Winterstorm

[Rezantis]

"Definitely. Spread the word, then, Sir Hodges," Rez turns back to the map, "Now, Sir Erik, about a rendezvous point . . ."

Once Erik has picked a point on the map he thinks is appropriate for said purpose, I'll dismiss everyone to either get bcak to their preparations or rest.

[Brian]

Erik designates the exact spot where the stone broke as the rendezvous point, and then everyone scatters to prepare.

[Rezantis]

Nathan allows them to do so - and if there's nothing particularly pressing that he needs to do, he goes to practice some with his sword.

A little less of the hacking and slashing, and a lot more of the dodging, diving and rolling maneuvers that the recent jotun slaying required.

They are, after all, useful things to know.

[Brian]

Some of the other men practice, too, a few nearby.  Most of them are busy either setting up the traps, or catching up on their rest.  But the moon is up, and that makes it a good time to practice.

Not much seems to happen -- at least, Erik doesn't tell you his scouts have sighted anything.  Someone comes around and mentions to you that you should eat, but then goes on to attend some chore of his own.

[Rezantis]

Rez goes to get a snack, and, well, gets back to it.

There ain't that much else to do, really . . . and it helps to keep his mind from worrying whether he's made the right call or not.

[Brian]

Your scouts don't report any sightings of the Dreadmarch, and the moon's been rising for a while.

[Rezantis]

Rez passes around orders to make sure that everyone stays well rested and ready . . . and in the interests of something to do, walks around the camp to see how the preparations are going, and how the men seem to feel about what's happening.

[Brian]

Erik runs up to you while you're about to begin your patrol.  "There's something in the air at the meeting point," he says.  "I think it's the Gatemaster!"

[Rezantis]

"You couldn't see?" Rez breaks into a jog towards the meeting point, "It should be, but we can't be sure it isn't a dreadmarch trick until we see him. Be careful."

[Brian]

When you get there, there's a contingent of pikemen and axemen surrounding two fairly confused looking robed men.  Mattias you recognize.  The newcomer is wearing a pale green robe, and leaning on a gnarled staff for support; he looks like he's seen better days.  Between them is a vertical line, like someone carved a thin, jagged line through two places in reality, and then folded them along some dimension you couldn't percieve to touch the tears together.  It hurts your eyes to look at.

"Ah," Mattias says, recognizing both you and Erik.  "Is ... is this all that survives out here?"

[Rezantis]

"No - our forces got split in half. Lord Bloom is situated roughly a day's march to the south, and on the other side of this trench.  I can show you on a map."

Rez gives a short, but respectful, bow. "Wardmaster, Gatemaster.  It's good to see you both again.  I'm sorry for the reception, but we didn't know what sort of lore the dreadmarch may have . . ." he trails off, "Did the dreadmarch come for you where you were?"

[Brian]

"They will soon," Mattias says.  "We've made sure of that.  My wards will turn the valley into a sea of fire when they enter it, but we've a few hours before that."

Eske shakes his head as though to clear it.  "We'll need to move your refugees, first.  Can we bring them here?  Is it safe?  Once that's done, show me your map, and I can rejoin you with the rest of your forces."

[Rezantis]

"Excellent. Here should be safe for a time, we've been entrenching, but we thought that if the dreadmarch knew where you were, they may also know where we were.  Would it be easier to take them to the keep first, then return for us?"

[Brian]

"The keep is covered by the seal," Eske says, gesturing to the line in the air.  It tears (and if you watch, you think your mind is tearing, too), and widens into a doorway fifteen meters square.  You can see a good number of storm-riders peering through from the other side (it must be the valley) curiously.  All of their wagons are packed up and ready to move.  "I could bring us within reach of the keep, but the truth of the matter is, we'd be easy pickings for the Dreadmarch before we got through.  My personal thought is that there is strength in numbers, however, so any allies we can gather are more than welcome."

Assuming you let them, the Storm-rider refugees begin to march through the portal.

[Rezantis]

"Alright them. Bring them through, and we'll rejoin Phil's forces and I can drop this 'command' thing back on him."