[Adventure] Kingmaker (DM:renau1g; judge: garyh)

[renau1g]

"Very well, devil, kill me and I become a martyr. You claim my words are hollow? That is easy for you to say, but you haven't walked in my shoes. You likely listen to the poor sob stories of Oleg, or the Swordlords, as they're the ones paying you gold, but us, the common folk, we ain't got the gold for hired swords, so we're left to die by them." Hiccup retorts, the fire back in his eyes.

 

[Scotley]

"Lad you may have a sound reason for hating the local lords, but I'm not sure the bunch you've fallen it with is worth your devotion. Let us do our jobs and bring some order to this region and then you may feel like taking up an honest life again."

 

[Maidhc O Casain]

The Goliath looks down at the young man sternly.

"How many have you attacked, boy? How many slain? How much have you taken from others for your cause?"

 

[renau1g]

"Unlike some, I don't slay anyone" he replies defiantly, glaring at the group, after their attack left all but him dead.

"I also don't keep a ledger of what or how many we've taken from" he says.

 

[Leif]

Faustus, Tiefling Avenger of Lauto

Impressed by the youth's attitude, Faustus withdraws a bit and mutters to his friends, "Egad! Witness the stones on this lad! Are we sure we're fighting for the proper side in this battle?"

 

[Scotley]

"Long as you always remember that my side is the right side, you'll be just fine Faustus," quips Mari with a grin.

 

[Leif]

Faustus, Tiefling Avenger of Lauto

"Long as you always remember that my side is the right side, you'll be just fine Faustus," quips Mari with a grin.

The Tiefling grimaces at Mari's 'joke,' or maybe that's what passes for a smile from a Tiefling it's hard to tell, and he says, "Understood, Madam of Pain, but I was speaking in a more 'universal' sense ... I have some small hang-ups with such things, you know. Luckily, they have so far not inhibited my dishing out of extreme punishment whenever the opportunity presents itself." Come to think of it, you're pretty sure that his 'snarl' was intended to be a grin of sorts....

Faustus reaches into his pouch and produces a billiard chalk which he applies to his quite imposing horns.

 

[Shayuri]

"Here's the question on my mind," Ezmerelda says, stepping up after watching the 'interrogation' swing round and round a bit. "Suppose this boy's right, and they're noble peasants clinging to life the hard way while avoiding the hatchetmen of the crown? What then, eh?"

"Are you going to drop your colors and turn sides? Fight the good fight alongside the unwashed masses? Stop flirting with it and just finally turn bandit?"

The idea didn't seem repulsive to Ezmerelda.

"Or shrug, apologize and head back for our reward? Or...is there some winding path in between?"

 

[Maidhc O Casain]

Ruarc listens to the words of his fellows, and the words of the bandit boy. He thinks about his wife and children, and the fate they suffered at the hands of just such a lad. He considers the fact that he's got to work with these people to do the job he's agreed to. Finally, his stony expression shifts somewhat - it's plain he's come to a decision.

"Here's my thoughts on the matter, as it seems we've some differing opinions on how to handle things. I'm not one to follow the letter of the law in all instances, as I think sometimes the law runs counter to what's right. However, I hate frakkin' bandits with a passion bordering on insanity and it's my life mission to destroy them where ever I can. This coincides nicely with the fact that I've given my word - and I do keep my word regardless of the law - to eliminate banditry in these lands as a part of the job we agreed to do. To my thinking, it's not a reward we'll be goin' back to claim, but payment for doing the job. I'm also not one for using cruelty or torture, though puttin' a little fright into a body isn't beyond me.

"Now, if we kill every bandit we come across not only does it serve notice to all of them that their days are numbered - and maybe some of them decide it's best to give up their murderin' thievin' ways before we come across 'em - it also ensures that they won't just start up their banditry again once we let 'em go. If we try to keep 'em prisoner and turn 'em over, not only will some escape but they're just gonna die on the block or the end of a rope at the hands of those to whom we gave our word.

"I feel the need to work with you fine folks to do this job - it's too big for even a body my size to tackle alone, and I did give my word to see it through. So I'm puttin' you on notice. An' we're in a scrap with some bandits, I'm not holdin' back or strikin' with the flat o' my blades. I'm fightin' to kill. One of you takes a prisoner, I won't kill him outright but I won't stand for lettin' him go to return to his pillagin' ways. He's gotta be turned over to the authorities. He tries to escape, I'll kill him to prevent it. He manages to escape, or you let him go, and I'll do my best - which is pretty frakkin' good - to track him down and kill him.

"Now everyone knows where I stand on the matter, which I think is a good thing. Nothin' personal against any one of you, but that's about as far as I can bend and still live with myself."

The big Goliath looks almost embarrassed as he concludes his speech - likely the most he's spoken at one time in the last 5 years or so.

[sblock=OOC]"I'm Batman!" [/sblock]

 

[Leif]

Faustus, Tiefling Avenger of Lauto

"You all through there, Ruarc? Just checkin'..... Seems like you agree with me without question here. So why don't you guard my back against anyone here who is having doubts about just what our mission is, and I'll proceed to whack off the head of this foul bandit! Sound like a plan to you?"