KINGMAKER:
The Wardens of the Greenbelt
Entry 3.
The Bandit Camp & Exploring The Northern Forest
The Bandit Camp overlooked a ford where a north-south road crossed the Thorn river. Havrik had managed to scout the terrain successfully and discovered the two platforms in the trees where the bandit could keep watch over the road. The main camp, with the other bandits, sat off to one side amongst the trees.
As they took up their positions another bandit arrived on horseback from the south. He dismounted at the camp and ordered one of the younger bandits to take his horse back to the paddock. Havrik & William approached the platform to the west of the road. The remaining party members kept back in the trees to the north of the main camp. Just as the two attacked the platform they were spotted. The bandit threw a thunderstone towards William and to warn the camp of the attack. Havrik and William managed to take him down at the same time. But it was too late to save William from beng deafened by the explosion and for the camp to be alerted.
The rest of the party stepped from their hiding, T'lef and Jarn charging into combat with the nearest bandit who turned out to be Kressle; the leader of the gang and by far their best fighter. Meanwhile Ione cast her “entangle” spell trapping all but two of the remaining bandits. One bandit threw himself behind a pile of crates and chests and was soon followed by the other young one returning from the paddock. Sidhe, Ione's cat, had outflanked the camp and leapt onto the nearest bandit who was firing at T'lef. He went down quickly under the cat's teeth and claws.
Archery from William and Havrik put paid to the rest of the bandits and Kressle succumbed to T'lef and Jarn's melee skills. The survivors were rounded up and secured. The two who had cowered behind the crates turned out to be young loggers who had only recently joined the gang. Neither seemed to be a threat nor cut out for a life of banditry. The crates and chests contained the collected treasures of the gang including some rather good liquor which was ear-marked for the Stag Lord himself.
Once the wounded were bandaged and the dead buried, the bandits were thrown into the back of the wagon, the treasure loaded aboard and the horses recovered from the paddock, a little distance down stream.
The party set off back towards Oleg's. A mile or so later they noticed someone moving amongst the trees beside them. This turned out to be a boy pretending to be a bandit. He injured his leg running away so the party took him back home to a nearby farm. After they had persuaded the farmer that they meant no harm they spent the night at the farm and told the family about their plans for the Greenbelt. This met with a little apprehension as many of the Greenbelt's population lived there to escape the taxes and dues of the surrounding countries. They also discussed the eldest daughter's future as she wanted to learn magic. The party couldn't promise she could do magic but promised to arrange a teacher to join them at Oleg's outpost and then she would be invited along.
The faerie dragon made another appearance and gave her name as Peri-don. She also disclosed that her sister lived in the forest and that Ione might meet her. Sure enough whilst moving through the forest a nut dropped on Ione's head followed shortly afterwards by Havrik being poked by a stick. These turned out to be two fey creatures enjoying some pranks. They landed on Ione's shoulders. One turned out to be Perivash, Peri-don's sister, and the other a grig named Titter-tat-tit. After sharing the jokes, the feys tell the party about traps left in a nearby valley in the forest. The trapper had met with an accident, killed by one of his own traps. The other thing they know which might interest the party is the location of an abandoned temple also in the northern forest.
The party went to where the traps were laid. Havrik had problems finding the traps at first and got himself caught in two. But finally the traps were cleared and added to the party's collection of trophies.
They then decided it was time to return to Oleg's and reached the post without further ado.
At the trading post they found a garrison had settled in and were repairing the post's defences and ballistae. The garrison was led by Kesten Garess, a name some of the party recognised. The Garess are one of Brevoy's noble families. From what they remember; Kesten was involved in a family scandal, wanting to marry beneath himself, and was subsequently sent away by his father to seek his fortune elsewhere.
Svetlana rewarded them for the moon radishes they had found and was pleased to see them all safe and sound. Oleg suggested that he could buy in any supplies and equipment that the party should need; better armour or weapons or more ammunition, potions etc. They spoke to Oleg about recruiting a teacher from Restov and he promised to see what he could do.
Talking amongst themselves they decided to demand from the garrison that the loggers should be given work helping with the construction work, that those bandits who had shown remorse should be given work with the garrison and Kressle and Titus should be sent for trial in Restov. This was mostly agreed with Kesten but he couldn't guarantee what would happen to the other bandits as that decision would be made in Restov.
Jarn announced that he wanted to build a temple and forge, attached to the stockade and Oleg suggested adding a store for their belongings above the stable. Ione went out loking for Jedhail but the elf was nowhere to be seen. The loggers organised a party, including a couple of guards, to go to the edge of the forest and bring in more timber for the construction of the temple-forge.
The party also agreed on a name for themselves; The Wardens Of The Greenbelt.
The Greenbelt was beginning to be mapped and the Wardens were learning about the area, its occupants and the dangers that lay out there.
