World Revolution

[Rezantis]

"How near could we get to it?"

[Brian]

"The same as Stormwall," Eske replies.  "Perhaps a kilometer or two from the gates."

[Rezantis]

"That would be as close as I'd want to drop a scouting force, certainly.  If nothing else we can at least see roughly what they have there while you move around to empty the temples.  Our main force here shouldn't really be moving just yet, as I see it . . . we need a defensible position because once again we have noncombatants to worry about."

Rez blinks.

"Gatemaster, can the dreadmarch detect or track your gates?"

[Brian]

Eske looks at Mattias, who frowns.  "I don't think so," Mattias says.  "But I can't know for certain."

[Rezantis]

"I think we should send some people to at least look, unless anyone has a better suggestion as to our plans . . ."

Rez looks around the group questioningly.

[Brian]

Everyone shrugs at this, believing the idea to be worth consideration, at the very least.  Finally, Erik says, "We can scout, but there's no way to tell what we will see when we get there.  How should we manage this?  Unless I'm mistaken, Eske will require rest to regain his strength.  If there are Dreadmarch soldiers there, will he be vulnerable?"

[Rezantis]

"Ideally, Eske doesn't come through the gate. He makes it, he sends some scouts through, and in a few hours time he makes another - by which time, hopefully, the scouts can be back at the meeting point."

Nathan's expression darkens.

"I admit, there's another reason I want to do this as well - the dreadmarch is larger than it's ever been before, better organized than it's been before, and they've even got their own pet loremaster, apparently.  If we can get into the citadel . . . I think we might find ourselves some answers.  And I think we all want some answers."

[Brian]

"It's a good plan," Liandral says, "except for the fact that if we drop into the middle of a force of the Dreadmarch, I doubt we'll hold out long enough for Eske to open the door back.  I say we wait for him to recover, take about twenty, maybe thirty scouts, and him with us.  That way, when we need to come back, we can just come back, not need to hold out for two hours, and then have Eske open the door into the middle of an army that's trying to figure out how to get to us."

[Rezantis]

Rez nods.

"Alright, that makes sense - we should still have a few hours of moonlight to scout with, if we do that.  So . . . I suppose the question is, who's going?"

[Brian]

"I'll go," Liandral replies.

"And me," Erik says.  "I imagine it wouldn't be hard to round up further volunteers.  How many should we bring?"

[Rezantis]

"Twenty at the most, and the stealthiest people you can find.  We'll split up into pairs, and cover as much ground as we can, I think.  Sound good?"

[Brian]

"I'll assemble some men," Erik says, running off to do just that.

"I should be rested in a few short hours," Eske says.  "I am ... quite tired from being trapped."

In the meantime, the main body of the storm-rider women and children is moved to the center of the encampment, up in the most difficult to reach sections of the foothills.

[Rezantis]

Rez nods in empathy.

"We appreciate your efforts, Gatemaster . . . we're sorry we didn't know about your plight beforehand."

[Brian]

After getting some rest, and recovering a bit, Eske announces that he's ready to go ahead and try to make a gateway to a point about a kilometer from the dark citadel.

Erik has gathered another twenty men, one of whom is Alex Westwind, who seems determined to stick with you through whatever else happens.  Phil nods at you to send you off, and Eske opens the door.

The familiar line of torn space appears, widens into a six-meter square doorway with faintly oscillating edges, and reveals an expanse of snow about a kilometer long, churned into a muddy brown color with mud.  It leads upwards in a slope, towards a citadel carved into the highest mountains you've seen here yet -- and the mountain range behind you is pretty big.

The citadel is raw black stone, vaguely reflective of the star-light.  There's no sign of torch-light or any fires within, though, nor do you see any Dreadmarch denizens milling around.

[Brian]

<Brian> Rez, you're currently standing before the gateway leading to the Dark Citadel with your strike force.
<Brian> You haven't entered it yet.  Eske is standing nearby, along with Erik and his hand-picked 20 men.
<Rez> I don't see anything on the other side?
<Brian> Just the citadel, the mountain wall, and the muddy snow.
Rez keeps his hand on his sword and walks through, turning as he does so to see what's -behind- the gate.
<Brian> And a good thing you do so.
<Rez> I hate my life.
<Brian> Your men are following you as you peek around the gate.  Behind it is an army of the Dreadmarch.
<Rez> How large?
<Brian> There's probably a good, oh, million soldiers there, most of them looking towards you with surprised confusion.
<Brian> Directly in front of you, maybe twenty meters away are three that stand out as most likely being commanders.
<Rez> Describe quickly?
<Brian> There's a Jotun, wearing solid plate that covers everything except his face (the face-plate on his helm is up).  He's carrying a genuine Jotun-sized sword.
<Brian> There's someone who could be related to Ekim, wearing plate over his stoney skin, only this one's hair is shot through with bronze, instead of plain steel.
<Brian> And there's a third figure, this one unnaturally tall, and unnaturally thin.  It's probably about three meters tall, and wearing form-fitting steel plate, carrying a sword that it draws as you watch.
<Brian> "Well," it says in a high, breathy voice.  "Meddlers."
Rez draws his sword.
<Rez> "Yes, you could say that."
<Brian> The Jotun grunts, and lowers his face-plate, while the dwarf unlimbers an axe.
<Rez> "ERIK! GET A WARNING TO LORD BLOOM!"
<Brian> The tall, skinny thing gets into a defensive stance reflexively, while Erik rushes towards you.  "Run!" he yells.  "It's madness to stay here!"
<Brian> The other scouts are already running back the few steps between them and the gate.
Rez steps back towards the gate - and once he's sure that everyone else is going to get back in, he runs for it himself.
<Brian> You and Erik are the only people who haven't gone back -- Eske never even had a chance to step through.
<Brian> The Jotun starts a rush, but you've got time to get through the gate before he gets to you.
Rez dives, in that case, yelling "SHUT IT!"
<Brian> The second you're through, the gate closes behind you.