Tristan (hands still holding papers of deployment, recruitments, provisions and route plans) accepts the medal with barely a smile a nod and a slight swearing from the 33rd paper cut he has received from said papers.
Your Majesty.
Greta does her best to remain silent throughout the proceedings, only occasionally muttering "thank you, your majesty." She does, however, grin the entire time. When the ceremony is over, she falls in behind Benedic and follows him and his aunt towards the waiting army.
You find your army encamped just outside the eastern gates of Kenabres, with dozens of tents lined up in neat rows. Even as you approach, you notice an uptick in activity, as shouting voices and running men serve to announce your arrival as well as any trumpet.
Irabeth is waiting for you at the outskirts of the encampment, whereupon she leads you to the command tent. Along the way, you pass one Horgus Gwerm, who is too busy shouting down a man driving a wagon of supplies to pay you any mind.
A paladin standing guard at the tent holds the flap open for the party and, after your eyes have a moment to adjust to the relative dimness, you finally meet your specialists. Three are strangers to you, a pair of male humans in conversation with a female halfing, but the fourth man, an elf, is nearly upon you before you can register his presence.
"My friends!" Aravashnial cries, taking Greta's hands in his with a laugh. "How good it is to see you again for the first time."
Selann grins when he sees Aravashnial, "'Looking' good yourself Aravashnial. Who are the scouts for this mission? I figure that;s where I'll be. My skills are generally suited for the regular army!"
Regardless he goes over to introduce himself to the female halfling. "Welcome to the army. I'm Selann Juris. Who would you be?"
Greta does her best to accommodate Aravashnial's attempt to grab her hands, despite the massive hammer she's carrying. She smiles broadly while Selann speaks and then adds, "I'm so glad that the queen's people were able to fix your eyes! It's so good to be seen by you again, for the first time." She chuckles softly after repeating the elf's somewhat silly phrase.
"You will be a most welcome addition in this endeavor," she concludes before turning her gaze to the other three specialist. "Hi, I'm Greta...Dame Greta, I guess...or Silverscale, if you want, some of the people in the Heart started calling me that because, well, I have a scale from Terendelev that lets me cover myself in silver scales in important battles, and that's not very formal but it is kind of awesome so I don't mind if you use it, or maybe Dame Silverscale? That's more formal but still awesome...I don't know, you can call me any of those. What should I call each of you?"
Greetings Aravashnial, I am glad you can return our gaze at long last. Be welcomed. he greets the older elf enthusiastically.
Caliban, I suppose Sir Caliban now. It is my pleasure to meet you all today. he says with more reserve, bowing toward the other newcomers.
Aravashnial grins back at Selann and Caliban. "I believe you already know the woman leading our scouts, so let me introduce you to these three first." He points to each person as he speaks their name.
"First is Nurah Dendiwhar, an accomplished bard specializing in Drezen and the surrounding area. Next is Aron Kir, an expert tactician well-versed in siegecraft. Finally, Sosiel Vaenic, a priest of Shelyn and a wise counselor."
For their part, Nurah flashes a brilliant smile, Aron looks embarrassed, and Sosiel gives a half-bow.
Junior's eyes waggle when Aravashniel mentions that Nurah is a bard. He asks, "Hey can you play bass? Or trombone?"
Selann listens and hears the introductions. Bard? "Nurah Dendiwhar? Can I say that I've heard of you and am very glad that you're joining our little army! Anything to help the moral of the troops, right? Personally I've never had time of the desire to learn about music, but maybe you could show me the error of my ways???"
Tristan politely introduces himself to their newest members into the Worldwound. The Inquisitor speaks to each individually so as to get a hunch as to each's disposition.
Sir Tristan de Lion, tactician and instrument of Iomadae. May She watch over each of you.
The Inquisitor winks.
Nurah's smile falters for a moment at Junior's questions, but quickly reasserts itself. "I'm afraid I'm not all that talented when it comes to playing instruments. My training bent more towards reciting poetry and...well...performing showtunes." Her face flushes with embarrassment.
Selann smiles at Nurah's reply to Junior. "Poetry and showtunes? No problem there. We probably wouldn't have time for instruments anyway. But maybe you could teach me a song or three? And of course as you're a specialist in the area, any details about Drezen would be greatly appreciated. If I'm to be working with the scouts any information available before we get there could be very important. Also, teaching a fellow halfling means you won't always be bending your head up and back to see my eyes!"
Benedic greets his old and new acquaintances warmly, watching them interact with everyone in the company. His eyes dart about, taking in everything he can about the army and the people with various commands.
When they are introduced, he nods to the three. "We are very glad of your expertise, wheresoever it may bend. Our cause needs all the support it can get." To Sosiel he opines, "A priest of Shelyn nested within an army of Iomedan paladins? I hope your goddess bears a warlike aspect in your worship of Her. Or do you perhaps specialize in charming the enemy?" He says all this with a polite smile and a gentle prodding, trying to draw out the priest's sense of humor.
Junior grins, "We can work with that. Right Amelia?!"
Not waiting for Amelia to answer Junior asks, "How about limericks? Sometimes the ones I write are good."
There once was a halfling named Nurah,
She hadn’t skilled coloratura,
Poetry was her thing,
Or showtunes she would bring,
Just don’t ask for acciaccatura.
Amelia puts her hand on Junior's shoulder, "Hey maybe don't make fun of people the first time you meet them?"
She asks "Do the demons know about our assault plans? If so how?"
"I'd love to!" Nurah says, rather loudly, and to her own surprise. "I mean...I've done lots of research on the region, even from before the Worldwound opened. And I hadn't even thought about how much easier it would be to talk with someone my own size." She leans in and whispers in a conspiratorial tone. "Sometimes they have the nerve to complain that looking down at me all the time hurts their necks!"
Sosiel, clearly used to skepticism about his place in the crusader army, only smiles warmly. "While Shelyn teaches us that violence should be avoided whenever possible, it should be remembered she wields her glaive as elegantly as any brush. She also loves beauty in all its forms. A brilliant maneuver, executed perfectly on the battlefield, can be just as worthy to her as any painting, particularly if in defense of the innocent."
"Besides," he says, gesturing toward the flap of the tent and the camp beyond it, "it's not just our bodies that the demons try to corrupt and destroy. They'll attack our minds and our hearts with just as much fervor, and there is little to counter that in the field. It's good to remind the soldiers what we're defending. More than that: someday, this war will be over. I don't know what will come after that, but my hope is that it will be something kinder, something gentler than old Sarkoris."
It's another couple days before your army is ready to move. In the meantime, Irabeth relays to you a route that was suggested by Queen Galfrey.
"Approximately 30 miles north of here, or about a day's travel, is the village of Valas's Gift. The Queen has recommended that we march there, gather some additional supplies from the surrounding farms, and then follow the Sellen River to Vilareth Ford. From there, we can follow it north to the mouth of the dry Ahri river, also called Keeper's Canyon. That will take us the rest of the way to Drezen."
As she names each location, she points to its location on a map spread out on the table. "She also asked me to stress that this is only a recommendation, not an order. As the people actually in the field, she trusts your judgment."
Junior gallantly tries to remember anything pertinent about the places mentioned and if there are any alternate routes to where they’re going. He shares what he knows, if anything.
"I'm not a fan of taking farmer's crops to feed our armies but I don't have another solution to that other than paying them for it."
Junior turns to their specialists and the party, "What do you think? Seems legit."
I concur that we should offer to pay for the supplies should the families still be present, or perhaps a promissory note to pay from her Majesty? Caliban offers up. As for the route, it seems to be a solid plan - I am less certain of the geography toward Drezen and this seems reasonable.
Benedic nods his assent. "We have good scouts in our army, thus it seems to me that with their aid we can follow Her Majesty's suggestion while looking ahead. Then we can adapt our route as needed, depending on what we learn."
Greta spends the days waiting for the army to be ready to move getting to know the soldiers, and enjoying her new found respect. She also requisitions a narrow tabard with the symbol of the 5th crusade emblazoned on it, which she wears over her armor with her new medals affixed to it.
When the time comes to discuss the route she listens attentively and then asks, "how deep is this Keeper's Canyon, and how steep are its sides? It sounds like it could help us move without drawing too much attention, if it keeps us out of view, but if we get attacked while we're trapped in a narrow pass it could be a disaster."
Tristan gives a thumbs up to the suggestions, while having numerous reports on his person.
Sounds good to me too. Ask the Queen for gems to distribute to the farmers and locals that we supply with.
Selann laughs quietly with Nurah and nods at her quiet comment. "I've seen it too. They don't seem to realize that we're the proper size. They are over-sized, too tall and such. But it gives us better shielding if we are attacked and need something to take cover behind!"
His quiet tone and smile show that he is teasing, and he changes to normal speaking volume. "So we've got a couple of days before the army leaves. Have you any plans for your time? While it would be nice to learn a song or three, I really do want to learn anything you know of Drezen. And do you have any maps or the city? The demon army might have left, but I'm sure taking the city will still be a hard battle. Anything we can learn before we enter might make it easier!"
Between studying show tunes, so as to not embarrass himself in front of Nurah, and banging on his anvil, Junior manages to find a few hours to write some scrolls on vellum.
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On the third day Junior gets to marching, singing and playing to bolster the paladin's spirits. He may have some misconceptions
Caliban crosses to where Selann's working on something, burnt spellbook in hand. I have learned what I can from this slightly singed tome. Do you think we should keep it around that you may learn from it as well? I continue to be happy to carry it for you, or you may take it now that you can learn more of the magical spells contained within.
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Selann accepts the book from Caliban. "A couple of them are still above my capability but I will want them once I have the power to use them. I can pack the book until then. Thanks!"
Greta's observations earn an approving nod from Irabeth. "At the mouth, the canyon is quite deep, with sheer walls, but it is also wide enough for us to maneuver. It's the obvious route, so I expect we will encounter some resistance, but it's also the only way to Drezen that remains relatively constant. We could march overland, but the geography of the region becomes...unpredictable."
Selann's interest in Nurah's skills seems to wash away her embarrassment, and soon she's talking a mile a minute. "They always seem to stick me with patter songs, though, no idea why!"
On the topic of compensation for the farmers, Horgus (who seems to have appointed himself as your quartermaster) harrumphs. "They'll be paid fairly for their supplies, don't you worry. It may be the crown's money, but I'll not let it be said that Horgus Gwerm doesn't reward honest work with honest pay!"
Finally, your army goes on the march. A hundred paladins, led by the heroes of Kenabres, sent on a seemingly impossible mission: to reconquer the city of Drezen, held by the forces of the Worldwound for most of a century.
The weather, at least, is cooperative. The sky is clear, armor and weapons glint in the sunlight, and a cool breeze from the east carries away the dust kicked up by hundreds of marching feet and hooves.
Unfortunately, as the day wears on and the sun begins to creep toward the horizon, you gradually become more aware of a haze to the north. Soon, a scout comes over the horizon, riding hard with a report from Anevia, written in a hurried scrawl.
Valas's Gift, farms torched. Likely days ago. Staying out of town, but no fresh sign of enemy. Will secure area, see you soon. Tell Irabeth not to worry.
Selann spends what time he can with Nurah, curious about what songs she might be able to teach him. It's quickly obvious that he's not a trained singer but is interested. Besides, he enjoys the company of another halfling. He asks about her life before the attack but doesn't press if she doesn't want to talk about herself.
Once the army leaves Selann joins the scouts. His stealth and unusual speed should be useful to Anevia and the other scouts.
Caliban hands the note back to Benedict and Greta, The best laid plans I suppose. It should still be worth advancing into the area and seeing if we can forage from any food supplies. I wonder if they knew we were marching this way, or if they are just pursuing a scorched-earth campaign generally...
He surveys the crowd of paladins, looking for something, but not finding it, When we are close I can fly up and see what a bird sees over the farm should forces be arrayed where our scouts on the ground cannot see them easily.
Greta reads the note with a frown then hands it to Benedic. “Well, commander…or prince, or whatever I’m supposed to call you now…it seems you have your first difficult decision to make. Most of the crops we were supposed to buy to feed the army have been burned up, and now we’ll either have to push on without it or find somewhere else to get it. It’s a shame we don’t have hunters with us, if there were some Erastilians around that we could recruit to come with us they could do a lot to feed the army while we travel…”
Junior begins to crack wise, "It's comma..." but stops short realizing now is not the time.
"I'm for pressing on. I think the soldiers would all volunteer for this as well. Is there another set of farms on the way? As grisly as it may be we can also scavenge supplies from the enemy. Cultists have to eat and demon like to eat."
He comments to Irabeth later, "I can see you're worried about Anevia. If you ever want to talk or yell, ha, I'm happy listen."
Tristan reads the scout's message, hands it off to Benedic and simply continues forward, trusting to the scouts.
I suppose that we could check it out ourselves? The band may continue forward and we can catch up.
When the runner gets sent back Selann moves into the city area. Are there any trace of the enemy present? Survivors hiding? Or anything worth salvaging?
What you find in your initial survey of the town itself is equal parts horrifying and confusing. There are bodies in the streets, to be sure, but less than you'd have expected if the town's inhabitants had simply been massacred. It's likely many of them were taken prisoner and marched somewhere else. You see no sign of any enemy presence, and the fires that had consumed entire buildings are down to embers. Unfortunately, you also see no sign of any survivors.
Irabeth's jaw tightens, and she forces a smile. "Nevi's tougher than she looks. Tougher than me, for certain." She clears her throat before speaking again. "The soldiers are ready to continue on, I'm certain of it. It pains me to say it, but Gwerm has also proven himself an excellent quartermaster, and we should have enough food and other supplies for the march to Drezen and a short siege."
Benedic winces at the discussion of his name. "In private, you may call me whatever you like, Greta." He flushes briefly as he realizes how that sounds. "I mean, when we are all in conference, away from the rest of the army. In any case, while this is a setback, we are fortunate that Gwerm has shown his quality. We should prepare ourselves for an ambush once we reach the canyon. Selann, can you work with the other scouts to see if you can determine anything about the creatures we are like to encounter? Special attacks, poison? Greta, we should think about how we will deal with fortifications, should any of our enemies embed themselves in the valley. It may be necessary for us to send a small party to infiltrate behind their defenses and clear the way for the army."
Once he is certain that the town is safe he reports back to Anevia. "No enemy. No survivors. but there are less bodies than there should be. Maybe they took prisoners? If so, likely this wasn't just demons. Cultists maybe? The fires are almost out so it's fairly safe. We could leave a couple of men here to search for anything useful that could be scrounged? The army was planning to get supplies and there might be something that the evil forces missed. ??
He waits for Anevia's decision and orders. Continue with the scouts or search the area more thoroughly?
Anevia waits a bit longer for some of the other scouts to report in, but makes her decision quickly. "We'll send another runner back to let the main force know the coast is clear. While we wait for them, let's investigate the town more thoroughly. Teams of four, see if there's any food or other supplies left behind. I doubt they got everything."
Selann will lead one of the teams searching.
"If a group needs to circle behind enemy lines to destroy fortified positions," Greta answers Benedic, "it should probably be us... or, at least, those of us who aren't needed to keep the army moving effectively, I guess. I mean, obviously, our group, with the special powers we've developed, would be the ones best equipped to handle something like that, but if you have to stay here, or Selann has to stay with the scouts, or whatever, then I can lead whatever group is going to go do that... although... do demons build fortifications? That kind of seems like more like a humanoid thing, but I guess if they do have cultists, or if there's corrupted descendants of the people who used to live in Sarkoris, they might build stuff..."
"Whatever the case, if we run into anything, I'm ready to lead a unit against them. Uh, commander, sir.
Tristan studies the reports gathered from the scouts about the town, while readying to leave.
So, are we going in groups of 4? Or is each of us leading a group of 4? Or are we going as a group of "4"?
The Inquisitor does indeed sound a bit inquisitive....
Caliban listens to what Greta was saying pondering his fellow knight's words, We encountered many cultists below the streets of Kenabres, Dame Greta. Those would need fortifications and ... food.... perhaps this raid was both a denial AND a resupply for their needs? Perhaps we stay together as one larger command team whilst the troops break into teams of four to scour the area. the elf concentrates a moment, reflecting inwardly, When we reach the village, I will fly up to see what I can see from a higher vantage point - this would tell us if there are ambush forces ready to ensnare us within.
When the party gets closer, Caliban's eyes flash with magical energy and he vanishes from sight as he swoops into the air - high to survey the ground and areas around the ruins.
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Junior gets a far away look on his face and reports in monotone, "Vast dusty plains dotted with iron fortresses made by insane and violent minds. Cities built with the bones, flesh, and blood of their enemies, some still alive and screaming. War engines able to disintegrate armies in the blink of an eye."
He shakes himself from his reverie, "Sorry what are we doing?"
The search of Valais's Gift is grim work, made slower by the meticulous and cautious search pattern drilled into Anevia's scouts. More than once, the body of a civilian in the open is discovered to be booby trapped, either with magic or some simple but brutal mechanism. The search takes most of the entire day, and while no survivors are found, you do turn up enough supplies to add about a week to your army's stores.
Caliban's aerial survey doesn't find any direct visual of the enemy, but the signs of their passage are easily spotted to spot from the air: the tracks of several hundred pairs of feet marching off to the northeast, toward Vilareth Ford.
With the grim work complete, Selann continues with the scouts under direction of Anevia. "If we catch up with the creatures that did this. No! When we catch up, they'll pay for their actions!"
Tristan is stoned-faced, as the group surveys Valais's Gift. The Inquisitor stands by the forward scouts, reading reports and making route corrections.
We shall catch up to them most likely, depending on the size of their group.
Caliban alights, dismissing the invisibility spell from himself, Many demonic tracks mixed with others heading right for Vilareth's Ford. With that number, they may be too confident to check for a smaller force like ours in their wake. Also they are demons, so it may not occur to them unless guided by a strong hand. We will have to be very cautious about following them with Anevia's scouts keeping a sharp watch as they have done here.
The elf pauses a moment, Does anyone know anything about Vilareth Ford? Is it another settlement, or just a landmark for crossing this river? I am less certain of what settlements may have survived in Sarkoris than others. Benedic, Greta, your thoughts as commanders?
"I'm not the commander," Greta protests, "that would be prince Benedic... but, as long as they're right in front of us, I'm all for pushing to catch up with them. They're not really our objective, so I think we should probably be careful not to get too distracted by them if they change course, but I definitely don't want them rampaging around the countryside destroying villages, and they could be a good test for our army, I mean, if we can't beat an invasion force in the open field we're probably gonna have a tough time trying to battle an entrenched army in a fortified city, you know? If they do change course though, we might have to think about how close we are and how long it would take to close the gap... if its too long we might have to settle for alerting the queen or another force and letting them deal with it... although, the next closest army is probably in Kenabres and they don't exactly have troops to spare right now, and who knows how long it would take to get an army to them from Egede or Nerosyan, so, I guess, maybe they are our problem either way..."
"I don't know, what do you think, your Royal Commanderness, sir?"
Benedic winces at Greta's tone. "Again, the honorifics are unnecessary, Greta. I agree that we should stick to our objective, but I am not against altering our course to take on this opposing force. My greatest concern is for the morale of our army, and I believe a victory against the enemy would strengthen our resolve."