Sorry to hear that too.
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Shalia would glare at Caelus a moment, before turning back to the rest of the party and laughing a little. 'Crowning me already? How delightful! I have always loved some jewellery, after all.' She'd then head to the fire and get some sleep.
One post a day, out of combat, is a fine pace for me.
Shalia would pass one of the stag amulets to anyone on guard, under the assumption that the bandits use them as some sort of identification marker.. just incase some more bandits return in the night.
'They are all 'trees' to me, I'm afraid.'
'Well, a sycamore is a tree of some sort, even a noble city dweller such as I know that much. I suppose we could go look for it at first light, if someone here knows what to look for, or we could head back to Oleg's to cash in our bounty notice for these bandits.' Still busy with helping Tam skin the bear, trying not to be put off by the smell and mess created. 'Personally, I would prefer to stay out here and explore for a while, be it in these forests or east into the plains.'
'I am not that squeamish, Tam. Lets get it skinned, shall we? It will be worth something back at the trading post, after all.' With that, she'd help Tam skin the animal, trying to watch every bit, but mostly spending her time trying not to gag at the smell of it.
'I suppose that is a fair point. Pretty distasteful to just leave the bodies to.. nature, as you say, but there's not a lot else we could do that would not attract attention. Might I make another suggestion then? Given how it is rather dark, we should stay here for the night. It is a decent enough camp, and we would have the opportunity to ambush any other bandits who might return to the camp.'
'Ingenious! Since you know what you're doing, I'll leave that job to you.' After saying that in her usual noble manner, she'd turn to the rest of the group before continuing. The rest of us, minus our cook, can get on with the task of dealing with these poor bandits. I'd suggest a pyre of some sort, as I don't think any of us brought our spades.'
Spotting the look, Shalia would quickly grin back to the swordsman. 'Caelus, my darling, you wouldn't happen to be able to figure out a way to get this bear back to the trading post, would you?'
'I'd assume that someone at Oleg's would have the skills to cure the hide, so it's just a question of getting it there. Which might be the trickiest part, really. Oh, and if we are to eat, perhaps we should do something with these clowns?' She'd point over to the bodies of the bandits who still lay where they died. 'It's hardly good etiquette to eat with the dead, after all.'
Rather thankful that the bear went down before it could attack her, Shalia would poke the beast a few times with her rapier to check that it's dead, before turning to the rest of the group. 'So, does anyone know how to skin one of these beasts? I could do with a new cloak.'
Great. A Bear. Shalia had known that, eventually, she'd have to come up against some wilderness creatures, but she had hoped that her first one wouldn't be one of these marauding, angry bears. Still, it had to be dealt with. And with the spell slowing the bear down a bit, the odds were looking up. But only an idiot would fight where those rending claws could be an issue. 'You're not as scary as Old Bill asking for the tab to be paid..' Her accent slipping back into her more noble, confident sounding one as she speaks, then charging at the bear and at the last moment, tumbling round to strike at the bears flank.
'That... that is a bear' Shalia's refined accent falling back into something far more Varisian and common sounding, clearly rather surprised by the sudden emergence of such a beast. She'd drop down into a defensive stance, unwilling to advance towards those massive, rending claws.
Someone would dare interrupt the honest detailing of the plunder? How terribly rude, Shalia thought. Still, she drew her rapier and stood between the treasure and the rustling in the bushes pointed out by Avizzi, near the fire.
'Well well. These bandits certainly did not enjoy being surprised, did they? Shocking performance from them really.' With the fighting over, she'd head to each of the dead bandits and search them for gold, weapons or anything of value, putting them in a pile and recording the loot in her book. While writing, she'd shout up to Caelus. 'Caelus, my dear. Would you be so kind as to place the plunder from that lady down here with the rest of it, so I can properly record it all?'
This ambush had gone surprisingly well, Shalia thought, seeing all five bandits down already. And even with the pleading look from the bandit she took down, Shalia knew it was pointless to even ask for them to surrender, given how the rest of her group had dealt with the bandits back at the trading camp. Still, there was one bandit left to deal with. So, dropping her crossbow, she'd move quietly over to the platform.
Quickly reloading her crossbow, Shalia would take aim at another bandit and let loose with her bolt.
Stepping out from behind the tree, Shalia would take just a moment to aim before shooting at Bandit #5 with her crossbow.
Stealthily heading to the tree south-west of her current position, Shalia would attempt to get Avizzi's attention in order for the attack to be launched.
Sneaking up behind the nearest man, keeping to the shadows as best as possible and being ever so silent, before clamping a hand over the guard's mouth to suppress any cries for help, and burying one of her daggers into his neck, cutting his throat. Then, she'd quietly lower his body to the floor, checking around to see if anyone spotted her actions.
'Cream puffs? Maybe you could get me one for when I return. Avizzi, you coming?'
'I had imagined that simply shouting 'Help' would be enough, but you're perhaps correct Arial. It's possible that we could even use a signal to confuse the bandits.' Stopping for a moment to think, before switching to a pretty stereotypical elven accent. 'If I shout 'Telandia', and you respond with 'Edasseril' to let me know you're leaping to my rescue, then we might make them think that their assailants are all Elven.. which could give us an advantage.'
'Be assured, I'm certain I can remain unobserved by these bandits.' She pauses a moment, before continuing. 'Though perhaps being prepared to charge in when I give a signal might not be such a bad idea.'
Likewise, Shalia would get off her horse and hitch it up to one of the nearby trees, before readying her crossbow. 'I imagine you'll be wanting me to scout out the camp first, so we can gain some information on them before engaging in combat?'
With contact made with the hunched over figure, Shalia would quietly examine the nearby area, checking to see if there are any other figures around ready to ambush the party.
'Well, I could make sure we're not walking into an ambush.. Handing the reigns of her her horse off to someone, she'd climb off her mount and take to the woods and undergrowth nearby, sneaking up towards the man at a different angle to the rest of the party, crossbow loaded and ready.
Putting the rules up would be a help.
'Last one out loses their share of the loot!' With that, Shalia would ride out of the trading post, waving to Oleg and Svetlana, telling her to prepare a bigger feast for when they arrive back.
Naturally, Shalia would be a little hungover after all the wine consumed yesterday, not quite remembering the feast. But upon waking, she'd head off to get a bath and take sometime over that, ensuring she was nice and clean before getting her gear and horse (borrowing one from Oleg), ready to head out.
Shalia would organise a bit of a mini feast during the day, paying for food and wine out of her share of the profits gained so far, attempting to improve the mood at the trading post after striking the first blow against the bandits.
'As I mentioned, we could let those who need it rest and recover, and still head out around midday... though the weather may deny us a lot of sunlight.'
Grinning over to Avizzi as he questions the feast idea. 'And what's odd about having a good time, my friend? We have survived a brutal fight against bandits who sought to disadvantage our friends here at the trading camp. That's as good an excuse as any for a drink.'
'One hundred and twenty gold sounds like a fine deal, Oleg. And given how we're likely to need those horses, it makes sense to keep them around here.' Shalia would hop down from the non-burned cart with a smile and shake Oleg's hand, confirming the deal. She'd then turn to the rest of the party. 'Well, if we desire to move on the bandits as soon as possible, we should consider leaving today. The day is still very young. If, however, some of our group need rest, we could do that and still head out around midday. Or we could spend the day feasting. I certainly could do with some good wine.'
Nothing at all! The Tengu monk can distract everyone while I get away. Also, for the future, what sort of skills would you want for mapmaking? Craft (Cartography), Knowledge (Geography) or Profession (Cartographer)?
'Well Tam, though I've no problem with dealing with a banditry problem, especially with such a reward on offer, I do think we should consider scouting out the location first, before charging head first into the camp.' Shalia would stick near the cart, taking out a solid looking travelling book and start writing in it, recording what loot was taken from the bandits and what was taken by the party. 'Now then my darling Oleg, I think a fair price for these weapons should be agreed. Given my calculations..'
Shalia would gather all the gear found together and place it in the bandits cart, bringing it into the trading post with the assistance of one of the bandits horses before hitching it and the other horses up. 'Does anyone desire any of this equipment? I don't think their former owners have any need for it in the afterlife.'
'Would you object if we borrowed the map, Oleg? It would aid us greatly in dealing with the rest of the bandits.' Shalia would also find something to mark down the part of the map Happs pointed to, if given the map. Then, finding the whole prospect of hanging slightly distasteful and smelling too much of 'justice' and other concepts for her, Shalia would head outside the trading post to check on the horses and cart the bandits brought with them, searching any saddlebags to find anything of worth.
'Anyone got a map of the area? We should get him to mark it down.'
Staying behind the bandits, she'd walk up to the first one who surrendered and tap him on the boots with her rapier. 'I get these though, they look good for terrain like this.'
'Just watch them for now and help with this fire, unless you think you smell better when crispy.' Shalia would look around for some water and throw it onto the fire, fighting the flames.
Well, now there was only one bandit left alive, and he stood at the other side of a burning wagon. Ah well.. time to do something dramatic that would contribute to the cause while looking cool. Hopefully.
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