>>29424835
>Target met

You crash into the enemy mage-knights as they mass in your path. Your shield, with a barrier around it, knocks most of them down and Salamander blasts them with fire as they struggle to get out. They scream as the fire cooks them in their suits and you and Lynn begin to hack your way out, your men covering your backs.

Enemy flyers are above, trying to use their binding spells to catch your men out and then kill them. Your archers loose arrows at them as they do overhead passes, and you spot a few of them go down. Undine and Mal help them, launching magical assaults into the air and erecting barriers in their path. You catch a particularly painful moment as several flyers crash head-on into a barrier and collapse to the ground, only to fall onto a bed of upwards-pointing icicles on the ground.

Finally, you crash through and your men begin an earnest sprint. You nearly got boxed in there but managed to break out. Salamander sends waves of fire through the camp as you leave. You and your men don’t stop running until you reach Niorte and you hear flights of arrows overhead. Fearing the worst, you turn back, only to see pursuing Taourans go down in pain as your own archers cover you from the walls. You slow down to a brisk march as the Taourans return to camp.

>1. End the night here and await results.
>2. Try something else now

>>29424842
>1. End the night here and await results.
Those archers and such that were wounded earlier, will they be back in business soon?

>>29424842
>1. End the night here and await results.

All that glorious victory. Only Tallon would be a crazy enough bastard to march a sub 500 man force into an enemy camp, and fucking cripple them.

>>29424842
Our elementals don't need sleep, right?

>2.
Fear tactics. Use our elementals to keep the enemy camp up all night.

Wierd noises. Sudden blinding lights and sounds.

scary shapes in the dark.

>>29424904
>Our elementals don't need sleep, right?
Nope, so having them fuck with them all night and not get sleep is good.
So seconded.

>>29424904
>Our elementals don't need sleep, right?
They'll both need a few hours meditation to recover their energy. Ttrying that would afterwards leave them open to enemy attack as they'd need to get close to the enemy camp. If you're willing to risk it, it can be done.

>>29424904

Kind of. They need some meditative rest at the very least. Might be good to get some too, both of them pumped out a LOT of magic today.

>>29424922
>>29424904
Have them target enemy resources such as food, water and tents.

>>29424932
Can't Elementals into stealth?

>>29424932
>>29424940
Put them on shifts then. Undine-Salamander alternate mindfucking

>>29424842
>1. End the night here and await results.

>>29424932

Let's not do that then. We saw how well that went last time with Sala, what if we couldn't recover one of them?

Rolled 16

>>29424842
End the night here and await results.

>>29424932
not willing to risk it. we already got sala disemboweled yesterday.

>>29424903
Given you rolled two nat 1s before the battle, the sheer amount of success you got in the battle itself was kind of ridiculous. This was, like the dragon fight, meant to be bloody hard. Instead you've crushed them horribly.

>>29424952
>Can't Elementals into stealth?
Yes, but they can be spotted, too.

FEAR ELEMENTALS
>1. Have Undine and Salamander attempt to continue to dispirit the Taourans during the night, breaking only for rest. If they're found, they'll be in danger - Undine more than Sala.
>2. Let them rest.

>>29424932
can they go on shifts?
Also how much of the enemy is left?

>>29424967
Then let's do the opposite.

Morale enhancement techniques.

Fireworks display at Niorte. Impromptu midnight snack/banquet

>>29424983
>>2. Let them rest.

>>29424983
>1. Have Undine and Salamander attempt to continue to dispirit the Taourans during the night, breaking only for rest. If they're found, they'll be in danger - Undine more than Sala.
Can we have Lynn or some one else watch them?

>>29424983
>2. Let them rest.

>>29424983
2 let them rest

We are going to need them both in top shape for tomorrow
Undine can prepare the breached wall illusion and sala for general bombardment

>>29424983
>2. Let them rest.

>>29424985
>Also how much of the enemy is left?
Your scouts will need some time to determine that as the enemy reforms from the chaos. You'd guess you killed most of their mages, a hundred or so men-at-arms and several dozen knights.

>>29424983
>2

File: 1389416017588.png-(292 KB, 783x476, Naoto.png)

292 KB PNG

>>29425010
>>29425006
>>29425005
How about we let them rest until the dead of night and then scale a huge attack while most of them are asleep?

>>29424996

Little silly and boisterous. Haven't won yet. Just had a thorough success.

>>29425010
>Undine can prepare the breached wall illusion
I'm against that since she can't attack or move during it and it would drain her.

>>29425035
Already did that.

>>29425035
B-but that's what we just did, Anon.

>>29425035
didn't we just finish doing this?

Also, considering we took them by surprise they will be a lot more alert... this means they will be getting less sleep. Letting our troops rest and tomorrow they will be sleep deprived while we are rested

>>29425044

Yeah I agree with this sentiment. I like the idea, I do. But it really limits Undine who is one of our major players.

Also, she gets creative with her deaths, that bit with Mal's barrier was fucked up.

>>29425044
she will be on our side of the wall where they can't reach her, their mages are dead, their catapaults cannot break through.

>>29425062
>>29425053
>>29425046
And that's what I get for coming in and posting while not knowing anything about the quest.
Still, unless they are setting a trap, I suggest we take the initiative in the battle.

>>29425083

But it's all for a single trick. And she can't do anything otherwise, and we use her water manipulation a lot during battle.

>>29425083
K-I-S-S

>>29425115
It might be a single trick but a critical one, it is pretty much the only way they will dare storm the wall again.
Worse case is that they don't fall for the bait and don't storm the wall, in which case she rests up and we attack them after some rest time.

They can siege us and wait for reinforcements

>>29425162
So you want to chance her wasting her energy for a possible trick?

>>29425146
It is simple, illusion of breached walls, enemy charges breach, breach doesn't exist, we bombard them as they charge and against as they retreat behind safety of walls, last time we killed a bunch of them without a single casualty.

And if they don't fall for it, we lose nothing but a few hours for undine to rest up before we strike them again, perhaps the next night.

Also, how about you come up with a better or alternative strategy

>>29425199
Ok then how about we have udine and her make scalding hot water and pour it over the soldiers?

>>29425199

>being this ridiculously defensive over people disagreeing with you

It isn't that simple though, it puts us down one elemental for that entire battle, and it is a pot luck trick at best. They don't even have the mages to magically enhance the siege equipment anymore and those have limited charges.

Alternatives? Wait until the morning and see what there is to know, we broke them pretty thoroughly, they might leave even.

>>29425222
meant to say salamander.
Also there is having her basically make it rain death with ice lances.(make a bunch of them and unleash hell.

>>29425198
Her energy is a renewable resource, if it fails we lose absolutely nothing as they cannot breach the magical shields around town.

What alternatives do we have?
we could charge them and take heavy casualties
Or we could just wait a couple of days which wastes her time all the same as doing that trick

>>29425222
>Ok then how about we have udine and her make scalding hot water and pour it over the soldiers?
How? The soldiers are not going to walk up a wall & magishield they cannot breach

>>29425257
We could counter attack. They've lost most of their advantages.

>End the night and have the elementals rest

After that daring night attack, you decide to give everybody some much needed rest. Come morning, you consult with Captain Nate as to the foe.

“They’re not quite pulling out, but it’s apparent that their morale is quite weak and they’re not certain if they can scale the walls. Quite a few of their men are marching to the forests further away - presumably they’re collecting wood to build more siege equipment. How they hope to breach the barriers is unknown, though.”

You nod, trying to ignore Sala’s attempt to feed you from beside you as you and your officers take breakfast.

“What are their numbers?”

Nate smirks slightly. “Low, sir. There’s so few mages we can’t tell the difference between the battlemages and the support ones. I’d guess they lost another 50 mage-knights, plus a dozen of their flyers, and at least 100 of their regular soldiers. It’s entirely possible we could rout them with a good charge – and I can’t see how they could take the town.”

“They’ll probably try something sneaky,” Sala says, suddenly thrusting the forkful of omelette into your newly opened mouth. “It’s not like they can do anything else. Probably can’t turn back, either, without being punished.”

“So they’ll fight to their deaths again. It would be nice if we could avoid that – they can’t all be thralled. How did looting go, Glynn?” you say.

>continued

>>29425257
>if it fails we lose absolutely nothing
We effectively lose Undine for the rest of the battle.

>>29425234
>Not being able to come up with any intelligent counter argument to a properly thought out tactic
>calling a good explanation and justification of a well thought out tactic "being defensive" as if it is a bad thing
How about you start being defensive and come up with one damn reason why your moronic tactics will work instead?

>>29425274
Glynn shrugs. “Well enough. Our firehead’s flames warped a lot of the armour, though. Only got a couple dozen working suits out of it between all the arrows and fire.”

“It’s clean, too,” Mal says. “Other than the standard enchantment, all they’ve got is some extra strength enhancement.”

You have the day ahead of you, and if they’re building more equipment, they might not launch another attack for two more days. Felix informs you that the Vitrian mustering is still slow, but you’ll need to end this within the next few days if you want to assist him.

You have gained:
25 Medium Mage-Knights (equipment)

You have lost:
25 men-at-arms (swapped for MMKs)
20 MMKs (casualties)
10 Archers (casualties, swapped for arcane archers)

>Some discussion on how to approach the day. I’ll put it together into a vote if necessary.

>>29425244
how the fuck is she going to do that? they are camped OUT OF RANGE.

>>29425269
yes, this is pretty much our only other options.
However, if the illusion plan fails we can STILL counter attack a few hours later and lose nothing for it, in fact we will gain them being even more tired. because they barely slept for a day, night, and another day.

>>29425306
When they do the next seige, that is what this whole argument is about.

>>29425279

Not going to respond to you any further fella. Calm down, it's a game.

Personally. I think we could bullrush them. They are gathering wood for us, let's light it up.

>>29425299

I think sending a strike force to attack their gathering elements should allow for sufficient distraction to mount a full scale assault on their main camp.

I prepose the strike force to consist of Mal, Sala and 1/3 of our current forces. Once they have disposed of the enemies gathering forces, they can move in to flank the enemy.

>>29425275
>We effectively lose Undine for the rest of the battle.
No, we don't.

Look, its simple

Plan A:
10am undine casts illusion
Success - enemy is lured to approach our walls which they cannot possibly breach and are butchered by heavy bombardment followed by a charge. Bombardment is slightly weaker due to undine being low on energy
Failure - enemy stays back, undine rests until 2pm when she is fully recovered, we attack.

Plan B:
10am, we charge them

Retard plan:
10am, they chareg our walls which they have no way to possibly breach and which is surrounded by a magical shield they cannot breach they lets us kills them and prevents their own retaliation from reaching us. Undine is at full power so she helps bombardment

The retard plan is retarded because they are not going to charge our walls without any way to breach them!

Current order of battle

TAOUR
~90 Flying Mage Knights
250 Mage Knights
~280 Archers
~10 Battlemages
750 Men-at-arms

>OLMM FORCES
Talon York
Undine
Salamander
Maloric
Lynn
40 Flying Mage-Knights
>40 Veterans
260 Medium Mage-Knights
>260 Veterans
115 Arcane Archers
>115 Veterans
250 Archers
>50 Veterans
>200 Regulars
1225 Men-at-arms
>165 Veterans
>650 Regulars
>410 Green
8 Battlemages
>8 Regulars

>>29425388

Solid idea, they are pretty much just making kindling for Sala as well if they are building more siege engines.

Question, could we possibly do anything with the magically enhanced tip of the battering ram?

>>29425400
You're plan relies on waiting until the enemy is ready to attack us, in addition to being terrible.

>>29425425
use it as a jock strap.

>>29425400

Man no one is really agreeing with you. And the petty insults aren't helping. Just drop it.

>>29425425
there is a chance on putting it on a shield or making our own ram(study it improve it and apply it on our own siege weapons).

>>29425388
this works. though we shouldn't send any Arcane Archers, as they will be of limited utility in the woods.

>>29425407
They have the advantage in flying mage knights, but we're toe to toe with regular mage knights and men at arms and battlemages, and we have arcane archers.

If we want to end the siege now, in order to help Felix, our best option is a sally.

Shock straight-forward attack, use our arcane archers to neutralize their flying mage knights, then join battle, encircle, and destroy.

>>29425438

I wonder if it would be a statement of Talon's girth or him compensating.

No a serious note, could it be turned against them? I don't know if magical stuff can be overcharged, if so, doing that, then doing a fly by and dropping it on them might cause a bomb effect. Or something similar, just brainstorming.

>>29425400
>no possible way to breach
Actually, they can scale them with ladders which is why they tried as such. The walls of Niorte are more like Harrowmont's outer walls, which can be breached physically. The barriers just protect against massive force assaults etc. Harrowmont's inner walls, which have barriers preventing entrance, are rare are restricted to fortresses due to the general inconvenience they create.

>>29425425
Melt it down? It's just a hunk of metal with a mass-increase charm on it that activates when it strikes something with enough force (a super-large version of your armor-piercing arrows). Maybe you could hurl it at something, I guess...

So, sortie and assault them, maybe with an extra strikeforce to distract them? Any other plans other than waiting for them to assault you (which may include the illusion attempt)?

So guys after this battle how much of the army should we leave behind and should we try to fix up Locked/improve it into a fortress?

>>29425518
Arcane archer's primary duty is anti-air support.

Once we've cleared away their flying mage knights, we can send up our own to spot and bombard, and we can re-prioritize our own arcane archers to fire support.

>>29425518

Wait so it's a giant version of the arrow types?

Does Niorte have a ballista mounted somewhere? That would be a fun opening striking.

>>29425518
How does the scepter improve Mals stats?

>>29425466
1. They are the one hurling personal insults, their plan being retarded is: a. a fact. b. not an insult because I didn't say THEY are retarded, just their plan. c. it only works if our enemies are literally retarded
2. I stopped giving a fuck a while ago, I am merely clarifying because they are disagreeing with a strawman not with my actual plan.
3. Posting to tell someone to drop it is just encouraging it to not be dropped, if you really wanted to drop the discussion you would stop trying to slip in the last word

>>29425518
>Actually, they can scale them with ladders which is why they tried as such
didn't we burn all their ladders?
plus considering how poorly their ladder plan worked last time it makes no sense for them to try the exact same thing again

>>29425630
well considering they are gonna get killed if they return so either they try to dig underground or go above ground.

>>29425580
It basically just means he gets a slight bonus to cast channelling type spells (e.g. his spell disruption). That and he looks pretty bitching with it.

>>29425565
No, but you could probably have Undine make one. She made some furniture for you quite easily, after all. You'd probably need some magical assistance to launch something that heavy that far, though. It weighs a fair bit, after all.

>>29425630
Hence why Nate thinks they're crazy and Sala thinks they'll try something sneaky.

BATTLEPLAN VOTE

>1. Frontal assault, full sortie
>2. Use a strikeforce to distract them, then flank them with the main force
>3. Engage them with your main force, with a strikeforce to flank them
>4. Wait for them to attack Niorte
>5. Custom

>>29425518
>It's just a hunk of metal with a mass-increase charm on it that activates when it strikes something with enough force (a super-large version of your armor-piercing arrows). Maybe you could hurl it at something, I guess...
Its a part of a battering ram, we should just fix it into being a whole battering ram again

>>29425659
so, if we look at their camp, what does it look like they are doing right now?

>>29425659
>2.

assuming the strike force starts with their resource gathering units...

>>29425659
3.

Our night attack has already shown them that we are willing to come out and fight. Further raids like 2. are more rash and provocative than truly useful.

It's time for a sally.

>>29425659
>3. Engage them with your main force, with a strikeforce to flank them

>>29425659

Yeah I'm a big fan of Undine making a ballista, that sounds pretty awesome.

>2. Use a strikeforce to distract them, then flank them with the main force

Strikeforce on the woods obviously. Sala will have a damn field day.

>>29425707
Milling about, mostly. You'd guess they're waiting for their men to return with wood so they can do something.

>>29425659
>3. Engage them with your main force, with a strikeforce to flank them

>>29425659

Just pictured Mal with his slight comb over looking fucking glorious with his staff raised in the air and just dripping in bitches.

I like Mal. He's one of my favorites.

>>29425717
Agreed.

>>29425727
I'm guessing their primary leadership/Command structure has broken down?

>we know what our next target is

Oh, something that I though should be mentioned. We're currently using pseudo medieval rank structures which probably seem pretty compressed to the average person. This is because it was effectively impossible to control people beyond voice range, and the rank structure reflected that. With sendings this is not the case, so we should probably expand our rank structure slightly.

>>29425659
They may or may not have captured our arcane archer equipment.

If they have, we need to eliminate them to keep them from bringing word of our advantages back to Taour.

>3.

>>29425823

I'm glad I'm not the only one who remembered that. I fear they might have sent it back to their homebase though if they did find it, if the ripped off HMKs are any indication.

Hopefully not.

>>29425774
>Just pictured Mal with his slight comb over
That was a joke. he has a full head of black hair. The stuff about him being an old man are a joke, he's 36 and hasn't aged for a few years. Mages tend not to age much past 40 or so, unless they choose to.

>>29425804
This is probably a good idea. Your rank system is currently a slight hangover from the royals who are about restricting how much power any body/noble below the general has over the troops.

>This looks like a 3 to me. I'll add some strategic choices shortly.

>aside while waiting for votes and writing, feel free to ignore

I've been thinking about the setting's military forces not helped by the fact that I regularly play the Total War games and I'd like to garner some feedback or debate on cavalry again.

>established facts
Conventional light, medium and heavy cavalry, mounted on horse, is obsolete. Magic knight armor can do pretty much everything they can do, and better - i.e. light magic knights, flying magic knights, even medium magic knights.

Horses and horseback riding still exists as a concept, as shown by Mal's summoning of mounts during our PoP dungeon delve.

Monsterous mounts are an unknown. Our only encounter so far with monsters was during the delve, lorebin says monsters exist north of the barrier as an unknown race, dragons both sentient and dumb are rare, but mythological beasts still exist at least in culture as shown by our Griffon banner.

>continued at next post

>>29425852

But I liked slightly balding Mal, for some reason I had always pictured him with just a little bit of a receding hairline. Don't know why.

>>29425873
>points for feedback
Cavalry's only future has to be with monstrous mounts. At this level of magic proliferation, horse mounts just do not create enough of a benefit to justify spending logistical resources on them.

Cavalry can still be useful on two points:

>>>extraordinary forces
Think Carthaginian War Elephants, or Oliphaunts. Big, lots of mass, lots of psychological intimidation. Not invincible, but such an open and threatening force that the enemy *must* deploy their own extraordinary forces to deal with them, or risk having their own forces get bogged down and picked apart by units supporting the Monstrous Cavalry.

Not as threatening as true battle-mages or even superb siege artillery, but still more dangerous than plain mage knights and men-at-arms, and definitely tougher to kill than all of the above.

>>>supplementary equipment to existing unit types.
Case in point: Heavy Mage Knights. HMK are dangerous shock troops, but they lack mobility and endurance, making them very inflexible units once committed.

Take these units, and mount them (while armoring their mounts to a similar level, of course), and suddenly you gain stamina and battlefield mobility. They would be to conventional HMK what Macedonian Companion Cavalry were to the Theaban Sacred Band.

>last point on armor next

>>29425902
I like him more as a young good looking mage.
It fits him better

>>29425921
The thing to keep in mind is that although magical armor enhancements can duplicate many of the benefits of monstrous mounts, it's implied from Aspirational's lore that there is an upper limit on enchantments. He's already mentioned how they are difficult if not impossible to make compatible with self-enhancement, and from many comments on the cost of enchanting magical plate, there is either a hard cap on the number of enchantments you can put on armor or a point of diminishing returns where further enchantment drives up the cost of armor to un-affordable levels. This is implied with the three light, medium and heavy classifications with mage knights.

By using mounts to provide mobility, you free up enchantment "space" for other options. For HMK, that extra "space" is already taken up by increased armor protection. For other types of mage knights and arcane forces, the possibilities are endless; merge light and flying mage knights into one type if both have flying mounts; add further strength or stealth enhancements to medium mage kngiths; add archery aim-assistance to arcane archers...

>3.

“We should sortie and crush them. However, just as it did last night, a strikeforce to flank them, particularly if the troops gathering wood return, could work very well,” you tell your officers.

How should you split your forces? Assuming the strikeforce is about 1/3 your total force.

>1. Elite-heavy. Make it consist mostly of mage-knights and arcane archers, with regular soldiers to pad things out. If the front holds, this could shatter their rear.
>2. Regular-heavy. It’ll be a flanking attack so you’ll want your best men in the front-lines, not at the sides.
>3. Proportional. Split your men proportionately (roughly).

Also, give me some ideas of where to place the various hero characters (Undine, Sala, Mal, Lynn,Talon).

>>29425921
unless the oliphaunt has magically reinforced skin then a single mage knight will kill the hell out of it, thanks to to their enhanced speed and magically enhanced swords and strength.

>while armoring their mounts to a similar level, of course
this is the problem, magearmor is extremely expensive. Making it large enough for an elephant will be prohibitively expensive and less useful than having 5 more mage knights. As the elephant is non sapient.

>>29425873
>>29425921
The RSK breed magical horses, fyi. I forget if I mentioned that. They're bred so they don't break their legs as easily, don't scare easily, can gallop for longer and faster and carry more weight. The RSK nobles probably just do this as a hobby, though, and the regular military don't use them much.

>>29425873

My whole thing with Calv is if we use actual horses(which since our only real mention of highly trained ones are from the RSK) then we added on another thing our men have to take care of and feed, and etc.

THAT SAID, I'm not opposed to Calv mounted on summons not unlike Mal's. Though he's a really specialized mage and he can manage that kind of stuff, I don't know whether our regulars can or not, and if they would be suitable to frontline battle.

I really think that's something to look into later, we have more access to better tech and a better view of what we can use and expect from troops.

>>29425954
>1. Elite-heavy. Make it consist mostly of mage-knights and arcane archers, with regular soldiers to pad things out. If the front holds, this could shatter their rear.
Also have sala be part of the strike force.

>>29425954
>3
Lynn and Talon will be in the center of the main force, to hit the enemy mage knights head on Mal and Sala with the flankers. Undine with us.

>>29425954
The battle will be most fierce with the primary force, so we need our toughest troops there.

The strike force is our deciding battlegroup, though, so it needs to have punch and be timely.

Put our regular mage knights and men-at-arms in the main force, lead by Undine and Maloric, with regular archer support and most of our mage support. This maximizes survivability of our main force.

Put our flying mage knights and arcane archers in the strikeforce, with Salamander for support and us in command of it. This maximizes firepower, mobility, and timeliness

>>29425954
>2. Regular-heavy. It’ll be a flanking attack so you’ll want your best men in the front-lines, not at the sides.

Talon Undine on main

Sala Mal Lynn on flanking, assuming they are taking down the ones building siege weapons.

>>29425977
I agree with the oliphaunt part, but remember that it was just an example. There may or may not be trainable monsters out there that are much more dangerous than mage knights.

As for the armor part, see the last post, >>29425940

>>29425954
>1. Elite-heavy. Make it consist mostly of mage-knights and arcane archers, with regular soldiers to pad things out. If the front holds, this could shatter their rear.
2/3 is more than enough to hold the main force while the heavy hitters strike from elsewhere.

>>29425993

Perhaps we can convince Nier to send us some horses when we rank up. Say it's a gift from Noble to Noble, feign some interest in breeding them as a sophisticated noble, instead test out Calv.

Always worth a shot, before we move on to other crazy things.

Alright, I'll probably go with elite-heavy, but some MMKs staying with the main force to form a core.

STRIKEFORCE
Salamander
Maloric
40 Flying Mage-Knights
>40 Veterans
150 Medium Mage-Knights
>150 Veterans
115 Arcane Archers
>115 Veterans
350 Men-at-arms
>165 Veterans
>185 Regulars

MAIN FORCE
Lynn
Undine
110 Medium Mage-Knights
>110 Veterans
250 Archers
>50 Veterans
>200 Regulars
875 Men-at-arms
>465 Regulars
>410 Green
8 Battlemages
>8 Regulars

Will you lead the Strikeforce or Main force?
>1. Strikeforce
>2. Main force

Battle will start after this choice, so any last minute battle-plans should come out now. You'll have a moment after you mass, though, as the enemy reacts.

>>29426186
>2

>>29426186
1.
The main force's plan is simple and direct. It does not need our micromanagement attention.

Our battle plan hinges on our strikeforce though. *That,* we should micro.

>>29426186
>2. Main force

Gives the strikeforce extra ompf as they would likely imagine Talon at the head of all his forces. He's sort of built that reputation, might as well use it.

>>29426186
>1. Strikeforce

>>29426186
2

>>29426186
>1. Strikeforce
The strike force is whats important to the battle.

>>29426186
>2

We'll draw the enemies attention a bit and organize the main force to capitalize on the success of the strikeforce. Also if the strikeforce fails we won't be there with them so we'll have more opportunity to maintain momentum.

>>29426186
>2
They won't take the bate if we don't sell it by being there.

>2.

You lead your main force of troops out the north-west gate of Niorte. Its core is a little vulnerable without a strong core of mage-knights, but you’ll just need to make do with what you have. You only need to hold the enemy in place while Salamander’s strikeforce flanks them while cutting off their other forces.

As you march towards the Taouran camp, your empowered eyesight catches sight of a lot of frenzied movement. It appears they’ve spotted you and are beginning to mass opposite you. From the look of the formation, they’re expecting a heavy charge and have position their mage-knights as a strong centre. You don’t see any of their archers around – it’s quite possible they sent most of them out to collect wood but you can’t be certain.

If you wait for them to engage you, they might not take the bait and instead spot the flanking charge. On the other hand, if you charge them and they stop you cold, you’ll have lost a lot of momentum against a strong opponent.

>1. Wait for them to charge you and maintain formation.
>2. Have your archers, battlemages and Undine launch an assault on them from afar while you maintain formation.
>3. Charge them head-on, attempting to break them before they form up completely.
>4. Custom

>>29426239
>Your General's Traits
>Night Attacker
>Skilled Attacker
>Winning First
>Experienced Commander
>Brave
>Faction Leader
>Fair in Rule
>Marks of War

So, dreadlord or chivalrylord? Do we exterminate the next city we take to lose fair in rule and gain cruel leader, or win our next battle against a foe that outnumbers us with tactics instead of trickery, to lose winning first and gain fair fighter?

>>29426404
>2. Have your archers, battlemages and Undine launch an assault on them from afar while you maintain formation.
Its unlikely that they'll let themselves be shot at for long.

>>29426404
>2. Have your archers, battlemages and Undine launch an assault on them from afar while you maintain formation.
>>29426427
What about his traits in bed/

>>29426404
>2

>>29426404
>2.
Fix them in place with our ranged support, threaten them with our main force.

Steady advance, slow enough to give our archers shooting time, but fast enough to keep their attention on the front.

Kill with the strikeforce.

>>29426442
What do you think Night Attacker and Skilled Attacker are.

>>29426404

>2.

have our melee troops take assault formation. Use the pretence that our archer and magic barrage will soften the opposing forces.

Also, do we have an estimate as to when our strikeforce will hit the enemies flank?

>>29426404
>3. Charge them head-on, attempting to break them before they form up completely.
It's what they expect, and giving them time to think about our tactics could be dangerous. High risk, high reward baby.

>>29426404
>2. Have your archers, battlemages and Undine launch an assault on them from afar while you maintain formation.

I'm inclined to have the main formation give a half charge, see if we can bait them, then stop cold and unleash hell at point blank range. Dig in for the remnants of the charge to break on us.

>>29426476
>Also, do we have an estimate as to when our strikeforce will hit the enemies flank?

They'll hit probably a little while after you give them the order via sending.

>>29426442
>Fertile
>Womanizer
>Hale and Hearty

Actually taken from the possible traits lists for Medieval 2 generals. God, I loved managing my royal family in that game

>>29426505
Hey will we have a vote about how many forces we leave behind and if we upgrade the Fort into a fortress?

>2.

“Archers!” you shout, raising your arm as your aide sends a message. Undine, currently leading the mages joins them. Mages standing with your archers as they form up – somehow it niggles at you, but you don’t know why.

You give the command for them to fire and you hear the twang of two hundred bows. Your mages follow shortly after with some long-range evocation.

[DC15 Archery]

Rolled 11

>>29426563

Rolled 12

>>29426563

>>29426552
Of course. There'll be a war meeting after you finish up here, with an update about abroad and some decisions. It should, hopefully, be shorter than the one earlier this thread.

Rolled 18

>>29426563

Rolled 4

>>29426563

Rolled 18

>>29426563
15 here I come

Rolled 1

>>29426563
>somehow it niggles at you,
?

>>29426563
>niggles

I like that word. I wonder why it causes the anxiety though.

>>29426594
man i keep rolling nats.

>>29426622
SO FUCKING STOP

>>29426622
If I ever run a quest, I'm using 3d6 roll over instead of 1d20, crits only on two or more 1's/6's. That way nat failures and successes are fewer, but even more potent when they do occur.

>>29426688
It really depends on what you want from your quest. I use Nat 20s for plot, and try to handle the 1s that result intelligently (plus it bends the heavily skewed Best of Three probability).

>Target met

The enemy ranks shudder a bit as the rain of arrows impacts them. Your men had aimed for the flanks, where less well armoured soldiers stood, and the impact could be felt. Your mages, meanwhile, saw fit to target the knights. The Taourans stand firm for a while, waiting for something it seems. Or maybe they simply don’t know what to do. You haven’t seen hide nor hair of what could be an enemy commander this entire siege.

After a few more volleys, the men-at-arms on the flanks begin to charge and the mage-knights find themselves hurrying after their inferiors.

>1. Pull back your missile troops and countercharge them.
>2. Pull back your missile troops and brace for the enemy charge.
>3. Continue raining missiles on them until the last second, only pulling them back as they’re about to be hit.
>4. Custom

>>29426752
How much of a defending force do we have behind and did we get any info of them taking over the other place?

>>29426752
>1. Pull back your missile troops and countercharge them.

>>29426752
>1. Pull back your missile troops and countercharge them.

Something suddenly feels wrong.

>>29426800
The village militia mans the city right now, not any of your professional troops. Similarly, there's a tiny militia in Fort Locke which has reported everything being fine recently.

>>29426752
If our missile troops are behind our main forces, then 3.

If they're dispersed out in front of our main force, 1 and 4 - retreat our archers to our flanks, so they can continue firing into the melee from the sides, while pinning the enemy advance with our own infantry.

>>29426752
2

>>29426752
>1. Pull back your missile troops and countercharge them.

>>29426752
>1. Pull back your missile troops and countercharge them.
I want us to be in the front rank as well!

>>29426752
It's unlikely they know about our plan, and given their numbers and lack of commander at the front they're leading us into a trap.

>1. Pull back your missile troops and countercharge them.
We also need to spring our trap now, the force we're fighting is obviously a diversion.

>>29426847

>there's a tiny militia in Fort Locke which has reported everything being fine recently.

Why are alarm bells going off in my head now

>>29426909
because of thralls.

>1.

“Archers, pull back,” you shout. “Lynn, with me as we charge. Men, for glory!”

As the archers peel off to the sides, you charge forward and your men follow. You thunder forward, and Undine joins you. Now, as you countercharge the foe, is probably the best time to give Salamander and Maloric orders about the strikeforce. They’ll take some time to act, given the distance they’ve needed to maintain in order to remain hidden. They’ve not contacted you by sending, meaning things should be fine so far.

>1. Have the attack the enemy’s woodcutting troops.
>2. Have them slash and burn the enemy camp.
>3. Have them flank the current enemy force.
>4. Have them return to Niorte.
>5. Keep them in position for now.
>6. Custom

>>29426996
>3. Have them flank the current enemy force.

>>29426996
Enemy commander missing, they're cutting wood and their archers are gone. Are they taking a more fortified position and hoping to cover their forces in a retreat?

>3. Have them flank the current enemy force.
Take care of this quick, we got plans to uncover.

>>29426996
3. Have them flank the current enemy force
and
6. If they can, go for a rear attack, directly envelope the enemy mage knights in the middle.

>>29427066
>Are they taking a more fortified position and hoping to cover their forces in a retreat?
Or they are trying to steal the city right from under our noses.

>>29427096
If they do, they'll only hold onto it for the next day or two at the most. And they'll seal their own fates to boot.

Though I do admit it would still do damage to our cause, by delaying our ability to reinforce Vale.

>>29427096
Even if they'd snuck a force into the city, there is no way they could hold it against our victorious army - even more than that, we'd have heard sounds of the city militia clashing with them (unless they were heavily infiltrated by thralls)

>>29427096
that would be a Pyrrhic victory.

Unless maybe they brought a larger force that what we were fighting.

Also, we could just use a sending ourselves to touch base with mal instead of assuming all is ok

>>29427148
We can't use sending. Our magic is still not skilled enough to do it. We rely on others to send for us.

>>29427096
The only thing to use the wood for at this stage would be ladders, so you're probably right, if they had thralls already in place to give the all-clear.

>3.

You have Undine tell her sister to begin flanking the enemy force. Aside from the woodcutters, of whom your scouts reported there being several hundred, you think most of the enemy force is here. Even so, you feel bothered by the complete lack of order shown by the Taouran troops – unlike at Fort Locke where they reacted so expertly, their attempts so far have been… lacklustre. Apart from some problems ambushing them, which Sala ascribes to bad luck, they’ve reacted poorly to every surprise. Or maybe the general leading this force simply has nowhere near the capability of Ares.

You push the thoughts out of your head as you are about to make contact with the foe.

[DC16 Army Combat]

Rolled 13

>>29427225

Rolled 6

>>29427131
true, they would slow us down, but they are also waiting for reinforcements, and they could stop us from going to Vale because of that.
>>29427148
>>29427225

Rolled 4

>>29427148
All they need to do i hold the town long enough for reinforcements or force us to abandon it.
>>29427189
Or a pissed off noble man.
>>29427225

Rolled 13

>>29427225

We messed up somewhere, Talon only has inner monologues like this when we missed something.

>>29427267
yeah we left the town almost completely undefended.

>>29427267
Yup.

>Target not met

With a great crash, the two forces meet. Then it quickly turns into a furious melee – the Taouran’s have a slight advantage, but you think that will matter little. Still, you know that every second that passes means more casualties. Until Sala and Mal get here, you can do little more than try to have your men hold on.

It goes like this for some time, as you continue cutting through the foe and bellowing out to try to keep your men in order. Lynn’s stuck to you like glue so far, hacking away at the mage-knights. They seem considerably less skilled than you thought they’d be and your worries grow. This should have been an elite force – that’s what they had in Darlesia, so why do these enemies seem so much weaker than they should be.

Then, with a great roar of fire, you spot Salamander and the flyers swooping in to provide assistance.

[DC11 Flanking Attack]

File: 1389422738731.png-(1.48 MB, 1200x1514, file.png)

1.48 MB PNG

Rolled 6

Looks like thread is almost dead, any word on when is the next session?
>>29427402

Rolled 10

>>29427402

Leroy?

Rolled 1

>>29427402
Shite!

Rolled 19

>>29427402
Its a fucking trap, the real force was stationed a ways behind and was waiting for us to leave.

>>29427402
>This should have been an elite force – that’s what they had in Darlesia
weren't we explicitly told that they left their 2000 elites in darlesia and sent 2000 green troops against us?

>>29427427
It's you again isn't it, you son of a bitch?

Rolled 1

>>29427427
if your not going to properly pray to the dice gods, then don't fucking roll you retarded heathen

>>29427402
DICE GODS, HEAR MY PRAYER

>>29427427
Lovely. I wonder who I just got killed.

>>29427267
Wait, have I actually been like this? I should reread my old threads to see if this is true...

>>29427417
Currently, it'll be Jan 18th, usual time. Depending how I feel after a week of work, I may do a second thread on Jan 17th. This thread will finish up after this sortie is done - which shouldn't take too much longer, even with this 1.

>>29427437
The MKs should have been elites at least.

>>29427427
This is getting ridiculous.

Rolled 2

>>29427437
It was assumed they had around that much and wouldn't risk sending more troops from that city, but it never said that more could be sent on route.
>>29427439
nope i'm the 19.

Rolled 98

>>29427441
Yeeeah...I don't want you to roll anymore either.

>>29427449

You have done it a few times before. Mostly gone ignored, but yeah Talon tends to get antsy whenever we did something a bit wrong.

>Dramatic failure

Unfortunately, the enemy reacts quickly – a number of flying knights suddenly surge upwards, meeting Sala and your knights in mid-air. The result is that Sala goes crashing down into the enemy forces along with several of your knights. You curse, as although the flanking attack is otherwise successful, you’ve got one of your best allies and a close partner in serious danger.

>1. Move to save Sala alone, leaving Lynn and Undine to hold things here
>2. Move to save Sala with Lynn and Undine
>3. Leave Sala to help herself. She’s powerful enough.
>4. Custom

Rolled 18

>>29427500
and that was my first roll this quest :'(

>>29427542
>1. Move to save Sala alone, leaving Lynn and Undine to hold things here

>>29427542
>1

>>29427542
>1. Move to save Sala alone, leaving Lynn and Undine to hold things here

Rolled 18

>>29427449
Keep it, i think it would be more weird if the inner dialogue just suddenly vanished and it can be viewed as his past experience talking to the players.
>>29427542
1

>>29427417
I don't know about dead, but we seem to be pulling half a dozen rolls even without me rolling, so that's 7 people still here roughly

>>29427542
if sala is injured she needs to be healed by undine. it makes more sense to send undine to rescue sala

>>29427612

Undine can't heal properly in the midst of battle, so not right now really.

>>29427612
She can't combat heal.

>>29427577
It's more that I don't want people to think "Inner monologue. That means shenanigans." I should simply start using it a little more, maybe. After all, you don't know that his thoughts now are completely correct.

>1.

“Lynn, Undine, keep these knights busy. I’m going to see if I can’t keep Salamander from getting disembowelled again.”

You make a strengthened leap over the heads of the knights ahead of you, trying to avoid getting struck by any stray magic being flung around, and land with a crash near Sala. Who is… incinerating most everything around her as she twirls that wicked scimitar of hers. Maybe you shouldn’t have been so rash to assume these regular knights were so dangerous to her?

She gives you a grin, and you push the thought away. Nevertheless, this is a chance to fight back-to-back with the fiery girl and you won’t say no to something that could push you skills a bit more.

[DC12 Combat]

Rolled 4

>>29427667

Rolled 7

>>29427667

Rolled 17

>>29427667
nat 20

Rolled 12

>>29427667

Rolled 5

>>29427667

>>29427684
Huh, we didn't fail. Weird.

Rolled 1

>>29427667
lets see how well she handles herself

Rolled 16

>>29427730
Sir, you need to leave now

Rolled 12

>>29427742
Never.

>Target met

The two of you fall into a strange kind of sync, though you have a feeling that it’s more that Salamander’s using her skill and experience to match you. Unlike Lynn, who has more strength and power than skill, Salamander matches her raw strength with a frightening level of skill. Her scimitar is incandescent with heat, and she moves it so fast you can see a glowing trail that marks its path. It also leaves streams of blood, cauterised wounds and punctured armor. She cleaves through the magical plate with her intricate movements like it were paper.

She mixes a strange form of dance into her fighting, too, which reminds you of Undine but of a more predatorial variety. Her steps move her into the enemy often, as though she prefers to always be in danger. Not that she ever looks to be truly in danger. She snaps bones with motions, cuts through solid enchanted steel and occasionally shoots bursts of flame out to catch her foes.

Compared to her, you feel clumsy almost – the almost being from her ability to match herself so closely to your fighting style. You do your best to close her openings, and she effortlessly covers you. Between the two of you, you cut through the mage-knights until you realise that they’re fleeing.

“Ahahaha, I’d have thought they’d have fought to the death,” Salamander laughs out, dry blood coating her and giving her a terrifying visage. “You must have gotten lucky in Fort Locke to fight such foes, Talon.”

Then, without another wasted moment, she leaps out after the fleeing Taourans, raining fire upon them. You…

>1. Join her and chase them back to their camp.
>2. Regroup with your men and give chase
>3. Regroup with your men and pull back to Niorte
>4. Custom

>>29427542
>>29427667
>Sala goes crashing down into the enemy forces
well, we had every reason to believe she is injured with such a description

>>29427856
>2. Regroup with your men and give chase

>>29427856
>3. This whole thing still seems like a set up.

>>29427861
It's a reflection of Talon's state of mind. You've largely seen Sala fighting when she's outmatched, like against the trapper, or getting heavily wounded, like against the dragon or from the ambushes. Poor Sala's been beaten on despite being a match for Talon in CQC.

>>29427856
>3. Regroup with your men and pull back to Niorte

Rolled 4

>>29427856
>3. Regroup with your men and pull back to Niorte
Look for daywalkers.

Rolled 42

>>29427856
>2. Regroup with your men and give chase
No guts, no glory.

Let's chase these dogs down and sack their camp!

>>29427856

>3.

This whole affair could have just been an attempt to cover an infiltrator... or distract us while they take the fort...

>>29427856
4.
Delegate the chase to your flying mage knights and anyone who can keep up.

Men at Arms and regular archers and anyone else not fast enough for pursuit are to return to Niorte. We have a triumph to plan, and Vale to reinforce.

>>29427856
>3. Regroup with your men and pull back to Niorte

Rolled 14

>>29427856
>3
Our job is done here, we need to contact Mal and get our bearings.

>>29427861

Even if we didn't think so it would make sense we would go anyway to be honest. Tag teaming kills things faster and we really want those mage knights to die.

>>29427856
>3. Regroup with your men and pull back to Niorte

Lets pull back for now and look for possible traps. We have won handily so far and still have a few days to win.

>>29427910
What are our casualties so far?

>>29428002
You don't know. You're still in the midst of battle and haven't had time to do a headcount.

>3.

This whole battle has felt off to you and you regroup with your men, giving them orders to mass and march back on Niorte. Hopefully it’s just paranoia and you’ll be able to get in easily.

“Talon, why are we pulling back – the enemy is in full rout,” Maloric asks you, catching up.

“This whole affair has felt strange. The Taourans have no obvious leader and they’ve fought terribly for what should have been a veteran force. It’s doubtful they can be much threat now,” you tell him, looking around for Sala. “Dammit, did Salamander actually charge off after them?”

Maloric gives a wry smile and you realise that's exactly what's happened before he says, “I can use a sending to relay your orders.”

>1. Order Salamander to join the retreat
>2. Order Salamander to find out what she can about the enemy in their camp
>3. Leave her be. She can handle herself and she’ll rejoin you when she’s ready.
>4. Custom

>>29428034
>2. Order Salamander to find out what she can about the enemy in their camp

>>29428034

>2.
Let Sala have her fun, though we would like to know what they are actually up to...

>>29428034
4. Reinforce Salamander with our flying knights.
and
2.

Can we augment our voice and yell at the fleeing enemies to "surrender and live"?
We might get more mageknight armors intact that way.

Also, have some fliers circle the town and then scout some to see if we are missing something, slow troops return to town proper, core group (you, mal, elementals, lyn) give chase with the faster mage knights

>>29428034
>1
Get her ass back here, she already went down once today.

>>29428034
>2. Order Salamander to find out what she can about the enemy in their camp
>4. Tell her to be careful, something is off about this whole thing.

Rolled 14

>>29428034
>2. Order Salamander to find out what she can about the enemy in their camp
There are no known mages right now.

>>29428034
wait, they ran back to their camp? I thought they abandoned their camp and were in a full retreat.

We are really overthinking it, maybe the commander was that magister we killed last night?

>>29428034

>4. Tell her to burn things. But not to stay long and retreat pretty quickly.

>>29428034
just split off some force to guard niorte, send scouts in all directions, and have a core of our fast force continue the route and finish them off already.
We got them routed, we shouldn't let them regroup

>>29428112
You fought them a few hundred metres in front of their camp (where the charges met) and they're falling back now without any pursuit.

>>29428112
The thing though is that magisters are rarely commanders in the armed forces.

Even if they held high rank, they probably would be subservient to a primary forces command. Something like magisters to men at arms to mage knights

>>29428112

Either way we can wait a day and better to be safe. Given the blow to morale this will be we should be able to take them at our will soon enough.

>>29428154
but at much higher casualties now that we let them regroup

I wonder. Undine has control over water. Could she make it Hail?

>>29428147
then maybe their commander died during their charge on our walls while we were fighting, we did inflict heavy casualties on them.

>>29428175
Let them regroup. It's more important that we actually think things through and make sure we have enough intelligence on the field to make decisions.

>>29428083
This.

>2.

“Tell her to keep an eye out. I don’t like this whole situation and wouldn’t mind if she could find something out,” you tell Maloric and he relays the sending. After a few seconds, he rolls his eyes.

“She said she’ll do that as she has her fun.”

“If she gets her stomach shot out again, I’m going to poke it,” you say and when Maloric laughs you continue, “No, I’m serious. Tell her that via sending.”

He gives you an odd look before doing so, then chokes back a laugh. “She says ‘Don’t be mean, Mal.’ I don’t think she believed me when I said it was from you.”

You grumble slightly as your men pull back. You’ll just have to remind her that you’re her boss once she gets back. You add, “Have Nate join her from overhead – that way if she goes down we can recover her.”

[DC12 Salamander Flyover]

Rolled 8

>>29428279

>>29428220
She could shoot hailstones (whilst Sala flys her around or something), but otherwise she can't control the weather even at full strength. The weather systems are simply too far above her to manipulate.

Rolled 19

>>29428279

Rolled 5

>>29428279

Rolled 4

>>29428279
nat1, salamander dies

>>29428307
can she shoot hail at a parabolic arc?

>>29428307
How much Power would she have to gain for it to be feasible to alter the weather like that (ballpark it)? Is it even within the realm of possibility?

Rolled 1

>>29428341
>How much Power would she have to gain for it to be feasible to alter the weather like that
>she can't control the weather even at full strength

>>29428325
>hail
Yes. She does this with her icicles so they act like arrows - they don't have the range of arrows, though, even when boosted with sorcery, as they melt quickly.

>>29428341
There might be some crazy items of power that can do it. Otherwise, if you could actually get up into the clouds (most flyers can't go that high before their enchantments start to give) then Undine could actually do it. If you want to stand on the ground and do it, you'd have to a crazy powerful astral entity who specialises in it (like a faerie, maybe).

>>29428341
I'm pretty sure the only way we're getting weather control is by claiming a PoP for ourselves, and that would only be for around Harrowmont.

>>29428394

So, say if Lynn or Sala were to carry her up... Assuming that Wings don't count as enchantments...

>>29428394
>Otherwise, if you could actually get up into the clouds
"Project: Hot Air Balloon" is now in the planning stages.

>>29428394
>get up into the clouds

Now we really do need to find a flying monster mount. Just so as to give Undine the platform she needs for full weather control.

>>29428427
>>29428429
>>29428436
>/tg/ wants its fantasy tacnuke bad

>>29428427
Sala can't do it - her wings work in the same way. Lynn might be able to - you don't know how her flight works.

>>29428429

Hey if we get Sylph then we have a nice amount of warm air to use.

>>29428458
While we're discussing elementals, is it known how much pressure Undine can project water at? Does she have crowd control abilities, or create a water cutter?

Further, what degree of heat can Sala produce? Would she be able to power a furnace for long?

I'm waiting patiently for magical engineering to be a thing

>>29428496
Haha, according to Gnome's description, Sylph does sound like she's full of hot air.

And then we can use our degree in engineering and modern scientific knowledge to design a flying machine that works with with the elemental sister's powers.

And then we can go ahead and invent black powder, the internal combustion engine, and nuclear bombs.

>>29428530
I'll need to think on those carefully.

>Target met

As it is, your worries are unfounded. As your men march back into Niorte and you have them take up defensive positions, Sala flies back down with a man in Taouran plate in her arms. She drops him in front of you near the gatehouse and stands nearby, a proud grin on her face.

“Here’s the reason it’s all so odd, Talon,” she tells you.

You watch the man, who appears to be mumbling, ‘Take Niorte. Kill Talon York.’ over and over. You don’t see anything interesting beyond his seeming insanity and obsession.

“He’s the enemy general,” she says, answering your questioning look.

“What?” you say, looking back at him. Well, now his words make sense now. “How could this thing command an army? General Ares was still sane even when thralled, so I don’t-“

“He’s what happens when you get thralled twice and then given conflicting orders. The stronger daywalker wins and the thrall’s mind turns to mush. I didn’t think it’d happen as I haven’t seen a vampire this stupid since I was little.”

You watch the man mutter to himself, completely unaware of what’s happening. “How long ago would this have happened? What orders conflicted?”

She shrugs. “Dunno. Don’t know if you could find out. Explains why their command was so terrible, though. Probably that nasty mage from last night was the one giving the orders while this vegetable just sat around.”

>Anything to try here? Any orders to give your men from this? I'll call a vote if you has some differing options.
We still seem to have loads of players, so I’ll keep going for a bit.

>>29428530

Honestly we don't really need too much on that front at least this early on. I know now that we could get a flyer to fly Undine up now in order to have some fun things happen with hail which is all I need to know to think of some fun things to do.

>>29428577

>Doing that.
>Not using a PoP and instead making it so flying machines exist because fuck you reality that's why.

>>29428593
This was, fyi, meant to give you an edge in the battle against a veteran foe. Instead you rolled exceptionals and wiped out their siege equipment, then kept succeeding when it mattered and thrashed them.

>>29428647
Talon York truly is a great general.

>>29428647
I don't want to jinx it, but in this thread and the previous one, every time I've gotten in the first three rolls we've succeeded. Every time I've abstained or been distracted and missed it, we failed. It's...pretty eerie.

>>29428577
We could realistically create some kind of combustion engine, maybe an airship, if we find the materials. But we'd need to summon a hell of a lot of fire and maybe wind elementals so that Sala isn't stuck being an engine piece. I think I'll start drawing up some plans on a possible flight vehicle but without access to what minerals and materials we have it's impossible until we get our magic engineer and a manufacturing city.

>>29428593
>conflicting orders
>Take Niorte. Kill Talon York

At least two someones in Taour are keeping a close eye on Talon or Niorte, and have conflicting ideas of how to proceed with him.

The stronger one won out, so that means there is a weaker vampire in Taour who wants to either see us live, or see Niorte remain in our hands.

>Pass this info on to our new allied spymaster
>imply that we would be grateful to know the identities of those two or more vampires if possible

>>29428593
Execute the enemy General, truly doing so would be an act of mercy.

Otherwise, let's head out of the gates with our Mage-knights to raid the enemy camp and chase off any who have not left.

>>29428720
>execute
>in fantasy world

Ransom him. At worst they refuse, at best you not only get money but also establish ties with the people who bought his life from you.

>>29428593

Now this is interesting. I wonder what the two vampires conflicted on.

Anyway the Command structure has went to hell for the foes. Lets give the men time to rest up after that last fight.

I'm thinking we could abuse the mist Undine makes. There morale has to be pretty shit right now so if we fog things up a bit later on then do something like make a crashing noise to make them paranoid for a bit we might be able to lower it even further.

All the while we rest up a bit.

>>29428734
Yeah, that only works if the hostage is of value. This guy is a walking vegetable.

>>29428734
>>29428720
Shouldn't you try healing him first at least? See if there might be a way to reverse his vegetable state?

>>29428734
I don't think vegetables go for much, fantasy world or not.

>>29428734
He's a human thrall, whose mind had been crushed to a mush...I doubt his vampiric lords would care about him, and I don't think opening a line of dialogue with them will accomplish anything.

We are rivals plain and simple, for us to rise they must fall.

>>29428755
It's already been stated that once you're thralled, you're thralled for good.

Although granted, nobody in our service is all that up on vampire lore either, so...that could be wrong. Even so, I don't believe any of our healers are up to the task.

>>29428714
Well as soon as Talon left the city, the general broke down. If we assume that what he's gibbering are the two conflicting orders, that means that in the General's mind killing Talon would prevent taking Niorte, or that taking Niorte would prevent killing Talon. Or that only one or the other was possible at the time.

>>29428754
>that hostage has family
>that hostage has people who knew him when he was better
There's more than one kind of value out there, you know.

>>29428781
Oh okay, I guess we'll go make personal apologies to the hundreds of soldiers out there we were just responsible for slaughtering. I'm sure that won't take up too much time.

NIGGA WE GOT BETTER THINGS TO DO.

>>29428754

This. The main reason ransoms work is due to a lot of factors adding up. A mindless thrall mumbling the same thing over and over is worthless to them.

>>29428781

Hostage has a family yeah but there most likely with the vampires so not all that useful because they could be thralls too.

>>29428778
"Nah," Sala tells you. "Those are the orders that won. The other orders might be in there, but the conflict caused has been turning him into a vegetable for a while."

VOTE

>1. Sortie and chase/crush the remaining Taouran forces
>2. Give your men some rest and observe the Taourans
>3. Try to parley with the Taourans
>4. Custom

>>29428781
>implying would want to care of a vegetable
>having to feed a vegetable
>constantly having to hear him mutter "Take Niorte. Kill Talon York
>always being reminded of the asshole that returned your brother/father/son/cousin as a vegetable

>>29428830
>for a while
Should be
>after a while.

Basically, he operated kind of normally for a little while but slowly became like this. Sala doesn't know how long it would have taken, especially as you don't know how long he's been this bad.

>>29428830
>3. Try to parley with the Taourans

>>29428830
>3. Try to parley with the Taourans
If that fails:
>1. Sortie and chase/crush the remaining Taouran forces

>>29428830
>3.
Then if that doesn't work:
>1.

>>29428830
>3. Try to parley with the Taourans
Show them the general. This is what awaits them in their service to Taour.

>>29428835

Okay 10/10 my ribs hit orbit.

>>29428830

My first thought would be to let the men rest for a while then at Night or early Dawn rushing them. Maybe with a Parley beforehand that pretty much boils down to "Surrender or die."

>>29428830

>1.

>>29428629
once it exits the very short radius around the source it will fade out

>3. For now

You decide to attempt parley with the remaining Taouran forces. Your men are still ready in case you get no response as you wait. After a short while, but long enough to make it clear the enemy had thought very carefully about contacting you, you receive word to open up a line of communication. You return to the keep and use the communication device to start the meeting, bringing along only Undine, Maloric, Sala and Lynn. You don’t want to risk your officers reacting poorly to this.

“Um, this is Captain Darren Liril of Taour,” a young and unsure voice says through the device.

“I am Imperator Talon York,” you say before he continues, putting an imperious tone into your voice.

You hear a gulp come through the other side – he must be close to his device. “Oh. Oh shit. You’re actually here? I just… Um, this doesn’t usually happen. The Darlesians usually just tried to kill us all and we know that returning unsuccessful is a death sentence without a proper commander to protect us. Um, what are you after?”

>What do you say to him?

>>29428835

Well, we could go the other way and blackmail them. "Pay us or we humiliate you by returning your brother/father/son/cousin to you." Might work on societies or cultures that pivot on family shame or accomplishment
I'm surprised Aspirational didn't consider it. It's got potential for feels, sidequest bait, or just plain character development of us and our subordinates as we handle this matter

>>29428955
surrender and you will be granted asylum

>>29428720
keep him for experiments in breaking thralldom and for training mages on detecting thralls

>>29428835
>>29428977
Both of those assume he is someone of value to them.
He is a thrall to a vampire, human cattle.
Now if we captured that daywalker earlier we could have probably ransomed him.
And if we capture an RSK noble or a magi league archmage we could ransom them. Because different groups value different people differently

>>29428955
"I am here to end the threat you pose to my lands. I care not the method."

>ask him about the need of a commander to protect him

>>29428955
"I've just seen your um...general. To be honest I've been holding back because of how oddly your army was behaving. Now I know why.
Darren, you know that even if you were somehow successful what would be awaiting you back in Taour. Enthrallment. I'm sure it must seem like your only choice is dying well on the battlefield, or in agony at home in front of your loved ones.
I want to offer you another choice, Darren. Asylum. Surrender, and we will take you. You have my solemn word that any of you and your men who surrender peaceably will be treated humanely.

I started my kingdom because I wanted to build a new future, Darren. A future where men and women could live free. Come, be a part of it."

>>29428955
if they do surrender, we check for thralls, thralls are imprisoned for mages to study and attempt breaking thralldom.

Non thralls will give up their equipment to our own troops and will either be dispersed among outlying villages in our territory (don't want them in major towns in case we missed a spy)

I guess some might be recruited too.