Post by neeuqtar on Jun 2, 2010 12:02:07 GMT -5
It was Tiramnet's turn to set up the maps and figures for the mock-battles and tactical simulations that she and Mi'rah had continued, despite the fact that lessons for the wingriders were no longer in vogue. But now there was Ephemerae, and even more time was taken up with training than before. And not even for Thread -- other Wings were dedicated to that. But Ephemerae was a Wing for war, and it gave Tira something of a spooky thrill.
Carefully, Tira unrolled the hide on which the landscape was drawn. There were quite a few of these topography maps, some of them drawn from memory by one of the wherhandlers. Brown wherling, if she recalled correctly. This particular one was a map of the borderlands between Hyphen Hold and Lighttower Hold -- neither of which much approved of Selenitas. The Ridge which divided the desert from the fertile plateau ran down the center of the map, with Lighttower to the north and Hyphen to the south, marked with arrows towards their respective position. Irene Bay was to the west, and to the east lay desert and scrublands, before they too gave way to forest.
The greenrider looked at her notes as she lay the map over the table which she and Mi'rah had claimed weekly. Absently smoothing out wrinkles so that the hide lay smooth, she ran through the battle sides. Let's see... Four wings for them, one uninjured for us, one of casualties... Tiramnet strolled to the niche where they kept their supplies -- two panes of glass stacked parallel, but eight inches apart and held off the table by a foot, to simulate altitudes; several bags of marking-stones; several push-sticks to move the stones across the "landscape." She set the glass altitudes atop the map, and started getting out markers to represent the different forces.
The scenario was not a pleasant one. It assumed that Selenitas Weyr had been overwhelmingly attacked by a concerted effort between Fort and Benden Weyr -- something that was incredibly unlikely and well-nigh impossible, given how they hated each other. But anything was possible in theory. The plateau ridge was to be the hiding place of the remainder of the dragons who escaped the initial attack. Fifteen healthy dragon-pairs, mainly greens and blues, and another twenty with injuries ranging from minor to severe. Five were designated grounded and in need of protection. Not to mention that the "ground forces" could come into play here -- the desert holders from Lighttower, or ships in Irene Bay.
Tiramnet set up the Selenitas riders in defensive positions, with an injured brown and the only un-injured brown on watch points along the ridge. The injured dragons were situated in crags, defended by their healthy counterparts. She also lay small clusters of little tan pebbles representing encampments of desert holders, and three ships in the bay -- one trading ship and two fishing sloops. Then she stood back, admiring her work. Now to wait for her partner...
Carefully, Tira unrolled the hide on which the landscape was drawn. There were quite a few of these topography maps, some of them drawn from memory by one of the wherhandlers. Brown wherling, if she recalled correctly. This particular one was a map of the borderlands between Hyphen Hold and Lighttower Hold -- neither of which much approved of Selenitas. The Ridge which divided the desert from the fertile plateau ran down the center of the map, with Lighttower to the north and Hyphen to the south, marked with arrows towards their respective position. Irene Bay was to the west, and to the east lay desert and scrublands, before they too gave way to forest.
The greenrider looked at her notes as she lay the map over the table which she and Mi'rah had claimed weekly. Absently smoothing out wrinkles so that the hide lay smooth, she ran through the battle sides. Let's see... Four wings for them, one uninjured for us, one of casualties... Tiramnet strolled to the niche where they kept their supplies -- two panes of glass stacked parallel, but eight inches apart and held off the table by a foot, to simulate altitudes; several bags of marking-stones; several push-sticks to move the stones across the "landscape." She set the glass altitudes atop the map, and started getting out markers to represent the different forces.
The scenario was not a pleasant one. It assumed that Selenitas Weyr had been overwhelmingly attacked by a concerted effort between Fort and Benden Weyr -- something that was incredibly unlikely and well-nigh impossible, given how they hated each other. But anything was possible in theory. The plateau ridge was to be the hiding place of the remainder of the dragons who escaped the initial attack. Fifteen healthy dragon-pairs, mainly greens and blues, and another twenty with injuries ranging from minor to severe. Five were designated grounded and in need of protection. Not to mention that the "ground forces" could come into play here -- the desert holders from Lighttower, or ships in Irene Bay.
Tiramnet set up the Selenitas riders in defensive positions, with an injured brown and the only un-injured brown on watch points along the ridge. The injured dragons were situated in crags, defended by their healthy counterparts. She also lay small clusters of little tan pebbles representing encampments of desert holders, and three ships in the bay -- one trading ship and two fishing sloops. Then she stood back, admiring her work. Now to wait for her partner...
