RWBY DnD Chapter 8, a rwby fanfic

A/N: Hello! Finally got the next chapter of this out. Ah, it probably should've come out at least last week, but, uh, let's just say that I was a bit busy being a certain spacefaring marine called Titus, and also trying to get through my first actual playthrough of Wrath of the Righteous (Play the game if you love RPGs. It is excellent!)

Enjoy!

RWBY is owned by Viz Media and was created by the late Monty Oum

D&D 5th Ed. and 2024 Ed. are owned by Wizards of the Coast and their owners

RWBY DnD

Chapter 8

Ruby grumbled to herself as she watched Jaune, and… Cardin, come over with the horses. Only two, thankfully, but that was still more than she would've liked.

Apparently, a horse and buggy would've cost more than they could afford, even though Jaune now had several thousand gold. Then, she sighed to herself before looking away from her friend as he made his way over to her while looking around for anyone else suspicious.

That, hadn't been fair. Jaune still didn't understand her innate fear against horses.

"Ruby," Jaune said to her on greeting. "You good?"

She nodded, still looking away, before sighing again and turned to face him as she then said, "Actually, no. I'm still not happy about any of this."

He nodded in acknowledgement at that before glancing over at their newest companion before frowning as he instructed quietly, "Well then, just keep an eye out until such time as we have a reason to trust him, 'kay?"

She nodded back at that before giving the big brute a once over, scrutinizing him closely. (Insight check (Ruby): Roll results 11 0 = 11) (For someone with no bonus to her Wisdom score, and, thus no Bonuses, that's an okay dice roll. Still, though…)

Unfortunately, all she could perceive of him was that he was clearly tired after last night. Goodshe thought to herself at that, remembering how Jaune had almost died. Then, she turned at a bit of movement from the corner of her eyes to find that Jaune had already mounted his horse, a dusty chestnut. He smiled at her before reaching down to hoist her up behind him. She smiled back as she took his hand in a firm grip.

(Strength check (Jaune): Roll results 16 3 = 19) (Hey, a win for the Charm Score if nothing else.)

With a sudden burst of energy on the armored man's part, and just a hint of a bounce from her to aid in it, and she was swept up in a single pull to sit behind him, effortlessly. She smiled at that before, with a sudden burst of courage on her part, she wrapped both arms around his waist and closed her eyes as she laid her hooded head on his shoulder.

With a deep inhalation of breath that was let out in a sigh of relief she promptly fell asleep as he turned and took off after Cardin as the warrior started off without them.

(1 to Charm Score (Jaune)

(1 to Charm Score (Ruby)

/ /

An Hour and a half later…

As the trio rode through the forest in an easy amble, they did so in silence. Jaune was too concerned with whoever might be following them while Ruby was glaring a hole into the back of Cardin's head as he led they down the very obvious road through the wood. A branch of the Greater Emerald Forest called the Red Pine Lane, though the Pine trees there that made up the woods name had long since been cut down for the ever growing Arcadian Kingdom.

Eventually, Cardin couldn't take the silence, or the scrutiny, anymore. He hauled back on the reins of the nag he was riding, causing the brute to rear back and whiny in protest.

(Animal Handling Check (Cardin); Roll Result: 11 1 = 12)

Though the horse stamped its feet and snorted at him in obvious irritation, Cardin was able to quickly get it back under control. It was an old nag, after all.

After that, his face flushed more from embarrassment that irritation, He turned to face the two and said angrily, "Alright! That's enough of the Silent Treatment, dammit! If you didn't want my help you should've said soan hour ago!"

"Yeah? Well, maybe I'd feel more like apologizingfor my attitudeif you hadn't attacked us yesterday!" Ruby retorted furiously. Jaune blinked and looked between the two in confusion at the sudden confrontation before he sighed as Ruby then snapped out, "I don't trust you! And, quite frankly, I don't believe that story of yours! You could easily have gotten one of your boys to injury you before you met up with us!"

"Wha- I- Are you a bloomin' Idiot?!" Cardin retorted incredulous. "What kind of freak do you take mefor?!"

The kind that comes up with that ridiculous story the day after you attack us and almost kidnap me while nearly killing the first friend I ever had!" Ruby all but screeched with fearful rage, tears pricking her eyes as she shut them with emotion.

The sudden silence to that was weighty, to say the least.

Cardin didn't really know what to say to something like that. He had lived a life of petty,selfish desires till now. Same for his men or any of the other people he had run with in the profession. Sure, sometimes he fought for a petty overlord and other times he lived like a bandit, but, mostly, he was just a mercenary who didn't care how he got his money or his rocks off.

If that meant he burned down some wiseman's life's work so be it. If it meant he raped a girl or two while he was pillaging a village, so what? The others in his band did it, why not him, too?

Sure, there had been a time in his life when…

(Wisdom Check (Cardin) (Disadvantage from Exhaustion Level 1); Roll Result: 6 1, 13 1 = 7, 14; Final 7)

He shook his head and frowned as the memories of his youth came unbidden. His time at the Order. His failures therein.

He grimaced before saying as he chose to through, rather than at, the girl, "Listen. Listen to me here, girl. I don't care. I don't care what you think of me, or my methods or what I do. I don't care!" He paused at that burst of… irritation, before inhaling deeply to calm himself. Then he said as calmly as he could, "And, I don't care if you don't believe me about my reason for being here. I just, don't care. But, what I do care about, is you accusing me of something I haven't done!"

There was another round of silence at that outburst.

(Deception Check (Cardin) (Disadvantage from Exhaustion Level 1); Roll Result: 6 2, 16 2 = 8, 18; Final: 8; Perception Check (Ruby); Roll Result: 12 2 = 14; Cardin Fails)

(Deception Check (Cardin) (Disadvantage from Exhaustion Level 1); Roll Result: 6 4, 16 2 = 8, 18; Final: 8; Perception Check (Jaune); Roll Result: 6 1 = 7; Cardin Succeeds)

After a moment, Ruby grimaced at him before she looked away, not caring anymore, her point having been made. Meanwhile, Jaune sat there, knowing what Cardin had said wasn't everything he wanted to get off his chest. Unfortunately, he didn't have to time to… chat, with the former Order Initiate. Not right now, at any rate.

To that end…

"Listen. It's clear to me that we're clearly all a bit stressed right now. So, how about this for a plan." The paladin said in as reasonable and calm of a manner as he could while looking between the two. "Let's take a short rest, get some food in us and try and have a breather before we get into the thick of it with someone else, eh?"

(Persuasion Check (Jaune) (Advantage from Charm Score); Roll Result: 15 2, 4 2 = 17, 6; Final: 17; Perception Check (Ruby); Roll Result: 18 2 = 20 Jaune Fails)

(Persuasion Check (Jaune); Roll Result: 6 2 = 8; Perception Check (Cardin)(Disadvantage from Exhaustion Level 1); Roll Result: 9 3, 12 3= 12, 15; Final 12; Jaune Fails)

"I don't know, Ja-"

"That's a stupid idea!"

Ruby started as Cardin snapped irritably over her. She glared at him before turning back to Jaune and said, "You know what? You're right, Jaune. I needa break. Especially from this lout!" Then, and snapping out that response to Cardin, she slid off the horse and stomped away but not without muttering loudly to them both, "His big mouth offends me."

(Intimidation Check (Ruby); Roll Results: 10 2 = 12; Wisdom Check (Cardin)(Disadvantage from Exhaustion Level 1); Roll Result: 3 1, 18 1 = 4, 19; Final 4; Ruby wins!) (Do not, I repeat, do not mess with the cute redhead when she is angry. Especially when she can shoot you.)

(New Condition (Cardin): Afraid for one Round) (Technically, he's less afraid and more unnerved right now, but it'll count.)

Cardin shudder at the sudden menace in the girl's tone, not really expecting it even with everything he head said and done so far. He was also not used to a woman doing that to him. Especially one so short.

That made two in too short a time for him.

He gritted his teeth at that and made to snap out a response of his own while pointing at her, but Jaune beat him to it.

"Enough!" The blond snapped with sudden ire of his own. He glared at Cardin before saying. "I've had enough of this bickering, especially yours, Winchester! Now be quiet and pitch a tent! We're resting and that's final!"

(Intimidation Check (Jaune); Roll Results: 11 2 = 13; Wisdom Check (Cardin)(Disadvantage from Exhaustion Level 1) (Disadvantage from Fear); Roll Result: 16 1 13 1, 12 1, 8 1 = 17, 14, 13, 9; Final 9; Jaune wins!) (Did I need to give Cardin Double Disadvantage, no. But I wanted to and I'm sure Jaune appreciates it.) (That being said, I've already had multiple instances of extra Advantage and Disadvantage being used, so yeah.)

Cardin winced at that before nodding and getting off his horse, muttering, "I mean, I'm sure the horse appreciates it."

(2 to Charm Score (Jaune), Source Ruby)

(-3 to Charm Score (Cardin), Source Ruby)

(-3 to Charm Score (Cardin), Source Jaune)

(1 to Charm Score (Jaune), Source Cardin)

/ /

Ten minutes later…

Cardin was sharpening the edges of his mace as he sat there on Sentry Duty, though he wasn't really looking for anything so lost in thought, he was.

"Cannot believe this is how my day has gone." He grumbled to himself, the whetstone sparking as he aggressively ran it down the bladed edges of his enormous mace, the maul requiring someone with his strength to be able to use it effectively. "Should've been face deep between some whore's legs by now as my men counted up our latest bounty fee and kept an eye in the girl, but nooo. Instead, here I am escorted the very brat through a forest going the opposite direction of her bounty. Thefuck!"

He jerked back as a mug of steaming hot coffee was thrust in his face and looked up to find the Order paladin there before holding another mug with an expressionless look on his face. Cardin stared at him for a moment before looking at the mug for a moment before he finally took it with a muttered, "Thanks, I guess."

"No worries, " The man, Jaune, returned with an odd stiffness to him as he sipped from his own while looking at the girl as she spread a bunch of loose branches and leaves over around the edges of the small clearing he led them to for camouflage. Cardin had snorted and sneered at that when she first started doing, but now? It actually looked pretty good. Perhaps, good enough to-

"So, you said you were once an Initiate of the Order of The Sacred Light, right? …Mind, telling me what 'appened?" Jaune then asked out of nowhere. He looked away from Cardin then as he continued, "You don't 'ave to, if it's too painful or whatever."

Cardin stared at him for a bit in silence as he sipped at his own mug. The man looked oddly uncomfortable to him, though Cardin didn't know why. It wasn't like he was the one who…

He grimaced then at that before knocking back half the mug in a single swallow before coughing from the heat. Then, wiping at his mouth, he said, "What's there to say, really? I was among the ones accepted for training among my year's crop of Hopefuls. I worked my butt off to be made first an Initiate, then an Armiger." He swallowed the remainder of his mug of coffee as his grimace deepened into a full-on scowl as he said, "Then, someone high in the ranks said I wasn't eligible to be a full member. That, I wasn't worthy of being a Paladin of the Order - Even though, I had pushed myself to the breaking point more than once for over a decade! - and then promptly kicked me out."

He sat there in silence for a moment before saying without thinking, perhaps because remembering those memories always made him just a bit vulnerable, "I had nothing to my name. My parents had abandon me for the Order, and, and I didn't know what to do…"

He blinked at his mug was suddenly refilled and looked up to find the Paladin not giving him a pitying look like so many over the years, but one of sympathy, empathy, as he poured that rich, liquid black gold of the Gods from a pretty little silver kettle. Cardin blinked and did a double take as he looked at the man again.

His eyes, they were ones of shared pain he realized as Jaune said, "I'm sorry, Brother. That wasn't right. Wasn't honorable. Not after all those years of service."

Cardin didn't like that. He didn't want to like this man. Wanting to hate him instead. It would make what eventually happened between the two of them easier for him that way.

Jaune looked away again as he tried to form what he wanted to say then. Finally, as he drained his own mug, he said, "You know, I'm sure after we get Ruby what she needs done in Domremy, that we'll need to get some supplies for the next leg of her journey. And, the headquarters for the Order is only little further down the road in Vale itself. I could, perhaps, look up the actualreason for you dismissal. Or, at least, whoever it was that ordered it in the first place. If you like?"

Cardin took a moment to process that, and the reasoning behind it. Then, he shrugged before trying to say as noncommittally as he could, "Sure, if you like. Not sure why it matters to you? I mean what would you even do about it?"

Crash!

With an almost meaty crunch of his fist, Jaune then glared at him as he crushed the remains of his mug in hand as he growled, "Set things right! That's what I would do. One way, or another."

Then, without another word, he turned and left, walking a ways away before sitting down, crosslegged, in full plate, and began to mediate. Cardin watched him for a moment more as he drank from his mug before, with a small smile of his won, went back to sharpening the blades of his maul once more. This time he kept an eye out for any threats with a more, professional eye.

(Camouflage Check, DC15 (Ruby Rose) (Advantage from Favored Terrain and double Proficiency Bonus); Roll Result 2 8, 11 8 = 10, 17; Success!) (Because Rangers have some of the dumbest abilities related to their Class in D , I decided to homebrew some of the more idiotic ones, like all the things related to their Favored Terrain and Favored Enemy. I'll be doing the same for the rest of the Classes, like with the Paladin's current Lay On Hands ability.)

(Not even going to touch the 2024 PHB, cause what the Hell do you mean that a Paladin's Smite is now a spell, which that it can be nullified by Counterspell?!)

(1 to Charm Score (Cardin), Source Ruby)

(3 to Charm Score (Cardin), Source Jaune)

(2 to Charm Score (Jaune), Source Cardin)

(Cardin Loses a Level of Exhaustion, Temporarily)(Duration: 8hrs, or until he take a Long Rest)

(Sharpened Blades: 1 Bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls (Cardin) (Duration: 12hrs) (This one's kind of based on what your Companions can do in Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Wrath of the Righteous.) (Also, would recommend WOTR. It's good.)

/ /

Twenty minutes later…

"So,this is it?" Ruby heard Jaune ask Cardin as they sat before the narrow, forest trail leading off beyond the road.

"...Aye," The big man eventually answered after nodding his head.

"Anything we should know?" Jaune then asked.

The big man was silent for a moment before saying, "We may run into the local bandit troop along the way through. I used to run with them back in the day before the leader, Kale, ousted me."

Ruby frowned at that, puzzled by it. But, before she could ask herself, Jaune said, "And why is that?"

"Cause I slept with her sister, Caulis," Cardin answered without hesitation, not looking at either of them.

Ruby's confusion didn't go away at that answer, so she asked herself, hesitantly, "And, that was bad because…?"

"Cause I was also sleeping with her." Cardin returned.

Ruby scoffed audibly as she gave him an offended look as she said, "You're a real piece of work, aren't Cardin?"

He shrugged before saying, still not looking at her, "Never said I otherwise, did I?" Then he frowned before saying, "It was after we had just gotten a big score. One, which I'll say, was done perfectly. None of our boys got hurt and the caravan only had two injured. Got an unexpectedly big haul from it, more than we were even expecting, and we were celebrating."

He sighed and rubbed at his brow wearily.

"Caulis was always a bit of an idiot, with a shit personality to boot. Anything Kale had, she naturally wanted. And would take it by force as needed, even though Kale was clearly the stronger of the two." He shrugged before saying, "I guess it was going to happen eventually, anyway. My rotten luck was that it had to involve me."

"What happened, Cardin?" Jaune asked as he and Ruby looked on.

The big man shrugged again as he said, "Like I said, we were celebrating, and Caulis finally saw an opportunity to make her move and Kale got blackout drunk. I was, more than a little drunk by then myself, and the two of them were so similar at the time that the only thing that were differentiated for me was that one had darker hair than the other. And, in the dark of a tent at night, that made no difference."

He sniffed, staring off into the middle distance, seeing nothing but the memory of yet another bad decision on his part, before looking out at his comrades as he finished off with, "Realized just how fucked we were the next morning when I woke up with her naked in my arms. We got up, dressed, and as Kale was coming towards us with her typical post celebratory ire, Caulis grinned at her with that shit-eating grin of hers, still only in her undergarments. Kale knew instantly what happened. So did everyone else who was awake at that time."

Cardin grimaced then as he said, "Without a second thought, Kale ran Caulis through with her scimitar, killing her instantly. Immediately after, when she came out of her rage, she fell to her knees before the corpse and started weeping. I took that as my only opportunity and immediately went to saddle up my horse and leave before she put herself back together."

He sighed once more while rubbing at the back of his head and neck as he looked away before saying, "Tried to take my share with me. Some five hundred gold. But some of her more proactive men got in the way of my leaving the band. So, a bit of smooth-talking and a donationof three hundred gold, I was free to go with two hundred gold and my life."

He turned back to them as he said as neutrally as possible, "Seemed a fair trade to me." Then he shrugged before turning to stare back at the wooded trail before them with an unrecognizable look on his face.

(Insight Check, (Ruby); Roll Result: 17) (Better than her last one. She's learning.)

Ruby frowned at that as she looked down, thinking it over. Reading between the lines of Cardin's story she realized just rough that had to have been. So, a bit grudgingly, she then said, "I'm sorry, Cardin. You shouldn't have had to witness something like that."

Cardin stiffened at that before saying as if he hadn't heard anything, "Unless things have changed. Which, with her temper, is entirely possible. She should have no more than a band of about ten men. All armed with crossbows and swords.

"If we're lucky we'll miss them entirely. If not, let me do the talking. Kale's stubborn, stupid and short tempered at the best of time. Our only hope is getting her to let us go, but knowing her, even if she agrees with me, she'll still attack us simply because she already made up her mind to do so. Got it?"

"Agreed," Jaune returned with a nod. "We'll let you lead, Cardin."

The big man nodded back before starting down the trail, Jaune and Ruby followed.

(3 to Charm Score (Cardin), Source Ruby)

(1 to Charm Score (Cardin), Source Jaune)

(2 to Charm Score (Ruby), Source Cardin)

/ /

Three and a half hours later…

Cardin grimaced as he started down the dark passage before him. The last time he had been through here he had effectively burned the last of his bridges with Kale and her group. Course, that could've been because he slept with her sister instead of her. Kale had then killed Caulis in front of him as a warning against crossing her again, but mostly, it was because the bitch had stolen something that belonged to her.

His grimace deepened at that.

He hadn't cared all that much for Caulis, or Kale for that matter. She had always considered herself above everyone around her, so her death was inevitable. That being said, the sex from either of the Cobb sisters was pitiable at best. All bony hips and elbows, disgusting.

They had also been demanding, and not in a good way.

That, and the poor sex, had been rather disappointing for him. He honestly, and perhaps surprising for those who knew him, didn't mind having a woman who was confident in her sexuality or demeanor telling him what to do. In fact, he would even say it was a turn-on for him.

Someone who was arrogant, or overconfident in the worst way, though? Yeah, that was a turn-off for him at least.

(Stealth check (?): Roll results 7 5 = 12; Passive Perception (Cardin): 13; Roll Result: Failure)

Snap!

(Dexterity Check (Cardin) (Advantage): Roll Results 13 0, 19 0 = 19)

(Roll to Attack, (?): 7 3 = 10; Cardin AC 18; Roll Result: Failure)

(Roll to Attack, (?): 10 3 = 10; Cardin AC 18; Roll Result: Failure)

(Roll to Attack, (?): 7 3 = 10; Cardin AC 18; Roll Result: Failure)

With just the faintest of noises as his only warning, Cardin ducked down and slid off of his horse just as a trio of crossbow bolts whirled by overhead.

"Ambush!" He called back to his new comrades as he unslung his own heavy crossbow. Jaune nodded before quickly dismounting himself and drew his sword and shield just as his feet hit the ground. The girl remained on the horse, instead, but she did draw that freaking whatever-the-Hells-it-was, the long, snub-nosed spear-like object,as she stared off in the general direction of where the bolts had been fired.

He glanced back at the two before glancing around himself.

(Perception Check (Cardin): Roll Results 10 3 = 13)

Finally, after not seeing anything, he hollered, "Kale! It's Cardin! Don't shoot!"

"Winchester?!" Came the response. ""You no good, shit-eating son of a bitch! Wha' the fuck are you doin' back 'ere after wha' 'appened las' time? Git lost afor I fills you full of crossbow bolts!"

He grinned at that before winking at the Paladin as he said, "Hey, hey, what are you talking about? I didn't do anything wrong. That was all your sister's doing, remember? Can't blame me for that, now, can you?"

(Persuasion Check (Cardin); Roll Result: 12 4 = 16; Perception Check (Kale); Roll Result: 9 2 = 11; Cardin Wins!) (Apparently, that Short Rest was rather beneficiary for him, huh?)

"Hah, you would try and shift the blame, ya bastard!" A grubby-looking, middle-aged woman with short, choppy green hair shorn off in a rather unflattering half mullet retorted nastily before spitting on the ground as she stepped out of the nearby woods above the trio. A mishmash group of seven men and women in mud-splattered leather armor, and toting crossbows or hand-axes, then stepped out of the woods around them on either side of the narrow footpath after her as she glared down at him with her blue-grey eyes and swept the gnarled, unwashed strands of her almost dreadlocks-styled bangs from where they covered her eyes as she looked down at him from the half rise above the trail.

He stared at that as her men leered down at the trio in anticipation.

He then subtly shook his head at the knight, who nodded back before he shifted to one side of the horse and whispered something to the girl while tightening his grip on his weapon. He watched as the girl seemed to sigh before setting that thingin her hands down, holstering it in some kind of harness on the horse, before wrapping her cloak around herself again.

Cardin then cleared his throat before saying, "Now, Kale, we don't have to do this, Darlin'. Why don't we just let bygones be bygones, eh? Again, it wasn't really my fault. You knew what kind of bastard I was before we joined up together. And, I shouldn't even have to tell you what kinda person Caulis was, right?"

(Persuasion Check (Cardin); Roll Result: 6 4 = 10; Perception Check (Kale); Roll Result: 7 2 = 9; Cardin Wins!) (Somehow? Somehow, this woman's dumber the rest of Team CRDL …Kind of makes you wonder what kind of women are his type, huh?)

Kale seemed to think that over for a moment before glancing to her men around her and subtly motioned them to shift around into a better position. They nodded back before moving, shifting slightly as they ready their weapons again.

"That may be so, Winchester," she started as she drew her own weapons. "But, my statement stands. You shouldn't 'ave come back 'ere. Attack!"

As the brigands and bandits began to draw their blades and rush at the trio,Cardin shouted "Now!" as he raised and fired the crossbow at the nearest bandit to him.

Surprise Round!

(Characters who are eligible for acting in a surprise round - In this case, the bandit leader Kale, and all of our heroes because they were the only ones prepared to attack thanks to Cardin - go in order of Dex score.)

(Roll to Attack, (Ruby): 11 7 = 18; Bandit AC 12; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll for Damage: 1d83; Roll Result: 7 3 = 10 points of Damage)

With a sudden sweep of her arms, the girl flung her cloak away from her to reveal the longbow she had draw underneath. With a deft hand she quickly notched an arrow and loosed it at one of the bandits trying to fire back at them. The woman screamed in pain as the arrow sunk into her armored shoulder, burrowing through up to the middle of the shaft, almost knocking her off her feet.

(Roll to Attack, (Kale) (Advantage from high ground): 11 5, 7 5 = 16, 12 Total: 16; Cardin (Bonus from 3/4 cover) AC 18 5 = 23; Roll Result: Failure)

Kale shrieked wordless with rage as she hurled a dagger towards Cardin before charging towards him, only for the spinning blade to fly off well away from the man as he spun around his mount's rear end, stepping away from its cover to shoot himself.

(Roll to Attack, (Cardin): 15 4 = 19; Bandit AC 12; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll for Damage: 1d10; Roll Result: 10 = 10 points of Damage)

Once more, one of the bandits shrieked in pain as a heavy crossbow bolt buried itself deep within their guts. They shifted to run -

(Roll to Attack, (Jaune): 16 5 = 21; Bandit AC 12; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll for Damage: 1d6 3; Roll Result: 6 3 = 9 points of Damage)

- Only to drop soundlessly as a shaft of wood slammed through their neck, severing their spine and jugular veins as Jaune flung his javelin expertly at the same the man.

(Initiative Roll, Ruby: 13 3 = 16)

(Initiative Roll, Jaune: 18 = 18)

(Initiative Roll, Cardin: 6 = 6)

(Initiative Roll, Kale 11 5 = 16)

(Initiative Roll, Bandits: Bandit (1) 4 3 = 7, Bandit (2) (Heavily Wounded) 1 3 = 4) (Kind of appropriate when they only have one hit point left that they don't really want to keep fighting anymore, huh?)

(Initiative Roll, Brigands: Brigand (1) 18 1 = 19, Brigand (2) 6 1 = 7, Brigand (3) 19 1 = 20, and Brigand (4) 15 1 = 16)

(Initiative Order: Brigand (3) 20, Brigand (1) 19, Jaune 18, Ruby 16, Kale 16, Brigand (4) 16, Bandit (1) 7, Brigand (2) 7, Cardin 6, and Bandit (2) 4)

(Technically, I should also need to roll for the horses as well, but for now, I'll wait until and unless something causes them to get involved. Like say someone running to close behind them that they don't know about. Right now, they're just an object to hide behind.)

(Also, that's just some good advice right there. Horses are skittish by nature and can't really see behind them. Their first instinct is to kick out at someone or something coming up behind them. A kick that can knock you out, if not kill you outright. So, be careful.)

The first two brigands charged in on Cardin's flanks, tearing the underbrush as far as they could before they both threw the hand axe they had on hand at him. One was to his left across from him in the loosely open forest path while the other one was straight behind him.

(Roll to Attack, Brigand (1): 11 4 = 15; Cardin AC 18; Roll Result: Failure)

(Roll to Attack, Brigand (3) (Advantage from flanking): 13 4, 8 4 = 17, 12; Cardin AC 18; Roll Result: Failure)

Luckily for him, Cardin was watching out for the tactic and easily stepped aside from both slow moving weapons. Though one just barely scraped his shoulder pauldron as it whirled by as he dodged it.

Jaune saw the brigands before him charging towards him and designed to meet them on the way. He charged in at the first one before swinging Crocea Mors two-handed at the man's head as he tried to to block with his own blade.

(Roll to Attack (Jaune): 19 5 = 24; Brigand (4) AC 13; Roll Result: Success, Critical Hit) (Remember that Longsword Crit on Nat 19s and 20s)

(Roll for Damage (Critical Hit): 2d10 3; Roll Result: 3 3 3 = 9 points of damage)

The man hollered in pain as Jaune slapped aside his blade with the sheer weight of his strike before almost cleaving him in two. As the smell individual staggered away from, gushing blood and from his mouth and the massive tear across his front, Jaune then snapped out a jab with Crocea Mors shield while it was strapped to his forearm.

(Bonus Action, Shield Bash; Roll to Attack (Jaune): 9 5 = 14; Brigand (4) AC 13; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll for Damage, 1d6 3; Roll Result: 2 3 = 5 points of damage)

The blow struck the man squarely in the face, shattering his nose as it split his head wide open. He crumpled at the paladin's feet without another sound.

Ruby shot at the same bandit again as the woman tried to move around to fire at her and Jaune. With a quick gauge of the wind in the trees she notched, drew and loosed the arrow all in one smooth motion.

(Roll to Attack, (Ruby): 8 7 = 15; Bandit (2) AC 12; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll for Damage: 1d83; Roll Result: 7 3 = 10 points of Damage)

The woman gave a gurgling cry of pain that was rapidly cut short as the arrow pierced her heart. She collapsed, vanishing beneath the undergrowth.

Ruby then took that as an opportunity to dismount from her and Jaune's horse while notching another arrow as she moved around the horse to get in range of her next target.

Kale observed all of this from her position on the rise and decided to go after the next most obvious threat to Cardin, Jaune. To that end she made to leap down so that she might engage him alongside the one remaining Brigand left near him.

(Strength Check (Kale); Roll Result: 1(Natural one) (…The hilarity of this moment, cannot be be understated.)

(Fall Damage, d6 per 10ft; Roll Result(1d6): 6 points of all damage) (What did I just say?)

Only to trip over an unseen root and collapse on the ground down below, landing smack on her face and breaking her nose. She lay like that for what seemed like half a second before rising slowly to her feet and staggering down towards where she last saw the armored man, drawing her other dagger and her scimitar as she did so.

The bandit who was with her failed to notice this as they were hiding behind a tree to avoid returning fire as he reloaded his crossbow. Once done, he wheeled back around the tree to find that there where no active targets, besides the man in the white armor. He shrugged to himself at that, having wanted to get the one in the red cloak, before loosing a bolt at Jaune.

(Roll to Attack, (Bandit (1): 19 3 = 22; Jaune AC 24; Roll Result: Failure)

Only to watch as Jaune just narrowly bashed it away with his shield as he turned to face the Brigand charging towards him. The man in question first flung his hand-axe at Jaune before drawing his own longsword as he made his way through the thick underbrush toward him where he then swung the blade two-handed at the knight.

(Roll to Attack, Brigand (2): 17 4 = 21; Jaune AC 24; Roll Result: Failure)

(Action Surge, Brigand (2): One more attack this Turn)

(Roll to Attack, Brigand (2): 16 4 = 20; Jaune AC 24; Roll Result: Failure)

Once again, Jaune parried the ranged attack before blocking the follow up melee strike, dancing to one side as he slid the brigand's blade off to one side while watching as Kale came stumbling up to him as well as he whispered the command phrase and summoned flames around his Crocea Mors.

Cardin took that moment to drop his own crossbow and went charging at one of his own opponents while drawing his maul to swing at them.

(Roll to Attack, (Cardin): 20 (Nat 20) 5 1 (Bonus) = 26; Brigand (3) AC 13; Roll Result: Critical Success) (Looks like he didn't need the bonus for his weapon but that coffee break keeps coming in clutch with all these skill check, huh? Otherwise, he'd be roll with Disadvantage on everything.)

(Roll for Damage (Critical): 4d6 3; Roll Result: = 23 points of Damage) (Holy shit! I'm kind of glad he didn't do this with Jaune now. Man would not be here if that had been the case.)

With a single swing of his massive mace the brigand's upper half was torn clean away, splattering his chest plate with blood as the crushed and ripped open torso was sent flying off somewhere into the woods behind the man as his legs collapsed limply in the loamy ground. Cardin then turned with an almost feral grin to look at his one remaining opponent.

(Bonus Action: Intimidation Check (Cardin); Roll Results: 10 4 = 14; Wisdom Check Brigand (1); Roll Results: 5 1 = 6; Cardin Wins)

(New Condition (Brigand (1): Afraid for one Round)

Who stared back, blanching with fear.

(Round 2: Initiative Order: Brigand (1) 19, Jaune 18, Ruby 16, Kale 16, Bandit (1) 7, Brigand (2) 7, and Cardin 6)

On seeing Cardin beginning to move towards him the brigand turned and ran as fast as he could towards his remaining comrades, not knowing how many were left.

(Roll to Attack (Jaune): 12 5 = 17; Brigand (2) AC 13; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll for Damage: 1d10 3, 2d6 Fire Damage; Roll Result: 8 3, 2 2 = 11 4 for 15 points of damage)

He rounded the corner just in to see Jaune all but cleave in two the brigand he was currently fighting before the knight began to back away, back towards Ruby and the horses due to being the most exposed out of everybody. "Ruby!" He called as he did so, pointing towards the one remaining bandit armed with a crossbow.

She nodded that before stepping out away from the horse once more to shoot at the man before he could hide from her again. Once more, she notched and loosed the arrow all in one motion as she eyeballed the man standing there.

(Roll to Attack, (Ruby): 18 7 = 25; Bandit (1) AC 12; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll for Damage: 1d83; Roll Result: 6 3 = 9 points of Damage)

The bandit grunted harshly as the arrow struck him in the chest. He clutch at the arrow, coughing harshly as he felt that the arrowhead had pierced a lung. Ruby grinned to herself at that before scooting over to the other horse in a crouch run.

By then, Kale had recovered enough from her less than stellar entrance and charged at Jaune, motioning for her remaining men to attack with her as she came right up on him. However, the last bandit, now heavily wounded, saw the writing on the wall and took off dashing into the woods without another word as he clutched at his wound.

Cardin chose then to notfollow after his last opponent to instead return and pick up his dropped, heavy crossbow. It wasn't loaded but that was okay as he rounded the horse to see Kale there, exposed as Jaune had been and smiled to himself at what was to come.

(Round 3: Initiative Order: Brigand (1) 19, Jaune 18, Ruby 16, Kale 16, and Cardin 6)

Though he didn't see as his other comrade fled, the last brigand still sighed to himself as he ran up to Jaune and attacked, knowing how this was going to go for him and Kale.

(Roll to Attack (Brigand (1): 20 (Nat 20) 4 = 24; Jaune AC 24; Roll Result: Success, Critical Hit) (The first hit on our guys, and it's a Crit against Jaune. I feel for my boy. Also, not sure if I've said this before but a Nat 20 instantly bypass an AC score unless otherwise specified. Like say for certain Bosses.)

(Roll for Damage (Critical Hit): 2d8 2; Roll Result: 4 5 2 = 11 points of damage)

(Action Surge, Brigand (1): One more attack this Turn)

(Roll to Attack, Brigand (1): 14 4 = 18; Jaune AC 24; Roll Result: Failure)

Jaune hissed in pain as the first blow from the brigand cut across his upper shoulder and back, leaving a deep, nasty gash, but he easily dodged the follow up strike. He then turned to the man with a growl of his own, pissed that he failed to see the man rushing up on him as he braced for Kale's own assault.

To that end, he first swung at the bandit leader with a great, two-handed upwards sweep before spinning place to bash the brigand in the face with Crocea Mors' shield component.

(Roll to Attack (Jaune): 17 5 = 23; Kale AC 15; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll for Damage: 1d10 3, 2d6 Fire Damage; Roll Result: 10 3, 5 1 = 13 6 for 19 points of damage)

(Bonus Action, Shield Bash; Roll to Attack (Jaune): 15 5 = 20; Brigand (1) AC 13; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll for Damage, 1d6 3; Roll Result: 6 3 = 9 points of damage)

Kale shrieked with pain and rage as he tore into her, ripping a burning brand across the front of her studded leather armor even as her last remaining man made an almost comical noise of "Guuuhh!"as his nose was shattered as well as more than four teeth in his upper jaw under the impact of the metal edge of Crocea Mors shield. He staggered back, spitting up blood and shards of his shattered teeth.

(Reaction (Berserk): Kale enters a Rage as if she were a Barbarian for one minute (Ten Rounds), gaining Advantage on Strength Checks and Saving Throws (not attacks), a 2 to melee damage with Str weapons and Resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing Damage)

(Roll to Attack, (Ruby): 10 7 = 17; Bandit (1) AC 12; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll for Damage: 1d83; Roll Result: 6 3 = 9 points of Damage)

The man looked up from his teeth littered the ground just in time to take the arrow Ruby shot his way right between the eyes. He fell over backward , eye wide and graying over in death.

Then Kale was there, raging as she slashed at Jaune's form repeatedly with her scimitar and dagger.

(Roll to Attack (Kale) Multiattack: 18 5, 18 5, 1 (Nat 1) = 23, 23, Nat 1; Jaune AC 24; Roll Result: Triple Failure)

Jaune just barely blocked her first two slashes with the scimitar as she furiously pounded away at him before he then turned the tables on her. He was not only able to completely dodge the follow up stab from her dagger he repositioned her to leave her back exposed to his two companions.

And Cardin took full advantage of that.

(Roll to Attack, (Cardin) (Advantage from Flanking: 4 5 1 (Bonus), 7 5 1 (Bonus) = 10, 13; Kale AC 15; Roll Result: Failure)

Only to grit his teeth and hiss with frustration as she nimbly, if barely dodged his swing at her.

(Round 4: Initiative Order: Jaune 18, Ruby 16, Kale 16, and Cardin 6)

Seeing how this was going to go, Jaune placed his hand on his shoulder and whispered a prayer to the Brother for healing before stepping toward the blood-maddened woman to attack once more.

(Swift Action, Lay on Hands (Self): Heal 5 HP)

(Roll to Attack (Jaune): 8 5 = 13; Kale AC 15; Roll Result: Failure)

(Bonus Action, Shield Bash; Roll to Attack (Jaune): 2 5 = 7; Kale AC 15; Roll Result: Failure)

Only to utterly fail at hitting her as she shifted and shimmied away from his flaming sword while outright avoiding his attempt to bash her with his shield, having seen him pull it off too many times in a row.

Then it was Ruby's turn.

Instead of shooting another arrow at the woman while she was in melee, and risk hitting Jaune, who was already wounded, or Cardin, even though she still didn't like him, she dropped her bow to attack with both of her own melee weapons, her hook and scimitar.

Pity for the bandit boss that she was also flanking her, too.

(Roll to Attack, (Ruby) (Advantage from Flanking: 20 (Nat 20), 18 6 = Nat 20, 24; Kale AC 15; Roll Result: Success, Critical Hit) (My girl! There you go, Ruby!)

(Roll for Damage: 2d64; Roll Result: 2 1 4 = 7 points of Damage reduced to 4 from Raging)

(Roll to Attack, (Ruby) (Advantage from Flanking): 5 5, 20 (Nat 20) = 10, Nat 20; Kale AC 15; Roll Result: Success, Critical Hit) (Oh. Oh, damn. I think we can safely say Ruby might have a thing for Jaune. That or she's just really, really pissed after everything going on the past few days, huh? I'll let you guys decide which one for now, cause damn, but I don't want to get on her bad side right now.)

(Roll for Damage: 2d43; Roll Result: 3 4 3 = 10 points of Damage reduced to 5 from Raging)

Kale continued to shriek with rage as she was blindsided by the miniature woman before her. She snarled wordless, spittle flying, as she swung twice at Ruby and once more at Jaune. Jaune seeing what was coming and did his best to interpose himself between her and his friend, imposing protection to the more fragile woman.

(Reaction (Jaune Arc):Protection-Disadvantage to Attack)

(Roll to Attack (Kale) Multiattack: (Disadvantage on first Attack)16 5, 11 5, = 21, 16; Ruby AC 16; Roll Result: Success; 17 5 = 22; Ruby AC 16; Roll Result: Success; 1 (Nat 1); Jaune AC 24; Roll Result: Failure) (Okay, so this one was tricky. Usually, you call Disadvantage on the attack that has the highest chance of succeeding in hitting , but as this was a multiattack, and I couldn't tell what the virtual dice roller would give me, well, you see the results. Here's hoping that Kale rolls low for damage. Although, we do got a healer on standby, but still, yeesh.)

(Roll for Damage: 1d63; Roll Result: 1 3, 5 3 = 4 8 for 12 points of Damage)

Ruby found herself hissing pain now as with two swift slashes of her sword the crazed bandit leader had slice her across the front and side of her leather-clad form. She glanced to look at herself as the woman made to stab at Jaune once again.

Fortunately, only one seemed to be severe.

She looked up just as Jaune slid to one side as the woman once more tripped over some kind of root and stumbled by into Cardin's waiting arms.

(Roll to Attack, (Cardin) (Advantage from Flanking): 4 5 1 (Bonus), 19 5 1 = 10, 25; Kale AC 15; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll for Damage (Critical): 2d6 3; Roll Result: 2 3 3 = 8 points of Damage reduced to 4 from raging)

The blow, though admittedly powerful, wasn't even enough to knock Kale off her feet. She did, however, turn and focus all her attention on him, her eyes taking on a reddish haze as hatred for him consumed her.

(Round 5: Initiative Order: Jaune 18, Ruby 16, Kale 16, and Cardin 6)

Jaune chose to attack her then while her attention was on someone else, hoping to finish this in one fell swoop. This time he tried some thing different as he closed with the berserk woman once more.

(Bonus Action, Shield Bash; Roll to Attack (Jaune) (Advantage from Flanking): 5 5, 6 5 = 10, 11; Kale AC 15; Roll Result: Failure)

"Fool!" The woman spat as she glanced his way, mocking him by saying, "Is tha' th' best ya can do?! I've already seen all yer moves. Ya won't get me with tha' again!"

(Roll to Attack (Jaune) (Advantage from Flanking): 16 5, 10 5 = 23; Kale AC 15; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll for Damage: 1d10 3, 2d6 Fire Damage; Roll Result: 3 3, 5 5 = 6 points of damaged reduced 3 for raging and 10 points of Fire damage not reduced)

Only to then shriek in pain-filled rage as he then tore a deep, cauterizing wound across her back, all but destroying what armor she had back there.

As she turned to attack in retaliation, Ruby struck again.

(Roll to Attack, (Ruby) (Advantage from Flanking): 18 6, 2 6 = 24, 8; Kale AC 15; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll for Damage: 1d64; Roll Result: 5 4 = 9 points of Damage reduced to 5 from Raging)

(Roll to Attack, (Ruby) (Advantage from Flanking): 20 (Nat 20), 16 5 = 10, Nat 20; Kale AC 15; Roll Result: Success, Critical Hit) (Yeah, Ruby really wants this bitch dead. I'm in agreement.) (That being said, Holy shit! I did not realize just how strong base-line Rage is. Good thing we're going to have a Barbarian on our side soon.)

(Roll for Damage: 2d43; Roll Result: 4 4 3 = 11 points of Damage reduced to 6 from Raging) (If it wasn't for her Raging, Kale would be dead at least twice over by now. Do not ever bash the Barbarian Class for taking hits because of their low AC. They're meant to take the hits that a Class like Ruby's couldn't!)

(That being said, just die already!)

Kale howled in pain and rage as once more the girl next to her slashed and ripped at her with the hook and scimitar in her hands. She gasped, spitting up blood as she stood there swaying back and forth, leaking blood everywhere from all her wounds.

Finally, she inhaled deeply before dropping her dagger to take up her scimitar in two hands as she turned and glared at Cardin, spitting out, "This is all yer fault, Winchester!" Before rushing at him screaming wordlessly.

Once more, Jaune attempted to impose himself between her and the target of her wrath.

(Roll to Attack (Kale) Multiattack: (Disadvantage on first Attack) 7 5, 4 5 = 12, 9; Cardin AC 18; Failure; 11 5, 20 (Nat 20) = 16, Nat 20; Cardin AC 18; One Failure, One Critical Success) (Okay, a bit better with the results now that I know how to do this. Still, though, got a Critical in on Cardin there at the very end. Damn.)

(Roll for Damage (Critical) (Two-handed): 2d83 1d8 for Brutal Critical Ability; Roll Result: = 19 points of damage) (Seriously, just barely made it over his HP maximum of 14. At least, I gave him a Bleeding out state as a PC. And as a Fighter, he's got a once per fight healing ability! Well, if he doesn't lose consciousness.)

(Also, yes, yes, I know. Scimitars do not have a two-handed attack version, but seeing as you go up in die level, say the d8 to d10 for the longsword, I decided to just winged it.)

Cardin successfully avoided her first wild swing thanks to Jaune; then, barely did the same to the second. On the third one, though, he wasn't so lucky. Stepping wrongly as he avoided the second attack, he left himself exposed for the sudden reversal she performed on him, stabbing him through the middle before twisting the blade and then ripping it violently back out as she slid the blade across his abdomen, disemboweling him in the process.

Cardin gurgled and groaned as blood spilled from his mouth while he fell to his knees clutching at the wound. Kale smiled down at him wickedly as he panted and gasped for breathe, clutching at his strewn about innards, before raising her blade overhead to finish the man off.

(Constitution Check, Bleeding Out state, DC 10 (Cardin); 12 4 = 19; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll to Attack (Jaune) (Advantage from Flanking): 14 5, 8 5 = 19, 13; Kale AC 15; Roll Result: Success)

(Roll for Damage: 1d10 3, 2d6 Fire Damage; Roll Result: 3 3, 1 2 = 6 points of damaged reduced 3 for raging and 3 points of Fire damage not reduced)

Then she grunted in pain as a flaming blade suddenly erupted from her chest in a burst of blood and flames. She jerked and twitched as she dropped her blade to clutch at the blade before, with a gurgling, moan of, "Wh-wha?", before she fell limp, standing there, only held up by the blade still burning through her corpse.

Jaune then jerked Crocea Mors back out, dropping the body in an boneless heap, before deactivating the flames and sheathing the sword, all in one fluid maneuver, before he then rushed over to Cardin's side, shouting, "Hold on, Cardin!"

(Medicine Check, Jaune Arc; Roll Result: 13 3 = 16)

He look down at the wound and frowned at what he saw before he looked around, making certain that there no more threats in the area, then he got back up and wrenched a length of cloth from the saddlebags of Cardin's horse to wrap it around the man's ripped open guts. Then he concentrated before he muttered an other prayer to the Gods as he cast-

(Action (Spell-casting), Cure Wounds 1stlevel, 1d8 2; Roll Result: 4 2 = 6 points healed to Cardin; Bleeding Out state removed)

(Gains Grievous Injury: Gut Wound, Disadvantage on Str Saves and Check, -2 Str, -2 Con; Duration: 18 days)(Decided to add a feature to the Bleeding Out State. More on that at the end.)

(Gains Exhaustion Levels: 2)

Cardin grunted as his wounds healed slightly before almost screaming out as Jaune then pulled him to his feet as he said, "Come on, let's get you out of here." He looked around again as he asked, "Are you sure that's all of them?"

Cardin grunted an affirmative as he held back a scream and leaned against the other man as they made their way slowly towards the horse while Ruby covered for them with her bow, a look of concern on her face. As Jaune placed him up on the horse, he gritted out, "Hey, go check the bodies for anything interesting, 'kay?"

"Wh-what?" Ruby stuttered in apparent confusion at that. "Aren't you injured?! We need to get you to the next town as quickly as possible!"

"Hey!"Cardin snapped out through gritted teeth, before coughing a bit and spitting a gummy wad of blood, then said, "I just took a hit for you, girl! Give me this one thing, okay? We could use the funds… If there are any."

Ruby stood there for moment in apparent dismayed reticence before finally turning around to look over the bodies while shaking her head in disgust after another urging look from the wounded man.

(Investigation Check, Ruby Rose; Roll Result: 16 2 = 18)

(Finds 14 Gold, 75 Silver, 25 Coppers, four short sword, five daggers, and a scimitar)

"Okay! Found some stuff! Can we go now?" She called after picking up the last weapon she came across before turning back the men and horse with her arms full. Then she rushed over to place the bundle of weapons in an empty saddlebag as well the Lien in her personal coin purse before hopping onto the back of the horse with Jaune's help.

As they then took off again she muttered her own prayer and-

(Action (Spell-casting), Cure Wounds 1stlevel, 1d8; Roll Result: 5 points healed to Ruby)

She shudder as once more she felt her skin and flesh knit back together before wrapping her arms around Jaune without an ounce of embarrassment. About half an hour later her face exploded in embarrassment as she realized what she had been doing, but she didn't let go.

(-1 to Charm Score (Cardin), Source Ruby)

(1 to Charm Score (Cardin), Source Jaune)

(-1 to Charm Score (Ruby), Source Cardin)

(2 to Charm Score (Ruby), Source Cardin)

/ /

An hour and a half later…

(Travel speed (Nature Check)(Advantage Natural Explorer )(Ruby); Roll Result: 11 8, 3 8 = 19, 11)

With a surprising bit of guidance on Ruby's part, at least to Cardin, the trio tore through what should've been another half day of travel through the hidden forest paths and reached the outskirts of Domremy, only an hour and a half later.

As he sat there on his horse, leaning forwards while clutching at his wounded guts, he turned to Jaune and asked, "So, do ya know where it is you're goin' in town? Or, are we staying on the road for a bit longer? Cause I got to tell ya, I fuckin' hate this right now."

Jaune blinked at that before snorting to himself with a slight grin on his face. Then he turned to him as he said gently, "Well, Cardin, yes, we do have an idea of where we're going, but we also have time to rest so I can treat that wound of yours." After a moment he said, "Also, thank you, Cardin, for saving Ruby back there. I know she appreciates it, even if she hasn't said anything to it."

There came a muttered response of, "Yeah. Thanks. I don't mean to be a bitch about it - But, I still don't trust you!" from the girl as she buried her head in Jaune's back. He laughed at that and Cardin found himself smiling as well.

He rubbed at the back of his head before saying, "I - Thanks. Nice, actually helping someone for once." Then he shook his head as he bit, "N-now, come on! We're wasting daylight!"

And he led them into the town.

(1 to Charm Score (Cardin), Source Ruby)

(1 to Charm Score (Cardin), Source Jaune)

(1 to Charm Score (Ruby), Source Cardin)

(1 to Charm Score (Jaune), Source Cardin)

/ /

An hour later, after a brief stop with the guards at the guard on finding a cheap Inn, and Jaune had set them up in a local inn, simply named Roland's. With the first real moment of peace since the attack , he made to treat Cardin's injury as best as he could. First, he did another Lay on Hands before attempting to sew up the wound.

(Action (Lay on Hands) (Other); Roll Result: 5 points healed to Cardin)

(Medicine Check (Jaune); Roll Result: 9 3 = 12 days removed from Grievous Wound Duration)

Jaune did the best he could to stitch up the wound before finishing by Lay on Hands on the man one more time as he and Ruby recovered themselves. Then they all spent the rest of the time to sleep in or otherwise recover from that fight earlier.

Cardin and Ruby both snoozed while Jaune stood guard. He was aware that they were in an inn but after having learned the two of them now had a bounty on them from Arcadia he wasn't taking chances. Besides, Ruby and Cardin both had obviously not gotten any sleep last night and while this wouldn't be enough to help Cardin, especially with that wound, he hoped it be enough to get them through whatever came next today.

Because something told him that the other shoe hadn't dropped yet.

/ /

(Constitution Check, DC 10; (Ruby Rose); Roll Result: 14 1 = 15; Success)

(Ruby Loses a Level of Exhaustion) (You thought I forgot about that didn't you. Nope, but it doesn't matter now.)

(Constitution Check, DC 10; (Cardin Winchester); Roll Result: 18 4 = 22; Success)

(Cardin Loses a Level of Exhaustion)

An hour later Ruby came awake feeling surprisingly refreshed. She had started feeling the effects of her coffee from that morning going away after the fight in the woods, especially as she had been injured, so it was nice to know that she wouldn't be groggy for the rest of the day. Now, if only they could find this Junior person. Then, her journey could finally begin.

She only wondered if Jaune would continue to journey with her. He said he would, but, would he?

"You good?" Jaune suddenly asked her in a raspy tone before coughing into his fist as he stood up to face her. She nodded in return before tilting her head to the side as she asked, "Did you rest at all?"

"No. Didn't need to," he replied curtly as he adjusted his sword in its sheath and motioned her to follow after him as he turned to leave the room while Cardin yawned before her and winced from the pain of his bandaged guts.

Ruby frowned at Jaune's answer but was unable to say anything to it as Jaune had already left the room. She quickly gathered her things while Cardin donned his armor and followed after Jaune.

She caught up to him downstairs as he was walking through the streets ahead of them. "Jaune," she called as she ran up to half-walk, half-jog next to him. "Sl-slow down! What's the hurry?"

He stopped and looked at her as she pulled on his arm and asked, "Did- did I do something wrong?"

"I just want to get this done." He said in reply while looking around. Then he paused before leaning over to whisper in her ear before he pulled her hood up, "I got a bad feeling about things today. And between that fight yesterday and the one in the forest earlier, I'm feeling bit uneasy at all the delays so far. You've" - he flicked her forehead lightly - "have done nothing wrong."

Then he stood up straight as Cardin finally joined them and said, "Now, let's get going, hm?"

Ruby nodded in agreement even as she held both hands to her forehead, rubbing the spot where he had flicked her. Jaune was wearing gauntlets after all.

Then they took off again, this time together.

"Now," Jaune said absently. "Just where is this place?"

/ /

(Investigation Check (Jaune Arc); Roll Result: 17 5 = 22)

It took but a moment for Jaune to find someone to tell them where to go after Ruby stopped him. He acknowledged that he maybe hadn't been thinking straight himself.

Perhaps he should've rested himself.

It was just… Cardin almost dying, right after he almost died… It was a bit more than he could handle right now. Not after seeing what remained of his family.

He sighed to himself as he walked down the street as he thought about that again. That, and his past.

"Jaune?" Ruby asked as she looked up at him as she walked next to him. "Are, are you okay?"

He sighed again but said nothing for a moment. Then, after another look from her, he said, "No. No, not really. I, sigh, I just, I'm worried, alright."

Ruby looked down at that then asked as she looked back up at him, "About what?"

"About, about the bounty, Ruby. About that fact that the damned Church of Salem is after you. About all of it." He said heavily as they continued to walk down the street, not really looking around themselves.

"Oh," Ruby said with a flinch after a brief pause. She then looked back up at him with a bit of fear in her eyes as she asked, "Do, do you not want to help me anymore?"

He stopped as he jerked his head to her, asking harshly, "What?"

She flinched and swallowed before saying as she looked down prodding her fingers together, "Well, it's just, I don't want you to get hurt. Not like that, not again. So, if you need to leave, to go, I won't stop you. You're right. With the Church after me, things will only get more dangerous from here on out, so, maybe you should just go." She looked up at him, her eyes watery, as she said with a wavering smile, "It's okay, Jaune. I can handle things from here."

"Ruby," he said, exasperated, while rubbing at his brow. "That's not what I meant. Not at all." He stepped in towards and placed a hand on her shoulder as he knelt down before her to look up into her eyes as he continued, "I made an Oath to you, Ruby. I will not leave your side, and I will die, before I let them hurt you." Then he smiled gently as he said, "Plus, I'm your friend, Ruby. I'm not going anywhere."

She immediately glomped onto him in a deep hug. He reciprocated it as she whispered into his ear, "Thank you. I was scared."

He nodded back but said nothing otherwise.

(5 to Charm Score (Ruby), Source Jaune)

(5 to Charm Score (Jaune), Source Ruby)

/ /

The PDA was a bit too much for Cardin, but not for reasons rightly he understood right then. He shook his head at the display and turned to walk away only to bump into someone.

They crashed to the ground with a cry of surprise. He chose to ignore that only for the person to berate him in a sultry, if high pitched feminine voice, "Hey! Why don't you watch where you are going!"

He blinked at that before turning to look down at the person, curious, and felt his eyes widen as he found a slight, furious, but incredibly attractive woman of silver hair and pale blue eyes glaring up at him. She held out a hand as she berated him, saying, "Well? Are you going to just stand there, you belligerent oaf! Or, are you going help me back up?!" She then muttered softly to herself, "After all, I think I sprained my ankle because of you."

Cardin stood there for a moment more, stunned by her beauty. And, she was beautiful. He could tell. He saw that in her regal features, regardless of the scar across her eye, in her clothing, in her, her… Her!She was also… rather familiar, to him, but, perhaps due his fatigue, he couldn't, quite place her. He blinked at that and subtly shook his head before finally leaning down with a grunt of exertion and pain from his injury as he hissed out groggily, gutturally, "Sorry. 'Bout that."

The woman frowned at him but grasped his hand, allowing him to pull her up. To which she then dusted herself off as she observed him from under her bangs for a moment.

(Insight Check (?); 7 3 = 10)

Then she sniffed daintily before saying, "If you really want to apologize, you could tell me your name. It is the second time we've met today, after all."

Cardin blinked at that and scrutinized her, trying to place her.

(History Check (Cardin); 12 4 = 16)

"Ah," he then said by way of answer. "The woman from Sunsett then." She frowned at that, but nodded. He nodded himself before saying absently, "Surprised to see you again." He shook his head as the fatigue, and his injury, fogged his mind then. "Ah, sorry again. Might not look like it," he twitched at that, "but, uh, I know better than to ever hit a lady. At least, not without her permission first, heh." He grinned as he said that.

(Persuasion Check (Cardin) (-2 from Exhaustion Level 1); Roll Result: 12 4 - 2 = 14; Perception Check (?); Roll Result: 17 1 = 18; Persuasion Fails) (Looks like Cardin is all that silver-tongued after all. At least, with someone smarter than you average bandit lord.)

The woman stared at him coldly for a moment before sniffing disdainfully and said with a curdled lip, "Please. I've dealt with others who were better at capering than you, sir." Then she glared as she jabbed a finger at him as she spat, "And, that's disgusting! Show some manners before I put you in your place, Cur!" Then she turned to leave with a "Humph!" of irritation, and began to strut away, her long hair flowing wildly behind her in her anger.

Cardin made to shrug at that and walk on himself, seeing it as yet another loss with the opposite sex, before suddenly exclaiming, "Wait!"

She paused at his tone, before she then looked back, glaring at him with a delicate eyebrow raised.

Though, he didn't quite know why, Cardin coughed into his hand before saying as he bowed deeply, "*Ahem* I do apologize, my lady. That was, thoughtlessly crude of me. I, I'm so used to dealing with, um, uh, let's say certain ladies of ill-reprove, that I, I just said the first thing that came to mind. It was wrong. Iwas wrong. Forgive me. Please." (Persuasion Check (Cardin) (-2 from Exhaustion Level 1); Roll Result: 9 4 - 2 = 11; Perception Check (?); Roll Result: 5 1 = 6; Persuasion Succeeds)

Cardin didn't know why he decided he needed the lady's forgiveness, but he did. Maybe it was simply due to her beauty, or maybe it was too much time spent with Jaune and Ruby, but, he found that he needed it. For some reason.

So, when she said, if a bit hesitantly, "I - Hm. I accept your apology, sir knight. Arise." It made him smile inside, pleased.

He stood back with a wince of pain and clutched at his guts. The woman stared at him for a moment, even taking at step to look up into his eyes.

(Insight Check (?); Roll Result: 12 3 = 15)

Then she sighed before saying, "You shouldn't deal with such women as that, Sir Knight. They're filled with diseases and sicknesses that could ruin you for a proper woman. Don't you want to have a family some day?"

Cardin frowned at that before scoffing and looking away as he said bitterly, "What does it matter? I'm a low born cur, like you said. What woman want such a thing with the likes of me? Hmph, better to lie with such women, I say. At least, theywill give me the time day, as it were… my lady."

(Insight Check (?); Roll Result: 13 3 = 16)

She gave him another, more subtle frown before she then looked away, staring off into the middle for a moment. Then she sighed and turned back to him while rubbing at a ring on her hand while muttering under her breath.

(Action (Spell-casting) (?), Greater Restoration x 3; Cures Cardin of Disease: Chlamydia, Removes Exhaustion Level from Cardin, and Removes Grievous Injury)

With a sudden flare of white light Cardin was suddenly enshrouded in some kind of soothing energy that made a part of him tingle even as it felt like his injury was no longer quite so painful, so present. He blinked at that, suddenly feeling much, much better.

He turned to the woman and asked, "My lady? What was that?"

She sighed and rubbed at the ring, a ring he now saw was now blackened and useless bit of metal when it had been as silver as her hair, before saying, "Your plight peaked my interest, so I've used something precious to heal you. All of you. Don't waste it."

Then she turned and started to walk away. Cardin stood there in silence for a mometn, recalling what they had said to each other before he raise his hand out to her and said, "Wait! I still don't know your name?"

She paused before looking back at him in silence. Then she smiled as she said,"Weiss. Weiss Schnee. And you are, Sir Knight?"

"Cardin Winchester, my lady," He replied as he walked over to stand before her. He paused for a moment, thinking things over before he said, "And, I wonder if you would join our party, my lady?"

She paused at that before placing a hand on her waist as she asked a bit coyly, a slight smile on her face, "And, why would I want to do that, Sir Knight?"

"Well," Cardin drawled as he thought about how to word this. "The two over there," he nodded his head two where Ruby and Jaune was at, looking his way now that they had finished… whatever it was that they had been doing. "are on the lookout for a shifty merchant that can help the girl with something she needs fixed, all so she can go do… something. The paladin is her… protector."

He paused, thinking it over some more, before shrugging and opted to speak the truth, "They both have a bounty on their head from the Church of Salem. Which is actually terrifying, if you know about the church and it's activities, especially here in Arcadia." There was a pause before he then said, "And I know all this because I'm a mercenary, and I tried to claim their bounty with my men. Now, by some, uh, unusual circumstances, I'm helping them instead."

"Okay," Weiss blinked at that, and at his admission. before asking, "Again, though, why would I join you? You sound like the exact opposite of the people I should join up with. You're a threat to my health."

"Because," Cardin thought about it as he looked around, trying to formulate what he wanted to say, to get a cross. "Because, you're a good person, while I am not. And, they need someone like that who can help them, who they can trust outright, whereas I still have to prove myself." Then he knelt before her, looking down as he implored her, "Please, my lady, will help us?"

(Persuasion Check (Cardin); Roll Result: 7 4 = 11)

Weiss looked at him in silence, a slight flush to her face from his sheer audacity. Then her eyes lowered in sympathy as she said sadly, "I'm, sorry, Sir Knight, but I cannot help you. Not in this. It's, too much for me." She swallowed as she glanced over at Jaune and Ruby as they had walked over by then, and heard everything. She swallowed again, embarrassed and ashamed at her actions before likely placing a hand on Cardin's armored shoulder and said, "But, I do wish you luck in you endeavors. Take care, Sir Knight, and keep safe."

Then she turned and walked away, doing her best to not look back.

Cardin turned to his friends as he stood back up and shrugged with a small, sad smile as he said, "Sorry. Did the best I could."

They nodded at him before turning to lead the way again. Cardin tried not to think about why he did all that, about why he felt the way he did right now, like he had failed somehow.

(1 to Charm Score (Ruby), Source Cardin)

(1 to Charm Score (Jaune), Source Cardin)

/ /

Five minutes later…

The place was called Junior's, and it seemed like just a simple pawn shop from the outside.

But, that, would be wrong.

The trio stood outside the building for a moment, watching as a small group of ruffians went in. They didn't come back out again.

As shown by the ruffians, the business was obviously a front, just as Roman had said. Now, if only the man inside would help with Ruby's quest. Jaune would do everything he could to make that a certainty.

He looked over at his comrades and nodded back when they nodded at him in silent agreement before taking off to enter the store. They followed behind him.

"Welcome to Junior's Pawn Shop. Home to some of the finest imports on this side of Arcadia." The man sitting with his legs crossed on the countertop in a seemingly bored tone without looking up from the paper he was reading. He flipped to the next page as he asked, "Now, are you buying or selling?"

(Perception Check (Jaune); Roll Result: 13 1 = 14)

Jaune glanced around the inside of the building as Ruby and Cardin came in behind him, noting that none of the three other people in the room were the group of ruffians that had come in. They seemed to be shopping, though.

Seemed to be.

He narrowed his eyes at that and subtly motioned to Ruby and Cardin to keep an eye on them while he walked up to the counter and said, "Arcane Repair, actually."

The man huffed as he changed pages with a loud crinkling of paper and said, "This is a pawn shop, sir. We don't do repairs. There's a lovely blacksmith down the way if you'd like some directions, though." He flipped pages again and asked, "Anything else?"

Jaune motioned Ruby over and had her place her emblem on the counter as he said, "I'm here to see Hei Xiong then."

The man sniffed and hehed at that before saying, "Sorry. There's no one here by that name, sir. Sounds Mistrali, though. Perhaps you can ask the Lion Guards for help?"

Jaune remained stoic as he then stated quietly, "Roman sent me."

The man paused at that, staying silent for a moment, before he lowered the newspaper in his hands, revealing a man in a black suit and red shades, as he asked hesitantly, "What was that again… sir?"

"Torchwick sent me." Jaune replied, "Says Hei Xiong owes him."

The man swallowed and nodded at that before sitting up and knocked on the wood paneling behind him. It immediately opened to reveal two thugs armed with glaives and, behind them, a passage leading downwards. The thugs pointed their blades at the two of them as the three other disguised Red Axe gangsters made to surround Cardin as he stood by the door.

He raised his hands in surrender as the previously disguised shoppers took his weapons and motioned to him forwards behind Jaune and Ruby as the thug on the left said, "This way. Junior's expecting you."

/ /

Weiss watched from where she had followed behind the trio of adventurers, chewing at her bottom lip nervously, not sure what to do. She sighed in relief as she saw that they weren't going to get into a fight, especially with the very people she herself needed to see.

She had recently come into her powers and she needed knowledge, research. Things that Hei Xiong, Junior, was know for. After all, who better to point he way to what she needed to know than an information broker?

She swallowed and nodded to herself to as she gathered her courage before walking over to the shop. She entered after a moment more of hesitation to find that Cardin and the others were gone. Just like with the Ruffians from earlier.

She smiled faintly at that.

Good. She was in the right place.

"Neither," Weiss said on stalking up to the counter while ignoring the other shoppers. Shoppers who scrutinized her closely while they were supposed to be observing the wares. "I'm here for information, and I hear that you boss is the best at finding it."

Then she placed fifty gold pieces on the counter and stood there, waiting.

(Persuasion Check (Weiss) (Circumstantial Advantage); Roll Result: 8 6, 7 6 = 14, 13) (Never doubt the power of money.)

The man looked down at the gold for a moment before then taking his hand and sliding it over into his lap as he used his paper to collect it all. Then he rapped at the wall behind him. Once more it opened, revealing the two thus with their glaives pointing at Weiss.

She smiled as they motioned her forwards and she followed them into the dark beyond as the hidden door shut behind her.

The guard went back to reading his paper after he placed the gold in a small chest under his feet.

/ /

The hooded figure stopped and smiled as he stared down at the town below him. There eight members of the Lion Guard down below watching over a caravan that had just arrived. Past them was a bussling market right inside the gates of the town filled with peopl, with women, childrena nd the elderly.

It was also where his quarry had finally gone to ground. His smile turned malicious as he released the mental shackles he hand on the beasts around him and whispered to himself, "Found you."

Then the screams began.

Grievous Injury: You have received a non-healing wound from a Critical Hit that dropped you to 0 Hit Points or lower. This wound can only be healed after your hit points have been fully restored and you have taken a number of Long Rests equal to your Class's base Hit Dice plus a d20 number of days. The Spell Greater Restoration can reduce this time by a d12. Any PC/NPC proficient in Medicine can further reduce this time by a d20 plus their proficiency level. You must first treat any Level of Exhaustion you might have before you can treat this Grievous Injury.

Jaune (Level 2, Paladin): 31hp, Charm Score: 45 (Source: Ruby Rose) (Passive Bonus, Level 1: By My Sword or Shield: 1 Additional reaction use of Protection/Sentinel, only in response to threats against Source of this Bonus (Ruby). 5 Temporary HP per Charm Level for each Source of this Bonus to Jaune and his allies.) Charm Score: 5 (Source: Cardin Winchester)

Str: 17 (3), Dex: 10 (0), Con: 16 (3), Int: 16 (3), Wis: 12 (1), Cha: 15 (2); AC 24, Alignment: LG

Ruby: (Level 2, Ranger): 25hp, Charm Score (Level 1): 38 (Source: Jaune Arc) (Passive Bonus, Level 1: Heritage of the Silver - Eyed: 1 to Silver Eyes Gaze DC and damage roll while near the Source of this Bonus (Jaune Arc) and he is in danger. 1 Bonus to Morale Checks while within 30ft of the Source of this Bonus (Jaune Arc). This Bonus stacks with each the Source of this Bonus.) Charm Score: 3 (Source: Cardin Winchester)

Str: 14 (2), Dex: 17 (3), Con: 12 (1), Int: 14 (2), Wis: 10 (0), Cha: 15 (2); AC 16, Alignment: CG

Cardin Winchester (Level 1, Fighter): 14hp, Charm score: -7 (Source: Jaune Arc), -9 (Source: Ruby Rose)

Str: 17 (3), Dex: 10 (0), Con: 17 (3), Int: 14 (2), Wis: 13 (1), Cha: 14 (2); AC 18, Alignment: NE

Weiss (Level 2, Bard/Sorcerer): 13hp, Charm Score 5 (Source: Cardin Winchester), 0 (Ruby Rose/ Jaune Arc)

Str: 13 (1), Dex: 16 (3), Con: 11 (0), Int: 19 (4), Wis: 13 (1), Cha: 18 (4); AC 17, Alignment: LG

A/N: Whew, that was a long one, and it's ends on a cliffhanger! Sorry about that. But, we'll have two big fights next chapter. I could've added them to THIS chapter, but, well, you see how long this is already, right?

Also, and this is something I've been meaning to write down, but next chapter I'm going to be adding the deities that everyone is worshiping here in this world and also in a few other stories (RWBY the RPG and Arc's Adventuring Accessories, specifically)

And, yes, Weiss is finally a part of the group. Technically. She'll join the trio next chapter for their big fight. (As will a certain other blond bombshell.) This was just her offical introduction to YOU the readers. Also, yes, I changed her Class. Well, modified it. I totally forgot that a big part of her backstory is that she's a singer. What better Class than a Bard for her mixed with a Sorcerer because that Class doesn't necessarily need somatic components for their spells (Read all those components that a Wizard has to use) Also, she rich, being a traveling noble, so of course she might have a ring that holds at least a few Spell Slots worth of Greater Restoration. It... would've only been one or two, but I couldn't see anywhere where boosting Greater Restoration with a higher spell slot allows you to use the Spell to remove more conditions from a character.

Oh, yes! So, if you've read the other chapters of this story then you know that I've bashed D&D, especially 5th Ed. That being said, one of the things that I love about the newest edition is that thanks to DnD Beyond keeping the 2014 5th Ed. in addition to the newest edition I've created a couple of really, really cool late Campaign bosses.

Anyway, till next time, Essiter out!