At Oleg's
...
Once they reach the relative security of Oleg's he settles down near the fireplace and spends the evening doing his part to tell the tale.
...
"Ah the battle wouldn't have gone nearly as smooth without Sil and Garyn scouting the place out. ...."
...
Silstaren chips in, "It might have been the last battle for Cale and I without Strovan. We were both down with wounds when Strovan called the power of Cayden Cailean and healed us. It put us back on out feet and turned the tide of the fight."
*****
Later, after Cale has passed out and Oleg tells Calvin's tale, the elf pulls the dwarf aside. "Strovan, I am sick of this business. To my mind there has been enough blood spilled. Calvin was no great loss, and I don't blame Oleg. But I'm of two minds about Nigel. I saw him the night of the ambush. He shot at Dmitri and me as we made our break. I'd like to see him dead. But, I think he dealt fairly with us at the bandit's camp and maybe Cailean's healing helped more than just the burns. Cale will send him north. The trial will be short, but longer than the hanging.
Can you search the brigand's heart with Cailean's power? Can you tell us if he speaks true?"
16 days of trail rations
Pair of silver earrings
Ornate wooden music box
3 crates of furs and hides
Polished wooden case containing 8 bottles of greenish liquid
Greehr: ** spoiler omitted **
"Close, but not quite. There's magic doesn't go into the potions, rather, the potion enhances the magic I already have if I drink it. It's very specific, different formulae make for different spells. Also a reason why my own potions won't work on others."
On the road, Greehr: spoilered for age
With Oleg: Silstaren lowers his voice. "You'd best ask Cale when he wakes about future plans. Garyn has more or less pledged to serve with him for a while. I gather Greehr's family has sent him to keep on eye on Cale. So Cale's plans will determine what tree of us do. Strovan, I'm not sure about. Cayden Cailean will tell him what his plans are. For my part, this business with the bandits has settled a stain on my honor. I may stay a while to explore the area. I may move on. I haven't made up my mind."
Edit: That sounded too exclusive -- anyone can jump in the conversation. Silstaren awnted to talk to Strovan first, but it's not a secret or anything.
Strovan's eyes narrow slightly as he mulls over Silstaren's words. After a few moments of thought he slowly responds to the elf, as if trying to carefully pick his words. "I canna say I disagree with ye, at least to some extent. I have no ways ta tell if he lies or not, though let me rest on it and I will try to find out if he truly enjoyed the evil he did or if maybe he regrets. I warn ye though tis no exact science, I canna read men's minds twill still be guesswork involved."
The dwarf then sighs deeply and sits down in a chair. "Ye know there isn't an easy answer, if I find no evil I will agree we shouldn't send him to a trial, but if I do, as I suspect I will it really doesn't answer the question one way or another. It isn't the sort of thing that just goes away in a day. People can change, for both better and worse, but it takes time, it won't be an overnight change. We both know what sort of things he has done, and sure he was helpful, but that may have been less a true desire to change his ways and more fear for his life, and as they say, no loyalty among thieves. Still I also don't want to think of myself as a hunting dog for the nobles while they sit in their townhouses."
"Yes. I wouldn't want to free him if he's still a threat to those weaker than himself. Perhaps you are right, and self-preservation induced him to aid us. But if he can be redeemed, I wouldn't send him to death. Thank you, Strovan. We'll need to arrange watches with him tonight. I will take the first."
"While I'm all for a fair trial and the process of law and all that, how are we going to conduct it? Any barrister or judges within a hundred miles? I'm not keen on escorting a prisoner back to Restov when we've started doing good work here. Hang him or let him go. This is the frontier, so frontier justice might be called for. I don't know, Strovan, I don't speak from a religious point of view, so I'll leave it to ye folk. For my part, I intend to explore and start mapping the Greenbelt, and maybe cut these bandits out at the root. I can't do it meself, though," Garyn sighs. "So I guess, I'm asking for everyone's help. We fight well together, and I think we can make a real difference here. Once we figure out what to do with this bloody bandit, that is. Aye, Sil, I'll help ye stand guard until morning."
"Thanks, Garyn. You're right that we can't afford to take Nigel to Restov. It would have to be three men to make sure. The round trip could take weeks depending on the weather, and we only have three weeks until this Stag Lord starts to worry about Kreesle's band.
Hopefully Strovan can give us his god's guidance."
Nigel is happy and very grateful to be brought into the warmth of the home and he thanks the party for their kindness. Oleg is not to happy to have a bandit in his home but he is too drunk to object. Upon hearing Garyn's plans of remaining, he says "Yes, stay, and clean this forest out, dangerous place it is. Will help increase my business! Hahaha! Just keep your tax collectors away from me!" Very soon, Lana helps him back to their room, bidding all a good night.
Nigel seems resigned to his fate and tries to act brave. "I guess if I die tomorrow, may as well get a good sleep tonight." However, during the night, whoever is on watch, does hear him crying quietly to himself.
Morning comes and Nigel is awakened. He asks for a last meal before the deed is done, if it is done at all. Lana prepares a hearty breakfast meal of porridge and apple juice.
Cale wakes up early, unable to sleep long under the effects of the alcohol. With an after-drunk gloominess, he goes about his business in the morning, checking on the bandits, and not finding Calvin. He's not overly surprised. He goes to breakfast, his gloomy mood getting further along into foulness. "What happened to Calvin? What are we doing to this other one we caught? I don't think he needs to die, but I'm of the mind he should be branded and exiled. Or we can take his fingers. It would stop him from drawing a bow ever again." The morose conversation goes from there, and Cale seems to be dead serious.
Cale wakes up early, .... "What happened to Calvin? What are we doing to this other one we caught? I don't think he needs to die, but I'm of the mind he should be branded and exiled. Or we can take his fingers. It would stop him from drawing a bow ever again." The morose conversation goes from there, and Cale seems to be dead serious.
A bleary-eyed Silstaren looks up. He has had little rest. He briefly considers jesting that last night Nigel swore service to Cale, but decides the matter is too serious for jokes.
"Calvin is dead. Oleg killed him when he tried to escape while we were away."Silstaren's voice is affectedly flat. He's not sure whether he believes Oleg's story fully. But he's not prepared to push that issue.
"Last night I asked Strovan whether Cailean could help us decide what to do with Nigel. He said he would ask the Blessed Drunkard this morning. "
"I am of two minds. I saw Nigel the night your father died. He was among the attackers. I sought vengence against them all. But I am tired now of the killing. I wonder how much I sought justice, and how much I sought to salve my own pride."
"If the god indicates there is no harm in him, I would spare him death."
Let me know Strovan's spells for the day and if he casts Detect Evil
"Ta be honest the easiest and simplest thing to do would be as ye say, frontier justice. Yet there may be times when the easiest thing to do is not the right one, I am not sure this is one of those times but I am willing to listen to Sil and try to see if there is another option."
Strovan then casts a spell and stares intently on Nigel. After a few seconds he narrows his eyes and starts asking the former bandit a few questions.
"Ahh that was a simple spell that lets me gaze at the hearts of men, nothing to worry bout. Now I have a few questions for ye."
"So why did ye become part of the Stag Lords bandits?"
"Did ye enjoy the life of a bandit?"
"Do ye have any skills that doesn't involve robbing folks?"
"What would ye do with your life if we let ye go?"
Strovan then casts a spell and stares intently on Nigel. After a few seconds he narrows his eyes and starts asking the former bandit a few questions.
"Ahh that was a simple spell that lets me gaze at the hearts of men, nothing to worry bout. Now I have a few questions for ye."
"So why did ye become part of the Stag Lord's bandits?"
Nigel starts sweating at the casting of the spell. "I joined because of the promise of easy money and comraderie in the woods, away from the nobles' greed."
"Did ye enjoy the life of a bandit?"
"I'm not going to lie, it was fun. The freedom, the power, it was intoxicating. However, lately I have had my doubts that I made the right choice. Being led by an alcoholic who's crazy in the head didn't make sense to me or to many of us. I was thinking about leaving but with Kressle, the only way you left was in a body bag."[b]
[b]"Do ye have any skills that doesn't involve robbing folks?"
Nigel thinks for a moment. "I used to be a carpenter once, not much money in that, I guess that's why I'm here. That's the only skill I have."
"What would ye do with your life if we let ye go?"
"You know, it's easy to enjoy the bandit life when all is going well, when you have the gold and the power. But seeing what you and your friends did, all those dead bodies. My so-called friends, they're all gone. The pain I felt, burning alive, it is something far worse than death. Whatever I did, whatever my punishment, I swear I would leave my bandit life completely! I want to make amends!"
Strovan senses that Nigel is sincere in all of his answers. , Nigel does sense some tint of evil in Nigel's heart, things he has done, but it is not overwhelming.
Cale frowns at Silstaren's line of thinking. "I understand your sentiments. I am not motivated by vengeance in this. The truth is, this is just how the rule of law works. Mercy has its place. Mercy is not hanging this man. My father was a prick in every sense of the word. Still, he was a voivode that no criminal ever wanted to face. The risk of committing the crime outweighed the benefits, so order was kept." He takes a deep breath. "It should be known throughout these Stolen Lands that we are not men to trifle with. We're speaking of finding evil in this man's heart. His evil tendencies mean nothing to me. An evil man can still obey the law and contribute to a successful society. This man chose the simple way out, and became a bandit. I have no compassion for him. He can be released to go North to make a new life for himself, but he will be marked so he never forgets the risks of committing a crime of predation again."
Cale then watches the questioning, not participating, but observing for now. He then polls the others for input on punishment.
"Much as it pains me to say it," Garyn begins with a sigh, "I agree that hanging this man wouldn't accomplish much. Vengeance on the battlefield is one thing, but I've not the stomach to kill a man in cold blood, whether or not the law finds him guilty. I'm no headsman." Garyn spits on the ground.
"I say mark him as Master Cale said, and send the bastard north."
Silstaren listens and nods. Within him emotions fight for primacy: anger at Nigel, pity for the bandit, and reasoned recognition that Cale, as appointed leader, must be respected. "Let it be as you say."
I have seen your father do worse.
Oleg chimes in: "Bah, this bandit deserves none of our mercy. If the tables were reversed, he'd have killed any of ye in a heartbeat. It's easy to find penance when yer at the wrong end of the sword! I say kill him and be done with it!"
Cale gives Oleg a glare that he hopes withers the man's insolence. "I suppose it's a gift that we aren't burdened with your opinion, then, Oleg. He may be an ex-bandit by trade, but he's still a human being, a repentant human being at that. We're all sinners, trader. I'd hate to face my gods at the end of my days and ask them for the forgiveness I was negligent to show in life." Cale was obviously in no mood to spare the man's feelings, and unwilling to converse with the small-minded peasant any longer. He moved to where the party was keeping Nigel and took a good look at the man. He made sure to use what he had learned to be a presence of strength. "You have been judged by House Surtova for your crimes. For banditry and murder and violence against the innocent, the charter of the Stolen Lands says you must meet with execution by rope or sword. However, as the holders of this charter, we five have ultimate say on how and when that punishment will be handed out. You have shown penitence by giving us information on the larger organization, and you will be rewarded for that with your life. You are hereby exiled from the Greenbelt, and you may go north to Brevoy or wherever you'd like to make your fortune. You will receive a sum of ten gold to make a new start." Cale tosses the coins onto the ground. "But there will still be punishment. I will heat a dagger and mark your cheek with an x, in the Restov tradition of marking criminals. If you are ever seen in these lands again, I will take your arms and legs and leave you in a city alley to slowly rot." Without waiting for the man's protest or thanks, Cale unsheathes a dagger and lays it near the fire to heat the blade. "Someone will have to hold him."
"Buck up, mate, and be glad we don't turn ye over to Oleg here," Garyn says, grabbing the man and attempting to hold his arms behind his back. "Yer a right lucky bastard to not be doing the dead man's jig, so bite yer tongue and take this like a man."
Silstaren grimaces. If it's to be done, best it's done quickly. He steps up to help Garyn hold Nigel.
CMB - aid another to help Garyn hold Nigel
With the help of his two companions, Cale heats the dagger to a red-hot glow. He puts the dagger's leather sheath in the man's mouth for him to bite down on as he does his best to give the man a quick mark on his cheek, two burns crossed like an X. Once it's done, he tries his best to stay calm and try not to gag or vomit over the smell of burned flesh or the man's cry of pain. He'll help the man to his feet and give him some time to get his bearings before sending him on his way.
Cale nods a wordless thanks to both Silstaren and Garyn. "We should make plans on beginning our exploration soon. Tomorrow morning, if not this afternoon. Does anyone have a preference or recommendation on where to start?"
Nigel struggles to move but he can do nothing against the combined strength of Garyn and Silstaren. He screams and curses as the hot metal scars his face. After some minutes of burying his face in the snow outside, Nigel recoups and gathers his belongings. Either way, he ties the cloak snugly around him, bids farewell only to Strovan and thanks him for saving his life, and then leaves in silence, heading north.
Silstaren watches the bandit go until he is out of sight. The elf is quiet, perhaps shamed by his participation in the branding. I did what I could. But this branding is barbaric.
Climbing down from the wall, the lef approaches Cale. "I suggest a day to rest, plan, and gather supplies. I can practice my archery with Garyn too."
I'd say no to the weapons. He's relatively close to the border and shouldn't need them. "A day to rest and plan sounds fine. If anyone has any input on our exploration, chime in. Otherwise, I'd say we just take a look around east of Oleg's and figure it out as we go from there."
After Nigel leaves, Silstaren starts to sort through the recovered loot. He notes the quality of the handaxes and sets them aside. He also keeps back the trail rations and two quivers of arrows, appropriately sized for his and Garyn's bows.
Potion of Cure Light Wounds (Claimed by Greehr)
2 Masterwork Handaxes: 612g (306) (I figure these are worth more to us as backup weapons than the cash at this point. Feel free to chime in to claim them or vote to sell them.)
16 days of trail rations
40 Arrows: 2g (1g)
Then he approaches Oleg about buying the rest. "Oleg, this is the dead bandits' equipment. What will you give us for it?"
Studded Leather Armor: 25g (12.5)
4 Daggers: 8g (4g)
8 Leather Armor: 80g (40g)
8 Short Swords: 80g (40g)
8 Longbows: 600g (300g)
80 Arrows: 4g (2g)
Sale price of goods: 398.5 gp?
287.1g in coins
Total cash per PC: 685.6/5 = 137.12g per party member.
Silstaren also asks the trader to look over the miscellaneous trinkets and offer a price for each.
Pair of silver earrings
Ornate wooden music box
3 crates of furs and hides
Polished wooden case containing 4 bottles of greenish liquid
Oleg politely takes the armors and bows off your hands for 398.5 gp. When you offer the other trinkets, he ecstatically calls over Lana, when he sees the 3 crates of furs and hides. They both thank all of you so much for your help. Oleg excuses himself and returns in a few minutes. He offers you and the party the following as gratitude, that he's picked up over the years:
For your miscellaneous items, he offers:
Pair of silver earrings (60 gp)
Ornate wooden music box (41 gp)
He does not want the alcohol.
Silstaren thanks Oleg for the potions, "It was lucky we found your furs then, before they could be sent down to the Stag Lord." The couple's joy goes a long way toward lightening the ranger's cloudy mood.
Silstaren also accepts Oleg's offer for the earrings and the wooden box.
Taking the cash back to the rest of the party, Silstaren says, "I think Oleg dealt fairly with us. He and Lana were quite pleased that we returned their furs and gave us these three potions in gratitude. Two will cure wounds and the third provide protection in battle. If none of you object I would like one of the curing potions."
The elf sits down and counts out the money for each of the five adventurers. Each of the party receives 157.32 gp
Still unclaimed in the party kitty:
- 2 Masterwork Handaxes: 612g (306) (I figure these are worth more to us as backup weapons than the cash at this point. Feel free to chime in to claim them or vote to sell them.)
- 16 days of trail rations
- 40 Arrows: 2g (1g)
- 2 Potions of Cure light wounds (Silstaren would like to claim one, subject to the others' wants.)
- Potion of Shield of Faith +2
After dividing the loot, Silstaren mentions to Cale, "I think we have done well with the furs. The potions will help us, but better still, I think Oleg will spread the tale of our deeds and fairness in returning his goods. It should bolster your reputation considerably."
Cale grins at Silstaren. "We'll see how that goes. Sometimes a reputation can make a big target, but for now, I wish I could see my brother's face when he hears of it. Keep one of the cure potions. I will as well, in case of the inevitable stabbing. I tell you, I hope the battles ahead are less bloody. The axes are of an excellent quality. Your idea to keep them as backups is a good one. Still, it's a lot of gold. It's a matter of weighing the worth as backups against the monetary worth that would go toward getting main weapons of a like quality. Talking of quality and stabbings reminds me, I should go ask Oleg to order some new armor for me. This one's seen too much use for my tastes."
"Friends, it is time we part ways." When the party turns, Strovan is at the door, with Greehr in tow. Strovan continues, "What you all 3 did to Nigel cannot be undone. I saw real penance in his heart and branding a man is frontier justice, not the justice of the Lucky Drunk. His will was not done in this case. I saw true repentance in his soul but that was not enough for you. So I must part ways, see where the road takes me. I wish you luck in your endeavors."
Greehr steps up, "I have no philosophical problem with what you did with the bandit. However, without an alchemist's lab, I feel I am operating here with one arm tied behind my back. With my share of the loot, I can go back to Restov and purchase one and be back in a fortnight. Strovan will accompany me as far as he can, so no need to worry. It has been fun and I hope to see you all soon. I'll even order you your armor, Cale."
The two adventurers says their goodbyes to Oleg and his wife and to the 3 remaining party members.
Cale grins at Silstaren. "We'll see how that goes. Sometimes a reputation can make a big target, but for now, I wish I could see my brother's face when he hears of it. Keep one of the cure potions. I will as well, in case of the inevitable stabbing. I tell you, I hope the battles ahead are less bloody. The axes are of an excellent quality. Your idea to keep them as backups is a good one. Still, it's a lot of gold. It's a matter of weighing the worth as backups against the monetary worth that would go toward getting main weapons of a like quality. Talking of quality and stabbings reminds me, I should go ask Oleg to order some new armor for me. This one's seen too much use for my tastes."
Silstaren glances down at his own slashed leathers. He fingers the rent Kressel put in the chest. "My leathers are also looking worse for wear. If we pursue this Stag Lord, it may be a bitter fight. Maybe chain..."
***
Silstaren saddles one of the horses and rides out a way with Greehr and Strovan. He thanks Greehr for the conversations on magic and alchemy; the alchemist has given him much to think about. Just before they part, he addresses the dwarf, "Strovan, I'm sorry how it all turned out, and I respect what you are doing. But Cale was appointed leader and holds the charter. His father would have judged more harshly. Nigel still lives and may make something of his life. If you're going north, I would appreciate it if you would take this for him from me." Silstaren holds out a fistful of gold. (10gp) Then he includes Greehr in the conversation again, "I will ever count you both friends. May you travel quickly under clear skies."
On the slow ride back to the fort, Silstaren ponders the differences in human and elven justice, and the integrity and compassion of all the players in this little drama. He finds himself wanting.
Reporting in.
Reporting in.
Character writeup is here.
Oleg sees Garyn, Silstaren, and Cale and says, "Cheer up folks! Yes, you've lost two of your companions and your charter to clear up this damned lands is in jeopardy, but I'm sure Erastil will provide for us all. At least for me, with those bandits gone, life will me much more peaceful!"
Lana speaks from the window, where she is drying the dishes, "How odd...a dwarf, a half-orc, and a human.." Oleg speaks, "Is that the beginning of some joke, sweetie?" "No, we've got company" Lana retorts. "Two of them heavily armored and the half-orc in leathers." Oleg gets up from his chair, "Well, let's see what they want. As I always say, any business is good business!"
Virgil, Braddock, and Zennor approach the Trading Post, the dwarf on his pony. You are tired, beaten, and little depressed/melancholic about having lost 2 companions mere hours ago (Melchior the wizard and Sanje the warrior). You still bear the marks of battle. As you approach, 2 humans, a bearded male in his 40's and a female in her late 30s come out and hail you. "Welcome to Oleg's Trading Post, I am Oleg, how may we be of service to you?" Behind them, 2 other humans, armored, one with a bow and another with a sword watch you. You also see an elf with a sword strapped on his back.
"Master Cale, worry not about our companions leaving," Garyn says to the boy when the time is right. "Ye did the right thing by me, and ye stopped the chain of violence before it spiraled out of control. Ye're making a fine leader so far. Sil and I've got yer back." Hearing Oleg and 'Lana speaking about newcomers makes the ranger's ears perk up.
"Gods and demons, now what?" Garyn says, rising from his seat and stepping out the door of the main building to see the newcomers, fully expecting yet more trouble.
"Well, if they are bandit reinforcements," Garyn whispers to Cale and Sil, "they're an even sorrier lot than the ones we put down."
"Well, if they are bandit reinforcements," Garyn whispers to Cale and Sil, "they're an even sorrier lot than the ones we put down."
For the newcomers: the elf is a handsbreadth taller than the average man and heavily built as elves go. Golden brown hair and deep blue eyes frame a long, nearly gnomish, nose and thin-lipped mouth. His cloak is of tight-knit wool with a mantle of deerskin over his head and shoulders.
"You're right. It looks like they've seen trouble recently." Silstaren keeps his hands on his belt close to his hammers and dagger.
Cale watches stoically as Greehr and Strovan leave. He doesn't make the effort to bid them farewell, or give them justification for his actions. He had to look strong. That image would go out the window if he started getting hysterical and weeping over the sound of the man screaming in pain as he charred a mark into his cheek, or the smell of meat that still lingered in the young noble's nostrils. It wasn't easy. It shouldn't be. The decision to bring judgement through violence should always be a hard one.
Cale passed the time by starting various letters to his mother and brothers, but nothing made it past a single paragraph before it was balled up and discarded into the firepit. When the newcomers came along, Cale watched them, impassive. Garyn's quip made him chuckle, though. It was good, that little laugh. It helped the boy decompress. Silently, he waited for them to approach and make their motives known. He was blatant in his loosening of his sword in its sheath.
You see a tall, straight-backed man with toned musculature. Cropped brown hair and a lantern jaw frame a stern face with several prominent scars and cold blue eyes. He wears a simple natural tan outfit over his armor, which is conspicuously clean. An imposing maul is strapped across his back.
As he sees the gates of Oleg's trading post, he sags his shoulders in relief, "Thank the Lawgiver! I thought we would never stop walking."
He is blatant in his loosening of his sword in its sheath.
Virgil stops and removes his maul from his back. He lets the head rest on the ground and places his hands on the pommel, "I am Virgil Longstreet, Paladin of Abadar. These are my companions. We bear charters from the Swordlords of Restov to investigate and survey these lands. We were waylaid by monstrous spider creatures, who slew two of our members. Please, we are wounded and seek no violence."