Bandit Season

Carver rolls survival+4: (10)+14+4: 28

Carver holds up the group yet again, kneeling to inspect the earth. Snow blankets the land. Endlessly. At times, she thought she might have lost him but in the last hour or so, she honed in and found more and more recent signs. Broken branch here, splash of red there, kicked up hills where this one must have tried to push through. Or stumbled about.

She joins the others, her dark-features shrouded in warpaint. "They've settled into a rocky outcropping. With their bloodloss, if they are human, they're not in good shape with the weather like this." She pulls her furs tighter against herself. She motions with her left hand. "Just this way. I doubt he's in any condition to escape. If you care... he could probably use medical attention."

Tlanexhuani's tribe, and The People, have Hunters to stalk and track, warriors to fight. The old bluescale is neither of these, and follows Carver. His posture is often hunched, making him unintentionally appear less conspicuous. Now he actively attempts to be quiet, though his success may be dubious.

"Ssa," he acknowledges the huntress' skill and advice. "This one give aid, if need." Not only is he not keen on leaving someone, even a thief, to die, but what is the benefit to finding them if they do not survive?

Mikilos takes a moment to collect some of the spilled blood in a vial. "I haven't the spells ready at the moment, but can learn a lot from a spilled drop. More likely we'll just find him directly, but doesn't hurt to be prepared." The tall elf isn't well suited for the woods, far more at home in a library, but keeps up without much effort. "Healing is out of my regular wheelhouse, but can work something out if needed. All else being equal, I think everyone deserves a fair trial."

GAME: Carver rolls perception+4: (8)+14+4: 26
GAME: Mikilos rolls perception: (6)+29: 35
GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls perception: (20)+12: 32

"Just this way." Carver says, motioning for them to follow. She will lead them closer to the 'sanctuary' of the hidden thief, drawing her bow as she does so. She might have claimed that he'd be weak from exposure to elements and the loss of blood, but it seems she won't take any risks there either. "So, this is one of those thieves we happened across who were robbing a merchant's caravan full of dolls. Right before they started to appear in Alexandria with the winter snows. Now, we have some coming to life. Making more than just mischief at times."

"It all seemed too much of a coincidence." Carver finishes for Mikilos's benefit mostly.

Tlanexhuani hears the fleeing one more than sees him clearly as they near, even if he is not certain he understands all of the muttered colorful metaphors. The inflection sounds pained, though, and the signs already made it clear he is wounded. He looks to Carver and Mikilos before making a choice and calling out.

"This one not know how nest-mother choice of mates bring you to this path ... but this one knows are wounded. Not come for fight. Do not make one. Must responsible for choice, still live, make better choice tomorrow."

Mikilos ahs. "Was not aware were -those- dolls. Thank you for clarifying that." Looking to Tlanexhuani, the elf follows the Sith's gaze, trying to spot the bandit himself. "Diplomacy is still an option. We can talk, work things out, find an agreement that suits everyone." Maybe. Hopefully.

No answer. No movement. Carver rolls her eyes. She then advances on the shelter with far too much recklessness. She doesn't even put an arrow to her strings, but just marches to peer inside. Maybe she trusts that if this bandit tries something untoward, the other two will have an answer shortly. "We know you're alive. Stop wasting our time and what little of yours you have left before that wound kills you."

Tlanexhuani supposes that no response is not a terrible response? It is better (for everyone) than loosed arrows or magical bolts or whatnot. He steps to the shelter with Carver to get eyes on the not-really-fleeing-any-longer-fugitive.

Mikilos follows the other's lead, keeping his hands free and clear for whatever spells might be needed. Likely none, but better to be cautious.

As you round the corner to where the bandit is it's clear why he hadn't hopped out to come out to see what the ruckus was. Firstly he's only half dressed. Secondly he's sporting several gashes that look rather nasty and he's still bleeding from them sluggishly. He's got them half-bandaged at this point but the sight of you has his eyes bugging out of his head and he looks positively faint as he holds his hands up. "Dunna wanna fight!"

"Good." Carver says, crouching at the entrance. "I think my friend here, Scales, can treat some of them. In return for this kindness, we talk and just be friendly." She does not approach. Instead nodding at Mikilos and Tlanexhuani. Go ahead.

Tlanexhuani crouches lower, holding up his claws in a nonthreatening manner not unlike the man did. "This one tend wound, if allow, while share words." He moves forward to evaluate the man, if permitted.

Mikilos relaxes. There's still a chance this is all some elaborate setup and the group is about to get jumped by demons, but the odds seem pretty low. Leaving Tlan to the healing, a skill the elf lacks formal training for, he instead seeks a clear spot to ready a campfire. Which is to say, a magic bead, an activation word, and immediate light and warmth. "No fighting, just talking."

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+10: (15)+10: 25

The bandit seems a bit uncertain at first about allowing the sith-makar closer to him - anyone closer to him really - but when he sees the healing poultices he relaxes a little bit and allows himself to be tended to. "Fine, fine." He grumbles.

He lays down as best he can under the cover and as close as he can to the fire's warmth and greedily soaks up the care and and warmth. "What'cha wanna know then? That fool Neverein's plan? Twern't even his real name!" He snorts. "Grew too big for his britches he did."

"They often do." Carver agrees. "There are a few things. That's as good a place to start as any. What real value is there in attacking a doll shipment, and why but a few days after, do we find such things coming alive in Alexandros?" She remains in her loose, 'relaxed' posture, bow balanced over her knees. "Does your Neverein's plan play into that? Did he give you a real name?"

Mikilos 'tends the fire', which doesn't really need him, and listens attentively. "How'd you meet this 'Neverein', anyway?"

"We's both gutter kids we were." The bandit says, leaning against Tlan comfortably, his eyes half-lidding. "He's the brains and the face, I's the brawn. I'm not much for thinkin'. But Danya got a bit crazy there at the end. He did, he did. Callin' heself Neverein. He had a buyer for those toys though. One with real gold. He showed me. I had a taste of it. I ain't smart, but I knew enough to look for real gold a’fore a job I do."

Carver's dark eyes just watch the bandit as he explains. A connection? Maybe. She looks to Tlan and Mikilos, letting them ask first. Her own thoughts turn back to the ember-eyed doll she had glimpsed near the treeline.

Tlanexhuani tends to the man's wounds, applying (or re-applying) bandages, prioritizing the worst. He has no issues acting as a support during this, though the process occupies most of his attention for a time. The bluescale can still listen readily enough.

"Not need smart to be wise," he finally utters as he continues to work. "Maybe is better work for strength. Less danger, ssa?" After a moment, he adds, "Know buyer? Does another? Or only Danya?"

Mikilos nods at the mention of real gold. "Wise. Though bit odd, your friend going strange. You know anything else about the buyer? Sounds like they might have been the ones who started things off."

"Danya was a bit squirrely about 'em. Never wanted any o' us to meet 'em. Said we'd make fun of 'em. Ruin the job. What kind of idiot would make fun of a paying customer and ruin a gig? Not I." The bandit winces and shakes his head. "Nah 'yer right. Danya started goin' right strange. Havin' weird dreams. Lookin' over his shoulder. Thinkin' we were being watched all the time. Being secretive. Talking about having a new name. Being all big about hisself."

Carver nods. That makes sense. If she had not felt that gaze herself, she might have been tempted to make light of the figure she saw that day. "Did he give you information on where the meet and hand off would have happened?"

Tlanexhuani finishes the last of the bandaging, at least for the wounds he is concerned of. "So he changed? Iss strange." Also worrisome, though he has nothing else for context of it. He stops to think of how else they might learn more of the buyer, if no one left knows who they were... and then Carver finds that path.

Mikilos nods to Carver's question. Lot's of potential clues, but also a lot of speculation. "....what sort of weird dreams? Did he say?"

"He didnna say about the meet and handoff." The bandit shrugs. Clearly not sure why Carver is even asking. It's Mikilos's question that makes him uncomfortable though and he frowns a bit. "Dolls. He say he dream of a doll. Doll with glowing red eyes. It be in his head though right? Foolishness." The bandit shakes his own head.

Carver looks meaningfully at Tlan. That matches the description she gave to him of the doll she saw, as the other bandits fled. If it's in this Danya's head that means her's too is wonky. Which it is, but not about this!

Tlanexhuani's tail stills at the mention of the doll in combination with Carver's glance. His tongue flicks out between teeth before he exhales a long breath. "In head, ssa. Maybe is real, maybe is not." The return glance to Carver suggests he's leaning towards the first one... or that its in all their heads. Which makes it being real the much better option. "Toy like that easy to see, to find from other toys. Quick enough to learn if real or only in mind." The comment may be also for the man's benefit, but his focus is upon Carver and then Mikilos as he speaks.

Mikilos waves vaguely. "Yes, dreams are in your head, but that doesn't mean they can't be real as well. Been too many weird happenings with those dolls." He looks to Carver. "We know anything about the Merchant, or where he got the dolls in the first place?"

The bandit falls silent, realizing that he might have either said too much, or perhaps something he ought not have. He looks at the three gathered around him a bit worriedly.

"Not much." Carver admits. "At the time, we didn't realize or think so far ahead that we'd realize there be'd trouble. If I recall, the wagon was drawn by very strange beasts. They seemed like horses but far too calm. I remember that detail... but iffin' you asked me to pick the merchant out from a line up, I doubt I could." She catches the bandit's shifting gaze. She returns his look with a flat contenance, but expends the effort to follow up. "Well? Is there something you are holding back?"

Tlanexhuani turns his focus back to the man, now recalling the prior mention of the beasts strange behavior. "You took work, but work now over, ssa?" An assuagement or reassurance. "Unless would help? Do what is best? Do you know more of merchant or plans?"

Mikilos looks to the bandit again and smiles, waving as if chasing off a bit of smoke. "You're local, have been helping with the investigation, and was very possibly an enchantment used in the hiring process. I'm not a lawyer, but likely spend a couple days in jail as the trial is set up, then some community service. Charges might be dismissed altogether if can prove was magical compulsion used." No way things will be so simple, but those are details for actual lawyers. "Of course, that assumes continued cooperation. This is certainly a weird case, so any weird little tidbit might be helpful. If there's anythings else, please share, even if it seems odd."

The bandit's eyes light up a little at Mikilos's words, and he thinks very hard. "Danya gave the horses a drugged carrot. To keep 'em calm. I know that much. He didn't want 'em acting up and running off with the goods. I did notice that one of the crates was open already. Some of the merch were missin already. A few dolls. Does that help?" He looks at Mikilos hopefully.

Carver's frown is so deep set at the mention of poisoned horses, it's painfully obvious that she is currently weighing the benefit for shooting the bandit against whatever passes for her moral code.

Tlanexhuani's tail flicks anew at the mention of drugging the horses and his eyes promptly move to Carver. He then thinks on the opened crate. A thought, or questions, or both form... though he does not immediately share them as words. Instead, he assures generally, "Ssa. Share woods is good, is help. Now, this one think best you have rest. Food. Warm shelter." He then looks between Carver and Mikilos, "Maybe best all return to Alessandria?"

Mikilos nods, but frowns. "That's certainly interesting. There's so much we still don't know. Any case, we'd best get started back before we're trying to go in the dark. Are you alright to walk? I could teleport us to the gates, but that can be upsetting for a stomach that isn't used to it." A second command word, and the campfire reduces to a bead again, though the warmth it gave will linger a while. "Have you been to the jail before? I wouldn't call it comfortable, but it's warm and the food is good."

The bandit isn't keen to go to jail, but then, he's got an archmage to speak on his behalf (or so he thinks) and the rest of you (or so he thinks). So he'll go along. His injuries make him slow on the road, particularly in the cold unless Mikilos teleports everyone, which certainly makes the trek shorter. Either way, there's still no shortage of questions left to be answered.

-End