The middle of the autumn is once more seeing the leaves fall from trees, but it is a much less dismal occasion now than it was a year ago. Considering my position right outside the lair of the horror that lairs in the ruins of the Capitol, that could be interpreted many ways... *chuckle*
The environs of the destroyed city are swarming with undead. There are small groups moving across the land, posing a hazard for anyone not sufficiently prepared. I was set on retaking the farms and hamlets around the plain where I found the Colossus, but I had to change my plans somewhat.
Those painted savages and their toad men are still somewhere in the near vicinity, the restless dead pose a threat and if I try take on everything, my troops will be whittled down in short order. On top of that, I nearly walked into an ambush that had the potential to decimate my troops, even as numerous as they currently are. Only that woodsman I hired as a scout prevented me from blundering headlong into it. There is a well organized band of brigands led by renegade military scouts preying on settlements and they had set up an ambush in a hamlet formerly in my possession.
Since defeating the brigands first would leave me weakened before facing those worshipers of...what did they call it? Yes, the God of the Four Faces, I decided to first move to take possession of the battlefield southeast of the Capitol. It was defended by a fairly sizeable band of lesser undead led by a wight. However, as always, there is a complication.
The wight is merely the lieutenant and the true power on that battlefield is a wraith, a far more dangerous undead. I wish I had one in my ranks, but I'm just going to have to destroy this one. They are notoriously independent minded and there are no magical means of persuading them to change allegiance. If I still had only human troops, I'd stay away, since the mere appearance of a wraith is enough to send men fleeing for their lives, screaming in terror. Fortunately the living dead do not have such concerns. I must remind myself to give that scout a pay raise, since it was him once more who noticed that all was not as it seemed at a casual glance.
(Narrator's note: The pay raise is part of the story. There is no unit upkeep.)
The presence of the wraith is an annoying setback, but there is also some good news:
A most capable fellow by the name of Manvale presented himself at the gates of my citadel and offered to work for me. Hiring him cost the price of a squad of swordsmen plus a scout thrown into the bargain, but despite this sudden bankruptcy, I consider every last copper of it well spent.
My new lieutenant and seneschal is a local hero of some note and can well take over the more mundane duties of managing the holdings and he can hold his own in a fight if he should come face to face with brigands. I still need to gather group of underlings for him, since this area is far from pacified and holding off a bandit or two is a far different proposition than facing large groups or entire wolf packs.
Moreover, Manvale seems to have come into possession of a spell scroll in his travels, which is an unexpected boon. It is of absolutely no use for him, but invaluable to me, as it will probably contain the knowledge required to learn more incantations. I must arrange to meet with him face to face at once!