Chapter 37: Fighting in a Basement
It is a good plan.
At least you think so.
Open with a pair of mental attacks to quickly neutralize the target. If that fails then take out the sack with ranged fire. If that also fails then it will not hit your entire group through the judicious use of Lyssa's Strong Wind spell.
If only you had the time to properly explain the plan to the rest of your group...
A lot will happen very quickly. In less than a minute you need to give out three sets of orders and begin attacking. You hope you can pull this off.
"Thaïs, mental," you whisper, she needs no other instructions. The two of you are so used to casting together by now that it comes easily and naturally. She even knows the best order of spells to hit the ghôl with in order to maximize your chances when you come in behind her.
The ghôl begins to cast in response.
A odd spell, bent and twisted. In your mind's eye you see a labyrinth rise between you. Hot black stone baking under a trio of stinging purple suns. It twists and folds in on itself. One moment it is a great cube, the next a sphere, then a pyramid. It is blocking your friend's attempts to directly strike at the ghôl.
You will just have to hope your friend can navigate her opponent's defences as you still have orders to give.
You have a few seconds to shout instructions before your friend will need your help, "Lyssa, wind, the sack! Uttu, shoot the sack!" you wish you had more time to explain things but as long as they both immediately follow your orders you should be fine.
Sadly, your instructions catch them by surprise.
You have never fought with Lyssa before and it shows. She does not know what you are planning and hesitates at the idea of hitting you with one of her spells. She just does not quite trust you enough though it is clear she wants to.
You, however, need her to start casting now. Even if the spell will not be used she still needs to begin this very second or there will be no time, "Lyssa!" you shout again as you begin your assault.
With a jolt she snaps out of it and begins casting. It will be close and you hope you will not need it.
You turn your attention back to the ghôl and the labyrinth she has raised is cracking. Her spell is good, powerful, but she does not seem nearly as skilled as your friend and Thaïs is making good progress.
You dive into this twisted mindscape and your friend smiles as you join her offensive.
You recognize parts of this spell but most of it is totally foreign to you. It seems to possess characteristics taken from a variety of schools. You immediately identify the mentalist aspects and you are certain that illusionist spells are also involved given how closely linked the two subfields are. Beyond that you think you sense some sort of physical manipulation components and something else... movement spells maybe? Some sort of Gate spell perhaps? The rest is simply too different from anything you know to guess at. If you had the time you would marvel at this spell that the ghôl has woven.
You do not have the time however and so you focus solely on dismantling it.
That spell is a masterpiece but the mind that wields it is weaker than yours or your friend's. You set to work on it together, two pairs of great stone fists tearing up rock and shattering stone. The heat of the place does not burn you, the walls can not hold you, her defences will fall.
Together your attacks multiply and the ghôl stands no real chance, she can not shift the maze fast enough to prevent you from catching and destroying vast swaths of it. She simply lacks the mental dexterity to keep up. To prove your point you reach up and snatch one of the purple suns from the sky, you cast it with all your strength at the maze. With a deafening pop that rings through your mind the spell implodes leaving your opponent defenceless. The image of the labyrinth fades as your vision returns to normal.
You doubt more than a couple seconds have past since you attacked the maze but as your eyes fall upon the weary, yet grinning, face of the ghôl you realize that, that is enough.
She hurls the sack at your group as she turns on her heels and speeds for the hole.
The crow flees as well, taking off at top speed and disappearing into the darkness.
The two of them seem certain that you will dive for cover and give her time to escape.
What happens instead certainly comes as a shock to her.
Uttu looses an arrow and strikes the sack near the top. Seems her shot went a little wide as she was attempting to avoid skewering anyone. The arrow sails through the sack, avoids its contents but bends slightly in its course. Its new trajectory sees it pierce the ghôl through the upper thigh.
The ghôl's leg buckles as she falls to her side and crashes into the wall well short of the hole.
You could almost cheer if not for that sack sailing toward your group.
"Grab the door!" you shout as Lyssa unleashes her spell and the wind picks up.
Jawbone and Thaïs each grab hold of the frame and you grab onto the two of them.
The bag slows its advance as the wind takes it, quickly it reverses direction and flies back toward the howling ghôl as she pulls the arrow from her frozen leg.
She turns just in time to see the smile on your face as the sack carried by the gust of wind hits her.
The bag pops as intestines and assorted viscera coat her from head to toe. The wind sweeps her off her feet and slams her once more into the wall, pinning her in place.
She lets out an indignant growl and begins casting. She begins to grow larger and her skin takes on a silvery sheen. The sound of metal on metal rings out as slowly she drags herself to her feet and once more makes for the hole. Pushing herself against the wind as she takes one staggering step after another.
"She is getting away!" someone shouts.
"Lyssa drop the spell!" Berty hollers.
You countermand that order, the only thing slowing her down in the strong wind and you have an idea, "Lyssa do not drop that spell! Berty!"
"Yes!" he shouts back.
"How do you feel about flying?" you give him a wink.
Thaïs laughs, she has already realized what you are planning, "That is insane!"
You grin at her, "It is the last thing that ghôl will expect!"
"I'm always up for new experiences!" Berty roars in response, "If ya got a plan, I'm game!"
"Just hit her!" you shout, "I will do the rest!"
Without a moments hesitation the tactician launches himself past you and into the air. He flies at her with a single fist stretched out in front of him.
She turns, her metallic lips upturned into a cold grin. Chin stuck out, she is just standing there; waiting to receive the attack. Good, this might still work.
You wait until the last second possible. Then you cast the Warrior's Mask. You smile with satisfaction then arch an eyebrow as Thaïs fires off a spell of her own. An energy bolt crackles to life and strikes Berty but his new metallic frame protects him. The bolt dances across him, coiling up his body and concentrating itself in his fist.
The combination of your three spells has given you a flying, electric, bronze Berty Levy.
That ghôl does not even have time to register how fucked she is.
For the third time in as many minutes the ghôl crashes into the wall. This time with Berty on top of her raining down electrified blows and cackling like a madman.
Lyssa cuts the spell as your group pours into the room.
With one final punch he gets up off her. If not for her iron form she would likely be dead now. She sputters and coughs as you crowd around her, over a dozen swords levelled at her throat.
You break the silence, "Do you surrender?"
She does not answer. Perhaps she can not answer you wonder.
Finally she sighs and nods. She begins to shrink back down to her, admittedly impressive, original size as the colour returns to her skin and her spells unravel.
"So I guess we won then?" Lyssa hazards with a tired smile.
"No," the ghôl coughs, "Enough time has past."
You almost ask the obvious question but there is no point. A loud bang and a low rumbling confirm your fears. The ghôl tunnels have likely been collapsed.
She grins, "My boys will complete the mission without me. I have no regrets."
"Well now what?" Jawbone looks to you for guidance.
A more timid person might give up on the gold but it is yours by right and you have never been one to allow such slights to go unanswered. There is only one course of action for you.
"Now we find the rest of her group and get our gold back," you reply calmly, with that tone of complete confidence you have become so adept at faking.
Immediately you begin issuing orders, "Jawbone, your people know the area best. Pick your best scouts and send them out into the hills, I want to know where these ghôls went. Also get a few teams of men down here to see if we can not find out anything from what is left of the tunnels, who knows, there may be a lead. Lyssa, I want you up on the roof running those eagles. It may be night but even ghôls need light, see if they can not locate campfires or torch light coming from the hills or mountains. You will coordinate with Jawbone on this. Hopefully we can find their trail while it is still warm," they both nod as you continue, "Berty, I want you to take the girls and marshal the mercenaries, we need them ready to march as soon as we have information."
Berty grins, "Sure thing Derry. If you don't mind me askin' what are ya and Taide going ta do?"
"Interrogate our prisoner of course," you shoot her a glance and she grumbles to herself.
With clear instructions each of your compatriots races off to complete their assigned tasks. You call out one final order to Jawbone as he leaves, "Jawbone! Send Myora down when you find her," he nods as he disappears through the vault doors.
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"Comfortable?" you sit across from the ghôl with Thaïs to your left.
Myora stands a couple meters back, one hand on the hilt of her broad, long blade. When interrogating a mage it is always wise to outnumber them or overpower them. Preferably both if possible as they will always be at least a little dangerous.
Between you and your friend you have the magical skill necessary to easily contain the ghôl and Myora gives you a physical advantage as well. It would be suicidal for your prisoner to resist but then she also has little reason not to.
In the light of the torches hung around the room you get a better look at your prisoner. Unlike most of her people she is dressed in armour, mostly leather with the odd plate here and there. Despite the odd look of the armour it is certainly well made as were the weapons you confiscated from her. A long curved blade and matching dagger. Her movements betray a certain predatory gracefulness, and she holds herself with a pride that you have not seen before in a ghôl. Your general impression is that she is important amongst her people or at least is used to being treated with respect. Around her neck hangs her bone amulet.
Your soldiers had attempted to remove it but found the task impossible.
The necklace will not leave her neck and its purpose remains a mystery to you.
"Water?" you offer her a glass.
"No," she replies in clear dwarven.
"Food, perhaps?" you press on.
The ghôl laughs, "Sure, reach across the table and I will gladly take a little bite," she snaps at the air, her large jaws chewing on the shadows cast by your torches.
Thaïs coughs, "Well then perhaps we should begin with introductions. I am Thaïs-"
"And that's Derryth," the ghôl interrupts, she points at you as the thick chains restraining her jingle slightly, "You two are rather well known and it is no secret you run these criminals now."
Myora scoffs, "We are not criminals. We are professional merc-"
"Do I look like I really give a fuck," she shoots the maul a hostile glance, "We both know who you are and what you do so there is no point lying."
Sensing an avenue of approach your friend makes her move, "What are they, miss..."
"Persistant," the ghôl laughs, "A name will do neither of us any good. You will forget it as soon as you get what you want and me, well if I do not die here I shall become a slave or food, neither of which requires a name."
"All the same," you give her a sympathetic smile, "A name would be nice."
She rolls her eyes, "Nanshe. It is what my people know me as."
Myora lets out a slight gasp, "The Butcher."
Nanshe smiles, "To the dwarves yes. To my people I am the 'Hand of Justice'," she shakes her head,"It sounds better in high ghôlish."
"Alright Nanshe if you have information we should hear we are willing to listen," you gesture from your friend to yourself.
Again Nanshe laughs, it rattles in her throat, "Nothing I am sure you do not already know. These 'professional mercenaries' are hired killers, thieves and scoundrels," Myora lets out another snort in protest but Nanshe pushes on, "And I do not even mean that they rob, murder and kidnap my people. Everyone does that. No they murder, abduct and steal from dwarves, from humans, actual 'people' if you catch my meaning. But then why should that bother you? From what I hear you both sit atop a rather impressive pile of corpses yourselves. Makes me jealous really," she snickers.
"So you robbed us to get back at Blackrock for murdering your people?" you friend attempts to direct the conversation back to the subject you are interested in.
"No," the ghôl rolls her eyes and shakes her head, "Like I said, everyone tries to murder us. That is nothing special, your peoples have always done so and always will do so but we will win in the end. A murdered clan here or there hardly warrants vengeance."
"Well then why did you do it?" the question comes naturally to you.
"Because we are both agents of greater powers and we are ultimately powerless to oppose them," you could swear the look she gives you has just a hint of sympathy or perhaps understanding in it. Casually she hooks a single long finger under the amulet at her throat. She leans over as close as she can and gestures for you to come the rest of the way, "Go ahead, try to take it off again."
She waits for a moment until you make your move. You garb the necklace and give it a pull. It remains firmly fastened to her neck. You grab it in both hands and pull again, the result is the same. You release the necklace as she leans back in her chair.
She raises her arms and gives a slight shrug of futility, "Can you guess who gave me that?"
"The Watcher?" you and Thaïs ask in unison.
"Close enough, yes," she grins, "His agents came to my clan years ago. They promised power and my husband accepted. Each of the leaders of my clan received an amulet just like this, it lets us find one another, it grants use a number of other benefits as well but it also marks us. We are his creatures now. We have abandoned our gods, we have abandoned our homeland, now we serve only him," she drops her gaze, "We once numbered in the hundreds, the years have not been kind."
When she lifts her gaze again it is with renewed purpose, "Now I imagine your next question is along the lines of 'why tell us?', right?"
You both nod.
She has noticeably relaxed, "Maybe I will have that water after all."
You pour her a glass.
"Yeah, thank you I guess," she nods, "Well, I am telling you all this because he wants to meet you. He has heard a great deal about you two and he is rather annoyed at you for destroying one of his armies. He was quite furious when you crushed his raid on the palace as well, the report his little white creature made was most upsetting to him. Incidentally, thank you for that. One of my people you killed during that raid, 'Thrasher,'" she scoffs at the mention of his name, "What kind of name is 'Thrasher' anyway?" she shakes her head, "Well, 'Thrasher' wanted to be the next chief of our clan. The ass would not leave me alone, night and day he would try to impress me, so when he did not come back I was quite thrilled to be honest. Anyway, he is upset with you and he is also aware that you work for his 'true enemy', whoever that is. He wants to see if you are open to the idea of switching sides. That miserable little crow told me that if I failed to escape I was to tell you everything that I know. Lay the offer on the table so to speak. He has your gold, he knows about you and he wants you both. Either you will become his or he will kill you, I do not know which is worse to be honest."
"We do not serve anyone," you correct her, "And we have no intention of starting now."
She grins, "Really? What about those eagles that you have? The same eagles that have been shadowing us for over a month. What about that other mage with you? I do not know much but I know she works for the 'enemy'. What about those necklaces, those collars around your necks? Hmm? No, you are slaves just like me. If your owner gives you a longer leash then lucky for you."
"Where are we to go should we choose to talk to your master?" Thaïs leans forward and asks.
"Well, I could show you," the ghôl grins, "Should you wish. Though I can not have you leading an army to my home. Your group would have to be small, no more than twenty and absolutely no dwarves. If my people even see a dwarf it would lead to bloodshed. I would not be able to hold them back and I doubt you would be able to stop your dwarves either."
"How about you just tell us," you prod her slightly.
"How about no," she grins at you, "I am pretty much dead, I mean I have next to nothing to bargain with and your people kill and eat my kind. I have no future but I do have one small chance as you are both well aware of. I will not give you that information."
"You might not have a choice," you gently warn her.
"I can still kill myself," she fixes a stern gaze on you, "I can still do that, and I can do it faster than you can hit me."
"You would really kill yourself?" Thaïs asks.
"To protect my people? In a heartbeat," she looks each of you in the eyes and you can see it, you know she would do it. A large part of you respects that, you would do the same.
Still that poses something of a dilemma. You want your gold back though you are not sure you want to deal with the Watcher to do it. It might just be safer to consider the gold lost and look for opportunities elsewhere. You will put off your decision until the scouts return, perhaps they have found something, "We will talk more later."
Nanshe merely shrugs, "You are running this show, whatever you want."
As you file out of the room you turn and ask one final question, "What was with the sack? I expected explosives, wight chunks, anything but viscera."
Nanshe gives you what is quite possibly the largest grin you have ever seen, "That was the lunch sack. Digging those tunnels works up quite an appetite."
"Why throw your lunch at us?" you ask in disbelief.
Her grin grows ever wider, "Well, most people when they see a ghôl throwing a sack at them have the common sense to run."
You laugh, "Well I am not most people."
"Evidently!" she replies, laughing with you as you leave the cell and plunge her into darkness.
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The scouts and Lyssa's eagles do their jobs well. Not five hours later a message comes for you by eagle.
Jawbone and Lyssa deliver it personally, "We did it Derryth!" the witch begins enthusiastically, "Jawbone's men found the ghôls or at least what we think are the ghôls and they are following them as we speak."
Jawbone nods, "They are good men though we do have a problem, ah, I will just let you read the letter. I must warn you it is a bit colourful though. Old Neel, that is our top tracker, is well, a little loose with protocol," the dwarf coughs and shoves the letter towards you. You unfold it as Thaïs reads over your shoulder.
To Jawbone or whoever the fuck is in charge over there:
I swear to Wyrd you old bastard there is absolutely nothing I like more than to climb out of bed in the middle of the night and chase after ghosts in the dark. It is not like I have anything better to do. No, not me, I love traipsing through the Wyrd damned mountains without even a single fucking explanation.
Anyway, I found the tracks of the group you requested. There are a lot of them and they are making slow progress. They are carrying about fifteen large chests filled with something heavy. There are maybe forty of them all told. They are headed northeast, deeper into the mountains toward the Great Devoid. Odd since those are not ghôl lands really. Nothing gets too close the Devoid these days.
Anyway, I will continue to follow them until I receive further orders. Also be careful with those damn eagles there are a lot of crows out here and they seem to be awfully territorial.
At least they make good eating.
Yours loyally,
The best fucking tracker east of the Cloudspine.
Well you have a few options available to you don't you?
What to do? (Your options are quite extensive which means lots of choices again!)
A couple ways this can be done. I will list a bunch of general options, you can take one as given and let me worry about the details. Or you can modify one of the options and propose a more detailed freeform choice. Or you can go completely freeform and give me a very detailed plan of action. You know everything Derryth does (I think) but if you require more information then ask and I will see what I can do. It is up to you.
A) You will attempt to catch up to the ghôls using the information given by Neel. (Since there are a number of assets and individuals at your disposal and listing all the options would create to many choices what I am going to do here is list every discrete element open to you. If this choice wins then all the options with more than half the votes will be chosen as representative of the general will of the A block of voters.)
Individuals: (Jawbone is too old to go running through the mountains, everyone else is fair game though.)
i. Derryth (if you do not send Derryth then all the action will happen off-screen and you will do something else).
ii. Thaïs
iii. Lyssa and her Eagles
iv. Berty Levy
v. Biliku
vi. Uttu
vii. Myora
viii. Rand
ix. Nanshe (as a prisoner, she may be useful or she may be a liability)
Assets: (Your archers are all out acting as scouts. They will join up with you if they can.)
x. Your escort. Fourty members of the Royal Army they are some of the best soldiers you have they have a deep hatred of ghôls as all dwarves do. Dismounted they are amongst your slowest infantry forces.
xi. Your escort's chariots. 20 light chariots, if it comes to a fight they could be decisive provided you have the room to use them.
xii. Your carriage. If you want to move quickly there is no finer way provided you can find a clear route.
xiii. Twenty Blackrock grenadiers. These big dwarves are each armed with a load of cocktails and satchel charges. They are veteran mercenaries. Being dwarves they have a deep hatred of ghôls. They are also amongst your slowest infantry forces.
xiv. Sixteen Blackrock dwarven warriors. Each is armed with a large shield, a spear and a hand weapon. They are veteran mercenaries. Being dwarves they have a deep hatred of ghôls. They are also amongst your slowest infantry forces.
xv. Eight Blackrock human warriors. Each is armed with a large shield, a pair of javelins and a sword. They are veteran mercenaries. They are amongst the fastest of your infantry forces.
xvi. Five Blackrock maul warriors. Each is armed with a very large shield, four javelins and a large blade. They are veteran mercenaries. Their speed is average. They are probably your strongest mercenary forces.
Other A options:
xvii. You will immediately kill Nanshe. You do not believe she will be of use in the future and she is a liability as long as she lives. Obviously this option and option ix are mutually exclusive. If neither this option or option ix is chosen then you will then she will remain imprisoned until you return.
B) You will not pursue the fleeing ghôls. Instead you will take advantage of what Nanshe has told you and approach the Watcher's stronghold. There are a number of ways to do this.
i. You accept Nanshe's invitation. You and a small group will travel with her to meet the Watcher and attempt to negotiate some sort of peace between you. (Your group can not be over twenty and must contain no dwarves but feel free to build it however you want. If this option wins then the set up with the most votes will be chosen.)
ii. You will not accept Nanshe's invitation. You will call her bluff and attempt to torture the information out of her through magical and physical means. She may try to kill herself but you will do your best to prevent that. If this option wins you will marshal your entire force since any chance of a peaceful resolution will already be gone.
C) You will give up on the gold. Instead you will bring your prisoner back to Albrecht and marshal an army to crush the Watcher's forces before they grow too large.
D) You will not pursue the gold at all, nor do you want anything else to do with Nanshe or her people. You will deal with her and leave the issue at that. (Each D option will be counted separately given that they are so different in outcome.)
i. You will release her in secret. You feel a certain kinship with your prisoner and will let her find whatever fate she chooses.
ii. You will sell her to the dwarves. You will sell her to the Royal Academy for 'research'. Her mind will have to be intact.
iii. You will sell her to the dwarves. You will sell her to the King for a banquet. You will need to break her mind first.
iv. You will sell her to the dwarves. You will sell her to the slave masters to be used as breeding stock. You will need to break her mind first.
v. You will simply kill her and be done with it.
E) freeform
Nevill does not like failsafes.
, you will be missed, voting for continuing with Brigit.
