The bandits are dressed in various brigandines and studded jacks, all useless now. The bandit under the big X still has a hand on the spear in the elf. The elf himself is almost laying down, but the spear forms sort of a tripod with legs. The elf's sword lays broken near his hand and his bow a dozen feet away, their handiwork gracing this and other bandits. His fine armor of silvery links is likewise rent and ruined by the spear. He wears a long, green coat over this, likewise pierced, and its hue matches the forest.<br/><br/>The other bandit, his woolen pants are covered in blood. So much blood that it has yep to begin congealing. Examining him a bit closer, you see a cut, likely from a dagger, in the crotch near his codpiece. It must have pierced the artery; he likely bled out with a single heartbeat. Aria immediately recognizes the Maiden’s Strike. It is nearly impossible to perform from anywhere but on your back or knees. Her catechism teaches "the maiden shall wait until he has exposed his member for his vile purpose, that without its protection she may know the truth of the strike and seek her doom by her own hand". The bandit took the blade through heavy woolen pants, the pierce along at the edge of his studded leather codpiece still fastened and untouched by blade.<br/><br/>Ted learns finds the woman's track under the bandit with the spear (the big X). Or he finds its end. She was clearly here to deliver this blow, but as far as Ted can tell, she never left this spot. The track of knee still rests here along with her other foot as she pushed down with her leg to drive her attack home. Where she fell following it is here, too. But there is no track of her rising. Nor is there any track remaining that would be here should she have been picked up. It is as if she vanished into thing air.<br/><br/>The bandits are also moderately to heavily tattooed. Aria and Victoriana recognize the tattoos mark the bandits as adherents of Iuz, the evil demigod who rules the dread empire on the northern shores of the Nyr Dyv that bears his name. Drusilia sees them too and lets issue a multi-noted hiss.<br/><br/>It is clearly a curse, it is clearly a language (and not that she speaks to her men and gracefully weaves into Common), and it is clearly nothing you want to hear again. Her lips curl back and her eyes flare hotter than her hair as she does so and you see her teeth clearly for the first time; the two fangs below and four above. You hear a sword drop behind you and see one of her men backing away empty handed, the other’s pants growing wet as he tries to ward her off with trembling chopper. “Starac!“ she spits as she tears off part of a bandit's cheek covered in the distasteful tattoos and a tangle of ritual scars. She throws it to Kerith as her mein returns to normal.<br/><br/>She sees her men and calls to them calmly in their native tongue. (Victoriana now recognizes a few words; mother, sister, Horrors, flame, children.) She rises from the body and slowly walks toward them as they slowly relax, the closer man dropping his sword and dropping to his knees. He clings to her legs like a man drowning to a log. The other cautiously moves back. She kneels in front of the first, still talking, and kisses him on his forehead. The other joins them and drops to his knees and she takes him in, too.<br/><br/>Dora (following Victoriana's direction) sees the magic the Markiza weaves with her words, the enchantments in her voice washing over her men. She holds them and whispers and weeps with them for long minutes as they sob and slowly compose themselves. As they rise, she wipes their faces and shoulders with her gloved hands, the only evidence remaining their reddened eyes and faces. She says some last thing to them and they take up their swords and move to where you entered the clearing and take watch. They pass a flask as they walk away. She lets out a breath, brushes herself off and claps her hands together. Billows of dust seem to fall from her, the tears disappear from her shoulders and bosom, the bandit's blood from her gloves.<br/><br/>Kerith is standing next to Aren and Victoriana, arms crossed over his chest as he watches his Drusilia tend to her men. To their souls? His face twists into the same mask of rage he wore a day ago. "Ted said their were 14 and I count nine here. Take your court and carry out your command, Little Vee. Find them," he growls. He throws down the scrap of tortured flesh as he stalks off towards his lady.<br/><br/>Drusilia turns toward her approaching husband, straightens her coat and dons her winning smile as her<em>prestidigitation</em>does its job. But she you can tell she is just better at hiding her exhaustion than her men. She almost falls into his arms as helps her walk from the clearing with the horsemen.<br/><br/>Ted has found the track of the remaining bandits. They're heading south at the run, they have a 20 minute head start, and they would get another two hours if you go back for your horses and find away around the thickets and brambles.