EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei shared Gallus' concerns about the sabotage. Their current plan hinged on being able to infiltrate and sabotage the main gate. Without that, their advance would be halted by the formidable defenses along the walls. "The sabotage is the fastest way in, without a doubt. If it fails, we could perhaps attempt other options, like targeting the grate above the front gate to see if we can eliminate their oil pots. From there, we could use our lycan forms, or perhaps a ram, on the gate itself. But, that would not proceed nearly as quickly, and we would lose the advantage a fast attack provides. We do not have the time for an extended siege."

Though Meesei wished she could find a safer approach, using werevultures for sabotage seemed to be their fastest way into the stronghold. Hopefully, further scouting upon arrival would reveal more options. "Now, to create a cloud of mist of that scale, as I mentioned, will not be a simple task. We merely need it to conceal, which does make the task somewhat easier. It is possible to create a mist with other magical properties, but the magical power required for that is significantly higher. Even so, it will still require a significant dedication of our magical resources. We will need to spread out soul gems at key locations around the area to help provide energy for the ritual. As well, I will need mages to supply their own magicka to help power the spell. It will draw far more magicka than one mage can provide alone. The soul gems will ensure that we do not drain ourselves completely, and provide links to one another to help coordinate the ritual. We can use potions to help rejuvenate ourselves afterwards, but again, those will be potions we will not have for the fight itself."

---

Irenya shook her head. "Oh, no, that would create more problems than it would solve. If I could go back to the moment I was turned and do it again, I do admit that I would do something differently. Instead of simply disappearing, I would find some way to justify my leaving. Perhaps tell her I found an opportunity to start a career elsewhere, or a husband in a far away land. I did stay with my mother far longer than most children would have started their own lives. But, it is far too late for that. I cannot think of a good explanation for leaving suddenly without a trace that would not either offend her, or worry her. And certainly, it is best that she not know I am a lycan. She is far more traditional than myself. If I could think of a sufficient explanation, however...I may consider it."

Not wanting to continue on the topic of speaking to her mother, Irenya quickly attempted to move to something else. "Ah, but, what of yourselves? I know you are both from Cyrodiil, but what brought you together?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I need to get to bed, so I just wrote up the response for the meeting. I'll respond for Irenya in my next one.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Perhaps." Ri'vashi answered with some uncertainty in her tone, though even now, she was examining the map to pick out the shortest distances from the tree line to the walls. "Do you believe that would work on Do'rhajul, Lorag?" She asked.

Lorag unfolded his arms and leaned forward onto the table. "Now you're startin' to think. But...I don't know. I could see it working at first, but it don't take long for Do'rhajul to pick up on these things. Very observant. Biggest problem I see is how wide the clearing is around the fortress. Only way to keep our numbers hidden is to keep them behind the treeline, but from there, it would take time for them to make the run to the walls and set up the ladders. I can guarantee, Do'rhajul will know exactly how long that would take. He might realize that he can just keep most of his forces focused on the main gate, and just order them to move if he sees the others advancing with the ladders."

"That is an issue, but...perhaps we can find a way to obscure our forces even in the clearing." Ri'vashi suggested, turning her attention to Meesei. "You mentioned that it is possible to create a mist around the area. We could follow Gallus' suggestion and set up decoy forces to surround the stronghold. From there, if we cover the area in mist as we start our charge, we can obscure our numbers while making it seem as if we are just trying to obscure our warriors from their archers."

"Yeah, and as a side effect, it'll obscure our warriors from their archers." Lorag chuckled.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lorag stood with his arms crossed, shaking his head. "Boy, you're not goin' to sow any 'discord' into Do'rhajul. Guess you learned from your father; that sounds like a plan an Imperial commander would use. Break up the enemy ranks, flank them from multiple angles, it's a basic combat tactic. And, that's why it won't work, it makes too much sense. He'll see it comin' as soon as he sees the ladders. Oblivion, I'd bet on him guessin' it before then. That cat'll have his men positioned exactly where they need to be. You want to beat him, you can't think that conventional at any stage of this attack."

Through the entire discussion, Ri'vashi was becoming increasingly frustrated at her inability to find some kind of solution. She was not accustomed to such difficulties in military matters. But, with Lorag's response, an idea came to her mind. "If he is as skilled as you say, he may predict us attempting to surround him, but...what if we find a way to fake it?"

---

The longer the conversation went on, the more relaxed Irenya became. Even Ahnasha started to appear less frustrated, though she was still far from being accepting of Irenya. "I...cannot say for sure." Irenya answered. "We both survived the war, thank Hircine. We were close to the fighting at times, but neither side made targets of the enemy's wounded. There was at least that much honor among them. We had originally planned to return to Morrowind after the war, but as I mentioned, we had no real home there either. A few months before the end of the war, we were living in a small town named Aleswell, north of the Imperial city. With nowhere else to go, it is where we stayed. The people were friendly, and as healers, we were certainly valued. I was turned by a rouge werewolf about fifteen years later, while I was fishing by Lake Rumare. I never returned to Aleswell after that, so I do not know if my mother stayed, or moved on in my absence."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Miranor, though she shared Gallus' worries about their current plan of infiltration, she was not yet ready to abandon it. "It will be dangerous, yes, but there are still ways we can mitigate it. Even if there is no way to resist the gas, we could use magic to our advantage. Provided we can sabotage the crank, we would just need a few spells to give us an opening to escape. We will be right next to the gate at that point, after all. We could tie some scrolls around our necks before we fly in, something to make us faster and give us protection from their arrows as we flee. It is not perfect, but...I volunteer to lead the infiltration."

Meesei's expression was severe, but without alternatives, she could not outright deny the plan. "If we find no other points of entry, we can consider this plan. As for the ladders, it would be easier to get onto the walls elsewhere while the enemy is distracted at the main gate. We just have to make sure the ladders are neither too close, nor too far from the main gate. If they are too close, the defenders may notice them, while too far, and our warriors will be too distant to support our primary entry point."

---

Ahnasha was still silent, though now, not entirely out of resentment. Irenya's mention of the execution of her father made her uncomfortable. She had always considered the Argonian invasion of Morrowind to have been a form of justice that had been a long time coming. As Irenya had said, the Argonians had focused their efforts onto a Great House of slavers, the Telvanni. But, it would be naive of her to think that no innocents were caught in the carnage. If, of course, her father was innocent. A lowly clerk did not sound like the kind of person who would even be able to own slaves, but she supposed she could not be sure.

Regardless of Ahnasha's silence, Irenya continued. "Oh, that happened almost two centuries later, during the Great War. Modern Morrowind reviles the Empire for their failure to give sufficient aid during the Oblivion Crisis, and the Red Year, but my mother still supported them, even after all that time. Our House, House Hlaalu, had been prosperous in the Third Era because of the Empire, and she never forgot us. After the Red Year, House Hlaalu...fell out of favor, far enough that it was stripped of its Great House status, so we did not have much of a place in Morrowind. Mother knew that the Imperial soldiers would need the aid of talented healers, so she convinced me to join her and move to Cyrodiil. I did not care for the Empire near as much as her, but I did not despise it, and it was not as if we would actually be joining their armies, so I agreed. I gave myself many reasons to join at the time, but I believe the largest among them was that I simply did not want to allow my own mother to go into danger alone."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Lorag pointed to the courtyard on the map, next to the main gate. "Well, for one, we're going to want to fan out as soon as we get in. Maybe try to take control of the walls on either side. We do that, and we can put up some ladders to bring in everyone else. If we don't, then we'll only have one way into the fortress, and that's a weakness I know that cat will exploit."

"Agreed." Ri'vashi responded. "And if we spread out into groups, we can assault the keep from different angles. Of the entrances we have observed, one is on the ground level, accessible through the courtyard, while there are two more above that can be reached by bridges from the walls. Trying to fight our way into the keep will inevitably create bottlenecks, so we will want to attack from as many directions at once as we can to maximize the number of our warriors who can be fighting at once. From there...well, we do not know what to expect once we are in the keep."

Meesei's response to Gallus' questions was less certain. "As for resisting the suppression gas...I do not know if I can guarantee that is possible. The person who created the suppression gas, and has the greatest understanding of it, is currently in Black Marsh. She shared that knowledge with Sabine, but I am uncertain if we have the proper ingredients to create a countermeasure. As well, we do not know if that potion will work against this new gas. Vile's forces likely spent the last few years working to recreate the gas after we destroyed their supply in Morrowind. From my understanding of alchemy, there are often multiple formulas that can create the same effects, so this gas may have a different make up. The same countermeasure may not work against it. We can still attempt it, of course, but we cannot count on it working."

---

Irenya gave a somewhat solemn nod. "Yes, the Red Year displaced many Dunmer. Living in the south, my family did not have to worry about fleeing Red Mountain; it was the invasion that displaced us. The Argonians focused most of their efforts on attacking Telvanni lands, since they were the ones who practiced slavery on the largest scale. But, my family had moved from Narsis by that point, so we were on the borders of Telvanni holdings. When the Argonian armies stormed in from the south, some of the former slaves in the area learned of the approaching force. They had been freed a few years earlier, when King Helseth outlawed slavery, but they were still resentful towards us. They took up arms, and with most of the village's soldiers away to fight the Argonians, there were few left to defend us. They captured everyone they could, tortured former slaveowners, and publicly executed others, especially our leaders. My mother and I barely escaped with our lives. My father...did not."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ri'vashi took another look over the map, hesitating only briefly before she reasoned out her answer. "In this one's opinion...well, she would of course have archers positioned along the walls. That is a given. Against lycans, though, she would also employ crossbowmen. One strategy lycan hunters sometimes use against us is to tie barbed bolts to something sturdy by a length of rope and fire them into their prey. If the bolts are silver, it can hold us down for a time, and force us to maim ourselves trying to pull them out. Of course, with this suppression gas, they may not need such measures. They will surely have it close at hand at the walls. We should be sure to make only limited use of our beast forms. Beyond that, this one would make sure that the initial defenders are skilled, but she would hold her best soldiers in reserve, as a first response. Once they know from where we are attacking, they will be free to focus the best of their soldiers on us. Ri'vashi would give silver to her soldiers based on their aptitude, since it is likely too expensive to outfit the entirety of the stronghold with silver weapons. It is at least something of a boon to our kind that the material which serves as our bane is so rare."

Giving a glance to Miranor, Ri'vashi actually looked to be mildly uncertain. "As for werevultures...Ri'vashi is not sure how much of a focus she would place on defending against them. As Miranor pointed out, they are among the least physically imposing of Tamriel's werebeasts. They do not have our strength or durability, and are ill-suited for frontline combat. They are exceptional scouts, and are excellent at harassing an enemy force's back lines, but to lead an assault with them would be unconventional, to say the least."

---

Irenya listened closely, ignoring the brevity of Ahnasha's answer. Although, she almost seemed surprised when Fendros asked about her own past, as if she had not expected the conversation to turn towards herself. "Oh, well, my story is nothing unique. I learned at first from my parents, as do many mages. My mother was a member of the Narsis Mages' Guild. My father was a clerk in House Hlaalu's headquarters in the city, though they both practiced magic. I joined the guild as well, as soon as I was old enough. Sadly, I was not able to be a part of the guild for nearly as long as I would have liked. I was fairly young when the Oblivion Crisis began, only around fifty or so. Narsis, and much of Morrowind, was overrun by Daedra. I hardly even recall how many times we had to flee, and relocate. But, it gave me direction for my magical studies. As refugees, healers were in great demand, and I had the skills to fill that role. My mother, and some of the other healers from time to time, mentored me. Through the Oblivion Crisis, and the Red Year a few years after, my healing was honed through necessity."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ri'vashi moved the map to the side and started to look through some of the other papers. By the quick, almost frantic nature of her search, she was looking for something specific, but she had no luck in finding it. "Without knowing what kind of mechanism they are using to open and close the gates, it is hard to say if we can damage it effectively. Some mechanisms are more resistant to sabotage than others. It is possible, but we cannot plan on it being an easy possibility."

"As for concealing our approach, there are some possibilities in that regard." Meesei added. "Creating a mist of that scale is not a well-known magical technique, but it is possible. Still, instead of obscuring the entire area, it may be more practical to simply obscure our infiltrators. Invisibility, or a strong chameleon effect, could mask their approach. They would likely be revealed once they open the gate, but their soldiers would not have near as much time to mount a defense. Of course, this assumes they are not detected. They could still be heard, and life detection magic could discover them prematurely."

"That is true, but..." Miranor began, leaning her hands onto the table. "In my experience, such defenses are rarely directed directly upwards."

---

Irenya, though there was some awkwardness in her expression, remained casual. "Well, I did not have anything in particular in mind, but...we have been traveling together for some time and I do not feel like I know either of you very well. I know you are both Cyrodilic, and I know of some of your skills, but not a great deal more. Where did you first start learning those skills?" Irenya asked both of them, though she was looking directly at Ahnasha.

With slightly widened eyes, Ahnasha was surprised to see Irenya's attention directed at her. She knew that Irenya had some kind of motivation to speak to Fendros, with him being Dunmer, but she did not know why she would want to give her any kind of remotely positive attention. "I'm self-taught." Ahnasha answered simply, and abruptly.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"You are correct that it is a potential weak point, as the main gate would allow us the quickest way in." Meesei answered. "But, there are, obviously, some difficulties. From our scouts observations, the crank for the gate is not located directly above it, which means it must be in the wall on one side of it. But, that does not mean it is inaccessible to us. It would not be far from that gatehouse, in any case. If we could get someone to that crank, and if they could defend it, then it would not take long for our forces to start storming through the gate."

Miranor had her eyes on the same spot which Gallus was pointing to, but was quite visibly concerned. "Getting that gate open would be the fastest way for us to get inside, but only a werevulture could get over those walls, and as far as lycans are concerned, we are not the most...hardy. We do not have as much strength, our bones are easier to break. We can overpower a Khajiit or Human, certainly, but we are not well-suited for frontline fighting. I do believe we could get in quickly enough to reach the crank and open the gate, but if they saw us coming, which they certainly would, then their response would be quick. I do not think we could hold against a counter-attack."

---

Irenya nodded. "Sensible. I have heard of your skills. I am assuming that packs, and prides, will be positioned together as much as possible, since they can work together more efficiently. I will be with my pack, more than likely. Though, I am sure we should be prepared to work together with all of our brothers and sisters."

To her credit, Ahnasha was making a solid effort to remain civil with Irenya, though she did not answer beyond nodding along with the Dunmer. Regardless, Irenya did not show any signs that she was intent on leaving soon. "At any rate, I...was merely wondering if you felt like talking. On a journey like this, it is good to take some time to relax. Mental health is almost as important as physical health, after all."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"We do have as much of a description of Do'rhajul as we can get, yes. But mostly, we simply need to develop our plan before reaching the stronghold. Once we are within range of the stronghold, we will need to act quickly, or risk losing the element of surprise. We will scout it once more when we are in range to make final adjustments to the plan, of course, but we should have this discussion well in advance." Meesei answered. Along with her in the tent were Ri'vashi, Ra'jorr, Lorag, and the leader of the scouting party, Miranor. Between them all were piles of documents stacked onto a small wooden table. On top of the pile was the map of the stronghold that the scouts had drawn from their observations.

Ri'vashi leaned over the table and began to point out features on the map. "The stronghold is not exceptionally large, about the size of a village in land area, but it is well defended. It has tall stone walls, and apart from our werevultures, we will not be able to scale them without ladders, even in our lycan forms. There seems to be only one entrance: the main gate. It consists of two massive wooden doors reinforced by iron, but even so, our stronger lycans could perhaps break through it. However, there also appears to be a grate above the gate itself, with large pots that could be filled with boiling oil. Inside the walls, there are rows of small, wooden buildings. They could be meant as quarters, or for storage, though we do not know for certain. About half of the area inside the walls is taken up by large stone keep, which is most likely the command center of Vile's forces in all of Elsweyr. It is about twice the height of the walls, and may have some of its interior underground. It can be accessed by another set of reinforced wooden doors, as well as two bridges to the walls on opposite sides of the keep. At the time our scouts were observing the area, they seemed to be starting an expansion project to increase the stronghold's size, but unfortunately, it does not seem to present a weakness. They are building on new structures outside the walls, and are extending the walls around them, but they are leaving the old wall standing, likely until the expansion is complete. As you can see, the stronghold is located in the depths of the Tenmar forest, but the enemy has cleared out all of the trees in a fair area around the stronghold's outer walls. Since we cannot afford the time required for a siege, we will need to find some way to get our forces in quickly."

---

After the initial nervousness of her greeting, Irenya's demeanor started to slowly become more normal. "I have simply been asking around the camp and checking on everyone I can, making sure that no one is close to suffering from heat stroke, or the like. The members of the Orcrest clan have exceptional constitution in the heat, but some of our clan, and the Senchal clan, have been having some problems since we first set foot in the desert. She will not admit it directly, but I know Uthri is not well-adapted to the heat."

Ahnasha, while not openly hostile to Irenya at this point, was still suspicious of her. With how she acted when they first met, she felt that this sudden, casual demeanor of hers was nothing like the Dunmer she had spent all those weeks avoiding. Still, she did not speak up, and allowed Irenya to continue. "I have also been...debating with myself on my role in this attack. We will need healers to stay back at our camp outside the stronghold to treat the wounded that can be carried back, but some of us will also need to join in the attack as well. Otherwise, there would be no one to stabilize the badly injured, heal smaller wounds that would be otherwise debilitating. Given my experience in combat, I believe I would be best suited for the latter option."