys hid your loot?"
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Richard your question gets the information that aside from Kressle's second in command Haps Brydon and six bandits, who are away raiding Oleg's trading post, there are no other bandits around.
Colwyn looking over the three survivors you don't see any you recognize. Which means none of them are notorious enough to have a wanted notice on their heads. So no murderers, rapists or other serious villains.
Like an increasing amount of the Stag Lord's bandits, these thugs are dissatisfied with the rule of their master, whose grip on reality seems to be slipping into the bottom of a whiskey cask. While they continue to support their lord, they aren't foolish enough to die for him, nor do they pass up any seemingly good opportunities to escape his command.
Some of the tales they tell you are:
“Our boss is a monster of a man. Calls himself the Stag Lord. He’s a deadeye with the bow, and I saw him crush a prisoner’s hand to mush in one fist. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen him without his creepy stag helmet on—some of my friends think he ain’t got no face under it, but not me—I think that creepy helm is his face!”
“It’s hard keeping track of who’s working for the boss, so we use a master phrase as a sort of password to get in to the fort on the northeast shore of the Tuskwater. Unless it’s been changed recently, the current phrase is, ‘By the Bloody Bones of St. Gilmorg, who wants to know?’ And no, I have no idea who ‘St. Gilmorg’ is.”
“The Stag Lord is a bloody drunk. All that booze under the platform’s for him. He's half of what he used to be, and ain’t never been right in the head. A few weeks ago he punched my horse for spittin' in the yard. Personally, I wouldn't care if he dropped dead tomorrow, but even drunk out of his mind he's still got a fair amount of fight to him.”
“The Stag Lord keeps a strange old man locked up in the basement. I suspect the old guy might actually be running the show, using the Stag Lord as a puppet, you know. I got a look into the old guy’s eyes once, and it terrified me. He ain't someone I'd want to cross.”
Loot:
Kressle.
Studded leather armor.
MW Handaxes - 2.
Daggers - 4.
Potion of Cure light wounds.
85gp.
Bandits.
leather armor - 8.
Shortsword - 8.
Longbow - 8.
80gp total.
The bandits’ spoils, are kept hidden under less interesting supplies like food, firewood, and tents.
Bandit stash.
321sp.
90gp.
A pair of silver earrings worth 150gp.
A wooden music box worth 90 gp.
Three crates of furs and hides worth 50 gp per crate.
A polished wooden case of potent greenish herbal liquor. There are
still eight bottles with liquor left in them, each worth 20 gp.
These bottles of liquor are special requests from the Stag Lord, who is an alcoholic among his many other character flaws.
Niadroub Kliip nudges Colwyn.
"Hep me poot the dead bendits in the kert. I'll geet the leegs."
The arcanist grabs a corpse by the ankles and looks at the rogue expectantly.
Colwyn watches the bandit effortlessly climb out of the hole, and he scowls as his attempt at negotiation is rendered moot.
With a resigned sigh, Colwyn begins assisting Niadroub and lifts the corpse by its arms.
"These must have belonged to Oleg and Svetlana. We should return those when we get the chance. They are good people."
"Agreed and lets check on our other new associates. It sounds like their are too much turnover to get more details about this base of operations. I'd say it's going to be a serious challenge but I do believe we should continue moving towards them. Right now this Stag Lord has no idea there is a group dismantling his organisation and should remain that way for a few days."
Richard looks about the area a bit more "Given there aren't horses for these men I think it would be fair to say the first group we encountered were an oddity. That'll be good for us, if they were all mounted they'd realise our presence far soon."
Looking towards Elena and Niadroub. "Elena your spell worked fantastic and if we can employ it like that again on the next group I think it will serve us well but we'll have to decide once we have surveyed the terrain. However the Stag Lord's skill with a bow has me concerned, do ye have any abilities to hamper it? And an old man puppeteering things from behind the scenes sounds like it could be a spell caster of some kind. Use the Stag Lord as a face man so there isn't too much pressure on him to use spells. It's not guaranteed by any means but we should be prepared for the possibility of facing off against a spellcaster."
With a resigned sigh, Colwyn begins assisting Niadroub and lifts the corpse by its arms.
As they work, Niadroub Kliip mumbles something about the wanted poster at Oleg's that called for at least six bandits and how they'll need proof.
"However the Stag Lord's skill with a bow has me concerned, do ye have any abilities to hamper it?"
Niadroub Kliip looks at the sky and rocks his head back and forth as he considers his spells. He randomly chuckles at one point and then shakes his head a couple times before speaking.
"I could grease it, mebbe. I could elso try to mek him to weak to draw his boow."
Richard considers before responding. "Both sound good but he sounds like a brute of a man so if it's only one or the other hampering his strength would be good. He's of no small means by the looks of it Niadroub. Kressle's right hand man had a high powered bow, the one Serafina is using. I'd say he has something like that. If he finds it hard to draw the string as you say it'll be harder to connect with a shot and the impact will be lessened. With the added benefit of making his close quarters abilities less potent as well... it sounds like he's no weakling their either."
"For noow, are we keeping all these bendits at Ooleeg's? Or should we execute theem here?" Niadroub Kliip speaks to the others out of hearing range of the prisoners.
”I’ve heard that lopping off hands or ears is a popular way to collect bounties,” Colwyn grunts while helping Niadroub with the bodies. ”I know I was always afraid of some bravo with a greedy sword coming to chop off my bits. ‘Course, I’d probably do the same. In fact, here we are.”
Soon after, when talk again turns to prisoners and executions, Colwyn raises a calloused finger.
"We struck a deal with Yuri and Piotr,” Colwyn protests. "While even I wouldn’t trust me, I don’t feel right going back on our agreement with them. They led us here without warning the others or backstabbing us. I don’t think there’d be harm in letting them go. I could even give ‘em one last spook to remind them why they should give up banditry.”
"As for the others, I'll leave their fates up to you folks. The only ones whose deaths I'm particularly keen to see would be the boys from my old crew. I've had plenty of time to dream up how I would revenge myself on them."
"They seem to genuinely want to leave this life behind but I don't want Oleg and Svetlana surrounded by so many newly reformed men with us gone so far.I suggest we leave them here with greatly reduced weapons. They won't want to start up activities on their old bosses territory and with less numbers and weapons won't want to take us on again. Running could draw their old bosses attention."
"We leave them with food and the task of building a more permanent shelter here like a crude log cabin. It doesn't have to be perfect. If it keeps them occupied while we deal with this Staglord great. If it's a serviceable building we can leave minor supplies in later that is fantastic."
"I quite like that idea, my friend. There's just one problem I see."
Colwyn leans in and whispers tersely to Richard.
"Do you really believe these boys have the patience, let alone the know-how, to build a cabin, no matter how crude? Banditry is not a path that attracts the dedicated and diligent. I know their sort. Hells, I WAS their sort!"
Colwyn composes himself, letting the flush leave his face before continuing.
”Make no mistake, Richard, I’m relieved that you’re not as bloodthirsty as I worried you might be when we first met. I just don’t want you to hold unrealistic expectations for these boys.”
He cocks a thumb towards the captured bandits to emphasize his point, then aims a critical, sidelong glance at them over his shoulder.
Normally sharp, the irony was lost on Colwyn as he judged their prospects so harshly.
When Yuri and Piotr are bought in the surviving bandits give them unfriendly looks, which are soon removed when it's pointed out that they would have done exactly the same thing to save their necks.
Oddly enough when the option of setting up a building is presented to them one steps forward. His name is Gren and he worked as a carpenter in New Restov, at least until his employer caught Gren in bed with his wife. Rather than confronting him the employer went to the watch with a tale of theft. Gren fled for the Stolen lands with the watch on his tail and has been making a poor go of being a bandit to survive.
If you get him the tools he would be happy to put up a small building here, the others would be getting the wood and hunting for food.
What is the party response?
Away from the bandits, Niadroub Kliip indicates Gren.
"Thet one sems alright, but the oothers are just gooing to goo back to the Steg Lord, moostly. Eef we keep them here, they'll be hung the next tem soldiers from Brevoy come through, mebbe."
Colwyn scowls, ready to growl at Gren, "You trying to make me look bad?"
However, his scowl soon softened into an ugly grin. He realizes this could be an opportunity, and the grimy wheels in his mind start to turn.
Colwyn turns to his allies with an exaggerated flourish.
"Perhaps what these boys need is an incentive," Colwyn suggests, his words dripping with honey. "Here's my proposal: I will use part of my share of our spoils...I assume you kind friends will be generous enough to include little old me in the divided shares...but I will use my share to pay a regular stipend to our friends here, encouraging them to stay on the good ol' straight-and-narrow path and keep them from tossing their lot in with the likes of the Stag Lord again. After all, loyalty to coin is loyalty nonetheless, as my ol' Da' would say."
With a smile showcasing a bit too much of his yellowing teeth, Colwyn beams at his compatriots.
"What do you think? Has merit, yes?"
"Well, no need to answer now. There's time yet for that. For now, shall we return to the trading post straight away, or should we make camp and return on the morrow?"
"If you truly want to do it with your share I won't object. As for next we can always strike towards this Staglord in the morning. But we have acquired a solid amount of excess gear and I am sure Oleg and Svetlana are worried about how things have gone."
Serafina spends some time running the men through setting up the camp to her satisfaction. It's clear these men are used to having a woman in command and they follow her orders promptly.
The burnt parts of the deer are removed and whats left is properly cooked over the fire, night falls and the sounds of the forest are all around you. As this area has been occupied by a large group of humans for months now the local wildlife doesn't venture too close.
After a peaceful nights sleep, (with one of you on watch at all times) you lot the cart with the recovered goods, and your loot, setting off for Olegs.
It's clear things have changed in the 24 hours you were away, several tents have been set up beside the palisade and there are armed men on the walls. While you were gone the promised guards have arrived from Restov, under the command of Kesten Garess.
Kesten is a member of one of Brevoy’s noble houses in name only.
A DC 20 Knowledge (nobility) check is enough to recall the scandal when an affair between Kesten and a lowborn woman named Tania, a weaver’s daughter, became public knowledge. His father Evan, a cousin of the Garess family patriarch, disowned Kesten, who fled to Restov to
serve as a mercenary.
He volunteered to lead the small group of soldiers to help guard Oleg’s Trading Post after his own depression and shame grew too much to handle.
Oleg comes out to greet you on your arrival, looking over the cart laden with goods, and the gear of the now dead bandits with almost a smile on his face.
Another newcomer comes out to see what's causing all the noise, a large man with a marked limp looks you over curiously.
Xan was glad to see that the guards had arrived, though was a bit frustrated when she couldn't quite place the crest they were wearing. She knew she'd seen it somewhere before, but was drawing a blank as to where.
The newcomer comes out to take a look at the arrivals. He is a large and handsome man with fair and pleasant demeanor. His hair is the color of wheat and he maintains a well-groomed goatee, as you take a closer look at the man his bearing and countenance betray his noble blood. He wears a well made chain shirt leaving his muscle-corded arms bare. The noble limped toward the party using his spear as walking stick, These are the adventurers Oleg told me about.
Mykhael continued forward and stopped next to the party, Careful, you don't want to scare them away. He paused taking the measure of the group, made a slight bow, and addressed them, "Greetings, my name is Mykhael Medvyed and if I am not mistaken, you are the party that bares the Royal Charter of his Most Noble Highness King Noleski Surtova?"
"We'll we bare a charter from the Lord Mayor of Restov who is loyal to the Regent. Even a man from Mivon is aware of how much pain Regent Surtova goes to to make the distinction clear." Richard playfully chides.
"Greeting Mykhael, I am Richard Harrow from h
House Harrow in Mivon. This is Elena Voritzova, a loyal servant of Erastil. Xantria Aldori a renowned swordswoman. Niadroub Kliip a Wizard. Colwyn the Toad a... Specialist. What can we do for you?"
Mykhael listened and suppressed a small smile, This one speaks a little to freely for a man of worth. But I am grateful that the Lords of House Harrow have loose tongues, he has confirmed that they are not lackeys of Surtova. He nodded to each of the companions as they were introduced, I thought there were to be six who bore the charter perhaps chance is on my side.
He leaned heavily on his spear as he spoke, "Well met, one and all." He smiled cheerfully and continued, "I had hoped to catch you before you left Restov and join myself to your grand adventure." Mychael dejectedly looked down at his wounded leg, "Alas I am not as fast as I used to be and missed be chosen for the charter by a few days." The noble shrugged and laughed , "However, I am not easily dissuaded. I put my affairs in order and quickly followed in hopes of joining up with you."
He extended his arm gesturing toward Oleg's store, "But enough talk out here in the sun. Let us retire within and enjoy a drink as we discuss my proposal."
Prior to striking camp and starting back on the trail to the trading post, Colwyn gathers Yuri, Piotr, and the surviving bandits, except Gren.
"If you'll kindly pardon me, friends, I wish to leave these men with some last spots of encouragement to reform their ways."
He collects the soon-to-be former bandits in a close circle, away from the rest of the party. He leans in to speak quietly to them.
”As you’ve probably guessed, Rostland’s sent these new friends of mine to bring the law to these parts. You might see this as a dead end, but I see an opportunity. I’ve been cooking a plan since last night. The details need to stay secret for now, but once the Stag Lord’s been dealt with, you boys should stick with me.
“It means playing the long game, but we’ll make more money than jumping travelers ever earned us, and we’ll have the crown’s seal of approval to protect us. I’ll pass some coin along to you boys regularly - full gold crowns, too. Just make sure you don’t screw up and slip back into the old ways.”
“Also,” Colwyn says, his voice sharpening into a deadly edge, ”No harm is to come to Miss Switch. Is that clear? Anything happens to her, and I’ll make you boys wish that good man Richard over there had simply executed you.”
His lecture to the disreputable men finished, Colwyn presses a gold coin into each man’s hand.
Colwyn begins walking away to rejoin the party, but he turns momentarily for one last admonition.
”Remember well what I told you,” he says, eying them warily.
...
Colwyn endures the ride back to Oleg's with a bit more quiet patience than the previous day's ride. He also sits with more confidence in the saddle, no longer nervous about the horse.
During the trip, an enigmatic grin often grows upon his face before fleeing away, only to return not long after.
This mirth seems to vanish, though, upon seeing the new arrivals at the trading post.
The presence of armed guards put Colwyn ill at ease, and he hides away any semblance of a smile - particularly around this noble of sorts who limped over to them with a spear for a walking stick.
He remains quiet and eyes this newcomer, content to listen as he and the others trade introductions.
Tempted to mutter "I have a surname" and complain further about his moniker, Colwyn manages to bite back his words.
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Elena looks at the newcomer with concern.
"Mister Medvyed... you're limping. I am a healer; perhaps I can help."