War Council

Stoneshade Keep - Ostiarium

"And you think this message means the clans are about to betray us?" The Duke asked Sir Zane. The old Knight nodded curtly glancing at the emaciated figure of The Purger, standing near the roaring fire place.

He could feel the heat from where he stood but Margrave seemed unaffected by it, as if the man was perpetually cold.

"And the agent in question was reported dead a few weeks ago you say?" The Duke asked again, his mind racing already with the implications if Zane's suspicions were true.

"Murdered in Aquilo. But not before he dispatched this message. The clans can no longer be trusted. Balt's intel was always solid." He replied.

"This is what happens when you make deals with savages and heathens, Stoneshade." Came the Purger's gravely voice. He walked away from the fire to stand near Sir Zane looking again at the etched symbol of Ereuhin on his breastplate.

The Lord Commander shrugged. They were going to betray Koshnem's people eventually too. He just didn't want to be fighting too many wars on different fronts so soon after securing the plains from the Odsier.

"Any word from the Ozainae?" He asked ignoring Margrave.

"The march across the desert. Every Sept is sending men to engorge the Sand Horde. Calls have gone out for mercenaries too." Zane reported.

"What is your advise Sir Zane?" The Duke asked knowing the man's experience in warfare could not be discounted.

"Start preparing for a siege. Most of the harvests are in storage. Issue orders to slaughter most animals prepare rations. Conscript every able body man of fighting age into the army."

"A siege?" The Duke asked pondering the advise. "The Spets and the Clans do not have the martial technology to breach the walls. With the sea at our backs and two naval ships left we could withstand a real siege for years against them."

"But they have magik." The Purger pointed out... "And magik will be the great equaliser..." He said in a tone that made it clear that they needed him and his knowledge now more than ever.