[IC] Lost in Dreams [Jordan]

[crretin]

"That's fine, if you showed up to it then the others would get suspicious and I was going to ask you to stay out of it anyway... I'll try to see where the hunchback wen't but after the raid we'll know what their capable of and then we can tell you and maybe even discover how to make mana so I can teach you're people how to make it so you don't have to feed off souls anymore."

[ericthered]

Soul: "feeding on something other than souls ... That would be nice. It won't change their attitudes towards us. Won't end any enmities. But it would be useful. Good luck with your battle, Foreigner."

That night, Jordan dreams of one of the nazi camps -- the one with the circle. A lot more material is being transported tonight: one circle is sending back mostly empty hunchbacks, using the thirteen chanters (it takes about 10 minutes to do the ritual), and nearby hunchbacks are appearing with a flash. The hunchbacks can be sent in groups, and Jordan thinks he can pick out 11 distinct individuals. the sheer amount of stuff they can lift is enormous -- the packs and stretchers easily weight 200 lbs each, and it seems they have to lift items physically to transport them. The stuff sent back seems to be samples from the local world, including a few gems, but most of the stuff is local life. Three or four soldiers are sent back on stretchers as well. The incoming stuff is interesting: it appears to be tons of blasting equipment, large ceramic beams of some sort, tarps, and iron spikes. Jordan isn't sure from here how to determine where the hunchbacks are coming from, but he does get a good look at the markings on the chalk circle (which he has never seen before, either on the magic world or with Tiko) and wishes he had his mana sense during these dreams.

The dream is interrupted by a blasting somewhere, and turning to look, he sees a variety of shelters being constructed. Holes are blasted into the rocky ground, cleared out, and covered by first the beams, then the tarps, and then rocks being piled on top. Jordan doesn't know how well that will work, but the point is the nazi's know about the storm.

[crretin]

"Damnit!!!" Jordan wakes up and runs out to find Kadoli "They know about the high storm!!! They where building shelters, I was wrong about the hunchbacks too!!! They where people turned into human pack mules!!!"

[ericthered]

Jordan makes it most of the way to Kadoli's room and at the end a servant shows him the place, goes in, and gets the Lord of the Castle. Kadoli isn't very happy about being woken up. He listens to what Jordan has to say, and his brow furrows.

Kadoli really isn't sure what the implication behind the pack mule statement is, but he is worried about he high storm. Yitano is woken up -- or rather he is fetched, he doesn't seem to have been woken up. Yitano asks some questions about the structures, and says "Well, I don't think we can logistically stop what we've started, and I don't know that these shelters completely effective. They've never worked with high storms before, so reguardless of what we've been told, there is no better time to attack. Yes, it'd be better if they didn't, but do we have any other options?

[crretin]

"They may be reinforced by magic, and turning someone into one of these hunchbacks might be their new concentration camp. This battle is going to be harder than we originally thought...."

[ericthered]

Kadoli: "What do you recommend we do about it? call off the attack and come up with a different plan? attack while the storm is still strong? I'm not sure what we can do..."

[crretin]

"I know, I wasn't trying to come up with something else I was informing you."

[ericthered]

Kadoli: "I suppose its better to know now than to be surprised. get back to sleep. You'll need it."

In the morning they leave the castle with a group of about 40. 20 of them are professional soldiers of one stripe or another, some of them are village militia, a few are driving the crustaceans of burden or young boys intending to deliver arrows, and there is of course Jordan, Tiko, Tiko's assistant, Lord Kadoli and his son Yitano. Several warriors are staying behind to ensure they aren't defenceless if attacked -- the fear here is Nazi scouts or unbound souls.

Jordan is placed on one of the large crustaceans to be carried-- his leg is still injured. As they travel towards the place they intend to shelter in during the storm, Jordan notices a pitch black cloud in the east-- the high storm.

They arrive there in time. Several groups have come: Two Lords similar to Kadoli, and three towns have sent soldiers as well -- about 50 men apiece. a variety of villagers have come as well -- maybe 100, all from different villages.

The place chosen to shelter in is a cove hollowed out in a rock hill. The place is apparently well known, and normally the residence of some herdsmen-- they've abandoned the site, presumably due to their new neighbours. There are some houses, but most of the shelter comes from the walls of the area. some people wonder why the Jermanz didn't camp here instead of the spot they chose out in the open.

[crretin]

"Judging by the lack of evidence of struggle, murder or torture, the Nazis most likely didn't find this place..."

[ericthered]

Tiko: "Or all the people were gone before the Jermanz showed up, or they ran into the Jermanz elsewhere, or they went quietly because they didn't want to die. But yes, it does look clean."

Jordan is one of the few invited inside of the actual roofed shelters, mostly so he can see the overall plan and contribute. The meeting is headed up by Kadoli and two other Lords. They have a half decent map of the area they are attacking. They aren't sure how many enemy troops they are up against, but they are fairly sure its less than 100. hopefully a lot less.

They have about 150 professional soldiers, and about 200 volunteers (militia quality). They also have '40 prize gems': weapons containing the souls of exceptional warriors. They have 17 chanters like Tiko.

One of the greatest priorities is getting the circle around the camp -- there seems to be a agreement that they would rather fight the battle with the circle and loose than fight without it and win, and with out the circle the troops simply won't fight. Four different circles will be attempted, at various distances and times. the last circle and second closest will be Tiko, who is partially armoured. Once the circles are drawn, the force will sneak up to the camp covered in mud while the storm is still raging (hopefully without the mud falling off) and take out individual shelters in an ambush.

Jordan's position in all this is kind of up in the air. He's asked where he want to be positioned. He has three special considerations: his leg is slowing him down, he's the only one who knows how to use the riffle well, and he also has knowledge of the enemy that could make him valuable: he needs to decide where he will be.