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The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

The priest breathes a sigh of relief. The band was going to make it through. Iddin exchanges his staves again and dances forward, glass whistling as an outstretched hand gathers dust. He reaches Ashur and flicks towards bloodied wounds.

Iddin: Zuzu gives me the power to grant this smaller mercy! Under his eye, may your flesh be reborn. Know there is return from the marks of battle, return to your past, a premonition of an eternity!

The healing still stung and burn... but a fair bit less than usual. A gesture of appreciation from the priest for Ashur saving Iddin and the other brazen mercenaries. Lahamu and Etor do not get a gesture of appreciation. They get a stern look and reprimand.

Iddin: We would all do well to follow Ashur's awareness and levelheadedness. Myself, but yourselves too. The dead neither help nor enjoy the spoils.

_{Iddin moves 4 tiles to 17-37 and casts Heal on Ashur.
Ashur gains 8 VIT (16/16).
Iddin gains 17 EXP and 1 Theurgy, losing 1 Heal durability.
Iddin levels up to LV 3, gaining +1 SRT, SPD, and LUK.}

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

The priest recoils as one of those brutes charges right for him. He is both relieved and embarrassed as Ashur steps in to block the blow.

Iddin: I... well, nothing to say in my defense. I suppose our band only needs one reckless fool.

Soon Lahamu appeared and dashed forward, embarrassing the family. Likewise Etor sticks his neck out and gains nothing from the risk. He mutters under his breath.

Iddin: And we're multiplying...

Iddin falls back in panic, seeing the band's formation and tactics immediately collapse. But his hand rubs by his second, ornate glass staff. Zuzu's staff. Right. Zuzu's guidance will save him from this situation.

The priest, calmer, looks at the situation again. Both Lahamu and Etor can't fend off an attack. But Etor is blocking one angle of attack on Lahamu... The only way to save both of them is to guard Etor. But this will rely on Ashur once again seeing the formation's gaps.

Iddin: Ashur! With them!

The priest holds his staff aloft. He points it at Etor and swirls it around, gathering the particles kicked up in the skirmish. The priest flicks his staff back skywards and slams it into the ground. A sphere of glass forms around Etor as Iddin chants.

Iddin: Zuzu, grant your protection! Let this warrior be guarded in your perfection! He shall be encased in your glory. His foes' strikes will falter before your might. He is embraced by a temporary form of your eternal promise!

_{Iddin moves 3 tiles to 15-39 and casts Word of Zuzu on Etor.
Etor cannot attack or be attacked for two turns, and has -2 MOV.
Iddin gains 25 EXP and 1 Theurgy mastery.}

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin: Ashur and Zarif have the right idea! I do not see Lyun... However, the strategy still stands! Do your best to persuade the man if we encounter him. Stay cautious until he strikes an enemy: don't let him be an agent into our ranks. But if we convince him, we gain a valuable asset in this battle!

The priest skips forward, kicking up plumes of dust from the road. The smallest of glass shards form in those clouds and twinkle as they catch the sun.

Iddin: Zuzu, the great, the overseer of eternity, the collector, grant your grace upon this battlefield! May our band be given a fraction of your strength to quell these foes! I ask again to tap into your divine gifts, and bolster these men, and show them your glory!

_{Iddin moves 2 tiles to 16-37 and Waits. Inspirational gives +10 Hit/Avoid to Siris, Makeen, and Ashur for the turn.}

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin dwells on Doan's words and sighs. He takes one last glance at his notes on the tablet and stabs the reed in it upright. The tablet is left on the ground as he stands up and looks at the assembled band, especially Lyun and Doan.

Iddin: I loathe to admit it, but you are right. We do not have the means to survive making the empire truly angry. I suppose we will have to bend the knee and accept this operation. But combing an entire city with the size of our band is still impractical... And the operation as laid out only makes our role more difficult. We should head out early and take any opportunity to discuss details with the other bands that may, perhaps, have been given greater warning to prepare. I find it hard to believe they planned this entire operation without some earlier notice to their cooperating assault bands.

The priest looks over to Lyun again. Any information here is valuable enough to risk fighting a defector. And perhaps a defector could still gain the band an upper hand...

Iddin: It sounds as to me that you want to assess this situation on your own terms. Why not head sooner into the city, make your way in as before the assault you can, and make your own judgements? I trust you will be able to get inside without great suspicion. And if they are your people, give them a good word for us and contact us on the breach. We cannot stop the other band's assault but we can hide away who we can.

Iddin looks over to Doan for approval. Hopefully the captain picked up that Iddin's intent: defeat the enemy with the witting or unwitting help of an insider. Or claim Lyun's moral high ground if the enemy wasn't approachable. Whether the captain understood or not, Iddin was confident he could minimize risks with some trickery.

Iddin: We would benefit from more allies, after all. And this band is tight lipped enough to hide some renegades with new identities.

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin was changed into new, subdued robes absent the usual ornamentation but equally absent the previous bloodstains. Unfortunate: it's always difficult to repair those on the road. The priest still had a slight limp and hesitation from his wound's memory as he entered the tent and paid his respects.

The priest produces a newly recycled tablet and reed, marking it as the group speaks. He clicks his tongue: a bit of time to research this one could be useful. He marks down the vague geography off the top of his head and some basic numbers. Population, distribution of the cash, and the like. But he catches particularly on the mention of "will" and responds dispassionately.

Iddin: "Since when were we the Hellions of the Akkadian Empire? I am hesitant to accept this on their terms. But they have given no time to negotiate. We sorely lack information: the number, the arms, the morale. But we can buy some time if we are the only forces to be sent. I propose we send some of our less conspicuous members to scout the city and movement, if safe. A regular operation of this sort on a city would require this preparation regardless: it would not be a suspicious delay."

Iddin: "In the meantime, our response should demand they acknowledge our independent position and provide extra compensation for the offense. If subduing this group is infeasible, we can claim insufficient recompense and abandon the mission. If they do not acknowledge their error, we can reject regardless. In either case we would not engage the dissidents unless we are prepared, and they would be unaware we planned to attack them. A particular advantage of our small band is sealed lips."

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin

The priest watches the battle through glazed eyes, still ranting as his allies fight. Iddin sees the formation pull back, and Lyun struck with another arrow. Siris seems injured... but he's too far ahead. Iddin staggers on back across, his ornaments creating a cacophony, and slams into the opposite wall. A glass whistle shatters as he clumsily kicks sand towards Lyun, the priests repeated staggering into the wall creating a rough rhythm.

Iddin: "Zuzu, grant strength! Kill the betrayers! This man fought with your help, and he needs it again! Fashion him an eternal warrior, grant your grace, restore him anew!"

The dust forms around the arrow, pushing it out as it forms new blood and skin.

_{Iddin moves to 11-16, casting Heal on Lyun. Lyun gains 9 VIT. Iddin gains 18 EXP and 1 Theurgy EXP, losing 1 Heal durability.}

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin

Iddin can barely react. The blade lands in his shoulder, not his neck, only by sheer luck. Blood spurts and and sword bounces out... bounces out? The priest stumbles back for a moment, expecting death, but greeted with the favor of his god instead! His shoulder turns back from glass to flesh and Iddin feels a strange cocktail of emotion. Rage at the other band. Joy at Zuzu's favor. And, mixed together, a religious fury.

Iddin: "ZUZU, THE PRESERVER, STANDS ON OUR SIDE! DIE, SCUM! BE REDUCED TO SHAMBLING BEASTS IN THE AFTERLIFE, DENIED A PART OF ZUZU'S ETERNAL ART! HELLIONS! SLAUGHTER THEM!"

The priest wildly stumbles past his assailant. Glass shatters as he falls near Lyun, struggling back to his feet. The dust cloud forms around Lyun as Iddin gestures out his left hand, spreading blood. He continues to rant, propped up against the wall. The blood loss was not helping his sanity.

Iddin: "Arrows, begone! Cuts, begone! Impurities from your form, begone! ZUZU GRANTS YOU STRENGTH! His divine flesh promises you victory against the heretics. The heretical Yeeks, worshiping a inferior god. The heretical MEN, turning against a priest of the truly divine! Strike them with the flesh! STRIKE THEM! DAMN THEM!"

The cloud mixes into Lyun, digging out the arrow, filling wounds, restoring blood, replacing flesh. For much longer than usual, a noticeable moment, the new skin seemed much shiner than usual...

_{Iddin moves to 9-17, casting Heal on Lyun. Lyun gains 18 VIT. Iddin gains 32 EXP and 1 Theurgy EXP, losing 1 Heal durability.}

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin

At last the priest caught up with Siris. Iddin shook his staff, bringing a pile of sand into his left hand. He considered for a moment... and decided this one needs a lesson. Iddin dug his hand into Siris' wounds, covering them in sand. And he threw in a short threat, for good measure.

Iddin: "Idiots have short lives in dangerous company. May Zuzu remind you of the pain of flesh, as it grows anew! For he shall not preserve folly among the eternal gallery."

Iddin swings his left hand, dripping with blood, over Siris' head. The shrill whistle boils the sand into Siris, patching skin and internals back together. The remaining blood crystallizes, falling down Siris' armor to the ground. Shards likewise fall off Iddin's hand as he looks around, surveying for the next injured mercenary.

_{Iddin moves to 11-16, casting Heal on Siris. Siris gains 11 VIT. Iddin gains 21 EXP and 1 Theurgy EXP, losing 1 Heal durability.}

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin

Iddin looks forward, seeing the advanced group. He snarls for the briefest moment, but regains his composure.

Iddin: Some mercenaries are too stupid to live, truly. But I suppose he gets to live another day.

The priest bounds forward gracefully, the movement billowing his robes and echoing through trinkets. Once he reaches the middle of the group, he addresses the vanguard.

Iddin: Zuzu walks alongside! But keep your advance moderate, for his grace is limited... Siris, is it? I trust you understand what limited means.

_{Iddin moves 6 spaces to 10-19, passively triggering Inspirational. Ashur, Zarif, Siris, Gesties, and Kastilus gain 10 Hit/Avoid for the phase.}

The Dweomer of Akkad - [ A Fire Emblem-like RPG! ]

Iddin

Iddin surveys the area. Gesties and Makeen where wounded and nearby, Siris... that idiot would have to wait. Makeen was already upon Gesties wounds, so Iddin moved to heal Makeen in turn. The priest stirred the ground with his staff, the glass ornaments chiming. Iddin stepped next to the mercenary and put his hand over the wound, directing the sand on top.

Iddin: "I stand before a healer of a different sect. Zuzu, grant mercy to the waylaid. They do not heal through you, but they still pay their respects to the gods. Let his lesser divine heal the outsider, and let your power restore him."

Iddin slams the staff, then holds still as the sand heats into flesh and repairs Makeen's body.

_{Iddin moves 1 space to 10-25, casting Heal on Makeen. Makeen gains 5 VIT. Iddin gains 12 EXP and 1 Theurgy EXP, losing 1 Heal durability.}