Walking back into town, Elliot heads to the merchant's house. The majority of the crew stays outside while Elliot and Jeremiah go in with the brother. Alex Praven, the guild merchant, is there. He runs to hugs his brother saying blessings to the gods as he does. They both are astounded to even see each other alive again. Eventually they break apart and Alex approaches Elliot.

"Well, my brother is home safe. I'm not sure what to do with him. Maybe pack him off to a university for scribes. But that's not your problem. Here's the rest of your reward. It was well-earned." Alex hands over five silver coins to Elliot.

“Thank you. I’m happy that I could reunite you with your family.” Elliot bows.

"Good Now... Are you interested in making some more?" Alex asks with some desperation in his voice.

"Possibly. What do you need?" Elliot asks with hesitation.

"Remember how I told you that bandits had an ally inside the walls? I think I know who it is. The captain of the watch! I could hardly believe it myself.” Alex explains.

“You need help putting him down?” Jeremiah asks eagerly.

“Well, he lost his fortunes in a risky business venture and started organizing the bandits to recoup his losses. Luckily, there are still a few brave, honest souls on the watch who've told me how he works. He has bandits, thieves, and poachers here in town.” Alex goes on.

“Cut to the chase,” Elliot says as he squints his eyes.

“Now I could go to the Judges in Fresno, but that's a four-day trip. He would then be called before them for trial. There would be witnesses called forward. And who knows who he has paid off. My thoughts are that we storm his house and capture him. Maybe capture a few of his men. Then we can explain what happened here to the Judges with evidence that we put together.” The merchant explains.

“If it’s a matter of having a Judge, maybe I can find the one that was at the tavern,” Elliot suggests.

“Alright, fine.” Alex resists the idea of protesting. “You can look for that Judge tonight. If you can’t find him come morning, then we go after the captain.”

“Deal.” Jeremiah stands up and leaves the room.

He pushes through the door and walks out.

“What kind of compensation can I expect for helping you more?” Elliot asks.

“I can pay you another hundred Bronze Coins,” Alex replies with lightning speed.

“That is the deal,” Elliot says. “That’s a damn good deal.”

Elliot leaves and his group heads towards the tavern. The dryad woman is wearing a coat and the pixies have disappeared. Although she now has a small green snake curled around each of her ears.

They enter the tavern and Elliot takes a look around. No Judge. He goes up to the bartender. Elliot puts four bronze coins down on his tab. That's the equivalent of forty copper rings. A meal is two rings, a tankard of alcohol is two rings, and of course, a room was five copper rings. Elliot wasn’t in charge of feeding, housing, or entertaining his hires. But he saw no harm in it.

After putting some money on his tab, he told his hirelings to have fun, while he went to the market. He sold the seven shortswords for thirty-five bronze coins, two of the three crossbows for twenty-four bronze coins, five suits of leather armor for twenty-five bronze coins, and the shoddy iron armor for fifteen bronze coins.

Elliot heads back to the bar where he gives Bradford and Jeremiah an extra ten bronze coins each. Promoting them each in his party to reflect their importance to the group. He also finds Talia, sitting quietly, keeping to herself.

“I wanted to formally invite you to my militia. I would like to pay you so that you can buy whatever you wish for yourself.” Elliot explains.

“When my leg heals, and I can help it heal fast, I won’t need to stay in this party,” Talia says.

“Then let me pay you for saving Bradford. I feel I owe you.” Elliot says.

“Fine, if you must then it can not be avoided,” Talia says properly.

Elliot hands her ten bronze coins.

“This is what I’ve paid everyone in the militia. I hope it is enough to help you.” Elliot nods.

Elliot uses what is left on his tab to get a bunk for the night. He heads into the bunkroom and spots a man smoking by a window. It’s the Judge. Elliot approaches him. The man side-eyes Elliot and reaches for a flintlock pistol on his side.

“I need your help, sir.” Elliot bows to him.

“I am open to employment. I heard you were chasing down bandits.” The Judge says with a certain draw to his voice.

“There are some in town.” Elliot whispers.

“Let them here. Let them know we're coming for them.” The Judge smiles. “Pay the Judge’s fee and I’ll assist you.”

“Whats the fee?” Elliot asks.

“Fifty bronze coins.” He says.

“Alright. I’ll pay.” Elliot starts counting out the money.

The Judge’s expression drops. The man didn’t expect Elliot to have the money. And Elliot hands over the money.

“Will you help us?” Elliot asks.

“I am honor-bound to do so.” The Judge nods and stands from his seat.

“Alright, let's move on them quickly,” Elliot says.

Elliot goes back to the bar with the Judge. They gather the Dryad, the Antibaptist, and the five commoners in his militia. A few of the commoners are buzzed but not drunk. Alice has second thoughts about fighting, but Bradford convinces her the money is good.

They head to Alex Praven’s house. He joins the posse and the group heads to the Guard Captain’s house. Elliot and the Judge approach the guard's door and knock. After a few seconds, and some footsteps from inside the guard captain opens the door.

The man is dressed for bed, down to his boxers and sweat-stained cotton shirt. He looks around at the assortment of armed people before him.

“So it's come to this huh?” The Guard Captain says as his eyes settle on Alex the merchant. “You figured out it was me.”

“You are going to want to step out of your home and march to the stockades with your hands in the air.” The Judge says.

“And why would I do that.” The guard captain says.

“Because one way or another you will be judged.” He puts one hand on his flintlock and one hand on the handle of a hammer.

“Fine. I’ll go willingly.” The man puts his hands up and steps out of his home.

The Judge pushes him along the road and the militia parts. They follow behind. Elliot walks alongside the guard captain.

“You became the captain, right? Didn’t you have a sense of the law, of what's morally good? Why are you like this?” Elliot asks.

The Guard Captain lets out a strange shrieking whistle. (18 to hit vs AC 14) A concussive blast rings out. (16 damage) The Judge collapses to one side. Falling limp to the floor with his brains scattered across the street.

“Cover!” Jeremiah tackles Alex to the ground and begins crawling towards an alleyway still gripping onto Alex’s jacket.

Elliot is stunned for a second, his ears ringing, but he sees the captain start to run off. He draws his longsword as he gives chase. (Natural 20 to hit vs DC 16) He swings the sword and slashes up through the captain’s side into his chest cavity. (16 damage)

The captain falls to his knees and the sword slips out of him. Elliot's head snaps upward scanning the city. (22 Perception vs 11 Stealth) Near the stockades they were heading to, one of the guards is lying flat on the gallows, aiming a pipe rifle at them. He’s loading another slug into it.

Elliot runs towards him, sprinting down the street, as he draws his shield. He had never seen a gun before today. And this is the first person to ever fire a gun at him. Elliot had no idea what to expect. (7 to hit vs AC 17) The next shot flies wide and takes a chunk out of a building’s wall.

He reaches the gallows as the man reloads another shot. Elliot tries to jump up to the gallows and pull himself onto the platform. (23 athletics vs DC 15) He leaps up, rolls to his feet, pulls the sword up, and drives it down onto the prone guard. (20 to hit vs AC 16) The sword stabs through the chest and the wooden platform of the gallows.

Elliot pulls the sword back out and looks around. His men have grouped into a circle on the street. Five bandits and six guards are moving to surround them. Elliot grabs the pipe rifle, aims at the nearest bandit, and fires. (14 to hit vs AC 12) The bullet slams through the side of the man and rips through his chest cavity. Blood and bone fragments spray out the exit wound. (13 damage)

At the sign of Elliot wielding the pipe rifle, the bandits and traitor guards turn tail and flee. Elliot takes the pipe rifle and the five shots the rifle has left. He walks to his party where he takes the Judges hammer, his flintlock pistol, the six shots he has for it, and the Judge's carton of old-world cigarettes with his lighter. He also pulls the coin purse off him that contains Elliot’s fifty bronze coins.

“Their gang is most likely going back to their hideout. I would like for us to check the hideout tomorrow morning. After that, I may no longer need your services.” Elliot announces to the party.

“For tonight. I would say that you should go back to the bar and celebrate living another day. Say a prayer for those that didn’t.” Elliot nods to the group before walking with Alex Praven back to his home.

“Well done,” Alex says. “You were splendid on the battlefield. I’ll pay you double right now if you travel with me to Fresno. We will use what evidence we can gather to clear my name in the event they try to blame us for the Judge’s death.”

“Deal. But I will need a day to take care of the bandits who fled town.” Elliot remarks.

“Of course. Have the day while I gather evidence with my brother. Then the three of us will set off for Fresno.” Alex says.

“It’ll be done.” Elliot stops in front of Alex’s home.

The merchant fetches a chest with 200 bronze coins in it. He gives it to Elliot who gladly accepts. Elliot heads to the tavern where he purchases a private room for 2 bronze coins. He sets all his stuff in the room; his chest, his guns, his armor, and his pack. He then heads out to Talia and gives her the room key.

“You can stay in the room tonight. No need to risk being discovered.” Elliot says.

“Thank you.” Talia nods to Elliot.

The young smith heads to bed in the common bunk room. He lies in bed, holds his necklace up to his lips, and mutters a prayer to those who lost their lives in his mission. He asks for forgiveness for what he plans to do tomorrow.