Trap! Holding for Hostages (Part 2)
"If it is of any consolation," Verna offers to Dirk, "I would have allowed our noble lord to continue bleeding. His wound would not become life-threatening for several more hours." She is already moving to Dolan with her kit when he mentions his need. "I see," she acknowledges Dolan's concerns as she examines his wounds and works to bind them. "I shall endeavor to bind them well, so that you earn no concerned wrath, that your posterior remains unstruck, and any time spent in bed is mutually approved..." After working on him a few moments, she adds, for all interest parties, "I am well enough. A bout of insomnia prevented my prayers and preparations this day. A temporary inconvenience, yet one all should be aware of as we continue on."
Halani has a certain amount of confidence in her rope-tying skills; she's perched on top of the werewolf, thumping him if he starts to get rowdy. "Well, good to know that, Mourner. Hope you been practicing your shooter skills, yeah?" Thump. "We going to ask this one about anything, or do we just put him down?"
Dolan, who had sat down and settled back onto his elbows to allow the Mourner to tend his wounds, snorts. "I'd rather not leave anyone to bleed. Seen plenty enough of that. Dirk, you mind tracking down his horse and making sure it ain't get hit? None of this is the animal's fault."
He grimaces in discomfort as Verna works, and more at her comment. "Fuck. Bad dreams?" The last comes out gentle and sympathetic. "Not hunting and chasing something, are they?"
"I want to know where the girl is." This is directed at Halani.
"Yes please!" Utters the lord, looking half afraid and half hopeful. "Even if you must hate me, please don't punish my poor Elis!"
For the moment bound and gagged as it is, the werewolf is of little assistance to you, but it does seem to be trying to free itself as best it can. Subtly he tries to cut the bonds of his rope prison with his claws, but Halani's stomp to his hand puts an end to that.
"I gain more practice now than ever before," Verna notes to Halani. Assuring? Possibly. The last wound of Dolan's currently being dressed is abruptly cinched quite firmly. "Yes." She does not expound. She then turns her attention to the bound lycanthrope. "Any information it chooses to provide would be useful. Otherwise, we have no reason to keep it alive to spread more contagion."
Dirk is still giving that werewolf the hairy eyeball. And with those shaggy brows hanging over his eyes, he does a pretty good job of it. He looks over to Dolan, tipping back the brim of his tricorne as he looks up at the man. "Aye, I can do that," he says. "'course, catchin' -up- tae the beast is a whole 'nother matter, innit? But I'll see what I can do." He turns and starts trotting off in the direction the horse ran, his gaze already scanning the ground to seek out tracks.
GAME: Dirk rolls Survival+2: (5)+7+2: 14
Halani slips to her feet, then looks the werewolf square on, pointing at her eyes with two fingers, then pointing at him with one. The finger curls into a fist. She gives a moment to let that sink in, then, with her eyes never leaving the wolfman, she unbinds his muzzle.
The hard cinch is enough to draw a hiss between Dolan's teeth, but seeing that she has finished, sits up and then gets carefully to his feet, dusting himself off. "Thanks," he nods his appreciation to Verna, then makes his way out towards the bound lord with a noticeable favoring of that slashed left leg. "As for you, my lord. I understand the desire to protect your lady, but you've got no business being out here. You're damned lucky you weren't killed. We're under your orders, but we're the ones who know how to keep themselves alive out here. We'll find your girl and do what we can for her, but if a fight breaks out, you get the hell out of the way. Do we have a deal?" The stare, with both artificial and natural eyes, is direct and unsettling, but the tone is not devoid of sympathy.
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+22+5: (19)+22+5: 46 GAME: Halani rolls 2d6+2+5: (4)+2+5: 11 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+17: (5)+17: 22
The werewolf snaps his teeth at Halani the moment that his mouth is free, growling and chomping at the bit more than a little. He takes a smack to the head for his efforts, but seems largely undismayed by the response to his attempt to bite her. He says nothing intelligible, just growls.
The lord nods to Dolan, finally finding his feet and dusting his clothes off. "They said that if I wore this rose that they'd know that they weren't supposed to attack me." He plucks the black rose off his lapel and tosses it angrily to the ground. "They never intended to honor their agreement." He eyes the wolf more than a little fearfully. "They've no honor at all. Nor've I given that I lied to you all."
It may be just as well that Verna had finished treating Dolan, as the snapping lycanthrope causes her to recoil, despite its jaws not directed at her. "We should continue our search once Dirk returns. If they made this agreement without faith, there is no guarantee of her safety. That one," she adds, steeling herself to look to the lupine again, "will only seek to escape and harass us, or warn the others."
Halani utters a word in her Jade Islander dialect.. probably translates close to 'fucker'.. when the lycan bites at her. Her response is swift; she boxes him upside the head, then steps back out of range of the snapping jaws as she sees that the punch was little deterrent. "Don't think you'll get much out've this one, yeah? Unless you got silver you wanna poke him with." She settles back on her heels, watching what she's guessing is more a rabid animal, now. "Might be the mourner's got the right about it, yeah? And one still got away. Might be able to follow him."
"If you learned better from this experience, maybe it's worth it." Dolan's stare is still intent. "Bandits don't have honor." There's a note of _I cannot believe I have to explain this_ hiding in his tone, though. "They wouldn't be bandits if they did, werewolves or not. They're right, though. These are followers of Caracoroth. I've seen 'em a few times before."
Understatement of the century.
"I'd bet they've turned your girl into one of them. It's fixable if we get to her fast enough. As soon as Dirk comes back, I'll do what I can for him, and we'd better get a move on. Do we have a deal? That you'll get out of the way if a fight breaks out?" That stare hasn't moved.
"Yea. We've a deal." Offers the lord, unsettled both by Dolan's stare and by the werewolf alike. He finally looks at the other man and then around to the others. "What are you going to do with him? Can't keep him tied up forever."
The werewolf in question deeply growls at Halani, but can't reach her to try a second bite. He just wiggles in his bonds uselessly and glares at the lot of you.
Dirk makes his way through the pastoral countryside, following the horse's trail. Under hill and over dale, hopping a creek and scrabbling up a rise. The poor beast leads him a merry chase, having bolted in a panic. Not to mention its injury. Eventually, though, Dirk finds the animal in a glade, panting with exhaustion. He lifts a hand, making a soft clicking sound with his tongue. "Whoa, easy now, laddie, easy, I'm nae goin' tae hurt ye," he says gently. Carefully, he approaches, moving slowly so as not to spook the poor thing. It's been scared enough for one day. "Therrrre's a lad. Good boy."
"No, we cannot," Verna concurs with the lord on this one point, "and it will harry us, or others". After securing her healing supplies, she draws her dragonspitter again to level it at the creature. Just because it is not actively gnawing upon anyone at this moment does not make it not a threat. It is entirely logical (and certainly not biased) that it be removed, so she fires.
"Sorry, Doggy... should've been cooperating, yeah?" Halani says to the werewolf.. and she even sounds a little sad, but she shrugs, shaking it off as she regards Dolan, Dirk and the horse. "So we give chase, then? We sticking together, or sending someone ahead?"
Dolan nods at the general commentary, and at the lord. "Good enough. If you take anything out of it, it's that honesty still is the best and most just policy." Finally, he pulls his gaze away, and can't hide a flinch as the dragonspitter goes off. It's a messy end for the wolf, but it had it coming, and he turns away. "Leave it for the crows. I say we stick together, we don't know if there's another ambush waiting."
GAME: Dirk rolls Handle Animal+2: (9)+5+2: 16 GAME: Halani rolls survival: (9)+22: 31 GAME: Dolan rolls survival+1: (19)+7+1: 27 GAME: Verna rolls survival: (20)+26: 46
It doesn't take long to find the tracks of the other werewolf. It's even simpler to realize that he's taken a route back the way you've come. Thanks to some extra-good sleuthing you manage to cut hours off your tracking time. You are forced to slow when you hear voices ahead though, and through some bushes spot a group of some ten men camped beside the road. It's a decently sized force. Perhaps too large to assail in a frontal attack. Seems likely that some other plan will have to be made.
Verna does not take joy from it, though afterwards does feel more ..secure. After reloading and stowing her weapon, she does take a few moments to at least arrange the remains. Even if it is to be left for the wilds to claim, it may have once been a free individual. If not, the dead still deserve some measure of respect. It is only after that she moves to aid the others in the search for a trail. A search made easier as others spy the start, first.
She is not trained in woodscraft, but she is perceptive. She is not skilled at stealth, but she is small, blandly-clothed, and not encumbered by noisy armor. As they hear the voices and spy the camp ahead, she looks to the others questioningly. Tactician is also among the list of things she is not, though she is wise enough to not call out her question of next steps.
GAME: Dolan rolls perception: (6)+9: 15 GAME: Dirk rolls Perception: (15)+7: 22 GAME: Halani rolls perception: (10)+25: 35
Dirk finally managed to get the horse calmed down enough to lead it back to the others. And then, the hunt is on! He grips his thunderbelcher in both hands, hunkering down to keep himself low to the ground. When they find the camp, he drops onto his belly, field-crawling forward to peer at the enemy group. His gaze flits across the camp, coming to rest on the tent. He leans forward, eyes narrowing as he peers out from beneath the bushes. "That could be her," he mutters under his breath, keeping his voice pitched low so it doesn't carry. "Back's to me though. I cannae see 'er face."
Halani has her hood up, body low, creeping about like Dirk. "Maybe there's a way around, yeah?" she asks quietly. "Cut our way into the big tent there?"
Dolan has crawled similarly, but rolls enough to dig into his pack, pulling free three glass flasks, each with a wax stopped, from their safe carrying case. He doesn't speak, but nods to them and points at the campfire.
The lord keeps his mouth shut. Keeps his profile low. Almost like he knows what he's doing. Hunting is a thing that nobles do though, so maybe he's got a few skills that'll keep him alive.
Verna is crouched low as she looks to Dirk, the tent, then to Dolan, the campfire, and Halani, in that order. "We move around to tent, use the distraction to free her?" she partly proposes, mostly inquires, wholly quietly.
Dirk squints. "Damn it. It's dark enough in that tent fer me darkvision tae kick in," he mutters. "I cannae make out any colors." He looks over to Dolan, then the vials. He blinks a couple times, then looks back at the camp. "Hrm. Weather's been wet enough, I dinnae *think* the woods are likely tae catch. Still... we'll have tae move -fast-."
Halani grins broadly, teeth flashing briefly. "You want fast, I give you fast, yeah?" She looks backwards the camp, avoiding looking at the fire, mostly, as she tries to get a headcount. "Hopefully she hasn't been bitten."
Dolan nods at Dirk, a frown suddenly creasing the mobile half of his face, but he turns his face back toward the fire, then towards all of them in turn. "Not sure I'l hit this far out, bet you're better," he mutters quietly to Halani and Dirk.
Verna frowns as as considers their forming plan and those present. "She is swift, I am of little benefit in a direct engagement. Perhaps we can fetch the girl. You both," she looks to Dolan and Dirk, "have aim and armor when your distraction succeeds." She is optimistic of the distraction, but recognizes, "though I may need a head start. If you are overwhelmed, Halani could then return far faster than I, as well."
Halani nods slowly to Dolan and Verna... then eyes the fire again. "Mourner... I think it will be better for me to be here. I'm not so strong as big man, yeah? If you get into trouble, I will be there. On my honor."
Dirk reaches up to take the vial Dolan passes him, nodding his head. "Aye, I should be able tae hit." He looks to the others. "Right. We know what we're doin' then? Halani an' I make the ruckus, Dolan an' Verna get in, get the lass, an' get out." He weighs the vial of accelerant in his hand, gulping softly. "Then we run like Caracoroth hisself is on our heels," he says.
"He probably will be." Dolan mutters under his breath, but nods to the other two and turns to crawl towards the largest tenet, pausing only to wait for Verna. She needs to lead, because he can't see.
Verna nods to Halani, then Dirk. "Good fortune. At worst, we can meet at the site of the former battle." Not ideal, but a nearby landmark preferable to 'the fifth rock back.' To Dolan, she notes, "You will be easier to keep pace with." She then turns to begin skirting the camp, leading with eyes and ears.
GAME: Dolan rolls stealth: (6)+-2: 4 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (13)+4: 17 GAME: Dirk rolls Ranged-2: (2)+5+-2: 5
Unfortunately, those in armor are not known for stealth, and when one is paying more attention to placing one's feet than being quiet, the result is predictable. Dolan's limp hampers him, and he is cringe-worthily obvious, a shadow against the trees that creaks way too noisily. He does move with a noticeable limp, favoring the left leg.
GAME: Dirk rolls Ranged-2: (19)+5+-2: 22
Dirk counts out a quiet beat under his breath as Verna and Dolan slip away. Once he's certain they're under way, he leans forward. "Urgh!" He lofts the vial into the air. It tumbles end-over-end, sailing through the air. He made sure to get plenty of air, so that it would break when it it the fire. And break it does! WHOOMF! The campfire goes up like a fireball, engulfing one of the bandits, who was, at that moment, taking a chug from a bottle of moonshine. The poor devil goes up with a mighty FWOOM! "Gotcha!" Dirk grins as he rolls up onto one knee. He brings up his rifle, tucking the stock against his shoulder and training it on the camp. "Alllll right, who's dancin' first?"
Halani wants to 'whoop!' as the fire explodes. In fact, her fist starts to jerk up... but she manages to restrain herself. To an extend. She can't hide the massive grin splitting her face. Then she reminds herself to keep track of the large tent and the person inside, watching for hers and Dirk's infiltrating comrades.
GAME: Verna rolls stealth: (4)+21: 25
Verna moves with Dolan for the tent. Upon noting the hampering of the limp, she steps in alongside all the nearer. She does not have the true mass (most of her volume is from her robes) nor might to offer, but is present should he need a crutch. Most of her attention is ahead upon the tent. That is the goal.
GAME: Dolan rolls perception: (13)+9: 22
FOOM! The campfire goes up, and Dolan pauses, then ducks quickly back out of the line of sight. He hisses between his teeth, as quietly as he can manage, "Not alone. Can't tell if it's her."
-TBC