8th of Shesti 2783

We got a little lost on our way to Earwich and arrived at the ruins of the city much later than anticipated. We investigated the ruins and found signs of recent habitation. I find it hard to believe that people could sleep in a place where so much death and destruction occurred. Though I suppose I am one of the few remaining Faladrians who was alive when thousands of people were pointlessly massacred in this husk of a city. We stashed our travel supplies in one of the ruined houses and attempted to follow the bandits trail under cover of darkness.
We hoped to catch the bandits by surprise but were surprised ourselves instead by the sound of crossbow fire. Trask, Krull, and Azar quickly dispatched two of the bandits which prompted the other two to flee. My compatriots managed to kill one of these bandits but the other was able to warn the others at their camp. The bandits had secured themselves inside a makeshift longhouse. Krull and Fenton wanted to set fire to the longhouse to kill the bandits inside and threatened to do as much if they did not surrender. I was able to convince two of the bandits to surrender by promising on my honor as a knight of the spring that we would not simply kill them if they surrender. Azar and I were able to convince our companions burning the longhouse increased the likelihood of harming innocent hostages and evidence and so the half-orcs decided to charge headfirst at an unknown number of enemies in an assuredly fortified position. The bandits were waiting and peppered them with crossbows. To my amazement the half-orcs were able to not only endure these bolts but together with Azar managed to dispatch of five bandits in a matter of seconds. Trask was particularly reckless vaulting over a makeshift barricade and bandit nemesis to land safely on the other side and cleave deeply into the bandits chest.
After searching the bandits den we found more weapons forged at Eastwatch and a letter referencing a tavern in Myrkan called The Balding Goat. Additionally, there was a letter referencing the "Glitterdeep Operation" I am more sure than ever that these bandits are up to something far more nefarious than simply waylaying caravans. I furthermore upset to find that one of the bandits we had captured prior to the engagement inside the longhouse had managed to escape into the woods leaving us with only one prisoner.
After we had finished dealing with the bandit encampment we were beginning to feel quite exhausted and returned to Earwich, collected our supplies, and made camp an hour or two outside of town on the way to Eastwatch.