Empires of Ashes

One of the three men at the range aproches them "here to test the bow?"
Felsi: yes
"The rang is clear for ya then"

"thanks" *she goes to the range and gets a shot ready to loose

"These men aren't slaves, all volunteers, a few ex slaves, but free men now, and their loyalty to me is beyond question."

"I know, but most of your armies are slaves, and I doubt the non slaves can match this discipline"

felsi and thorgar watch
____
the raiders approach a outpost

she fires

The bow is greatly balanced and the arrow flies true
Felsi: you have good form

"thankyou...this bow is great!"

thorgar: gald you like it

she smiles

Felsi: i must ask where did you learn to use a bow?

"why do you think i don't use slaves?"

"The captain of father's invicti taught me"

Trajan: why?

"Because everyone knows slaves run from everything, so you just hit them hard and they rout, but if you know the enemy wont rout for any reason, you attack cautiously"

he chuckles
"for a moment there I thought you had morals"

"Well, i have a few of those, i can't say the betrayed screams when slaves are sent up against clavae dont bother me"

he nods

"So, are you ready to put 50 thousand men to the sword?"

"A question. Why should I trust you?"

"Because I'm surrounded by 3 legions of dracia's best soldiers and I have 2400 men with me"

"I didnt get where I am by making moves without assurances"

OOC as to your earlier question: I'm pretty much in the same boat as naz, or a near identical, I'm not interested in joining this

"What assurance can I exactly give you right now? Besides what I've already told you that the emperor is insane and I'd quite like him dead"

OOC fairs
not an interesting setting to ye fae?
IC "I suppose...but be warned, one step out of line and you'll feel Dracia's wrath"

"I'm well aware of your ability to have me killed, no need to reiterate"

"good, we march at first light tomorrow"

*they both hear a horse approaching*

*he draws his sword an inch, and looks*

*turns*

*They both see the Prince atop his warhorse, and within a few moments he is close enough to warrant dismounting*

"ah, Prince Llewellyn"

*he lets go of his sword, letting it slide back into its sheath. And dismounts himself*

"Consul Trajan. The tribals atop the hill have been eradicated, my men are just cremating the dead before we march on their village"

OOC aye, it's not interesting enough for me

"Excellent, you have done well"
OOC shame

*he looks over at the column of smoke*

"Though I must ask, WHY did they have weapons capable of throwing massive torrents of liquid fire at my men?"

"they had what?!"

"Stracian Fire? Its composition is known to scholars in kelthro, but how it is possible to use in such a fashion is worrying"

OOC actually raeven, no one outside the monks knows the composition :P
sorry, shoulda said

"Stracian fire? Uncle, if you look at my horse you'll notice a rather badly charred weapon strapped to its flank. That is what I'm talking about. *Turns to the Kelthrovi* Tell me about Stracian fire"

"We know roughly what's in the stuff, but our best scholars can't replicate it, even after capturing samples, interrogating monks. It burns like dragon fire and won't be put out by water, sand or urine is the only way to combat it."

Trajan starts examining it
"this looks like some form of hand pump"

*he waves dismissively* "it's been tried, you can't get any kind of combat effective range with a hand pump"

"I guess this means I have to go kill some monks, and quite frankly uncle if they are integrated into a formation they can be rather devastating as I just found out"

"Use archers, keep out of range"

"Did I mention that they have rather formidable armour?"

"I apologize prince, I would have warned you if I knew"

"It's fine, I now know what I have to go kill next"

"Perhaps they have a supply of stracian fire at their camp, if we recovered it, it would cause a rout in the slaves in seconds, and spook the war beasts"

"Are the canyon tops secure?"