Request for the Raven

Barracks 


 * The small but well kept barracks are nearly empty, what troops that shelter there during rotations or marching through the area already out on patrols or the road. There are still a few distant sounds in the narrow corridors that indicate some are about various errands though - and most notably, a handful of officers within the main entrance room, standing at rest as they wait upon the captain of the West Aegis Garrison.

Tall and deceptively slender, Iselore's demeanor is nearly as icy as the hue of his hair, cut just below the chin to help cushion a helmet without becoming a hindrance. Riding gloves folded neatly through his belt, road dust still greying his boots and the edges of his ankle-length coat, his eyes scan rapidly over a missive being steadily unscrolled between blade-scarred hands.

Lucius Nepos enters the constabulary with little fanfare. The man's articulated plate armour sets him apart from those around him though, as does his drake shaped seraphite shield which is currently attached to his arm. The soldier walks immediately towards Iselore and stops. "Captain Zahir. Lucius Nepos reporting." He salutes across the chest smartly.

Norran Lomasa strides in shortly afterward, emerald green eyes looking with a renewed interest around the barracks. His armor, unique tabard and most notably the cloak around his neck sets him apart from nearly everyone, the young Duke walking calmly after Lucius to approach the Captain. The Duke offers his own salute, although somewhat lazy as he flashes a grin toward the man. "Captain, honored to meet you. Master Nepos decided to bring me along, I hope it's no grand inconvenience."

A wintry gaze flicks up at Lucius' approach, and then on to his companion, narrowing at the duke's lackadaisical greeting. Nevertheless, Iselore's eyes flash down to the missive - finishing the sentence right where he had paused - before he re-rolls the missive with quick, deliberate movements. "Master Nepos. Your grace," he answers; precise, clipped accents softened only by the depth of his voice's timbre. "I had received your wishes for a meeting, but the details escape me as to why."

"I'll get right to the point then, Captain." Lucius says matter of factly, his free right hand dropping to his side. "As you know, East Leg was attacked yesterday by twenty or so Wildlings. I understand that this is the second event in two days time, that these creatures are organized and that they killed several and wounded several more. Now, Fastheld has not seen these Black Wildlings until now. I however, have. The Emperor sent me to Crown's Refuge when it was a village, almost two years ago, and it was under siege by these creatures. I slayed their chief. They are numerous and they are unrelenting... and they adopt our technology. So here is the point - I was decommissioned by the Regent last year for political reasons regarding the former Justiciar, I suspect."

He continues, "I am no longer an Blades officer, or a Watch officer as it stands - but this could very well herald the start of a new Wildling War. If it does not, then good - I am still a soldier, though, and am compelled to do something about this threat to our Empire. After the death of Captain Kahar of the North Aegis Garrison, you are the de facto leader of the Imperial Watch. No Justiciar, no Watchmaster.. I know you, Captain, and I know we can talk soldier to soldier. This is why I came to you. What do you think?"

"Aye," agrees Norran, clasping his hands behind his back as he looks toward the Captain, continuing, "It's, at the very least, very alarming that such a force of wildlings could somehow breach the Aegis and launch such an assault on one of the largest townships in the Empire. I was there when two of them attacked a group gathered in a forest for a reason I'm not entirely sure of near Light's Reach. I slew one, and another was killed by someone else who was there.

Unfortunately, we had little experience with them, and did not burn their bodies. Those same two wildlings were apparently somehow reconstructed using profane arts and used as a distraction to lure defenders to the east, before they attacked from the west in a significantly larger force. Among the wounded was Duke Kahar and even the Duchess Zahir, both of whom are now recovering south of East Leg in my lands. East Leg is now secure, but it chills me to know they could do this to any other township in the Empire. East Leg is actually one of the more heavily defended townships, so it's especially worrying what they could do to a place like Wedgecrest or Marble Grove."

Iselore clasps his hands behind him, his gaze fixed unswervingly upon Lucius during his report; the cold mask cracking only once - at the mention of the deceased Sirius Kahar - and then, only to patch itself with a sheet of iciness even thicker.

"Thank you, Master Nepos, for the thorough recap of recent events," he drawls, his tone growing paradoxically more biting in direct relation to how much he draws the syllables out. "If you wish to know my thoughts on the matter, you may read my Chronology of Fastheld when it is done. Otherwise, may I suggest you give me a coherent plan of action rather than a treatise - I have neither the patience nor the time for political debates."

"Mobilize the Watch and prepare for war, Captain." Lucius says, unaffected by Iselore's withering gaze. "Station units of Watch in every city. Have them build temporary wooden forts in proximity to small townships and villages. Build mobile posts where troops that are scouting for Wildlings can retreat to and have base camp at. Patrol thoroughly areas where the Wildlings can come through, but most importantly patrol around cities. Issue a standing order that troops can only move in units of twenty or greater, and that caravans can only move out with their own guards as well as Watchmen protecting them. Trade can't be disrupted, obviously, for it is the lifeblood of our Empire, but it must also be protected. This is what I would do were I you, Captain Zahir, though your experience far outstripes me. But the Watch need to be put on a war footing."

He adds, "Send scouting parties out to look for these Wildlings. I'm planning to do so on my own with a few ex-Blades, but we are only private citizens."

"This has gone far beyond the occasional wildling wandering in and attacking livestock. At the very least, I'd ask for patrols to be increased to prepare for this threat. And it definitely needs to be assessed to find out whether this was just an anomaly or if the attack on East Leg the other night was merely the beginning," speaks Norran after Lucius, giving a nod to the Captain.

"I, also, am no longer a Blade. Even when I was, my rank was not very high, but my title does give me the additional duty as an officer of the Watch. If you would take action, I would personally help however I can, even if it may just be one man. I'm the only Knight-Errant I know of."

A rare emotion flickers across the captain's face - bemusement. One might almost say it was genuine amusement, if they did not mind losing their tongue in voicing such a supposition. "My apologies, Master Nepos, but as you so ably pointed out, your experience is far outstripped here. Therefore, I shall be blunt." Not that there should be any doubt he would have been anything but - and with those words, all hints of humor or softer things vanish from his expression.

"I have received reports from these two attacks - attacks carried out, all total, by less than a score of Wildlings. You are asking me, merely one of four captains - four Aegis garrisons," he corrects himself, his mood not at all improved by the reminder of the missing Kahar, "to mobilize the Empire to war over several handfuls of Wildlings? That so few managed to do so much damage bespeaks of a weakness in our ability to identify and deal efficiently with the threat, not that we are imminently in danger of being overwhelmed."

He grants a nod to the Duke, the edge of his sneer smoothing away - barely - in deference to the man's rank. "Certainly, it seems patrols need to be tightened in discipline and perhaps range and frequency. But I would say there is little proof yet that would call for the personal attentions of the *Western* Aegis Captain."

"You're the senior Captain of the Watch, sir, which is why I came to you. I didn't say that we should mobilize everything right now.. but I do have a feeling this isn't the end of it. That's all. More than a score, sir, but this could very well be a scouting party probing us. That's all. You asked for my suggestion, which is what I gave. I did not mean to mean that we should do all this at once... in any case, that's that. I'd like to do the same thing as the Duke here, and help with patrol."

"Our men did their part, as the wildlings nearly doubled us in number and we only lost five fighters to the Light. However, Aegis guard and northern patrols cannot boast as much. Also, nearly just as troubling, the fact that these wildlings were organized enough to raise the bodies of wildlings killed on the /entire/ opposite side of Fastheld to attack a northern township," points out Norran, shrugging his shoulders somewhat as he looks toward Lucius with a nod.

"I'll go out there myself if I must. Although far larger, better equipped and stronger than green wildlings, they're not nearly as quick; mere putty for a swordsman worth his blade."

Lucius Nepos shows some disdain at Norran's words, biting his lip as he talks.

"*If* there is any evidence at all that this is anything more than past incursions we faced before by stray Wildling bands, the troops will be mustered and distributed as necessary. Until then, I would rather less risk outcries of a return to Imperial guard in House territories again - " a slanted look is paid the duke at this mention, " - so soon after ceding them the right to their own guards. Surely even you, Master Nepos, should know that stability and a united front is more important when lacking accurate intelligence, than to start stirring the general populace into unrest and paranoia."

Casting the duke a stony look, the captain seems to decide there is nothing worth his effort to either correct or comment on before he turns sharply upon his heel to drop the missive into a waiting Marshal's hands.

"If you obtain evidence of this mass uprising, Master Nepos, or reports indicate that Wildling activities have truly strayed from the norm, then you may approach me again." The dismissal is clear in his tone and his actions if not explicitly stated in words, as he snaps a hand out peremptorily for the next letter another aide is already proferring.

"Yes sir." Lucius snaps up into an 'attention' pose, offering a salute to return the Captain's dismissal. Without anything else, he starts to back off and then turns around to walk out.

Norran offers the usual salute, freeing his hands behind his back and giving a silent shrug to Lucius as he begins to make his way outside.

Iselore's gaze flicks up only long enough to ensure that his attention is no longer needed before he turns back to his interrupted work, his crisp tones once again cool and unruffled as he dispenses orders to the remaining Marshals.

''Return to Season 6 (2007)