Most of late summer was spent eradicating pests. I slew two bands of brigand stragglers between midsummer and autumn and Cernetu himself ran into another large band of brigands.
He had already been wounded in the first battle and a group of nearly a dozen brigands attacked him from ambush. After slaying three, he managed to disengage long enough to call a band of longdead to his aid. The first few were cut down by the brigands but bought Cernetu time to call more and after that the result of the battle was a foregone conclusion. In the space of two months, Cernetu has singlehandedly slain 14 brigands and outlaws.
However, he needs at least the entire autumn to heal from his injuries. Tough he may be, but not invulnerable. More's the pity...
The soulless I left defending the hamlet out west came under attack by more horrors like the ones we slew on the plain.
Fortunately, they prevailed with the loss of but one. However, being animated undead, soulless lack healing powers and their injuries are permanent. That group is in sad shape and needs reinforcements.
The beginning of autumn also brings with it a surfeit of frustration:
Having just hired a new apprentice, there is nothing but a gaping hole where my treasury used to be and THEN comes a wizard, hat in hand, asking if I have work for him. Yes, yes I bloody well do! Only not quite enough funds to pay him up front and the bastard doesn't accept payment in several installments!
It's especially aggravating, since wizards of the Golden Order usually don't have anything good to say about those of my discipline, so I would dearly have loved to have him as part of my staff. They are very useful and Manvale could have used some help.
(In this recruitment preview, the stats of the wizard can be seen, but his magic and item slots are obscured, since wizards do not reveal their secrets to anyone but those who hire them, nor do they advertise what treasures they may carry. This prevent min/maxing on the basis of what spells a wizard for hire may have and forces a serious consideration of whether to take advantage of an offer. Assuming one has the funds in the first place. Wizards often carry items and quite a few times the item may be more valuable than the wizard himself, depending on the circumstances.)
There was also another scruffy goblin chieftain and his band of archers, who while useful, were given short shrift when there was the wizard to negotiate with.
(The goblin archers appear in green because they are mercenaries who appear along with the chieftain. Mercenaries may only be recruited once, like commanders, even if you have several citadels. Once recruited, they disappear from the list.)
I have planned a rendezvous with Manvale and Cernetu and Mavale is on his way. With all the various wildlife and brigands nearby exterminated, he should be safe enough on his own for this little stretch. Cernetu has taken refuge at a mountain where he can enjoy the advantage of defensive terrain if something should be foolish enough to attack him.
Re: CoE3 AAR: A Chronicle of the Interregnum
Hybrid Mode
