Thursday 12 July 1280, Afternoon (Bound and gagged)

Duran continues to keep watch and listen for anyone or anything coming down the tunnels. His straining eyes and ears pick up nothing, which seems to be a good sign.

Tangled up in the pile, Varros mentions the snake casually fishing to find out if that is what the bandit seems to be hiding. Evidently Varros' guess is spot on, for when he mentions the snake, the bandit admits that the snake is never far from Mackey.

Sensing that the questioning is done, Gaven gives the pinned prisoner a severe blow with a heavy fist, knocking him out. The others get up from the pile, and Gaven takes out some rope, ties up  the captive and gags him with some scraps of cloth.

The cleric then addresses the hirelings: "Bill, you and Ollie stay here with him." Then to the rest of the party: "What's the plan?"

Oloc stands up and brushes off his robes. "I suggest we move quickly and try and charge the remaining three. Assuming the bandit is telling the truth."

The Mage draws his other dagger. "It won't be long before they suspect something and prepare themselves."

No one seems to object, and with Bill and Ollie staying back to be sure the prisoner doesn't escape his bonds, the party crosses the bandit barracks, and returns to the northward tunnel leading to Mackey's lodging.

Creeping up the long, dimly lit tunnel, you can hear random bits of conversation again, until you are able to just peer into cavern. The space is about as large as the last few caverns you've seen, perhaps 50-60 feet across.

The room is lit by torches jammed into crevices in the walls. There are several blankets and bedrolls on the floor, along with a few backpacks. You spy a small campfire (currently extinguished) near the north wall, with a pile of firewood and a half dozen torches beside it. Above the campfire area is a small hole in the ceiling through which you imagine the smoke escapes when the fire is lit.

In the midst of these meager trappings, you see two leather-armored bandits, armed with swords, facing east. From that direction, though you cannot see around the corner to the source, you hear Mackey's voice: "And find out what's keeping Braxton –  I want him and Sinder back here now!"

At the moment you see no sign of the snake, though it could be out of your field of vision to the eastern part of the cavern with Mackey. There's no way to spot that direction without stepping closer and revealing yourself.

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OOC: Actions?

Sonofotho's proposed plan is to charge them (I didn't push this forward as I was posting prior to everyone having a chance to respond to it). So I just moved the party up far enough to get a bit more info, and to allow everyone to have a chance to respond to Sonofotho's suggestion.

As best you can tell, your prisoner's information is accurate. The only individuals in the room are the two bodyguards (whom you can see), Mackey (whom you can hear) and presumably the snake, who, you've been told, is never far from the head bandit.

Also, time is now about 5:20. Your reinforcements should arrive around 6:00 p.m.