Moving spheres

[Ebiris]

Multiple gates are opened between the mustering ground on Sylica and the astral plane as her forces fly out with well drilled professionalism. Heavily armoured and magically warded warriors are the first out, forming strongpoints to defend their gates from assault and counterspell dispels or dimensional anchors before faster elements move out to scout the surroundings and harass any potential enemy, before magical bombardment specialists march through and take their own positions to attack any defenders standing in the way of their beachhead.

Each gate thus defended, the situation on the astral deemed secure, the major bulk of Sylica's army begins to file out through the portals, forming vast serried ranks out on the silver sea, forming into two similarly matched groupings separated by distance. Alicia herself is the last to emerge, in the form of her avatar at least, accompanied by the living sun that is Latha, her radiance casting the silver of the astral into a glow of molten gold as the portals shut.

Barring any interruptions, one of those two factions of her army will disperse into the debris field, preparing for a guerilla style engagement as the other force forms a spearhead to push into it against their resistance so as to reach the centre of the field and fortify it in defence of increasingly pressing attacks from the dispersed force, before having to break out at Alicia's command and reach the edge of the field once more now in the face of an organised blockade intent on pinning them down.

Neither Alicia nor Latha will directly participate in the exercise, but they will be observing the whole thing, ensuring no outside interference and taking notes on the capabilities of their forces - this is still a valid exercise for everyone to learn from as much as it's a display of might and capability after all.

[Anastasia]

Thus your forces spread out - angels and mortals, mages and warriors, clerics and more. They all follow commands as you watch, Latha at your side. "The devils will not miss it, and the efreet will know," she murmurs. "Let's show them why they fear us."

[Ebiris]

Alicia nods as she and Latha float up at the edge of the debris field to get a good overview of things. "I'd like to do more, but a strong demonstration may keep more foes quiet than we could fight directly if it came to that," she says softly. "No one wants to be the first to get eliminated, even if the third or fourth may overwhelm us."

[Anastasia]

"The more that commit trigger more to joining. A cascade until everyone is at war," Latha says, "Your reasoning is sound, some of us need to stay out to be able to focus on opportunistic troublemakers. Not everyone crusades or climbs the mountain at once; for ever Raziel, there is a Sealtiel."

[Ebiris]

"Exactly, we all have our part to play. And the fate of Daun, the defeat of the First Vampire, and our own efforts against Shar take up much of our forces," Alicia agrees. "This method maximises the impact we can have, even if it won't be immediately obvious."

[Anastasia]

Below as your troops perform, military exercises going in earnest? You can see them far away, your divine vision letting you notice them. A small band of devils - four barbazu, two erinyes, two hamatula and one gelugon - as approaching your forces from the side. They bear a white flag, a flag of truce.

[Ebiris]

"Keep an eye on things for me, would you Latha?" she asks, turning towards the devils and waiting expectantly for them to reach her.

She doesn't draw her sword or bombard them with long range magic so they can feel grateful!

[Anastasia]

Celestials  part as Latha's light retracts into her, barely a radiance at all. The devils approach, heads held high - or at least the gelugon. The barbazu are shaking visibly, though they at least hold the line.

"What is the meaning of this," the gelugon chitters at you, once they're close enough for conversation. The hamatula and erinyes stay behind him, eyes anywhere but you. The gelugon sweeps one clawed hand out towards the exercises.

[Ebiris]

"Mind your tone," Alicia says cuttingly. "I may respect a flag of truce, but don't abuse my tolerance."

She'd have been happy to explain but she can't let some no name devil talk to her like that and get away with it. Other devils might get ideas.

[Anastasia]

Intimidate check, just for the record of how scary you are.

[Ebiris]

[19:47] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+48 intimidate
[19:47] <Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+48 intimidate --> [ 1d20=17 ]{65}

[Anastasia]

The gelugon quickly skitters back a step, a chittering as it says, "T-then what are you doing, m-ma'am?" it tries.

[Ebiris]

She looks at the devil for a long moment to let it stew before she answers. "Military exercises. If a similar planar breach or other hostile conflict erupts on the astral plane, my forces will have the skills and doctrine to handle it decisively."

[Anastasia]

"T-thank you, ma'am," The gelugon chitters away, "T-then, by your leave," he says, turning to go.

Latha smiles, faintly so. "There is one thing. Something about you reminds me of Antenora," she says, "Are you also from Cania?"

[Ebiris]

Alicia would let them go, but she allows Latha to do her own thing since she raised it!

Though telling a devil it's like Antenora in front of other devils probably just killed its promotion prospects forever.