Mercenaries and Marauders: Syan's Glory

With the farmlands in disarray and food stock growing scarce, ill-equipped bands of marauders roam the countryside attacking travelers. With the loss of Carneith's Guard Captain, posters show up at signposts offering bounties for the protection of villagers and capture of ruffians. 


You rise hours before the sun is to rise in anticipation. Packing your supplies for three days in a small rucksack, you don your armor and head to the stables. Inside, your horse sleeps, waking only when the large saddle is flung over it's hindquarters. When you finally set out, the sun still lies dormant on the horizon. You stuff the bounty notice taken from the signpost yesterday into your saddlebag and right out of the gates.

You ride ten miles outside the city's walls and wait. 

• Attempt to locate a potential bandit ambush location. [Roll Knowledge Geography]
  
• Ride to a nearby farm and offer your protective services for a delivery.
  
• Trot along the road and wait. 
  

Ride to a nearby farm and offer your protective services for a delivery.

I am a bit to new to these lands to know where a good place is to steak out an ambush. i shall head to a nearby farm and give them my protection.

The glory i shall receive by becoming a man of the people will be great! the missions i have volunteered for seem to have been outside of my experience in this land recently, but protecting the weak and innocent that is something i know!

I arrive at the farm and happily proclaim my reason for visiting! to have such a glorious knight in front of him must have confused him because he is looking at me strangely.

"i dont need anyone's help with a shipment. i finished it earlier this morning"

but how i woke up extra earlier! these people's diligence must be even greater than my own! i must train harder.

I ride 5 more miles to aanother farm where i see him loading up a cart with heavy supplies. Now is my chance! as i ride up to announce my reason for visiting i am cut off by an old woman

"get off that horse and help me load this cart you overgrown scare crow!"

"I uh... YES! of course!" i dismount and help load the cart. Now we are on our journey and one step closer to my glory!

The old woman's nods of approval, or is that just the bumpy road, are the only conversation along the road to the city. The sun reaches the highest point in the sky before you are stopped on your journey. Six men, clad in leather armor, are standing next to an overturned wagon that blocks most of the road. This is it! Thoughts of glory dance in your head as you trot your horse in front of the woman's cart, ready to meet the men. 

"Oy! Greetins travelrs. Me and my boys here just thought you might be willin to help us. Sees our wagons broke and we'll be needen all the gold you got to fix 'er up." You let out a hearty laugh before adjusting your saddle. "Look here boys, got ourselfs a genuine hero. Hahaha!" 

You allow the men to finish laughing before wishing them fortune in the fight to come. You notice a few of the men start to waver, obviously not accustomed to travelers fighting back. As the bandits draw their weapons at the command of their leader, you hear one of them speak in fear, "Is that the Justicar we heard about in camp?"

• Fight!
  
• Attempt to convince the bandits to surrender peacefully. [Diplomacy 14+ Required, Failure = Fight].
  

Fight!

6 vs 1 not the same glory as 1 vs 100 but every hero must start somewhere. They have resorted to crime and i shall be the one to deal out their justice

"of course not you fool! the justicar is a spook the merchants have made up to scare off the pussies like you." a much bigger man clad in armor with twin birds embossed into the armor shouts to his obvious subordinates.

he must be the leader. i will take the two on the right of him first to even out some of the numbers while also demonstrating my the futility of their actions.

i charge the two on the right wielding clumsy looking clubs. they will not do them any well against my lance. I slash one out of his reach and the horse charges through the other who weakly swings at my horse. "Hah, even my horse is more than enough for you i yell as i ride by".

Thunk!

pain..my side. A bolt sticks out of my left flank. the leader has a crossbow and he knows what he's doing. the others have gathered in a "formation" but it is enough to keep me from just charging to him. i will have to clear them out.

I charge again and burst through their shoddy line. i kill one with my lance and my horse incapacitates another as it runs over him breaking bones. the leader is more agile than i thought and is out of reach.

Thunk! my shoulder...more pain

as finished my ride by attack i take another bolt into my left shoulder. the pain makes it hard to concentrate. my lance feels heavy.

Thunk! in my slower thought he gets another bolt off. it hits my horse in its right flank and it rears up... i am too weak to hold on.

i am slow to get up and the last minion is charging me. he swings a dagger at me and my reactions carry my body out of the way. i regain some of my senses and punch the man in the face and take the dagger and stab him in the chest. messy but it got the job done.

Thunk! a bolt into my back right shoulder. so much pain. i am bleeding badly. too much for normal bolt wounds. i can feel myself start to fade.

NO! "YOU FACE A CAVALIER OF THE ORDER OF THE FLAME YOU CANNOT HOPE TO STAND AGAINST ME!"

he laughs as he loads another bolt into his crossbow. "you will certainly die in the next shot "hero" you will die without attention any way"

i will not give in and scream as i charge into the life or death confrontation.

THUNK! a bolt hits me in my quad and fumble and trip. while i try in futility to stand. he laughs as he saunters to me. "i told you "hero" it was better to give me the goods and keep your life." He aims his crossbow at me to take his final shot.

A bestial scream comes from the woods near my right. i can barely turn to look. i see the rogue's face turn white as i see a flash of pitch black slice through him. An explosion of blood erupts from his body and sprays even me a good 20 feet away. his torso and left arm are split into two as he is cut down.

As i look onto this figure all i see is a dark human beast like creature. it strides over to me and examines me. i am too weak to defend myself. this creature will most certainly eat me.

it speaks in a growl "good fight...drink this" i can feel my strength returning. he pulls out the bolts out unceremoniously. so much pain he forces two more potions down my throat. my strength seems fully returned. i finally see the man for what he is, a large masked man wielding a massive axe.

he growls at me "finish your quest. become strong. you will need to be"

Throughout all of this, your companion has sat quietly. As you lean over your horse, exhausted from the battle and your wounds, she climbs out of small cart and slowly makes her way to you. "Young man, when you first offered to help me, I assumed you one of the bandits." She leads your horse back to the cart as she speaks. "There are not many in this land that help the weak and downtrodden. I assumed you were to rob me on the road, what with that armor and all, no farmer wears that, and certainly no guard."

You go to speak, but she continues, while helping you off the horse and onto the cart. "Now, I have seen not one, but two shiny men protect this road from marauders." Again you go to speak, to tell the woman how it was nothing, your sworn duty, but are silenced by her. "I have lived for many years before the ogres and giants ransacked this city, and while it is true many died at the hands of the slavemasters, the times have not changed much. I was there the day the Prince freed us, and I have watched as his city has descended back into the jaws of ill-intent. You remind me of him. Brave. Strong. And a fool." 

Her words sting, or is that the wounds covering your body. She latches your horse to the cart and sets off towards the city. The bumpy road does little to ease your journey, and you try to rest. You wake as the cart comes to a halt, and you find yourself in front of the temple. Gathering your belongings you head up the stone steps. 

The voice of the old woman calls out to you before you can open the door, "We could use more fools you know." 

• Head inside the temple, then make your way to the guard house for payment. 
  

Head inside the temple, then make your way to the guard house for payment.

i groan as i climb out of the cart. these injuries are going to be aggravating over the next few days of recovery. i head into the temple to see this god of the prince that i am reminiscent. he does not look like a glory bound warrior, but a scholar and someone that might have the wisdom you need to hear at the right moment.

"I guess I'll give this a shot." I kneel and pray to this god I have never worshiped. After seeing some of the things that the Prince and his mighty heroes have faced and overcome while i could only struggle helplessly, i ask him."Great one, I ask for your wisdom. Am I truly ready for the perils this city faces. Will be of use to these people or will everything I do fall short as it has in my past?"

.....nothing, maybe it takes a bit for the gods to answer.

.....still nothing, hmmm i guess only those of the prince's caliber of might can truly call on the gods and have them listen.

I go to stand and it is easy for me. No pain no soreness. curious.

I check on my horses bolt wound. All healed "what in the god's name is going on?"

i head to the guard house to report on my success. "Oi, you weird looking foreign fella. The old bag came by and told us you were able to escort her and take down quite a few bandits as well. good job kid." he hands me a nice hefty sack of coins."The bag said to throw in a bit extra for the exemplary service"

I am feeling good about myself and i am thinking like myself again. "Every great missions ends with beer and stories!"

I head to june's bar to grab a few cold pints and to tell some wild tales. As i enter everyone looks at me with shocked and eager faces. I sit at the bar and order a drink from June. She doesn't look well. looks like she is trying to cover up bruises with some of that skin paint from Domhnall's shop.

After i have my drink. the table i sit at get's swarmed by people asking if what the old lady said is true. damn she moves fast.

I go into the tale explaining the 6 men armed to the teeth and the gruesome execution from this human/beast savior. i tell them he saved my life and carried an axe that must way as much as a fully armored man. everyone hollers and claps and drinks pour and laughs are had.

as the night winds down and only a few people remain june approachs me with a couple of tankards. "Is it really true some 'myth' saved you?"

"yes, ma'am i swear it on my honor" i soberly tell her

"OK. take this and tell me how i can find him?"

"i uh have no idea my lady. maybe i can be of help to you. i assume it is about the paint on your face?"

she stares daggers at me "It's called make up. and no, you can't. nobody in the city can. there is this man trying to take my hand in marriage but i refused. he beat me and told me no man will ever want me when he gets through with me. men have been tailing me after i leave. he is very well connected and has some of the duke's men personally as guards. i fear if anyone known is found out they will have them killed. Can you take me to this mystery man?"

Honor dictates you help her, and you take her by the hand to the back of the tavern. "If you say that men follow you, you will need help that I cannot provide. You are likely to be harmed should I intervene and there are more men than I can take alone. It is because of this, I must reluctantly stay behind." A frown takes shape on June's face, but you continue. "Domhnall is a good friend, and an honorable man. Go to his shop, as it should not arouse suspicion. Tell him to smuggle you outside of the city's walls where I will be waiting. Go now and do not fear the darkness, I will be watching."

As she leaves the bar, you pour another pint of beer, and stumble outside of the tavern's front door. Mimicking the bar's most loyal patron, and a man you once fought alongside, you sing boisterously and sway to and fro as you keep an eye on the cloaked June walking briskly further along the street. Thankfully your journey is unabated, and as you pass by Domhnall's shop, you tip your half-empty mug through the window, and make your way to the stables for your steed. 

Hours pass as you wait near an old oak tree enjoying the cool early morning air. Thinking of the last day's adventure, you feel empowered. A pack of bandits disposed of, and a fair lass aided. While you don't yet know what will happen, or if you can find the imposing figure that saved you before, you can't help but feel justice won this day.

• Wait for June, then set out to find the masked man with the greataxe.  
  

Wait for June, then set out to find the masked man with the greataxe.

i pretend to pass out around the stables and June shows up at dark. We make our way back down the road we traveled and find the sight of the battle. the bodies have been removed, but the blood has not been washed away.

June looks stern even as we see the blood. "well...are we here?"

"this is where i last encountered him"

"who is it you think you will see again by coming back here?" comes a loud growling voice from just off the road.

"Master Axemen. This woman comes to request your help?" I say in the direction of the voice.

A figure emerges from behind us!

I turn weapon drawn.

"Heh. put that away before i cut you in two." says the growling knight with the greataxe.

A man of great stature and a massive axe. his mere presence puts me on edge.

"We have come to ask your help for this young lady. He is a monster that threatens to kill her if she does not wed him!" i announce

"so you come to hire a bigger monster to handle your own? i do not agree to this task.

"He is protected by the ruler of Carneith Hold. his defenses and influence reach beyond the law!"

"Hmmm, why does the King of Ardes protect this man and if he is protected then he must be of great importance."

"Wait...who?" i ask

June steps up and exclaims "NO! the Dark Duke who rules Carneith hold has his men guarding a merchants heir and he is a horrible man who tortures women for fun."

"Dark Duke...that is not the name of the ruler of this land. If he claims to rule here then he is mistaken. The rightful ruler is the heir of the azure kingdom Nicholas."

"The duke has taken control of the land being the princes uncle" june exasperatedly states.

"he has no right here the prince is grandson to the last king and the only true ruler, but if an imposter has decided to try and take the throne then it must be time for my presence to be known to the whole kingdom, A knight of the true king must step in. Where is Nicholas now? i will meet with him."

I step in "The prince has been sent on a holy quest of Pelor to save the kingdom! he is truly honorable!"

He spits "He goes on a quest while his kingdom rots both from within and from the outside! He is not ready to rule then... I must take matters in to my own hands then. I shall prepare this land for his return.

If a vile creature like this exists then i will judge him....take me"

The Justicar's axe strikes swiftly on those sentenced to die. 

Hours ago, Syan had asked this thing to help a beloved bartender from Carneith Hold, and now the deed was done. With only few words, the Justicar assured both June and Syan that the vile man would no longer be a problem. While Syan could only imagine what transpired, it was June who would be the first to learn the details. 

After returning to the bar, June learned from its patrons a nobleman had recently been slain by a monstrous figure in full few of onlookers in the town square. Everyone spoke of the Justicar, a mythological figure who dispensed justice. While many people in the town turned to the city guard for assurance the Justicar would be caught and killed for his crimes, elders of the city, those who had lived through the slavery and beyond, remembered the tales of the Justicar and word spread of his tale. 

As time passed, more tales of the Justicar surfaced in the city. His punishment was death, but their crimes were apparent. Over time, more and more sided with the Justicar's vigilante justice as the truth of his 'victims' were criminals, thugs, and bandits. 

For Syan, the Justicar was a necessary evil. The young Prince had been gone for years, and without him violence flourished in the city. To those that payed attention, it was clear the Duke's men were no longer on a tight leash, and many of the city guard were bought and paid for by the various guilds in the city. Although Syan didn't always agree with the Justicar, it was clear that he was attempting to right the wrongs of the city, but only time would tell if he could save it.