BEDAugust 10

Hope you're enjoying the Dungeons and Dragon's Journal, cause it's gonna keep coming.
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The walk back to the city and the temple is a two day journey. As we set out Oog grabs a rabbit, when he releases the creature it moves very slowly but he speeds away. I rethink my initial evaluation of the half-orc, it seems that he doesn't require better weapons. I make a note to not underestimate him again. The first day and a half of our journey go smoothly but just as I begin to think we might make it unscathed the Bandit King appears to ruin everything.

Thirteen hill giants lumber out of the trees, already angry and on the attack. I know in an instant who is behind the attack, and rush into the trees looking for the Bandit King. I find more than I bargain for as an arrow shoots past me and buries itself deep into Milk's chest. Only Shallahai's quick action saves him from death. It seems that Archer (the captain of the first bandit group we encountered) wasn't as dead as we had hoped. I guess it makes a lot more sense that Bandit King returned for his body then. The two of them continue to flit from tree to tree, appearing and disappearing in a very frustrating way. I go back to fighting the hill giants, there will be time for killing bandits later.

Zog and Ariella launch spell after spell and Oog throws these strange exploding balls that make short work of most of the hill giants. I find myself even more impressed by the half-orc, and I plan to study and speak with him more when time allows. The remaining three giants fall easily to the rest of us, after all we've had experience. Bandit King and Archer however, flee as soon as the last giant falls. I try to catch them, but they move quicker than I do, and have an ability to disappear that I do not possess. From what I can see they headed towards the city so we continue on our way.

When we arrive the first thing we do is take the tub to the temple. The priests inform us it will take them a week to gather the ingredients and prayers necessary to heal Kough. They dismiss all charges against Stealthlina and pay a rather handsome sum to Dread Pirate Roberts, Milk, and Foxface for their help. When we exit the temple a town guard stops and informs us that the Mayor has been arrested for conspiracy against the church. It seems there is suspicion that he is working with the thieves guild and trying to steal the tub. I note that Milk vanishes while the guard is still speaking.

After the guard dismisses us we split and go our separate ways. I spend my time asking the locals if anyone has seen Archer or Bandit King. I notice that Milk is hanging at the tavern, Foxface and Shallahai seem to have set up a camp in an alley, Garr returns to the temple to guard the bowl, Pixie, Rouge, and Zog go off in search of some other wizard, Dread Pirate Roberts downright disappears, and Lily and Stealthlina head off towards the jail. Not long after they leave I hear the howling of a wolf and hope they're not getting themselves into more trouble considering we just got them out of it. My search seems fruitless, and I begin to think that perhaps Bandit King and Archer didn't come here after all when the guards sound the alarm bells.

The bells draw me to the square outside the marketplace. There I find Dread Pirate Roberts, Rouge, and Pixie already gathered. In the center of the square Oog lies dead with a very familiar arrow sprouting from his next. I immediately search the surroundings for Archer, and when I catch a glimpse of his black bandanna on a nearby roof I take off running without a second thought. I manage to track him for a few blocks, but lose the trail in a back alley that doesn't seem to have any exits. When I return to the square Dread Pirate Roberts is ranting about how the bandits are after us and are trying to pick us off one by one. He believes Ariella is the next target and tries to convince everyone to go to the temple and protect her. I point out that if everyone is gathered around her she won't be as much of a target. Dread Pirate Roberts agrees, and the decision is made we all need to gather together.

Since it seems Milk has no interest in leaving the tavern we gather there. Garr and Zog both refuse to come, they have other obligations. I'm not the biggest fan of this idea, because any attack will likely result in a huge fight, and I'm not keen on the idea of being banned from drinking in the best tavern. Luckily Rouge has the idea of heading to the roof and as soon as we step on it arrows fly our way. I have Archer in my sights now and there's no way I'm letting him go this time. Without explaining to anyone what I've seen I take off running. I track Archer through the jail, ignoring the protests of the guards, through a series of back alleys, finding a discarded thunderstone, and finally catch a glimpse of him disappearing into the sewers. The guards alarm bells are ringing again, but I don't care to find out why. I barrel down the alley and drop into the sewer.

I hit the sewer floor running and after a few seconds hear Dread Pirate Roberts, Ariella, and Rouge drop in behind me. The Bandit King springs from one of the dark corners, but I'm ready for him. He barely has time to get in a single blow before I reduce him to unconsciousness. When he drops I hear a soft cry and see Archer watching from down the tunnel. He shoots an arrow but misses me wildly, then he turns and runs. I debate chasing after him, but Ariella, Rouge, and Dread Pirate Roberts take off immediately, and I figure they can handle it. I turn my attention back to the unconscious Bandit King. I strip him of his weapons and as I remove his armor and clothing (to make sure he has no magical items), I notice a tattoo on his left forearm.

It's a tattoo I recognize from my childhood, the mark of an elven warrior. A quick check of his other arm and head reveals he's a half-elf, for true elven warriors bear a tattoo on both arms. A memory comes back to me of elven maidens that were stolen away and returned with half-elf children. I remember that the King accepted this children and let them become lesser warriors, Bandit King must be one of these children. I wrack my brain but I can't remember who took the elven maidens. As I stare at the tattoo my mind spins. I had planned to kill Bandit King, but the elven warriors are a noble group. Even the half-elves would have stood for justice, and I can't believe one of them is now a murdering Bandit King. I find that I can't simply kill him, not a half-elf of my mother's kingdom, not someone who used to be a noble warrior. I have to get answers.

I strip him of the rest of his armor and leave only enough clothes to make him decent. Then I throw the unconscious body over my shoulder and head out of the sewer.

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