Echoes of the War: Return to Birchwood

Several days of travel farther north - girls have obviously passed into war ravaged area - getting very close to Birchwood
Caroline reminds us that "Shrek is love."
S - asks R about Birchwood
R "Most o' me family's de'd." S "They left?" R "Died."
T "Perhaps they (Badger and Russ) just lost their memories and are in the wilderness being taken care of by elves!" R "That's far-fetched." S "Is your water skein almost empty?" R "Aye, been a while since we came across a good 'stream'."
Birchwood was a small town, but now it's much smaller (only about five buildings still standing).
Woman and young girl at edge of town called R outsider. R 'Outsider?!"
Large man in official soldier's armor - R recognizes armor but not man - tell them to move along if they don't want trouble
T "R show him your ring." Big Guy "How much is it worth?"
Big Guy "Do I need to call me friends tah make yeh move along?" R & S "I think you do." T with a sigh "Oh, dear."

R - slash @ BG - 13 slashing dmg - DECAPITATED!
B1 - moves to flank T - scimitar @ T - 3 slashing dmg
B4 - scimitar @ T - Crit! - 9 slashing dmg
T - Cure Wounds on self - +10HP
B3 - scimitar @ S - 2 slashing dmg
S - Shocking Grasp @ B3 - miss
R - slash @ B4 - 6 slashing dmg
B1 - scimitar @ T - miss
B4 - scimitar @ T - miss
T - Sacred Flame @ B1 - 3 radiant dmg - Dead!
B3 - Disengage & run away - R "Get back 'ere, ye coward!"
S - Fire Bolt @ B4 - miss
R - moves to flank B4 - slash @ B4 - 13 slashing dmg (knees him in gut, then drives great sword through his skull when he bends forward "'At's Cap'n Morgan to ye!")
Battle over!

BG's armor is hodge podge mix of proper solider armor and other scavenged bits
T knocks on door of nearest house - woman from before opens a crack and peeks through then lets them in - daughter having panic attack in corner
Woman and child only survivors of even smaller village even farther N - Birchwood being run by gang of brigands - poor woman was BG's "comfort woman"
T ENRAGED - most adorable rage ever - "Come on, Robin. We're going to go see them."
R suggests a rest first (short rest), then the girls head out
They go to the brigands' HQ - R Buffy's the door - T"Get 'em, Robin!" R "Wha' do yeh think yer doin' in mah town?"

B2 - scimitar @ R - 3 slashing dmg
S (T "Light 'em up, S!" - Fire Bolt @ table shield / wall setting table & wall on fire - Fire will auto spread down length of table on S's next turn and randomly spread one direction down wall on S's next turn)
G2 - Darkness centered on B2's location so door is in 15' radius sphere of darkness - all girls in bubble
B1 - bow @ R - miss
R - slash @ B2 - 10 slashing dmg
G1 - bow @ R - 2 piercing dmg
T - dagger @ B1 - miss
B2 - scimitar @ R - miss
S - Fire Bolt at other table / wall junction - same spread pattern as before
G2 - bow @ R - miss
B1 - scimitar @ R - miss
R - slash @ B1 - 15 slashing dmg - DEAD! - Cleave dmg to B2 is 8 slashing dmg - DEAD! - R moves to G2 (T "Yea, R!") It's all very dramatic.
G1 - moves to flank R - short sword @ R - 5 piercing dmg
T - moves out of Darkness - crossbow @ G1 - 7 piercing dmg
S - moves out of Darkness - Fire Bolt @ G1 - miss
G2 - short sword @ R - Crit! - 11 piercing dmg - R succeeds on Con save
R - slash @ G2 - 11 slashing dmg
G1 - short sword @ R - miss
T - crossbow @ G1 - 11 piercing dmg - DEAD!
S - Fire Bolt @ G2 - Crit! - 8 fire dmg - DEAD!

Girls go back outside and watch the brigand's HQ burn
T yells back towards village "It's okay! We killed them all! They can't hurt you any more!"
A man (R recognizes as John Matherson) who has obviously been severely beaten leaves one of the houses. T immediately runs over and begins assessing the dmg and bandages and tincturing and whatnot his wounds.
John tells R that brigands may have actually killed soldiers to take their armor - R infuriated again.
No sign of Badger or Russ
All 8 brigands were killed
T "We'll stay here for a few days to help you heal and R can teach you some fighting tricks to defend yourselves in the future."
As R walks off to visit her family's ruined house T to whoever she is currently patching up "Why didn't you just stab them all in their sleep?" R smirks
R visits family's house - much dmg - graves of family in back garden - Rutherford's headstone is cracked - Much angst. So sad. Wow.

Echoes of the War