[Denam and Catiua walk around the ruined town.]
DENAM: I hear no alarum, Sister. I think we made it.
CATIUA (looking around): By the look of things, the Galgastani can't have stationed many men here. The fewer we must kill to be done with this business, the better.
[Denam recalls the earlier meeting with Ronwey and Leonar that precipitated his return to Balmamusa.]
LEONAR: You would have me fight such a battle with our numbers? Are you gone mad?
RONWEY: I mislike your tone.
LEONAR: Forgive me, your Grace. We are more powerful now than ever, I grant you. But let us not forget, we failed to rouse the Galgastani against Balbatos. Our Resistance remains far outmatched.
RONWEY: I do not need you to tell me what I know so well.
LEONAR: Then I beg you to reconsider.
RONWEY: Humor your Duke. Hear my plan before you reject it, hmm? First we dispatch a light force to secure Balmamusa, a small town southwest of Coritanae. Thence to advance to the Xeod Moors.
LEONAR: You'd distract them by needling their flank? They will never fall for such a ruse.
RONWEY: Your ears would serve me better than your tongue.... I mean to have our young Hero lead the band. We will feed sweet lies to their whisperers: That it is no small band, but half our army that marches. A morsel they will find impossible to resist. Nor will they know whether it is from Almorica or Balmamusa that we strike.
CATIUA: And they will believe this tale?
RONWEY: The presence of the Hero of Golyat will convince them. Balbatos would not think we place our Hero at the head of so few. This will be enough to give Balbatos pause, but he is no fool. He will not commit the entirety of his forces to Balmamusa. No, he will divide his men between the Psonji Weald and the Xeod Moors. The martial advantage is his. Even with his forces split, he will not fear defeat. Yet only this way will we have a true chance at victory.
LEONAR: Perhaps. But if Balbatos does not split his troops, what then?
RONWEY: We must see that he does. There's more. Once our heroes have a foot hold in Balmamusa, they will turn their attentions to the Port of Asyton. Asyton is but a short distance to the west of Coritanae. Balbatos will fear an assault. And with his troops mustering in Coritanae, Asyton will be ripe for the taking.
LEONAR: Of course. Without Balmamusa or Asyton, they'll be cut off from the sea.
CATIUA: Is that so great a blow?
LEONAR: In Valeria, the sea is life. Without the bounty of her trade, we wither and die. Doubly so the Galgastani in their landlocked keep at Coritanae. Belive our rumors or no, they must respond. And that means splitting their troops.
RONWEY: Should the gambit fail, we still weaken them by closing their ports.
DENAM: And what becomes of us?
RONWEY: If you sense disadvantage, withdraw swiftly.
LEONAR: So in the end, we still must fight a battle of Galgastan's choosing.
RONWEY You fret like an old maid, Leonar. The plan is perfect.
LEONAR: As you say, your grace.
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