"I am unsure I can imagine it for my daughters just yet," Ariel replied to Meesei. "It's just...Sabine, I hope your upcoming challenges pass quickly and without trouble, for I can vouch for parenthood. Same goes for you, Karl. To hear you two planning this..." She drew in her arms and excitedly grinned. "It makes my heart swell!"

Karl smiled back. "We're looking forward to it as well. Even with all the other changes it will bring."

The appearance of their next dish was once again received politely by Karl and Sabine. However, Rukeewei's description visibly piqued Karl's interest. Sabine gave him a curious look, prompting him to elaborate.

"It sounds somewhat familiar," he said. "Again, not the same, but...Back in Wayrest, we had this food which was a roasted sheep's stomach stuffed with vegetables and grains and other things. My mother liked to serve it with a pumpkin soup as well. I haven't tried snake meat before but at least it's more familiar than slugs."

Sabine giggled. "The pumpkins here are different as well."

Karl shrugged. "All the better. The food has been wonderful so far. we will have to visit you more often, Rukeewei."

[hr]
"I have a better idea," Teroiah picked up almost immediately once Hal-Neesa finished. "If we are assaulting unknown terrain, there can be no guarantee of a position to fight our way through as one bulk force. Especially if our opposition are as organised as you advise, creature. Our chances are better formed by keeping Vile's Daedra unfocussed and separated. If we can launch rapid strikes out to wheresoever these 'anchor sites' are, we need not worry about defending those positions or digging in while we wait for other Deadra to push the fight for us. Once Molag Bal's forces have a way in, they will be a distraction keeping other forces away from the axe. Our momentum will then only be stopped on our terms as we advance."

"That depends," Gro-Tagnud added. "We need to know how long these anchors are going to take setting up, whether Bal can take and hold a beachhead underneath each of them, and if they'll last worth a damn. More importantly, though..." He looked to Ri'vashi. "We'd need to bring together a bunch of people crazy enough to sneak around on their own to try and open up the anchor sites. I've got a few but we'll need more."