"Bah, allways the worrier. Come on, we didn't even get a scratch in this fight. It's not like we are gonna jump out and say 'Oi, look at us we are here to kill you' - well we probably would get away with it if we did, but of course we are going to plan this raid too. Trust me, they won't have a chance"
"Two words Ardell. Pigeon Loft. I remember what happened last time I got curious and you got impatient."
Ardell fixes Pavla with a hard stare "I told you not to bring that up in front of others!" he says through clenched teeth.
He turn his eyes to the floor and say no more.
"What's so damn secret about a pigeon coop?"
"I'm sorry. I forgot. It was a loft, not a coop and I should just shut up now."
Pavla sounds genuinely contrite.
"Korren, is there any way we can help Oleg and Svetlana protect this place if we're hunting down bandits?" she asks, briskly changing the subject.
"Well, repairing the walls and teaching them to fight would be a good start. Still, you've only got two people against however many bandits, and good walls don't mean a thing if a lucky shot can take out half the protection."
*cough*
"Go and get 'em." Oleg says simply.
"Yes. Let's take action now. If we go now we will take them by surprise"
"The sooner the better. I still want to know about these, though." Pavla holds up the stag amulet and the flasks found on Happs's body.
Ardell look harsh at the bandit when he doesn't seem to answer Pavla
"I believe you were asked a question"
Kari's been walking the perimeter of the fort, looking for any scouts the bandits left behind, and not wanting to have to help make a decision as to what to do with the captured bandits.
The bandit grimaces, "Alchemist's Fire" he says simply, "Dunno about the jewellery."
"Oleg, do you have any horses we could rent. It shouldn't be more than for a couple of days."
"I already told you, all I got is that old nag. Sure you don't wanna just hang 'em? They'll slow ya down."
"Alchemist's fire? Interesting."
Pavla examines the flasks. "We can use these. It's a nasty weapon, but a useful one."
"No hanging. These are useful men and they can do a useful job. What are your names?" she asks the ex-bandits.
"Of course if is, it can set a man on fire."
"I already told you, all I got is that old nag. Sure you don't wanna just hang 'em? They'll slow ya down."
"Nah, that would be a waste. I'm telling you, this guy.." he nestle the hair on the bandit that talked "is a fine fella. The other one not so much. But we will change that soon enough, eh?" he says and wink at the bandit
"What is your name by the way?" he ask his favorite bandit
"Can we trust them?" Kari says. "I have to agree with Oleg. They're bandits, they should hang. They'd kill us if they had the chance."
"Kill us? I can't say about the scum in the shack - guess he'll kill for a meal about now - but this one won't kill us. Aint that right?"
"And who can you trust, really? No no seriously, how can you know you can trust any of us? Who know what dark secrets we have in our past" he look with great drama at each of the group "I can sense this one is willing to change."
"And if he do kill us... well, i'll take full responsibilty for it" he finish with one of his customary winks
"It says "unrepentant". I prepared to believe they're repentant."
Pavla pockets the silver stag ornament and whispers quietly to Kari -
"I can't kill in cold blood. Actually, until just now, I didn't know I could kill at all."
"We'll give them one chance. If either of them betray us, they'll be dead. If they don't, they've repented."
"We'll give them one chance. If either of them betray us, they'll be dead. If they don't, they've repented."
"Of course"
"And now! Off to adventure..."
"We'll give them one chance. If either of them betray us, they'll be dead. If they don't, they've repented."
"Or we'll be dead. Or they'll wait for us to let them go, thinking they're reformed, and join some other band of bandits and kill some innocent person. This isn't some nice civilized city. This is the frontier. Would either of those 'repentant' bandits shown mercy to any of the people here. Or to any of the farmers that they'd killed? Wait till the first time we run across a burnt out farm with childrens bodies around and see if you feel the same way then. We can't jail them, we can't trust them, we should hang them."
"First, that's why we're taking them with us. So they don't run off and do it again. Two, if they've slaughtered any farmsteads, they will die. You two haven't slaughtered any families, have you?" Korren says the last part jokingly to the bandits, but it's obvious what will happen if they say yes.
"It says "unrepentant". I prepared to believe they're repentant."
Pavla pockets the silver stag ornament and whispers quietly to Kari -
"I can't kill in cold blood. Actually, until just now, I didn't know I could kill at all."
"Hunting humans is similar to hunting animals, and there's no less moral compunction to killing these bandits than say killing a rabid dog." Blackbow states in a dead tone.
"First, that's why we're taking them with us. So they don't run off and do it again. Two, if they've slaughtered any farmsteads, they will die. You two haven't slaughtered any families, have you?" Korren says the last part jokingly to the bandits, but it's obvious what will happen if they say yes.
"Are we keeping them with us forever, Korren? Of course they'll be fine tied up and guarded, but we can't do that indefinately, can we?"
"Are we keeping them with us forever, Korren? Of course they'll be fine tied up and guarded, but we can't do that indefinately, can we?"
"If they've put up with him *points at Ardell* until we let them go, they're reformed."
"Look, if it turns out they're not reformed, we can do something about it. But why waste potential manpower? We need all the help we can get. Meanwhile, let's start walking."
Pavla prods experimentally. "If you're coming with us - and you are - you need to be functional. I don't just do hawks, I glue people together as well," she explains.
"Oops ... I'm not sure that's right ..." Something clonks alarmingly and the bandit turns white with pain.
"If you'd just keep still, this wouldn't be a problem. You're just being a baby, it's only dislocated."
"... and now it isn't."
"Up you get. You're showing us the way remember?"
"There were only 4 of them, so there should only be 4 of us visible as we approach. I will scout ahead while two of you stay within bowshot of those two..."
"Five of us, if one of us wears Svetlana's cloak," suggests Pavla.
Finding his most militaristic voice Ardell starts yelling at the bandits "You heard the lady! Up, up, up!"
He starts pacing back and forth in front of them, hand behind his back.
"Now we want a nice clean trip. No side treks, no funny bussines. Understand? When we say jump, you ask how high! When we say quiet, you will bite off your tongues!"
"You there!" he points at the bandit who talked. "Since you have shown a willingness to reform and cooperate you will be known as Number 1. What we tell you is law."
"And you." He walks closer to the bandit that refused to talk and poke a finger in his chest "You will learn to cooperate, or you will die! From now on you will be known as Number 2. You are to carry my backpack at all times, and you will take commands from Number 1."
"Number 1, Number 2! You will obey our every order untill you have proven yourself worthy to have your names back."
"DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"
"Ardell, that's ridiculous. We're not going to encourage cooperation by de-humanising them. Besides, we don't even know what their names are." whispers Pavla.
She shrugs. "Of course, we could always make some up."
"Ardell, that's ridiculous. We're not going to encourage cooperation by de-humanising them. Besides, we don't even know what their names are." whispers Pavla.
"It's not 'de-humanising', it's called dicipline."
She shrugs. "Of course, we could always make some up."
"And i did - Number 1 and Number 2."
"I like "Fred" and "Ginger" better," she mutters.
"Have it your way, but don't come whining to me when someone cuts sticks a knife in your back."
He seems to think it over.
"Hmm.. Who would be who? None of them really looks like a Fred. Well maybe that one, a bit"
Pavla rolls her eyes and goes to ask Svetlana if she can borrow a cloak and pack some supplies for the journey.
Ardell shrugs "Don't mind her, she's allways like that"
"Number 1, which do you like best Fred or Ginger?"
"I heard that, Ardell."
"They're only co-operating hoping to escape and warn thier friends. They're bandits, Pavla. I hope we come across some of the things they've done on this little ride so that you start to see what those of us who live out here already know.
"They're not recruits, or soldiers, or friends. They're vermin who burn down peoples houses, steal food and clothes, and leave children to die of cold in the winter. If you think we can use them, fine. It's a mistake, I think, but I've been outvoted.
"But stop treating them as if they are just misguided. No one forces you to become a bandit. You do it by choice."
Ardell's parade ground routine gets a little smirk. Kari finds it amusing.