"Then it is up to our experienced scouts to find out." Lynn concludes.
Hmm..Perhaps we can form a strikeforce and go in to destroy supply lines and such. Twenty good people should do it.
"We will do our best." Aniva looks at Aron, then at the rest.
The group beds down for the night, The next day is a day full of travelling. The army crosses the river and heads just inside of the world wound, skirting the river the whole way north. The colours on this side of the river seem off, the ground isn't green it is a dusty brown with patches of orange and red. The plant life appears alien like the Abyss truly is bleeding through into the material plane. Everyone rides on high alert, Aniva and Aron ranging a bit a head but not to far so as to remain in the protection the army offers. Night comes quicker than would be normal, watches are set and the sky has an eerie green tinge to the black, the stars seem out of place and strange noises can be heard that don't seem natural. Again the night passes without incident as the size of your army keeps most things away. By Mid morning of your second day into the world wound, Aniva and Aron ride back with word of the area a head and what they found.
"It looks like 2 armies, a large force of tieflings then something held back with in some ruins." Aniva reports.
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"Are there any defensible positions, or high ground we could take advantage of nearby? How would you rate the discipline on the enemy you could see?"
"I have never been up that way, we know it is a dried out river bed since after the taking of Drezen. There is probably some defensible areas yes but the Demons will have them already. The Teiflings were lead by a demon and I assume the other army will be as well, just be careful for trickery." Kamilo says
The Army is stopped short by Aniva and Aron, "We can ride them down outside but those in the ruins will cause us some issues if they decide to shoot at us in the open while we are attacking the others." Aniva says
Aron appears off, his mannerisms have changed and he doesn't appear as focused.[/spoiler]
Perhaps a two pronged attack with horses drawing attention while the foot troops approach a different way?
"Are you feeling well? Lynn asks Aron.
"Well, we have two armies here. And to stop them from shooting out of the building we only need to catch them in melee. So I suggest that Irabeth leads the army of paladins to fight the tieflings. They are more this time, but if they are similar equipped as the ones we met, then it shouldn't be too big of a problem. And the paladins are well protected and can heal themself. So they should be able to weather a short time of getting shot at."
"And I could lead the mongrelmen army to attack the building from behind and hinder them from shooting as long as it takes to overcome the tieflings. Or if we're lucky even bring them down. Can't be too much of them in the building."
"Another option would be that the paladin army simply marches through and takes the open field and the building."
Tink, do you have magic that could block the archer's sight?
"I do not. I could make someone invisible but I doubt that would make much difference." Tink says. "I could make three of our numbers twice the size they are, if we give them tower shields when I do they will grow with them. We could march 6 abreast behind them with the shield bearers providing cover to those behind."
That sounds like a good idea, let us do it.
OM Pally Ranged: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
OM Pally Melee: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
Tink finds 3 Volunteers who are willing to allow him to magic them, they are given their Tower shields. After a minute the 2 men and 1 woman are substantially larger then their companions. Their take their points a head of 3 columns. Arrows range out from the approaching Paladins, their larger companions blocking view and only doing some partial damage to the army of Tieflings charging forward.
Mongrel Men Army
N Medium Army of Mongrel men
HP: 8; ACR 1
DV 12; OM +2 Ranged
Resources: Ambush Training (+2 OM), Ranged (long Bows)
Special: Cautious Combat, Standard, Withdraw
Speed 3; Consumption 1
The Mongrels not being used to combat such as this fail to penetrate the armor the the advancing Tieflings.
Spells lance out from inside the ruins, laying some damage into Mongrel Men.
Don unleashes Mystic Long Ranged death with his crossbow
Lynn leads the Mongrels into the ruins. Not wanting to get them killed she orders a full defense.
The Paladins make melee contact with the Teifling army, the training, armor and weapons of the Army of Kenabre's proves to much for the Teiflings and they are all but destroyed in the opening moments of the engagement. The Mongrel men are persistent but their lack of cohesion and tactics despite Lynn taking charge only leads to a few more Dretches lost.
The Mongrelmen army stays at full defense. The paladins storm into the ruins to end the demons.
The paladins take a few minutes to disengage themselves form up and come into the ruins to help out the Mongrel men. Once they are in they make short work for the entrenched Dretches, in the distance someone can be see riding a rift drake away from the battle at high speeds.
Lynns' command and taking minimal chances keep any more of the Mongrel men from being injured.
Irabeth leads the Paladins on a healing mission for the mongrels, tending to the wounded and making sure that everyone is tended too and has proper provisions.
Aniva and Aron approach the group, they were scouting further up the river and just to the east a bit while the battles were raging. When Lynn and Azrael confront Aron about his change in attitude and just to find out if he is ok, he brushes it off as a fear of the demons finally winning.
So, any landmarks in particular we need to be aware of on the next leg?
"Well... we're making progress here." Lynn answers Aron pointing out the battlefield. "And you seemed fine as we started in Kenabres. What happened that ruined your confidence?"
"This place is worse than I remember, they are more numerous than us and they took out our protection." Aron says looking back and forth between Lynn and Azrael
"Okaaaay, let me make you an offer. Look, I have this beautiful songbird painted on my armor. This means, I follow Shelyn, like your Sosiel. As you know Shelyn appreciates love, beauty and comes to everyone with a rose first and only with a weapon as a last resort."
"I admit I'm challenged in that area in these times where intrigues, betrayal and backstabbing are common around here. But I think you are a good guy. So consider this me handing you a rose."
"And you take this opportunity now to tell me what is really going on. And if you screwed something up, we will see if we can fix that and give you another chance. But if you let this chance pass and I find out later that you screwed up this rose will be withered." Lynn tells Aron fixating is eyes.
Aron looks taken a back at Lynn's statements, looking to Azrael who is solidly supporting Lynn.
"I didn't do anything, I just don't have a good feeling now that we are here. I was optimistic before but this place has a way of getting to you."
The rest of your group shows up, Sosiel with them.
"You don't believe me? Your heart will get lighter once you tell what it is that holds you down." Lynn tries to encourage Aron.
Don doesn't really do the diplomacy thing and so lets the experts speak.
Aron just glares at Lynn, turning away and leading his horse away.
"What do you mean not himself? What is he doing or saying?" Sosiel asks Azrael.
Tink is the Hero of the day, his magic allowed the army to take less grievous wounds than it probably should have with an entrenched opponent. Iko and his companion helped Lynn and The mongrels take the ruins from the dretches, while Don and his unique weapon and his loud voice Rained death down upon all opponents. The army again is tasked with taking items, the Mongrel men have no issue with this and remained camped outside of the ruins. Your army tends to its own wounded and makes camp inside of the ruins, it isn't glorious or luxurious but it does offer some protection from the elements.
From inside the ruins you can see to the west the strangeness of the World wound. The ground again instead of brown earth has a sickening orange hue to it, the plants are strange and alien, most likely hostile as well. The dried up river bed does not offer what water may look like while in the wound either.
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"What do you mean not himself? What is he doing or saying?" Sosiel asks Azrael.
Well, we have noted a general change in attitude towards the negative. He will admit little but he says he does not have a good feeling now that we are here. Earlier he said something about this place being worse than he remembered, and that the enemy is more numerous than us and they took out our protection. Locking gaze with Sosiel Azrael asks What is going on with him. I cannot help but believe somehow this is a cry for help from him. Help us help him.
He tries to get a read on Sosiel but cannot read the man.
Sosiel paces around for a bit, looking at the sky, the ground then back at Azrael.
"With everything that is going on I can see how I missed it, I can see how he slipped back into his old habits." Sosiel stops, grabbing up his pack then getting close to Azrael. "Do you know where he is?"
Don gazes out at the cursed land. Hopefully we can use miracles to make our water.
"Yes, Shadow blood, it is a drug." Sosiel tells Azrael as they travel
"It is from a shadow demon who inhabits the body of a mortal, basically it is blood." Sosiel says without looking back "It should have been easy to spot since it has an evil aura, someone snuck it in here and gave it to him."
"That means, you can easily find it, destroy it, and he'd be off his drugs cold turkey?" Lynn asks Sosiel. "You think you can get it out of him who provided that?"
"It won't be cold Turkey as you say, I will ask Shelyn to help ease his addiction and make it easier for him to move past this again. The real issue is who planted it on him." Sosiel says as they get to Aron's tent
"Aron we need to talk, our new friends have brought something to my attention."
Um..Don't do drugs?