7.8 KiB
[RT][HF] A Practical Guide to Evil Book 3: Chapter 53: Maneuvering
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Author: u/Yes_This_Is_God *
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URL: https://practicalguidetoevil.wordpress.com/2017/12/18/chapter-53-manoeuvring/
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Score: 50
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Created: 2017-12-18T05:07:29
Post:
Comments:
u/haiku_fornification [+8] (4 hours later)
So it seems like the Named are split up. Hierophant is not part of the main group - preparing a countermeasure for whatever it is Akua's up to I would guess. Only Thief has been mentioned to be around with Cat so Adjutant and Archer are off doing a secret mission too?
It seems super risky to split up the group like that. Their combined combat prowess is a huge power multiplier and it feels like they can be picked off one by one if they're separated.
Cat fighting against the undead will be interesting to see - I wonder if she will be able to exert some sort of control over them. Death Knight hype!
u/None [+10] (9 hours later)
From a different perspective, having more Named than Akua is one of the few advantages Cat has. If she puts them all in one place she's negating part of that advantage.
u/CouteauBleu [+6] We are the Empire. (2 hours later)
I'm a bit confused by the troop deployments. What did Akua do that was so clever? What does Catherine's decision imply? What was the trap they avoided? What's going to happen to the Callowan reinforcements?
u/TideofKhatanga [+16] (2 hours later)
What did Akua do that was so clever?
There's three contingents of Callowan militia coming to the battle, two of which have to march around Liesse to link up with the legions. Akua made a sortie against one and, when Cat sent a detachment to save them, made another sortie against the other, forcing Cat to choose one.
It isn't clever, just more strategically enlightened than expected from someone who is so adamant on acting like old school villains. Catherine merely outsmarted herself by betting on Akua holing up in her fortress and then losing that bet.
What does Catherine's decision imply?
She is leaving the Southpoole militia to their own device, choosing to save the Ankou militia instead. That will most likely result in five thousand dead Southpooleans. Her objective is to avoid Ankou's force getting wiped and killing Fasili, who is Akua's best general and currently in command of the undead army attacking the Ankouans.
What was the trap they avoided?
Fasili had his army march through the night to get there closer than expected. Had it worked, he would have wiped the militia and retreated before Cat's legions could get there. Meaning both militia detachments would have died at absolutely no cost for Akua, severely weakening Cat and making her look like an idiot. Our Squire felt it coming and so had her own army also march through most of the night to get there on time.
What's going to happen to the Callowan reinforcements?
The Southpooleans are dead. The Ankouans are going to battle against twenty-five thousand undead but, with three legions backing up, they may survive it. The third militia detachment is most likely getting to the main force unharmed, barring some bullshit from Akua.
u/TwoxMachina [+11] (6 hours later)
Also means that Akua got 5k fresh undead off Southpoole
u/TideofKhatanga [+7] (9 hours later)
Those will be regular zombies though, not wights or whatever it is that Still Water created. Still a lot of undead but hey, it's something.
u/Oaden [+2] (a day later)
The Southpooleans are dead.
Or are they? dun dun dun....
They probably are, unless a hero suddenly rises from their ranks, complicating matters.
u/TheEngineer923 [+5] (9 hours later)
Can somebody tell me why Malicia hasn't asked Black to ask Assassin to pretty please slit that sexy Demon summoning wench Akua's throat?
Or failing that, Fasili and the higher command in Akua's army? If I had a tool like Assassin at my side, I'd use him to off higher command on a routine basis. Hell, that would be S.O.P.
I don't think wards or whatever Akua could dream up would be a match for the incarnation of Death itself.
u/TideofKhatanga [+14] (9 hours later)
Malicia wants Akua to live long enough to unleash her ultimate superweapon. Then she wants Akua to die and herself to grab the weapon for her own use as MAD deterrent against Procer.
u/TheEngineer923 [+4] (10 hours later)
I really wonder how she plans to retrieve said weapon, being in Praes and all. I don't think Cat or the Deoraithe would be inclined to have Malicia possess the Gestalt based superweapon.
Phrased like that the only person that could conceivably bring the weapon back to her would be Black. So the Black Knight will be joining this theatre then?
This will be awesome!
u/GeeJo [+8] Custom Flair (12 hours later)
We found out in the last conversation with Malicia that Black was headed to Callow, along with a warning that he is currently even more dangerous for allies to be around than usual (owing to his black mood over the loss of Sabah).
u/TheEngineer923 [+8] (12 hours later)
Good. I'm of a mood to see another Lord Voldemort (HPMOR version obviously).
Given his experience and power (he managed to tank a goddamn bitch slap from a Hashmallim and live) and given that his aspects are geared toward leading an army as opposed to personal power and finally given his expertise with Necromancy he's the perfect asset to have against a moron that employs an Undead army. Added to the fact that THE Warlock is also accompanying him and he is in a foul mood, Akua is fucked six ways from Sunday.
This will be good...
u/Ardvarkeating101 [+1] Father of Learning (19 hours later)
(he managed to tank a goddamn bitch slap from a Hashmallim and live)
When did this happen?
u/LordGoldenroot [+2] (22 hours later)
Villainous Interlude: Calamity III
u/Ardvarkeating101 [+1] Father of Learning (a day later)
Oh, right, interrupting the white knights monologue
u/silver7017 [+1] (a day later)
I'm reasonably certain that Hashmallim refers specifically to the Choir of Contrition. I don't recall if we have heard the name for the angels of the Choir of Judgement.
u/TideofKhatanga [+3] (a day later)
Angels from the Choir of Judgement are called Seraphim IIRC. Hashmallim is indeed only for Contrition.
u/TheEngineer923 [+1] (a day later)
Arguing semantics here.
u/silver7017 [+2] (a day later)
Not trying to argue, I think you are largely correct. I just wanted to point out a detail you may have overlooked.
u/TheEngineer923 [+2] (2 days later)
Noted.
u/C_Densem [+1] LessWrong (than usual) (a day later)
Names matter, especially here :)
u/None [+2] (4 days later)
also she has mental hook on every legion member from certain rank and up, that's how she can waltz into cat tent
u/NebulousASK [+6] (7 hours later)
A typo in the introductory quote, even.
This is a fantastic story and I love getting two chapters a week, but has no one offered to help copy edit?
u/um_m [+1] (2 days later)
I did. I'm sure others have done so too. He appreciated the offer but said his schedule of writing isn't suitable for beta reading, i.e. doesn't write chapters in the order which means sometimes the chapter to be posted gets finished only at the last moment.