Dom's shaking knees do him no favors as he runs to Berrik's aid.
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"Is it not true that spiders have many eyes? Perhaps seeing our Professor's menacing visage with such vision would make the spider flee in terror. We will emerge victorious!"
"And, of course, it would do us no harm to have the blessing of Erastil."
Dom had, apparently incorrectly, assumed that the party was preparing to battle the beast ahead. "Perhaps in the future, if we are unwilling to engage with a monstrous creature whose passions we have inflamed, we should refrain from urging the most bite-sized party member from taking shots at it." "I am fine with moving on...I may boast about the lack of halfling bones, but I do not want to be the first to add mine to the pile."
"Friends, it appears my shot did not have the desired effect, and may indeed have made matters worse. If we have no other ideas, might we just need to gird ourselves for battle and march ahead?"
"I appreciate the encouragement, Berrik. Let us hope this shot is something worthy of one of your tales." Dom whispers a quick prayer to Erastil while preparing his arrow. Please guide this arrow, Old Deadeye, and protect us as we endeavor to make these lands safe.
Raising his finger and smiling, Dom declares, "You will note that there are no Halfling skeletons down there." "In seriousness, I could perhaps light an arrow and fire it into the hole. Maybe that would flush it out without us venturing too close...and of course I would defer to those of you who may be better shots."
"I daresay if we must deal with dragons, I would rather they be the size of our new scaled friends. I am not sure I want to know what lies inside that hole."
"East is fine with me - and let us hope all of our encounters could be resolved so swiftly. Would that bandits would renounce their ways for the safety of their root vegetables."
It would seem that radish had quite a bite. Would you want any water, Berrik? Perhaps the professor would want some to alleviate his respiratory issues as well...
"I have no issue with leaving their radish patch alone. Before requesting that they leave Oleg's alone, would it help to ask if they have ever attacked him?" Dom hears some strained respiration from the Professor, and turns to him. Eager to help, he asks, "You sound most uncomfortable, Professor. Do you require assistance? Do you have an allergy of some kind?"
"I recall Oleg saying something about the Sootscale kobolds...are these of the same group?" Dom then considered his words, taking care not to offend them further, in case they could understand more than they were letting on. "Oleg had said the Sootscales were a proud tribe, well known for their honorable and good conduct towards peaceful travelers. Surely they would not be opposed to some aid. Is something troubling their people?"
"If they will accept it, I will lend whatever aid I can, though I never trained specifically on reptilian biology." Dom readies his healing kit, and adds, "I suppose you can leave that last part out."
"Thank you for the translation, Berrik. I for one was not looking forward to the prospect of a laceration from their worn out weaponry." Quietly, to himself, "And for radishes? Yick."
"Truly, I am just looking forward to our adventure, it does not matter to me where we head first. So long as I am prepared, that is, and to that end I will secure another quiver of arrows."
"As far as I am concerned, Big Head, you are welcome to the amulet. Given the manner in which Erastil has appeared to some, I had thought that this Stag Lord might be aping him in some way. I suppose my biggest interest in this horde of ours would be some arrows." After nearly soiling himself watching the Professor deal with the bandits, hearing his kinds words comes as a surprise, but a warm and welcome one. "Thank you, Professor," is all he can say while maintaining his composure. Turning to Laurel, he asks, "Are your experiences with bandits tales you would be willing to share, or memories best left alone? "
"Oleg, could I see that amulet for a moment?"
"Friends, I believe it is worth noting something." Dom trails off as he presents his charter with a flourish. He reads aloud: The punishment for unrepentant banditry remains, as always, execution by sword or rope. "I recognize that they tried to kill us, and that in their reticence we may as a practical matter assume guilt. However I must urge caution as our lawful authority has limits."
"Big Head, before you begin, please allow me to heal your wounds from the battle. Better to be prepared should things go awry."
"The punishment for unrepentant banditry is well known. For all we know these men were pressed into service. I would argue that we lack the authority to...execute...our duty, until we have explored the status of their penitence."
Watching his arrow pierce nothing but air and grass, Dom mutters to himself. "The message is loud and clear, Erastil. I will prepare to heal these heroes, should they need it." Dom stows his bow and creeps down the ladder.
Dom's nerves get the better of him. I cannot wait any longer! "Old Deadeye, speed my arrow."
Dom's hands shake as he draws his bow and readies an arrow, preparing to fire.
"Think your taunts scared the bandits off, Big Head?" "Or...was it the badger fur?"
Magickers! Do any of you have a spell that can turn a cowardly ragabond into something useful? Like a towel? Or a latrine! "No, but if you were to become a latrine I may have need to Create Water."
Dom kneels and bows his head, praying for Erastil's aid in defending Oleg and Svetlana.
Dom raises his hands: his left held in an obscene gesture, his right index finger tracing over it as he chants quietly. "Forgive me, Erastil, for using this clean water for such a crude purpose."
As Dom traces his hand, water begins to drip on the wall in a larger image of the same pattern.
"Berrik, Laurel - if I obscured the bandits' view of the entrance, do you suppose you could...flee fearfully...back inside? Perhaps they would more readily accept that performance, allowing us to engage them in here."
Horses! in case they flee! "Good idea - after that greeting, could there be any doubt?" Maybe a little... Dom keeps his head down and runs towards the ladder.
If they want loot, burning the outpost down doesn't top a list of options.They only know about Berrik so we might still be able to get them closer. "I cannot help but agree with your logic, but then again one wonders if banditry and logic are exclusive." With a smile, Dom adds, "Would not their challenging us be evidence of their illogic?"
Dom gets off of the bench and with brisk wipes dusts his shirt off. "This ruse seems like a sound plan to me. Perhaps it is best that I retire and pray for Erastil's aid as we attempt to purge this region of its infection." "On the matter of where I should do that...would anyone be willing to allow me to set my bedroll in their room?" he adds, lowering his hand over his head, "I promise I will be only a small imposition."
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