The party heads back along familiar trails towards the bandit camp. Along the way they spy evidence of extensive horse activity. In the days since it seemed that the bandits had been ranging the surrounding area trying to scout out where their attackers had come from and where they had left to. The party notes with concern that the tracks start very close to Oleg's which means that it is likely the bandits know where the party originated from and also which direction they're likely to come from.

Tosk is the one who notices the pittrap and just barely is able to warn Radgonda and Ursion before they galloped straight into it. Peeling back the dirt covered mesh they find sharpened stakes lining the bottom.

After Tosky found the trap, Erlin nodded sagely.

"See, its always better to assume your enemy is as smart as you, or smarter.  They know which direction we're coming from; but if we cover that back up they'll assume we didn't spring it yet, and we can circle around and come from the opposite side.  Anyways, that's what I would do, maybe hit them in the morning from the east, so the sun hits their eyes as it rises, or in the late afternoon from the west so the sun gets them as it sinks.  Either way, we'll need every advantage we can get for these bandits.  They're not dummies."

"Never said they weren't intelligent"Ursion replied as he tried to calm the nervous horse, standing nearby while they recovered. "They have forced us into a route already after all."

After they were ready to go again, he agreed with the general sentiment. "We should circle around, agreed. Dawn works as well as any time."

Circling around would not be a quick trip. Best estimate is it would cost a full day's travel to just approach it from the west.

When Tosk found the pitfall he was quite happy that they hadn't fallen into it.  "I think we stick to the plan.  Let's find how they are marking the traps.  If there are markers we can move the markers and they can fall into their own traps.  I still think we draw them away as we talked about."

"Well, we owe you for saving is from that pit. If you think we should press on, that works for me.". Ursion replied after Tosk expressed his opinion.

Renee notes the event in her journal. Otherwise remains silent and observant.

She considered for a moment. "There could be the issue of someone cataloging the marks, but I doubt that is the case. Frankly I like drawing them into their own traps, while also striking them from the other side. I know splitting the party is bad, however if two of us draws them out into their traps after we move their markers, the rest of us could hit the camp from the other side."

"Then the question becomes: who is going to be the bunny?  And what's the plan if they don't bite?"

"The fastest and most elusive should be the bunny, that way if they do not bite they can quickly and quietly sneak back around to the rest of us."

[OOC: Basically, the most sneaky sneak or able to use invisibility or vanish spells.]

"But who among us is the fastest and most elusive?  Me, Falco, Tosky?  I am honestly not sure.  And Renee, do you have any magics that could help?  I know I don't..."

Tosk knew he was quick but he didn't know if he could beat any of the others in a race.  "I would think that Falco would be the best for this if he can ride that wolf of his.  If he can't then I think I should be used.  I can move pretty fast for my size and if I get a chance I can shoot them as they get close.  Another thing I was thinking about is the infiltration of their ranks."

"I'm not sure any one of us could infiltrate, that would be a heckin' risky move.  Buuuut....and I am trying to think of a delicate way of saying this....orc raids are not uncommon in the South, yes?  If they see Tosky by himself, they might think he is a scout for a war party, and not us.  I'm not sure what anyone would think if they saw a halfling riding a wolf, apart from COOL..."

"We should find some more so we can develop a pattern or find something similar in how they may be marked.  Be on the lookout..."  Tosk liked the plan they had devised.

"Sounds good" Ursion replied gruffly, then mounted back up and settled into the saddle, much to the dismay of his horse. Although he had kept his thoughts to himself during the last exchange, he seemed more alert now, and pensive, as if he was thinking through the options presented for an attack on the camp.

11:15, Today: Ursion Korvonan rolled 23 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 18.  Profession: Soldier.

"Speeds not the only thing, but stealth. That's what I meant by elusive." She said with a nod. "If you and Falco can accomplish both Tosk, then I say go for it. If Falco alone would be ideal let him switch around the markers and you hold back, then he return to you and you both do something to lure them into the traps."

After a moment of letting the plan sink in. "Alright, is everyone ready?"

"Falco and Tosk, both of you switch the marker's for the traps, then lure as many of the bandit's into them." Then she looked towards the rest. "The rest of us will circle around to the other side and once they have lured then out of the camp and into the traps, begin our attack. With them sufficiently caught up in their own mismarked traps they should be confused for a few moments."

She'd give another second before saying. "Alright everyone, let's do this. And good luck."

Renee nodded in response. Whether she was ready or not was beside the point. They had come up with a plan and she would play her part in it.

Tosk nodded and once the others began to move away he looked to Falco and then his companion.  "Okay, we need to make this perfect.  As I said, I will lead them to us you and your companion be ready!"

Ursion did not seem excited about the plan per say, but he held his tongue as he dismounted, hitched his horse and trudged into place.

He was more heavily armored than he had been, thanks to the generosity of Tosk and Erlin. The harness of plate was a black oxide affair that gleaned with a new oily polish. A "V" of a raised protective ridge began mid chest and ran to either side of the throat, and the sallet style helmet seemed very difficult to see through, but he fastened it on now as he walked into position, his mace momentarily held in his arm pit.

"Let's hope this goes better than last time..." He said, his voice echoing in his helmet as he took up his weapon and shield.

"I'm hoping a two pronged assault with many of them inside of their own traps will." She explained as she too dismounted and tied off her horse. Then she grabbed her bow, sword, and shield.

"At least we'll be able to see this time", Erlin quipped, "the bow's no good if I can't see.  Hit them hard and fast, and don't stop until they're down, or give up.  Watch out for spell casters and archers.  I can help with some healing this time, but its limited.  Good luck to everyone, and may the gods watch over the brave."

The two parties get prepped and ready for combat. There are two pit traps between where Falco and Tosk are and the bandit camp proper and they can only hope and pray that the bandits are relying on markers instead of memory this close to their camp.

The rest of the party rides around through the brush and ten minutes later they are approaching the camp from the South. Now the question is how close does the flanking group want to try and get before the ambush is triggered. The closer they are the closer they can arrive to reinforce Tosk and Falco but they also risk being caught and raising the alarm.


OOC: Let me know how close you want to get to the camp before the action starts. You will need to roll a Stealth check with +1 per 10ft from the camp you decide to ready yourself at. This will directly relate to where your starting position is so it is a risk/reward of how safe do you want to play vs. how many turns do you want to spend double moving to get into combat.

Erlin, with her longbow notched and ready, and half her face painted in blue woad, positioned herself south of the camp approximately 20 feet away - close enough to shoot, but also charge in to assist Tosk and Falco, if she had to.  Her intentions were to stay behind a tree and fire at the bandits until her arrows ran out, and sing, but she knew she might not be given the luxury of ranged battle, depending on how things turned out.  She still felt as though her group were at a disadvantage in this fight, but she went along anyway, ready to help as best she could.

She snuck up quietly and put herself behind a tree, with as clear a sight into the camp and the bandits as she could.

(OOC: 08:43, Today: Erlin Bjorksdottir rolled 26 using 1d20+9 ((17)), Stealth +7 +2 for distance)
This message was last edited by the player at 12:45, Sat 22 May 2021.

Ursion, his presence obvious from the snapping of branches, the crunch of leaf litter underfoot and the metallic clatter of his stride, kept back some ways as to not give Erlin away.

He would be the second wave it seemed, which was well enough.