(1875-10-31) Bandits in Kaedon
Bandits in Kaedon
Summary: A trio on the road encounter disagreement and bandits along the road.
Date: 2019-10-31
Related: None
NPCs: None
Players:
Dertan  Elisha  Lillian  

Galenthia - County Kaedon - Kaedon Lands

Blessed with thick forests and hills, the lands of County Kaedon are as beautiful as they are defensible. Rolling hills blessed with forest give way to rivers that provide much of the fish the county produces, with many villages and towns scattered over the lands. On the eastern fringe the area is given over to the large marble quarry, while iron mines also add some measure of industry, while the land that isn't mined and quarried is given over to farming.

The forest is ancient, twisted trees and gnarled branches add a certain foreboding sense to the forest, especially during the darker hours. The forest itself is home to the snakes of County Kaedon, given its rather apt named of the Snakewood. Dominating the landscape now, is the newly built County capital of Silverhill, the large city fortified by walls and home to the largest Temple dedicated to the Many. While at the centre, the trading port of Pinevale continues to run trade throughout Galenthia and beyond.

1875-10-31
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Lillian, having accepted Dertan's invitation to visit the library, and having done as duty required her at Griffon Point, had begun the journey towards Silverhill. She had taken an airship for the first leg, but as she had approached Kaedon county, she has decided to take to horse, so that she might be better able to encounter the people who lived there, and perhaps, to learn their stories as Dertan had instructed her. And so, she found herself at a waystation along the road, and used her time there to replenish supplies and to tend to her horse. She wore the black and red armor of her House, though the cloak was the deep green of Arkanin.

=

After the ball Elisha rather had her hands full with the destiny in front of her. Six months before Torth possibly went poof and all. But thankfully she had a plan, after hiring a few crafters for the buisiness she had begin back in hellsmouth, she hopped aboard her horse and jeaded for Coning.

But on the way she heard about bandits on the area of County Kaedon and it was close enough that she figured, hey, why /not/ do a quick good deed?

=

Dertan rides out to join Lillian, since she's here at his invitation, and he's rather a fan of air travel. Why not leap on the smallest excuse to indulge? He's got his partharian horse with him and the finely boned animal prances before pawing the ground at Lillian's own mount. Something Dertan seems rather oblivious to as he raises a hand in greeting and then takes in Lillian's clothing before shifting to ride alongside. He's dressed in that ankle length leather surcoat he's started favoring so much. The knights arms on his belt showing a tower being constricted, or is that guarded, by a green Serpent. "I see you made haste Lillian." His eyes take note of the knight in strange colours and he takes a moment to assess her.

=

"I do not believe we have much time to waste, and I appreciated your willingness to allow me to meet with your folk. And if I can offer my assistance as I travel, then so much the better." Lillian's own steed was servicable enough, just your standard destrier, the sort she had always used as a knight. Dertan's glance caused Lillian's to shift as well, her words a soft murmur, "Some sort of imperial, if I do not miss my mark." She had certainly had enough experience with them of late.

=

Elisha wasn't shy about approaching a couple of strangers, after all, she was here to fight bandits all by herself so no point being afraid as she nudged her mare into motion gently, waving her hand in a friendly gesture. "I'd be careful out here strangers, Bandits about," she called before approaching and blinking in suprise. "Your Lordship, I was just on my way to your lands, decided to take a little detour," she explains, while normally one of the shyest creatures around, the thrill of an upcoming battle had her much more at ease.

=

Dertan inclines his head in a, probably snobby, fashion as Elisha calls him Your Lordship. "Are there now?" he asks. "That certainly sounds inconvenient." he looks to Lillian. "The Battleborn are out west trying to restrain Ironhold. I'm afraid it leaves openings for enterprising individuals. As always." the reins get passed from one hand to the other. "How did you hear about these bandits?"

-

"It seems that banditry has risen to an unsurpassed level within the last few weeks." Lillian's own tone was conversational, as if the thought of that did not bother her. Or, perhaps, more that they were a problem she was ready to deal with. "I wonder that they are not organizing themselves. They seem to be striking at key locations."

-

Elisha definitely thinks its snobby a d makes a face. Dertan knows the world is ending and knows they have bigger priorities, so elisha is taking advantage of that to be a little not noble like. "I was in the area and I keep an ear to the ground for that sort of thing, thats all," thats what happens when you're approachable Dertan.

"Right now their favoured target seems to be nobles, ransoms and all that, the two of you should be careful," she warns with a small smile

-

"Theres always someone organising it." Dertan says to Lillian "They question is, as you say, is it one individual or many?" He looks back to Elisha. "Well. I suppose we can not leave them to roam wily-nilly over the countryside ambushing nobles. Yet I have to ask. How do we know you are not one of them young woman? You could easily have been sent out here to lure us away from the relative safety of the road." A glance to Lillian. To see if she has anything to offer.

-

"I am always careful. But I am not given to living in fear, or failing to meet a challenge when it is presented," Lillian offered. "Should someone wish to take me hostage, they will have to work for their prize." To Dertan, she nodded, "As you say. I heard of some so-called 'Bandit King' in Tarris lands, who seemed to be rallying the troops, so to speak. I did not hear of him being dealt with."

-

Elisha straight up laughs in his face and nearly draws her sword, her eyes are blazing and it's clear apparently whatever her tolerance he's officially ended it.

"I don't know your problem, but we've met twice before, and one of those events was reserved for the aristocracy, so i think you ought to back down from those words before i show you why o feel confident hunting bandits alone," thankfully, for all parties involved, their little get together is interrupted. A group of farmers waving their various farming implents like they're the most menacing things in the world. A man, dressed in leather armour and looking only slightly more suitable for battle steps out from the group.

"If the Signora comes with us, then nobody has to get hurt," which is a bold statement considering there can't be more than half a dozen men plus the leader.

-

Dertan responds as if people react like that around him all the time. His expression hardens and his eyes glance down to her hand before going back to her eyes but he might as well be a statue for all the fear he shows. "Draw on me." He says with cold challenge. "And you die."

Luckily for everyone this happens to be the point that bandits choose to make themselves known. Dertan looks to Lillian and then back to the group. His bow moving into his hand even as he slides down from his saddle.

-

Lillian's eyes narrowed at Elisha's response to Dertan. "I think, you would be better advised to take watch of your tone, Sir." For she could see the spurs the still unknown woman, to her, was wearing, "These are not the lands of the Empire, but the sovereign country of Galenthia. You are far from your home, and I, for one, have no idea who you are. However, you wear the arms and stylings of the Horned Knights. I cannot imagine that Ludovic would take kindly to such rudeness from one of his own." But before she could continue, or comment on Dertan's reply, the road was suddenly filled with rabble, and Lillian shifted on her horse, slipping down to join Dertan, her shield taken up, and her sword drawn "The Signora is not at all interested in going anywhere with you."

-

Elisha laughs good natiredly with a grin at Lillian. "Yes i am a horned Knight, and i think Dovi would understand my anger at being called a bandit, in Aequor, we defend our honour rather than let strangers talk us down. Not that i'm Aequorian anymore, but I grew up that way, just be glad I didn't take any lessons over the last two years," she was seriously considering taking them both on that minute had the 'bandits' not shown up to gove her a better target.

"Look, this asshole over here has put me in a bad mood, so i'll make it short and sweet, go turn yourselves in right now, or doe," it wasn't so much an intimidation attempt as it was just a stated fact, their leader backed off for now but the farmers turned bandits rushed them, two each for each individual. Undaunted Elisha hopped down from her horse and fully drew her blade ready for a fight, no negotations, no sympathy. What some might see as poor and desperate farmers she merely saw as cowards, and she killed cowards.

-

"So far as I can see, he did not call you a bandit, he simply asked a question. You are a lone Imperial, in a land that does not welcome them overmuch. I have not, in point of fact, ever seen any Imperial venture further from their lands than my own County. And Murias is far from here. And you come to us speaking of knowledge of bandits. You claim he has met you before, and yet, I do not know anyone that I would claim to know inside and out after only meeting them twice. You might have simply said that you spoke with those you met along the road. You had neither cause nor reason to take offense." But anything else Lillian might have been about to say is dashed, as Elisha's comment to the farmers causes them to charge towards the small trio of nobles.

-

Elisha is merciless and it shows. Cowards! How dare they, they had civilization, a life to live and they chose THIS. One she can't befin with how disgusted she is and it's obvious with how quickly she rips through them, no sympathy, no remorse. When the last farmer falls she turns and heads for their leader, along with Lillian apparently who she takes the time to hiss to. "For your information my lady, he INVITED me to his lands, thats why i take offence to the invitation, i mean c'mon now!" she hisses before focusing once more on the ensuing battle.

-

"A knight knows when to control their temper. And if you were here on his invitation, that you also might have mentioned, instead of repaying his hospitality with threat of violence." But Lillian was more concerned with finishing the seeming leader of this rabble, than continuing the argument.

-

Dertan's bow is a deceptively small thing, designed to be small enough to fit into the hip quiver and not interfere with the workings of a soldier fighting in close quarthers, perhaps even be useable in tight quarters, certainly Dertan can seemingly manage to do melee with it. But then the Baron is agile like a cat and apparantly capable of firing the bow off from all kinds of rediculous positions. As the two soldiers charge towards him, expecting the shots to go high he drops into a half kneel, the bow turned horizontal to the ground, and shoots one of them in the groin. A kill shot that goes right through the attempts at armoring him and severs the artery there. He's back on his feet and ducking around the other would-be-bandits wild swing a moment later. A second arrow already on the bowstring.

-

It's not clear who strikes the delisional bandit down, Elishas merciles strikes or Lillians anger fueld ones but he is very much dead, and as they stand over the corpse her eyes rise up to meet the womans again. "These aren't his lands, here he is nothing but rude, the POINT is if he trusted me enough to invite me along with the others he knows damn well i'm not a bandit. As for my temper I am defending my families honour, not kuch more knightly then that," she comments as she sheaths her blood soaked sword, her angers spent now, so she really couldn't care. "Also my status is in flux, i'm a horned Knight but not an imperial citizen, and Aequor has long dismissed me as dead," she says with a laugh, the fight was fun, but not tiring.

-

"Here," Lillian began, as the man fell between them, and she picked back up the thread of the conversation, "He is a Baron of Galenthia, and due the respect accorded to his station. We do not always have to like those that we engage with, but the rules of respect require that we adhere to them. I see nothing in what he said that was an insult to your family. It was question, so far as I can see, made in an attempt to ascertain how you came by such reports as you gave. And as for your temper, there are ways in which knights can resolve issues between them. For he is also a knight. Threatening him with violence because you did not like the question posed to you is not the way knights settle disputes. As for not being an Imperial Citizen, all who pay allegiance to Gens d'Korbina are imperial citizens."

-

Another arrow wings its way to its target before solidly embedding into its target. This one was aimed at the mans eye and the arrow passes almost the entire way through his head before stopping against the solid barrier at the back of his skull. The distinctive green, white and black fletching quivering with the shock of the impact. Dertan looks around, almost lazily, to see if there are any more threats and then he moves to haul the arrows out of both of his kills. Rather than pay much attention to the words passing between Elisha and Lillian he tilts his heads to examining the arrows and then moves back to his horse. He reaches to grab the animals head and lower it so he can give it a calming rub and then moves up into the saddle. "Listening to you tell me all about my own motives, rights and authority is truly enlightening. But I think it is best that I take the high road and continue on my way before you offend me further." he glances to Lillian. "I will meet you at the Temple tomorrow."

-

"What he is, is baron of a place thats about to, i don't know, explode under our feet or something if we don't figure out what on URTH the goblin at the masque ball was talking about," she almost can't say it with a straight face it sounds so ridiculous but that should change the conversation at least.

"As for respect, you'll have to excise me, i just got back spending TWO YEARS as a slave to the Qutanux, i have little patience and even less memory of any life before that, i spent that time being talked down to….so now that I have power to tell people to shove it without being killed, I do so," the latter is genuine, its a helpless statement made by a girl who feels even more helpless. The idea of a society where one does not kill over slights should be comforting, but she can only find it foreign.

"Take care!" she calls to Dertan, and not even sarcastically because her angers gone, who cares about one asshole anymore?

-

"Of course, Baron." Lillian was not about to stop Dertan from taking his leave. Once she had bid him farewell, she returned to the still unnamed knight. "I am afraid I know nothing of this ball. And the only goblins I have met I have killed." Lillian considered the woman before her, "And while you have my sympathy for the suffering you have no doubt endured, for I know something of the Qatunax, as I call Dovi my friend and know of his troubles, and my own husband is encamped in the Imperial colonias assisting the legion in its war, if you have no memory or patience for the life you lived before, then you might do well to take lessons to assist you in remembering. For so far as I can see, the world has not ended yet. And should you desire to work with others to prevent that doom, you will not succeed if you cannot learn to control your temper. Nor will you find the world a welcoming place should that doom not come to pass, if you cannot find a way to live in the world that comes after. And, I would remind you that you do not have the power to 'tell people to shove it' without being killed. The Baron would be well within his rights to request that you be sanctioned for your words and for your threat to his person and safety." Lillian, having cleaned her blade, slipped her shield back onto her back, before she called over a small gathering of people who had stopped on the road. "If you would, send for the local lawman. Tell him that there are dead here, and that I will meet him at the next waypoint to give my report." As she looked back to Elisha, she offered a nod of her head, "Farewell, Sir."

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