In fact I immediately notice a “guard” that looks just like Meriga fighting me.

This time I elect to have him “stay far behind and try to stay out of the fight”. I kill everyone and get away, but for whatever reason I my victory doesn’t allow me to carry him off into the night …so I need to break him out again. Meriga helps me and we fight off the baddies on the way out but he gets wounded. Plus at the time I was unsure just how many I would be up against. Afterall, I’m alone in this and don’t get to have any of my men help me. I break him out and decide right away he’s going to have to help me. How great a risk do I want to take on this guy? Afterall, at this point our relationship is only a 14.

I’m weighing all my options as I chat with Meriga and wondering all the the time if this will be worth it. I was considering that the whole garrison of the city (Tulga) may join in, or that the city may hate me for disrupting the peace. The dialogue is short and to the point, just the way I like it! Keeping in mind I’ve never done this before, I wasn’t sure of the real danger ahead, if any.

I go to the town, bribe the prison guard, and go in for a little chat with Mer iga to find out what’s going on. So I learn that Boyar Meriga has been captured and upon the request of his wife I go to try to rescue (or ransom) him. This isn’t the first time I’ve encountered them, but man this is the first one to piss me off!

Rescue or ransom a prisoner warband