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    <span style="font-weight:400">The Golden Herd finally marches. From the west is me and Lak. Then from the east is Kal and Druig. Dorn will be held in reserve in case something unpredictable happens inside Laurelorn or from outside. I have also divided the shadow divers to split into two teams. One to scout inside the forest. Another to scout the outside in case of the Empire doing some winter march. I made even more shadow divers for thetter group as they are the most crucial to inform me in case something unexpected happens.


    <span style="font-weight:400">My herd’s current poption is almost 8000. With more than half of that marching to Laurelorn. 11000 if counting Valeria’s herd that went to east. The massive increase in fertility from thest fight really bounced the number up. I have contemted whether to also bestow the fertility increase from Necrosis Pox immunity to Valeria’s herd but decided against it. They need to get to Cathay as soon as possible and that will be even slower with higher numbers. Not to mention the food necessity. I have made the nt growth on my domain to overdrive just to keep up with the increasing numbers. If I can im Laurelorn and put another of my divine domain there, food will not be a problem anymore


    <span style="font-weight:400">The march to Laurelorn is slow. The entire forest is almost drowning in marshes. And from Kal’s experience, the tuskgor cavalry will not be effective at all from all the trees and the marshes. I also decided not to bring the chaos mammoths either, if there’s still more of those corrupted dryads and ents, the mammoths will just get ughtered.. In return, we bring all four Cygors. They might be blind but Lak and her shamans can mark targets with their magic like what they did when dealing with the Grail Knights


    <span style="font-weight:400">Other than that, it is quiet. Too quiet. Even Kal hasn''t reported any sighting or battle against any Nurgle daemons or any of the forest corrupted spirits.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Eonir. Any chance there is still some resistance much deeper?” I ask to the Eonir captain that volunteer to be our guide along with few other Eonirs


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Tor Lithanel has endured longer in the War of the Beard as you know it. It should still endure.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">War of the Beard. That should be the war where the alliance of elves and dwarves broke, followed by the great war between both and Malekith’s rebellion I think. So that should be more than 3000 years ago.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Anything else you can say about your kingdom?” He think on my question for a while before answering


    <span style="font-weight:400">“We.. have a temporary encampment on Amber Hills near Altdorf. They should know that there is no news from the capital or the capital was attacked a few days ago. They are authorized to request Altdorf for support or hire human mercenaries as they see fit in case Laurelorn is attacked.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">I paused at his words. Oh fuck


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Tell me everything else. Now!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">—


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Fuckin piece of… They are bigger now. Fuck.” Bertrand whispers to the witch hunter and the wizard professor beside him. His supposed wizard division is camped near Silver hills, directly bordering Laurelorn just west of Salzemund. He decided to scout in advance and the two tagging along not ever leaving him alone.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Yesterday, Bertrand decided to go to Laurelorn. It isn’t a bad decision as Nornd did request for help and he can pose as an advance party to investigate. But now though, seeing the Golden Herd is here again and bigger has made him question his decisions.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What do you mean they are bigger?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Rhya, that is so much Warpstones.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The witch hunter and the professor said respectively. Then a loud horn res and the sound of hooves marching follows.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Oh Gods! They are invading Nornd!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“No. Look.” Bertrand calms the professor and points out that the Golden Herd march into Laurelorn instead.


    <span style="font-weight:400">As the Golden Herd march, Bertrand taps the professor’s shoulder and gestures that they should return to camp.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Faris, you reckon you can convince Nornd to send an army?” Bertrand start as he walks


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Maybe. I am not too versed with Nornd politics, though from what I heard from my coworker, they will like the chance to get the Eonir to be in their debt. Why?” The Witch Captain answers.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Middenheim will not send an army. Not with the Winter Solstice in two days. Maybe you can convince Nornd that you have found the source of thest incursion and a chance to get Eonir indebted to them.” Bertrand continues


    <span style="font-weight:400">“And if we seed, this will count as our sess, the university will have increased funding! And the Warpstones..” The professor chimes in


    <span style="font-weight:400">“If.” Faris cuts and rebukes the professor. “And I should ask you Bertrand, what drives you in this?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What the fuck that supposed to mean?” Bertrand stops his step and looks back


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I have read the report. I assume this is not your chance for petty revenge?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“PETTY! This is our chance to stamp the Golden Herd’s remnants!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“<i><span style="font-weight:400">Your</i><span style="font-weight:400"> chance.” Faris rebukes again calmly. “And what if it is never a remnant?” Bertrand’s fury rises at that remark


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Are you suggesting that…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Yes!” Faris shouts back. “What if you fail when you return with just one arm? If you fail then, then the Golden Herd was never a remnant, and you will risk Nornd’s army for this?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Bertrand takes a deep breath as he thinks. He did encounter the golden werewolves near Drakwald and the Grail Knights did say that they will hunt the supposed remnant of the Golden Herd in Drakwald. But here they are so far northeast.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You must be d I am sober now.” Bertrand said and relent for now


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, don’t worry, I intend to keep you that way as long as we are working together.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“But..”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“But nothing.” Faris said to the Professor. “I see how you look at those Warpstones, <i><span style="font-weight:400">professor</i><span style="font-weight:400">. You of all people should know the risk of that.”