Fort of Last Hope

[Alatriel]

Daniella purses her lips.  "Yes, perhaps it is time, then."

She turns from the room without another word to Connor and looks for one of her officers.  

"Get me a white flag, and a willing messenger.  It's past time the General and I had a discussion about some things."


//PM being sent

[Dorganath]

Connor half-grins as Daniella turns away with a complex look in his eyes.

"Good luck, Commander," he says quietly, not caring if she hears him or not, before turning and beginning to work up some plans with the six other mages.

[Harlas Ravelkione]

* Kobal calls a meeting of dwarves - and whoever wants to listen in - relating to the upcoming food shortage. Kobal suggests to send dwarves who have experience as tunnel scouts into the dungeon and tunnels beyond in search of food. They should be accompanied by gifted hunters or marksmen and groups should have a size of 6-8 people who can fend for themselves in case of emergency. The dwarves will know where and how to locate food - it may not be tasty venison and roasted potatoes, but when you are hungry you cannot afford to be picky. *

[Alatriel]

During a lull in fighting, Daniella sends a messenger out carrying a white flag to show no hostility as he approaches, carrying a message for General Jaedon Siphe requesting a meeting between Commanders.  All the while she prays that Toran protect the messenger and for His hand to be upon them.

[Dezza]

// Sorry I had a nice long post to go here and my computer decided to restart after an update without telling me before I posted and I lost the lot so this is the brief version.

// A day after the PC's return from the tunnels.

Within half an hour of the white flag being shown from the inner western wall the Cult forces on each side of the fort began to withdraw, falling back to their camps. A hour later the allied defenders had removed the braces and crossbars on the western inner wall gate and opened it enough for Daniella, her shadow Drexia, the Toranite mage Richard and Ferrit to emerge into the dead and debris strewn street beyond.

As Daniella prepared to move she thought of the news that had greeted them the day before when they had returned from the tunnels below the Fort. Hours after they had left the assaults had eased from the walls to the north and the Cult had managed to set up two catapults themselves outside the western wall and started lobbing rocks into the inner keep and then switching to the inner western wall. At the same time a dragon had landed outside the gate in the western inner wall and tried to tear through the thick steel reinforced wooden gate. When mages and crossbowers had assaulted it from above it had breathed on the door then departed. Extra braces were placed against it on the inside and the dragon had not returned. The most worrisome news had been that a few hours later several waves of Myr'Drachs had left the camps around the beleagured Fort and flew eastwards over the pass in the mountains. Kobal had said he suspected they were systematically ensuring no supplies could be brought into the fort except by portal and had finally gone to try and destroy the makeshift docks at the end of the eastern pass.

Making their way through the carnage and bleak wreckages of buildings, seige engines and other objects from the Fort they emerged on the street that led directly to where the gate in the outer western wall used to be. As they did so another group emerged at the other end near the wall. Six strong looking Drach Garra formed a guard unit around another man. All held blades out as if ready to fight.

When Daniella's group got within a few paces she stopped.
"I am Daniella Stormhaven, Commander of the Toranite armies in Hilm, Champion of Toran's Divine Will and Caretaken Commander of this Fort. I wish to speak with General Jaedon Siphe."

The man in the centre of the group was about 50ish with salt and pepper hair and a rugged and pockmarked face. When he spoke his voice was firm but mellow.

"I am General Jaedon Siphe, Commander of the Drach Garra and Commander of the Campaign for our Lord Molvaren. I will honour the terms of the flag of truce." He reversed the blade in his hand skillfully at the wrist and it sank into its sheath in one smooth motion. A second later all six Elite Drach Garra surrounding him performed the same motion and their blades were sheathed in perfect unison. "You will leave all your weapons here under guard and we will talk in my camp outside the town around the Fort. Do this and I will promise you safety until you return to the fort."

Daniella nodded and ordered the others to follow the generals command, she placed a few items down and reached for her sword and stopped. "I cannot leave my sword here, it is a part of me and me of it."

Jaedon grasped the worn pommel of his own sword. "I can empathise with you. Very well, you can bring your blade, you will each be assigned a guard and should you try to draw your blade or any try to leave their sight or use Al'noth or any sort you will be killed without mercy."

With that he turned and marched out of the broken gate where Cult soldiers including a number of Drach garra, Tesak and even a few ori's were resting or milling around due to the assaults being called off. They had moved most of their campsites to the shadow side of the broken Western wall using it as cover from the allied catapults within the inner keep.

They were lead outside the town around the fort to a low hill that gave a relatively good view of the surrounding countryside and lie of the land. A huge tent series of tents were set up and the group was led to one of them where tables with food and several chairs and couches were sitting.

Jaedon proved a gracious host allowing them to sit and relax for a few moments making small talk for a while before inviting Daniella to speak.



Meanwhile Captain Argali had not returned from her sudden disappearance into the Eastern Pass two days prior. However the Toranite mage Richard had braved the portal in Hilm to come and help in last Hope as had the hardy dwarf Gorm, their additions to the defenders in the fort a welcome one.

[cbnicholson]

Daniel and his men had been busier during the lull than before.  A long line of bodies, laid out on individual shields, faces covered with cloaks eternally rested in the cooler basements of the Fort.  A few had been saved by quick application of bandages and what trickle of healing fire he could muster and for that he was grateful.  Many of those would not run again missing feet, and legs, nor would many be able to fight without hands and arms, but if the Gods were merciful at all, they would tell the tale of the Fort's final days to their grandchildren.  He'd sent those wounded deep into the Fort, to be the first to be evacuated.  He had heard distinctly the voices of Gel'larian and Andrew around him as well and if pressed he would have to admit the Illsarian's had done more for morale and the saving of life than he himself had.  
 
 For the dead, his holy water supply had run out and since the font was destroyed by the collapsing towers and walls, he'd used his canteen water to mark each of the warriors who fell with the balanced scales, beseeching the Gold to judge each of them worthy for the service they had rendered.
 
 Now exhausted beyond endurance, Daniel bade his men to find some shelter and rest while they could.  As they made their way into the ruins, he was heartened to see Richard and Gorm arrive.  With little past warm regards to give, Daniel shook the hands of both and warmly welcomed them to the pits dryly.  Settling into a relatively quiet place, Daniel removed his breastplate and leaned back against the cool stone.  He had a feeling, the fiercest fighting was yet to come.

[RollinsCat]

No luck from the guards.  Figures - follow the rules and you get what they give you, which was in his case "we'll let them know".  Guess the Commander had all the ideas she needed.  He'd come back when he could sneak in.  He fabricated a little song woven of the most colorful curses he knew, sang himself calm, told his stomach to quit complaining, and went to find Tiller.

The man was sleeping, so he copied the map instead.  Looking at the original in good light he was surprised; not only did Arfur do an accurate job, but the man had some skill.  Arfur's map was deftly shaded with little pictorial stories of their encounters underground spicing up the twists and turns.  He sniffed the paper; blueberries, which made him hungrier but also made him laugh.  Laughter.  That was what this fort needed as much as ideas.  Gel probably needed to rest his voice anyway.  He tucked the copy of the map into a pants pocket, the original back in a jacket pocket, and started making rounds in the battle's lull to distract hungry soldiers and and raise some morale, keeping an eye out for Gel as he did.

[Alatriel]

Daniella watched the General for long moments while they spoke in polite terms before getting into the real reason she had requested the meeting.

"General Siphe, if I may, I'll get down to why I have come to speak with you.  I had the pleasure of speaking with one of your soldiers a while back.  An interesting man, and he spoke very highly of you.  It seems you have truly inspired your troops with your leadership.  I know a little of what it is that you are fighting for, or at least what it is that your men believe to be fighting for, as per what I was told from this soldier.  I admit, it is compelling.  But what I want to know is from you, and you alone.  

"I want to know how a man who seems to follow the desire to save the world from tyranny of dragons and the Dragon Storm can fight for a man who is poisoning and corrupting the world like a plague.  

"I want to know how someone who is such a strong leader who can inspire the utter respect and devotion of his troops can lead them into battle for a cause for someone else that perhaps he does not have full faith in.  

"I want to know how someone such as you can be content to stand behind those such as Molvaren and Cyn Chen, and know how many people you have murdered, destroyed, or corrupted, or if not first-hand, allowed to be turned into these monsters that fight for you that are a representation of those that your cause says they are fighting against... and how you can sleep at night with that knowledge.

"In my faith it is stressed that our word is our bond.  I can understand and respect you if you hold that value as well.  It is a good value.  But something else that we know is that there is no honor in a vow that calls for the death or dishonor of innocent lives.  Those promises can be broken freely, they are not binding.

"The soldier I spoke with spoke of you as a man with honor.  He said you were different from those whose orders you follow.

"I know plenty of men and women who are battle-minded.  They lead their troops and fight for the cause because without the cause they would not have a job.  Maybe this is just a job to you.  Maybe you are simply following orders.    

"But I ask you to think on whether this is a cause that feels right in your heart.  I can tell you that sometimes that makes all the difference.  We behind our walls in this fort, and we those who are fighting against your troops believe in our cause because we believe that it is our right to be free of the corruption and living death that follows the will of Molvaren.  

"It may be that the dragons will come again and they will fight, and they may harm us.  But it isn't the dragons that is threatening the world.  It's the will of Molvaren, and the only dragons that are a threat are those that fight under his control.  The Dragon Storm is true.  The dragons are going to destroy the world and all of us in it.  But it isn't because of their own desire to do so.  Molvaren has created a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Molvaren is the Dragon Storm."

She looked at him levelly with a deep desire to understand him and to see if there was any good left in him at all.

"Is this really what you want?  There is another way."

[Aerimor]

*Richard attends with excitement and enthusiasm.  He smiles softly at more than one occasion and accepts the General's hospitality without sign of distrust or reservation.  He is curious at many an aspect of the general or the surroundings.*  

Lady Commander Stormhaven, this was a wise decision.  No matter how events unfold in this perception, this action will have positive ramifications.

*When the meat of the matter is laid out before the general, Richard stands easily as if he already knows the conclusion.*

[Dezza]

"Sit" The command comes swift and sharp from Jaedon and without thinking Richard sits again a troubled look passing swifty across his face and some of the ethusiasm there a moment drained.

"You will leave when I say you can leave." Jaedon's stern glare softens a touch and he looks to Ferrit, Daniella and Drexia. "My apologies, but make no mistakes you came to me for these discussions and I am your host. You will stay until all matters are discussed."

He smooths out the creases in his shirt and sits straight in his chair.

"You make several points there Lady Daniella and if one were not so generous as I they might have assumed you are accusing them of a number of things. In one statement you question my loyalty to my men and my superiors, you question my values, you make judgement that I am on the wrong side and have the blood of innocents on my hands, and you assume we fight for no cause. I can honestly say you are wrong on all counts and you have gravely misjudged your opponent."

He sits back into his chair and steeples his hands as if instructing one of his soldiers in the art of war.

"I understand you are tired and have suffered a series of losses due to overwhelming force and numbers. You will notice I do not include skill. I recognise the tenacity and strength of courage and determination of your defenders. You have been most ingenious with a number of your methods to date and I must admit to a touch of admiration for you and your people in their defence of this place. Originally I had estimated that with our resources we would be inside the fort within a few weeks and here we are in a protracted engagement when I am required elsewhere.

But, I am nothing if not thorough and I would prefer to give you full measure of my time and care in capturing this place to respect the defence you are mounting against me even though in the end it will fail.

You have walked from the shattered remnants of the western wall to my campsite here so you know that truthfully I have not yet thrown all of my forces against you. I have tested and probed, then struck, then withdrawn, then tested again, pushed hard, withdrawn and on and on in calculated moves, even more so as I have had to met and try to counter your own tactics in reply.

I believe now I have the means and the knowledge of how to end this campaign but it will take me longer than I had expected but you must realise I am a patient man.

Let us not mince words either, it is unbecoming of who we are. You believe your cause is just, so do I. You are willing to allow Dragons to dictate terms to you, you are willing to let their shadows bring fear to your lives, you are willing to try and garner their aid and pander to them for their scraps. We do not. We believe that it is they that must defer to us, they that cannot be allowed to control us or use us. They are ours to use and bend to our wills and not the other way around which in truth is what you are fighting for. There can be nothing but disaster in your cause.

You question my loyalty also, when nothing can be further from the truth. My soldiers would die for me and I them. My Superiors directed me to capture southern Hilm and Fort of Last Hope then march on Fort Hilm and I am fullfilling my orders.

As to the blood of innocents on my hands well, that may be true to some degree, but then I am a man of war and truthfully in war there are no innocents. I have seen a boy in Sundance take up his fathers spear and kill one of my men, is he innocent? Does it make him innocent to kill in anger someone who wasn't even the one who killed his father. War is faceless and friendless, it takes anyone and everyone and shows no mercy.

So do not come here and cast accusations based on your own opinions of how others should be in your eyes. Come here to speak plainly and openly and then we can truly talk about this blood soaked ruin of a fort that you seem so desperate to try and hold right down to the very last stone."

[Aerimor]

*Richard sits at Jaedon's words and watches him in earnest as his speaks.  Richard appears unconcerned by the strength of presentation or weight of words.  He watches first Jaedon then Daniella content to be the fly on the wall for the moment.*

[Alatriel]

Daniella's face remains calm as she listens to Siphe's response.

"I apologize if you thought that I was being accusatory of you, General.  It is not my intention.  In fact, I had wanted to meet you for some time now due to the high praise you had been given.  Because, indeed, you were portrayed as a man of honor.  I thank you for your compliments of our skill, and yes, I have been blessed to have those that I have had fighting with me.  Each one that has been lost I have grieved, as I'm sure you have on your side as well.  Perhaps it is that grief that gives my words a bit more of an accusatory tone.  I am heartsick over the lives lost throughout the course of this war.  But it would dishonor them for us to stop fighting for what we believe in.  

"You say that war is faceless and it is friendless, but I tell you that throughout the course of this war I have come to know more faces and felt the bonds of friendship grow in the most unlikely of places.  I have killed many of your soldiers, but, when the chance was given, I have shown those soldiers what respect and honor I could in their deaths.  I am sorry for your losses, but I do not regret my actions when I am acting to defend those I care about.  I can't tell you that I will remember each and every one of the faces of the members of your forces that I have fought against or killed, but I will remember the battles.  By saying it is faceless or friendless is only a way to insulate ourselves from the knowledge that we have taken a life.  It's a way to rid ourselves of the guilt of killing.  I don't try to rid myself of that.  There are no innocents in war because war kills innocence.  We are fighting to preserve what innocence may still be left."

She pauses a moment to take a breath, and moisten her lips.

"I learned a little of your cause when I was able to speak with your soldier, a man who by the end of our discussions had not given up his belief in the cause of your people, and yet... he was no longer my enemy.  But as you do not want me to make assumptions and accusations of your cause, please show me the same courtesy.  I assure you no dragon controls my will or dictates my actions.

"It is a worthy cause indeed to want to save the population of the world from those that would seek to harm it.  But our causes are so very similar, yours and mine.  We both want to save people from being controlled and destroyed by an opposing force.  You want to fight against Dragons.  We want to protect ourselves from Molvaren.

"I look beyond this war to what will become of the people that survive it.  I don't want people to have to live in fear-  fear of these winged creatures that were once people like you and me, fear of Molvaren, and Cyn Chen... and you.  I don't want people to be bred as slaves that will be used to either be turned into monsters or fed to them.  I want to know that the sacrifices my troops made, the lives given, were not in vain.  What is it that you want at the close of this war?  What is it that you are really fighting for?"

[gilshem ironstone]

Gel'larian lies against the battlements of the northern wall, an unthinking smile painted on his blood-smeared face. He suffered a dozen wounds, most grazes, but the spear butt in his gut troubled him. He knew he could survive for days if his will held up, but that was the trick.

After seeing Daniella riding off with a white banner, he was not sure he could hold out for much longer. He came to this Fort resolved that he could restore Layonara; that by fighting this war and on the winning side some spark of vitality would come back to the thousands who tired of endless tales of tyranny and death. And now, he was to play the part in yet one more.

He laughed brightly. How could he know what part he would play in the tale to come. Perhaps he was the villain. History decides.

He looked about at the brave men and women who he fought beside. He felt honored to see them fulfill their duty. Andrew walked amongst the men and women, his kind heart a beacon to all.

"Andrew!  Come!  Join me to watch the scene unfold!  I expect fireworks at any moment."

He laughed again and dragged himself to his feet. He looked to the West and his shoulders sagged.

[davidhoff]

*Griff is standing on the top of the Inner wall checking for enemy movements and trying to locate the enemy Trebuckets, when he stops dead in his tracks.  He removes his helm in a panic and wipes the dust and sweat from his eyes and tries to focus toward the Inner Gates below.

"Eh white flag?  Eh white flag? Well Oi'll beh..." He says to himself as he watches Daniella and her party walk out toward the enemy under white flag.

*Griff sinks to a sitting position near the wall as he turns away unable to look any more.  He touches his axe pendant around his neck and closes his eyes.  He says a small prayer and seems to be thinking things through as he speaks to Vorax.  Then he stands and speaks to himself.

"Oi nay know what dats all about, but Oi ain't cow'n down tah no Drach.  Ifn she n dem folks wit her come back, weh gona need tah beh ready more den ev'a.  Dis beh our toime tah strenth'n our positon."

*With that he commands the troops under him to continue to prepare during the lull.  That they not sit idle, rather, use the time to reinforce their positions.  To take the time to think and think more about clever ways to help defend against their attackers.  To take note of the weak points in their defenses and shore them up.  Reinforce the barricades and wall supports.  Griff makes his rounds speaking to the troops and reassurning them and building their morale.  He then sets out to gather a group of dwarves to form a hunting party to go down to the tunnels below to hunt for food as Kobal suggested.*

[RollinsCat]

Stars and song, Gel looked half mad.  Andrew didn't speak at first, only gently pressed the elf back down, kneeling to hand over his canteen.  He didn't check the man's wounds; he had never been that good at medicine anyway.  Instead he sang a healing song, a longer one that had considerable effect, especially on another Ilsarian.  "Sit, friend.  Drink.  Looks like you've been busy while we've been gone."  He began to hum; not the gentle hum that lifted his own spirits but a song shared, one he tried to extend to Gel.  Wasn't something he was good at, not yet, but that wasn't going to stop him from trying...

[Dezza]

Jaedon thinks for several moments about Daniella's words before replying.

"It is often the case that those who have opposed each other for so long can come together and realise they were not so different in some ways and yet in others the gulf was so wide that it threatened to swallow them both up. I have seen war most of my life, been on both sides of right and wrong, seen tyrants and those too weak to hold power, witnessed crimes done in the name of right and covered up by the title of war. Not much moves me at my age Lady Daniella. But I hold to my honour and my duty to my men and my command and I make no apologies for that as I expect you would not either."

He pauses to sip from a crystal glass of fine wine before speaking again.

"I find myself wanting to be honest with you Lady Daniella and I must say that I received word just before you signalled with the white flag for truce that several units of my Myr'Drachs have successed in wiping out your outpost near the docks at the end of the Eastern Pass. As we speak a Dragon is tearing the docks to pieces. You may wish to know that in respect of our parlay I have sent messeges to instruct those forces not to advance along the passage towards your eastern wall and destroy all outposts and resistance they find. They will resume their task when and if I order it. Until then we have some time."

He takes another sip carefully watching each persons reactions to the news before speaking again.

"Lady Daniella, I would ask if you would agree to send your people back to the Fort and you remain here for a time. I sense there is much we have in common and I find myself intrigued as to the sort of person I find myself fighting against. I swear on my honour they will return to the fort unharmed and that your safety here in my camp will be assured. If you agree to do so you may return at any time you wish but I hope that you would accept my offer, even if for but a few hours."

[willhoff]

After hearing of Daniella's idea to talk to Commander Siphe Vrebel makes his way to the top of the inner wall's west side.  He salutes Captain Griff if he's not too busy to notice and leans up against a tower pulling out a looking glass.  He scans the battle field for Commander Daniella's group as they move across the drach encampment.  Once spotted, he watches as long as he can to get a fix on Siphe's Tent.

He returns to the North Wall were Captain Daniel is and helps him to shore up their side of the wall.  A faint but pleasant humming sound can be heard below peircing the quite of the battle field.

[Aerimor]

*Waits for a brief moment while Daniella decides her fate.  When she opens her mouth to reply, Richard nods once in support of her decision and then listens to it.*

[Alatriel]

Daniella considers the General's words for a few moments before responding.

"When our scouts mentioned that your Myr'Drachs as you call them had flown off towards the east, we had thought that was what you were up to."

She closes her eyes for a moment and whispers a prayer to Toran for the lives lost.  When she opens her eyes, she looks back at General Siphe.  "I will accept your offer, and I hold you to your guarantee of safety for my people to return to the fort unharmed and unhindered."

"If you would excuse me one moment, General, I would like to speak with my companions before they leave."

She then turns to Richard, Drexia, and Ferrit. "Reassure the fort that I am safe and that all is well.  Tell them to continue as they are, but that aggressions are to remain ceased until further notice and that is an order.  The General and I have things to discuss, and I will return to you when he and I have said what needs to be said."

[Aerimor]

"Consider it already done.  May Toran's Light light your way."
*Richard stands and addresses the General.*
"Thank you for your hospitality. Know that all things done, as well as all things to come, are malleable; that power is yours."
*Bows in traditional Haugjinese manner.*