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[Imladir]

[Cailin - 11th day - Main Camp] #172

Cailin shrugs "We can check for Mages. Something we'll have to do anyway to see what we can and cannot do. Besides that..."

[adamu]

"Most things have opposites in magic, right? For every sort of magical detection, don't you have concealments? Sorry, just a layperson asking..."

[Imladir]

[Cailin - 11th day - Main Camp] #173

"Doesn't mean we all know how." She looks at the sky for a couple of seconds, then sighs "A combat Mage would, but I'm not. I know the basics of Counterspelling, but not enough. And even if I did, I'd need to be with the people I'd be protecting, not here. So..."

[adamu]

"Sorry to have pressed. It's amazing, really, how much good your talents have done for us in so very many ways. Don't think we're...I'm...not appreciative. All we have to do is hold out until my Father and his men get here. It won't be long now."

[Beta]

Addie -- Day 11, Towards Dawn, Camp by the Caves

Addie adds in "I'm not great at the matrix stuff, to figure out much more about the sensors. While you plan let me go wake up some of the others with links, they might be able to figure out more, especially if we work together."

She starts jogging away, then stops and pulls back close enough to talk quietly "IF those matrix items are links, that could be another way to do diplomacy -- we reach out to them that way? I'll let you think about that while I marshal our matrix resources."

It doesn't take long to wake up Nora, Aria, and Scrap, then after a moment she finds Widget -- already awake and looking at the channels water has carved in the cave floor--and brings him in too. Addie quickly cautions them against being too obvious on the matrix, and explains that there are matrix objects approaching, and that the more they know about those objects the better, preferably without being too obvious themselves. "Look, it is only thanks to coaching from Widget and Pierre that I can use my link properly at all, I know about enough to say "there is a matrix object, not too far away. But hopefully some of the rest of you know more, and can get more information. And Widget, feel free to chime in with ideas since you seem to understand this stuff pretty well."

The technicalities of it all largely escape Addie, but she's gratified to find that the group cooperate with her request and after a few intense moments agree on what they are sensing.

"Now," adds Addie. "I don't even know if it is possible without more gear, but none of you could actually hack that, by any chance?"

[Gilga]

Once Dana was done with an alternative and hopefully secret exit, she walked around in the cave clearly getting restless. "Why are they not attacking us already..." she shrugged "They clearly do not want to talk" She grabbed a bow from one of the Orc hunters and held it along with a quiver of arrows, "Nice pull, now show me how to use it." She said - and to her surprise, the man complied.

Seeing how cooperative he was to her she Demanded to know "Do I know you? Why are you nice to me?"

"Name is Blake and I made bows for most of the pack, you are welcome to use this one... if you are as strong as you claim to be I bet you can pull it. Why do you need it?"

Dana answered "Because if I stand with the warriors without any mundane weapon - they will all target me. Can't be of much use if I am dead. Besides how hard can it be?" She pulled the bow and launched an arrow, it indeed went roughly to the way she wanted. Blake said "Good enough if the target is not moving, but you take too long to fire."

Dana replied "Just give me a few days... and when you have time, pull that string a bit harder."
Blake nodded and Dana thanked him. His face was familiar. However, Dana could not place it, until it hit her - he was right there with Muhammad. Perhaps more than a follower. She would have remembered but then that pretty boy tried to stab her and everything happened so fast.

[Beta]

[Addie, camp by the caves, dawn of day 12]

The realization that this other group is also ‘just kids’ passes through the kids in the cave like a gust of wind bowing tall grass, people turn to talk to their neighbours, a general rustling is heard, as everyone starts wondering what this means, would they really attack, could a deal be struck?

Addie’s thoughts are not that much different than those of everyone else, but more focused on one area – intimidation. She quickly returns to near Maya and Cailin, glad to see that Klarissa and Raf are nearby too. She frowns at the absence of Dana, but then remembers that she was working on an emergency escape route from the caves.

“They are trying to intimidate us. Killing the hunters and leaving them to be found, all dressed up in their animal outfits, spread out like that to make it look like they are a bigger group than they really are. But they aren’t as great as all that, look that cache of old body armor we found had about as many sets in it as we found in our drop, so if this is the same group then they look like they’ve lost a lot of their members, and they don’t have armor. If there have been even more groups dropped then probably they’ve also been around the same size, so same about loss of members although maybe they could be hiding armor, but I think we’d see flashes of it.”

“We need to look strong too. We should show our numbers but make them look even bigger, I think, in case they don’t have a good count yet. Get people moving in and out of the caves, and make a lot of noise. Maybe even bang rocks or sticks or something, loud drumming is kind of fierce, right? Show we aren’t panicked, that we are all holding together. Then if they don’t make a move, maybe use magic to levitate or carry a few of us over the river. You know, ‘ho-hum we have so much magic and our mages are so strong that we’d rather do this than get our legs wet.’ All part of showing that we are strong and not scared of them. That should hopefully be enough that they would send people down from the ridge to talk -- and the far shore should still be well out of bow range from the ridge, if what I've heard and seen about bows this past week is any guide.”

She looks down at her fingers for a moment as she counts off “They are putting on a show, we should put on a show, bluff our numbers, bluff our magic …” She looks at her thumb for a moment then looks back up “Right, the last thing – neither side can afford a full on war, both sides would take too much damage, no matter the outcome. So if neither side can win by intimidation, then what? Two options, we negotiate something, or go really old school and put it down to a contest or ritual combat, or something like that. Which sounds really stupid, but it is actually pretty traditional, right? Like two boys try to bluff each other away, trash talk each other, but end up arm wrestling or seeing who can hit a target with a thrown rock or something, so that they don’t both end up hurt in a brawl.”

[Imladir]

[Cailin - 11th day - Main Camp] #174

Cailin looks at the line of kids, scowling "So... They're the one who killed our hunters?"

For a moment, she stays silent (though she groans when Addie talks about showing off with Magic, easy for her to say, she's not the one who have to work at it...). Not looking at anyone in particular, she asks "Want me to grab one of them? On the edge, so that their mages won't notice before it's too late? Maybe I should do that for each of them, and drop them in the river..."

[Beta]

"What if you grabbed one and brought them to us? We can question, make demands, let them wade back across the river. Probably not a leader or they might go for violence to regain face. And I guess we should get the Legion of super mates assembled in case they try magic back at us¦ right?"

[Mercy]

Maya looks about. "Could we not have some air spirits appear behind them and sweep several into the gorge from the cliff? They are showing off their strength and trying to intimidate us, but it seems to me that they might be a bit overconfident. If we even only get a few to fall in, we might unnerve them a bit. Dana, you have created a tunnel for us, but could you use your mojo to collapse part of the cliff beneath even a few of them, causing some to fall? We could coordinate our efforts so it takes them by surprise. Even if we only get a dozen or so, we will make them leery and reduce the odds against us. Can it be done?"

[Gilga]

Dana said "It is possible... the earth usually do what I tell it to do, I can trapp them in it or literally move it from under their feet. "

[Beta]

[Camp by the Caves, as day 12 is dawning]

Addie chuckles, then explains "How about a one-two punch? Have Dana do her thing with the ground, and during that confusion Cailin snatches someone and floats them over here? That shows strength, but also shows that we aren't starting a war right away."

[Mercy]

Maya looks grim. "We can do the snatch and try to get someone we can question, but these fraggers started a war already and killed friends. I am not of a mind to take it easy on them. Dana, I would like you to move enough earth to topple a couple of them into the gorge. Can we get any spirits to assist in pushing a few more over the cliff edge? Cailin, Lindsey, Dana? Anyone else. If we do it as a coordinated attack, we might catch a few off guard and kill some before they know what is happening and step back from the edge."

[Gilga]

Dana said "Okay, got it push them over the cliff, piece of cake. Caiilin can you identify their awakened ? Some mages can just counterspell - either we geek the mages or we try to avoid them."

[Imladir]

[Cailin - 11th day - Main Camp] #175

Caitlin shakes her head "They have two Awakened and a spirit. But I won't do anything if you just plan to kill them." She crosses her arms on her chest, quite resolute "I suggested to grab one to talk and learn more about them, not as a way to start a battle."

[Beta]

Addie spends a moment in amazement that she is in agreement with Cailin for a change, then starts nodding vigorously. "I agree with Cailin! How many more of our group do you want to see dead? Besides we don't know what tricks they might be hiding still. I’m not happy about our deaths, and when we get time I’m going to cry over each and every one of them and also make sure that everyone remembers them. But more deaths won’t bring them back.”

“And just think! Once we kill some of them, they’ll be out for revenge. Even if we shatter their group," she smacks one fist into her other palm suddenly to emphasize her words "we’d better be ready to enslave or kill the survivors. Else they might not have a better choice than to chase after us for revenge or to scavenge off of us. Same reason I've said that exile isn't a good way to deal with crimes in the group.”

“But if we show we can take revenge, but we don’t – yet – then maybe we can avoid more deaths. Including Niyaf most likely, because I’m suspecting that they might have her. Look, I don’t have the magic, the mages get to choose what to do with their powers, all I can do is say what I think. But we can be strong without being violent If it comes to it, sure we fight, but the cost of fighting would be really high.”

After a moment she muses “Who knows, maybe they might even have some people not happy with how they are doing things, and seeing us behave better could change things with them? Or lead to a split or something?”

[Mercy]

Maya looks at her advisers and hardens her heart for a moment then nods. She is not going to be the dictator. "Very well. We can do it that way. I am not convinced that even grabbing one will not send the others into attack mode, but it might be worth a shot. Let's go ahead and do that. But I think that we should be prepared to take them on if this does not work."

[Imladir]

[Cailin - 11th day - Main Camp] #176

Cailin shrugs "Then there's the second option: I go out to talk to them. By myself I'm not a threat to them, but with a spirit with me, I don't appear too weak either. And if they take me..." she shrugs "You won't have lost much in the way of fighting potential."

[Gilga]

Dana said "Nonesense, Caillin, I am not sending you alone to the way of danger.
If anything, it is not unlikely that I can simply kill all of them. I mean I am not fond of killing people but they bleed just like lions and dogs and bears... If they behave like animals then I will butcher them like animals. Having a bunch of archers and spirits watching my back is also not a bad idea... Saved my life against the dogs."

[Imladir]

[Cailin - 11th day - Main Camp] #177

Cailin cocks an eyebrow "Of course. But the goal is to go there to talk, not fight. In a fight, no one would think twice to know who is better between you and me. I was taught how to handle some difficult social situations though, were you?"

[Gilga]

Dana shrugged "So far every single thing we encountered have tried to kill us, why would these people be any different. " She shakes her head "No I am not skilled in diplomacy but I carry a big stick so if I accompany you they are less likely to be violent. No offense Caillin but you do not look that intimidating for a crowd of 30 children with modern bows and god knows what other technology. "

[Imladir]

[Cailin - 11th day - Main Camp] #178

Cailin snorts "I'm not supposed to be seen as a threat, it's kind of the point. Plus, they'll know I'm Awakened, especially since I plan to go there with my Spirit. Which means they won't see me as a threat, but won't be sure of it since they don't know what I can do. Maybe if I go there by myself, I can torch them all? They'll be careful and willing to talk. At least as long as I don't make a mistake anyway."

[Gilga]

Dana said "These people have likely wiped out our hunting party. There is a difference between appearing non threatening and appearing hostile. Trust me, you do not want to go there alone.

Two awakened are better than one, and multiple spirits are better than one.
Let's throw in some archer cover and drums beat. The more fierce we appear they less likely violence is. We outnumber them and we have the body gloves and plenty of magic.
It is likely that we are the stronger group. The more force we show the less likely they are to choose violence.

If we appear weaker than we are we invite violence. Our people need you, losing you may tip the balance in their favor. Do not give them the opportunity for such easy gains.
"

[Imladir]

[Cailin - 11th day - Main Camp] #179

Cailin shakes her head, appearing irritated now "You don't understand. A show of force could initiate the fight, which we don't want. On the contrary, they won't expect me going alone, which means they won't know how to react. If they don't know how to react, they won't know what makes me so sure of myself, and I'll have the initiative."

[Gilga]

Dana embraced Caillin and said softly "I only object because I care about you. If you feel that this is the right way to defuse the situation then go. If I knew what to do, I would have done it already. It is better than seat here and discuss it.

Just be safe alright? I will pray for your safety."