Fantasy RPG Forum - Standing Trials

15th of Ashan, Arc 722

As Prae finished speaking, the room fell completely silent. All his top lieutenants, from Ricky and Clarissa, who'd been with him for Arcs, to Syd, only recently joined, looked at each other, and back at him. 



"I knew it," Ricky finally said. "I knew he was going to say something completely crazy. Fates, Prae, you're talking about—about going up against an entire nation. You're talking about taking on Sirothelle."


"I'm not saying we march in there and try and free every slave in the city in a grand battle that we lose resoundingly," Prae said firmly. "I'm talking about being careful, being stealthy. Hit and run tactics, using the size of the city against them. Freeing a few groups here and there."


"So, like bandits?" Clarissa asked, raising an eyebrow. 



"We're freeing slaves, Clarissa, not stealing their things."


"You know the Aukari won't see a difference. But what I mean is, we'd be using the tactics that bandits have been using around Rharne. Like those river rats we wiped out last season."


Prae considered that, then nodded. "Yes," he said, "I suppose so. We'd have to hit them quick and fast, so we'd need to keep our group size down."


"That's tough," Ricky pointed out. "The more people we free—"


"The larger and less mobile our group gets, I know. I'm thinking of coordinating with Isonomia on this, see if they can have a group stationed at Etzos to help us transport the ones who want to go to Rharne or Scalvoris. But... in the long run, I think we should establish a base on the western continent. Somewhere we can bring them back, treat them, maybe train them up to join us in freeing more slaves if they agree."


Liv'ana let out a low whistle. "Ambitious. I'm almost disappointed you're making me stay behind."


Prae grinned apologetically at her. "Sorry. But I need you and Valbjorn to stay here and keep things running. I'm leaving the squad leaders with you, and Perri will be at Eureka."


"Everyone else is coming with you?" Clarissa asked, sounding unsettlingly eager. 



"Aelyn and Syd will come with me at first, with a handful of scouts and rangers. We'll scout out the area, get a sense of the lay of the land, and if we're lucky, meet up with someone who might be an ally." That got a few raised eyebrows. "I don't mean to be coy, but I'd prefer not to say who for now. I'm working off of rumor and hearsay here so we'll have to figure things out when we get there. Once we figure things out, I'll call Ricky and Clarissa over. You two will be bringing the rest of the forces we need. I'll decide which forces those are once we're at that point. It'll probably be a mix of medics, archers and defenders. Any other questions?"


Syd spoke up then, a faint frown on his face. "I'm hearing quite a lot of 'we'll figure things out when we get there'. I do hope that's not the approach we're taking to this entire... endeavor."


"It isn't—I just don't want to set in motion plans that could change with information I'm expecting to get. What we can, and should do, though, is plan for the things we know are going to happen. So, first off. We're going to be transporting troops to the western continent. What do we need?"


"Transportation, for one thing." Valbjorn said. "Boss, if you're serious about this, sending mercs one way across the sea, and freed slaves the other way... It'd be cheaper and probably safer to just buy ourselves a ship and dock it in Volta. I could captain it, hire a crew—I've sailed a ship or two in my time."


Praetorum nodded. He'd been thinking along the same lines, but he was glad Val had brought it up. "Alright. Once we have everything else sorted, you and I will go down to Volta and buy a ship for the company. We'll also need to deal with supplies."


"You mean I'll be dealing with supplies," Syd said dryly. "Bringing the rangers is a good start, but we'll still need to bring rations, mess kits, tents, and if you're serious about building a base over there, construction equipment. At least the basics." But Prae shook his head. 



"The last one, we don't need to carry with us on the way there. I have the banners, remember? We'll bring one with us, and store the construction supplies here in the keep. I can transport them through the banners, no need to lug them around with us."


"Even so," Syd continued, "We should start stocking up on supplies now. Can't be too careful—who knows what supply will look like next season."


"We should up our smithing production as well," Prae said after a moment's thought. "We'll need to arm and armor the people we free, if they choose to stay with us. But I'm getting ahead of myself. That's transport and living rough taken care of. Once we're there, we'll need to find a place to stay. Bringing the rangers should be enough to take care of that, at least for a while. Anything we can do to improve our odds once we're there?"


"Mining equipment, maybe." Syd suggested. "The area's all mountains—you might find resources you can use in the earth, or maybe resources you can sell in Rharne. Those banners you have are damned useful."


"They only work so many times a trial, so we can't rely on me ferrying absolutely everything through it," Prae warned. "But that's a good idea. We'll put in an order for some mining equipment, just in case."

"If the terrain is all mountains, we ought to prepare climbing gear as well, just in case." Liv'ana said. "I know you can just level a mountain with a flick of your tail and fly over the rubble—" Prae snorted at that, and Liv grinned "—but us mere mortals have to rely on things like ropes and pitons."


"Adding it to the list," Syd sighed. 



"Anything else?" Prae asked. "For the first section of the plan, the initial scouting the three of us do." No one said anything, and Prae nodded. "Alright. Once we have all that sorted, we need to start thinking about, well. Caring for groups of freed slaves. So, we'll need even more food, plain clothes, medicine, because I doubt the Aukari are keeping their slaves healthy, bedrolls, blankets—what else?"


"How are we going to live once we're settled in a base? Can't trade for food, and our supplies will run out eventually. We need to have a sustainable source of food. The rangers are fine on the move, but you'll trap and gather the resources dry staying in one place." Syd tapped his chin thoughtfully. "You'll need to hunt or farm or something to keep everyone fed." 



"That's something we can't know until we find a good location for a base, but those are good things to keep in mind while we look for one." A thought occurred to Prae then. "Maybe if we push far enough north, we could sit on the coast. Fishing could be an option. Also lets us make use of those ships we're buying. Might have to build a dock."



"Prae..." Aelyn finally spoke up, for the first time in the meeting. "How permanent a base are you planning on building? I mean, farming, building a dock... It sounds like you don't intend to come back to Rharne." 



That gave Praetorum pause, and he rubbed his muzzle, considering how to answer that. "It isn't that I don't intend to come back—these banners mean I will always be able to devote some of my time to Rharne and this keep. And it isn't that I intend to keep all of you and the others on the western continent—I understand that some of you have roots in Rharne, as do many of our men." He sighed. "But I intend to build a permanent home on the Western continent."


"Right on Sirothelle's doorstep." Aelyn said.


"Best laid plans and all that, but yes, that's the intention. If possible. If not, I intend to bring the freed slaves elsewhere on the western continent and build a permanent home there."


"Fates, Prae." Ricky said. "Why?"


Prae hesitated. But only a moment. "The Empress Raskalarn of the Eternal Empire has charged me with... well. With forming my own kingdom."


The silence that followed that proclamation was utterly deafening. 



"Right." Clarissa said after almost a bit of shocked stillness. "I need to have a drink for this conversation."