While the Hollows slept peacefully, a danger crept closer in the night. Soon it lashed out with flame and with iron. Kristov and Jabari were jolted awake with the sound of clashing metal and the smell of burning homes.
Donning what armor they could quickly, the pair run out of the inn and into the town square. They were met with the steely gaze of a trio of bandits.
“An old man and a dog,” laughed one of the thugs. “They’ll fare no better than those farmers who thought they were warriors.”
Feeling his bloodlust rising, Jabari launched into a swift attack, deftly impaling his blade into the shoulder of one of the bandits. The bandit’s compatriot was undeterred and quickly shot an arrow at Kristov, but it bounced off his chainmail without harming him.
Kristov barked at the bandits, “This town is under our protection. Lay down your arms, and you’ll keep your lives.”
A bandit spearman scoffed at the grizzled peddler. “How about you taste our steel instead?” He spits back at Kristov.
Kristov narrowly avoids the spear attack while Jabari moves into a position to defend his client. The massive wolfkin slashes at the archer, severing the man’s artery as he bleeds out on the ground.
“What did you do to piss them off?” Jabari asks Kristov. He doesn’t have time to hear the peddler’s answer, though, as the spearman lines up a new attack.
The seasoned warrior swings his mighty blade, and it finds purchase in between the folds of the spearman’s armor. Jabari punctures the man’s lung and forces him to the ground.
At this point, Mick E. Faus is roused from his slumber. He stumbles out into the square and is amused at the carnage he finds played out around him. “More toys to play with,” Faus says quietly in his oddly shrill voice.
Soon more bandits arrive and take up positions in the square. Kristov yells out once more and says, “Leave now, and we will spare you. Look at your friends’ fates!”
Faus pipes up too and says, “That’s right! Look at this shit!” The bandits and the adventurers are astonished to see the misshapen wizard dig his hands into one of the bandits’ chest and pull out a bloody heart.
Two of the thugs are enraged at the desecration of their friend and launch into new attacks. The third is horrified and runs back to the river before jumping in and floating away while he can.
A bandit bowman takes steady aim at Faus, and his shot pierces the robes of the magic-user. Undeterred, Faus raises the bloody prize aloft and, drawing upon his arcane power, crushes the bandit’s heart from within. The man slumps over and dies with a whimper.
Not to be outdone, Jabari bounds across the open square and stabs the final bandit in the head, killing him instantly.
Moments later, many of the townspeople race to the square after driving off the rest of the raiders. Rust Brother Sturkas immediately walks up to Kristov and shouts, “Is this your doing? Do you know these bandits?”
The peddler responds, “Take a look around Sturkas, I am wounded, and my compatriots are victorious. We only defended your town, nothing more.”
Chastened a bit, Sturkas nods and calls over Mother Nirvea. “We’ll do what we can with the two you left alive,” he says. “Maybe we’ll get some answers from them if they survive the night.”
Meanwhile, a crowd forms around Yawim and Mrs. Pollmer, who angrily shout at each other. Both accuse the other of being tacitly responsible for the attack.
“This is what you get for trying to make a name for yourself,” Pollmer says. “You’ve made the Hollows a target for every would-be bandit or monster for miles.”
Yawim snaps in response, “You’ve kept us alone for too long! If we had allies, we could have been warned about this lot.”
With neither side showing signs of backing down, Pollmer turns to the adventurers and says, “I’ll expect you three at my home tomorrow. I’ll need answers from the lot of you after I make sure everyone is alright.” She then turns and starts wandering through the village, checking to see if anyone needs help.
Yawim scoffs at Pollmer and says, “Look at that. Can’t even say thanks for putting your lives on the line. Come to the tavern tomorrow and the beer is on me!”
Exhausted, Kristov, Jabari, and Faus head back to their homes for what little sleep remains in the night.
Early the next morning, the trio trudges down the road to find Rust Brother Sturkas’ home. Once inside, they find the bandits in bandages but bound to a beam. Sturkas exclaims, “This lot isn’t much more than boys. They’re lucky to have survived at all.”
It is clear that when Sturkas speaks of battle, he is intimately aware of the details. Meanwhile, Jabari walks to the fireplace and begins heating his longsword until it glows bright red.
“I haven’t seen such methods in a long time,” Sturkas says to Kristov. “You’ve got a nasty bit of work at your bidding, don’t you?”
Kristov nods and then looks at the boys before saying, “You don’t want to see what comes next, trust me.”
The sight of the massive wolfkin and his searing hot blade is enough to send the boys into a terror. They stumble over themselves, asking for forgiveness before they wet their pants.
“Slow down, slow down,” Kristov says. “Tell us who sent you to raid the town!”
The boys start mumbling but catch their breath enough to give away the basic facts. It seems an unruly ogre took over some villages to the west of the Hollows, and forced the menfolk and boys into banditry at his behest.
“He goes by the name, ‘Undrue,'” one of the bandits claims.
“Can’t say we know much about him,” Kristov lies to Sturkas. “I’ve heard the name but never met this ogre.”
The Rust Brother senses that Kristov knows more, but decides it would be impolite to push the matter.
“In any case, they’ve spilled their guts. There’s nothing more we’ll get from these two,” Sturkas says.
“But they haven’t really spilled their guts, now have they?” Jabari smirks as he menacingly marches toward the boys.
Astonished, Sturkas moves between the boys and the wolfkin. “Hold fast, you beast,” he exclaims. “These kids aren’t so far gone they can’t be redeemed. I will put them to work and make men out of them!”
Seeing the old priest so upset, Kristov knows it’s time to move from the man’s home.
“It’s wise of you to use them that way,” Kristov says as he puts a hand on Jabari’s shoulder. “My huscarls and I will take your leave. Make sure that these boys pay their penance.”
Following the interrogation, they trudge up the walkway to Pollmer’s home and are met with a surprise. Not only is Pollmer waiting for them, but she’s smiling.
“I’m sorry, my dears, for not giving you proper respect last night,” she says. “You all did the village an excellent service, but I was too worried about my people to give you much honor. Please know that you can stay as long as you like in the Hollows, and your meals and board will be taken care of, as befits such heroes.”
After that, Pollmer does her best to convince the adventurers that they should take her side in the struggle with Yawim. Pollmer is convinced the raid is all the proof needed that his trading and boasting put the townsfolk in danger. It also spurred her to move up her timeline; the brewer’s boats must burn the next night.
Walking back toward the river, the trio soon finds themselves at the Three Skulls Tavern. Yawim and the townsfolk let out a roar of gratitude as they come inside.
“A keg of our best,” the brewer exclaims. Soon a large keg is brought out, and the dwarf gives the adventurers three large tankards.
“Now you see what I’m talking about,” Yawim says. “Pollmer makes us weak and blind by keeping us isolated. We’d be stronger if we made friends and allies in other villages. Not to mention richer.”
Kristov and Jabari press the brewer about unpaid taxes and lax chores, but he is adamant that he’s willing to work and do his fair share; it’s just that Pollmer demands too much.
“It’s time you chose a side,” he says before walking away. “The rest of us have.”
As the dwarf joins his friends, the trio is left looking into their tankards and pondering what course of action they’ll have to take, and what it will mean for their time in the Hollows…
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