The Lost Book

Log Info

• Title: The Lost Book
• Emitter: Telamon
• Characters: Aelmeh, Ous, Simony, Warrick
• Place: The Wilderness
• Time: March 17th, 2023

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=    The Players    =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Aelmeh             5'3"     115 Lb     Half-Elf          Female    
    Slender blonde Half-Sil                                                    
Ous                6'2"     185 Lb     Human             Male      
    Tall, Dark Haired, Green eyed human                                        
Simony             3'5"     34 Lb      Goblin            Female    
    Albino Goblin in copper robes edged in blue trim.                          
Warrick            5'10"    165 Lb     Human             Male      
    A middle aged Eldanar with a big crossbow and armor.    
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  As the GM  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Telamon            5'6"     140 Lb     Half-Elf          Male      
    A platinum-blond half-sil man with dancing dark eyes
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

Adventurer's Guild, midday

Spring is here, and that means the lowlifes are all crawling out of their holes to cause decent people problems. Looks like a job for mercenaries of good competence and flexible ethics -- in other words, adventurers! A posting has called you all to the Adventurer's Guild, where you are ushered in to meet with the client.

"They were after something, I'm sure of it." That's the verdict from Wagonmaster Marella Van Zahn, a sharp-faced half-elven woman giving the briefing. "They hit us at night, but they didn't stop to slug it out. Just cut that one wagon out and they were gone."

The brown-haired caravaneer sighs heavily. "Six guards badly hurt, and only for the grace of Mother Althea are we not burying them." She rests leather-clad fists on the table, and glares at the group. "I want these bastards found, and I want them brought to justice. And I'm not picky if they're facing the crown or the Harpist."

Being a mercenary of questionable competence and an ethical compass that had been misplaced a couple years ago, Ous had come along anyways. Standing in the room and listening to the wagon master, the tall Aesir strokes his chin thoughtfully. reaching under his hide shirt, the ranger pulled out his tobacco pouch seemingly without thought, reconsidered it for a moment, then replaced it from whence it had come. "Aye'm in. Anything of note in th' wagon they done a runner with?"

Simony, notebook in hand, is busy sketching the Wagonmaster, pausing to jot down some pertinent details. The Goblin eyes Ous, nodding at the very good question, and then she wonders quietly, "Have you checked the other wagons, in case the attack on that one was a ruse to draw your attention for a time?" More pencil wiggling, as she continues to write.

One of the figures there is a middle aged human man in scale mail, golds and reds of alexandros draped around his shoulders from the cloak. He's standing, leaning against the wall as sitting would be difficult from the amount of weapons dangling from his belt. One arm has a helmet nestled in the crook, and the other is writing into a journal on the table.

After surveying the room of the people he was working he, he nods towards Ous, echoing his question. As well as Simony's. "Those were my main questions."

First time out of the city and on the road, Aelmeh's inexperience shows. Behind the impervious mask that long practice has given her, she hides her apprehension on hearing the carvaneer sighs. Hiding behind a brave front, she steps forward, "I was wondering the same. Why that wagon?"

Marella sighs. "That's the worst part. I don't know. Everything in the other wagons was accounted for. That wagon had food -- you don't want all your supplies in one wagon, after all. A shipment of spices and cooking equipment from Veyshan."

"Honestly, I thought it was the statue -- there was a statuette, two feet tall," she gestures, "of Ceinara dancing. Oh, and a crate from the Grand Library in Tashraan. I checked that one, but the invoice said 'reference tomes from Llyranost' and it was being sent to the university library here."

She looks at the group. "They sure didn't steal it for the foodstuffs -- well, maybe they did if they were hard up enough. The statuette seems more likely. Can't imagine someone knocking over a caravan for a book shipment though."

Nodding as he considers this, Ous seems thoughtful for a moment. "Could be Th' statue...could be th' books...ye spend enough time out in th' woods, ye learn tae appreciate soft paper. A whole crate of it would get ye through th' aftermath of a few bad meals."

Still considering for another long moment, the ranger smiles. "Right, well, maybe we just goes an' asks them. tha' would be a pru-dent course o' action."

The Goblin's eyebrows almost launch off her face, and she blinks. "Errr, it really depends on the books, doesn't it? Some are valuable relics of a bygone age, others may contain.. proscribed knowledge, still others may be highly magical and powerful." She rubs at her chin. "I mean, no one's ever faked an invoice before, right? Have you look..." She looks aghast at Ous, "Don't even joke about that!"

More scribbling comes from what was clearly a once-guard before the pen makes a quick circle over a few words. "Information is valuable," Warrick points out. "And a force that strikes strategically has need of such things. If they wanted money, they'd just sack the rest of the caravan."

He blinks at Ous, huffs a chuckle, and stashes his journal away. "Right. You got a spot marked where this attack happened so we can figure out where they went? Hard to move a cart off road without making tracks."

The man flashes a gauntleted hand to the other three. "Name's Warrick Retzner."

A momentary look of alarm at the word 'books' cross the Half-Elf's face. Then, Aelmeh glances sideways at the goblin who seems to share her sentiment before saying, "But, I could. Now those sound valuable. If I were given to thievery I'd consider lifting them myself. They could be sold for a pretty sum of gold."

Since it's clear the group is on the task, Marella relaxes. "Thanks. Obviously, anything you take off these lowlifes is yours, but we'll need whatever they haven't eaten or pawned off returned." Her eyes narrow. "And if you can find some information as to why they hit that one wagon, well... I suspect there's some people who'd be mighty interested in what they were looking for and how they knew it was there."

At Warrick's comment, Marella pulls out a large, folded map, and lays it out, pointing to where the caravan was hit, a few days outside of Alexandria. "There's some forests not far from here, so it may be they've got a little hideaway somewhere in the woods. The wight invasion ran off a lot of people, and not all of them came back to reclaim their houses or land."

Looking at Simony in confusion, Ous blinks. "Who were joking?" Seeing Warrick offering a hand, the ranger reaches out and taps it with his own in an almost high five type manner. "Ous." sounding like Us with a hard O sound, he could be introducing himself, or grunting.

Turning to look at the map, Ous considers it closely for a long moment. nodding to himself a couple times as he touches a finger to different points of interest on the map. "Got it."

The Goblin stares at Ous, and pulls her sleeve up, exposing a fist that has seen blades and connected with heavy objects. Her fist connects with Ous' shoulder, and she winces. "Okay, that's a solid shoulder. But I'll have you know, doing that with book paper is like someone taking a ... a whiz into your beer while you're drinking it." She huffs and crosses her arms, muttering under her breath.

"Simony Smithsdottir, adherent and priestess of Navos." She offers a deep bow, at the waist, to the group. The map is peered at curiously, with the albino's pencil at work again, drawing a smaller version of the map, and notes here and there detailing points of interest. "Wight... invasion?", she says incredulously.

Warrick blinks as the wave turns into a high-five, but he follows through with it without breaking stride. "Ous. Simony." He regards Marella, looking down at the map. Journal pops out again with some more scribbling and sketching before it goes away. His nostrils flare at the mention of the wights, but he says, "Understood. Probably hiding out in a hamlet or something. Wights invaded a while back, Simony," he ends with a neutral tone.

A gauntleted hand swings down to scoop up a large crossbow resting against the wall by the carrying handle. He glances to Aelmeh before hefting it to rest on his shoulder. "Right. I think I have all I need. We should get moving before day falls."

GAME: Simony rolls knowledge/nature: (13)+8: 21
GAME: Simony rolls knowledge/history: (13)+8: 21

At Warrick's self-introduction, Aelmeh gives him a shallow dip of her head without taking his hand, then with a deeper bow of her head glances at the others, saying, "Aelmeh Runescriber, wizard and bookbinder, at your service."

She approaches the map table and studies it as well without touching it. Finger oils destroy maps and book pages with long use, anathema in her craft.

GAME: Warrick rolls survival: (19)+6: 25
GAME: Ous rolls survival: (18)+8+1: 27

With the map in hand, the group rides out to where the attack occurred. While several days have passed, with the map and with the guidance of Ous and Warrick, it's easy to locate the battle site, and easy to track where the wagon went to.

The trail leads you to a heavy copse of trees, with a rustic, sturdy little cottage nestled in the woods. While the cottage shows some signs of wear and tear, it's clear it's occupied -- smoke is issuing from the chimney, But with only one real entry through the brush, sneaking up may be harder than expected.

Moving up on the copse of trees, Ous stops. Kneeling down quietly, the ranger's demeanor had begun to change as they had come closer to the place. Surveying the layout, the ranger speaks in soft tones to the group. "Aye've a couple ideas on how we might go about this. We can sneak up, we can light th' trees on fire an' wait fer them tae come runnin' out. Or Aye can cause a distraction while ye lot find comfortable places tae pick them off."

"Uhm, while that is a sound plan, we might not want to set the trees on fire. That could threaten the rest of the forest, not to mention the local druids may be quite cross with us.", Simony says quietly, pushing her pince-nes a little higher up her nose. "A distraction by one of us might be a better idea. I uhm... I can create a little burst of light that can blind people, and we could take advantage of that, hmm? But you have to avoid being too close else you will also be blinded."

Warrick isn't the most quiet of men, all the metal protecting him makes sure of that. So he's slow and deliberate as he kneels down, large crossbow winched back with a bolt loaded in. His helmet is donned, the visor up. He scowls a bit at that. "No, weren't not setting the trees on fire. This is still a citizen's place of living. I'm more for the latter option, but I can join you in the vanguard. Simony has a good idea. We do not have the numbers to secure a perimeter."

He motions a hand, fingers flexing and twisting before pointing to the group in a sweep, "Do any of you understand this?" <Handspeech>

"Fire would put the woods at risk, don't you think?" Aelmeh whispers, eyebrows arched high at the suggestion. "No one wants cross druids. I could cast light on a rock and one of you throw it or what Simony suggests?" she tenders.

With a nod, Aelmeh slashes the air in the affirmative to Warrick.

GAME: Warrick rolls knowledge/military theory: (13)+7: 20

The Goblin nods to Warrick, her hands gesturing words to the affirmative.

"Yes, I took a vow of silence for a year, so I learned how." <Handspeech>

Ous says " "Nodding to Warrick, ous replies "I do. slightly different, but close enough that I understand it." Looking at the others, the Ranger adds. "I didn't say it was my Favorite option. jsut that it's an option. I prefer the distraction route myself. Not sure if a shiny rock will suffice, or just tip them off that there's people out here. Anyone else like to mix it up in the close?"" <handspeech>

With the visor up, a rare smirk crosses the ex-guard's face seeing various hand motions. Warrick gestures back, motions natural and brisk, as if he's used it all his life. "Good. I can mix it up if I have to."

He pulls his visor down before poking his head out the brush to peer at the building. A moment later, he ducks back down. "It's still defensible, the front door may be barricaded. There is windows, however, to get around. I suggest Ous ingress one way, and I shoot from another window in crossfire." <Handspeech>

GAME: Simony rolls stealth: (19)+3: 22
GAME: Aelmeh rolls stealth: (15)+2: 17
GAME: Warrick rolls stealth: (13)+-1: 12
GAME: Ous rolls stealth: (14)+6: 20
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20-4: (5)+-4: 1
GAME: Ous rolls perception: (3)+2: 5
GAME: Warrick rolls perception: (3)+4: 7
GAME: Aelmeh rolls perception: (17)+6: 23
GAME: Simony rolls perception: (16)+9: 25
GAME: Warrick rolls perception: (15)+4: 19
GAME: Ous rolls perception: (19)+2: 21
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+6: (5)+6: 11

The Goblin doesn't make anywhere near the amount of noise as the others, walking a little ahead. She goes still briefly, her fingers flicking and gesturing. "New pair of shorts required. One is awake. Just moved away from window."

GAME: Ous rolls stealth: (1)+6: 7 (EPIC FAIL)
<OOC> Ous says, "reroll!"
GAME: Ous rolls stealth: (15)+6: 21
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20-4: (12)+-4: 8

Warrick approaches, less crouching and more just moving a slow as possible. The night makes it easy to keep dark, just wanting to make as little noise as possible. He looks to the goblin, giving a thumbs up before tilting his head to peer past a crack in the shutter. "Hard to see in there," he relays with the same hand. "Maybe two by the fireplace. One awake, tired, watching the window to our three o'clock."

He inhales, swallows, and shoulders his crossbow. He crosses two fingers and wags them. "Ready." <HAndspeech>

Despite being a city girl, born and bred, Aelmeh does a commendable job of approaching silently, neither cracking branches nor tripping flat on her face.

Crouched behind a bush; she peers ahead then startles as an unshaven face pops up to lean out a window. She lets out a slow sigh of relief when he covers his mouth in sleepy boredom and then disappears out of sight. Silently, she signs, "Didn't see us."

catching Simony's message, Ous peers in through the shutter and nods. Crouching down, the ranger places a finger to his lips and begins moving along the wall. The usually jovial green eyes turning cold and humorless as he moves to the window the lookout is looking out of, a hand on his axe.

GAME: Aelmeh casts Enlarge Person. Caster Level: 2 DC: 15

Not a crack or step is heard as they inch closer to the cottage. An owl calls once before silently gliding out of a nearby tree, making her glance up. When they are close enough, Aelmeh signs to Warrick, "Get ready, hope your clothes are roomy enough. You are going to look very imposing here in a moment."

GAME: Simony rolls stealth: (12)+3: 15
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20-4: (8)+-4: 4

Simony waits at the window, fidgeting, thought at least she is quiet. Then... she pulls herself up to the window, and drops down into the cottage. Glancing around in the dark, she slowly stalks her way to the two soundly sleeping bandits near the fireplace.

GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20-4: (18)+-4: 14
GAME: Ous rolls stealth: (7)+6: 13

The sleepy, unshaven bandit doesn't notice the party sneaking past. Doesn't notice Aelmeh's murmured chant, or Simony slithering in behind him. But something gets his attention, and he looks out the window to see Ous looming there. His eyes go wide, and he suddenly YELLS, "HOLY SHIT!" as he drags out his sword.

GAME: Ous rolls weapon11+2: (16)+9+2: 27
GAME: Ous rolls damage11+2: aliased to 1d8+5+2: (2)+5+2: 9
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20-1: (4)+-1: 3
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+0: (4)+0: 4
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+0: (9)+0: 9
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+2: (4)+2: 6

As the Bandit begins to shout, Ous lunges upwards. Hands moving quickly, he slips the axe free of his belt, the Bearded head of the battleaxe comes around, biting deep into the Bandit's hip as the ranger raises his other hand, holding a matched hand axe. eyes wild as he places a finger to his lips, Ous addresses the bandit in a hoarse whisper. "Shhhh!...Ye'll ruin the Sur-praise!"

Warrick blinks at Aelmeh. He may not be the most magically inclined, but he's got some experience under his belt to realize, gesturing frantically, "Wait, target someone else-!" <Handspeech>

Magic underway is magic in progress. And shouting is going on. "Reos's fucking slate stained shitter," he curses in a different tongue, mantling the window as fast as possible before sliding in to get a bead on everyone. <Khazdul>

<OOC> Telamon says, "Warrick, high, low, even, or odd?"
<OOC> Warrick leans in. Always. High.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20: (12): 12

At the robber's shout, Aelmeh unlooses the light crossbow slung across her back and pulls the bowstring back, inserting a bolt before moving up to the window. All the while thanking her father for insisting on crossbow training. She smirks at Warrick's language, thinking, 'But you didn't say no. I listen when people tell me no.'

GAME: Simony casts Bless. Caster Level: 4 DC: 14

The Goblin looks around the dark room, noting the still slumbering people. Her hand reaches up to her holy symbol, beseeching her patron to guide her companions and keep the fear from their hearts. She approaches the crates near the wall, and looks back to Warrick as he grows in size, and also swears loudly.

"Certain Khazdul would be proud..." Simony squeaks as the thunderstone explodes, her hands rising up to cover her ears."

<OOC> Telamon says, "Simony and Warrick, I need you to make Fortitude saves."
GAME: Warrick rolls fortitude: (9)+5: 14
GAME: Simony rolls fortitude: (2)+5: 7
<OOC> Simony says, "Uh. I think a reroll is in order."
GAME: Simony rolls fortitude: (11)+5: 16
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+3: (20)+3: 23
<OOC> Telamon says, "OK, so he threw a thunderstone. Needless to say, it is loud."
<OOC> Telamon says, "Warrick is deafened, and -everyone- is now awake."

The bandit guard stumbles back, clutching at his hip. Looking around, he realizes... "Oh crap! It's the GUARD!" Panic and desperation, as his friends are sleeping too deeply, and he pulls out a small stone inscribed with symbols -- flinging it towards Warrick and Simony. It detonates with a BOOM, and suddenly the bandits are now -awake-, snarling, cursing as bedrolls are kicked off and hands grope for weapons.

GAME: Ous rolls weapon11+3: (14)+9+3: 26
GAME: Ous rolls damage11+2: aliased to 1d8+5+2: (7)+5+2: 14

Lips curling back as his opponent staggers back and causes a Racket, Ous doesn't really jump through the window. He turns, hops and rolls across the window sill. Landing on his feet inside the cabin, the Ranger uses the momentum to bring the axe down on the man's skull, he doesn't stop to check if the man is dead. When the hemispheres of your brain lose contact with each other, you tend not to be an issue anymore. Ous already has his sights set on the Half Orc by the fire.

GAME: Warrick rolls weapon2-1+1: (15)+5+-1+1: 20
GAME: Warrick rolls 1d10: (3): 3

Warrick increases in size, an armored human hunching somewhat indoors. His eyes also increase in size, them widening. VERY familiar with the thing whirling towards him. "Aw, shi-"

BANG! EEEEEEEEE- "Shit! Hearing lost!" he barks out of reflex. Heart pounding, he spies one being taken down, and he bounds towards the open threshold. As he moves, a stick is pulled out from his belt, and the cloth falls away to shed light everywhere. <Merctalk>

He suddenly drops to a knee, crossbow shouldered as he pivots to all getting up. "ALEXANDRIAN JUSTICE! DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND SURRENDER!" he yells loudly, both from the deafened ringing in his ears and being so large.

Someone twitches to get up. The crossbow twangs on a swivel and sails to nail them in the shoulder.

One of the bandits in the other room kicks off his bedroll, grabbing his sword as he scrambles to his feet -- only for a crossbow bolt to slash into his shoulder, drawing a yelp as it yields blood. "Boss! Boss! We got a -giant- in here with a crossbow!"

The burly half orc lumbers to his feet, snorting. "Oh, that's -cute-. Cute little enlarge spell. Gonna enjoy choppin' you down to size, city man." He hefts his great axe, starting to move towards Warrick and Simony...

GAME: Aelmeh casts Charm Person. Caster Level: 2 DC: 15
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+2: (11)+2: 13
<OOC> Telamon winces. Actually... you're in combat, and Ous is approaching, so he DOES save (+5 since allies are threatening)

Eyes screwed tight reacting to the deafening thunder from inside the house, Aelmeh freezes in place. She gulps a big breath of air and forces herself to open her eyes and lean in through the window. "Fire or cast?" she mutters to herself as she leans precariously over the window sill.

Cast it is. With an abrupt throwing gesture, she magically suggests to the half-orc to become her bosom buddy and join her in the fight.

GAME: Simony rolls weapon2+4+1: (11)+5+4+1: 21
GAME: Simony rolls 1d6+1: (1)+1: 2

The Goblin lets out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She jabs her elbow back, connecting with Warrick's hip, before she moves towards the prone bandit in front of her. With hardly a glance at the menacing orc, she bounces her warhammer off their shoulder. Since they still insist on attempting to stand, she bounces her weapon off the other shoulder for good measure.

"Go go meat tenderizer!"

GAME: Simony rolls weapon2+4+1: (16)+5+4+1: 26
GAME: Simony rolls 1d6+1: (3)+1: 4

The last two bandits scramble to their feet -- one snatching up a bow and quiver as he tries to back up, while the other comes up with a sword. Despite being pummeled by Simony's hammer, he still manages to get upright, looking a little bloody and downright angry now.

GAME: Ous rolls weapon11+3: (14)+9+3: 26
GAME: Ous rolls damage11+2: aliased to 1d8+5+2: (4)+5+2: 11

Seeing bad things happening, and the Half orc closing with his team mates, Ous linges forward. Hooking the Half-orc's arm with the beard of his Axe, Ous jerks hard, pulling the razor sharp axe through the muscle of the big man's arm as he growls. "Ye'll be havin' me tae contend wit' first before ye can have a go at 'im. Aye'm more fun!"

GAME: Warrick rolls bab+strength-1+1: (15)+2+3+-1+1: 20
GAME: Warrick rolls damage4+1: aliased to 2d6+3+1: (7)+3+1: 11
GAME: Warrick uses an AoO! 0 remaining.
GAME: Warrick rolls bab+strength-1+1: (20)+2+3+-1+1: 25
GAME: Warrick rolls bab+strength-1+1: (6)+2+3+-1+1: 11
<OOC> Warrick will use reroll
GAME: Warrick rolls bab+strength-1+1: (7)+2+3+-1+1: 12
GAME: Warrick rolls damage4+1: aliased to 2d6+3+1: (6)+3+1: 10
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+3: (11)+3: 14

Warrick's helmeted head twists behind him as his hip is bumped. Everything is ringing, the sound so bad as it reverbed in his metal cage. He just keeps talking loudly. "Two contacts here!"

He discards his crossbow to clunk to the ground, it shrinking back to its normal size before he yanks out his longsword. "LAY DOWN-" he swings wide and lateral, the extra reach carving into one. Another charges at him, and he swings the haft around, grabbing the blade and smashing the pommel against a neck. "-YOUR ARMS!"

One of the bandits charges Warrick, only to be brutalized by Warrick's instinctive strike slamming into him. Staggering, the bandit's swing goes wide as blood splatters the floor...

GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+7: (5)+7: 12

The half-orc laughs crudely. "You'll have to come up with somethin' better than that, city man-- oof!" Then Ous is there, and it's axe versus axe. But while Ous draws blood, the leader's axe whistles past the ranger's head, missing.

GAME: Aelmeh casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 2 DC: 15
GAME: Aelmeh rolls 1d4+1: (2)+1: 3

Exhaling hard at the failed spell, Aelmeh stays perched on the window sill, determined to weigh in on the fight no matter how inexperienced she is. She fills her lungs and says loudly enough to be heard over the fighting, "May a missile pierce you!" while giving the archer a fierce scowl.

GAME: Simony rolls weapon2+1: (6)+5+1: 12

As battle is joined, the Goblin tries to press the bandit before her, though manages instead to put a fresh dent into the floor. "Drop your weapons unless you want your head bashed!" Simony risks a quick glance Warrick's way as the sounds of someone crying for mercy reach her ears.

GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+1: (8)+1: 9
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+3: (7)+3: 10

The bandit archer is wavering as Warrick mauls him, and then the magical dart zips around Warrick to nail him in the gut. Something gives in his face, and he throws his bow away, his hands in the air. "Quarter! For the gods, quarter! QUARTER!" he screams. Surrender seems to be on the plate for that one.

Meanwhile, one of the other bandits trades swings with Simony, neither connecting. "Stand STILL so I can squash ya, you little booger!" he growls, his sword thunking into the wooden floorboards after another miss.

GAME: Ous rolls weapon11+1: (11)+9+1: 21
GAME: Ous rolls weapon1+1: (15)+7+1: 23
GAME: Ous rolls damage11+3: aliased to 1d8+5+2: (4)+5+3: 11
GAME: Ous rolls Damage1+3: aliased to 1d6+4+2: (6)+4+3: 12

Leaning back as the Half Orc swings his Axe, Ous leans back in, crossing the axes on his opponent's shoulders, the ranger heaves, pulling both blades through the Half-orc's neck. Turning quickly, Ous sights in on another opponent, a feral grunt excaping his throat.

GAME: Warrick rolls intimidate: (20)+4: 24

Warrick reaches back over his shoulder, pulling out a wooden shield as he's committed to plugging this hole. Again, he looks over his shoulder, needing to make sure no one is sneaking up on him- oh, shoot, Ous just ended them.

He drops into stance, shield snapping into place as he scrapes the longsword against the steel edge of the shield, making sparks fly. "FINAL WARNING!" he yells at them. "YOUR LEADER IS DEAD. FACE JUSTICE BY LAW OR BY MY HAND!"

The longsword poises to rend. Waiting to make good on its threat.

And... that's about all that guy can take. Staring up at Warrick (why is he so BIG?), badly wounded... the sword drops from the bandit's hands, and he reaches painfully for the sky. He's done.

GAME: Aelmeh rolls diplomacy: (14)+2: 16

Warrick looks like he could take the rest of the room down on his own, still, the little half-elf's dander is up. Hefting her crossbow threateningly, she lowers her voice and cajoles, "It would probably be a bad idea if you value your life to make another move."

GAME: Simony rolls intimidate: (13)+1: 14

Simony simply giggles. "I might be little, but my very large friend there..." She jerks a thumb over her shoulder at Warrick. "Is about to come stomp a mudhole in your arse if you don't put that down and reach for the sky."

The last standing bandit looks around. Sees his boss has literally lost his head. Sees that his buddies are giving up (and look beat to hell in the bargain). Then he looks at Ous, and Simony, and Aelmeh... and swallows slowly. Then, very carefully, he puts his sword down and raises his hands. "Look," he says after a moment. "We.. the boss said this elf wanted us to hit this wagon. Knew exactly which one it was. He was here a day or two ago! He's the one who hired us!"

The Goblin lets out a breath, wobbling sideways a few steps to place a hand on the wall there. "I'll ... just hold this wall up a minute." Another breath. "Anyone badly hurt?", she wonders of her companions, turning her head to glance around. "Blood coming out of bad places?"

Eyeing the Bandit, Ous backs towards the door. squinting one eye, the big Aesir grunts. "Aye'm going tae go check this story. Gonna go see if Aye can find tracks...Not saying Aye'll know if ye're lyin' by that or no....Elves can be tricky tae track through th' woods. but it may save ye a finger or 2."

Looking to Simony, Ous shakes his head. "Aye'm no hurt. Ye ok?"

Aelmeh's eyes lid as she lets out a long slow breath. They survived. Not that she doubted the others. It was her very first live combat, nothing her instructors could have prepared her for beyond the basics in using her crossbow.

"No. Not a scratch. They look," she nods to the robbers, "much worse off than we do."

Her eyebrows contract, and she asks the last bandit, "What elf? Wanted the books did he?"

Warrick waits, tense, as to either end someone's existence or let this end easily. Another glance over his shoulder- good. All ended well. He strides forward, blade still pointing to the two of them as he kicks their weapons away. "DOWN. HANDS ON YOUR HEAD."

He circles around them, pushing them down to the floor and pulling out- yep. Of course the once-guard has manacles.

He motions to the others. "I can't hear anything. Damn thunderstone." Best to not let them know everything still is ringing in his head. <Handspeech>

It's not hard to shackle up the surviving bandits. With their leader dead, all the fight's gone out of them, but their stories are consistent. They were hired by an elf to hit that caravan, steal that wagon specifically.

Two days ago, the elf had shown up with the remainder of their pay. Rummaging through the books crate, he'd removed one, and smiling, the elf had shook their boss's hand and told him he might have more work in the future. The boss had called him 'Mister Peri'.

"I just... it.." Simony gives her head a shake, rubbing at her ears. "Oh... the statue is in here." She goes back to the crate, her ills temporarily forgotten. "There are these books..." She frowns, pulling a scrap of paper from between a few books. "What's this...?"

Books have populated her world since Aelmeh was old enough to handle one. She follows Simony to the crate of precious books to watch her closely as she removes some of the volumes and finds a note.

Frowning, "Took a book, did he? Don't tell me, this Mr. Peri left a borrow slip?"

Nodding to Simony, Ous reaches under his hide shirt and removes his tobacco pouch once more. He hadn't smoked since they left the city. Looking at the pouch, he replaces it once more and rolls his shoulders. "Aye'd be careful wit' books. not so long ago people was gettin' sucked intae them. Was weird situation." Nodding once more, the Ranger slips out the door, looking for tracks.

Warrick rounds up the remaining others and disarms them before the enlargement spells wears off. He pulls his helmet off, groaning in pain as a tiny trickle of blood leaks from his ears. "I hated the training of those things," he comments idly to him self with practiced motions, face half scrunched in pain. <Handspeech>

Seeing as others were doing the interrogating, and he'd be terrible at it in his current state, he elects to watch the prisoners, keeping his crossbow shouldered as he recovers.

GAME: Ous rolls survival: (10)+8: 18

The slip of paper proves to be an invoice from the crate, listing the books inside. By sorting through the books, Aelmeh and Simony can determine that one is indeed missing. With a little patient elimination, they are able to find out which one it is -- a book titled 'A Study of the Great Beyond and its Denizens', by one Feadril Atlon.

Very curious, indeed.

GAME: Aelmeh rolls knowledge/arcana: (19)+9: 28
GAME: Simony rolls knowledge/arcana: (12)+8: 20

"While the author doesn't ring a bell, at least we can do some research on that. But..." Simony scratches at her chin. "The title leads me to believe it is a study of other worlds? Other planes?" She blinks. "These are Sildanyari... Ahh. The Great Beyond... possibly the fae realms?"

GAME: Warrick rolls knowledge/local: (2)+4: 6
GAME: Aelmeh rolls knowledge/local: (10)+8: 18
GAME: Simony rolls knowledge/local: Trained Use Only: 0

Moving around outside, Ous begins casting for sign. the tale of the wagon was easy enough to tell. it had gone off back to the road and was gone. about to give up, the ranger pauses and rechecks any track traps he can think of in the area. finally he kneels down, almost laying on the ground as he finds what he's looking for.

Reaching into a pouch on his belt, Ous comes out wigh a pinch of brightly colored powder. Dropping it at the heel of the track he has found, the Tall aesir nods quietly and slips the bow from his back. some string is produced in different colors. Placing the bow next to the track, Ous marks off foot length from the tip of the bow, then tread width before he begins casting for the next step to find gait.

Combatty

Map: https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=mj2t9weo485