Vale of Swallows pt 2 has started at Outside Arx - Lyceum near Saikland Greens - The Vale of Swallows.

The morning dawns cold and grey to the sounds of the merchants animal handlers stirring to go prepare the animals. The same need to move early tells you to hurry up out of your bedrolls and get onto the trail before the weather can interfere with your chances. Your prisoner is already awake, sat with her hands about her knees, and an extremely surly look on her dirty face. Todays first task - follow the physical signs left by the group that attacked you yesterday.

Razija sees to the horses and other animals, feeding a raw marrow-filled bone to the hulking bearded vulture that perches atop her horse's saddle. She didn't have many questions for the captive but she had a night to think about it and eventually speaks. "Not sure how I feel about the bandits here being hungry. Raiding for food. I would do a lot of things to ease the ache of an empty belly and a whole hell of a lot more to ease that ache in a friend or family member."

She nods down the trail, where they are headed. To the unknown. "Is the forest not full of food for them? Can they not hunt, gather? Is there something wrong perhaps with the animals here?"

Lucita yawns as she sheds the blanket tossed over her. She groans as she rolls onto her side and then sits up, stretching and looking around her surroundings. Removed armor pieces are replaced and adjusted, boots shaken out before putting them on. Finally she rakes a comb through her hair and secures it back out of her way with some simple steel hairpins. She moves over to check her horse, nodding a 'morning' to Razija. "Don't know the answer to that. Forest and the meadows should have plenty of game, fish in the small streams and things to gather. Pelts and herbs can be traded for food in the Saikland Villages but don't know about the smaller abandoned tribes round our western border.

Whilst this spot doesn't have much in the way of game (too much human foot traffic) you've seen nothing to suggest that the local region has problems. The creek is not a great source of fish but there are small fish to be found.

Haakon grumbles about rocks under bedrolls but says little of substance in the course of waking, arming, and setting out until talk goes to raiding for food. "I've raided for food many a time. Never dwelt in a land this rich or with soil so black, though." A shrug. "If they want kill for food, I don't begrudge them. But being killed back is the risk a raider runs."

Haakon checks perception and survival at easy. Botch! Haakon fails badly.

Lucita checks perception and survival at easy. Lucita is successful.

Razija checks perception and survival at easy. Razija is successful.

Ian checks perception and survival at easy. Ian is successful.

"That's why it's suspicious, Haakon. Perhaps they are hungry and there is something wrong with the game here. Perhaps they are feeding something that has a larger apetite," Razija says darkly as she feeds the younger vulture in her belt pouch. "I never run out of bones or sugar cubes, myself. A hungry animal is nothing to trifle with when you yourself are made of food."

With a deep breath of air to fill her lungs, she begins taking a look for herself at the countryside, specifically where the ambushers came from the night prior as her attention moves to her horse's neck for a pat. Thank the gods for vegetarians.

Lucita glances over toward the prisoner at that comment. She approaches her and crouches to say. "Here's your chance. Explain what is going on, why the scarcity of food, why not using crafts to sell or trade to gain what you need.

After spending some time studying the tracks most of the group determine that the bandits came from the east, further inside the vale, and over the creek. Haakon is the only one who's efforts suggest they came from this side of the creek. If asked to show them why he thinks that he can even show the route he's picked out from all the intersecting tracks in a way that makes that deduction seem entirely reasonable.

The prisoner shrugs when Lucita questions her about the food situation. "Too many of us."

Haakon mutters sidelong to Razija, "Could eat the horse," as he peers at the nearest equine suspiciously. Haakon is rather useless in tracking, this morning. Every hunch goes amiss; follow the streams to a camp, that seems sensible, a large band must always keep close to fresh water, after all- What do you mean the tracks lead the other way? What tracks?? Clearly it's all the horse's fault.

With the people more familiar with horses apparently able to track things just fine even with them stomping up the landscape, Ian's able to hang back and put more of his focus on getting his horse to actually go the direction he wants her to go. Fortunately, she mostly wants to follow the other horses, so.

Razija looks over her shoulder to the captive and smells bullshit, wrinkling her nose a little. "Then what is the problem? Is there not enough game? Not enough hunters? Crafters? Not enough people able bodied enough to gather roots, berries, fruit, mushrooms?"

Lucita's eyes narrow at that response from the prisoner. She indicates for the woman to rise to her feet, hands trail rations to her though does not free her hands bound before her. A waterskin is offered once the eating is done and as the group has formed up and begins following tracks, she lets the woman walk as the horse's pace is slow enough for that. A nod is given at Razija's questions and she adds some of her own as her gaze glides over the trail.. ahead, sides and overhead. "Are you an abandoned group? How many of you are there?

The prisoner merely shrugs again, following along (since she has little choice), but stubbornly refusing to say anything unless pressed.

As you follow the trail deeper into the vale the tree cover gets more and more intense until you find yourself picking your way along a narrow deer-trail. There is plenty of proof here that deer live within these forests but the density of the trees soon forces you to dismount and lead your horses. Eventually you pick up a hint of smoke on the breeze and see the telltale thinning of the trees ahead. The survivalists amongst you believe there must be a clearing up ahead and the smoke suggests a campfire somewhere in that direction.

She turns her full attention to the landscape before them until they sight the campfire smoke ahead of them. "Baroness? If their stomachs are empty they might not be in a talking mood." Her violet gaze meanders to the captive and she takes a full stock of her.

Haakon muses aloud to Razija as they all walk the trail, "Could be any count of causes. Mayhap a blight soured a crop if they planted too heavy, mayhap their overlord is a shark's asshole, or their headman were outlawed. Mayhap a feud, or a county line were re-writ. Mayhap they don't belong here, or lack the knowledge or time to farm." He shrugs as he speculates.

Lucita looks toward the prisoner she fed not long ago. "Any number of reasons. A shame this one is so reluctant to explain and work with us to let us understand, maybe help. Makes one lean toward wondering if they just prefer robbing others.

All of the bandits were on the lean side but non of them seemed to be suffering from the sort of problems malnutrition seems to create. Of course it is impossible to say how representive this group are of the whole. They were dirty but not in the haven't bathed in a year sense and their clothing is rough and worn but a long way from being rags. They had bits of armor that mostly seemed to have been scavenged. She doesn't seem to have bad teeth. In short she looks poor but not destitute.

"A lot of pirates are that way," Ian remarks, from the back of the group. "They figure that just taking what they want is easier. She looks like one of the ones the reavers'd make homeless, though."

"Nah," Haakon muses back to Lucita. "If'n they liked robbing and killing, they'd not be so shit at it. That last band had the loom of folk who were still figuring out what they were doing." To Ian he sniffs dryly, "Shit pirates don't last long."

Razija glances to Lucita with a succinct nod and stares in some silence for some time at the woman. "Unless we were the quarry, Baroness," she says entirely deadpan, her attention sliding over to Haakon. "Many good reasons. You're probably right about one of them. The simplest explanation is usually the correct one."

The prisoner finally decides to speak. "The cap'n said we can't join 'less we pay our way and can't leave unless we pay our debts." she sniffs. "And the Cap'n owns these woods."

Domonico finally speaks up from his position at the rearguard, the stern Magnotta Count making his thoughts known. "It seems that this... Captain is using you and yours for his own benefit." A pause before he adds, "What debts are you meaning ?"

Razija looks mildly relieved that it didn't seem they were cannibals. There's a little release of a breath and some of the tension in her shoulders evaporates. "Aye. It might be best for you to explain."

"The deer we took before they found us." The prisoner replies. "The weapon I was given. The water. What does it matter?" She haunches her shoulders all surly like again. "Didn't wanna scrub in the dirt forever. So we joined Ran." She gives Haakon a sulky look. "Ran was good to us."

Ran was good to them. "Mayhap," Haakon allows with a small shrug. "But Ran didn't plan ahead too well, looks like."

Domonico checks perception at normal. Domonico is successful.

Haakon checks perception at normal. Haakon is successful.

Ian checks perception at normal. Ian is successful.

"It matters. If someone is taking advantage of you and driving you to starvation and making you pay ridiculous debts I would say /they/ deserve a knife to the gut and not you or your people. Hungry people are often desperate." Razija attempts to keep her wits about her here as they all have paused for deliberation.

Razija checks perception at normal. Critical Success! Razija is spectacularly successful.

Lucita checks perception at normal. Lucita fails.

Ian doesn't seem to have a whole lot to say, and it's not even clear if he's listening. He's clearly listening to something, though, or maybe watching something, because he puts some effort into convincing his horse to stop moving forward.

Lucita listens carefully to what is being said by the prisoner. A slight frown forms as she contemplates those words. "So basically you have no way to free yourself easily. This Captain who claims these woods... How many men does he have enforcing his will on you?" Her glance around seems to assess the terrain and growth, and dwell on likely spots a lookout might take. "This would be a beautiful morning for a ride along the trail when it widens out some. Only thing missing is songbirds serenading us along the way.

Razija lowers her voice and murmurs very casually, "Someone's watching us from a tree over there." And goes back to her naturally unamused state, her hands crossing across her belly and she puts her hand near to her sword, close to her body, using her horse to block the line of sight if she could.

Domonico hmmms as he notes something ahead in the clearing and he drops into a crouch, close to their prisoner. "Be quiet for now. Don't attract more attention to us." There is a beat, "If you fear retribution from this... Ran...then we will protect you." His spear is held in hand as always and he murmurs to the others, "Perhaps we could make ourselves known... or at least one of us could and treat with them?"

"We been spotted," Haakon rumbles quietly. "Or heard." Then Razija fills in the blanks, and Haakon shrugs his shield forward from his back to grip it in the right hand. "How you lot want this to start? Blood or word?"

Once again the prisoners answer to most of it is just a single surly shrug. She doesn't seem angry. Just defeated. "Don't know." she says to Lucita. "I've never been allowed to the old watchtower and most of us are in bands like Ran's. We're never all in the same place at the same time. I've seen what they do to the ones that run though."

A man's voice comes down from the tree after Razija points him out. "Seemed a shame to ruin your chat with threats of arrows. Don't reckon you're all gonna put your hands up and surrender?"

Ian sighs and mutters something under his breath, then looks up towards the trees. "If I put my hands up, I'm going to fall off this fucking horse."

Ian mutters, "... least they ... this time."

"Brave words from someone that's all by his lonesome," Razija says a little bit louder this time, purposefully, so he could hear her clearly. "Why don't /you/ come down /here/. You have a much better chance at survival if you show yourself and talk." Again, she's very dry and to the point.

Lucita prudently lets others move ahead of her and lowers her voice to speak to those who are more military minded. "Your area of expertize, not mine, this risk assessment. I'll try to see if they are willing to talk. "Surrender? We'd rather speak to whoever might be your leader." She adds that to what Razija says.

Domonico wields Raptor's Reach, a rubicund-tipped cornel-shafted Dory spear.

Domonico does not speak at first, allowing others to say their piece before he comments, "If we can resolve this without bloodshed then that will be preferable in my opinion. If it comes to battle I would prefer to end it with as few deaths as possible. These are not necessarily our enemies."

Haakon quips aside dryly to Domonico, "The lads taking up arms and firing arrows are bloody well your enemies, mayhap just not the ones you'd rather fight, aye?" To Lucita, he comments, "The longer we talk, the more time they have to muster numbers and either flee or strike."

The man in the tree says "Reckon i'll be safer up here Love." he moves just enough to let the tip of his arrow show through the branches. "Got a good chance of taking one of you down before you can get near. Can't say thats the case if I come down." The ones you heard in the clearings show themselves but stay a cautious distance away. There are two of them. Both are armed with spears and both are clad in the sort of leathers hunters sometimes make for themselves. "Aye." The man in the tree says "Reckon I'd have started this chat with an arrow if we weren't willing to talk. You can call me Archer. Who're you?"

Lucita says, "Baroness-regent Lucita Saik." She nods to Haakon and Domonico, Ian and Razija. "Caught some of you trying to raid back along that spur of the Great Road. Came to see what is going on, things going so poorly you have to prey on travelers?" She seems to be trying to hold the attention of Archer and the two in the clearing in order for the military folk to get into a better position... or be able to assess... or do something if necessary."

Ian takes his time sizing up what he can see of the people coming out of the bushes and making an effort to pinpoint whether there are more archers in the trees beyond the once who's talking to him. He doesn't seem to have a whole lot to say, though.

When she hears Archer call her Love there's an audible groan and Razija definitely did not roll her eyes. She just... had something in it. Her silence indicates her agreement with the Baroness. She does, however look up directly at the arrow now, attempting to get a look at his face.

Domonico subtly adjusts the grip on his dory spear, ready to heft it up and cast it if necessary and quietly judges his chances of a successful throw at the various targets. "Do you work for Ran then?" he says loudly

Haakon seems to think that the best place for him and his shield is nearby the lightly armored baroness. He contributes the delicate discussions in the way he best know how: keeping quiet for a moment, rather than saying anything loudly.

The man in the tree, Archer, gives a low whistle when Lucita announces that she's the baroness herself. "Baroness Saik right here in the sights of my bow. Who'd have thought." Theres a bit of rustling as he apparantly changes his focus over towards Domonico. "Nah. I never did concern myself much with the waifs and strays. Tell you what though - Give us our stray back and I'll come down so we can be all civilised and put the weapons away."

When Ian takes his time to assess the spearmen he can see that the men in the clearing are only armed with spears and tool-knives. Archer seems to be the only archer but there is always a risk there are other super-stealthy people amongst them.

Lucita says, "Archer, eh?" She glances at the prisoner assessing her demeanor. "You also be the Captain? Thought he was the one we needed to speak with."

Ian takes a moment to note Haakon covering Lucita with his shield. Then he reaches back to where his cane is lashed down to the saddle, working it free. "Is it just you up there with a bow?"

Razija is silent. With confidence that Domonico has his eye on the ones in the field, she simply remains closeby to Lucita's side, closing ranks just in case. She is obviously prepared to defend here, if necessary.

Domonico shifts a little closer to the prisoner, within a step of her and closer to the tree hiding Archer than she. "Currently, she... and half a dozen more are our prisoners. They have been fed and given water and treated well. I cannot give her to you at present." There is a pause, "Also... if you are truly considering loosing that arrow at any of us... especially the Baroness then I suggest you reconsider. It will not end well for you."

Archer gives a half-laugh of disbelief combined with distaste. "I'm gonna pretend you didn't just compare me to him." He doesn't answer Ian's question. "So do we have a deal? Let the Ran's stray go and we'll talk."

When Domonico speaks up he asks "So thats it then? No deal?"

"Easier to answer that question if we know what you're going to do with her," Ian remarks; his thick isles accent increases the sense of disengagement from the whole situation that he puts off.

Haakon gives a slow exhale, and mutters to those nearest, "She don't matter. Either give her over and talk with the fucker, or just kill them all, now."

"I would say it should be her choice," though for the most part it looks like Razija agrees with Haakon. "We aren't here to keep prisoners. We are here to solve a problem. The problem is not her."

Lucita says, "Releasing one stray. We have others, the ones who survived the attack on us, held back in Saikland. She must be very important to you, to offer that trade. For one. " She carefully does not dispute the statements of the warriors speaking up. "She seems rather...resigned.... more so than anticipating return to you. Possibly she might want to remain with a group at least sees she has food. Speak up woman.""

Domonico gives the two more bloodthirsty members of the group a sideeyed look before he stays close to the prisoner still.

Archer answers Ian's question this time. "Can't say I know the answer to that one Isles-man. Taking her on will be a hassle. It just doesn't sit right to leave her a prisoner though." Theres some rustling as Archer descends from the tree. When he steps out from behind it he turns out to be a man of slightly below average height in his mid to late thirties wearing the same piecemeal leathers that his companions are. He has slung his bow across his shoulders and has a machete type blade on his hip.

The female prisoner looks between them all, eyes flicking about as if this is one of those no-win situations. But when Archer looks at her to encourage an answer out of her she blurts. "Cut me free."

"Its an easy choice." Archer tells them all. "You give us Sae and we talk. Otherwise we'll.." he looks between the group. "Go our own way. Nobody would believe us if we said we caught the Baroness strolling through the woods anyhow."

Ian slides off his saddle and, by virtue of his cane already being in hand and a little luck, even manages to stay on his feet after he leaves the ground. "With your permission, Baroness?" He seems to be asking for permission to free the prisoner.

Lucita nods to Ian. "Free her. Now, about all this raiding along the road. If it is food and supplies you need, seems there are much better solutions to meeting your needs.... necessities.

As 'Sae' hurries over to one of the spear wielding men, Archer gestures for them all to move with him. He only goes the short distance to the campsite. Right now this campsite holds a whole bunch of empty tents and a few cold firepits along with a single tent across from the still smoking firepit that these men must have been using. There is game drying on a rack. Enough to cover a single meal for all of you but certainly not enough to feed the band you encountered last night. "Ran was the one raiding the road." he tells Lucita. "Which isn't to say me and my men are innocents. You already stopped Ran. Course theres other bands like his. Some better. Most worse. Trying to beat this one band at a time will be like trying to keep squirrels out your nut collection. Only way you're going to fix the problem is by getting rid of the nest." he looks around the group. "And you'll need soldiers for that. You have soldiers right?"

Domonico thinks for a moment before he speaks, "This 'nest' you speak of. Where is it and who is in command of it and how many fighters do they have?" Straight to business goes Domonico's military mind.

Haakon turns a slow look aside to Ian. He says nothing, idly itching at the side of his jaw. He glances to Razija and shrugs.

Lucita's gaze goes to Razija, Domonico, Haakon and Ian and she smirks a little. She lets her military forces speak for themselves.

Archer smiles at Domonico and spreads his hands. "I'll show you but there are a few things I want first."

Ian hangs back with Haakon, probably more comfortable with the other guy who can't stand horses, and, rather than voice his thoughts on this subject, mutters to him in a low voice.

Domonico raises an eyebrow at Archer's words before he nods, "Understandable. Speak."

Lucita says, "A shame your groups seem so intent on raiding. I could easily put my steward to work here forming lumber mills and farms and vineards, teaching people to be self sufficient vassals of Saikland. One with good homes, plenty of food and a means of income."

Archer gestures around his group. "We. The four of us. Want to immunity from any past crimes and a guarantee that you'll give us all good jobs. Good jobs that suit us." He looks to Lucita in particular. "I reckon thats more than generous."

Domonico adds, "I assume that you will also wanting the others that we took prisoner as well to be included in that? I noticed one seemed to be a smith of some kind?" He looks to Lucita and nods his agreement with her words.

Ian snorts. "Pretty damned generous."

Archer says to Domonico. "I reckon thats between you and them."

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Pasquale before departing.

Lucita says, "Depends on the crime. With good behavior a second chance to make good of lives is possible. But depends on what jobs you want. What jobs you are willing to train for and do. Farming is hard work but no worry about food, same goes for mining and lumberjacks. Honest soldiers keeping the peace, fending off bandits. Making a village though means you have craftsmen, carpenters, and other such trades needed, midwives, scribes, healers... Know if you have a history though, would be harsher on you if you mess up. Outright murder, torture, kidnapping and killing anything abyssal... those we may have to think harder about.. and in some cases, can't forgive."

Archer's eyebrows shoot up when Lucita talks about anything abyssal but once he's over the initial surprise of that suggestion he just looks to his other men for a moment. Whatever passes between them doesn't seem to have changed much because he just turns back to Lucita and says. "None of us have ever committed a crime inside your borders Baroness" He tells her. "I suppose the stray might've but you already know what she's done. We'll take your word that you'll do your best for the rest of it. Right then." He picks up a spear from the entrance of one of the tents. "I suppose if we're agreed I'd best show you the old watchtower."

Ian hangs back, talking with Haakon and keeping an eye on their, uh, hosts, while everyone else talks. He doesn't seem sold on this whole situation, but he doesn't seem untrusting, either. He's taking it as it comes.

Archer and his men are all excellent woodsman. He takes you on a winding path through the woods, clearly knowing where to go and where the patrols will be. He warns you early on that it will be a tiring trek and you wont be able to take the horses. He didn't lie. Nor did he lie about being able to show them the watchtower.

The watchtower turns out to be a small 'fort' type structure centered around an ancient and long ruined tower. The stone tower appears to be patched with lumber and there is a pallisade wall around it and three large-sih timber structures. A staked (but not flooded) ditch surrounds the lot. There is a stream nearby with a postern gate that provides access to it but Archer claims there aren't any wells within the walls. Judging by the guards you can see and the surrounding terrain you reckon that 30-80 men will be enough to fully siege the place and 70-150 would be sufficient for a more offensive approach. You cant really bring more than 200 into the area and the more men you bring the more warning the fort will have. "Seen enough?" Archer whispers.

Lucita studies the situation, looking it over carefully and then nods. She whispers. "The Crimson Blades have a group back at the outpost. With my men, that should be enough. Lets head back to the outpost and see about you swearing fealty to Saikland and getting you set up with jobs and supplies.