The Legend grows

  The rain was coming down in thick sheets and we could barely make out the approaching caravan. At last we rejoiced in knowing this would be a good haul. The two heavily laden merchant wagons rolled slowly along the muddy track. I took lead and sent the boys in, easily we overcame the four attendants. It turned out we had stopped ole' Marcus the Decent! "Should have paid me what I wanted last time!" remarked Karg our leader as he backhanded the smug Gish trader. I then noticed a third wagon we had missed because of the rain, it must have fallen behind the others.

"Karg, a third one approaches. They have no idea!"

"Take four lads and get it too." Karg turned to Marcus, "Everything you have will be mine this time."

   Spreading the lads out before me to better command them we walked calmly towards the oncoming wagon.
"What's the trouble?" the driver called out to us.
"Stuck in the mud, we need help." one of my boys replied.
I knew we had only minutes to catch him unaware. I hand signed the boys to break into pairs, two in the front of the wagon to get the driver and the second pair to run along either side to the rear and take anyone else quickly. I hung back just out of sight to provide support if needed.
What happened next was completely unexpected. Larno made a rude comment about the drivers companion, who I realized must have been female when his guttural laugh was cut short as he started making an odd sucking sound. It was the arrow that pierced his throat that dropped him quicker than a quail. I started to draw my blade when I saw a small dark shape emerge from under the wagon. A halfling that I thought for sure would break for the woods as he was unseen by Bors. To my surprise the little blighter drew two short swords and proceeded to hamstring then gut poor Bors! The girl next to the driver fired a crossbow at Clem which caught him in the shoulder, that was quickly followed by the driver with the biggest poleaxe I've ever seen. Those weapons are a bit slow and Clem dodged it easily. I moved around to see how Dakk was faring thinking he would kill the little bastard that killed Bors. My blood stilled as I saw Dakk face to face with a warrior draped in a scarlet tiger skin cloak. He held a magnificent jeweled hammer in one hand and a shield with a snowflake emblem in the other. The warrior moved so quickly Dakk had no chance and his skull shattered like a ripe pumpkin at festival time.
  I ran as fast as I could back to Karg and relayed what happened. Intrigued, he looked at Marcus and said, "Well you thought a few hired blades would stop me 'eh?". Karg commanded the rest of the men to him and we set ourselves to take them. Rushing back to the scene of the slaughter we were able to see Clem who was running back towards us, "To arms! they have gold and wome-!!" His last word was cut short as a stone half the size of his head smashed him face first into the mud. A shabbily dressed beggar stood over Clem, removed the stone from his corpse and held it up so the last of the rain could wash it clean. There were thirteen of us arrayed in a semi-circle facing the bandit-killers. The shabby man seemed to be the leader, backed by a red-haired wench, the wagon driver with the polearm, a cute girl with a crossbow and the Scarlet tiger Warrior. The little halfling must have run off seeing we outnumbered them. As Karg bellowed for us to charge I wondered who had fired the arrow that killed Larno.
  The Red-haired wench must have been a priestess for she threw back her cloak revealing a dark iron breastplate emblazoned with the symbol of chaos! Myself and three men found ourselves suddenly battling the very roots of the earth itself as we became entangled and unable to move. As the men attacked these obviously seasoned fighters a handful of the lads circled about to get the wagon from behind. A small white-haired elf girl appeared and sent two large ferrets to attack Karg while the Scarlet tiger warrior advanced upon him. I struggled in vain with vines and roots all the while watching as my brothers were being slain. A terrible screech caught my attention as the halfling sprang from the underside of the wagon gutting another of my fellows. The three who had made it to the rear of the wagon threw back the flaps and their expressions went pale as an arrow shot out grazing Gimm, a long slender blade pierced Harg through the heart, and then a half dozen glowing blue hand axes rendered Fargg and Gimm into fish chum!!!! That damnable Marcus was traveling with a Wizard and his retinue.
  My attention was drawn then to the halfling who had now approached the four of us. Looking over us as a butcher does a pig, his small swords still wet with the blood of our companions. He skewered poor Jeld then stole his coin purse!!! Fleth next to me began to scream and the vile halfling ended his life as well. I then heard the shabby man with the rock call out "We only need one!" I noticed he meant Karg, our obvious leader, but I had information I knew Karg would never give up. "I know where our loot is buried!" I said to the halfling that now stood before me blades dripping blood.
  Eventually I found myself with Henk and Karg being clapped in irons and walked into nearby Sunlitten. I was very lucky that the Altanian bounty hunter was in town and bargained for Karg. With my illustrious leader out of the picture I was able to get a private meeting for myself with the Wizard and his lieutenants at which I craftily bargained for my own safety. I led them to our encampment in the woods and showed them the location of the chest Karg kept the bulk of our loot in. Having fairly upheld my end of our bargain the Wizard deemed I should be let free, much to the chagrin of the wild elf-child. I think she wanted to feed me to her vermin. Bidding the group farewell I turned and sauntered off into the woods away from the Wizards party and Sunlitten.
 Since the time of my encounter I have come to find out that this band of adventurers are known as the "Heroes of Eros", and I would tell you that unless your band of cut throats outnumbers them ten to one, I would dare not cross swords with them. I tell you now that I plan to make sure I never run into them again.

This account was overheard in a dark back alley tavern.