First Strike
The Shadowlord studied the image in the pool with intense concentration, every fold of the land that had been chosen for the army's path was taken in and analyzed. His untiring mind, cold and calm like the grave, turned the problem over again and again.
The armies of the south had dealt his allies two severe blows, they had grown stronger with their victories and the Lich King's forces had dwindled. The war would soon be lost unless he and his one remaining ally scored a devastating victory against their opposition. No price was too high to pay, no risk too great to take, if well considered and weighed against its benefits.
The focus moved, villages and towns (not major cities) in the enemy territory were studied, their defensive strength asessed, and the Shadowlord allowed himself to smile. They were helpless and ripe for the picking. Their fall would precipitate the end of all civilization in the South. All he had to do was step trough the Astral and carry his chidren to the spawning-ground.
It was time.
ooc: Evening, the day of the battle.
The Shadowlord reached inside a fold in his light-devouring armour and pulled out a small sliver of folded space. With a thought he called the closest of his Shadows to him and sent them into the miniature dimension, activated his Mind Blank and stepped trough the astral plane to an abandoned warehouse in a small coastal city in the south. He opened the Hole and sent five Shadows pouring down into the ground. With a thought he gave them their instructions
"Stay together until your number reaches ten, then divide into equal parts. Attack only isolated groups of civilians inside their homes for the first half-hour. Move quickly but stay hidden. Increase your numbers without raising the alarm. Once the alarm has been called, massacre without prejudice. But do not engage superior enemy forces.
You are free to take your own initiatives as the situation dictates, my orders are general guidelines. As long as you and your children act in a way you believe I would approve of you are free to do as you wish.
Kill every living thing.
The following orders are non-conditional:
Do not leave the province until I give a direct order to do so.
I want one hundred Shadows ready for action under the city square five hours from now, the rest of you are free to rampage trough the province as you see fit."
The Shadowlord teleported again, four more times to four more minor cities and major towns acattered troughout the enemy territory, always to hidden locations. In each settlement he left five Shadows behind, with the same orders as in the first city.
The seeds of shadow sown, he returned to his stronghold in the north.
ooc: 25 Shadows are deployed in 5 minor enemy cities, see orders above.