Signy makes biscuits and chatters with Svetlana.
Meneas looks at the bandit, arms folded across his chest. "Well, it seems to me that you have little choice in the matter, if your former companions will kill you if you return... so why don't you stop lying about it?"
"We don't need you, Vlad." He continues, beginning to pace slowly around the former bandit. "At most, you would be... useful." The hood turns to his companions. "I, for one, believe that between myself, Brental, and Veil - even Vodnykel - we could hunt down this 'Kressle' and the rest of her gang..."
"So tell me, Vlad... why should we let you go? Or spare you, or the like? If you can only tell us where to find her, why, it doesn't seem like you're giving much up, does it?"
"My, you're a crack shot with a bow AND such a help in the kitchen!" Svetlana chuckles as Signy helps her prepare the feast. "You, don't be careful and I'm just gonna have to keep you here as my little helper! Where did you learn all this anyways?"
________
Elsewhere
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"Alright, alright how bout this then eh? No need to be hasty just keep the hooded freak away from me an' I tells ya all I knows right?" the young man tries to stop his body shaking and terth from chattering as he stares into Meneas' hood and finds only the boid of death there. "The camp... tis a ten hour ride directly to the south west o' here... through the forest. It's a camp we got set up along a ford o' the Thorn River. If ya hit it within the next day or two then you can likely catch Kressle afore she's had a chance to realize it's all gone tits up. We have a tendency to rest up and take our time enjoying the loot on the way back you understand yeah?"
Vlad chuckles nervously. "That ain't all. I got more! You see I knows where we stash the good stuff. The loot! It's hidden in under some boring stuff like grain and water and the such under one o' out lookout platforms. That way no fool would even pay it much mind at first glance... it's also where we keep the best booze we can muster up for the Stag Lord himself and he's been demanding more an more of it lately since rumor has he's turned to drink niw that his Queen has left him to rot." the bandit smiles up at his captors displaying a few missing teeth already.
"Well, I told you all you's asked and more so now you can just let me off right? I've changed me stripes after this for true I have!"
Lorna hears but pauses, before speaking, to look at both Meneas and Brental.
Let's produce a map... Maybe Oleg has something like that already, maybe not. Then, we can draw where Kressle's camp is, and where the loot you mentioned it.
She stands up. In her core, she didn't believe they'd extract any more useful information, and she didn't have any reasons to believe he'd be lying. Likely, just protecting his skin at this point.
Once he marks the map, we have no more real use for him. - she speaks to her companions, but doesn't try to hide from Vlad's - We can likely let him go, but I will let you two decide if he made a good, precise job with his details, or if he tried to hide anything.
She turns around to leave. In her mind, the detail about the alcohol was quite interesting. So much potential... Especially if the Stag Lord was to find his bottles where they were supposed to be.
Between Vlad, Oleg, and Svetlana’s tales, this Kressle sounded like an unpleasant person. More than Bydon had been. A confrontation with her seemed inevitable, but Brental wondered whether it needed to be immediate. Surely individual soldiers, or even entire units, in the Stag Lord’s army went missing from time to time, whether they ran off or were killed in other confrontations. Would Kressle come looking for trouble? Or would they bring trouble to her?
That would need to be a debate for later. Not much later, but later.
As Vlad finally spills the anticipated location, surely a mixture of half-truths and limited knowledge, Brental pulls out his mapmaking kit from his retrieved bag and begins sketching based on the description. He smiles at Lorna's suggestion. Oleg may already have something, but there were likely many details to be filled in in the interim. Unknowns in ten hours of untended wild between the Fort and the ford. But that was why he had brought this along.
Vlad had now mentioned a Queen a few times. Before making any final decisions, Brental follows up. At least it seems like Vlad thinks that he’ll show mercy. Brental had…ideas about this to discuss with his companions.
”You have been very helpful, Vlad,” he says, trying to put the man at ease with a smile. “Another question: what do you know if this Stag Lord’s ‘Queen’?”
"Right yes of course m'lady I'd be more than happy to show the nice man where exactly to mark the locations on the map." Vlad chuckles awkwardly and turns to Brental leaning in close and lowering his tone to a hushed whisper.
"Well, kind sir, we ain't supposed to talk about it see? If the Stag Lord had heard ya you're liable to catch an arrer right atwixt the eyes. But they say she's a dark goddess of hatred and spite that used to have a large following in this place. His on' fort is even built on top of one o' her ol' temples and is guarded to this day by a field of her undead followers. Not that I ever seen it meself. That's just what I heard... anyways they say the Stag Lord has turned to drink since she no longer answers his pleas, not sure why that happened but you know how fickle women are. Ask me she probably just took a fancy to a handsome new lad after she had her fun with him."
Meneas flexes his fingers thoughtfully. A queen... that could be a problem, if the Stag Lord's got backing from someone more powerful than him. A priest could also prove troublesome - most of the bandits I've hunted don't have much in the way of spell casting.
"Fort?" He says abruptly, his head snapping up. "Do you know where it is?" The knight-errant's voice is deadly serious, and his left hand falls on the pommel of his sword.
"Well I ain't ne'er been there so how's I to know?" Vlad complained at the hooded man's percieved unfairness. "All that I know is that it's south. That's where the other boys go when they deliver the loot and booze to the Stag Lord himself... All I know other than that is that ya need a password to get in but I don't know it I swear on me mum!"
The more Vlad reveals, the more Brental grows concerned. He wasn't well-versed in much of the politics of the gods of the multiverse, but the Stag Lord now sounds like an ex-cleric of this goddess of hatred and spite. What had he done to lose the favor of such a being? And what was he willing to do to get it back? Just because they no longer had all of their spells did not make such folks much less dangerous. They would need to tread carefully. Undead, too, were a concern: a foul blight on the land.
Brental sighs and looks from the map to Meneas and Lorna. There were an increasing number of reasons for him to care about this charter, but also an increasing number of ways to die carrying it out. No wonder so many other groups had failed. And one of their number had already left.
"All right. This is all very helpful."
Brental motions for his companions to move out of Vlad's earshot. Once they are further away, he lowers his voice.
"I would like to check some of this information with Oleg and Svetlana. Maybe ask Signy if she knows anything about this goddess-queen of spite. And then--if we let him go--we can track to see where he goes. If he goes running back towards Kressle, we kill him. If he leaves the Stolen Lands altogether, he may take an interesting route away that would let us begin to map the area. What do you think?"
Meanwhile Signy and Svetlana are setting up plates for everyone to eat at the tables in front pf their residence. Delicious smells of fresh biscuits, veil, turkey, and mashed potatoes waft up to geeat the party. It seems the Levetons have really pulled out all the stops to celebrate their heroes. Oleg even has a bright smile on his face as he exits the home with the three potions he had mentioned earlier in hand trying to hoist them into the party's hands. "There they are! Haha we had begun to wonder if the scrawny runt you took inside the stable had managed to overpower you. Anyways I figured you were due a little payment for your services on our end. A Leveton always pay's their debts so I thought you might have some use for these potions crazy old Bokken has brewed up for us."
Meneas considers Brental's suggestion. "I don't trust him." He says plainly. "But I'm not sure he'll go back to this Kressle, either. I'm hesitant to follow him if he goes north, because, well, the Stolen Lands are to the south, and his boss might send more people to look for where her bandits disappeared to. At least if we go south, we have a chance of intercepting any such folk on the road... well, so to speak."
With a quick gesture, he indicates that Veil should remain in the stables, before turning to join the others. As he walks over to the tables, Meneas hesitates, before settling down and leaving his hood up. No need to let the bandit potentially see my face.
Brental nods in agreement with Meneas. He didn't trust Vlad either, to be fair. "Of course if he goes in the opposite direction, we can abandon pursuit, at least for now. I would prefer a southerly route as well, whether towards the Fork or scouting elsewhere."
As Oleg emerges with plates of food, Brental's stomach grumbles. A fine luncheon feast awaited them, full of rich smells the like of what Brental remembered fondly but had not gotten used to in his mostly-wilderness life. He thanks Oleg and files away his questions for later--after enjoying a moment of victory. Business could wait.
"You are an excellent host, Oleg Leveton! We will make good use of these brews. I'd like to meet this Bokken at some point."
Brental sits down at the table, hoping that the group's restraints held on Vlad while they took a moment to rest.
Svetlana tutters at Meneas. "Mr. Cowl, no hoods at the table! Now Signy and I have made all this delicious food and I'd like to see it end up in the bellies of our noble heroes not dissappearin' into a black void." She chides as she piles up a plate and begins heading to the stables. "And everyone better wash their hands after all that killin'. Or even the kobolds runnin'amok outside will be castin'us dirty looks."
Meanwhile Oleg chuckles hearitly. "Well I seem to have taken a shine to you. Besides you've saved my business so this is the least I can do. I was getting worried we were going to run out of the leftover funds from our initial contract to build this place.... as for Bokken. He's a but of an odd one but not dangerous so it' probably fine if you visit his hut. It's just to the east of here I'll mark it on your map. Can't really recommend the place though. Absolutely reeks of chemicals."
"Mm." Meneas removes his gauntlets, revealing tanned hands, but hesitates before rising to find a basin or barrel of water. Not while the bandit is present, I won't. He sighs softly, glancing at the stables.
Brental looks at his hands. Though he had not made an attack during their melee, he had helped clean up and his hands were appropriately filthy. He gets up from the table and finds an area where he can clean properly. From there he utters a few beckoning words as water begins to spontaneously emerge from just above his hands, floating down in a stream. He rubs his hands together until every last bit of gore and grime has been removed. After a few moments he returns to the table.
Meneas still has his cowl up, and Brental can tell that Svetlana is uncomfortable with this. Brental still doesn't know enough about this hooded knight to know why he does or does not keep his face hidden, so he can't guess now. Brental sits down with a brief shoulder shrug and digs into the food.
After enjoying the food for a bit, and complimenting their hosts (and Signy) thoroughly, Brental shifts to a bit of business.
"Oleg and Svetlana: there is a spot here on my sketch of a map marking a ford of the Thorn River. Does this look accurate to you, as far as you know? And do you know of anything in particular along the River? Or, perhaps, do you have a better map than what I have begun here?"
After that conversation eventually winds down, Brental turns his attention to the most-overtly religious of his companions.
"Signy: the prisoner mentioned a goddess of spite and hatred that the Stag Lord may answer to. Does that sound at all familiar?"
Signy laughs and tells Svetlana the story of how she acquired so many talents in abbreviated form while she works.
"After my father died when I was nine, I went to a Caydenite orphanage. I only left there a few months back, so I was with the Brothers and Sisters for half my life. I suppose you could say I grew up in the Church. There's a big tavern they run to help pay for things, and just about all of us kids who were old enough worked there in some way or another."
"When I was around twelve I started helping with cleaning. Later on I helped in the kitchen for awhile, so I learned a little about cooking. Mostly though I worked out front since I was better than usual with the customers."
"Aside from reading and writing and such, we were all taught to protect ourselves. We learned to use a few weapons, and the bow was the one I took to best. I've always had pretty good aim, even when I was little, throwing rocks and stuff."
Svetlana's comment gives Signy an opportunity to bring up a question that has been on her mind practically since arriving.
"I suppose this place is quite a lot of work for just the two of you. Are y'all mostly here by yourselves? Does it get,... Well, kind of lonely with so few people around?"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Signy helps Lana get the food out on the table and onto plates.
"Don't worry folks, Svetlana did almost all the actual cooking" she assures those seated for the meal.
Brental's question about a spite goddess draws a blank look from Signy.
"Nothing comes to mind, but I'll think on it."
As the meal winds down, Signy puts together a plate and takes it to the prisoners, whom she has learned is named Vlad. She hands it to him and sits down on the floor just out of his arm's reach.
"Sorry, no utensils, due caution and all that. So I hear your name is Vlad. I'm Signy. Nice to meet you, although I guess it's not under the best circumstances huh? You've kinda gotten yourself into a pickle here haven't you?"
Meneas returns to the meal, but only eats as little as he can. If questioned, he spreads his hands. "If we want to venture out today, it's best not to overeat."
When Signy goes to the stables, he joins her, donning his gloves once more and folding his arms over his chest. His hood hides his features as he gazes at Vlad, saying nothing, but watching carefully.
Signy stops Meneas when he tries to come with her.
"Nope! Give the poor guy a break and let him eat in peace. Besides I'd like to chat with him a little, starting with a clean break from earlier."
Signy follows up with a second question for Vlad since her first one was more or less rhetorical.
"What did you do before you joined up with the bandits?"
Svetlana replies to Signy with a contented sigh. "Oh I realize it may seem lonely to you outside looking in but honestly Oleg and I choose this contract specifically to get out of all the hustle and bustle of the city. You find folks are more honest in the countryside for better or worse." She hums. "Besides once you've found the one you have a tendency to feel content with just them around..." She trails off wistfully.
-----------------------------
Svetlana huffs and puffs out her cheeks in a pout as Meneas refuses to lower his hood when eating but otherwise continues as her usual sweet self.
Meanwhile Oleg peers at the map that Brental has started and shakes his head. "Well I can't say that we have anything better here unfortunately. We haven't got about to much other than setting up the trading post and keeping to ourselves otherwise here. But that spot looks like it could be accurate based on reports we've heard from hunters and trappers coming through."
Svetlana chimes in. "We haven't gotten out terribly much but we're well versed in rumors of the place. Such as that bandits aren’t the only things in the Kamelands that cause trouble—there’s a tribe of kobolds and a tribe of mites living somewhere in the hills too. They aren’t as much trouble as the bandits, but their presence certainly causes a bit of a nuisance. Though, I've honestly always found the kobolds to be rather cute truth be told."
"Aye, the kobolds and mites will cause you trouble to be certain but it's the tatzlwyrms that'll really cause you trouble if you should run across them. Little buggers have gobbled up many a traveler before. Especially now that it's breeding season for them. Most the locals know how to avoid their territory, claw marks in the trees and such, but we get all kinds of adventurers and wannabe prospectors in search of the old Taldan gold mines from when they settled this place ages ago. Despite all evidence to the contrary you just can't dissuade some people from the idea of finding gold in them hills." Oleg says with a smirk.
-----------------------
Vlad cautiously prods at the food as if inspecting it for poison before he begins to ravenously tear into it with his bare hands. You get the idea that not having utensils is rather the norm for this individual. "Twould have been fine had you lot left us to our job... but aye, would seem I've proper messed up this time..." Vlad attempts to wipe some food from his face but only seems to have succeeded in smearing it further. His eyes are a little less panicked toward the pretty girl offering him food though, even if she is his captor.
"I-I used to be a farmhand up in Nivakta's Crossing but I got tired of the old man bringin' his hand down on me so I went out here to try and find me own way in life. Helluva decision huh?"
"Gah! You're from Nivakta's Crossing?! That place is awful! We passed through there and one night was way more time than I'd have liked to stay. I totally get it, I'd be desperate to leave myself."
Signy takes her tankard and uses her handy orison to fill it with weak ale. She hands it over to Vlad. She'd thought about bringing some from the table, but figured somebody might raise a fuss about 'treating the prisoner too kindly'.
"So you did farm work and such. What would you you do if they decided to let you go? I mean, it'll have to be something, and don't you feel a little bad about stealing? Or at least realize it tends to be a short-term profession one way or another?"
Signy figures it's better to exclude herself from any hint she might have a say in things while talking to Vlad. She's canny enough to know her youth and personality make it easy enough to not take her to be a serious person.
Vlad eagerly grabs at the ale and sucks it down with a desperate thirst. "Oh ya did did you? Don't tell me you stayed at that wretched Two Beavers place now did you? I'd rather sleep on the ground to be honest myself." he chuckles and leans back looking up at the ceiling of the stable in deep thought."If'n I got outta this place? I dunno... I guess I'd probably try to head to Pitax to the west. They say it's a far more free place than most if you bend the knee to Lord Castrucio. Besides they say the plave is full of pretty dames what that are trying to make it as bards in the Academy of Arts they got there... As for stealin' I ain't too keen on it but when the world backs you inti a corner it becomes your only real option. It was either that or stay at the Crossing and me or me old man was like to end up killin' one another if'n I did that."
Signy seems to believe that the young man is speaking the truth having given away far too much information to feel safe staying in the Stolen Lands now.
Signy laughs along with Vlad when he mentions the Two Beavers.
"Yeah, yeah, that was the place we stayed. I really did think hard about trying to get the others to camp instead. But I didn't think there was any way they'd agree to it. Ugh, it was SO bad! I've never been to Pitax, barely even heard of it. But if it's a city it can be tough to get by knowing just farming. What else can you do? I've lived in cities my whole life, I can help you plan!"
Signy is going somewhere with her conversation, but she's also genuinely excited to be able to use something she knows about the help someone out.
"I suppose you're right." Vlad nods as if just putting some thought into his plan of action which, at this point, seems to have been just to see pretty girls. "Well I know the city was founded by a few bandit clans thay united and created the place... I can lift things. Farm work involves a lot of heavy lifting at times and I know they have a big port there so maybe I could find work loading the ships?Not that I mind but why are you takin' such an interest anyways?"
Lorna crosses her legs, focusing in Oleg and Svetlana. She didn't have much to say at that moment, and was still considering the details they previously talked with Vlad.
It seems we have our work cut out for us, huh? Bandits, critters, we likely have it all around here. - she finally speaks - We likely have to press and move against Kressler soon to get her by surprise, but it sounds as if we don't have to return here so quickly.
She stands up and move closer to the druid and the others, pointing at the map.
If we follow this path there... Where should we turn to after that, in the hopes of finding the kobolds and mites?
Oleg squints at the map and shrugs. "I can't say I know where they have set up as their homestead but sightings of those creatures would suggest that they are somewhere to the east of there."
Brental listens intently to Oleg and Svetlana’s explanations, smiling gently in appreciation for the tidbits of knowledge that they provide. It was sufficient to know that the information that they had gotten from Vlad sounded right. That would be enough to go on.
Tribes of kobolds and mites sounded interesting as well. Brental was not as keen on certain aspects of their commission. The earlier admonition to that these lands should be “cleared of all dangerous inhabitants” was one that Brental still had qualms with. Perhaps these two tribes could be negotiated with. Maybe they had their own problems. It would be better to have allies here--even quirky ones like kobolds--than to engage in needless warfare. Perhaps even the tatzlwyrms could be reasoned with. As any breed of wyrm, they might have some spark of intelligence, at least enough to speak. If so, Brental was prepared to commune with them the same as any other reasonable creature.
“With a lunch such as we’ve had, and the helpful knowledge you have given, I’d like to range a bit today. Enough to get a sense of the lands around us. I do not mind traveling further than we could make it back by later this evening, but it is up to my companions whether they would like to sleep in a bed again this evening. I imagine we’ll have many a night under the stars in our future.”
Meneas waves his hand mildly at Signy, simply watching her speak. He does not interrupt, and indeed, barely even moves, a stationary statue with cowled gaze boring into Vlad.
Signy shrugs nonchalantly.
"Oh I've known tons of people who were like you, from all over. Hard-luck types who never really had much of a chance. Bad family, bad breaks, their own goodly share of mistakes. Maybe they'd had trouble with the law, or maybe they'd just never found anyone to treat them decent."
"But one way or another at some point their paths crossed with the Lucky Drunk. Then they realized there was someone out there who cared enough to look after them. When they found out Cayden Cailean believed in their potential to be something and respect themselves, things changed for them. That's when I knew them, afterward. I grew up in one of Cayden Cailean's sacred ale houses. I'm an orphan you see."
"Anyway, I knew them after, but I heard plenty of their stories from before. Cayden Cailean hadn't made them rich, or turned them into high society people, but they found a community, a brotherhood and sisterhood that would be decent to them, help hem out in a jam, be true friends. That's how they found the value in themselves."
"The Lucky Drunk doesn't ask for much in return. No complicated codes, or tithing away your money unless you want to give. You don't need to pray all the time or beg because you're not worthy. Cayden Cailean has a healthy enough self-image to not need that sort of thing. All he asks is you be decent yourself, be a true friend, help others out when they're the ones in a jam."
"And there's beer. And I might not know anything about Pitax, but I do know Cayden Cailean has a fair number of followers in the River Kingdoms. You could do much worse if you're looking for a crowd to hang out with."
"But anyway, the planning. Can you read any? Do you know your numbers and ciphering with them?"
Vlad seems enrapt in Signy's descriptions of the Lucky Drunk, slowly nodding his head as he sits there wide-eyed. "This Cayden fellow sounds like a rather kind-hearted person... ain't never heard too much of him afore all this to be honest. In Brevoy it's mostly all about Pharasma, Abadar, and Gorum and none of those are too kindly in nature aside from maybe the Lawgiver in his own way. Maybe I'd hear more of him in the future."
Vlad smiles sheepishly. "If his folk are responsible for you at least they can't be too bad, you've treated me with more kindness than I deserve. As for numbers and readin... can't say I inow much o'that. The old man always said reading was for preists and scholars not farmboys like meself."
Tatzlwyrms he knows next to nothing about. Other than that they are likely draconic based on their name. (Needs some knowledge arcana)
Mites are something Brental knows well enough however. They are hideous little fey creatures so ugly that even goblins are known to poke fun at their bulbous malformed heads and swollen eyes. Such insults are carried within them curdling their emotional wellbeing and turning them into spiteful little monsters whi enjoy torturing small animals and people if they can get their hands on them. They can cause fear with their vile gaze if they open their black eyes wide and they have a tendency to tame vermin to do their bidding.
Brental reports what he knows of mites, but leaves the ugly part out.
"Mites are little fey creatures: a bit spiteful, but they usually aren't treated well by creatures around them, so it's hard to say how much of that is in the nature or their upbringing. If they're causing troubles with the local folk, we'll need to address that. But they may have their own needs."
Brental pauses to think for a moment and then offers an idea to Lorna, Oleg, and Svetlana (since Meneas and Signy are off with Vlad). "I do not know whether we'll be able to do this with all of them, but I would like to seek out these tribes to at least understand them. Perhaps a parley can be reached before we default to violence."
Brental is sensitive to Lorna's earlier request for understanding with the bandits, and wonders what she will say to such a strategy now. "What do you think?"
These are great points, Brental. - says Lorna, first approaching with a serious face, but then smiling - I am absolutely onboard. Let's not treat these creatures as enemies from the get-go... Let's give a chance to get to know them. We never know where we can find allies.
She walks around the map, tracing a line with her nail.
If we still have some good hours of light, we should depart South already towards Kressle's, but then do a small circle northeast and try to reach these tribes.
Brental smiles at Lorna's agreement at first and then furrows his brow at the mention again of Kressle.
"With our likely pace, even if we have good directions, we will likely not arrive at Kressle's camp until long after nightfall. We may be able to scout, but leading a war party to her doorstep this evening seems to invite trouble. If you mean to gather information first, then I am for this as well. Otherwise I would as soon delay our confrontation with the rest of these bandits, at least another day."
As he looks at her, he remembers the gore-soaked terror of less than two hours prior. Oleg seemed to have brushed off what had happened for the sake of his sanity, and the others seemed to have not asked much, but Brental was curious of what he had seen from their resident noblewoman. Now was not the time to ask, but if they got on the road soon, perhaps there would be occasion to inquire.
"That's the thing about kindness Vlad, you can't always wait around until you're sure somebody deserves it or not. Doing that would create a lot of unkindness."
Signy gathers Vlad's plate and her tankard up and stands.
"I should be getting back to the others. I'll see what I can do about getting you on your way to Pitax."
Signy goes in and listens as the others plan what to do next.
Oleg shrugs at Brental's suggestion. "I dunno about much of the ways of the mites and kobolds but I suppose it doesn't matter much to me about whether or not you kill the buggers so long as you can make them stop causing trouble for our travelers it would be a real boon to business, in fact, I'd be willing to part with some of the coin left over from the renovations money that Restov gave us when we set up here if you can bring an end to their intereferenece."
[Ooc]Just tell me if you are simply passing through a hex of exploring it. If you are exploring it it will take much longer to pass through but you will be able to make a series of checks to see if you discover anything of interest there.[/b]
Meneas looks at Vlad calmly as Signy leaves. "If you go back to your former ways in these lands, I will come and kill you." The words are calm, not a threat, but rather a simple statement of fact. However, his voice is gentle as he continues. "Do your best in your new life."
With that, he turns and leaves the stables, arriving outside. His hood turns to face each of his companions. "Apologies, I wanted to..." He sighs, shaking his head. "Well, whatever. What's the plan? Do we have one?"
Brental thinks to encourage Meneas to finish his thought, but lets the moment stand. He shows the map to all of his companions now and summarizes.
"There are tribes of kobolds and mites somewhere to the east, along with a nest of something called tatzlwyrms. We'll likely want to find all of them, as it sounds like they have caused various problems for travelers and traders. I'd like to negotiate with them first, if possible. And if not--" Brental drifts off without verbalizing that thought, shrugging.
"And then there's Kressle, who we have reason to believe we can find if we travel down river here. We could get there after nightfall and see what kind of a force we'd be up against if we were to marshal an attack. It's hard to quantify the severity of any threats until we know more. They may be as level headed as Vlad, or they could be as bloodthirsty as Happs."
Brental taps each of the known locations once while vaguely gesturing to the less well-known, summarizing what he knows of each group so far and inviting anyone with better knowledge of dragons and kobolds to fill in details. "I favor ranging southwest towards the camp, but holding our attack until we know our quarry better."
Oleg mutters a comment to the group. "Tatzlywyrms are these rather odd, vicious creatures. I'd say they are dragon kin but I'm no expert. They are much smaller than an ordinary dragon though. Around the size of a man, long and worm-like, and with poison breath. They eat livestock when they can but tend to stay deep in the forests to avoid being hunted down. During mating season they are particularly aggressive though. I'd also be willing to pay a fair bit for the head of one of those creatures. Mounted up on the wall it would make a great conversational piece. Give passersby a sight to remember us by."
"Sounds like a worthy choice to remove as a threat." Meneas muses, before shrugging slightly and spreading his hands. "Kobolds seem like they might be able to be negotiated with... assuming they can do so in good faith. I'm not sure about mites - they're, uh, pretty stupid."
"That said, I agree that we should move southwest towards their camp... but should we go there as fast as we can, or do some exploration on our way?" The knight-errant looks around at his fellows. "I don't think they'll be leaving soon, if that helps. Most of the time they wouldn't bother, if they think they've got a consistent profit."
"Let's explore a bit more on the way there. I agree--there is no need to rush."
Your ideas are sound, my friends, but what I meant is that we should try to get on the road to Kressle's as soon as possible... Not that we need to arrive there tonight. I believe we might have to camp on our way, but that direction should be our focus.
She pauses.
Hopefully we will be able to get some recon first, and use the night to plan our approach. I'm not sure diplomacy will be an option with her, but we might be able to plan something more furtive. Let's think about kobolds and mites after we deal with that immediate threat, especially since we only have the surprise element for a couple days.
After a while everyone has packed up and made themselves ready to go when Svetlana approaches Signy with a bashful expression looking around to make sure Oleg wasn't paying attention. "Signy dear I was hoping I could ask for a small favor... You see, Oleg is a tough man and he might not show it but this whole endeavor has been really hard on him. He's done his best to keep me sheltered from it but it's come at quite the cost for him and for a time I was worried his spirit would break. He's such a proud and stubborn fool after all and him bowing to these bandits for my sake has really cut him to the core. That being said, I'd like to do something nice for him. You see his favorite meal is the soup I make out of a rare plant that grows around here called Moonlight Radishes. You can recognize them by the faint silvery glow they give off, it's quite spectactular really. Anyways I hate to trouble you when you've already done so much for us but if you could keep an eye out for those radishes and bring some back should you find them I'd be very grateful."
Similarly, Oleg has begun speaking with Lorna also with a sheepish expression. "Look, I know it's a lot to ask but if you could keep an eye out for Lana's wedding ring when you head to the bandit camp I'd be extremely grateful. She won't say how much it's bothered her but honestly, and don't go telling nobody, it kills me when I see her rubbing at her hand where it used to be. Now it's a simple copper ring, from back when Lana and I first met and we both had next to nothing. The inscription reads 'I'm yours. Body and soul.' The ring itself ain't worth much but I'd be willing to pay you for finding it much more than its market value... just don't go telling Lana. She'd just insist she doesn't need it."
"Even if the rest of you don't have trouble seeing at night, I'm not exactly well-suited to fighting in the dark... but I agree, we should keep our options open, and scouting is essential there." Meneas says with a dry chuckle.
"I'm not sure we'll even make it by nightfall, anyways, depending on how much we explore. Plus, only Veil will be unhindered by any foliage - the rest of the horses won't be quite so lucky." The knight-errant muses, before falling silent to let Oleg speak.
As he repacks major supplies for this next trek downriver, Brental stops by Oleg and Svetlana's house.
"First, thank you again for your gracious hospitality so far. You are good people, and I look forward to getting to know you more as we explore these lands. I wish to offer something before we leave to explore. A sign of our protection, I suppose. It is something that I have long known how to do. It is like a torch that never goes out and does not consume anything. It is for light, not heat. Any who see it and recognize it for what it is will recognize the magic inherent in it. You can always cover it if you do not want it to be seen. Is this something that you would be interested in having?"
Oleg and Svetlana glance at each other for affirmation before nodding at Brental and smiling.
"Why that sounds just wonderful Brental dear! Where would you be putting it if you don't mind me asking? Oh and we should be the one's thanking you you silly man! You've saved our livelihood, our home, and possibly our very lives. Some good old country hospitality is the least we could do to thank you." Svetlana gushes and pulls the druid into a hug.
"Oh I can put it wherever you li-, oh!" The Aasimar is surprised to be pulled into the hug, but smiles and relaxes. "Yes: anywhere. Just pick a location and I will create the flame."
"Of course, sweetie. Right over the threshold to our home would be lively I think." she says with a smile.
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As the party departs the Trading Post they all say their final goodbyes and make off into the unfamiliar wilderness before them. It is not long before they have left the road and a few hours after that are now fully in the forest. Lush green vegetation all about them, birds chirping and insects humming as forest critters chitter and scamper about all seems well on this leg of the journey. Well enough that the party decides to do a little bit of exploting in addition to their swift journey.
Brental climbs up a bit over the threshold of the Leveton home and reaches to the highest point. From there springs a flame that burns bright as a torch but does no harm to the structure underneath. He smiles and hops down to get on the road.