>>29145246
>> Hold your fire.
also target Kevo, without him his men will be alot less effective

>>29145246

> Hold fire.

Kevo will solve himself when they open the chest. We should be aiming at the guards.

>>29145299
>>29145341

Sweeping the slope below you, you can see that the guards outnumber the decoy group - there's about fourteen or fifteen of them, armed with swords and spears. Turning to your men, confident that your voice is being drowned out by the people fighting below.

'I want you to aim at the guards,' you say, and they nod. 'But not now. At my signal...'

Turning back to the battle, you see that three of the decoy group are already either dead or incapacitated, while one guard has been severely wounded by one of the bandits' fiercest warriors. The guards are definitely gaining the upper hand, though, encircling the decoys quickly while scaling up the hill towards the fake hoard; and that's when one of them suddenly snaps his head back, a throwing axe embedded deep into his forehead, and flops lifelessly back down.

Fucking hell! But a moment later you hear another yell, and a loud *hiss*. The gas! It must be released! The guards are now trapped on a slope between the fake hoard, but they outnumber the decoy group and could probably fight their way out. And a thick white cloud is rolling out from the hoard...

... and directly towards you people. Stella's eyes widen. 'Quick, shoot and run!'

> Shoot at the guards.
> Shoot at the decoys.
> Other.

> Either way, roll d100.

>>29145407
>> Shoot at the guards.

Rolled 95

>>29145407
shoot at the guards

Rolled 12

>>29145438
and of course I forgot to roll

Rolled 77

>>29145407

> Shoot at the guards.

>>29145445
>>29145447
>>29145463

> 95: Brilliant success!

'Are you good with a bow?' You ask Stella, who nods.

'Course I am. Be quick!'

'Oh yes!' Fucking cloud, you forgot about it. 'MEN! ARROWS! DRAW! LOOSE!'

Your yelling, and the answering yells of your men, surprise both guards and decoys alike; but perhaps more surprising is the hail of arrows which immediately follows. As they yell, you give your next instruction with great resolve.

'RUN! FUCKING POISON SMOKE!'

Scattering up the slope and into the forest, Stella gives you a boost, then you shove Pago around a tree as all of you scramble. The white cloud of poisonous smoke drifts on, from left to right, and then you look over at where the decoy hoard is...

... to see Kevo still standing at a safe distance, wearing a face scarf. The other three in the digging team, however, are in the middle of horrible deaths, foaming at the mouth as they writhe and twitch and clutch at leaves. Kevo heaves his axe, the smoke clears, and you look down to see that the guards are retreating; another five of them have been killed, and they cut down a few more of the decoy group as they run, leaving just four to run back up.

'Chief! Boss!'

'You fucking CUNT!' Kevo hollers in your direction. 'I'll take your bitch, nail her to a tree and make you watch me fuck her! Before I feed you your own liver!'

> Safety. (Shoot the lot)
> Honour. (Approach yourself, fight and kill Kevo)
> Other.

>>29145562
>Safety
we're a bandit not a noble

>>29145562

> Honour.

No one talks about any member of my band like this.

besides we have stupid good luck when we do stupid things, remember?

>>29145562
Shoot them all, honor is for corpses.

>>29145689
What this fine gent said

>>29145562
>> Safety. (Shoot the lot)
We bandit king now

>>29145689
>>29145661
>>29145639
>>29145606

You clench your fists when you hear the threat, and part of you wants to rush out and slice that son of a bitch up properly. But then just as you get ready to move out of cover, Stella grabs you.

'What?'

'Don't be daft. He's got a huge axe!'

'But- oh.' You blink. 'Better. Stella, take my bow. Get ready.'

'What?' But you pass it to her, grab her short sword, and then move out from behind the trees before she can grab you again. Stella's a clever one, she'll get it. 'Ephidel, you little-'

'Oi!' You yell, stepping out from the stand of trees and rough terrain hiding your band, shortsword in hand. 'Kevo, you really ought to watch your mouth.'

He looks at you, and then at his four remaining, bloodied followers. The cries of the wounded and dying are still echoing. Without saying a word, Kevo charges at you and raises his axe...

...

'LOOSE!'

Once you hear that you immediately throw yourself onto the ground, and the next thing you hear is several bows releasing at the same time. The men aren't that good at shooting, but when you look up again Kevo's stopped, leaning forward on his axe, and there's *two* arrows of yours in him - one below the ribcage, the other below the left collarbone.

THUD! Another one under the right collarbone makes him shudder, and then Stella steps out with your bow. 'What's that I said about you wanting to do with me? Do you want another reply?'

Kevo stares at you, gurgles blood and then crumples backwards, twitching in death throes. The four men quickly go on their knees. 'Mercy! Have mercy!'

> Mercy. Recruit and let's loot.
> No mercy. Just loot.
> Other.

>>29145736
Recruit and loot. We're all bandits, I'm sure they'll understand.

>>29145736
No mercy they wouldn't have given us any so I don't see why we should return the favour

>>29145736

Recruit and loot. Tell them fortune awaits them if they join us, and death if they don't.

>>29145736
>> Other.
"Now why should I show you dogs some mercy?"

>>29145750
>>29145760
>>29145793
>>29145794

You look over them, and then turn around and tell Orvo and Sarius to get some men and gather the loot. 'If you smell anything odd, run like hell. Can't believe that thing was so fucking awful. Don't go near the chest!'

'Yes, boss!' Stella comes up to you, with two of the men, and you face the four.

'So, why should I show you mercy?'

'We haven't done anything against you! We haven't lifted a finger against you! Please, we're willing to join you, please spare us.'

'There's another few men in our camp,' another one says, which is a bit of a surprise. 'We'll get them to come to you as well! You'll be the master of us all, sir!'

You get your bow back and go up to them. 'You'll join me, then? You'll do well with me. But if you don't, then...'

'Of course we'll join you, lord!' They say.

'Fine,' you shrug, and then turn around as they quickly prostrate themselves, going up to Stella. 'Do you trust them?'

'Nope.'

'Do you want them in the band?'

'If we only recruit people we trust, that would be difficult...'

She has a point. You tell them to surrender their arms, and just then Orvo and Sarius come back. Wow, that poison is potent, from the contortions of the three dead diggers. The loot is good - you now have enough to make sure all your people have at least a short sword in addition to their hatchets. Oh, those and bows as well.

This is getting off to a good start, you think, as those men are led back to the village.

> Your band has grown!
> 12 fighting men
> Leaders: Stella, Orvo, Sarius

> Kevo is dead. But his hamlet, with 3 more men and about 15 other people, needs to be settled somehow.
> Who will you send to convince them to surrender?

> Meanwhile, your scouts and people are reporting an ever increasing influx of refugees from the west. They're flooding into the hills, the plains, raising tensions all across the Barony and County. What do you feel about this?

>>29145864

> Meanwhile, your scouts and people are reporting an ever increasing influx of refugees from the west. They're flooding into the hills, the plains, raising tensions all across the Barony and County. What do you feel about this?

This is fantastic. The place will be in chaos, and we need to move quickly and recruit the nearby hamlets, and build up a power base quickly.

There's already bands killing and raiding villages so we need to move too. Maybe if we only attack hamlets that have attacked other people, we can gain good rep.

>>29145864
>Bring several of our trusted lads and one of the new guys. Declare we are taking over now that Kevo has died attempting to double cross us.

>>29145864
We will go to covince them and as for the refugees they might be good recuits in them and we could start up a portection racket

>>29145927
>>29145921
>>29145907

Nothing like a job you do yourself. You bring along one of the four new people, this time being careful to give him back his weapons for a semblance of normalcy, and Sarius comes along as well with his brothers.

Thankfully, the 3 men remaining in the village do not put up much resistance when they see you, and anyway the entire village is paralysed with grief at the fact that most of their men are dead. You almost feel a little guilty, marching into their midst; sensing hostility, the four men surround you as well.

You address the women, telling them that the guards have killed their men by trickery, and that if they stay right out like this, they will have no chance of survival.

'The hills are getting more crowded by the day! Refugees are coming in, and among them there are monsters. I've seen men split open, beheaded; women nailed to trees and used in unspeakable ways and left for dead.' You point at them. 'That could happen to you. But I don't want it to. I'm here to offer you protection.'

It takes the three men and the 15 or so women a while to talk it over, and then they come round with their conditions. The women must be left alone; the men must retain their arms; and each person is to have three pieces of silver. Oh, damn, that reminds you... you haven't distributed the loot yet.

> Accept the conditions and join.
> Deny the conditions and leave.
> Attempt to force them into an unconditional joining.

> Also, so how do you distribute the loot you've already gotten from the stash? How much do you give to each of your band's people?

>>29146042

Here's a summary of the loot:

> Coins:
> 1,700 silver pieces
> 300 gold pieces

> Items:
> A full set of ermine-lined decorations (purse, gloves, leg-warmers, etc.)
> 3 full sets of gold jewellery (earrings, rings, bangles, necklaces, pendants etc.)
> 1 set of snow-gold jewellery, inlaid with sapphires
> 1 pair of wonderfully ornate gold bird-shaped earrings, with red stone eyes
> 1 snow-gold choker with a set sapphire
> 1 ornate snow-gold necklace with a diamond pendant

> Keeper Gems:
> 4 large white pearls
> 2 white diamonds
> 2 rubies

> There's enough non-noteworthy jewellery to fill three large boxes, and enough gems and semi-precious stones, to fill another two small boxes.

> Basically, you are now a cash-rich but food-poor band.

>>29146042
>Accept the conditions and join
We're not that poor, and it will serve as a form of undue compensation

>>29146042
> The women must be left alone
> the men must retain their arms
> each person is to have three pieces of silver.

Sounds fair enough.

> Accept the conditions and join.

>>29146042
> Accept the conditions and join.

I'm sure this is the start of a beautiful friendship

>>29146042
accept their conditions and join as for the loot everyone gets an even share of the silver the gold goes into a common fund that is only used in case of emergencies and trade as for the gems and other stuff the people involved get first pick and the rest draw for order of selection

>>29146042
We need to be the banditiest. Give them 5 pieces of silver, but work them hard. Start making walls, churning out weapons, setting traps, and making a strict training regiment that you, personally attend daily.

>>29146052
>>29146058
>>29146064

'Those conditions are fair,' you say, and nod. 'Now pack up, and join us.'

It takes a while for them to pack, and you help them where they can. These people still have a bit of their stored grain, but not too much, and it does occur to you that you are accumulating men but also mouths to feed. For all the good that silver does, it isn't edible...

The next few days are relatively orderly, seeing as you've just absorbed so many people. Now that there are 15 men in the band, you finally have enough to make a proper watch that doesn't involve everyone, every night. People are frantically building new shelters and expanding the palisade to include them.

It's hard work, and hard work requires food; and soon the bad news comes. You're eating into your reserves quite quickly, even though you've killed so many deer that single trip last time. Oh yes, that damned bear hide! Where should you put it...?

Anyway, the point is, your food supplies are beginning to run low. And autumn is wearing on, with rain and clouds; it will soon be winter. The watch tends to be quiet, but recently you've been seeing more and more people in the woods around - they run when spotted, but you don't know what their intentions are.

It's getting awful crowded in your stretch of the hills...

> What do with the bear skin?
> Also, you've finished building hides for the newcomers. It's now a village of nearly 50 people!
> What do for the next few days? How do you intend to get food and deal with the refugees and hamlets, of which there are increasingly many, especially around the creek?

>>29146142
Make the bear skin into a cloak of some kind.

Farming and harvest before and during winter a viable option?

send out scouts. Looking for information about local animal numbers, potential threats and potential migration routes for the winter.

>>29146142
Fashion the bear skin into a cloak.
and train the people in hunting as well as atart up a farm or vegtale garden and if theirs time train some more also what did we get from the dead guards and Kevos's men.

>>29146142
We should look for nearby villages that are willing to sell some of their food.

>>29146142
See if any of our guys have any talent with a sword, and get the swordsman guy training them. Let's not melt away if a melee is forced upon us.

>>29146198
>>29146202

> I'd just like to note that you already have a very god cloak...

>>29146218
Sword, or axe. Probably the latter, considering.

>>29146202

> if theirs time

grrghghrhghh.

Let's go and approach the villages, see if they'll sell their grain. And if they don't, we'll rob them of their grain.

>>29146219
I intended to give it to some one or sell it

>>29146219
Maybe fashion it to our dwelling? I was going for a "look at me I'm wearing a bear, certified badass" look.

>>29146142
Ask if someone of the new ones have the knowledge to make fishing-traps for the stream. the ones able to hunt will hunt. the rest will collect berries and shrooms and whutnot

>>29146202
>>29146198
Fuck that shit. I vote for keeping our current one. The bear skin is trash shit.

Damn. With food running low, you do what you can at first.

The bear skin goes to the ladies, who come back within three days with a reasonably nice cloak, the head fashioned into a fearsome-looking hood. Wow. Actually you really do like the look of that.

Meanwhile you're considering the old fall-back of hunting, but Stella brings bad news - and your own scouting missions have proven quite fruitless as well. With increased numbers of people in the hills, the game is being driven into hiding.

Efforts to start a farm, with Marrte's help, are a little more successful. A patch of trees is cleared, and soon you have some crops in the ground, though these are wild mountain vegetables - fine with you, and fast growing, but really simply not enough to feed 50 for any amount of time. Besides, it being winter, you are nearing the time when nothing will grow.

Meanwhile, more horrors are being perpetuated in the hills. Within six or seven days of scouting, while Sarius is training your men in sword-fighting, you or Stella have come across three burned out hamlets with the usual sights - mutilated corpses, raped women, burned huts... it is horrible. And even when you pass little settlements that are not yet raided, the fear is palpable, simply from seeing you armed.

Meanwhile, in the distance, you can see the fires being burned to aid the harvest at night. No doubt much of that will then go into the walls of the Barony or the Abbey, or the towns...

'We'll have to get our hands on that grain, Ephidel.'

'Yeah. I know...'

> Go and attempt to purchase grain from a village.
> Wait for a grain caravan, and then rob it.
> Other.

> Who do you give the bear skin cloak to?

>>29146365
>> Wait for a grain caravan, and then rob it.
HAHAHA! Time for banditing!

>>29146365
>Ask if someone of the new ones have the knowledge to make fishing-traps for the stream. the ones able to hunt will hunt. the rest will collect berries and shrooms and whutnot

>>29146365

> Also, I'd just like to say that in general, you'll have to make your own plans and be aware of the environment.

> In my posts I try to give a general idea of what opportunities and risks there are that need reacting to, but you are the person who decides the band. If you do not decide, the band can fall apart.

> The wolves are already circling. The hills are getting crowded, and you have to act. You sense that you can't sit still anymore like you did previously after starting the band, or after stealing that first bunch of gold from the Abbey.

>>29146365
> Go and attempt to purchase grain from a village.
PLay nice with the starving farmers, this will boost our numbers in the long run, and keep the army's attention away from us.
We nee to build up our homebase right now

>>29146365
Give the cloak to Sarius and try to buy grain if that fails raid a gain shipment heading towards the abbey

>>29146365

> Go and attempt to purchase grain from a village.

Those caravans must be guarded. We only have 15 men.

Also, make a list of the hamlets around us, and start persuading them to join up and move their houses to our village. We need to build a bigger band, quick.

Build a granary for that grain.

>>29146394
Can you give us a rundown of the areas around us that would be better suited to move to?

>>29146365
OR;
scout out the nearest villages that have been attacked, find the one that is easiest defendable, and in best state of repair and TAKE it!

strong laik bandit

>>29146411

> Sorry. To clarify.

> A 'hamlet' is a settlement in the hills, a small cluster of hides or huts. Those are the ones being burned and looted by other bandits, who themselves are also in hamlets. The place you're living in now is a hamlet. Those are easily destructible, and when attacked are often utterly destroyed.

> A 'village' is a larger settlement, mostly in the foothills and on the valley plains to your east and west. Those have palisades, farm for a living, and are definitely under the King's Law. That place you went to to rescue Sarius' family and lose your finger, that is a village.

I say we get our grain, I don't really care how. And then proceed to buff our defenses. Palisades, moats, bridges, giant wooden doors and the like. Maybe a super secret underground escape route. One way.

I don't like getting fucked with and that seems to be happening a lot recently.

>>29146365
We need to take a caravan and move on. No permanent dwellings until we rally some locals and form a bigger band. Just because we are bandits does not mean our hamlet will not be targeted by others like ourselves.

Can we get a local map drawn up from scout info or steal one?

>>29146365
We need to deal with the raiders, and fast. I say we hire a mercenary company for a one time job and raid the raiders. We have enough loot for that.

>>29146456
that could work but we don't know if theirs any mercs nearby or how much they cost

>>29146478
We might have to roll for it.

>>29146456
Genious except we need info on the "enemy". Hamlet location and numbers.

>>29146517
That's what scouts are for. And in doubt, see which hamlets are scared and the one that is well-off and boisterous will be the raider HQ.

Getting grain is definitely the top priority - a point that gets hammered home when some of the people get diarrhoea from drinking the creek water. Beer is the only solution for that...

You do have a map of the Barony, but it isn't detailed enough. So, as your men scout out the areas and begin marking out hamlets, you take Stella along with you and the map to visit some of the villages.

The change in the hills after just a month surprises both of you. You used to be able to move without encountering anyone, but on the way to the closest village in your southeast, you come across no fewer than five or six hamlets. You pass two or three small ones, but then notice a larger one with some ten huts, and Stella wonders if it's worth visiting and talking to them.

'We're not here to talk to the hamlets, though.'

'Yes, but Ephidel, we don't have enough fighters to launch a war of any consequence. Instead we got a whole bunch of women and children to feed out of Kevo's band, since most of the men got killed.' She shrugs. 'So?'

'I still think we should get the grain first...'

Stella yields on that point, though with some grumbling. This half-month has been really busy for both you and her as you worry about the food supply and her scouts find more and more people both living and dead. And in the business, you haven't had much time to talk to her, though you're sleeping in the same hide. Sometimes she even rolls over to sleep next to you, which you do enjoy...

... anyway. Soon you're at the outskirts of the village, where some of your men are waiting in cover. Stella's holding the silver - you've brought 200, which should be enough to buy grain in these cheaper times to last you through winter. But you're armed, and they'll be suspicious.

> Approach alone.
> Let's approach together.
> Other.

>>29146590
>> Let's approach together.

>>29146590
>> Approach alone.
We should have a safety word to yell out in case things get hairy

>>29146590
>approach alone

>>29146613
We'll get a safety word when we're alone in the hut with her, now is not the time.

>>29146590
>Together

>>29146590
Alone

>>29146590
Approach together with Stella, see seems to stop us from fucking up all the time

>>29146642
>>29146640
>>29146634
>>29146629
>>29146626
>>29146613
>>29146610

You glance around. Wait, the village is empty... well, then again, seeing the palls of smoke hanging over all of you from the harvest fires, that's not surprising. Everyone's out in the fields.

The elders must still be here, though... you step out of cover. 'Guys, wait for me.'

'No, I'm not.' Stella stands up. 'I'm coming along.'

'Why?'

'You've only got 9 fingers left, Ephidel,' she notes, which makes the four men following you snigger. You glare at them, but she continues. 'Besides, silver's with me, so.'

... you can't deny that. Incidentally, Stella's also quite happy with you seeing as you left a spear shaft for her - a nice pole of oak, trimmed and polished and ready for a spearhead whenever either of you gets one. She does give you luck. Or maybe it's just her common sense...

The two of you enter the village, glancing around, and ask a boy who then shows you to the elder - a man with a magnificent beard who glances at your swords.

'Are you refugees, bandits, or what? What do you want? This place is under the King's and Barons' Law...'

> What do/say?
> Roll d100. This is an economic roll, and given the stresses of war and the wave of refugees, there is a -20 penalty.

Rolled 67 - 20

>>29146695
>> Roll d100. This is an economic roll, and given the stresses of war and the wave of refugees, there is a -20 penalty.
"we would like some grain please"

Rolled 26

>>29146695
"You have grain, I have silver."

Rolled 23 + 20

>>29146695
"We're hamlet-dwellers sir. Do you know where the raiders that have plagued these lands sortie from, that we may avoid it?"

And ask for grain of course.

Rolled 54 + 20

>>29146695

>>29146695
For the grain!

Rolled 88 + 20

>>29146695

Rolled 34 + 20

>>29146740
Whoops.

Rolled 41

>>29146695
Were just refugees who'd like to trade.

>>29146709
>>29146723
>>29146737
>>29146739
>>29146751
>>29146759

> Wow. You manage even to survive this!
> 88 - 20: Some sort of success!

'Neither, elder,' you say, about to sit down until Stella nudges you. Oh yes, manners. You nod. 'We are merely people who wish to trade.'

'Oh, what would we possibly have-' but you cut that off. Typical villager talk.

'Grain, elder. You have grain. We live in the hills, so it's very difficult to get that, and winter is coming. Since I don't want my people to starve, we have only to cough up what little money we have.'

'Hmm...' the elder shakes his head after a long pause. 'Sir, the harvest this year has not been unkind to us, but our lords and masters have been particularly... in need. We have been assessed for a grain levy some thrice that of normal, and when you consider what we need to live on, that leaves not much...'

'Give a number, elder,' Stella says, hefting her bag. The chinking of silver within does not escape attention, and the elder glances at the bag, then at you. Eventually the figure he comes up with is... wow, that's difficult. It's nearly twice the price you expected; you'll pay all of those 200 silvers to get about two months' supply of grain.

Even Stella, on hearing that, give you a nervous glance. Then again, when you think about it, you've got plenty more silver where that came from. Nearly 2,000 more, including the Abbey loot - and not including any jewellery, or gems, or cloaks, or other nice things. You could... deal... but then...

> Accept.
> Negotiate.
> Intimidate.
> Other.

>>29146838
>Negotiate.
Always negotiate

>>29146838
>> Negotiate.
ask if they have been bothered by bandits
.
.
.

>>29146879
Job's a good'un

>>29146838
How far away is winter? We will need 3 months solid of food to get through this. What does our farm produce exactly? If it's enough to help us through the last month along with fishing and possibly a raid or 2 then we should survive to see spring.

Hopefully.

>>29146917
>>29146911
>>29146879
>>29146865

> The fields you have are hardly producing anything now, and will not be very productive for grain anyway. They produce vegetables, but in this cold weather there's hardly enough to last 50 people for 2 days. It will be better in spring and summer, naturally.

> Also, because of the increased population pressure in the hills, hunting as well as gathering will be difficult. So the grain is going to be quite important. You're aiming for four months.

'I see...' you nod. 'Incidentally, elder, have there not been many refugees out in the fields here as well? The hills are crawling with them.'

'That's because you're... woodsmen,' he says a little cautiously. 'Where the troops or nobles see them, they are rounded up and sent to the armies out west. I've heard rumours of a terrible defeat for the royal army, and of the fall of several major cities. The whole kingdom is now in turmoil, and those refugees want nothing to do with it, so they go up the hills...'

Makes sense, that. Not that it's good for you. Now, as for negotiation... you clear your throat, and Stella starts with a gentle pitch.

> Roll d100. If you have any good points, make them, and bonuses might be given.

Rolled 84

>>29146967
I have nothing to say.

>>29146967
Mayhaps, you lower it to 130 and we offer protection for your village

Rolled 67

>>29146992
forgot to roll, also
With the kings men are war, your lords won't have time to focus on your village. You'll need all the hope you can get

Rolled 81

>>29146967

The dice gods smile upon us.

>>29146987
>>29146992
>>29147003

> Nicely done.
> 84: succses!

Stella and the elder talk a little, and then eventually you begin your speech. The topic's turned to what might happen if the war should spread.

'If the war should spread, then Gods aid us all,' the elder sighs. 'We can only hope for the protection of the lords...'

'Will they really protect you, though?' You say. 'Do you really think they will? Have they not already moved many of their troops westward, which is why this wave of refugees is washing over us? You in the villages might not know this, elder, but hell and chaos has already arrived in the forest just behind you.'

Stella blinks as you sit down and calmly recount the horrors you've seen, inflicted by the refugees on each other as they are slowly filling up the hills. The elder flinches, sighs and looks horrified. 'But... but what is your point, then?'

'My point is that we are buying this grain and bringing it up to our slice of the hills to help protect people,' you say. 'And I don't know when anyone might need that protection, even you...'

'Is that a threat, you-'

'It really isn't. I haven't enough men to make you do what I wish, elder. Or I would have forced you to hand over the grain at no cost. But I'm not the only group up in the hills with arms. And the others have no qualms cutting arms and legs off the old and raping the womenfolk. I have scruples, and I want to be on your side...'

> cont'd.

>>29147133

'... fine, fine!' He gives a new number. Much better. For 150 silvers, he'll give you that grain to last two months - still no increase in the amount of grain he can spare. 'You ought to go to the villages farther south, if you want. They, too, have had good harvests. The assessments this year are harsh, though...'

Well, you'll take what you get. You spend that day arranging for your people to come down and get the grain up, being careful to move in formation... thankfully, nothing happens this time to you, and once again there is joy when your men get back to the village.

The granary, a large wooden building on stilts, is being built and will not be ready for a few more days. It'll almost be winter by then... Stella, having carried four sacks of grain, slumps onto the floor of your hut on her back.

'Oh, that's exhausting! And now I'm chilly. Sweating in autumn is the devil's own ordeal...' she shudders a little, and pours out the 50 silvers. 'Looks like we've solved part of the problem for now. Should we aim to store plenty of grain, or just enough?'

> Do/say anything to Stella? You're a little exhausted too...
> Also. 3 months seems to be the minimum safety line, grain wise. You have 2 months' worth. How many months do you want to try?

>>29147165
MORE GRAIN. NEVER ENOUGH GRAIN

>>29147165

Let's set aside 300 silver, and get six months' grain. It would signal our resolve to our folks also.

Offer a massage to Stella.

>>29147165
Try another village for another 2 months grain. Then we can really focus on doing things to help our people as the frost hits.

>>29147165
thank Stella for all the times she's saved us and we should aim for about five or four months

>>29147165
"Have you tried that bear cloak we got made? Should be warm."

>Send a group southwards to scout prices, buy from the seller with better price-quality ratio

>>29147165

It's backrub time.

And another 2 or 3 months grain should be good.

Before we continue, how are we storing all this grain? is there a way to do it without attracting attention? We're moving a lot of food.

Rolled 2

>>29147165
we should store the grain, also did we bother to hand out the loot?

>>29147184
>>29147244
>>29147249
>>29147258
>>29147260
>>29147272

> This is the last post for this evening. Have an interview tomorrow, wish me luck.
> Thanks for playing!

Sitting beside Stella, you reach over her to get the map, brushing against her side. Hmm. Stay focused, Ephidel.

'In the south there are two main villages, so if we can lift 3 or 4 months' grain from them, it should not be too hard to survive the winter. We just need to hang together, and, uh, maybe build a more solid hide.'

'It is really chilly here, isn't it?' She sighs. 'Also if that's the case, we need another granary. This could be rather obvious.'

'Mm.' That's both a good and bad thing. Signalling you have grain would attract people keen for protection... as well as a good bit of rob loot rape kill etc. 'We'll just have to take the risk and build up our defences. A higher wall, maybe; or we could even more to a more secure location...'

> cont'd.

>>29147272
I will support the back rubs

>>29147355
Good luck

>>29147355
>Have an interview tomorrow
You gun do guud OP

>>29147165
Get 5 months worth minimum, we'll likely expand over winter with taking more people in and we need to be prepared to feed them.
If possible trade for more salt and if possible potatoes, that shit'll grow anywhere.
The next thing would be to increase negotiations with nearby hamlets, we need to know what's going on and they need to know we're friendly and people to be counted on if shit goes south for them.
We also need to step up scouting to find these hostile bandits and remove them, they're going to be a massive threat to us that will only continue to grow via setting an example for others so we'll need to step up and establish ourselves as the top dog in the area.

>>29147355

'How about,' Stella props herself on an elbow, 'a feast? Look. We get our grain to last the winter, then invite people from the nearby hamlets to a feast. I made a list. There's at least 7 or 8 hamlets around our location right now, and many of them are terribly prepared for winter conditions. You know how shit winter gets.'

'Yeah.'

'So if we offer them a good old feast, then offer for them all to join us, we could get a good force of men going.' She grins wickedly. 'Then we can turn the tables on those damned raiders.'

While discussing, you get the bear cloak and end up using it as a mattress. Stella moves on it too, snuggling a little against you. She's got some good ideas there... you can send people to purchase grain today, or tomorrow, and hopefully they'll not get raided on the way back. But it seems that the highly aggressive hamlets are more uphill, nearer the deeper forests of the hilltops, so your chances are good.

You sidle up against Stella, who glances at you. 'You look exhausted.'

'I am.' She wriggles a little. Oh man.

'Would you like a massage, then?'

'Is this an invitation of some sort?' But she laughs and flops onto her belly. 'I must smell terrible now. All that sweat...'

> Massage her properly.
> Fondle just a little.
> Get in there. (Figuratively.)
> Other.

> Also, I take it you're setting aside 300 to 400 silver for supplies. That still leaves you with more than a thousand pieces, not to mention the gold, gems, etc. YOU WILL BE FINE FINANCIALLY.

>>29147402
>> Other.
decide against it.

>>29147382
>>29147370

Thanks, people!

Rolled 81

>>29147402

Fondle just a little. If she seems receptive, continue.

>>29147429
It was going to happen eventually.

>>29147402
> Fondle just a little.
get her going, then:
> Get in there

>>29147402
>Massage her properly.
But be sensual about it.
Or as sensual as a bandit can be.

>>29147402
Fondle just a little.

Get in there.

>>29147402
Fondle just a bit to see if she's reseptive.

>>29147402
Oh shit, while I'm thinking about it we need to go bring her old forester friends in, they're going to get slaughtered staying out solo if they haven't already.

>>29147355
May the dice gods be with you op

Rolled 37

>>29147355
>interview tomorrow
rollin' for OP

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>>29147454
>Fondle just a little.

>Get in there.

This nigga knows how women works.

>>29147355
goog luck op

>>29147474
Assuming they won't verbally rip off our heads for misleading them