Strategic Plan Discussion (Ideas welcome and requested)
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This document is more from my own musings than a solid plan, but I am hoping with some input from the council and spirited discussion regarding the future of it. I am intentionally keeping this surface level as possible to nail down some of the bigger picture goals before we start digging into the bedrock of a more thorough plan. I’ve written this with an eye towards the bigger picture and not mentioned the Black Horde yet, I will do something specific to them depending on what reports come in from tonight’s activities.
Feel free to throw ideas down on paper or let me know if I missed something important. I am using the principles outlined in my ‘Pie Problem’ document.
THIS IS SIMPLY A BAREBONES EXPLORATION TO SPARK A DISCUSSION
Strategic Goal 1: Ensure the safety of Arabel and its surrounding areas from the encroachment of the White Horde and their host while bolstering the health of the land to ensure a safe and prosperous future for the region and the many diverse inhabitants.
Strategic Goal 2: Isolate individual noteworthy tribes from the White Horde and destroy them.
Our first priority is patience. This is a long term strategy that can be broken down to many smaller tasks which can be farmed out to adventurers, but the ultimate goal should be knowing the entire host before the first battle is engaged in earnest. After this first battle, we will fall like a hammer upon an unprepared enemy. They may be fierce, but we will know their hiding spots, we will know where they roam and what they eat- and we will rob them of all of it.
Political Goals related to the isolation of the tribes.
- Create a unified host with shared vision, purpose and resources (Mostly done, though I would like to discuss how we might pool our collective resources to fund this venture.)
- Plan a propaganda campaign to raise awareness of the Host’s danger to the city, use the language of freedom and the threat of it being taken after it has been so hard won to entice recruitment and emphasize the diverse nature of participants to show unity- this is a common cause that threatens all and needs to be seen as being fought as one.
- Create a concise, simple doctrine regarding the use and dissemination of: information, tactics, and chain of command to prevent accidental or intentional leaks.
- Request/Assign people to positions they are competent and comfortable in, when that realm of action comes up that person leads the activity.
- With permission and sponsorship of the houses, prepare various baits for the tribes to better assist us in completing strategic objectives. (Ex: a false caravan with wine bottles attuned to a wizard’s staff that can direct us to it at a future point.)
Tactical goals related to isolating the tribes.
- Track down information on the white witch, the presumed leader of the host.
- Intercept but do not disrupt meetings between constituent elements of the host, learn where these things take place, bring translators if available, take note of identifying markers between them and apparent status within the greater whole of those meeting.
- Discover the locations of these tribes and where they move to and from, follow them from these meetings to their hunting grounds.
- Monitor these tribes and their habits, what they eat, how they move, what ‘culture’ they have. Hiring local wild walkers, even/especially those not related to the council to perform this task will keep the number of reports diverse and from that diversity will come new insights.
- Once information has been gathered, create plans for disruption to food supplies, communications, safety and security. Enact these plans subtly to begin driving wedges between tribes and even within the tribes themselves, starve them of food, make their resting spots unmanageable in ways that don’t rouse suspicion- poison ivy and the like, maybe?
- If they do not begin to fracture, move on to using the knowledge gained in our information gathering phases to begin destroying them.
- Target priorities, begin with nomadic tribes to reduce our exposure to discovery- they will be hardier than entrenched tribes because they are used to changing living conditions, but their absence will be easier to miss for the larger host; going to a location to find bodies and fire is more telling than a group of nomads that simply vanished.
Aspirant Keline Hallenthen
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Addendum and Update:
After many discussions with adventurers who have encountered the Black Tribe and its ilk, as well as my own personal experiences with the kobolds in the Hilmarch mine, I believe it poignant to revisit assumptions and adjust our strategy.
Previous assumptions (on my part especially) assumed that the White Witch was a leader, figurehead or other being who lead a coalition type force against Arabel. A traditional adversary with a traditional motive and methods; this is simply not the case, and the more I uncover about it the more I begin to see how we can break the back of this foe.
Strategic Conditions
Thralls
We’ve seen first hand that these creatures do not act as individuals, but almost as a swarm of locust. This has lead me to think that perhaps these creatures are- for want of better words- Thralled by the White Witch, meaning that they do not think but act upon the will of the creature controlling them. I have personally witnessed them thralled (however temporarily) by a force outside of their sphere of influence and ability to handle. Information is contained in the relevant file.
They seem to have few bodily needs, however I posit that any magic sufficient to sustain and control a host of this size is likely capable of sustaining the physical requirements of keeping a body in motion as well. Senior Retainer Appleblossom had shown me a map of the Black Tribe’s base indicating it had supplies in it, the purpose of those supplies and their composition is unknown, we can take it into account but it tells us little.
Of note, if the thralls are directionless after they are subsumed, then the value of any given group of thralled becomes more and more precarious until they are escorted into territory favoring the Horde. This may make them vulnerable to spying if we can get someone to tail a group of freshly thralled creatures and the party sent to collect them.Activities
Recently they have taken an interest in Hilmarch’s Camp. Is this for control of the resource, or merely to acquire more thralls?
There is a single documented example of a local population of monsters being/attempting to be thralled while in the vicinity of one of a white feather totems. We do not seem to fully know the full extent of the totem’s purpose, however it feels like a solid working assumption that the creatures use this to indicate where more thralls are to be picked up. As a secondary aspect, it can also act as a recruitment banner for those not in the horde; a show of force that will draw those predisposed to seeing strength as power and wanting to be part of it.
Strategic Recommendations
Propaganda and Common Defense
- I realize the word ‘propaganda’ is an ugly thing, but there are many bright people who may want to get involved if they knew how or to whom they should speak. Let us open that door and make it abundantly clear how to do so. Making up some posters inviting people to assist in the defense of the land they fought and died for is good for all involved- fresh blood and new ways of thinking will see us profit the most.
Defensive Emplacement and Bulwarks
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I propose we focus on making our positions harder to assail. Since it seems we have few dedicated scout units, I suggest we begin planning for emplacements near vital resources, focusing on deep entrenchments and massive casualty producing assets (Wizards if available, funneling barricades, small scale catapults, earthen entrenchments on open avenues of approach, things like this.) near or within strategic resource areas. Not to dissuade attack, but to prepare for it.
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Roads. Currently the lines to Arabel’s (fairly obvious) strategic resources are poorly protected while the Black Tribe’s activities weaken the land and drive more starving animals onto the road in search of food.
Knowledge Collection
- I recommend we attempt to work with local wildwalkers, I have already started working on setting up a meeting with them so we can discuss these matters, but if you have ties to one or are one, perhaps we can advance our knowledge of the horde’s operations by following one of these thrall seeking groups, or the thralls themselves.
- It may be wise to begin documenting the location of white feather totems, where they are found and what the conditions around them are (are there signs of a monster encampment nearby? Lots of tracks but no creatures?)
Tactical Recommendations
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I believe we should begin training in static, rolling and obtuse defensive strategies. I am putting together some games and classes that we can run with, but it will expand the tools with which we have to work. Any recommendations, donations, or suggestions to this end would be welcome.
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Begin training small unit combat leaders, work with the many varied and talented adventurers around the region to learn from their first hand experience, how best to employ them to success. If any would be willing to donate their ideas, we can all benefit from the sharing of knowledge.
Updates will follow.
-Aspirant Keline Hallenthen
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//@Arcanigans
I admire your planning however you have forgotten one key component...Herku'ktaz.
He leads the orcs and may even oversee this White Witch, I don't know but he's certainly in charge and another formidable nemesis. We cannot forget that. Otherwise he may be our downfall. We need to take him out. He is the head of the snake. He must be eliminated.
Respectfully,
Fang Delilah VelHiri.
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Do we have any information on him aside from a name?
-Keline
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//@Arcanigans
I have seen him and spied on him. I know where his base of operations is, but I know nothing of his motives. He is the one ordering the orcs about and hoarding and protecting their supplies. I saw that.
Fang Delilah VelHiri
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So he is an active, conscious participant rather than a mindless thrall? That complicates and makes matters easier, I think. Osco told me about the setup of the base, but you were there, do you think there's anything we could exploit to get access to him?
-Keline
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//@Arcanigans
I had suggested before to the council that we eliminate him and the supplies right off. Although outnumbered, if we were to have the archers and second line such as I bombard that dock with flaming arrows and explosives, we could destroy the supplies outright and someone should target him for assianation. We hit...we hurt em... We run. War does not need to be honorable. We would need the front line to protect the second line so they could get this done. However, the council misunderstood and thinks I want to willy nilly blow up the forest, so they kind of shot me down. That's my idea, but I'm open to suggestions too. He's a big piece of this and I don't know what's in those boxes, but it can't be good.
Fang Delilah VelHiri
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Fang,
I appreciate the enthusiasm and I agree he needs to be stopped, however you said it yourself our objective should be to take this creature out as expeditiously as possible. Any military is susseptable to beheading its leadership and if we can break their assault without fighting the host, we win many times over.
To do that, we need to strike where he is vulnerable- to know that, we need to learn all we can about him and how/if he thinks. To execute on it, all we need are tenacious and patient go-getters like yourself. I think you've got the right idea, but we can be a bit more precise with our approach.
Do you think it'd be possible to do another reconnaissance run, or survey the region around this encampment to see what their activities have been like? We're information poor right now, we can address it, but just from the overview you've given me, I think it'd be in our best interests to find out their movements, if this warlord is more sentient than the rest, and if anything around them has changed.
What do you think of this idea? Could we do it?
-Keline
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//@Arcanigans
I think from the distance we were at last time, you couldn't get good intel. They were yelling in Orc, so we couldn't understand it. We can get close to the base but because it was on a platform, we would have to get by guards to get close enough to hear what is happening. We need someone who can understand orc. We need someone who is willing to sneak in. Perhaps invisibility potions or the druids could shift into birds. Yes, it could be done but do we have anyone who could speak orc and would be capable of it?
Fang Delilah VelHiri
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This is a question to ask locals, I think. People more familiar with the lands than myself. Would you be willing to head up such an effort? I'll provide whatever material support I can, my coffers are very limited, but I can produce wands at cost that may be of use.
-Keline
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@Arcanigans said in Strategic Plan Discussion (Ideas welcome and requested):
Do we have any information on him aside from a name?
-Keline
I second what Delilah said. I was there. I never saw such a well-stocked army. I think they may have more stuff than even we do! It's a lot, I'll say. The thing is, we dont know what he wants, or if he even wants anything. But he's targeting druid groves. The question is why? What did the druids do to him? If anything? He may just be controlled by the White Witch and her fancy staff.
Osco -
//@Arcanigans
Sure, I'll see what I can do. Maybe we can find someone who talks orc and is stealthy.
That's a good place to start.
Fang Delilah VelHiri -
I speak Orc and between spell and skill, can sneak a bit when needed.
Polk
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Addendum and Update #2:
Once again I come to revisit assumptions and present new information that may help us work out the best course of action. Note that right now I speak to the conditions of the White Horde and not necessarily the Black Tribe. I realize they are a more pressing threat right now, however these conditions will inform our strategic approach and tactical preperations.
Strategic Conditions
Temporarily Enthralled
It has come to my attention after some discussions that the nature of the enthrallment is not permanent as I had first assumed, but rather a recurring process that must be refreshed- it can be refreshed by agents with physical access to those enslaved by the White Staff’s magic.
While I do not currently know how it happens, we can take from this that some form of Enchantment magic is in play rather than a constant stream of it, this would make Project Moonlight simpler to perform and expand.
There are cases of dead gnolls and goblins, and kobolds found together when an enthrallment has broken. It’s unclear who started the fight or who did what, but I think it’s relatively safe to assume that the gnolls carry some power to refresh this enslavement to the White Staff. My encounter with them in the Hilmarch shows a direct coralation to their seeking out a local den of kobolds and those kobolds being enthralled. Attached
We can capitalize on this in innumerable ways.
Feather Totems
I have dwelled on this since the kobolds in the cave near Hilmarch, the totem that bore no magic, the gnolls in the area doing what I had assumed to be ‘collection’. It didn’t add up until another piece of the puzzle slotted into place with the nature of these creatures’ enthrallment.
If the enthrallment is temporary, has to be refreshed, and most importantly can be broken then we can extrapolate from experience that the totems exist as a signaling device to show the gnolls where to refresh the enthrallments.
We can use this to perform false flag operations (literally), mess with their ability to coordinate their forces and, critically, route out pockets of them that pose an immediate threat to our strategic assets. This is not a suggestion, we are in the information gathering phase. Acting now would throw our advantage away before we can use it effectively.
Unknowns
It is still not clear to me if the Black Tribe is acting on its own iniative and leadership (like a conventional force), and is working with the Horde for similar goals or what. We are still at a critical information deficit there, and we are working on it- Delilah is drumming up some support and finding people that can do some gathering there, however with how short our time is before the invasion of the Redwoods, I ask you to consider the following:
Difficult Choices
If Project Moonlight produces the result of breaking the thralling of a group of creatures, we can expand that. We can nuter their entire army without having to get close to the staff and secure our assets from attack with things like warding and- critically- not exposing our knowledge of this advantage.
This is the big problem, and the one that we need to tackle morally and ethically before we even think about using this against our adversary-- if I am right, and if we can dispel the enchantment on members of the white horde and if the Black Tribe is enthralled by the horde (I have my doubts but let’s go down this road because the question will come up repeatedly in the future).
We need to decide when we can start employing this. The moment we do, it needs to be wide spread and pervasive; our war needs to be won before the first rune is cast or we will throw that surprise away, the Witch could use their forces to attack our settlements and resources causing a lot of chaos and death before we’re ready to act.
IF the Black Tribe are enthralled and we warded the entrances to the Redwood, we might win that battle, but henceforth she will change tactics and our planning will have to start from scratch with an enemy wiser to our approach and capabilities.
Our battles will be harder, our victories exhausting and our successes bittersweet once the losses are counted, but I have to impress upon you just how critical it is that if we can develop this advantage, we withhold its use for as long as strategically possible.
Strategic Recommendations
Discover and Map Horde Assets
- We are still knowledge poor on the Black Tribe. You've all said it yourselves, we need to fix this. Let's begin finalizing those plans and start acting on them. Delilah has been working hard on this, perhaps we can sort out a plan-- key concerns (to my mind):
-Are they enthralled or free agents?
-Are the Black Tribe so well provisioned that they can stay in their base indefinitely?
-Can we cut off avenues of support before they can muster anything?-
Gather information on where totems are located. We take scouting parties or ‘casual walks’ out into the wilds surrounding Arabel and note the locations of white feather totems. For all intents and purposes, these denote an enemy encampment nearby. Cut them down if you must, but NOTE THEM in a file so we can map out their staged combatants.
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From what I’ve gathered, we know the Horde stages in the north, if we can get some people out there to map the most likely avenues of approach through the area, we can use this to:
Learn How the Enchantments are Refreshed
- Work with wildwalkers and sneaks to follow a gnoll tribe TO the site of enslavement. Learn how they refresh the magics on those enthralled. Do not interfere, do not engage with them, do not be detected. This is critical to the n’th degree: we cannot be seen to know how these things work.
Knowedge Testing
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Let us test our assumptions by moving the feather totems and watchnig them- use of mage alarm or on the ground people to keep an eye on it will let us know if the gnolls stop by. This will tell us whether or not we can move these totems around to advantage us.
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We shall complete Project Moonlight with a small sample of enthralled creatures and bring people who are especially skilled at breaking magic bindings, if successful, we will develop a ward to the same effect and try it out.
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Finally, we stage a massacre near one of these totems. We use small weapons (such as shortswords) to kill a few gnolls, some larger ones to kill some goblins or other known horde creatures. Our sneaks linger invisible in the area and watch how they react. Then we follow them back to wherever they came from and map out the path they use. Idea being that most humanoids aren’t as careful when they think their mission has failed because of something normal (IE: The kobolds broke free and killed a party out to refresh their wards). So we give them something unexpected and we watch what they do.
All in all, I think our success is upon the horizon- we do not yet have the Witch nailed down, but we have their forces in sight. All that remains is to learn, test our assumptions, and refine our efforts. If they prove correct, we will make our victory within the month.
-Aspirant Keline Hallenthen
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Moved from Plot Faction: Council of Twelve Peers by S Swifty Willownall
