The War Tent of Gul'al

#1

The Mightiest Chieftain had a significant challenge ahead of her. With an entire mobilizing Church of One war effort building up after the destruction of Bartsport, more and more reports were coming in from across the Goblin Lands of Paladin cavalry positioning for attacks on positions in Brez, Unen and Karov.

Now word came of poachers moving in to hunt the very animals the Olgogs in their region relied upon.

–[While this tent is welcome to any diplomatic envoy from any tribe, and therefore open for interaction between different tribes, Gul’al has final say on anyone being kicked out of the tent.]–

#2

The Goblin King Urog, not looking very kingly at all but rather brutish, muscular, and tall, walked into the tent of Gul’al. “Greetings Gul’al, the Gang of the Uf Mag’og and your tribe come together again. Thank you for your hospitality.” While the words were cordial enough, Urog did not emit much emotion into his words. Hard was the countenance of the Brezan, lest cordiality be mistaken for weakness. He waited, standing tall, for Gul’al to acknowledge him.

#3

“Welcome and well met. I hope for this to be as fruitful as our last endeavor.” Gul’al motions around the tent, indicating for Urog to made himself comfortable and avail himself of the water and food on the low table to the side. A second low table is in the middle of the tent. It has a raised lip around the outside edge and is filled with sand for drawing. A rough map of the local area has been sketched out with symbols added to mark reports of Church of One activity. “I’ve already made our back-up plan of start riding west and kill every Earther we meet. Let’s begin work on something that will have longer lasting results.”

#4

Urog grabbed some food and some water, taking a bite without regard to etiquette, as he looked over the map. When he was done, he took a swig of water. Mouth cleared, he said, “Gul’al, wiping them out to a man isn’t necessarily our best option. It also won’t stop them from coming with bigger forces in the future.” He paused, wondering if his meeting with the Auf Mag Yyanyi was altering his views, “what if we focus only on their transport. Kill the Earther beasts of burden, destroy their pens? No matter how much they poached… they’d have to walk home.”

#5

“Like I said, out right killing is a ‘back-up plan’. Interrupting their transport sounds good. The Earthers are like carrion flies in that it doesn’t matter how many you swat down, it matters what they have to eat and drink.” Gul’al gets up from the map and has a drink at the other table. “We will need to make it too expensive to supply an area of outposts. They understand the cost of resources more than the cost of life. Taking their livestock and keeping them from getting more food sources will mean less Earthers… either because they are somewhat intelligent and leave or are stupid and starve. An immediate blockade approach would be seen as a challenge to be busted, though.” She returns to sitting at the map. “Making their poaching expeditions disappear,” pausing to circle some marks on the map, “and gradually ramping up raiding of trains from the west,” draws a dotted line, carving a few outposts away from the rest of the Earther settlements, “has promise.”

#6

“It does.” He Urog thought hard about the conversation with the Auf Mag Yyanyi: taking action without violence.

“Gul’al, what if we were to find a way to stop the poaching without killing the Earthers??”

#7

Gul’al pauses to consider the demoralizing effects of maimed or mutilated survivors. Slaves wouldn’t be profitable because you would have to transport them, Earthers would resist being told to wal… her eyes narrow and her face darkens. “Do you have dung between your ears!?!” she booms while standing up and planting her fists on her hips. “Rocks in your head would be more valuable.” Crossing her arms, she lowers her voice to a lecturing level. “If you were to take my mounts and force me to ‘walk home’, retaliation would be brutal, costing you most of your herds. Can you say you would do less if I made you walk home? Can you point out any reason the Earthers would leave if none were killed? What benefit is there to letting them live? And who has been filling your head with this crap?”

#8

Urog sighed. “No idea.” Without spending anymore time, he continued, “so I’ll take 5 stalkers, who will maim the palidan’s horses and the mounts closest to them. The other’s will poison dart any remaining mounts of the Earthers. You focus on untethering and/or freeing the beasts of burden and destroying the carts. Once the animals have been freed,fend off the Earthers, and we will destory the carts. Once that is done, we flee.”

#9

“So be it. I’ll pick five raiders and only target the beasts and carts.” Relaxes and laughs, “But when the Earthers choose to throw themselves against the axes and spears of the Olgogs in retaliation, I will kill them.”

#10

On the way out of the tent, Gul’al pauses. “On second thought, I’ll bring more raiders. We might be able to take the wagons whole instead of destroying them.”

#11

Gul’al comes back to the tent with a fresh roasted hock. “On’na’s going to take a small Stalker calvary group to capture the wagons. She’s got four Ur Tor with her that have worked with horses before to steal a few wagons.”

#12

He was a handsome Earther dressed as a swashbuckler and a wide brimmed hat with a long plume.
He gave a deep and respectful bow to those assembled knowing he was probably the only Earther present.

“Mightiest Cheiftain Gul’al, my name is Maverick Multimancer and I seek to help you against the Church of One.
I have maps of a fuel depot near Simonsburg where the Paladins are extracting crude oil and processing it into fuel petrol. But there are also dangerous chemicals stored there. How may I prove my desire to assist Mightiest Cheiftain?”

#13

Lokyi walked in and clearly scolded Gul’al in sign language. She replied, “Oh, the Earther? I wasn’t ignoring him, just waiting to hear how you faired.” The scowl that now graces Lokyi’s face is like a parent who caught a child playing with toys found when beginning to clean their room. He gives a quick summary of the events at Simonsburg and heads out.

#14

Urog had gathered with the others at Gul’al’s war tent. This tent was slowly becoming another home…

He saw that others were beginning to gather. His experience with Gul’al indicated that she would likely not speak first. He did not understand if it was to better understand those gathering??

Either way, Urog asked the first olgog next to him, before the meeting formally began, “so what are your thoughts?”

((ooc - feel free to be that olgog next to him))

#15

Babi Yaal walked in, “Da Family tinks we should take da port. Da pirates of Unen own da waves, da bruskti sky pirates own da sky. It be better than sending food and water over da desert on a long walk. Plus da pirates owe other tribes a ride, we take da port between all dat. Force da church to defend all sides.”

#16

Urog made no outward display of emotion, but he smiled inwardly at the bold action of Babi Yaal. Plus, Babi Yaal had a good point. A siege was a tough sell. Nevertheless, he might as well give the opposing view. “Thomasville is the major source of the Earther’s warmachines. They train there. If we can take that, maybe we can steal the technology? Thomasville also gives us two points from the East where we can march against the Earthers.” He looked at Babi Yaal, “I’m not disagreeing with your logic, but my point must be stated.”

#17

“We go for thomasville and what stops da forces at james ville from cutting da army off from supplies. Jamesville go north and we be caught tween dat army and thomasville.” Babi noted. “We take Drewsport and da hairless either move forces to fight us there or keep ignore us and focus on da mighty army of Gulal. They do both and we fight weaker forces on both da sides.”

#18

Urog shrugged. “Sounds as good a reason as any.” He looked at Gul’al and others, “what say the rest of you?”

#19

Gul’al places a thick shelled nut between her palms and crushes. “I like your idea of applying pressure on both sides.” Opening her hands, she starts sorting shell from meat. “Is the control of the waves and air is solid enough to keep you from being attacked by forces across the bay? I don’t want you crushed between church forces. We,” she nods to Urgog, “can hold against their full or partial attention. Should the church turn it’s eyes to the port and bring in forces from Dunesphere, I don’t know how long you would have to hold before we could punch through. If you are confident and ready,” Gul’al finished the nut, stands and unties a drinking skin from a post to pass around, “we will make a nice hammer and anvil.”