two dozen skilled hunters with bows could stop an army in its tracks for months in that labyrinth of canyons. By managing our resources, we can focus on the northern defense. At my best count, there can’t be more than six hundred fifty men here. Reigns can call up ten to twenty times that amount if he were to put his mind to it.” Urake paused as Balinor looked like he wanted to speak.
“We have six hundred seventy five. House Inarack and a few of the others have promised us more men as soon as possible.”
“Be that as it may, this is not a time to plan grand toe to toe battles. We are outnumbered plain and simple. Reigns is not going to waste any time before he blockades the Outlands. When that happens, you can forget about promised troops or supplies unless you can coordinate a flanking army on the other side of the Garoche. While such a tactic would be useful, it would in time be flanked itself.”
“What then do you suggest Lord Sir Uraken?” Balinor twisted the title out sarcastically.
“You couldn’t have picked a better spot to entrench yourselves. The Outlands are defended on two of the four sides.”
“Two?” One of the heretofore silent members of the council spoke up.
“Yes, we have the Garoche Heights and the Sand Sea with the Badlands taking care of two sides. The northern Outlands will be difficult to defend, but there is the sea. Sure, there are rocky coast along an appreciable portion of the coast, but that doesn’t make it impossible to land troops. Reigns has ships. I'm told that he has enough to move nearly a thousand at a time. That makes our position this far north untenable. Much of the easy landing is between here and Keom. If we were to retreat to Keom, then we would have the river as a natural barrier.”
“We hadn’t thought about that. If we were to move south to Keom, then where would we put our men?” Redzyn inquired.
“Not to mention the fact that we haven’t received the provision wagon that we have been expecting.” Balinor produced a new piece of information.
“Reigns’ must have already began the blockade. All the more reason to move a large portion of our men south to Keom. It used to be a Sea Fort during the Millennium Wars. While undoubtedly rundown now, we could get it into a serviceable condition if we had a few weeks’ time. The locals down there have been feeling ignored by Shienhin, so if we were to show up and help the people there, they might just join us.”
“But what about provisions? You can’t eat a rundown Sea Fort.” Lortin myopically interjected.
“The Outlands have been a self-sustaining territory since before the Clan Wars. If we were to simple remove the taxes that Reigns has been bleeding them dry with, they would likely be able to support an army ten times our size.”
“That sounds like you are planning on the war lasting a long time. We hope to unite the houses and march on Shienhin within the year.” Lortin broke in again with insolence thinly veiled in his tone.
“When you have been fighting for as long as Balinor and I, then you will realize that wars never are as short as hoped, but are often far longer than anticipated. Many of the houses are probably backing both sides in the hopes of ingratiating themselves with the victors. We don’t have the numbers to achieve a lightning victory.”
“Your father was the wiliest enemy I ever had the honor to do battle with. It seems that you have inherited a fair portion of Ermor’s talent for war.” Balinor had been listening quietly for the last few minutes nodding approvingly every now and then despite his sour expression.
“He once said the same of you. He was prepared to accept the terms of surrender that Illiad was bringing when they were all massacred.”
“Plan for the worst and hope for the best. If what I have heard is correct, then between Keom and the southern fishing villages, the sea shore is rocky cliffs that would prevent landings.” Redzyn spoke up next pointing to a section of the Outlands.
“Exactly. The land throughout that region is fertile farm land with mild winters. It would take no trouble at all to build and man a string of watch fires along the coast to warn of any attempts at scaling the Sea Wall.” Urake agreed with Redzyn.