With the one man going down she will yell out to the others "One of your members has already fallen, two more have succumb to my companions magic. I would advice you to surrender before you join them."
Vors, hearing Asha's words, attempts to pommel-bash the one who attacked him, trying to knock him unconscious.
Vors' pommel punch goes wide, and the bandit steps back and begins to run away.
Still up in the wooden tower, Farfadet frowns as he catches glimpse of the bandit turning tail.
What a coward! We'll have to see if you can escape from our grasp...
Seeing the bandit flee she yells "Do not run surrender! Otherwise, I can shot rather far!"
She pulls an arrow and prepares to shot if the man doesn't stop running.
Vors curses his leniency, hoping that the others can halt the bandit from running too far off while he gives chase.
Farfadet attempts to position himself to strike dumb the fleeing bandit with his magic, but can't close the distance quickly enough. However he is in place to interrupt the remaining bandit if he tries the same.
The last bandit also attempts to withdraw and flee from Vors.
Successfully shaking off Farfadet's spell.
The two fleeting bandits are roughly 30' outside the outpost.
Racing after the fleeing bandits Ardainn slashes at the nearest.
+
"Surrender now if you hope to live, scum," he hisses.
Asha's shot goes wide.
Ardainn races after the fleeing bandets, catching up and cutting him down with a vicous slash.
Vors seeing that the lightly armored Ardainn barely caught them, looks around and spots Ardainn's cross bow lying on the ground, picks it up and runs after the fleeing bandits and ends roughly 25 feet from the bandits.
The gnome, a malicious air in his eyes, starts taunting the fleeing bandits.
"Run, you fools, and never come back! Your cowardice shows you're nothing but rabble, and we'll get you one day!
Then he uses the first opportunity possible to cast daze on the bandit he hasn't tried his charms on yet.
The last bandit is going to cut and run.
Asha will continue to try and stop the fleeing bandit.
Once the fight is over Asha will check the wounded bandits and if still alive stop their bleeding. Any bandits alive she will recommend to the group "We should get them tied up and try to question them."
Ardainn runs after the last bandit, swinging wildly. When it seems futile to chase him any further, he will return to Oleg's. Finding that Asha has stabilized the survivors, he glares at her.
"The rope or the blade," he mutters. "That's what they've earned." Still, he makes no move to harm them, and stands guard over the sleepers as rope is found.
She shakes her head to Ardainn "There was also that tiny piece of being unrepentant. They could still be valuable members of the community if they turned from banditry. Not to mention Oleg noted they only appeared to follow out of fear, perhaps if they had better options they would be content to be a contributing member of the community."
She goes to untie her rope for use and if more is needed will check with Oleg if they could utilize some. She looks to the others before getting started ”Is anyone particularly good at tying knots?”
Vors hand Ardainn his crossbow, then turns to help Asha. "Aye, I've bound many louts in my day. Give me a turn."
He turns to Ardainn. "I agree with you, but would give the option to Oleg first. Let his be the deciding voice, after we hear what they have to tell us about their company. I fear that the one who fled may bring more of them back."
"I agree, we should let our host decide. He's the one who had trouble with these bandits in the first place." agrees Farfadet. "If it were up to me, I'd leave them dancing with one of my satyr friends until the moment they'd collapse from exhaustion, then let them go. The satyr's waltz is no small feat, mind you!"
That being said, Farfadet searches the bandits and gathers their gear in a small pile for him to inventory.
The final bandit manages to run away, at times falling to all fours in his haste as his stumbles over the brush, but eventually outdistances you an disappears from sight.
Their leader has expired while the combat raged around him, but you've tied up the two who are sleeping; and stabilized and tied up the other injured one.
You search of their belongs yields:
2 alchemists fire
4 leather armor (assuming you've stripped the incapacitated bandits)
dagger
composite longbow (built for +2 str)
3 longbows
3 short swords
80 arrows
5 days rations
amulet of a silver stag head
5 riding horses, ill treated and in bad condition
65 gp
Oleg approaches you and the tied-up bandits. Smiling at your handiwork and the dead bandit leader. "Master Ardainn, I was surprised to see an elf with the crossbow, but your skill with the blade is most impressive. My heart screams for the vengeance and punishment you quoted. But Asha is right to speak of redemption; I feel you could also learn much from them. Now that we have them at our mercy I'm not sure I could kill them in cold blood, though they do deserve it. At Vors is right, we may have won the day, but I fear what may come soon."
At Farfadet's mention of Satyrs and fey magic Oleg looks a little apprehensive, giving the gnome a little more room.
"My bow was broken by bandits not so different from these, the last time I passed through these lands," Ardainn explained to Oleg. He picks up one of the longbows and a pair of quivers, nodding to himself. "That loss, at least, has been replaced." The dark look he gives the bandits leaves no doubt that there were other losses.
"If I were alone, I'd saddle my horse and hunt him down, but there is a danger of reprisals." He sighs and wakes one of the sleeping bandits with a kick.
"Would you live, scum?" he says softly. "I'm seeking an elven woman, a servant of Arshea. She was taken from a caravan four weeks ago, southwest of here. What do you know of her?"
Looking over the accumulated gear, Vors waves a hand to the party. "Little of interest to me, here, save for the coin. Anything you see that you like?"[b]
Vors approaches the horses cautiously, offering something crunchy to eat. [b]"If they recover well, these would be well suited to speeding along our exploration. What say you, friends?"
WIth the bandits secured Asha see's to Ardainn's wounds as well as the bandit, calling on Erastil to heal them.
A warm breeze with an interesting mixed smell of the clean outdoors mixed with grain ripe for harvest, radiates from Asha and washes over those around her healing thier wounds. Seeing Arainn is still deeply injured she places her hand on him, it is warm and calming to the touch as energy flows from her into Ardainn completely sealing off his wounds and stopping the bleeding. She smiles as she removes her hand and flips a loose strand of hair behind her ear "That should be better."
The bandit awakens with a groan, looks around quickly, sees his dead leader, and trussed comrades. "Live, live! please let me live." When you mention the elven caravan his visibly starts. "Yes.... I remember some elves... they gave me these" he points out many long, recently healed scars on his arms.
At another kick and a growl from Ardainn, he continues."We took three captives, women all, while the others fought their way free. We kept them for three nights until they escaped.... No, don't kick me again, I know no more of them"
Vors frowns. "Escape prisoners, in this weather? We should make haste to their last location, and try to track them from there."
Asha looks to the bandit "Can you give us the location where these captives escaped? What about your camp? I assume you won't want to be going back there now with your friend running back to tell any others what have happened."
"Thank you, Asha," Ardainn says, giving her an awkward bow as his wounds close.
When the bandit responds to his question, he looks ready to mount up immediately, but he shakes his head. He turns to Vors and mutters. "It's been weeks. The chances of finding a trail is slim. We are tasked with exploring the region. We can search for them at the same time."
"Where did you come from? Who sent you? How many men at your master's stronghold?" Ardainn has stopped kicking the bandit, but is holding the point of his long blade over the man's heart.
Addressing Asha, and looking a little more comfortable addressing her.
"You're right about that. They'd kill me if I go back there; you'll likely kill me too, but I guess there's a chance you won't... Our camp is about roughly 30 miles south and slightly west of here. in the forest near the river."
Shrinking as much as he can from Ardainn's blade, he keeps his eyes fixed on the ground, afraid to look at your face."Kressle sent us, on behalf of the Stag Lord. There were other's left behind today at our camp. I've heard some other names mentioned; I think there's more camps and obviously the Stag Lord is somewhere else, but only Kressle deals with his messengers... Those other names ... Akiros? Ox? Doven from somewhere..."
Oleg approaches Asha "Here, you handled them well and it sounds like you'll make sure their camp is taken care of too. When you're not off exploring, feel free to use the guest house free of charge and we'll feed you a warm meal."
He hands you a small pouch of coins and three potions.
Asha gentle places a hand on Ardainns blade to move it away, nodding slowly as if to say Let me try this. She gets down on her knees to be on a closer level with the bandit. "We need not put an end to your life if you are repentant for your misdeeds. Perhaps you can tell me, what led you to this life? Why not do something to prosper your community rather than drain from it?
-----
"Our thanks! It will make our journeys easier to know we have somewhere safe to return. As well, I will be sure to aid you as I can when we are here. " She will take the supplies and distribute the potions to the others as well as split the gold.
"Was a farmhand up near Restov; didn't like the hard work, walked out one day found my way down here and fell in with the bandits. Not exactly what I wanted to do, but was an easier life. Don't know much. What else could I do?" He's starting to look a little hopeful, but also appears to recognize that there's not much to redeem him in his answer.
Once done with the pile of gear, Farfadet mumbles words of power and gazes at the pile intently.
During his inspection, he seems so absorbed by his task that he's completely oblivious of what's being said right next to him. When he's finished with his task, the gnome snaps out of it and chimes in.
"This Stag Lord is most interesting! Is it a fey of some sort? Does he have real antlers at least? If he's the power-that-be around here, we should seek him out."
Pausing for a second, Farfadet ponders a thought. "Speaking of which, didn't the charter say we were supposed to hang any person convicted of banditry? I suppose my satyr friend will have to wait, sadly."
And to Oleg: "Friend Oleg, we thank you for your mighty hospitality! That is very kind of you, and I won't forget your generosity anytime soon. What color of clothes do you prefer, by the way? And you, Lady Svetlana?"
To his companions: "We should only keep what we can carry, I think, and ask Oleg if he'd be interested in buying some of this gear. I for one would gladly take the alchemical fiery vials, if no one objects."
"Hanging a man is not much fun. We have only had them occasionally on Restov, and then a headsman had to do so. He wore a hood, too, so nobody knew who he was. That kind of job makes you a pariah."
Vors nods at Farfadet, then turns to Oleg, "We claim this gear for ou efforts, but do not need it all for our travels. We would sell it to you for trade back with the city. What do you say?"
Asha nods as she listens to the man’s words then motions to the dead leader ”So you would prefer this over some hard work and a long life then?” She shrugs ”We can only help you if you are truly repentant and wish to become a contributing member of this community. Otherwise, I will have to let my friend here have his way with you.” She nudges her head toward Ardainn.
As the man contemplates his situation she will take Oleg aside. ”Perhaps you could use some extra hands to tend to things here? I would be willing to chip in for some sort of salary if you can use them to advance your causes and bring them back into the fold and away from banditry. Of course, they would need to work for some time simply for room and board as reparations for the difficulties they have already caused you, but afterwards a fair wage should help to keep them honest. However, I do not wish to offer them things I cannot make good on, so I want to see what your thoughts are. Otherwise we are left with letting them go back to Restov where they may simply end up back in league with the bandits, holding them here until we can get someone to come get them, or put an end to them.”
The bandit, responding to Farfadet, "I've never seen the Stag Lord to know; but the stories told a make him sound like a beast of a man; larger, much stronger and more vicious. I've heard stories of him having a stag's skull in place of a head; other scoff and say its a helmet. In either case he's either insane, or not human in his motivations."
Oleg, to Asha: "I came here to get away from crowds of people and politics, but from what your charter indicates, its going to find me again. In that case, can't say I wouldn't mind some extra laborers around here... I might be able to trust one, and this fella's been most cooperative with the band of you around, but when you're away.... And he's got two friends here... They'd outnumber me and Svetlana and have already shown they're crude and rough at heart. Perhaps they can be salvaged, but..."
Oleg to Farfadet: "You speak of clothes now? Can't it wait until we're not interrogating a bandit and planning assaults upon their camp?"
To Vors: "Aye, I can buy what you don't need from them and send it north for better profits."
You see some posters nailed to wall in his office.
The swordlords of Restov hereby announce a bounty of 400 gp to be paid when bandit activity around Oleg's has been significantly decreased.
We have received reports of increased kobold activity. Ensure that the kobolds do not become a destablizing force through force or peace and we, the Swordlords of Restov, will send an 800 gold piece reward.
Oleg’s offering a 600 gold reward for a relatively intack Tatzlwyrm head as a trophy to mount in the trading post
Hunter Vekkel Benzen is offering his masterwork longbow and six magic arrows to whomever can deliver head of Tuskgutter, the wild boar, to Oleg
The gnome is speechless for a second. "But... clothes are very important to consider! They're essential, even. Yet I see your point, this stag lord obviously needs my advice in terms of fashion way more than you do. "
"What of the others then, can you get word to Restov with Roland to have them retrieved or maybe he can take them back? Otherwise we let them go and hope for the best or we will need to put them to the sword. I would stay to help keep them in line if I could but my friends need my assistance on the road."
-----
Asha will try out the new bow and after some discussion with Ardainn happily accepts to take it along with one of the daggers. She also grabs half the arrows leaving the others for Ardainn.
The other bandits, upon waking, and given the choice between death and serving as laborers at Oleg's quickly agree to work. You're not positive they'll stay reformed, but you think you can trust them, for a day or two at least. Oleg asks you to avoid taking about your plans in front of them, feeling if they knew you'd be gone for multiple days, they'd try something. But as long as they think you're nearby they should stay in line.
With your horses, you think it would take about 8 hours to get close to where the river enters the forest after that you'll have to go slower as you make your way into the forest.
Seeing that no one objects, Farfadet tugs both alchemist's fires into his pouches with an air of pride.
"Let's have them stay here to help Oleg. We'll return soon anyway to check up on them."
To Asha: "I believe that The Lord Mayor also made mention of sending additional guards. They could help police these men."
-----
Vors per uses the posters with interest, making mental note of the rewards. "I wonder what 'significantly decreased' means." He shrugs, changes from his scale armor to his studded leather armor, then goes to prepare a horse for riding.
Asha nods to the others and adds one final word to all the bandits "Prove yourselves worthy of this community and I will do my best to ensure you have a prosperous future here. I expect that Oleg will have no trouble from you!”
-----
Asha packs up her, gear at least what she thinks she will need and gets one of the horses ready to ride. She spends some time with the animal, getting to know it a little better before mounting up with the others.
It's mid-morning by the time you finished your interrogation of the bandits and packed for you journey to their camp. Oleg gets the three new laborers to work, repairing some of the palisade walls on the far side of the trading post, helping to disguise your preparations and departure. The land around the trading post is still hard, frozen with winter. But visibility is good as the plains stretch away east and south. To south and west the forests you are heading for, make a smudge on the horizon. The thick brown grasses, show signs that this land could be very fertile under proper management.
The journey passed uneventfully, you reach the edge of the forests and follow it. The forest is a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees, old growth and Ardainn points out signs of the forest slowly edging into the plains.
Shortly after nightfall, relaying on the parties members with low-light vision, you reach the river. The shores are lined with ice, while the center still flows freely.
Vors looks into the deepening gloom and assesses his combat readiness. "I feel that dawn may be the better time to strike! but perhaps either of you," he indicates Ardainn and Farfadet, "would be able to scout the situation by the starlight here. What say you?"
"No fire," he says softly.
While the others set up a camp, he scouts around the bandit's camp by starlight.
Being sneaky,
looking carefully,
checking for tracks,
as he goes.
If not, he will help make up the camp and offer to take the middle watch.
Farfadet looks surprised. "Me scouting? What an honor, of course I'll do it!" he enthusiastically replies before jumping down from his horse and disappearing in the woods alongside Ardainn. Thanks to his small size, he easily melds into the winter flora, his bright hair hidden under a furry chapka.
Approaching the camp, Farfadet opens his eyes wide and smells the air, eager to find out about the habits of these bandits.
The two of you spend roughly 3 hours sneaking up the river towards the camp. The smell of their campfire is the first sign of their camp, followed by the flickering lights. Working together, Farfadet keeps you both under cover and undetected, while Ardainn spots the two hidden blinds (). You see 5 bandits around the campfire, while there is one bandit in each of the blinds.
You overhear small fragments of conversations, a women with a pair of hatchets at her waist, seems to the leader, constantly threatening the others with the lose of a finger, or an ear if they don't stay in line. They seem slightly surprised, but not worried, that the raiding party isn't back yet.
It takes you another three hours to return to your camp, roughly mid-night.
Farfadet returns with a pleased, smug look. "I think we have an opportunity to strike. They are five, and a woman with two small axes appears to be calling the shots in a cruel way. We could try and surprise them with the veil of darkness, since the runaway didn't reach camp yet. It's three hours away."
As Farfadet explains the situation Asha thinks to herself a moment before replying. "I agree that attacking as soon as we can would be the best option, especially if surprise is on our side."
Ardainn looks slightly less pleased than Farfadet, but it doesn't seem likely that he's going to be happy as long as a single bandit survives in the region.
"If you," his glance includes Farfadet and Asha, "Feel up to it, I think our best chance is to strike tonight. I'm mostly concerned with the two blinds. If you have magic that can keep them neutralized, it will greatly improve our chances. Otherwise, they will have to be dealt with."