[Game Thread] Chapter I, Part I: Oleg's Trading Post

[arguilios]

"Drop your weapons if you want to live," Rogan growls at the bandits struggling to rouse their sleepy horses outside the front gates. He fires another broad arrow at the nearer man before adding. "Don't expect another warning shot. I said: Drop 'em!"

[Rohor]

Kostas' scimitar misses the prone bandit as the bandit nimbly dodges the swing, whilst Brune's acid dart passes between Kostas and the bandit, hitting the side of the wagon and making a hissing sound on collision.

Harken's large sweep catches the bandit in the green cloak, who slumps forward on his horse as the blade of the greataxe connects. The lone standing bandit still inside, seeing his prone friend and leader fall, also meekly raises his hand, dropping the longbow whilst doing so. "Wait, I give up! Don't hurt me!"

Oleg screams out at the bandit as he places his hand up to surrender. "That's what you get for stealing from me!"

With the leader of the bandits out of the way, Alistair switches targets and casts his ray of frost at the outside bandit closest to him. The ray hits and the bandit screams in pain as it hits him.

Without any person guiding them, the horses inside the outpost run in Oleg's direction, attempting their best to avoid combat. Meanwhile, the horses outside begin to stir, being woken up by the bandit's brutal kicking.

Round 2

Initiatives
Satinder - 18
Rogan - 15
Bandits - 11
Kostas - 10
Brune - 9
Harken - 8
Alistair - 5 (Modifier + 2)
Oleg - 5 (Modifier -1)
Bandit in green cloak - -1

Damage Taken
Bandit in green cloak - 24 (Down)
Prone bandit inside - 5
Ousted bandits - 5 on left bandit, 3 on right bandit

In Effect
Sleep on horses - 8 rounds on Satinder's turn
Inspire Courage - 6 rounds on Satinder's turn or until otherwise.

OOC Lupus, I assumed Kostas made his attack on the bandit still standing and not on the one that is prone. Both are 15 feet away and I thought Kostas would've sensibly attacked the one still standing. Correct me otherwise if you meant to attack the prone bandit. VaerSheth, I applied a -4 penalty to attack on acid dart for Brune because Kostas is in melee with the bandit, hence you're casting into ranged combat. In this instance, it misses as the roll becomes 8. Ryoga, I can't allow the charge for Harken to the green bandit as there are obstacles in the way (namely the horses). What I've done is I moved Harken to a square where the sleeping horse is and allowed you to make a single attack from there. This means you won't get +2 to attack and -2 to AC throughout the round. That's the best I could come up with when it comes to sticking with your plan of attacking the leader. The leader is down after the attack so it didn't affect the outcome too greatly. Please note that both Harken and Kostas are in squares where the horse is. I moved the horse out of the way for clarity's sake but the horse is still there. For Alistair, I switched targets to the closest bandit outside, assuming you want to stop them. Rather than continue blasting the poor leader and waste moves, I thought I'd switch targets. Arguilios, I'll post the reaction to that attack once actions for the second round are being made. We're now at the top of round 2. Feel free to post your actions.

[LupusRegalis]

<Kostas> Stats: HP 12/12 ; AC 18 ||STR 15; DEX 14; CON 14; INT 10; WIS 12; CHA 14||FORT +4; REF +2;WILL +1|| INIT +2

With a rough shove, Kostas pushes past the cowering Bandit and hurries towards the stables, kicking aside the bandit's longbow as he does. His snarl of contempt directed at the bandit is replaced by a shouted "The gate! Open the gate, friend Brune! Before the bandita cowards flee." The last words ring out just as he slips through the stable doors and inside, looking for Apotheosis even as he steps through.

OOC Full round action: Double move into stables (40ft total) @Rohor Yep, that was fine. The standing guy was directly across from Kostas so definitely would have been the target.

[VaerSheth]

Brune smiles grimly as he hauls the gate back open for Kostas. Poking his head out, he calls to the bandits outside.

I'd get off my horse and surrender if I were you. You're not like to outrun a Hussar like Kostas here. That's if you can even git out of arrow range, which I doubt.

OOC Reopen the gate.

[Finder of Paths]

"Good choice." says Satinder, slowly releasing the pressure on his bow whilst breathing out. When the arrow is merely notched, and not drawn back he lowers them and looks the remaining bandit in the eye. "I suggest you stay right there, and don't try anything, okay?" Again, there's something oddly musical and powerful to the half-elf's words, but subtly different than that used a few seconds ago. More...lulling and soothing than inspirational, but it doesn't seem to do anything to anyone but the bandit still standing. A rat always fights hardest when cornered, and Satinder wasn't taking any chances. Whilst he attempted to control the man's mind, he called out to his allies. "Quickly, tie him up first, then the others. Don't bother with the horses, we'll deal with them later." Looking at the man in the green cloak, slumped on the floor in a rather uncomfortable state he adds. "Perhaps someone should deal with the leader too, it's rather hard to question a dead man."

Still up on the ramparts, Alistair looks down on the bandits attempting to flee, flinging another bolt of magic their way almost without care, as if crushing a bug.

OOC: Good call on changing targets Rohor. Satinder: - Free action to maintain Inspire Courage, 6 rounds remaining. - Standard action to cast Daze on the remaining bandit, DC12 (lasts 1 round, then is immune to further Daze attempts from me for 1 minute...regardless whether this spell works or not). Alistair: - Standard action to cast Ray of Frost at whatever bandit is still attempting to flee outside the gates. Ranged Touch Attack 6, Damage 1

[Rohor]

Satinder’s daze spell began to take a hold on the bandit as he begins to look perplexed. His attention shifted between Kostas and Harken, and then focused towards Kostas again as Kostas heads towards the stables.

Rogan’s arrow flew and managed to hit the closest bandit to him, dropping the bandit before he had a chance to escape on his horse. This incident, combined with Brune’s words that escape was futile is more than enough to cause the remaining standing outside bandit to drop on his knees, pleading in a shaking voice.

“Ok. I won’t try to escape. Just… don’t hurt me.”

Alistair’s ray of frost flies past the bandit as he says this, and the bandit jumps in fright as it lands near him. He turns his head to the direction from where the ray appeared, screaming out, “Hey, I give up! Don’t hurt me! I give up OK!?”

Hearing his friend screaming outside, the remaining bandit drops his longbow, holding his hands up, looking as though he surrenders as well.

OOC The bandits have surrendered. Whilst the encounter could technically last another round or so, I decided to end it early… there’s really no need to stretch it out for another round or two. (especially since you demolished the entire lot of them). In terms of xp, I haven’t awarded any, reason being because I’ve decided to go with plot leveling (yes, I finally decided). And with Alistair firing a ray of frost at the bandit as a scare tactic. Seems like something he would do. Sure, the bandit isn’t planning on escaping before the ray of frost was fired, but he didn’t know… until the bandit screamed right back at him.

[LupusRegalis]

Kostas, mounted now and with a shouted "Yah!" comes barreling out of the stables and into the outposts courtyard. He reigns in to appraise the situation, and looks almost disappointed that the fight seems over. Still he urges Apotheosis forward, and directs the warhorse around cart and nearby bodies, and out the gates. He circles his mount around the bandit outside the outpost, ensuring he has no opportunity to escape. As if to prove the point beyond doubt, should the surrendered bandits be considering their chances, he sheathes his sword so he can smoothly draw and nock his horse-bow.

He grins menacingly at the bandit and says "The horses, you will slowly gather them into the stables, now I think. And then, I think we see to your roza comrades."

[Ryoga]

Harken strolls over to the dead body of the bandit groups leader and squats down, muttering a few words to him, saying his peace and respecting his fallen foe. He takes a small knife and cuts a piece of the mans green cape off, no more than 1''x1'' and stows it in a pocket on his belt. He gets up from his squatting position and looks around, going to gather the nearest banding to the center of the courtyard, getting him ready to receive his punishment.

[VaerSheth]

Brune collects his hammer from the ground, brushing all of the loose dirt off of it before rehooking it to his belt. He seems a little dazed, walking slowly and stiffly. He shakes his head, sweat flying from the tips of his beard on the right side of his face. Then, Brune's eyes fall on the bandit leader on the ground, and he swears in Dwarven under his breath. The dwarf rushes forward to squat next to the fallen man. He rubs his damp left palm on his apron, and then gingerly reaches out to brush the bandit's cheek with that palm. Anyone looking at Brune's face can see his eyes unfocus and cross for just a moment as his hand brushes the bandit's skin. Then Brune pulls his hand back and his eyes refocus. His pupils remain dilated, though, for several seconds. Brune rubs his forehead with his left hand, and relaxes ever so slightly.

OOC Autostabilize on the man in the green cloak. Heal check 17 (Taking 10) to determine if the man in the green cloak is still alive. I don't know if you actually have to make that check in Pathfinder. I couldn't find anything under the heal skill.

[arguilios]

"Weapons: Drop 'em!" Rogan barks instructions to the prisoners, regarding the cowed bandits with stern suspicion from his superior firing position. Yet, once he's determined that they're being properly managed by the others, the ranger returns his attention to the outer perimeter - looking for bandit scouts and sentinels that might be watching to report back to the bandits' leaders.

[Finder of Paths]

Trying to peer over the cart, Satinder stands on the tops of his toes and strains his neck. "Is he alive Brune?" Not much on muscles, the chronicler watches as the others round up the prisoners and makes his way to Oleg. "Thanks for playing bait, what do you want to do with the bandits after we've finished questioning them?" He probably doesn't know we have the legal authority to hang the lot of them...and probably should. But one should never deny a man his revenge, incase it turns on you.

OOC: Cancel Inspire Courage, have 5 rounds left today

[Rohor]

The bandits begin following Rogan's and Kostas's orders, slowly relieving themselves of their short swords and longbows then moving the horses to the stables. As they began moving the horses into the stables, Oleg replies to Satinder's question.

"I think we should remove them... completely." Oleg said the last word hesitantly and the bandits jumped as they hear Oleg mention it. "Who knows what will happen if we release them. They'll go back to the camp, then the whole camp will be after us."

A bandit quickly kneels in front of Oleg, head bowed as he screams in a high-pitched voice, "Please, don't kill me! I'll do anything! Just, don't kill me." The bandit begins to sob and a couple of tears run down his face as he quickly wipes his face.

"Huh, look at you. Pitiful." Oleg snorts and turns to Satinder. Look. I wouldn't mind them dead so they won't warn the rest of the camp. Their bodies would serve as a warning to the rest of the bandits in the area too. I'll leave it up to you though. I'm going to tell Svetlana the good news."

With that, Oleg disappears into their house. The bandit immediately crawls to Satinder, kneeling just as he did in front of Oleg. "Please, you can't kill me. Don't let them kill me. I'll help you. I'll be good. I won't kill... or steal. Please, anything! You won't let anyone kill me right?"

The bandit appears to have broken down completely having heard Oleg's suggestion of killing them. Looking at their desperate friend, the other bandits look as though they're about to break down emotionally as well.

OOC I don't believe heal checks actually tell you whether someone is alive in Pathfinder. The spell deathwatch allows you to find out whether someone is dying or dead, which is the closest thing I found (other than directly checking their pulse).

[Finder of Paths]

"Quiet." says Alistair, having come down from the ramparts. "You're not fit to talk infront of a Lebdeba, scum." Though he feels these men are scum, Satinder can't agree with the sorcerer....they're scum for what they've done, not because they weren't born with a silver spoon in their mouth. "Would you release someone you had captured? Or string him up as a warning to others?" Satinder asks of the gibbering man infront of him. "Quite frankly I think you'd cut your own grandmother's throat for a copper, then hire out her corpse to all your friends." It's gruesome work, but if we let them free it endangers Oleg and Svetlana, as well as us. He looks to the others in the group, particularly the two 'rougher' members, Rogan and Harken. The ranger had surely seen his share of death, and Harken...well he was a bandit himself, wasn't he?

[Ryoga]

Harken decides to finally speak up, the pitiful men in front of him grating on his nerves. 'I'm here only by the good graces of those who attacked and defeated the Boars....' He looks to the men, thinking for a moment, letting those words sink in with his comrades and those in front of him before continuing. 'Though we were decimated, and many of us accepted and met our deaths at the enemies hands, I was captured much like these men... Though I never cried like child and surrendered!'
With that, Harkens rage came to full bear and he lifted his axe and swung, attempting to cleave the mans head off of his shoulders.

OOC He is intent on killing this man, and this man only, simply for crying for his life. He will be stopped (By words or a firm hand) as he goes to lift his axe, by a select few members of the group though, so that's why I'm leaving the rest of the post open.

[arguilios]

Rogan maintains his watch post on the wall, over the gate as the prisoners are secured. The ranger waits for the bandits to be taken in hand before removing himself from the wall to go down and recover his arrowheads from below. Waste not, want not: Father always said. He gathers the broad-head points to craft replacement arrows as time presents itself.

Blood on his hands from his own mission of restitution, Rogan says nothing of Harken's obvious plan. The human stands quietly cleaning his reacquired arrowheads and the blade of his knife on what appears to be a scrap of dark green cloth cut from someone's cloak.

"I miss anything?" He inquires impassively.