The group followed the tracks south. Calder focused on the number, although it was hard to keep track. There were men and there were beasts of burden with those men. The men were humans and kobolds while the beasts were some sort of reptile. It was impossible to tell how many there were, and how to separate the raiders from the prisoners they took. Fargrim was the first to notice that the reptile's tracks were deeper in the ground than that of the humanoids. Calder was surprised not to notice this himself, although he quickly reminded himself that he focused on the raider's tracks rather than their beasts.
This led to a bit of speculation between the group. Fargrim believed that the beasts were larger and purposely digging into the ground. Robert argued that they could be transporting prisoners. Zavier agreed that they were holding something, but rather than people, they were holding treasure looted from Greenest. Robert and Zavier argued about their point for a few minutes while they followed the tracks. Finally, Skylar interrupted them, pointing out that they both at least agreed the beasts held onto something. The two men silently agreed to that and it put an end to their speculation.
They traveled on hills for several hours until they came upon a rocky and rugged region of the land. To the side of the terrain were stone plateaus, covering the ground they walked on. Fields of boulders marked the land with caves dug into the side of the rock walls. Calder thought it would be impossible to climb to the top. The only possible way to do so would be to walk carefully on the fallen rocks that form a makeshift ramp towards the top. Thankfully, both the raiders and his companions took the safe route.
"Hold!" Calder raised a hand, looking up to the sky.
"Ah, do we need a break already?" Zavier asked in a taunting manner.
"Zavier, let him speak," Skylar insisted, following his gaze.
"Smoke," Calder pointed out the smoke forming towards the sky. "It means there's a group not too far from us now."
"Good eye, lad," Fargrim complimented. "We'll make a quick detour te check it out."
"What about the main group?" Robert asked. "They're the ones with the prisoners."
"We can't go in blindly however," Skylar noted. "We're going to find their main camp soon enough, Sergeant Markguth. Have faith in us."
Robert was hesitant, but ultimately, followed the choice of his companions. He was intent on going through with their main task but knew that he could not do it alone. They shifted position, with Calder taking lead and everyone else behind him. When they grew closer to the source of the smoke, the ranger made out a delicious smell that was vaguely familiar to him. It was chicken, and although it lacked the spices used as Greenest, he knew that whoever they were coming upon were stopping to take a meal. In a place undefended such as this, that would be a costly mistake.
There were four humans and eight kobolds in some sort of debate over the cooking fire. Calder could not tell what they were arguing about since it was in a language unfamiliar to him. While the kobolds wore their weapons around their waist, the humans had left their arms against a rock not too far from them. Still, they acted with superiority towards the smaller, draconic minions. One even went so far as to kick one of the kobolds in the ground. In the end, the kobolds took about half of the chicken and walked several feet away from the raiders. They returned to their conversation, which was still heated.
"What're they saying?" Robert whispered to the group.
"I can't tell," Calder answered with a sigh.
"The kobolds wanted their share of the meal, an' th' raiders were disrespectin' 'em," Fargrim revealed to the group. "Now they're arguin' about the best way te cook chicken."
"You understand them?" Skylar asked in shock.
"Aye, they're speakin' Draconic," Fargrim informed the group. "I study my enemy."
"And these are our enemies," Robert nodded. "Raiders from the group."
"And we have the element of surprise, my good companions," Zavier grinned. "Gather around. I have an idea."
X
"So we're in agreement then." Calder nodded. "Let's move on with the first part then."
"Are you listening to my objections?" Zavier exclaimed silently. "Why did we have to change my original plan to this?"
"You wanted us to walk up and say we were raiders that were lost on the way back," Skylar pointed out. "We know very well that they are raiders, but we don't know of their purpose enough to fake it."
"All of us are giving you covering fire," Robert reminded him. "You're not going in alone."
"Ye'll do fine, Master Blackwood!" Fargrim assured his companion. "We have yer back."
Zavier nodded, although he was still hesitant. After hearing his outrageous plan, Calder and Robert were quick to come up with a much more reasonable one. Granted, it involved putting Zavier in a lot of danger, but if it went as planned, then he would emerge without a scratch. Calder pulled out his longbow and nocked an arrow upon it. Fargrim brought out a javelin and twirled it in his hands. Skylar brought her hands together and Robert loaded up his crossbow. Zavier took a moment to stretch, a good portion of phase one of the plan fell onto him. Calder hoped that their bait would go through with the plan.
Zavier dashed from their cover and ran straight towards the makeshift camp the kobolds made. They did not notice him at first, dining on their meal. It was only when Calder and Fargrim struck down two kobolds with their arrow and javelin respectively that they realized they were under attack. They tried to advance on Zavier, who brought his arms crossed over his chest and released them, along with a spell. The Thunderwave blasted four kobolds back, putting an end to them. The remaining two were blasted by the white missiles of Skylar's Magic Missiles, the blue flames circling over head.
Robert pointed his crossbow at the raiders, but it would not fired. He grunted in frustration and threw the jammed weapon aside, pulling out his sword before charging. The raiders recovered their weapons while he charged in. Fargrim threw another javelin, injuring one of their foes, whom Calder finished off with a shot to the throat. Zavier went with a low insult, his magic causing one to stumble. The flames surrounding Skylar's head intensified as she held her hand out towards the raiders. She slammed her fist into an open palm, and the ground beneath them shook. Two fell for good, the vibrations ending their lives. The final one was confronted by Robert, who knocked him out could with the hilt of his blade.
"I survived!" Zavier cheered. "Or, uh, we won the battle!"
"Good work, everyone," Skylar complimented, her fires fading away. "Sergeant Markguth, let's look at their stolen goods. We may be able to determine if they're from Greenest."
"Of course!" Robert nodded in agreement.
"Fargrim, want to help me interrogate the survivor?" Calder asked.
"Aye," Fargrim nodded, grinning eagerly.
While Calder started off by tying the man up, he kept an open ear on Skylar and Robert's efforts. The kobolds had a sack from their camp, containing several valuables. Metallic candlesticks, silver dishes, and religious carvings. Robert was quick to identify the carvings belonging to Chauntea, the goddess of life. The other valuables he was not able to figure out. He decide that they likely belonged to another town as he thought no one back in Greenest had something so valuable. The bandits did not have any loot such as that, although Zavier did loot them for their pocket change.
Fargrim shook the bandit awake, who groaned back into consciousness.
"We have a few questions for you," Calder started the interrogation.
"I refuse to speak with you," the man spat and looked away.
"Are you sure?" Calder pulled out his longbow and knocked an arrow on it. "We can be very persuasive."
The bandit remained silent.
"He senses that yer bluffin', lad," Fargrim pointed out. "Yer not th' kind o' lad te shoot someone like that."
"You're right," Calder sighed and lowered his bow.
"I am," Fargrim pulled out his greataxe. "Ye tell us what we want te know, or ye lose yer head."
"You're also not the kind of dwarf to cut a man down in cold blood," the bandit spoke. "I heard stories from the pitiful kobolds of how you faced Langdedrosa Cyanwrath by yourself to save a family. How noble."
"Uh, thank ye," Fargrim muttered in honest surprise.
"I also heard how you were beaten down by him with ease," the bandit laughed. "I do not fear you."
"An' he loses his head!" Fargrim raised his axe up.
"Fargrim, wait!" Calder grabbed the weapon before Fargrim swung it down.
"It appears I have to do everything myself," Zavier, who had witnessed the interrogation, gave a long drawn sigh. "Very well. The two of you step aside."
"We're actually letting him do this?" Calder rolled his eyes.
"Stand aside fer Master Blackwood," Fargrim announced as Zavier stepped up.
"Do you know who I am?" Zavier started to question the bandit.
"Should I?" The bandit growled.
"I am Zavier Blackwood, son of Sergil Blackwood. You surely heard of him, yes?"
The bandit paused. "I heard of that name before. Where was it?"
"My father is a famous man. Do you know how many dragons he has killed so far?"
"What?!"
"He makes a living out of killing dragons. He does it by himself, with his own two hands. No magic involved. And he has taught me some of his techniques. I have used such techniques to kill dragons myself."
"You're bluffing." The bandit sounded uncertain.
"You wait until the dragon is down, such as how you are right now. Then, you stab its eyes out. The dragon is blinded now. While it frantically tries to bite you, it is time to sneak around and cut its wings to pieces, to ensure it doesn't escape. Then, you go for the throat."
"That can't be true."
"I can demonstrate it for you. And should you fail to speak, I'm sure my father would show you more of his techniques."
"I'll talk!" the bandit squealed. "I'll talk! Just please, leave me be!"
"Good," Zavier smiled. "You two can handle the questions from here. I have to divide the loot now."
Zavier walked away from the bandit, Calder looking in disbelief while Fargrim stares in awe. The half-elf was unconvinced that Zavier was who he claimed to be. There was no telling just who the man was but being a dragon slayer definitely wasn't something he was. However, the bandit didn't know what Zavier was capable of. The ranger gave his companion credit where he was due: he could put up so convincing of an act to his advantage.
"Why did you attack Greenest?" Calder asked. "Why did you put all of those innocent lives at risk?"
"For loot, of course," the man answered. "We needed valuables such as the gems and antiques Greenest had."
"Ye sacked an entire town te fill yer pockets with gold?"
"No! We wouldn't dare take any of the loot for ourselves! It all goes to the great hoard of the Dragon Queen!"
"Dragon Queen?" Calder raised an eyebrow.
"Tiamat," Fargrim closed his eyes, holding in his anger. "The queen of chromatic dragons."
"You're with the Cult of the Dragon," Calder declared. "All of the raiders are."
"Of course," the cultist chuckled. "And once the hoard is complete, this world will see ruin and the Dragon Queen shall reign supreme!"
"I heard enough from ye," Fargrim growled.
Calder looked in horror, unable to stop Fargrim from separating the cultist's head from his body with his greataxe. Skylar gasped at the scene, Zavier looked away, and Robert nodded in approval. Calder had more questions to ask of the cultist regarding the Cult of the Dragon. Yet, they couldn't keep a prisoner around for when they ventured closer to the camp. It's not like someone so low on the chain of command would have the answers he seeks.
"Fargrim, clean up the bodies," Calder instructed. "Everyone else, let's set up camp. I want us at full strength when we make it to the main camp tomorrow."
A/N: And as hinted in the last chapter's notes, two chapters in a single day. I already had this one written up but didn't want to wait a week to post it. So, here we have it.
Ethical decisions in Dungeons and Dragons are usually pushed to the side. I hope to explore the fallout of the execution here, and have already hinted at what everyone else thinks about it.
Until next time.