" Credit where credit is due, Im sorry I ever doubted ya. Ya had a good plan and it worked sorry I wasnt able to be of more use"
“Thanks! It's the least I could do.” Miguel took Krii's hand and pulled in the taller man in for a hearty shoulder check. “I'm sure out here you'll have plenty of chances to show what your made of.”

---

Miguel was leaning back in his seat, back to the table, tuning his mandolin while he listened the ongoing discussion. “I think we should put them to work, they would more useful to Oleg alive. Pay him back in hard labour. Besides, a dead man has no reason to talk. But then we could always ask them--see what they think.”

He plucked at the strings lazily as he rolled his head back and stared up at the drab grey sky. Svetlana had said they thought the camp was about a day's ride. “Whatever we do, the camp will probably notice somethings up by tonight. If we want to catch them off guard, we should probably leave today.”

The Musician rose from his roost and walked over to where the bandits' horses where tied up in the yard. He approched a dark bay gelding and stroked it's neck. “I'll call you Bogdan. Oh, you like that name, do you? Yeah we're not so bad.”

He nodded to Krii as the sorcerer rode out, then quickly returned to pampering 'his' horse.

“If we want to catch them off guard, we should probably leave today.”
Frodrick gave a chuckle at the suggestion of leaving so quickly. “Bit ‘o angst in you ain’t there young pup? Well, yer words be wiser than any dwarf’s I ever heard. It may not be to hard to find this camp ‘o theirs either: since they be bringin’ horses in and out of them woods to this here post, we should all be able to get out and over to their headquarters with relatively little hindrance.”

“There is, something that I am kind of hoping for though: I was wondering if we could get to explorin’ this hear land and start mappin’ it out. Get a layout of the land and get right to finding the best resources to start that kingdom out of yers’. Perhaps that comes later though? Seein’ as how them bandits of the wood may be a bit more of a threat at the moment what with them breathin’ and all.”

He didn't want to admit it, but perhaps he was just tired. He barley lifted his ax or lance up, yet he was already time for a nap. But he wasn’t about to show weakness to his new found allies. It was enough that he was the eldest by far – he was not going to be some fuddy duddy old timer that kept everyone back while talking about the good old times and how if he were in his prime he would show them what’s what. NO! He came here to die a noble death protecting the weak and trailblazing the untamed lands of this area. That meant no naps, and no holding back on the side lines. He was going to show them all that he was no old coot! He was a dwarven warrior, ready for battle as he ever would be.

Zeran looked at the group as the discussion turned to riding out immediately. "Woah woah, I need time to prepare my bomb if we are using that idea. If we are going to leave lets do it after we have our talks. I'm going to go freshen up a bit, one of you come get me when I can yatter with Kyrie and Happs, and when you have voted on my bomb idea." He says with a smile before jogging off to their sleeping quarters. By Freshen up he meant simply to relax and let his adrenaline die down, it was still flared right up.

"Well..." Kyrie thought about it. The point was valid, and even though there were some things they didn't know offhand, it was pretty certain they would be outnumbered either way. "As long as we can be pretty sure that we don't cause a wild fire or anything, I see what you mean. By the time we can set it up, they'll probably be aware of us by that time as well, if not with help. Sometimes it takes a lot of force to take out the weeds." She noted, "Especially stubborn ones. Those are the worst."

Kyrie nodded towards Frodrick, "If we can take them out, that will more time for the guard to arrive, and by then we should have less urgency. I wouldn't mind taking a look at what's around us myself."

2 Pharast – Mid Morning
Oleg's Trading Post
South Brevic Border
Flanked by Kyrie dutifully carrying her trusty shovel over one shoulder and Zeran with his hand resting on his holstered (and still unloaded) pistol, each bandit captive was lead dejectedly to where there were to be questioned. Each bandit avoided facing his or her captors, though when mentioned that a decision had been reached to put them to hard labour instead of death their eyes darted around, suspicious.

Not expecting this lenience, the bandits were thrown slightly off-guard and proven willing to answer all questions carefully. Their knowledge proved to be broad, if not comprehensive, and they were able to answer almost all questions if only to a limited degree.

They confirmed their camp was no more than a day's ride, laying along the Thorn river just a few hundred feet distant from a ford which they controlled. They are in fact led by the mad woman with the axes, named Kressle. Happs is her second-in-charge, and occasional lover.

One very interesting tidbit they revealed they mentioned that the camp would send a portion of their ill-gotten gains south once a month, a tribute to some self-styled bandit lord who called himself the Stag Lord. The aura of mystery surrounding the man had some believing he might have been just as much beast as human, and others believing he was no more than a man with an intimidating mask, though none of the bandits questioned could say they had met him. They were pretty sure out of the camp only Kressle had actually met him, and very few had even seen him.

It seemed the bulk of the booze the camp acquired was usually sent south to the Stag Lord, which made some of the bandits unhappy, but they didn't dare to question Kressle.

Happs still wasn't awake by the time the others were finished being interrogated, so the group took some time to lounge until the leader woke up. Miguel played with his newly claimed pony while Krii rode out for a bit.

When Happs did finally wake, after only about an hour despite his great injuries, he did so with a string of pained curses and tried to get up immediately, resulting in another, loud curse which itself proved to cause pain, so he fell back down with another, quieter curse. He muttered another few curses when he saw Zeran and Kyrie in the doorway of the shed, and had to be half-dragged to his feet.

Krii rode in on his black gelding, Vilify, just in time to witness the miserable sight of a grumbling Happs sullenly stumbling to his interrogation. He quickly hitched Vilify up to his feed and followed the other two into the room.

Happs sat with yet another curse and looked down. There were so far no special plans to pardon his behaviour, so he was not briefed with the hard labour speech as the others were. Rather they started him on the questions immediately.

Unlike the rest, however, Happs made no effort to answer the first question, or even acknowledge any one or thing in the room with any sign above a baleful glare, and that much only begrudgingly.

After a few moments he finally did speak, interrupting Zeran in the middle of a repeated question. “I got no reason to talk. I'm dead after this either way, so you'd better sweeten the deal if you want anything I know.” As soon as he said this he noticed Zeran had his silver amulet—he glanced to this conspicuously before returning to sullen silence.

Zeran frowned, any good humor he had was gone. "Don't interrupt me I've little patience for this crap. We already know you answer to some bitch named Kressle and some, mysterious bender 'Stag Lord." He was a little animated here, shaking his hands side to side all booga booga witchdoctor like, he wasn't impressed by the Stag Lord. His little hands-with-speech done he crossed them over his chest and tilted his stance slightly, it was a sign of grumpy with him. "Frankly I don't care about either of them or you. The only reason WHY I haven't strung you up on the side of the wall yet is because my friends here wanted to have a talk with you." He was bluffing here he had wanted to offer them all a second chance but Happs was trying his patience.

"So we can skip those formalities. How many are in the camp? Is the camp on a hill? Is Kressle the only one we would need to worry about?" he leaned over onto the table and grinned a bit. "Answer the questions truthfully, we MIGHT be able to work out something but it is up to Oleg and Svetlana after all. I can put a word in with them if your cooperative, might even give you this." He takes the necklace off and twirls the chain on his fingers. "Back. Your move." He catches the necklace and waits eyebrow raised staring at Happs.

After the events of his ride Krii, leaving his cloak off and tieing his hair back into a short pony tail, had began to resemble more of a diplomat all be one that looked to be on the door of death, then the hooded sorcerer that had first been seen. He afixed his newly aquired dagger to the hidden wrist sheath under his shirt , it had been awhile to say the least since he had to exersize any sort of real dignity in his conversations and convey a tone of seriousness aside from talking to the group but this was different, this was playing judge and possibly and still somewhat hopefully in his mind executioner, though the majority of the jury atleast seem to favor life with hard labour over his intended virdict. Krii followed closely behind Zeran and Kyrie and stood back in the shadows till finally seeing Zerans outbust and the possiblity of Happs even remotely being set some sort of freedom he spoke up but still remained back in the shadows.


"If I may Zeran, It should be noted Happs that its unlikly you could tell us anything we dont already know for instance we know there are atleat 12 of you minus what we have here assumeing ofcourse your company took no losses or gains

We also know that YOUR base of operation is next to a river ford which suggests your camp is not so much influenced by its elevation but its proximity to the only way to cross the river a stratigic point more so then one for vantage

We know from your first visit that this Kressle is definatly your superior and that you hold some rank among your group however small it may be, and that your both subordinates to some lord with funny looking headgear. Though perhaps the only reason you rank above the rest is that your sleeping with your boss, which is possibly where you came to aquire that necklace its not likly you really would have earned such a trinket yourself.

So in the end Happs its not so much that you didnt have a chance to leave here alive, but that your own ignorance as a group and the cooporation of your little band of bandits that came to visit today that really its unlikly you could tell us anything worth your life making you... worthless to us, expendable... except ofcourse as an example, so it would be my suggestion to you that if there is anything in that tiny brain of yours that you think could save your life speak now or forever hold your peace and say your prayers cause by morning you'll be nothing but a wall hanging."

Happs watched in horror as his bargaining chips were thrown out the window one by one. His eyes flicked nervously as he struggled to think of something he could use in his defence. Krii was almost ready to declare Happs finished when he finally came up with something.

“Wait! None o' you know about the wagon trap, huh? Hah! Told you I knew things.” The bandit's self-satisfied grin lasted several long seconds before it changed to horror at the realization that he'd thrown away his tip.

“No wait!” Happs' sudden urgency struck a pang from his wound and he sunk in his chair. He heaved a few breaths before continuing, hoarse. “That's not everything. There's more. Let me live and I will tell you everything you want to know.”

Sense Motive*: 18 + 1 = 19
It wasn't a particularly good lie, and it didn't take much to see through it. Krii smiled widely at the stupid bandit lieutenant. “Well, if that be all you got for us, there's no use keeping you alive anymore than there was a moment ago, is there?”

“Nooo.” It sounded more like a moaning protest than an agreement. Nevertheless Happs went on trying to save his worthless skin. “Hold on. You can't kill me. I gotta wife. And kids.”

Sense Motive: 20 + 1 = 21
He wasn't lying. Not that anyone could tell. Whether from curiosity or real concern, the group paused to let him speak.

“They live in Restov. I was a city guard there, only I was framed and I had to skip town to escape. I didn't have much time so I had to leave my family and promised I'd be back. I was forced to join Kressle's group in order to survive out here, and I've been trying to make it back to them since. If you kill me now they'll never know what happened to me.”

Almost everything, starting from the second sentence reeked horribly of a badly concocted lie, obvious to everyone in the room even more so with the unnecessarily sappy tragic ending. Whether or not he was actually lying about having a wife and kids (that much seemed to be rooted in truth, at least), there was nothing about this man that gave the impression he was any kind of tragic figure, beset by the cruel misfortunes of life.

There was an expectant pause from Happs in which no one said anything about his story. Finally Krii turned to leave, turning his back to Happs.

“I shall take pleasure in watching you hang.”

(*For the chief Sense Motives I rolled for all of Kyrie, Zeran, and Krii, but since Krii was the one talking I didn't bother including the rest of the rolls in the narrative. If you're curious Kyrie succeeded in noticing the bluff, but Zeran didn't spot the signs, perhaps being distracted. For the last two everyone had the same impression—either they couldn't tell he was lying about his family or they were pretty sure he wasn't, and finally for his little tragic story the DC to beat is 0, so good luck.)

(Just wanted to mention here, it has been my assumption that more or less the whole party has been watching the proceedings, albeit quietly and in the back, letting Zeran and Krii take centre stage with Kyrie hanging nearby as silent intimidating shovel-bearing sentinel. Without further ado it'll be time to hang Happs and decide what to do from here. For the record, if anyone's curious about potential rumours of Happs' family, you could send a letter or message to Restov to inquire.)

After the execution of Happs, Frodrick turned to the other prisioners and looked at them sternly.
“I ain’t one fer amusement no more, so I got no s***s nor giggles outta killin’ that fearless leader of yours. I don’t like killin’, and I hope all your of the same mind on that at least. The next little while will be hard on all of you, but do things right and well, and you’ll have a pardon. Hell, we might even be able to get all of ye’ some gold to go back to civilization with. But I want no trouble from any of you. Neither does Oleg, Svetlana, or the rest of my companions.”

The dwarf walked back and forth between them, sizing them up and trying to throw up some sort of sense of discipline. “Now Oleg, he got chores that I am sure all you with your half of brains can give him aid on. He was fixin’ a roof the other day, and I be thinkin there is more maintenance that you all can work on.”

Frodrick turned to Oleg. “Why don’t you grab this older guy here,” Frodrick was referring to Niko, “and get him to work. No sense bustin’ yer back when we got helpful hands right here.”

Then he turned to Svetlana. “We be havin’ more mouths te’ feed, which means there be more to cook. If ye be needin’ ingrediants, I am sure me and a couple others can go out and find some eadibles. In the mean time, can you show the young lass here how te’ cook a meal? Give the wench a skill to work on and make somethin’ of herself.”

If Oleg and Svytlana are willing to oblige…
Frodrick turned to the last of their captives, Stephan. “So ye know how to ride a horse. But do you know how to take care of it? I bet ye’ cumbuckets just hit the beast till it moves and feed it on your own leisure eh? Well I be damned if I see these here fine beasts ‘o burden taking unfair hardship! I will show ye the ropes on how to keep these creatures in tip-top shape, and how to raise them good and proper. By the end of your free labour, you will have a skill set that any stable master will be willing to look at when you go back te’ civilization! Now ye ain’t touchin’ my steed here until she gets te’ know you, and I can trust you with her needs. But in a few weeks time, I am sure you will be able to handle her. Now go grab a broom, a pitchfork, a mop, and a bucket o’ water. Ye be cleaning the stables fer now.”

After having set the new hands to work, Oleg went to Svetlana. “Be ye needing food for a while? I can either go off to the woods and start gatherin’, or I can ride off to town and get more supplies for you. It won’t be fair of us to leave you with our prisoners and expectin’ ya to feed them with your current rations. But don’t you worry. They will be useful to ya by the time we are through with ‘em!”

---

That evening, presuming Frodrick doesn’t ride out to gather supplies at the nearest town, but instead did a survival check to gather food for his allies.
Survival Check: 26 = 18 + 7 + 1 (for order bonus)
Frodrick sat down after a hard day’s work. He hadn’t gotten a whole lot for the Leventons, but it was something. It was enough to feed a good five people properly, though it was probably only going to go through three people unless Svetlana decided to go with stingy food rations.

After the group had supped, Frodrick raised the attention of Miguel. “Hey there fancy pants. Why don’tcha get the moral up with a song or tale? It be quiet in here, and my ears ain’t used to quiet!”

Presuming Miguel is willing to oblige and start doing some sort of performance.
Frodrick badgered Krii into either pulling out his deck of cards, or at least letting the dwarf borrow them. “I be needin’ them cards to entertain our new companions.” Was his rational. As the night progressed and people started to go off to bed, Frodrick went off near the stables and started to smoke his pipe while sitting in some hay next to Jarggon Hooves. “I suppose they ain’t half bad fer theivin’ folks. Just gotta push them bad habits out and show ‘em that we can expect more out of ‘em. Makes all the difference eh ol’ Jabber?”

The horse nodded her head and whinneied a bit. Frodrick looked up and saw that the young lass they had captured was partially hidden from his sight, thought she was more hiding in the dark than behind an actual structure, so once Frodrick looked up she was pretty easy to spot.
“No sense trying to sneak up on a dwarf at night lassy. This here I be trained for long days in the complete darkness of tunnels – ye ain’t hiding from me.”

Seeing that she was spotted, the girl came up before him.
“What ye be needin lass? Tanya be it again?”

“Yes. And I was wondering why you are being so nice to us. You get that man and woman to put us to work right away, but you don’t harp or hit us. You let us eat with you guys at night. And you give us song and play cards with us. That ain’t how it normally works with prosoners.”

“Simple enough: we didn’t kill ya.”

Tanya looked puzzled, and a bit worried at Frodrick’s statement. He was bad at speaking his mind most of the time. He knew that. So he figured he would elaborate a bit on it more.

“Ya see lass, if I be seeing no hope fer ya, youd have been hanging with that Happs fellow. But there be something in ya. Perhaps its faint, perhaps its just only a wee bit hidden, but its there. And I want it out here in the open fer us all. But that aint gonna’ happen if I treat you like s*** and hold yer mistakes over yer head. No point in that in my opinion – that’s what death sentences are for: people who wont amount to nuthin’. So I be treatin’ ya how I want ya to end up being.”

“You don’t know me, or what I can be.”

“Perhaps.” Nodded the dwarf. “But I can only show you what ya can be. Its up to you to choose. As that ol’ saying goes: ‘Ya can lead this here horse to water’…” Frodrick said, patting the side of Jargon Hooves as he said it, “‘But ya can’t be makin’ ‘er drink.’ I just showed you a part of the life you could have if you stick with us. Is it better or worse than what you came from? I be damned if I be knowin’. That’s for you to judge.”

The girl nodded and was about to walk away, when Frodrick interrupted her flight.
“Oh, and lassy.”
She stopped to listen, though she made no eye contact.
“So long as yer be with us, I be treatin’ you like you were one of us: if any of them guards that be coming threaten or be making unwanted advances on you, you come to me you hear. Goes the same for your two friends as well. No harassment for them, and none by them either.”

(Froderick's Speech.)

Zeran leaned against a wall near the group as orders were handed out and rules set forth. His hat was turned down to hide his face giving him the appearance he didn't care but he was listening intently. They had just taken a man's life, a man who had no hope for redemption it was decided but yet here was three others who had the slightest glimmer and hint of a redeemable quality in them. It was bitter sweet, Zeran had no problem with hanging Happs but it left a bitter taste in the back of his throat. He wasn't sure if it was guilt or something else, but he would push the feeling away and out it had no place right here. Things wound down and as they started to set out on their own appointed tasks or mill about he stepped by Froderick and gave his shoulder a pat. "Glad your with us, and glad I'm not on that end of your speech." He said without any emotion giving a thumb towards the former bandits. "Hope they realize how good they have gotten off and what has been offered, not many get this chance and not many more will if any." He smiled slightly. "I'd come with you to help find food, but I would just be a hinderance without my own steed. If you need assistance when your back I'm more then willing to help." With that he stepped off to find something to do, but first he reloaded his pistol and twirled it on a finger stashing it back where he usually kept it.

---

That Evening During The Festivities
Zeran sat staring at nothing in particular as the evening seemed to drag on. Froderick asked Miguel to play them a song and he hoped their musical comrade would oblige, it was a sour mood and no one seemed to be to cheery. He didn't wait around though, standing and stretching. He leaned over whispering into Kyrie's ear. "If a party does start come find me if you want a dance partner lass." He gives her shoulder a pat before taking to the top of the wall to get himself some alone time and 'fresh air' as it were.

He sat on the edge of the wall letting one leg dangle over the side and sway lazily, his elbow resting on his other knee and his chin on that hand. He looked thoughtful as he stared out into the darkness and dimming landscape. "Taming this land is going to be hard, harder then anyone of us might expect." He mutters to himself, not taking notice of anyone who might have decided to go get their own thoughts collected. "

Assuming no one bothers Zeran or he is not requested as a dance partner by Kyrie or Tanya, or for some reason anyone else he will remain in thought until sleep.

---

Wrapping up.
Zeran collected himself from where he was, Froderick had wandered off to have his own time with his horse and the rest were retiring as well it seemed. "Not sleepy yet." He muttered, and decided to go about his buissness anyways. He would make his barrel of powder regardless if it was used as a bomb or not, because it would benefit him either way. He searched about and soon enough found the ideal sized barrel, making sure it wasn't soaked with water on the inside he brought it back to the long tables. Sitting down, pulling out his kit and getting to work. "I can at least start this and finish it in the morning." He mutters as he begins his work. He counts out one hundred gold coins as well, leaving those in a small cloth package with 'To Oleg and Svetlana, thanks for the Barrel' written on a scrap of paper and stuck to the package, might as well pay for his used resources was his rational.

Assuming he is left alone and not bothered he works in silence for a solid four hours before retiring to sleep. If he is otherwise talked to or approached he will work and chat.
His work done for now Zeran retires to bed ((Bidding anyone he was with a goodnight.)) to get himself some shut eye, and finish his job in the morning.

(Happs)
Krii walked out with his head held high the cry of dismay from Happs like music to his ears, he tryed to refrain from smileing but knew that he was atleast sporting a smirk but why he didnt know he had just condemed a man to death he felt no remorse nore did he feel bad but all the same he still felt he shouldnt be feeling as happy as he was.

(Party?)
One, Two... Three... Seven, Krii had become used to drinking in the company of his adoptive family and the years he spent with them so it didnt faze him much enough that he was comfortable lostening up a bit so when Frodric asked for his cards for a game with the newly created workers his mouth turned up into a wide almost psychotic grin and he abliged, however during the game he did slip in and out of Gnomish and that ontop of his accent made him at point near impossible to understand but he atleast was having a good time suffice to say for anyone else. As the night wore on and everyone wore down Krii began to wander having replaced he cloak onto his person he stepped outside the gates into the fresh nights air and stared at the woods and surrounding area, thoughts and ideas filling his head long layed plans and fond memories of home and lives once held, he slouched down agend the wall of the fort and there he stayed for a time stareing off into the silent darkness whispering various prayers to his gods of worship.

(After party)

When the fort went quiet Krii silently entered back in seeing only Zeran sitting at the long table creating his bomb, he moved over siting across the table and stareing at his commrad before speaking.

" What makes them different"

He paused for a moment

"You seemed so driven to salvage these bandits here today and yet now you sit making a weapon which you say will cause massive damage and possible loss of life, what makes these others different that your will to risk killing them all and saving none, why are these are these three here special, heh maybe Im over looking it thinking to much my uncle always said I did... I want to see them burn Zeran... but I have to know... what makes them different"

Krii sat there watching Zeran work intently while waiting for his responce

Zeran didn't look up from his work but gave Krii a nod of acknowledgement. He listened to the man's questions and took a moment to think pausing in his work to find the words. "Nothing makes them different other then convience and circumstance. When we go to their camp, they will try to kill us that much is certain. I'd rather not throw my life away playing bleeding heart and trying to reason with them, I'd rather take them with me in hellfire if that has to be the case. These three we saved? They didn't prove much of a threat or a fight considering our plan went off without a hitch but you can rest assured that had I needed to pull the trigger and end one of them I would have." He looked up at the man and smiled slightly. "Besides, I was an outlaw to at some point. Hell I might still be, but I'm trying to make amends and for me to deny these three, or even any who might survive our raid on their camp, would be very poor on my character and make me a hypocrite. But, in the end it boils down to this: We are few, they are perhaps many, if we can end it quick with this or even scare them into submission with it then wonderful, if they die, well they die."

He furrowed his brow a bit tapping a finger on the table. "I hope that answers your question my friend, if not say so and I'll try to find a better answer." He cracked his neck and stretched slightly before settling back in. "Speaking of burning...I'd like to know if you would be so kind as to do the honors of lighting this if the group decides to use it. I'll stick a fuse in, all you have to do is spark it. Once the fire hits the powder all hell will break loose."

2 Pharast
Oleg's Trading Post
South Brevic Border
There were muted grumbles and unhappy looks among the prisoners, as would be expected among any group so accustomed to wanton freedom finding themselves forced into labour. If any of them were motivated to complain, a quick glance to where the rope that held Happs' body was enough to silence any protest and redouble efforts.

By the time supper came, the three bandits had worked up a good sweat and moods were not much improved. Nikodim in particular seemed to sneer at every one and everything he directed his face at, though he was not stupid enough to direct this at any of his captors, so he ended up spending a lot of his time staring into his food.

The supper Svetlana made, supplemented with the roots, berries, and even a rabbit that Frodrick brought, smelled and tasted delicious. Combined with the modest, but by no means lacking portion Svetlana gave the prisoners served to lift spirits somewhat. By the time the music and the cards were brought out the ex-bandits were almost able, for a time, to forget the undesirable situation they found themselves in.

Before they were closed into the shed for the night, Tanya found Frodrick in the stables. The way he kept calling her 'lassie' annoyed her, but that wasn't why she was here. Besides, he was a dwarf. He was probably so old everyone else looked like a child to him—maybe it was because neither she nor Stefan had the stubble Niko did, so he couldn't tell.

She decided the term didn't annoy her so much.

The dwarf's stocky horse nickered, and the dwarf looked up. Busted. She never believed in being shy, and so she stepped forward to speak her mind.

The dwarf was, as always, stern and gruff, but with an undercurrent of long years' wisdom. When he called her back she felt her face reflexively harden into a mask of suspicion, but all he wanted was to ensure that nobody caused any trouble for either party.

She had learned too well not to let her guard down, to relax her skepticism so easily, but the old dwarf and even most of his companions seemed to genuinely bear no ill-intent.

But then, they always do.

3 Pharast – Morning
Oleg's Trading Post
South Brevic Border
“You mean you want us to choose which of our erstwhile companions are most deserving of life and death.” Nikodim flashed a short-lived toothy grin. He was always so damned convinced of his own cleverness.

“We simply want to know if any o' yer old friends are worth the time it'd take to feed 'em to the dogs,” Frodrick retorted.

Niko at least had sufficient presence of mind to look chastised. “None that I care about, gods take 'em all, especially that bitch, Kressle.”

“You just be grateful you were taken alive, Niko, some might say the same for you,” Tanya retorted, but whatever the former's reply, Stefan interrupted.

“Luka. He's helped me out before. If he could be pardoned I think he'd do it.”

Tanya nodded her agreement. “Gavril, too. I think he used to be a blacksmith from Brunderton before he couldn't pay his taxes.

“And Adela.” Stefan provided the final name. “Oh, and if you get the chance to put Gregor out of his misery, don't. Let him suffer.” Even Niko seemed to agree to this sentiment, albeit silently.

After the discussion was over, the three prisoners were given their chance to walk around the fort before they were returned to their makeshift cell. Until the guards arrived, they would have to leave their prison only one at a time under Oleg or Svetlana's close supervision. While they were to be treated fairly as prisoners, they were still prisoners and scarcely to be trusted so easily.

(I had begun a post for later that evening, arriving at the Thorn River and finding the camp, but it started to get lazy and I didn't like it, but didn't feel like staying up much later than I already am to turn it into something halfway presentable.

Obviously, don't let little ol' me interrupt what you have going in terms of roleplaying. I should have something for you to prepare for battle with tomorrow mayhap. Except for Roderick who specified otherwise I assume everyone dons the same gear they had the first time? Do tell if you seek otherwise).

Zeran perked a bit at the mention of a blacksmith. "Him, we should at the utmost least try and save him." His barrel was finished and he was grinning from ear to ear, not his usual suave smirk either this was something similar to a cat playing with a mouse type look. "But, if we use this I can't promise anything." He remembered a bit of what his dad had told him and he sketched out in the dirt with a stick, an X marking center where he placed the barrel and guessing as accurately as he could he drew four points from it twenty yards a piece. Carefully and with immense detail, he drew the circle. "This is the kill zone if your in it and lucky you might live to breath another day. But, if your unlucky." He casts a half glance to the hanging Happs. "Well, that would look like a vacation. This explodes, it burns, and you got bits of wood and metal from the barrel flying at you."

Moving his bomb back to the table he gives it a pat. "Although, it is harmless unless sparked." He focuses on the prisoners now addressing them. "We can try to help who you have indicated, but as I said that kill zone." He thumbs over his shoulder and flicks his hat up. "Is big, and nasty. I can feel the dislike you harbor towards that Kressle lady, if I can ensure she is caught in that zone you can bet I'll let you fine folks know....provided I survive as well." He snaps his fingers and starts to pace around in circles tapping the air as if making calculations or just chatting. "Kyrie, Froderick, Krii, Miguel. DO NOT get anywhere near this thing if we use it. My plan?" He looks up from his ramblings and spins on his heel to face them, pacing back and forth now with his arms behind his back.

"It, is simple enough. I can fit a fuse in this thing be it a piece of cloth or something else that catches fire easily. We throw it, Krii lights it and we hold them back while staying out of the blast radius." He shrugs and chuckles lightly. "Or, Plan B: We fuse it, light it, then throw it. But that could also go the tits up method of exploding in our faces and more then likely sending the one holding it I.E. Me, into the great beyond ass first." He keeps pacing even starting to jig lightly, bouncing from foot to foot doing a figure eight of sorts clearly in high spirits his grin gone replaced by his smug smirk.

"Or Plan C, we toss it and then toss one of those fire flasks our hanging friend there was carrying. I could also shoot the barrel and hope for the best, but I doubt that would work because I don't shoot fire from this thing." Without missing a beat he twirls his pistol in one hand and then holsters it again. "It shoots bullets, balls of metal despite what it looks like it does. I'll leave you folks to decide on the plan, you can still vote not to use it." He spins on the final step ending up facing them, pushing a leg back and bowing deep while taking his hat off. "I can use it if it isn't for a bomb, let me know your verdict. Oh I could use a dance partner I am in such good spirits!" He proclaims standing, rehatting his head and clapping his hands.

(finishing with Zeran)

Krii smiled slightly and stood from the table

"Then tomorrow we shall rain hell fire apon them"

Krii bowed to Zeran and walked off into the darkness of the sleep quarters

(Pre assult)

Krii had woken early to prepare Vilify and make sure all his gear was packed and ready, spending a few hours of time in prayer and meditation he mounted Vilify when he heard the sturrings in the courtyard and the conversation when the badit captives and road out to the group

"I dont think there is a question about it Zeran, your bomb if nothing else gives us an edge though capturing some of these... bandits and putting their skills to use may be worth our while there is no point in risking our own necks in what could be a fruitless mission of virtue.

-Krii turned his gaze to the group-

We know there are atleast 7 of them still in the camp, we know they will not offer us any such choices, we will not be welcomed or given warning, we go to our potential end and any edge we can gather should be taken advantage of, after the ambush here I have no fears in the ableness of our group but I would be a fool to think that on our skill alone we will be victorious, they know we are comming, and will have taken this time to ready themselves just as we have. We will have to take care to not all into any ambushes ourselves and when we reach the camp remove the head of this serpent as soon as posssible if you want any chance of saving these people we will have to remove the thing they fear that drives them Kressel. So then lets end this now lets go in with a bang and show these bandits what true fear is let them see the face of those who will conquer these savage lands and bring about a new civilation, and let them bow before us."