"Oh no," Claire says to Fallon, eyes narrowed.  "You've thrown in your lot with these enforcers at the expense of the safety and prosperity of your own town.  You'll be seeing this through to the end with your fellow townsfolk, whether you want to or not.  Either on this barge, or in custody.  You've already forfeited what authority you might have back in town by admitting your compliance with a rival faction to the Baron."

She crosses her arms.  "However now that you've told them we're along for the ride, I expect to be greeted with violence.  That doesn't sit well with me.  My concern is for the civilians' safety first and foremost.  The source of the coal profit loss has already been identified through Fallon, here.  I believe he will be needing an audience with Baron Gilbert, should he make it out of this encounter unscathed.  But what of the rest of you?  I would hate for you and your men to be injured if a scuffle were to occur," she says to Aaron.  "I will admit, I don't have the foggiest idea of how to direct this barge down the river without you.  But neither do I wish to put any of you in danger.  As captain, what are your thoughts on this?"

Aaron thinks long and hard about Claire's question, chewing something unpleasant as he does so.  He spits a wad over the side into the fast-flowing stream and looks up at her.  "So far, me and the lad have been spared by the bandits," he tells her.  "I've no reason to suppose it'll be different this time.  And if yer promise to looks after us, I'm happy that we carries on.  Just try to keep us safe, okay?"

The cloud that had covered the sun moves on and the bright sunshine spills down onto the barge once more, warming you all instantly.  The captain squints up into the glare of the morning sun.  "But we'd best make a decision soon if we want to have any chance of making Grunal by nightfall.  The river's running fast which will aid us greatly but it'll slow as we reach the flatlands, and the wind is against us if anything, so we might have some rowing to do - assuming we get that far, of course."

“Sounds like you need to get rowing, Fallon...” 

Fallon unhappily takes his place by the oars on one side, Jack on the other.  Aaron turns the tiller and Jack pushes off the reed bank so the barge moves back into the mainstream and catches the current.  It's off again and your journey downriver towards Grunal is resumed.

A couple of hours later the mining village of Hillsend is a distant memory and you are nearly out of the foothills and back into farmlands.  The ground around you is still rugged in places and sometimes the river runs through rough boulder fields.  It is when approaching one of these rocky terrain sections that Vaclav feels a nudging at his senses.  Chernobog has spotted something he deems out of the ordinary ahead.

Vaclav points to the way ahead. "I think we may be approaching our trouble point. Let me check it out." He sits down and slips into Chernobog's senses.

Perception: 9

Vaclav flicks his senses up into the owl and takes a moment to adjust to the different angle of perception.  The immediate region that the river is flowing through is the edge of the foothills before they transition into the farmlands.  The river runs out below his new perspective and as it runs south-east away from him it clearly slows and starts to meander more. 

The boulder field the river is about to flow into provides good cover from the river and plenty of angles which potential ambushers could hide in.  Vaclav is unable to see any such foes, but he does spot something glaringly obvious.  Just around the corner from your current location, a tree appears to have fallen across the river.  The stream is still flowing over, around and under the tree but Vaclav doesn't think the barge will get past.  

You have only a few moments before you round the bend, around a rocky outcropping and the tree will come into view.  The river's bend is to the left here.  He feels there would be time to stop the barge, even if you wait until you get around the corner to slow down.  A handy beach lies on the left side of the river, just after the bend.  That is out of sight from the barge now as it's behind the outcropping.  It would make a simple place to land and jump out to deal with the fallen tree if wanted.

At Vaclav's comments Fallon ships his oars - neither he nor Jack were rowing as such - and looks quite worried.  Captain Aaron orders, "Backwater!  Fallon - get your oars back in the water, damn it!"  Jack waits to backwater, knowing that if only he does so it will put the barge into a spin, or at least turn it rapidly sideways.

Claire slams Fallon's hands down on the oar and forces him to dip it back into the water.  "You're going to get us safely to shore whether you want to or not," she growls at him.

Athletics: 13

At Claire's insistence and encouragement, Fallon squirms in his seat but begins to backwater.  Seeing this happen, Jack does the same and the boat slows in the current.  It's not enough to stop the boat as the flow is still pretty strong here, but it gives you some breathing space to decide what to do.

Presently Vaclav is still vacantly staring into space, his eyes rolled up into their sockets.  You recognise this eerie sight and know he's looking through the owl's senses.  Louis and Nos Heliwr are still sitting in the barge, at the ready for whatever comes next.

(Currently none of the rest of you is aware of what Vaclav has seen ahead)

Vaclav will start narrating what he sees to the others, still hoping to spot someone so that they can get the jump on the attack.

Aaron asks if you wish him to stop the barge before or after the bend?  There’s no clear beach this side of the bend but he could steer into the bank. 

"I feel like stopping before the bend would be wiser, but again... I know nothing of navigating rivers."  Her hand tightens on Fallon's shoulder.  "My job is to wade through the bodies of my foes, not water."  Smiling down at Fallon, she hopes her dangerous words will compel the man to keep rowing properly without her close supervision.

Intimidation: 18

Fallon appears 100% cowed by Claire. You are confident of his obedience. 

Aaron asks again for a decision saying he can happily stop the barge before the bend if wished. 

Louis nods at Aaron. 
“Ya, stop the boat. And watch Fallon, he seems the type to think stupid before thinkin’ much at all.”

Assuming we stop, Louis will try to sneak ahead and see what’s what. 
stealth 19 

perception 17 

At your suggestion, Aaron steers the barge into the left bank, the same side that the outcropping is on.  The boat shudders and grinds a little as it hits the grassy bank but soon stops as it breaks into a little side eddy.  Jack uses his oar on the backside to keep the boat still and Louis hops out.  Vaclav watches the hunter from above, through Chernobog's eyes, as he slips quietly into the edge of the boulder field.

Ahead, hiding under some small, stunted trees, Louis can see a small band of men.  Wearing rough leathers, with a selection of weapons, they are all positioned where they have sight down onto the beach which is just around the corner from the bend - clearly the place they expected you to stop.  There are five of them, two on Louis' side of the river and three hidden on the other, right-hand side of the river.  Each is armed with a loaded crossbow, as well as swords, daggers and axes.  The men are hidden from sight from above under the foliage, hence Vaclav didn't spot them.  As yet, Louis does not appear to have been seen by them.

Fallon is making no noise, looking utterly miserable in the boat.  Aaron chews on a wad of something and Jack looks faintly excited by watching your band of supposed "enforcers" doing their thing.  Above the few clouds continue to skud across the bright blue sky.

Louis will make his way back to the boat and inform the others. 

“We can either spring the trap and grab them once they board the boat, or we can try to sneak up on them now while they wait.” Louis throws out his ideas.

As Louis returns to the boat, Vaclav, listening to descriptions of where the bandits are hidden is able to get Chernobog to fly to a position where he can now spot them.  Additionally, from this new position, he spots a sixth bandit, hidden up in the branches of one of the trees.  This guy is on the left side of the river, meaning there are three on each side.  The tree-hugger is armed with a wickedly-looking curved blade but does not have a crossbow.  Perhaps he is their lookout?  Regardless, Chernobog confirms that, as Louis returns to the barge, the bandits so far appear unaware of your presence.

Claire makes a rough drawing in the sand to check in with Valcav and see if she has the situation pegged correctly (inkarnate doesn't do rough, lol):

"Take them out now," Claire says.  "Do not wait for a trap to be sprung on us; we are the trap.  We have three possibilities:  ambush the west bank assailants first, or ambush the right bank assailants first, or split the party and ambush both at the same time.  I do not much care for the last option; I prefer strength in overwhelming numbers.

If we were to ambush the right, or east bank assailants first, we would need to attack them as quietly as possible.  Then we could come around the bend with the barge as planned and pretend to surrender when told we are 'surrounded.'  If Louis and Nos were to sneak up upon them from behind as the barge landed on the sandy bank, we could then get the jump on the remaining bandits and possibly take one or two into our custody alive, for questioning.  Of course this plan would hinge completely on being able to eliminate the threat on the right side of the river quietly before proceeding. 

But I will say plainly: I don't like the looks of that lookout.  If he is as well-armed as you say he is, I feel he is the man we would want to bring in for questioning the most.  The previous plan would allow him a chance for escape, if we were discovered.  That leaves ambushing the west, or left bank, first, with the goal of capturing him... and possibly allowing that the three archers on the east bank will manage to escape, and perhaps even pepper us with a few bolts before they do."

She looks up at the others and waits to see if anyone has a better idea.  If none are offered, she suggests the riskier plan to attack the east, or right bank first, and then performing the barge subterfuge - "I prefer to be thorough, and there is no guarantee that the lookout is actually their leader," she says simply.

Louis nods. “You must have some kind o’ trainin’, you’re good at this! And I think if those are the options: let’s just take the leader. Let his scum go free. If these are the neighbor’s soldiers, they’ll just be replaced anyway. Get the leader and get right to the source.”

Claire tactfully doesn't mention her training as a soldier to Louis.  She is starting to wonder if she should tell him her real name, though.   He seems more honest and forthright than most of her other companions, who already full well know of her status and background.  I'll decide after this scuffle, if we all make it out of this thing alive, she tells herself.

(OOC:  Superb map - thanks heaps!  That perfectly captures the encounter)