[4E]Expedition to the Forbidden City

[Daryk]

Gildin

As the caravan neared the ambush site, Gildin palmed a shuriken, his nervousness getting the better of him.

[SoulCatcher78]

The first attack comes from Quag who launches a flaming sphere at the men in the ditch. This kills the first two and drives the rest from cover. With Willem watching his flank and back and the wagon providing cover from the bank, he is able to concentrate and move the sphere in and out of the enemy ranks. Daxus and Balustrus charge the remaining bandits and begin to cut their way through them with relative ease. Several screams are heard from the bank above and to your left but they are short lived. The drovers have little to do other than control their teams as the only time one of the wagons is in danger, Willem is able to drop the bandit in question with a well placed knife throw.

Marigold comes down the bank and the adventurers begin searching the bodies of the bandits. There is little of value to be found and from a look at their equipment, they weren’t very successful bandits. A final scream from the bank is heard and it’s enough to send chills up your back. Tracker and Toadkiller come down the bank shortly afterwards. Tracker takes his dogs bowl down from the wagon and pours him some water before he approaches you and Marigold. Walking away from the wagons he tells you both that he doesn’t think this is going to be the end of the bandit attacks and that you would all do well to make sure you are being watchful. Their leader complained of being driven out of better caravan lanes by competition from bands of humanoids (orcs/goblins/etc) so they were forced closer to Nathlekh City in search of someone to rob.

He goes on to say that we should make a statement to other highwaymen with the bodies (hang them from the trees). The bandit camp was located within a small copse of trees up the trail and has little other than their ragged tents and some personal effects.

[SoulCatcher78]

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I forgot to mention that you've built up another 250 xp on the way, getting old and distracted sucks. Congratulations on 2nd level

[Daryk]

Gildin

Gildin nodded agreement, and fetched some of the extra rope he had insisted on bringing, grinning to himself the whole time. With help from the drovers, he set about stringing up the lot. When the task neared completion, he asked Quag, "Any chance of magicking up a suitable sign? Something along the lines of 'we were bandits'..."

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I'm not sure what skill rope use falls under these days, but I don't think it'll be too taxing regardless. For Quag, I was thinking prestidigitation could do some lettering on a cloak or something.
Edit: I took a power hit in the middle of posting this... I"m just glad it went through. Woo hoo on 2nd level for Gildin! I'm looking at 'Warrior of the Wild' for his feat, and Acrobatics as the class skill therefrom. And probably Fleeting Ghost for a Utility Power...
Edit2: I changed my mind and took Athletics instead. I think it makes more sense given what he's been doing for the last few weeks (i.e. not a lot of tumbling around).

[Jokes]

Eric

"Ugh, how morbid." Eric is ill at ease with the suggestion. "Why don't we just stick their heads on pikes?"

[Daryk]

Gildin

"Pikes? Talk about a mess. Blood everywhere, and you still have to deal with the bodies. It's much easier just to string 'em up by their feet. That makes it clear they died in the act. If you'd really rather put one on a pike, feel free, but we're leaving as soon as we're done with the rest, so make it quick," Gildin said in a business like tone.

[Jokes]

Eric

"I wasn't serious, Gilden. I'll leave all this... dalliancing to you..."

[Daryk]

Gildin

"Well if you weren't kidding, grab a rope eh? The faster we get this done, the faster we're back on the road," Gildin said.

[Jokes]

Eric

"You wanna get moving? Then just leave 'em where they lie. They'd have done the same for us, I don't feel like spending more time on em than they are worth." With that he heads back to a cart and sits tight.

[Daryk]

Gildin

Gildin grumbled something about good help being hard to find, then grumbled some more about not being allowed to pick his own men. With help from the other teamsters, the bandits were strung up in relatively short order, and the caravan was back underway.

[SoulCatcher78]

As you leave the traveled route and begin your slow trek into the wilderness you understand why you were warned against traveling near the plaguelands. Every step closer feels like another pair of eyes begins watching your progress. The terrain becomes broken and you have to double back a number of times to avoid natural hazards (ragged tears in the land, almost as if ditches were dug or the claws of some gigantic beast raked it, dense copses of trees that you would have to cut your way through, etc). While this has slowed you down, it has not stretched your supplies (10 days vs. 5 days) due to the increase in game animals in the region.

[Jokes]

Eric

Eric avoids Gilden for a couple of days, going out on hunts and trying to keep to himself, but he otherwise tries to be "good help."

[Daryk]

Gildin

Gildin made sure the least pleasant tasks found their way to Eric for a day or so, but otherwise made no further remark on his behavior.

[Jokes]

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Lol, I'm not sure if he deserves it, but he'll do it to get back in Gilden's good books.

[Daryk]

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Well, Gildin can't just let it pass. Next thing you know, there'd be a Teamster's Union!

[SoulCatcher78]

The plains give way to hills and the vegetation becomes denser as you get closer to the mountain ranges which loom ever larger in the distance. You have made up some of the time you lost on the previous leg of your journey and are almost back on schedule. You have fallen back primarily on your supplies as game has thinned out once again. Tracker and Marigold are both scouting ahead of your wagons due to an increase in prints that they’ve both seen. While this causes concern you have yet to find who/what is leaving all the tracks behind so other than some additional precautions (teamsters traveling wearing their armor, etc) you haven’t been inconvenienced.

[Jokes]

Eric

Noticing the tension amid the other teamsters, Eric too begins keeping his bow close and wearing his armour more, even sleeping, for fear of midnight raids.

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It's tempting to start whispering in the other teamsters' ears, spreading dissent

[Daryk]

Gildin

Gildin was glad to see the teamsters begin to take the danger seriously. Having never gone without his armor, he had begun to worry they didn't appreciate the danger they were in.

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Dissent? Out here in the wilderness? Mighty long walk home, you know. Especially without pay or supplies...

[Jokes]

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Ooh, some of the teamster's won't be liking those kind of threats. Careful, or your head will be on a pike, messy as it is

Hehe, I think I'll let this drop, before I really take it too far. I don't want all our characters to hate each other