George
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Quest Beginning
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Two Mentian, one from Upper Mentia, one from Kadho, ended up in the same job together in the middle - in Middle Mentia, naturally. The feuding kingdoms were abundant with opportunities for employment hungry mercenaries - specifically those who wandered around. 

A local lord's retinue has been summoned to join in another raid - leaving him depleted of much needed garrison. As a result, a group of common bandits and escaped peasants have taken up arms and started robbing travellers. The local lord put down a bounty on their head. It is said they were poorly armed and numbered... Around less than a dozen. That is the most accurate information they could gather. 

The two would've been hired by the lord to deal with the bandits, and provided transport to a small unfortified market town close to the hideout - though the lord might've expressed his dismay at the impoverished, horseless status of the two adventurers - still, he needed fighting men (and women), so he isn't exactly going to complain - not like he will pay them unless they take down the bandits. 

Now the two have an hour or two to themselves to find out where the bandits are...

The town have a small militia, several merchants selling ordinary good and provide some ordinary services expected of a town housing perhaps, five hundred permanent inhabitant at most.
Joe
*'Poorly armed peasants?' she thought as she scanned the paper, though not really a men-at-arms request for battle, it seemed like enough justification to have her sent out. Arriving at the staging point via a cheap carriage to near the location and then paid for it to stay near the city for when she returned.*

*She saw the other person hired for this quick and hopefully, easy task, and waved them over and then began to check her modest gear and supplies for at the light mission. Both daggers secured, well sharpened were put back into their holsters inside of her loose clothes.*
George
*The locals greeted the two strange armed person with a bit of precaution. Nothing out of the ordinary, it seemed.

It seems the local militia leader has been informed of their arrival. He would arrive to greet them, dressed up in nothing but his tunic and pants along with a sword on his belt*

"Hello! My name's Falrich, are you two the mercenary our lord has sent to help us deal with the bandits?"
Joe
_She nodded, "I am Tara, a soldier for the area," She paused for a moment, "Outside of robberies, has there been anything else strange going on?" She said abruptly, cutting to the chase as fast as possible, "Any information could assist us in this."_
George
*The militiaman shook his head,*"Nothing more than the usual, M'lady. We had a few farmer robbed of their goods - mostly food, on the route leading here from the east. The garrison are away and the lord's soldiers are too, there've been more wolves attack than usual... Ah..." 

*He scratched his head,*"They keep coming from the east, perhaps that's where the bandits are coming from. We also have a grain merchant who was robbed."

"I can muster three good volunteers at most to come with you, but they'll want a share of the bounty for the risk."
Joe
*Nodded along with everything he was saying, and then took a moment to think about the volunteers, "I guess it will help, just please do not get overzealous if we find them," Tara said before continuing, "East? Has there been any sightings of campfires?" She asked.*
George
*He shook his head,*"They are the best man this village have that isn't fighting with the lord - quite young, please make sure they come back alive and intact. Our lord didn't hire adventurer for us to risk our men, after all."

"We have not seen any campfire, only know they hit us from the east. There's a few hills you could look for them on, however. We have stopped herding our sheeps nearby because of the bandits."
Theodore
`After a couple of minutes missing, the large man comes back, dusting off his ragged shirt, he looked like an ordinary peasant, large and burly peasant to say the least, no armor, no weapons... Or so it seems.`

"Please excuse ma' absence, had to get a piss on a tree nearby, hah!"

`He approaches the militia leader, and extends his callouses filled hand towards him... The knuckles were quite prominent, filled with scars and callouses the size of coins, a punch from this man would send ya right into the heavens!!.`

"Name's Darian, also..."

`He takes out the paper with the instructions, and shows it to both the woman and the leader.`

"Can't read shit with this fancy ass lettering, can you help me out what does it say please?"
George
Falrich barely suppressed a "Eugh". At least this new lady looked... Somewhat well equipped. But what the hell was with the newest man? 

Not that any of the adventurer would know, but the eyebrows on the leader was straining a bit. 

"...I've heard of man who fight with their bare fist against swords. You one of them?"
Joe
*She stared up at the giant for a moment and then read out the letter that she had tucked away, "We kill bandits, they are east, probably around the hills," She said in a clear and hopefully straightforward way. "We are almost off ..."*

*"And I apologize, young soldiers," Tara turned to face them, "I did not know your skills and I am sorry for that."*
Theodore
"Oh, absolutely! Nothing better that your own fists... Blades get dull, break... Arrows are limited, and Hammers are just too big and bulky, a nuisance... But these babies, the best tools a man can have alright!"

`He shows his huge hands, tough fingers and knuckles that show the hard work of a laborer.`

"Now, i cannot catch swords mid-swing, but im good at evading, trust!."

"Oh, and my deepest thanks, uh..."

`the man diverts his attention to the rogue woman`
George
*Falrich looked rather perplexed, then stood up*

"I will gather the men for you, in the meantime, you two can have tea at the local tavern"

*He led the two to the local tavern, a humble establishment with eight rooms. He informed the tavern keeper of the new arrival. A boy in his mid teen would run up to the table* 

"Tea or small wine?"

*As he asked, a remarkably fat and well dressed man barged into the tavern, looking around anxiously*
Joe
_"Small wine," Tara said as she sat at the table they had set for us alongside and took a sip when the large fat man entered the room. 

"Sir?" She asked the man who was looking around._
Theodore
`Darian would stand there, waiting for the name of the lady, sadly, she didnt get the message. Sighing, he would follow the military leader, which doesnt know the name either.`

"Ooh, fer me some tea, wine dampens performance alright."

`He looks at the kiddo, and not so subtlety looks at him.`

"Aye!! You remind me of myself when younger, but more bony and smaller..."

`Says while scratching the thin beard of his chin with his index finger and thumb.`

"Got any girls behind ya? Or maybe boys?~"

`he smirks slyly.`

"Haha, you should, yer handsome, boy!!"

`he loudly says, with a genuine smile on his face, quite uncomfortable yet warm`
George
"Ah! There you are!" The merchant exclaimed as he made his way to the table. He found a nearby chair and set it down.

The boy nodded nervously at the large, burly man, and then hurried back to the safety of the tavern keeper.

He returned a minute later with a cup of small wine for the rogue, and black tea for the burly man. Pure black tea, sans milk and sugar.

The merchant began to speak,"I heard you two are the mercenaries our lord sent to us, right? The bandits took three mules from a caravan of mine, loaded with cloth and spices. I will reward you two handsomely if you could take them back for me"

"The caravan leader told me that they numbered around six and were armed with swords and shields."
Theodore
`Dorian sees the boy arrive, quite excited for his tea, he was thirsty.`

"Thanks ya!!"

`he pulls out three silver coins from a bag, takes the boy's hand and bruteishly puts them on his palm, the raw strength of this man was quite notorious.`

"Shush."

`he then looks both left and right, then leans forward towards the boy, without letting go, whispering.`

"Buy ya something, kiddo, you should enjoy yer youth while you can."

`then he nods and lets go, sitting back onto his seat, taking the cup of tea with four fingers, lifting his pinky just slightly, taking a sip... He freezes for a second, processing the taste, then inevitably spitting the liquid.`

"Shite, this has no sugar... Yo kid, have some sugar?"
Joe
_"Easy peasy," She said, taking a sip from her wine, "Could easily do it, but it will cost you, but not as much as hiring a rescue team and paying off the mercenaries to get it back, much cheaper."_
George
"Su... Gar.." *The boy looked at him with wild eyes,*"I can get some." *The boy went back to the tavern keeper, who seemed astonished they wanted sugar, and then fetched them a pittance of sugar in a spoon - enough to make the tea more bearable for someone with a sweet tooth.* 

"How about this - I'll pay you in kind, with a... Quarter of the goods on the mule. Is that fine for you?"
Joe
*Tara tapped her chin and then reached out her hand to shake his, "I think that is a fair deal, and if there is nothing?" She asked with a perked brow.*
George
*The merchant rubbed his chin,*"Mmm... I am sure the lord is already paying you." *He stared back at her, hesitating to shake her hand.* 

"Alright, I'll throw in four hundred silver for each of you for getting rid of them. Just don't tell the militiaman about that."
Joe
*She rolled her eyes and took her hand back, "That is more than fair, a good deal," Tara turned to the big man and the captain, "We should head out as soon as possible, before some little spy or wind tells them we are coming."*
George
*The militia leader would open the door to the tavern, and turned toward Tara. Behind him were two men with shield strapped to their back, with a mass produced falchion on their belt, a small quiver of bolts and a crossbow on the side.* 

"I've gathered the men who will fight with you." *Falrich said.* 

"Are you ready to go? There is not much time before sunset."
Joe
*"I would prefer to do this at night, but if they got the goods of a caravan ... They are not going to stay here long and will likely go somewhere else, so we should leave now," Tara got up from her seat and waited for the big man to get up.*
George
*Falrich leaned forth*,"Are you one of those who can see at night? My men can't, and I am not sure about your companion either."

"Surely torches would alert them to your presence."
Joe
_"Ah, I see ..." She glanced at them and then said, "Doesn't matter though, we will head out now, I will be off about thirty or sixty horse lengths away, the big man will lead, if you are ambushed, whistle, I will be stalking and flanking."*_
George
"I wish you all good luck." *Falrich said, before leaving the tavern. The two men would leave the tavern too, and find their third companion standing outside impatiently, holding their boar spears for them - which would've been awkward to carry into the tavern.* 

*One of them pointed at the hill that Falrich proposed they scout out earlier,*"That is where I used to herd my sheep. Shall we scout together?"
Joe
_Following them out, she rehashed what she said to the big man and then went on her way to scout on her own so that they could cover more ground but also so she could ambush the peasants if need be. She stalked from hill to hill, bush to bush, tree to tree, keeping a line of sight on them as much as she could, and backtracking when she couldn't._
George
*While the four would presumably go up the hill, Tara would strike out on her own. Her skill as a former bandit in Mentia would help her quite a bit, and she would quickly locate several ideal campsites. Her luck would be frustratingly bad, with the bandit's trail not turning up for two hours, until she happened upon a trail leading from the main road east back to the camp - it looked like there were animal tracks too, and they made a sloppy job covering it. 

It seems to be relatively fresh - having been trodded over by only a few animals in the meantime.*
Joe
_She made three claps as she neared the others, "I found a trail, these bandits are probably new to this as they covered it up horribly," Tara said of her findings to them, "Sorry it took me so long ... The terrain out there is all sorts of bad luck."_
Theodore
`Darian would take a good while to think while on the foot.`

"If they are really carrying the goods, doubt they would go too high or in a steep place, makes the moving of the carriages harder, and movement is fairly slower and sloppier, i'd suggest we check into more wider areas with less obstacles and more folliage, which i suppose they will try to use as a compensation."
Joe
_"Lets follow the trail and if it doesn't work out we will do that," She said to the big man and then showed them the trail and started scouting in circles around them, remaining hidden the entire time._
Theodore
"Be careful, not every trail is to trust."
George
*The three soldiers would follow them, strapping their spear in favor of holding out their falchion, which was more compact to carry in the forest.* 

*Tara's luck wouldn't improve much, but she managed to find a way to the main camp following the trail. Darian though, would spot another animal trail, leading away from the one Tara was leading them to, it seemed to lead up a hill, toward a stream in the distance.*

*Now the two could choose to follow the trail to the presumed campsite, or toward the stream.*
Theodore
"Wait, im such an idiot... Of course they wouldn't take the carriage, less through a forest!!"

`he facepalms himself.`

"They would take the animals only!! And thus take more riskier routes."
George
*One soldier tapped Darian's shoulder.* 

"SHHHHH!"
Theodore
`The man jumps from the sudden tapping, and then he whispers.`

"Oh yeah, sorry... My bad."
Joe
_She had been trying to find them, then heard the exclaimation through the woods and set off, "I found the trail, big dude, it is back there ..."_
George
Now that they've gathered, it is up to the two to sneak directly to the campsite, attempt to find another route - or try to do something in the stream. There's plenty of vegetation around the stream, and it seems to be relatively flat.
Theodore
`The best case scenario for the big boy, would be am ambush, to charge right into their faces before they even get to their weapons, but big guy isn't exactly stealthy, as previous interactions have shown.`

"Yo, hunter girl, i best believe that yer should attack first, im not good at stealth, so... You ambush them first, get their attention and i'll smack their heads with these babies."

`Says as he shows his barehands.`
Joe
_She gave another few taps to her chin and pondered it for a moment before saying "I think you should go in first, along with the spearmen, and I will come up behind and get em'," She said, "I don't even have any armor either ... So maybe the spearmen first?"_