Geron Ren
Gareth said:
"How about we start scouting some positions for traps? Anyone good at making traps? It seems our best bet to run back to Argos if we see them. By the way nobody ever told me ... why are we at war?"
"I'm no trap and snare expert and would listen to any who's claimin' ta be, but I've learned a thing or two from my uncle who is. Two simple but yet quick ones that might work are variants of stakes and the pit. First, as soft as the ground is, we don't have the time or enough men to dig large pits, but we dunna need ta! We've already got the best pits dug fer us as our fearless leader's found out already." Geron says with a wide grin. "Along the most likely approaches, there's gonna be some paths that'll head right into quicksand pits, we' cover'em up and if they take no care..." Geron simply winks and smiles, leaving everyone to come to the obvious conclusion.
He continues, "Second, there aren't many trees in the Fens, but there are many reeds, some particularly large ones at that. We can fashion the thicker reeds into stakes and drive a bunch of 'em into the soft ground right in the most obvious routes of advance." Geron heads toward a nearby large patch reeds, taking his small handaxe out and starts wacking off a particularly thick reed. He hacks off a foot and a half to two foot length from the reed he just cut out ending up with two pieces, a long one and a short one. He then sharpens one end of both pieces of reed. "Now, we drive the long end into the soft ground, sharp end first. With the blunt end on top, we can hammer it into the ground." Geron demonstrates with the hammer side of his small axe. "Then we cut slits on the sides of blunt end of the remaining piece so it will give a little when we attach it onto the piece already in the ground. Now you've got a sharp stake sticking out."
Then, with a wily grin, Geron suggests, "Hehe, now if ya wanna be especially nasty, before we attach it, we can soak this sharp ended piece in the brackish water, leaving it soaking in there for a few hours. I guarantee ya, anyone even get nicked by it, by the time theys marched through the Fens, theys'll have a nasty wound and'll have ta be carried or left behind ta die."
"Remember, the Fen is our friend and our enemy's enemy. At any rate, surely, they won't be stopped by any of this, but if we's pick our sights well, it's sure as fish-s!!t to slow'em down."
"An' oh, Gareth, we's at war 'cuz some ser knight and soldiers came ta Argos in the wee hours of one mornin' ta rouse everyone up including Lord Crayke. Twas a call-to-arms. War's been declared, Rhelms had d'clared on Valusia and Rhelmsmen are headin' this way. By orders of the Three Popas, Lord Crayke was told he must hold his village as long as possible. Our fathers and brothers have been told to stay behind to hold on to Argos while the womenfolk and the weak were told to flee down the Fletchway and make way ta the North Twins.”
"Perhaps instead of dividin' up into teams, initially we should all scout out for the approaches and the best vantage overlooking e'm, and fer the quicksand pits along said routes and the best spots for the reed stake traps. There's more than enough ground to survey. When we've found the best spots, then we can divide up into teams however you want, but we need ta gather reeds, make stakes and drivin' them in, and gather cover and coverin' the quicksand pits. We'll need lots of reeds for lots of stakes, if its gonna work, but whoever finishes up first, should help the others."
Geron looks over his fellow Argosians, "Only way Argos is gonna have half a decent chance is if we all work together. We's not fightin' for empire as ser knight orders, we's fightin' for our homes, our families, and fer everything we know. As Dalmut says, it's
OUR stinkin' village!"
