Bandits again siiiiiigh - RPLOG

Participants

• Cassidy
• Kalt
• Rogna
• Selena

Date

17/6/477

Log

The Farmlands were pleasently quite as the sun began to fade in the distance, with only the sounds of the heavy rain filling the air as the roads and fields are muddied. Given the amount of rain so far in the season though, they should be expecting quite the yield of crops! Well... They would, if it wasn't for one field that was nothing but ash, as it seems the bandits had taken it upon themselves to burn it down. Near the field, a small clan mole is resting under an overhang, his fingers fiddling with each other as he awaits an answer from his request.

Selena sighs a little as she makes her way through the farmlands, the somewhat-dishevelled looking woman apparently not enjoying the walk as much as she was expecting to; the somewhat awkward looking mole is regarded cautiously for a moment before she opts to give the being a call over. "Hey, what's been going on here? Do you know who's burnt all of the plants around here? At least it's not Wirefurs again, that'd just see all the fields be burnt not the one..."

Cassidy slinks quietly along the countryside, letting the rain roll off of her hood and scaled robes, arms linked at the sleeves as she makes her way towards the mole. She gives Selena a look from behind her mask, nodding softly before turning back to the other, awaiting an answer to Selena's question.

Rogna strolls into the farmlands with a frown upon his face, both swords out and ready, his heavy armor clanking where appropriate. "Wasteful. Tactics befitting a coward who cannot win on their own strength, they must soften things up." he says as he moves towards the mole, asking for their gaze before he says "And who has done this? Less food harms only the poor, this is a vile act." The hippo does give Selena a nod of greeting.

The Mole blinks as Selena approaches, along with another strange hooded one. "O-Oh! Oh just some men who said I should pay them for making sure my field was not hurt by vermin... I told them my son would come by and clear out the vermin, so they burned it down and are asking me to pay for protection again---" The Mole adjusting his glassess for a moment as he blinks and looks to Rogna, before hopping up and almost tumbling over as he bows! "B-Bandits your grace! They're asking people to pay them to not attack them... I'd be much obliged if you all were willing to help poor Millhouse..."

Selena takes a quiet breath as Cassidy gives her that look, though it's difficult to tell if it's actually in reaction to the look - what with the vixen's mask - or something else. Either way, no comment is given. "... Well, I suppose I could do with some excitement." She sighs, giving Rogna a nod in greeting. "It's been a while. You've been holding up well, I trust?"

Cassidy bows her head to the moleman. "They will be handled, yes. Just point us in their direction and they will cease being a problem for the farmland. Destroying food is incredibly wasteful." She lets her gloved hands drop down to her side, fingers flexing in preparation.

Rogna gives a chuckle. "I see, common leaners who offer protection from something that wouldn't exist without them. I wonder what they hope to protect. Tell me, have you seen your son?" he asks before nodding to Selena once more. "Of course, I've been rather busy but I'm doing quite well, I trust you are too?" The swords in hand are at ready as he prepares himself for a fight should it occur.

"Yes M'grace. Billy's been runnin' round back home with his mother an' all. I went an' I told him fighting vermin, an' fighting bandits are two different things, an' he agreed. Boy's got a head on his shoulders at the least!" The Mole nodding before he points to a slightly beaten trail leading into the woods. "They set up camp right smack dab in the center of the woods... Now, Millhouse here has only went and seen 'bout ten of them, but they may be havin' a few friends with them... If you want, I can go round getting a possy together to be helpin you lot."

Selena nods to Cassidy's comment. "I'll be surprised if they aren't working for someone, much less if that someone isn't paying them a lot of crown." She replies, considering for a few moments. "Well, I'm not fussed if you do or don't ask other beings to come along, as long as they're capable. It's their choice, after all." The wolfess gives a slight shrug at Rogna's latter comment, looking aside. "I've been better. But all things considered I could be worse."

Cassidy tilts backwards and looks up into the sky, letting the rain plink softly on her painted porcelain mask before looking in the pointed direction. "That is up to you. I am sure we would be fine with just us, and I'd rather not risk any innocent lives... But if they want to come, I will not stop them. But we should move soon."

Rogna says "While the thought is appreciated, only those capable of fighting should come. Hopefully they remember their militia training, but I suspect the guard will come soon enough for a report, if nothing comes of our efforts one of them can at least pull a few more out here and clean up. However I trust Selena, and..." he says as he looks to Cassidy, before adding "I trust we will suffice if we use our heads. Shall we go?"

The Mole nods before moving back to his spot to sit, hands covering his needs as he dips his head. "Alrighty then... Ol'Millhouse will be waitin' right here for when you all get back an' such... An' if it goes takin' too long, I'll go callin' in the cavalry!" The Mole nodding to himself, as the group was now just left with the trail ahead of them.

Selena nods back to the mole, pausing for a bit longer than she usually would before making her way along the path, setting a tentative lead until the others choose to follow and remaining atypically quiet.

Cassidy smiles politely underneath the mask and turns to follow along after Selena. "Well, wish us luck, then! Hopefully we won't go and die!" She says with a soft laugh before falling quiet again. Drawing up aside Selena, she reaches out to give her a pat on the arm. Though for what purpose is hard to say.

Rogna looks to the peculiar behavior of the two accompanying him and says "Perhaps I better lead. Are you sure you're alright?" as he approaches and moves to overtake them. He has heavy armor on as it is, he couldn't expect any less. Still, he keeps an eye out, especially as they near the forests edge, as this was a bad place to be. "Perhaps we should enter from off the path."

The Forest remains as quite as it possibly can as the rain pours around them... And indeed, the path does seem relativly used recently, but not far into the forest the sign of a campfire could be visible to the group. Either they hadn't dug in as deep as the mole said, or it was a check point!

Selena shies away from Cassidy's hand a little, scanning over the vixen for a moment uncertainly - though the mask certainly doesn't help her with that. It's not until Rogna's comment that she speaks up; "I'd appreciate that. Better to have the well armored beings lead; staying off the path is only a good idea to a certain point. Chances are if we can see the mill-house, they've already seen us, but it's easier to lay traps off a road."

Cassidy tilts her head and nods. "I am well, personally! I was just... Reassuring Selena. That I'm still looking out for her, if a fight breaks out." She leaves it at that, giving the wolf a little wink from behind the eyeslits. "And yes, might help to have you in front. I will be perfectly honest and say that I don't take hits well. If I get hit and am not already fueled on adrenaline... I probably won't be upright for long."

Rogna says "If anyone has any skill in laying traps, be they magical or simple rope, I suggest the least we do is leave the path long enough to decide. Staying in the open here is no good." before he moves off towards the shrubbery and trees.

As the group makes their way to the side, they can clearly hear two loud and drunken voices... As it did indeed seem that the fire was home to two drunken Apostate Tigers. The duo armed with a spears and shields, as they knock mugs together and grin. "Eashiesht johb, ever!" The first comments, as the second snickers and nods... As far as their camp goes, once the group gets close it's easy to see the 'outpost', is little more than a tarp, two crates for sitting, and a small camp fire... Though, the path does continue on, leading to a brighter section of the forest where the main camp most be.

Selena looks back to Cassidy with that slightly wary look. "I appreciate it." She replies genuinely. "And Rogna, I meant that they could have set traps in the bushes and trees around here." She explains quietly - given the evidently advanced state of inebriation of the apostate, probably not too important. "I can try to burn their weapons before they get too close, if you're planning to attack."

Cassidy gives Selena a thumbs up before looking towards the little outpost. "We can fight them if you'd like. It would prevent them from coming up behind us later, but we also risk them getting out a warning. So if we engage, we must wrap it up quickly and quietly." She looks towards her companions and raises her brow. "I will follow your lead."

Rogna chuckles softly. "If we're just going to engage them, then let me initiate. Stay hidden and ready your strikes." he says before he grabs a bag of crowns, far more than the average man could hope for in one go, and feigns a stumble, dropping the crown to scatter all over the road. "Blast." he says not even deceitfully, as he realizes he has overdone it, and begins to collect crown from the roadway.

Rogna spends 5000 Crown to: Overdone ploy

The Bandits jump as the coins go crashing, and suddenly there's an armored hippo wandering into the road! The Two just remain sitting there for a moment, mouths agape as they turn to look at each other, and then back to Rogna, not entirely certain they had drank too much. "Uuuuuuuh you lost buddy?" The first calls out, as the second rises to his feet and readies his spear somewhat. "Why don'tcha just go leavin' that there, and make your way out of here..."

Selena peers back at the hippo as he stumbles over the road, shaking her head a little. "... Not a good idea..." she mutters under her breath, watching the pair for a moment. "Agreed, Cassidy, though it's easier if you remove the weapons." She replies, a gesture of her hand setting the hafts of the weapons alight.

Cassidy decides to make her own presence known, but as of yet continues to try to be non-lethal. Leaping towards one of the bandits, she aims a swift kick for the side of his head, hoping to take him out of the fight without further hassle. Or at least break his jaw or something. Can't have him go crying for help.

Rogna decides to accept his loss, knowing full well it was loose, but worth trying purely based on the standpoint of greed. He then focuses dark math upon his hands as he draws near the bandit that wasn't about to get a kick to the chops, and brings his heavy clan fist down upon them.

The Bandits give a shout as their spears start on fire, throwing the burning weapons down as the first is then flying-kicked in the face and sent into a tree to slump down silently to the ground, as the second is struck head on by Rogna, and set falling to the ground out cold as well. With both of the 'look outs' now incompacitated, it was now just left for the group to advance on the camp itself...

With the bandits left unconscious, Selena douses the burning spears with a quick burst of water magic before placing the spears on the pair's fire for good measure. "We should keep moving."

Cassidy nods curtly and starts moving onward towards the maincamp after giving her kicked-bandit a small pat on the head. "Very well! Let us go, then! Good work." She tries not to go too far ahead, though, not wanting to blunder into an ambush or trap without the others close at hand.

Rogna chuckles and moves to follow, or lead if he can. The main camp wouldn't be as forgiving if they spotted them though. "Since we are past their outpost I believe we'll need to find a way to take out as many as possible as soon as possible, and for this I'm going to trust in magic. Any ideas?" he asks as he tries to keep aware of his surroudings.

As the group begins to move, a small chirping can be heard before finally a sparrow comes around the corner of the path and blinks. The being almost running into the group, and given his two swords, and metal armor, he was more important than the 'lookouts' that had been found! His mouth opening in a stunned look, as he begins to fill his lungs to cry out for assistance!

Selena seems a little surprised by the sparrow's chirping, the woman pivoting in place and making a sharp, pulling gesture with a hand as she notices them about to call for help, the air in their lungs following suit as though pulled by a metaphorical noose - following which she looks over to Rogna. "Quickly. I can try to disarm him in a moment."

Rogna sees the opening and, given his situation decides to step up to his foe and use his heavy clans strength, working to choke the waking world out of this foe, or at least stall them, now that their wind was gone and their call was inturrupted.

Cassidy folds her hands behind her back, watching. Seems like her companions would have this one covered, certainly! In the mean time, she sets her eyes on the path ahead, making sure no reinforcements are coming.

The Sparrow lets out a wet gurgling sound as Selena's spell silences him in time, his hands moving to his chest as Rogna's hands then find his scrawny neck... With plenty of time left thankfully, the Sparrow's eyes roll into the back of his head as he passess out right on the verge of death! Thankfully though, nobody seems to be coming up the path behind him, and the gate guard seems distracted while reading a small paper back book...

Selena swallows a little as the bird passes out, thoguh really - after what had been done that's the least one could expect. "Just leave him be." She replies to Rogna, looking over at the gate guard. "...I can make a commotion in further into the forest to distract them if you want. Then I can try to disarm them or you can do whatever you choose."

Cassidy studies the little encampment from her spot, tapping her chin. "Hmm... A distraction could work. We could also try asking them to stop. Maybe. I mean, it's not likely. But you never know. Surely they have a reason and can be dissuaded if they think they will die."

Rogna has a crazy idea, probably can't pull it off.

Rogna puts a hundred and fifty crown upon the choked sparrow and says "We must act quickly, and although I fear that will cause more than one to respond it may be our best bet. When you're ready." he says as he prepares himself.

Rogna spends 150 Crown to: Choked bandit

Selena shakes her head. "It'd be safer to give them less time to alert others." She replies. "Either way we have some chance of alerting the others but it's better to have them alerted to something else, and ptting distance between ourselves and the source seems like a good option." The wolfess closes her eyes for a few moments, shutting out distractions before releasing a surge of earth magic in the distance in the form of a tremor - though exactly how effective a distraction it'd be remains to be seen.

"What the hell?!" The Guard flinching some as he drops his book, and scowls. His hands moving to a zweihander and a torch as he begins to gently into the brush slightly, and look around. "Roy that you, you damn fat ass?!"

Cassidy crouches down low to the ground, one hand bracing herself on the earth while the other draws her silver blade, eyes alert behind her mask as she waits. "Not a bad idea," she whispers to Selena, keeping close eye on the one with the zweihander.

Rogna eyes the figure. "We should take him swiftly before he returns to his post and makes entry that much harder." he says lowly as he prepares to prep an attack for an aided assault, whenever a chance arose.

The Guard seemed a bit focused on his exploration, scowling heavily as he looks into bushes and peers into the darkness. "C-Come on man, quit fucking around, and get back to the tent!" Judging from the way he was begining to move, it wouldn't be long before he walked back...

Cassidy bites her lip and waits. Patience. As soon as the guard turns his back to start to return, she leaps from the bush in another flying kick, aiming to dispatch him in the same manner as she had the earlier guard. Maybe she'd get lucky twice in a row?

Rogna sees that Cassidy has taken care of this problem, and moves to join her and move the body out of the way before they enter the main camp.

Selena moves out with the rest of the group as Cassidy moves out, rubbing her cheek a little as she observes the situation to see if she'd have to intervene further, staying behind Rogna.

The guard doesn't get much to say, as the kick sends him sprawling into a tree, and soon slumping down in the sweet embrace of unconciousness. As the group then makes their way closer to the gate, they can easily see the six remaining bandits all gathered around a fire eating their meal. Two Heavy Clan bulls with axes, a Graceful Clan Hawk with a staff and the looks of magic upon his person, and three rats all with daggers on their hips. "So, if they do not pay, we burn down the barn next. Then we burn down their grain storage areas... The key is to not keep it to the fields, the fields are a warning." The Hawk details with a nod.

Selena looks over the group of beings, "I should probably try to knock out the mage first. But at the same time..." She grumbles, looking back to the others. "Tell me who you want me to focus on, but I'd rather not use lethal force."

Cassidy bites her lip and looks towards the rats. "I could probably handle the rodents, yes, if you want to deal with the mage. I will try to avoid lethal force, of course, but against three I am uncertain. I'll do what I must to keep myself alive first and foremost, of course."

Rogna gives Selena a nod, before he uses the power bestowed by his chakra, spotting the bird for weakness before reporting it to his party.

Selena looks back over to the pair, counting down silently on her hands in a visible manner - and upon reaching zero, the wolfess murmurs a quick "Now!" and performs her air-from-the-lungs trick yet again on the mage-looking being.

Cassidy nods curtly and takes a simple airmath assisted leap to land behind the group. "Very well!" She points to each of the three rats in turn with her left hand before bowing and holding her dagger in a reversed grip. "I shall be your opponent. Let's be quick." All fanfare and show and sportsmanship with this one.

Rogna turns his focus to the larger foes, a trifle. He works his soul knowledge upon one of them, a dark shroud upon their vision restricting their ability to multi-task. He draws his swords and readies to engage the other one.

The Hawk doubles over and pounds his fist on the ground as the air is ripped from his lungs, his eyes watering and unable to act for the moment. Rogna's attack works well to help confuse the bulls, as they smack into each other first while rising and drawing their weapons. As Cassidy issues her challange, one of the rat's is quick to accept her challange, dashing forward with his daggers raised, though just a moment too slow for his opponent.

Upon seeing the hawk falter and fall, Selena quickly forces some small rocks and other bits of debris from nearby to batter the poor being into unconsciousness - the lack of air probably helping, and the woman breathes a little easier knowing that first problem is dealt with...

Cassidy almost seems to float backwards and out of reach as that strike comes for her. And to fair result, it would seem! "Close one! Almost had me! All three of you, now! No need to be shy! Come on! Show me a good time." She beckons with her gloved left hand and smiles 'neath her mask. "It's my turn now, though." With a snap of her fingers, three lances of fire are sent to each of the rats in kind.

Rogna picks the closer of the two enemies and prepares a devastating attack, drawing his sharpest sword and working his magics.

The Hawk is easily down for the count with Selena's work, left only to groan and not bother to rise as Cassidy unleashes her attack on the rats. The flaming arrows finding their marks in each, as they fall to the ground dazed and stuned, cluthing where they had been hit. "A-Ah damn it..." One moans out, before Rogna' deftly works to bring one of the Bulls down to the ground with a fantastic display of strength! The Last bull looks around, then back to Rogna, and drops his weapon before holding his hands above his head. "I give up!"

Selena makes her way out from 'behind the scenes' to the last bull standing, giving them a stern look. "... I would like for you to explain to us why you've been told to burn fields of crops. No doubt the town guard will be interested as well."

Cassidy frowns for a moment, stowing her weapon away as she dusts her hands off. "Disappointing. Didn't even last a round. But if you stay down, I won't go and kill you or nothing. So let's all just be good and answer the kind lady, yes. It's quite rude to go around burning things that don't belong to you, you know."

Rogna nods. "It's a vile act that only hurts the poor whos mouths that excess food would have reached through lower prices and surplus. Why would you do such a thing to your working place homeland?"

"It wer ehis idea I swears it! He said we could go an' get some easy money and then leave without gettin' caught!" The Bull pointing to the knocked out Hawk, as he seems all too eager to comply when looking between everyone present nervously, the rats groaning and putting their hands above their head. "We ain't moving sweetcheeks, just don't go doin' more hocus pocus!"

Selena chuckles quietly and shakes her head. "'Sweetcheeks'..." She mutters, then looking back to the others. "Well, then it'll be all the easier if you come with us. It'd make things a lot less painful as well; I'm not fond of knocking beings out or other methods." She hints, looking over to the others. "Still. If the bird comes to it'll be safer to knock them out again until they're in the guardhouse."

Cassidy folds her hands behind her back and smiles at the three rats. "Good, good. Yes, I won't use anymore magic on you. Won't even harm you none, as long as you cooperate. Your buddies along the way are all okay, too." She looks between her companions. "Not a single death, I think? Not bad, if so. Could've gone a lot worse."

Rogna makes his way behind the group as they all get up, his weapons at ready. "Please do cooprate, we'd like to keep it at a non-fatal number today. I trust you all will become more wise to your actions when the courts are finished with you."

The bandits don't resist as their brought up and led away with minimal fuss, the Mole bowing deeply to the group when they arrive before handing out payment. "Thank you kindly, the guards said they'd be here soon to take a look see over these fellas... You have Ol'Millhouse's thanks friends!" The Mole bowing once more as the guards soon arrive to take hold of the prisoners....