War Tactics
By Apostle Tigerfang

    Anyone who has studied the Art of War knows these three truths to be the keys. Know the field of battle. Know your enemy. Know yourself. If you have knowledge of this, you will never fail.

    The Apostles’ primary region of protection during times of severe crisis is the town of the Crossings. This town contains the best and worst of Elanthia, and is a crown jewel unlike any other. Not because of the people, the guilds, the government, or the wealth, but because it has the three most valuable things. Those things being location, location, location. No army has passed it by, no nation has ever claimed victory without first taking the Crossings. So, it is here that the Apostles stand when the forces that align themselves against the eleven races come to battle. Battles and wars are best described as a partially ordered chaos. But, with good planning and organization, it can swing more toward order then anarchy. Fighting the Gorbesh taught us a lot about the Crossings. In our defense of the Crossings, we were brave and valiant, but we simply did not know our enemy nor plan as we should have. The results of our efforts did bear some fruits and by the end of the conflict, people were ten times more organized than they were at the start.

    One of the most important concepts to emerge out of the Gorbesh War was the rally point concept. Rally points are set up as stations that people congregate around, gathering into groups which can then head back out into battle. This cuts down on the chance of getting trapped alone. These points also serve as stations to drag the dead to, places to seek out healing, and places to gather for counter offensives. During battle, rally points are places of last resort. When the gates of the cities and guild houses are over run, it is to these few strongholds that the people will rally. Rally points are chosen from rooms that have good life and holy power, for working reasons. It can be a single room or two adjoining rooms, but always a place where these two necessary forces are side by side. Points are also chosen for proximity to town entrances, points of interest, or distances from guilds.

    In the Crossings, Apostle members are responsible for manning the following areas. The shrine of Ushnish near the West Gate, the Paladin Guild near the Northeast and North Gate, the Half Pint Inn near the East Gate, and the Sand Pit Tavern near the Crossings Docks.

    As stated, our primary responsibility is to the Crossings, and during times of conflict, all efforts should be made to report to the Crossings for defense of the city. However, Apostle members often find themselves in other cities when a full attack starts or the attack is restricted to a city other then the Crossings. For these times, we have established rally points in each of the major cities.

    To the north of the Crossings, in Riverhaven, we have points at the Cleric Guild near the North Gate, the area outside the Empath Guild, and the guard towers near both the East and West Gates. In Langenfirth, the temple serves as our only rally point. While outside of the town, El'Bain's cabins are manned in time of crisis. In the city of Therenborough, the chapel on the east side of town and the area inside the gate serve as rally points.

    To the south, in Leth Deriel, our points are the temple and the secluded glade, outside of the city, two north of the webs and down a footpath on the Southern Trade Route (STR). In Shard, 'The Morgue', as called by the locals, located one west of the North Gate, and Liani's Heaven (where the Bard guild is) which is located over the bridge and northeast, go building, of the Tower of Honor (where the Paladin Guild is). Outside of Shard, we have the safe spot in mages, which is south of the city. To the north of Shard, the area across the white bridge, which is just north of the stile and the fallow fields.

    Out in the islands, we have the following rally point for each city. In Aesry Surlaenis, the area just outside of the town bank and the pub near the docks. In Ratha, on the third tier, just south of Urrem'tiers temple, there are two adjoining rooms of abundant life and holy power that serve as our rally point. In Mer'Kresh, the Cleric Guild near the center of town. On M'riss, the area adjacent to the docks.

    During times of crisis, it is the duty of Apostle members to not only man these stations, but to inform the populous so that we are better organized and able to handle the current threat at large.