*'War of the White Dragon' -Defender Meeting*
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*Legion guards at the Legion Hall bid welcome to all defenders from all over the lands who are interested in meeting to talk of what has been done, and what will be done, to rid the land of the menace of the combined threat of orcs, giants, bugbears and goblins, that bring war to the region.
Each attendee is asked his affiliation, but generally all people who are recognized as having fought these creatures on the defensive walls west of Jiyyd are allowed entrance.
Once inside the large stone building, which seems heavily guarded on this day, guests find long stone tables filled with bread, cheese, apples and other assorted foodstuffs. Bottles of legion ale of various vintages are set upon the tables. The place has various flags and pennants decorating the walls, a long bar with a hin barkeep in legion colors, and is generally neater and cleaner than one might expect.
At the front of the tables, set several podiums and some covered charts set upon easels.
All seems ready for a large serious gathering, as various peoples from various towns, guilds, and communities find there way in, slowly settling into their seats and sampling the food and ale.
Defenders discuss various battles, of fallen friends and timely charges against formidable enemies. People discuss various theories of what the white dragon might want. Soon a sizable group is gathered, filling the seats as people wait for the meeting to formally begin.*
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_'Parley with Sharn.
'Find out what he wants. He had the strength to take Jiyyd months ago, but has not.
'Sharn is old, cleverer than most here. Sharn has a plan. Sharn has a goal beyond the destruction of this insignificant village.
'So talk to Sharn. Send some people to discuss terms. There is something he wants -more- than our destruction, because he hasn't yet destroyed us.
'He is a dragon. He expects respect, fear and awe from us. If we listened, he'd tell us what he wants us to do. More information cannot harm our situation here.
'There is something he wants -more- than our destruction._
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Ad rises again
Jerr, I very much doubt that Kiera intends a face to face battle with You and Sharn. That would be playing into her hands as she has most experience in that sort of fight. There are other ways to fight this manace. For instance, Animals are not the only spies we have to worry about. Dragons can take human form, no ? Are we completely sure she's not in this very room ?
He pauses and looks about, staring at the occupants in turn, to emphasise his point
To defeat her we must try to think like her..and try to get one step ahead of her.
I'll not say more till I can be certain that dragon ears will not hear what I have to say. Except this, each of you planning covert operations be very careful where and how you choose to communicate vital information.He turns to face General Lyte addressing her directly
I'm sorry if that puts a kink in your information flow, General, I'll let you know personally what ideas are stirring in my thoughts…you and any other commanders you nominate will be party to any operations I contemplate.He then sits listening to what else is said and scribbling furiously
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Lilin speaks up for the first time the whole meeting to say
If you want a sort of safe way into Norwick… the very south part of the Spider Pass in the camp is very close to the Shrine of Lanthander... we'd just need a way to get up the cliff face... I think the druids could help with that.
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Hearing about this, Jeremy locates Jonni as fast as he can.
I'm sure that ye will be needin' ye old sword back then?
grins
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Jonni enters the hall with a letter in his hand, that he folds and tucks behind his belt, before leaning against the wall and listening quielty to those speaking for awhile, arms crossed over his chest. When the voices quiet a bit, he calmly says..
I'll fight a bugbear if yer needin'. Fight quite a few if yer needin' that as well. But the one man there is right. Bugbears ain't goin' to be just accepting a duel with everything to lose an' nothing to gain, we'll be needin' to put somethin' up that is enticing to them. An' we'll be needin' someone who can talk in their tongue to challenge 'em properly.
Get tha' done, an' I'll show to fight them, just be prayin' their champion ain' a warmachine.
He turns to leave, but then stops and says back again
An' don't be stupid over it. Set clear terms. Weapon of choice to the fighter. No castin' allowed. No help from those outside the duel. No potions, an' no scrolls. Skill of the champions without aid from others, an' no aid from clerics….
I'll be at the Whore when yer set.
Ducks back out the door without saying much else.
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Those in the immediate vicinity of Kresha hear a mightly gurgle and hear her mumbling something about pancakes, butter, and syrup…
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_"There are other skilled fighters in the region. I'm sure Major General Grag would accept a duel with their champion. Jonni, leader of the Romani forces surely would fight for the return of one of his own people.
You are right there is a risk involved. Isn't there always a risk? We surely would not send a champion in without blessings of some sort. Also I would image we would be standing right behind our champion in case the bugbears decide to dishonor their agreement. It would be in the bugbear's best interests to accept such a challenge. Their orc and frost giant allies would be disgraced if the bugbears committed an act of dishonor."_
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Mord speaks for the first time since the meeting has gone on. What reason would there be fer the bugbears ta accept such a challenge? I am not sayin the attempt should not be made but be ready ta offer somethin in exchange. If we get tha bodies, what does they git if they win. Looks around the group thoughtfully Or have ye not thought of that?
And this be one small skirmish. Many has fallen ta date. We must weigh the risk involved so that we do not lose more than we gain in the attempt. One of the Militia's strongest sits in a Peltarch prison. Perhaps, a deal could be made in exchange fer this service from er, if not, who then will be this champion ye risk this wager on? His lips quirk slightly as looks about then sits
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Theaon rises again
_"I've given the champion duel a second thought. If the bugbears agree to a champion vs. champion duel for the bodies and the belongings, they'd be giving us their word of honor. Now honor may not mean much to the bugbears, but it seems to mean more to the orcs and frost giants. If our champion defeated the bugbear champion and they still refuse to give us back the bodies and their gear, that would disgrace the bugbears in front of their allies. It would indeed shake up their alliances.
looks around to the others
Thoughts?"_
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Even more reason to take back the town…
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Dentin stands up again…
"If any attempt to recover the bodies and equipment is made, I would like to come along. I lost everything I carried to the orcs, and perhaps there is a chance some of my things might be recovered along with those of the others."
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General Theaon of the Legion rises to speak
_"I'm afraid I have some very bad news. A few days ago a bugbear mage was taunting the defenders at Sam's Hill. One lad, describes Vidar who wasn't so bright decided he could walk into the south valley and kill this mage with no problem. Sergeant William of the Legion, Commander Raver of the Romani, and myself tried to get him to turn back, but it was too late. The bugbears ambushed us and quickly killed the foolish lad. The three of us started to fall back. The bugbear mage must have casted some type of slow spell on Raver, she did not make it out. William went back for her body, but the bugbears killed him before he could get her body away. I drank an invisibility potion and attempted to get the bodies, but the bugbear mage could still see me. I was left with no choice but to retreat. There wasn't a strong enough force on the Hill at the time that could have led a rescue mission. We last saw the bugbear take the bodies and their gear into Norwick.
It was recommended that perhaps a duel of honor between two champions could give us a chance to get the bodies back. I don't exactly think the bugbears have a sense of honor. If their champion was killed, they would probably just get angry and not give the bodies back.
At this point it seems the only way we can get the bodies back is by taking back Norwick."_
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Albryanna stands quietly by, listening tentatively to General Lyte's plans. She nods to herself, thinking that if defenders are placed on the road, she will have less patroling to do in the Pass and can help more with the defences on Sam's Hill.
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As the various defenders meet again as Norwick Camp becomes better fortified, Lyte details some supply line security plans, producing a small map.
_"This could be a long war. I think we would be wise to look to securing our supply lines to and from Peltarch by establishing small, but fortified checkpoints or posts along the road north.
http://www.pixhost.com/pixd/dukstuf/supply1.jpg
With the several companies of Peltarch Defenders on hand, one Company could be assigned to the checkpoints, while another patrols the road, assuring no ogres or orc scouts, or other enemies disrupt caravans.
I've a little drawing of a proposed checkpoint, which would be equipped with a signal fire, a few days supplies, a few baracades, and a good field of fire.
http://www.pixhost.com/pixd/dukstuf/check1.jpg
Caravans needing to camp on the road could do so at a checkpoint, sleeping in the small dugout.
I'm also going to recruit more couriers, and some drummers for messages back and forth, between checkpoints, and our two camps, Jiyyd, and the Gypsy Camp.
I suspect these are vital measures at this time of great peril.
What do we think?"_
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Lyte listens to the various ideas carefully
Hm. I wonder if the druids might not be able to move the animals out of the region…that would be a lot easier to bear than some other ways of eliminating their supplys.
It's worth asking Raisa about.
As far as our "fronts" go...there are very easy and specific means we can take to easily bring ourselves into a united, very easy to support single front.
I've had the legion planners working on this for some time. If we centralized our catapults and other siege weapons onto the central cliff where the gypsys had long been posting, as per the green symbols on my map, we can easily cover both the norwick and plains egresses.
By adding a simple gate along the rocky cliff we share, we can easily reinforce back and forth, at a moments notice, while the enemy faces a ponderous, long, forested, cliff faced set of steep trails to navigate between their forces.
Please look at my marked red gates for reference to placement of the gate between the Jiyyd and Norwick sides of the defenses.
It's high time we dropped the notion of two fronts, and taken advantage of the surperior ground and more easily reinforced terrian we possess.
We can hold here, if we work together.
Lyte points out the easy to cover high ground they share
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*Laucian spends several minutes of the meeting scribbling out a note. He then sidles over towards the meeting area discreetly and hands it to Lyte. It reads thusly,
_"If they get their food from hunting animals in the woods, couldn't we get the druids to ask the animals to leave? Then they wouldn't have anything.
I don't know. Might work.
Probably not."_
After handing it off he turns silently and retreats back into his corner*
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sighs with Jerr's words offering blessings of True Sight to those whom ask for it… though she no doubtedly will drain her savings with this decision.... We kin weed em out though they'll just stick another mage in its place it would seem. Though if we stick to this course just prior to making a decisive move it migh' prove beneficial..
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Looks up suddenly and around the room.
"damn, I hate it when a good idea works both ways. Anybody know how to tell if the local beasties are all real? The other side has been fairly accurate at guessing our actions but maybe that is because we are ignoring the possibility they could be chirping on a nearby branch and listening to us get set."
He shakes his head and looks over to Keira. "Nice summation as usual . . . although I do not agree with everything she has said. And yes, I have fought in Dragon form, against another dragon once, but I would not give good odds to be able to take Sharn. Intimidate a bunch of Orcs? Maybe.
"Lyte, your defence plan looks good but we still face the problem of a wide front that we cannot adequately man against a concerted push in a single place unless we know in advance where that push will be. And that is the crux of it. I think they are managing to see us and we are still blind in regards to them. Abners death just hammered that home. I am not laying blame, not complaining, just trying to see how we can learn more . . . work with more. If we keep fighting this war defensively I do not like what is going to happen. And I do not want to make my home in Peltarch, no offence to the brave folk from there who are helping us in our hour of need."
Jerr looks about to say something else but shuts his mouth and sits down with a thoughtful look on his face.
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Ad rises from his seat and waits till all eyes turn to him
I've asked the druids to speak to any vermin in the region of Norwick. They will surely know of any food stores and will avoid large concentrations of occupants, that we might learn where the enemy congregates, I've also asked specifically to try to find any hammerings that we determine their workshops.
Even if we only find where is dangerous for the vermin we'll at least know what areas the enemy is trying to protect from prying eyes…grins and that's where we want to try to pry by other means.
Hopefully this can be achieved quickly and they'll relay the results.with a nod , he sits
