Aero
Peering intently at your spear as you test the blade with a finger, [4] you realize that the spearhead has a much better edge on it. As you watch, the few drops of blood from your finger are absorbed by the iron, which now bears a crimson hue.
____
Sinterous
With no time like the present for research, you lower yourself to the ground and run your hands over the scroll with the rust-red rune, leaking a tiny amount of your power into it.
[1]
You are thrown back with a flash of light and a loud cry. Several small fires are ignited on your robes.
-3 HP
-4 MP
____
Derm
Thinking quickly, you send out dozens of tendrils of power towards the tower.
[1]
Your magical strength fails before you can affect anything at the battle. A returning whiplash of magical feedback shoots through your body. The sudden shock to your system disrupts the antigravity field, though not the increased air resistance field. You drift to the ground as if sinking to the bottom of a pond.
-1 HP
-23 MP
____
Talendir
Displaying your experience with such things, you wait while carefully observing the battlefield and the surviving soldiers on each side.
[5]
Looking over the ground between the tower and the attackers' camp, you can see the remnants of a silk tent and torn banners from each side. It appears to have been the site of some sort of negotiation. The earth around the tent is peppered primarily with arrows, along with a handful of crossbow bolts. There are a number of dead redcoated soldiers around the tent; only two of the dead there are from Greenhaven. On the tower, you can make out faint scorch-marks which appear to have been caused about a year ago, more or less.
As for the sides, the redcoated stag-bearers appear to be mostly militia troops, peasants without much experience or training, poorly armed and armored. Perhaps eight of their melee troops have proper mail. You also note that their ranged troops are using crossbows, indicating that they don't have the time or fund to put into the training required to produce excellent archers. The Greenhaven troops, on the other hand, all wear mail and heraldic surcoats, save for the longbowmen in the tower. They don't all move like experienced soldiers, but they are all equipped like them.
+2 XP
____
Lei
You reach out, brushing the thoughts of the four cloaked figures in the stand of trees.
[4]
Three appear to be concerned about the fourth, while the fourth is concentrating intently on the tower. You register hints of desire and desperation directed that way, as well as a hint of well-wishing for the redcoated attackers.
____
Hedric
Always ready to make a copper, you hurry towards the cloaked figures, completely unconcerned with stealth. Standing behind them, you clear your throat and offer to sell them a fine poison, holding up the large green flask.
[4]
The shortest of the four chuckles, asking, "You do realize that is about as far from poison as you can get, no? Still, I'll give you a fair price, as soon as I have my laboratory back."
The tallest figure continues to ignore you, staring at the tower. The other two do the same, though you think you can hear a muttered "fool" from where they stand.
____
Mina
Watching the battle, it [4] seems fairly clear that while the attackers under the stag banner have numbers on their side, the Greenhaven defenders have already worn them down while taking relatively insubstantial losses. At the moment, the last defending men-at-arms are holding a narrow ramp leading to the thick, iron-bound doors of the tower. Though the attackers are pressing them sorely, the defenders look as if they will be able to hold their position, provided nothing else affects the battle.
____
[1]
None of the cloaked figures or the embattled soldiers notice the flash of light or Sinterous' cry.
[5]
The tallest of the four and one of their companions feel the magical snap as Derm's magic fails; the former glances briefly at the ridge behind which most of you are in defilade while the latter stares intently for quite some time.
____
In the clash between the two sides at the foot of the tower, two of the defenders are pushed from the ramp and fallen upon by multiple foes. Five of the attackers are cut down, and one of the isolated men-at-arms manages to stab another before being killed. Crossbow bolts strike home, killing another of the defenders, while one of the attackers is hit by friendly fire. One of the longbowmen on the roof of the tower topples from the battlements clawing at the bolt in his throat. A return volley from the longbowmen strikes down three of the crossbowmen.
((Yes, I am keeping track of the hard numbers for each side.))