The Stagecoach Conundrum

RECAP: Bojac and Jack have recently, along with a figure Oliver Rvelio, have recently worked with Sheriff Lawrence to kill some critters terrorizing nearby farmers. There were close calls, and near deaths, but all survived to come and collect the reward. The new character Silius has recently arrived after making friends with new characters. Bojac, Jack, and Silius all recently have became acquainted with the community board and have seen a new posting about some bandits needing to be taken care of and find themselves once again in the Sheriffs office...
 
PRESENT: Inside the Sheriff's office the scatter paperwork and dishevelness of the office has grown as the work in Deadplains has grown more stressful. We all sit and begin introductions...
 
After Silius lies about previously meeting the Sheriff, he begins to explain the situation of prominent bandits most likely in the area that causing highway robbery. After naming them, the Sheriff says he needs these individuals brought back dead or alive, Morning states that he is only interested in bringing them back alive and Silius questions the about the pay difference...Bojac remains silent on the position. But as he sits, Bojac starts to recognize the name Aden Linden as someone he has actually worked, back when Linden was just a farmhand and not who she is now as criminal. The group agrees that they all want to bring back the bandits alive, though Bojac makes it clear that will alive is preferred he will not hesitate to take lethal action to save himself and the other two deputies. At the Sheriff's request Bojac relinquished the spare badge to Silius that he had from the last mission, and pinned his own on chest out of his bag. The Sheriff, then explains the partial authority of the badges and says the area the robbers are located are about 80 miles west of Deadplains and that we will be gone overnight, it will be up to us to decide if we want to campout or stay at the travelers inn; Nards. The Sheriff then discloses that he only knows that the bandits have been taking down stagecoaches and that we might want to talk to the lady at the relay station and Vooks, a lizard person, on the other side of town for more information. The deputies take final stock of potential equipment needed, along with Silius perhaps taking a weapon or not. The gunslinger Morning, request another revolver for his other hand, and Sheriff Lawrence explains the situation to Silius about how his deputies were taken by the frontier guards, and by the fact they haven't returned are probably dead, as well as cleaned out most of his medical supplies. But that we might find some rudimentary and natural remedies at the timber yard from Lisa Hoplet, and they are posed to leave...
 
As the deputies leave, they all take interested looks at each other to better understand who they are working with, and head to Lisa's and Burke's for potential medical supplies making small talk. Ahead of us are a gnomish woman and a full on ogre, with the gnomish woman giving orders the ogre as he is picking up and moving logs...seemingly having a bit of a miscommunication before the gnomish woman throwing up her hands and asking, What do we need?". Morning starts the conversation asking about the medicine, after gaining some clarity, Lisa runs off to check. The ogre comes over and we all introduce ourselves. With Morning being recognized, Bojac giving a fist bump (somewhat painful), and Silius shaking Gurk's hand. Lisa comes back with three metal tins containing weak healing salves (applied as bonus action) that Morning graciously buys for the deputies and distribute. We take our leave, as Morning reminds that his Amanda is singing at the down at the Pub this Wednesday and they depart for the relay post in town. Everything is in order at the relay station as Jane finishes up at the relay station, ask Morning and company what we were doing at the station. The company then gain information about the stagecoach attacks, as Jane is worried it will effect business, the group seems located in the hills near the main road. And while they have been predominantly non-lethal, they do have a rifleman somewhere in the hills that is more then okay with giving more then warning shots. Jane recommends approaching from the side rather then on the main road. The group then discusses the possibility of giving Silius a mount (and that the bird animals of Jane's killed his companions?) before deciding that Silius can just ride in Morning's cart. We depart and head to gather information from Vooks...
 
As we approach Vook's, we see a lizard folk and some cobalts (tiny dragons?). As we approach he gracefully turns to us, and the deputies notice approximately 10 cobalts busily running about. Vook's ask bout the deputies business, if we were sending mail or here for something else. Bojac notices that he recognizes Silius before asking if he had come back for more work. Morning states we are seeking information about bandits in the hills, and Vook's notes he is asking about the bandits in the middle pass, and just states that they have taken much gold from them and their clients. Due to Silius prompting, Vook's discloses that while he can't provide bounties but if something was done he might have some reward to give. Bojac tries, but can't tell if he hiding any information, and instead blatantly ask if Vook's if he knew anything about the bandits numbers or weapons. Vook's confirms that there are four bandits and that they have sharpshooters stationed in the hills for the approaching stagecoaches. We get our respective mounts, and regroup at Morning's place before departing...
 
As our companies leaves, Morning leads the way in his cart. The group discusses whether we are gonna stay at Nard's or campout. The first days journey is pretty uneventful, with only a few travelers, and late in the day a stagecoach passed but we chose not to stop them. As we travelled, the company decides to stay at Nard's in order to gather information and for safety reasons. As dusk approaches we approach a wooden palisade wall with a couple of buildings inside. A single guard stands at the gate with a shotgun or rifle . As the deputies approach, the guard calls out to know our business. With our badges on, we have little trouble entering in and establish that we have no intention causing trouble. Bojac and Silius recognize that once in, Morning grows more tense but both opt to not ask anything at the moment but Bojac grows a little tense. We put up the horses, and Morning made some negative comments that Bojac asks, "If anything wrong" and Jack responds, "That it reminds him of his time in the Dominion." Silius then ask Boja to secure us some rooms as they hang back...
 
As Bojac enters into the inn, it is a lively place, and Bojac sees a green skin dragonborn who is Nard. After a pleasant exchange, Bojac secures a single room for the night at the cost of a single silver coin. After, finishing his conversation with Nard, Bojac sits at a empty table for waiting for his companions...Morning and Silius enters shortly order food for the group, with Bojac and Morning having the meal of pie, bread, and water. Silius, has a stew. As the food is being dropped off by Nard, Bojac ask if he knows anything about the bandits in the hills roughly 40 miles west. Nard's says he has, but just restates previous information that was learned in Deadplains, along with the fact that he has taken care of the victims by letting them stay for free. After supper, Silius pays for drinks with him having three shots of whiskey, Bojac a small glass of mead, and learning the Morning has been sober for 20 years. After drinks, everyone heads to bed, we leave the next morning heading towards the bandits...
 
Due to their knowledge of the roads, Silius and Morning have a good idea about where the bandits are located and as we draw closer we determine a course of action. With Morning being primarily focused on keeping an eye out for their sharpshooter with one companion staying close, and the other deputy approaching from a separate direction. Morning reflects about possible outcrops for the sharpshooters realizing there's at least three areas that height advantage and decide the most logical area to approach. The company cautiously approaches from the high ground of the left hill. As we appraoch we start to hear some voices, and we start to see two figures below us. They are leaned up against rocks but don't seem to be noticing us. They sit about 60 ft from each other, one with a rifle of some type and one polishing a small sword...one seems a bit disgruntled with what they are taking in compared to the other bandits, while one seems much more optimistic about what they can get. Bojac then notices another brawler, across the road hiding behind the boulder. With having not found the sharp shooter, the company changes it tactics to split up. Silus stays behind, while Jack and Morning move to the northern western hill and find a better view of the bandit behind the boulder and Morning notices some rustling in a nearby tree. After some gestures, Morning jumps into the tree rather silently only to find the sharpshooter in tree! Simultaneously, Bojac uses step of the wind and normal action to dash all 100 meters to the brawler behind boulder. We surprise them both, Morning unloads the daringers into her knocks out the sharpshooter out. Down at the boulder, Bojac unleashes a two-handed strike with his quarterstaff, doing a fair amount of damage and follows up with a head butt which the bandit manages to dodge. At the sound of gunshots, the bandits at the on the left hills turn to face them. Silius sneaks up and attempts to catch the advantage, but his first attack misses and one of the bandits now faces him. He then uses flurries of blows and attacks to put his spear but into the bandits foot, and manages to crack him in the jaw with the second strike. As the bandits gather their wits, the bandit fighting Bojac draws a short sword and swings that Bojac manages to dodge. The guard engaging Silus rams the but of gun into him hurting Silas. The final bandit in the south of the hills starts moving towards Silus as she picks up a dagger and throws it. It narrowly misses Silus. Then Morning jumps out of the tree, and picks up the single shot rifle dropped by the unconscious bandit and fires at the southern bandit approaching, which narrowly misses and causes the bandit to duck. Bojac then hits his opponent with another two handed quarterstaff attack which connects, and follows up with a side kick to the chest, which opponent managed to dodge. In the western hills, where Silus is fighting he is bent over from taking a gun but to the head which didn't do and followed with several strong uppercuts, really staggering the him. The southern bandit arrives to Silius and her comrade and tries to cut him with her short sword which he dodges. Morning then lays into the prone position and fires a shot into bandits knee, causing her immense pain. Bojac, does a two-handed back swing with his quarterstaff into his chin and knocks him out. He then dashes to where Silus and the two bandits are fighting, just in time to see Silus knock his first bandit out. The remaining bandit, having been shot in the knee, and seeing the destruction wrought to her comrades...surrenders.
 
The company of deputies then tied the bandits up individually and performed medicine and searched their persons. Bojac, berates his old farmhand coworker, before attempting persuasion, intimidation, and perception to try and find the bandits camp...which failed. We continue to try and figure out where their camp or mounts are. Silus and Morning continue to ask about the camp, causing Mary Beth to eventually give up the location of the small stash they keep in the canyon. Mary Beth, slips that their employers come and pick up their stash weekly. Morning, convinces Mary Beth, who is very hesitant, to divulge to the bandits employers...THE SHADOWS. Morning, thanks her and promises to keep his word of putting a good word in with the law...Mary Beth though just looks hopeful but mainly crestfallen. Ada won't even look at her. Silus proceeds to check all of the teeth of the bandits, while Morning goes to retrieve the mounts, and Bojac goes to retrieve their small stash left in the canyon. After some searching Bojac finds the small cave that had to be crawled into. Inside a small crate Bojac finds different sums of money and a couple of unopened drysied (?) packages which he brings pack to the group.
 
With the battle done, and the captives...captured. The company and their prisoners decide to push onward into the night, despite being close to exhaustion and campout rather then try to make it to Nards or stay in the area. The group travels until midnight, where Bojac took first watch and Morning took second watch. During Morning's watch, he identifies that Ada is no longer with the group, and he is unsure when she slipped away. As morning dawns, they come to the agreement that Bojac would pursue Ada, as Silas and Morning would take the rest of the bandits back to Deadplains. As Bojac started out he started loosing the trail, right as he was about to give up, Bojac picked the trail back up and saw a limping/jogging figure in the distance that he assumed to be Ada. As he attempted to persuade Ada, she slows down and gave up coming with Bojac to come to the Deadplains and rejoin the group.
 
(Separately and technically unbeknownst to Bojac, Silas is in the middle of providing intense dental work to Trent the bandit in the back of a moving cart...the details...are intriguing lol)
 
Upon everyone arriving in Deadplains, with one bandit having a bit better teeth, we bring the captured bandits back to Sheriff Lawrence. The Sheriff satisfied, ask us to put them in the cells, and then we gathered in his office to debrief. Sheriff Lawrence expresses his thanks of bringing them back alive, and provides the information given by the captured bandits of them working for The Shadows and that the next pick up was going to happen in a day or so, and informing him that Mary Beth was very helpful in providing that information. Silas ask about dental work for prisoners, and then ask the Sheriff if he needs any dental work. The company of informal deputies collect and divide the 80 gold evenly among them and each take 6 silver pieces. We provide the shortsword and saber taken from the bandits for the sheriffs armory and return our deputy badges. The company then departs for Vooks to deliver the packages recovered. Upon returning the packages, Vook's offers either four silver pieces each or two electrim pieces...which then Bojac and company realizes their value. Silas and Morning then begin to negotiate a higher price of electrims, as negotiations began to deteriorate between Vook's and Morning and the air growing cold and still...Bojac cuts in and says we will graciously accept 4 electrims each. Morning abruptly leaves, and Bojac leaves shortly after looking at Vook's with cold eyes and shit eating grin as he backs out of the building without breaking eye contact. Silas stays and pleasantly says goodbye while trying to apologize for our abrupt and hostile nature. As company starts to depart, Morning invites Bojac back for supper that evening and a couple days work, while Silas seeks to get some drinks at the tavern.