Yearning for liberation (Afina)

[Anastasia]

Afina will run war games with attacking/defending fortified locations. She'll see what the brain trust can dig up on Semyaz's favoured tactics and incorporate that kind of stuff into it along with a smattering of generic Hell tactics and Bel specials. It's less Afina teaching people how to murdersprint and more broad strokes command stuff. Her personal involvement will be giving the rank troops practice in dealing with elites, which will boil down to a lot of 'don't bunch up and get murdered by AoE, use battlefield control and stuff that doesn't go directly against the enemy's resistances, and if pushed into melee rely on buffs and lots of aid another to make hits count'.

As far as anyone needs to know if they get curious she'll explain it as prep for an attack on Lifasa, just so if there's any spies they won't give away the surprise advantage.

Quoting this for my own reference.

First of all, basically want the brains to K:P about Semyaza, his tactics and all of that? Just to be clear.

[Ebiris]

Yeah, not his tactics personally but how his minions do stuff, noteworthy tricks and traps used, blind spots or rage buttons, stuff like that.

[Anastasia]

Okay. We'll start with that. Sylvie's Knowledge check will be on point since she can get the highest, Tepen'll aid her as will Gold.

> roll 1d20+113 (+2 Tepen aid, +2 Gold aid, +15 library, +23 factotum, +10 lore of the gods, +3 floating feat in skill focus) Sylvie K:P
<Kobot> Kotono rolled 1d20+113 (+2 Tepen aid, +2 Gold aid, +15 library, +23 factotum, +10 lore of the gods, +3 floating feat in skill focus) Sylvie K:P --> [ 1d20=2 ]{115}

By the time you check in on Sylvie, Tepen and Gold, all of them look a little frazzled. Books are everywhere. A cork board hangs from a wall in the library, full of notes and references. Another one is chock full of diagrams and drawings linking various items, lines connecting to circles with words in them.

"To begin," Sylvie says, taking a half drank glass of water and draining it before going on, "How much do you know about Semyaza?"

[Ebiris]

Taking 10 for 48 on planes, what *does* Afina know?

[Anastasia]

Do you know if you've made this check before, Afina?

[Ebiris]

Reasonably sure I haven't, Afina probably didn't even have it as a skill when we first got involved with this stuff.

[Anastasia]

Semyaza was once a solar who aided mortals through the power of song and magic. It is said that in time he came to view mortals as nothing but instruments for his will and pleasure, until he was cast out for his sins. He is now known as the Archduke of Sensuality and is a being who crushes the will of others in order to sate his own lusts. He is vain, cruel and ultimately incapable of loving anyone but himself. He is outside of Hell's normal hierarchy, essentially an outcast devil even if he is not officially one. You recall a tidbit that his lair is in Avernus and that Bel curries favor with him by ensuring it is well protected.

In recent times he came to take over the world of Benfal, which you already know about.

[Ebiris]

"Narcissistic fallen angel with an overdone focus on sexuality," Afina gives her unflattering summary. "Not greatly tied into Hell's politics but seems to have a beneficial understanding with Bel."

[Anastasia]

Sylvie pushes up her librarian's glasses, huffing, "That's about right. I'm sure you can fill in the blanks on many of his habits."

After a breath, "Ugh." Sylvie slowly rubs the bridge of her nose, "He doesn't have a lot of mortal worshipers, save for Benfal or places he has undue influence. They tend to organize into fairly typical lawful clergies, though the doctrine's horrible. On Benfal he has the numbers for more atrocious things, like the Raspine Bands. They see to his will and the natives are expected to satisfy them. Anyone willingly serving him you can put down with no guilt on your part."

"Ahem," Tepen coughs, a light and delicate sound. "In short, his direct minions are typical devils, albeit ones focused on beauty. Expect spells around that and favored mortal minions who are attractive or so useful to be tolerated anyway. Those are the ones to be weary of, since enough talent to overcome Semyaza's biases means a formidable foe. I'd suggest making them priority targets."

[Ebiris]

"No sympathy for collaborators," Afina nods. The same policy will apply on Lifasa, anyone trusted enough by the devils to run around with weapons or spells is someone that deserves to die. "I'll make sure everyone understands the same when the time comes. We're keeping it secret for now so as to not upset Alicia and Seira's timetable, let our own forces plus any spies or observers think we're gearing for an attack on Lifasa." For that reason the library's been cleared out aside from Afina and her advisers here. Which perhaps doesn't make her very popular but needs must.

[Anastasia]

"Right. That's his general minions. Do you want details on his best and brightest next?" Sylvie asks.

[Ebiris]

"I was more looking for an overview of tactics and strategies, but it wouldn't hurt to know of any notables we might run into," Afina agrees. "I can pass along any information via Ebony to our allies since we might have things they missed."

[Anastasia]

"We're getting to that, we were through," Sylvie smiles and checks her notes. "His most notable are two of his sons. He has a lot of bastards out there, but these two are a nightmare. They're named Hiwa and Hiya, who specialize going around and making mortal empires of tyranny. They rule them until they collapse over the two's gluttony and they leave, only to repeat the feat on another world. They're natural sorcerers as well as far larger than they should be, virtual titans over lesser creatures. Semyaza's been known to call on them when things are serious and he may do so this time. Frankly, they're out of the rank and file's depth to deal with, so my advice is that they delay or retreat while officers deal with them."

Tepen takes over after that, "Unusually, the mother's in the picture. Her name varies by source: Ishtar, Isahatar, Isha, Ishtahar and other variants are common. What's clearer is that she's an intensely powerful and extremely reclusive sorceress of surpassing ability. She's long left the mortal world behind and it's said she has a lair somewhere in the Inner Planes. Details are sketchy, but we can't rule her out. She was powerful enough to survive Semyaza with her will intact. She's noted as being unearthly beautiful and carries a snake-shaped staff."

While Tepen gets a drink of water, magic bringing over ice water, Gold picks up. "The other notable is his Prime Minister, Dougalf. He is a fallen planetar who is known as a gifted orator and has great talent in divine magic. He fell long after Semyaza but immediately found sanctuary with him, so the common thought is that Semyaza had a hand in his fall. He's known as managing at least 10th level magic, including magic to cause confusion over at least a mile."

[Ebiris]

"I'll have to ask our allies if any of them are known to have particular focuses or holdings on Benfal," Afina says."While they might appear anywhere it'd be good to know if we're particularly likely to face one or the other depending on where we're engaged."

[Anastasia]

"Now then, to strategy and tactics," Sylvie says, "First of all, the strategic goals of both sides are straight forward. Semyaza wants to hold Benfal and Sylica wants to liberate it. There's a few wrinkles in it - it's likely there will be a battle. Alicia and Syala vs Semyaza will be it.  Semyaza hates combat but I doubt he will give up Benfal without a battle. If all goes well that will be the crux of the campaign. We've gotten a request to avoid that battle, as it's Sylica's fight and reading between the lines, I don't think Alicia or Syala is going to hold back. Benfal may be short a few nations or a continent when they're done throwing power at one another."

A moment's pause to clear her throat and get more water. "That makes our tactical and strategic goals simple: Push into Benfal enough to enable Sylica to force Semyaza to give up Benfal or face down Alicia and Syala. We're the spear, they're the spear head. We need to confront and crush Benfal's defenses rather than worrying about a full occupation. If all goes well Semyaza's defeat and retreat - or even death, Heavens willing - will do much to demoralize the forces and invite a retreat."