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Message: <blockquote data-quote="seasong" data-source="post: 592135" data-attributes="member: 5137">Battle of Theralis RidgeThe people of Theralis are a frontier people with a strong military tradition. Centuries ago, they established the Year of Service for all youths who would be considered adults, and every able-bodied adult, male or female, has some skill with spear or shield. Youths fight in tournaments of skill with staff and unarmed combat, run sprinting races upmountain, test each other's strength in cold mountain streams and feats of rock lifting. Nor does the harsh wilderness bordering Theralis on all sides give pause for rest in age - whether gathering in teams to hunt a black hound that has moved in, or surviving a winter avalanche, the city-state is filled with tough, capable people who thrive at it.These tough, capable people were now focused on and preparing for the coming battles.A Herd of CatsGreppa sat near the back and kept his mouth shut. He was in a small tavern requisitioned as a meeting place for the Theralis mages. After signing up as a citizen-soldier, he'd been directed here. He wasn't nervous about where he would be assigned - he was nervous about meeting some of the famous people in the room.Near the front, with space accorded him out of respect, sat Kyriotes, easily the most powerful arcanist in Theralis (and possibly beyond) and a specialist in the art of summoning. Next to him sat two of his former students, and their students, all summoning specialists as well. Kyriotes had missed the last war, as he'd been deep in the southern wilderness at the time. Rumor said that he'd brought back some ancient lore, possibly spells of the ancients.A few rows behind him, sat an earthy, older woman named Inertas, another powerful arcanist, although less specialized than Kyriotes. She'd been in Theralis last year, and had worked with the elite shock troops to break up knots of successful orcs. She'd taught Hurath, but been disappointed in his lack of ambition.Greppa just wanted some way to approach them without looking like a drooling kitten.For Merideth, it all seemed a waste of time. She knew where she would end up - backrow healers - and she knew how little action she'd see, so the excitement of the others was somewhat lost on her. The healers comprised slightly more than half the thirty spell casters in the room, so she wasn't able to stand out as she might have wanted.Both paid attention, however, as Lukretia, general of the Theralis troops, walked in and stepped to the tavern's tiny stage. She was taller than most Theralese by a handspan, with broad muscled shoulders barely stooped with age. Her hair was pale grey and her skin mottled, but her eyes were like a pair of dark blue spears set in a face that barely contained them."I am not one for fancy speeches. The orcs are coming. We will destroy those that do not flee. We will harry those that do. To achieve that, your help will be essential, whether you are enhancing our numbers with healing, enhancing our spear strength with spells, or unleashing energy on targetted warbands.""We will be dividing you into groups based on what we need, and what you can do best. You will then work with your group on specifics.""The groups we are using are Tactical, Force and Flanking. Some specific assignments will differ from this, but those are the main ones. Healers are in Tactical. Illusionists are in Tactical. Arcanists with soldier-enhancing spells will be in Force. We need as many of you as possible, regardless of your other abilities - a fireball is nice, but after rest breaks are accounted for, a boosted soldier will dish out far more death. Any arcanists who are unable to boost soldiers directly should report to Flanking.""Tactical will focus on boosting our effective numbers by healing, producing illusions of backup troops, and removing the wounded from the battlefield. We will present to the orcs the image of an unstoppable, larger force. I want them to wet their furs when they see us, and I want them to lose hope of killing us. If we lose no soldiers at all, Tactical will have done their job.""Force will focus on enhancing the ability of our soldiers to kill orcs. Demipossessions, kinetic shielding, fiery weapons, whatever you have. Our best soldiers will be jumping in and out of battle and being healed, and I want you to strengthen them as much as possible. Even small boosts may add another orc or two to the death toll.""Flanking will provide morale busting. You won't be able to do as much damage over the course of a day, but you can do heinous amounts of damage in short bursts - I want to maximize those bursts to make the orcs fear them.""Divide yourselves up. My captains will take over the individual groups. Thank you for your time."After that, assignments were quick and efficient. Greppa chafed at his, however - he'd been paired with Force, which he expected, but he'd been dropped in with a bunch of young arcanists who could barely cast, while more experienced arcanists were grouped with Inertas in the elite shock troops. Despite arguing with the captain (or perhaps because of it), he stayed with the second stringers.Merideth, of course, was grouped with the healers.Athan's PlanningAthan, on the other hand, was enjoying himself immensely. A small group of career soldiers had invited him and several other youths they'd observed at Eastpass last year to a small get together. Gathered around one of the few "open" tavern hearths, they drank good wine, sang fighting songs, and worked their way through most of the haunch of some poor cow.Then, the soldiers made an offer."The cap'n is thinnin' our ranks a bit, splittin' us up to cover a larger front, and we'll be needin' some talented youths to cover the gaps. The cap'n told us to find them's we thought could do the job, an' trust to do it right.""We didn' tell you, but we're the Keraunesti*. We saw each o' you at Eastpass, an' knew you'd be good for this, if you want it. What say you?"Not one of the youths hesitated."HELLS YES!"*Keraunesti translates, roughly, as "thunderbolter", or "those who are a thunderbolt". This is one of the groups of elite shock troops who break up knots of too-successful orcs, wading into battle with the biggest and best the enemy has to offer. There are other shock troops, but most would argue that the Keraunesti team is the best of those. It's also the most dangerous.After, the Keraunesti explained their basic tactics and methods, and how to avoid death while doing the most dangerous job in the military. When talk turned to spell casters, Athan knew his friends would want in. The soldier explained the basic setup:"Since we go out inna middle o' the enemy, we can't keep the healers behind us - we gotta bring 'em with us. That means coverin' them with yer own body if need be. Remember, they can fix you, but you can't fix them. We handpick 'em, too - has to be someone we trust, not someone who might choke or falter when they's spears comin' in at all directions."Athan spoke up, "I don't know if you've already picked them, but I know at least two, they fought with me when I got this cloak. I've never seen either lose their head under threat."One of the other Keraunesti nodded, "One o' those wouldn' be Hurath's studen', would he?" And at Athan's affirmative, "Well, I saw him at battle. The spells he were castin' were no good, but if he's learned some good ones since then, he seemed a cool head. An' the other?"When all was said and done, Athan had managed to get his friends into the most dangerous place available in the war. As happy as he could be, Athan ran off to tell them the good news.In the distance, orcs were on the move.</blockquote>

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