2.2 Chapter 2: Stag Lord

With a charter in hand from Swordlord Lady Jamandi Aldori, the group has rushed to into the wilds of the Stolen Lands. Arriving at the isolated trading post operated by Oleg and Svetlana Leveton in there hour of need. With deft planning and brave heroics the group has managed to fend of a raid and strike at the northern camp for bandits loyal to the mysterious Staglord, gaining the eternal gratitude of the Levetons.

Challenges remain before the group can enact the charter to rule these untamed lands. There is the threat of the Staglord and his minions of course. However, the very wilds of the land presents inherent dangers from wild beasts & monsters to the numerous fey who angered by the Staglord and indiscriminate in the targets of revenge. Time may not be on the groups side, as the Swordlord presented numerous charters to other who seek to claim the lands for their own.

Pharast (March) 4th

After the assault on the Thorn River Bandit camp the group spends a few days to considerate. Sharing information, interrogating prisoners, collecting herbs, bolstering defenses, training etc. The hosts, Oleg and Svetlana, prepare for the return to normal trading after months of raids from the bandits. A few trappers and hunters begin to visit the fort for limited trade.

The group find itself in another discussion of strategy and plans over lunch and map marked with colored chalk.

"I like Dalia's booze plan" Harrim reaffirms
"Only because it will provide booze for you to drink too" Jeathal replies
"I can like multiple aspects of a plan, it will take time to get in some bottles from the city. We should enact that now." Harrim retorts
"It doesn't matter, we don't know where the Staglords fort actually is, and we know less about how to get there." Valerie says
"Sure we do, Kessle says it is here" Linzi says pointing to the lake in the middle of the map
"Drawing big color mismatched arrows on a map is not the same as a tactical plan, we need to scout" Valerie says while eying Linzi

If we're ordering stuff I'll order a small mirror and a 6 gp gemstone so I can have a magic light. Anyone else who wants one could order their own magic light gem for me to spell too.

I will also point out to our bickering friends that I may be able to communicate with the fey again to help us find the place since they very much want us to help.

"Trade wagons usually pass in the middle of the month. These have stopped with the bandit raids, but some letters will get the wheels rolling again" Svetlana tells Silene "I'll put the request in. We will even spare you the service fee for all you have done"

"Oh, I want to be friends we fey, that is the stuff of heroics" Linzi replies "At the very, rulery, least, we can make peace the surrounding fey for when we found our republic. Any idea how to find them"

Searching her mind Silene has no sense of how to find the mysterious nymph. Her sense is the the figure is everywhere and nowhere. In the wind or in the land, but distance somehow.

Delayed Silene hardly notices Filbert jumping up and down "I know, I know" he shouts as he scrambles onto the table "I'll use our deep bond to sense for you". Fiblert walks over to an open map, closes his eyes, spins three times and bring a barky claw to point at a location "There"

Looking at the map, Linzi says "That is Restov, I am not sure if a nymph is hanging out in the big city"

I'm not sure we should wait until the middle of the month for this. We could always kill a deer and bring that meat in instead. Use some herbs that would work as the antidote for ourselves. Have Kessle go in with us to introduce us as new recruits after the battle at the camp.

"Perhaps we can disguise ourselves and avoid the need to rely on scum like Kessle" Valerie postulates to Octavius
"Ohhhh, I will be a butterfly pixie" Linzi exclaims
"As bandits!" Valerie assets "They don't seem to be organized and the only marking are those silver amulets we keep looting"

Obviously we will be disguised as bandits. It would just be good to have someone who has credentials to get us in more easily. Too bad Kessle isn't completely turned to our cause.

"Death is not the only form of justice, her inevitable end will come when the time is right. Guards from the city will also come eventually as well, they can take her."

"The bandit does not have to be turned to be of use. Fear can instill enough loyalty for Kessle to get us in the door. Then she can run, or suffer an unfortunate accident as need be"

I can be scary if we need to go that route. Remember the last guy...

Please people all this talk of killing or scaring our prisoner is distracting us from our goals. While I am against killing Kessle, I also do not believe it would be in our best interests to be reliant on her to aid us. We will have to use our abilities to pull off what would be a great and daring plan to take down this so called lord. As for just summarily executing all of the folks who have turn to a life of banditry, I would remind everyone that there are many in this life that it was that path or starvation. As we are tasked with building a new and prosperous realm, we must ask ourselves will we conquour it with blood and death or will be its liberators raising it people up and freeing them from tyranny. Both will sadly require violence, but we must tread carefully because it will be increasingly easy to become what we are trying to fight as we move forward.

And with that Dalia refills her water and sits back down

You don't let me do the scary face enough. Silene says rolling her eyes. I suppose we can leave Kessle here waiting for prison and just say we're her crew who escaped. We can just hope the one who ran away didn't reach the stag lord first.

I have little fear that we would need her after all we have the skills and the bravado to see us through this challenge.

Then let's gather our things, leave Kessle here for the city guards and go disguised as bandits as soon as possible. We have a long way to travel to get there and the wilderness is vast.

Hmm it would seem that, some animals have been attracted to the carnage we left behind. While normally I would be for leaving them alone, I would like to take a second look for Svetlana's ring. It would bring her such great pleasure to have such an important symbol returned to her. "Whispers Dalia"

Octavius, Dalia, and Silene carefully enter the camp. Beasts have been digging into the shallow graves of felled bandits days prior. A effort frustrated by stone and wards skillful placed to foil unholy and mundane despoiling. Carefully searching you find no remains of treasure or lost jewelry.

The quiet is broken as hunger small dog-like animals burst from cover to charge at the trio.