Marshal Balter speaks.
"It seems likely from the statement of Baron Bellamie that hundreds of men in the service of Baron Tashalen were turned - turned without ever entering the Shadow World most like, for what else would send men of Osoerde to pillage and burn their own certain to face the wrath of their ArchDuke?""
"We stand here now ready to enter not merely the Shadow World, but to enter the very heart of darkness where our foe waits prepared - with access to realm magic of might of power as proven when last troops of Anuire were sent after him - and of all those who entered only the greatest of heroes escaped unscathed."
"In the waking world our troops will - aside from those fortified by magic - be at a disadvantage, as seen by the attacks of recent nights and the experience of the north against the Eyeless One when the demons of the shadow world raged amongst our ranks without hindrance until the intervention of the Iron King. In the Shadow World however troops are at far greater disadvantage, and everyone who falls is likely to rise as enemy, I can tell you now that only the most disciplined troops will not collapse at the sight of their brothers rising to seek their blood."
"I suggest then the following, a division of our force into not two but three."
"The bulk of the troops remain in the waking world and scour these hills of all shadow. These should be led by the Swordmage and Pontiff, to defend the army, scour the hills of shadow, and stand against the Grey Duke should he win free of his tomb - for who other than the Pontiff could rally the men should all others fall and the Swordmage already stands as general."
"A second much smaller force made of only the most disciplined of troops armed with magic, fire, or silver. If troops await within the valley then the smaller force will delay or divert it whilst the heroes pass by and penetrate fully into the Shadow World, if none then the smaller force will simply scout briefly and leave without hopefully ever entering the Shadow World. Another easily identifiable lord of the light should guide the smaller force that it can appear as our true attack force if required - perhaps the High Hierophant, along with decoys of those who would obviously be part of any assault on the Shadow World such as the Patriarch.
The third is the true expression of our purpose. A small band of heroes who will, hopefully pass without notice while our enemy looks at the greater numbers or is distracted by the small force of troops.
I mean no disrespect to any of these worthies, but they are all known, feared, and thus watched by our enemy - if I could persuade the Patriarch to remain I would do so for I truly believe that the Grey Duke will watch him more than any other.
While the others confer, the Marshal briefly speaks quietly to the Pontiff. "Your holiness, Elenie has warned its neighbours often of the Shadow over the past two years , my apologies if you were not kept as informed as you should have been. The theft of the Book of Law was however utterly unexpected by the east, and much ado has been done about determining his purpose in the brief time since it was taken which is why this warning comes so urgently."
"This also I note, the servants of the Grey Duke are creatures of chaos, to detect such foes Elenie has been stricter than ever regarding the rule of law, and none have taken the burden more severely than the Patriarch and High Hierophant, who have both had predecessors turned to Shadow and so must follow the law absolutely to prove themselves daily to their people. This rigid pursuance of law has uncovered many spies of Shadow, bitter though its fruits have been to those of good heart who find themselves constrained where in happier times their good intent would have overcome petty regulations. Haelyn judges all in time, likely he will render his verdict on us all in the next few days and praise you for forbearance and humility in this holy cause as he frowns upon those who have sought personal gain or to defend mere pride.
