I'll crawl home (open)

[overharrowed]

FORM: Sending crystal
SENDER: Julius
RECIPIENT: All of Riftwatch
NOTES: It's not going great, y'all. CW for grief and discussion of death, as well as potential discussion of specific violence depending on how things go.

[The (remaining) division heads have already been alerted privately, he knows. Julius didn't ask Yseult what, specifically, she said, but he assumes he's not going to say anything she hadn't included.

His voice is quiet and grave, and if he had to practice this a few times before actively sending it, only four people in Riftwatch will ever know for sure.]

This is Julius. I regret to inform you all that Granitefell was hit with a secondary attack, which has all the earmarks of a planned ambush. We were badly outnumbered, and we took. [A pause, though when he resumes, his voice is still even.] We took incredibly heavy causalities. The few of us who survived will require assistance as quickly as you can manage, as will the few local survivors.

I know you will have questions, and I will try to answer what I can. The others can answer too if they are up to it, of course, but I ask your understanding if they don't as we've all had. [Pause.] A very long night.

Comments

Crystal

[notathreat]

What-

What supplies- what do you need out there?

I’m coming right now.

[overharrowed]

Mainly transport, but as a practical matter it would be a good idea to bring some extra food and water. There was a lot of damage to the village, not just the people, so our provisions are.

[...'they'd be more of a problem if more people were alive to consume them' catches in his throat. Instead, after a moment:]

It's not desperate, but probably a good idea. And some first aid supplies, for the injured.

[notathreat]

Has anybody been able to scout the surrounding area, make sure nobody's waiting to ambush the help?

[Ellie's voice is low, clipped, carefully controlled.]

I'll bring a string of griffons and load them up. I can scout if nobody else is available.

[tender]

Can I ride with you, please?

[notathreat]

Of course. Start gathering up medical supplies. Please.

I'll meet you- meet you in the yard. Help you get loaded up.

[prelest]

I can heal. With magic. I can come as well.

[notathreat]

Then I hope you're good with heights.

[Abby isn't. She clings and curses and breathes like she's run a marathon and complains and forces herself to do it anyway-

And Clarisse loves flying, she held so tight the first time they went up, whooping with excitement and laughter and cares about whether Blunder is jealous of seeing her ride double with Ellie on Artie-]

Flight's not that far. Meet us in the courtyard with any supplies you need.

private;

[grindset]

[Short of breath,]

Come to the workroom on your way to the eyrie. I'm packing a Thaumoscope—you can use it to search for anchor signatures.

[notathreat]

[Not breathing so well herself- many stairs.]

Can you show me how to use it?

[tender]

Julius—

[ heavy casualties weighs on her, a vise of dread bearing down on her chest. ]

I’ll come. Are you alright?

public > private

[overharrowed]

I'm exhausted, but I'm not seriously injured.

[He considers leaving it there, but Derrica deserves more than that. But he does switch to private before saying:]

It's only five of us and about a dozen villagers standing. We ... we lost almost everyone.

private ∞

[tender]

Julius…

[ so softly. ]

Are you alright?

[ is not quite the same question. ]

[ipseite]

( heavy casualties, what does that mean— )

Are you safe?

[overharrowed]

I am.

[And not "we are."]

private.

[ipseite]

( petrana has always known julius to be precise in his speech. in his thoughts. it had been no small part of why she'd wanted him for diplomacy in the first place, )

No.

( just— )

[sprent]

'The few'?

(But so many people left...)

[hassaran]

Five. [ To be precise. ]

[sprent]

(Silence, for a long while.

Then,) Names?

(Somebody has to ask.)

[heartstumbles]

Yeah, um. It's bad. It's really bad.

[altusimperius]

Few?

[overharrowed]

Five.

[It doesn't get easier for the repetition.]

[heirring]

Forgive me, but which casualties exactly?

[This seems to her like vital, overlooked information!]

[overharrowed]

Mme. de Foncé. [He keeps enough of an ear out in the Gallows to know this may not be her only priority, but it feels correct to start with:] I am so sorry to have to deliver the news, but your husband fell in the battle.

[cozen]

[ At a delay, long enough for the names of the survivors to be shared and for the griffons to be sent on their way and for Bastien to have found himself sitting on the floor of the diplomacy office with their-but-mostly-Byerly’s dog: ]

How big was the force? Were they—do we need to try to alert anyone else that they may be moving on elsewhere?

[overharrowed]

Significant, but more in firepower than pure numbers. The red lyrium dragon was here. Ferra with dracolisk riders. Venatori and I think some Ander soldiers. It was ... they expected us, but I don't think they expected as much resistance as we were able to mount.

[Saying something, considering the results as it was.]

Certainly alerting contacts in the area would be a good idea, but it wasn't clear where they were going next from the way they pulled back. At least to me.