Above the Keep, Volume 25

Above the Keep - By Lorelai Silvermoon Volume 25

With the rumbling of the keep's stones and the brief bouts of strong downwinds summoned with the beating of sixty wings, the dragons announce their arrival once more to all those below. Waiting for them, as always, stands the Champion, green eyes flashing as he notes each attendee and greets them in his manner. Arms clasped in his lower back, he leans forward slightly to evade a lazily tossed tail by Lymonious ... a habitual ritual between the two, as the dragon tries to catch him standing too much a statue in his more serious manners ...

... following form, Cole moves forward with what he has to say for the day, as if the former never happened.

He does not speak long at the start, having already spoken at longer length following their most recent battles ... instead welcoming Tryphena in her recovery and return to them.

As he sets each combat group to their drilling for the day in the hands of MJ and Naia and Thaylis, he puts Vonn Foster in the lead of his group for the period. To himself he gathers all those capable of more powerful divine prayers and blessings. While the Elysian skies fill with scaled hides ... arrows sinking into targets, wrestling matches filling the clouds ... Cole holds this council upon the rooftop.

The focus of this is in the use and timing of various prayers for the benefit of the flights ... defensively he wants to implement greater use of the Legions Shields of Faith and Recitations prayers while in formation, to greater enhance all around, as well as prayers of Regeneration when able and other enhancements at the onset, as they approach the 'combat zones'. Those that may have the ability, are also asked to think on how to best make use of their Mass Heal prayers to keep more of them flying.

Offensively it is an open dialogue as they discuss various prayers that may prove useful integrated with their current capabilities, from those of the riders to the breath and powers of the dragons. Battletide prayers may prove useful at the point of combat to enhance their forces as they decrease the effectiveness of the enemy ... Hammers of the Gods and Flamestrikes may prove efficient as combat is closed, while still at a range.

On a more personal basis, which brought him to these thoughts in the first place, is his intention to use Word of Faith prayers at the points of initial charges ... would it daze or harm their foes directly? No ... but the blindness that it conveys could be devestating in the air.

As a trap, they considers the uses of Blade Barriers, and whether they could be set in the air.

For the rest of the early morning they begin to practice the recitations of prayers in the air, though taking care for those that are offensive to be apart from any possibility of friendly fire.

As the group comes back together in the late morning, Cole would see the focus turned to formation and tactic work. Though today, he explains that he would like to set into motion a plan of attack for the next battle they fly to meet. This an old stratagem, though devastating in a disciplined execution. The feigned retreat.

With this, Cole explains his intentions for whatever force flying to meet their opponents, a third or fourth of which would fly far ahead from the rest of the group, the remainder hanging back. The small vanguard force would need to be some of their best, as their role would entail engaging the much greater force and getting their attention ... drawing them up into the air and away from whatever ground forces are present, as has been the norm. They are to combat this group as best they can for a length of time, until the numbers become too much, and plain for all to see. This group needs to be among the best, as they engage realistically but with a care to not get themselves surrounded, while getting their foes' full attention.

At their leaders' signal, the entire group would then turn and flee for all they are worth. As the stones give chase, the remainder of the group who held back at a low speed would then fall upon them from unexpected directions, the fleeing group turning to then join the encircled fray.

The main points of this will require great discipline on their parts to both know -when- to retreat, and on those laying in wait to not jump their moment too soon.

To avoid prying eyes, he wishes to begin practicing this execution using a few volunteers as stone stand-ins ... and they will do so far out over the lake Eridanus, beyond the viewpoints of its banks.