Grautak remains seated on Whisper and peers into the growing darkness. He leans down and mutters something in Whisper's ear. As Gratuak looks around, the the wolfhound's muzzle rises into the air and sniffs.
"Me and Whisper can move through the woods pretty quietly. He ain't as tall as a horse so the trees don't get in the way. I'll dismount if need be but I would rather stay on him...." He pauses a minute and then cocks his head as a slight grin plays on his face. " What do think about having me and/or Dagru posing as recruits for their cause? We could get close and then surprise them after the three of you perform a main attack?"
"Very well. Let's do this then." Glancing over at his brother, Grautak says,
The group secures their horses at the forest's edge and continues on foot. After about thirty minutes of travel on foot, the group can see the light of a campfire in the distance through the trees, as well as rowdy laughter and crude conversation.
The group moves as best they can in the darkness, Rockne moving along with Vianella, who has little trouble seeing, towards the campfire. They press their bodies against the trunk of a tree once they get close.
Likewise, Gird, Yandasana, and Dagru all do the same as they creep towards the camp.
Grautak and Whisper slink along the bank of the river. The group felt reliant in their approach, but can hear a call from one of the men in the tower on the Eastern shore call out "Hey! Who goes there!" The man in the tower on the western bank scrambles over and squints into the darkness, trying in vain to pick out the cause for the alarm. Another hiding behind a fallen log stands and knocks an arrow, as does the man in the eastern tower.
At the campfire, things grow silent, but the woman snaps her head around and peers into the woods to the south. "Yeah, I heard it too. GET OFF YER ASSES YE LAZY C*$%S! THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE HERE! Happs! If that is you, you'd best quit f+#@in' around before I ship your hands to the Stag Lord myself!" she calls out as she turns towards the south and pulls a throwing dagger from her belt.
__________
Grautak spurs Whisper forward into battle and slashes at the hapless bandit hiding behind the log.
Blood and organs splatter the log as Grautak runs his sword through the man.
A pained scream cries out into the night as the bandit Grautak attacked is slain beneath his blade.
Surprise now gone, and the bandits now knowing they were under assault, rather than use the loaded crossbow in her hand, the Lady Vianella Orlovsky begins to sermonize on how, by the Will of Abadar and the Lords of Brevoy, her companions were here to enforce laws and punish the bandits. The noblewoman then slips off further into the darkness, her voice continuing to carry through the rising din of battle.
Dagru moves directly North 25' to meet up with his brother behind the log when he identifies a target to the north west exposing them both. He notches his arrow in his Longbow and lets loose a shot.
The shot sails well over the intended target.
GRRR Next one
inspired
inspired
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
"Watch my back, brother, we're going in!" Grautak spurs Whisper through the brush toward the woman with two axes, calling out challenge to Kessel.
Gird utters a quick prayer and moves in closer to strike, while Grautak spurs Whisper forward into battle and slashes at the hapless bandit hiding behind the log. A pained scream cries out into the night as blood and organs splatter the log as Grautak runs his sword through the man.
Surprise now gone, and the bandits now knowing they were under assault, rather than use the loaded crossbow in her hand, the Lady Vianella Orlovsky begins to sermonize on how, by the Will of Abadar and the Lords of Brevoy, her companions were here to enforce laws and punish the bandits. The noblewoman then slips off further into the darkness, her voice continuing to carry through the rising din of battle.
Rockne grins a wicked grin as battle is joined, and with a low guttural growl he charges forward with sword in hand. The bandit's eyes go wide as the short halfling covers the ground faster than he should be able to and then brings his oversized sword to bear. It cleaves the panicking bandit across the abdomen, spilling his innards to the ground and severing his aorta.
Dagru moves to meet up with his brother behind the log when he identifies a target to the north west exposing them both. He notches his arrow in his Longbow and lets loose a shot.
The shot sails well over the intended target.
GRRR Next one
Yandasana draws her rapier and slips around the group of bandits through the darkness, hoping to flank them.
_________
The four bandits around the campfire stand up and draw their swords, unable to see their assailants, but the sounds of combat springing up all around them. They all have laid eyes on Rockne, but only a couple move his direction after seeing his handiwork.
One bandit arrow whizzes past Rockne, being the only visible target showing themselves. Another slices across his left shoulder, opening a deep cut into the muscle.
Kressle grits her teeth and says, "You m~~*~$ f**&!%s are gonna die for daring to attack me and my boys! Kill 'em all! We're gonna make an example out of 'em!" as she hurls a dagger at the halfling. Rockne, however, easily manages to duck out of its path.
"Watch my back, brother, we're going in!" Grautak spurs Whisper through the brush toward the woman with two axes, calling out challenge to Kressle. The nearby bandit he passes takes a swing at the him as he rides by, but the man's small blade is easily deflected. Grautak opens a deep gash on the bandit womans torso.
Gird charges in to attack Kressle, who is thrown off balance by Grautaks wounding attack. Gird's leaping strike leaves his fauchard buried deep in her chest.
Gird pulls his weapon free with a burst of viscera, ready for the next bandit.
__________
Initiatives:
Bandits: 16
Kressle: 14
Party: 8
Dagru draws another arrow and fires, letting it go into the night. Seeing his miss he reaches for his mutagen realizing he may need a bit more help on the next shot.
As the arrow cuts into his arm Rockne's growl intensifies to a wordless yell, the wound not slowing him down but instead intensifying his anger. Not even bothering to figure out where the arrow came from hi simply takes a few steps forward and swings at the nearest bandit with wild abandon. With another spray of blood, another bandit falls.
As the arrow cuts into his arm Rockne's growl intensifies to a wordless yell, the wound not slowing him down but instead intensifying his anger. Not even bothering to figure out where the arrow came from hi simply takes a few steps forward and swings at the nearest bandit with wild abandon. With a spray of blood, another bandit falls.
Dagru draws another arrow and fires, letting it go into the night. Seeing his miss he reaches for his mutagen realizing he may need a bit more help on the next shot.
The remaining bandits all move to attack, despite the frightened looks on their faces. The one nearest Gird thrusts his blade forward, and it penetrates deep into the half-elf's torso, the tip managing to emerge through the man's back. Gird gasps a pained breath as he drops his polearm and slumps to the ground unconscious.
The men to the rear rushes towards Grautak, hoping to take out the mounted threat, but Grautak skillfully parries the man's shortsword aside. The other rushes to Grautak's side as well, but is too frightened by the monstrous mount to put much heart into his attack, and misses entirely.
__________
Dagru downs the mix he had readied seconds ago and then moves to get in a better position.
The Lady Vinella Orlovsky winces upon seeing the first successes of their assault. Although she is happy the attack seemed to go off well thusfar, the sight of the blood was still off-putting. Still, the numbers of remaining bandits were sufficient that she called upon Abadar to offer her more power to help the assault while she continued her sermon.
The noblewoman was shocked on seeing Gird taken down and takes aim at the bandit still near her fallen comrade, launching the bolt into the man's shoulder.
As another bandit falls Rockne begins to laugh. A loud, raucus, maniacal thing, the laughter and the accompanying almost joyous look on his face are truly unnerving as he takes another step to the side to strike at another bandit. Again his sword draws blood.
If he notices his companion on the ground he gives no indication.
"Dagru, that better have been mutagen and not a mug o'yer finest! You need to take out the archer in the tree stand before he peppers us! The Dandy is down!"
Grautak swings his sword at the bandit who attacked him, while Whiper snaps at the frightened bandit.
Seeing the hobgoblin and wolf flanked by two bandits, Vianella, while continuing to urge her allies to greatnes, moves across the path to get a better vantage before firing on the man.
Dagru now a little more confident with his skill notches another arrow and launches at the bandit near and above his brother. This time the shot strikes its mark and rips deep into the bandits upper body nearly taking out of the stand.
As the arrow hits its target Dagru yells,
"YES!"
The maniacal laughter continuing to increase in volume, Rockne spares another glance at his fallen comrade. The Halfling has no skill with healing and his enraged mind thinks that the best thing he can do is clear the battlefield quickly so others can rush to the man's aid.
He whips his head back and forth looking for another target. He turns to the left and takes a tentative step toward the tree, determined to either pry that elevated bandit out or chop it down from under him....but one more turn to the right reveals a nice target on the ground in front of Grautak. He starts to move forward as a crossbow bolt flies through the air and strikes the bandit.
Rockne howls as another target is taken from him. Seeing one more bandit on the ground to the other side of the mounted hobgoblin Rockne runs forward screaming, through the field of downed bodies to cut into the only enemy he can see within reach.
Grautak and Whisper attack the bandit in front of them.
The bandits remaining on the ground all slain, and the archer nearest the chaos on death's door, he throws his bow down and slumps down on his stand against the tree, calling out, "I surrender! Please, just don't kill me!"
Barely able to make out the sight of his last remaining ally surrender, the man in the far tree stand also shouts, "I surrender too!"
A quick search of the camp reveals the bandit's stash, poorly hidden beneath basic supplies beneath the nearest tree stand.
__________
Glancing over the plunder from the bandits, Grautak takes a minute to think. "Let's grab those two that surrendered and see if they are interested in "reforming". If so we can take'em back and they can work with the simpleton to pay off their debt to Oleg."
He thinks for a minute longer then asks,"Anyone able to heal the Dandy? I also got some cuts and bruises if one of you ladies can spare me a minute. Otherwise I will have to drink one of Dagru's nasty concoctions. He makes a mean beer but his medicine is foul tasting stuff." He says this last with a grin and a glance at his brother.
As soon as the fighting stops, Vianella summons forth some minor magic towards the nearby fallen elf, halting his bleeding and allowing her to approach with caution, without having to worry about further injury to Gird. She pauses, seeing the mass bloodshed throughout the camp, her face going green. Will I ever get used to this?
Pulling herself together, Lady Orlovsky moves to examine her fallen ally. She winces at his still and pale form but takes heart upon seeing him take a breath. Focusing on the need to heal the man rather than the blood covering him, the priestess of Abadar channels the power of her God through her hands, giving healing energy to the elf.
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Gird awakens and spits out the dirt in his mouth.. "Ptahhh. luckily missing the Lady Orlovsky hovering over him.
Gird looks up at Vianella blinking and then, with a spasm cluthes his back where he was stabbed..... Gird grimaces and then gets his hands underneath him and stands up.
"Thankou Lady Orlovsky for your tender mercies, may I never have to render the same aid to you. Speaking of aid are their any others wounded badly as I still have a cure spell as was just used on me left?"
Gird walks amongst the campsite and seeing the carnage and prisoners "Well done all, seems I was the only one foolish enough to not be paying enough attention to the combatants around me"
Dagru moves toward the furthest captive to ensure he is secured and brought into camp with the other archer. On the way back he intimidates the man for more info.
"Are there more of you? How long have you been here? Answer now before we reach the others as they will be far worse in there questioning."
Dagru eyes the goods as he throws the captive to the ground next to his bandit kin. The journal seems particularly out of place.
"Looks like some good merchandise on this catch! Someone should check the journal there in the mix."
He looks about before continuing, "Although we infiltrated this spot fairly easy it seems we have a secured a good location for an independent base of operations away from the merchant. We can start our own trade operation. What do you all think?"
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Gird reads the diary and then walks up to Dagru and hands him the Diary "Read and make your own judgements, the man who we have at Olegs is named Brian and when you interrogated him he asked for mercy for his brother Davey"
He walks away and helps gather gear, strip bodies etc.
Gird then helps remove the bodies from the immediate campsite.
"To setup our own operations we'd need to consider the already established competition Oleg, and whether we would have the time to sell all this stuff"
"Well done Gird, I would have figured you ignorant that a man like myself could read. As for our own operations I am speaking as in a private place to further implement our instructions for being here."
Dagru takes the book, gives it a quick read and then asks for the name of each of his captives.
"What are your names, scum? Do not make me ask again."
It takes Rockne a few moments to realize that the battle is won. When he does his shoulders slump and he falls to sit on one of the logs, breathing heavily and barely aware of the fallen bodies around him. When he finally does collect himself he rises slowly and cleans the gory blade of his sword on the cloak of a fallen bandit.
He gives a Vianella a nod in way of acknowledging and appreciating her efforts. It'll be me on the ground before long, and probably more often than most, better play nice. Maybe I'll even let her look at this shoulder if she asks. But Im not asking her!
The halfling silently goes about the business of dealing with the bodies and collecting their gear and other loot. Nothing particularly grabs his fancy but thinking about his cut does make him smile.
"You want to open a little shop? You might be in the wrong place. Let Oleg deal with that stuff. We can help keep his shelves full...." he looks over to Vianella again, "you know, in the name of good commercing and whatnot, and be free to do other things. Dangerouser things....."
The wounded man says, gasping against the arrow in his lung, "Wal...ter. Thats my...name."
"My name's Trent. If you plan on killin' us, ya might wanna put Walter on out of his misery. Poor sap can hardly even breath!" says the other, which elicits a panicked look from his fellow captive. "And I'll talk, but only if you give me some assurances that I'll live after doing so. I ain't got no loyalty to the rest of this crew, I'm just tryin' to get by out here."