Winterstorm

[Brian]

"I am reluctant to say too much over this channel," Mattias says slowly.  "Unless I am mistaken, someone with the power and skill to create the seal ... the ward ... that they have could also listen in.  As it is, I've already made a calculated risk by revealing our location and the fact that we've no soldiers to defend us.  Given that Eske is locked away a good twelve hours before I can free him...."  He trails off there.

[Rezantis]

"I understand.  Will you have a problem finding us when you're done?"

[Brian]

"No, I've been using this conversation to hone in on your location," he says.  "That way, when Eske is freed, I can--"

His words cut off then.  "No help will be coming to you," a new voice answers, before the stone turns black, and breaks in your hands, crumbling to dust.

Erik blinks at this.  "What happened?" he asks.

[Rezantis]

Rez swears loudly, then looks up at Erik, "Someone cut Mattias off, then the stone broke.  Gather our commanders and the priestesses and we'll brief everyone on the situation."

[Brian]

The march is brought to a halt, and someone erects a largish tent from one of the supply wagons.  You meet your commanders in this tent, and Erik introduces you to them in turn.

All of the Storm-riders are men with long hair, and all of them have beards.  The captain of the guard for the fort-guards is not clean-shaven, but has stubble (it looks like it's been a week or so since he's been able to shave last).  The priestesses are wearing red robes with the hoods pulled up.  Both have dark hair.  Only two of their vassals (one each) are allowed into the tent, since it would otherwise become crowded.

Eric introduces you to the officers in turn:

Alec Westwind is a young man, sitting crosslegged on the floor, occasionally rubbing his chestplate (it's still dented from the Jotun blow), and shifting about restlessly, like he doesn't enjoy sitting in place for too long.  "This is Sir Alec Westwind, of the oxen clan."  Alec pops to his feet and bows for you before sitting back down, still full of nervous energy.

"Sir Harold Volter you remember from working with Lord Bloom," Eric adds, indicating the young, but grim looking swordsman, who rises smoothly, bows to you wordlessly, and then settles himself on the floor again.  "He's of the wolf clan."

"This is Sir Larry Hodges," he continues, indicating a grumpy looking bear of a man.  Looks to be in his middle years, the slightest of graying showing at his temples.  "Of the bear clan."  He nods his head to you, but does not rise.

"Sir Edward Carst," he goes on, indicating the brown-haired man you remember working with Phil.  "Of the caribou clan."

This man does rise, and bows deeply.  "I apologize for my clansmen's actions," he says quietly, not meeting your eyes, and returning to his position on the floor.

Erik raises his eyebrows, but says nothing of that, instead pointing to a young man with blond hair whose eyes are half-closed, and has his arms crossed over his chest.  "Sir Richard Sykes, of the rabbit clan."  His eyes opening slowly, Richard rises, bows, and reseats himself smoothly.

"I myself, you remember, am the respresentative for our clan," he adds, before turning to indicate the priestesses.  "This is ... Melissa, and Henrietta, priestesses of Liena," he continues.  The women curtsy to you in their robes, and sit outside the circle of officers.  Erik joins them, and there's a space for you to sit, too.

The vassals, unammed, stand unobtrusively behind their priestesses.

[Rezantis]

"Their actions were their own, Sir Edward, not yours, and I hold you no ill will for them. I prefer to judge people on their own merits," Rez gives the man a respectful nod, then sits down.

"Alright then. Sir Erik was given a speaking stone by Wardmaster Mattias before the Wardmaster went south with Sir Farwell's group.  He came to me a short while ago bearing tidings from Mattias, and offered me the stone to speak with him myself.  Apparently the group reached the valley safely and Mattias has set to attempting to free Eske, but we spoke for very little time before our conversation was . . . interrupted.  Someone cut Mattias off and destroyed the stone."

Nathan looks around the circle and brushes his hair back in a habitual gesture.

"The Wardmaster told me that he suspected that someone was listening in to the conversation, and told some lies for our unknown listener's benefit - that they had no soldiers to defend themselves, for instance."

"Mattias further told me that the seal on Eske was placed by another master of the Wards - except there isn't another Wardmaster, at least not one trained by the collegiate.  The Dreadmarch, to my knowledge, should not have had someone capable of interrupting our conversation either.  Moreover, Mattias said that the Dreadmarch has other allies than the occasional treacherous human . . . and that, more than anything, bodes ill."

"In any case, Mattias told me that he believed he could free Eske in 12 hours - I am unsure if he was lying for our listener, but if he was, I believe it will be that Eske can be freed faster.  He also told me that he was able to trace our location through this conversation.  So the question is this . . ."

"I believe that Mattias will be able to free Eske in the near future.  Do we stay where we know Eske will be able to find us - albeit also where our impolite Dreadmarch lorekeeper could find us - or do we press on and hope that this trench comes to an end very soon?"

"I, personally, am loathe to sit idle . . . but at worst, we lose a half-day hours of marching time, and I don't like the possibility that the dreadmarch could somehow set up an ambush for Eske and Mattias should we leave where they expect us."

"Now that you all know the situation, I'd like all your thoughts.  I gathered you here for input, so tell me all what you think."

[Brian]

Sir Edward smiles at you gratefully, and then settles back to listen to the speech.

"A trap," Sir Richard says slowly, thoughtfully.  "We've got a chance to set up a trap.  If they're coming for us, you won't get a better scout in all the snows than Sir Kethel.  I don't want to risk any lives we don't have to ... but our clan has techniques whereby we can conceal ourselves in the snow in a great perimeter, and make a defensive line."

"Two things come to mind," Sir Edward adds.  "They may not yet know that we were split from the main force.  And if so, then they won't know our number -- they may believe us to be more numerous than we truly are."

"A good point," Sir Harold Volter agrees, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.  "But at the same time, I doubt that they could send any sizable number of people against us in the time they have.  Not unless they send someone from the north.  Walking into a force that would have to be larger than our full compliment, with only half of our intended strength, would be suicide."

They fall silent at this point, letting you consider this before continuing.

[Rezantis]

"I don't know how much they could have in the area, really - but it's an important possibility. They know exactly where we are, now, though, so if they do come for us, an ambush is limited in what we can do.  What exactly did you tell Mattias, Sir Erik? We have to assume they heard that conversation, too.""

[Brian]

"He didn't contact me until he'd reached the valley," Erik says thoughtfully.  "Most likely, he didn't want to expose himself to being traced until he was already in a defensible position.  All we discussed was that he was there, and there'd been no trouble getting there.  No encounters with the Dreadmarch, at least."

"I am concerned about the possibility of leaving the area, only to have such a capable ally left to the Dreadmarch when it's looking for us," Sir Larry Hodges opines gruffly.  "But I also see that it's not good for us to sit idly by and be attacked."

"With time, we could set traps in the snow," Sir Richard says.  "We'd lose the wagons, but we could make soft-snow.  The canvas cloth on them is thin, and tears easily.  Simply dig a pit, line it with wooden spikes, throw a cloth over it, and then dust new snow atop that.  If we had more time, and less people at risk, I'd suggest trying to cut through the ice to drop the foe into the abyss.  But pits we can make, and quickly."

"We could cut the wagons into spikes easily enough, but then we'd be completely committed," Alec warns.  "If we did so, could we have pits with our men hidden in them, to pop up and attack them with no warning?"

"We know how to do that," Richard agrees.

[Rezantis]

Nathan drums his fingers on his knee, frowning.

"Alright. They know where we are, they know where Mattias is, and they know what he's doing. They almost certainly know that we've been hitting their supply trains.  This chasm is showing no signs of ending anytime soon - I also suspect that any sizable force, or supply train, in the area would have been in the trench when everything went to hell.  I am certain that Farwell can hold that pass long enough for Mattias to free Eske, and I don't believe Mattias would have risked this is he thought that the dreadmarch could stop him."

"We entrench ourselves, then.  If the dreadmarch finds us right here, they'll expect an ambush, but that will in turn make them more careful - the more time we have, the better. And hell," Rez grins wryly, "if they come, they'll have to bring food with them, after all."

[Brian]

"I like that!" Sir Alex exclaims.  "Cut them down, and steal their food!  Hah!"

The other commanders agree, nodding.  "If you'll excuse me," Sir Roger says, bowing.  "I've pits to construct."

"And I've wagons to turn into traps," Alec says, grinning.  The two rise, bow, and set to leave.

[Rezantis]

Rez grins after them, then pulls out his map.

"Sir Erik, you'll obviously need to scout north - but they honestly could come from anywhere, if they do come. I want none roaming far after the moon sets, though - and we need to work out somewhere to pick them up if any of them do miss a ticket on the Gatemaster express."

Rez looks up at the vassals.

"I know you're not entirely familiar with our ways, but I also know that you're skilled in tactics - if you have any useful input as to trap setting, ambush locations, anything you think can be useful, we'd be glad to hear it."

[Brian]

"The vassals of Hamar are tacticians," one of them says, shaking his head.  "We're combat medics."

[Rezantis]

"And that, as they say, will teach me to assume things," Rez grins sheepishly.

"In any case," Rez looks around the remaining people, "is there anything else that we've overlooked?"

[Brian]

"We seem to be set in what we're going to do," Hodges says, climbing to his feet.  "Best let the men who aren't part of the preparations rest, so they can be ready when it happens."