You are traveling the South Rostland Road, heading towards this Oleg’s Trading Post. Not much is known, or better yet not much was shared with you about this Oleg and his Trading Post. What you do know is spelled out in the Charter that all four of your hold in your hands.
Whatever your personal reason are, each of you have answered the call of the city of Restov to aid in the exploration of The Stolen Lands. Along with this exploration, you are to map the area and its significant land masses(specifically any prosperous resources) and to rid this land of the bandits that have claimed these untamed lands as their own.
The Lord Mayor of Restov, Ioseph Sellemius, has charged you with these tasks and to act as you see fit for the goodness of the nation. By the charters that you have been granted authorty by Lord Noleski Surtova, Regent of the Dragonscale Throne.
You are just a few miles north of Oleg’s and should be arriving at the Trading Post in time for dinner.
Hearing the call of a falcon, Kunala looks to the sky, watching as the raptor, dives and catches some small rodent from the gentle grassland. He gestures towards the wild prairie "The land here is beautiful, I would think perfect for farming." He shrugs lightly " Apparently to far from anywhere to be safe." He smiles turning to Iradyiel, then to Mirana and Caitir, "Probably part of the reason they sent us here."
Turning to look at his brother, Iradyiel rolls his eyes. "you think?" He shifts his pack, "Before you start trying to figure out what you want the flag to look like, why don't we talk about what were going to need at this trading post. I have five days rations left, I don't mind the walking, but were going to need to decide what gear we want."
Nodding, Kunala moves beside Mirana, "He's right, while our packs are lighter presently. If we try to carry too much it will slow us down. But not enough, we may run into trouble we can't deal with." Shrugging. "I'm hoping this Oleg can give us more information about the surrounding area." He gestures towards the south, "Or any known threats, that we may have to deal with first.'
Mirana glances at the surrounding terrain and the green fields around her. "The land here might not be safe, but the people that are currently here, even at the trading post must be brave to live so far from others. Starting from scratch is always hard" she mummers, almost to herself.
The druid has a moment of quiet reflection, realizing that technically, the statement applied to her own situation. It would be nice, she thought, meeting people that might similarly be independent like she was.
Caitir rolls her eyes for a moment, before letting out a high pitched whistle. A tiny owl soars down from the sky before landing on her outstretched arm. Caitir looks at it for a moment before huffing slightly in exasperation, opening up her pack, letting the tiny bird hop into it.
"I'm keen to discuss our gear situation. I travel light, so lugging huge things around isn't really my cup of tea. Even using the trading post as a storage option would be helpful so we can carry what we need without being bogged down. Kunala has things correct though, I'm certain that there will be bandits in the area and learning about them would be useful."
'Yes we will need to be informed of any threats, He always had a way of staiting the obvious. smiling at hiself, Iradyiel notes Mirana's observation. 'Brave to live so far from others, never thought about it like that.' Giving a quick nod in aggreement with Mirana, He turns, hearing Citir whistle. Watching as the liittle owl flies to her, then hops in the the pack. 'What a well trained owl. It reminds me how much I miss Onnello's pet wolf, Ice.' Listening as Caitir continues the conversation, 'store things at the trading post, not a bad idea.' Iradyiel unconciously rolls his eyes, 'Gods, don't let Kunala hear you say he's right, he'll never shut up.' Hoping the lithe Caitir, doesn't notice, he focuses staight ahead. 'Sadly, she's right, there are probably be bandits.' Gripping his bow, a little tighter, he notices a small column of smoke he gestures. "I believe that may be the trading post."
'The people here.. Kunala listens then turns noting Mirana, silence, then Caitir's whistle, 'I should ask her how she trained the bird.' Pausing for a moment as she joins the discussion. noting Iradyiel rolls his eyes. He looks to the horizon as his brother points out the smoke. "I never really considered folks starting from scratch, that is what we are doing isn't it." turning slightly toward Caitir, "And your right as well Caitir, we need a safe place to keep important gear until we all have places of our own. As for bandits, we will have to end their reign of terror. Either helping the rehabilitate, or hang." He gestures towards the smoke "Iradyiel has always noticed things I don't, hopefully the good trading post will have sutable gear and possibly a mule to pack it on, as well as information."
As the four of you continue on through the flat grasslands towards Oleg’s, it does strike you that the land here could be perfect for farming. What is growing here is proof enough that the soil is rich, and the rain is consistent enough, the only question would be if the grass hides rocks in the soil below.
Even though it is still early spring, it is during this stretch of the journey you see small game out in the field; prairie dogs, foxes, birds, and the like. But you do not see much in the way of larger game. As you come closer to Oleg’s you do notice to the southwest a dark green patch on the horizon, it could be nothing else but a forest. There is where you would find larger game.
Not that too much longer after the column of smoke is spotted a wooden structure seems to spring out of the ground. This must be Oleg’s Trading Post. Nothing else was mentioned to be on the South Rostland Road before reaching it. As you get closer and closer it dawns on you that this has more the look of a fort than a trading post.
The wooden palisade stands 10 feet high surrounding the trading post with watch towers on each corner that stand an additional 10 feet high. From your position, you do not see any form of guard or militia on the walls or watch towers. The road leads to a 30 foot wide double door gate that currently stands open. You hear the sound of work being done, hammering rings through the air.
As you make your way into Oleg’s Trading Post, you find yourselves in the court yard surrounded by four main structures. You quickly discover a man working on the building to the right directly as you come into the trading post. The man pauses from his work to see the four of you walk in, he gives you an judgmental onceover and gets back to his work. The man seems to be middle-aged and matches the description of Oleg.
It isn’t your eyes that draw you towards the fire that is flanked by two tables, but instead it is the aroma of stew that pulls you in. Looking up from the cook pot is a woman in her mid-twenties who smile almost goes ear to ear as she sees the four of you walk in.
“Welcome! Welcome!” the woman makes her way over to the group; “My name is Svetlana Leveton,” she motions over to the man working on the nearby roof; “and hard at work up there is my husband, Oleg.” Beginning to motion for you all to follow; “Come, come sit down. I am sure it was quite the journey to come all the way from Restov.” pointing to the cook pot then to a bottle of wine on the table; “When I heard to be expecting you all, which I wasn’t exactly sure when that would be, I had to get a rabbit stew going and I even pulled out a bottle of our best wine.” Realizing that she had not let the four of you speak, let alone even have time to do something with all of your equipment and travel gear, Svetlana’s face reddened. “I am so sorry… what kind of host am I… How can I help you settle in?”
As Svetlana stops talking, you also realize the hammering had stopped. Looking up you see Oleg shaking his head as he moves towards a ladder to climb down. Wiping his face off on a towel that is placed over a shoulder, Oleg stands beside his wife taking in the four of you.
'A palisade, about one hundred and twenty feet wide... watch towers on each corner... functional... more small fort than shop or local market. Means their used to defending themselves, and apparently need to.' Noting the fort as they approach, Kunala stops to look a the gate, 'Curious, a wide double gate, larger than needed for one wagon, can't be so busy that they need to pass two wagons at a time.' Stepping into the fortification, he catches the smell of stew as he notices the courtyard and the four buildings. Finding the source of the hammer, he nods politly at the man who fits the description of Oleg.
Moving near the fire, Kunala, pauses, waiting until the woman has gone through he rambling invitation.'The hammering has stopped.' turning he notices that Oleg, has started to decend the ladder. he pauses long enough to remove the pack Alowing Oleg time to join his wife. Giving a polite bow, he greets the ownders of the Trading post, "Greetings, Mistress and Master Leveton I am Kunala of New Steven and more recently of The Aldori Academy of Restov." He jestures around the courtyard, "When we heard 'trading post' Honestly I had no idea what to expect but this is exceptional."
'How dangerous is this territory if the local supply store need fortification?' Following Kunala into the fortification, Iradyiel, notices the four buildings, the wagon, the two table and the stewpot that is producing the wonderful odor. His stomach begins to growl. Hearing the invitation, he moves towards the tables. Noticing that his brother is still standing, he resists the urge to sit and pour wine.
As Kunala begins introductions, then transitions to speak of the 'trading post' Iradyiel pushes his brothers shoulder. "Hey your not the only one here." As Kunala turns, looking at him, Iradyiel smiles winking at Kunala, then giving a polite nod to the couple. "Don't mind my brother, sometimes he gets so interested in the sound of his own voice he forgets anyone or anything else exists. I'm Iradyiel Madras," Turning toward Mirana and Caitir, "and I will invite our fine traveling companions to introduce themselves." He then begins to sit at the first table hoping the stew is as good as it smells.
Caitir was extremely happy that Kunala went first, as her mind was already going into overdrive as she listened to Svetlana speak. Caitir shot Mirana a significant look while Kunala was speaking, hoping her friend had already picked up on what Caitir had noticed.
Caitir knew that she was hopeless at reading people, but she also knew that Mirana was a much better judge of character than she was. Hoping to give Mirana more time to get a 'vibe' off them, Caitir steps smoothly forward ahead of her companion, intending to speak her introduction ahead of Mirana to draw attention onto Caitir herself.
"I'm Caitir, previously of Riddleport before I...left to roam the outdoors and do my own thing. I'm loving the freedom, lacking of restrictions, and was eventually hoping to start a new life. I think this place is good for that" she remarks informally, but carefully. Caitir had a hunch that the old man wouldn't be thrilled to know that she preferred sprawling urban settlements, nor would he be pleased to know she considered herself a bit of a criminal and therefore omitted these facts from her brief introduction.
"Heavily fortified but looks can be deceiving. Restov wanted the bandits rooted out which means that they got word bandits exist here, probably from these folk themselves. Something tells me the old man wouldn't tell Restov unless he felt he couldn't handle the situation himself which means that despite all the defenses, this place is more vulnerable than it appears." Caitir mused to herself, swiftly leaping to conclusions.
Mirana caught the look from Caitir but in this case had already noticed what her friend was so keen to advise her of. The woman had been expecting them, had a stew and a bottle of the best wine ready. "She's really pleased that we are here" Mirana observed, no doubt thinking the obvious conclusion but it was still very interesting.
It was interesting as in, Svetlana was happy, and had made preparations for their arrival. Oleg on the other hand had given them a judgmental look and refused to say much so far. The reactions were not polar opposites, but they were significantly different. "Maybe he doesn't like us, or what we represent. Maybe he is a little like me and wants to be independent, on his own, with nature and resents the intrusion. That said, maybe he has a problem he cannot solve so he joins his wife and reluctantly welcomes us. Which means that things must be bad if a proud man like him requires help. Alternatively, he could just be quiet and as suspicious as Caitir could be."
Mirana gives the couple a quick once over while Caitir is speaking, glad of the opportunity to study them to see if her hunch was correct before stepping up next to Caitir and introducing herself once the rogue had finished.
"My sincere thanks for the lovely welcome Svetlana, it is enormously appreciated after several days of travel. I'm Mirana from well, I'm not really sure. Its a bit of a long story. I'm used to travelling around though and helping the folks that live rurally with various problems which is probably why I'm finding myself here today. Shall we all sit down and share a meal together? It certainly smells good" Mirana offers, trying to be as polite and charming as possible.
Svetlana is wearing her feelings on her sleeve. She is clearly happy to see that you have arrives, so much so that she nervously rushed through her welcome.
Oleg on the other hand is a bit of a tougher egg to crack. The way he stands and holds himself during the introductions speaks volumes. You get the sense that he is a proud hard-working man. Being out in this wilderness like they are, it would stand to reason that he has done all the needed upkeep to this trading post.
A few things stand out during this introduction. When Kunala mentions that he is recently from Aldori Academy of Restov there is a subtle raise of an eyebrow and a slight nod of approval from Oleg. Also, when Caitir mentioned that she left Riddleport to roam the outdoors and do my own thing. I’m loving the freedom, laking of restrictions, hoping for a new start. and that she things this place is good for that you can see a bit of the tension come off of his face and back.
He is still standing there silently and sternly taking you all in. But if a stone could become softer, that is what Oleg just did.
At mention of sharing a meal together, Svetlana she pats her hands together and begins getting everything together. “Oh yes, we must. If you would like, you can use the guesthouse as a place to store your belongings.” she points to the building to the south. “We currently have no visitors, so all four beds are available….” pausing for a moment; “I can hang a blanket down the middle for a little extra privacy if needed?” You are not sure if she means the room to be divided between men and women, or couples.
Not pausing for an answer yet, Svetlana begins scooping stew into six wooden bowls and begins placing them around the table. No matter if you go put your belongings in the guesthouse or take a seat, as you sit down she continues; “You’ll have to pardon our lack of silverware, we don’t have enough for everyone…” giving a worried smile but quickly cheers back up; “But I made sure to cut up the rabbit into small enough bits after roasting it.” Without asking whether or not you would like any she begins pouring each of you a small glass of wine; “It is a Galtan wine, it is on the sweeter side of wines.” she quickly puts the cork back into place, setting the bottle down on the table before getting Oleg and herself a bowl of stew.
“When we received word that Ristov would be sending a patrol down to help out with our situation I was expecting something larger in size.” Oleg pauses for a moment to take in the four of you again, eyes landing on Kunala; “But, if you were trained at the Aldori Academy in Restov as you say you were, then we might stand a chance.” Oleg takes the bowl of stew from Svetlana, with a smiles says; “Thank you, love.”
Rolling his eyes at Iradyiel, he watches Svetlana and Oleg as Caitir introduces herself, 'Loveing the freedom and lack of restrictions, that's probably truer than we realize, but she's right this is a good place to start a new life.' Smiling, biting his tongue not to interupt, he turns toward Mirana as she speaks, trying to watch the Leveton's from the corner of his eye. 'She is right, the warm greeting is appreciated and the stew does smell good.' Opening his mouth 'to jump in' the bubbly Svetlana speaks before him. 'A guest house? blanket for a little privacy? What does she think...' His eyes widening, he looks from the young woman to his brother. visably releaved that their host had started to dish up food and ramble on. Then turns watching Oleg as he speak for the first time. 'Ah now the heart of it, a patrol to deal with the situation.' Kunala watches as the woman serves her husband first, seeing the quiet mans eyes light up as she serves him.. 'I'll wager it's his love for her that made this strong man be willing to ask for help. He reminds me a little of dad.'
His mind wandering for a split second, Kunala, focuses on the present, lifting his pack, "We can store these later, lets eat." As he drops the pack he thumps Iradyiel on the shoulder, "Scoot over, brother and pass a bowl." Lifting a wooden spoon as he slides onto the bench against the table. "Don't worry about the place settings or the wine, I've eaten in a mansion and I've eaten in a cabin in the Narlmarch, it's the company that matters."
As he tastes the stew, "Mmm, this is good. But let's talk about the Situation as you put it." He pulls out the copy of the charter he had been given, passing it to the large trader. "My last day at the academy I was given a letter from the Dean of Students telling me to report to the Lord Mayor. The four of us reported to the Mayor, he gave us this charter. But he didn't give us a lot of specifics, he told us you would fill us in." Kunala gestures towards the 'trading post' around them. "You are clearly a self-reliant man, who has prepared himself for most any possible situations. Why don't you tell us what it is that made you contact the Mayor and we can figure out how to solve it together."
Sitting Iradyiel listens as Caitir, first introduces herself, then Mirana, nodding when the druid says 'share a meal'. Leaning across the table to accept a bowl of stew, he barely keeps from spilling it when Kunala thumps his shoulder. Scootching over, he sets the first bowl in front of himself. Accepting two more bowls he places them where it appears the girls will be sitting. Then he accepts a fourth bowl, setting it in front of Kunala, "And there is yours, lady's first, right?"
As Kunala rambles on, Iradyiel takes a sip of the sweet Galtan wine. He smiles closing his eyes slightly, looking like a tabby laying in the sun, he takes another sip. "Your right Svetlana, it is wonderfully sweet."
Mirana feels a bit pride at Caitir's ability to helping put Oleg at ease. Her friend had always enjoyed a keen eye and had a good ear for detail. She gives Caitir a significant nod that she knew Caitir would understand before sitting down with the rest of the group.
Mirana immediately senses the awkwardness that Svetlana's blankets question raised and immediately attempts to smooth things over. "There's no need for a blanket, Caitir snores like a bear and all the soundproofing in the world won't change that" she responds, entirely straight-faced although her eyes sparkle with mischief as she deliberately pretends to misunderstand Svetlana's offer while trying for some levity.
"You need not worry about the lack of silverware Svetlana, we were lacking it in the wilderness as well - trust me, its not something you crave for. Besides, I like wood, feels more...comfortable. My friends are correct though, this stew is delicious, what do you charge for such an amazing meal?" she continues, feeling it important to be positive, particularly to Svetlana who was clearly still nervous.
'She beat me by one second' Caitir thinks to herself at Mirana's rather swift quip but plays along regardless with a good-natured sigh at the remark. She watches with some amusement at the two and fro between Iradyiel and Kunala and manages to catch Mirana's nod and smiles to herself, pleased that she had managed the introduction situation correctly.
"We might not look like much, but Iradyiel and Kunala are extremely capable fighters Oleg. You can absolutely rely on them towards assisting with this situation" Caitir remarks, noticing Kunala's attempts to influence Oleg and attempting to provide a helpful and supporting word.
Oleg takes the charter offered from Kunala and begins to read it as he sips on his wine.
Svetlana smiles and quietly laughs for a brief second at the playful banter between the brothers. It is easy to tell that they have not had this kind of interaction in some time. As she receives complements on the stew and the wine, Svetlana smiles; “All the thanks should go to my mother’s teaching. Had it not been for her, who knows what the food would be like out here.” she says as she gives Oleg a gentle elbow, but worry comes on her face as she reads Oleg’s temperament.
Not even noticing Svetlana’s move at playfulness, Oleg stands up from the table in anger and frustration. “The greater good of the throne is what this is for!” looking at the four newcomers; “This reads as if they sent down a team to survey and explore the land as a means of expansion. Is that what you were sent down here for! To explore and build for the greater good of the Dragonscale Throne?”
Svetlana stands tries to place a calming hand on Oleg’s arm; Oleg…”
Oleg lets the paper fall; “That Charter does not take into consideration of the real issue at hand.” pointing at the paper that is now on the ground; “Unrepentant bandits? Does that mean the Throne would have you free those savages if they apologize for what they did?” taking a few steps away from the table to the other side of the fire; “They come into my home and steal what I have worked long and hard for. They threaten my life, they threaten my Svetlana, and they even steal what cannot be replaced.” with this last line about the bandits, Oleg has run out of will. He stands disconnected staring into the crackling cook fire.
Svetlana stands where Oleg left her, tears starting to fill her eyes. Holding one hand in another, fidgeting with a ring that is no longer there. Sniffing back tears while she clears her eyes; “You’ll have to excuse us for a moment, I need to tend to something I left in the oven.” She begins making her way towards the building opposite the guest house from where you currently sit. As she passes by Oleg, she gently takes his hand in hers and guides him along with her.
This all happens so fast. Even if Oleg had allowed a word to be slipped in, you don’t have time to react. One moment you were sitting down for a pleasant hot meal with wine, the next there is an outpouring of emotions that could only have been from a buildup over time.
Oleg is a proud man who is passionate about what he does and his family, but he clearly feels let down. The Charter first talks of exploration, and then of banditry as an almost after thought or light nuisance to the overall goal. Land!
Svetlana strokes a ring that is no longer there, and you get the sense that threaten my Svetlana is something more than death.
Watching Oleg as he reads the letter, Kunala smiles and nods about to compliment her mother when Oleg vaults to his feet. 'What the ... Maintaining his seat, Kunala watches the man as he rants. 'A team to survey? What's wrong with greater good?' Still surprised, Kunala can only watch as Svetlana stands trying to calm her husband. 'The real issue at hand? Seeing the paper fall 'That's what I wanted to know!' He watches as the man begins to pace, waiting for an opportunity to speak. 'Now we get to the crux of it. He's frightened for what they have built here, he's frightened for her.' Then watches as the Oleg storms off.
Nodding as Svetlana excuses herself, Kunala breaths a heavy sigh, resting his elbows on the table, planting his face in his hands, "Well that didn't go as planned." He looks from Iradyiel to Mirana to Caitir. "I know he's a proud and passionate about his family.' He gestures towards the small fortification, "About this place." Picking up the charter he folds it placing it back in it's envelope. "What did he expect. The letter must be vague to allow for decisions to be made." He stands up from the table tucking the envelope back into the breast pocket of his buckskin jacket. "What did he expect when he asked the throne for help?"
Spoon in hand Iradyiel watches as the frontiersman begins to read the letter. As the big man comes to his feet and begins to rant, Iradyiel slips the hand he had resting against the wooden bowl, under the table to the handle of his kunai. 'No reason to act alarmed.' Using the wooden spoon he continues to eat the stew as Oleg's speach reveals the dred in his heart. 'They have taken his self worth, they have threatned his wife, What can be stolen that cannot be replaced?.' His eyes widening, Iradyiel, puts the spoon down, looking for signs of children. "gods I hope they did not lose a child, that would be ....' His eyes shifting as Svetlana stands, fidgeting with a ring which is no longer there. Iradyiel breaths a sigh, releasing the grip of his weapon. 'Ahh a ring, we can recover a ring." casually watching as the man storms off, quickly followed by his doting wife.
Shifting a little so Kunala's vault from the bench didn't bump his spoon arm. 'He always hate's it when he loses an audience.' Iradyiel picks up his bowl and scrapes out the remainder of the stew. Shaking his head, as he reaches for Kunala's almost untouched bowl. 'He always would rather talk than eat.' He lifts his brothers bowl, begining to eat the stew. Between bites, "You talk to much. Now calm down, let him blow it off. He'll figure out were here to help, charter or no."
Mirana stays relaxed as Oleg suddenly stands and begins his rant. His anger feels directed more at the throne more than them personally, and she perceives no threat against them. She does listen to what the man is saying however, filing the information away for further study.
Once the man and his wife leave the room, Mirana turns to the bard with a half smile on her face.
"Ah Kunala, I think you already hit the nail on the head - its still about his family, it would have to be. People like land as much as the next person but take it from me, nothing provokes an emotional response more than family."
Mirana pauses for a moment before continuing. "Remember that Oleg appears to be old fashioned and I bet its tearing him up that he had to ask for help. A gold coin says that he wanted to defend Svetlana himself against these bandits but was worried about what would happen do her if he failed. So he asked for help, which I expect was hard for him to do, and then we come back with a charter that mentions bandits in one brief line near the bottom of the document. Its not hard to see why he is getting torn up about it"
Mirana glances over to Caitir, wondering how she was feeling. "Caitir, do you have anything to add?"
Caitir refocuses and fastens her gaze on the druid. "Ah yes, ask the criminal for an opinion on criminals, how intelligent. I like that out of the box thinking" she grumbles, not really trying to be hurtful, just not being her charming self after the outburst. Like Mirana she had been calm during the tirade but it had left some room for minor introspection over her own light fingered ways.
Shrugging the thoughts aside, Caitir widens her gaze to everyone else present at the table. "Actually there were a few things that I noticed. Svetlana is nervous, and Oleg is tightly wound up. I sense the threats the bandits are making as ongoing, that they strike the trading post more than once - or at least intend to as Oleg spoke in present tense not past. I think its likely that the bandits intend to strike here again but I don't know how far away that timeframe would be."
"Also, anyone notice the wording of the threats themselves? Oleg said they threatened his life, but he didnt mention them threatening Svetlana's life either, just that they threatened her. There's only a few threats short of death that would provoke inaction I think, on Oleg's part, abduction I think being one of the 'nicer' ones - although I use that term loosely. On the positive side, these bandits seem to be dumb, or overconfident. Targeting the same place more than once is risky especially while making ongoing threats. Which implies that either the bandits are idiots or there are so many bandits in the area that they feel cocky doing what they like."
Caitir leans back in her chair, before nodding at Iradyiel. "Your brother is correct, they will be back shortly, they really need us so lets give Oleg time to calm down a little more."
'Talk to much, he always says that,' looking from Iradyiel to Mirana, 'Hit the nail on the head, I knew it' he smiles when Mirana agrees with him, Nodding as she explains 'She's right it would be hard for him to ask for help.' Looking to Caitir, 'As a criminal about a criminal?' listening, Good observation about dumb or overconfident.'
Returing to the table, he sits down. "I think your right, both of you." Looking to Mirana, "Your right it was probably very hard for him, How do we bring him around?" Then turning to Caitir, "So dumb or arrogant, how do we figure out which?"
Turning from Kunala to Mirana, Iradyiel listens to her ovservation as he finishes Kunala's stew. Getting up helping himself to another bowl of stew, as Caitir speaks about the threats, 'Yes there are some things worse than others.' Moving past Caitir, he smiles, "Thanks, he doesn't hear that enough."
After five to ten minutes, the door to the Leveton’s house opens and out walks a smiling Svetlana. In one hand she holds a board with a loaf of bread on it and in the other a knife. She forces a slight laugh; “I don’t know how it happened but the bread slipped my mind. You cannot have a stew without a good sourdough to go along with it.” she places the board down and takes the knife and begins to cut the bread into slices. The crunch from the crust brings a smile to her reddened, teary eyed, face. “You know, this is the same receipt that my grannies granny used. Even use the same starter.” Tears slowly begin to build up in her eyes as she is talking and passing out the bread.
Wiping her eyes, Svetlana sits down next to Caitir. She picks at the slice of bread in front of her as she begins to talk. “It has been hard out here these last few months. When we heard help was coming… well, this isn’t exactly what we were expecting.” taking a bite of the bread she looks each of you in the eyes; “We are thankful that you are hear, we truly are. But we are almost to the point of closing down and leaving this place behind.”
“You see, this all started about three months ago. A dozen showed up, we had never had that many people stop in. I was, well, excited. This could have been a great way to get the hunters and trappers of the area to hear of us and use us, but these twelve wanted to use us differently.” Svetlana picks up her glass of wine and takes a drink; “They told us that we were going to start paying taxes on what we brought in, told us that taxes were due and that we also owed back taxes. They said if we didn’t hand over all of the furs and other trade goods we had collected that they would burn this place down…” tears fall down her cheeks; “and take me back to camp for their own amusement…”
Finishing off the wine in her glass and trying to regain her composure; “Oleg put himself between myself and them, that’s when she spoke up. She ordered the men to hold him down on this table. Holding down his arm, she brought out a hatchet… she began mocking us and threatening to ‘shorten his reach’ for the fun of it.” tears continue to build in Svetlana’s eyes and roll down her cheeks as she plays with her hands nervously, fidgeting again with where a ring used to be. “I begged them to stop. Offered them everything we had, and even my wedding ring if they would leave Oleg… The woman took the ring right off of my hand, laughed, and told me she was just having fun…”
Putting her face in her hands she begins to cry
Caitir glances at Kunala and flicks a smile "How do you figure out if they are dumb or smart? You ask yourself how much of an optimist you are. Or, if you are a natural pessimist like me, you plan and prepare for smart because if you get it wrong then dumb is unlikely to cause many problems."
Caitir lets the conversation die out as Svetlana comes out with a loaf of bread. Its clear that she was trying to put a brave face on it, but the woman falls to pieces as she tells her story. Caitir wasn't really much of a natural 'hugger', or comfortable with giving emotional support, but she could feel Mirana's eyes on her and Svetlana was right there next to her, so she stands up and wraps her arms tightly around the woman in an embrace, rocking her gently side to side.
Mirana listens quietly to the story, nodding solemnly. The story makes her both sad and angry, but she wasn't sure that Svetlana needed either emotion right now, what she needed most was closure and security most of all.
"Svetlana, you and your husband have been exceptionally brave individuals. Its been a very traumatic experience for you, and my friends and I will ensure that no further attacks will take place against either you or your husband from these bandits. Moreover, we will do our best to try and recover what was taken from you if we can."
Mirana lets the statement hang on the air for the moment, before continuing in a calm and confident voice, seeking to provide reassurance that things will be fine. "I will need a few things though from either you or your husband. I'll need to you describe the men and woman that were present, and or any names you heard, especially the ones making those horrible threats. I'll also need you to tell me if they did or said anything else after that interaction. Did they ever indicate that they would come back or return? Any information you might have could be valuable to helping us track them down." she coaxes gently.
Nodding as Caitir continues, laughing slightly, "I'm nothing if not optimistic, but I'd want to plan for smart as well." Seeing Sveltana approaching, he whispers "I'd also want to sort out who's calling the shots."
Watching Svetlana slice the bread, Kunala looks from the bread to his empty bowl, giving Iradyiel a look, he reaches across the table taking a slice of bread, nibling on it while their hostess talks. 'A dozen ... not great odds.. taxes? an interesting thing to call robbery... of course i've seen taxes that were robbery... their own amusement?' Kunala's face gets hard, as he looks to the woman. 'Robbery is one thing... she? their leader was a woman, and she threatened using anotner woman as entertainment? threatened to maim Oleg? That's not having fun'
Givivng a smile as Caitir hugs Svettlana and nodding as Mirana ensures there will be no further attacks, he affirms Mirana's line of questioning. "Yes any information would be invaluable, as many details as you can remember."
Watching Caitir as he begins to eat the third bowl of stew, he pauses for a moment. 'Ask the criminal for an opinion on criminals,' She talks about 'borrowing books' to learn, even mentioned stealing clothes and such. How much different would her life have been if her parents were able to supply.' smiling slightly to himself. 'I'lll wager stealing is a bit like hunting, you get used to the thrill.'
Turning to see Svetlana bringing out bread, He smiles as she begins to cut it, his mouth waters at the smell. Winking at Kunala's dirty look, he leans over as his brother reaches for the food. "Never leave your food unattended, right brother." Then he reaches for a piece himself.
He listens as Svetlana tells the story. 'A dozen bandits, at least they will be easy to track.' Finishing the bowl of soup, he wipes the bowl clean with the piece of sourdough bread. He smiles, "Svetlana, you do your mother and grandmothers proud, both in your cooking and your bravery." He looks from her to his friends, then back again, his features turning hard. "You can't blame a man for stealing to feed his family." He holds up his had so Kunala doesn't interupt him. "But, this doesn't sound like folks who steal to eat. This sounds like folks who enjoy being cruel. Mirana's right, we will put a stop to it."
From the doorway of their house Oleg speaks up; “They came back alright. Every month since that first visit, coming to collect their tax. They come just before sunrise in the middle of the month, and we were told to best have everything ready to go for them. If we didn’t they’d take it out in flesh.”
Oleg points to a fenced in area with a pole supported roof. You see four large sacks that are almost bursting full and two barrels. “That is this month’s tax. Furs, grain, water. All things we could either use or sell. Things have slowed down and I am afraid what they will do if they don’t think it is enough.”
Walking over to his wife, he places a hand on her shoulder; “They didn’t give any names. First time there were twelve of them. Two stood out; a cloaked man armed with a bow, and the woman who had the hatchets at her side. She did most of the talking that first time. Cruel and dark. The following two times she wasn’t there thankfully. The second time was the man with six others, and the third time it was him with four others.”
Sitting down at the table opposite the group; “Listen, I’m sorry for how I reacted. I should know by now to expect to be disappointed by the crown. You were sent to help, and I am thankful for that. It doesn’t matter why else you are here.” wiping his face off with a cloth; “If there is anything we can do, ask.”
Hearing Oleg, he turns towards the building. Every month, so dawn tomorrow or the next day.' watching as Oleg moves back towards the table, 'Twelve, two standing out, a man with a bow and a cruel woman with hatchets, the bowman with six and then with four, let's hope there is even less this time.' Seeing Oleg sitting, he holds out his bowl to Svetlana, "It seems my brother ate my stew, may I have a little more?"
Motioning to Oleg to eat. "You didn't over react, you just showed us you had spirit. I would have been more worried if you seemed to have given up." he shrugs, "For what it's worth, I believe the charter was written intentionally vague, to allow us to deal with things as we saw fit."
He looks towards Iradyiel then the ladies. "First things first, we deal with the thieves. I'm not sure the best way to do that." Taking a bite of the new bowl of stew."But, we will need ot sort it out quickly."
Looking back to Oleg and then Svetlana, "What other details did you notice? Any thing may be relevant. Were they mounted? Which direction did they come from, or go to, when they left? What sort of weapons and armor were they carrying? What sort of clothing were they wearing? Did they carry packs? Did you see any insignias or religious symbols?"
He winks at Iradyiel, and smiles. "Pa used to say "The devil is in the details."
'Good the big man is still with us.' Nodding and smiling lightly as Oleg begins to talk, returning to the table, Iradyiel listens to the frontiersman's apology and general information. As his brother begins speaking, he looks around the table area and towards the compound itself.
When Kunala finally stops talking, Iradyiel gives a slight smile at the wink. Standing up bowl, spoon and cup in hand, "He also said you talk to much." Turning to Svetlana he asks, "Mam, where can I wash my dishes at? Pa also said if you eat you help clean up."
He then looks at Oleg, "While you folks fill these three in on all the details you can remember, do you mind if I look at the fortification? You've got a strong defense here, and I think we can use it to our advantage."
Mirana listened to Oleg's update as she picked up the bowl from both herself and Caitir. She muttered a few words under her breath and water appeared in the bowl which she uses to wash the items as Oleg continued to speak.
"Realistically, I think we lure them into a trap Kunala. Possibly there is a gate or entrance that we could close quickly via a pulley or mechanical system once they had stepped inside the fortifications. If we can lock them into an enclosed space we dont have to worry about some of them escaping to alert the rest of the bandits."
"There's no need for an apology Oleg, you and your wife have been under enormous stress and hardship. None of us blame you for reacting the way that you did" Caitir replies smoothly in response to Olegs apology, before addressing her following mark to the rest of the audience.
"With any plan we make, we could probably assume that the bandits are cocky and overconfident. The numbers are reducing, therefore they don't forsee a further threat from this place, which is going to be their mistake. It shouldn't be difficult to lure them into a false sense of security. We should probably try and take one of them alive though if possible, so we can find hatchet lady in the future."
Watching as Iradyiel heads to check out the defenses, Kunala looks his brother to Mirana, 'Nice trick with the water, lets them see that we are more than meets the eye.' "Yes, trapping them inside and raining down arrows would be an excellent options."
Turning towards Caitir, nodding, "Yes overconfidence bordering on either arrogance or stupidity. I agree we need one of them alive, at least long enough to find out where their camp is." He shrugs, "We could let one "escape" and track him. An option I like less, would be to let Oleg pay them and then follow them. That would at least guarantee we do not start a fight here, endangering Oleg or Svetlana."
He then looks back to the couple, "But a lot of it depends on what other information you may be able to remember."
Oleg begins thinking about the last few visits; “They have arrived each time about an hour before sunrise, but they don’t look as if they have been riding all night to get here. So they either ride up, camp, then come… or wherever they stay is close by.”
Svetlana chimes in; “Yes, but we have never seen them before and no trapper or hunter has mentioned them. Well, at least never a group so large.”
Nodding in agreement, Oleg contines; “They are always all on horseback when they arrive, and when they leave they head south into the Greenbelt. But, once you hit the trees they could turn anywhere.” Oleg fills up his wine glass, then holds up the bottle offering more to anyone who might want more. He places the bottle on the table in front of you. “They are wearing cloaks that cover exactly what they have, but each of them have swords. They like to move their cloaks so the hilts are easy to see, letting us know we are outnumbered.”
“That is all I can remember.” Oleg says, Svetlana nods in agreement.
Svetlana smiles at Iradyiel when he offers to help clean; “Oh don’t you worry about that. You all are going to be doing enough for us that…” she trails off as Mirana uses her magic to have water appear and clean the dishes. “Oh… thank you. I typically clean the bowls out around back in the compost bins… but thank you.” Svetlana looks at the ground in the eating area, seeing the water and food scraps that are now on the ground. She looks up and puts on a thankful smile.
Oleg stands up, glass of wine in hand; “Iradyiel, please allow me to show you around the Trading Post.’ He walks you to each building; “This is our home. No need to really go in there. My office is in there along with our private stockroom, we are able to hid some stuff away from those bandits in there.” taking you to the Guest House; “This is a simple set up with four bets, but we did come across four chest with locks for travelers to keep their belongings while they stay. This way is our Stable. This jittery old man is Claptrap.” He pets the horse on the nose as he lovingly talks to him. “We use these other stalls for those who might travel in to stable their horses. Ya know, I found it interesting that you traveled so far without horses, or even a few horses with a small wagon.”
“Come, I’ll show you the palisade and the towers.” he points out the two built in ladders. One next to the stables, and the second in besides Oleg’s house. There are parts of the defenses that are old wood, and others are new. Walking the wall Oleg continues; “Your brother mentioned that this was more than he expected when thinking of a trading post. Before we came down, I had discovered that there was this southern fort that had been abandoned for years. There are many things that were in dire repair that I had fixed, the gate was one of them.”
Walking to the watchtowers, you see for the first time the catapults; “There are four of these, one on each corner. I was hopeful about them, but they are beyond my skill to repair. I had written to some of my old contacts explaining what is here and it would cost a small fortune to fix them. Each one would require weeks of skilled labor to fix them. Right now I don’t have the coin to have them fixed.” Oleg looks off into the distance watching the sun begin to set. “This right here is why I moved us here. Nothing around for miles, but the beauty of nature. I spent everything we had saved up on this place and its upkeep. If we go back now we would just be living in the streets.”
At the talk of confronting, trapping, questioning the bandits you can visually see that Svetlana is starting to get uncomfortable and worried. She goes back to the stew and stirs it; “Would anyone like some more?” Those who do, she will refill the bowls. Collecting the dishes that are no longer being used; “These last three times they came no one was here. I don’t know how they will react once they learn there are capable people like yourselves here.” Unsure of what she can really offer to help in this; “Oleg and myself aren’t fighters, but we are willing to help in any way possible.”
Listening carefully Kunala begins to take mental notes; 'Before sunrise... not traveled far ... horse back ...south, then anywhere...swords, cloaks concealing.' nodding Kunala asks, "Do they ride their horses into the compound? Or do they leave the horses outside the compound and drag the items out?"
As Oleg escorts Iradyiel, Kunala smiles at Svetlana, shaking his head no, "No thank you, everything was delicious." As she collects the dishes, he points out. "We do not expect you or your husband to fight, When they arrive does you husband come out to greet them, or do they just take the stuff and leave?" He gestures towards the gates, "Do the gates latch shut? Do you normally keep them wide open or just cracked? How open are they when the bandits arrive?" Looking back to the gate, he ponders, 'I would like to trap them in the 'post' bring them down with arrows, but we will need to shut the gate behind them.'
Caitir rises from the table and gives Mirana a coded look. Mirana, for her part, waves her away, and Caitir follows Oleg and Iradyiel out the door, tagging along during the tour of the grounds.
Nodding, as Oleg offers to give him a guided tour, he smiles as Caitir joins them. When Oleg gestures towards the house, Iradyiel asks, "I trust there is a strong bolt, so when things get interesting out here, the bandits will not be able to enter quickly?"
Poking his head in the door of the 'guest house' he nods and follows Oleg to the barn. Smiling as Oleg intorduces 'Claptrap' Iradyiel pats the horse on it's neck, "We considered purchasing mounts, but not being familiar with the terrain or facilities, we decided to keep things simple."
'A southern fort, that does explain a lot.' Nodding as he follows Oleg up the ladder then to the watch tower, He lets out a small gasp, 'Kunala will want to make these a priority.' walking around the catapult as Oleg explained the difficulty in repairing the machines of war. He looks up briefly, "How long would it take to repair them and what was the estimated cost?"
Standing beside the tradesman, he looks out over the horizon, 'It is beautiful.' then turning and smiling, "Yeah, I don't think going back is an option for us either."
Moving back to the table, Iradyiel sits beside Kunala, nodding, "The fort is defendable, and the watch towers give a good view." He smiles, "Not that it will help us tommorow, but each tower has a war machine that needs attention. You'll need to go look at them and calculate the repairs in our budget."
Caitir asks for a parchment and ink and begins drawing on the scrap of paper. Its crude, but she focuses on basic 2D shapes for the buildings, and a long line to represent the palisades. Mirana watches with interest over Caitir's shoulder. She knew Caitir liked to plan a lot of her heists and figured that those skills could equally be applied in creating a battle plan.
"Firstly, what do we know about our enemies? The bandits have numbers, but they are opportunistic. They attack targets that they perceive as easy, and they are cocky, arrogant. That's probably why the numbers dropped, as they became used to getting their own way."
"I think the bandits probably approach cautiously again. Its been a month, after all. I think you have the gate closed, and either Oleg or Svetlana on a visible high location shouting down telling them to go away. The words don't matter, its the purely token resistance. The bandits probably respond with a threat, Svetlana or Oleg submit and agree to open the gate. I think at this point, the bandits starting feeling confident, relaxed again, they got their way after all."
"Then, we open the gate (inward). Not wide, maybe enough for the bandits to enter single file, but you leave the goods in full vision for the bandits to see when the gates open slightly. The bandits ride through, and we shut the gates behind them."
Caitir shrugs slightly before offering a wry smile "I don't know what tactics we want to use after the gates close. Mirana can restrict movement with her plant based magic, but that would affect everyone present so I'm not sure that would be best. At any rate I think Mirana and I might be able to get into flank positions without suspicion provided we dress like traders or something. Maybe I'm optimistic, but if they were making vulgar threats to Svetlana, its possible they wouldn't view someone like me or Mirana as someone worth worrying about. Really though, once the gates close I don't care what happens next, I just want to remove the ability for those bandits to escape and bring back a larger force."
'Parchement paper, this will be intersting.' Moving up onto his knees, so he could see the drawing, 'Numbers... opportunistic... easy targets... arrogant.' Kunala, nods as Caitir coments that the enemy is cocky. 'Cautiously? maybe, maybe not...I do like the gates closed or nearly so... on the wall.... that may put them in danger.' Hearing the idea of having one of the traders on the wall, Kunala looks from Caitir to Oleg to see his reaction. 'Close the gate and trap them in, like shooting fish in a barrel.' Smiling with Caitir, 'flanking, yes, visible no, no need. plenty of places to hide. Nodding when she says 'remove the ability ...to escape.'
Looking from Caitir first to Mirana, then Oleg and Svetlana, fianlly Iradyiel. "Your right, we don't let them leave." He shrugs. "I don't think you would need to be in a costume." he gestures towards the buildings, and the catwalk on the wall, "There are plenty of places to shoot or cast from, if we position ourselves well they won't see us till their sprouting arrows." He points from the wagon to the space between the wall and the barn. "If we move the wagon back it will give up plenty of killing ground between the buildings and prevent them from getting to the nearest ladder."
He looks squarly at Oleg, "My concern is puting Oleg in harms way, if he is on the wall they could shoot at him." Shrugging, "Opening the gate is less of a concern, Rad or I could do that. We would just need to be wearing a cloak similar to his. Predawn, they would not notice fast enough for it to matter." He places his hand on Iradyiels arm, "I assumed that one of us would need to shut the gate and defend it while the others shot or cast from range."
Turning back to Oleg. "Oleg, please walk us through the last couple of mornings they robbed you. Were you out here waiting on them or were you on the gate waiting for them? Was the gate open or shut? Tell us what has happened so we know what they will be expecting."
He pauses for a moment, "Also tell us about how they load up the materials, Do they bring a wagon? Do all of them dismount and start to load the items up." He looks back toward Mirana, "Mirana, do you know any spells that would put a trap around the goods, so when they went to pick them up they would be ensnared?"
Svetlana speaks up as Oleg offers to take Iradyiel on a tour along with Caitir; “The first time they came in there was not enough room for them all to ride in, but those that could did. The second and third time they had a pack mule to take all the goods.” pointing over to the Storage Pen; “They load the mule up right there and leave. This last time I could not stand to be around when it happened… I slept all morning that day.” Shame begins to mask her face.
When asked about the gate she snaps back to reality. With a shake of her head, as if it would get the thoughts out of her mind she continues; “The gates do latch. This was an old fort that was abandoned when it was discovered that the lands south of here were not so easily tamed, part of the reason Oleg took a liking to it so much. When we first arrived the drawbar was missing, so Oleg fashioned a new one. We keep the gate locked from dusk until a few hours before dawn. It doesn’t happen every day, but some trappers like to come and have a hot breakfast before or after they go out. The extra coin helps. But other than that, we leave them open welcoming those that would come bless our trading post.”
Nodding when Iradyiel asked about the strong bolt; “There is, haven’t tried to use it when the bandits are here for the fear of them thinking we are trying to hide something.” Oleg slides the lock, double checking that it is functional.
When standing next to the catapults, Iradyiel sees the rust on the metal parts, the ropes used have dry rotted, and even some of the wood itself looks in need of repair. “I did not get into the details of it all, but we would need to hire an expert that is skilled in building these kind of defenses. I don’t know how many men are skilled in that. The cost would be beyond our means. Hiring someone to come and evaluate each one, then to go buy the needed parts… On top of that there could be more expenses that could arise as they get into the workings of it. Even the turning mechanism is jammed.” Oleg tries to spin a wheel that would allow it to turn from left to right.
Oleg sits down at the table where Svetlana is currently sitting. He places a loving arm around her. They both listen to the plans of what could happen, but don’t insert any suggestions unless asked. Responding to Kunala Oleg speaks up. “We have the gates open before they would arrive, we never know when trappers and hunters are going to make their way back. Even if we did want to shut it, they told us not to try and bar their way. On the mornings when they come, I stand out here by the tables. I point them to the Storage Pen and let them take it. Never any carts, but always an extra mule or horse to load it all on. Some dismount, some don’t”
Nodding his head, "I don't blame you, I would not want you out here, not after what they said. And tommorow, we'll have you locked in your house, so if they make a break for a building they will not get in easily."
'Normally stands out here by the tables, that would still be exposed.' Looking from Oleg to the others. "Does the 'cloaked man with the bow' stay mounted? Either way, I think he needs to go down first."
Making eye contact with Iradyiel, winking, he Looks to Mirana and Caitir, then asks softly in Sylvan, ചുമരിൽ സ്വയം വെളിപ്പെടുത്താൻ ഞങ്ങൾ ഈ മനുഷ്യനോട് ആവശ്യപ്പെടുന്നുണ്ടോ?
Shrugging, "Wherever Oleg is, I can shut the gate and defend it with sword, shield and spells. Iradyiel can either hide under the wagon and attack with his sword, or he can be on the wall with his bow." Looking to Mirana he asks, "Where would be the best place for you to be to be able to cast?"
Mirana considers for a moment, wearing a thoughtful expression on her face. "I don't think I'll be doing much casting. Battlefield control spells would limit Caitir's options, as well as your melee tactics. I might wade into combat alongside you and Caitir instead where I might be more useful" she eventually responds, before answering Kunala in fluent Sylvan.
അതെ അയാൾ മതിലിൽ ദൃശ്യമാകണം അതിനാൽ അവ സംശയാസ്പദമല്ല. ഗേറ്റ് തുറക്കുന്നതിന് കാഴ്ചയിൽ നിന്ന് അവൻ അപ്രത്യക്ഷമാകുമെന്ന് അവർ പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കും, അതിനാൽ ഞങ്ങൾ ഗേറ്റുകൾ തുറന്ന് അടച്ചുകഴിഞ്ഞാൽ അയാൾക്ക് സ്വെറ്റ്ലാനയ്ക്കൊപ്പം ഒളിക്കാൻ കഴിയും.
"Yes he should be visible on the wall so they are not suspicious. They will expect him to disappear from view to open the gate anyway, so he can hide with Svetlana once we open and close the gates."
'Hopefully he can get to a safe place before the killing starts.' Nodding, To Mirana, then turning to Oleg. "I apologize for that I just wanted to clairfy an Idea that Caitir had brought up earlier. Would you be willing to be on the wall when they arrive, with the gate shut? When they ask you to open the gate, you would then decend and go into hiding, while I or Iradyiel open the gate."
True, any spells that limit them would limit us.' Nodding when Mirana explains not wanting to limit combat, he smiles, "True, unless the melee tactic is filling them with arrows." He shrugs, "If we 'cut of the head of the snake.' quickly, I don't think the rest will give us a problem.
When Kunala asks Oleg to be visible on the wall, Iradyiel frowns looking from his brother to Caitir.
Caitir picks up on the slight change in tone from Kunala and immediately steps forward, trying to rescue the situation just in case.
"You don't have to if you don't want to, but my friends and I feel it will create some legitimacy if they see you acting defiant before seemingly admitting defeat and opening the gate. My friends and I will take care of actually opening the gate but I believe they would be more at ease if they saw you first rather than an unknown like myself or Kunala."
Smiling, Iradyiel leans over toward Kunala, "She's much better at this than you are." He winks at Caitir then joins in, nodding toward his brother. "Yes it would be much better if they see you first instead of the likes of him."
Listening in on the conversation, Oleg speaks up when addressed; “He is the first one in. Typically comes straight to me while the others collect their ‘tax.’ Something I don’t think was mentioned yet is that on their past visits no one else was here. I don’t know if that could change their plans.”
As Kunala and Mirana begin speaking in a tongue that Oleg does not know his eyebrows furrow; “No need for secrets here, please feel free to speak freely… I am willing to be where I am needed. I will be on the wall, or answer the door, or even fight alongside you.”
At the mention of that Svetlana’s hand shoots to Oleg’s forearm and gives him a wordless worried look. Looking back at his wife, Oleg continues; “It will be best if Svetlana is locked in our house for safety.” Svetlana’s grip on his arm seems to become firmer with a hint of frustration, or anger.
“How can we prepare tonight for the morning?” Oleg says as he stands.