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[IamanElfCollaborator]

Bertholt sighs deeply. He turns to Esther, his eyebrows furrowed in thought.
"...that has....troubled me of late. I know very little of tactics or waging war.....but throwing those bandits to their deaths.....I wasn't quite sure that was the best way to go about it. Still....I've been considering some alternate method to deal with them since we got them. Have you told anyone else?"

[Twinwolf]

"Not yet. I'm not usually a strategy sort of person, but I've been thinking about how to do more for the group..."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Alright. ....by the way, I've been meaning to ask. Are things....alright with you and Sharne?"

[Twinwolf]

"Honestly? I don't know. I'm worried about her. But... I don't know what to do."

"Anyways, maybe you could suggest that to Roux...? I'm honestly not sure how to go about getting that whole thing started, but I haven't heard much in the way of other ideas."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"I see. Alright then. I'll get it to Roux, see if she can recall the bandits. I wish you the best of luck."

[GiglameshDespair]

The next day, a loud horn blared through the camp.
"Camp meetin'! Git yer asses up an' over 'ere!"

Once the motley assortment of unwashed rogues, as well as Roux's new bandit clan, had assembled, Roux laid out her plan.
"Skulltaker's got skulltoke, 'case yer forgot. So I'm th' new boss, an' we're 'avin' a change o' direction!"
"There ain't really nothin' to 'ave 'ere in Chilcenne. All th' good stuffs been looted way back."
"But there's a place where there's all kinda good stuff, an' it's even been gathered up all convenient like for us."
"I'm talkin' 'bout Izzarra. Them Mordo pansies are stompin' on th' locals, takin' all their crap. We're gonna go an' take it right back off 'em. Rather, yer are. I'll be 'round, but I ain't gonna be with yer all the time."
"You're gonna be playin' the long game. Treat th' locals alright, give some o' what yer take back to 'em, and you'll be drownin' in all th' 'elp yer can get. An' when Izzarra is free o' Mordo... yer gonna be 'eroes. An' women love 'eroes."
"Iffn we pull it off, it's gonna be way better than kickin' over the same shit'eaps we do 'ere!"
"...An iffn yer don't then I'll bust yer teeth wi' me boot right enough."
"Questions?"

[Blade Master Model 42]

As Roux's speech went on, there was a certain air of discontent. Help the Izzarrans? Why bother? They made their bed to lay in. And giving what they'd rightly stolen to other people? Hah!

"An' when Izzarra is free o' Mordo... yer gonna be 'eroes. An' women love 'eroes."

But suddenly there was a great stroking of beards and chins. The threat of violence against them brought on nodding. After Roux called for questions, one of the older men stepped forward. "So... We do what we's been doin'... But in Izzarra. And this is gonna make people like us?"

[Gaterhyme]

Liam stroked his own beard and also his chin underneath.

He couldn't say that had seemed to work for them so far, but one, that was supposedly for when Izzarra was freed and not before, two, he hadn't much been looking for women himself, and three, things seemed to be working out pretty decent for Bertholt though he hadn't much nosed into his business since Anecca, Kaldach and Martyn probably had other priorities, and Brock was Brock.

So fair enough.

(He wasn't who Roux was convincing anyway.)

[Gaterhyme]

He'd left out Esther when thinking about people interested in women, Liam realized somewhat belatedly.

But then again, most of the bandits probably would have a hard time putting themselves in the shoes of a woman, much less a mage. Even if they were okay with them in the fight pits.

Also he still wasn't sure why he was questioning how impressed women would be if they did pull this off.

[GiglameshDespair]

"Iffn yer do it righ', yeah."
"'S 'ow violence works, ain't it? Yer do it on th' righ' people, an' yer a 'ero."
"Treat the Izzarran's alright, an' they'll 'ave yer back. It's in their interest to keep yer good an' 'appy iffn yer 'elping them out. Kick th' shit outta the Mordoans, an' avoid roughin' up the Izzarrans. 'S all yer gotta do."

[Blade Master Model 42]

The older man turned back to his fellows. "Ya hear that lads? Heroes! They'll say our names in story and song! We'll have to shoo women away!"

The cheers were deafening.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Bertholt, somewhere in the crowd, looks around at the mess. He closes his eyes and shrugs.
"Skillful means can be used to produce good ends, so my father used to tell me.....but even so, my feeling is that this might not go as expected."

[Blade Master Model 42]

~Chapter 9~
~In the Heart of the Flame~

Following the subjugation and recruitment of a gang of bandits, the group dispatches their new lackeys to Izzarra, to harass the occupation forces and provide aid to the Izzarran people. In the meantime, the group elects to travel by way of Ryine to Mordo itself, the source of Izzarra's woes. They seek to enact a raid on the Bereaton estate. The Bereatons are a powerful and respected noble family of Mordo, famous for their powerful magical talent. They control a wealthy region of Mordo, and administrate the trade town named in their honor, Berea. After making their way across the border, it is only a few days travel to that town...

Izzarra's rebellion stood upon a hill overlooking the trade city of Berea. Beyond it, another day away, stood the vast Bereaton estate, ancestral home of the Bereatons. The city between the group and their target sat in a lush valley, with a river running through the city's center. Even at this distance, the bustle of activity in the streets could be seen. It was not as impressive as Salamandra by a wide margin, but quite impressive all the same. Or looked to be, from a distance at least.

[CrimsonEon]

Kaldach, having handily led the group almost the whole trip into Mordo, stood still for perhaps the first time since they crossed the border. Throughout the entire way, he seemed restless, eyes frequently on the lookout for any sign of trouble, frequently pacing when he should be resting and even turning about heavily in his sleep. But now, he only stared- face creased- at both the city and the estate beyond it. His teeth grit hard enough, one could almost hear them grinding.
: "..... There's the mark."

[Gaterhyme]

Liam squinted at the place, brushing a hand past his bangs to accomplish nothing in particular.

Being behind enemy lines was getting him nervous. But it wasn't like they hadn't been fighting behind enemy lines all the time that they'd been in Izzarra. Should've been used to losing his nerve by now.

"So what now? See a good opportunity to sneak into town?"