Branch 7: Juliote
---D-Day+42, Glenic 13th---
"Daydreaming again Jules?"
A finger poking her in the ribs brought focus back to Juliote's eyes.
"Wha? Oh... Sorry."
The copper ranked healer looked embarrassingly at the iron ranked mage sitting next to her. The sorceress had ten years, and a couple of cup sizes, on her. Always made Juliote feel like she was being lectured by an older sister. But, she really didn't mind it.
Their party, Silver Sword Three, had gotten lucky this time and managed to rent a wagon cheaply. So they only hired two porters for this commission. A bandit subjugation.
On this clear morning with a warm breeze, the adventurer's were making their way to Lostglen. A small remote village under House Rottbow. Another war taxes uprising had been put down and those that fled? Had become bandits.
A sadly familiar tale. The war had emptied the treasury so, taxes were raised. Unfortunately, the war tax was on top of the local taxes, and with last year's drought? Many peasants were pushed deep in debt.
The kind of deep where your children start getting sold and your women start getting, 'rented.' Can't blame them for fighting back. Over the winter and into the spring, a number of manor lords had met bloody ends.
As always though. That lord's lord sends in knights or mercenaries. Kills a few. Sells a few more. Installs a new manor lord. And its back to business as usual.
Some also always escaping to the hills and becoming, bandits.
They would always try to stay true to their ideals, at first. Up with the peasants. Down with the nobles. Then the slow slide into true banditry as the harsh realities of the world being against you? Grinds them down.
Now the local lord's lord could spend time, money, and resources, sending out mercenaries or knights to hunt them down. Or just spend some money on adventurers that they wouldn't even have to pay, if they fail.
A no brainer for all but the most prideful nobles.
Most adventurers would not accept commissions to put down revolts. That's dirty mercenary work. Once the escapees turned to banditry though? They became as fair game as goblins.
Better, since even the filthiest bandit camp was still cleaner, and smelled nicer, than a goblin hole. Loot tended to be in better shape too.
That isn't to say there is no overlap between mercenaries and adventurers. The difference was in numbers, skills, and jobs. Adventurer's operate in small 'parties.' Usually half a dozen at most. Even the largest 'raid' actually composed of a dozen or more parties.
Each member of a party also fills a specific niche. Thief, nuker, tank, etc... Jobs usually involving monsters, ruins, etc...
Mercenaries, on the other hand, operate in large 'companies.' Even the smallest usually being dozens strong. Members are mostly just fighters, with some scouts and little to no magic support. Jobs involve battles, sieges, revolts, garrisons, etc...
While a few mercenaries become famous? Most are just catapult fodder that might not even qualify as Copper plates.
"At least there were only two this time."
Juliote remarked to Isaxone, the mage, as she looked at the two women on the other side of the wagon.
A key sign that 'rebels' had become 'bandits?' Women. Its very rare to find women bandits to begin with. And once they abandoned their ideals to focus on survival? Capturing a few women to handle their 'needs,' doesn't seem that big a deal anymore.
These bandits weren't too far gone yet. Of course the girls had been raped, but they hadn't been beaten, much. No signs of torture either. Chances are these girls even knew some of their rapers.
The young healer had learned to ignore the empty eyes and dead expressions of 'bandit girls.' These two were still worlds better off than 'goblin sows.'
Those poor things were raped non-stop and always pregnant, until their bodies failed. Would usually kill themselves if they could get their hands on something sharp enough.
If they had any sanity left by then, that is.
These bandit girls would be turned over at the nearest village, Lostglen, and if they didn't live there? Someone usually knew what village they were from. In time, they might even find happiness again.
Thanks to the wagon, and being women, both female members of Silver Sword Three were able to ride while the boys walked. They shared the back half of the cart with the freed captives while the front half was filled with anything sellable from the bandit camp.
While the pay was usually just enough to handle expenses? The profit in bandit commissions normally came from the loot. Whatever the bandits had managed to steal and hoard.
The adventurers wouldn't get rich. But it was enough to survive off for a bit and even put some away for a rainy day.
The camp had fallen in a standard before dawn raid. Inexperienced bandits never knew how to hide their camps, nor guard them, well enough. Poorly armed and unskilled brigands easily overwhelmed by better armed and skilled adventurers.
Even when outnumbered four or five to one.
Isaxone looked at Juliote.
"Have you noticed?"
"Hmm?" The healer girl wasn't really paying attention.
"The jobs lately."
Juliote focused. "Ah. Yeah. The bigger bandit and goblin jobs have dried up."
"I heard your boyfriend is responsible."
"He's not my boyfriend!"
"So your eyes are not glued to that tower whenever its on the horizon?"
"M-my father w-works th-there." The Copper plate didn't even sound convincing to herself.
"No girl looks at their father that way."
"Isa..."
"Okay, I'll stop." Hands up. "Still, someone is wiping out bandits and goblins. Then leaving the loot and captives in front of the nearest manor."
"With the women healed and all they remember is the darkness coming alive. I know."
"Did you hear about Rob's party?"
Juliote had a childhood friend who had joined them so she immediately focused on the sorceress.
"What happened? Are they okay?"
"Hoho? Their mage shared with me, girl to girl, that they almost didn't make it last week."
"I-is the the thief okay?"
"Gaiat?" She snickers at Jules' hesitant nod. "He's fine. Even wanted to pass on his best wishes."
The mage laughed again at the healer's blushing face. She was so easy to tease and still pining for a copper ranked thief? Even after giving herself to a lord and then a viscount? Isaxone found herself smiling again at the blind optimism of youth.
The healer, on the other hand, was worried. Lord Barton saved her and her family. His support helped save her parent's marriage. And when he, needed her? She was so, happy.
How was she going to tell Rob what happened? Strangely, word of her father's trial had not spread like wildfire. But it would still spread. Rob would hear about it sooner or later. What she had done. Still...
"Never met someone so strong and so vulnerable. He felt so, alone. Even though I was sullied, he still, needed me." She double facepalms. "Augh! Why would someone surrounded by so many beautiful women even want me?" Sharp pain in her side. "Ow!"
Isa had pinched her.
"A cutie like you must never talk down about themselves. Makes the rest of us girls look bad."
"But what if Rob won't forgive me?" For her, it had been love at first sight. She couldn't bear the thought of him hating her.
"Then your thief is an idiot."
"What?"
"There is a Black Hart knight I spend the night with, from time to time." Isa smiled. "I asked her to keep an eye on you and she told me what happened." Jules shuddered. "Any daughter in that trap would have done the same."
"I know but then too-"
"This knight is quite proud of herself. Even she brags about this new lord." Isa tilted her head. "Including how 'open' minded he is. Only his two wives are untouchable, for men. Everyone else, even his slaves, are free to be with whoever they please."
"But it went on for hours. Over and over-"
"Stop." The mage is looking, flushed. "Say more and I'll be staring at that tower all the time too." Jules finally giggles. "You have a boy who loves you and a lord who supports you. From what you told me? He really needed you." The wizardess points. "I would be angry if you left the man who saved you in pain."
Juliote nods, looking determined.
"If, when, I get married. Would you guys-"
"Of course. You think we would miss it? And to finally meet the Beast?" The flamboyant mage shudders.
Jules though, looks confused.
"Beast? Who is-"
"Isa! Jules! Faal smells smoke! Get out here!"
The two female adventurers quickly jump out of the back of the wagon. The last place you want to be in a fight is trapped in a cart. They also know Faal would never send out a warning over a hearth or campfire. If there was smoke? Then something a lot bigger was burning.
Who they ran too though wasn't Faal. It was their leader, Ingo. The armored beastkin fighter had his shield and spear ready for action while talking with Engeler and Gastal. Silver Sword Three's thief and priest.
The party's other fighter, Aimar, stayed at the back. Watching the wagon and girls with the two porters.
"Bout time ladies. Faal's nose tells him its by Lostglen or is the village itself."
Taking down a village was tough for bandits or goblins. Orcs? And another lord wouldn't burn it down. Wanting the village as intact as possible.
"Jules. You and Engel go catch up with Faal. We'll wait here."
The human healer and thief were both armed and armored but had no issue jogging down the road for a few minutes. Adventurers had to be in excellent shape to survive and Ingo was a fanatic about muscle training his party.
Even Isa was surprisingly buff no matter how soft and squeezable she looked.
They finally came around a corner in the road and saw Faal sitting on a rock, staring at the valley below.
Devastation.
Complete devastation.
Lostglen, a village of hundreds with plaster and wood walls and a stout stone manor. Built in a valley along a stream large enough to power a flower mill. While still narrow enough to bridge.
Now? Looked like a pile of charcoal. Even the stone manor had collapsed in on itself, burned black.
Not just Lostglen either.
The entire valley was torched. Every field burned to the ground. No. More than torched. Scorched. Reduced to ash and rubble. Nothing survived.
Engeler was the first to find his voice.
"No raiders could have done this."
Faal nods and speaks.
"No goblins or orcs would have been this thorough. Not even hobs."
Engeler shudders
"A dozen Isa's couldn't burn this much."
Their mage's morals might be below the bottom of the barrel. Might even have to get a shovel and start digging. But her fire magic was top notch.
There was only one monster that had the malevolence to deliver this much total devastation, by fire.
All three look at each other with the same thought and spoke at the same time.
"""Dragon."""
Aimar (male, human, tourinese)
Bitternal, Ingo (male, beastkin, barbarian)
Gaiat, Robuet (male, human, tourinese)
Gastal (male, halfling, tourinese)
Isaxone (female, human, aquecian)
Mauger, Juliote (female, human, tourinese)
Neimson, Engeler (male, human, tourinese)
Orrian, Faalys Valrona Tiarsu (male, elf, granyan)