Is it Time to Recall Crisis Tactics Again?
(Crossing, Zoluren: 394 Nissa 357)
With the uncertainty and troubled times facing us now, the time is ripe for several ounces of preparations. Get these things ready NOW, before there is trouble, and you will be ready to face down whatever comes our way.
When the gates of town are under seige, and all hands are called for to defend and help the defenders, several things happen. Or should happen.
Veterans of the Wars and other invasions will know what to do, but often we forget to teach the younger companions key information.
So first, the general advice. Alishana’s hints for surviving will be a lot of help. Melvi and Ailyssa created a checklist of things to do as the Realms were facing the Gorbesh threat. This checklist is still valuable advice. Shapeshifter offered valuable advice to questing groups, too. Much of that applies to any emergency situation, as well.
Get several disposable weapons and have them blessed already. If someone takes it, you will not miss it. If you are carrying anything on you that you might miss were it to be taken, do not depart at a battlefield or other busy public place. Graverobbers come out in force at such times as this. Have a friend drag you somewhere quieter and get a glyph from a paladin. Then depart.
Note to those who depart: When you return, you need to touch the WARD. If your ward is not the first one you see, then you need to count the wards until you find yours. Refer to it quickly this way, for instance, as the fourth ward, and Voila! you will have your things again.
I have two sets of armor, one for times of crisis, and my good set. I do not wear my good set of hunters during a war or when I am expecting an invasion.
Herbs can help both the wounded and the empaths who are overwhelmed. Know what herbs do what, and have the most useful form ready. You just might learn a bit of mechanical lore and foraging while you stock that herb pouch, too! Sir Candidus provides an excellent crash course on herb preparation. You will find a quick reference list of the herbs themselves at Myyrann’s Garden.
Periwinkle detailed the strategies and tactics they used on the front lines in Therenborough during the Gorbesh assault there. Their successes with a few defenders make this text a classic resource for preparations.
Everyone can do something to help. Not all the heroes are the ones on the front lines. The Apostles organize an entire network of efforts and utilize the assistance of many people during times like this. Please check with them for needs, even if you are not a member of the organization.
First of all, keep calm, and be as quiet as you can. Orders and information can be easily lost or confused when there is a clamor. Whisper to your friend.
Assign someone in your group to listen to what is being reported over the gwethdesuans. Assign someone to retrieve weapons of the fallen in your group. Make sure someone can drag the stunned people away, and can get corpses to help quickly. Know whom to join if something befalls the leader. Know where you are going to regroup at if you are separated. Essentially, have a plan.
Guard your archers. A skilled bow or crossbow can mean a lot to an outnumbered defense. Guard moon mages if needed, too. They can cast deadly spells from the last ranks.
Mages, know the area you are going in, and where the power is.
Bards, station yourselves at every aid station and stronghold, the Empath’s guild and the Cleric’s guild. The Lilt will help the wounded, the empaths, and the clerics. Using the Lilt can double the speed at which recovery operations proceed. If someone is already playing a Lilt, when there is enough power, use Nexus to increase the power for those working. Or check at another healing or ressurecting spot. There never seem to be bards at all of them.
Bards on the front lines, remember to coordinate your enchantes. The Rage of the Clans will help all the defenders fight better. The Drums of the Snake will allow people to dodge better.
Paladins can cast courage and lead groups. This advantage is a potent one in the heat of battle. Paladins can also foil graverobbers by binding loose weapons on the ground before the graverobbers can steal them. I have watched faithful paladins stand by doing nothing but keeping up a Banner of Truce to protect an aid station from attacks. Horrid area spells will also be unable to be cast in an area with a Banner of Truce up. Additionally paladins of enough skill are needed where the dead are brought so that they can glyph those who will not be able to be resurrected.
Thieves and Moon Mages are wonderful at stealthy rescues or intelligence gathering. Remember to follow their instructions quietly and give them time to get into position.
Moon Mages, set your moonbeams to aid stations beforehand. Consider using one of the alternate places. If everyone sets a moonbeam to the cleric guild, they are just going to be more swamped there. Keep a careful eye on your moons, though! This is a bad time for a moonbeam accident.
Clerics, organize recovery areas. Raise the power with the holy ritual of Meraud’s Blessing. Make sure there is at least one cleric who does nothing but keep a POM on each corpse. This will save much work on restoring memories and ultimately will lead to much faster turnaround of the defenders if you only need to restore 3 or 4 ranks of lost memories, rather than 8 or 10. Do not take chances on people and their pet bleeders when ressurecting. And for goodness sakes, please watch your own favors carefully during times like this. Many will die down to their last favor. If you are sharing yours with them, do not lose track of this!
Empaths, bless your hearts, do not over heal. Raise the life power, either a ranger or an empath can do this. Heal as you go. In general, you work faster than the clerics do, so you have time to watch your wounds. It is devastating on everyone’s moral when a healer drops dead at our feet.
Get your little familiars and companions somewhere safe. The chaos will scare them, and a pitched battle doesn’t need any more noise than there will already be.
If there is time, organize your group so you know who will be attacking what. If everyone starts for the first opponent, you will lose valuable time rubbing elbows with everyone else while the second, third, and fourth opponents take advantage of your confusion and outflank you.
Too weak to fight? You can still …
- Help recover weapons
- Drag people to help
- Drag people to other aid stations which are not as crowded
- Run errands between aid stations and strongholds
- Take messages back and forth
- Obtain extra herbs for those in need at aid stations
- Guard belongings of the departed
- Remember who took what
- Help people get favors
- Help the newcomers in town to stay inside out of trouble and explain to them what is going on.
There are several gathering places which people can gather at for healing and to care for the dead in each city. In the field, there will be major triage and recovery areas set up, too, depending on where the battle is.
I speak now of The Crossing’s places because I am most familiar with that. Check with veterans for places in other locales.
The Empath and Cleric Guilds will be manned, but they will also be busy. Very busy. If you are among the walking wounded, or are dragging someone to help, keep in mind that empaths and clerics also gather in a few other spots around town.
Town Green, Southwest Corner usually has some empaths if the Green is secure.
Gaethrend’s Court Inn – w, s, w from NE Gate. Empaths and clerics care for the wounded and the dead in here. Go in the door and head north on the first floor of the building.
The Bath House – nw, w, w, w of Bank. Empaths and clerics gather here to care for the wounded and the dead.
The Temple Courtyard Ruins is often a place where the dead are cared for prior to departing. But it is also a prime target during some invasions, so be careful.
Other places which have come into use for particularly difficult situations in the Crossing:
The Viper’s Nest Inn – west of Acedemy of Agility serves as a triage station for the forces out the West Gate, clerics and empaths can both help the dead and the wounded here.
The Sand Pit Tavern – se, sw, sw, nw from Warehouse serves as a stronghold for the ferry side of town. Clerics and empaths worked tirelessly here when there was trouble during the Gorbesh Wars.
The Paladin Guild usually has someone in there blessing weapons and paladins casting courage or making glyphs. This is also a good spot to find companions and regroup into a battle party.
The Asemath Academy is an old gathering and rally spot which has areas of good power near each other. It has not been used for some time now for triage and recovery, and I am not quite sure why. It rarely falls under attack, and is centrally located.
The Apostles have designated areas in other cities as follows: (other groups may have other gathering and recovery spots, that is not something I have any information about as of yet.)
- Cleric Guild near the North Gate,
- Area outside the Empath Guild
- Guard towers near both the East and West Gates
- Langenfirth’s Temple
- El’Bain’s cabins
- Therenborough, the chapel on the east side of town and the area inside the gate