Morgrym grunts and shrugs.
"If you've got the trail might as well see if we can't catch 'em."
Wallop smiles at the friendly greeting from Scraps and says No wee one, nothing tried to eat me. If anything does try, I'll try my best to give em a tooth ache. As he says this he hefts his halfling sized great axe. Then he leans close to Scraps as if he is about to share a secret and says an don't you worry none about about that grumpy ole dwarf. I'm starting to think he is a lot of bark and no bite. He'll come round soon enough me thinks. He'll make a powerful ally when he does. Wallop then cleans up his axe and puts it gingerly back in its straps and climbs into the saddle on the back of his pony mount up shorty, the adventure ain't over yet. We got a few more bandits to capture!
Though the trail is initially easy to follow, the bandits prove harder targets than you had initially anticipated. The muddy ground soon gives way to a deciduous forest, a much harder terrain to track upon.
Wallop will assist:
Edit: or perhaps just get in the way ... ouch
Gerran and the dogs are able to pick up the trail once more through broken branches and the scent of fear that the bandits have left behind them.
It doesn't take long for you to reach their position on horseback once you find where to go. As you come upon them, the bandits shriek and yell in surprise, but then drop to their knees once they see Kressle's form thrown over Gerran's horse.
"Please! We surrender! We surrender! You're all too much for us. Please!"
From atop his horse, Marius smiles at the bandits. "You have made a wise decision, and I hope that we can find a way for you to profit from it in the future." he calls out to them. He looks to Morgrym and Gerran, "Shall we bind them for the trip back?" he asks.
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"Hello there," Aerynne says to the surrendering bandits with an almost friendly smile - but the presence of Cadeyrn looming over them is likely to temper the diplomacy. "Would you mind filling us in on a few things, gentlemen?" Cadeyrn growls pointedly. There really isn't much of a 'choice' involved here.
"The stuff you took from Oleg's Trading Post - is all that remains what we discovered underneath a tree?"
"Do you know about a wedding ring that Kressle here stole? Do you know where it might be?"
"You're connected to the Stag Lord, correct? Who is he? What is he doing? Where is he based at? Does he have a lot of bandits under his control?"
The bandit who spoke before, the older looking of the two, responds.
"Please, mister, we'll co-operate. There's no need for that kind of binding. My name is Aaron, and this is my brother Hans. We used to work as sellswords until Kressle there swindled us into becoming cutthroats here. She took all our money in a card game and then some, and told us that if we didn't repay her our debt in money then we'd have to work it off. Pretty sure she was cheatin'."
Brightening at Aerynne's tone, he continues: "I reckon so, that was it except for... well, a group of Mites attacked us about a day and a half ago. Slimy little buggers. They made off with a few bags full of copper pieces and trinkets. Perhaps that's where the ring you're looking for was. As for the Stag Lord, well... all we know is that the booze we were keeping with the rest of the loot was for him. I've heard from Kressle that he's a mean drunk, but that he's even meaner sober. We've never met the guy, and all he seems to be doing is promoting banditry and plunder across the board, as long as he gets his share. As for how many bandits? I can't say. I don't think there are too many more than us, but I can't be sure."
"What do you know. Another group of innocent bandits who were forced against their will. Of course they're innocent. They didn't want to terrorize a helpless couple just trying to make an honest living. They didn't want to live their lives as thieves and murderers; parasites living off of the labor of honest folk. They didn't really want to fire those arrows at us earlier. I'm sure that if things had gone the other way and they had killed us all, they would have felt really bad about it afterwards. You two are scum. Worse yet, you're cowardly scum. Give me one good reason why we shouldn't have your heads."
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Aerynne shoots a brief glare in Morgrym's direction, although she does not protest his words. She has no reason to disbelieve these men, although the experience mere days prior with the bandits did indeed suggest that many bandits could not be trusted and would say whatever they wanted to get out alive.
"Aaron, Hans, we're... currently what passes for the law in these parts, believe it or not. I'm sure you know that banditry has quite the serious sentence, as the dwarf alludes to. I want to believe you that it's just a matter of poor circumstance, but you'll need to prove it with more than just your word here."
"So you're mercenaries, hey? Where did you live and work before Kressle got involved? What sort of jobs did you take?" Aerynne's tone is conversational, although her questions are well considered; she wants to see the true heart of these bandits, see if their stories match up with one another.
"Please sir! We're telling the truth! Yes, we've killed people, but not under Kressle's fist. Most of them were either in self-defense or defense of others! My brother and I used to be hired muscle for defending against barbarian raids in the northeast. We weren't that different from you all back then: just trying to help people and make a little money by doing it. It wasn't until Kressle robbed us of everything we had that we took up this dishonest life. I swear to you, sir dwarf, that I have never killed a man in cold blood, and neither has Hans. We did fire arrows at you, but recall that it was you who was attacking us. We had no idea that you were emissaries of... well... the Swordlords I'm assuming?"
Hans, silent until this point, suddenly speaks up: "Aaron, for Desna's sake will you shut up? The lady said they need 'more than just our word.' Telling them our life's story isn't going to help us."
The voice coming from Hans is surprisingly... female.
"HANS! Keep your damn mouth shut!
"Hans" continues: "No, brother, not when your words aren't doing us any good. You'll all noticed that Aaron and I, the two archers, didn't actually shoot any of you. Each of these arrows missed their mark, and while I can't speak for my brother, I'm no slouch as a marksman. If we wanted you to bear any arrow wounds, you'd have them."
Wallop listens to the story of the repentant bandits quietly and then leans over to the others and whispers A word with you all in private please?
Once out of earshot, he quietly continues All of you know my stance on lopping off the heads of captured bandits. I believe these two might be of value to us. Perhaps, if you feel they can be trusted, we could have them pay for their crimes as indentured servants at Oleg and Svetlana's trading post. At some point this Stag Lord will seek retribution. We are perpetually afraid of an attack on the outpost right? Why don't these two pay for their crimes by working off their debt to society by acting as guards at the outpost. If they agree to it, Oleg and Svetlana will be responsible for feeding, clothing, and equipping them. In exchange, these two will spend the next several years as guards. They have martial training. They are good with a bow ... or so they say. It seems a good fit. After that time, they may be free to go or even seek gainful employment at the outpost.
After a moments pause, he adds besides, I think that one of them is actually a woman. Perhaps they are brother and sister? Or even husband and wife? I'm not sure. What do you think?
"Scraps doan want no more killin. Killin be needed sometimes, but it never be right, fer dem or fer usn. Scraps know mens in Restov wants everyone deders, but they be wantin me deders as much as these. Ifn you kill em, it be on yourn head an I think lessn ye fer it. I's had me belly full o killin an I dinnae wanna be part o it."
"Your idea has merit, Wallop." Marius says. "No sense killing more than we need to, especially if they can be rehabilitated. I think I believe them." He eyes the two. "I can draw up a contract for them like I did for the fellow back at the outpost."
"I don't care one stone on another what you think of me goblin. Besides, for such a pacifist you've certainly stopped your own share of men's hearts in the time I've known you. And frankly, if you aren't willing to continue doing so, then what good are you? This is hardly going to be the last time someone will try to kill us."
Looking away from scraps, Morgrym speaks towards the group as a whole though he faces Gerran while doing so.
"However, Torag has gracefully revealed the character of this pair's souls to me and they aren't tainted. I can't speak for the validity of their pitiful tale, but they aren't evil. I had actually thought of a very similar plan as the wee-man. Perhaps we could take them back to Oleg before chasing after these mites. Oleg himself might be able to reveal more about these two as well, if they were a part of any of the raids on his home."
Gerran nods to the group assembled around Wallop. "I am inclined to believe their tale as well. However, we cannot be too careful here. We cannot invite so many 'reformed' bandits to stay with Oleg and Svetlana that they are easily overpowered the moment we leave on some errand."
He turns to the bandits and asks, "Tell me, if we were to let you live, and go where you would, where would that be? How would you make your living?"
Wallop rolls his eyes at the dwarf and does little to hide it. Let it go Morgrym. She didn't say anything that both myself and Marius said as well. I'm sure there was no sleight intended. What do you have in mind Gerran?
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Aerynne is about ready (once again) to give Morgrym a piece of her mind, but Wallop's simple response causes her to bite her tongue just this once--although not without an ounce of frustration. If Morgrym is an example of dwarvenkind, thank the gods they keep to themselves in their mountain citadels rather than bother us all out here...
"Don't mind him, Scraps," Aerynne mutters to the goblin. "I agree with you totally. I wish we didn't have to kill anyone."
"By the way, Wallop," Aerynne pipes back up into the conversation, "I also noticed that one of them sounds like a woman... she might have had to hide her gender to avoid being, erm... manhandled or mistreated," she fumbles with the appropriate wording. "But I've also heard of people born as women that wish to be men, and vice versa."
"In either case, I suspect that both Aaron and Hans probably don't want us to spill the beans. If Aaron says that Hans is his brother, then it's not really our business to dispute that."
Having said her part, Aerynne listens curiously to the pair's answers to Gerran's query.
Scraps nods to Aerynne and flashes Wallop a quick smile. Leaving the conversation, she hops over to the bound bandits.
"Doan be worryin now, they doan wanna be killin yas. The stumpy be pretty bloody, but me thinks the halflin be winnin this one."
Sitting down next to them, she fishes a piece of paper out of her pack and begins drawing a rough map of the area since leaving Oleg's. Untying the two far enough to free their arms, she asks,
"Mebee ya can helps me here. I be tryin ta figure my way around. Can you hep me wit this map? I wanna know what be around here so I doan stumble into sumtin what likes gobbin-kabobs."
"I can tell that you all mean no harm to honest people. That's enough for me. We don't know much about the area, though. That was Kressle and Haps' specializations. Those two could find their way through any wilderness. Also, you're quite articulate for a goblin. Last one of your kind I met tried to bite clean through my ankles." Hans continues.
Aaron continues to look apprehensive at the group conversing about them out of earshot. Both seem to be waiting on the group to make a definitive decision.
"We'd wander until we found honest work, I suppose. Raid defense is our specialty."
"I agree we can't trust them right away, but I think we can offer them a chance. It's a shame to let any life be wasted." Marius says. "Let's take them back to Oleg's. He ought to have some say in the matter as well. Perhaps he will recognize them from previous visits." he adds.
"Do we allow them to go unsupervised? They've been turned to banditry by extremis before. Who's to say it won't happen again? And I share Gerran's concerns about the potential dangers of turning Oleg's camp into a refuge for bandits that we have to take their word are reformed.
...but I suppose we can't just kill them either. Torag wills the fair treatment of prisoners and executing them wouldn't sit right with me in this case. Confound it all. Perhaps we can have them tag along for now. See if they can't help us find these mites they spoke of."
His curiosity piqued by the bandits' response, Gerran nods at Morgrym's suggestion and pursues his line of questioning. "Raid defense, you say? Fortifications and the like? Hmmm...we might have a job to fill in that capacity, soon. Would you be willing to accompany us to finish off these mites, and in exchange, we do what we can to provide you with honest work?"
Scraps looks at the two bandits with a raised eyebrow and replies,
"I be an edumacated gobbin from de city. Me ma an pa raise me under a bridge in Restof and there only be one o me. Most gobbin chillins be puts in cages. Dey get tossd scraps so the big ones be only ones lef at end. Tribe gobbins not like runts like me, so we get et early like.
Yer kin still talks to a gobbin though, ifn ya knows what ta talk about. Gobbins only knawn on legs fer reasons free: On3 - they boared. Tw0 - they hunry and needs food. An Fr3e - Dey so hungry they cants waits no moar and so tryin ta eat yer boots while dey wait. Next time a gobbin be chewin on ya, take offn yer boot and let him chew on it a bit. Den, when he's all payin tenshun to da boot, either give him something else to eat, whack him really hard on da head with a stick or run away!"
Somewhat disappointed about the map, Scraps rolls it back up and jams it down in the bottom of her pack before throwing the whole load on the back of her ass.
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"At the very least, they can mind the horses," Aerynne says with a grin. She was quite happy that they all seemed to be in agreement to not kill these two - to not kill more than absolutely necessary. "If you're in agreement, Aaron, Hans, we'll write you up a contract once we return to Oleg's Trading Post. After we're convinced you're good folk, you'll be free to choose your own employment, of course."
"However... that leaves us with one more problem," Aerynne says evenly, glancing over to Gerran's horse where the limp figure of Kressle lays. "I think that one is far beyond saving, if Aaron and Svetlana's stories are anything to go by."
"The elf's right. We get what information she can give and then we follow the recommendation of the charter."
"I'm glad we have reached a consensus." Marius says. "What is our next step? Are we going to investigate these Mites or return to the outpost first?"
Gerran shakes his head. "Personally, I would prefer to take on the Mites now and attempt to retrieve Svetlana's ring, then on the way to Oleg's, swing back by that field that we saw - the one that might have been the ingredient that Svetlana was looking for."
As much as I want a day or two rest, I gotta agree with Gerran. Let's see if we can't bring a ray or two of sunshine back into Oleg and Svetlana’s life. Goodness knows they could use some.
Scraps frowns at the thought of executing Kressle. Deciding she's had enough of being an abused kicking dog, she speaks up.
"We already plannin on killin another? She not kill none of us, not really hurt none o us. Why do some gets ta live and somes gots ta dies? How you decide which be which? An how many o us have ta agrees for thar ta be killins. My charter be just as good as yours, an I not be likin da killin. How manies haf ta agree? Just the catman an da stumpy? They talks da devil man inta it an it okay? They get the halfin ta agree an dats fine? What about Missee? An wat abouts me. What if I doans wan em deders? Nobodies bother ta explain ta Scraps why everyone gotta die an Scraps gots a charter, just like yourn.
Gerran looks at Scraps and sighs. "It's a question of their character, little one. If we let them go and tell them to mend their ways, they have a choice. They can choose to do better, repent, and help this land, or they can choose to return to their old ways, and undo everything that we're trying to do here."
"Unfortunately, we don't know for sure what they will do. We have to try to determine which option they are going to choose, based on their past actions. If they were bandits by choice, who loved that way of life, then it's very likely that they will return to that life, given the chance. If they were forced into it, or despised what they were doing and who they were with, then it's likely that, given a chance, they will do something else."
"If we choose wrongly and let an unrepentant bandit go free, we risk the lives of Oleg, Svetlana, and any others trying to make an honest living here. They might even gain enough support that they could come after us, and kill us, some day."
"Let me put it another way: if we wanted to be sure that the bandits were stopped for good and all, we could kill them all...but some of them are, perhaps, able to be saved that fate. Perhaps you could focus not on the ones we kill, but on the ones we can save?"
Gerran pauses, then realizes that he just answered Scraps as he would have Aerynne, or Morgrym. Well, maybe not Morgrym - I would never presume to speak down to him as I just did. Still, I guess she grows on you, after a while...such an innocent outlook on life.
Marius gives Scraps an even look, his true feelings on the Goblin hidden as best he can.
"Crime must be punished. Some people, however, will not be saved." he says. "The best thing we can do for them is to make their end quick so that they can go on to their eternal rest based on whatever deity they venerate. We do this because to imprison them would be impractical and burdensome on both us and them. In addition, we have a great resource in our friend Morgrym here, who has been granted by Torag the ability to see the stain on a mortal's soul, and by this we can help to judge what their crimes may be and what punishment is appropriate." he explains. "It is unfortunate that we must execute criminals. If we had the resources of a well-organized state behind us we could build prisons to properly contain criminals without killing them, or work camps so that they could be put to use and eventually be set free." Marius looks to Aaron and Hans. "We've saved two today." he says. "Kressle's fate is yet to be determined. We need to see what she has to say and what stain lies on her soul."
While the others may attempt to hide their feelings, Morgrym makes no such consideration. While his words in general are level and calm, anything that is spoken directly towards Scraps is openly mocking, condescending, or hostile in tone.
"Gerran's right. If I'm not mistaken, this land is under the legal direction of Restov. They have declared that, by their laws, the punishment for the crime of banditry is death. Kressle, Aaron and Hans are all guilty of this crime and therefore are all sentenced to death by the laws of this land. The laws that your charter, goblin, charge you to uphold. The question here isn't whether or not these men deserve to die; it has already been decided that they do. The question is if they deserve to live. Do you think she does, 'little one'? Even if you did, what would you have us do with her? Tie her over the back of the horses so we can spend every moment of every day watching her to make sure she doesn't escape? Or maybe we could put her on a leash for you and she can be your harmless bandit pet."
And again with the condescending tone Morgrymm? It's getting a little old me thinks ... and tiresome. Use your blessings from Father Torag on Scraps and I think you might have a hard time finding a soul anywhere with less taint.
Wallop scratches huts chin for a moment and turns to look at Aerynne.
Morgrymm makes a good point though. We're can't be baby sitting her or kiting here around on a rope either.
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Scraps looks up at Gerran, listening very careful to his words. After, she spends a moment thinking over what he's said, mulling it around in her mind. "I thinks I be unerstandin what ye be sayin. We capture a big bad an if we lets it go free, it eats other peoples and that no good. You sayin when we catch peoples not so bad, we can mebbee help dem, ifn it be safe." She nods slowly, but still looks a little doubtful.
When Marius joins the conversation, she pays his words equal attention, listening carefully and nodding throughout. "Yu be sayin that peoples which done wrong mus be punished. You wanna do it quicklike ta make it easier on dem an us. Scraps not know much about Law cept ta know it be mighty complicationed. Ifn a man be tired an wanna take a res ona bench, Scraps seen for laws: Ifn it a noble, he relax on da bench, this okay. Ifn he be a bitinessman, this okay fer a bit, but then guard tell him move along or he be loiterin. Ifn it be a child, the guard pop him on head an say gettin home or get woopin. Den, ifn be Scraps, she get throne out o da city and told never come back. Which be da Law?"
Finally, she listens very carefully to Morgrym, despite the hostile, mocking tone. Here too, she nods and pays very close attention. She has none of the uncertainty here however. "Devil man say you got gift from Torag that let you see inna peoples soul. Tell you how clean it be an what color it tis. I dinnae know about this Torag person or dis gift but I do know some things."
Walking over to Wallop, she smiles. "You an Missee unerstand Mercy an ye looks at the world as a new place ta find new things. I think you be likes me and mebbee one day you thinks that too."
Looking to Gerran, her eyes go up and up until she finds his. "You unerstand Right an Wrong which be very impertant. Me thinks you be okay wit this ta guide yas and I thinks Is trustin you. Me hopes I kin keeps trustin you."
To Marius she says, "You be a right smart one and dat type always scary. Yer unerstand the Law though an it be improtent, even if it not always be fair. Time tell if ye be fair but I suspectin the Law mean much ta you. Me ma says people that think traditions be fair are okays cause fairness be writ inta those traditions. I's thinkin we be seein soon enuff."
Finally, she walks over to Morgrym. "Da halflin and Missee unerstan Mercy. The cat-man unerstand Right n Wrong. Da devil man unerstan Tradition and da Law. I thinks I knows what you be unerstandin. You unerstand Hatred. I nots know exactly where I keeps me soul, but I's guessin it be inside me somewheres. I nots unerstand how ye see the color o a peoples soul ifn ye can't see pass the outside o em. How I knows yer can see souls? Jes you and devil man say you can but anyone kin say dey can. Even ifn ye kin see souls, how I know you saw whats you see? Mebee one day you jump up an holler, 'Lordy everone! I finally see Scraps soul an it be all blackness! Quick, killer now!' an then I be deaded, jes like those men before and this womans here."
Turning to Gerran before the storm erupts, she says, "Cat-man, I thinks you an devil man need ta write down da Law on when someone is ta die an who decides. I thinkin killin be moar important than six strangers standin in a circle deciding whatever works for da times. Mebbee ye writes who decides an why and how many haf ta decide. Maybe then Scraps can see if she think it right. Until then, Scraps papers say I come here, explore, and stop banditin. I not think it say I hafta kill everyone I suspect be a bandit. I do think it say I hafta stop anyone what go around killin lots a people though. Mebbee you figure it out so I doesn't have to come aroun an try ta stop usn."
lol
Wallop gently moves himself between the dwarf and the goblin. Just in case Morgrym decides to carve out Scraps soul with an axe to show her what they look like.
Gerran looks thoughtfully at Scraps while she speaks her piece, but when she's done, he tries to correct her - firmly, of course, but more gently than he felt Morgrym would.
"We aren't in a position to create our own laws, Scraps. We have been tasked, per our charters, to deal with unrepentant banditry. The punishment for this is death - that law exists already."
He ponders a moment, then continues. "It seems to me, though, that you're more concerned with what makes someone unrepentant. That, however, is not something I feel we should put down in writing. Let me explain my thinking..."
"We could spend any amount of time trying to define what makes someone unrepentant, and we probably still wouldn't be done. However hard we tried, no definition could handle all of the situations that could come up. There are as many different ways to be repentant, or not, as there are people who commit a crime."
"On top of that, we would be forever tied to that definition. It would take away our chance to judge each case based on its own merits. If we went against what we wrote, we could not expect others to respect what was written. If we changed what was written whenever it went against our wishes, we would not be respected ourselves."
"So, for those reasons, I don't believe we should do what you propose. Every situation will be different, and we have to be free to use our judgement for each case as it comes."
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Aerynne is surprisingly quiet throughout the entire conversation, and her eventual response is rather short:
"We do what we must, and just hope that we're right. That's basically all we can do." Aerynne offers the innocent goblin a weak smile. "That's the reality of life - and of accepting this quest."
"Before this spirals into yet another philosophical argument," the half-elf adds, slightly louder this time, hoping to defuse what seems like might result in a Morgrym-explosion, "I think it might be best that we begin our journey to the mites' den. We'll have plenty of time to work out the particulars of our contract on the way there, and we'll see what we do with Kressle when she wakes up. Don't you think?"
"I don't expect you to understand the gifts the Dwarf-Father has given me. But know that I don't live my life based on hatred, I live it based on reality. I've seen what people like this can do and I've seen what can happen when you give them any more leeway then they deserve.
I've seen your soul already. I won't lie, it's as pure as any I've seen. But I've spent my whole life surrounded by the sorrow your kind brings everywhere they go so forgive me if I don't exactly trust you."
Morgrym pauses for a moment before regarding Aerynne.
"I agree that we should head for the mites soon, but we still have this one to deal with." he says indicating Kressle.
Pleased at Morgrym's somewhat moderate response, Wallop chimes in with ...
Sounds fair. We will discuss Kressle's fate en route. I do have one question though. What the heck is a mite? The only mites I know of are the little bugs that infested the guard dogs on the winery. I can't see THEM attacking bandits and stealing jewelry.