"I agree, Lord Tolan," replied Sterling still a little concerned about the Wood Elf's response to his men riding through the Forest of Macul. "We may have found the bottleneck that we need, however, I'll leave the management of ever-growing alliance in your hands. While I am a soldier to my heart, I have little love for politics and diplomacy in general.""I never claimed to have overmuch love for it, myself," Tolan admitted. "I have simply grown very accustomed to it after sixteen years. I had never expected to be called to our family's hereditary seat on the Council, that post was my brother's. I was quite the adventurer in my youth, thinking perhaps that I might earn my spurs as a Knight before... before Fate played her hand and pushed me into the ranks of the Council. And even at that, I still often yearn to strap on my sword and embark on some great Quest rather than sit at the Council table making policies and declarations. And heading the Council," he added as an afterthought. "Yesterday Fate played another hand and thrust me into the role of Elder of the Council. Which has the unforseen benefit of allowing me to aid you more effectively."
Thinking for a minute, the Swordsman also said, "But there are a few more things that I wish to ask of you, Lord Tolan. I know that you have a small garrison of men stationed in Macula; could you please have them evacuate the town, destroy the bridge over the Macula river, and harvest those crops that they can and burn both the town and the surrounding farmland as well?" As a stunned look came over Lord Tolan's face, the Swordsman explained, "I know what I'm asking may seem quite incredulous, but if our bottleneck fails and the Orcs breakthrough the Forest of Macul, the town of Macula--if left standing--could be a perfect supply center, hospital, and headquarters for them. If the town's farmland is left intact, the crops could be used to feed Venger's army. And if the bridge is left intact, the Orcs will have an easier time crossing it with their wagons and siege weapons."
Tolan considered this uneasily. Gathering the crops and burning the fields was something he felt the Maculans would gladly do in order to halt the Orcs' advance. Destroying the bridge would not be such a difficult task to ask- such a thing could easily be rebuilt when this was over. Taking all their portable possessions and evacuating the town was likely something they would do without even being asked. But burning the town? Would they be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice of their very homes to aid Yarfell? Was it right to destroy one city in order to save another?
"Macula is not a very large town," he said after a moment. "It boasts a little over two hundred people. Yes, I do agree that the city could be used as a headquarters and possibly a supply depot, but an army of ten thousand could not shelter there. For that number of orcs, it likely could not even be used feasibly as a hospital. I would hope there is an alternative to destroying the town itself. But everything else- the crops, the bridge, can be burned easily."
Continuing with his explanation the Drow said, "As I see it, time is our greatest ally in this struggle. Our goal should be to try and keep the Orcs in the field of battle for as long as we possibly can. Ten men can live off the land very easiy, a hundred can do it with some difficulty, but it's impossible for ten thousand to do it if they are trapped in a forest! While the Orcs do have supply lines, I know for a fact that they usually carry rations that last for a few days! So if we play our cards right, we can literally starve them to death!"
"I like the way you think," Tolan agreed with a conspiratorial grin. "And I know that a small enough army, raised from the countryside, could easily loop around behind the army after it passes, and manage to cut off their supply lines, leaving the orc soldiers quite hungry."
Laughing a little, the Swordsman added, "And let me tell you, there are few things more pitiful than a hungry Orc looking for food! But in addition to all that I have asked, I have one more thing that I would like to request: Would it be possible to have heralds travel to most of the surrounding villages and towns announcing the terms of the Outworlder Amnesty? I have no doubt in my mind that some of my friends are probably laying low in some of those areas, and would be more than happy to come out of the cold if they knew that the amnesty existed. Well, what do you think?"
Sitting back, Tolan calculated in his head how quickly a person on foot could travel, counted back the hours to when the Outworlders had escaped from the dungeons, and plotted out the general location of the towns in the area. Guessing how far the Outworlders might have gotten, he made a mental checklist of all the towns to send riders in order to announce the pardon the Outworlders would receive for fighting with them against Venger- something that he was sure they had been sent to do in the first place.
"That can be done as well," he agreed. "Though the list of preparations we must make seems to be endless! Don't be concerned, Captain," Tolan laughed. "I will make any preparation necessary to save my beloved kingdom- even burning Macula if no other alternative can be found. But at the moment, it seems most important to start with gaining the alliance of the Wood Elves and the Swan May. We will have to start by returning little Ingeld. I will need a small group to help me do that. My sister would be an asset in speaking to our distant relatives amongst the Elves. One of the Young Ones is a Ranger, which would be a benefit to us were it not for the fact that he broke out of the dungeon about the same time you did, so there's no telling where he might be!" Tolan looked a little hopeful that one of Irzen's Outworlder Corporals might turn out to be that very Ranger in question, but that didn't appear to be the case. "But to prove your sincerity and help forge the alliance, do you think that it would be a wise idea to have one of your Drow warriors be among the party to return the child unharmed to her people?"
