(1868-08-05) Marching Orders
Marching Orders
Summary: The Crown Army plans its campaign and marching orders to Goldhollow are received.
Date: 05 Aout, 1868 IE
Related: Two Into One
NPCs: {$npc}
Players:
Gauvain  Sonya  Thomas  

Verus  

Village of Oracla, South of Goldhollow, The Fallow Lands
A small village that has been heavily fortified and continues to be improved upon. An army of thousands is quartered within it and well provisioned.
05 Aout, 1868 IE

The two days since the two Galenthian armies became the Crown Army, as it is now called, have been busy ones. Lord Marshal Duke Gauvain Tarris's work in entrenching and militarising the area in and around the village of Oracla have accelerated, and while the former expeditionary force has been given two days of light duties, they've still been tasked with sentry shifts and scouting parties. The warm, dry day has transitioned to a beautiful summer evening, and while some the troops range about on duties, most are comfortably ensconced in their bedrolls or around cookfires, eating, drinking, maintaining weapons and armour or simply gazing wistfully towards home.

Baron Thomas Chandus, the Adjutant of the Crown Army, stands in the headquarters tent at the middle of the village, a well appointed building that had once belonged to the mayor of Oracla but long since laid fallow, just like the lands which surround it. He wears a simple long tunic with grey trousers, belted at the waist with a thick, worn brown leather piece that holds both a dirk on his right waist and a beautifully crafted lightsilver broadsword which had been surrendered by Praetor Surelius in the north. His armour is nearby, but remains totally off, and Serjeant Lawrence Verus, the Baron's new shadow and Serjeant at Arms (or bodyguard by other words) sits placidly in the corner, reading from what looks like a small book.

Slowly and with grace Sonya Kaedon makes her way towards the building that has been appointed as the army headquarters. The Countess wears a set of form hugging pitch black leathers with the Kaedon crest sewn onto them over her heart. The tight fitting outfit hugs her body but also allows for a good range of movement. It doesn't appear as if she is armed but most would know better, the woman having hidden four daggers. Two in in her boots and two up her sleeves. She is followed by two others, a member of the Serpents Fangs and a Shadow Snake, both who serve as her advisors and guards. She walks casually the injury she sustained in the valley ambush hidden through sheer willpower and she makes her want into the headquarters nodding politely to Thomas. "Baron Chandus." She greets in a silky and perfectly polite tone.

The Duke himself stands over a map on a dinning room table, a bottle of Apple Brandy holding down a corner, and a half full glass in his hand as he studies it. Gauvain's eyes scan the map and the tiny figures that mark troop movements with papers attached indicating numbers. Green figures represnting Galenthia and red Rikton. The Green figures have numbers on their papers, while the Red are mostly blank.

Sighing he sets the glass down with a heavy thunk and leans on the table. "How? How is a Cardinal this adept at fucking troop movements Thomas? By all accounts I'm older than he is, and he is outmanuevering me like I'm still a One Damned Squire!" He picks up a red figure and then slams it back down in frustration.

Thomas had been looking down at the massive map board himself when Sonya entered. "Your Excellency. A pleasure to see you again. I hope you're on the mend after the action last week?" He actually does look to be rather genuinely pleased, smiling warmly at her. A shrug is thrown to the Lord Marshal. "I… well, he's undoubtedly got excellent advisors, your Grace. The Grande Armee is well blooded from years on campaign in the northern crusades. My brother told me about Benide. Not a pleasant place. We've got better scouts now. The Viscountess's own Shadow Snakes are now here, along the Burnished Spurs and whatever other rangers have joined the army. We're well situated to get a better idea."

Picking up his glass, Gauvian takes a long pull from the brandy there. He looks to Thomas and raises an eyebrow. "I suppose that makes sense. It jsut drives me into the rafters with annoyance and frustration." He gestures to Sonya, "Countess. Welcome. I heard about the skirmish ad your injury, it gladdens my heart to see you up and walking again." He says in that gruff voice of his. "I trust your Snakes will be ready to hit the field and get me some damned numbers soon?"

Sonya arches a brow at that warm smile she gets and then smiles back sweetly at Thomas. "I am doing quite well Your Lordship, thank you for your concern. Its quite touching." She is suspicous as to why he would be in a good mood to see her yes, but she hides it expertly instead trying to throw him off balance a little. As her Shadow Snakes are mentioned she nods and steps forward offering a polite and respectful bow of her head to Gauvain. "Thank you Your Grace. I've already sent some of my best scouts out to assess the situation. They should hopefully be reporting back soon with more information. Maybe it will be of use to you in planning our next move. May I ask what the situation looks like currently? I'm hardly as experienced as His Grace but perhaps a fresh set of eyes might help see something new?"

"That's just the problem," Gauvian says gesturing to the map, "We don't know." He indicates what Red Figures there are, and then the green figures. "We know where WE are, and we know where his Grace Letholdus Romante's forces are, but no matter what Romante or I do, the Cardinal is somehow manuevering in such a way that he is hiding his numbers. The best we know, and it tracks, is that he is aiming for Goldhollow." He folds his arms after setting the Brandy glass down again. "As far as we can tell, he's still on the other side of the river, but we can't get confirmation."

"I am delighted to hear that." Thomas replies to the Viscountess, a bit drolly. "Might I suggest that we approach this as a problem to be solved methodically? We must formulate what we do know and then deduce what we do not. We must then formulate a series of questions that we might have. These shall become our intelligence priorities. Next, we ought to allocate our scouts to answer these questions, while at the same time maintaining a balanced rotation that lets us keep up our immediate scout screen which would tell us if any enemies were approaching and keeps some scouts in reserve if anything pops up."

Thomas walks closer to their position on the map board, sticking his arm out behind him. "Serjeant Verus. My stick please." The Sun Shiel Guardsman looks up from his book in the rear of the room. He's in his mid to late thirties with a short beard on him, and has the pleasant demeanour of a favourite uncle. Gingerely placing his book down, he grabs a two foot ash rod and delivers it to Thomas. "Yes sir. Your stick sir." He says, with a hint of humour in his voice.

Thomas smirks, then uses it to point at the map. "As I understand it, our scouts are screening our little fort's general vicinity. Good, which means no one should be coming up on us without us knowing. We must split our scouts into three groups. Screen, which is close; depth, which will be used to answer our most pressing questions; and reserve, which goes without saying. The screening tasks can fortunately be accomplished by general mounted troops, especially all of our light lancers and the Hytal horse archers. The depth tasks ought to be reserved for specialised scouts. Might I also suggest that we consider making contacts with locals around the theatre? They may be demoralised, but they are ultimately Galenthians… or at least, neutral to us. A little bit of coin can turn neutral into friendly very quickly."

Frowning, Gauvian watches Thomas as he point sot the map with that Ash Rod. He draws a dagger and taps the map with it's point, "We know Taleko is moving on Goldhollow. So we should implement your three part plan and aim it in that area, with the Close scouts keeping us safe. I can send a Moon Gazer to Letholdus and have him screen forward, maybe try to funnel the Cardinal to a point of battle of our choosing."

Sonya listens as Thomas speaks, her gaze calm and calculating. Once he is done she steps forward eyeing the map carefully and then she speaks once more. "My Shadow Snakes are at their best in forests and hillsides. They could easily take part in the in depth scans if you like. I can also see about making an effort in trying to win some of the common people over as well. I agree with Baron Chandus that if they are offered something worthwile they may be more willing to be of assistance to us." She stares at the map as they point at various locations. "Depending on the Cardinals numbers funeling him to a specific point and then laying hidden traps between him and that point might be a good option. I know it might seem dishonorable to some but a few well placed alchemical explosives or places where the enemy could be ambushed quickly and then have our forces retreat only to strike at them again later…that could only benefit."

"That is a valuable friendly objective, your Grace, and I suppose it must be our immediate one - to bring them to battle so that we can attrite them. Rikton does not have hte manpower reserves that we do, particularly not when their fleets are being harassed by the allies." Moving from the strategic questions back to the tactical, Thomas traces his ash rod around Goldhollow. "I would think then, given that we would like to find a good spot for a battle here, that we need to be ensuring an accurate picture of the area. What passes are useable or not, what are the routes of ingress and egress and so on. The Spurs will be perfectly suited to that."

The Baron nods at Sonya. "Precisely, and I fully agree. Your Grace, in the north we were ambushed rather suddenly and brutally at very close range by Kentairish rangers. It was highly effective, and had our scouts not been able to defeat any further ambush attempts, could have become very costly. I would agree with the Viscountess on that count - ambush and hit and run tactics are desireable. But we must identify and define the enemy for that to work, first. That must be from scouting. How do we want to draw the Cardinal's army into battle, in any case?"

Gauvain grunts and sips his Brandy again, his eyes scanning the map. "I took back Goldhollow form the Thorns a few years ago. The area the city is hilly with little tufts of forestry, but a few miles out, there is a great forest. If I was a craft son of a bitch Cardinal like Taleko, then I would move troops through there." He frowns. "Countess, send a detatchment of your snakes there. See if they can find any evidence, and if not booby trap the area." He lifts his glass and sips again, looking at it when he discovers it is empty. He picks up the bottle and pours another glass gesturing to both Thomas and Sonya to help themselves to the Tarris delicacy. "The rest of your Snakes check the area around Goldhollow as we discussed. Baron, I want you to take a few Knights of the Spurs to Goldhollow, along with a few troops to Garrison the city. No more than a few hundred. See to fortifying Goldhollow, it should be repaired after the last battle as only the Gatehouse was really damaged thanks to Lady Cassomir and her Huntresses." he frowns. "Bloody Cassomir, we could use those damned Huntresses now." He shakes his head and then sips from the full glass.

Thomas knows very well the allure and power of Tarris apple jack brandy, and gladly helps himself to a glass. He sips it rather more slowly that Gauvain does, contemplating. "I remember that, your Grace. I was the young and rather green Lord Chandus at the time, commanding my banner in my first campaign after my brothers fell."

He arches an eyebrow at Gauvain's task for him, but nods none the less. "Aye your Grace. We'll provision up and ready ourselves, and I will finish drafting the intelligence collection plan and scout tasks before departing. Are there any Fallow Lands troops already there? I know the steward of Goldhollow fled to Alezzo after the last war, but I'd thought that there would still be several hundred locals present under… somebody. Hmm. I'll take my house troops and some Spurs. That'll bring me to around three hundred fifty. Given the isolation of Goldhollow, I'd be delighted if you granted me one of the new Royal Regiments but would settle for whatever you could spare. I'm confident we could resist a siege but I want to be operating from a strong position, and while I've got 40 rangers, a garrison needs balance. I'll also see what I can raise from the locals."

The mention of Cassomir has him frowning. "They call themselves Damarian now. At least, most of them do, their so called King Maris included. I'm told that Viscount Henric refused to change his house. Well, at least our northern flank is secure from attack."

Gauvain nods to Thomas. "Aye, according to the last census there should be Two Hundred good Galenthian Infantry and One hundred Crossbowmen raised by her Majesty to police and defend Goldhollow until her majesty feels the need gift the lands to a noble." He looks to the map. "Given that, take just the Spurs and raise the City's militia, prepare a levy as well but don't activate it." He nods to Thomas, "That should give you plenty of sodliery and once we know the Rikton's postion you'll have the vast majority of the Banner coming to you."

"Ah, well if that's the case then my banner and the Spurs will be adequate. How many of the Spurs do you wish me to take? Just their horse as scouts, or some of their pike and shot as well?" It's down into the nitty gritty of details now for Thomas. He looks serious as he sips his brandy. Without being asked, Serjeant Verus has oncemore put down his book and is scribing for his liege. His predecessor, Serjeant Beaven Lewis, would have simply scowled at his lord and told him to 'take his own fucking notes'.

Gauvain considers for a long moment. Finally he nods. "Take the whole Regiment, and Lord Sokar as your Infantry commander and second. If you want a little extra punch see if the Jarl of Dorling can spare twenty or thirty men. Might scare the shit out of any Riktons who they run across." He grins and winks to Thomas. "Which frankly just amuses me."

Thomas grins broadly at that pronouncement, glancing over at Viscountess Sonya as she exits and nodding towards her. Once she's gone, the Baron says, "Aye. Sir Jarret is so keen on fighting that he's out here with a Royal and Tarris army instead of in depth with his mother's forces. I'm sure the Archduchess is not particularly pleased, but he marches to the beat of his own drum, and that drum beats towards war. Always. A good fighter. I'm glad he's with us. You know, your Grace, peace with regards to Dalcen ought to be pursued with Sir Jarret. The Archduchess will never settle. Sir Jarret will. Cultivate him as a friend and Dalcen is likely to go away in terms of problems." His shoulders lower a bit and he laughs, letting tension out. "You know, I like the Jarl. I have since he sword to you and the Queen. He's a far more agreeable pagan than the Viscountess."

Gauvain nods and sips his drink. "Agreed. Shes too much the Snake of her banner, and women are already devious." He shakes his head then waves toward Thomas. "Go. Get some sleep, I'll have a Squire tell the Quarter master and send orders to your officers. You can muster in the morning and head out then. That will let you get a good night's sleep before you head off to deal with Goldhollow."

"I'm going to ensure that this staff work is done and accomplished before I head off, your Grace. No sleep until then. If you would, please send me your Tarris staff officers. I could use them. And, perhaps the Royal officers too. They need the experience." Thomas grins wickedly at his liege lord.

Gauvain grins and salutes Thomas with his glass. "Show them the ropes good, Baron."

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