True Justice (Absorb Fatigue)

[Zephyr]

"200 pts for 10 sec on touch","50","60","Imperial Legion raids bandit cave","Cave, near farms","Imperial, Redguard, Dunmer, Bosmer"

True Justice

[The following is an account of the raid on a bandit-inhabited cave by the Imperial Legion, the various testimonies having been taken directly from the records of the military court]

Sventus Acredian

As you know, there were four of us: Samson, Rethril, Septinius, and myself. Samson was the ranking officer. As we approached, he ordered Septinius to guard the entrance in case the bandits attempted to flee. Taking point, Samson entered, and waved us ahead. Hugging the dank cavern walls, we inched forward until Rethril saw torchlight. We silently drew our weapons, as we rounded a bend. Ahead of us, his back turned, was the bandit called Palcion. Seeing no others near him, Rethril silently rushed out and bludgeoned the Bosmer in the back of the head with the hilt of his broadsword. The fellow crumpled into a heap, and Rethril quickly bound his hands and tied him to a nearby post. According to our intelligence report, there were but three more bandits occupying this area. Being of equal number, and, we assumed, much better training, Samson decided to do away with stealth. No longer trying to muffle the clanking of our armor, we alerted the remaining bandits of our presence. They quickly rushed down upon us from deeper in the cavern, and the battle was on. Our assumption was borne out, though the bandits were of greater skill than we had credited them with. Rethril and I were able to subdue our men without inflicting too grievous an injury upon either ourselves or our quarry. Samson had, however, become caught up in the moment. His opposite number among these bandits was Teleris Movon, the one we were truly after. The Dunmer had managed to inflict a number of small cuts where Samson's armor afforded little protection, and Samson did not react well to having his blood shed. Shortly, he began fighting in earnest, with intent to kill Teleris, who, in fear of his life, cried for help. It looked as though Samson would slay him before we could restore order, but Septinius came out of nowhere, struck Samson down with a spell of some sort, and placed Teleris under arrest.


Rethril Hlaalo

After receiving complaints from local farmers, Samson was ordered to organize a small force to subdue some bandits. Aside from he and I, he choose Septinius and Sventus for the task. Of the force, Samson was in charge. He commanded Septinius to man the front of the cavern that the bandits called home, and the rest of us continued. Though Samson stayed in the lead position, it was I that noticed the light from Palcion's torch, and I crept behind him to strike him down with the least amount of struggle and bloodshed, and tied him to a post. As our intelligence report stated, there were but four bandits. With Septinius at the mouth of the cave, and not an active part of our search, the odds were even. Emboldened by this advantage (for our training was doubtless superior), Samson told us to forgo stealth. Of this, I will say only that it is not my position to question orders, and no more. The bandits quickly became aware of our presence, and met us in battle. After a short conflict, Sventus and I had fought our opponents into submission. It was then that we noticed Teleris Movon had inflicted several small injuries on Samson, and Samson was becoming increasingly violent because of it. Though our main goal was to capture the bandits, Samson looked to be out for blood. Teleris fell to the ground, and was desperately deflecting blows when he called out for help. Sventus and I looked to each other, and were going to try and calm our Redguard leader when Septinius burst on the scene. He grabbed Samson, who crumpled to the ground, picked Teleris up of the ground, and informed him that he was under arrest.


Samson

It was my charge to assemble a grouping of soldiers to eliminate a bandit problem. Sventus, Rethril, Septinius, and I were to bring in the offenders. I selected those men because they are the finest soldiers I know. And because we were of such skill, I reckoned that just three of us would actually be needed to handle the bandits. So when we arrived at the cave, I told Septinius to guard the entrance. I knew we wouldn't lose to them in battle, but I did have concerns that they might be able to outrun us. As the man in command, I took point when we ventured inside the cave. Rethril's sharp eye was the first to catch sight of torchlight ahead, and I allowed him to sneak up behind the bandit Palcion, as it would make his capture that much easier. With the Bosmer out of the way, I knew there were just three others left. Confident it would be a simple matter for us to fell the remainder in battle, I instructed the men to dispatch with slinking about. Let the bandits come to us, I said. It didn't take long for that to happen. I am unsure of the others, but the bandit leader Teleris Movon was the one to cross swords with me. Though a criminal, he was a decent swordsman, and managed to draw my blood. Where before I approached the fight with cocky self-assurance, I was overcome with hatred. Never before have I sustained injury in such a raid. My ire made me use attack with a viciousness disproportionate to Teleris' skill. He frantically parried, and shouted for help, but I knew his allies had all given up, and my blade would soon find the degenerate's heart. But then from behind I was grabbed, and the fight went out of me. I collapsed, suddenly out of breath. When I looked up I saw Septinius coddling that scum, but I held my tongue. I knew the court would resolve this matter the way it was meant.


Septinius Eredrius

Rethril, Samson, Sventus, and I were charged with arresting some local bandits who had holed up in a cavern. As I understood our mission, we were to take the bandits alive if at all possible. Since it was the first time I would see actual combat, I cannot deny I was excited. My excitement was washed away though, when Samson ordered me to wait at the front of the cave. I do understand the reason for it, but I was disappointed all the same. The rest of the soldiers snuck quietly further into the place, and eventually I could not hear them. After a few minutes, I heard shouts for help. I could not determine whose voice it was, or even what race. Fearing things had somehow gone badly for my comrades, I ran down the cave as quickly as my legs would take me. When I caught sight of the others, it was a distressing scene. Teleris Movon was on the ground and looked to be begging for his life, while Samson was about to strike a deathblow. I knew I could not hope to draw my weapon in time to deflect the blow, and my sprinting had tired me such that I probably wouldn't have wielded the blade with enough accuracy to do so anyway. As it was, I had been in such a rush that I felt near collapse. And so I placed a hand on Samson's shoulder, and cast Absorb Fatigue. It would take him out of the fight long enough for him to clear his head, and would leave me in a condition to arrest Teleris. I am proud that we were able to complete our mission without staining anyone's hands with blood, but I do regret having treated a superior officer as I did.


[It was the ruling of the court that Septinius was guilty of no wrongdoing. Indeed, his unhalting commitment to the mission despite a volatile commander impressed his superiors enough to recommend his name for promotion.]