"Whatever ya decide to do, I'll try and help. But know this: once any fightin' starts, my first and only priority is makin' sure Svetlana here is safe," he says, putting an arm around her. His face grows resolute as he adds, "And she is to have no part in this, ya hear? I won't have her putting herself in danger."
Great, another noble thinks they deserve to be here. This fight's gonna be interesting.
He nods at Oleg. "Wouldn't dream of anything else. Maybe a little help, then protect her." Don't want you in the way when things start getting nasty anyway.
Rockne inclines his head toward the new arrival. "And now that he's come to help even the odds, I'm thinking the only help we need from you Oleg is to draw them inside so we can get those gates closed. Then go hide until its over. The faster the trap is sprung the faster I'm in there busting heads."
"Its like man says: hit them hard and fast." But you think about calling ME 'peewee', fancypants, you're going to regret it.
Speaking in almost a gutteral growl, Grautak says,"You calling me peewee, my brother, or my friend Rockne? Regardless I don't take insults toward me and my friends well. So you can apologize or we can hash it out. Your choice." With a glance toward Whisper and Dagru accompanied by a slight tilt of his head, Grautak's hands tighten on his sword. Whisper lets out a very low hiss, and it becomes a apparent to the group why he is named such.
"I'm in a generous mood and I don't want to scare Oleg and his wife. So you got one more chance to apologize, Popinjay! And it better be good!" Grautak's eyes shift from Gird to Whisper and Dagru and then back to Gird. A grim look appears on his face as Whisper readies to pounce.
Vianella tenses as Dagru announces the sound of approaching horses. The bandits! Do they arrive early? We are not prepared! She visibly relaxes when the half-elf arrives and makes his pronouncement. I seem to recall him at the gathering a few days back... A Medvyed, I believe... They're not _that_ powerful... Perhaps they just wanted to get rid of him, considering his already abrasive-seeming nature.
The Lady Vianella Orlovsky stands drawing herself up and interposes her smaller form between the two men. "Please, gentlemen!" If I happen to use the term loosely, "Lay aside your arms and your pride."
"A 'dandy' is merely a term used to describe a man who takes care for his appearance," she said, speaking to Gird, and it looks like he needs to take the time to look even remotely presentable. I thought half-breeds were supposed to be attractive... so much for that meme... Damnit, Vi, there you go again... After her brief pause, she continues. "And if your method of 'debating your way out of problems' that you are 'on occasion' known for is to get your back up over a mere word, bringing the situation closer to a brawl rather than a peaceful solution, you may want to consider adding the phrase 'rarely if at all' to your statement."
"And you," she says, turning to Grautak, "His paperwork seems valid. Whatever their reasons, the Swordlords and Lord Mayor saw fit to add this man to our roster. He is one of us, whether we like it or not."
Glaring at them both, the noblewoman continues her scolding. "We are here to stop the bandits plaguing Svetlana and her husband. I would rather we not do the bandit's work for them and defeat ourselves."
After ensuring the papers were authentic he nods to the group.
"Well so be it then, another to fling his blade. Well might as well get you briefed so that you will be useful. I am putting away the drink though, save it for another night."
Dagru goes over the situation again with the entire group and hosts present. Upon completion of the scenario he presents his last attempt at a plan for the party.
"I am the walkway hidden with my bow and bottles, Gird should man one gate door while Rockne man the other with both concealed until the bandits enter the area. My brother should be with Whisper within blitz distance to hit them while they are confused possible at the hidden edge of a building (A2). Lastly the ladies should come from the opposite direction possibly the stables [A3]. They enter, the gates shut, and then we drop them where they stand. Maybe one lives, maybe they don't but either way our work will have only started. Now I must get started making my concoctions for morning"
Dagru begins to put away his drink and cart while listening for comments from the others.
Grautak assists his brother, occasionally shooting poisonous looks at Gird and grumbling.
I'll have my apology one way or the other. Let's see how he does tomorrow. Vianella may be right, which is why I gave him another chance to apologize. But that don't change nothing. I'll wait... For now.
|
As soon as the threat stops, Gird relaxes his guard with a flourish. Sparing not a glance.
Gird puts his horse in the stables
Hmmm.. I wonder if he would have attacked over being called Peewee, especially when he flung epithets first?
Gird walks over to Rockne "So how are we going to conceal ourselves before we come out and close the gate? Maybe under the walkways behind hangings"
"Im hoping with the gates open, we can stay out of sight behind them. Until we start swinging 'em closed of course."
Over the course of the evening, the group finalizes their plan and turn to their sleeping arrangements. Dagru and Grautak volunteer to sleep in the stables, allowing the others to each have a bed in the guest house. For some among their number, it is little better: the "guesthouse" is not divided into rooms, but is rather a series of four cots and three bedside tables all in a line, each with a footlocker for personal effects.
The next day comes and goes, agonizingly slowly for those in the fort as they await for nightfall to herald the possible approach of the bandits, should they keep to their schedule. The anticipation is nearly more than some of the more eager members of the team can handle, but finally, after hours and hours of waiting in position, the sound of several hooves can be heard approaching, as well as the loud boasting of overconfident men.
"Honey! I'm hoooome!" the lead rider calls out as he and five other men brazenly ride in through the open gates. He laughs and looks to the man to his side, who simply curls a lip in a silent chuckle.
"Ey, Happs! Looks like the prick has fergot his manners? What gives?" another man asks as he looks over the empty tables.
Happs yells out, "Hey! Oleg! Get your fat and your wife's fine ass up and get out here! Me and my men are hungry!" He then turns his head slightly and adds, "...and lookin' for a bit of fun to, right boys? I think it's time Svetlana does her part for more than just cookin', right?"
Oleg makes his way out, warily eyeing the men on horseback as he exits his home.
"Oleg, I said to bring your wife with ya. Where's she at? I wanna see that pretty red hair of hers..." the lead man says as Oleg anxiously steps closer...
...and then the trap is sprung! Gird and Rockne jump out and slam the gates closed behind the mounted bandits, the sudden movement causing the rear two horses to rear in fright, sending one of the riders falling to the ground.
As the confusion sets in, Oleg bolts back inside and slams the front door of his home shut!
__________
Ready for the group Dagru creates and lets loose a bomb with his bombchunker.
Yandasana heart thumps rapidly at the sound of the bandits arrival. She was not much for the bloodshed that was no doubt going to happen. But, her companions insisted on going through with this plan. She made sure to prepare herself by experimenting with alchemy to ease the stress of this beforehand. Yanda was soon going to find out whether the horrors of war were true. Does a kingdom need to built with blood?
Yandasana hastily grips her drink tighter with tension. She drinks her prepared recipe urgently, which results in a few coughs afterward. The drink has a bitter taste to Yanda's mouth, but she successfully consumes all of it.
Her hands shake nervously as she draws her rapier. At this moment, I may know if I can handle a situation such as this...
Yandasana yells at the top of her lungs, "For the sake of your lives, drop all your weapons and surrender. If you continue to hold such tools of destruction, then my allies will keep their aggression towards you."
Rockne can feel his heart start to race as the sound of horses announce the imminent arrival of the bandits. He jumps up and down a few times while they are still far off, trying to burn off some extra before he needs to stand still and silent waiting.
Then finally the time comes as their prey arrives. Rockne clenches his teeth as he listens to their brash words. Typical bullying jack a--es. Going to cram those words right down your throat.....
He slams the gate closed with satisfied glee, which turns to aggravation as the elf moves to attack position. "Nice locking the gate, you git."
Knowing how important it is he slams the bolt home before taking a step forward to swing at the unfortunate idiot who fell off his horse.
Heh overconfident asses. These fools remind me of our first bandit group.
As the bandits draw near, Grautak's hand tightens on his sword and his heels tighten in his stirrups. Whispers tenses, ready to pounce.
Grautak charges forward calling out a challenge and attacking the leader.
Grautak slashes at the leader's chest, drawing blood as Whisper rips the man's throat out.
Dagru watched for a moment as the connection of his first bomb broke about the man causing the mix to pour across his body causing such pain that the man screamed out in agony. The splash wounded his horse and the surrounding horse while also hurting the other rider. Just then his brother and his pet ripped the leader apart.
"We have them now! Keep up the pressure!"
He then concocts another bomb and targets another to finish them off as fast as possible.
Just like the good ole days. These new troopers will learn. Seems the half elf might be of use after all.
Vianella took some deep breaths to calm herself. The anticipation of this battle, her first, if one excludes chess, was causing her to shake like a leaf.
The noblewoman and priestess of Abadar, began a sermon. One of the role of Abadar in the keeping of the Laws of the world and how hr companions were acting for this Law
The Lady Vianella Orlovsky peeks around the corner, her crossbow, the weapon of Abadar, ready to fire. She pales noticeably as she sees the blood spatter across the wall of the guest house, a form lying prone beneath the feet of a horse. Taking another breath to settle herself, she move down the alley to better sight an enemy. She shudders as she sees the gore from Grautak's and hi wolf's attacks against the other, the one she could identify as their 'leader' from the previous descriptions. Swallowing bile at the gruesome sight, she forces herself to look down the length of her crossbow, aiming it at the nearby man, letting it fly.
Abadar was with her, as the bolt flew deep into the man's chest, causing him to collapse from his steed, blood flowing from the wound.
The second throw is targeted at the center rider. The throw is on target inflicting great pain to the rider but did not kill him.
Dagru's throw had now damaged several riders and their horses. As the cleric began the sermon he realized that his first targets wounds were worse they he realized and had killed the rider.
Previous DC save checks (DC13)
Total damage inflicted: All increased + 1 by the sermon
orange dot 8 +1 (Death}
green dot 7 +1 (Severely wounded)
pink dot 2 +1
orange horse 2 +1
green horse 2 +1
Gird thrusts his fauchard deeply into the bandits side. The bandit spasms and falls limply from his mount to the dirt below with a thud.
Ready for the group Dagru creates and lets loose a bomb with his bombchunker.
Dagru watched for a moment as the connection of his first bomb broke about the man causing the mix to pour across his body causing such pain that the man screamed out in agony. The splash wounded his horse and the surrounding horse while also hurting the other rider. Just then his brother and his pet ripped the leader apart.
"We have them now! Keep up the pressure!"
He then concocts another bomb and targets another to finish them off as fast as possible.
Just like the good ole days. These new troopers will learn. Seems the half elf might be of use after all.
Yandasana hastily grips her drink tighter with tension. She drinks her prepared recipe urgently, which results in a few coughs afterward. The drink has a bitter taste to Yanda's mouth, but she successfully consumes all of it.
He slams the gate closed with satisfied glee, which turns to aggravation as the elf moves to attack position. "Nice locking the gate, you git."
Knowing how important it is he slams the bolt home before taking a step forward to swing at the unfortunate idiot who fell off his horse.
Heh overconfident asses. These fools remind me of our first bandit group.
As the bandits draw near, Grautak's hand tightens on his sword and his heels tighten in his stirrups. Whispers tenses, ready to pounce.
Grautak charges forward calling out a challenge and attacking the leader. He slashes at the leader's chest, drawing blood as Whisper rips the man's throat out.
Her hands shake nervously as she draws her rapier. At this moment, I may know if I can handle a situation such as this...
The noblewoman and priestess of Abadar, began a sermon. One of the role of Abadar in the keeping of the Laws of the world and how hr companions were acting for this Law
Yandasana yells at the top of her lungs, "For the sake of your lives, drop all your weapons and surrender. If you continue to hold such tools of destruction, then my allies will keep their aggression towards you."
Rockne's blade slices deep into the fallen bandit's shoulder, cleaving away part of his spine and sending blood spraying everywhere, the bandit's aorta severed neatly by the sharp blade.
The Lady Vianella Orlovsky peeks around the corner, her crossbow, the weapon of Abadar, ready to fire. She pales noticeably as she sees the blood spatter across the wall of the guest house, a form lying prone beneath the feet of a horse. Taking another breath to settle herself, she move down the alley to better sight an enemy. She shudders as she sees the gore from Grautak's and hi wolf's attacks against the other, the one she could identify as their 'leader' from the previous descriptions. Swallowing bile at the gruesome sight, she forces herself to look down the length of her crossbow, aiming it at the nearby man, letting it fly.
Abadar was with her, as the bolt flew deep into the man's chest, causing him to collapse from his steed, blood flowing from the wound.
The only remaining bandit throws up his hands and starts yelling out frantically, "I SURRENDUH! I SURRENDUH! PLEASE DUN KILL ME!!!"
The loose horses run about in a frightened panic as some of them have been injured during the fighting, and others are just scared half to death.
__________
"Rockne, secure the prisoner. Dagru check the bandits and make sure they are dead and collect any loot. I'll settle the horses."
Grautak looks around at the group, scanning for any injured. Good! Looks like our plan worked to perfection. This expedition might go very well.
With a grunt and a satisfied grin, Rockne moves toward the remaining bandit with his bloody sword still drawn. "Don't feel good to be on the other end of the blade, does it?" he says in a gruff whisper, knowing that the man is already cowed but relishing the irony for a moment. "Drop all your weapons. Now."
Once the man has emptied every scabbard Rockne stabs the longsword into the ground and removes the man's swordbelt. He then commands the bandit to sit and loops the belt around the his wrists. Once they are secure Rockne ties the other end of the belt tightly to the prisoner's left ankle, forcing him to hunch over. After the man is secured the halfling checks him again for any concealed weapons or tools he might have tried to keep hidden.
At first Vianella was elated at the success of their ambush. None in the group had been harmed and their victory was decisive. Still, as she looked around the battlefield, the scorch marks from Dagru's bomb, the blood dripping from Grautak's blade, flesh hanging from Whisper's teeth... Even the others seemed to have blood on their weapons... she grew pale. Her eyes snapped to the prone bleeding form nearby, the bolt from her crossbow sticking out from his chest.
I think I... I... killed a man... The Lady Vianella Orlovsky's ashen face seems to take on a greenish hue and she spins around to run back down the alley. Sounds of retching are heard as her night's meal are spewed behind the building. It is at least a few minutes after the retching sounds have stopped that the noblewoman returns to the group. Since she had spent some time to clean herself up, no trace of what likely occurred appears, aside from her pale and drawn visage.
Dagru watches from the walkway as the prisoner is secured and looks for movement until others begin checking the dead. At that point he comes down to join them.
"Looks like we have succeeded in the first step of our plan. Now for our prisoner."
He joins Rocke with the prisoner.
The sole surviving bandits quickly tosses his weapons aside, and is barely able to remain in the saddle in his heavily injured state. It is also easy to ascertain that he is not the sharpest one of the bunch, he has a very simple, somewhat childish look about his face.
The horses all are able to be wrangled up as Oleg comes out to help settle things down.
"I owe you lot more than I can ever thank ya. I know you said you were plannin' on havin' a look around the area, you are welcome to stay here as long as you like while you do so, free room and board! Feel free to go through what you want of these bastards things, but whatever you don't want, I'd like to have to help recoup some of the losses these pricks have put on me! And don't worry about the bodies...I'll take care of 'em..."
He then looks to the last living one of them and asks aloud, "What about him? We gonna hang 'im?"
__________
Dagru handles the prisoner with Rockne. Once down to the ground and held he begins by asking a series of questions.
"We will let you go, spare your life if you just give us some simple information. Rockne squeeze a wound or two if he doesn't talk. Now here goes...
First off, where is your hideout?
How many more members are there of your group?
Is the man called Happs the leader of you all?
Does Happs have a superior?
I am waiting."
After sheathing her rapier, Yandasana moves urgently to examine the dead. She feels slightly sick at what she has seen. Blood and body parts litter the ground. The men were massacred in a matter of seconds. She saw it with her own eyes.
Angered by Dagru, she confronts him head on. "You killed his friends. And now you wish to coerce him to speak with you. There is no honor to be gained in this behavior. You do want me on your side. Trust me on that. Causing more suffering to him will not win my allegiance."
She looks over to Gird and speaks sarcastically to him, "What a benevolent man you are. You wish to carry his wishes too?"
She stands her ground, in defense of this victim. "You are going to have to wait a bit longer, Dagru. And Rockne if you do have any concern over anyones life, I would suggest you not torture him."
She faces Dagru again, "I am not afraid of death. If you do so wish to strike me down or not, your decision will determine your nature to everyone here. So, I ask of you, stand down!"
Dagru steps away from the prisoner grabbing Yandasana by the arm and confronting her away from the prisoner.
"My brother and I have been doing this for a while. We know how to get information from them. Have you ever done this? People like him will not give a @%^H about us whether or not they are dying. So if you please go look for notes, papers and the like... something you are good at while we take care of this."
Dagru heads back to the prisoner pointing to his brother.
"I believe I need your aid Grautak!"
Poor sheltered noble, no idea what its like outside your ivory tower, do you?
Ironically, it is the halfling that takes a less angry tone in response to Yandasana.
"They chose to be bandits, and that choice got them what they got. Like Gird says, they wouldn't have suddenly learned 'honor' without us here. Now this guy? He's got another choice to make.....he can earn himself some mercy by telling us what we need to know, or he can get what his friends got too."
He continues talking to the halfelven woman as he looks the prisoner in the eye. "Men like this know only violence. It's naïve to think anything less will get through to them. We'll give him a chance anyway, more of a chance than he would have given Svetlana."
Rockne leans in closer, squeezing one of the man's arms, and clenches his teeth as he continues. "But don't mistake mercy for weakness. I'd have killed you five minutes ago, so give me a reason not to kill you five minutes from now."
Looking at the scene before him and hearing the words of the group, Grautak saunters over toward Dagru. He glances at Yandasana then at Vianella and finally at Oleg.
Grautak says the next so everyone, including the bandit, can hear.
"I believe Yandasana may have a point. Yandasana would you question this man to find out what he knows? Thank you. And Lady Vianella, would you mind assisting her?
Grautak and Dagru then walk over to Oleg and Grautak asks Oleg quietly,
Knowing his brother and understanding his idea Dagru reluctantly walks away.
He followed over to Oleg and waited for a response from his hosts.
The bandit nervously and painfully dismounts his horse and holds his hands up, clearly fearful for his life. "Da boss man, he get bossed by Kressel. I dunno who she bossed by. We been campin' by da riva. Der was more of us back der. Takes about a day ta get here from der. But please dun kill me. I dun answered ya, jus' like ya ask..."
The man is shaking like a leaf in the wind, and a wet spot has formed in the front of his pants. He is clearly scared half to death, and not far from that already.
Oleg seems to not care about the man's fear or what he has to say, but he does take the time to spit on the body of the man who had been doing all the taunting.
The Lady Vianella Orlovsky eventually regains her composure as she watches the conversation going on from the outskirts of the group, her eyes doing their best to avoid the grizzly scene. It had initially seemed that an argument was in the offing on how to treat the prisoner, but then, even as Grautak offered to give Yandasana a chance to interrogate the bandit in her own fashion, the man begins to babble his responses to Dagru's earlier questions.
"Well," the noblewoman begins, drawing herself up. "It seems the matter of the methodology of interrogation is a moot point, as the man has spoken. That being said, I cannot countenance allowing the man his freedom after all of his criminal deeds. Our charter is clear, unrepentant banditry meet the...," she pauses and seems to go a little green, "... the sword."
Shaking her head and taking a breath to settle herself, she turns to the bandit. "What would you do with your freedom?" she asked rhetorically. "Return to your fellow bandits I expect. Perhaps even inform them of the events that passed. Or do you dislike that vocation? You have begun a correct path by telling us what you know. You may continue down that path by attempting to redeem yourself further and earn your true freedom. In the short term, perhaps Svetlana and her husband could use an extra body to help with their chores... on a tight and very short leash of course."
She takes a breath and steps back, looking around at the collection of items acquired from the bandits before turning to Gird. "You mean take what we need from the spoils and sell what's left to the man... perhaps at a lower price as recompense for their predations. A bastion of civilization is trade and I expect that the Gold-Fisted would approve."
------
|
|
"No my idea was to take what would be useful to us in the future and give Oleg and Svetlana the rest... give not sell, they are merchants they will most likely be able to pass it on and they will be a useful safe port of call in future, much more friendly and useful if we are generous and allow them to get back on their feet and be able to sell us useful goods in the future"
"I do like your plan for the bandit though, he may be able to make something out of this through an honest trade"
Rockne steps back as the former bandit starts talking, trying to give him an encouraging smile but it comes across looking more like a wry smirk. "See? Wasn't so hard, was it?"
He shakes his head in disagreement as the others plan aloud. "I'd love to give him the chance work off his debt here, but all we'd be doing is making Oleg a full time warden. And he's already made clear he's not interested in that." The halfling eyes the pile of gear they have collected. "Seems like Oleg has already earned his share of that. But we might need to borrow those horses if we're going to head to the river for the rest of them."
He looks to the women, then the hobgoblins. "And we are going after the rest, right? Going to the river and smash their smug faces in for thinking they can do this to people??"
"I say we head to the bandits as soon as we gather ourselves on their horses. Keep the one we have here alive until we are sure he has told the truth and then come back with the spoils. Providing our hosts, Oleg and Svetlana, the items we do not need with an agreement to provide discounted merchandise in the future."
Dagru eyeballs the half elf especially before turning to the others for response.
"If we wait they may move and possibly regroup. I know I would. Then we will be no better off for our efforts today."
Dagru begins to gather a horse and some gear for the ride.
60 arrows
3 Days of Trail Rations
2 Vials of alchemist's fire
1 Composite Longbow (+2 Str)
Light Riding Horse (not combat trained)
Riding Saddle
Saddlebag
Bit and Bridle
"Who is in?"
Vianella gives Gird an incredulous look. Just give it away rather than sell it back? What kind of civilization can survive on mere charity... Shaking her head, she listens to the others, nodding along with Dagru's suggestion. "Now that is inspired. Give them the unwanted items on condition we receive a discount... Very good idea that should work for everyone."
"If the bandit is going to remain here, he may as well be of some use. I mean, if you're going to lock him in the stables, there is no reason he couldn't be cleaning it at the same time. Earn himself some food."
The noblewoman then turns to examine the horses horses and equipment. She doesn't have much training with them, but at least she can see that they seem to be pretty much of the same quality... poor. With a shrug she collects one along with it's associated equipment. At least we won't be walking.
"I agree. We are unharmed and could leave first thing in the morning," she says.
"Say," she pauses, picking up the gleaming item in the pile, the silver amulet with a stags head, turning back and presenting it to their prisoner. "Are you followers of Erastil? If so, I doubt you're following his tenets particularly well."
---
The bandit shakes his head. "Special people get those. Boss man and boss lady."
Oleg glares at Vianella as she suggests they receive a discount for their services. "Oh, I guess my offer of free room and board during your little expedition here ain't enough of a thanks?"
The bandit's words cause Rockne to look to Vianella again. "And your sure its not enchanted or something?" Probably a way for the big boss to watch the little bosses. Magic can be tricky that way.
"Wait....." he turns back to the prisoner. They 'get them'? So there is another boss above this Kressel. What else do you know about them?"