No Spill Blood

[Ginrai]

"I'm not sure whether they will attack today or not.  As for the other troops I didn't notice them as most of them were underneath tents."

[Brian]

"Well," Radagast says, unsettled.

"I don't think they'd use their entire alotment of Jotun in a single attack," Kevin says, shaking his head, and eyeing Phil oddly.  "But we've learned a bit.  They're well organized, they're well armed, and for whatever reason, they're still reluctant to commit their full forces.  Surely if they were all going to attack, they'd do it now."

"The question is what they gain by waiting," Radagast says, rubbing his chin in thought.

[Bjorn]

"Elric seems to want us to yield," Bjorn muses.  "A mass assault would likely overwhelm us -- but if I understand the rules of engagement properly, it would have to defeat us utterly, or else risk the destruction of all the Dreadmarch forces.  He's as much as made it clear that he wants us to surrender, not to crush us."  He sighs faintly, dropping one armoured hand to the table and drumming his fingers briefly.  "This simply pushes the question back: why do they want us to surrender?"

He gazes off into the distance for a few brief seconds, before shaking his head and refocussing.  "Yet another question that we can't yet answer," he says briskly, "and so a matter for another time.  Right now, we need to worry about winning the night's battle.  If the Dreadmarch is well-organized, it seems to me that while there may be a couple jotun on the front line, the vast majority of them will be kept in the rear to throw stones.  That poses a serious threat.  Arrows will be next to useless against them.  The only weapons we have which might reach and hurt them are the trebuchets, which aren't easily aimed, and of which we don't have many, and the craft of the lorekeepers.  Or so I hope.

"Master Radagast," Bjorn says, turning to face the wizard, "how many lorekeepers of the Path of Fire do we have?  Do you know if they have devised any weapons specifically for the destruction of Jotun?"

[Brian]

"We've twelve followers of the Path of Fire," he says.  "But no weapons.  Plans, yes, but no weapons."

[Bjorn]

"The jotun need to be eliminated," Bjorn says crisply.  "It seems that your Path of Fire would have the best chance.  I recommend that you give the twelve that job, and let them come up with the best solution they might."

[Brian]

"Of course," Radagast says, frowning.

[Bjorn]

Bjorn blinks at Radagast, and then sighs.  "My apologies, Master Radagast," he says, somewhat embarassedly.  "I don't mean to tell the Lorekeepers how to go about their business, but the jotun are a large concern.  Do you -- or anyone else -- have suggestions as to how to deal with them?"

[Brian]

"No," he says, shaking his head.  "Fire and sunlight will melt and stun them.  That is the best way to deal with the Jotun.  My only concern is that their weakness is known.  I fear that the Dreadmarch has devised some defense against it."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn's eyes narrow, and he works his jaws in thought.  "Then let's turn it around," he says.  "Let's suppose I gave you the task of protecting Jotun from fire, Master Radagast.  What would you do?"

[Brian]

Radagast nods thoughtfully.  "I'd set wards on them," he says slowly.  "The wards can be destroyed by ... someone like Mattias, but they're proof of fire, and their own cold, of course.  It would take enough power to either overwhelm that ward, or something to wash it away.  Water might do it ... and if it were to freeze on the Jotun, then it would slow them anyway."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn nods.  "Then a two stage attack on the jotun?" he suggests.  "Water, to slow them and to hopefully remove any wards, and then fire to kill them?"

[Brian]

"Yes, I think that sounds like a wise desicison," Radagast decides.  "This does mean, however, that our lorekeepers will likely be entirely absorbed in dealing with the Jotun, and unable to do little else."  He pauses, and nods at Parthipan, "With the exception of Windmaster Parthipan, of course."

[Ginrai]

Ginrai nods.  "I will prepare a set of spells that should hopefully deal with the rest of the dreadmarch."

[Bjorn]

Bjorn eyes Parthipan consideringly, but says only, "Good, then.  The jotun represent the only major resource of the Dreadmarch that we have a chance at eliminating entirely."  He looks around the room, letting his gaze rest on Donovan in particular.  "Are there other thoughts?"

[Brian]

"Well, lores aside, how do our footsoldiers fit into everything?" the older looking man asks.