It's Just Bandits

It's Just Bandits
Date	09/11/24
Storyteller	Doug
Tier	Trainee
Player Characters	Anima, Atticus, Dendra, Echostar, Pashiro The Wind Song
Rewards	200 xp, 160 gp
Result	Success
Author	goblin
Downtime	2

Log

My Dearest Lady Emiko,

I write to you in the aftermath of a peculiar and somewhat tragic encounter on a routine scouting mission north of the city. The Council tasked us with the simple job of clearing a group of bandits causing trouble for travellers, though our adventure soon proved anything but ordinary.

Joined by companions of varied backgrounds—Dendra, a gnome fighter with the voice of a songbird; Atticus, a hobgoblin clad in unyielding plate; and the enigmatic ronin, Anima; and wolfskin clad warrior, Echostar —we set out to locate these bandits said to be terrorising the roads one days travel north of the city around a bridge. After a day of travel, we found the bridge in question - only that the stream that ran through it had been reduced to a mere creek. Following the water we discovered a poorly made dam of mound earth which diverted the water westward. Returning to the bridge we met with a travelling merchant and his two guards, the latter of whom discussed our mission. They had met the bandits a few weeks ago after they attempted to rob them. Yet the bandits were nothing more than a band of young men who ran westward. Thus we followed the stream and uncovered a ramshackle fort near an eroded riverbed and, upon approaching, and upon conversing with them discovered that the bandits were little more than displaced workers in their early 20s—misguided, yet not malicious. The leader Amrik puffed his chest with pride like a howler monkey, but it was nothing more than fear. They admitted that they themselves had contacted the council regarding this bandit threat in an effort to flee from any pursuers and accrue notoriety that would make their criminal operations run smoother (they only netted 2 gold pieces after they robbed a mother and small child - not before the small child cut ‘Big Billy’ badly). They introduced themselves, Amrik the leader, Lenny his second in command, Big Billy the large fellow, Patrick who had been tasked with wielding a magic idol, Gort & Ronnie. Through our attempts to persuade them to follow a better path and Anima’s proficiency at intimidation we got them to stand down from their life of banditry. However, in their jubilations Patrick broke the statue of the idol which upon being shattered, summoned monstrous apes from another realm.

The battle that followed was fierce. Two red gorillas and a massive orangutan attacked us and the Red Monkey Gang (or so they called themselves). We sprung into action as Anima, Atticus, Dendrick & Echo leaped into the fray striking at the orangutan guarding the bridge. However these young men fought far better than anticipated. At first they fled but when one - Ronnie - was injured his brothers in arms leapt into rescue him. Billy tackled one of the injured gorillas, roaring defiantly and beat the creature to death under his own boot. And my comrades dealt many lethal blows to the orangutan. It was finally Lenny who leapt into the air bashing the creatures brains in. Patrick, one of the young bandits, tragically lost his life however as none of us reached him in time to help him recover from his injuries atop the palisade. Anima even gave a prayer to the young man after he passed. In the end, through sheer determination and quick thinking, we all managed to slay the beasts. Yet, the cost was great, and Patrick’s companions grieved heavily.

With their fort destroyed and the beasts vanquished, the remaining bandits agreed to return to abandon their criminal life. They would return Patrick to his family and mourn, and thereafter return to the city to find honest employment. Our investigations concluded that the young men had uncovered a bandit camp operated by these three intelligent apes who had the misfortune of coming across and being trapped in the very idol Patrick smashed, being released in the process. As for me, I find myself reflecting on the complexity of our lives, Lady Emiko. In our world of swords and magic, even the most mundane task can carry with it unforeseen dangers and lessons. The Red Monkeys were no villains, just lost souls caught up in something beyond their control.

To commemorate their legacy I have written the following haiku.

The Red Monkey Bandits
Foolish hands, they break,
Summon beasts from shattered stone,
Blood stains the river.

I remain ever in your service and await my next task with both sword and verse at the ready.

Yours faithfully, Pashiro The Wind Song