Choose your path to greatness, obscurity or death. A multiple choice LP

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Yes because I'm a moron and copied the numbers wrong. 2 polearms

4. Floped to 2.
D) The hunter. He can look for tracks and stay somewhat hidden. It's hard to be sneaky riding a horse or wearing clinking chainmail, and the archers.... well they don't really have to know stealth or tracking to be one.

Floped to F) Hunter + Archers (at least they're not shortsighted).

4.
D) The hunter.

2) Travel by day, the Centipede Overlords are seemingly uncomfortable attacking in daylight.

E) Scouts in the front and lookouts in the rear, in a circle around the caravan. They can attack from the sides (in fact, they are much more likely to do so). Kalz's men in the forests, backed up by archers, and horsemen on the roads, two in each direction. The rearguard can double as an ambush if we are attacked from the front, and the same in reverse. Have the hunter/tracker advise the forest groups, though. This should be our modus operandi during our "secret mission".


P.S.: Inb4 Irene turns out to be an insufferable cunt.

2B+D

2. Since there are civilians in the group, moving at night would seem to be more of a danger of someone breaking their neck than moving during the day is of being spotted, and it would probably be much slower anyway. Having scouts would probably suffice for going undetected.
C.

Edit: The hunter would also make a good scout, so why not include him? Or is there a limit to only one scout?

well, there is only ONE hunter, I assumed that in case you want to use scout, you would want to have more than just one....

2E -

Also mention that the centipedes are more likely to attack during the night from what we have experienced, and suggest making fortifications and keeping a stern watch during the night. No campfires if it's manageable, I don't know what the weather is like currently.

Bros, this is a theory, but, since the centipedes like to attack in the night(however, we don't really have solid, consistent info on this, we've only been attacked once), what's stopping them from simply burrowing up under our and our men's sleeping bags and tents, and impaling them alive? I think we should start thinking a way to camp safely. Like sleeping on a five-inch thick slab of metal. Sounds retarded, I know, but it's the best thing I can come up with now. Maybe I'll think of better when I wake up.)

4C

Perhaps if we walk without rhythm, we won't attract the worm.

Or, look for rocky ground to camp upon

It's partly why i wanted to have 4 in some of my first lists.

Tree climbing faggotry ensues.

2E

Also, we'd better travel without exhausting the soldiers, while still making progress. It may take us longer but if (more like when, am I right?) we get ambushed, they won't be tired. In fact, Smashing axe has an apparently good suggestion (we don't know whether or not they can bore through rock). We'd also better be setting up camp sooner, and on rocky terrain, preferably sleeping on rocks(not as bad as it sounds). Might as well use our scouts for that.

2E

I also find the rock suggestion pretty solid.

Didnt get notification and I missed out on the outfitting anyways, We should travel at night, quietly and compact, although spread down in line formation, we risk less ambush this way I think and less surprise attack while we rest if we sleep during the day, due to our enemies apparent dislike of sunshine. (harder to sneak up on sentries as well) As for scouts send the 2 most experienced soldiers in tracking and a hunter spread out in a triangle in front of us, if anyone finds trails, report it to the hunter. (send horseman)

Can we consult the map for any knowledge on the terrain/territory we are going to cross?

We should make an effort to meet each of the civilians as well, one of them could be a centipede sympathiser or maybe even a p cool guy.
+1 for sleeping on rocks if we can

If we rest during the night we are more defensible and less susceptible to ambush, traveling during the night makes us far more vulnerable, it's the time where the enemy is at their strongest. So long as we post competent sentries during the night we shouldn't have issue with camping then.

2E. Travel by day, we're at an advantage there. Sleeping on rock could have its merits regarding the centipede burrowing out of our camp, but doesn't solve much in truth. The centipede could just come out outside the rock and reach us normally. And let's face it, we dont' stand a snowball's chance in hell against one of those giant mofos.

2B

Travel by day is much better, and light infantry scouts are much stealthier than any other option (beside possibly the archers, but we want to save them for shooting trouble when the scouts detect it, not risk them outside protection of other soldiers).

Yes, and let's teach all men that fear is the mind-killer etc., and recite that mantra daily...

Also, I had a feeling it might be Irene just a few paragraphs before she showed up, so good job with that

As I said before, it's mid-month of the first month of summer. You can manage without...

Centipedes come in all sizes, just keep that in mind

What can I say, it's not my fault you picked the mission where Irene was...

2B

Oh, and everyone should sleep with their armor on. Just like last time.

We also need to stay away from spice blooms.

Very well, you voted 2-E where E is:Scouts in the front and lookouts in the rear, in a circle around the caravan. They can attack from the sides (in fact, they are much more likely to do so). The rearguard can double as an ambush if we are attacked from the front, and the same in reverse.
Please note I wrote precisely that there is NO road, you're literally going through the forest. And, try to sleep on rocky grounds

62 – Arrival at Nalnys

You decide to travel by day, using infantry and archers as scouts. Some should also stay a bit behind as rearguard. Also, when camping you will try to find places with rocky grounds. You have no idea if it would help against centipedes, but it won't hurt. Apart from this, you will go back to your normal routine of studying your book of legends and myths, and practicing dodging. In the spare time, you think you will try to make some conversation with all the members of your group, to know them a bit. And to check if they are acting suspicious, after all it's a secret mission and so you should make sure.

The journey is rather uneventful. The forest is calm and quiet as you slowly make your way through it. The climate is rather hot, but not unbearable. All in all it would be enjoyable, if it wasn't for the fact that you actually fear an ambush. But the ambush does not come.....

The morning of the fourth day , as you are making progress through the forest, you suddenly hear commotion ahead. A detachment of soldiers, wearing the uniform of Eskal, quickly rides close to you.

"Halt, who are you, what are you doing here?"

Irene goes to talk with them. You can't hear what she's telling them, but the soldiers quickly change attitude, and offer to escort you to your destination. And so with an additional fifteen soldiers you cover the last part of your journey through the forest. After three more hours you finally see your destination.

At first, you hear the noises. Voices, rasping sounds, a few neighs. Then, the forest opens before you, and you see a great wall. It's at least ten meters high, and you cannot see how long it is. The forest is extremely close to the wall, creeping up to it. Some woodcutters are working to cut the trees close to the wall. A huge tower reinforces the wall, round and twice as high as the wall itself. All in all it's by far the biggest fortification you have ever seen, though it seems somewhat dilapidated. You wonder what is such a fortress doing here, in the middle of nothing. And it's not shown on any map you have seen!

You follow the wall, and after passing another three towers you reach a grand gatehouse. And here you can see that the walls are at least four meters thick. The guards welcome you and Irene talks to a captain about the place where your group should set camp.

"I would like you to escort my group to the unused courtyard to the left of the main plaza, captain. I shall go and speak to General Ritgard immediately. My men are not to be disturbed until I speak with the general, nor our supplies will be inspected. "

The captain salutes and shows the way to your men. Irene gestures for you and Kalz to follow her. Irene is about to speak, when Kalz quite shakingly opens his mouth.

"General Ritgard? And what is he doing here? He's a legend, he has been a general since before I was born! Besides, what is this place anyway? And why are all these soldiers here?"

Irene smiles and calmly answers.
"And where should he be, drilling troops in some peaceful city? We will soon be at war and so of course he, along with Lord Medah, has been moved to what is likely to be the front. I will explain everything afterwards, when we get to our camp. Now, a word of warning. The general is a good man, but somewhat gruff, stern and focused. He's not one for idle chatter. Be careful in case you have to speak. If not, better leave it to me for now."

You listen to her intently, though in truth you are awed by the huge castle around you. The stone houses you saw at Bitak are hovels compared to this. You wonder how old this place is...

You are brought to a tower that rises alone in the middle of the main plaza behind the gatehouse. The guards let you in after a few words, and soon you are at the top, standing before a heavy metal door guarded by four men in full plate armor. They ask you to leave your weapons here, and then you are allowed to enter.

The room is large, round and warm. There are many tables, covered by maps and important-looking documents. Bookshelves full to the brim cover most of the walls, and the open windows let inside the warm, fragrant air of the morning.

The general is reading something at his desk, and as soon as you enter he raises to come towards you. He seems quite old, with long grey hair, but his frame is large and sturdy, his posture erect and proud. He has a serious face, with many lines and wrinkles. Some seem due to age, other to worries. And once he starts to speak, you can hear how strong his voice still is.

"So Medah sent you, Irene. Well, nice to know I don't have to worry about incompetents. This is a serious, important mission, something that the useless bureaucrats of the capital seem to forget way too easily. We have a job to do here, and not much time to finish it."

"Of course general, we arrived as fast as we could. We should be ready to start tomorrow" says Irene. Her tone is respectful and precise, but not meek. You find most interesting that they know each other. She quickly continues "We have a rather varied selection of personnel, and so we should be able to work on all three tasks at the same time. Barring problems of course, but in that case we'll let you know. By the way, how many people are here right now?"

The general frowns "About 500 soldiers. I hoped it would be a bit more, but most regiments here in the south of the nation are undisciplined by my standards. They definitely need more drilling. Still, it should not be a problem if our estimates are correct. Now, you just arrived and have to settle in, plus I imagine you have to brief the people who came with you. I will let you choose the methods with which to act, but do come and give me a report tomorrow morning. I like to be kept informed of everything."

"Of course general, we will formulate a detailed plan by tomorrow morning. I know very well that time is rather short." Irene seems to have taken the words of general Ritgard very seriously.

You think you are being dismissed, but the general turns towards you and Kalz and speaks "I like to know who I am working with. Who are you? Why are you here with Irene?"

What are you going to answer Kyoss? How will you introduce yourself? Open update, since every word can make the difference.

Also, do you want to ask or say anything by chance?

A) Tell him our name, that we were sent by Jacob/Lord Medah to help on the mission, and that we will be acting as Irene's adviser. Be confident, calm, and straightforward. This man probably won't suffer anything but the blunt facts.

I am assuming that Kalz will introduce himself.