Silver Insanity

"Well. I failed to realize they came in two varieties." Willoughby pulls a small, tea-chest-like mahogany box from nowhere and lifts the lid, revealing an assortment of oddly-colored powders. "...tracelessness... dryness... chickens... ah yes, disappearance. Ametrine, I'd like you to fly over the camp and see what interesting things you can see, provided that you do not get seen yourself-- you'll be invisible, so there will be no need to worry about the orcs, but recall that the serpents may sense you regardless. I am particularly interested in whatever the 'larger ones without wings' may be doing. The effect of the dust will not last long, so I entreat you to be swift. If you are captured or face some severe difficulties, try to find some means by which to alert me to your position; I will move to assist you as quickly as I can."

Willoughby sprinkles a greenish powder over Ametrine, who vanishes from view.

"Maya, what further course of action do you suggest? My thoughts are tentative. Here is what I presently envision: I myself will approach the camp after Ametrine reports. I am unlikely to be seen, but may be detected. In the latter case, it seems possible that I may not be recognized."

Maya thinks. "Well as long as you stay a decent distance, over sixty feet away from the serpents you should be alright. The orcs shouldn't be a problem. When I first saw the orcs I was tempted to approach them openly, but I don't know these serpents like I do the orcs. To be honest part of me still wants to try it. I've got other plans now though... What exactly is it you are looking for? The orcs don't know much, and the serpents don't seem to be talking. Did you get any information out of that serpent you captured by the way?"

"My conversation with our guest was an utter failure. I do not presently believe that the serpents are capable of speech at all: it seems that they communicate through some other means, most likely sorcerous ones far beyond my expertise. I have never encountered such creatures before, and I desire to know why they assail the House Greywind, how they intend to do so, from what place they arise, and the details of their physiology, so far as is possible. These are ambitious goals for a group of five people, and do not expect to satisfy them so soon, but any shred of information suggesting further lines of inquiry is tremendously valuable."

"You're not going to find much of that information down there, unless you find an orc that really does know what's going on. I have a feeling these enemies are connected with the enemies of Cass, and as such the real information you are looking for is there. However you may spot some unforseen weakness or strength in their ranks from your search so I won't begrudge you that. I'll see what I can find out from Cass after our hunt about your enemies. If I find anything out that's really important I'll try to contact you again. My only request is, if you manage to get in a fight with those large red serpents, tell me about it. My pack and I always enjoy a good hunting story and they've got my curiosity."

Ametrine says where he is. "So, what am I supposed to do there, Mr. Willoughby? Count the orcs? Fight a red serpent? Bring an important-looking Orc back?"

"Note the layout of the camp. See if you can find their food stores. Try to discern what the larger serpents are doing. Estimate the number of orcs present. See how the serpents compel them to action. The first two items are by far the most important. You will not have much time, and if you are spotted, we may be in great peril. Be careful."

"Gotcha! I'm leaving now!" Ametrine flies down the hill toward the orc base, keeping his mouth closed and staying sixty feet away from the red serpents.

He begins by flying over the base at a high altitute, trying to get a generalized layout.

Willoughby withdraws a telescope from his suit jacket and studies the camp intently.

"Following Ametrine's report, I will observe the camp myself. When I have gained as much information as I can, I will signal you, and we shall begin our raid.

I believe we must remove the flying serpents if at all possible. They are dangerous. Mirri, you and Ametrine are best suited to this task. Perhaps weighted nets would be useful. Once the winged creatures are incapacitated, it will be possible for you, Mirri, to drop torches on their food supply from a height beyond the reach of their arrows. I will supply the torches. Maya, Ennesby and yourself may execute your plan involving logs at this time. It would be best for Lester and Blackbog to assist you. Following that, all of you may take whatever actions you deem necessary; I trust your judgment. When we leave, someone must guard our retreat.

I myself will confront one of the larger serpents; I have my own means for securing the destruction of the food stores as well.

Without provisions, it will be difficult for the orcs to maintain any lengthy siege. I see few other critical targets. Without limbs, it is unlikely that the serpents shall keep any kind of records. It is probable that there are no orders or messages to destroy."

The general layout is chaotic; the orcs seem to have simply parked themselves wherever they happened to stop.

Stores are sitting on sleds, or on the ground, or scattered about in individual sacks apparently belonging to individual orcs.

A few tents seem to mark the domains of the most powerful of the orcs.

The serpents hang out around three bonfires, or wander among the orcs, sending them on errands or simply sending them running.

There are ten large serpents in sight; they seem more naga-like than pure snake; the front is held up vertically, and has arms and a suggestion of a torso.

There are three of the small winged serpents in the camp, huddled around the smallest bonfire. Three more circle, far above; though if they've noticed your party on the mountainside, they have not yet deigned to pay attention to you.

"It is important that the orcs are in position before we execute our plan. Where they currently are stationed the incline is only around forty five degrees. I fear that will prove inneffective and the trees will get caught up in their branches. While some damage will be caused it will be minimal compared to what it would be if we wait till they've moved into position. There will be a point when they are on the move that we will have an incline of over seventy degrees, which will be more than enough to gaurentee the effectiveness of this attack. I'd prefer to wait till then unless absolutely necessary to help you escape if things go badly. In fact, if you were to wait till they are on the move you might be able to time it so that these things all come together."

One who could be best described as a large wolf spirit materializes from seemingly nowhere. (see Fierce's description) "Actually, if you are going to conduct a raid, may I make a suggestion? If you wait till the orcs are in position for the log attack you can time the air strike to occur during the chaos of that attack and follow up with the ground strike while their ranks are still dishevelled and weakened by the log onslaught and recent loss of their flyers. If you move quickly enough there should be minimal risk due to the disorganized state of the army."