Yggery-Pokery

The personal diary of Darig, son of Lorraine, part 18

After the battle we reform, scouts are sent forwards and, in Ariel's case, upwards to check for threats. Since the skies actually turn dark we camp for the night. It is a miserable spot to camp, but the army copes.

We assess the damage that we have done to the enemy: Amblerash have been wiped out; Chanicut have lost three dead and we have captured five, including Chaos Lord Gruul and Premier Brent; Yupanqui five dead and eight captured, four of whom are wounded.

House Couatl seem to have changed sides mid battle and attacked Yupanqui.

After some discussion the decision is made to repatriate the captives and at the same time asking if there is, as part of the reparations, a way to turn the unfortunates who were warped back again. Our allies say the frog creatures 'tongue down the throat' forced shape change is something that they have not seen though it may be the sign of a long fallen house.

I am sent to tell Sorashi that she and Dirk are being sent back with the prisoners to negotiate with Chaos, I also ask her that whilst she is there could she find out what happened at House Petrus.

In the camp a new problem has emerged. Some of the creatures that rose out of the ground were from House Roach, and, having seemed a lesser threat, they were not dealt with quite as fast as those things that were more aggressive. What they touched is corrupted, the wood of wagons is rotten, food rots not just near where it was touched but it spreads like fire. The Engineer Company come into their own; rotting parts are stripped out of wagons and burned, sound parts used to replace them. They cannot do the same for the food, well over half of it is lost, even the hard tack has rotted, which most of the soldiers thought was impossible. When we have finished we even have spare capacity in the wagons, we will keep them for now in the hope of reparations in food for them to carry.

The more severely wounded are moved forward to Ygg where Pattern can be used to heal them and to find food. Fiona fears there is no cure for those who have been 'Boggarted', they will be travelling back to the Alhambra with Dirk and Sorashi.

I return to the Vanguard. Rhodri seems recovered from the shock of his first battle and Elektra is helping the engineers repair the wagons, she seems oddly fascinated by the properties of wood.

In the first light, as soon as the wagons are dealt with, we prepare to move again, this is not a good place to camp. Many of the engineers sleep on the wagons, having laboured through the night. My daughter, showing both youth and heritage, is brightly chatting as she is taught to drive a wagon.

Deirdre is now on Pattern Point again. We advance behind an open order infantry screen backed up with cavalry rotating hourly to keep the horses fresh. The Guard Infantry and the Janissaries are in close order on the road as a strong centre. The Chaos Orders protect the forward flanks, I watch them for a while and think they would be more efficient with some discipline.

In the evening, yes it actually goes dark, we have dry ground and form camp, half rations tonight. Just as we are settling for sleep message come through from Sorashi in Chaos. Kalavryta is dead, House Petru know it is Elektra, they have evidence that she Trumped out, they want her back as she is theirs by right of treaty, they are (inevitably) unbending.

Everyone else seems pleased. Melvin has granted me 'Freedom of the Thelbane', I am free to travel anywhere in the Realms of Chaos and no one will stop or hinder me. I am sure some would try to stop or hinder but at least they will be defying the king to do so.

Mandor has sent me a gift, a flame coloured Aegis Shield, apparently an artefact of power, fortunately Gae Bolg does not seem to object to it.

I walk the whole camp, check the sentinels, listen to gripes, complement the alert, hand out a few fatigue duties to the less alert, share a drink, share a joke, keep them all on their toes.

Rhodri is a little glum, acting as a junior officer he has the graveyard watch, an apt expression seeing some of the allies we are camped next to. He is learning the ways of a 'civilized' army, though even the roughest war-band will regret not keeping night-watch in hostile territory. Most of the surviving Satyrs have accompanied the wounded to Ygg.

Lacey is bored but I continue her combat training, she is not especially tough but startlingly fast and flexible; the exercise must even be good for demons.