The bandit camp

We hiked east of Haywood, toward a village called Bramblebrook. The village had been recently raided by the bandits of its money and resources, that included chickens and one of the horses from the stables. Two villagers had been killed, and five wounded, trying to fight of the bandits. One brave villager had secretly followed the bandits to their hideout, and reported of its location to his lord. As Robbis said, the lord was unable to send any of his knights, so he employed the use of the mercenary group known as the Steel Malleum. The members consisted of Robbis and his companions, and another hundred men and women. Their commander was a man called Dusker, who I was told had nothing special about the look of him, but was skilled in swordsmanship that it rivalled many knights.

Two other members of the Malleum joined us on our task. One was another human male called Drent, he had a skinny build but agile and nimble. The other, was a gnome. He had such a short stature he barely reached my knees. And he spoke so quickly I could hardly understand any words that came from his mouth. His name was Blitz.

Elle and Mistle looked like they had become good friends, they talked and giggled with each other as we made our hike.

On top of a cut that we would get with the job from the Malleum, any spoils found at the camp were to be divided out and equally given to the seven of us. The only thing that needed retuning was the animals. With what Robbis said, these bandits were poorly trained and equipped. They shouldn’t pose a large threat to an experienced band of mercenaries. My only worry was for Elle, for as I knew, hadn’t been in a real fight. Her father had taught her his swordsmanship skill, hopefully it was enough. Despite it all, I would keep her out of harms way.

We found out more about the fighting styles of the group. Robbis fought with a war-hammer, crushing his foes. He likes to charge headlong into the fight, his war cry to help bolster his allies and strike faer into his enemies. Karl weilded mace and shield, a good tactic of defence and offence. He was going to stay in the middle, evening out attacking and defending. Mistle used a bow, due to her disadvantage of her lithe build. She had the trouble of being overwhelmed from a stronger opponent. She would be at the rear of the group with supporting fire from her arrows. A short sword on her hip if enemies got too close. Drent, liked to get up close with knives and attack in quick precision. Using rapid stabs and dodging out of the way from any blows struck at him. The only detail I found out of Blitz, was bang.

I thought it best for me to join the charge with Robbis. My fighting style was aggressive but fast. With the speed from my legs I could quickly close the distance with any of my foes. My strength in my arms made it easy to wield my great-axe and strike in fast but also heavy swings. Also, what normal man didn’t become petrified at the hulking, charging form of a wolvir barrelling towards them. The intimidation of this alone made it difficult for Fen’s foes to hold onto their fighting spirit.

The plan was to have us wait close by for Mistle to start with firing arrows at any bandits in sight. Robbis and I would charge in fast and strike hard. Hopefully a surprise attack would catch them off guard and they’d have more difficulty to retaliate. Elle, Karl and Drent would follow to aid in our charge, Mistle would continue giving firing support from her bow. Robbis would take the full lead, and I would hang back offering my fighting skills by quickly running to Elle’s splinter group if I needed to protect them. Or vice versa, come to Robbis’ aid if he began to get overwhelmed. And Blitz’s tactic was, bang.

We followed the instructions that were given by the villager who scouted the bandits camp. We saw smoke in a wooded area billowing out, the signs of a campfire in use. We approached as quietly as we could.

We found the bandits camp. A large enough campfire for ten was blazing in the middle. Many tents had surrounded it, and just a little away from the tents was a wooden shack. It looked run down, maybe able to house a couple of people if they didn’t mind being cramped up together.

We kept in our formation, waiting for the signal from Robbis. He raised a hand to his head, then quickly pointed with it to the camp, this was the signal.

Mistle nocked an arrow into her bow and fired at a two bandits sat near the campfire, laughing and drinking together. Her arrow struck true, finding itself into the head of one of the bandits. Alarmed by this, the neighbour of the dead bandit stood at attention, scanning the area. He only managed a muffled ‘hey!’ Before he lied dead with an arrow through his eye. The commotion now drew other bandits to the campfire. This was my time.

Robbis and I rushed in, two bandits in our way, we struck them dead with ease. My great-axe cleaved a mortal wound in one bandits chest. Robbis crushed the skull of the other bandit with his war-hammer as the man ran toward him. We advanced on, seeing three bandits ahead of us.

Some bandits started to come out of their tents. Elle, Karl and Drent focused on them. Drent skewered one of the bandits in the throat with his knife. Another bandit crawled out of his tent which Karl quickly dispatched off, with rapid blows to the head from his mace. Elle had more of a fight on her hands. She showed that she had some training with a sword as she parried a blow with her short sword, she blocked a swing aimed at her, then countered. Her blade pierced the bandit in the gut, as she pulled her weapon back out, she swung her sword at his head, the strike caused the bandit to fall to the ground dead.

The last two bandits joined the three that Robbis and I were engaged with. Robbis killed a charging bandit with a blow to the chest, crushing it and destroying the vital heart and lungs inside. I swung my axe at a bandits head, splitting it open. Another came at me, but dropping my axe, and extending my claws I swiped at his throat, tearing it open. The bandit Carlyle’s his own blood before flopping to the ground.

The last bawled at their lost situation. One bandit was hit with an arrow to the chest. Robbis swung his war-hammer in his ribs knocking him to the ground. He finished to job by hammering his head in where he lay. I retrieved my great-axe to go after the final bandit. With only a single strike needed, I lopped off the head of the bandit as his headless corpse fell to its knees, then keeled over. Blood gushed everywhere.

Without warning. The door of the shack was knocked off its hinges, splintered wood flew in all directions. A hulking dark green skinned mass came out of the shack, with a roar it announced its presence to us. An orc.