"Bah! You think I am a child because I lash at others? At least I have a certain flow of logic to my anger! You on the other hand let your passions leave you as they come! As for the battle: I AM A DOCTOR! I don't fight, never have! I use my brain where you use your magic or a warrior would use a sword! And I was fully against the open confrontation between the bandits and this post, I am surprised you would have me go into harms way for a cause that is not mine!"

Lloyd does not falter an inch as he glares at the woman. "And I will make this clear now: I don't make friends! I make allies! Friends only get close enough to stab you in the back, where as allies are kept at a decent enough distance that you can analyze them, and are able to get mutual benefit out of them. So I reassure you; it is no loss to me whatsoever that you say we will not be 'friends'. The main reason for this is because there seems to be a vacant cavity where your brain should be. I can alter my attitude with some effort, but your stupidity has no remedy. I've even tried to find a cure for your kind in my medical field, but it has proven to be impossible!"

Sylvia hissed loud and lobbed a splash of acid beside Lloyd. "My kind? MY KIND!?" She shouted getting up from her seated position advancing on Lloyd her fists clenched. "YOU ARE THE ABSOLUTE WORST KIND OF PERSON POSSIBLE! I TRIED TO HOLD OUT HOPE THAT THE ONLY IDIOTS I WOULD EVER MEET WOULD BE THE ONES WHO KEPT ME IMPRISONED MY LIFE! IF IT WEREN'T FOR WHAT I AM I WOULD HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT THE WHORE TO SOME FILTHY 'INTELLECTUAL' LIKE YOU! YOU DISGUSTING LOATHSOME VILE WRETCHED WORM!" She felt her anger at the absolute apex, her chest heaved with fury and her eyes shone with tears and absolute rage. "Let me make this pefectly clear you abusive, insecure pathetic little bitch. I hate you with every fiber of my being, you are a disgusting person that the world could do without. Leave me alone already." She said, storing her anger up and bottling it she slowly looked normal and extremely sullen. Her new snake friend was resting around her neck, its eyes remained focused on Lloyed and it hissed baring it's fangs. If it could speak it would issue a warning to back off.

Sylvia turned and left exiting the fort quickly wanting to disappear as quick as she could, as she had done many times before in ehr life during situations similar. She retreated deep into the woods, not trying to hide her tracks or anything. She ran and ran til she couldn't anymore, but she stayed in one direction so she could make her way back IF she wanted to. She took refuge in a tree, and sat with her knees to her chest petting her new snake friend.

Lloyd turned to face the rest of the party. "Think on my words gentlemen and woman. I may be blunt, but my rational is undeniable. She is a threat to everyone's safety, including her own. now if you don't mind, I'm going to examine our guests."

Lloyd went and donned on his mask and coat, they were not necessary at this point, as the prisoners showed no symptoms of any kind of disease, but he always felt at ease with his plague outfit on. He stalked over to the storage hut after grabbing his medical gear, a smile spreading across his hidden face as he did so.

Aria leaned back further, one hand scratching at the back of her head. Marie's ears lay flat against her skull, the cat hiding behind and under Aria's skirt. She had no idea what was going on. One minute, Sylvia had come out and she was going to ask how things went, the next, well, a lot of words exchanged, loud, soft, and unspoken.

Aria's brow furrowed a bit in thought. Just what was being argued over anyway? One didn't like the other. Okay, that was fair, some people didn't like other people. Happens.

"I think... you both spoke and read more into the other than was there." She noted, even though Sylvia and perhaps even Lloyd may have been gone already. She scratched at her cheek, "There is no leader, so there is no position to quarrel over. Sometimes someone acts first. People follow if they choose to follow. If they don't, they don't. I didn't sign a contract, and I don't intend to sign a contract of that sort. I'll do what I feel like doing. If I don't agree with something, I'll say so and suggest something else."

She stood up, causing Marie to run off from her compromised cover, "I don't agree that there is such a thing as a leader. So, I take everything that's said as a suggestion." She paused, and if Lloyd is still present, she'll murmur, "I'll suggest you learn to do the same. It's a lot easier to get around without getting at other people's throats over things that don't exist. If you don't like them, well, that's up to you too."

"If you want my opinion though, I think you're both very emotional and to the point."

If Lloyd left them, she kneels to pick up the papers that were dropped on the ground and begins to read them over.

Sordin was staggered by Lloyd's sudden outburst, and during the shouting match going on between the two he could not get a word in until Sylvia had already left. Really? They choose now to have a row at each other?, he thought, And of all of the people to have a heated argument with, Lloyd really chose the worst person. He did not entirely disagree with Lloyd's sentiments though, if anyone were to lead the group, Ortlieb would be the best choice. Everyone had at the very least a feeling of indifference towards him. As for himself, Sording had the feeling that there were already two people who he would regularly have conflict with. Besides, he much preferred the role of an adviser. He was good at weighing weighing the benefits versus consequences, and a decision is given more weight it is decided on by someone other than the one who suggested it. If he was a leader and chose only his own suggestions it would shake their faith in his suitability.

The dirty look he received from Lloyd made him frown. He was completely capable of putting aside his sense of justice when it mattered. It was an irritating stereotype of Paladins that he had to endure wherever he went. What's good in the short term will not always be what's good in the long term, one of the first lessons he had been taught by his master. He winced, remembering the method that had been used to teach him that, brutal, yet effective.

(If Lloyd was still present)

"I think... you both spoke and read more into the other than was there." She noted, even though Sylvia and perhaps even Lloyd may have been gone already. She scratched at her cheek, "There is no leader, so there is no position to quarrel over. Sometimes someone acts first. People follow if they choose to follow. If they don't, they don't. I didn't sign a contract, and I don't intend to sign a contract of that sort. I'll do what I feel like doing. If I don't agree with something, I'll say so and suggest something else."
Sordin looked sternly at Lloyd, a hint of the frown still lingering on his face, "Aria is right, Sylvia became leader the second that you let her be. Although..." Sordin now turned to Aria, "I disagree with the lack of need for a leader. So far we have ran into many disputes, which have yet to have any significant effect only because of how we have not yet been pressed for time. If such a situation would arise, I fear that we would fall apart and lose. A bad plan is better than no plan, and we need someone who can give us that plan. For that role I would second Ortlieb, he has already shown ability to make a decision quickly," Although for the wrong reasons, sadly, making a decision to placate the group was not particularly wise, yet he is still the best option He thought to himself as he spoke.


(If Lloyd has already left he will say the same except that it will all be directed at Aria instead of Lloyd as well)

(Bit of back post to fit everything in)

Ortlieb was relieved his powers had done some good in preventing the fire from spreading, and although he could still hear Claptrap whinnying in a bit of a panic, he saw Oleg rush to the stables to deal with it and the remains of the fire. As he looked around him he saw that the fight was mostly over. The bandits had been subdued, extremely effectively in terms of heavy wounds in some cases. He could not blame Ramathu for being so violent. When given free-reign the young ape would often draw upon the anger and pain that humans had brought to him and his family early in his life. As often as people could not reconcile their emotions with current situations, Ramathu was no different and reverted to physical communication of that rage only because his voice was not capable of such articulation.

Ortlieb went to his companion and made sure he was uninjured. Merely excited from the fight, Ramathu was calmed with a little difficulty and led to sit off to the side. Ortlieb did not think it was a good idea for the gorilla to accompany him while he helped to attend to the wounded. The smell of human blood might only rouse him again, and left to his own devices, Ramathu presented no danger to himself or others.

~~~~~~

Having watched over the bandits and their injuries, Ortlieb now waited, Ramathu not far away, while Sylvia conducted her interrogations. She'd seemed extremely pleased to perform the service and the half-orc wondered if it was more than just helpfulness. Regardless, the prisoners came out in the same shape they went in, so he knew the woman was keeping her temper in check if the bandits became less than cooperative. Not that seemed inclined to be after the fight. Mostly they sat or laid down, moaning quietly over their wounds.

Sylvia exited the room finally, shuffling through a stack of papers. She hadn't gotten very far when Lloyd strode up and began to scream at her. Ortlieb's eyes widened in surprise. He knew Lloyd wasn't a pleasant individual, and the druid had noticed his almost constant grumbling when treating the wounds of the bandits, but he hadn't thought the man would be so forthright with his anger. As the tirade seemed to taper off a little, Ortlieb was again surprised as the man turned on him. He was fully prepared to calmly accept the irrational frustration that would be directed at him because of his heritage, and therefore was utterly thrown off his guard when Lloyd's words were probably the closest to a compliment the man could get. Ortlieb was further astonished by the token humility that Lloyd considered the "orc of the wilds" a better choice than himself as leader. It seemed the human could moderate his opinions and feelings when he felt it necessary. Ortlieb only wished the doctor thought it was necessary when speaking to Sylvia.

He winced as the argument erupted. People were so difficult. They could never let things lie. It was true that animals also had vicious fights, but after something had been settled, that was it. Things were not dredged up from the past to make the current issue worse. And they always knew what the issue at hand was. There was never misunderstandings due to communication. He sighed quietly to himself as Sylvia ran off, leaving the fort. He could understand her reasons, and obviously she had had horrible experiences with similar treatment, but if she had not misinterpreted Lloyd's words, perhaps her reaction might not have been quite as explosive. As it was, her actions only made Lloyd's next warning seem more reasonable, despite its inaccuracy. Sylvia had shown herself to be more than capable, if a bit intense in her actions.

He kept his silence as both Aria and Sordin spoke their parts. While he did not particularly agree with Aria, he understood that because of her attitude she would rarely present difficulties with other members of the group. Sordin presented a more similar view to his own. It was often that a group of like creatures (if their group could be considered such) selected a leader, if only to provide order for the rest. Amongst those of the wild it was usually decided by strength, and although Ortlieb believed he might be the physically strongest, he did not consider himself to be the most powerful of their group.

"I agree that we will need a leader, if we continue to travel together. If only for those situations where someone needs to make a quick decision that everyone will respect. But I do not like your suggestion. I am not a leader and do not want to take that responsibility. I am not suited in any definition of it, by neither the ways of the wild nor by the wilds of civilization." No, Ortlieb thought, he was most definitely not suited to deceptive and tortuous ways of cities and those that inhabited them.

"I will go look for Sylvia though, if you have nothing more to add. I am not sure she will speak to anyone else in her current state." Ortlieb then waited to see if there was further discussion.

Aria scratched at her head a bit before nodding, "I guess," She replied. The logic presented didn't mesh with her own, but well, if they wanted someone as leader, she found herself not really caring either way. Well, as long as what they asked was reasonable. If she didn't like something they proposed, she'd just offer an alternative suggestion.

"Not to derail the conversation, but I think everyone should take a look at this. Sounds like there's a bit of a hierarchy of bandits going on here." She noted, passing Sylvia's notes to the first person who wanted them.

Aria then glanced towards the keep entrance, "Hmm, I was thinking of checking on Sylvia too. I don't think she'll do anything rash, but well, if she's outside, better to be safe. Probably more than bandits running around. By which I mean animals. No offense of course." She said apologetically towards Ramathu.

"If you're going to talk with her, I could come along if for nothing else than to keep a bit of a look out while you do so. Kind of think Ramathu should stay here though, just in case the bandits start acting up or something. He should be enough to intimidate them into backing down if they try anything." Aria suggested.

Aria passed the collected papers to Ortlieb and he glanced through them, taking in the information about the location of the bandits' camp in particular. He passed them onto Sordin. "Indeed."

"Thank you. Extra eyes are always welcome." Ortlieb replied to Aria's offer, despite having survived by himself with Ramathu in the wilderness long before he came here. He was not particularly familiar with this type of terrain and it could not hurt to have a companion if he encountered something. He doubted Sylvia would object when they found her, as it was Lloyd that she was angry at.

"Ramathu will be fine remaining here. I don't think our new guests are in any mood to rebel, but you are right that his presence will help prevent any thought of it. We should head out quickly though. I do not know how far Sylvia may have run in her anger. And it would be better to be back here before nightfall."

Sylvia was still bitter and angry about the whole situation as what had passed had brought up some very unpleasent memories, ones she had wanted to keep buried. "Stupid git." She breathed to herself from her tree, she had climbed a little higher so as to keep the fort in view and to remain off the ground. She had no idea what might come wandering by but she didn't want to take any chances it could be vicious. She sighed heavily and stared in the direction of the fort, dreading the inevitability that she would have to return to it. She only hoped Lloyd would leave her alone, or, as much a pipe dream as it was, that he was gone. She felt sullen, defeated, and among her lowest she had been since her freedom. She looked at her new snakey friend and he looked at her, both registered a look of remembrance and she smiled lightly. "I'll be...you found me did you? I'll name you Fang and we will never be apart." She said to her snake, the snake hissed, but Sylvia understood it was in a friendly manner.

Junn snaped out of his pain filled bliss as Syl and Lloyd had their screaming match, he stood and streached a thin trail of blood running down his abdoman. He let out a sigh and looked around while listening to the conversations that followed and watched as Aria and Ortlieb leave in search of Syl. Junn walked over to where Sordin was and sat down and waited for him to finish reviewing the notes.

" Hell of a way to start the day humm blood in the air and heat on our comrades tongues"

Junn glanced at Sordin from the corner of his eye

" Wouldn't you agree Sir Kinght?"

Lloyd grumbled when Sordin roused him for his turn at the watch. He grunted perfunctory acknowledgement as the holy bowman made small talk, and grumbled some more when he helpfully threw some more wood into the small fire burning in the stone pit. He hoped that his divine powers couldn’t somehow penetrate his thoughts and read his mind. Lloyd wasn’t exactly well-versed in magic, divine or otherwise.

He set himself down on the bench and glowered into the darkness until the Garundi man went to bed, and after that, glowered some more, for good measure. He waited a full half hour before he decided the paladin wasn’t going to reappear to do some other helpful deeds. At last, he stood up and stalked around to where his pack was carefully hidden away with everything he could carry on his own. Regrettably he would have to leave his strongbox behind, but he doubted he would have much use for it where he was going. A bribe, maybe. Maybe it would be taken from him regardless.

---

Ortlieb was never woken to take the last shift of the morning. While naturally an early riser, he could tell right away that he’d missed his watch. Something was amiss. He rose, leaving Ramathu to catch the rest of his beauty sleep.

Who was supposed to wake him, he wondered? His shift was right after Lloyd’s, he knew. There was no one in his bed. Had something happened to the crass man? The massive orc squeezed through the door out into the yard. There was no sign of anyone in the dawn light. Something was definitely amiss.

---

Tanya sat awake in the dark of the hut, knees curled into her chest. It was cold outside, and the hut was not especially weatherproof, but it was tolerable. She’d be sleeping outside back at the camp, anyway. What kept her up when the others had taken to snoring was what the doctor had said when he tended to all their wounds earlier.

Beside her the lad, Stefan, gasped and jerked awake from some bad dream. He had barely moved but he groaned when the pain struck him again. He looked around to remember where he was. When he saw Tanya up too, he sat up.

“Thinking about what the doctor said?” he asked. Before that morning, Stefan’s way had been cock-sure, enamoured of his own ability. The typical youthful sureness of their own immortality had been shaken for him. He was still coming to terms with it.

She nodded in the dark. “Yes,” she said when she realized. “I’m thinking we can’t make it far with your guys’ wounds. We’d probably be caught, and even if we made it, we would never get a second chance with this lot. You saw how they handled us out there. They might just have a chance at Thorn River, and where would we be if they found us there a second time?”

There was a sound of metal scratching on metal outside their door. The lock was being picked, anyone with a turn for the less legal arts would recognize. The others awoke at once as the door swung open, letting in the dim light of the gibbous moon.

The shadow that had released them stood imposingly above them with his long beaked mask. “Let’s move. Don’t take all night about it—and be quiet.” The latter he tacked on as Happs renewed his moaning of pain. Sure he was the worst hurt, but Tanya was beginning to doubt he was hurt quite that badly.

Happs and Nikodim stepped out first. After a brief hesitation, Tanya said. “No. I’m staying.” She hardly believed she was saying it for a second. There was a heavy chance of dying either way, better off fighting for your life while you could, right? What was it that made her decide to stay?

“What?”

“I’m staying.” She reasserted. This mad notion that had taken her seemed more certain of itself now. “You can go on, I won’t raise an alarm.”

Beside her Stefan spoke up. “Me too.” Madness was infectious.

“Fools,” Niko muttered, as he was prone to do.

Their releaser was more prone to the pragmatic approach. “Suit yourself.” He closed the door again and there was a sound of the lock being slid back into place.

---

“What in the name of the gods?” Oleg’s shout immediately roused the rest of the sleepers most of the way to consciousness. When they stepped out into the yard, they found Ortlieb and Oleg standing before the storage hut, Oleg was holding the door open.

Only two of the prisoners remained, and a quick self-check proved that Lloyd was missing among their number, with the great gates to the Post left hanging open no wider than a man. Clearly, he believed his lot was better thrown in elsewhere.

Oleg was already noisily probing the remaining bandits—the woman and the boy who was attacked by Ramathu—for details on the escape.

(Yes, you may in fact, take it that Lloyd has forsaken the party. The good news is he will be replaced with a far more agreeable and fair bit more entertaining party member. The bad news is, well, Lloyd's an ass, but we knew that already. Your options right now involve tracking the fleeing folk down, however far they made it in the night, or just jumping on horses and riding posse-style south to where they are no doubt (probably) headed. Also both of the remaining bandits are just healthy enough that the slightest physical strain won't kill them off. Can't someone do healing magic? I thought we had one at least.)

((I'm reserving backpost for being found up a tree when Ortlieb responds to finding me.))

[Current Events.]

Sylvia put a gentle hand on Oleg's shoulder and nodded at him when he looked around. "Let me talk, I won't injure them...to much if they cooperate." She said gently to him, in all honesty she feared that if he wanted to Oleg could squash her easily.

She stepped forward and crouched down to the bandits level and fixed her eyes between them, darting her gaze back and forth. "Alright which of you wants to speak first? If you withold anything whatsoever it will reflect badly on you, and result in some unpleasentness I don't wish to present." She said sternly, her eyes focused on Tanya and her gaze pierced her. "You first Tanya, yes I remembered your names. Where did they go, what time did they leave, and what direction was the original destination?" She then focused her gaze on Stefan. "You'll confirm her answers or deny them, and by the gods if you speak false I'll let the gorilla have at you again boy." She said, venom in her words, Fang, her new viper, Hissed in anger in Tanya and Stefan's directions. Sylvia was not pleased.

(Back-post)

Ortlieb walked alongside Aria as they left the fort behind. "Last time she ran off I found her by the trees. I would suggest looking by the forest first." He directed himself slightly more east, where the tree line could be seen.

As they walked Ortlieb considered the elf. She had maintained a fairly neutral attitude throughout their time at the post. Even during the argument over lunch on the first day, the woman had stated her position, but had not taken any particular emotional stance either way. Her whole demeanour seemed very lackadaisical. The druid wondered if it was because of some religious views she held. He'd heard of orders that had a 'take life as it comes' position; they often had very relaxed manners. Druids themselves, those other few he'd encountered in his travels, too, often were less eager to force their ways upon the world.

Curious if the elf had those tendencies, or if such people had influenced her, Ortlieb broke his accustomed silence. "I do not want to be intrusive, but most adventurers have a more...." Ortlieb tried to find a suitable word, "Directed sense of life. How is it that you are so very free of the common worries that infest the heads of civilized creatures?"

(Reralae - I just started us on the search, but if you have objections or stuff you wanted to add before, I can change it up.)

---

(Back to speed)

Ortlieb awoke quickly, as was his wont. Neither his body or his mind was inclined to let itself laze about, particularly when danger could be near, what had so often been the case in his life. Sleeping within a contained fort did not change his ingrained habits. But something was nudging his attention. The sun was too high. Lloyd had not awakened him for his shift on watch and the man was not in his bed.

It was possible the doctor had forgotten, but given his order-regulated demeanour, Ortlieb immediately rejected this possibility, and if something had attacked in the night they would not have slept until the morning. The only remaining solution did not sit well in the half-orc's mind. Rushing out into the yard and seeing nothing, Ortlieb ducked into the stables. A quick glance and he confirmed that only Claptrap, the Leveton's horse, remained of the animals they'd claimed from the bandits the day before.

The door to the storage shed was still locked when he checked, but that meant nothing when they were dealing with bandits and an adventurer with who-knew-what experience. The half-orc fetched Oleg from the main house, rousing the man from sleep. They unlocked the shed and found of the four prisoners, only two remained. Oleg's shouts of anger quickly roused the rest of the group and before long they could only assume that Lloyd thrown his lot in with the bandits, although Ortlieb noted that he'd left his trunk. Why two remained behind was a question that remained to be answered.

As Oleg and Sylvia questioned the prisoners, Ortlieb spoke to the others. "We cannot let Lloyd make it back to the camp. He has information about us that would eliminate almost any advantage we might have had against them. I suggest we leave immediately. They have the horses and will be moving quickly. It will be hard enough to catch up with them as it is, and I don't think these two present any danger to the Levetons in their current state." He gestured to the still injured bandits.

He was prepared to leave right then and there, but Ramathu knuckling towards him from the guest house reminded him about Lloyd's trunk. It would be unwise to rush into this without knowing more about their strange former companion. "I believe the doctor left his trunk behind, though. We should perhaps find out what is inside before leaving. We never really found out what 'skills' he has, and I don't want to run into this blindly."

"Last time she ran off I found her by the trees. I would suggest looking by the forest first."
Aria nodded, "That makes sense. I've done the same thing before." Many years ago she added mentally to herself.

They had wandered a little further in silence, Aria scanning around with her gaze, noticing tell tale marks of hasty travel and following. Suddenly, Ortlieb spoke more, and she looked at him, tilting her head.

"I do not want to be intrusive, but most adventurers have a more...." Ortlieb tried to find a suitable word, "Directed sense of life. How is it that you are so very free of the common worries that infest the heads of civilized creatures?"
The half elf chuckled, "I guess there's a few reasons. I'm pretty sure it comes down to the fact that I'm just a performer really. I've spent a few years on the road with a troupe. I'm not sure if it's all too different than what you may know, but spending so much time wandering, one begins to notice that people have different callings, and different worries to go along with them."

Aria giggled, "All our group was interested in was getting enough to go by, like for supplies, and maybe putting smiles on people's faces. There was no one to report to. No teachers saying that a note was wrong. We just shared the stage."

Looking up towards the clouds, Aria nodded, "I think that's about all there is to it." She gave Ortlieb a smile.

(No objections here )

---

Aria's face was stone set as she took in what had happened. "Thinking about it, I can't really say I'm surprised, but I would've thought that man wouldn't have gone to such extremes." She murmured to herself, rolling her eyes, appearing calm, but her crossed arms told a different story, with her hands clenched into fists.

She nodded, "Well, that is assuming they went to the camp directly though." She noted, "They might not have. The two that fled are still injured, and probably don't want to run into us again any time soon. We'll have to see what Sylvia finds out first, if anything. I do agree that we need to take out their camp as soon as we can though; whether they went there or not, we need to reduce their numbers anyway. Buy more time for the guards to come here."

Tanya looked down from meeting Sylvia’s intense eyes, while Stefan looked for all the world like he wished he could turn invisible–not likely given a dearth of arcane training.

“They left late last night. I don’t know when exactly, but the moon was high in the sky. Definitely early morning. I guess they’re going back to camp–we didn’t see which way they went, they closed the door before they left.”

Stefan was nodding along to everything Tanya said, staring at his feet.

Meanwhile Ortlieb set Lloyd’s chest on one of the tables with several shifting metallic clinks. The padlock on the chest was nothing special, but without the knowhow, it was useless to them to speculate on picking it. Breaking, was another matter entirely, however, if it had to come to that.

(I don’t actually have my notes on me–anyone trained in picking locks? Aria? If not, you can start smashing things if you want to try that. Or you could go personally fetch the key from Lloyd’s cold, dead body, but that would be a bit of work I suspect.)

(Oh, and there are pretty plain tracks all over the yard leading to the doors, which are actually open wide enough for horses, not just men. After that is where the trail gets fun.)