197 Chapter One Hundred and Ninety-Seven – An Adventure! (1/2)
”Let's plan out our next moves, now that we are on a schedule,- Briggs /broke in calmly, sunny form radiating purpose. -Errant, I understand if you want to remain in the capital back there, especially if that's where Heaven wants you. Are you going to do any grinding here?-
The Heavenbound Warlock glanced at Hazé. -If I can get rides back and forth, that shouldn't be an issue. I'm sure I can use the Harse Temple's Great Seal... and if I tell them why, I'm sure that the various priesthoods will start using it to evacuate people and materials under the table.-
-I will be happy to help.- Hazé's eyes flashed. -If we could get a Seal set up at Branch, I'm sure that would be very useful for people getting out of the Empire...-
-The Camp is not permanent, and the cost of a motile Seal here would be expensive... not that it also couldn't be useful. Since the Road is here, Recall spells, at the very least, should avoid any dimensional interference, as should lived-line teleporting.- I /observed. -I will discuss it with the elves and dwarves, as they'd have to front the materials.- I glanced at Errant. -Either Rebound Teleports or using that tactic you employed with the slaves would be more efficient. Errant, try to employ them as you can.-
-A new Crusade coming to the churches, certainly enough,- he /agreed. -Where would you like to put me on the field?-
-With one of the new dwarven companies that is assembling. Hazé can participate on overwatch and support, the girls can follow you, and you can be a formation breaker, like Briggs is acting as now,- I /answered. -I'd like to say a merc company, but there aren't any I consider solid enough to trust the girls to.-
-And the knightly companies are too cavalry-based and full of headstrong cavaliers,- Briggs /snorted. -I'd volunteer mine, but I've got too many adept people already, it would be a waste. The Shieldhelm company should be okay with it, they don't have many irregular troops, and they aren't as xenophobic as some.-
-We are a seriously deranged bunch of people, throwing a bunch of teenage-and-under girls onto a battlefield,- /sighed Errant.
-Please. Be a Hagchild and you won't even be able to THINK that.- I /rolled my eyes theatrically. -I'm no older than Veis. Same with Briggs.-
-If you're going into Yle Tyorm, I'd like to go with you,- Hazé /spoke up.
-Ditto,- Briggs /agreed.
-We're talking a dimensionally shattered and temporally misaligned Raid-level combat zone. If we're going in, then we're going to be there for some time. It means giving up other stuff, especially the grind.- I lifted an eyebrow at the both of them. -Are either of you ready for that? Especially you, Hazé. You're going to be doing a LOT of flitting, and making no less Karma for it, too.-
She grit her teeth at me. -Dammit!-
-Hey, I want you there. I want everyone going in to be Sustained, and that's damn rare for Casters. You're just needed more out here for now.- She just /groaned. -Briggs, can someone take over for you?-
-Completely, no. Functionally, yes. There's a big dhatun champing to go line-breaking, there's a couple experienced Rockborn Warlords who can do that job just fine, and I've enough Champion-killers that I'm not worried about them. 99% is more than good enough for them to keep right on harvesting.-
-Good, we'll need a good Source along. Which one of the Brothers? I'm thinking Shadowknife...- I /conjectured.
-Ancientaxe,- Hazé /put in. I glanced at her. -Shadowknife is needed outside to monitor any abnormalities in the Rift. Ancientaxe is the beast killer. He's wasted on the field, there aren't enough monsters to occupy him, while the city is supposed to have many, as I understand it.-
I glanced at Briggs, who nodded agreement. -That works for me. AA is a rock. He's probably not used to working in a team, but that's what a Warlord is for, right?-
-We'll need fillers. This will be an exploration.- I considered who I could invite. There were definitely a ton of Tens who would love to be involved in something as epic as the exploration of Yle Tyorm.
-Especially healers. I'd like to bring Estemar along.- I raised an eyebrow at him. -He just hit Seven, and he's got Healing Reserve. He doesn't have a hundred and one Masteries, but he's rock solid in fundamentals... and has Way of Water II. He won't be lacking in any fight.-
If Briggs thought he was good enough, I trusted Briggs. -Who else?-
-Take the North Wind off Rorn's hands.- I blinked despite myself. -Seriously, he's trying to build up the confidence of his people, and the North Wind are all Ironblood. He doesn't want the normal troops relying on their presence any more than the berserkers. Actually, you can probably take the rage monsters if you need them. They're really good at monster butchery and all, especially after the advice you gave them.-
Well, it was true. Rorn didn't want his people relying on any kind of Powered to do what had to be done. Easier? Yeah. Necessary? No. He hadn't bought those autobows and autoballistae for no reason...
The North Wind were all Eights to Tens after so much fighting. They'd be second rank, but they had a broad enough skillset that it shouldn't be much to just survive with me, Briggs, and AA taking the muscle positions.
Heh!
Leave Rorn to his King-making and the future of his country and lead some adventurers to an adventure. Sure, that sounded workable.
-Errant, Hazé, you work out some of your coordination... and I believe your Mama Greta is still back in the Empire?- Since Amber had conferred upon me a ”One of Mama's Girls” shirt, kinda hard to ignore that. I did draw the line at scattered hearts...
-I will have her leave immediately.-
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