((Possible combat will be made turn-by-turn in this thread. Non-combat solutions are possible (and give EXP). I won't railroad this at all or take initiative. The flow of this sidequest is up to you. When you want to talk, talk in the thread. When you want to move, tell so. When you need specifics, ask me here or over IRC but preferably IC. Everything you describe happens unless I veto. GL HF.))

This happens when Arael was still recovering, before he gave you full information on Bastards of Erebus.

You were contemplating ways to gain reputation for Guardians of Cheliax. Tarvi says: "One of the problems the people have is the highwaymen that have appeared recently in the hinterlands. We lost one gem shipment that way..."

Ermolos adds: "The dottari cannot do anything against them, since they act outside of the city walls. At least no that organized bandit group I know of has dared enter the city itself!"

"Of course not, the Hellknights are monopolizing the 'organized terror' niche within Westcrown," Sclavo frowns. "I've heard at work that the mayor is completely at loss, and would like to take the issues seriously but has no resources to turn to..."

Janiven looks at you all very purposefully. "I'm not too familiar with this group myself, as I've spent past weeks preparing contacts with Arael. I don't even know if there is one group or many. However, the attacks have increased of late in the immediate victinity of Westcrown. I recall banditry only being a problem further north."

"I believe that I have a plan" begins Claudio. "We will get some extra sleep now, and later we will leave the city with some minor camping supplies. We will find a location along the road to make a camp, and fill our sleeping sacks with rocks and sticks and such. Once it begins to get dark, we will light a fire. This fire should be enough to draw in at least a few highwaymen. After the fire is lit, and it is getting dark, we will position ourselves such that we are not within the fire's light. When highwaymen come to rob us, we will ambush them.

Once we have defeated them, we will ensure that they are in no danger of dying, tie them up, and interrogate them as to whether or not there are more of them. If there are more of them, we would want to find out where. Once this is done, we will take them back to the city, and hand them over to the dottari."

"Neirsalla, Crulamin, Ria, do any of you have something to say about this?" asks Claudio.

"It's a good plan, I can't think of anything else to add."

[15:36] Agape your plan calls for listing of the "minor camping supplies" and where you are acquiring them, also a disguise roll for the sleeping sack trick, (survival take 10 for setting up the camp), knowledge(local) or survival to locate a spot where you can hide in the fire-range and finally stealth rolls from you all to hide outside the fire's range

((Everybody add an additional +1 to your rolls, because jumpluff can cast Guidance on you before your check.

Ria will make the Disguise roll because of her high Charisma modifier; everybody else will make Disguise rolls to aid her.

Everybody make Knowledge (local) rolls to see if you know of a suitable location.

Everybody make rolls for Survival to see if you can find a suitable location.

Everybody make stealth rolls. I will fail mine, so I will have Claudio position himself such that he is ready to react once he is found.

[15:54] Alea GeneralSpoon, disguise: 9 [1d20=6]
[15:54] GeneralSpoon 1d20 know, local
[15:54] Alea GeneralSpoon, know, local: 8 [1d20=8]
[15:55] GeneralSpoon 1d20-1 survival
[15:55] Alea GeneralSpoon, survival: 6 [1d20=7]
[15:55] GeneralSpoon 1d20-3 stealth
[15:55] Alea GeneralSpoon, stealth: 12 [1d20=15]

Yeah please make your knowledge (local) and survival rolls so that we do not end up thinking the middle of the road is a good place for this. Do not forget your disguise roll either; mine was just short of aiding Ria.))

((Shopping list incoming))

((Ria should probably stand in complete darkness, and fire her crossbow at targets. She can't really use her coat here, as it gives off some light. Maybe she will get lucky and hit something?

Crulamin should try and bomb stuff like usual.

Neirsalla can use her own judgement, I guess. She can stand in total darkness at the start of the fight, probably, and move into the dim light and then use a hex or spell.

We are taking 10 on the survival check to start the campfire.

Shopping list:
3 Bedrolls (3 sp total)
))

((Clarification: Store money at the base until we go shopping for our big shopping lists.

[17:06] Agape 01:04 <+GeneralSpoon> 1d20+6 diplomacy
[17:06] Agape 01:04 <+Alea> GeneralSpoon, diplomacy: 25 [1d20=19]
[17:05] Alea Agape, 1d4: 1 [1d4=1]

Gather information on the highwaymen
))

While you are on your way purchasing the bedrolls, Claudio visits some pubs and markets to ask for rumours on the raids outside of the city.

This is what you gathered. Some information is outdated, some might be plain wrong. You are rather sure that you caught all the information circulating the city about them right now.

"There are no bands of brigands outside the city. It just wouldn't be worth it anywhere. Well except perhaps in The Daenfens."

"The Order of the Rack makes sure no lawbreaking happens near Citadel Rivad."

"I was returning from my secret mining location, when those thugs hit me unconscious and stole all my ore! I saw a few figures in the darkness just before I collapsed. One of them had pointed ears!"

"I haven't heard of any raiding groups except the goblins of the sewers. Perhaps a small team of thieves could make minor raids without the Hellrats noticing. But they would need to use all the terrain advantages possible."

"I'm sure one of them had a huge, curved sword like a scimitar but bigger."

"One of them was the ugliest creature I've ever seen! I was so scared before those three attackers that I even gave them the money I had hidden in the secret compartment... I'm sure it was a demon!"

"I heard they are particularly fond of merchants who have disguised themselves badly. They attacked the gem shipment in the early morning."

"I heard that the Hellrats don't give them any attention because they are diabolists as well."

"The leader had muscles like a Wiscrani dock worker!"

((We will be nearby the Daenfens when we make our camp, I suppose. So, perhaps a bit along the road north, assuming north is up on the map))

"Hmm...it sounds as though the highwaymen are Tieflings," says Claudio "We may need to rethink our plan a bit."

(([20:49] Alea GeneralSpoon, local: 17 [1d20=17]
[17:24] Alea GeneralSpoon, library: 3 [1d4=3]
))

After thinking it over a bit, Claudio begins speaking again "I think that I have a workaround. The campfire should give off light that is pretty easy to see by within a 20ft radius, and then some dimmer light in a 20ft radius beyond that. Most Tieflings can see only about 60 feet away in the dark. If we stand 80 feet away from the fire, we should be pretty safe from being seen. When the Tieflings come into our 'camp', we will be able to see them by the fire. Neirsalla may then cast Enlarge Person on me, and Crulamin can give me an Extract of Expeditious Retreat. I will use smite evil on one of the Tieflings, and then charge it. This should throw them into disarray. From there, the three of you can come forward and do what you think is best."