Tellius: Interlude #3

Fair enough. I give you the gift of numbers.

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3458632/

12.
9.
7.
10.
9.

...I wish I had been more careful approaching that town. My innate sense of utter paranoia says that we should remain unknown. On the other hand, I have a feeling news is going to spread fast, so if he does have contacts, they are going to find out anyway.

...Just for once, I am going to not be hyper paranoid. I thank Ashasa, but it will hopefully not be needed. I imagine the others are tired of putting up with my paranoia anyway.

If she did that, wouldn't it be perceived as a tacit admission of guilt?

Yes, you did. I don't think you arranged a permanent solution? Where will they go now that battle has broken out?

No, they have no idea. She did a few jobs years and years ago. She seemed to value her independence. Certainly she didn't leave a forwarding address or anything.

Quite good rolls...

Water spirits are few and far between, as you travel to the river. For the most part they are small and weak, barely sentient at all, and you get little more information from them than you did from the first spirit. The spirits of the air are much more plentiful and informative, though, as you follow the spirits of small gusts and eddies back to the spirits of winds that blanket the entire region. They know of the pain of their kin, and of the gradual wasting that has been afflicting Hatary. It started with the water, they think: but as the water spirits' part of the cycle has collapsed, the spirits of air, earth, and all the growing things have suffered. The source is to the north, they think. The winds that blow that way have seen it: it is invisible to animals, like your kind, but it is obvious to them. A thunderhead lies over the northern border of Hatary, amid the mountains.

When you reach the river Ashasa mentioned, things become clearer. The river spirit is old and powerful, though even it has been weakened. You can sense the poison in it, slowly creeping through and corrupting it. This spirit is powerful enough to fight it for now, but it will not last forever. The river spirit knows the date as well. The river floods and recedes annually. The spiritual thunderhead arose fourteen flood seasons ago: fourteen years.

So to be clear, you are openly revealing that you are a heron whenever you pass through a town?

Interesting. Does he know what jobs those were? The pieces might be worth tracking down.

At least that's the reasoning I give.

Looks like I'll be contacting Emette's people at some point anyway, if only to ask Lanvega about the matter.

For now, I'll probably kill some time until dark, preferably taking another walk in the environs of Eldred's estate to ascertain the layout of the alleys and streets, and by extension rooftops. Potentially useful if I have to make a runner.

Also, I'll ask around for apothecaries and herbalists, and keep an ear out for any rumors.

If done right, it might be part of a bargain to get a good part of the Senate on her side. But difficult to get it done in a good way.

Good question... uhh... I have no clue. I think Cathy should raise the question.

"There is something else I would like to mention. There was a group of Laguz coming to Sienne to help me in my quest here... I sent Vika to them to tell them staying away from the City when things went from strange to worse, but they are still there."

Cathy looks to the rest of the 'planning group'.

"Do you think they could help us? Or would it better to tell Vika to lead them to a safer place?"

Sadly, most of them have been sold, and the smithy is not in the business of giving away their clients' details to strangers who just ask. You'll understand, of course.

The twin spears are still here. You saw them last time.

Were you going to check out Darien as well?

(In the absence of a map from me, do you mind if I just note that you have the area mapped out in your head? It does mean a bonus if you need to take any actions around here that the knowledge would help in, such as fleeing, sneaking around, and so on.)

That's her worry. It's no good if she wins the war but only in a way that compromises her own authority and ability to govern. She will try to adopt a more conciliatory tone with some of the senators, at least.

There are two major questions there:

Firstly, what sort of assistance can these laguz provide, either in Sienne or out of it? They might be able to fight, or assist loyalist soldiers outside the city as scouts and trackers. Or is there something else they can do?

Secondly, will having laguz allies hurt or help their public image? Large parts of Begnion are still quite touchy about the laguz. On the other hand, letting laguz work with their side as equals shows that they are serious about emancipation, that they can be trusted to follow through on their promises of equality, and so on.

As you're the laguz expert in the room, eyes are on you.

Looks like a dead end, though I could probably get more information out of asking Lanvega. Depends on how relations with that faction end up, I guess.

If I have time after casing Eldred's place, yes. Otherwise, I'll hold off until the day after or so.

Sure, that works.

After that I'll head back to the inn, take supper with Micaiah and Marcia, kit myself out (the nondescript jacket, my blackjack, rope, metal wire, some kerchiefs - those are usually useful in a number of ways, the sleeping drugs, a brace of five throwing knives, my rondel and magnetite knife, etc.) and take the rooftops to Eldred's place.

"I think I should contact them with Vika and ask them what skills they acquired during their past. I already learned that some of them had their ways to develop unusual skills during their captivity. Any kind of special ability would be worth a lot.

If they want to help with this war, we will find a way to integrate them into the war. It will be our chance to break down a few more barriers between Laguz and Beorcs if we can help you as equal partners."

Its all in the wrist.

I grow steadily more displeased as we travel, expression dark after each session as I consider the information.

What can the spirits of wind tell me? Can I find any to learn what they know?

From the river... What is the poison? Can it describe it in more detail? I want to help, and any information the spirit can provide will aid that desire greatly.

"...Did anything happen fourteen years ago?" I inquire to the group, thinking.

Hiding at this juncture is quite frankly pointless, given how fast word will spread from the village. So yes. I will not even try to hide. Instead, I will turn all my skills at diplomacy, speech, and understanding to making the best impression possible in Hatary. I bear the name Silvertongue. Time to prove why I was given that name.

An in-depth investigation would take longer, but you can at least pick up a few rumours. Darien of Kalstad is a young lord, in his mid-twenties, who recently inherited his fief after his father died in the Mad King's War. The fief itself is not within Marado, but is fairly close and historically has strong ties to the ruling house of Marado. Kalstad is currently under Begnion occupation, and plays host to the largest Begnion military garrison in the north. By all accounts Darien himself has avoided courting any great controversy. He has complied with the requests of Numida and the occupying army to the letter, but he hasn't done anything more than the letter either. The general feeling towards him seems to be some sympathy for the death of his father in the war, but no particularly strong feelings beyond that. There's a hope that he maintains ties with Marado, but he's been so passive that it's hard to tell anything much. Speculation is that he's overwhelmed by his sudden inheritance.

Not a problem.

The manor does have a fence around it, but it's relatively small and there aren't many guards. The easiest ways to get in would be either to hop over the fence at the back and try to use the back door, or try to be a bit more fancy and stay on the roof, looking for second-storey windows or skylights.

There is only onw visible guard, standing by the front entrance. Several of the upper windows are lit, suggesting that someone is still up using oil lamps or torches to get something done.

No arguments there.

...hm. Where is Vika at the moment? She did not go with you to see the trial at the Senate house, so presumably you would have last seen her at the manor Sanaki gave you. It's anyone's guess who controls that area currently. It's not within the cordon that Zelgius has already established as safe.

(Remind me: would Gabinus be with you, or have been left at the manor as well?)

Few wind spirits dare approach the storm in the north. Only the greatest and most powerful would do so: the spirits of hurricanes, or of air fronts that cover the entire nation. Communicating with those spirits would be rather more dangerous than contacting lesser spirits. Larger spirits are fiercer and tend to value their independence. You know from sensing the dark god how risky it is to commune with the greater spirits... nonetheless, it is the way to find out more.

It's not a literal poison, of course. The river spirit is sick, for lack of a better term. It does not know the cause, but it can sense death in the north. The animals around there are dying or fleeing south: not just their spirits, the physical animals as well.

Not that anyone can immediately think of.

News travels fast, as the cliché goes, and more than one town turns out to welcome you. You are greeted with joy and celebration - almost as if you are a walking good omen - and you never have to pay for supplies or lodgings.

The rest of your party notices and reacts. Ashasa takes full advantage of your popularity to sell as much as she can. She isn't fleecing people or anything, as such... just using the opportunity to drum up business. She is a travelling merchant, after all. Davin, on the other hand, is understandably nervous about the whole affair. It's good that you seem to have such influence, but fame can be dangerous as well. You notice the two of them talking privately a few times and they seem to have appointed themselves as your native guides. You'd guess it was Ashasa's idea and Davin went along with it because he thought some more perspective would be wise. They work together to deflect attention when you need rest or privacy, and to advise you of local customs or cultural quirks that might cause you to embarrass yourself.

Interest in your other companions is almost as high as interest in you, though a bit more cautious, considering the only outsider other than Rafiel to have come here. Gatrie can't seem to resist bragging a bit about his exploits as a warrior and a bodyguard. Fame agrees with him, and some of his tales stretch the truth a bit. Fortunately when he gets too enthusiastic, Shinon or Soren are usually around to stop him revealing too much, or just to correct him. Soren himself is more interested in avoiding attention, and generally politely declines to speak with any Hatarians who come up to him. Zihark is not quite as flamboyant as Gatrie but he does ask as many questions as he can. You notice Zihark and Davin spending some time alone. The wolf laguz may feel a bit overwhelmed by Zihark's questions, but he does his best to explain the history and culture of Hatary to him. A couple of times your empathy picks up Davin wondering whether he has a convert to the Hatarian religion on his hands, but to his credit Davin never actually proselytises or tries to convert Zihark. He just wonders at Zihark's curiosity, especially given Zihark's apparent dissatisfaction with the teachings of your Goddess. Davin does still think that the Goddess religion is clearly inferior, but he doesn't harp on it to anyone.

That leaves Lethe. As another foreign tribe of laguz, she too is the object of a lot of well-meaning curiosity, but she tends to be curt and to the point when asked about Gallia. On one occasion a Hatarian beorc child tried to stroke her tail. Her glare may have traumatised the poor kid for life.

She does take her duty as your bodyguard very seriously, and usually tries to stick by you while you're in public. Not even she can keep it up all the time, though. As you get closer to the capital, you find guard posts in some of the larger towns, complete with uniformed soldiers. Both beorc and laguz soldiers wear the same uniform, though only the beorc carry weapons. Lethe's personal interest in strategy leads her to investigate, and she seems grudgingly impressed with how well they coordinate beorc and laguz. She's not entirely unfamiliar with the idea herself, having worked with beorc during the Mad King's War, but they have a lot more experience.

You also notice on one occasion a wolf soldier challenging her to a spar. Apparently he felt that she was judging them and took offense. You didn't see the match, but Lethe left it with a smile of quiet satisfaction on her face. She remained in a good mood for the entire day.

You're going to get a lot of questions as well. How well do you know Rafiel? Do you know what happened on your side of the desert since he left? Is your homeland safe? What's it like? Rafiel thought all the herons were dead: is he wrong? What about the other nations? Is it really true what Rafiel said about beorc and laguz hating each other over there? Your party seems to get along so well! What do you think of Hatary? And so on and so forth. It's up to you to decide how honest or forthcoming Kethram is.

Fence, or wall?

Also, I'll stay hidden and watch for around an hour or so, getting a feel for how the evening at the mansion is going. And potentially catching hints of any other guards on duty. That would be nice.

I assumed that Vika is with the Laguz group close to Sienne, helping them to find a hideout for the next days and then coming back to see whats going on.

OOC: Damned, I hope she is good enough to notice that parts of Sienne are not safe anymore!

If Gabinus was interested in seeing the trial against Lekain he has been with Cathy... I don't think he would want to miss this event, even if it played out rather differently. But if he was NOT interested, he might really be back at the manor...

...

I spend some time pacing that night at camp, thinking. "I could learn more. I trust my abilities, my will, and my intelligence. But..." I sigh, considering the sky. "But then, it is no great risk, is it? The others can carry my message to Rafiel, should the worst come. And they will have my notes and artifacts, so they can cross the desert again. Reyson and Leanne will be in contact with Rafiel, so it will balance out."

I write a quick note, sliding it into my journal between the front page and cover. "Lethe. You should recognize these directions. If you are reading this, then I miscalculated my strength. Give this journal to Reyson and Leanne please. It has a number of notes within it that will be useful to the Laguz people, along with many of my inventions and enchantments. I do ask that you continue on, and contact Rafiel, and pass the crystal to him, so that he may communicate with his siblings.

I trust you to deliver this journal safely. If worst comes to worst, destroy it. Some of the knowledge within these pages is too dangerous to be allowed to spread to those that could, or would use it.

Thank you, Lethe.


Kethram Silvertonue."

I tuck the journal in my bad, before I go find a open spot to sit. A large rock perhaps, so I am surrounded by air. Taking a breath, I close my eyes, and reach out. "Great Spirits of Wind. You who fly across the world, ever watching. I humbly request your aid, your great wisdom. Please, what is the root of the imbalance to the north? How can I help restore balance?"

Well, that is not good at all. So, for fourteen years, death has been to the north.

...Rafiel HAS to have noticed this.

Great.

I cannot say I am used to this kind of reception. But I roll with it, trying to meet their expectations. And I take care not to abuse their hospitality.

I am quite thankful to Ashasa and Davin, listening closely to their advice, rapidly integrating it into my manners. Upon noticing their efforts, I thank them again for their kindness and concern.

Davin is a good man. I mostly watch their interactions with carefully concealed amusement, smoothing over any ruffled feathers that may or may not appear when they speak to Shinon, or Soren.

...It takes a considerable amount of willpower not to laugh at that. Otherwise, I just try to gently deflect the attention she does not want, drawing others into discussions, or telling stories in the case of children.

I'll do my best to make her job easy, letting her know before I go anywhere. Otherwise, I have complete confidence in her ability, and it shows. The soldiers, I must admit, interest me. Much like Lethe I certainly saw the like during the war, but it was never so refined.

I just smirk lightly, amused. I am pleased she enjoyed herself.

Fairly honest and forthcoming, depending on the subject.

"Rafiel is my brother."

"Politics and war, I am afraid."

"It is safer than it once was, but it is not as peaceful as Hatary appears to be."

"There are only a few herons left. He is nearly correct, unfortunately."

"What is it like? Busy. There are many different cultures across the desert."

"As a general rule, beorc and laguz do not get along, no. In one of the human kingdoms that has recently improved, so there are some hopes however. Hatary is...very new to me, although nice, as I am not used to being near so many beorc."

"I like Hatary. The people are kind and warm. And it is very interesting to see laguz and beorc living and working side by side."

Ect, ect. I will certainly edit certain bits, such as darker secrets that need to be kept, and the limit of heron abilities, but general information is mostly acceptable, unless it would make a bad impression.

Fence.

And another long wait begins for Schrodinger. Fortunately it doesn't seem to be an unusual night. The lights in the windows flicker as people move around - you'd estimate three people in the upper rooms - but nothing beyond what you would normally expect. After three quarters of an hour or so another guard comes out to relieve the one currently on watch, who doesn't hesitate to go inside and warm up.

You could simply wait until the people inside douse their lamps and go to sleep, or be more proactive.

That makes sense as well. Shall we say she was doing that? They would need a guide who knows this area better.

He would be interested enough to go with you as part of your entourage, so it seems better to assume that he was with you. He's just been characteristically quiet. You may have noticed that he's rather overwhelmed by all this politics.

Okay, so, he's here with you and thus relatively safe. Vika is probably out with the freed laguz. That would make contacting the freed laguz rather difficult for you, unless you intend to leave the city, or commandeer another pegasus rider to carry a message.

(This part first. Wind spirit afterwards.)

Well, they don't really mind the implication that race hatred is much more common across the desert. Rafiel already told them that much, and, to be fair to them, they do feel a certain sense of superiority in the knowledge that Hatary is the most tolerant and integrated nation. Flattering them is not difficult.

They particularly press you for tales of Serenes, as Rafiel refused to speak of his homeland except in the most cursory detail.

"You?"

The response is immediate and powerful. It is as if a gale is shrieking past you at maximum velocity, deafening you; but, of course, it is a spiritual wind, and not one physical hair on your head is disturbed.

"You, mortal? You dare to address us? You dare to think that you might tip the balance?"

The overriding emotion you sense from the winds is indignation. They have been fighting a long time.

"We are mighty. We are greater than you. We shatter the earth and uproot the forests. We are the tempest and the storm. You are a single wisp. You are a puff suggesting that you might be of aid to the whirlwind. You insult us."

But is that a hint of... frustration?

I don't exactly have anywhere else to be tonight, and it's not as though this is the first stake out I've been on ... just, the first in a while.

Makes me feel all nostalgic for second story work in Nevassa, before I remember that I was doing that mostly so that I could afford to eat actual food through the month's end.

I settle in for the wait.

Understandable. I am willing to talk, certainly. And I use it to make use of my diplomatic abilities as best as possible, as noted. I want to make as good an impression as possible, without making it look like that is what I am doing, so my tongue doth dance and weave.

That covers a fairly large amount of information. What do they want to know?

I perform the mental equivalent of a elegant bow. "Great Spirits. I doubt not your power. You are indeed far mightier than I. But the fact that I possess less power than you, does not mean I cannot help in some small way. You are vast, ancient, and powerful. These are facts, and none but a fool would deny the truth of them." I reply respectfully. "But I have my own power. It is not so grand, but I stand between the spirit and the material, so I may hear, and speak, with both existences. And the world is at its most balanced, its strongest when material and spiritual work together. I do not believe that I alone can solve this. But I wish to instead offer my aid to you, to this land."

Yes. And as soon as they found a good hideout and are reasonable safe, she could come back to Sienne for a day to tell us where/how we can find/contact them.

Yeah, luckily he got around this whole "have to speak for political reasons". But it must be done. *grin*

Even with the pegasus rider, he would not know where to go until Vika comes back and tells us. If she wants the Laguz to be safe from the Senate, she has to consider Gryphin riders... so we will not see them from the air easily.

If you wait for the guards to change posts again, you can guess that they’re on a two hour shift out the front before rotating.

There’s one more shift before the lights in the windows are doused, one by one. A light remains visible on the bottom floor, presumably where the guard post is. While for the most part they look like oil lamps, the steady illumination of the light on the ground floor suggests an enchanted light source. One of the visible light sources on the upper floors looked like a magical light as well. Apparently Eldred cannot afford magical lights for his entire household.

Otherwise the night is perfectly quiet and peaceful. The guard is not disturbed and the streets remain empty.

Absolutely everything.

[spoiler]/Fluttershy[/spoiler]

They know that Serenes was a forest kingdom of herons, and that it was wiped out by others. They don’t know why it was destroyed, and seem to have difficulty fathoming why anyone would want to destroy an entire nation of people like you or Rafiel.

They were also rather keen on news. Whether you mentioned it or not, Gatrie certainly let slip news of the war. He was not afraid to tell war stories! One night, fairly early in your trip, Lethe asks you how much she should say about the war. People have been curious about it, especially some of the Hatarian soldiers she has spoken to. She’d like to know your judgement. Her policy has been to stay vague on the details and to ask Gatrie to try to keep a lid on it. Soren backed her up. Perhaps she is paranoid, but she’d sooner not tell the Hatarians all the military strengths and weaknesses of the western kingdoms.

In any case, somehow the news that Serenes was restored seems to have gotten around. You are asked about it.

”Mortals are frail. Mortals are weak. You cannot venture north.”

The spirit-gale about your head howls louder.

”You are heron. The darkness will sicken and destroy you.”

A hurricane blasts inside your head, and you can barely make out its final message.

”Cure your weakness, or never trouble us again!”

The wind stops.

Right… so it would seem that all you can really do is wait for Vika to try to get back in contact with you.

She does not seem to have appeared yet. Any plan to make yourself useful while you wait? Or would you rather just continue to contribute to the discussions? Right now the planning seems to have turned to military strategy. Zelgius, Sigrun, and Levail are discussing how to stabilise the immediate situation in Sienne. They seem to intend to rally their forces and push back towards the Senate house and the Tower of Guidance, hopefully linking up with Tanith and the survivors of her regiment of the Holy Guard.

Sanaki is out of her depth here and has retreated to the side. Medes has also taken a few steps back and is calmly waiting for them to finish planning. He’s considering you, head slightly cocked.

“You’re the one who killed Izuka, aren’t you?” he asks.

Cathy would really like to help, but strategy is not her thing. If they need someone for a small joined special ops mission, she will be happy to help.

Cathy takes a long look at Medes and nods.

"Yes, I did. I am glad that he is gone, some dark thing has been lost with him and I hope it will take a long time for anyone else to rediscover it."

Well, the basic idea is admirable.

Ah. But still, wouldn't seizing it seem like an overreach of power and authority? The Senate's legitimacy rises from the Senate Chambers not Mainal Cathedral.

Later, in private, I will ask to clarify the status of the dracoknights he sent to Crimea and his intentions regarding them.

Other than overwhelming numeric superiority, what does Zelgius and the other commanders think is the main thing lacking from this combination of forces? I would imagine that while numeric superiority is important for reinforcement of thrusts and reserves that it's hard to bring these to bear in the city itself with the limitation of, oh, roads and connects and some such.

Perhaps Begnion should consider unit limits on house militias after this.

That doesn't sound so good. So if the conflict were to be only confined to the armies of those already involved, the tide will eventually favor the rebellious Senators.

Not great but workable.

Okay... Although if general armies get into it, it could be problematic. Right now, the conflict is confined to Sienne. That being said, at the very least, Gen. Octavia and the Eastern Army would need to counterbalance and move to block or otherwise engage the Southern Army.

What would count as a decisive military victory? Are there any house armies that are likely to crumble if their leader were killed?

Would it? I think a declaration of support for a side in a Crimean civil war by a foreign power would be ... counterproductive, but I agree that some Crimeans can be particularly ornery. I don't know how it would play out in Begnion.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. If it comes down to it, she should quit the city before being captured - assuming she plans to continue to fight against the rebellious Senators.

Well, that might be problematic if a retreat is necessary.

Logistics wise? Are we set for weapons, food, water and so on?

Some suggestions.

1. How does Medes feel about attempting to kill Numida? It sets up a good story: the Black Knight not 'enamored' with the Apostle or even affiliated with the Apostle. However, he is against Begnion occupation of Daein so he helps to prolong a civil war and kills the Senator who dared to try to rule Daein. Something like that.

2. Keep a group in the city but use the Holy Guard as messengers to bring your story first to other Sainted.

3. I was going to suggest hiring the Greil Mercenaries but I'm unsure how that would play out with Medes here. Still, they are an elite mercenary force and probably willing to help and they would excel in areas like this.

4. Explosives. Throwing explosives into house armies would thin out any formations.

Hm. I remember the location of the magical lighting on the upper floors.

Definitely places to visit, but not directly.

I could really use a map, or some sort of diagram, or even just a general description. How far from the building is the fence, what kind of ground is between fence and building, for that matter how far from neighboring buildings/estates is Eldred's estate? What kind of estimate of what the guards can and cannot of the estate see can I make? For that matter, exactly how many floors and what layout does the building have? Does the facade have places that offer decent handholds, and are those places reasonably out of view or well lit?

Just to get a complete picture, I'll cautiously back away from my observation point and circle around the estate, getting another perspective on it from as close to the 'back' as I can.

Hah.

...

In short, we were a...convenient target. Beorc, and even other Laguz, do not understand us, though the other Laguz tribes respected us. The Beorc... Well, they feared what they did not understand, to a degree. And when the ruler of one of the kingdoms was assassinated, we were the easiest to blame, as they found us easy prey, given our nature.

I would be inclined to agree with Lethe. Once such information is revealed, it cannot be regained, and given the trouble Hatary is going through, there is no reason to take chances. They seem like nice people, but desperation can make people do many things.

I would advise that she continue as is, and just try and shift away from the details as smoothly, and politely as possible. If need be, I can provide advice each night as we rest, to hone her diplomatic abilities.

It was no easy thing, but it is true. My siblings and I were able to restore Serenes, as the conditions were correct. However, the factors must be rather exact. it is not something we can do just anywhere, or at anytime. Serenes was...unique.

Can I find out how that news made it her? Any clues or rumors about that?

...Hello being troubled.

I stay silent for a time, thinking, sitting quietly on the rock. An hour, perhaps, passes before I step down and return to the camp, to seek rest as my mind buzzes. "I cannot go north as I am a mortal. The darkness will sicken and destroy me as I am a heron. A dark spirit? It would have to be powerful, or very intense, to compare to the damage the dark god did. And my weakness... My mortality perhaps? Or my vulnerability to this darkness?" I frown, shaking my head. "I am missing too many pieces. I need more time. But I do not have enough time. Nor can I get more time viably, given events. So, if I cannot have time, I need power. But power sufficient to challenge him, or whatever stands against the spirits...

...

...

Perhaps."

(Continue on as needed. Just clarifying his thoughts.)

He nods. “Izuka was sick. Well done.”

Medes considers a moment longer, and says to you, a bit more quietly, “Why are you in this war, anyway? What does Begnion’s war have to do with you? Seems to me you could just take your friends and allies and go settle in Gallia or Crimea or something. Let the beorc kill each other.”

Zelgius thinks their position in the city is strong and they have a good balance of forces. Once they manage to integrate the various loyalist forces, it’s an excellent balance for city-fighting.

He wishes they had more flyers, though, and cavalry outside the city. Neither of those units are as important for city-fighting, especially since they have enough flyers to effectively hamper the dracoknights, but he’d like to use them as messengers and scouts to try and keep a hold of the areas outside the city proper. Holding Sienne is only step one: then they need to try to hold the loyalties of all the regional nobles.

Probably, yes. That’s why it’s critical that some of the rebels be brought over to the right side.

Capturing the rebel senators or their generals would obviously help. Capturing and holding Lekain in particular would cut off the rebellion at its head. If that’s not possible, mauling the rebel armies in the city and establishing complete control of Sienne would probably serve. Not many Begnion soldiers would be willing to lay siege to the holy capital.

Crimea still, in theory at least, recognises the spiritual authority of the Apostle. Re-stating and emphasising that could help.

It’s only the first day, so you’re set, yes. It will depend on how long a fight this turns into. Zelgius is fairly confident that supplies will hold for the short term.

He laughs. He likes your forthrightness… but no. Medes is not a patrior nor a hired killer. Offer him something - not money, not just the satisfaction of a job well done or service to Begnion - and he’ll consider it.

Sanaki likes the idea, but Zelgius is worried that without air support the ground troops might be cut off and outmaneuvered by the dracoknights. It’s a good idea, but he would like the aerial situation in the city to be shored up first. If Tanith’s unit is relatively intact, perhaps, or if it’s possible for loyalist dracoknights to leave the Senate’s cause and support the Apostle. Improve the situation in Sienne and then they might be able to spare some.

Sigrun bites her lip and has to agree with Zelgius. As it is she can perhaps spare a couple of pegasus knights, but not enough.

Oh, Medes loves the idea. He fully approves of anything that would get Ike some more battlefield experience, and he doesn’t mind disappearing for a while. It’s worth noting that he personally has no issues with fighting alongside Ike as an ally. He’d actually enjoy it. It’s just that Ike is unlikely to feel the same way.

You used this tactic yourself in the Mad King’s War, didn’t you? They’ll look into it. Any assistance you could give teaching the tactic would of course be appreciated.

All right. Do you mind if I take a little time to compose a map for you? I did not intend to run this as a detailed strategic simulation.

They didn’t understand you? Did you not talk to them? They do understand the basic idea that your people lived in seclusion, but it seems difficult for the Hatarians to really come to grips with it. The idea that the herons just didn’t interact with the other races is alien to them.

Then she agrees with you. She’ll continue trying to learn about Hatary and their way of war – partly personal interest, partly just because it’s sensible to understand the strengths and weaknesses of potential rivals – but won’t give away too much about Gallia. Boasting is one thing. Giving away important information is another.

Perhaps it’s because of how much she learned about beorc fighting, but Lethe has concluded that deception is key to war. Not duels, and laguz combat often focuses on those, but when two nations go to war, the art of war is the art of deception, at least in part. So she’s being canny with information.

So you couldn’t do it in other places? You couldn’t, for instance, turn the desert lush?

A couple of people seem to share Davin’s concern about the land, but he tries to deflect any suggestions that you could just sing a galdr and solve the problem instantly. Instead he says things like, “I’m sure that Kethram will do everything he can to help us heal our country, even though he can’t solve every problem instantly.”

Some of your party seem to have let it slip. It doesn’t seem to come as a huge surprise to the Hatarians, though, because almost a year ago Rafiel apparently detected the spiritual event. Even all the way out here, he sensed that something had happened to his homeland, and that it was good.

"It was a horrible thing to do... but it was the right thing and it was over before Izuka even realized he was dead."

"This is about more than a few friends and allies for me. Do you know how many of my kind are being hold here in Begnion, having to work all day long until they break to make some people here even more wealthy?

I see only two ways how this can be resolved... either one day we get the next war between Begnion and Gallia, or Begnion changes from within. This is my attempt to prevent the first one..."

He shrugs. "You do know that the Apostle's side is just following Sephiran's script, don't you? It doesn't really matter which side wins."

He cocks his head slightly. "Unless we alter the script. Mess things up. The war's supposed to be even. Sephiran designed it that way, and he - " Medes glances sidelong at Zelgius " - is making damn sure that it stays that way. The laguz aren't going to be free unless we do something to change the plan. I've got a couple of ideas, if you're interested."

No worries. Seriously, it doesn't need to be too detailed. A description of possible entry points would be enough - I'd spent enough time watching the place to identify _some_ at least.