I might have messed mine up a little too, but I can move it.
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Theodric replies to the dwarf in a low whisper. "You may be right Dyrm. Better to make her charge me." Raising his voice, he shouts at Kressel. "More pleasurable company my dear lady. The thought of cutting you in half just fills my heart with joy."
"Gods do I hope that she's stupid enough to ride Oscar. With luck I could get him to throw her off and trample her. I vote early as well."
Theodric grins at Lanya's action. Matching her tone, he replies "Might have to make a habit of valiant rescues if that's how people are going to react to them. Though I'll have to make sure never to save Dyrm. Beards seem like they'd be itchy." The grin quickly transmutes into a frown at Dyrms words. "The wolves will have an advantage at night. We'll have a hard time tracking them. Besides, Oscar is still in the hands of that vile woman. We should continue our mission."
Just a heads up, I got that job I went on the trip to interview for a couple months back so I'm moving across the country on Tuesday for it. My posting rate may be reduced until after next week. I'll probably be able to post at least once a day though. Sorry in advance for the inconvenience.
Theodric ignores the wolf attacking him and moves over to go after one of the ones attacking Lanya. "Everyone attack in pairs and focus on a single target at a time! Make sure you kill your target before moving on to the next"
Theodric rhythmically taps the flat of his sword on his shield, hoping the noise will scare off the wolves. "Bad dogs!"
Theodric puts on his shield and draws his sword. "Well, this is the first time I am happy that Oscar isn't here. Damned wolves love horseflesh nearly as much as Ging."
"I cannot see in total darkness Dyrm, but I do have my mother's eyes. If the stars are bright or the moon is out I can see farther and sharper then a human at night, and I suspect Lanya can as well. That should give us a bit of an edge if we move at night." "Remember though that Bruce mentioned the archer platforms that these bandits have throughout the trees when we first came here though. Assuming they are manned, they will likely prevent any chance of a stealth approach, even at night. Even if we take out the archers, I suspect that the sounds of them dying will attract attention. I suppose we really do need to wait till we're closer to plan further." "The only thing I'm sure of is that none of us should fight Kressel one on one. Dyrm, Bruce, and I should take her together. No sense taking unnecessary risks when we can always pay the bards to make our deeds sound more valiant after the fact."
"Bruce, how many more days do you think it will take to get to the camp?" There's a certain anxiousness to Theodric that's been very obvious every time the group has stopped for a break throughout the day. He's clearly a bit worried about the horse. "We need to come up with a new plan of attack by the night before we get there. I don't think an ambush will work this time."
Sounds like a plan to me.
"I'd be fine with it under two conditions. First Oleg has to approve. We've brought him enough hardship already, and I don't want him doing anything he's uncomfortable doing right now. If he says no, then that's that. Second, Bruce has to agree that it's a good idea too. He's known you longer then the rest of us, and if both of you think it's a good idea then it probably is. I hope you don't take my weariness personally, but I still have the image of Edgar standing over Gliadel with a bloody sword burned into my brain. I do trust you for the most part." "Oleg would probably be much more comfortable if you did promise to stay a little ways away from the trading post unless something happens though. If he does agree though, doing this will go along way towards convincing Oleg you are trustworthy. He might even be willing to hire you on as a full time guard if you do a really good job. After we get back I can put in a good word for you about that possibility if you like."
"I doubt that will be easy Dyrm. From what I saw Kressel's the type who would only be willing to work for someone else if they were stronger then her and she was afraid of them."
"Wait, you just said 'He'. I was under the impression that Kressel was your boss. Was she subordinate to someone else?"
"Sounds like a plan. After the ambush yesterday how many do you think we should expect at the camp?"
Theodric slips into his discarded armor upon waking up in the morning before going to meet with the others. "Well you all know what I want to do. Go after my horse, and if the tracks lead to the bandit camp well all the better. She should be loaded down enough that we'll stand a better chance of catching her, and she should still be wounded unless she has a cleric of her own." "As for leaving Ging as a guard we need to make sure that if we do that Oleg and Svetlana are okay with the idea. We also need to see if we can get the ogre as attached to them as he is to Lanya. He seems to be predisposed to liking women, so hopefully he'll take to Svetlana. We definitely are never going to be able to have Bruce or Ned around them without all of us here after what Edgar did." Theodric nods at the bandits. "Sorry fellows, but I think you understand."
Hp:
Theodric sighs. "Fine, we'll wait until tomorrow. I just hope she goes back to the encampment. I'll go look around for some shovels, the poor woman deserves a proper grave at least. Cromwell, would you mind performing a ceremony?"
Theodric keeps taking off his armor while he's talking. "I guess you must not have heard me earlier Dyrm. None of us has a horse now. Kressle took Oscar." There is a mix of sadness and anger to his voice.
Theodric smiles at the sorceress "Thanks Lanya, glad to be alive." He looks at Gliadel's corpse with a frown. "I hate to be heartless, but burying Gliadel will have to wait. If we don't leave now we stand no chance of catching up with Kressle." As he speaks, he starts tearing off his armor. "I cannot move quickly enough in this armor for us to stand a chance of catching that psychopath. Someone see if they can find me one of those sets of leather armor we took off the bandits earlier. If not, then I will trust my thirst for vengeance is enough that Calistria will protect me."
"Little good? Oleg, I can see a couple ways that this has done you some good. You've proved you can do it once already, and that means you can do it a second time. You can fix this place up, and make it even better! I'm sure there are some things you wished you could have changed once you already built them. This time you can incorporate all the lessons you've learned. And it's not as if all your work from the first time around has gone to waste. You already have your location, and I'm sure at the very least the foundations are still usable. There's probably a lot that can be salvaged too!"
Upon hearing Oleg's words Theodric becomes enraged and lets out an angry roar. "The b+~~~ took my horse! That's it, death's too good for her! When we catch up to her, we take her alive to torture! We'll beat her within an inch of life then heal her back up to do it again, over and over until she's completely broken." After his outburst, Theodric takes several calming breaths. He looks over to his party members and starts talking to them in a significantly calmer tone. "Someone look and see if Kressel left any horses alive. I doubt it, but it's worth a shot. Dyrm, could you start looking for tracks? I've got to get Svetlana and Oleg calmed down if they're going to help us. Theodric goes over to Oleg and puts a hand on his shoulder. "You may be ruined, but you're alive. As is your wife, who's life was bought with that of your business. The price was well worth it if you ask me. Now honestly, I barely know you. About the only thing I really know about you is that you own a trading post. Oleg's trading post. I'm betting you built this place up from nothing with your own two hands, right here in the untamed wilderness, am I right?" The cavalier pauses for a response from the trader.
Theodric looks over "When I got back here the bandits hadn't arrived yet. Oleg was getting water from the well. I told Svetlana the situation and asked her to have Edgar and Gliadel prepare for an attack while I found Oleg. He freaked out that I left Svetlana alone. When we got back, Kressel was here and ready to kill Svetlana, and Edgar had betrayed us and murdered Gliadel." "My only thought was to save Svetlana. I offered Kressel a deal: safe passage to the River Kingdoms with a cart of goods if she and Edgar agreed to leave without hurting anyone else. I couldn't attack them, I was outnumbered and she would have killed Svetlana if I so much as drew my bow." "Kressel said she would take the deal if I could defeat her in a fight. I had to accept. I'm good, but...she was better." From his tone it's clear that Theodric is only admitting that begrudgingly. "She managed to hurt me bad, and I knew I was as good as dead. I made one last desperate strike at her and had Oscar kill Edgar before I passed out from blood loss. She said she wouldn't honor the deal if I was dead: it was my only option. I hit her pretty bad, but she was still alive. Did any of you see a body?"
Theodric is still groggy after Cromwell initially heals him and allows himself to be led to the others. As Cromwell utters his healing prayer he starts to become more and more aware. "Oleg, Svetlana, we're alive! I assume that means I killed that psychopath Kressle?"
Theodric knows he has to finish this fight now or he will die, as will Oleg and Svetlana. "Time to stop playing fair! Oscar, attack Edgar" shouts the cavalier as he points at the traitorus bandit.
On the verge of passing out, Theodric summons his strength for one last desperate blow before he fades into unconsciousness.
Theodric chuckles at the bandit's blows, easily pushing them aside with his sword. "Obviously not much better if that's the best you've got"
"Ah, so we're starting slow are we? Fine by me, we can prolong this as long as you like. I will defeat you regardless."
Theodric easily blocks Kressle's strike with his shield and casually performs a counter strike, clearly telegraphing his move.
"Just give me one moment to retrieve my shield. You want this to be sporting after all." Cautiously, Theodric retrieves his discarded shield from the ground and puts it on. He then draws out his longsword. "Alright Kressle, time to dance."
Theodric grins back at the bandit. "Ma'am, I like the way you think. I will accept of course, this will be satisfying for both of us. I just want to clarify a couple details before we begin. Firstly, I assume you wish me to fight on foot as opposed to mounted? Also, I am to stop just shy of delivering your killing blow, whereas you are under no such limitations? I'm fine with those terms, I just want to make sure we're on the same page."
Theodric glances over to Gliadel's lifeless body. "Of course we will cooperate! Weapons down Oleg" Theodric quickly throws his lance and shield to the ground and raises his hands in the air. He then starts trying to talk his way out of the situation. "By now Edgar's probably told you the gist of who I am, but let me fill you in on the specifics. I am Theodric Lebeda. I'm guessing you're Kressle. I wish we had met under more happy circumstances. I am part of a group that has been chartered by the Swordlords of Brevoy to rid these lands of unrepentant bandits. Let me emphasize the word UNREPENTANT in that statement. If you were to decide to change your ways, I can personally attest that my group would not touch you. Keep that in mind as I keep talking." "Right now we find ourselves in a tricky situation. There's been blood shed on both sides. I really am sorry about Happs by the way, I liked him a lot. That's why I convinced my companions to let me be the one to execute him, I wanted to give him a merciful death. A proper beheading is a lot quicker, more dignified, and less painful then a hanging. I was absolutely heartbroken when I botched it, I nearly threw up I felt so bad. You also killed one of my companions, Gliadel there" Theodric gestures towards the lifeless bard's corpse. "I'm sad to see her go. Sweet woman there. She was pretty good with a sword too. But regardless, look at the numbers. We've killed something like 13 of your men, whereas you've only managed to take out one of us, and that's because she was asleep. At the rate that this is going, you're all probably going to end up dead. That's not a threat mind you, just an observation. My group may suffer losses, but we'll finish you off in the end. Even in the unlikely event that we don't, the Swordlords are really interested in settling this territory. They will send a bigger, better equipped group and mow through here without a bit of mercy. Your band will not be able to stand against them, even if you can recruit enough new members to recover your losses, which I doubt you could quickly enough. You'll all die horribly. Banditry is quickly ceasing to be a viable career option in the Stolen Lands. "Now I don't particularly want things to go this way. If we go the bloody fighting route that means I probably end up dead too, and I love living! There's all sorts of enjoyable things in life like riding horses and reading books and drinking wine. Not to mention it would break my poor mothers heart! I feel bad for you if you survive and that happens. She's ever so spiteful. She won't kill you, she'll just make your life a living hell til you kill yourself. There is another simple option that you can take though. One where you not only walk away alive, but walk away rich! It would even be legal, meaning you could use the money without worrying about looking over your shoulder every day for the rest of your life. You could live the lifestyle of a successful shopkeeper without having to do any of the work til you die of old age!" "Sound interesting? Here's my proposal. Me, your boys, and Oleg load a wagon with the choicest pick of the trading posts goods. We fill them up to the brim with gold and spices and enough valuables you can live a comfortable life for years to come. We then draft a legally binding contract giving your group ownership of the goods, and I sign it as a witness that it was not made under duress. It should hold up in any legal court, I assure you. While we're doing this Svetlana here will take my horse and go track down my group and explain the situation to them. Once they get here, we grant you a pardon for all crimes committed, assuming you repent for you bandit ways. We actually have the authority to do that, and you don't have to stop being bandits if you really don't want, just stop in the stolen lands. After the paper work is taken care of we will escort you to the border with Mevon, assuring your newly acquired goods are unharnessed by other bandits. I will ride in the cart with our lovely friend Edgar there as a hostage, so he can kill me if my group betrays you. You can release me a few miles after you cross the border. In exchange for all that, you let Svetlana, Oleg, myself, and my horse go unharmed. You also never again enter into the Stolen Lands, so that you are outside of the bounds of the charter we have been given. What do you say, do we have ourselves a deal?
"We killed most of the bandits in an ambush, but some of them didn't fall for it and kept on going for your trading post. Kressle was one of them. I've already told Svetlana, and she's making preparations with Gliadel and Edgar. She sent me back out to get you. We need to head back now and formulate a defense."
"Don't worry I'll go find him and bring him back, just tell me how to get there. Go tell Gliadel and Edgar whats going on and start preparing for an attack. Did Oleg bring a horse?"
"My apologies 'Svetlana, but that will have to wait. Theodric quickly summarizes the events of the ambush to 'Svetlana. "The survivors seemed like they may still try to attack the outpost. I could move faster then the rest of the group, so I rode ahead to try to stop them. When I caught up to them they ran into the forest, where I was at a major disadvantage. I figured it would be a better strategy to ride ahead and organize a defense here. By your reaction it seems they have yet to strike. We should find Oleg and make a plan. If you tell me where to find him, him and I can start planning while you go tell Gliadel to keep watch. After you warn her, grab Edgar and come join us so we can all plan the defense."
The bandits may have already made it here and be lying in wait. I need to proceed carefully! Theodric sheaths his weapons and dismounts, strolling over towards the trader's wife at a casual pace. "Svetlana! It's good to see you again." Once he's close enough, he whispers "Wink three times if bandits have infiltrated the outpost since my group left."
Curses! I was sure they were there. There is still going to be a trap, now I just don't know where it is. I could easily take them on open ground, but I will not fight them where they have an advantage in terrain and numbers. I'll get back to Oleg's and take care of them when they reach the fort. Theodric urges his horse back to Oleg's, using a path that avoids where he just saw the bandit just run off if at all possible, so long as it doesn't take him much more then a mile out of his way.
Theodric feigns being infuriated at the bandits gesture. "When I catch up with you I'm cutting that hand off and beating you to death with it you pathetic little peasant!" Instead of chasing after the bandit however, he moves closer to the rocky outcropping the bandit ran from to investigate it, looking for any bandits lying in wait to ambush him when he chases the rude gesturing one. Clearly they must be plotting some sort of ambush somewhere, and Theodric plans on using his keen eyes to find them first.
Theodric debates trying to shoot the bandit with his bow, but decides against it. There's at least one more if that Kressel woman is with them like Bruce seemed to believe. thinks Theodric. They'd only hide if they were planning an ambush, otherwise they'd run. Probably planning on rejoining with their companions if they won or taking out any survivors. What cowardice! They probably could finish me off too if I rode into straight into the forest alone. Horses aren't as useful in the woods. I've got to stay in the open and draw them out. I'll out smart them "Hey friend don't run away! I could use your help! I am Theodric of the House Lebeda. I was taking a trade agreement to one of the River Kingdoms for my father when my escort got attacked by bandits! I managed to escape the chaos, but I'm completely lost. It is of vital importance that I personally hand deliver this message to the Swordlord of Mivon, or the entire agreement will fall apart. He will take it as a slight if one of Lord Lebeda's own sons doesn't hand deliver it you see. If you help me, I can arrange for you to be given my dead escort's reward, three platinum a guard for a total of 15 if you get me to Mivon safely."
"Doubling up would slow us down too much. I'll ride ahead and try to distract them, follow when you can! Theodric runs his mount back towards Oleg's Trading Post as fast as it will go.
"Done" Seeing Bruce's motion, Theodric moves in to finish off the surviving bandit, remaining horsed.
"Any idea how many escaped? I think they're heading on to Oleg's"
In a thoughtful tone, Theodric says "Well, I was thinking we might want to keep one or two alive for questioning, but you do have a valid point Kern: we surely don't need all of them." With that said, Theodric attempts to impale the one on the ground in front of him with his lance.
Theodric continues on in the same tone as before, as if he had just swatted a pesky fly instead of stabbing a man. "Come to think of it, questioning would take too long anyways. Well, as my dear mother always says, if you can't use your enemies you should kill them quickly. Might as well get it over with. Would you mind giving me a hand with this Kern? You can smash the bad men too if you want Ging"
Theodric moves within striking range of the bandits knocked down by the grease. "Stay down on the ground and don't move, or you will regret it."
"CHARGE!" shouts Theodric as he moves toward the farthest bandit he can reach, leaving the closer ones for his slower companions. He doesn't wait to see if Ging and Drym follow. He'll try to go after one of the bandits that Lanya did not target if he can reach them.
With the two turn-coat bandits Kern's squad has five. If they can't deal with two bandits by themselves with those numbers then we've already lost. thinks Theodric. We need to reserve my squad for the main force of the bandits. Striking that group first is our best chance of winning this. Despite what he tells himself the cavalier has a knot in his gut.
Theodric is slightly startled upon receiving Kern's message, not so much by its content as it's method of delivery. He quickly recovers however. "The hell..." mutters Theodric. He quickly realizes its the same wizardry they used earlier to communicate with Cromwell while Oleg was away. Trying to be as quiet as possible, Theodric gets within whispering distance of Dyrm. "Kern says the bandits are out of the forest. Our companions will draw their attention while we attack from behind. Get ready to attack. I'll prepare the ogre and have him charge with me. When one of us goes we all should." Theodric then heads over to the ogre and attempts to communicate with Ging in short, easy to understand sentences. "Ging, don't talk. Don't make any noise! Bad men ahead! When I shout 'charge', you attack bad men. Do nothing until then. No noise until then!" When Theodric hears Kern's attempt at distraction he winces. Of course it would be the one unarmored man in our group who would decide to be the bait. Lanya at least could have relied on her looks and her words to keep her safe. He quickly gets situated on his horse and draws lance and shield, waiting to make his move until the bandits have their backs to his group.
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