Kingmaker

[Spiderheart]

Gerak notes the couple's silence. He doesn't blame them. The idea of cutting off someone's hand makes him queasy... but the thought of those bandits walking away, just to go back to their leader and hurt more innocent people, is worse. "You don't have to make up your minds now," he points out. "It's a brutal thing to do to another person, to be sure. But think about whoever lives in the next farm or homestead they come across, and what happens to the people living there." He lets out a sigh. "Hopefully it won't be an issue. I'll go in there, scare the shit out of them, and they'll want nothing more than to run off to Pitax and find steady, safe work. But if any of them are beyond being convinced... well, I'll respect your desires, whether or not I agree with them."

"Still, let's hope that we don't need to reach that point of contention." Gerak rises to his feet, cracks his neck, and exhales slowly through his nose. "I'll do everything I can to get them to change their ways. Anyway, I'd like to handle interrogations before it gets too late; if anyone wants to join me, now's the time."

 

[Orikanyo]

The thin girl had attempted to calm the horse it seems.. and got hurt... Gorgorigo thinks this is because she is not eatting right, she must get more meat on the bone if you are going against a bigger creature.

Horse has meat, but not for eatting as many say... But people eat cows... But don't ride them?

Strange, why not use warg?

Much better for riding than useless horse.

His mid meal thoughts were broken by Oleg, whom he would answer immedately if he wasn't finishing chewing through the marrow of a steak bone. With a crunch, and chewing of bone Gorgorigo finally clears his mouth. "Good eatting in good woods. I-" he notices that thew others were speaking, quieting himself. They seem to be talking about the bandits...

"...if death is the end for bandits, give death? if you taken by bandits, they would not give mercy. Back home we use them as slaves, but this not home.

Slave still life, chance for better.

Taking hands would kill slowly.

Death by waiting for those to decide your death even slower.

Death by blade matter not when, death is death.

Helping hand to those who do not want it risk hand being cut off."

 

[Spiderheart]

Gerak opens his mouth to retort that a productive life does not require two intact hands – and stops himself. Yes, he's known people who function in spite of a missing limb, but they're still reliant on those around them for help at certain things. Also, the first name that pops into his mind is one of his great-uncles – in other words, a noble, and privy to all the resources thereof. For a bandit, the only community they could turn to is other bandits. Even if it didn't turn into a slow death sentence, they'd likely just end up back where they started.

"...Your point is well-made." The half-orc doesn't let his inner debate reach his face, but he can't keep the uncertainty out of his voice. "Like I said, let's see if this is a decision that actually needs to be made before we get too far into it. I can be quite persuasive, especially in situations like this."

 

[Wondertainment]

Miren bandages up the lacerations with a spare cloth, and does what she can for the internal bleeding... but despite her desire to save them, her creed states that those who break the law should pay for their crimes. Yet, don't her actions themselves break the "law" of this land, which is chaos?

Pondering this, she sighs and leaves. She doesn't spend any excess resources to restore them.

"Is there not a prison or dungeon for these criminals to go to?" Miren says, "It'd be a sight better than cutting off hands. Or death. They can pay their sentence and then find a better life to live."

 

[Spiderheart]

Gerak sighs and rubs his temples. "Putting aside the fact that, if there were prisons and courts around here, people like us wouldn't be getting paid to wander the woods, the sentence for banditry is death. I'd been trying to make a concession towards mercy."

"Clearly, the question of what to do with any... unrepentant prisoners is going to require more thought from all of us. I would like to do that thinking once we know how many lives are actually in the balance." He heads for the door and opens it, leaving his supper largely untouched. "I'll be starting with the one we never actually knocked out. Anyone who wants to be part of it may follow."

 

[Sherwood]

Niko nods. "I will join you, with Ifrit. Between us, we should be able to intimidate the fellow to spill the beans."

 

[Psychie]

Athaclenna says, "I will pass on that, and I will instead keep to the walls to maintain vigilance against more bandits coming."

 

[Wondertainment]

"I'd like to participate in the interrogation. And please... don't go overboard."

 

[Orikanyo]

"...Still hungry..." the gnoll turned, leaving it to the others.

 

[Spiderheart]

The cleric's comment about "going overboard" rankles him. So quick to assume he's a monster. Mokele, picking up on its summoner's distress, lets out a rumble of discontent – but Gerak doesn't let his irritation show on his face. Instead, he simply stalks off towards the stable, cracking his neck.

When he arrives at the door to the stable, he turns back to the others. "Let me take the lead on this. This one heard me say I don't want to kill prisoners, so we can't bluff as easily... but I have a plan." He smiles thinly, his tusks pushing outwards more than usual. "We're going to make him feel bad about himself."

 

[WlfSamurai]

So, just so we have it clear, you sequestered the bandit who had surrendered in the barn. The others who are now stable and possibly starting to wake were kept separate—which was a well thought out idea.

But, where were they kept separate?

 

[Spiderheart]

Assuming Gerak's suggestions were followed, of the three previously-unconscious bandits, one will be in the guesthouse, one in the stockroom, and one in the storage pen. All would be bound to objects heavier than they are, or, better yet, objects attached to the ground.

As he swings open the stable door, Gerak adopts his best stare of contemptuous disinterest – the sort his older relatives used on him to make him feel particularly small. He may not have the height advantage they had, but the prisoner wasn't left tied in a standing position, so its impact would be well simulated. The lower lip curls inward. The eyes close a quarter of the way. The head tilts back about ten degrees... and there it is. This is how to make a man feel worthless.

He makes no effort to disguise his approach, letting his feet fall heavy in the dirt of the stable's floor. When he arrives at the pen holding the bandit, he says nothing, merely staring down at the man with disdain. Let that sink in for a bit. Let him know what an insect he is.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Excellent. Noted. All are separated as such.

And so Gerak, you are totally trying to intimidate this guy, right off the bat. Give me a Charisma (Intimidation) check, DC 15. I'll also give you advantage since this guy saw you all utterly wreck his crew and he's tied here alone.

If you succeed, he'll be scared shitless. And probably very cooperative. If you fail, well, it won't go as well, for sure.

Also, everyone who went with to the interrogation, how do you enter the barn with Gerak? What do you do?

Kameron Esters- , Sherwood , Psychie , Spiderheart , Wondertainment , Orikanyo

 

[Spiderheart]

(Ooh, using advantage, huh? That's much smoother than circumstantial bonuses, I approve.)

 

[Sherwood]

Niko will keep up his silent treatment, with Ifrit looming next to him, hoping to help Gerak put the scare on this guy.

 

[Spiderheart]

Once he decides the bandit has squirmed for long enough – maybe ten seconds in real time, but much longer in terror time – Gerak slowly opens the stall door and walks up to where the bandit is bound, crouching to look his prisoner directly in the eyes. He maintains eye contact until the bandit looks away, and then – "I'm going to untie you now."

He gives that a moment to sink in. "You're hopelessly outclassed and you know it. You're surrounded, unarmed, and probably sore from these last couple hours, and that's before the fact that we took out four of your compatriots in less than ten seconds. Given that, I don't see any reason you need to be uncomfortable during this interrogation." He goes to untie the bandit, rising to his feet once the ropes are undone. "Now. This is going to happen in two stages."

"In the first stage, you talk, and I listen. You tell me anything you think I might want to know. I'll ask questions if something is unclear, or if there's something you haven't mentioned. We have three others to interrogate, and we've already gone through your possessions, so lying is futile. Silence is also a waste of energy – one of you will talk." The half-orc's voice is a flat, dispassionate lecture, a knife made of words held against the bandit's throat. "In the second stage, I talk, and you listen. When the time comes," he observes, "I suggest you listen well, as that will likely determine what tomorrow holds for you."

"Now." He sends a thought to his eidolon, and Mokele curls up at his feet like a hunting dog. "Start talking."

 

[WlfSamurai]

The man before you stands and rubs his wrists where he had been tied. His beard is shorn, but unkempt. His matching long raven hair is the same. He is not a tall man, but his grim face makes it easy to see why he’d be chosen to run with outlaws.

But in his icy eyes, a fear runs deep. You can see it just there at the surface. The last twleve hours have changed the calculus of his life. In a matter of seconds, you all have dismantled what he held as safety. And power.

Gerak, your menacing controller preciseness is adding to the effect.

He nods. “Y-yes!” he says, his words stumbling and betraying him. “I only ask what you wish to know. I’ll tell you. Anything.”

 

[Spiderheart]

Inwardly, Gerak smiles. Thank fuck; he'll be easy to talk into doing something less risky with the rest of his life. On the outside, though, his iron facade is untouched. "Then begin with the rest of the bandits. How many of you are there, who leads you, and where you make a base. Also of interest are any spellcasters among you."

"And one other important question: how soon will your group's failure to return be noticed?"

 

[Sherwood]

Niko stays silent, simply allowing his presence and that of Ifrit to help intimidate the bandit, who seems to be completely cowed at the moment.

 

[WlfSamurai]

“Th-There are thirteen of us,” the bandit says, trying to collect his thoughts. He runs a hand through his long hair. “Kressle, she’s the leader of the camp, and twelve others. Uh… Well, that was before Happs brought three of us on this shit-—I mean expedition. So, now I guess there’re…” He counts on his hand. “Kressle and the other eight. The camp is back into the woods, south, on the northern bank of the Thorn River. And no. Nothing like magic. We don’t have anyone who can use magic.”

What is everyone else doing while this interrogation is happening?

Kameron Esters- , Sherwood , Psychie , Spiderheart , Wondertainment , Orikanyo

 

[Psychie]

Athaclenna is up on the walls with Riku, keeping watch for any other possible riders/bandits coming their way.

Spoiler: Spells

Cantrips
Mage Hand
Message
Ray of Frost

Level 1 Save DC 16
Mage Armor
Magic Missile
Shield
Sleep x2

Force Missile 1d4+1 x8 / 7

 

[Sherwood]

Niko speaks up for the first time in the conversation. "What races are we dealing with here? And you say that there are no magic users in your bunch, but what of the rest of you? Bowmen? Swordsmen? A bit of both?"

 

[Orikanyo]

Gorgorigo snorts loudly in his seat nearby a firepit amidst the little fort's courtyard. He didn't quite like staying inside, what with all the stares he was getting... better than pitchforks at least, pitchfork wounds are the worst. Not only are there multiple prongs... they aren't quite clean...

speaking of clean, he was currently sterilizing his cleaver(longsword) in the fire. Killing the dirt that clung to it from the bandit earlier is best to ensure it remains useable. Fire beats disease, water beats fire, disease beats water. it's like that game of fist flat two.

Err...

wait no... Somebody told him the right name for it...

Rock scroll shears?

No...

bah whatever...

He gazed at his blade and flipping it over on it's rock, eyeing the sharp edge with a keener eye. "Maybe friends here...? New... new ones would be good... who not die easily.."

 

[Spiderheart]

"Kressle." Gerak says the name aloud, trying to catch it in his memory. "She'd be the woman who was here the first time you came, then. And what of this?" He pulls out the stag amulet. "This doesn't look like a holy symbol, or a piece of simple jewelry. We took it off your leader – I take it that's the Happs you mentioned."

 

[WlfSamurai]

Niko, the bandit shrugs. “We’re no soldiers. We all have bows and knives or swords or axes. Nothing too fancy. Kressel is the exception. She always has her two axes. Mostly humans. Knuckles is a dwarf from the north. Elsbeth is a half-elf.”

When Gerak takes out the stag amulet, the bandit stares and hesitates for a long moment. The he nods. “Yeah that’s—or was?—Happs.”


Athaclenna, Svetlana strolls along the ramparts until she reaches your side. She stares at the stars above, then leans forward on the parapets.

"You were really good out there," she says as if continuing a conversation you didn’t know you were having. “I admire you. You kept it together. Faced it head on. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to do that. Have you been in many situations like that before?”


Gorgorigo, Oleg joins you at the fire. He stokes it with some wood and repositions some the wood with a poker.

“Nice dusk,” he says. “Mind if I join you?”