Froskan nods slowly to the bandit.  "You upheld your end of the bargain.  Before you go though, do you know where the band is likely to go after moving on from the cabin?"

To Froskan: "Your caravan guards wiped out the band. Don't know where the leader and mama ogre would run to."

Reverie taps her chin with her index finger lightly, thinking deeply about this. If the bandits left the cabin and this bandit doesn't know where they might have gone, then Reverie thinks they have to decide again for this vanishing bandit. ”We can still follow these tracks and destroy them or we can go back to the caravans and report the bandits had gone... And yet, I still want to follow these tracks.”

"I think we should follow.  If we let him go, he'll eventually be back to raiding once again, even if it takes him some time to build his band back up." 

(Did other bandits besides the leader escape the battle?)

There was at least one bandit that escaped from your skirmish (mid-way through the fight, tossed down his weapon and left the map). But you haven't seen any recent tracks headed back to the cabin area, other than the leaders.

(OOC: Only the leader and the ogre were at this camp last night. Any other bandits not captured are scattered and running in random directions.)

"I agree with you, Froskan. Let's go follow this tracks." Then she looks back at Theren, nodding once as gratitude.

The bandit skitters away, not to be seen again. (OOC: If there is an opportunity for comic relief, maybe he'll show up again in some later adventure.)

The party follows the footprints deeper, away from the caravan and deeper into the forest. After half an hour, the smell of ogre B.O. gets very strong. The she-ogre springs out in front, bad breath as she bellows at Reverie and Af. (If you can remember the cave troll in "Fellowship of the Ring", she looks like she would date him.) You can barely make out her speech, but she is mad about her (half-ogre) boys dying.

During this distraction, the bandit leader leaps at the side of the party, and takes a swing at Katrina and Jack with his long sword. He is in beaten up (but still effective) splint mail. His face might be considered handsome, except for recently healed scars across his face from some large animal's paw. Just before the attack, he is surprised at Jack.

"I know you... On that ship. But all of you are dead... First her, and now you... Stop haunting me! You don't have the right to judge me. No more!"

Combat starts, Round 1

(The bandit leader goes first, then the party, then the ogre.

Won't progress much until next week, when everyone is back from the holidays. Party members can act in any order. I will probably act for Af, but feel free to make suggestions about how he should help.

I don't plan to use a map. The ogre/Reverie/Af are all in melee range of each other. Bandit Leader/Jack/Katrina are in melee range, further back. The others are a bit away from either group, but can easily move up or back. If anyone moves more than 20' away from combat, the trees and vegetation will provide partial cover for ranged attacks.)

BL Jack Attack: 16 Damage: 7 <- hit

BL Katrina Attack: 17 Damage: 5 <- hit

Party members are up next. Unless someone has a better suggestion, Af will cast Bane on both enemies.

Theren moves through the vegetation and tries to hide in the undergrowth before moving to the Bandit Leader and lunging forth with his swords.

Bonus Action: Hide

Stealth: 26

Attack: 9 Damage: 5

Attack: 24 Damage: 6

Sneak Attack: 6

Quote from Nemes1s >>

Theren moves through the vegetation and tries to hide in the undergrowth before moving to the Bandit Leader and lunging forth with his swords.

Bonus Action: Hide Stealth: 26

 (Theren has advantage on the first attack, so make one more attack roll. After that, the enemies know he is around, so don't expect any further Hide actions to work.

Edit: I just realized that you are doing 2 bonus actions: Hide, and the 2nd attack. Since the 2nd attack does more damage, I'm assuming you will chose to skip the Hide action, and use the hit on the 2nd attack.)

Froskan looks back and forth between the two foes, then, seeing Theren attack the chief, follows his example and launches at Chromatic Orb (cold damage) at the bandit.

Attack: 22 Damage: 13

Reverie gasps as soon as she saw the ogre, bellowing at her and her allies. Even if she couldn't understand her speech, she feels that she-ogre is angry about her children's death. Then, she heard another distraction from the other sides, from Katrina and Jack. Reverie immediately uses her scimitar to slash the ogre and then pierces with her dagger.

Attack, Scimitar - 14 Damage - 8
Bonus Attack, Dagger - 21 Damage - 1

(I’m going to be back tomorrow afternoon, and I have free time right now. I’m using a new device, and I don’t know how to roll on it. Quasimodal, could you roll 3d6? Edit:8 found it.)

”You again? We tossed ye away! And who’s her?.... I-I mean, who are you? I haven’t seen ye before in me life!” Jack casts dissonant whispers at him, and beats his drum. Afterward, he draws his dagger. 

(Too late for lyrics. Think of the worst song ever, but about bandits)

OOC: That's true, my mistake!

(Katrina is gone from the campaign list. I am sending a PM, since this was a surprise to me. I will take care of some saving throws for now.)

Vet CHA save: 19 -1 = 11, Ogre CHA save: 16

Both enemies are affected by Af's Bane.

The undertaker drew a heavy sigh, that big ugly leader is dumb
And a bell was ringing in the village square for the rabbits on the run
Bandit on the run, bandit on the run

WIS save: 8 - 2 = 11

The leader might have been able to resist Jack's song, but the Bane cleared the wax from his ears. The leader must use his reaction to run 30' away. This gives opportunity attacks for Jack, Katrina, and Theren (already used sneak attack).

Attack: 19 Damage: 3

(what was the song you pulled lyrics from? Sounds.... Interesting.)

Quote from BoboBoombang >>

(what was the song you pulled lyrics from? Sounds.... Interesting.)

 (OOC: Slightly paraphrased, midway through the song: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/paulmccartney/bandontherun.html )

(Sorry about remote-controlling 2 characters. After this combat, I'll send out a PM to the survivors about what you want to do for the party's future.)

Katrina casts Magic Missile at the leader, then stabs with a dagger for the opportunity attack. MM damage: 5 + 5 + 4

Dagger attack: Attack: 16 Damage: 5

(Theren still has an opportunity attack. The Bandit Leader has taken a beating, but he won't go down from a sword swing.)

Enemies respond (end of round 1, beginning of round 2)

The ogre's blubber resisted the dagger attack by Reverie, but just barely. (OOC: She is a big target.) She swings her club at Af, to try to break his spell concentration.

Great Club Attack: 12 Damage: 7 (Misses!)

The Bandit Leader shakes his head as the mental whispers fade. Runs back to the group, and again takes a long sword swing at Katrina and Jack.

Vs. Katrina - Attack: 14 Damage: 8

Vs. Jack - Attack: 19 Damage: 5 (Bane will reduce it to less than 13, so it misses. He is frustrated at failing to put down Jack.)

Status:

Katrina has taken 9 damage total, Jack at 7.

Ogre has taken 3.

Bandit leader, despite his high AC, has been slashed by Theren, cold blasted by Froskan, mentally and physically damaged by Jack, and missiled by Katrina for 51 damage total. (He won't go down with one sword swing, but he is in bad shape.)

Party is up again. (Theren still has an opportunity attack from round 1 against the bandit leader.)

Jack isn't singing anymore. His face has a nasty frown on it, and his eyes burn with hatred against people who steal things from the poor. 

"You! You steal from the poor for your own gain! You strike at me in hopes to bring me down! The others died in that wreck! No one visited you! Die!"

Dagger Attack: 20 Damage: 5

If captain dies from therens attack, he will attack the ogre.

Reverie attacks the Ogre again with her scimitar after casting a spell, Thunderous Smite.

Attack, scimitar - 22 Damage - 4
Bonus Action, Thunderous Smite - 10 Saving Throw - STR 12

(Ogre STR save to avoid being blown back: 9 ) Forgot about Bane: minus 1

The Ogre is staggered by Reverie's Thunderous Smite, but she manages to hold her ground. She is knocked back 10', and is prone. (Remember that melee attacks have advantage versus prone, but ranged attacks have disadvantage.)