SKIRMISH AT REDORAN'S RETREAT
From the Journal of Lutherus Sotasius. Date of Entry: Last Seed, 21st, 4E, 201.
Lutherus and Faendal spent an hour eating, whilst also contemplating the coming confrontation at Redoran's Retreat within the comfort of the walls of the Bannered Mare at Whiterun. The Apple Cabbage Stew that Lutherus lovingly prepared was reheated in a cooking pot before being devoured by the two.
"They'll have Archers." Assumed Faendal. "You'll want to hit them first, I'll handle the close quarters side of things."
"Mmm." Replied Lutherus, as the pair left the walls of Whiterun, and carried on their way to Redoran's Retreat. Dusk was quickly moving in over the skies of Tamriel, thereby giving the pair a perfect opportunity to attack at night, when most of Bandit's would most likely be asleep.
With the Sun setting over the mountains in the distance, Lutherus and Faendal approached a Tower, one of the many bastions of defence that surrounded Whiterun. Lutherus spotted a patrolling Guard. "I'll ask him for directions." He said, as he paced toward the soldier. "Excuse me, Guard?" The Guard turned to Lutherus.
"Yes, what is it lad?"
"I need directions, do you know where Redoran's Retreat is from here?" Asked Lutherus. The question sparked suspicion with the Guard, who folded his arms. His colleague, another Guard stationed on the ramparts to the Tower, readied his bow. Lutherus sensed a mis-interpretation, so quickly explained. "No no! Please! We aren't Bandits! We're going there to kill their leader there. I have a Bounty for their leader's head, right here!" He explained, drawing his parchment sealed with the marking of Jarl Balgruuf from his satchel. The Guard snatched the paper, and carefully studied the document.
"Hmm...seems in order." He said with approval. "Continue North West, lad. You can't miss it." Lutherus thanked the Guard, and returned to Faendal, to carry on their way. They soon found the entrance to Redoran's Retreat, a mine of some sorts, nestled in the plains that surrounded Whiterun.
They scouted entrance from afar, making sure there were no scouts that needed neutralising.
"You have armor, Lutherus?" Asked Faendal.
"Yes I do, Faendal."
"Put it on now. You'll need it in there. Also, maybe stick to your mace this time around. I doubt you'll get any clear shots for your arrow."
"Very well." Said Lutherus, as he pulled out his Steel Armor and mace from his Satchel.
"Ready?" Said Faendal, as he kept his hand by his sword.
"Ready!" Eagerly replied Lutherus, now dressed and equipped with his mace. "Right, lead the way!"
The two moved toward the entrance as quickly as possible, careful not to make too much noise.
"Here we go!" Said Lutherus, opening the door. The retreat was dimly lit, with only lanterns, with waxes candles offering what little light they could for guidance. "We need a torch."
"Aye, there has to be one here somewhere." Replied Faendal, as the pair cautiously moved through the cave. They came across a dog, which charged at Lutherus. Faendal, equipped and ready, delivered an arrow into and through it's abdomen, putting the dog down. It's owner was alerted to the dog's whimper, and charged at the pair with her sword.
"Bastards!" Called the Orc bandit, as she charged toward Lutherus. Determined to prove himself, Lutherus charged as well, delivering a knock out blow with his mace to the head. Faendal put her to death with an arrow to the neck.
"So far so good." Said an encouraged Lutherus as he examined the stockpile. "Look, Mead bottles."
"Take them all!" Said Faendal. "More enjoyment for us!" He took one bottle and proceeded to take a swig. He immediately spat it out in disgust.
"Bloody bandit knock off!" Said Faendal, as he smashed the bottle to the ground. "Come on, let's continue." The pair continued to navigate through the darkening cave, without a torch. In a tight alleyway, Lutherus could hear the voices of a Bandit ahead. "If we try to lure them out here." Said Faendal, referring to an easily defendable location. "We might be able to surround them more better than in that tunnel."
"Yes. Stay here Faendal, I'll lure the bitch out." Replied Lutherus, as he carefully navigated up the tunnel. He heard the footsteps come ever so closer to the clearing outside of the tunnel as he saw her. The Orc Bandit walked past the entrance, Lutherus making a split second decision to shoot at her with his arrows. The shot missed, but alerted her to his presence. At that point, Lutherus ran back down the tunnel toward Faendal. "HERE SHE COMES!" He shouted, as he ran into the room Faendal was in. With a single shot to the face, Faendal put the Orc down, but it wasn't over. Lutherus' gambit had also alerted the leader, a stronger Orc Bandit out into the room. Faendal drew his sword, but it was heavily contested by the leader's massive two handed axe. Lutherus ran for a good vantage point to shoot down the leader, as Faendal desperately tried to maintain battle.
"Kill him! Kill him NOW!" Shouted Faendal, as his shield just barely blocked a powerful strike. The Orc struck his axe at Faendal's shield again, splitting the flimsy hide in two, and cutting deep into Faendal's arm.
"Faendal!" Shouted Lutherus, briefly distracted by the altercation. He cocked another arrow in his bow, and fired again. 6 shots now lodged into the mighty relentless Orc. He fired a seventh, this time forcing the Orc to his knees.
"M-Mercy!" Cried the Bandit, exhausted and incapacitated. Faendal, who was briefly able to recuperate, had none of it. He charged the Orc, sword in both hands and drove it through his back and out through his chest. Finally, the leader was slain. Faendal dropped once more to his knees, blood pouring from his arm. Lutherus ran to his aid.
"Are you alright Faendal?!" He asked, noticing the blood.
"I'm fine...My arm is in pretty bad shape though..."
"Put pressure on it! I'll go find some cloth!" Replied Lutherus as he desperately looked for something to at least try to stop Faendal from bleeding out. In the context of the severity of the wound, Faendal was lucky his arm was still attached to him. Lutherus was lucky enough to find some tattered clothing hidden in the Cave, tearing it to make a temporary bandage for his colleague. He returned moments later to see Faendal propped up against the cave wall, putting pressure on his wound, the Elf's colour effectively drained from his face. Lutherus wrapped the cloth around the gash, tying it to stop the bleeding.
"You need to go to Whiterun for proper care. I'll carry you there!" Said Lutherus, as he picked up his colleague, and hoisted him across his shoulders. Careful not to hurt his friend, he took Faendal to Whiterun with all due haste. Lutherus arrived at Whiterun with Faendal hung over his shoulders. He entered the Drunken Huntsman, a Guild usually restricted to Hunters. But seeing as Faendal was a Hunter, it didn't take Lutherus a lot of convincing to allow him to get aid there.
"Leave him upstairs. I'll send up for more bandages, but he needs to rest for now!" Said the Innkeeper. Lutherus was incredibly grateful, and bought his friend upstairs to rest.
"Here, drink this." Lutherus said, and handed Faendal some Potato Soup.
"Thank you, Lutherus. Thanks for getting me here."
"I am so sorry you're in this mess Faendal." Lutherus said, his eyes watering at the thought of he being the reason why Faendal was badly injured.
"Heh, don't be sorry friend. I'm a Hunter! I've had worser scraps than this. Go and claim our bounty from Proventus." Finished Lutherus, as a maid came into the room with hot water and blankets.
"Alright, I'll be back soon!" Promised Lutherus, as he left. He remembered not having anything on his body to prove that the Orc Bandit Leader had been killed, so he returned to Redoran's Retreat, adamant at finding the Orc's two handed axe as it was the most evidence he could find of his death. He took the axe, but then noticed another source of light appearing beyond the limit in which Lutherus had already explored. He followed the dim light, into the deepest, final reach of the cave and found another Bandit stockpile, including a huge chest of stolen goods.
One item in particular piqued Lutherus' interest - a map of Riverwood and it's surrounding location. Three parts of the map were highlighted, each within range of Riverwood. "What is this?" He wondered. He pocketed the map, thrusting it into his satchel, and with the Orc Leader's two handed axe, finally left Redoran's Retreat for good. He came back to Whiterun, and presented the axe to Proventus.
"Well done, Lutherus. Here is your bounty. 100 Septims." Said Proventus, taking the axe and bounty letter from him. "I'll inform the Jarl straight away."
"Perhaps he may find this of interest, too?" Replied Lutherus, handing over the map he found in Redoran's Retreat.
"What is this?" Said Proventus, examining the map.
"It's a map of Riverwood." Replied Lutherus, pointing to the three locations drawn on the map. "But I have no idea what these markings are."
"Hmm. Let me take a closer look here." Proventus got up from his chair, and placed the map over another, more detailed map of the province. "If this is Riverwood, than that must be Embershard Mine...this must be Bleak Falls Barrow...and this other location I have no idea of. Where did you get this, Lutherus?"
"Redoran's Retreat. It was mixed in with the Bandit Leader's personal effects stash."
"Eight Divines..." said Proventus, as if some massive revelation had just come full circle. "Surely...certainly the Bandit's aren't planning to attack Riverwood?"
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