RP Session 3: "The Diemen Gambit"

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Jul 20, 2025 11:02 am
There was little that Tovrunn could add from high above to aid their subterfuge, and so her mind turned to a contingency. Anuirean forces were so different to the raiding parties at home - they were vast and regimented, like little cities on the move. Surely this would leave some gap large enough for six riders to thread? Of course they'd just ridden amongst the nocturnal folk of Medoere, so any counter-attack (no matter how foolishly outmanned) might well come after dark. The ghosts of memories stirred of centuries-old night-time raids of clan steads to make off with livestock or hostages. At least at a glance it seemed that a contingent of the army was ready for such a raid, with regular clusters of sentries on horseback with bows resting on their thighs along the eastern perimeter of the camp.
As Tovrunn's awareness swept away high above the camp Corson and Erron (why the man had chosen to hang back wasn't clear) were both left with little to do but wait. It had been a long time since he'd endured the tedium of sentry duty, fighting to remain attentive to nothing at all was one of the truest tests of a good soldier.

The sun was all but gone and the night was darkest after dusk and before dawn, but the orderless squire couldn't just switch off his instinct and so he considered the battle to come. These men knew that they outnumbered their foe, and that might make a force complacent, but they'd also been beaten by a lesser force on this very border a mere seven years ago, and the camp seemed watchful. Tense even. The elites weren't holding the perimeter then, nor the mercenaries. If the veterans were being held back that suggested a prominent commander who needed protection.

He focused on a group of unmounted sentries who were watching the road. He could just make out maybe six armed men and women, young, in full armour with bows strung. Resting a strung bow was bad for the weapon's power. That meant they were ready. Even expecting attack. But even a young soldier wouldn't fear the night without some cause. Was it Ruornil's wrath that made them so watchful? Or something else?

Corson scanned the surrounding hills. Rough country, grassy, full of shallow gullies and skewed boulders. Plenty of places to hide. If he were a Medoerean scout he'd be in those hills the moment an opportunity arose. An opportunity, perhaps like a party of strangers riding straight up to the camp... And what might he do with such cover? Taint their water? Scare their mounts? He'd make them put off their attack by a day, two, more time to reinforce their defences and pray for reinforcement...

Someone was out there right now, watching them. Corson was suddenly certain of it. But could he turn that certainty to their advantage should the need arise? That was harder to know.
Jul 20, 2025 11:02 am
Corson leaned in to Erron and in a low voice said "be ready, just in case. I think this would be an opportune time for the Medoeriens to use us as a distraction."
Jul 20, 2025 11:02 am
Erron kept close, his voice low but his body language convivial. "What is in your mind? A scouting force would surely not strike at an army and awake the war that until now slumbers, but I agree that they would be fools not to divine our purpose and probe for opportunity."
Jul 20, 2025 11:02 am
"While their attention is diverted toward us, the camp may not be quite at full readiness. I just have a feeling that if the enemy is watching, that they may take advantage" Corson replied in a low voice. "I feel that it may be more than a scouting force."
Jul 20, 2025 11:11 am
When Pavel sees Balthis focus his attention squarely on Rhoderick -- to the point of seeming to ignore everyone else -- the mage can't help but wonder if the elf-blooded priest would buckle under the pressure. His hand moved imperceptibly closer to his saddlebag, wherein lay one of the scrolls of magic he had procured in Medoere. A casual glance at his surroundings was enough to tell him that the Captain, at least, continued to watch as the scene played out before him, even if the halfling's attention was solely on Rhoderick. Pavel forced his hand to remain still.

The Vos mage breathed a small sigh of relief when he saw that Rhoderick was graceful under pressure. He needn't have worried. Stick to the plan, he told himself silently.
Jul 20, 2025 11:11 am
Lan bit his tongue and hunched his shoulders under his cloak. The Gecko? A sticky lizard? What kind of name was that? And what kind of man, even a half-man, gave himself a bestial title like an awnshegh? At least if things turned sour, the officious little fellow would be easy enough to snatch up and choke into silence or stuff in a saddlebag.
Jul 20, 2025 11:12 am
The halfling seemed to consider Rhoderick's answer carefully, searching every word for some revelation like an antiquarian turning an object this way or that. "Very well," he replied eventually in that same nasal drawl, seemingly satisfied with his findings "explain your business to me."
Jul 20, 2025 11:12 am
Gods, but the bastard was fastidious in his questioning. With his stomach twisting into a sour knot, Lancaelad glanced around the command circle again, realising how deep into the camp they were, how many hundreds of men were laid out on each side of them. Which way could they flee if their ruse was punctured? Could they yield? How long would they spend languishing in a dungeon for the crime of crossing the borders without a writ?

He eased his heel subtly into Ogre's flank, making the destrier snort and take a step to the side. With his stirrup clinking against Salien's, he murmured under his breath: "If needs we must move, fix the nose of your horse to the tail of mine. Ride close and swift."
Jul 20, 2025 11:15 am
Tovrunn's errant awareness soared further out over the tents. Horsemen to the north, elites at the centre, regulars to the south. A tidy pincer designed to lap Caerwil and encircle it quickly. What that pincer was not designed to do was pursue a small party to the south - not in force at least - but those sentries could easily better their number, and on horses more suited to speed than theirs who'd ridden all day. The trio that the captain had left to watch she, Erron and Corson alone might well be the most immediate challenge.

With enough chaos they might ride directly south into the hills. That would be predictable, but such a small party could quickly be lost to the bulk of the army. Otherwise they could do the unpredictable and ride through the heart of the camp. An unobstructed path ran cleanly along the line of the highroad, but they'd be passing the bulk of the infantry and would certainly meet sentries at their exit.
Jul 20, 2025 11:18 am
"Some foreign nobles wished to visit the Imperial City of Anuire, they approached the Temple to request escort." Rhoderick shrugged. "We are known to be neutral so providing an escort is common, for a donation. Not many will willingly cross a man of Nesirie. They corresponded with several Temples for this I believe."

"I am simply the Preacher chosen for this duty, I have been known to crack a head if the Storm Mother requires it." With a depreciative grin he gestured to the mace hanging from his saddle horn. "There is no intention to return this way until well after this current situation here is resolved."
Jul 20, 2025 11:19 am
Ira made one final sweep around the edges of the camp, but the soldiers of Diemed were organised. Ready. Expecting ambush. Could they cause enough chaos to cover their retreat? Uncertain, but even if they could escape wouldn't be possible without some resistance. If it came to it there'd be blood that day.
Jul 20, 2025 11:19 am
"And naturally you can prove this claim?" the Gecko continued. "You can name your sponsor in the temple? And your arrangements in the Imperial City?"

The halfling began to circle Rhoderick slowly, looking him up and down. "And from where you have come? From where your companions hail? Naturally you can imagine that a great many messengers, many assassins, many a pair of covert eyes would leap at the chance to step through this camp. Your purpose hardly seems like an urgent one after all, and the Maesil would serve your purpose so well, and the Straits would serve so swiftly." His speech sped up as the circle did until it was a brisk march but the eyes never broke from Rhoderick until suddenly he turned and pointed to Lan.

"You, your name if you please."
Jul 20, 2025 11:20 am
"We had no intention of coming to your camp" Rhoderick protested. "Your Captain brought us here to you."
Jul 20, 2025 11:21 am
Pavel has a strange look on his face, almost as if he is embarrassed on Balthis Malthom's behalf, so odd is the halfling's behavior. He cannot help but glance at the Guard Captain to see if the man is witnessing the madness he single handedly inflicted on the party.

But Pavel simply couldn't bear not to witness what was about to transpire and his attention quickly returned to The Gecko The mage folded his arms in front of him, seemingly at a loss as to what to make of the situation. He made no effort to hide behind Vos stoicism, opting instead to bring his hands in front of his face to hide his bewildered expression.
Jul 20, 2025 11:21 am
Then let us go around, you little fool, Lancaelad snapped in his mind. His fingers tightened on the reins, squeezing and rolling the leather in his grip until it creaked. As if he could read the knight's thoughts 'the Gecko' suddenly spun and jutted a finger at Lan, but Lan had been mentally rehearsing a lie to conceal his identity, as galling as it was to have to dissemble in front of commonfolk.

"Michael, m'lud," he muttered, his tongue thick with the accent of a Spider River valley yeoman. He did not raise his gaze under his hood, and hoped that one of the most common Anuirean names would suffice as cover.
Jul 20, 2025 11:22 am
Silent music coursed through Pavel's veins as he effortlessly called upon the power of his bloodline. He felt a vibration throughout his body the could perhaps best be described as the warmth of a hearth on a chill winter morning, the welcoming embrace a boy received from his mother upon homecoming, and the calm confidence of a knight in full armour -- all rolled into one. This was the power that silenced the screams of the raw stuff of magic and would, in time, allow him to safely channel enough mebhaighl to fuel true magic without fear of being instantly incinerated. It was the power he drew on to cast his Auguries. And it was the power he frequently used to summon an invisible force that Pavel thought of as his third hand.

A simple act of will caused that hand to come into being. It floated beside Pavel, invisible to the naked eye. And, at his direction, it slipped into Pavel's saddlebag to retrieve one of the magical scrolls he'd recently acquired in Medoere.

The flap to his saddlebag lifted as if it were an animated, sentient being. It jostled slightly for a moment and then a scroll seemed to sneak it's way out of the bag, tip toeing behind Pavel, and hastily positioning itself so that Pavel's horse was between it and any unwanted attention.

Pavel's left arm casually fell to his side and his left hand worked in concert with his mage hand to unroll the scroll so that Pavel could see its content. Pavel was on the verge of quietly activating the scroll's magic but his eyes darted one last time to the Captain in an effort to determine if his actions thusfar had gone unnoticed.
Jul 20, 2025 11:23 am
Captain Braight had been watching Pavel's antics with some confusion, but as Rhoderick spoke his attention snapped back to the halfling. "My Lord, they communicated to me that they wished to cross the border. As the highroad passes through the camp I ordered them here, but it is possible that they were not aware, but they assured me that they had written permission. Perhaps the document might clear matters?" He paused "I... had thought you were travelling to Aerele however."
Jul 20, 2025 11:24 am
Losing interest in 'Michael' almost instantly the spymaster spared a glance at Braight, his expression remaining as tight and impassive as ever. "Thank you captain, I have not forgotten your report of a few moments ago. Allow me to conduct this interview at my own pace if you please. What you might see as inefficiency serves my purpose." Returning his attention to Rhoderick the Gecko ended his circle where it had begun.

"Does the fine captain speak the truth? Will this document explain your choice of route? Will it name your advocate? Your business? It would seem you are unwilling to share any of those facts after all."

Was there the hint of a taunt in that matter-of-fact observation? It didn't seem like it. For all his sudden animation Balthis Mathom's overall demeanour might be best described as tired. His face was one of a schoolmaster prone to sighing a good deal, and there was none of the sneering triumph or suspicious hostility that a more common interrogator might employ.

He pushed a hand into one of the pockets of his coat, toying with something idly. The other hand he reached out awaiting Rhoderick's papers.
Jul 20, 2025 11:26 am
Annoyance was audible in Rhoderick’s voice as he reached to his belt. "It is difficult to answer your questions when you do not let us speak as you fire more questions at us. The Temples of Nesirie and Haelyn have co-signed our papers and it would be an interesting choice to offend the God of War and the Goddess of Mourning with a conflict looming."

As he finished speaking and withdrawing the folded paper from his belt a peal of thunder rolls overhead - a simple trick, but a little theatre never hurt.
Jul 20, 2025 11:27 am
Pavel watched Captain Braight watching him while the Scroll of Suggestion calmly hid behind the mage's horse, waiting to be used. When the Captain's attention shifted back to The Gecko, the perfect opportunity presented itself for Pavel to cast the Suggestion spell. But Pavel's training in the arts arcane was not limited to learning how to cast a spell. It also included when not to cast a spell.

Seeing the halfling continue his conversation with Rhoderick was a relief. It meant their original plan could still work. All Rhoderick had to do was...

"The Temples of Nesirie and Haelyn have co-signed our papers .." Pavel quickly retrieved the Scroll of Phantasmal Force from its hiding place in his sleeve and wasted no time in activating the magic within. And with everyone's attention on Rhoderick and Balthis Malthom, he'd be able to do so with none the wiser, or so he hoped.

Pavel was every bit as galled at the need to cast a spell without any hint of artistry as Lancaelad had been when forced to deceive a commoner -- as if the noble knight cared what a commoner might think. Perhaps if Pavel had been aware of Lancaelad's inner turmoil, he'd have felt a little less put out. Misery loves company, after all.

As it was, the mage simply cast the spell on the scroll as succinctly and quietly as possible. Despite the lack of flair, Pavel still felt the joy of casting a new spell for the first time. And when he finished, he felt the familiar sensation of fate settling into place.

The Suggestion scroll seemed to politely roll itself up before returning to its place in Pavel's saddle bag.
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