Since the calling of banners, Prince Aindre Grayson has been drilling Grayson soldiers from the detachment given over to his leadership by the Princess of Bastion. These soldiers, though dutiful, no doubt wonder and quietly grumble about sailing off to fight in the Mourning Isles for someone else so far from home so Prince Aindre leans into leadership and reminds them of the Compact's truth, of what it means to stand together and fight, especially now with so many potential enemies watchful over them. He rallies his soldiers to embrace the battle, reminding them that they're warriors of the Greatest House in Arvum and it is their duty to turn back any and all evils - especially slavers and heretics against the Gods - from the very same shores upon which their families call home.

Drilling five-thousand soldiers is no small feat but Prince Aindre is a leader of men and so he delegates as a leader should, shaking out veteran soldiers experienced with the fighting conditions in the Mourning Isles and across ships and promoting them to drill-marshals on a temporary basis to help prepare the rest of the men. Silver is turned over and so are owed favors to ensure Aindre's detachment of fighting men are armed and armored and warm as can be managed in such wet, distant conditions as the Isles.

When militaries begin to stir though it's hard to escape notice and along the way Prince Aindre manages to pick up several of the Compact's more noteworthy killers and healers - some not even from his own fealty if just to be a leading example for his men of how we must all stand united - and a few exchanges with the Grandmaster of the Templar even finds the Grayson helping to transport a large number Gloria's finest to their crusade. Their presence, and with it Gloria's presence, should only help to further inspire the men that Prince Aindre is leading to battle.

When and if the time comes, House Grayson stands more than prepared to fall in with House Thrax and anyone else to turn away these monsters.

Orelia has one thing in mind where this mission is concerned: to fight. This is why she volunteered for Prince Aindre's mission, and she she helps drill his troops. There is something evil that they will be facing, and she will not only face it so the rest of the Compact doesn't have to, but she will live to tell about it.

Countess Aella Ravenseye is no stranger to assisting the Mourning Isles, having done so during the Gyre War. This time, instead of directly beneath House Thrax, she has been offered a place among house Grayson and their forces. The Admiral of her own fleet, she will encourage those of Stormheart to join in the fight and sail with them to defend the compact. She will see that the Stormheart Naval Yard is producing ships at a faster rate. Most importantly, she will lead her people to bolster the call for the defense of the Compact, sailing with her fleet, and the Grayson's, towards the east.

Lady Clara Crovane is here as a combat medic but will utilize her skills as a Shaman and Deathspeaker as needed as well. However, she primarily focuses on keeping people alive and ensuring they remain healthy. She stays out of the way of the diplomats unless she's called in as a translator for Northlands Shav and simply leads her medics as necessary.

It's an awful lot of work, drilling a few thousand soldiers and readying a fleet of House Grayson.

Prince Aindre's detachment comes together in far faster time than most would expect, a testament to the command abilities of the prince, with Orelia, Aella and Clara aiding where they can in the drilling and preparing to sail. It seems like no time at all before they are on the sea and helping to transport templars from all over the Crownlands, and without Aindre's drive and disciplined approach to command, there is simply no way the templars would have arrived at Sungreet before the Eurusi did, putting them in a terrible strategic position.

They have extremely fair winds surprisingly, the entire trip. Aella does not seem particularly surprised by this, and some of the men are even a little unnerved by how unnaturally easy going it is, but their forces are some of the first to make landfall at Sungreet.

Then, as in the case of any war, comes a lot of waiting.

For a time it seems that the matter will be resolved peacefully. On the land there's quite a bit of meetings between the forces of the Faith and House Helianthus before the Eurusi arrive, but Aindre knows that the Faith intends to try to arrest a duke in his own domain, which suggests trouble. And when the Eurusi do arrive, it isn't long before trouble finally starts.

The first fights on land are between the Faith and forces of House Helianthus. And then Aindre spots smoke coming from Sungreet, and a full thrall rebellion is in progress. and then the Eurusi are trying to land, and that settles that.

The vessels under his command maneuver to intercept one of the Eurusi flotillas from their massive fleet, and Aindre is leading a boarding action against an enemy dromond. His disciplined soldiers swarm around him, as the ships under his command ram and board. Aindre gets into a brutal swordfight with an enemy captain, as men all around him are cut down and arrow fire rains in all directions. Orelia is nearby, her fighting style like a dance as she parries and rolls with attacks, cutting several men down while moving with a liquid grace. Clara is helping see to the wounded, and a Aindre himself gets a nasty cut across the cheek by an enemy captain before he runs the man through and the body tumbles into the ocean.

And just as soon, the fight is dying down. Aindre's forces destroyed an enemy flotilla as thousands landed on shore. The Eurusi forces are fighting with one another, and he sees Helianthus troops fighting against one another as well, with some on the side of the Faith and the rebelling thralls.

Two thirds of the Eurusi fleet is withdrawing, less a half dozen ships he's now claimed, and his own ships aren't in a position to pursue, though that would be unwise against the much larger fleet. A won battle, but the first blood in a new war.

%It was brought to Reese's attention that any Shavs in the Gray forest who have not bent the knee are likely to be recruited to the Horned God's army and to serve as his slaves while fighting against the people of Compact. Reese would like help prevent the Shavs from becoming enslaved as she highly values freedom, but she would also like to help prevent increasing the size and power of the Horned God's army. She also wants to secure the Gray forest as much as she can to make the it more difficult for the Horned God to take action there.

With this in mind she went to her cousin Calarian for help. Calarian and Reese decided to embark upon a mission to help secure he forest and encourage the Shavs to bend the knee. Calarian would be focusing on the diplomatic side of this mission and Reese on the military side (providing the diplomats with protection from any possible threats). Reese fears that treats might come in the form of Shavs who don't like this missions, abyss tainted animals and etc. The goal of the mission is to use words and charm rather than violence as much as possible.

Reese and Calarian would like to bring others with them, especially of the Grayson faction, including vassals and commoners who are interested in such an effort. They would like to bring scouts (who know the forest), social characters (who can help charm the Shavs over) and warriors (who can help defend the party). While on this mission they will be trying to stay alert for anything amiss including, but not to limited to (signs of the Horned God, cultists, blight, abyss tainted animals, any unexpected animals and any signs of monsters).

Reese will not hesitate to kill in defense of their party or herself, however she will offer any mortal and non abyss tainted combatants a chance to surrender. She also has moral problems with killing when not in defense. Which means she probably not kill Shavs who will not bend the knee if they are not attacking the party, not behaving as a threat or not engaging in acts she would consider evil. Reese will most likely follow the commands of Calarian who is voice and above her in rank. She wishes to be inclusive as possible and to invite the Grayson faction to aid in this effort.

Thanks, Reese's player

Since this is getting a little long and unwieldy, I'm going to save this one for reference as we go over the PRPs and applicable crises. Since it's getting hard to track what's resolved in PRPs and what's not, let's break it up into separate ones to make sure things aren't missed and go ahead and throw up a prprequest to make sure staff responses to anything outstanding aren't missed.