On Bloodied Sands
Second Day of the Third Month 294 AC
Bronzehold, Div's Delight, Borderlands of Stone and Flame
Sallah bin Khalid, Akvan-Slayer, Wrath of the Deadlands and Pasha of the Bronzehold had as little use for new allies in the midst of a shifting of the front as he did for an untested blade on the eve of battle. Yet even one who had earned a Pasha's pearls in the hellscape of Div's Delight was not above a rescript from the Opal Throne, and in this it was as clear as white diamonds and just as unyielding. These guests from the Garden were to be treated with all the courtesy and comfort the Sixth Army could muster.
In his more hopeful musings, Sallah could not help but note that the Bronzehold had far less of the latter than other fortresses of the Peerless Empire, untainted by blood, ash and dust.
Perhaps the strangers would ask for another posting, and whatever courtier had brought them to the attention of the Sultana would be minded to give it to them.
"They have arrived," Captain Sinar's words came through the Speaking Sands far too soon. Then came a description of their guests.
"Repeat," Sallah was not used to giving that order here his own fortress rather than out in the tunnels and ravines, but this warranted it.
He had not misheard. Five dragons. True wyrms, not beasts that merely shared their blood, creatures of death and shadow besides. They would find plenty of both in Div's Delight to make use of. Even that Iblis-sworn torturer Hazim would not be out looking for this. Time to make plans and quickly, before the news spread.
The disdain for unknown quantities was cast to the winds in the face of opportunity. In Div's Delight chances to see the enemy's planned maneuvers while hiding your own were few and far between, and not to be squandered. Sallah would lead the diversionary attack himself to hopefully stretch the enemy scouts and watchers along the front thin, then the dragons could slip unseen behind enemy lines, perhaps even work a touch of sabotage to go along with the spying.
The pasha was already questioning the leader of the dragons about their magic and what enchantments might best complement them when he remembered the two humans in the room. Some use could be found for them as well he supposed, if they were not cowering in the company they found themselves in then they were either mad or competent, and over the centuries Sallah had grown quite adept at spotting madness.
***
Fifteenth Day of the Third Month 294 AC
Sand and blood swirled crimson over the jaded stones, the ground shook and roiled under the weight of brazen boots and fire belched from the depths, bile and black sorcery, and the Peerless Legions quaked at their advance, nameless beasts roared and brayed behind them, and a thousand brazen wheels screeched under the hands of azer smiths. The advance of the shaitan had never been meant to be more than a diversion, but now it risked a rout in place of the orderly retreat Sallah had envisioned.
He moved through the sand, a part of it now, emboldening his troops and casting fingers of cold death on enemy champions and where his staff struck the earth, time itself seemed to shiver to give the general time to bolster the line. He had slain eight of the Brass Bastard's Dervish Lords already, yet they did not flag, tasting blood.
Common fire did not touch Sallah, and unwitting gift of the greatest foe he had faced, but the hell-flame the foe wielded burned him still. Yet the pain was nothing besides seeing his soldiers die. Time seemed to slow to a crawl around him as he danced with death among the sands, his mind awhirl with commands for his officers.
Finally they made it under the fire of their own batteries, where the wards burned steady silver under foot. Too many lost. "I hope that damn scouting was worth it," the Pasha muttered under his breath.
It was, but the news they brought was grim enough to make the pasha curse in the tongue of the Pit, for no words crafted by shaitan tongue could encompass this condemnation.
The enemy were sacrificing ifrit slaves too wounded or weak to fight onto the cursed sands through what seemed to be infernal magic to raise divs that had never been genies. For now these foul rituals were few and the resulting creatures even madder than common for div, but the Pasha could not help but wonder how much longer would it take the Brazen Throne to collar these new abominations. Much as he hated them, Sallah had to admit they were skilled in that.
Reconnaissance Assets helped uncover more about the surge in div numbers
Do your troops take part in further operations this month or withdraw?
[] Continue to serve
-[] In a scouting role
-[] in a combat role
[] Withdraw for now
[] Write in
OOC: The rolls were not the best for this action, but on a plus side none of those you deployed died which was a very real possibility.
