Outcast Keep

Exploration of the keep would reveal a fairly basic layout. The main keep was carved out of the side of the mountain, there was an inner bailey with a simple portcullis gate, while the outer bailey had a proper gatehouse. From said gatehouse, one could look down the winding cliffside trail with steep drops that promised an unpleasant end to any attacking force that tried to take the keep by force. At the bottom of the trail was the enemy encampment spread out in the valley below. They were at least eight hundred strong, more than four times the fighting force that could be found within the keep.

Kehy's music is a balm to the weary defenders and the strung-out citizens, the young foreigner was ingratiating himself with the people present nicely. There was no place within the keep walls that smelled of rot and death, the dead were routinely dropped down to the valley below. As such Skylark was likely wandering the walls of the outer bailey if he was anywhere within the keep. Both Teva and Ali's help was greatly appreciated they managed to put men on the right path to return to the fight and that could make all the difference in the coming days.

At the appointed time a page is sent to fetch each of the newcomers, young children from the village who were being kept from mischief, boredom, and despair by running tasks for the soldiers easily tracked down the outsiders. Once they were found they would be asked to follow back to the main keep to the second floor where they would enter the war room which was still filling up with the various officers of the mercenary band.

Skylark looks around himself, realising he is, in fact, walking the walls of the outer bailey, wondering worriedly about the time he had wasted, the sun was far lower than he remembered. Scrunching his nose against the smell he offers the child a smile and a thanks before following back to the war room.

He would look out of place in the war room, likely the most out of place of anyone there, a young boy in a ragged cloak, unsure of himself in the large mass of people. He too would make a beeline for the commander, being one of the few people who he knew in the room, casting an idle glance over the maps, though he was not much for cartography or strategy.

   Treva had been meditating for a while longer than she expected when the page arrived. Gathering her things again, she packed them away neatly.

   Following the page into the war room, she'd nod at the others she'd come here with, all strangers, but all here to do the right thing. She took a place at the table side and began to study the map closely.

Kehy nods along, listening intently before he hesitantly spoke up. "I have few idea. No way to retake land today, but maybe by end of week might be able to.

"First, take away their food. Steal if possible, if not ruin or poison. Don't let them eat. Get rid of their way to get more food. Then take away tents. Burn be easiest, or cut them up. Make them cold at night. Don't let them sleep. Ring bells at night, make big noise. Pick off individual soldier, make them afraid of ghosts. You want them cold and scared and very tired and very hungry. This make them bad soldiers, much easier to fight.

"They seven days no sleep, seven days no food. Then after that, we go for the tower. Will give a good foothold for going into valley.

"Won't need many people to do all this. Small groups going secret would work"

"Performing such raids may too them off that there is a secret entrance to the keep. Utilizing it more frequently may draw attention to it, or result in the capture and torture of someone who breaks and tells them about it." She stated, not trying to be antagonistic, just merely pointing out a potential flaw.

"Is there no way to negotiate safe passage out? If they are more interested in the Keep than the people inside it may be best for all involved."

Nay lets each of the newcomers speak in turn, hand stroking his chin in thought as he considers each proposition with a neutral expression on his features. When it was all finished Nay nods once and then leans forward splaying his hands on the table. "I will address the most pressing question first as I agree with the thinking. We did indeed try to bargain the contents of our vault for safe passage out of the valley. Unfortunately, the counterproposal we received in return was deemed unsatisfactory. They wanted us to leave our weapons in the courtyard and trust their honor as we made our way through their camp. They also wanted us to leave the women." He did not feel like explaining why that had been part of the deal and why it had been unacceptable.

With that heavy realization hanging poignantly in the air Nay rubs his chin and then nods. "The idea of having a harassing party has some merit but Priestess Saleia is correct if each such raid comes from the same area they will find the back entrance. If we take this option then I would suggest that those willing go with Saria and set up a camp outside the walls hidden from the enemy encampment and harass them from there. Of course, doing so has its own risks as you would be outside the protection of the walls and outside our ability to aid if discovered."

Reaching into a case containing a few different rolled up bits of parchment Nay selects one and then unrolls it. The map on the table was a large one with incredible detail of the keep and the valley below, this new map is smaller and less detailed but it showed the nearby region. "The keep is here." He points to the marker on the map. "The town was here, about a half days march away." He says pointing to a nearby dot. "The next closest village is here." His trail moves across the paper some distance. "Roughly two weeks march or a weeks ride away, we are in the ass end of nowhere after all."

There is a pause as he composes his next words carefully. "Our scouting reports state that they already stripped the town of everything it had. Foraging in the valley isn't bad but a force that size will drive the wildlife away in a few days. If we can get Mister Skylark close enough to... taint their food supply then that alone might be enough to tip this battle in our favor. At the very least it may force them to try the walls and that would be our best bet for breaking their forces." The beginnings of a plan were beginning to form behind his dark eyes but he doesn't speak it just yet, giving the four a chance to comment before he laysout orders.

Kehy nods as well. "It become two snakes locked together. But this snake has roof over head and good walls around it. My skills good for breaking camps without get caught. But... If I use spell now, won't have them for later. These-" he holds up one of the metal disks "take time and energy to make. But I can make them go off after I leave area. Best if I go with group to strike camps"

He studies the map again, noting the waterways. "They need water and food most. Taint water and it makes them all sick. But then it might sicken others too. May be good idea, may be not."

   "I can't say I'm comfortable with this plan -- it goes against my goddess and what she stands for. But I will not dissuade you if it rids us of our assailants." Treva's eyes betrayed her disdain for the idea, but this was not a black and white area like the undead she usually dealt with and greys seemed to be more important in this situation.

   "Still, I am not exactly fit for stealth," she continued, rapping the knuckles of a gauntlet on her breastplate for effect. "There are still many more ways I could be useful here in the keep, to the villagers and to the soldiers, than I could be out in the woods."

   She turned from the table to address Nay. "If you decide to take their course of action, I can supply them with fresh water and food for a day or two, depending on their numbers, and a simple protective charm that will be effective until the next sun-up. But I can't imagine I won't be more use here in the keep, tending the wounded and sick. Until the battle comes to us, should it."

Skylark, having nothing left to say on the matter gets ready to follow Saria out.

As he does he steals one more sidelong glance at Treva, silently thanking his luck that she wouldn't be coming with them outside the walls. He wouldn't have liked to see how she would react to his magic.