Sithelnost - Strategy Session

09 Newkolt 349 AC

“The Black Bird makes a valid point. Several actually… Do you have an estimate on available troops, Commander?” Ra’ziir asks after taking in all that has been discussed.

He points the the Ogre’s territory, “If the Dragonarmy has made arrangements with the ogres, this flank will be compromised to some degree at least. But I don’t believe we have any way of knowing unless we send a recon team to try to gather some intel…”

Frustration reveals itself as Ra’ziir sighs. “It seems that we need to know what we have to work with before we can fully commit to any of these plans… let’s get a count on the number of troops and any other assets that might prove useful. How can we expedite doing so, Commander? We are at your disposal…”

"I can tell you what remains of my command, and I can request additional troops from Silvanost. But I cannot promise you an army, Ra'ziir. The Speaker's generals will have to decide how many soldiers they can spare."

She looked toward the Delta.

"And they'll want to know why we're proposing to defend the mouth of the Thon-Thalas instead of the capital itself."

“Understood… what can you tell us about these Towers of Eli, and the other landmarks near the delta?”

Parnitha examined the map.

“The Towers of E'li guard the mouth of the Thon-Thalas. Two fortresses, one on either bank, overlooking the main channel where the river empties into the Courrain Ocean. They're named for E'li, whom you would know as Paladine.”

She pointed to their positions.

“They were built to prevent hostile vessels from entering the river. Their garrisons are drawn from House Protector. They have archers, fortified positions, and commanding views of the approaches.”

“Do you know how many soldiers are stationed there?” Ra'ziir asked.

“Not their current strength. They've maintained permanent garrisons for generations, but I don't know whether Silvanost has reinforced them since the invasion began.”

She studied the map again.

“If the Dragonarmy intends to advance up the Thon-Thalas, those towers are an obvious obstacle.”

Raven leaned forward.

“Then the towers may be their objective, rather than the Delta itself.”

Parnitha considered that.

“Yes. Capture both fortresses and they would control the principal entrance to the river. They could establish a forward position without having to construct one in the marshes.”

“Assuming they can take them,” Shadow remarked.

“The towers were designed to withstand an attack from the sea,” Parnitha replied. “Whether their defenses are adequate against dragons is another matter.”

“Then it seems we need to take advantage of these assets…” Ra’ziir looks to Raven, then Parnitha. “Do we have a means of communication with those stationed at the towers, or should we just go there and discuss in person?” The Bladesinger’s eyes move to the other landmarks, “And do any of these other locations offer any advantage to us, or our enemy?” He points to Ravinost, Ballnost and Sol Fallon. The latter lies right where the two waterways merge… that may provide some advantage yet unrealized. If so, what might it be? We need to leverage any and all assets we can acquire… and remind me, where are the Ogre’s territory located?”

Raven pointed, "Here, to the northwest."

Parnitha looked at the map, drumming her fingers idly as if deciding which of Ra'ziir's questions she wanted to address first. "Sol Fallon is a sacred hill. It is where Silvanos Goldeneye gathered the scattered elven clans on the hill of Sol-Fallon to convene the first Council of High Ones. Those families swore an oath of allegiance to him, uniting the tribes and establishing him as the first Speaker of the Stars. It is sacred ground to our people, but it isn't a fortress"

"Ravinost is home to the kingdom's primary granaries and lumber mills. It's also where most of our fabrics are made. Ballnost holds tanneries and smithies."

“As far as the dragons are concerned, while the reds are still a threat, all the water means they are less so than the greens. Deltas are notorious for fogs and low lying mists. An excellent cover for an initial breath attack from the greens.”, Kysek adds. “We need wind. Lots of it.”

Romulus nodded. “Once we are there, I can arrange that. Wind blowing out toward the sea to disperse poisonous gas and drive away the mist. I can also arrange for rain to keep the surrounding forest from burning.”

He considered the map. “Neither will stop a dragon from attacking, naturally, but it should make things considerably less comfortable for them.”

Raven nodded approvingly. “Anything that forces them to work harder for their kills is worth doing.”

Grotto volunteered to join any recon groups as their healer.

Cedron listened intently to everyone, marinating on each idea.

The priest, no matter his travels and near-death adventures, never ceased to be amazed and grateful for the gifts each of his friends has to offer; from Ra’ziir’s desire for information, Shadow’s practicality, Kysek’s awareness, Grotto’s brotherhood, Romulus’s calculations, and Raven’s eye for strategy. He was grateful for their contributions…to Progress.

He waited patiently for everyone to speak. His faith and wisdom drove his sensitivity. To the barrage of questions lobbed at Parnitha and her forthright responses, To the descriptions of each location and their strategic value, To the routes presented and their opponent’s options. To Progress.

His mind kept fixing on the Green Dragon, the massive green dragon and the Red Dragons at the flank.

“We need to focus on the dragons The Green One and the two Reds!” He emphasizes. “The two-pronged approach may be feasible for their sizable forces, but our limited capabilities require information and the ability to adapt accordingly. How can we better monitor the dragons?” asks Cedron.

Romulus considered Cedron's question for a moment, then folded his arms. "Well, there are several ways we can approach this. Bubo is already watching their camp, which gives us a useful set of eyes. But I wouldn't rely entirely on a single owl, however talented he might be."

He glanced toward Kysek. "Your familiar can continue observing their movements. If the dragons leave the camp, we need to know where they go and whether they travel together."

He turned toward Shadow. "Magically, we have some options. Scrying is possible, although I suspect our rather unpleasant green acquaintance will notice if we keep peeking in on him."

Romulus continued.

"I would also suggest we distinguish between observing the army and observing the dragons. We don't necessarily need to watch five hundred soldiers. We need to know what their commanders are doing, when the dragons move, and whether they're preparing for an attack."

He looked toward Cedron. "And there's one other consideration. If that ancient green is directing the operation, we should assume he's intelligent enough to anticipate reconnaissance. We shouldn't make our surveillance predictable."

The halfling tapped the map. "Multiple observers, different methods, and regular reports. If we can establish that, we'll have a much better chance of knowing what they're doing before they do it."

Raven nodded, "I will go to Sardonyx and keep an eye on the ogres."

"Fine. But we should go to Silvanost first and get the answers to the other questions we have first," Romulus replies.

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