A Herring Without A Shrew - RPLOG
Participants
Date
12/8/478
Log
The Freeswords guild is all a buzz with activity, the new blood looking at the easy missions, rescue a cat, build a fence, and all those simple jobs while the more experienced ones are looking at the more dangerous jobs. In a corner stands a representative of the merchants who posted the contract, but rather surprisingly he is not surrounded by eager sellswords as one would expect. The chubby and nervous looking graceful clan chimpanzee bites his thumb as he looks around, waiting for anyone to accept the job.
Around him, 'friendly' Freeswords warn others in hushed whispers about the job from the merchants.
Zuri makes his way through the throng of beings, taking note of the various jobs and smiling at all the new faces. He himself had spent not much time in the Freeswords' guild proper, and was eagerly catching up on all the goings on by chatting with some of the beings he recognized. The jovial salamander, walks past the chimpanzee being at first, but pauses and doubles back when he notices the absence of being willing to take on whichever job he seems to be offering. He steps forward, waving at him to catch his attention. "Hello Sir!" He looks around, at the small clearing in the crowd created by the beings that seemed unwilling to go any closer to the merchant. "I assume you have a really dangerous job lined up huh? What's it about?"
Thelergramor looks over the various contracts and other freeswords, stroking his muzzle ponderously... Primarily interested in the job for the chimpanzee, not caring much for the warnings given. He knows bandits, doesn't consider it to be too difficult from the sound of the job. The basilisk, for he tends to be a basilisk when working, heads on over to the chimp, smiling behind his plague mask as he approaches him behind Zuri. He says nothing yet, simply listening for his response to the salamander.
Elijah lumbers over to the job boards and looks to the nervous chimpanzee with a grunt. "You the guy needs help with some Cliffside bandits?" he rumbles, "I figure me and Grizz could help you out." He hikes a thick thumb over his shoulder at his gigantic, gleaming golem that looks like a mechanical twin to the bear himself.
The chimpanzee practically beams as he sees not one but three beings answering the call! The chimpanzee quickly shakes his head, "The job is not dangerous, and as far as we know the bandits are from Sweetwater. It is just that someone started a rumor that we are actually tricking people into attacking a Cliffside guard post to aid in our smuggling operation. But that is preposterous!" the chimpanzee says with a shake of his head, "But people were quick to believe that especially with that recent thing in Braevales, they say that the contract owner posted it in the Freeswords. I mean obviously the guild would double check any contracts after fiasco! Idiots." The chimpanzee grumbles and sighs.
"Anyway, you are not here to hear me rant. You are interested in the contract. It is simple really. You see the Cliffside troops patrolling a certain path we use for caravans were moved closer to the city of Cliffside, something about the events there, I don't know. But because of that some bandits who dwelled in the Saltide swamps moved into that area and began hassling our caravans. The Sweetwater militia refused to help us because they are busy with the Criage, and we can't find a way to contact the Cliffside army. So now we are forced to pay for our safety! Ridiculous!" the chimpanzee quickly shakes his head, "Sorry about my outburst again..." he takes a seat and looks up at the three, "We want a permanent solution for this problem, we don't want you to kill them unless you are forced, but we want you to at least arrest them all. We don't want to see those bandits again. For that we are willing to part with a couple of carts to help, and six hundred crowns for each one of you, but if anything happens to the carts we are taking it out of your pay. Questions?"
Zuri nods slowly as the chimpanzee mentions the Braevales debacle. Best not linger on that one for too long.. He smiles at him and nods. "Everyone's paranoid right now. Don't worry, we'll take good care of it all and make it as clean as possible. Some violence will likely be necessary, if it is bandits we are dealing with, at least enough that they will think twice abou returning in stronger numbers." He purses his lips. "A permanent solution would mean either a show of force big enough that it scares them off for good, or destroying their stuff to the point it's not viable for them to return. We'll have to see." He turns back to te others, looking over Elijah appraisingly, but smiling brightly as he spots the familiar wolf in his plague mask. "I have a good feeling about this, tho! What do you fellas think?"
Thelergramor shrugs at the chimp, but listened to the whole explanation. "Works for me. Have any idea on their numbers? Bandits aren't successful unless they've got some training or numbers on their side." The basilisk would know. "We'll drive them off, though." Glances down at Zuri. "Maybe not a good feeling, but, I have more than enough experience dealing with bandits, so I'm not concerned too much." Then nods in Elijah's direction. "Elijah, nice seeing you again, yeah?"
Elijah snorts derisively. "Too damn bad," he says, producing a cigar from a pocket and a book of matches from another, "Would have been a treat to lay into some Cliffsider scum. Way more satisfying than the regular kind." He lights up his thick cigar and takes a long drag before nodding. "Count me in," he says, "Don't much care for lawbreakers either. I'll help see that they're dealt with." The burly grizzly nods to Zuri and frowns at Thelergramor, not recognizing the face, but definitely recognizing the gear. "Idiot wolf," he mutters under his breath as he makes a check over the etched steel bands around his biceps, forearms and wrists. It is probably just a term of endearment.
The chimpanzee shakes his head, "That is why we are giving you two carts. We don't want you to drive them off, we want them captured and brought here to the City Guard. You either do that or I am not hiring you." the chimp says as he eyes the, "Capture them and bring them here or kill them if forced, but we are not paying for half-assed jobs. Don't worry about one or two escaping, but we prefer if you get all of them."
The chimpanzee shrugs, looking at some papers in front of him, "Some of the caravan drivers mention that they saw about seven or eight of them. There is definitely a mage among them, the leader in fact. They also use archers, but thankfully no muskets or other firearms."
Zuri nods at the chimpanzee, listening to him. He glances sideways at Elijah as he speaks so derisively about Cliffsiders, but doesn't make anything of it. Instead he returns to smile at the chimpanzee. "Arrest them then, got it." He looks at the others, then back at the being offering them the contract. "I'm ready to go now, or whenever things are set up."
Thelergramor gestures vaguely. "Right, capture or kill. That's what I meant... Phrasing." The basilisk pockets his hands, peers about. "Archers and a mage, yeah?" Sounds like his old group. "Drop the mage first, then." Starts plotting, checks his equipment... "Yeah, I should be good to go, where're your carts?"
Elijah grunts his assent. "Ready," he says, "Come on, Grizz." The enormous grizzly slumbers out of the guild hall with his golem on his heels, waiting outside for the others to catch up.
The chimpanzee nods, allowing the croup to sign their name on the contract, "Very well, the carts are outside, two drivers will drive them for you. I will be waiting here with your payment.
After the group embarks on the carts, the transports exit the city of Firmament and move as fast as they can towards the Firebough, the horses used by those merchants and the carts sure were top quality as the distance takes the racing cart only a couple of days to cross before the group begin their movement into one of the many paths of the huge mountain. "This is the caravan path we use, not the shortest one, but used to be one of the safest due to the Cliffside army presence, not now." he says as he stops the cart near a relatively wide mountain path, "Ok, what now? The ambushes usually happen either around this path or in a small clearing we use for rests about an hour or two from here, easy to find. It looks a bit like a cave at the entrance but enter and you will find that it has no roof to speak of. We would rather not risk our lives, so choose what you will."
Zuri hops off the cart and takes a quick walk around as he surveys the landscape, quite happy to stretch his legs a bit as he thinks. "Well, if we want to bait them, what better than a lightly guarded, heavily laden cart, right? Let's load up on anything we can to make the cart look full to bursting, and drive it slowly up the path. We can probably go just the three of us, and they won't be able to resist that. I can lay down some protective math as well." He observes the cart for a moment, then turns to the others. "Unless one of you folks has a better idea?"
Thelergramor signs his name. His actual name. This doesn't happen often, the chimp should be grateful! If he knew that, anyway. Thel nods. "Alright." Then turns and heads out to the carts.
The basilisk yawns, insomnia having set in a bit during the trip, leaving him to not do much to amuse himself. Managed to somehow not flirt with the driver, through some miraculous amount of restraint. "I like Zuri's plan. Use us as bait, you wait here and let us drive the carts. Not the safest plan, but, no way to track or draw out the bandits otherwise... Though I've got all the time in the wolrd to wander around searching for them, if we'd rather just search for... possibly days." The basilisk shrugs, stretches a bit and puts his hand in his pocket.
Elijah snorts, waking from his soldier's doze and listens to the proposed plan. "Fine," he rumbles, "Just cover me and Grizz up with a tarp or two. We're a bulky a cargo as you are likely to find out here. Means that you two will be on your own driving." He looks between the other two beings and frowns. "I'll ride with the shortstack," he says, "Grizz will be behind the idiot wolf." With that, he climbs out of his spot beside a cart driver and into the back of the cart, directing his golem to. . . well, to stay put in its own cart.
The driver shrugs and gets out with his friend, "Sure, we will wait here, but remember, don't hurt the horses or the carts." the being says as he takes out some equipment, food and water as well and sets them in a little spot, "We will spend a couple of days here if need be, but don't keep us waiting. Also you probably don't want to make your magic really visible."
The carts themselves look quite sturdy, in fact Elijah and the golem could both fit on one of the carts if the group wishes to reduce their load. In the carts there is tarps and some wooden bits and tools if one ever needs to fix a cart as well as other bits and pieces.
Zuri grins. "Of course, we'll just be using the.. uhm.. subtle stuff that's going to help us in case of an ambush. And that's going to help the animals survive as well if they get caught in the crossfire. And on that note.." The small salamander raises his hands and starts gesturing towards the two carts, mentally tracing the symbols of Divine Math corresponding to one of his favourite bits of Divine Math, something to boost the vital strength of both the Freeswords and the horses, and help them survive any harm that may befall them.
Thelergramor moves up to the driving seat, also known as a jockeybox, which is a silly name. "Your cart'll be fine, don't need to worry about that." The basilisk grins back at Elijah from behind his mask. "I'm gonna have to come up with a name for you one of these days, eh? Anyway, get yourself all setup and covered or however you want to do this." Nods at Zuri once his magic stuff starts.
Will begin driving the cart when everyone's ready. "I think we should avoid the 'cave' they rest in. Archers and no roof. Too good an ambush spot, I think."
Elijah makes himself comfortable under the tarp beside his golem. "Damn," he mutters, "Gonna be hot as hell under here." Though he does feel rather better when Zuri's magic washes over him. "Let's get to it!" he growls.
The two drivers begin setting up a small tent as the Freeswords depart with the cart.
It takes the group about a couple of hours to reach the cave entrance that the drivers mention, and until now there is no sign or mention of the bandits. Perhaps they might be waiting in ambush inside the clearing or perhaps even further away, it is hard to tell right now.
Zuri peers around from his seat next to Thelergramor, the small salamander huddled up next to the big wolf. He's unarmed, so there's little he can do to prepare for the ambush itself if it happens. Instead he hums the main chorus to a bawdy tavern song, trying to while away the time.
Thelergramor may recognize the song, but doesn't show it. He continues to drive, cautiously glancing around, wristmounted crossbow loaded and ready for any bandits they may run into... "...Too bad it's not raining."
Elijah sits quietly in the back, cursing the heat and the fact that he can't smoke under the tarp. The bear can't help but grin a little bit at the sound of Zuri's humming. Who knew the kid would know THAT song? He readies his oversized pistol. Just in case.
The merciless heat continues showering the group, thankfully Zuri's maths help in that regard. As the group waits, nothing happens. The large entrance to the clearing is on their side and the rest of the path is in front of them nothing else is here except the occasional vulture hovering above.
Zuri reaches the end of the song's verse, and stops humming for the time being. The small salamander huffs, starting to really feel the effects of the heat even throgh his protective incantation. There's another spell he knows that would definitely help but... he'd rather not risk exposing the group. Instead he just wipes the sweat from his brow and undoes the front of his shirt, getting some more air circulation to help deal with the heat.