Sestran retibution

[Fezzik]

A young priestess goes out and finds various Ilmatari in the field that are attached to special legion alliance units and informs them of the overrun of Sestra. She informs the others to quietly disseminate the information; hopefully the legion will be taking back the town before the Orcs and Black Hand have a chance to establish a foothold. Many in those units have family from activities of both the Ilmatari and the "special" forces within the current alliance. She hopes that both the legion and these forces can work together; since some of those forces have family that need to be freed from any impending yoke.

She also informs her mentor Melchior and asks for any help that the Triumvirate or the Helmites might be able to offer to remove the stain of the Black Hand from the peaceful town.

[Fezzik]

Although few are seen outside the small town of Sestra, notes appear in the night, put up on buildings in both common and orcish around Sestra at Orc height. (although the orcish is rather childish and with poor grammar, even for orcish).

"The Black Hand has Betrayed you. Even as your brothers are slaughtered in the valley, they used you to take a small town for their own; they will not allow you to spoil their plans. You are being used as pawns, no better than a goblin. Are you going to let them get away with it?"

[Talleyman99]

The armored form of Grann stops reading one of the letters and smiles. "My my, we seem to have a rodent problem. I comical one at that, if it thinks these orcs can read. I guess the traps will have to be set." he musses as he continues along his way.

[Fezzik]

Various places in the valley the following postings can be seen. Within Sestra they are distributed only out of the prying eyes of the new "masters" slipped under doors in open windows or work places.

Fear not the evil that has tries to take hold. The innocent will be avenged and protected. The tyrants minions are nothing more than liars and untrustworthy. They claim to bring peace by force but unleash the most unholy of creatures on the land; not to bring strength but to kill and destroy the innocent. Do not believe they are agents of strength or have any honour. What they could nOt accomplish with their minds they resorted to with brutality. Have faith in your own powers and gods. Resist; pay only lip service if you need but remain heartened. Their arrogance will be their own undoing.

[Doubtful]

Fear stalks the streets of Sestra.

Letters slipped under doors and night and posters nailed to walls by invisible stalkers spread fear and concern.

The words of the new Exarch and the presence of his men lays heavily on the minds of the villagers, "This is the only safe place remaining in the valley, to leave is to face certain death.".

The fear of the reputation of Banes forces is enough to ensure most of the posters are torn down, the owners of the properties fearing that they might be viewed as dangerous rebels. Many of those who find letters slipped beneath their door feed them to the fire after little more than a cursory read, the prisons and punishments of their own minds far more effective than the physical cells in the Keep.

Some people do leave, enticed by stories of salvation and hope in other places. Many are caught by the towns black-garbed militia, these are not punished, just warned that to leave is to face death itself, and farming or fishing is little preparation for fighting to survive.

Many so advised return home, but some press on into the valley, determined to make it to the site of the old city where they hope the Legion have forces, other press on for Avanthyr and the Gate, hoping to buy passage from the valley.

Some return to Sestra battered and bloodied, telling tales of monsters, bandits and horror. None are permitted to re-enter, they have turned their back on the safety promised by the Exarch and Bane, they chose to leave, so leave they must.

The occasional soul makes it to Avanthyr and other towns, broken, battered and sorrowful they tell of marauding gangs and their monstrous allies, making cheap sport of the villagers and refugees they find on the road.

Most simply reason it is better to take a knee in prayer to Bane and live under his yoke, than to die in agony in some muddy ditch.