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Post by Zoilus on Jan 9, 2018 18:57:46 GMT
Captain Lohen de Tosuel was steeling himself for his meeting with the mercenary officers. He was one of a small group of Alendronian military officials overseeing this...outpost? Fortress? Facility where the Golden Legion and Wardens of the Phoenix were being garrisoned in preparation for the Bassanian campaign. They'd been here for several weeks, waiting, but he'd just gotten his orders from the Commodore: it was time, for the first stage of their operation here anyway.
Now, all he had to do was tell them that, and he was apprehensive. Getting to know these mercenary types had been something of an explosive experience: you never knew how they'd react, or what they'd do next. The only guaranteed thing about them was fulfilling their contract...
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Post by TheCalmOne on Jan 9, 2018 20:32:02 GMT
Arradel Agathos sighed as she paused just outside the command center. It had only been a relatively short time since she had last served with the Alendron military, and she had hoped for at least a short amount of time to relax and enjoy her first taste of peace in a decade. However, that was not the nature of her occupation, and she knew it.
Just like back in the war, she supposed.
Except this time, she was serving with the Golden Legion, instead of her country. It was an interesting feeling, to fight for gold instead of out of honor or a sense of duty. It was strangely liberating and also off putting at the same time.
She shook her head. Now wasn't the time to be contemplating her current situation. Taking a step forward, she entered the tent and took in her surroundings.
As soon as she caught site of the captain, however, her military training snapped into place and she straightened out and gave a salute. It seems that even though Arradel had joined a mercenary company, she still retained her instincts from during the war.
"Captain Arradel Agathos, of the Golden Company. Formerly of the Alendron armed forces."
She waited until the Alendronian captain returned her salute, then relaxed slightly.
"I was told to head to the command center for a briefing."
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Post by Grim on Jan 10, 2018 0:32:41 GMT
Duik Aurora Ravaphine had been surprised when her company been hired out. It was very odd indeed. Usually they were hired out by land traders wanting extra hands on the road. Rarely in their entire history since her family had been chased out of their home have they ever been hired out like this. So for the first time in a long time contracts that had been pending were rejected and this one was accepted, they had loaded everyone up and sent them out on boats. Since then they had been in this fortress that doubled as the mustering grounds for her and another Luskan free company. Today however she had been invited to the main hosting room to attend a brief of some sort.
She had been training some and only cleaned up enough, but went in her much more relaxed wear of pants boots a light shirt and vest, her white hair pulled into a ponytail for now as she pinned the symbol of her house to her lepel and made her way with her one bodyguard to the building, leaving him oustside as she entered in not too far behind the Captain from the Golden Company. Unlike the Captain who snapped to attention, gracefully sauntered up to her seat and nodded, "Aurora Ravaphine, Duit of House Ravaphine and Commander of the Warden's." Aurora held out her hand to shake the others in the room, "I had heard there was a briefing of some sort set up for today?"
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Post by Zoilus on Jan 10, 2018 1:49:19 GMT
Captain de Tesuel shouldn't have been surprised, he'd been briefed, but he was. These mercenary companies both had beautiful women as their captains? And here they both were, right next to him, hanging on his every word...Artis preserve him, this was so much more than he'd signed on for. He got a hold on himself quickly when the older captain, the islander, gave him a crisp salute. Lohen reflexively returned it, "Welcome back soldier. Glad to have you here."
As the younger captain walked in and spoke, Lohen took her offered hand, "Welcome, Duit and commander. It's a true pleasure." He looked them both over, sighed, and continued, "We are ready to begin, yes. I've just received word from my superiors."
"As discussed when you took your contracts, the preliminary stages will involve you leading scouting parties into Talcary, around the city of Bassania, or Bashny, as the locals call it. We need information on the local roads, ways in and out of the city over land, and the best places to block off mass retreats from the city. If you can gather any information about their troops, leadership, or local politics, that would also be helpful and worth bonus pay."
"Any questions so far?"
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Post by TheCalmOne on Jan 10, 2018 2:04:52 GMT
Arradel couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as the young captain conspicuously looked over the two mercenaries. Nevertheless, she listened carefully to what the officer had to say, affording Aurora a curt nod before doing so.
After the young man finished, she thought for a moment, then spoke,
"Well, depending on the length of time that we're given, we could pose as mercenaries looking for a job of some sort. That could be our ticket in."
She wasn't too sure about discerning the local politics and leadership, however. Despite the fact that Arradel was, technically, nobility - she wasn't used to the intrigue that was seen in the courts of kingdoms anymore.
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Post by Grim on Jan 10, 2018 2:37:37 GMT
Aurora returned the nod to her fellow Mercenary Captain and noticed the man basically all but undress the two of them with his eyes. She wasn't surprised, it was something she has gotten used to after these years, constantly getting hit on by male and female. Though she was going to make sure the man knew she knew she was being leered at.
The request was rather simple and she agreed with the idea that going in disguised would be the best bet, either as merchants or a made up freecompany of some sort. They would probably need some wagons as well either to act as supplies or merchandise. Though as she thought about it, she wasn't sure if the merchant idea would work or not.
"I agree with her, I think our best bet is to throw a flag of some sort together and pass as some wandering band of sellswords. I say keep it small, big enough to be left alone by possible bandits but but small enough to not worry about staying hidden."
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Post by Zoilus on Jan 10, 2018 2:49:17 GMT
"Captains, I leave that to you. This is the job you're being paid to carry out: work out the details between yourselves, and then bring them to me for final confirmation, and if necessary, supply."
Lohen pulled at his collar, "Forgive me, I'm rather new at this. Not so many officers to promote so soon after the war, eh? You both probably have more experience with this than me, so as long as it's nothing too outrageous, I think we should be fine."
"Is that, ah, acceptable?"
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Post by TheCalmOne on Jan 10, 2018 3:00:59 GMT
Arradel's right eyebrow raised itself a bit more. This captain was certainly less... experienced than the ones she had served under. No wonder Alendron had wanted her to stay so badly.
She cracked a smirk,
"Well... At least you have the honesty to admit that... If not other things.
She ran through a mental list of the men she could bring, then glanced at the other commander before speaking,
"The Golden Legion has yet to let Alendron down, and I'm certain Commander Ravaphine is similarly capable. You can leave it to us."
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Post by Grim on Jan 10, 2018 3:10:59 GMT
Aurora always one to tease the new guys couldn't let this pass, she noticed the man clearly uncomfortable in their company and decided to give him a bit of a tease. Playing along like it was warm in the room she glided her hands up vest to her shirt and loosened the strings before brushing her neck with her finger tips.
Giving him a small smirk as well, "If you feel you must leave you are welcome to, I know how you soldier types like to get plenty of practice with your swordsmanship, but feel free to stay as well. Though I have always been told that the more the merrier."
Then back towards the older of the two, "If you want I have some riders I can gather up give us a small vanguard or some outriders. If you want I know your guys are more foot bases maybe we can get them in some wagons or following along with the wagons?"
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Post by Zoilus on Jan 10, 2018 3:41:52 GMT
Lohen's eyes widened a bit, but somewhere, he found his resolve. He was a captain too, was he not? "I...suppose it would be the responsible thing to do, as the overseeing officer here. Besides, it wouldn't be proper to waste such a learning opportunity, would it? Please continue, I'll interject when necessary."
"If you need a wagon of supplies to pose as smugglers, perhaps with an accompanying band, that is easily arranged," he tried for a confident smile. On the job learning. He should've stayed in the Academy for a few more years, Artis save him.
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Post by TheCalmOne on Jan 10, 2018 3:59:53 GMT
Arradel's right eyebrow went even higher than it had previously before as she glanced at her Warden counterpart. Was she teasing him? She shook her head slightly in amusement. When the captain mentioned a learning opportunity, she couldn't help but let out a slight laugh,
"Back in the war, everything was a 'learning opportunity' for us, whether we wanted to waste it or not. Still, its good of you to stay."
She confirmed Aurora's question,
"Indeed, my men are infantry. They can follow the wagons without much trouble, however. They're used to quickly marching long distances."
She finished compiling her mental list of men,
"I have fifty men or so in mind that can participate, although I can add or drop a few if need be."
"Before we reach the city, I'll have most of my men peel off to scout the perimeter of the city - they've operated as scouts before, so no worries there. Then, we use our disguise as smugglers to get into the city unhindered, then delay the sale as long as possible while we gather the needed information. Afterwards, we leave and report back here with whatever knowledge we were able to gleam."
She looked at the two others,
"Unless someone here has a better idea?"
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Post by Grim on Jan 10, 2018 4:32:12 GMT
Aurora smirked, the man at least was trying to act professional. She wasn't going to stop yet but she would tone it back some while they were discussing the plan. She liked the idea overall of smugglers of some sort. "I think that would work, I will bring about twenty or so mounted and if you want I can get some of my own footman if you would like as well, maybe some crossbowman."
She thought about the getting the terrain right, she had a few artists, they could be useful as could some cartographers. "Since I have some ships under my command, I usually have a cartographer or two. I might be able to pull them and an artist or two. Get some pictures of the defenses."
"We probably should have some coin on us as well, try to get some supplies and the like, see how they are stocked. Generally high prices or not much choice can give us an idea of what they have should a siege break out."
She thought a bit more before continuing, folding her arms, causing her chest to be a bit more prominant, she was going to tease him less she told herself, she never said she wouldn't while they worked.
"If that is the case we might need to make a fake name and some fake symbols and flags to pass around to those we take." She added as she stood there thinking and waiting for anyone to add.
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Post by Zoilus on Jan 11, 2018 4:05:40 GMT
Lohen was pleased he decided to stay. Getting into the mindset of mercenary captains like this was a rare opportunity for someone like him, and, frankly, being able to report to his superiors as accurately as possible was also rather important. He knew that this aspect of the campaign wasn't considered the most vital (he was overseeing it, after all), but he'd be damned if he let it fail on his watch. He considered what the women had said, and finally, offered his reply:
"This is sounding increasingly plausible, captains. Alendron can supply you with any reasonable request, a small caravan, food, supplies for your new banners, even that coin. Regarding the coin though, we're going to have to give you older currency, with foreign stuff mixed in: we can't have you marching in with freshly minted Alendronian bullion. It'd be a dead giveaway."
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Post by TheCalmOne on Jan 11, 2018 4:52:19 GMT
Arradel nodded as the Alendronian captain spoke,
"Appreciated. Older currency will work fine, as long as it's something that'll still have worth to the Bassanians."
She didn't mention that if the older currency would be worth something to the Bassanians, it would be worth something to the mercenaries, of course.
"It sounds like we have a plan, then." She clapped her hands together.
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Post by Grim on Jan 11, 2018 13:40:27 GMT
Aurora nodded in agreement, "That will do, get us some carts, supplies, and some money. I will send runners to my troops."
"Is there anything else?" Easy money was all she could think to herself.
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