Summary of Bandit TP

Summary of Bandit TP (started Summer 2010)

Progress to date:

Bandits rob a man and try to kidnap his daughter. Bolosi and Dwarven Company retrieve girl.

Two bandits break into Gidon's house in the Chetwood, tying the boy up. They are driven out by Brev and Thulion. Bolosi appears on the scene as the bandits flee, and gives chase.

Brev and Gidon are overheard talking outside the gates - something to do with bandits and robberies and the length of time the lad must live in Bree. Highly suspicious!

Brev and Caoimhe are surprised by Thomas while robbing the pipeweed shop. After attempting to hit him with an apple, they escape.

Gidon leaves Bree as soon as the gates is opened, with his bag full of 'lunch', to go herb-gathering. He is questioned by the guard and by Broddur, both of whom find no reason to stop his errand; though Broddur tells him Bolosi will want to be speaking to him.

At the same time, Bolosi and Gardi are interrogating a bandit double-crosser at the Forsaken Inn. The man tells the two dwarves that someone from the South has come up and is paying them to band together and cause trouble for Bree. (OOC - This is not common knowledge as of yet.) The dwarves decide that they will have to take things into their own hands, as the Breeguard are too incompetent and frightened to deal with the threat - and if this is allowed to continue, there will be one less market for their goods, as well as one less spot to buy good ale!

Whilst enjoying an ale in the Forsaken Inn, dwarves Bolosi and Danir and the boastful Aglarebar (human) are surprised by a group of bandits who claim they have a 'message' for Bolosi, then exit the place before a fight can start. Brev, who has been watching the Inn, quietly follows them.

Bandits raid the Pinewick potato farm to the north of Bree. Crops are stolen or destroyed, livestock driven off .. and Thomas, who was passing the place on his way home, is injured in a scuffle.

Thomas visits the Breeguard headquarters. He leaves having been made a 'Trainee Breeguard'. The Breeguard put up 'Wanted' notices for two men (Brev and Jarel).

A one-eyed corpse is found in the Chetwood, and nearby a bloodied cleaver engraved 'Property of Nob, of the Prancing Pony'. Speculation as to the man's identity and the murderer's motive are rife. Surely Nob, loyal assistant Innkeeper, could not have committed murder so horrid? On the same night Gidon Leafthicket was robbed, also in the Chetwood. Could there have been a connection?

After a complaint by some rather ..odd.. members of the public, Nob is interviewed in the Prancing Pony by Breeguards Ernie and Thomas. However, no charges are pressed.

A wounded and bound man, missing a nose and clearly quite drunk, is dumped at the North Gate by persons unknown. The Breeguard place him in a cell for safekeeping until they can find out his identity.

Nob arrives at the Breeguard Headquarters to report the return of his stolen hatchet. After questioning him and their unknown 'guest' No-Nose Ned, Thomas and Ernie conclude that the Rangers are responsible (with Nob's possible collusion). No-Nose Ned is released; Neal (Nauthcel) is to be found and questioned.

The Dwarves are rumoured to be leaving town - or at least one of them. The Silversmith Frarin has packed up his things and announced his attention to return to the Blue Mountains alone, dangerous roads or no ...

Miss Adelaide at the Pony has volunteered to set up self-defence classes for any Breefolk wishing to learn to fight. Whether she'll have any takers, who knows?

Breeguard trainee Thomas has questioned the Ranger Rinadan (Imladech). Rinadan has agreed to help the poor overworked Breeguard with his investigations into the banditry.

Meanwhile, somewhere out in the woods, a mysterious and well-spoken stranger is trying to recruit bandits for his own purposes, promising 'land, and wealth and livelihood ... perhaps even immortality'. (OOC: /Not/ known unless you're a bandit!)

The banditry round Bree seems to have died down; meanwhile the Shire is suffering a series of peculiar troubles all round its fringes: missing livestock, burned barns, disappearing property. In the Northfarthing, Torebras Bywater returns dishevelled and incoherent after a stroll, withdraws money from various investments and holes up in his cottage in Newbury, seeing noone. Sackville Manor in the Southfarthing is robbed, and Mistress Lobelia and her loyal servant struck unconscious! Somehow, her son Lotho failed to protect her.

An unseasonably rainy spell in the Shire causes holes to flood and streams to rise. The Brandywine is swollen and it is feared it will burst its banks. The worsening weather has one benefit: the worrisome thefts have stopped. A Beating of the Bounds finds no intruders.

Bandits and Dwarves clash on the Shire--Bree road. Frarin and his three ponies provide tempting enough bait to lure the bandits into an ambush set up by Bolosi and his dwarves. Many bandits (including leader Jarlac and No-Tongue Ted) are killed, but others (including Brev) flee. Is this the end of the bandit problem?

Postscript(?), Autumn 2010:

The swarthy southerner Brev is apprehended by the Breeguard and accused of various crimes including theft of potatoes, arson and assault on a Breeguard and perhaps even murder (the supposed 'victim' Nob currently being alive and well, this last seems rather far-fetched). As punishment for said crimes he is to build a new barn on the Pinewick steading, hand over his ponies to the Breeguard and muck out the stables for Nob as payment for 'bed and board'.