[IC] Into the Unknown

[thirdkingdom]

Cadmus the Confused

Cadmus makes a show of healing Alfius and Decimus. "Very well," he says, "we shall save the penitent one. The Lord of Law demands a swift death for the other two."

[MonsterMash]

Decimus Numerous

"Yes let us save this one" Decimus replies pointing to the penitent purloiner.

[Julius Sleazer]

12th Springmonth II, Late Morning/Early Midday


The penitent bandit cries out his gratitude, while one of the others utters vile imprecations and malicious maledictions.

"If you're going to kill me, get it over with," says the third ensnared man with a resigned cast to his features. "We all die someday. Hodie mihi, cras tibi, you bastards."

[Vektunaxa]

Alfius the Aeviternal, Fighter

Alfius complies with the brigand's order.

[Julius Sleazer]

12th Springmonth II, Late Morning/Early Midday

The surviving bandit blanches and looks on in horror. After a moment, he regains a modicum of composure. He struggles weakly in the wizardly web.

"Look, can you let me out this thing? This wizard-work? It's terrifying and unnatural. I swear that I'm not going to run. Wouldn't do me any good anyway, would it? Yon wizard could strike me down or transmogrify me into a termite."

[thirdkingdom]

Cadmus the Confused

Cadmus nods sagely. "Yes, he could, at that. Now, tell us everything you know about the bandit lair and this noble being held captive."

[Julius Sleazer]

Bandit Prisoner

The bandit writhes around in the web and grimaces at the bodies of his dead comrades.

"The castlet is not far off from here. Three-quarters of a mile? A mile and a half? Not far, sir. There are thirteen fighting men. Well, there were thirteen fighting men. Let me out of this accursed and unnatural web and I vow to sketch you a plan of the castlet! As for the noble, he's young and rich. They haven't harmed him yet. They generally don't as long as there's still chance of getting a ransom. The noble, he's from somewhere that starts with a 'V.' He ain't a prince or nothing, but he doesn't seem like any backwater lordling's get either. I'll be honest, I'm not an expert on how the whole hierarchy of being a lord works. My family...we weren't no damn lords, that's for sure!"

[Vektunaxa]

Alfius the Aeviternal, Fighter

"Let us release him and let him sketch a map. He cannot escape our horses. And while our wizard does that, tell us what the aristocrat has said and done since their captivity."

[Julius Sleazer]

Bandit Prisoner

"I don't know anything about what he's said while he's been in captivity. I'm just a runaway 'prentice boy. I didn't have much status with the band. I hadn't done anything really nasty to prove myself."

"I do know that the young nobleman gets better food than some of us. He had a cough once, and they brought in a witch-woman to cure it. Paid her ten gold, too. There've been messages back and forth. Somewhere to the northeast is where they're coming and going. Least....that's what they want us to think. Maybe the rider taking 'em is just circling around and throwing off detection of where he's actually going, in case someone sells him out?"

"At the castlet, the boss keeps some things to himself. Some things he shares with his lieutenants, see? Some things he shares with everybody; some things he shared only with the veterans and above. There're things I don't know. There're also things I'm not supposed to know, but I heard people talking about, either because they didn't know I was there, or because sometimes people overlook a runaway 'prentice, y'see?"

[MonsterMash]

Decimus Numerous

"Very good, that at least tells us much about the keeping of this captive. Now let us free you and I will give you parchment and a pen to try and draw a map of the area around the castlet".

[thirdkingdom]

Bandit Prisoner

The bandit writhes around in the web and grimaces at the bodies of his dead comrades.

"The castlet is not far off from here. Three-quarters of a mile? A mile and a half? Not far, sir. There are thirteen fighting men. Well, there were thirteen fighting men. Let me out of this accursed and unnatural web and I vow to sketch you a plan of the castlet! As for the noble, he's young and rich. They haven't harmed him yet. They generally don't as long as there's still chance of getting a ransom. The noble, he's from somewhere that starts with a 'V.' He ain't a prince or nothing, but he doesn't seem like any backwater lordling's get either. I'll be honest, I'm not an expert on how the whole hierarchy of being a lord works. My family...we weren't no damn lords, that's for sure!"

Cadmus the Confused

"How many bandits did you say there were, in total, including the leader and his lieutenants?"

[Julius Sleazer]

Cadmus the Confused

"How many bandits did you say there were, in total, including the leader and his lieutenants?"

Bandit

"Thirteen fighting men, although that total includes both myself and the two dead men here beside me."

[thirdkingdom]

Cadmus the Confused

"How many bandits did you say there were, in total, including the leader and his lieutenants?"

Bandit

"Thirteen fighting men, although that total includes both myself and the two dead men here beside me."

Cadmus the Confused

"So you're saying we've encountered eleven of the thirteen, thus far? We're any of the ones we met today the leader?"

[MonsterMash]

Decimus Numerous

Decimus uses his dagger to cut away the web around the bandit while he talks.

"A good reduction in the odds though they now know about my magical abilities so we lose the element of surprise"

[thirdkingdom]

Cadmus the Confused

Before Decimus cuts the bandit loose Cadmus draws his companions aside, out of hearing. "Here's what I think we should do. Let's backtrack to town, maybe, say, half the distance -- far enough for someone following our tracks to think that's where we're going. Then we leave the trail and circle wide around and camp for the night on the *opposite* side of the castle, some miles distant. Then we can try for a stealthy approach in the morning." He pauses. "As to out captive, I'm not terribly trusting of him. Do you have a spell that might turn him towards friendship, Decimus?"

[Julius Sleazer]

Cadmus the Confused

"So you're saying we've encountered eleven of the thirteen, thus far? We're any of the ones we met today the leader?"

Bandit

"Nay, sir. You've not seen the boss nor his prime lieutenant, although you put his second lieutenant to flight. And the answer to your first question is yes. Eleven out of thirteen fighting men."

Okay, looks like Todd has put forward a plan of action. Am waiting on votes from Vek and MM before proceeding much further.

[Vektunaxa]

Alfius the Aeviternal, Fighter

"I make it a point to trust your wisdom, Brother. I am willing to try your plan of subterfuge and guile."

[MonsterMash]

Decimus Numerous

"A goodly plan indeed and I do have such a spell within my knowledge so I will try it once the captive is freed".

[Julius Sleazer]

12th Springmonth II, Midday
Wooded Rolling Hills to the Southwest of Fort Pertinax & Northwest of Caius' Place

The adventurers cut the bandit prisoner loose from the web and he moves carefully, wiping a bit of blood off of his arms and face, and massaging sore muscles. He makes no aggressive moves, nor does he give any overt indicators presaging flight. After being presented with quill, inkpot, and parchment, he sits down cross-legged in the dirt ten feet or so away from the web and facing away from the slain bandits.

As he begins sketching, Decimus walks up behind him and casually and subtly works a spell upon the man. His behavior seems to change little; he continues sketching. The set of his shoulders possibly indicates that he has become more relaxed, and he does begin to engage in banal, inane chatter as he draws. He mentions that one of the bandits has a paramour who resides in Fort Pertinax, as well as discussing an unsuccessful bear-hunt that the bandits engaged in a fortnight past, as well as a bandit who perished last fall while attempting to perform some roofing repairs upon the castlet.

[Vektunaxa]

Alfius the Aeviternal, Fighter

Alfius examines the map as it is drawn, gently asking questions about the castlet's defenses and how one might sneak in and out without alerting the sentries or the bandit chief.