Wisdom of the Ancestors - Discussion

[AurianaValoria1]

Hey Zeph, you said Auriana instead of Velanya. :tongue: Other than that, good summary. :laugh:

 

And dark, sure.

Edited August 30, 2013 by AurianaValoria1

[Zephyr2011]

Right hahaha, I get cunfuddled sometimes. Idk why I was thinking the character was Auriana Velanya instead of Velanya Therys. (other than that's your name on here haha). I probably botched some other names and such at other points, mah bad. :P

[Flipout6]

I know I haven't post for a good 15 pages anyway and I've pretty much disappeared, but you all can consider me gone from the RP here, so let's just assume Rilgumskar died somewhere along the line, tripped on a root and cracked his head or something, I don't know. Sorry about that :sad:

[Glitchipedia]

Anybody else need to post before Willis answers Adrynn?

[AurianaValoria1]

You can go ahead.

[Glitchipedia]

Thanks. I'm going to have to ask you to bear with me for a while; I'm used to the roleplaying atmosphere on another forum, so it's going to take a little time for me to find my footing here.

[AurianaValoria1]

That's quite all right, and please let us know if we can help in any way.

[SoulofChrysamere]

And now, the slightly overdue breakdown of where the Forsworn and Thalmor are in the Reach. If anyone has ideas, go ahead and say them.

=====================================================================================================================

OUR GROUP

 

The Karthspire

Skyhaven Temple

-----

 

THALMOR

 

Markarth

Kolskeggr Mine

Blind Cliff Cave

Blind Cliff Bastion

Karthwasten

Bthardamz

-----

 

FORSWORN

 

Four Skull Lookout

Sundered Towers

Red Eagle Redoubt

Rebel's Cairn

Broken Tower Redoubt

Dead Crone Rock

Hag Rock Redoubt

Purewater Run

Reachwater Run

Reachcliff Cave

Reachwind Eyrie

Druadach Redoubt

Harmugstahl

Bruca's Leap Redoubt

Ragnvald

Serpent's Bluff Redoubt

Cradle Stone Tower

Lost Valley Redoubt

Bleakwind Bluff

Moldering Ruins

Deepwood Redoubt

Liar's Retreat

-----

 

IMPERIALS (tentatively)

 

Old Hroldan

Soljund's Sinkhole

-----

 

ORC TRIBESMEN

 

Dushnikh Yal

=================================================================================================================================

 

THALMOR STRATEGIES

 

 

The Thalmor forces in the Reach aren't exactly large (I estimate around 10,000 maximum overall.), and a large portion of these are likely going to remain stationed in Markarth (approximately 5,000, half the army). This leaves another 5,000 men to post at other places. Due to the High Elves' small size compared to all of the Forsworn bands in the hills, they can't hold too awful many places since they obviously have to garrison each place with guards.

 

As I've already established in my inagural roleplay post, the Thalmor are also entrenched at Kolskeggr Mine (about 300 men - small place, simple outpost). They've also dug in at Blind Cliff Cave and Bastion (about 1,300 men) a little further down the road, making use of the small cliffside fortress there. They've also managed to fortify Karthwasten (a strongpoint with around 1,400 men) further northeast. Lastly, they've managed to nestle into the Dwarven ruin of Bthardamz a ways northwest of Karthwasten (with a slightly stout company of the remaining 2,000 soldiers) to be used as a buffer against Forsworn armies thinking about trying to circle around the other Thalmor holdings and launch ambushes from the northern Reach.

 

Because of their small size, the Thalmor are basically forced to passiveness. Any attempts at active campaigning against the Forsworn will likely end in disaster since the Reachmen aren't only more numerous, but are also much more familiar with the terrain. This gives the Forsworn a free hand in much of the Reach, a caveat which they shamelessly exploit.

================================

 

FORSWORN STRATEGIES

 

 

Not only are the Forsworn savage in combat, but they are also quite numerous. There's thousands upon thousands of them in those hills.

 

The Forsworn still infest the entire southern end of the Reach, and they've managed to solidify a lot of their northern holdings too. They've also managed to place a large and very painful wedge in the center of the Reach just east of the Karthspire Mountain.

 

The sole exception to the Forsworn's dominance of the southern Reach is the Orcish stronghold of Dushnikh Yal, which is still defying any and all efforts by the Reachmen to conquer it. All other areas are under Forsworn control with most smaller areas having anywhere from 400 to 800 men per location and the large fortress-type locations such as Lost Valley Redoubt having more sizeable divisions of about 1,000 apiece. Lost Valley Redoubt would probably have around 1,800-2,000 simply because of its size.

 

In the north, the Forsworn have reinforced themselves in places such as Druadach Redoubt (which is just a wee bit north of the Thalmor-held Bthardamz, making that area a point of high tension), Bruca's Leap redoubt, and other quasi-fortresses, each probably having around 600 men. I give Druadach Redoubt a bolstered population of about 1,400 due to its close proximity to the 2,000 Thalmor at Bthardamz. One of the best assets the Forsworn have in the north is their huge citadel of Deepwood Redoubt, which encompasses not only the redoubt itself, but also Deepwood Vale therein and the secondary fort of Hag's End within that. Given the sheer size and level of natural protection the place has, it functions as a large contingent for the Forsworn, being both a massive supply hub and also a huge garrison. I would give Deepwood Redoubt no less than 4,000 troops.

 

In the mideastern Reach, the Forsworn seem to have curled into a defensive ball east of the Karthspire Mountain in the adjacent hills. They have six strongpoints here, with Broken Tower Redoubt being their northmost base. The other five are arranged in a rough pentagon. Starting at the top, moving clockwise, these are the Sundered Towers, Rebel's Cairn, Bleakwind Bluff, Red Eagle Redoubt, and Four Skull Lookout. Broken Tower Redoubt is a stout enough buffer, and I believe attackers would face around 700-800 men at it since it's a bit smallish, but has decent defensibility. Red Eagle Redoubt is quite a large fortress with a good-sized portion of it being inside the cliffs. I'd estimate its occupancy numbers around 2,000. The other four areas would likely have about 400-500 troops each. Each individual garrison is on the little side, but the terrain itself provides most of the locations with good defensive chances, the only exception being the Rebel's Cairn which will probably prove rather weak against a decent-sized opposing army.

 

All three of these Forsworn networks are of course capable of and actively are carrying out various raids and guerilla attacks against Thalmor and Imperial patrols alike. Since these raiding parties are usually small and compact, even when they are out and about, one can expect to face the majority of the local defenders should he choose to attack a location.

 

There is also an isolated Forsworn army of about 1,500 men holed up in the Nordic Barrow of Ragnvald, which is north of Markarth and kept contained by the Thalmor at Bthardamz. How they will come into play can be made flexible as the story goes on, I imagine. Perhaps the Thalmor will try to go ahead and snuff them out, perhaps the Forsworn will be ignored and make mischief of their own once the Thalmor at Bthardamz are distracted --- It remains to be seen.

=================================================================================================================================

 

Keep in mind, this means that there are a lot of Forsworn all throughout the Reach, easily more than the 10,000 Thalmor troops. If I've done my math correctly, the southern Reach has about 7,800 warriors throughout it, the middle Forsworn army numbers about 4,500, and the northern Forsworn total at an approximate 7,200 troops. All this is along with the 1,500 separated Forsworn at Ragnvald. Altogether, this adds up to an estimated 20,000-21,500 Reachmen dispersed throughout the Reach.

=================================================================================================================================

 

I've tried to be as fair and generous to the Thalmor as I believe is possible and rational. Unfortunately for them, their lack of manpower simply doesn't afford them the luxury of occupying any more of the Reach than they already do. They would be dangerously overextended if they attempted any expansion.

 

As I said at the start of this, I'm open to any ideas. I hope you all like this.

Edited September 1, 2013 by SoulofChrysamere

[AurianaValoria1]

Nice work, and thanks for spending the time to put this together, Chrys!

 

Although a detailed analysis will have to wait a bit on my part...I do think this means Velanya is in trouble. ;D

[darkedge42392]

Guess we better hurry up and get to Velanya! D: