"Damn right ya hired the right folks," replies Boros to Oona. Although he wasn't going to say it, he feels rather proud of their accomplishments--was a lot more than fighting off rats this time.
"You've always been good ta me, Elry." Boros marvels as the hatchet wound he takes completely disappears.
When Valkor talks about moving the tree, though, Boros goes instead to the dead/unconscious bandits and starts taking their stuff. "Priorities," he says, finding it self-explanatory.
Shemar gladly accepts the healing. "Elry, you are simply wonderful. Nothing left but a phantom pain!"
"Do any of them yet live?" Shemar asks Boros, as he rifles through their things. "It would be good to know if we should expect more of these brigands anywhere else on the road."
Shemar begins to move over to help Boros, then decides that he'll leave the rogue to it. He then looks to Valkor. "Let's give everyone a minute, then we will give a group effort to move the tree. Maybe tie a rope around one end so that we call all pull on it to swing it around?"
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As Boros rummages through Cato's pockets, he sees that the bandit is still breathing.
Both bandits are wearing studded leather armor, had dropped their slings at some point, Cato threw a hatchet and had another on his person, the dead bandit has his hatchet next to his fried corpse, and they each jave a pouch with 16 total remaining sling bullets. Between them they have a total of and . Cato has a crudely drawn map in his pocket.
Sébastien bows to no one in particular, as the smiling Bard crosses the grassy terrain to the fallen tree.
Stretching and performing some quick exercises, the halfling stares confidently at the large tree across the road.
He then reaches into his pack, producing a rope.
Can you use this?
The giggling bard will also cast Guidance on whomever attempts to move the tree.
"Pile in, crew!"
Valkor gave Boros a withering look, ”I expect a full accounting of what you find so we can make an appropriate offering to the Gatekeeper.”
He nodded to Shemar, spit on his hands, and heaved on the rope. ”Arrh,” he groaned and strained against the weight of the tree.
"Ugh! Gatekeeper. What kind of God is this Gatekeeper?"
With a heave and a ho, Shemar and Valkor are able to pull the tree from the road, clearing the way for Oona’s cart.
Meanwhile, Oona gives Dapple and Misty each a crabapple to help calm them down, ”They’re a bit spooked,” she mentions.
"Ugh! Gatekeeper. What kind of God is this Gatekeeper?"
”I speak of Shankhil, the GateKeeper or Doorman of Eternity, he helps the dead transition to the afterlife and guards against undead from crossing back into the land of the living,” Valkor responded earnestly as he walked towards the bodies. He stopped and stood over each one briefly and said a short prayer.
As the others are moving the fallen tree, Danus looks at the fallen bandits...specifically the one with his arrow in his gut. He reaches out, looking like he was going to retrieve the arrow, then turns aside and is noisily sick. Tor wanders over and the ranger leans on his companion as he continues to be sick.
Sébastien smiles bright, as both Shemar and Valkor team up to move the tree.
The halfling then turns his bright blue eyes over to notice his friend, Danus in distress!
The Bard immediately runs over to Danus, placing a comforting hand on the ranger's back.
Not at all like the stories is it, my friend.
Sébastien nods to the others.
Remember this moment. For when it becomes just a memory buried under more deaths, we are lost.
The Bard then begins digging shallow Graves off the road.
"What, ya don't trust me Valkor?" Boros grins, knowing full well Valkor didn't trust him. "Cato's a lucky bastard, still alive. Guess he's gonna find out how it feels to be on the receiving end of being robbed. One less grave to dig, Sebastien." Far less troubled by death than Danus, Boros wasn't sure that the bandits deserved a grave at all. Even though Boros had a criminal past, he definitely viewed himself as "better" than these bandits. Especially bandits who robbed ordinary halflings.
Boros pulls out the map in Cato's pocket and starts looking at it, before holding it unfurled for others to see. "Hey, whaddya all make o' this? A map to all the bandit loot, maybe?"
Hmmm…. a map. Interesting, I wonder what it could be. Valkor moved over to Boros and began looking at the map over the halfling’s shoulder.
"Oona, do you have knowledge of this area? Perhaps you could take a look at the map as well. I have no special skill in reading maps, but perhaps Danus could assist? I like where Boros' mind is at, a bandit hide-out sounds fantastic! but what if there are more bandits?
While everyone starts to gather around the bandit Cato, anyone with training in medicine can see that without immediate first aid, he will expire soon from his injuries.
Oona peeks at the map and shrugs, "I only know the road. It'd be foolish for me to wander off into the woods. Hmm, could be their hideout... That one that got away ran off in that direction, didn't he?" she points westwardly.
But, she looks concerned at her ponies, "Now that we got the tree out of the way, we should really get a move on. I can't take my cart on an adventure chasing bandits through the woods. That's not what I've hired you on for."
Although he looks slightly disappointed, "True enough. We would not risk you or your ponies. Perhaps we could return after getting you to your destination. Fat chance that they would stay in the same spot, if this is their hideout. Maybe it's a ruin that they've spotted and plan to raid? If someone could patch this rogue up enough so that we could question him, we could stop guessing. Is there a constable in Hearth that we could deliver him to? I'd hate to let him go too."
This is not as straight-forward as Shemar imagined it would be.
Oona nods "Mhmm, we can turn him over to Lord Arpaad at Silverpine Watch. Maybe he can send out a patrol to clear out any remaining bandits."
Danus smiles gratefully at Sébastien and cleans himself up as best he can.
"I am sorry. It's not like practice...or even the occasional brawl at the tavern. It all happened so fast! This is the...first time I have actually had to...kill someone."
He looks over at his friend and nods.
"Your right...it's not like the stories!"
The young man gathers up his dropped pack and slings his bow as he helps dig the shallow graves for the bandits.
"Elry would you mind saying a few words over these men?"
"This Cato the killer stills breathes. Do you wish me to tend to him to keep him from dying, so you may question him, or do you wish to let him die on this road?" she asked her companions, for as a healer her principle duty was to keep people breathing, even criminals.
"If someone could patch this rogue up enough so that we could question him, we could stop guessing. Is there a constable in Hearth that we could deliver him to? I'd hate to let him go too."
"...we can turn him over to Lord Arpaad at Silverpine Watch. Maybe he can send out a patrol to clear out any remaining bandits."
"I'll do what I can for him, however, I may need someone to restrain him once he's able to move lest he try to attack me and run..."
From her pack, Elry pulled out her healer's tools and moved to kneel beside the only living bandit. With her companion/s aid to keep the bandit from reacting after she brought him back from the brink of death, Elry examined him and began to treat his primary wounds.
Seeing the bandit's eyes flutter open and his breathing become less laboured (although he still possessed other wounds, which were not life threatening at this stage), Elry motioned for her male companions to hold him still.
"He's not dying anymore. So, if you wish to question him or bind his hands, I'll leave you to it."
The young man gathers up his dropped pack and slings his bow as he helps dig the shallow graves for the bandits.
"Elry would you mind saying a few words over these men?"
"I'll be right with you, Danus," she replied solemnly, nodding to the ranger as she packed up her healing tools, stowed them in her pack and moved toward the shallow graves, ready to set the dead into the next life with last rites. With one hand around Aleria's holy symbol hanging from her neck (a formality and not a sacred healing), Elry chose her words for these bandits who had wished them dead simply for personal gain.
"May your life and transgressions be judged accordingly under the grace and wisdom of the gods. May your souls find forgiveness and peace in the next life. We lay your bodies to rest in this ground as is the natural order." She collected some of the grasses and mosses near the road and sprinkled them over each grave.
Sebastien and Danus find a shovel amongst the many trade goods in Oona's cart and get to work burying the fallen bandit in the mud off the side of the road.
Meanwhile, as Boros, Valkor, and Shemar ponder over the crude map, Elry provides care to the dying Cato. The defeated bandit eventually comes around, his eyes flutter open and he moans as he tries to make sense of his situation. But, by then, someone has taken Sebastien's rope and bound his hands and feet. "Let me go!" he demands as he struggles against his bonds.
"Fat chance! Load him up and let's get going!" shouts Oona as she climbs back aboard her wagon.
Shemar will approach the restrained bandit after he comes to.
"Oh good, you're awake. We were just discussing whether we were going to leave you here tied up to feed the wolves or if We were going to be kind enough to let you live. I think that decision depends on how you answer these next questions. How many more of you are there? Where does this map lead to. Is this your base, or do you have another base of operations?"
Has he speaks, he will let a little bit of his produce flame cantrip sit in his mouth without spitting it out, causing him to seem too glow from within.
I've always wanted to do that! It went exactly how I thought it would. I probably could have let the threat of death be a little more obvious though.
"Map's for another time," agrees Boros, as he hops aboard the cart once more.
He seems rather gleeful as Shemar starts threatening Cato. "Oh damn--you best talk fast, boyo!"
He kind of hopes Shemar gets to spit out the fire.
Looking at his shields, the halfling smiles when shovels are found in the cart.
Sebastien also takes a peek at the crudely drawn map.
It could be related to my Poem!
The enthusiastic halfling ponders the possibilities, as they begin to question the waking bandit.
This seems like yer lucky day, my friend! The Darkwater Six have taken upon ourselves to protect folk from such as you and yer friends. Now, we are a bit kind of heart, so you cooperate, and we will give you a fair trial at the Watch.
Make An Impression
Elry was not one to intimidate someone and had no skill for it, if truth be told. She watched as Sebastien attempted to charm the bandit Cato, even as Shemar and Boros tried a different tact.
She simply and honestly added, in a steady, straightforward voice, hoping to sway the bandit with logic/reason rather than threat/malice or false charm, "I saved you from death, Mister Cato. My two friends, here, won't show you the same mercy. You've some bad wounds still and if injured again, it'll certainly mean your death. I think you'd rather live, even if there's a trial waiting for you in the days to come. A fair trial, moreso if you show cooperation and contrition. I've faith that you can see that answering their questions is in your best interest."
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Cato sits, stunned into silence by the mixed messages he’s getting. He seems to mull over the situation and Elry’s words carefully. "Aye, alright. I get yer point. Aye, that map is our hideout, not far from here. There’s more of us there, we was just a scouting party, saw your little wagon heading up the road and figured might as well catch you off guard. Seems was a mistake on my part. I’m likely to get hanged by Lord Arpaad, but maybe ya can help me atone for me ways.” he looks hopefully at Elry.
”Giddy up!” shouts Oona as she snaps the reins and the cart lurches forward. With the sun high overhead, the Darkwater Six, and company, continue deeper into the Silverpine Forest.
"Hmmph.". He glances at Elry. "How many more?"
Hideout? You needed a map to your own Hideout? We could probably just place a sign here that says "No Bandits" and because they apparently can read, they will just turn around.
The disappointed bard seems to actually mean it not as a joke....
Cato looks a bit hurt at Sebastian’s implications, "It’s easy to get lost in these woods, ya know? It’s a good hideout too, hard to spot, in some old Druid cave or something. Of that coward Nico made it back alive, that’ll make six of us left. Enough to even the odds a bit."
Danus continues to range about the cart to ensure nothing surprises the group as they question the bandit and look at the map.
"I hope you appreciate gettin' a ride, Cato." The halfling gets off his spot and starts walking. He sticks with the other halflings. "More than you deserve for tryin' ta rob some perfectly nice halflings!"
"Only six left? Counting Cato the Caught? We will need to go come back and finish this job after our current one."
Discounting the temporary bruise from that rock, this is beginning to go rather well it seems.
Shemar walks with a lighter step, and a smile on his face, seeming to forget that he was hiding under the wagon just moments before. Excuse me, taking cover
”One task at a time,” the monk agreed with Shemar. ”He who chases two rabbits catches neither.” with that said he resumed his march.
... in some old Druid cave or something? Now, that's worth a look.
Sébastien winks at Cato the Caught.
The bard then takes a look at the captives rope for security, prior to taking his place behind the cart.
Shemar begins to daydream about their next adventure of eradicating the bandits from their camp and the wonders they find within the 'Druid Cave'.
A couple of hours pass. The day remains sunny and warm compared to the day before, and the road continues to be muddy from the melting snow in the surrounding forest. Scouting ahead, Danus spots a small family of red deer grazing along the narrow road dart into the woods as the cart noisily approaches. Cato starts whistling a jaunty traveling tune, and Oona gives him an annoyed sideglance, "How can you be so cheery given your situa-OH!"
Just then, Dapple and Misty suddenly rear up and whiny, frightened by something. Unexpectedly, the pony pair veer off the side of the road, lurching the cart to the right towards Shemar.
Shemar gets hit by the cart and is knocked off his feet. Meanwhile, Oona is thrown from the cart and lands in the road with a thud and a crack as her head hits a rock. The cart comes to a sudden stop as the wheels get stuck in the mud on the side of the road, and Cato, hands and feet bound, also is flung from the cart and lands with a crunch on his shoulder.
Dapple and Misty continue whinnying frantically as they buck and struggle against their harnesses, the cart creaking and groaning in resistance to their pull. If they aren't calmed quickly, they may break free from their harnesses and run off into the woods.
Oona lies motionless in the road, a small pool of blood forming around her head.
Cato also lies motionless off the side of the road, already in a fragile state after having been near death just a few hours ago.
Meanwhile, whatever spooked the ponies has got to be somewhere nearby.
What do you do?
The monk doesn’t hesitate and moved to Oona’s prone form. He quickly evaluated her condition and tried to administer aid to the woman.
As swift as the west wind, Valkor is by Oona's side. Her head has a nasty gash from hitting a rock and she is knocked unconscious. Luckily, he whips out a bandage and quickly applies compression to the wound.
"What the hell?" Hearing the sound of a crash, Boros spins to find the cart upturned and the ponies struggling to flee. He tries his best to calm them down. "Everythin's fine, ponies! Nothin' Boros the Snake can't handle, ya hear?" Boros tries to stand confidently to reassure Dapple and Misty.
Getting up, Shemar quickly assessed the situation. Seeing the ponies in distress, he will fetch a couple of apples from the cart for them.
"Here ponies, have an apple. Oh, you got my hip pretty good there."
Seeing Valkor tend to the unmoving Oona and satisfied he had the task well at hand, Elry called out to Danus and Sebastien, "Check on Cato. Make sure he doesn't run off. His earlier whistling doesn't sit well with me."
Then, mindful of the muddy bogs, moving steadily/calmly toward Dapple and Misty and hoping her prior interaction with them would help her in calming them down, she began to shush quietly, calling them by name and not making any sudden movements, her hands before her in a gentle way as if to reassure them.
"Dapple. Misty. Come now, my lovelies. You know me. You've had a fright, but please know I only wish to make sure you remain unharmed and safe. Shh, shh, shh...Dapple, Misty, you are so brave..." watching them and from the corner of her eye seeing Shemar bring them apples and Boros continue to calm them in his own way.
Shemar, with his hand still outstretched, stops to Stare at Elry.
"So she heals AND speaks to ponies. Multi-talented, indeed."
Between Boros, Shemar, Elry, and a sack of apples, the ponies stop bucking against their harness and calm down. Misty even sniffs an apple in Shemar’s hand. However, their eyes are wide and they remain rather skittish. At least they aren’t in danger of running off in a pony panic.
Sébastien stands there watching everything happening with an apple in his mouth.
Could've used this, eh.
The bard will help get Oona comfortable and safe. His eyes darting around.
What do you suppose spooked them?