Aron nods slowly. "Good, the demons use a lot of magic and although paladins are good at resisting it, they're tactically limited in terms of how to deal with it. You're a welcome addition; if she can find the scroll."
He rolls up his map. "Any questions? Ayesha, I'll want you to review the troops and provisions before we go. It will take around two days to mobilize the army; we'll also want to see how long the Queen takes to get that scroll."
"Does this army include any scouts? Anyone more mobile and less noisy who I could take out to check ahead of the main group? That is my training and specialty."
Anevia waves her hand cheerily.
"Military scouting is a speciality of mine, and I see how fast you can move. I also have two legs this time. Unless you can think of anyone else, it may be just the two of us for scouting work though."
The meeting concludes and two days pass as the army prepares for the march. Ayesha is handed the log that shows the provisions, arms and armour, and various goods required by the army. The paladins are considered elite professional soldiers and as such can be expected to care for their own gear, provided they are fed and have a place to sleep.
The army can carry 50 units of food, and at this size consumes at a rate of 5 per day for 10 full days of food. The journey is expected to take 4 1/2 days, which gives 5 1/2 days to take Drezen, provided there is sufficient food to be found within the fortress.
On a particularly brisk Toilday, the company are introduced to their army. A sprawling camp has been set out in a devastated market square in Kenabres, and as the group steps through, paladins stands to salute their leaders. Irabeth looks to be completely in her element as she walks with you. You are brought to the command tent, where Sosiel, Aron, Nurah, Aravashnial, and Queen Galfrey herself stand, talking.
"Your timing is superlative," says Galfrey. "I had just arrived. Sosiel has impressed upon me the importance of Aravashnial, whose reputation as an expert on demonology precedes him."
She produces a scroll. "This was not easy to find, I do not keep a stack of scrolls this powerful at all times. Many of us have suffered grave wounds, and the decision to choose who is healed, and who is not is not one I wield gladly. But Aravashnial, you have done great service to our cause and it is imperative that the Riftwardens thrive and replenish their numbers. Sosiel, if you would be so bold."
Aravashnial leans on his staff, his hands trembling as Sosiel unfurls the scroll, looking over the words carefully.
Sosiel straightens up, studying the powerful scroll for a long moment before he reads out the words.
"NOASMI NE GAHA OIAD NANAEEL OL OIAD!" he calls out, speaking the language of angels. The scroll burns away in his hands as he reaches out to lay a hand on Aravashnial's ruined, scarred face.
"Be healed, my friend."
Holy power pulses through Sosiel's hand and Aravashnial lets out a scream, falling to his knees as the damage is undone. Scar tissue pulls away from his face, settling into smooth symmetry. His milky eye slowly turns blue as another emerges from the scarring. After a few seconds, his face is complete.
"Oh Gods," says Aravashnial as he blinks his eyes rapidly, looking around the room.
"I can see... I CAN SEE!" He lets out a cry of joy and leans in to stare at each member of the party. "Gods, we were together for so long and I can now see your faces! And... gods Ronan, Jinxx is ugly!"
He laughs as he looks around, tears streaming down his face. He looks around.
"I am... I am forever in your debt. I am yours, my commanders, my Queen. We Riftwardens have always stayed a step back from the fight, pursuing our own means of closing the Worldwound. No longer! This fight is mine and I will not rest until our mission is complete! Thank you!"
Nurah wipes away a tear and even Aron smiles despite himself. Irabeth and Anevia just watch with smiles on their faces. Galfrey looks upon Aravashnial with a kindly expression.
"You have been granted your sight by the holy writ of Iomedae and have pledged yourself to her cause. This is good and I am glad."
She turns to the group.
"Your army awaits you, Knight Commanders. I will go forth to give the troops my blessing before we depart. Are you ready?"
Who in Sarenrae's name had these logs before? I can hardly believe the army even got here intact with the books in this state. My father would have flayed me alive if I had given him something like this.
Ayesha spent the better part of the two days trying to reconcile the books, and then once they were done, she took them to the field quartermasters. She explained the new logging system, and showed how it both increased transparency and reduced paperwork. She was even able to show how 4th Company was using almost a third again as much grain rations than the rest of the army. Perhaps this would work out after all.
On the day of the expedition, she watched in wonder with the others as Aravashnial was healed. Queen Gallifrey was right about those in need of such healing, but at the same time, the look on Aravashnial's face seemed worth it, as did his fighting spirit. She looked right at the Queen when the question was made, and responded briskly, "I am, Your Majesty"
Nilus, outfitted in new armor which is richly decorated with roses, nods his assent also.
Your humble Servant is ready Your Majesty.
Ronan laughs at Aravashnial's comment and pats Jinxx on the head. Jinxx puffs up a bit and takes Aravashnial's comment as a complement.
Dejik hugs Aravashnial. Thank the Inheritor! She winks her white eye and says teasingly, The guilt was beginning to weigh on me.
Then she turns to the queen and comes to attention. At your command, Your Majesty.
Blinking away tears, Aravashnial walks out into the sunlight to take in Kenabres. He gasps at the devastation but remains silent as Queen Galfrey follows him, and moves to the centre of camp.
She raises a hand, and her voice booms out, magically enhanced by some means.
"Devout of the Inheritor, your commanders are here. The Knights of the Fifth Crusade have placed Irabeth Tirablade as commander of this army. Today, you march to retake Drezen and strike our first great blow against the Worldwound in a decade. Be strong, be brave. The Gods are watching us, and they smile at our valour. For the Inheritor!"
A cry of "FOR THE INHERITOR" goes up from the amassed paladins. Queen Galfrey turns to the group.
"Good luck."
And with that her bodyguards bring her a horse, and she mounts to ride off.
Irabeth heads out from the tent, the normally soft-spoken half-orc calling out in a booming voice.
"ALL RIGHT YOU LOT BREAK CAMP! LET'S MOVE!"
The colorful banners signifying the varying factions represented by the paladins are taken down, the tents are collapsed and piled into mule-drawn wagons, and the army begins its march. Irabeth walks at the head with Anevia, the banner of the Eagle Watch carried by several paladins.
The terrain in this area is all plains and good fertile land, making for an easy march. The army sets out diirectly northeast out of Kenabres, making for the town of Valas' Gift. Anevia cheerfully talks about how Valas' Gift is the smallest settlement with any proximity to the Worldwound, and has somehow survived thanks to the sheer bloody-mindedness of its citizens. It is the breadbasket of Mendev and responsible for a great deal of Kenabres' food.
During the march Sosiel and Aron keep largely to themselves, talking in hushed whispers while Nurah is a bundle of activity, moving around the ranks, singing songs, and doing what she can to maintain the high spirits of the troops.
The sun arches overhead as you continue the laborious march northeast, and finally, at late afternoon, the town can be spotted on the horizon. Sarkast and Anevia, scouting a little ahead, are dismayed to see the town a complete ruin. What was once a thriving town is now completely destroyed, likely a casualty of the fall of Kenabres.
Irabeth looks around the ruin miserably.
"I can't say I'm surprised, but I was hoping. Ugh."
She turns over her shoulder.
"STRIKE CAMP!"
The army bursts into activity as the wagons are moved up and tents begin blooming like mushrooms around the ruined town.
Irabeth walks over to the group, shaking her head.
"Best we rest for the evening. We've made good time. Vilareth Ford is around a day and a half march from here so we'll have to camp once more before we reach the Ford. Let me know if you have orders for any of us."
Sarkast spends most of his time on the road either scouting ahead with Anevia, or ranging to the sides looking for any game or edible plants that might supplement the army's supplies. When Irabeth call a halt, he inspects weapons and lends his expertise in repairing and sharpening blades.
Dejik gives Sosiel any help he needs to care for the troops, both with magic and heal skill.
Before retiring for the evening, Dejik spends a Mythic point to cast Endure Elements on the group.
Although tired from a long day's march, Anevia is game to assist Sarkast in scouting out the ruined town and countryside. It becomes quickly obvious in this terrain the best path is simply northwest towards the river; the original path suggested by Aron.
A couple of hours exploration around the ruins of Valas' Gift shows little of interest; plains, plains, and more plains. However, exploration of the village and some of the surrounding farms does show there is a potential haul of food as the demons had no interest in destroying food stores. Stocked root cellars, unattended gardens, and other remaints of the town could provide a lot of food. With the army put to work it could be worth it to spend a day foraging supplies.
While exploring the area, Sarkast manages to spot deer tracks. He follows them to a spring and Anevia manages to bring down a doe.
Dejik meanwhile accompanies Sosiel as he sees to the complaints of the troops. She manages to find a few paladins suffering from fever, her endure elements spell manages to protect them from the chill of the night. As of now, the health of the army is excellent, the fastidious lifestyle of worshippers of Iomedae ensuring there is a minimum of filth in the camp.
Ronan seeks out Aravashnial, he has wanted to talk with the Riftwarden but has never found the right time.
That evening the army sit around the campfires and the doe is spit-roasted and devoured by the troops hungry of a day of marching in full armour. Nurah spends the evening wandering the camp, singing songs in a rich, throaty voice of recruitment, campaigns, and great battles against an impossible foe. Sosiel and Aron sit quietly beside one another, talking while Anevia loudly tells embarassing stories about Irabeth, who just laughs.
Aravashnial is currently reading his spellbook, revelling in every word. As Ronan approaches and asks about his parents, Aravashnial frowns, looking over the summoner.
"Right, right. You'd mentioned something of that."
He looks over Ronan carefully.
"Half-elven. And - forgive me, you look very young. It's been years."
The elf gently closes his spellbook and looks up to the sky.
"Over twenty years ago, there was a mission into the Worldwound that several of our number went on to not return. I was not privy to the details. And frankly, I don't remember names well. But!" He raises a finger. "I do remember elves, and a relationship with a human would certainly be memorable. Beredhen was one of the fair folk, and I believe he may have been with a human who was on the mission too. The could have had a child. Beredhen did have an elven wife and child a long time ago, nearly a century, but they split and his wife left for the south. She was Qadiran or something."
Aravashnial frowns. "I don't remember the human woman's name though, she could have been your mother. But perhaps the name Beredhen is one for you to follow. I do remember him. Serious, very intelligent." He laughs ruefully. "I have spent so much time memorizing spells and facts about demons I forget names and dates."
The following morning Irabeth gives the call to break camp, and the army marches onwards, eventually finding its way alongside the Sellen. The day is crisp and cool, a good day for a long march and the hours pass by without issue. A second night is spent camping at the Sellen, a more muted affair as the toil of the long days settles in on the troops.
While at camp the second night, Nurah settles in with the party, and begins asking questions.
"You do of course realize that songs are going to be written about this glorious conquest - and I should be the one to write them I think. So tell me of yourselves, Knights of the Fifth Crusade. Who are these people we walk with? I see such variety amongst you. Two Kellids, one who is blind yet can see, an elf with a... Qadiran accent? Perhaps Keleshite, I get confused. A intriguingly mysterious half-elf with this bizarre creature! And perhaps the most proper paladin I have seen, of Shelyn nonetheless. Please, tell me of yourselves!"
Ayesha's system fell apart the second day, as she fell into the trap of trying to manage too many things at once. Failing to rely on those to whom she had given the responsibilities, she ran herself ragged, and drove the unit quartermasters to distraction.
In the evening, Ayesha responds to Nurah's questions in a friendly, but guarded manner. "You are right, Qadiran it is. I was raised there. In fact, until about a year ago, I had never left. It is much warmer there than here. I am afraid I have still not gotten used to how cool it is here all the time."
Dejik shrugs. I probably am Kellid by blood, as far as I know. But I was found as an infant by Naris, a priest of Iomedae. That church is the only home I've ever known, and Naris and the paladins he ministers to are my only family.
She winks at Sarkast. That's why my Hallit is so terrible.
"Yes he is a bit bizarre isn't he, and he has been getting more so over the last little while. As for me I grew up in Kenabres, never knew my parents, all I know is they both were Riftwarden, or at least one was. I have asked Aravashnial if he knew them. Turns out my mother might yet be alive one can only hope and my fathers name may have been Beredhen."
Ronan turns to Ayesha, "There maybe a chance that my mother was Qadiran.
There is not much before my Crusading days. I am the son of minor noble stock from Varisia. As a younger son, there was not much glory or honor to be had back home. So, I decided to join the Crusade. My conversion to the Worship of the Blessed Rose happened on my way to Mendev. There was a most beautiful Soul, her name was Brienne and she taught me much.
"I was trained as a scout by my tribe. When I was young, I thought myself more skilled than I was, and ventured too far from camp. I was saved from a likely encounter with demon-worshippers by a mysterious lady, whom I have since determined must have been a herald of Desna, if not the Song Herself."
"I recently completed my nineteenth year, and during my Coming of Age ceremony, the priest had a vision, and told me my destiny was to join a group of heroes in the Worldwound. I was sent to Kenabres and ... it seems destiny has found me."
Suddenly noticing he has an audience, Sarkast becomes self-conscious, and returns to working on his weapons.
Nurah smiles, writing a few things down as the group speaks.
"Fantastic! You will have to tell me much of what has happened to you with the wardstone shard; there are so many rumours and I am sure all of them are wrong."
With Nurah's recordings done, she bids the group farewell and slinks off to sleep.
The following day Anevia and Sarkast are a good twenty minutes ahead of the army as they scout, looking for any signs of hostile forces and the first sight of the ford. They are rewarded on both counts.
As Sarkast stands on a slight hill, overlooking the ford he is dismayed to see a large force, far larger than the one promised, gathered on the eastern side of the ford! A large pile of bodies can be seen to one side and although it is distant, he is fairly sure he sees horns and tails amongst the army there - tieflings. At least two hundred.
Sarkast and Anevia come rushing back to the front line of the army, with Anevia calling out breathlessly.
"The Ford has been taken! Everyone... ugh, everyone slaughtered. There's an army of at least two hundred tieflings!"
Irabeth holds up a hand, her voice booming out as she calls for the army to halt. The lines stop in place.
She savagely kicks the ground, and looks to the group.
"We have an elite army here and tieflings are cunning, but not particularly disciplined or useful in a mass battle. However, we'll want to make best use of what we have here."
Irabeth yanks off a gauntlet to scratch the side of her face.
"Commanders, the approach is yours. We have at least three good scouts in Aron, Sarkast, and Anevia and some magic at our disposal as well it looks like. That said, be wary of tiefling scouts for the area as well. Buggers are stealthy."
Aron looks at the silence of the group and then cuts in, slapping his hands together.
"I was brought here to handle the tactics Irabeth, let me suggest something. From Anevia and Sarkast's scouting report we've got around two hundred of the horned buggers down there by the ford. Tiefling have no discipline. Individually they're hard to outsmart, but as a group they're sharp as marbles."
He produces a crude map of the ford.
"We have a good incline down to the ford, and if we can draw them away from the ford itself, a good mounted charge should crush them."
The hollow-eyed man grins over at the party.
"According to Anevia and Sarkast, they've got a little goat-demon amongst them. That's a brimorak according to Aravashnial and almost certainly in charge. It's been leading patrols of itself and around ten tieflings, probably out of boredom. So my suggestion is our fine heroes here crush one of these patrols. Leaderless, they're more likely to fall for an ambush."
He looks at all of you, his hands shaking a bit as he rolls up the map.
"So what say you commanders? Take Anevia with you and give us a signal once the brimorak is dead. We'll advance in the meantime and set up our ambush."
"You've fought plenty of tieflings at this point, I think a brimorak may be new to you. They're fire demons and frontline infantry troops. Their blood will burn you, they cast fire spells, and their breath is noxious and can sicken you. That said, their hooves burn holes in the ground. It's VERY easy to track one in case you have trouble finding it on patrol. Unless its flying, but it can only do that for around an hour."
Ayesha smiled at the thought of getting back in the action, instead of just going over more ledgers. "That sounds fine to me. I'd prefer to get back to the simple necessities of combat. If we can wait for a half an hour or so, I can prepare a few spells that might help us against these specific opponents."
Sarkast perks up at the sound of engaging the demon. "Your plan sounds good, Aron. We will try to stop the small but powerful group, allowing the troops to engage the body of the enemy army."
As Ayesha prepares her spells, Sarkast makes a final check of everyone's weapons, sharpening any blades that need it.
Anevia gladly takes advantage of the whetstone, although keeps her bow and arrows handy.
Wasting no time, the party head out towards the bank of the Sellen, the sound of Nurah playing some uplifting music for the troops fading out as they descend down the valley and towards the tiefling army. The terrain around here is littered with dying beech and oak trees as the plains turn into badlands across the river.
Anevia leaps over small boulders and scampers ahead of the party, quiet as a mouse. She points to the northwest towards the army encampment, around a mile northwards.
"I spotted that goat-demon patrolling south here. Can anyone around here look for tracks? If we can find evidence of a back-and-forth patrol, we just have to wait."
Ayesha looked around for signs of tracks, wondering if she would even know what she was looking for if she found it. "Got hoofs or boots, do you think?"
Nilus shrugs at Anevia helplessly I'm not sure what I would be looking for if I found it..
Sarkast looks around, sniffs the air, and checks the area for tracks.
'Jinxx, help out Sarkast, but be quiet about it.'
Jinxx moves close by where Sarkast is, Jinxx sniffs the air to see if he can pick out anything.
Sarkast and Jinxx wander around the area, and Sarkast suddenly gets a whiff of brimstone. The skilled tracker sees some disturbances that would show a new path being cut through the terrain. But by following his nose, he sees the most telltale sign; hoof-prints which are seared into the the earth. They cross in either direction, but the most recent tracks, which still smell, lead southwards.
Anevia scampers over and grins.
"I bet that means this patrol will come back this way. So we can either follow them, or wait."
"I like the idea of setting an ambush."
Sarkast looks around at the area the determine the best places to hide those of the group who aren't themselves good at hiding.
Nilus nods in approval of Sarkast's tactical acumen. Destroy the demons before they know what is coming. Less a chance of casualties that way.
Tieflings may or may not have distinct scents depending on their parentage. However, the brimorak smells very strongly of brimstone. The path the patrol seems to take starts to incline as the land drops steeply away on both sides, forming a sort of bottleneck. There are several places that could work for hiding, with a variety of boulders and wide trees to hide behind, or even in.