Runt's chest heaves as he crouches down at the edge of a water shrub, just at the edge of the wide but shallow river at center the canyon.

Adults were so short sighted sometimes.

Runt had mentioned what seemed like several times that they still hadn't gotten the animals and wagons back from the caravan, and they hadn't found Conal.  And it didn't seem like anyone else cared.  Even Rudyard, who'd lost his whole wagon, simply told Runt that he should "appreciate that he was alive and just get over it".

That was when Runt started hanging around the back of the group, his wary eye on Sajaa and Lisa, who seemed to be overprotective beyond what was good for them, or at least what was good for Runt.  He waited until they got into a particularly vigorous discussion, then hid himself.  He waited as the group continued to plod along...  and when they were out of sight, he made his break for it.

And so now Runt was back, hiding amongst the brush near the river and planning his next move as he glances upwards towards the high cave, the one where Lisa had said she'd seen another soldier.  It was quite high up, and would probably be a hell of a climb either up or down, which at least was something for Runt's benefit.  He glances upriver, it's another forty or fifty yards by Runt's estimation before the next large copse of high shrub, with the end of the canyon just beyond that.  If his prisoner were to be believed, beyond the dark gap between those shrubs was another cave, and that was where all the merchant's wares were being kept.

Not to mention all of Runt's stolen treasures.

This is a private thread for Runt

OOC:  Ok, you're back in, and you've taken the large knife and the $12 in copper farthings along with you.  You are about half-way in the canyon, or just beyond the first cave where you guys found the escaped slaves.

This is a private thread at the moment, as I don't want the others who are coming tomorrow to get any additional information just yet.

Did you want to take the lighted stick with you?  I think you were the last one to have it so it's up to you.

Please roll vs. Perception and Stealth.
This message was last updated by the GM at 18:35, Mon 11 July 2022.

It was a lot easier than he thought it would be heading back to get the animals and Conal.  All he'd really had to do was go off behind some bushes and wait for the adults to take off.  If anyone had asked him where he was going, he was ready with a quick story of finding some privacy so as not to offend the ladies while he was seeing a man about a dog.  But that wasn't even necessary, no one was really paying attention.  If it had been him in charge, he would have had at least a couple of people keeping a watch out for any trouble.  After all Hamish had said there were giant spiders and there was the one bandit who had gotten away plus all those escaped slaves.  It seemed to him that no one else seemed to remember stuff.  Maybe when you became an adult your brain was full?

No matter what, he was here and was going to get Sally and the other animals, and then get Conal.  It wasn't right to leave his friends body in such a place.  He deserved a proper burial.  For that matter, so did all the dead bandits, but he couldn't do anything about them unfortunately.

He looked around carefully one last time before heading for the cave where Macchus said the animals and carts were kept.

OOC - Yeah, the fun begins!

09:41, Today: Runt rolled 14 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,6,5.  Perception.
looks like I missed Perception

09:43, Today: Runt rolled 11 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,4,3.  Stealth.
But just made Stealth

Yes, if possible, he would have picked up the light stick.  Last person mentioned to have it was Saaja while inside, but then things got rather confusing and busy, and I think he would have picked it up if it had been set down.

Did he get an answer from Macchus on how many bandits there were?

Glancing around before he maneuvers, Runt sets the lighted stick against his forearm and steps forward.  Things were simple enough if you just looked at them as they were.  Sally, not to mention all the merchant's wares were stuck in the caves and Conal was left for dead in some ditch... if he was there at all and Runt needed to put these wrongs to right.

Sploosh!

Runt's bare foot slinks into the slow, shallow waters of the stream, the mud squishing in between his toes as he heads towards the shrub at the end of the canyon and the cave beyond.

Adults can be so stupid.  Runt thinks, as he continues to step in the shallows, his eyes distracted down to the minnows swirling in the eddies of the early afternoon stream.  Why didn't they listen to him?  Why didn't they question Macchus for themselves?  It was ridiculous as far as Runt was concerned, the prisoner had valuable information and no one seemed to think that it was worth anything once their mission had been accomplished.  Didn't anyone realize that all the prisoners hadn't yet been accounted for?  And if Macchus was right, there could well be other bandits here in these caves.

Sploosh!

Runt swipes the lighted stick down at the water, trying to catch the attention of the minnows who seem be be fleeing pell mell from the sudden appearance of his calves at the surface of the water.  By now he was near at the next set of shrubs and the shadows were cast low from the mid-afternoon sun.

But Runt could save Sally and Conal.  Runt would show them.

But as Runt glances upwards, he notices an out of place shadow upon the water.   His breath grabs in his throat as he realizes that there are men, far too close for comfort, a mere two steps ahead of where he now stands in the river, hidden by the shadows of the brush.

"What are you doing here!"  One of the men barks, staring Runt straight in the face as he whirls to gather his thoughts.

OOC:  Map below.  Remember that the grids are 10 ft. or roughly 3 hexes each.  I spent quite a while looking at the rules for contests of skills for stealth/perception and despite your advantages of being -2 SM you were badly beaten on all fronts.  You are 2 hexes away from both the bad guys, with your knife still hidden about your waist.

Runt enjoyed the feel of the cold, clean water on his feet and calves.  If he didn't have something much more important to do, he just might try and find a deeper pool and scrub the past week's worth of grime away, maybe even get his clothes a bit clean.

When the bandit (he guessed) challenged him suddenly he almost jumped out of his skin.  Crap, gotta pay more attention, he thought.  Thoughts rushed through his mind quickly.  Running was his first thought; he'd probably get away but then he couldn't get Sally or Conal.  And then when he got back to the others, he certainly would be in a lot of trouble.  A good thrashing would be about the least he'd get, possibly worse.  No question Princess Mitra wouldn't allow him to help the next day.  She'd probably have him tied up and sent back to Three Corners with Sir Magnus and the rescued caravanners.  Maybe he should just tell the bandits what he was doing.

"I just be trying to get my friend Sally the Mule and Conal.  Least his body so I can take it back and bury it proper.  It ain't right jus' to leave him out here like this," he started earnestly.  "An I'd like to get Rudyard's cart, or least my stuff offin it an Conal's lyre to take back to his family.  The others didn't care 'bout that stuff.  Would of liked to do something proper for all the other folks that got dead today but I can't do anything much for them cept say the words over them," he finished, complete sincerity in his voice.

LOL.  Talking seemed like the best of his limited options.  Fighting sure wasn't going to work.   Diplomacy?  Knew I should have boosted that.  ;-)

Runt isn't exactly sure what his best option is here, though he's often found that when he's in a pickle, the truth usually never hurts.  As such, he says exactly why he is there, without sparing any details, hoping the bandits will understand his dilemma.

However, if there's one thing that's clear, it's that these two men don't seem to understand anything that Runt is saying.  Instead, their faces each become more and more confused as the youth continues to talk.

"What in the hell's he talking about?"  The man on the left turns to the other, before turning back to Runt and leaning over slightly before asking, "Are you lost kid?"

As for the man on the right, he simple seems to shake the question off.  "I'm not sure, Niall didn't have any kids in his group did he?  Nah, wouldn't make any sense."  The man shakes his head again, but in the end he simply glares down at Runt.  "Look, it doesn't matter anyway.  Listen kid, you need to leave...  Now.  This ain't no place for you."

OOC:  Roll vs. IQ