Tarithnesti - The Tower of House Protector

06 Deepkolt 349 AC

PROTECTOR'S TOWER

On the dawn of the day after the battle, two platoons of elves arrive to reinforce the city's defenders.

Commander Parnitha summons all of the city's defenders to meet with her at the Protector's Tower, a slender crystal-topped spire overlooking the river. Dozens of elves have gathered in the entry hall, known as the Ranger's Gate. Living trees are interwoven through the pale stone walls, supporting the upper levels while narrow windows of crystal admit wan winter light. A banner bearing the sigil of House Protector hangs from the central pillar. Racks of weapons, mostly bows and spears, line the walls. A large map of the Thon-Thalus River Valley is carved into the floor.

Colored miniatures mark the locations of scout patrols, supply caches, safe places to cross the river, and Dragonarmy sightings.

The overwhelming victory less than thirty-six hours earlier has left the defenders in high spirits, despite the discovery made at what was left of the goblin camp. Several dozen civilian elves, all craftsmen, foresters, miners, and bargemen mill around at the back of the hall talking amongst themselves.

Caladryl Fenar, one of Parnitha’s lieutenants, enters and raises a hand to call for silence. The soldiers instantly obey. It is several seconds before the civilians even realize that they have been asked to be quiet but they soon follow suit.

The commander enters with Cedron, Romulus, and Raven walking beside her. She walks out to the center of the map. She spoke, her voice carrying easily through the hall.

"The Dragonarmies will come again. This time, they will likely bring dragons."

Silence, even the quiet murmur among the elves at the back of the room stopped.

Parnitha nodded toward Ra'ziir. "And, they could be here in a matter of mere days. ALL noncombatants will evacuate the city. They will shelter in the crystal mines on the other side of the river. A detachment of Wildrunners will watch over you. Bring only what you can carry - food, water, blankets, clothing. Everything else is to be left behind."

Her tone left no room for argument. Her gaze fell upon potential dissenters and cowed them with no further words. "Lt. Fenar, see the civilians out."

The lieutenant passes the order along to his warriors and within seconds, only those who will be fighting for Tarithnesti remain.

Emblem of House Protector 

"Romulus, you may provide your briefing now."

The halfling steps up and clears his throat. "I will be heading into the forest to find places where I can place Programmed Illusion spells that will activate if any goblins or Draconians enter their area. The illusions will appear to be impassable briars and thickets, forcing approaching foot troops to detour onto paths where they can be ambushed."

Romulus cedes the floor to Raven, who also presents his plan. "I will taking a sled loaded with empty crates and bags stuffed with leaves and branches so they look like sacks of grain out to one of the farmsteads that is to be evacuated. We will then lie in wait with a squad of scouts to launch an ambush. I will be accepting volunteers."

Grotto immediately leaps to his feet, "Count me in!"

Ra’ziir nods in response to Raven, confirming that he will join. Then via their mental link, “Is there a place for Redclaw and my squad in your plans?” He asks as he walks over to his long-time companion. Then, aloud, verbally, Ra’ziir adds, “Because we would hate to miss out on all the fun!”

The commander steps forward again. "Thank you, Romulus, Raven. Sergeants, pick up your squad assignments from Lieutenant Caladryl in the war room. Everyone else, dismissed."

The spearmen and archers file out. Shadow's troops head upstairs to the training hall while the others leave the tower to tend to their duties.

Once the troops have been dismissed, Kysek states plainly, “We should have been more gentle in our routing of the enemy. Either that or scouted further ahead to have a second more powerful attack ready and went right into it. They will come here next. I don’t believe it will be full force; but it will be enough to test even further our capabilities. We need a sort of alarm system in place. We cannot allow them to come unannounced. We also cannot allow a multidirectional assault. Perhaps another stealthy scouting mission is needed to possibly see what is coming our way?” He walks toward the map to look for places to set alarms or other attack directions the enemy could take.

Raven scratches his chin, "I don't think the Dragonarmies will march on the city yet. I believe that they will try to draw us specifically out, and try to keep us busy while they raid elsewhere in the valley. They will seek to force us to expend resources while cutting off our ability to resupply. Only when they believe we are exhausted will they strike here."

Parnitha takes a deep breath. "If the city itself comes under attack, I will light the beacon atop the tower with this." She holds up a pendant hanging from a chain around her neck. "This will cause the crystal to ignite with a pure, white radiance visible all of the way to Alinosti. There is a smaller beacon there that will be lighted in turn, one that can be seen as far away as Silvanost. Should that happen, aid will come."

ABOVE, IN THE TRAINING GALLERY

Shadow convenes a second meeting in the tower's training gallery. Targets of varying sizes stand along 240° of the tower's curved walls. The final arc is hung with rock-climbing nets. He gathers Jensolyn Paytonilia, Cor, and a third elf he has decided to promote to named Thalanir. He makes sure that they are well acquatinted with each other.

The dark elf reviews Cor's suggested course of action for dealing with enemy spellcasters, first with them, and then with the entire squad as a whole.

He addresses his entire squad, “As the reserve unit, we are challenged to plug the holes in the line and to possibly rescue our fellows. We may be called upon to teleport behind enemy lines. Or to fly undercover of night to the fight. The Dragonarmies will send more powerful troops against us and soon. We must stand together and support the others as best we can.”

MEANWHILE,

Cedron will move between the units ensuring communication is consistent.

He finds a private moment. The minstrel-priest stands solemn taking in the present, the progress. He prays to Malazzarr.

“O, Undying Light of the Ever-Onward,
whose grace turns dark ages into golden —
hear my words Malazzarr!

Guide my steps through uncharted wilds,
where old maps hold no truth.
Let my failures be the seeds
that bloom into the next great dawn.

Bind me to the fellowship of seekers —
the alchemist, the architect, the dreamer at dawn.

I ask not for the destination.
Only the road ahead, and your lantern beside me.

Hear me Malazzarr! Show me the path of Progress!”

He pleads as much as prays…

Shadow eventually tracks Cedron down and asks if his troops can help with anything in preparation for the next fight. “With us as the reserve unit, is there anything that we can do to prepare and assist you, Cedron?"

MEANWHILE, IN SILVANOST

Alara stood in the dimly lit basement. No matter how much Elaine's healers cleaned, it still smelled of mildew. Small wooden boxes crammed with the detritus of centuries of royals saving keepsakes from their infancy, from their childhood, was stuffed into crates and chests of every shape and size. There was more discarded wealth left in these chambers to be forgotten than she could amass in a lifetime, even an elven one.

She stood with her ledger propped on a stack of boxes waiting to be removed to make room for more bedding, her fingers stained with ink. A voice spoke to her, "You are discarding too much."

She recognized the voice. Cuinar Elar, head of the Small Advisory Council - an elder statesman, stepped into the room.

He places a hand of one of the boxes, a crate of clothing labeled "Precataclysm Ceremonial Textiles". He opens the lid and peers inside. "These were woven before the gods hurled their fiery mountain down upon Istar."

Alara closed her record book and turned, "And the people forced to shelter here will starve if we don't make room for food."

The ancient elf steps forward, "You think courage wins wars? It does not. Endurance does. The Dragonarmies, like all of Silvanesti's enemies will tire, burn themselves out, turn upon each other out of greed or ego. We will outlast them."

His tone, one perfected over years upon years of service to the kingdom, carried an authority that was used to being obeyed.

Alara, raised amongst the ranks of servants, took a step back, momentarily cowed. She averted her eyes, looking around the chamber with its strong stone walls and saw a place of shelter, not for things forgotten but for people in need.

She steeled herself, turned back. "And if the enemy doesn't exhaust itself? If they last longer than you believe they can? Then what? We starve down here while the city above burns?"

She gestures with one arm, "This area can hold forty wounded. Or it can hold unused baby clothes and toys from generations that had the luxury of having those things to forget. It cannot do both."

"How many supplies can we keep here?" Cuinar's voice was calm, soft.

Alara thought for a moment, "We have room for two-hunded eighty three people if they share beds and sleep in shifts. We have enough food to last a week, ten days if we ration."

"I see. Make room for grain. It will be delivered this afternoon." Cuinar turns to leave but stops at the doorway, "After the Cataclysm, it was the record-keepers who saved us. They knew what food remained, what water was safe to drink. Where our people still lived. Do not underestimate your role," he motions toward her ledger, "or the shield you carry."

Rough Draft of Tower Exterior