Save DC21
Confirm
Samirah presses her advantage against the tieflings, attempting to drive them away from her allies attacking the demon.
"To me, გენაცვალე," she says, voice husky, as she tugs his arm. When he sits up to meet her, she wraps her legs around his lower back, and presses her lips to his. Her kisses are hungry for both his taste, and the taste of herself still on his tongue. She moves her hips against him, slowly, wrapping her arms around his neck and hands into his hair to be as close to him as possible.
Umestil - breath weapon
tieflings - if they survive, flank and attack.
Anevia, Aravashnial, and Sosiel move up with the majority of the group on Konstantin's command. Anevia moves wraith-like towards the door, staying low to avoid obvious movemnt being visible through the arrow-slit windows. Aravashnial and Sosiel both move as quietly as they are able to the corner just hidden from the guards on the prisoner's building.
Once everyone is in place on her side, Anevia opens the door, wincing as the hinges squeak.
"Tieflings! My favorite."
Samirah's scimtar cuts deeply into the tiefling nearest to the river-side door and before he is able speak or do more than have a glimmer of grabbing his weapon, he falls from his chair in a spray of blue blood.
Unseen by anyone, just outside of one of the arrowslits, frost gathers in Konstantin's hand and he has produced a hard-packed ball of ice, which he hurls at the brimorak. The demon pitches forward, staggered, with the unseen blow, which resolves itself as ice and blood a moment later and outside there is a shout of alarm as the part-dragon sorcerer materializes in full view of the guards.
Roshan bounds through the door, across the room and alights atop the table on the far side of the room, sending cards, chips and less desirable things flying.
At his corner, Aravashnial starts the arcane chants that will bring forth creatures to fight for him.
Quietly, audible only because of many people's keen hearing, "Guide our hands so that we may protect the innocent." A wash of energy rushes from Sosiel - blessing the group.
The gambling partner of the tiefling Samirah killed rolls from her chair pulling her short sword in a fluid motion as she strikes out at the woman with the red-hot sword, () but Samirah dodges the blow with easy grace.
Staggered and fur spiked with cold, the brimorak turns to towards the window, hacking, her fiery blood igniting in the air as it streaks across the distance towards Konstantin. Konstantin manages to dodge the worst of the boiling, fiery almost-liquid but still gets singed.
One of the tieflings on the table where Roshan interrupted the game, a particularly beefy subject, lunges forward trying to grab Roshan, () but the silent man disengages the brief hold with a quick twist.
Seeing the group has the combatants within the building well controlled, Anevia moves up to keep the guards from being able to rush Konstantin as a group.
Samirah presses her advantage against the tieflings, attempting to drive them away from her allies attacking the demon. She quickly causes the tiefling who attacked her to fall to the ground next to her gambling partner, then moves to within striking distance of the men surrounding Roshan.
Outside, warned by his fellow guard's yell that something untoward is going on, a guard sounds an alarm. The metallic trumpet pipes through the air.
Konstantin, currently unharried by the prison guards, hurls another snowball at the brimorak. The snowball shatters the demon's chest, opening a hideous wound and revealing the flames within the small creature. The lingering cold and bits of ice continue to freeze, guttering the brimorak's fire, turning it blue, and crystalizing it into delicate flanges. The demon falls to the floor, and cracks.
On the tabletop, Roshan lets one chakram and Radiance fly at two of his tiefling foes. Both cause mortal wounds, the tieflings slumping in their chairs even as Radience flashes back to Roshan's hand.
The three guards outside advance towards Konstantin, clearly identifing the spellcaster as the primary danger, but Anevia is able to strike out () at one as he passes to get to Konstantin, but the wiry creature manages to dodge. The next tiefling dodges around Anevia's other side as she is focused on the first, the man confident that nothing stands between him and a flank on the sorcerer.
Until Konstantin's claws, previously hidden in human hands, flash out () scarring the man as he moves.
Then when the two demonic tieflings have Konstantin flanked, they attack. () Although the man Konstantin injured misses, the other just manages to foil the sorcerer's defenses.
The final tiefling, unable to get a good position when running around the corner, attacks Anevia. () But she barely notices the clumsy blow, focused on the man who attacked Konstantin.
Aravashnial's spell ends and a glowing ball of light and metal appears near the opening in the fence leading to the field where the army stirs to action. Two rays of light zap out from the creature () both raking through the armor to burn the flesh of the tiefling with the warning horn.
Finally, Sosiel does a quick check inside to assure himself that neither Samirah nor Roshan are in danger, then advances his glaive striking out at the injured tiefling (), his blow lands, and the tiefling falls to the ground dying. "I'll take care of your wounds soon, sir." He says to Konstantin.
T1, T2, T4, T5, T6 - dead
T8 -7
Kon -11,-21
Confirm
Samirah darts across the room to attack the last tiefling still standing.
Samirah runs outside to dispatch the closest enemy to the door.
There's not much she can do to slow her second orgasm; the look on his face, the way he fills her, and the fact that he already brought her to climax once all work in concert to push her over the edge once more. She drives her hips hard against him, bringing him as deep inside her as she can, and cries out in ecstasy.
Roshan
magic: +1/+1
masterwork: +1
Point Blank: +1/+1
Flurry of Blows: -0
Deadly Aim: -2/+4
Bless: +1 to hit/+1 vs Fear
Roshan glances around the room at the quick work his companions have made of the tiefling guards. He rushes out into the yard, suddenly spins and blades fly towards [three,two,the remaining] of the demon touched.
- Battlefield Conditions
- Tiefling Army has lost commander - lose commander's Cha-mod (4) to morale and boons (none)
- Battlefield Advantage - Gained from the scouting of Anevia and others (Offense +2, Defense +2)
- Darkness - reduces army's Offense by 2 and defense by 3 (does not apply to the tiefling army due to darkvision trait)
- Ambush - Kenabres army gets one free offense against tiefling army, if successfully (in addition to damage) tiefling army is unable to use any known tactics
Tactics
Kenabres: Expert Flankers - +2 offsense / -2 defense; * first offense is ranged
Tiefling: none
Ranged Phase
(+2 battlefield advantage, -2 darkness, +1 Nurah's inspire courage)
*Tiefling Army take 3 points of damage and is unable to use any tactics for the battle
* Kenabres's army is capable of making ranged attacks the tiefling army is not - round = speed for the tiefling army to engage with Kenabres's army in melee
Ranged Phase
(+2 battlefield advantage, -2 darkness, +1 Nurah's inspire courage)
*Tiefling Army takes 14 points of damage.
Normally when an army's hit points is equal or below the commander (dead in this case) must make a DC 15 morale check to continue in the battle or the army will scatter in a disorganized retreat from the battle. In this case the tiefling army only had 9 hit points so is now at -8.
Kenabres is victorious.
Chancre moves and moves, moves and moves in order to attract the attention of the last tiefling near the dark building. "Oh I have been injured grievously," he says without a lot of affect.
Confronted by a glowing ball of doom and an apparently injured Chancre, the horn tiefling takes cover from the glowing ball behind Chancre.
From outside the gate you hear the shouts and confusion of the tiefling army as they drag themselves from tents and fires. Were you closer to the gate on that side (like Chancre), you'd see tieflings with drawn swords running towards the opening. Then the sky is light with burning arrows, allowing the night-blind human army to mark the tiefling army. Many of the arrows land true, others get muddled in the tents to create smoke, fire and confusion.
The one tiefling remaining inside looks at the dead commander, the bodies of the his friends. And runs away. () Despite the heavy blow from Roshan, the man manages to make it out the door, drawing up short when he sees his ally cringing behind Chancre and the glowing ball.
Anevia takes a quick step to flank the man who damaged Konstantin. () This time her blade cuts down the tiefling that slipped her the round before.
Samirah darts across the room and outsdie to attack the last tiefling still standing. Who falls to the ground, blood turning the dirt to mud.
Konstantin takes a step and tears into the tiefling with his claws. Grew them, might as well use them. The final tiefling falls.
Roshan glances around the room at the quick work his companions have made of the tiefling guards. He rushes out into the yard, and finds those tieflings have been taken care of as well.
Sosiel moves up and places a hand on Konstantin's shoulder, healing him of damage.
Arvashnial comes around the corner, makes a motion towards the open gate, "Please feel free to aid the efforts of the army for as long as you are here Sebsatian."
The glowing ball darts out the gate, light rays raining down on the tieflings. Adding to the general confusion.
The tiefling army, aware of the army of paladins start to rush towards the attackers, splitting in their confusion. There is a long barrage of arrows - aided by the increased fires.
And, within minutes, you are left with a battlefield of dead and dying.
Konstantin nods in thanks to Sosiel, and heads for the darkened building, the claws sliding back into his hands. He opens up the door. "Do not be afraid," he says to the people within. "We are friends."
Lying there, he brushes a strand of hair from her face, content to just look at her.
Inside the building one of the figures uses a wall to slide up to her feet, although she doesn't move much more than that. "And the lovely noise outside is an unexpected salvation?" She asks.
She shakes her head, "If you'd unbind my men and we have a number injured." A glance to her left and her shoulders held so stiff and proud a moment before slump.
"Sosiel! Chancre!" Konstantin calls to his allies. "We have wounded!"
Konstantin enters the building and begins untying people. "I am Konstantin Argentaev," he says to the woman. "Tell me what transpired here."
Samirah looks around the field with a satisfied, but serious, expression. She also enters the building and assists with untying the hostages, as well as trying to boost morale and calm people down.
"I will miss this, when we're on the road." She says, moving just enough to nestle into the familiar crook of his arm.
Chancre starts with triage, using magical healing where necessary.
"I want you all to live to drink another day."
Chancre starts with triage, using magical healing where necessary.
"I want you all to live to drink another day."
Quietly, Sosiel moves around, making sure everyone is unbound before channelling to close the obvious wounds.
Chancre and Sosiel find only twelve of the people in the small prison can be helped - the others are just bloated bodies that had been left to rot in the prison.
Konstantin enters the building and begins untying people. "I am Konstantin Argentaev," he says to the woman. "Tell me what transpired here."
"Kamilo Dann, sir," the woman says in response. "They attacked just after midnight." She shakes her head, "I wasn't on duty, but woke up when I heard..." A pause, "I believe Umestil teleported into the fort to assassinate Commander Bray." What follows is a confused report of the fight: stealthy attackers who surrounded the fort, the lack of direction without the commander, the swift deaths of those on duty.
"They had taken the fort by sunrise," looking down at her men, the welts and bruises on her wrists, "There were maybe twenty-five of us that survived the attack."
There is a slight crack in her voice, "Almost every hour they took another of my men," only then does she met Konstantin's eyes, the depth of despair and anger revealing their fate far better than any words.
"Did they ask anything of you in exchange for the lives of your men?" Samirah asks Kamilo.
Konstantin nods. He does not appear particularly touched by the atrocities.
"I am sorry to hear it. Their leader is dead and their army is routed. I believe we can spare some of ours to help man the garrison while you send to Kenabres for reinforcements." He pauses. "We cannot stay for long. We are on the way to Drezen to bring them winter."
"Did they ask anything of you in exchange for the lives of your men?" Samirah asks Kamilo.
"The first time Umestil came in, introduced herself, breathing enough smoke that the few of us that weren't already incapacitated were trying to breath rather than wretch." Kamilo's affection is flat, "Explained that since we had the good graces to not die in the battle, we'd be sacrificed for the amusement of the men and in honor to Deskari."
"The first time some of us tried to be the ones taken to protect those that had someone back at Kenabres to live for. That," her lips tight, "did not work."
"When he says winter, he means death," Chancre adds. "They will pay in the coin they understand."
He gestures vaguely. "Sosiel and I have saved all we can."
"I am sorry to hear it. Their leader is dead and their army is routed. I believe we can spare some of ours to help man the garrison while you send to Kenabres for reinforcements." He pauses. "We cannot stay for long. We are on the way to Drezen to bring them winter."
A glint of satisfaction, sharpens Kamilo's features, "The brimorak demon didn't manage to just teleport away?" The glint moves to a hard-lipped smile which is more fierce than friendly when the demon's death is confirmed.
"Her men were sloppy, disorganized and like to talk to hear themselves." Kamilo reports, just a hint of the capable commander that she was and could be again in her stance. "Hers was a small portion of a much larger army led by a incubus named Exorius which is is camped at the mouth of Keeper's Canyon*."
"If Umestil did not escape," and her eyes get that savage glint, "then it would be possible to take the larger force by surprise." A pause, "Sir."
A longer pause, "With as few of us as there is left, sir, you'd either have to leave a significant force or the fort will be insufficiently guarded anyway." She looks at the men, "I think Higgin and Theodore would like to take word to Kenabres that the ford needs to be re-manned..."
"When he says winter, he means death," Chancre adds. "They will pay in the coin they understand."
Quietly, to Chancre, "I know. I heard it in his voice."
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A glint of satisfaction, sharpens Kamilo's features, "The brimorak demon didn't manage to just teleport away?" The glint moves to a hard-lipped smile which is more fierce than friendly when the demon's death is confirmed.
"I will show you the ice crystals I turned her into if you like."
"If Umestil did not escape," and her eyes get that savage glint, "then it would be possible to take the larger force by surprise." A pause, "Sir."
A longer pause, "With as few of us as there is left, sir, you'd either have to leave a significant force or the fort will be insufficiently guarded anyway." She looks at the men, "I think Higgin and Theodore would like to take word to Kenabres that the ford needs to be re-manned..."
"Agreed. You will send those two men to Kenabres, and the balance of you come with us. You were caught unawares... perhaps we can see about letting you hit back."
Samirah shakes her head, looking slightly disgusted with Kamilo's answer. "I'm not sure why I expected any different from demons and their ilk."
"Consider that pride is only one of the classic sins," Chancre says to Samirah.
"Consider that pride is only one of the classic sins," Chancre says to Samirah.
She smiles in response. "And not even one of the interesting ones!"
"Demons who take pride in their work are dangerous"
Chancre smiles back. "Not one f my favorites either"
Samirah winks at Chancre before turning to face the freed hostages. "As Konstantin says, you'll all have your chance to repay those ეშმაკი back if you join us on our path to Drezen." She sheathes her weapon at her side as a punctuation mark on the sentence. "You're healed, you're free, and you're in the company of the best people I know. What are we waiting for?"
With this last, she looks to Kamilo and Kosntantin.
"I will show you the ice crystals I turned her into if you like.""Yes."
"Agreed. You will send those two men to Kenabres, and the balance of you come with us. You were caught unawares... perhaps we can see about letting you hit back."
Samirah winks at Chancre before turning to face the freed hostages. "As Konstantin says, you'll all have your chance to repay those ეშმაკი back if you join us on our path to Drezen." She sheathes her weapon at her side as a punctuation mark on the sentence. "You're healed, you're free, and you're in the company of the best people I know. What are we waiting for?"
With this last, she looks to Kamilo and Konstantin.
Kamilo nods then walks over to the two men she'd indicated would like to act as messengers.
Sosiel, finished as much as can be with the wounded, "We should take care of the dead tonight so that we can move on early tomorrow. Burial or fire might be easier with the number dead in the army, Lady Samirah."
"And I'll signal Aron to bring the horses across the river."
Anevia pushes out of one the shadows near the door, "I'll help him, wouldn't do for them to get spooked mid-way."
Sosiel, finished as much as can be with the wounded, "We should take care of the dead tonight so that we can move on early tomorrow. Burial or fire might be easier with the number dead in the army, Lady Samirah."
Samirah nods in response. "I'd be happy to help. I don't sleep much."
K:Planar DC 25
Sense Motive DC15
"I will show you the ice crystals I turned her into if you like."
Other then helping free the former prisoners, Roshan stays to the shadows. His teeth flash briefly at the mention of the Brimorak popsicle, however.
"And I'll signal Aron to bring the horses across the river."
Anevia pushes out of one the shadows near the door, "I'll help him, wouldn't do for them to get spooked mid-way."
Roshan detaches himself from the shadows, to help bring the horses over.
A little while after Aron, Anevia and Roshan bring the horses into the small fort, Irabeth rides in. Sliding off of her horses, she salutes towards the group, "Magnificent job. The army was completely off guard when we started our volley."
"With your permission, I'm going to order the men to recover items of use from the tieflings then use the remainder to burn the bodies."
Much of the army works at offsetting the carnage of the battlefield for the next few hours. During that time Anevia slips back across the river to make sure no scouts from the tiefling army may be heading upriver to warn the larger force. Aron checks the fort itself, cleaning the few siege engines in place for defense, as well as helping remove the heads and body parts from the walls. Irabeth, Sosiel, and Nurah move amid the survivors and the army ensuring that any wounds in the battle have been tended. Aravashnial, seeing everything well in hand and once he is certain his aid and advice are unneeded, finds a quiet corner and cocoons himself in a travel hammock.
Samirah spends a good deal of time that night helping Sosiel, and anyone else, with the burning of the bodies. She's not very useful when it comes to actually moving corpses, but she's no stranger to fire, using a combination of her innate magic and torches made available to her.
Early on in the process, she turns to Sosiel. "It seems as though the people here have developed a distaste for the subject of fire. Do you know why that is? I noticed it earlier when we first freed the hostages. And they weren't the only ones I've noticed take issue with the topic."
A little while after Aron, Anevia and Roshan bring the horses into the small fort, Irabeth rides in. Sliding off of her horses, she salutes towards the group, "Magnificent job. The army was completely off guard when we started our volley."
"With your permission, I'm going to order the men to recover items of use from the tieflings then use the remainder to burn the bodies."
Konstantin nods, but then, quietly, "Away from the survivors. They were captured by a brimorak. I believe fire might hold bad memories."
Konstantin does in fact show Kamilo the icy demon, before assisting the others with gathering the bodies.
Konstantin nods, but then, quietly, "Away from the survivors. They were captured by a brimorak. I believe fire might hold bad memories."
"Consider it done, Konstantin." And true to her word, Irabeth is one of the many people who works at gathering the bodies into pyres. Rescued from the tiefling army is a good supply of food, water and weapons.
Konstantin does in fact show Kamilo the icy demon, before assisting the others with gathering the bodies.
Kamilo does say a word when she is shown the barely thawing remains. She just stares at the body for long minutes then nods to Konstantin.
Although she asks for her men to be allowed to rest, Kamilo helps with the bodies of both the enemies and the remains of those she knew.
Early on in the process, she turns to Sosiel. "It seems as though the people here have developed a distaste for the subject of fire. Do you know why that is? I noticed it earlier when we first freed the hostages. And they weren't the only ones I've noticed take issue with the topic."
Sosiel shrugs slightly barely moving the heavy armor. "Like the commander said earlier, it does make sense for the prisoners." Sosiel watches the the fire for a moment before continuing, "There are cleansing fires, which is what we are hoping for with tonight's work, but..."
He turns to give Samirah a half-smile, "It's said that every vice spawns a demon. I've studied it more from metaphysical rather than a practical place, although you could ask Aravashnial if you want the academic answer. Brimorak demons are supposedly birthed from the souls of people who tortured and killed innocents with fire, like the people who did the mass purges witches and heretics. Brimoraks seem to like their victims to burn alive, so fire..." a helpless head shake.
One eyebrow raises, "Who else has developed a distaste for fire?"
"Oh." Is her only response for a moment after Sosiel's explanation. "I've only known fire for such a long time, it's unfamiliar to me to find someone who would fear it. But I knew very little about demons before coming back to this plane." She makes a face. "It seems I knew very little about a lot of things, loathe though I am to admit it."
She sighs, then looks around the grounds. "I could have misread his look, but after Irabeth mentioned burning the tieflings, Gore looked uncomfortable in the same way the others did." She taps a finger against her lips. "I suppose it could have been discomfort at giving the tieflings the same treatment as the fallen on our side, though, now that I think about it."
"Oh." Is her only response for a moment after Sosiel's explanation. "I've only known fire for such a long time, it's unfamiliar to me to find someone who would fear it. But I knew very little about demons before coming back to this plane." She makes a face. "It seems I knew very little about a lot of things, loathe though I am to admit it."
Sosiel is quiet for a moment, "Fire is a tool, like a blade or a spell. There is no evil or good in the tool, only in the hands of those that use it."
He watches the fires for a moment, the flames reflected in his eyes, "These," he motions to the pyres, "are cleansing flames, and hopefully will let us cleanse enough of the evil from death that nothing will rise spontaneously." His voice drops a little, "There were a number of fierce, brave men and women in my order than used flame for good. And I got to speak to a number of people that they saved when they stayed behind and held the line against the demons on Aramasse Day."
He looks at Samirah with small smile, more pain than happiness in it, "None of those people would shudder at fire."
She sighs, then looks around the grounds. "I could have misread his look, but after Irabeth mentioned burning the tieflings, Gore looked uncomfortable in the same way the others did." She taps a finger against her lips. "I suppose it could have been discomfort at giving the tieflings the same treatment as the fallen on our side, though, now that I think about it."
Sosiel makes an inelegant sound, a snort. "That wasn't about cleaning up the bodies."
Sosiel, too, looks around ensuring their conversation is free from eavesdroppers. "Aron suggested to Tirablade that the tiefling supplies would be useful for the army on the march to Drezen. While she was considering, Gore, umm, informed Aron that looting the dead was a vile action and something only a thief would do."
Dryly, "Apparently, there was a heated discussion."
chancre snorts. "Looting from the living is called theft."
"I could have a word with young Gore," Chancre muses.
"There were a number of fierce, brave men and women in my order than used flame for good. And I got to speak to a number of people that they saved when they stayed behind and held the line against the demons on Aramasse Day."
He looks at Samirah with small smile, more pain than happiness in it, "None of those people would shudder at fire."
Samirah hesitates for just a moment, then puts a hand on Sosiel's arm for just a few moments before taking it away again. "I am sorry for your loss. I've seen many horrible things in my short life, but I understand my being hardened against atrocities like that doesn't mean everyone else feels the same way." She looks around once more, as though searching for someone. "Miril is part of your Order, is she not?"
While flirtatious touching and embracing of friends is something she's quite familiar with, it's obvious that she's still learning how to comfort people.
"Aron suggested to Tirablade that the tiefling supplies would be useful for the army on the march to Drezen. While she was considering, Gore, umm, informed Aron that looting the dead was a vile action and something only a thief would do."
Dryly, "Apparently, there was a heated discussion."
At this, Samirah lets out a short, and loud, laugh. Then nods after Chancre's comment. "Exactly. Dead tieflings don't need their supplies."
chancre snorts. "Looting from the living is called theft."
"There is a group of our friends that think looting is a morally objectionable act for a holy warrior of Iomeadae." Sosiel says to Chancre with a shrug. "Frankly, based on her actions before she was Aroden's herald, I always saw her as more of a realist than that, but her tenants aren't mine to argue."
chancre snorts. "Looting from the living is called theft."
"And looting from the dead is policy. If he has a problem with it, he can speak with me."
Samirah hesitates for just a moment, then puts a hand on Sosiel's arm for just a few moments before taking it away again. "I am sorry for your loss. I've seen many horrible things in my short life, but I understand my being hardened against atrocities like that doesn't mean everyone else feels the same way." She looks around once more, as though searching for someone. "Miril is part of your Order, is she not?"
"They died protecting the innocent, there are few things more worth a good man's death."
To Samirah's question he nods, "She came into Kenabres a few weeks before Aramasse."
"I didn't speak with her much about it, but I know she was searching for members who survived the attack." She falls into silence for a few minutes as they work.
And then: "Where did you meet Aron?"
"My opinion on the staunch followers of Iomedae is colored by all the infiltrators we have run into lately."
Chancre shrugs. "Moral fibre is great. But we get back to the sin of pride again."
"I think that's less to do with Iomedae and more to do with the promise of wealth and power. Some people lack the strength to do what's right." She shrugs.
"Yeah, I am not up to impugning a goddess for the deeds of her fake followers. Not today."
"Yeah, I am not up to impugning a goddess for the deeds of her fake followers. Not today."
"I also believe in the converse," Konstantin says, perhaps mostly to himself.
And then: "Where did you meet Aron?"
"In Kenabres, Lady Samirah." He breathes out, "My brother wanted to be a crusader and I came with him to keep him safe." He shakes his head, "I'd never seen anyplace as ugly as the demonlands nor people more in need of remember what beauty was than the men who fight in it."
A pause, "About nine years ago, the platoon my brother fought with disappeared while on a mission in the demonlands. Knowing I could never leave without finding out what had happened, I joined the Order of the Sunrise Sword, rather than just working with the Church of Sheyln. I met Aron," there a little pause, "a little while after that."
"After we had known each other for a while I helped him leave the mercenary group he'd been working with and his mechanical prowess impressed the dwarven engineers." Sosiel's smile has more than a little pride in it, "He has been working them for four years."
It is a long night for some to maintain the fires that reduce the bodies of both enemy and ally to ash and bone. Most of the army does rest from the dark to the break of morning, but the across the Sellen and north along the other bank is subdued. Partially it was the long night after discovering another lost stronghold, partially it is the lands that your path skirts. Even at high noon, the sky is dim, oppressive. The ground is bare of trees and scrub which was prevalent on the eastern bank - only a few blighted patches of vine more thorn than plant.
After the army sets camp for the night, the scouts who were on long-range patrol make it back after a long day of hard riding and careful observation. When Anevia approaches the group with a tired shrug, still covered with the sweat and dust of a hard day on the trail. "It's a larger force, about the same number of tieflings camped around the ruins." She takes a breath, "And about a hundred dretches well-entrenched in the ruins of Keeper's Canyon."
Irabeth hands Anevia a small bowl of stew, shakes her head, "Keeper's Canyon is just far enough up the Ahari that an army of that size is going to strech from one wall of the canyon to the other, sneaking a force of any size around them is unrealistic."
Anevia nods, "The tiefling army is one thing, they need to eat, sleep. The dretches," she shakes her head. Placing the bowl in her hands down on a nearby rock, she describes the land she rode over today - including the dry plain where the Ahari once added water to the West Sellen. As Anevia finishes up her report, Irabeth hands her the bowl of food again, which the scout seems to notice for the first time.