Aletha tries to feint the boar
Before striking at it with her blade
Likely doing a pretty good job at it.
Under magic, and Aletha's attack, the angry boar goes down.
The injured bandits visibly calm down, with the adrenaline of combat over, their senses of strain on muscles come back to them.
One of them, "Good grace, that animal's as aggressive as could be.."
Vasaam moves up to examine the boar. "Looks like a really big pig. Is the meat edible? If so, we could probably help with butchering it. ??"
|
Lariel relaxes and collects whatever arrows he can reuse. He, then, approaches the boar and inspects it.
After his study of the scene, he approaches the bandits and says with his bow in one hand and an unnocked arrow in the other "So, you're the ones who stole these goods, aren't you? Care to explain?"
Yay I did it! Aletha smiles to herself as she tries to refocus on whats going on currently
She breathes more deeply, as her rage wears off.
While keeping her ability to heal further to herself, given there was no thinking they may not be attacked again and she could only help so many times, Coraline would try and help bandage the wounds of everyone, to at least give some comfort, if no benefits.
Vasaam doesn't notice anything particular about the boar. It's solid, it 'was' very angry, but nothing unnatural for such an animal.
@ Lariel,
- Boars like these would attack if it had young to protect.
- It can be made for dinner, but the prep will be tedious and time. (skinning/fire pit/gather firewood/skewing)
- You don't feel a pulse in its neck, it may well be dead.
- You don´t find signs that would indicate disease, in your opinion.
- With your low light vision, you determine it came from the west.
The two injured bandits shrug. "We were the ones driving the wagon alright. Got out for just a minute, then this boar charged at us after some aggressive grunting."
Vasaam looks the wagon over. "The owner of this wagon wants it back. We'll be taking it, unless it's damaged too much."
Vasaam finds the wagon pretty much intact. The bandits don't protest, being both injured and having seen your team's efficiency.
The wagon holds a variety of assorted goods of good quality grade.
Lariel wraps up what he saw was a wet gash on one of the mens' legs, which matches with a bloody smear on one of the boar's tusks.
The horses went west. It would be a fair assumption the horses startled the boar, and the bandits chasing the horse got the aggression for it.
|
|
Lariel looks at the tracks and says "Looks like the horses went on to the west. I'd say they are the ones that startled the boar and as the bandits were chasing the horses, they got the boar's attention."
Despite it being almost night, he suggests that the group carries the cart back slowly. Between him, Coral and Aletha, they can do good time due to their strength. In the city, they can rest after a work well done.
" So no horses to return, but the cart and some workers, right workers who we found trying to help the lost cart?" Coraline calls over, figuring the theft of horses on land was similar to the sea, though she was not sure how the sharks would eat them after the Many Cuts.
Vasaam will try to help.
Oh well, I can probably double as a draft animal for a short time
Aletha offers
And so everyone, including the 2 'conscripted' bandits, start pushing and pulling the fully loaded merchant wagon. 3 hours later, around 21:30, you get to the gates of the city.
The guardsmen look up at your faces, slightly glistening sweat in the moon's light. Thankfully, you needn't move the wagon uphill, 15 minutes later you push the wagon into a currently empty space that can be locked.
Entering 'The Warden's Respite' before closing hours at 22:00, Margaret is found speaking with the master at arms, both sitting at a table with a pint of ale. Both look up. "Welcome back, team. You look tired, by the looks you've either been dragging something, or running laps around the city."
Vasaam does feel that the thieves deserve a kind word.... "But they did help against that angry boar, rather than run off. And they helped drag the wagon back. I don't think the punishment should be too harsh. Maybe they just need a proper job so they don't feel any need to steal?"
" I do feel they have perhaps learned that good work is better yes? When the shark attacks, those who stay to fend it off get to wear it's teeth. Even if one brought the shark near with blood by accident."
It seems even among Coraline's people they had mercy on those who tried to do the right thing, even when they did not have to.
The bandits are kind of at a loss for words. Not left to the risk of death at the tusks of an angry boar. Sure, they were situationally pressed to assist pushing back the cart. Yet here they are offered water and two people speaking for a lighter sentence.
Margaret and the master of arms look at you, then the two bandits, then briefly at each other, before back to you.
"Theft is still theft. But aiding in a threat against guild agents, and bringing back the stolen goods, i'll see what can be done for their situation tomorrow. Perhaps less time in the dungeons, paired with assigned labor, or some such."
The master at arms stands up and heads out, returning some time later with a group of city watch to take the bandits to the watch station.
Margaret on her part, takes your payment. 300gp each.
"Take a long rest, agents. And, since you're doing well on the tasks, one other matter. Instead of several loose names, come with a name for your fixer team tomorrow. Few as it happens, sometimes larger coordinated missions are better with a fixer team's name assigned to it."
"Leonans? Well, it's not likely that any other group will be using that name. I'm OK with it."
The following day, as you come back to the *Warden's Respite Inn*, already a couple of new notices hang on the board.
A few hard jobs are getting taken by two other teams.
The ones currently still hanging are the following:
A small farming community is rumored to have made a shrine to an unknown spirit. Food deliveries from the community to the city have been less than usual 3 times in a row.
Confirm origin of rumor. Cult or ill favor on harvest?
A lumberyard in The Thickets is plagued by wild animals of late. Boars and wolves are encountered more frequently. The workers have been working to construct a fence, but attacks have been frequent enough that the workers themselves are unable and under-equipped to both properly protect and construct at the same time. They request security for 3 days to finish constructing the fence.
Vasaam agrees. "Kind of strange though, wild animals interfering with people. Boars and wolves working together? Wouldn't they usually avoid each other and find easier food?"
" Why not do both again? I think our singing friend can be spoken with, if that is who it is, but I thought we had already spoken with her on that. Let us do the lumberyard first, then see if our new friend is okay. It may not be her, which is even more problems. We wouldn't have a way to speak with them." Coraline seems to reason out.
I am fine with either
Aletha opines, having no strong opinion on the matter