A Raid of Bandits

Disaster / Destruction

After one of his many journies, Ager returns home to find the village the victim of a raid by a large group of bandits. They had attacked and set fire to much of the village, and while people rushed to put out the fires the bandits made off with both property and people.   Setting out with five other warriors, Ager tracked down the bandits. What they did is imortalized in the tale of "Ager's Wrath".

Upon returning home from one of his many journeys, Ager finds that the town near his manor was attacked by a large force of bandits.   They had been fought off, but there were many dead. Among the lost were the young children of Ager's second-in-command. Many were also missing, with some of the survivors claiming that some of the townsfolk had been captured and taken back with the bandits.   Ager gathered a small party of five other individuals into a strike team, and set about tracking down the bandits. After several days, the strike team found the bandits camped within some ancient ruins that had long been picked clean. They knew they had found the right bandits because several wagons full of loot, although they were see any of the missing townsfolk.   Luckily for the strike party, the lazy and arrogant bandits were either asleep, drunk, or playing games of chance. Ager laid out the plan for his strike team. As plans go, it was fairly simple.   Enter the ruin, and kill every last bandit.   The only evidence of the missing townsfolk was a note near a bag full of shins. The note was short and simple.   Here's your payment for the delivery. If you've got access to more stock of the same quality, I've got more shins. -P   The townsfolk had already been sold as slaves to some other lowlife. Gathering up what they could, the strike team returned to town with a mix of emotions. Most, including Ager, felt that rightous justice had been done. Only one felt any misgivings, and not due to the violence -- simply that they had killed all the bandits before questioning any, and had perhaps lost the trail of the missing villagers as a result.   Upon their return to the village, Ager sent word that he wanted to comission several bards and artists. When they arrived, Ager commissioned them to write songs and plays that told the story of what became known as Ager's Wrath. While his goal was mostly to ensure that any bandits would think twice before attacking him, his people, or their homes ever again; there was a secondary motive.   These bards and troubadours had a second, secret part to their commission. If, while spreading this sad tale of banditry and revenge, they heard anything about the missing villagers they would bring that news back to Ager. If the information prooved valuable, Ager would pay double what they had already received.   Within a year, all the lost villagers had been found -- and Ager had the beginings of a spy network to go with his growing trade empire.