Kingmaker in the Forgotten Realms [IC thread]

[BluesEclipse]

As first Kuros, then Dergosh begin asking him questions, Korlann replies (likely louder than he intends to), "I'm sorry, but I can't hear anything..." Before he can say anything further, however, he notices Three etching letters into the ground, and quickly reads it before nodding and taking the proffered potion, drinking it quickly. After he does, he moves over to sit down for a minute, hoping that the ringing in his ears that is currently drowning out any other sound goes away soon.

[Zombulian]

Ruk stood by as Kressle fell from her tower. He was heartened that none of the party was severely injured in the scrap, but was disappointed that just like in the fight with the mound, he hadn't done anything of import. I'll probably get an earful from Dergosh again... He was happy to see Gakan standing on the platform, but shifted his gaze to where the arrow that had dropped the bandit leader had come from.
"Good shot, Kuros."

Once everything had settled, Ruk realized he felt an energy that he hadn't before. There was a tingling in his fingers and a buzz in his ears. Oh boy.

[Saintheart]

Thorn River, the Greenbelt, the Border Kingdoms
Morning, Third of Kythorn, Year of Lightning Storms (1374 DR)

Although the potion had looked half-stale and barely holding its magic together when Three had first inspected it, it tasted fruity on Korlann's tongue, reminding him of something called "orange juice" he'd once had from a smiling Shou merchant back on Xin Jubei.

And its effect was just as surprising: the monk's body immediately warmed, and his aches disappeared, as though he'd just had a good night's sleep. His wounds closed rapidly, skin reforming, the scabbed blood cracking and falling away as though repelled. And in the same moment, the silence in his ears drained away to reveal the sounds of the forest and the Company rifling through the bandits' belongings. This seemed, he thought, a lot stronger a healing potion than he'd experienced before. Out of instinct, and out of the long teaching he'd been taught in his way of battle, he closed his eyes for a moment and paid attention to the way his body felt, looking for anything out of the ordinary - an overspeeding heart, muscles clenching, bones grinding - but he came up with nothing but a sense of complete well-being.

Dergosh made his way easily enough up the eastern platform. The structure seemed solid enough, and there was a distinctly more pleasant breeze going through the branches of the trees - which in turn would also make it a little easier for someone to stay unseen up here until it was too late. On the other hand, even twenty feet up the main vantage the platform gave was a good view of the most obvious paths from the east into the clearing. Wanderwood and elm stands prevented getting any clear lay of the land beyond what he had already found - the Greenbelt was still a fairly thick, and clearly ancient, forest.

No dragon-snakes to be seen, either. Just that knocked-out bandit over near the fallen logs (and fallen bandit woman.)

Spoiler: Korlann

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Korlann's back to a full 16/16 and the deafened condition is gone. True, this sort of result is within possibility for a Cure Light Wounds potion, but Korlann's got a feeling this thing has a lot more potency than most CLWs he's encountered in the past.

Spoiler: Three

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No difficulties getting to the base camp and back, or grabbing the materials she wants for a holy symbol. Any time she wants to come back in is fine.

Spoiler: Dergosh

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So in essence someone hiding up on those platforms is going to have a +2 or so to their Hide check to avoid being seen from the ground, if that helps. As said, due to the foliage the platform doesn't offer much of a good view of anything bar the paths into the camp from the east.

[Mercurion 2]

Although his view was somewhat obstructed, Dergosh thought it was worthwhile keeping a look out for any bandits that might be coming their way. He paid particular attention to the route that lead back towards their camp, wanting to make sure Three was returning unharmed with their animals and wagon.

He split his time, however, between watching the paths and having another go at carving a wolf’s paw into the trunk of the tree. Once again taking out his borrowed bandit’s dagger, he set to work digging away at the bark, occasionally lifting his head from the carving to observe the surrounding forest. A small pile of bark and strips of wood drifted down around his feet.

The half-orc worked diligently, blowing away the loose scraps as he toiled. Finally, he stepped back and looked at his result. His eyebrows shot up. That didn’t look like a fat spider like last time at all—it actually looked like the emblem of the Wolftooth Company as he had imagined it! He shouted a happy bellow. “HO! Bandit camp now officially our land!”

Spoiler

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He maxed his roll, and I think previously Saint said he needed a 15

[BluesEclipse]

Korlann nods to himself after confirming that the potion has done its job, and that there appear to be no ill effects from it - or, at least, none that he can detect. "That was pretty potent..." he mutters to himself, before looking around. Noting that the others are already working towards searching the camp, or perched upon the lookout platforms in Gakan and Dergosh's cases, he heads over towards the platform where Kressle was standing, saying to Gakan, "Nicely done - if she'd gotten another shot off at me, I probably wouldn't have made it." Looking at Kressle's body and quickly seeing no sign of a ring there, though noticing another of the stag-head amulets, he calls up to Gakan, "Any chance that Svetlana's ring is up there still? She doesn't seem to have it..." At the catfolk's negative response, he sighs, before calling out, "Alright. Keep an eye out for the rest of their group, and shout if you need anything." With that, he looks around, heading over towards one of the bodies, the one who fell to Kuros's javelin - and picks up speed towards it as he notices that the bandit is actually still alive. Smirking to himself, he quickly relieves the bandit of any weapons, as well as checking his pockets and pouches for anything that could be dangerous (including those thunderstones... don't want to be on the receiving end of one of them again), before crouching down near the bandit, simply waiting for him to wake.

[Saintheart]

Thorn River, the Greenbelt, the Border Kingdoms
Morning, Third of Kythorn, Year of Lightning Storms (1374 DR)

As it turned out, it didn't take more than a few moments after Korlann began his watch that the bearded bandit on the ground began to wake up. The man coughed, spluttered, blinked, started to rise ... and then got a chance to look around at his surroundings, at which point he lay back on the ground, raising his hands in surrender. "Quarter," he said. "I yield." His voice had the ragged sound of long alcohol use, and his blue eyes were bloodshot. There wasn't the abject fear of Kerwin Bottler, but neither the arrogant resignation of Happs Bydon. The bandit had the look of a distinct pragmatist.

[Saintheart]

Spoiler: Korlann

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Intimidate check is good.

Thorn River, the Greenbelt, the Border Kingdoms
Morning, Third of Kythorn, Year of Lightning Storms (1374 DR)

Korlann leaned down towards the bandit, his foot perched on a rock, arm across his knee. “It would seem this is not turning out to be a pleasant morning for you.”
The bandit slowly got to his elbows, taking a longer look around at the clearing and at the rest of the Company, his pale blue gaze halting for a moment on Kressle’s corpse. “No. Suppose not.”
“Is this conversation going to be unpleasant?” asked the monk, pleasantly. His arm spines gleamed in the morning light.
“No.” The bandit didn’t smile in return – mockingly, genuinely, or self-pityingly. The pale blue eyes hadn’t blinked yet.
“Excellent. Let’s start with the obvious. When are the others due back? We know four of your friends left early this morning, where are they?”
“Hunting. Kressle sent them to look for elk. She wanted venison for tonight. Planning a little celebration.” The bandit’s lips turned up in a little smirk, quickly suppressed.
“I see.” Korlann said nonchalantly, putting things together. “Expecting a little reunion, were we?”
The bandit’s eyes widened in surprise. “What do you mean—”
“Saer Bydon and his three friends had a bit of an unfortunate accident at Oleg’s Trading Post two days ago. It seemed to involve rather a lot of bleeding. You follow? Good. Now, when is that hunting party due back?”

The bandit’s mouth worked for a moment; he settled back on his elbows again. “Around noontide, maybe a bell after. That’s all the time Kressle allowed them. They’re not stupid enough to be late for a date with her So, that coin-rubber Oleg hired you lot, did he?”
“Not exactly. Speaking of Oleg – his wife, Svetlana. Kressle took her wedding ring. We’d like to return it. Where is it?”
“Ah yes, his wife,” said the bandit. There was something disturbing in how the man said those four words. “Pretty, even for a woman in her forties—”
Korlann leaned forward again. His arm spines slowly folded out. “Friend, I’ll ask you again: is this conversation going to be unpleasant?”
The bandit subsided, a look of fear in his eyes.
Korlann didn’t blink. “The ring. Where?”
“Kressle had it, least to start with.”
“Not anymore.”
“Course not. No, she figured out it was a cheap little piece of junk pretty soon after we came back here. She tossed it in with some other cheap stuff and copper coins in a couple of bags.”
“And the bags are here somewhere?”

The bandit gave a thin smirk. “Nope. If it’s where I think, it’s not a country mile near here. We had those two bags stolen yesterday. A group of filthy gods-damned jermlaines snuck in here and ripped it off.”
“Jermlaines?” The word wasn’t familiar to Korlann.
“The name’s been corrupted across from Draconic.” Ruk moved across from his earlier position sunning himself on one of the fallen logs. The kobold’s clawed hands clenched and unclenched. “It’s pronounced gremlins.”
“Kobolds don’t like them one bit,” said Kuros. The silverbrow slid one of his javelins back into his sheath. “They’re about the most pathetic fey creatures out there. Even goblins beat them up, probably because they look like small, blue versions of them. You’re telling me a bunch of gremlins got in here and stole a couple of bags of loot from under your noses?”
“Nice outfit,” said the bandit to Kuros. “Do they make it for men?”
“All right,” said Korlann, raising an arm to block Kuros’s forward step. “Where did these gremlins go?”
“Those pathetic little muckers, those two bags would’ve been a big haul for them. I’d say they hiled out of here and headed back to their lair at the Old Sycamore. Most everyone around here knows the place,” the bandit continued, seeing Korlann’s look of confusion. “It’s a big sycamore tree. Maybe couple of centuries old. Hundred feet tall, only one around, you can see it from miles away standing on a hilltop, I dunno, about a day southeast of here. Stinking jermlaines’ve been using it as their home for a long time.”
“And you haven’t gone after your loot?”
“Taking on a whole nest of jermlaines sounds like too much hard work to me. Rather find a woman somewhere instead. Anyway, Kressle thought it didn’t seem hardly worth it for a couple of copper coins and a rinky-dink little ring.”
Korlann kept his temper down. “Not even for the greater glory of the Stag Lord?”

Now the bandit’s face dropped, and real fear appeared. “You be careful how you say that name.”
“Does he frighten you that much?”
“I’d be a bloody fool if he didn’t. Never mind all the stories the fools tell about him, he’s freakish big and freakish strong, and not right in the head at the best of times. Monster of a man, never seen him without his creepy stag helmet on. And now he’s drinking heavy, makes this place a damn sight better than down at the fort.” The bandit nodded across at the base of the east platform, where the Kuros was picking among the hoard they’d found. “All that booze’s for him.”
“You mentioned a fort?”
“Aye, that’s where the Stag Lord works from. His … headquarters, whatever you want to call it.”
“Where?”
“Down on the Tuskwater -- on the northwestern shore, where it meets the Shrike River.”
“Let’s assume I’m a little new to these parts.”
“The Tuskwater’s the biggest lake in the area. Most of the local rivers run into it. Fort’s built on an old ruin of some kind that was on its northern shore, don’t know if it was some kind of castle or something back when they tried to colonise the area. All I know is, it’s big enough to have some kinda basement to it. That’s where he stays.”

The bandit’s voice had taken a tinge of fear again. Korlann leaned closer to him. “He?”
“The man in the basement. Strange old man. I got a look in the old guy’s eyes once. Don’t ever want to do that again. Make you wonder too much who was really running the show down there.”
“Who else is in this … fort?”
“How many others like me, you mean? It goes up and down. I’ve not seen less than ten or fifteen there any one time, and then there’s the little gangs that come and go dropping stuff off. More than enough to handle the likes of you, I wot.”
“It sounds like you were part of an impressive operation,” said Korlann.
“Hah!” The bandit hawked and spat into the dirt. “The ‘Stag Lord’s Army,’ that’s what she used to go on about all the time. Always talking all this rubbish about ruling over the Greenbelt. Maybe back when he first took over down there. Don’t think so now. It’s going bad down there, most of us could see it. All that’s holding the thing together is fear of him. If he went down, chances are any bloody ‘army’ he’s got’d go down with him. Course, for that to happen, you’d have to kill him … and I doubt you’ll be doin’ that.”
“So they don’t have a lot of loyalty to him?” asked the monk.
“Truth is, it’s hard just keeping track of who the Hells is working for him. Too many likely lads coming and going.”
“So how did you do it?”
“A master phrase. Password, like, lets you into the fort.”
“What is it?”
“Think it’ll take a bit of gold for you to get that.”
“I think it won’t.” Korlann stood up straight. “The Stag Lord is many miles away. My companions and I are not.”
“Arh, fine. Unless they changed it recently, the passphrase is ‘By the Bloody Bones of Gilmorg, who wants to know?’ And no, I’ve got no idea who Gilmorg is.”
“I don’t really care. Tell me how to get to the fort.”
“You’re really going to try this? All right, fine. If I was going there, I’d follow the Thorn River back down southeast and find one of the two bridges we use to cross it. One’s half a day out, and rickety, the other is a full day, and it’s more of a ford, right before it joins the Shrike River.”
“There’s no ford up this way?”
“Nope. None we ever found, anyway. The Thorn’s sixty feet wide and I’d guess thirty feet deep, big old cut in the ground like someone dragged a knifepoint through the forest. Guess you could swim it, don’t know about your buddies. You’d have to trail it back northwest. I don’t recommend messing around in that treehouse. Get killed too easy, not enough money to be found shaking down squirrels.”
Korlann nodded. And remembered the thing he’d forgotten to ask. “What’s your name?”
“Ral Keesir.”

Spoiler: Gakan

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Gakan happened to be standing up and not doing anything terribly important at that moment. So it was that he heard the name. And this one wasn’t one he needed to send any birds back to Dunbridges to identify. Ral Keesir was a badly wanted man, a man identified in at least three different towns and hamlets aside from Dunbridges itself. He’d raped at least four men and women before disappearing about a month ago.

Spoiler: Other notes

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I’m adding the following locations to your exploration map at the front of the OOC thread for future investigation or reference:
- The Old Sycamore
- The Stag Lord’s Fort
- The two bridges across the Thorn

But for completeness, here's the updated map:

[almondsAndRain]

Three put pressure on the reins of her wagon, to urge the mules to make a wide turn around an upcoming patch of trees. If she was right, that was the same patch she had been launching bolts out of not even an hour before. She turned her large wooded head around one last time to check on her companions' horses, whose saddles she tied to the back end of her wagon. They seemed to be trodding along just fine, though neither seemed too happy to be pulled along the way they were. But what did Three know about telling a horse's temperament? She was made to read books, not animals.
After making the turn, Three's grip on the reins tightened and she willed the mules to stop. Even if she led the animals to the right location, they still weren't necessarily safe- the bandits that were hunting could have come back by now. Three pulled her longspear out of the back of the wagon before stepping off of it. Holding her weapon in one hand and the reins in the other, Three slowly led the animals through a dell, to what she was beginning to recognize as the first clearing of the bandits' camp.
There was no one near the fireplace or further down the clearing, so Three looked up at the platform, the only other place in the clearing an attack could come from. Instead of a bandit, she saw Dergosh, who seemed to have taken up watch. The warforged dropped the reins and gave the cleric a hearty wave, before yelling up to him, “Hey, Dergosh! Have the hunters returned?”

[Mercurion 2]

“HEY! THREE! UP HERE!” Dergosh yelled back to the warforged at ear rattling volume, even though it was apparent she had already seen him. His success at carving a reasonable facsimile of a wolf’s paw had put him in a particularly good mood. “No bandits,” replied (though if they were nearby they would surely have heard him), “just one Korlann about to kill,” he said, hooking his thumb at the scene below.

“His teeth will make nice bracelet,” he said loud enough to ensure the bandit could hear him.

[almondsAndRain]

At Dergosh's last words, Three glanced towards the scene he gestured at. See didn't see anything- there was a fallen log and many trees in that direction, and she was beginning to suspect that her vision was poor- but believed the cleric. She shot him a thumbs-up, said “Good to know!” and returned to her wagon, to lead it and the animals further into the clearing. The Company has many objects to gather from around Kressle's camp, and keeping the wagon on the far end wouldn't do.

[BluesEclipse]

Korlann looks at Ral, considering him. "Now, I find myself at a bit of a loss here. You see, you've been quite cooperative - which is certainly appreciated. And I have the feeling that you're not eager to meet the same fate as your friends here, or Saer Bydon and his lot. But... well, we do have our charter to consider. And it lays out the penalty for banditry quite clearly." He brings a hand to his chin in thought. "If we simply let you go, even if you didn't run off to the Stag Lord, for you to continue as you have would mean that we would clearly have broken that charter. And I don't like the idea of that." A step brings him closer to the man, his spines flaring out as if in preparation to strike. "Again, though, you've been quite cooperative. So I want to ask you, before this goes further. Just what would you plan on doing if we were to let you leave?" As he says this, he notices Three bringing the wagon and horses to the camp, and hears the brief exchange between the Warforged and Dergosh. With a light smile, he says, "You can tell what my friend's expectations are, but if I did decide to let you live, I'd be able to persuade him."

[Saintheart]

Thorn River, the Greenbelt, the Border Kingdoms
Morning, Third of Kythorn, Year of Lightning Storms (1374 DR)

Keesir's pale blue eyes didn't show any fear, though his breathing had certainly sped up with Korlann's display and with Dergosh's promise shouted from the platform. "West. I'd go west, other side of the Greenbelt, over to Pitax, even further if I had to. Had about enough of all this rubbish. Rather go back to smithing if I had the coin for it."

Pitax at least was familiar to Korlann and the other members of the Company. It was a small settlement far across plains and hills west of the Greenbelt's western edge, somewhere in the middle distance between Emmerock and Thuntar to the southeast. There had been whispers in taverns that its existence was one of the reasons Emmerock was looking to settle the Greenbelt and its surrounds; the Wolftooth Company was not the only adventuring group that had been sent out into the lands east and south of the Greenbelt to attempt claiming them for Emmerock (or themselves).

Korlann, though, was more interested in Keesir's last words. "I've not known many blacksmiths who went into banditry. They seem to do reasonably well without having to kill people for money."
"Smiths who get blackballed by other guildsmen don't. I've tried my trade in village after village and they just put me out of business every time. Last thing I did before I came down here was sell my tools and anvil to the bastards for thirty silver pieces."
"What sort of smithing did you do?"
Ral Keesir's eyes narrowed for a moment, and flicked around at the Company. "Farrier. Ploughshares." He leaned forward a little. "Blades and armour, with the right materials, for the right price. All I'd need is an anvil and a forge. Tools. What do you think?"
"I think it's rather audacious to suggest that the only thing you need to stop being a bandit is a loan. To people sent to put an end to bandits."
Ral shook his head. "What exactly do you want me to say? You're going to likely cut my head off, I might as well come clean with you."

Spoiler

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He doesn't seem to be lying about his profession or his skills. There's something not quite right about what he says about why he was put out of business, but he seems pretty straight about what he used to do for a living.

[Zombulian]

Ruk sat a few feet afield from the interrogation, picking his claws and holding them up to the sunlight.
"Are we going to hire every bandit we capture, Korlann? At this rate Oleg's Trading Post should be renamed. "Oleg's Home for Lost Boys" perhaps. Or maybe "Oleg's Repurposing Center for Broken Men." Just kill him so we can concentrate on the hunters."

[kjelfalconer]

"I mean, aren't we also here to settle the frontier? We need people with skills, don't we?" Gakan supplied, after having shimmied back down the ladder almost comically slowly. "Where else are we going to find a smith out here?" Especially one with so much material to work with.

[bcool999]

Looking like a little kid somewhat as he is nodding while Ruk was speaking but shaking his head when Gakan was speaking, Kuros finally joins the conversation. "I think we got lucky with Kerwin. The way this man talked about Svetlana made me... uncomfortable." Kuros says as he places a hand on the hilt of his gladius, "Besides, even if we decide to hire him, I wouldn't want to keep him at Oleg's. Against Kerwin alone, assuming Kerwin tries to renege on his debt, Oleg has fair chances of winning, but I don't want to take in too many strays and tip that balance. Not to mention we don't even have a forge for him to work so we would only be able to get manual labor out of him."

Kuros moves towards the tree stand that Kressle was in and begins to climb while saying, "You know my vote, just remember that we need to decide this before all the other bandits get here." Kuros waits for the bandit's return in the tree hide with his longbow in easy reach. Attempting to hide himself if he can, and appear like a normal silhouette if he can't.

[BluesEclipse]

Listening to Keesir's words, and the words of his own companions, Korlann ponders for a moment. "Kerwin certainly has proven to be helpful," he comments more to himself than anything. "And a skilled smith could certainly do some useful work." He considers for a moment, walking in a somewhat wide circle around the bandit, pausing to pick up and look at one of the blades they carried. "I'm honestly somewhat surprised that your companions didn't seek to take advantage of those skills of yours to arm themselves further. I suppose that this Stag Lord doesn't see the need, though." He continues walking, inspecting the blade thoughtfully as he does. "And like Kerwin, you are looking for an opportunity to return to the life you previously held. I can certainly understand that."

His circle stops with him back in front of the bandit. "However, Kerwin Bottler recognized his misdeeds, and sought to repent for them - choosing, without our prompting, to make amends as best he can for what he has done before he even considers returning to his home, and his family." His eyes take on a cold, hard focus as he fixes them on Keesir's. "Whereas you, Ral Keesir, expect to simply walk away as if your actions would be brushed aside. I am content to allow the chance at redemption to those who would seek it themselves, but a man who is unwilling to walk the path gains nothing from being dragged along it."

"By order of the Lance Lords of High Emmerock, and with the Authority vested in them by the Office of the Regent of the Dragonmount Throne," Korlann intones, "we, the Wolftooth Company, have been dispatched to the Greenbelt under charter - per that charter, among our duties, we have been directed to strive against banditry and other such behaviors. You have engaged in banditry and theft, by your own admission. By your actions, you have been judged and found guilty - and by the laws of Emmerock, the penalty for unrepentant banditry is death. You have shown no remorse for your actions, no concern for those you have harmed, and no indication that you would not continue to do as you have been, should you find it more convenient." Beginning to circle behind the man, Korlann continues, "As such, it falls to me to carry out that sentence. I advise you to offer one final prayer to your god, that they may find you in the City of Judgement - whether they do or not, however, is not my concern." Pausing for a final moment to allow the man that prayer, he then drives the blade into the base of the man's neck, much as he did with Bydon at Oleg's.

Wiping the blood from the blade onto the man's own clothing, he then takes the blade to Three's wagon, setting it inside along with the other items gathered from the bandits. Returning to the group, he then comments, "That was unfortunate, but necessary - Kuros, you made some excellent points in that he wouldn't have been much immediate help to us, and leaving him with Oleg would've been a significant risk." Turning back towards Ruk, he then says, "Had he truly been remorseful, and sought to atone for his actions, I would likely have asked him to remain with us for a time - or possibly made arrangements for him to stay under watch in Dunbridges or at Xin Jubei. Likely the latter, until such time as we would be able to begin properly settling the Greenbelt... Gakan was not wrong when he said we would need skilled people to settle this land. And while it is true that a man who is unwilling to walk the path of the Mishtai should not be forced upon it for those who are willing to walk the path it is the duty of all who would share that road to offer guidance, and to help them when they would stumble."

[Mercurion 2]

Dergosh peered down from the platform as the bandit crumpled to the ground. He nodded in grim satisfaction; what had to be done was done, and now on to the next step of ridding the Greenbelt of banditry.

A short time later he yelled down to the group in general, "Hide bodies under brush in middle of camp, that way bandits not see killed friends and run away before we catch them. Someone with bow want to take over watch? I will find nice hole dump goblins in."

[Mercurion 2]

Having abandoned the platform in favor of Three, Dergosh immediately set about stomping around the camp in search for a place to temporarily hide the fallen bandits. He needed nothing fancy, just some particularly heavy brush well away from the two main routes into the campsite. Once he found his likely spot he set about carrying (not dragging) the corpses to the spot and concealing them as best as he could.

That task finished, he helped Three with the wagon and animals with whatever she had in mind in terms of hiding them. After tying off the animals, he scoured the banks of the stream for fresh reeds and grasses, collecting them and bringing them over to Bahgtru and the mules to quiet them as they waited. Satisfied with his part of the preparations, Dergosh settled in near Korlann, drum shield near at hand, to await the next set of goblins.

[Saintheart]

Thorn River, the Greenbelt, the Border Kingdoms
Midday, Third of Kythorn, Year of Lightning Storms (1374 DR)

The Company took all the measures necessary to achieve a clean kill. Three and Kuros in the treetops, Ruk and Gakan concealing themselves in the brush, Korlann and Dergosh crouched down in the bushes not far from Three’s outpost. They’d cleared their mounts and the wagon back away from the camp, figuring placing them off to the northwest of the camp close by the Thorn River proper was probably the safest option since they didn’t know from which direction the remaining bandits would come. They policed the bodies of the bandits, hauling them down into the little hollow where their loot had been concealed, covering them back over with the rough tarpaulin.

Then it was just a matter of waiting.

The sun slowly crept higher into the morning sky, moving shadows across the clearing. A fox slowly crept out of the undergrowth on the southeastern corner, slinking into the clearing, turning hesitantly and trotting towards the tarpaulin. Then the wind shifted slightly, and it was downwind of Dergosh and Korlann, and with lightning quickness it turned, fleeing into the brush.

Crouched in the brush next to Dergosh, Korlann was on roughly his fiftieth attempt to teach the half-orc the game of Rock, Parchment, Dagger – whether out of carefully observed strategy or some other heuristic, Dergosh seemed to have an attachment to Rock as a winning option, regardless of whether it did or not. Korlann did not view this work as wasted. It had the unintended bonus of keeping his companion occupied and not yawning or otherwise calling out “Come on, hurry up,” to the empty clearing beyond.

And then the noises came. A hard-sounding snort, then a cough. Then noises of people crushing through foliage, some tired-sounding muttering. The rough-garbed bandits came in single file up the western approach to the camp; one of them had a decent-sized buck’s body over his shoulders. The one in front stopped a few steps in front of the broken-down wagon on the western approach and cupped his hands round his mouth: “By the Bloody Bones of Gilmorg, who wants to know?”

There was, of course, silence. The man frowned, taking a few steps forward. He cupped his hands around his mouth again: “Krav? You there?”
Still silence. The four men came clear of the woods, into open ground, at the edge of the creek which flowed through the camp.
“The Hells is this?” asked one of the men, looking around. They didn’t seem to have spotted any of the Company.

Spoiler: Tactical Map

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Spoiler: Tactical Notes

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The creek is only a foot deep or so, but wading through it counts as difficult terrain. The only bit of normal terrain is the very shallow ford at N10, N11, O10, O11, which is normal terrain. (There is also a similar shallow bit at F16, F17, G16, G17, but probably won’t be relevant for this fight.)

With their Spot checks they can’t beat your Hides at take 20, so this will be a surprise round, i.e. the bandits don’t get to act this round even though they have an initiative count. They’re also flatfooted, i.e. no DEX bonus to AC. And speaking of the initiative count ...

Korlann: 1d20+3 -- 19
Three: 1d20+9 – 16
Kuros: 1d20+4 – 12
Dergosh: 1d20+10 – 11
All bandits – 8
Gakan: 1d20+4 -- 7
Ruk: 1d20+0 – 1

Lot of snake eyes hereabouts.

Mercurion, assuming you’re not away and you can’t get to a computer that can see my maps – the two nearest opponents are 50 feet from you, but there’s about 15 feet of difficult terrain between you and the nearest opponent. All four bandits are no more than 25 feet apart at their widest spot and at least right now are all in clear, open ground.

Bandit 1 has the deer’s body over his shoulders for what it’s worth.

almonds, bcool: You can be assumed as having clear shots on any of these guys, surrounding brush notwithstanding – the foliage conceals you, but doesn’t grant them any AC bonuses.

[bcool999]

Kuros pulls the feathered shaft of the arrow back to his cheeck winning easily against the resistance of the bowstring. He pulls a lungful of air to keep himself steady, takes aim at the Bandit with the deer, and lets fly.

Spoiler: OOC

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Surprise round so only 1 standard or move action.
Shoot the bow: (1d20+6)[20] vs Flat Footed AC at Bandit 1
Damage: (1d8+2)[10]

[almondsAndRain]

Three loved to keep herself busy, whether it was through crafting, reading, or anything else. Even repetitive work, while boring, wasn't nearly as bad as doing nothing at all- which was, unfortunately, exactly what the current plan called for. But the plan was a good one, and ambushing bandits hadn't failed the Company yet, so Three hid herself on the platform with her crossbow in-hand, hoping to get to use it sooner than later.
-
She had never felt envious of sleeping or dreaming creatures before, but hours spent hiding in a tree with nothing to do but stare down well-beaten path made the concepts enticing. But sounds eventually came down the path she watched, and with them, something to do. She slowly adjusted her aim and placed her finger neatly over the trigger of her crossbow, and made a split-second decision to target the bandit that was second from the back- the furthest one away was carrying a dead animal that would need to be dropped before he could get to full speed.

Spoiler: OOC

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Standard Action:
Attack Bandit 2 with her Light Crossbow: (1d20+4)[19]. On a 19 or 20 (a rolled 23 or 24), Three threatens a critical.
If she threatens: (1d20+4)[8].
+3 from her Dexterity modifier, +1 from her Base Attack Bonus
Damage: (1d8)[1].
Critical Damage: (1d8)[6].

Note: Three has sixteen bolts remaining.

[BluesEclipse]

Korlann watches the bandits as they approach, eyes narrowing as he whispers to Dergosh, "Let them get a bit closer... then we bring them down." As the rest of the men move out of cover, he hears the twang of bowstrings as his allies fire, and says, "Move!" as he darts out from the foliage, swiftly closing in on the bandits.

Spoiler: Actions

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Moving towards the enemies , up to S15.

[Saintheart]

Spoiler: Interim round results OOC

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Since that group of actions brings us up to Kuros's initiative count--

- Korlann runs out of the bushes to S15 without incident.
- Three's shot hits, but with 1 damage it's a glancing blow to Bandit 2.
- Kuros's shot hits dead centre of Bandit 1's chest; he's in the negatives, thus, down and dying under the buck's carcass.

That puts Dergosh as next up. Mercurion mentioned a few posts back that he's on semi-vacation and thus might not get time to post, so unless he pings in otherwise I'll assume he spends his move action on crashing through the shrubbery and banging his drumshield, bringing him to S16.

Bandits don't get a turn this round, so it's over to Ruk and Gakan.

[Mercurion 2]

Dergosh scratched at his mutilated ear and glanced sidelong at Korlann. He was starting to feel a bit sorry for the skarn who apparently just couldn’t get it through his head that rock crushes everything. Fortunately Dergosh was saved from embarrassing his companion further by the sound the goblin bandits return to the camp.

As Korlann said “Move!” the half-orc came charging out of the underbrush with a bellow. He plunged directly forward, reaching back as he did so to pull Shargaas from his back (it being the “sneakier” of his two throwing spears) and heave it the nearest bandit.

(1d20+1)[4]
damage - (1d6+3)[6]

Spoiler

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Move directly forward (to I think R17?). Draw spear as part of move action and make ranged attack with -2 range increment at bandit directly west of his position

[Saintheart]

Spoiler: Dergosh

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Mercurion, it's a surprise round, so you're down to one action, be it standard or move action. You might want to edit...

[Zombulian]

Spoiler: frustration

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No fluff on this one because I've accidentally deleted two of my posts now already and I can't be bothered.

Spoiler: Combat

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Ruk moves while hiding to M8. If I can't assume he already had it, I'd like for him to draw a vial of acid while he moves.
Hide check (1d20+10)[13] -5 to that if he effectively moved faster than half his speed because of the terrain.

[Saintheart]

Spoiler: Ruk

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Fine for you to assume you have an acid vial in hand. The Hide check is good against Spot, too, so you're still hidden.

[Mercurion 2]

Spoiler: Dergosh

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Mercurion, it's a surprise round, so you're down to one action, be it standard or move action. You might want to edit...

Sorry, didn't realize it was a surprise round. Move only then.

[Saintheart]

Thorn River, the Greenbelt, the Border Kingdoms
Midday, Third of Kythorn, Year of Lightning Storms (1374 DR)

The party surged out and towards the bandit group, who were taken completely unawares. The first bandit went down with the buck he'd killed. The second one was nicked by Three's bolt, but still was trying to gather his wits as the Company surged in towards them.

And even then, they did not notice Ruk and Gakan moving like shadows through the underbrush towards them, Ruk palming a flask of oil.

Spoiler: Tactical Map

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Spoiler: Tactical Notes

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And we're back to the beginning of a new round. Gakan moves forward - he got a 20 on his Hide check, which was well and truly enough to beat the bandits' Spot checks.

The initiative count:

Korlann: 1d20+3 -- 19
Three: 1d20+9 – 16
Kuros: 1d20+4 – 12
Dergosh: 1d20+10 – 11
All bandits – 8
Gakan: 1d20+4 -- 7
Ruk: 1d20+0 – 1

Again, the bandits are still flatfooted until they act on initiative count 8, although they will get actions this round. As a reminder, Ruk and Gakan haven't been seen yet.

And lastly, again, the creek is only a foot deep or so, but wading through it counts as difficult terrain. The only bit of normal terrain is the very shallow ford at N10, N11, O10, O11, which is normal terrain. There is also a similar shallow bit at F16, F17, G16, G17.

[almondsAndRain]

Three swore as her bolt hardly nick the bandit. If she knew exactly when their enemies were going to return, she could have enchanted her weapon in advance and maybe have done some serious damage with that bolt. As it stood, she doubted that even a second bolt would bring the man down.
Still, a second bolt is exactly what the situation called for. Three drew another bolt out and placed it in her weapon, before adjusting her aim squarely over the man's chest. She whispered a quick prayer before squeezing her trigger, hoping to plant her bolt right in his heart.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move Action:
Three reloads her light crossbow.

Standard Action:
Three attacks Bandit 2 with her light crossbow: (1d20+4)[22]. On a 19 or 20 (a rolled 23 or 24), Three threatens a critical.
If she threatens: (1d20+4)[13]
+3 from her Dexterity modifier, +1 from her Base Attack Bonus
Light crossbow damage: (1d8)[1]
If she crits: (1d8)[3]

Note: Three has fifteen bolts remaining.