Ashley hands the armor off to Cat, "Okay, keep track of that. So you can have the warm coat back and this... I've been wanting to try this."

Ashley boosts Dampen Spirit to Tier 2 and looks into the eyes of the bandit.



His expression contorts to near tears, he has no hope to resist, and has descended into a depressive delusional state. The bandit has disadvantage on all ability checks and saving throws, and his Charisma drops by 4. He seems despondent to the point of disassociation.



"Okay, so now, let's revisit some of these..." After hearing the question and answer session retold by Yulya, Ashley decided she didn't like some of this one's responses.

Please be civil Ashley!

"Life isn't civil. Now pay attention and take notes." Ashley calls over Nixie and uses intimidation. [DC16 vs CHA[D-4] 1d20-2=(0,7)]

The bandit is fully demoralized, disheveled, scared and witless.

"Answer my questions and I'll let you go with your brooch. Any traps inside the mine?"

The bandit speaks as if in a trance, indifferent, uncaring and uninhibited, he describes to Ashley the ones he knows about, Ashley understands and will disable them automatically.

"Who's really in that mine?"

The bandit explains roughly as he had before a few dozen people like him, some better equipped, some stronger.

"What's on the lower levels?"

The bandit has no idea, he's only ever seen the ground level and most of them went down to clear the lower levels days ago, they were told to hold the ground level and had no expectations when they'd return.

"Start reciting all the names you know, leave no one out."

The bandit rattles off names, none match anyone you know. Ashley takes notes and in the future, it's possible Ashley will be able to remember a matching name.

"Ever heard of Andras the archmage or a crashed metal ship?"

The bandit isn't sure if it was a name he had heard before but says they were all briefed on a dangerous debris field guarded by a dragon Northeast of the mine and to avoid it.

"Ever deal with Daran Edermath, Harbin Wester, Elmina Barthen, Sildar Hallwinter, Gundren, Nundro or Tharden Roskseeker, or Summer of Leilon."

The bandit knows that the Rockseekers own the rights to the mine and they're to be captured rather than killed if found, he'd only heard of Edermath in terms of a brand of apple cider, he says someone in the cloaked wolves tried to get Harbin on their side and was turned down, he had heard of the blonde haired girl named Summer and and was told to avoid her, that she's got ties to royalty and not worth the risk, but he'd never personally met any of them and didn't have any other information.

Ashley grabs the brooches and holds them up, the bandit half-heartedly takes his. She then turns to Yulya, "Okay, let's rest and then let him go after a couple hours. He won't be any more trouble for at least 24 hours after he sleeps and eats and all that and likely he won't be settled for several days. Make sure his ropes are tight Cat."

Ashley hands the armor off to Cat  "Make sure his ropes are tight Cat."

Cat re-ties the bandit and watches over him, impressed by Ashley's intimidation skills.
She adds a single question looking down on him with a strangely sad expression:
Nyaa we were interrupted earlier but who was the Marquis who should receive the Tabaxi girls Nya?

Cat wakes and finds the boar tracks outside the tent. She grabs her bow, sniffs the air and stealthily tries to track down the boar.
Nyaa the dogs were not bad Nya but a roast boar would be nice Nya!

Yulya agrees.
Yes we must hurry before it gets too dark! She casts AID on everyone like every morning then hands out one candy to all.
This is not going to be easy. We need to think how we get into that stronghold. We have a ladder and grappling hook and rope... Oh we should probably look after our prisoner and  finally release him!

Cat, untie this sad sack and let him go.[/color] She turns to him, Sorry, but if we see you again, you're dead.

Yulya addresses the bandit
It may be rude but in your interest I hope we never meet again. I pray for you to change your ways but this is now up to you.

Let me check out the lock, I might be able to pick it, Cat should get over the palisade if I fail and open it from the other side. If I fail, I'll send a buzzer over to look out for her. Sound good?

Yulya nods
I am a little worried about the ballista south of the gate. We must carefully check if the walls are manned before attempting to open the lock. If this fails Cat and ALice should climb the palisades!

Yulya searches the area around the tent to prevent ambushes while Cat cooks

Alice re-shapes and holds back Cat
Hey, we don't have time for this! I'd love some boar meat but it's getting dark. We should enter at dusk when our vision surpaes that of humans. But if it's pitch black we'll have a problem. So pls cook something we have and then we will leave!

Cat's ears droop
B-but boars Nyaa...



I guess you're right Nya gotta hurry Nya! I don't want to spend another night out there Nya. We wanna catch them off guard Nya!

Are we eating first? Okay then, Cat, untie this sad sack and let him go. She turns to him, Sorry, but if we see you again, you're dead.

Cat skillfully unties the rope with her claws and ushers the bandit out.
Get lost and don't come back Nya!

Cat sights and prepares 4 boar-free rations
Nyaa I'm really curious if there's nobody there to guard the entrance Nya! What do you think where the one who escaped went Nya?

Before leaving Cat takes a look at the heavy crossbow and the jagged bolts
Oh, this looks nasty Nya! I'm gonna keep this Nya!