With the location of the formidable Blackfang Ravine bandit camp confirmed and a direct assault deemed suicidal, Drake (Level 12) turned his attention to the handful of quests acquired in the tense village of Stonebridge Crossing. These tasks – recovering Farmer Giles's bell, dealing with Warden Marta's trap-setting patrols, and scouting for the Guard Captain – felt like the necessary stepping stones to understanding and eventually overcoming the larger threat. Retrieving Lyra's stolen locket for the [Merchant's Woe] quest would likely require infiltrating the main camp itself, something best attempted after weakening the bandits or finding a vulnerability.
"Marta's quest seems most proactive. Dealing with patrols might yield direct intel, the bell, maybe even the locket if I'm extremely lucky, though that seems unlikely. Plus, clearing traps helps the locals. Whispering Falls area first."
He followed Warden Marta's directions eastward from the village, entering the denser woods bordering the ravine. Activating [Relic Hunter], the forest floor resolved into sharper detail. Faint highlights appeared over disturbed leaves concealing crude pressure plates, and barely visible tripwires strung between low branches shimmered subtly in his enhanced vision. He also noticed the scuffed tracks of booted feet, clearly marking the bandits' preferred routes.
"Amateurish traps, but dangerous for unwary travelers or Marta's hunting grounds." He spent ten minutes carefully disarming half a dozen snares and pitfalls along the path leading towards the falls. << Trap Disarmed! +15 EXP >> repeated quietly in his log.
Following the tracks deeper, guided by [Relic Hunter], he heard rough voices ahead. Peeking through the foliage, he saw two Bandit Thugs (Level 12), clad in mismatched leather, arguing over sharing a waterskin near the base of the Whispering Falls. They hadn't spotted him.
Drake moved swiftly. Bursting from cover, he closed the distance instantly. The closer bandit turned in surprise, raising a rusty shortsword. Drake met the clumsy swing with his [Rare Guardian's Buckler]. << Perfect Defend! Damage Taken: 0! Off-Balance Applied! >> His counter [Basic Slash] followed seamlessly. << Perfect Execution! +Flawless Strike! Relentless Assault: +21 Stacks! Damage Dealt: 110! >> The bandit staggered back, a significant chunk of his ~1500 HP gone in one hit. The second thug charged, swinging a heavy club. Drake sidestepped the slow attack while landing another perfect slash on the first bandit. << Damage Dealt: 115! >> (Relentless Assault stacks climbing). The first bandit reeled. Drake ignored the second thug for another second, focusing fire. His perfected basic combo flowed, damage escalating with each hit as [Relentless Assault] rapidly approached several hundred stacks. The first bandit collapsed. << Target Eliminated! EXP +150 >>
Drake immediately turned, raising his shield just in time to [Perfect Defend] against the second thug's club smash. << Damage Taken: 0! Off-Balance Applied! >> Now facing only one opponent, and with his passive buff already high, the fight ended almost instantly. A few perfect slashes, boosted by high stacks, were enough. << Target Eliminated! EXP +150 >> << Quest Objective Update: Bandit Patrols Deterred 1/3 >>
"Still fast, even with higher HP. Max Relentless Assault stacks make a huge difference once they ramp. Took a few seconds per mob once engaged." He looted the bodies – vendor trash mostly, but the first bandit dropped the small, crude bell he needed.
<< Item Acquired: [Prized Ewe Bell]! >> << Quest Objective Update: Recover Farmer Giles's Bell! >>
He continued his sweep of the Whispering Falls area. [Relic Hunter] led him to another patrol – three Level 11 Bandit Lookouts attempting to set up a hidden perch in the trees. Their bows were drawn quickly, but Drake used the tree trunks for cover, closing the distance while perfectly defending against their arrows (<< Damage Taken: 0! >>). Once in melee, the archers, with likely lower HP (~1000), fell by a couple hits under his onslaught. << Quest Objective Update: 2/3 >>
The final patrol proved slightly tougher: two Level 12 Thugs led by a Level 13 Bandit Cutthroat who wielded two daggers and moved faster than the thugs. Drake focused the Cutthroat first, using Perfect Defends against its flurry of dagger strikes while unleashing his own rapid basic attacks. The Cutthroat had more HP (~2000) and managed to land a minor [Gouge] bleed effect (<< Status Effect: Bleeding! -5 HP/sec for 8 sec >>) before Drake overwhelmed him with maxed [Relentless Assault] damage. He finished the thugs quickly afterwards. << Quest Objective Update: Bandit Patrols Deterred 3/3 >>
Looting the Cutthroat yielded the usual vendor trash, some silver, and a crumpled note. Drake smoothed it out: "Groknak – Shift change at sundown by the back passage. Don't be late again, chief's getting angry 'bout slackers. Bring extra water skins. - Borl""Groknak, Borl, Chief... Back passage... sundown shift change. Excellent intel." [Perfect Recall] stored it flawlessly.
With two quests technically complete, Drake returned to Stonebridge Crossing. He first found Warden Marta. "Cleared three patrols, dismantled their traps near the falls," he reported. << Quest Complete: [Warden Marta's Trap Problem]! Reward: 400 EXP, 75 Copper Coins, +50 Stonebridge Local Rep >> Marta nodded curtly. "Good riddance. Keep this in mind, adventurer," she added, lowering her voice. "Those ravine rats stick to known paths mostly. Too scared of the Shadow Cats deeper in the woods. They're also loudest and dumbest right after that sundown shift change near their main gate – Groknak's crew is notoriously sloppy."
"Avoid deep woods, Shadow Cats... Sundown shift change, Groknak's crew = sloppy at main gate... Noted."
Next, Farmer Giles. Drake presented the bell. << Quest Item Delivered: [Prized Ewe Bell]! >> The farmer was overjoyed. "Bluebell's chime! Bless you, adventurer!" << Quest Complete: [Farmer Giles's Bell]! Reward: 350 EXP, 50 Copper Coins, [Giles's Savory Meat Pie] x1! >> Giles added, "Been seein' more activity 'round the back of that ravine lately, too. Near the old collapsed mine entrance. Don't know what they're up to back there, but it ain't good."
"Back of ravine... collapsed mine... matching the note's 'back passage'?"
Finally, Drake reported to the Guard Captain, relaying the intel about the patrol strengths, the names Groknak and Borl, and the specific mention of a sundown shift change involving a 'back passage'. << Quest Complete: [Eyes on Blackfang]! Reward: 450 EXP, 1 Silver Coin, +75 Stonebridge Local Rep >> The Captain stroked his beard. "Back passage... sundown... Matches rumors. There's an old smuggler's tunnel near the collapsed mine Giles mentioned, on the ravine's western slope. Always assumed it was impassable now. If they've cleared it... that's a potential way in, bypassing the main gate. Risky, but possible."
Drake mentally assembled the pieces using [Perfect Recall]. Main gate heavily guarded. Back passage exists near collapsed mine/western slope. Sundown shift change involves specific crew (Groknak/Borl). Main gate security potentially lax after this shift change (per Marta), but the back passage itself might be the better infiltration route. He still needed Lyra's locket ([Merchant's Woe]), almost certainly held within the main camp, likely near the Chief.
"The hidden tunnel near the mine is the infiltration point. Need to find it, then get inside, locate the Chief's area, recover the locket, and get out. Maybe cause some disruption while I'm there."
He now had actionable intelligence and a viable plan, developed through completing the seemingly minor local quests. The time for preparation was over. It was time to move on the camp itself.