A light snow has fallen all morning, but it is no more than a thin sprinkling of white on the fields and trees by afternoon.

The group has no real home here, but the people of Namnates, led by the cleric Ceanus, have decided that such heroes deserve a place with a bed and a roof- the best there is to offer.  So Ceanus turns over to Alba a floor of the Castle, where there are four large suites with river views.  Eventually, they suppose, when Namnates has real leadership again, the Castle might serve in its prior function as the home of the Duke, but for now, it has become a kind of Public Meeting Hall with guest rooms.

Outside, a large holly bush has been set up on a platform.  People are decorating it.  The Huns have stripped much of the wealth from Namnates in the two years they've been here, so the townsfolk are using anything that's basically shiny.  Plenty of little ribbons made of torn dyed cloth, and ornaments made of broken glass and pottery, and a few little candle holders made of hanging clay pots with their fronts removed.

When Aramil, Mia, and Flitter arrive, they are conducted here to meet with Alba, Togo, and  Vinto.  Flitter flies around to inspect the holly bush.

Mia couldn't help herself deciding to play in the snow a bit. It didn't bother her so the could wouldn't drive her inside. If there are children she carefully throws snowballs. Obviously enjoying herself as she does so.

Mia also inspects the holly bush smiling at all the decoration on it. "It's lovely isn't it flitter." She playfully tosses a snowball. Then decides to dance for a bit around the Holly bush. Her movements are graceful and fluid as she skillfully dances. At least for the moment she remembers the stage briefly. Long practice and natural grace had gotten her there. Pieroetting for a moment her hair flares out around her. Hips swaying gracefully her hands move in concert to compliment a lutita parisorium dance. That might be recognized if someone had been there before.

Then she stops remembering they were here to see Alba, Togo, and Vinto. "What do you think Alba and Togo have been doing while we were gone Aramil?"

---

"Hello Aramil, Mia, and Flitter! Boy we just had a unique adventure. He relates their past recent events with the spirits."

Alba watches the townsfolk decorate the holly bush. She would have thought that seeing the people happily decorate the bush would make her happy, but it only gives her a fit of melancholy. As much as she likes Togo and Vinto, she's finding that she misses other people. The festive time only emphasizes that she really misses her own family and most especially Raz and Alara.

Her spirits are lifted a bit when she spies Aramil, Mia, and Flitter. She waves to them, but is quiet when Togo relates the tale of the village.

Vinto is still wondering what happened though. He will be glad that he could help here with decorations for their winter holidays. Assuming he doesn't know anything about how their decorations are supposed to go up then he will try to help the best he can.

Vinto is not the only one wondering what has happened, now that the whole gang is back together in Namnates.  Ceanus shows up to the little re-union gathering at the decorated Holly Bush.

He'd like to know what happened since Aramil went to Corbilo.  What are the plans of the leaders there?  What will they do about the remnant Hun outpost stuck between the two towns?

As it so happens, Ceanus has been doing some thinking about that.  The Fey nearby have spotted some Hun tracks moving away from Savanacum.

"Away, and not back towards," he says.  "They may have gone there to take refuge, but they don't have provisions, and they don't have us feeding them anymore.  Hunting is dangerous because they can be ambushed in the forest.  Even if they kept to within 5 miles, so that a hunting party was never more than a few hours from home, they could feed less than a hundred.  And that is five miles.. the more dangerous we make it for them, the more they will be forced to hunt closer to Savanacum, and the fewer they can feed.  How many can they keep there, cut off?  Dozens?"

He tells more about the village of Savanacum.

"I would wish to see it recaptured.  There are no people left living there, but if Corbilo and Namnates are free it will come back, as the midway point between them. Savanacum fell just after Namnatese did, of course... and it was thanks to the Bretons that the Huns did not take Corbilo as well.  The last defenders of Savanacum, though, they did not make it out alive.  One was a friend, a fellow cleric, who had even been a Druid before changing his outlook. Cleaghon.  He and some followers were trapped there, and they were the last.  I do not believe they survived.  Cleaghon had a useful magical artifact with him, a ring that enabled him to transform himself, and he could have used that to escape, but he would have left too many behind, so he stayed and he died with them."

Alba listens to Ceanus' questions and mentally kicks herself. She knows that thei fight isn't nearly over. The orcs still have a sizable force nearby and here she is wallowing selfishly because people she cares about aren't here.

She thinks about the huns. "How much do they know about our ways? Do they know that a celebration is about to happen? If they have enough supplies for a week or so, they might be able to make them last in the hope of moving against a place during the celebration. People will be distracted and not ready for an assault.

Is Savanacum where most of their forces are or is it a central point?

I'd think we'll want to do one of two things. Either deal with the huns before the celebration or make the huns think that the celebration is earlier than it is. Have them come out away from their forts into a trap. What do you think?"

More than being just pretty Alba is also pretty smart. Togo stays nearby to keep tabs on the conversation but sees that Alba is quick to pick up on what is going on and has a good understanding of what needs to be done. Detailed planning really was never the halflings strong-point and he's happy she's taking the lead. Some times he likes to daydream and not have to make decisions so while he may be quiet he's also content for the moment.

Ceanus says that the Huns hate any Human (or near-Human) kind of celebration, and they suppressed the seasonal festivities while they were occupying Namnates.  It goes along with their philosophy- they did not want the Humans honoring or thanking the gods any more than the bare minimum.  They wanted all festivities to be oriented around how great and wonderful the Emperor and the Infernal Powers were.  They didn't allow the traditional Winter Solstice tree, or the songs, dances, giving of gifts, etc.  That is why this is so important to the people this year.

The group comes up with a rough map of the Corbilo-Namnates Area, showing the location of Savanacum, wedged uncomfortably between Corbilo, Namnates, and the Fey Forest.

From everyone's point of view, it is a bad thing.  It puts a garrison of Orcs and whatever foul allies they have right in the middle of everything.  No one will be safe, with them around.  Hunters will have to be on their guard, travelers will not be able to safely travel on land between the towns, and the Fey will have to be very careful- which the Fey hate to do, because life is to be enjoyed, not constantly worried about.

On the other hand, it is clear that it is not a good thing for the Orcs there either.  They are stuck far from allies, surrounded by those that they hate.

No, not a good situation from anyone's point of view.

 

pm

Alba nods thoughtfully when she hears about the huns and festivals. Looking over the map doesn't give her much to go on. "There are too many places that the huns can fall upon when they decide to do so." She looks hard at the map and then back to Ceanus. Turning back to the map, she points out each place as she mentions it. "Let's try to figure out where they are less likely to attack. They don't know about Tilium and there are no people there anyway.

Aseriac, Penkiriac, Gwenranne, and Groazig are too far into human held territory. I don't think they'll attack them. That leaves Arbiniac, Corbilio, Penbo and Namnates.

Penbo is across the river. That will make it hard to attack.

Arbiniac is also far into human held lands. It will also be hard to attack.

That leaves Corbilio and Namnates. They just lost a major battle here. If they attack here, they'll reconnect with their main forces. However, the loss of Namnates to begin with will be to admit that they had a major set back here. While they will plan to attack here, I think it will be later.

That leaves Corbilio. This has been the rock that the huns have been smashing themselves against ever since they took Namnates. I don't think they can take Corbilio with the forces that they have, and they know that. Otherwise they would have attacked before now.

Where does that leave? The fey forest. They'll want to punish the fey for helping with the attack on Namnates. Besides, they'll try to capture as many fey as they can to steal magic and make their forces stronger. Then they'll attack Corbilio and Namnates in that order."

She takes a breath and then looks up at the others. "What do you think of my analysis here? Is it sound?"

"Dang" Togo mutters "She thought that all out in just a few moments". He scratches his head amazed at Alba's intellectual capability.

Louder he says "Well, I can provide some air reconnaissance to confirm if that would be helpful he offers"

Ceanus has his own opinion:  the Huns might not attack at all.

"They've just been beaten," he says.  "And from what we know the Emperor of the Huns has not been sending his troops this way.  They've been recalled and sent far to the east.  There must be great trouble on the east side of the Hun Empire but for now it is not here.  So perhaps the Huns will just try to hold out until the Emperor sends them help.  Which.. sooner or later, if he wishes to regain what he has lost, he must."

But he admits that if the Huns do feel like doing something aggressive, they might mount another raid into the Fey forest.  The Fey have their magic to protect themselves, but over time the Huns have been learning magic too, and they have become more effective in dealing with Fey magic.

And speaking of dealing with Fey magic...

Ceanus supports the idea of Togo doing reconnaissance, but cautions:  "The Fey have already scouted the fringes of Savanacum, and have reported magical wards interfering with certain powers.  Invisibility, for one.  Be careful and do not get too close."

* * * * *


Togo attempts a simple, rational transaction:  turn the things they found at Tilium into some sort of reasonable cash equivalent.

It's not easy.  As he is already aware, Namnates has survived two years of Hun occupation, and the economy is a shambles.  It's not that no one wants a mirror with a gold frame... it's that here, now, no one with any stash of gold is going to part with it to acquire one.  People are still in desperation mode and not willing to spend lavishly on prettiness.

It occurs to him... maybe this is why so much treasure seems to be stashed away in the most unlikely places.  Maybe people just have a really hard time dealing with it.

The tools, and the wheelbarrow, and the drafting supplies are somewhat easier to sell- Togo finds a dealer easily.  And then there are the rugs.  At first one might think they too fall into the "luxury goods" category, but the rugs also have a practical function- warmth.  Going into winter, they have some demand, and Togo sells them off to a family looking to restore the shipyard.  They throw a little halfling sized boat into the deal.

At the end of the day Togo still has the mirror, and a total of 660 GP, and a little boat.

"Seems like a sound assumption. We can try to capitalize on their aggression, or deter them from it. If they leave to strike out into the fey wilds, then that is when we take the garrison back. With no people left in though, we can mount a more effective siege on their walls. With no friends inside, a it seems like an effective plan."

"If it is not the fey they strike, I fear for Namnates. They would want a passage for reenforcemnts to come from, and the west does not give them a good path. Unless they want to send troops via the river, across enemy territory along the shore. For that I am not worried about Corbilo. The men there are seasoned fighters in an entreched area with a seasoned, wise leader. If anywhere will take action in the offensive, it should be Corbilo. Let the people here recover fully and build a defense."

"I have asked that there be patrols in the area in efforts to waylay any enemy shipments, messages or other scouts. Perhaps they might have intercepted something that might give us some insight on what might be going on inside."

Togo smiles "The beauty of a druids shapechange is that it takes form of a natural creature..there's no invisibility involved other than blending in with the natural creatures of the environment. But I shall certainly heed your warning. Best to err on the side of caution."

He swirls his cloak and transforms into a raven and takes flight squawking several times in a gesture of a farewell.

---

OOC: Togo, Alba & Vinto get (120gp + 220gp) = 340gp each
Plus we still have a mirror & small boat. The small boat he'll work out a deal with the boating company for rentals unless he needs it.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:51, Wed 12 Dec 2012.