A little color returns to Bronan's face. "By right this is as much yours as mine Gwyndolin." He holds the bag out in front of her to take what she will. "If you hadn't done as well as you did in the first challenge, there wouldn't have even been a second."
To Odd'n he says "I know they pissed you off. And you've every right to fight back and risk your life. But in the future, remember that you're risking our lives as well. You didn't like it when you thought Garret was betting your money. By picking fights like that, you're betting our blood just the same."
Finally, to Garret he says. "And you. Don't ever do that again. And for the love of Desna, if you are going to cheat, don't admit it!"
I bark out a short laugh at Bronan's comment to Gwyn "Ha! She lost the first challenge, If I had not stolen Tanwen's Holy Symbol back from Landis I would be out 279 gold from the betting and all of us would have had to chip in for the 1000. It turned out well enough for us, but I fear we will have to deal with him on the way back when we have the mayors son. It may be better to deal with him now. Just wait for a more opportune time to strike."
After his comment about cheating I say, "I only admitted to it because he already knew, i must not have been as sneaky as I thought while casting my spells."
Grumbling in agreement with Bronans assessment of him risking all their lives with his aggression, Odd'n returns to the group in time to overhear Garret suggest some kind've ambush.
"For once I think I agree with you, noble. It would make things more difficult come time to return when we have someone not used to combat in our midst. I'd MUCH rather clear the road beforehand. Besides, that Beshoi deserves the beating I had promised him.."
Shrugging his shoulders, Odd'n turns his hands palms up-- "So, do we wait for an ideal time to strike.. or continue on our way?"
"If we do strike I would suggest stealth, attacking at night, and killing as many as we can while they are asleep, that would at least turn the tables in our favor."
Bronan shakes his head. Senseless murder now? "We're still on a time table if you've forgotten. And we've no idea what the rest of our journey will be like. For all we know, Landis is the least dangerous thing out here. In any case, now that we know what to listen for, we can easily make a detour around his camp if we hear it again. Do what you will, I'll have no part of it."
"Well, in any case, I'll follow wherever Gwyn decides to go..."
At that, Odd'n shuts his mouth-- partly out of embarrassment for his aggression back there, but also to wait to hear what Gwyn has to say on things.
Umaveti rolls his eyes at the troupe behind him. He says in a tone heavy with annoyance and just a touch of fear, "You know, the mayor isn't likely to pay anyone who has to be carried back because their throats have been slit." He makes a throat-slitting gesture with his clawed forefinger. "I don't know about you lot, but I'd like to make it to Fwey, before breakfast."
He turns and begins trudging forward.
Hearing Odd'n complaining about people gambling away his money, after the proper amount is shared to each person, Tanwen approaches Odd'n and shyly hands him 50 more gp without explanation before dashing back to Garret.
I roll my eyes at the exchange and then sigh at the prospect of not getting to find out what magic items made Landis so good with the bow. "Yes well, Umaveti says to press on so we may as well."
Gwyn follows Umaveti, not sure what to make of the argument between Garret and Odd'n. Once Tanwen and Garret do catch up, she gets beside the priestess.
"Everything okay?" she asks.
Odd'n, equally befuddled by the priestesses show of generosity, accepts the coins with a shrug before continuing to trudge on behind Gwyn.
Tanwen answers Gwyn in a musical, but brassy voice, "Oh, wonderful! Just wonderful! The excitement, the danger, the risk! I've never been so energized!" She lifts her hands in praise to Pyralis.
Glad that the desire for revenge has been quenched for now, Bronan hustles to keep up with the others.
I suddenly pull up short, stopping completely as though having just though of something or having a change of heart. "No." I say. "We cannot just leave them there to prey on others, Landis is quite charismatic and the gang is strong. We should stop them now, not just so that we won't have to deal with them on the way back, but to keep them from harming others. They as much as admitted that how they treated us was unique, probably because they already feared us, for good reason too. Let us end this danger now before it grows." then I think to myself The loot that we may get from them won't hurt either. I hope this convinces most of them.
Odd'n nods towards Garret, but turns to wait to hear what Gwyn says before fully throwing his weight in with the noble.
Bronan stops walking. He looks conflicted. "Maybe you're right. I was so caught up in the prospect of a bonus reward for getting the mayor's son back quickly that I lost track the bigger picture. But it's only money, right? Stopping him from preying on other travelers might be worth it."
"What exactly do you propose? I can't say I have any experience with sneak attacks."
Gwyn looks at the others, and tries, unsuccessfully, to keep her terror from showing.
She didn't want to fight, she wasn't ready to die, and she didn't know if there was anything worth dying for.
Maybe she could talk to them? Perhaps they only needed a little guidance. Yes, that was it...
But she knows, even as the thoughts spring into her head, that Garret has the right of it. That, and that alone, makes the terror unbearable. There was no way to avoid the thing she was most afraid of.
"Well I propose we should set up camp now while we are close and wait until nightfall, resting of course. Then we can sneak into their camp around midnight circumventing their perimeter guards. Slay as many as we can in their beds, and once the alarm is raised finish the fight. I would recommend Gwyn and myself for the sneaking with the rest of you waiting outside the perimeter. You can rush to our aid if an alarm is raised."
"N-no. I-i can't..."
Her knuckles are white as she squeezes the holy symbol hanging from her neck.
Her eyes aren't seeing the others.
They see the blood on the cobbles that night.
Her blood.
"Slay them?" Bronan clearly doesn't like where this is going. "Couldn't you just... I don't know... knock them out or something? Steal their weapons so we can restrain them?"
Seeing that this is turning against me. I quickly say, "Yes knock out, that is what I meant. A slip of the tongue is all..."
"I agree this lot should be taken care of, but i think the key is through Landis amd Beshoi-- the leaders. You and Gwyn," Odd'n adds, addressing garret, "might get to them, but would need help to take them down.. and this idea of you two subduing everyone, SILENTLY and without raising alarm, is a little far fetched. I don't much like the idea of waiting for you two call for help, or guessing at what their may be that we are supposed to listen for."
"in.. the pits.. we used whistles, laughs, clicks and anything else that might sound normal to warn when guards are coming, or tell others of an opponents weakness. It is a fools gamble to expect us to listen for some unknown alarm signal or your call for help. We should KILL Landis and Beshoi, but we need a better plan."
Umaveti grunts and twitches like a child about to throw a fit because the other kids aren't playing fair. Then coolly, he sighs and says, "Sneak up on a gang of twelve bandits and a deadly highwayman? It's your funeral," He adjusts his pack, "If any of you don't fancy dying soon, you can accompany me to Fwey." He turns and walks away.
Odd'n nudges Gwyns shoulder, "Unless we have a new plan I suggest we go with Umaveti. I want this troupe gone as much as the rest, but.. I can't see a sneak attack succeeding. Perhaps coming back we can surprise them.. embrace them as friends before striking..".
Odd'n half turns to follow Umaveti but pauses momentarily, expecting Gwyn to spring ahead of him and onward to Fwey.
Bronan looks to Umaveti, then to Garret, then back to the snake man, indecision wracking his features.
A little voice in the back of his head tells Odd'n it might be a good idea to keep his eyes on the forest and hills running alongside them as he and Umaveti proceed on to Fwey.
Gwyn follows close behind Umaveti, looking back every dozen steps or so, as if she was expecting Landis and his men to coming behind for an ambush.
I sigh again in defeat and follow the rest of the party.
Odd'n sees a small mass of black scales and spines curled behind a large earthen formation in the desert. As the group draws nearer two points of red-orange light reveal themselves.
Odd'n, unsure of what he is seeing, nudges Gwyn in the shoulder and points towards the mass. "Uhm.. er...? is all that he manages to get out, his mind unsure of what he is seeing.
Seeing Odd'n point I look over at what he saw.
Bronan takes a look as well.
"What is that?" Gwyn asks.
The talking seems to disturb the creature, it seems to get bigger and a rasping roar, like a hurricane wind blowing through a ghost town, emanates from what you can assume is it's snout/mouth.
At this Umaveti runs and hides behind a rock. Because he's very, very afraid. Or at least, you assume that's what his girlish scream is meant to convey.
The reptile leaps gingerly from it's post and
An Umbral Dragon! What in the 9 hells is that doing here? I pull out my bow and fire on it seeing that it is already irate.
But due to being startled my shot goes way wide.
Odd'n seeing the beast rear up and still with no certainty as to what it is, instinctively places himself between Gwyn and.. it, waiting for it to make a move.
The reptile leaps gingerly from its post, revealing it's relatively small size. It opens its pint-sized mouth, and all the light before him seems to escape as its negative energy blasts forth.
Garret's arrow whizzes helplessly past the dragon's small head.
Dragon
Garret
Caltrop <-- we are currently here
Odd'n
Gwyn
Bronan
Tanwen
Odd'n feels the darkness wash over his skin, sapping him of his vitality and energy-- his vision fades momentarily as the billowing cloud engulfs him.
Moments later it returns, his vision is as sharp as before although he feels a lingering burn on his skin. Looking back, he checks to see if Gwyn is safe.