CH 3: Trouble Arises

[Breila]

Karathos had just opened his mouth to tell the lady mages the coast was clear when he heard Targin's shout. He curses in Minotaur, turning around and running back, then following the bandit leader, careful to take a trodden path to avoid springing any more traps.

[LittleLuna]

Jinali stands up and steps out from behind the bush. Noticing the lying guys, the bear traps and the injuries of some of the party she says: "I think there is much happend here... The men you put into sleep are waking up now." She says to Selowen.

[Jerrard]

Oblivious to the situation going on behind him, Erastin pries open the trap on Galens leg, Str check: 1d20=17 Just pass.

With that he slowly guides the horse into the camp, still holding the old warriors blade.

(He assumed that one of the others would watch the man, after all it is not his place to order someone to do so. )

[HorizonsDream]

"Let him go," Galenye says to the rest of the group.

[JadedDM]

Targin binds the arms and legs of one of the bandits, the only other woman of the group besides the one he killed. She's an unattractive middle-aged woman with leathery skin and short brown hair.

Realizing one of the prisoners is escaping, Karathos spins on his hoof and goes after him. Unfortunately, of everyone who could have chased after him, Karathos was the furthest away (save for the two casters, that is). He jogs after him nonetheless, hoping to catch up with him.

As Jinali and Selowen step out of cover, they notice the carnage around the battlefield. Selowen nods to her half-elven companion. "Yes, the spell doesn't last very long, I'm afraid."

Erastin frees his horse and leads him closer to the camp, while poor Ash is left to languish way up with the girls.

Galenye does not aid Targin in tying up the prisoners or in helping Karathos chase after the escapee. Consequently, the four sleeping prisoners wake up at once, but only one of them is tied up. The other three look around, a bit dazed, as it sinks in what they slept through.

Meanwhile, Erek is feeling pretty good about himself, until he risks a look over his shoulder and sees the brown minotaur charging after him like an angry...well, like a bull, actually. Erek picks up the speed, going into a full run. He has a bad feeling what might happen if the minotaur catches him!

===============

Targin ties up Bandit 04.
Karathos jogs 240 yards (Erek is 277 yards ahead of him).
Jinali steps out of cover.
Selowen steps out of cover.
Erastin frees his horse from the beartrap (1d20): 17, pass.
Galenye does nothing.
Bandit 01 wakes up.
Bandit 02 wakes up.
Bandit 03 wakes up.
Bandit 04 wakes up.
Erek performs a strength check (1d20): 7, pass. He starts to run 3x his normal rate and moves 360 yards. He is now 637 yards ahead of Karathos.

Karathos can try and make a STR check to increase his speed x3.

I think everyone was expecting someone else to watch the prisoner, heh.

[Breila]

(ooc: well, let's see if I don't roll a 20)

1d20=8, pass

Karathos picks up speed as well, he feels he'll probably have more endurance than any human...

[HorizonsDream]

Upon seeing the other bandits waking up, Galenye takes out her sword, and points it at bandit 3. "I wouldn't think of doing anything stupid," she says. "Erastin, make sure those other two don't do anything."

[Jerrard]

"By the gods where is he?" Erastin frowns, never assume, he tells himself.

"Don't move, don't even think about it." he levels the leaders sword at them in a symbolic gesture.

"Who are you? Why did you attack us? Your leader has deserted you, we will not hurt you if you don't force our hands."

[JadedDM]

"What do you plan to do with us?" one of the males, a blond man with a flat nose, demands. "And what have you done with Erek and Tasha?"

Erek finds in short order, his heart feeling ready to burst from his chest and his lungs burning as if they were lit afire. Damn, he was getting too old for this nonsense! He leaps into some brush to hide and catch his breath. With any luck, the minotaur will run right past him.

==============

Targin ties up Bandit 03.
Karathos makes a STR check (1d20): 8, pass. He starts to run 3x his normal rate and moves 360 yards. (Erek is now 277 yards ahead of him, the camp is 600 yards behind him.)
Galenye threatens Bandit 02.
Erastin threatens Bandit 01 and Bandit 03.
Erek performs a CON-1 check to continue running (1d20): 15, fail. Erek is forced to stop and catch his breath. (He remains 277 yards away from Karathos.)

(OOC: Karathos will have to make a CON-1 check or be forced to stop, as well. And let's say a WIS check to see where he's hiding.)

[Breila]

Karathos continues to run with ease, but soon realises he can't see Erek any more, nor a visible track the man has made. So he stops and looks around. Try as he might, he does not see the man. Turning back to camp, he walks slowly and looks for clues.

CON-1 check, 12, pass; WIS check, 13, fail

[Jerrard]

"Erek? Your leader? He fled like the dishonorable.. He has left you to your fate, Tasha was injured fatally, an accident." Erastin lowers his head. "If you cooperate will do nothing to you." this was wasting time, they had to move. "You are bandits? Correct?" he levels the sword at the closest, "we will escort you to the nearest town."

[JadedDM]

The blond man snorts. "Honor? You call us dishonorable? You killed a girl. You used magic to defeat us. Is that honorable? You call us bandits? You're the ones who brought a monster into our camp. We were just defending ourselves. We're only simple hunters, trying to survive."

Once Targin has all four of them tied up, Karathos wanders back into camp about five minutes later, alone.

[Nuke]

Targin completes his first task, and gathers up the weapons, not forgetting his bow.

"He got away did he. We can expect some trouble from that man."

He leaves the questioning to the others and inspects the tents for evidence.

[JadedDM]

Targin retrieves his bow. In addition to the broad sword that Erastin took, there are also six short bows (one with a broken bowstring) with about a dozen sheaf arrows each and five long swords.

Inside each of the three tents, the dwarf finds some sleeping bags, bottles of mead, a little food (mostly stale bread and salted meat), and a few torches. However, in the western most tent he also finds a small chest made of wood and reinforced with iron bands.

[Breila]

"Why do you call me a monster? I would have accepted the girl's surrender" Karathos says with a dark look at Targin. "And besides, I stayed back, and none of us made an offensive move. You were the first to attack."