>>6124566>The council's desires for a "cavalry" belie their utter ignorance of the practicalities of combat.>We are few. Fewer than any collective I've seen yet. What "cavalry" we gather would lack the numbers to strike at any sizable force marshaled against us. It would have scarcely the space to charge from, through, nor at, not in our terrain, mountainous or forested as it is. And furthermore, we've not the beasts that would allow such a task even on flat terrain. Yaks, mules, and donkeys do not hold the fearsomeness the warhorses of the Orcmanie do. You should know, you've seen them.>I cannot risk my family name on this hare-brained venture. I implore you to curse another with it.- Missive to Medqa Trainer Arvid Murawid from Scoutsmaster Ivar Buraq
>I apologize for my outburst, I had indeed failed to see mention of the Medqa as the mounts for the proposed cavalry. I was not aware you had managed to tame them to such an extent, busy as I was with my travels.>I beg you dispose of my earlier message. It was not borne of lack of faith.>The Medqa might indeed surmount the issues I'd pointed. They can crawl on sheer surfaces as if flat, and fly in bursts at great distances and speeds to boggle the mind of those unaccustomed. Charges would be replaced with hops, as their relatively low land speed could be made up for with a jump from well-camouflaged holes and perches. Their armor and size might repel even the Orcmanie's prized starmetal lances, and their horns might be enough to smash the foes to dust before the riders even begin striking.>I can train the force that would ride them, for lightning strikes against encrouching foes. Assuming of course you do your part regarding the saddles, and the inherent skittishness of these adorable beasts.- Missive to Medqa Trainer Arvid Murawid from Scoutsmaster Ivar Buraq
Action 2: Prospect Underground For Smoke Sources (vents, coal, flammable fungi, etc)
>"Council has loved my work on the acoustic tunnels, and I cannot say it was too shabby. Now they wish for me to dig up some grub to feed the growing numbers of our Shadows. I hear charcoal smoke tastes much like watered down porridge and they wish for something with a little more kick. To that end, please do not mind the shadow ants as they melt through rock walls as if ghosts. They shall simply scout us the best path to what we seek, from visions of what could have been, or so I hear. The Medqa and seed layers will take it from there. Now let us get this fuel!"- Excerpt from speech to Fuaha dig crew from foreman Age Bani
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