The early morning sun cast long shadows across the cobblestones as the Romeld Company made their fateful decision. Rather than taking Master Horvath's advice about the safer northern routes, Geralt's eyes had hardened with determination when he heard about the bandit activity along the southern Pontar crossing toward Temeria. Where others saw danger, he recognized opportunity—and justice that needed delivering.
"The southern route it is," Geralt declared, his voice carrying the weight of command that had grown stronger with each successful contract. "If bandits plague those roads, then honest merchants suffer, and coin goes unclaimed by those brave enough to solve the problem."
Visenna looked at her son with a mixture of pride and concern. "The bounties on bandit leaders can be substantial, but the risks..."
"Are manageable," Vesemir interjected, his weathered face showing approval of Geralt's decision. "We have good horses, better weapons, and skills honed by months of successful contracts. Besides, clearing those roads serves more than profit—it serves the common good.
As they rode through Novigrad's southern gates, the city's familiar sounds faded behind them, replaced by the rhythmic thunder of hooves on packed earth and the creak of leather saddles. Their new mounts proved their worth immediately—Shadowdancer carried Geralt with fluid grace, her silver-dappled coat gleaming in the strengthening sunlight, while the other horses matched her pace effortlessly.
The road toward the Pontar crossing wound through rolling hills dotted with farmsteads and merchant way-stations. At first, the journey seemed peaceful, but subtle signs of trouble became apparent to those who knew how to read them. Burned-out way-stations stood like blackened teeth against the landscape, their charred timbers speaking of recent violence. Merchant caravans they passed were heavily guarded and nervous, their escorts scanning the tree lines with weapons ready.
At a crossroads inn called The Silver Stirrup, the company paused to gather intelligence. The innkeeper, a grizzled man named Roderick, was initially hesitant to speak with strangers, but Visenna's gentle manner and reputation as a healer quickly loosened his tongue.
"The Bloody Crow Brotherhood," he said in a low voice, glancing around nervously despite the inn being nearly empty. "That's what they call themselves. Led by a deserter named Korven the Black—used to be a sergeant in the Temerian army before he took to brigandage. They've got maybe thirty men, all veteran fighters, and they know these roads like the back of their hands."
Dick leaned forward, his charming smile encouraging further confidence. "And the local authorities? Surely they've posted bounties?"
Roderick nodded grimly. "Aye, substantial ones. Three hundred crowns for each lieutenant, five hundred for their captain, and a full thousand for Korven himself. But they've killed or driven off every bounty hunter foolish enough to try collecting."
Jacob studied a rough map spread across their table. "What about their base of operations?"
"The old watchtower at Crow's Perch, about two days' ride south. It's built on a hill overlooking the main ford—perfect spot to control river traffic. Stone walls, good sight lines, and plenty of places to retreat if pressed hard."
Armed with this intelligence, the Romeld Company set out to locate their quarry. The hunt began with careful observation of the bandit patrol patterns. Geralt and Eskel scouted ahead while the others maintained the appearance of a normal merchant party, complete with pack animals carrying trade goods purchased in Novigrad.
On the second day, their patience was rewarded. A bandit patrol of six men, led by a scarred veteran wearing a black crow feather in his hat, attempted to ambush what they believed was an easy target. The bandits had chosen their spot well—a narrow defile where the road curved around a rocky outcropping, with thick woods on both sides providing cover.
"Stand and deliver!" the leader shouted, his voice echoing off stone walls. "All goods and coin, and you'll live to see another sunrise!"
Geralt's response was swift and devastating. A perfectly aimed Aard blast sent three bandits tumbling from their hiding places, while Eskel's crossbow bolt took their leader in the shoulder. The fight was brief but intense—these were experienced soldiers, not common cutthroats, and they fought with disciplined ferocity.
Jacob's Igni cleared a path through underbrush where two bandits sought to flank them, while Dick and Vicky coordinated to drive the remaining enemies into the open. Visenna stayed back, ready with healing potions, but her aid proved unnecessary—the bandits were overwhelmed by the company's superior training and coordination.
When the dust settled, four bandits lay dead, one was mortally wounded, and their leader—sporting a lieutenant's insignia—was captured alive. Under questioning enhanced by a subtle application of Axii, he revealed crucial information about the Brotherhood's operations, guard schedules, and the layout of Crow's Perch.
That evening, camped in a hidden grove several miles from the watchtower, the company planned their assault. Vesemir's military experience proved invaluable as he sketched the tower's defenses in the dirt and outlined their tactical options.
"Thirty men in a fortified position," he mused, scratching his grizzled chin. "A direct assault would be costly, even for us. But they have weaknesses—overconfidence, divided attention between watching the roads and defending their base, and likely poor discipline from months of easy victories."
Geralt studied the rough diagram. "What about a night attack? Strike when they're drunk and careless?"
"Possible, but they'll have sentries. Better would be a combination approach—create a distraction on one side while the main force strikes from an unexpected direction."
Jacob pointed to the tower's base. "The old siege tunnels. The innkeeper mentioned them—part of the original fortification. If they're not completely collapsed..."
Vicky's quiet voice added a crucial detail. "The captured lieutenant mentioned they use the tower's upper levels as a treasury. If we can secure that quickly, we prevent them from destroying evidence of their crimes or escaping with their ill-gotten gains."
The assault began at dawn, when the bandits' guards were tired and their leaders likely nursing hangovers from the previous night's revelries. Geralt and Eskel approached through the ancient siege tunnels, their passage lit only by dim Cat potions that allowed them to navigate the treacherous underground maze.
Meanwhile, Visenna, Jacob, Dick, and Vicky created a diversion on the tower's eastern approach, using Igni blasts and crossbow fire to simulate a larger attacking force. The deception worked perfectly—most of the bandits rushed to defend what they believed was the main assault, leaving the tower's inner keep lightly guarded.
Emerging from the tunnels directly into the tower's courtyard, Geralt and Eskel moved like shadows of death. Geralt's silver sword sang as it cut through the morning air, while Eskel's heavy blade cleaved through hastily raised defenses. Their Signs proved devastating in the confined space—Aard blasts sent enemies tumbling down stone steps, while Quen shields turned aside desperate sword thrusts.
The real challenge came when they reached the tower's upper levels, where Korven the Black waited with his remaining lieutenants. The bandit leader was a formidable opponent—a giant of a man wielding a two-handed sword with deadly skill, his black armor scarred from countless battles.
The battle was fierce and prolonged. Korven fought with the desperate fury of a cornered wolf, his massive blade crashing against Geralt's defenses with bone-jarring force. His lieutenants moved with coordinated precision, attempting to overwhelm the witchers through superior numbers and positioning.
But the Romeld Company had faced worse odds and deadlier foes. Geralt's Quen shield absorbed the worst of Korven's attacks while he sought openings for counterstrikes. Eskel battled two lieutenants simultaneously, his blade work a masterpiece of controlled violence that gradually wore down their defenses.
The turning point came when Geralt managed to land a precise cut across Korven's sword arm, weakening his grip just enough for a follow-up strike that sent the bandit leader's weapon spinning away. Disarmed and facing certain death, Korven's remaining men threw down their weapons and surrendered.
The aftermath of the battle revealed the full scope of the Bloody Crow Brotherhood's crimes. The tower's treasury contained not just stolen gold and goods, but detailed records of their victims—merchants robbed and murdered, travelers who had simply vanished along the lonely roads, families destroyed by the bandits' greed.
Among the rescued prisoners in the tower's dungeons were three merchant's daughters who had been held for ransom, two Temerian soldiers who had survived an ambush, and a young scribe who had been forced to maintain the bandits' accounts under threat of death.
The bounty collection proved even more lucrative than expected. Local authorities in three different kingdoms had posted rewards for various members of the Brotherhood, and the evidence recovered from the tower allowed the Romeld Company to claim substantial payments from Temeria, Redania, and even distant Kaedwen.
The final tally was impressive: over four thousand crowns in direct bounties, plus an additional three thousand in recovered goods that grateful merchants insisted the company keep as additional reward. More valuable still were the letters of commendation from local nobles and merchant guilds, documents that would open doors and provide credibility throughout the northern kingdoms.
As the company prepared to continue their journey south, they left behind a dramatically changed landscape. The Pontar crossing was once again safe for honest travelers, and word of their victory spread quickly along the merchant routes. Grateful traders offered discounts on supplies and information about opportunities in Temeria and beyond.
Geralt found himself reflecting on how their forced exile from Novigrad had already transformed into something greater—a chance to build their reputation across multiple kingdoms while serving justice and protecting the innocent. The bandits' defeat had proven that the Romeld Company was more than just another mercenary band; they were becoming a force for stability and order in a chaotic world.
Their horses, well-rested and loaded with their new wealth, carried them toward Temeria with spirits high and purpose clear. Behind them, merchants traveled safely once more, and ahead lay countless opportunities for those brave and skilled enough to seize them.
The Path had called them from comfortable security into uncertain adventure, but they had answered that call with strength, wisdom, and unshakeable unity. Whatever challenges awaited in Temeria and beyond, the Romeld Company would meet them as they had the Bloody Crow Brotherhood—together, and victorious.