Runt approaches the last conscious bandit who is tied fast with ropes and oozing blood from various bites and slashes that speckle his face and neck.

The man takes a moment to even register the boy is speaking to him, though eventually he holds the child's gaze, squinting through one eye in a look of profound confusion.

Runt repeats himself, and draws his knife to make himself clear, at which point the man begins sputtering words as quickly as he can while kicking himself backwards towards the wall to avoid being maimed further.

"I'm Macchus!"  The man nearly sobs through a torn and swollen lip, attempting, but unable to get himself back into a sitting position.

"Look!  I don't call the shots!  I don't know about your friend!"  The man's words are nearly hysterical as he stares at Runt's knife, which is already dropping down to start the gruesome task which Runt has promised.

"Stop!"  The man shrieks, kicking himself back wildly though he has nowhere left to retreat.  "I'll tell you anything I know!  Listen!  There's a cave at the mouth of the river, that's where all the big items go, merchant cargo, animals and the like.  They usually don't stay there long.  As for your friend...  I don't know...  but if I had to guess, I'd say if he wasn't fit enough to make it to the cave, he probably wasn't long for this world.  There's a pit on the South edge of the canyon where we've been putting the dead....  There's more of my friends in there than yours!"

OOC:  Still waiting on others to post and decisions to be made before moving anything forward.  I figured Runt's questions deserved and answer though while I had the time to put something together.

Sajaa hands out the last of the plundered weapons to those captives willing to take them.

Now she sits down to drink some water and rest, and await the order to move out...

OOC: Sorry. I just presumed Sajaa was going to be preoccupied with the weapon collection/distribution. I have nothing to add and will await our fearless leader to get us all moving.

Runt's eyes hardened at the news of the pit, but he held his hand since Macchus had answered the questions.

"Dat not be hard to say.  Tell me some more and maybe I go get you something to drink."

The boy paused a beat, dangling the offer before continuing.

"You gonna tell me 'bout everything else in these caves where we are.  An don't forget, ifin you lie we not be happy.  What be down that way?"  He pointed towards the passageway to the east off of the antechamber they were in.

"An up the stairs there be another hall going up.  What be there?  And when we came in there be another hall going west.  The one where all your buddies came running down and died.  What be that way?""

OOC - Well, damn, it actually worked.  Thought there was a chance, but the dice roller is at times.  ;-)

Magnus had largely been occupied inspecting the prisoners, keeping an eye on their rear and listening to the various stories even before the weapons were being handed out. Some worked magic, others applied bandages or gave out food and water, and somewhere in the periphery the urchin was menacing their sole captive.

He clapped Rudyard in a friendly wat upon the shoulder as he passed him with a knowing look, and when it seemed that they were getting nearer to being ready, he cleared his throat.

"Alright, some of you are armed now, and that's good, but I'm gonna ask that you only use these things if there's no other choice...I don't want you up with the fighters, if it can be helped." he emphasized the statement with a pause and a look around.

"We're gonna move all together, it's gonna be slow" he acknowledged. "But stick with each other, take care of each other, and we'll try to get you all out of here in one piece." perhaps not an inspiring message, but a realistic one. These people had been captured by bandits, there was no reason to sugar coat it in the Minotaur's mind.

"Let's move it out...there's no time to waste." and he jabbed at the exit with his mace as he began to plod in that direction, limping on the one injured leg.

At the Minotaur's order, Sajaa slings her crossbow across her back, dons her borrowed shield, and draws her dead-husband's sword.  She is tired and bruised, and still unsettled by the crazed killing-rage that overtook her, yet again, during the skirmish. But she is happy.  Happy to be far away from the village of her oppressors.  Happy to be rid of her cruel, sadistic husband.  Happy to have eluded -- at least for the moment -- the bounty hunters who are looking for her. Happy to have found new friends, in the form of the brave Giles 'J'naeth'Hind; Gustav Du Mesries; Magnus; Rolf Erikson; little Runt -- and now this newcomer -- a Sister-Friend, no less -- Lisa.

Though she is still pained by the guilt she has for the many sins she committed, and knows she has strayed far from Allah's grace -- Sajaa is happy to be in this Land of Heathens -- where women seem to be treated as equals to Men and where the suffocating restraints imposed upon women in her culture -- are far relaxed.

Sajaa is happy that she fought well today. Yes, her leggings are still damp from wetting herself during the terrifying clash, but she knows one cannot be considered courageous until one has overcome her fears. She fought well, for her first time out, and she hopes her performance will ensure her a place in this band of adventurers.

She has a lot still to learn, true. But she is happy that she has finally turned the Page from her old life to this exciting new one.  And she wonders where her journey will take her.

"Lisa, My Sister-Friend." Sajaa says, smiling at the raven-haired beauty. "Do follow Sir Magnus's advice and stay back with the other captives. I fear the fighting has not ended and wish you to remain safe. And if you can be watchful over the little one - Runt -- and keep him out of trouble-- that would be a bonus." She laughs. "But do not fault yourself if you fail, for the little scamp can be quite slippery most of the time and rarely heeds his elders."

OOC: Sling crossbow on back, ready shield and sword, fall into second rank behind the front line fighters (unless instructed otherwise).
This message was last edited by the player at 12:08, Thu 09 June 2022.

Gripping the handle of the unfamiliar broadsword Lisa looks strained but nods to Sajaa, saying quietly, "I told Rolf." Then says more normally, "I will," and looks around for Runt, adding, "I'll try."

On finding Runt, the woman says, "Hey, Runt, you ok? I've been told not to go near the front as I'll probably get hurt again. Would you be able to stay with me and keep me safe?"
This message was last edited by the player at 12:58, Thu 09 June 2022.

"Right!"  Rudyard answers with a smile at Magnus's response, and he immediately turns to the gaggle of prisoners remaining.  "Bakar, get over here and put your one good arm under Jamal!  I've got Terri.  Grecko, you support their healer, make sure nothing gets close to him!  Anybody else who can, grab something to protect yourself just in case."

Many of the men grab a weapon, with the crossbows going first, then the staves and spears.  Lisa too grabs herself a weapon, one of the broadswords placed there by Gustav and she gives it a testing swing.  Even Erwin, who still walks with a gingerly limp, grabs a club for himself, his jaw set forward in a determined scowl.

As the last of the organization comes together, Runt presses forward with his interrogation, displaying his knife openly towards their prisoner, who seems to be somewhat soothed as he continues to talk to the child.

"Look, nothing of note, down here they were putting together another cell, but the iron's not fitted yet.  Upstairs, there's a guard's room near the front, and two quarters on the left.  Niall's got his own spot straight up from the stair, but this cave doesn't go any farther than that."

Finally, the last of the preparations are set, Magnus pushes forward to the stair, simply unwilling to wait any longer.  With him, the caravaners bring the last of the torches, their meager light spilling out into the empty hallways ahead...

OOC:  I'm stopping here to allow for personal choice - If I read Magnus right, the caravan is moving back out into the ravine.  If any of the characters wish to take an action apart from this (interrogating the prisoner further, resting to regain fatigue, exploring additional hallways) expect to be moved into a separate thread to do it.

Note that Rolf still has 5 fatigue left.  So you can cast a quick healing spell to at least get yourself mobile, or opt to save the fatigue just in case you need it for a combat.

Gustav appreciates Sajaa returning his shieldand thanks her, adding it to his left side in lieu of the main gauche, which stay in it's sheath.
He leads the crowd along with Magnus.

CORRECTED
This message was last edited by the player at 20:08, Thu 09 June 2022.

Another 10 minutes rest would be useful but obviously Lisa will go with the group, staying near to Runt if she can.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:31, Thu 09 June 2022.

Magnus understood that people were tired, that many were hurt, that they had endured so much already.

But left to their own devices, some of these people might linger for hours, and then they would need to be fed, they would need to sleep, fights might break out and all the while who knew what these bandits were doing. Having burrowed into this place, with Bugbears about and God knew what else, the Minotaur did not want to linger a minute longer than they had to.

He shot a glance over his shoulder to make sure they were not leaving anybody behind, his body language displaying a hint of urgency.

Runt reported to Giles and Rolf what his prisoner had said.  Then he'll join Lisa at the rear of the group along with his prisoner.

OOC - Sorry for the brevity, my brain is shutting down.  Runt will tell Rolf and Giles where each of the passageways go and what is down them, where the animals/wagons and such are, and where he thinks that Conal might be.  Also, as they are leaving, he'll ask Macchus who each of the bodies are.

Lisa smiles at Runt, "Thank you. I feel safer already."

Runt rolled his eyes at Lisa's comment.  He didn't know why she wanted him at the back of the group, but it certainly wasn't to protect her.  He'd spent almost a week with her traveling from Craine and he knew she was fully capable of handling herself.

"Thank you." Rolf says to Runt with his offered intel.  Though he is unsure what to do with it at the moment as his entire focus is on saving the prisoners.

"Lisa, if I give you a little strength, can you heal my leg?" Rolf asks his newly made friend.

"And what are we to do with him?" he adds in reference to the tied up slaver.

OOC:  If Lisa agrees, I will use Lend Energy for 2FP for 2FP/4HP major healing on Rolf's leg.  That will get him mobile.

"I can certainly try, Master Rolf," answers Lisa. "I'm clearly far less skilled than you."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:17, Sat 11 June 2022.

Magnus did not seem to care about their prisoner one way or another, as long as the man was moving. He had a dozen other things on his mind, and after what had happened with Hamish, he had no real desire to go through another interrogation, or to kill anyone in cold blood.

Not that he wouldn't, if the man gave him a reason, he was just not a priority at the moment.

As long as everyone was moving, Magnus continued, heading for the exit and the ravine.

Magnus knows the dangers of setting out as they are, exhausted from fighting and spell casting.  Still, the risks of staying are even more stark.  Holed away in a cave, with only one way out, it would be easy to storm their locations in number, or even simply trap them where they are and leave them to starve.  Magnus is confident in his men and women, though he has the nagging feeling that their luck has played on past its time.  Now it's simply time to go.

So the last preparations are made.  Lisa casts a healing spell on Rolf, and Rolf does the last of the healing on his own, to the point where the gash in his leg isn't even visible anymore and his leg is working as good as new.  Runt untiles the ropes around their captives legs, and jabs his knife threateningly at his chest, forcing him up and into their midst to walk out with them, the look on the boy's face quite serious in he task, despite his captive being nearly twice his height and possibly three or four times his weight.

The caravan moves onward, slow as it is.

Out in the ravine Lisa and Sajaa post guard at the base of the path, their eyes keen on the other cave where they had earlier seen the guard.  However, from the time when they first set their eyes out upon the daylight, to when the last of the injured safely stumble down to the base of the ravine, they do not see so much as a single guard or scout.

A stone's throw away, the animals still wait.  A few of them pull the rough and sinewy leaves off of river shrubs, other stare blankly at the slowly approaching mass of humans.

Above, the sky has now cleared to a crystal blue, the sun washing off the rocks and dispelling the chill of the midwinter morning.

Runt's prisoner stumbles ahead, his head cast low as he glances feverishly in all directions.  For a moment it seems like he might make a break, though a quick shout and a jab from the boy alerts the others who close in at his sides.  For his part, the prisoner pleads innocence, and Runt does not notice any other attempts to flee.

Only two hundred yards ahead, the end of the canyon beckons.  Beyond the shrubs and the cliff, it leads towards the road ahead and beyond that, home.

OOC:  Congrats everyone on the successful mission!  The captives have all been rescued (for one of the miners who was taken will tell of a man who came by the cells every morning to take out one or two to be moved elsewhere, out of the caves) and despite the injuries, somehow everyone made it through.  Runt also opens the coin bags as they are leaving and notes that most of the 10 are laden with only copper and silver, though one of them in particular is bulging with gold, leaving a total of about $2600 in hard currency (marked in group loot).

Everyone can post a wrap up thread here before I close the thread.  Feel free to manage treasure split OOC in the group loot thread as needed.  CPs will be given by PM within a few days.

Gustav angles toward the bottom cave, as they will certainly need those wagons and animals to get everyone back.

Having developed a touch of pessimism over his last few years on the road, Magnus seemed to expect another ruthless ambush as they were herding their frightened and weary charges from the caves back out into the light of day.

But it didn't come, not this time, and he was grateful for it. His leg ached and bled and grew no better for all the weight he carried. Some of the others looked like they were ready to collapse from exhaustion at any moment. Mages...miracle workers, but a different breed. Generally a perpetually sleepy breed in his experience.

The further they got from the menacing walls of the ravine, the more he seemed to relax, and after a time when he stopped for some soft tack and a generous slug of water, he heaved a relieved sigh and looked about at the others. "That went...a lot better than I thought it would." he admitted, then shook his head. "Thank God."

His first, and potentially his last foray into leadership. Regardless of how the others would view it, how the Legion officers and troops back at Three Corners would take the report, he had brought back all he could alive, if battered and betrayed. It could have gone far, far worse and he knew it.

"Good job in there." he said to Sajaa in passing, with a thrust of his water skin back to the ravine in the distance. Runt earned a rueful smile as well at his deadly earnest prodding of the prisoner.

The others did not need words, they knew and he knew and they had done this time and time again. Gustav was solid as a rock, but that sword of his did worry Magnus.

Giles, talented as Magnus remembered, had once again had a brush with death, but the man was evidently a survivor and the Minotaur respected him more than he might guess.

Rolf, although newer to him, had stepped down in order to have Magnus lead the field portion, something Magnus could understand and appreciate. It was not easy to do, especially to hand the reins over to an inhuman such as himself, but his practicality and humility had marked him out as a rare breed, one that could go far indeed if he had the mind to do so.

And Lisa, the wide eyed newcomer, he nodded to her in passing, not minding the stare. It was good that she and Sajaa seemed to be getting along, the Wazifi murderess would need every friend she could get unfortunately. She had not chosen an easy road.

He turned and offered Gustav a hunk of his fairly fresh bread and gave the man a wordless wink. They had done it again...and they would be well paid, but how long could their run of good luck hold out?

And what would the future have in store for the motely group and Three Corners?

Thanks Magnus,  have some cheese I just recovered from my saddlebags.  He passes a fist sized chunk.

Lisa nods back to the imposing Magnus while wondering whether she might be allowed to learn some spells from Master Rolf. 'Regardless,' she thinks, 'things are looking up, immeasurably so compared to only hours ago.'

Keeping an eye on Runt keeps Lisa busy while they travel, but she tries to chat with Terri and Sajaa when they stop to rest.

As Runt made his way out of the bandit's hideout, he made sure that Macchus identified every one of the bodies as they passed.  Since it was a bit slow going at first, he also looked over every one of the bodies to make sure that nothing of value had been missed.  Once outside and on the valley floor, he asked his reluctant prisoner to point out the way to the cave where the animals and wagons were and also where the pit with the bodies was.

When they finally made it back to where the adventurers' animals were tethered, he made sure to get Macchus some water like he promised and then repeated all the bandits' names to Rolf and Giles.  He then went to Rudyard and told him that he knew where the animals and wagons were and where Conal's body was.

OOC - Don't worry about bandits' names, he'll simply remember them.  But if Niall is identified, he will speak up to get Giles or Rolf's attention.  As to the possibility of anything on any of the bodies, the first on Magnus too out (who rolled down the stairs) was never searched that I can remember.  The guard with the axe? killed in the cell with the captives was also never searched, but Runt wouldn't think about him.  The only other bandit not searched (except for the guy who got away of course), is Macchus, and Runt has not forgotten about that, he's just waiting for a time when no one is looking.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:19, Sun 12 June 2022.

Four simple words. Spoken in her second language.  Words of Praise delivered in the deep baritone voice of their inhuman speaker.  A beast … a monster … but a male – nonetheless. An alpha male.  A compliment from her leader.

Tears spring to Sajaa’s eyes. She drops her head to turn away and look at the ground so Magnus cannot see them.

”Shukran lak.” She mumbles softly.  ”Thank you.”

Shield slung across her back, sword tucked away at last in its scabbard, she walks along with the processional, leading Black Lady by the reins, in who’s saddle sits one of the more injured of the liberated captives.  Her head is finally free of the cumbersome battle helm she wore through this raid.  On a whim, she unbound her jet black hair, allowing it to tumble freely to the small of her back – an act that, back at home in al-Wazif would have been deemed scandalously unchaste, sinful, and earned her a flogging in the street by any man who crossed her path.  She did it in part, to simply allow the cool breeze to ruffle through it – but moreso, as a symbol to herself that she is a changed woman – for the better.

~ Oh God, You have seen me through this perilous day. ~ She thinks to herself as she holds her head up high and brushes away the single tear that quivers at the corner of her eye.  ~ You have answered my prayers that I fight with courage and honor.  Is this not a sign that You forgive me for my sins?  Pray, Lord, that it is so! ~

She turns her head to look back down the procession when she hears the ever-effervescent She-Mage, Lisa, let out a merry laugh at something someone said, or did.  Probably the ever-serious Runt, who is wise and seasoned beyond his years.

Sajaa smiles fondly.

~ Thank You, Allah, for gifting me with these wonderful new people…  My comrades … my friends… ~

OOC: Thanks for the great story and adventure, Raddek – a stupendous job!  And thanks to the rest of you who are such a joy to play with.

They had been successful, under the leadership of Magnus. They had acquired new friends but eeryone had been battered and challenged a little. And Giles had his own fair share of scars from this mission.

"Nothing ever goes smoothly..." he reflected to himself while they headed out with a grim smile.

---

After reachign the animals and having Runt's update, Giles ruffled his hair (OOC: or attempted to) and smiled. "You did good" he said, and then turned to the rest of the group "Everyone did, that's a great effort to make a bunch of people's lives better...

Between Lisa's spell and Rolf's own, the last of the internal damage done to his leg is healed.  Frayed and irritated nerve endings still cast shadow pain rippling up to his brain forcing the mage to walk gingerly.  But at last he is able to move on his own.  Still, he is yet again very tired and his feet feel like they're stuck in mud.  Each step he takes is heavy and ponderous.  The battle has really took the starch out of him and it'll be leagues of marching before he can rest his head on a proper bed.

But he is still alive, as they all are which is sort of a miracle.  Of course the traitor Hamish won't be returning.  His death was messy, but well deserved.

The mage is glad to have saved so many from the slavers whip.  And that they dealt a blow to slavers, yet he knows there must be more.  A return trip here to pick up their trail and vanquish them once and for all must be considered.  If they don't it's quite possible they'll only regroup and restart kidnapping, murdering and selling people into slavery.  They must be stopped.

Rolf doesn't have the energy to discuss such matters at the moment.  Surely there will be those that will want to return and finish the job.  The mage plans on joining their banner if others raise it.  He knows his skills will be very much needed.

And that the Three Corners won't thrive if it isn't safe.  Safety is priority one and he plans on squashing any and all external threats if at all possible.