Yggery-Pokery

The ongoing tale of William, Son of Ophelia of House Rebma, and of the Line of Barimen in the Courts of Chaos.

Woken to Benedict trumping me – he wants the command team – eg me – back. I consult quickly with the others who are confident that they will be fine at Ygg. I give the Trump of me to DeLambre and ask him to keep everyone alive. I leave Constance in charge and DeLambre answering to her then Trump through to Benedict.

He updates me to the situation with the Military Command. Mostly the outcome of the battle was against morale – my Order (sigh) and the other force of Chaos on our side counterattacked and kept casualties to a minimum. But the Order advanced in a disciplined line, which was good to hear.

We have 13 Chaots of Name imprisoned. Amblerash is destroyed. Channacut have 3 dead and 5 captured. 5 dead Upanqui and the rest of the house captured. Darig makes notes as to names.

The discussion turns to what to do with the prisoners. We could just kill them, which is the easy but impolitic answer. It is no surprise that Deirdre is the main banner holder for this approach. We could take them to Amber which is a faff and which will use resource that we can ill afford. We could leave them here but their forces will likely rescue them. My suggestion is to take their parole then send them on their way. Caine suggests taking them to Chaos to face Melvyn’s justice and perhaps gain reparations. He suggests sending Dirk and Sorashi with a squad to go back and Benedict agrees.

Finally we discuss the troops who were changed to these toad forms. We don’t want to abandon them but no one knows what causes it. The Order think that it’s a house using its shape-shifting offensively – like Protean – a house of legend. Fiona is assigned to talk to them.

Darig passes me his clipboard with his last survey of the provisions and I head off to take stock of supplies given rate of consumption and the loss of the wagon to the void.

I dispatch the quartermasters who report back with bad news. Two thirds of the supplies are rotting as are a couple of the wagons. They think the creatures which came out of the ground had spells that rotted food and organic materials. I consult with Darig and he sends his engineers to strip the carts and review the others. The spoiled food is dumped in a hole behind us which is getting slowly closer. I report back to Benedict.

Benedict suggests the Courts should recompense us for the loss of the food. I wonder if we should let the Courts know as they will know that we are weak. He counters that Melvyn is our friend and the attackers strike at the peace treaty. We discuss the value of covering up when we talk to the Courts and agree to mention it, and ask for resupply, but not to mention the extent of the loss. I agree to talk to Sorashi so she can make this part of the bill but by the time I find her, she has already met Benedict and been briefed.

We assess the wounded. The plan is to transport them through to the group at Ygg where Fiona can use sorcery to cure the suppurating wounds. We will need to send sufficient guard and supplies to set up camp as there would be several of the Family in one set place. I reach out to Constance via Trump to see if we can set this in place. She’s admiring a tree. We discuss setting a sick camp up and she agrees to set out a camp and start foraging for food. I grab Fiona, Flora and Llewella and we start linking together to start passing the sick through.

I manage to take a few minutes talking with Rachael. She tells me that the creatures which came out of the ground were spiritually unclean. We discuss where she might stay and she talks of the powers of light and healing she has and I realise that she should go through to Ygg. I make sure we will send through enough guards. Constance asks for rotten meat to feed the ravens and I promise to send her a couple of sides of mounts that were killed in the battle.

It takes a few hours to get all the forward hospital force through using Trump cards – it’s hard work mentally and psychically but we do so. Darig has mustered the army and we are ready to leave the swamp. Deirdre starts shaping the way and we set off. I order the baggage train to widen its path and assign the Rangers to march between them to spot for holes in the floor. Some of them start to grumble but I point out, as graciously I can, that if I’m counting barrels they can watch for chaotic potholes.

Benedict trumps late at night. Sorashi’s mission has been successful. The prisoners are returned, justice has been dealt out, reparations in the shape of food will be provided. And the Courts have offered transport to Ygg for us all. I am to let the rest of the military command know and then sleep, taking the middle watch from him. I say I will let the forward hospital know also that things may be accelerated. And with that, the day ends.