"How did you come into this knowledge, Pipre?" Borric asked. He recalled the intimate details of what he thought she knew about the bandits. "What did you do before Henry hired you?"

Everything happened all at once and it caught Rook with his mouth open. Was fighting always like this, short and rough? Two dead before he could blink, a third suffering loudly among horses who weren't spared the violence. It seemed that even after the fighting was finished, things were happening more quickly than he could keep up with, but the ringing in his ears told him it might be something different.

Not willing to be left standing in shock, the young man sprang to action. He grabbed some rope from nearby and rushed over to the injured bandits and animals. With the coil in one hand, he held his holy symbol aloft and said a silent prayer, releasing a burst of healing warmth from beside the horses. Without pausing to check to see what injuries remained, he set about tying the hands of the bandits behind their back.

22:11, Today: Rook Sanderson rolled 3 using 1d6.  Channel Energy.

"By your asking I ken you have more or less sussed it out, Borric. Let's not kick any wasp nests." Her smoky tone doesn't carry an edge, it seems less like a threat and more like a request that peace be kept.

Borric and Bai decide not to persue the escaping bandits, who appear to be heading south, down past the Narlemarches Forest, and Moto says his goodbyes and heads off north again -  after deciding that he no longer wants to be part of this expedition.

Rook channels the restorative power of Old Dead Eye, healing members of the party, bandits and horses alike, as Percy and Pipre take control of the bandit prisoners.  Rikka helps calm the remaining horses, and Vik can finally close the gates of the outpost.

The prisoners are compliant, and even allow Rook to tie their hands without a struggle.  Meanwhile Pipre lays out the lay of the land, and Borric starts asking uncomfortable questions.  Perhaps, as Adoven suggested, it was all too easy?

Now everything appears to be under control, five new horses captured, three prisoners and two dead bandits – and henry should be here later today or tomorrow.

”I’m going to hang those damned bodies from the gate.” Oleg says with passion as he moves across to the two dead bandits and starts stripping them of their gear. ”Do you folks want any of their stuff?”

The three bandit prisoners look a bit sheepish and glance across at Pipre.

Moto's departure is not unexpected, but Percy is sorry to see his companion of the watch depart, and grateful for his assistance in the ambush, for his spell certainly saved further bloodshed.  "Take care !" he calls after Moto, lifting a hand in farewell.

"Oh, I thought it went rather well," Percy tells Adoven, once the bandits are securely roped.  "For us that is," he eyes the bandits with some sympathy for the three seem rather stunned. "They had rather a hard time of it."

"That was well done," he says to Rook as the young man heals the horses.  "Twas a pity they were caught in the fray."  He looks thoughtful. "Must write that down."

Bai's insights are well thought out ... Pipre's equally so, though her words to Borric on the back of the threats she made to the bandit's leader ... as she says, best leave that alone and be glad she's fighting on his side !

"The question is how soon they might return," Percy suggests as Pipre outlines the bandits' defences.  "If we can catch them at home that is all well and good, but if we 'pass in the night' then this homestead will be left undefended.  Mostly undefended, anyway.  That was a good shot," he concurs with Borric's assessment of master Oleg's skill.  "But e'en so ... there's strength in numbers."

"Do we fight here or beard them in their lair - if we can ?"

Seeming content with what she'd been watching, Bai pulls her journal out of her saddlebag and scribbles away for a few moments and then eases her new mount back towards the fort, catching the tail end of Pipre's mention of the bandit holdouts. She regards Oleg, "I suppose we should take an inventory of their belongings, there may be something of value."

She begins to get down from her mount, but then decides otherwise. "There is strength in numbers, however I think that's the problem we face. Right now we know that whatever the number was this morning at this forest holdout that Pipre mentioned, there are 5 less now. However if we wait, there could be a few dozen more in a day or so. When those six get back to their hideout they're going to make a decision, whether to take us out on their own or to gather reinforcements from one of their sister sites. Though Pipre, you seem in league with these bandits, perhaps you can offer some insight there." Her remark to Pipre seems more academically interested and less an accusation of wrongdoing. The woman flips through her journal and hums for a moment. "If those locations are accurate, the nearest stronghold is roughly 30 miles away, so a rider who pushes his horse could be there tonight. Then whatever reinforcements they send, either straight here or back to the forest stronghold could be at their location tomorrow evening. Though, that is based on the assumption that these horse are..." Bai shakes her head as she seems to stop herself from digressing.

"So I suppose the question is less of do we fight them here or there, but rather one of do we fight a smaller force somewhere between here and their forest stronghold, or do we hold up and wait to see what force comes here. I don't know our gracious hosts well enough to speak for them, but I'm willing to bet they'd rather the bloodshed not happen on their doorstep. So I'd vote that we leave a small group here, one or two at most, and the rest of us ride out immediately."

Adoven looks at Pipre and tries to gauge whether she wants to discuss her knowledge of the bandits more or not. He turns to the group at the table. "I think we have to pursue them. I do agree we cannot leave this place undefended though. I volunteer to be in the pursuit group. I'd like to have Vik with me as well. We seem to work well together. I think it might be best to attack small groups of them and pick them off. Sneak in, remove some, sneak out. Hit them again a couple hours later. Try to get them gone before they know what is going on.

In reply to Adoven (msg # 225):

"I agree, we ride out and harry them. I'll get my horse. It is best we do it soon, before a defense can be raised."

Vik cleaned the blood from her swords and took off to get her horse.

"They can afford to ride fast and recklessly, they are going home. We are going to a fight. Take it slow, keep our resources and strength up, and deal with their defenses when it becomes an issue. Be patient and don't underestimate the enemy; don't make the same mistake they made coming here, right?" Pipre sits down, crossing one leg over the other.

"Alright." Borric reply after several of his companions suggested that they search and track the fleeing bandits. "But we're going to need some provisions and supplies. It's best to be prepared and not to get caught off guard. Percy, can you make sure we have enough provisions and water. Don't worry Oleg, we've gold for these supplies."

"And do we have someone that knows how to track? Pipre - hopefully you'll know which direction they'll be heading based on their route. If we can get ahead of them, then we might ambush them again. Or find their camp tonight."

"Oleg, let's see what equipment the bandits have. I felt that we didn't have enough archers." Borric stopped by the wagon in the trading post. He pulled his chakram from the sidewall of the wagon.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:24, Wed 13 Apr 2016.

Rikk keeps her own council through the discussions, but speaks up as the plan starts to develop.

"I'll stay here to keep an eye on the outpost, and wait for Mr de le Maistre.  What do you want to do with the prisoners?"

You take the equipment from the three captured bandit and leave them in the Shirts and britches,  while Oleg strips the dead bodies to their underwear in preparation for hanging the corpses from the walls of the outpost.  When you tally it all up have:-

• 1 Composite Short Bow
• 4 Short Bows
• 5 Quivers of  Shortbow Arrows
• 4 Short Swords
• 1 Masterwork Short Sword
• 5 Light Horses
• 4 Riding Saddles
• 1 Military Saddle

Percy nods his acquiescence to Borric's request, "I'll arrange for what we will need with our hosts. We might want to use the bandit's horses to carry the supplies, so we can travel faster ... and no doubt the beasts know their way home."

"I can use one of those bows," the young gentleman notes.  "I'm probably a bit rusty, though, so I'd like to get a bit of practice in first, if time permits, otherwise I'm sure the bandits we're hunting will oblige me !"

"Perhaps we should split up ?" he looks as if he hates himself for saying it. "One group to leave as soon as possible with a change of horses to find the bandit's camp and spy upon them to get the lie of the land.  Another lot of us to load up with supplies and follow as we can, trusting to our spotters to ride ahead of the bandits to warn us, should they set off before we get there ... and some to stay behind to secure and ward this place should any bandits get past us ?"

"Though I'm no tactician," he shrugs in apology.  "I was happy to leave the defence of the family caravans to those we employed for such things."

After tying up the bandits, ensuring that they would no longer be a threat to those within the walls, he helps gather up the new horses and takes them to the stables. The mounts they rode in on were more rested than these and probably had better dispositions to boot. Quietly he did his best to restore some sort of order to the remnants of the battle. He also helped Oleg drag the bodies out of the walls of the fort, though he couldn't help but offer unrequested advice. "I understand you're wantin' to send them a message. But hanging rotting bodies on the walls of your home is unclean. I'd suggest you hang them in the trees. That way they'll at least be useful fertilizer and food for the forest."

He walked the prisoners to the tables, sitting them facing outward and admonished them with a stern finger. "Sit. Stay. And live." The three were in no danger of dying and could wait until later to be fully inspected for lasting injuries. There was now the question of what to do. The group had been discussing it at length while he worked and he'd managed to catch bits and pieces of it.

"I'll stay behind with Rikka and wait for Henry to arrive. We can question the prisoners and then let Henry know what we think before he judges them or..." Rook paused and shrugged. "With the two of us and Oleg, we should be able to handle whatever small group might come."

Bia nods along with Rook's words. "I think you're right, the three of you should be able to handle anything that slips past us. If they do send for reinforcements, it's 30 miles there and 30 miles to here from that western stronghold, so assuming we're not waylaid for a day we should be back by then." Bai puts a hand to her mouth to indicate a moment of embarrassment, "Oh, look at me saying we." She nods to Borric, "As you're our leader for the moment, I suppose I shouldn't presume that I'll be riding out with whomever you decide is going. That said I think we're all in agreement that whoever is going should be leaving soon so that those that just left don't have too much time to prepare. Borric, what would you like us to do?"

"I agree. The three of them are capable enough fighters if someone does try to sneak back." Adoven looks over the equipment taken from the bandits and picks up the Masterwork Shortsword. "If noone else wants this it would be a fine weapon for me to use. Seems the same weight as my current one as well."

"I would like to claim the bandit leader's mount, if we return. I am not so vrash as to ride an unknown horse into known trouble though. The beast needs training first."

Vik nodded at Adoven taking the blade

"I'd think you'd do well taking that Adoven, I'll wait until I can purchase some castle-forged steel myself."

"Can we not just bury the dead, Oleg? Isn't hanging them up a little too barbaric? And think of the flies, you won't ever be able to be rid of them. This is supposed to be the foothold of a new civilized region, I think we could treat at least the dead with a bit of respect."

Oleg glowers at both Rook and Pipre as they make suggestions about the bodies, but Svetlana takes a more considered approach.

"I'll get him to take them down and bury them in a day or so, but it has been a long hard and frustrating few months at the hands of those men."  And her hard glance in the direction of the prisoners, makes it plain that they are not yet forgiven either.

"I understand. My only concern was the potential for bringing sickness in. It'd be a shame if they continued to hurt y'all even after they're dead." He reached a hand out as if to pat her on the shoulder, but stopped himself.

Pipre makes ready to leave or stay depending on whatever whoever is calling the shots calls.

"I'll take one of the bows as well." the young woman adds with a nod to Percy.

"It would be better to defend the outpost with arrows from the walls and towers if they return.  That has to be better than trying to ambush them with so few people."

At Borric’s request, Svetlana finds some dried fruit, honey-cakes and flatbreads but refuses all offers of payment  for helping you go after bandits who tried to rob her home.  She rounds that out with some of the food that Henry sent and packs them into small sacks -  one for each of you, each sack contains enough food to feed one person for three days.  ”No fee for those …” she tells Borric and Percy, ”… just sort those bandits out for us.”

Oleg leaves the bodies for a moment, and helps shuffle horses around so that the mounts you want to ride are all ready, while those that are to stay behind are securely tied behind the stables.

Adoven takes the short sword and checks the balance.  Liking it he takes the Bandit Leader’s scabbard from the pile and adds it, as well as the nice sword, to his own array of equipment.  At the same time, Vik make a claim on the bandit leaders, horse.  Oleg nods and leads that one into the stables proper.  ”I’ll make sure it is properly fed.” he comments gruffly.

Rikka takes one of the short bows and a quiver of arrows, but leaves the composite bow for Percy if he wants it.

It only takes fifteen to twenty minutes, the discussions are completed, rations found,  horses saddled and prepared, overnight gear collect and loaded, new weapons found and tested – and those who are leaving, are at the gate ready to go …

OOC- I’ll start new threads.

The composite bow is obviously the better weapon, but ... "Wasted on me, I'm afraid," Percy thanks Rikka anyway as he picks up an ordinary bow and a quiver of arrows.  "As I say, I'm out of practice - I'll be needing something with a lighter draw.  Don't want to strain myself !"

The decision for those in pursuit of the bandits to set out together is undoubtedly a good one - the sacrifice of speed for surety most likely the best option.

"Good luck to you ... to us all !" he calls back to those remaining behind as he wheels his horse about.

Borric took the composite shortbow when nobody else took it. He tested the draw weight before he took a quiver full of arrows, "Alright. It seems that we're ready to go."