134: War preparations

The female Assassin's attribute panel is as follows:

Name: Kliir Shadeveil

Loyalty to Liege: Lion Black

Liege Loyalty: 55

(Due to the physiological and psychological trauma you inflicted on her, she developed a twisted admiration for power.)

Race: Human

Gender: Female

Alignment: Neutral Evil

Age: 26

Place of Origin: Eltoil Slums

Background: Former Black Claw Mercenary Group Elite Assassin

Profession: Thief (Assassin)

Professional Level: 9

Attributes: Strength 12, Dexterity 18/90, Constitution 13, Intelligence 15, Perception 10, Charisma 14

Armor Class: 1

Hit Points: 42/42

Thac0: 9

Damage: 1d4+1

Proficiencies:

Armor: Light Armor

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbows, Longswords, Rapiers, Shortswords

Tools: Thieves' Tools, Disguise Kit, Poisoner's Kit

Saves: Dexterity, Intelligence

Skills: Investigation, Sleight of Hand, Stealth

Thief Skills: Sneak Attack, Thieves' Cant, Cunning Action, Assassinate, Uncanny Dodge, Evasion, Reliable Talent, Backstab x4 Damage, Poison Resistance +3, Shadow Affinity (AC+2 in dim light)

Magic Equipment:

Shadow Leather Armor: AC 3 (Once per day 'Blur', Backstab success rate +15%)

Serpent's Kiss Dagger: Damage 1d4+1 (Target must make a Constitution saving throw upon hit, failure results in paralysis for 1d4 rounds)

...

The former Priest's attribute panel was quite different; her loyalty was constantly increasing dynamically—

Name: Ruth Mo Ying

Loyalty to Liege: Lion Black

Liege Loyalty: 55 -> 56 -> 57 -> 58 -> 59...

(The last chance for survival and redemption ignited her twisted loyalty. Without external interference, her loyalty continues to rise. She has, through self-psychological reconstruction, transferred her former loyalty to her god to her host.)

Race: Human

Gender: Female

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Age: 16

Place of Origin: Village outside Baldur's Gate

Background: Shar Church 'Dusk Blade' Assassination Team (Divine power stripped for revealing church secrets)

Profession: Former Priest / Current Warrior (Blasphemous Tactician)

Professional Level: Level 6 Priest (Inactive) / Level 3 Warrior (After reclassing)

Attributes: Strength 15, Dexterity 13, Constitution 14, Intelligence 12, Wisdom 7 (Degraded after divine power stripping), Charisma 10

Armor Class: 3

Hit Points: 49/49

Thac0: Warrior level modifier is 11

Damage: 1d6+2 (Flail 'Apostate') + 1d4 (Shield Bash)

Proficiencies:

Interrogation: Mental Torture (Success Rate +25%)

Anti-Divine Magic: Discern Priest Spell Intent

Conspiracy: Plan Ritual Destruction

Special Abilities:

Blasphemous Mark (Deals +2 damage to divine spellcasters)

Shar's Lingering Curse (Takes 50% extra damage when healed by positive energy)

Magic Equipment:

Obsidian Flail 'Apostate' (Extra +2 damage to good-aligned characters)

Spell-Draining Shield (20% chance to absorb spells for 1d6 temporary hit points when blocking)

...

Kedas, the Lord of Gorebest, went to gather everyone for a pre-war meeting. At this moment, the safest places in all of Gorebest, besides the Morning Song Temple, were my Wizard's Cottage.

The pre-war meeting was tentatively scheduled for the side hall on the first floor of my Wizard's Cottage.

The three new retainers I had released were now standing before me.

I instructed the three of them to take over the Thieves' Guild personnel at the Porcupine Thieves Guild.

Secretly, I also gave Kliir her first task: to steal Angel the Bard's Emerald Skull Lute for me, without her knowledge, and then return it.

The key to the mission was that neither the Bard herself nor anyone else should realize the lute had ever been missing.

After arranging these individuals, I went to the side hall on the first floor.

Meeting members had already started to arrive.

About twenty minutes later, the pre-war meeting officially began.

Kedas, the Lord of Gorebest, Kovenreid, the highest commander of the local Flame Fist, and the three council members: 布恩·崔文赫斯特, 查理斯·卡贝, and myself, a total of five people, attended this meeting.

First, I briefed everyone on the location of the bandit gang's lair and their military strength.

Edmund Klester, the master of the Black Claw Mercenary Group, is a Level 10 Warrior—Arcane Archer. Kovenreid seemed particularly surprised when he heard the names Black Claw Mercenary Group and Edmund Klester.

The other two leaders of the Black Claw Mercenary Group were the escaped Goblin Chief 'Splintertooth' Goluk, a Level 11 Priest; and the Half-elf 'Greyfeather' Egger, a Level 7 Ranger.

They had approximately 150 human subordinates, over 260 Goblins, and over 190 Kobolds, most of whom were archers.

Their four strongest combatants—a Level 10 Warrior, a Level 9 Assassin, a Level 6 Priest, and a Level 6 Mage—came to assassinate me yesterday. The first three have been subdued by me, and the Mage was eliminated on the spot by us yesterday.

The remaining minor leaders numbered in the dozens, mostly archer warriors, with levels ranging from 1 to 6.

At this time, most of their forces were scattered along the Wan'an Highway between Gorebest and Baldur's Gate, and between Gorebest and Naskel.

While intercepting merchant caravans, they also lost a portion of their mercenaries, the exact number unknown.

My suggestion was that instead of passively taking blows, we should proactively send troops to wipe out their lair in the Ras Forest.

With the bandits leaderless, the fight would be much easier.

The meeting lasted from early morning until evening.

The battle plan was essentially finalized.

Since the enemy's main elites were all within the bandit lair, and their numbers were not large.

The task of eliminating the bandit lair was assigned to seven strong individuals leading 40 cavalry.

Kedas, the Level 10 Priest Lord, personally led the team, along with Kovenreid, an 8th-level Warrior, Randall, an 8th-level Holy Knight, Green, a 7th-level Sword Saint, and Prima, an 8th-level Shaman. They would follow Damon, a 10th-level Warrior, and Kliir, a 9th-level Assassin, to form a seven-person assault team, infiltrate the bandit camp, and carry out a decapitation strike.

The 40 Flame Fist cavalry would then provide support, responsible for eliminating enemies in the outer perimeter.

As for me and the other two council members, we would stay behind to cooperate with the current Vice Commander of the Flame Fist, hold Gorebest, and resist the incoming bandits and potentially appearing Gnolls, awaiting the Lord's return for reinforcement.

The journey to the bandit lair in the Ras Forest, calculated at a normal merchant caravan's pace, would take about a week.

They would travel light and fast, departing before dawn tomorrow, journeying day and night, expected to arrive within 3 days. If all goes well, they could return to Gorebest in seven or eight days.

By then, it would be about three days before the Midwinter Festival.

After the meeting, I gave Randall two cufflinks—pearl white Ioun Stones—each capable of restoring 2 hit points to him every 5 rounds.

The Holy Knight, however, insisted on not accepting them.

"I am protected by a Wizard Tower now, nothing will happen to me," I ordered him to wear the cufflinks, "This morning, Lord Kedas has already sent someone to invite Master Tyrantier to help defend the city. He is a Level 10 Mage, and I will ask him to help me engrave runes on the Wizard Tower to further upgrade its capabilities."