Re: Riders of the Storm
As requested by General Timonev, Griet eases the Krolowa away from the pier and out into the Vistula, making for the settlement across the river with a reconaissance party on board. The tug cuts perpendicular to the current, pressing foward towards the opposite bank. The riverbank rises steeply, forming a tall bluff overlooking the river, definitely steeper and perhaps even taller than Tum hill back in Plock. A few run-down structures can be seen on its crest as the tug pushes off from the west bank; by the time the two thirds of the way across the river, the structures are no longer visible.
Snow falls thick, the flakes small and wet. It's already starting to stick, coating the ground in a semi-transparent white shroud. Visibility is already limited by the dim light, the steady snow fall only makes it worse.
The tug slowly noses up to the east bank. There's a narrow, level shelf of land, maybe 30m wide, at the base of the bluff, and a trail, about two meters wide, winds up from the riverbank towards the settlement no longer visible above. Those remaining on board the tug will not be able to perform overwatch for the scouting team. The recon teams debark using the ingenuous corvus and begin to ascend the track up the bluffs.
Those that complete the climb encounter the ruins of X. A cursory search reveals no sign of recent inhabitants. The village seems to have been abandoned some time ago. There are some signs of battle damage, but the dilapidated state of the settlement seems to owe more to neglect and the elements than it does to the effects of combat. Most of the dwellings here have been cleaned out, but a few still contain some rudiments of civilian life. If they judiciously disassemble some of the structures for firewood and cram the rest full to capacity, the 89th should be able to shelter here for at least a couple of days.
The bluffs themselves offer a commanding view of the Vistula. From here, the recon team can look down into Y. With a few heavy weapons, a platoon dug in atop the heights could just about shut down river traffic. It's a good thing that no one has thought to do so prior to your arrival.
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