The Highwaywomen, part 2

Log Info

• Title: The Highwaywomen, part 2
• Emitter: Culix
• Characters: Aimarra, Ebonne, Paenitia, Smuldur, Alexander
• Place: On the road to Wilderness Point
• Time: Tuesday, February 02, 2021, 2:02 PM
• Summary: The battle continues. Smuldur and Ebonne approach the archers, giving chase as they retreat while Aimarra and Alexander fire on them. Paenitia and Ramirez make themselves an intimidating target to draw arrows and it is successful for a while. Melee is entered, Smuldur raging and also shaking the serpent bandits. Paenitia advances and joins the fray. Ebonne circles around, blocking the archers' escape. When the battle is finished, three have surrendered to Paenitia, and two are dying from wounds. Paenitia treats and questions them, with Alexander threatening to kill them and Ebonne arguing that their lives be spared. The bandits are somewhat cooperative.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  Appearing, in Order  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Aimarra      5'1"     128 Lb     Half-Elf          Female    Brown hair and eyes, breastplate, leathers, pointed ears.
Ebonne       6'10"    252 Lb     War Golem         Female    Tall slender feminine styled warborn, top knot w/ long silvery tail.
Paenitia     3'0"     34 Lb      Halfling          Female    A Lucht knight, dark skinned in bold feathery finery.
Smuldur      3'4"     45 Lb      Goblin            Male      A gently used (cut, scraped, burnt, exploded) gobber.
Alexander    6'5"     120 Lb     Human             Male      Blonde haired man with green eyes         
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  As the GM  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Culix        3'2"     36 Lb      Goblin            Female    Beady-eyed goblin female in leathers and hood.          
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

There was a pause in the fight. The party are chasing a group of archer bandits who are firing as they withdraw into the woods. Paenitia killed the lookout but her reinforcements arrived before the party was able to regroup. They move up as the archers fire on Paenitia.

GAME: Culix rolls 7-2: (7)+7+-2: 12
GAME: Culix rolls 7-2: (3)+7+-2: 8
GAME: Culix rolls 7-2: (13)+7+-2: 18
GAME: Culix rolls 7-2: (4)+7+-2: 9
GAME: Culix rolls 7-2: (9)+7+-2: 14
GAME: Culix rolls 1d100: (81): 81 (20% Concealment miss)
GAME: Culix rolls 1d8: (4): 4

The bandits are once again cowed by the display of bravado from the peacock knight, and they continue focusing their fire on her- their arrows had skittered against armor harmlessly moments ago, so they change targets, aiming for her mount instead. Ramirez's feathers are no easier for them to penetrate than his Rider's plate, though, and the arrows find themselves lodged in the earth or tree trunks rather than the breast of the bird.

A few stray arrows target other nearby party members, however- these too fall short of their mark or find foliage rather than flesh.

GAME: Alexander rolls weapon4-1: (10)+6+-1: 15

Alexander moves forward to try and close distance between the archers and himself. He takes an arrow from his quiver and nocks it and aims for a vital part of one of the archers. It misses which gets a mutter from Alexander as he readies himself for counter attack.

GAME: Paenitia rolls intimidate: (2)+7: 9

Arrows fly, arrows fall. Ramirez squawks loudly as they bounce off his feathers, 'Ruaaaah!'

"Oh Ramirez! You are brave and strong. These arrows, they do not bite you." Paenitia says soothingly, leaning forward to stroke along her mount's neck. "Advance!"

The Red Knight calls out, "Shooting the animals is not brave. You are not the honourable fighters. Your surrender, she happens now, I will not offer terms again. Drop weapons, you will not be harmed."

Over her shoulder, she calls back to the other adventurers, "My friends, advance while they shoot at me! The group is strongest together. Come!"

"Stop! Will fire!" Smuldur howls at the ones flinging little pointy sticks at people, as he scampers and skitters his way towards them! Jumping fences, dodging trees, golly what a day!

<OOC> Culix says, "Three archers on Smuldur, two will fire at Ramirez once again."
GAME: Culix rolls 7: (6)+7: 13
GAME: Culix rolls 7: (13)+7: 20
GAME: Culix rolls 7: (15)+7: 22
GAME: Culix rolls 7: (5)+7: 12
GAME: Culix rolls 7: (4)+7: 11
GAME: Culix rolls 1d8: (2): 2
GAME: Culix rolls 1d8: (7): 7

"Quite wasting your breath, Sister. The like of these aren't going to surrender, specially now you've killed one. Don't let them get out of sight!" So saying, Aimarra at the back takes off at a dead run through the forest, foregoing an attack in favor of closing - and not incidentally keeping them in sight.

Seeing a torch-wielding and wild eyed goblin come hurtling out of the brush towards them seems to Galvanize the bandits- or at least, they regain a measure of certainty as it seems like they are no longer heeding the Peacock Knight's words. They draw their bows once more, and fire off another volley of shots at those nearest- two of the arrows find Smuldur, despite his small stature. But the remaining arrows find no purchase, skittering across armor or through the brush.

GAME: Alexander rolls weapon4: (12)+6: 18
GAME: Alexander rolls 1d100: (48): 48 (20% Concealment Miss)
GAME: Alexander rolls 1d8+1: (7)+1: 8

Alexander follows along, keeping pace with the archers. He pulls the drawstring of the bow and aim and fires, sending an arrow hurtling into one of the archers, smirking as he hits one in the chest. He then pulls another arrow out of his quiver and readies it.

Ebonne has a bow, sure, but stopping to drop her shield and sword, ready her bow, and fire through the trees almost blindly? It doesn't seem like a good idea in her book. It's all she can do to close the distance any at all, which isn't much bit, at least she doesn't get tired. The War Golem charges on..

GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon8: (18)+5: 23
GAME: Paenitia rolls damage8: aliased to 1d6+1: (3)+1: 4

"Ha ha! This is true. I speak so you may catch up!" Paenitia laughs maniacally. She sounds ebullient, "Honour demands I offer, but honour has been met. They shoot at Ramirez! I will not allow this."

"Ramirez! Charge!" The peacock-andalusian surges forward. It's more of a hard run, weaving between the trees, avoiding slipping in the wet ground. Enough to cover distance but not build up momentum. Still, he advances into the group of archers.

Paenitia strikes the nearest with her lance, injuring the one already wounded by Alexander's arrow. The serpent bandit, seeing the crazy eyes through the eerily smiling mask, loses her nerve completely. "I yield! I yield!" She drops her bow immediately.

"I accept. I protect this one!" The Red Knight vows, loud enough for her companions to hear. To the surrendered bandit, she quietly warns, "Do not touch the weapons, Ramirez will attack. Be still."

GAME: Smuldur RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 6 temporary HP
<OOC> Smuldur says, "Enemies within 30' Will save DC... 14 or be shaken for the duration."
GAME: Culix rolls 1d20: (20): 20
GAME: Culix rolls 1d20: (9): 9
GAME: Culix rolls 1d20: (17): 17
GAME: Culix rolls 1d20: (4): 4

Scamper. Skitter. And Smuldur is there. "Ha! Ha!" He might be laughing, he might be panting. "No stop. Now you fired! FIIIIIRRRRRE!" This gets him excited. Slobberingly so, and the gleam in his eyes might be more than just the flames reflected from his torch.

Smuldur may have been shot out of a cannon a few too many times.

GAME: Aimarra rolls weapon1-2: (12)+8+-2: 18
GAME: Aimarra rolls 1d100: (98): 98 (20% Concealment Miss)
GAME: Aimarra rolls 1d6+3: (2)+3: 5

Shaking her head at Paenitia, Aimarra stops where she is and looses another arrow. The little half-sil is a deadly archer, even at this range, and buries another shaft into one of the bandits at the back.

GAME: Culix rolls 2: (18)+2: 20
<OOC> Paenitia says, "Is the acrobatics to avoid Ramirez's AOO, his CMD is 19"
<OOC> Culix says, "the other three not currently in melee will fan out and fire. 
                   One arrow each for Smuldur, Paenitia and Ramirez. 
                   They have PBS and precise Shot and are within 30' of their respective targetes
                   No penalty for melee and +1 from PBS"
GAME: Culix rolls 7+1: (3)+7+1: 11
GAME: Culix rolls 7+1: (19)+7+1: 27
GAME: Culix rolls 7+1: (10)+7+1: 18
GAME: Paenitia rolls ride: (4)+9: 13 (Mounted Combat)
GAME: Culix rolls 1d8: (1): 1
GAME: Culix rolls 1d8: (7): 7
GAME: Archers damaged Paenitia for 1 points of nonlethal. Paenitia has 2 total.
GAME: Archers damaged Ramirez for 7 points. 12 HP remaining.
<OOC> Culix says, "And since Smuldur seems to be AFK, he misses his opportunity to take an AoO. 
                   The one with the longsword swings at him."
GAME: Culix rolls 4: (7)+4: 11

Ramirez snaps at the other bandit as she tumbles away, proving his mistress' point. He misses.

Now that the enemy are upon them, the archers spread out- while they had been moving together while they made their fighting retreat back to- well, who knows where. Somewhere deep in the woods- they had mostly stuck together. Now that one of them has been run down, and the other tangles with a goblin, though, they split up. Three of them scarper- moving away from the ensueing melee and firing off arrows. They score lucky hits on Paenitia and her mount- Ramirez suffering a particularly vicious wound to the breast, foreign feathers sprouting from a growing red stain.

The one who finds herself sandwiched between the mount and goblin drops her bow- perhaps she intends to yield as well? But no suck luck. She ducks under the birds snapping beak and then vaults over the goblin, pulling free a longsword from its scabbard as she does so. She swings it towards him, but again- it sticks in the scabbard. Clearly these bandits don't take proper care of their swords, as that is the second time today. She wrenches it free, and holds the blade at the ready.

The wounded one does as she's directed, dropping her bow and dropping to the ground- holding out her hands to show she has nothing in them. "We's jus plyin our trade, m'lady." she calls back. "Lean times, an all that." she offfers feeble excuses for her brigandry.

GAME: Alexander rolls weapon4: (8)+6: 14

Alexander aims the arrow and fires, watchin the projectile fly through the air. However the arrow misses at the last bit and he draws another arrow to nock and try again once he can find a good time to shoot it.

The war golem continues to charge forward as fast as golemly possible through the trees and underbrush while arrows whiz past in both directions. Still attempting to close the distance though unable to really do so for the time being.

<OOC> Paenitia says, "oh, also, I'd like to challenge this one, as a swift, as we're riding up, 
                      so +1 to hit if she attacks Ramirez and not me, and +3 to damage regardless"
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+4: (13)+4: 17
<OOC> Culix says, "Hit"
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d6+3: (6)+3: 9
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon8: (18)+5: 23
GAME: Paenitia rolls damage8+3: aliased to 1d6+1+3: (1)+1+3: 5
GAME: Paenitia rolls sense motive: (3)+8: 11

"We will talk later, stay low." Paenitia tells the surrendered snake-bandit. She fixes her gaze on the one who shot her beloved mount. "You will attack me. You attack my love no longer!

"Ramirez!" The peacock-andalusian surges forward, landing in front of the archer. His long neck snakes out, snapping at her tattoo and ripping a gash on her neck to collarbone. A deep cut, she bleeds.

Paenitia stabs with her lance. The twice bloodied tip tastes it once more, piercing the archer's arm.

"I yield, I'm sorry! Please don't kill me." The bandit pleads, throwing her weapon aside, "I surrender! I surrender!"

There's a look in the Dark Lucht's eyes, behind her ever smiling mask, a hard stare that suggests she might not accept this. A warning that a false one would be fatal. Finally she says, "I accept. My friends, I protect this one also! Do not attack."

As far as she can tell, they are both honestly yielding and don't intend to fight or flee.

<OOC> Smuldur would like to fire the one attacking him by smacking her with torch. +1 to hit from Fire Hand.
GAME: Smuldur rolls melee+1: (10)+6+1: 17
GAME: Smuldur rolls 1d3+strength+2+1 fire: (3)+2+2+1 fire: 8

"Hah!" Smuldur hoots as he bonk-singes the swordswoman with his torch. "Fired!"

Seeing that she's just a bit _too_ far back to get good sightlines on a melee in progress, Aimarra takes off running again, closing the distance between herself and the fight now in full cry.

<OOC> Culix says, "1 drops prone, 3 fighting- 2 wounded. 2 at range, and fan out a bit further, taking 
                   a shot each at Paenitia and Smuldur. 
                   The burned one in Melee takes a 5' step around Smuldur, attacks with her longsword."
<OOC> Culix says, "One of the archers is shaken."
GAME: Culix rolls 7-2: (7)+7+-2: 12
GAME: Culix rolls 7: (2)+7: 9
GAME: Culix rolls 4: (20)+4: 24 (THREAT)
GAME: Culix rolls 4: (15)+4: 19 (CONFIRMED)
GAME: Culix rolls 2d8+4: (3)+4: 7

Another of the bandits yields, while the other- no longer dangerously close to the claws of the Peacock, she ventures to move a bit, rolling onto her back and clutching at the wound from Paenitia's lance that laid her low. She watches the Rider and her Peacock tear into another of her gangmates, and then slowly begins to shuffle away from the melee as quietly and slowly as she can- lest she arous suspicion.

Meanwhile, the bandit who was struck by Smuldur's torch lets out a shriek of pain as the skin on her throat and shoulder boils and bleeds from the hot embers struck against it. She ducks around to him, and lunges at him with her longsword landing a solid blow and drawing blood in return, "Gods-damned Psycho!" she cries out at the torch wielder.

The two in back continue providing covering fire, but their arrows miss their marks- one sailing over Paenitia's shoulder, and another striking the ground near Smuldur's feet.

GAME: Alexander casts True Strike. Caster Level: 1 DC: 14

Alexander puts his bow along his shoulder and he begins to speak in eldritch, making arcane gestures as he casts the true strike spell, arcane symbols appearing about him. His eyes begin to glow as he looks to his targets.

<OOC> Culix says, "She gets an AoO on you, using her fist."
GAME: Culix rolls 4: (11)+4: 15</re>

Ebonne continues her rush through the forest, she bolts between the trees, leaps over a scrubby brush and is finally getting into the mix of it. With sword and shield drawn she lifts up her shield and absently bats away the archers strike with their fist as she circles them and cuts off their escape route, "Your people are falling. I do not wish to end you. Please consider your options fully." Her harmonious inhuman voice is rather casual about all of this, maybe she hopes the archer will see the writing on the wall?

<pre>GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+4: (5)+4: 9 (Ramirez Bite)
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon8: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL)

"Stay low," Paenitia cautions her second surrendee. Leaning to the left, she directs Ramirez as he wheels about. She issues her familiar command, "Ramirez! Advance and attack!"

The crimson and white peacock horse rushes forward, clawing the terrain with is front feet, hooves striking solidly with his back. The distance is closed on the unengaged archer.

Ramirez strikes! His beak snaps empty air, he misses.

Paenitia brings her lance to bear, and it entangles in branches, twisting in her hand as she's about to make her thrust. She almost drops the weapon, managing to catch it with a swirl of her hand around the haft to pull it free. Without time to point at the archer, she says simply, "You have heard my words."

<OOC> Smuldur continues to fire the swordsperson.
GAME: Smuldur rolls melee+1: (11)+6+1: 18
GAME: Smuldur rolls 1d3+strength+2+1: (1)+2+2+1: 6
<OOC> Culix says, "Alright, she yields, if you accept."
<OOC> Culix says, "Do you want me to decide for you if you accept her yield or not?"
<OOC> Smuldur is Raging, so isn't sure how that works with things like yielding.
<OOC> Smuldur says, "So Smuldur just isn't answering it, as was in his pose."
<OOC> Culix says, "I suspect that you're unlikely to accept a yield."

Smuldur bonks the swordwoman again. "Fired! Fired! Fired!" He screeches the words much more often than he swings, though the bonking could be much more rapid in his mind. Probably with more flames, too.

GAME: Aimarra rolls weapon1-2: (2)+8+-2: 8

This time, the arrow that Aimarra looses is well off the mark, as she stumbles on a root and nearly loses her balance.

<OOC> Culix says, "The badly burned Bandit will make a full Withdraw due west. 
                   The one in melee range of Ebonne will drop her bow, draw her longsword and attack. 
                   The one Paenitea charged will do the same. I'll roll a 1d2 for him, 1 is Paenitia, 2 is ramirez"
<OOC> Culix says, "Paenitia's one is still shaken"
GAME: Culix rolls 4: (14)+4: 18
GAME: Culix rolls 1d2: (1): 1
GAME: Culix rolls 4: (17)+4: 21

The one fighting Smuldur lets out another shriek of pain as the torch strikes her again and again, charring her clothing and hair and blistering her skin still further. She backs away from the crazed goblin, and starts running as fast as she can away from him, "Bloody crazy little freak!" she cries back as she flees.

Meanwhile, the quickly thinning bandit troupe is left at two- and both are becoming tangled up in melee combat, clearly not their preference. But they draw their blades and make to defend themselves but they struggle to land a blow against hard armor- both of their blades sweep harmlessly against steel plate.

GAME: Alexander rolls weapon4+30-1: (4)+6+20+-1: 29
GAME: Alexander rolls damage4+2: aliased to 1d8+1+2: (3)+1+2: 6

Alexander gets his bow, draws an arrow and aims before firing, the arrow piercing through the bandit's shoulder as his eyes stop glowing and he looks to the one fleeing. "We got one trying to get away!" He calls out.

GAME: Ebonne rolls 1d20+4: (11)+4: 15 
GAME: Ebonne rolls 1d20+4: (5)+4: 9

Avoiding the strike from the bandit is easy enough, twisting to the side and deflecting the strike of the sword with her shield Ebonne moves rather gracefully. Unfortunately that grace doesn't mean she gets to land any meaningful hits in return. Cutting with her sword in a fast arc and reversing the twist she drives her shield out in a harrowing slam, but both miss the archer now swordsperson bandit and hit nothing but air.

GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+4: (8)+4: 12 (Ramirez Bite)
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+4: (7)+4: 11 (Ramirez Claw)
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+4: (1)+4: 5 (EPIC FAIL) (Ramirez Claw)
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon8: (13)+5: 18
GAME: Paenitia rolls damage8: aliased to 1d6+1: (1)+1: 2

Cold. Wet. Muddy. Bloody. Injured. Hungry. Ramirez will bear his mistress anywhere she desires. He is not enjoying the Alexandros winter woods, he was hatched in Isobar, a creature of the air, the mesas and hot, dry winds. He is frustrated. In front of him is a serpent, his needs will be satiated.

He is a flurry of snapping beak and grasping claws. This snake has picked a good place to fight, as he too catches a claw in a vine-wrapped bush. The leaves are gone, but the rope like shafts are still binding.

Paenitia brings her lance in line and stabs. It glances, drawing a slight amount of blood. She says nothing, concentrating on fighting, her smiling mask says all she needs to now.

<preGAME: Aimarra rolls weapon1: (14)+8: 22

GAME: Aimarra rolls 1d6+3: (2)+3: 5

Still struggling to catch up to the group, Aimarra sees a different problem. One is fleeing - and well she knows that a bandit that flees is a bandit that will hurt you later. Without hesitation, her bow swings that way, and the bowstring sings as the shaft flies from it, dropping the would-be refugee where she stands.

<OOC> Culix says, "Still in melee, they will attack their respective dance partners. 
                   The prone ones continue to crawl away, 5' per round, which is now obvious to see."
<OOC> Culix says, "The one fighting Ebonne also takes a 5' step away from her."
GAME: Culix rolls 4: (13)+4: 17
GAME: Culix rolls 4: (4)+4: 8

Aimarra's arrow finds the burned and fleeing woman and she lets out a muffled gasp, collapsing in hea heap that crashes into the brush.

Meanwile, longswords flash- the tips finding no purchase on hard metal shells of Ebonne and Paenitia both. "They're in plate!" one cries to the other, "I can bloody well see that!" the other retorts, and edges back away from the lunging shield and slashing blade of the War golem, carefully stepping over a root.

GAME: Alexander rolls weapon4: (15)+6: 21
GAME: Alexander rolls damage4: aliased to 1d8+1: (5)+1: 6

Alexander moves closer then the draws another arrow, and fires it, hitting the bandit in another spot with an arrow but she seems to stay up despite the arrow. He looks to the others and he waits for the others to deal with their chosen targets.

<OOC> Ebonne says, "Five foot step to follow up and rinse and repeat"
GAME: Ebonne rolls 1d20+4: (12)+4: 16
GAME: Ebonne rolls 1d20+4: (5)+4: 9

Ebonne continues forwards as the bandit tries to retreat, "You should abandon this course of action." She harmonizes, parrying the sword attack with her shield even before the plate becomes an issue, as light as her plate is comparatively. She also fails to find purchase on the bandit when she returns the favor, cutting the air, the rim of her shield flashing by but unable to land anything solid at all.

<OOC> Paenitia says, "same also, Ramirez full attack, i attack"
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+4: (12)+4: 16 (Ramirez Bite)
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+4: (18)+4: 22 (Ramirez Claw)
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+4: (9)+4: 13 Ramirez Claw)
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon8: (3)+5: 8
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d4+3: (3)+3: 6
<OOC> Culix says, "She yields."

The crimson knight and her ivory steed keep up the fight. Ramirez snaps! He breaks his claw free from the bush. Talons swipe across the bandit's face. His second, cuts downward, missing her front, but close, so close. She feels the air parting.

Paenitia grips her saddle horn and stabs with her lance again. It misses, but the tip passes before the bandit's eyes. She sees how far up the shaft the blood goes.

Outnumbered, her immediate opponents in plate, a wild animal and a beautiful one, she makes a choice. "Ok I'm done. I'm not dying for her. I yield." Her weapons are thrown aside.

The metal mask has a wide smile, the voice behind it is firm. Though high pitched and child-like, she speaks with stern maturity. "I accept. I protect this one!"

GAME: Aimarra rolls weapon1: (12)+8: 20
GAME: Aimarra rolls 1d6+3: (6)+3: 9

Inexorably, Aimarra walks forward a few more feet, and looses another arrow, this one slamming square into squishy parts of the one that refused to surrender. She drops like a stone, and the little half-sil nods satisfaction. "Better make sure of the rest."

As her allies drop and yield around her, the remaining one bellows out, "Get up you bloody fools! They'll hang us any-" her would-be rousing speech interrupted as Aimarra's arrow finds her throat. Her eyes go wide, and her grip on her blade slackens, as she collapses to her knees clutching at the wound, before succumbing to unconsciousness.

Without expression, as Ebonne can show none due to her construction and mask, the war golem puts up her shield, sliding it onto her back over bow and sheaths her sword. Finally she removes the arrow from her shoulder with a gentle tug as it didn't actually get that deep. She looks at the fallen bandits and then turns without a word to walk towards where the wagon was left to see if she can repair it for transporting the bandits, living or dead.

"You follow," Paenitia points her lance tip at the latest to yield, "or they think you escape. Stay close."

The Red Knight guides Ramirez over to the second, then the first, herding the three together. She sounds cheerful as she picks them up, laughing, "Ha ha, I admire your spirit. Running, she is not the best idea for you right now."

When they're all together, her voice becomes firmer. She remains in her saddle, it gives her height on them. "You sit. You talk. You tell us of the camp. Where she is, how she is defensed. Your names."

This said, and once they are seated, she follows up with, "Ramirez, I dismount!" The peacock-andalusian extends a wing and she slides down. She pulls her medical pack from the saddle, starts taking out supplies.

Once the last one drops, Aimarra starts over to join the group. It takes her some time, but when she finally does come into conversational range, she looks around. "That all of them?"

As the group are able to take better stock of the bandits they have laid low, it becomes clear that that none of these bandits match the description of Celia the Snake, who is purported to have raven hair and blue eyes. While two of these have blue eyes, and one has black hair, none have both. Two of them lay unconscious and bleeding, but three- though wounded- are mobile enough and able to speak.

<OOC> Paenitia says, "then first aid, first aid, still Take10 TDW on Ramirez, 
                      we'll see how long questioning takes
                      go back to TDW the first two negative ones if there is time."
<OOC> Paenitia says, "first aid DC15"
GAME: Paenitia rolls heal+2: (6)+8+2: 16
GAME: Paenitia rolls heal+2: (12)+8+2: 22
GAME: Paenitia rolls Take10 heal: (10)+8+2: 20 (Treat Deadly Wounds)
<OOC> Culix says, "Alright. He's healed by his level in HP, that's 3HD so 3HP"

The Bandits, thoroughly defeated, are fairly easy to gather up and keep an eye on- they don't look as though they plan on making any escape attempts, after seeing what happened to the ones who did. But, they are not particularly talkative, either, refusing to make eye contact or answer the questions given, at first.

Paenitia sets the healer's kit down beside the bandit that was fighting Ebonne. She looks at the Mul'niessa, the goblin and the guy, "My friends, get the answers. I will see she does not die."

Flipping the kit open, she gets to work. First carefully removing the arrow, then applying pressure. A quick bandage will have to do, there are several injuries. She removes her guantlets, replacing them with gloves from the kit. Her hat, her mask, those remain on.

For all Ebonne's knowledge of how to make gears and other elements of artifice, the wagon confounds her. She knows better than to try and talk to humans, as they so rarely make sense to her to begin with and this isn't going to be a pleasant conversation for her. While the others do their thing with the prisoners, Ebonne just studies the cart, trying to figure out why she can't seem to puzzle out such a simple device.

Aimarra heads off into the woods, "I'll watch for more sneaking up on us."

Smuldur wanders off into the woods to do whatever gobbos do in them. Set fires typically.

Alexander retrieves his arrows from the bandits and cleans them off before putting them back to their quiver. "You know, the bounty said either dead or alive. Your heads are what we need to turn in the bounty. So far you haven't given us a reason to keep you alive. If I were you, I would be volunteering anything to save my wretched life. So which one of you wants to volunteer. This offer goes once and afterwards things get messier." He says softly, not raising his voice as he studies the bandits.

<OOC> Culix says, "Alright, given they've been bested in combat, Roll intimidate +2"
GAME: Alexander rolls intimidate+2: (20)+8+2: 30
<OOC> Culix says, "Alright, they are practically wetting themselves. I'll pose a response."

While they at first give the silent treatment as Alexander approaches, when he begins to speak, the three conscious bandits glance about- they look over towards their fallen allies, and at the relatively unscathed adventurers, Ramirez notwithstanding. One of the three- with a more elaborate snake tattoo which runs all the way up behind her ear and coils around it- gulps hard before speaking up, "Ok, ok... we get it. We'll tell you where Celia is hiding." she offers then. "But you have to let us go free. She was right." she nods towards the one who took an arrow to the throat. "The watch will hang us. I promise, we won't cause no trouble from now on, but if you are gonna turn us in you might as well just kill us now."

Alexander looks to the bandits and he turns. He puts his bow along his back and he looks to the other adventurers. "They are right. Are their lives payment enough to undo the misery they have wrought?" He says to his fellows. "I say they have earned their freedom. And if they betray us, then we can kill them, without hesitation." He says calmly.

"That is the penalty? The execution?" Paenitia looks up and over from where she is bandaging a bandit, her small hands pressing a large gauze patch on a wound as she wraps strips to hold it in place. Whatever expression she may have, it's hidden by the metallic Smiling Man's visage. She is as much a cypher with it as the war-golem.

She turns this mask towards the first who yielded. "Your trade. It is not an honourable one. You bring suffering to common folk. Even nobles, not all are the tyrants, the Iron Baron. Some have good hearts. To steal from them, you turn them hard."

"The world, she is hard. The right conduct, she is hard. The banditry, this is soft, it is the wrong choice." The Red Knight focuses on each, "have you commit murder?"

She has to look upwards at Alexander, way up. Kneeling Luchts don't have much altitude, "I will help them. They must give their names. The layout of the camp. Make the vow to change their lives."

<OOC> Culix says, "You can try it, yes. I'll give you a +4 for making a compelling argument, and also for healing their friends."
GAME: Paenitia rolls diplomacy+4: (5)+6+4: 15

They remain quiet for a while. Eventually the first speaks up again, "Tahmi." she offers her name. "And it's not like I set out to kill anyone, it's about the stuff, not the people, you know?" she says, answering the question in her own way- evasively, but evidently enough by how she skirts the topic.

The next to speak has blue eyes and strawberry blond hair and looks to be hardly more than twenty summers. "Ysale." she gives her own name. She looks away from Paenitia at the question, but she does eventually nod her head.

The third and most reticent keeps silent for a while longer, before eventually grunting- she seems the eldest of the trio, and has a rough scar running up the side of her face that partially disfigures her top lip, "Like you aint never killed nobody. Acting all high and mighty. Yeah, I killed folks. It's a kill or be killed world. An' I'm Dhorma."

Ebonne comes back from the broken wagon eventually, overhearing enough she harmonizes, "Let them go in exchange for the information. They see now the future that awaits them with banditry. If they do not change their ways, they will die by the sword and arrow they wield. They have an opportunity to grow and become better people. Use their fighting skills to protect rather than destroy. Sign up as guards, save lives, rather than take them. If we end them now... and without question." She pointedly looks at Paenitia, "You are no better than them. Their lives, their potential, are worth more than the coin their head would bring us."

Ebonne adds, "You have plenty dead bandits to take their heads to assuage your greed."

Paenitia works quickly. The worst of the bandit's stabilized, she starts on the next unconscious one. Slaying in battle is one thing, but when the fight is done, there is the duty to care. She applies an ointment for the burns, it is best to leave those uncovered, and cuts a seam down the middle of a large one to relieve pressure the swelling flesh behind the ruined layer. Another arrow too, needs to be removed, which she does.

She interrupts this task to laugh at Dhorma, leaning towards her, peering through her mask, eyes wild behind it. Quite cheerful as she says, "Yes! I have. Many! Yet we speak now. I hold back the lance even after I say I will not. When I do not want to. This kill or be kill, it not happen this time."

Paenitia returns to the bandaging, answering Ebonna. "I tell you twice before, I am a Knight of the Pillar and a Paladin of Tarien. That I accept surrender and will protect those that do. I have no greed for their lives. I did not spare them to later end them. I gave an Oath to charity, to aid those with little, broken by the world. I will give coin."

She looks up now, her voice impassive, her mask a big, wide smile, "I am not so foolish as to loose unrepentant desperados. Now they make their case, that they will live another way, as protectors."

The Red Knight stands to her full three feet, looking at Alexander, at Ebonne, "Do you believe them?"

<OOC> Culix says, "Sense Motive rolls for hunches."
GAME: Paenitia rolls sense motive: (4)+8: 12
GAME: Ebonne rolls 1d20-3: (6)+-3: 3
GAME: Alexander rolls 1d20+1: (20)+1: 21

Ysale seems young, like she probably just fell in with the wrong crowd. The others, it's not clear. Dhorma seems the most unrepentant.

"A compassionate war golem. About as useful as a sword that heals instead of cuts." Alexander says as he looks to the three of the bandits. "Dhorma is lying, I say we kill her and spare the others." He says calmly as he pulls out a dagger and begins to walk over to them.

"I respect the sanctity of life. It is a treasure that should be nurtured. That you are so quick to end it tells much about your intentions and who you are." Ebonne responds to Alexander with clear disharmony flickering through her voice in anger or annoyance. "You do this without me." She turns and starts to head off and return back to whence they came.

"I aint lied about nothin'!" Dhorma protests then, "She asked if I killed folks, I killed folks yeah. You want me to start sniffling about it like little Ysale? Aint happening." she retorts. "That aint good enough for you go ahead and slit my damn throat." she goads. Tahmi, who seems the most level headed of the three, tries to give Dhorma the 'look' about keeping her trap shut. She speaks up, "What she means us, we're not cut out to become you know. Them monks what won't even squash a mosquito that bites 'em. We'll take jobs, honest, like- I dunno. Bodyguards! Yeah, we can prolly do that. We'll do that!" she insists, worried her friend is going to get them all killed.

Alexander looks to the three of them and he sheathes his dagger. He turns to Paenitia. He gives her a look before looking to the others. "If they become bandits again, we can kill them. The golem's right, life is a treasure." He says as he looks to the others to see what they decide.

The little Lucht watches as the war golem heads off, saddened in several ways. Somehow she gave the wrong impression, and her intentions misinterpreted, and her stated vows ignored. They are important to her, they are the protection from the world as much as her armour is.

And the world is full of evil people, and some of them are in charge. As she said earlier, the balance in a person's heart can be close, easily tripped. Now she must save everyone worth saving.

"Friend Alexander, they have surrendered. They are my charges. I will protect them. You must not do murder in cold blood, the authority to execute, she is not ours." Paenitia is standing now, looking upwards, "I believe what you say."

She looks at the three, facing Dhorma first, "You wear her sign. Your life should be your own. It is too short to live owned by other. You have commit crimes, you do not care. You, I will take to the guard, say, 'Dhorma has been great help, spoke much, be lenient', you will pay for your crimes against the people."

The smiling mask is turned towards Ysale and Tahmi, "You, I see regrets. I see you are not happy with the cards. I will take you to the near town, give coin so you may stay at an inn. A month, to eat, drink, see the lives you could have."

"All of you, the snake mark, your mistress, she will come for you. If you go back to her, there will be no mercy." She points first at Ysale, "If you accept these terms, say yes."

Divide and influence.

Ending to be added later for reasons

Alexander has disconnected.

Combatty

 ===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 9 =====================
 ---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
     17   Alexander        1  
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     8    Ebonne           1  
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     7    Paenitia         1  
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     6    Smuldur          1  Raging (4 rnds active)                       
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     5    Aimarra          1  
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  >> 4    Bandit Archer    1   <<
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