BestatBlack

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

Iddin moves at a slower jog, catching his breath while keeping pace with the rest of the group. The thought of actually training his muscles flashes across his mind, but quickly dies out. He just needs to get a ride eventually. And Salador appears into his vision. Truly, the mind shapes reality.

The priest sways up to Zarif's side to avoid the mount's kick. His staff flows alongside the contours of rider and steed as the very dust they kicked up burns into their wounds.

Iddin: Flesh anew! Feel the serenity of Zuzu's grace. Those who fight for the great one's causes are not alone. Let the lord grant restoration to that which carries to and fro in battle. Be healed in flesh, healed in mind, and swept from fatigue!

_{Iddin moves 4 tiles to 18-17 and casts Heal on Zarif.
Zarif gains 6 VIT (22/22).
Iddin gains 14 EXP and 1 Theurgy, losing 1 Heal durability.}

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

Iddin smirks a bit as he sees Lyun fighting in the distance. Well, the plan didn't exactly go as intended... but it didn't exactly not go as intended. The priest manages to neutralize his expression by the time he finishes reaching the middle of the band. His glass whistles, screaming with the priests' dash, announce his presence next to Lyun. Iddin gets to work immediately, guiding his staff over Lyun's wounds as dust fills in to the cacophony of wind. He is cautious during the procedure, making it less painful than usual.

Well, the burning glass turned to flesh is still painful. Just less.

Iddin: Zuzu grants his blessing to the righteous who ask! Let his power be seen, for no living man is too damaged to be made whole by grace. The dust will be taken in by wounds and not mouths. In the glass god's presence, death is but whispers on the wind! Blood, bend to his vision!

The priest finishes his ritual and makes one comment before catching his breath.

Iddin: I am glad to see you alongside and not against.

_{Iddin moves 6 tiles to 18-21 and casts Heal on Lyun.
Lyun gains 16 VIT (22/22).
Iddin gains 29 EXP and 1 Theurgy, losing 1 Heal durability.}

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

Iddin sprints to Etor before the spearman advances, quickly motioning through repair of the spearman without slowing the advance.

Iddin: Zuzu's will is made manifest again! Let him grant his mighty mercy. His grace is merciful in its burn. Your flesh will be restored to the Lord's gallery. Restoration eternal by Zuzu's will!

_{Iddin moves 6 tiles to 18-27 and casts Heal on Etor.
Etor gains 4 VIT (15/15).
Iddin gains 11 EXP and 1 Theurgy, losing 1 Heal durability.}

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

Iddin dances in a frenzied sprint away from the brigand. His chimes call on the wind as he brings forth a small cloud of dust. It carries forward to Ashur as Iddin passes by and halts for a moment.

Iddin: "Yet again he finds need of your mercy! Let him be freed of his bloodied wounds. Grant a warrior your blessed flesh!"

The priest glances in the direction he is heading and halts. A much greater cloud was being kicked up as the two columns of horses came to a head. Not the conflict he would want to be drawn towards... But encouraging the newfound flank would need him out of it.

Iddin: "Zuzu grants blessings indeed! Doan is as mighty as ever."

_{Iddin moves 6 tiles to 20-30 and casts Heal on Ashur.
Ashur gains 9 VIT (16/16).
Iddin gains 18 EXP and 1 Theurgy, losing 1 Heal durability.}

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

Iddin surveys the battlefield again. Only a few of their enemies remained outside the gate. The Hellions had the advantage! Blissfully unaware of the other mercenary company's emergence, the priest calls out to his comrades.

Iddin: Charge! Rout them outside the gate and claim our spoils in these dwellings! If they desire to break their own defenses down to charge us, so be it. But for now we may slaughter and enjoy the riches!

The priest spots Makeen, wounded ahead. Confident his bandmates would dispatch the spearmen ahead, Iddin sprints forward with a great whistling cacophony. He comes to a halt besides Makeen and kicks up a great plume, falling short of the thief's neck. Iddin's staff sings with a violent thrust as he cants and Makeen's wounds are filled in.

Iddin: Blessed be Zuzu's fortune! Recover this man so that he may drink of the beer you grant. Let him grant swift death to his enemies and live twice as joyful for each, for he is given your grace and they are denied!

_{Iddin moves 6 tiles to 16-32 and casts Heal on Makeen.
Makeen gains 9 VIT (17/17).
Iddin gains 18 EXP and 1 Theurgy, losing 1 Heal durability.}

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."