I spent the better part of the morning with the wounded and the healers. Things looked promising but we were not quite ready to get going as of yet. Some of the wounded would need a little more time, despite the best efforts of the various healers, before they would be able to rejoin the ranks. We wouldn't move out today anyway, as I still wanted to wait for the reports of the scouting detachments I sent out earlier but time was of the essence. I wanted to get moving again tomorrow or the day after tomorrow at the latest.

I didn't want to abandon any of my men or women either though. In theory we could use this camp with its fortifications as a way station for further supply shipments and reinforcements as well as a temporary field hospital. I would have to permanently detach a guard for it in this case though which would weaken my army, reducing the force I could bring to bear on any enemy. The fortifications were not quite as good as I would have liked for a more permanent forward base with only a small complement of guards either.

In the long run I wanted to set up a base like this a little further north where supply caravans could use whether they came through the gap or across the mountain pass. It would be closer to my main force as well once we were to lay siege to Gothol'gathrak. There it would be further from any enemy forces that might move into the area as well. In the end I decided against using this camp in the long run. We would move any wounded not able to move under their own power by wagon. My next stop thus was with the coachmen.

We would shift some of the supplies around to free up a few of the wagons. Hopefully that would be enough. I sent them to talk it over with the healers. Those knew best who would be able to march on their own and who would need to be loaded on the wagons. That was one problem taken care of, at least for now. My next way led me back to the healer's ward though anyway, as Yath'zur had not yet been discharged by them. He might just end up being one of those who got to ride a wagon while the rest marched.

He knew it as well and he didn't like it. He couldn't really argue against it though. At least one of the lances, that got him, had only narrowly missed a major blood vessel and the healers insisted he rest some more just in case. The troll healers had worked some serious magic on him and he probably could move but it still would be better if he didn't for a few more days. I decided to distract him a little with my idea regarding the use of the gryphon riders for aerial fire bombing.

He looked at me a little perplexed, as I sat at the foot of his over sized field bed. In the end though, after rubbing his chin with his good hand, he nodded slowly. “It might work. I'm not sure how accurate they could drop them though. I'm not sure about the extra weight any of the gryphons could carry either. You wouldn't want to deploy them with a heavy load like this either unless you have complete control of the skies. Overburdened gryphons are no opponent for a wyvern. No, they either would have to drop the barrels or something like a wyvern would make quick work of them.”

A smile spread across my face as he kept talking. His wounds seemed, at least temporarily, forgotten, as he gave my idea some serious thought. “And how should we deploy the barrels? Can the gryphons lift the big ones with their claws? Maybe if we put them in a net? Or would we need smaller barrels which the riders can drop from the back of their mounts?”

He frowned as I posed this additional questions. “It probably would have to be the gryphon riders who drop them. Thus it would have to be smaller barrels, maybe with a sling attached, to somehow hang them from the saddle.” He paused to scratch an itch. “Or you could put them in a net, but a net for the rider. You would have to ask them to be sure, but I don't think the gryphons themselves could drop them if their reflexes are anything like those of other large birds of prey.”

I looked at him confused but before I could ask he elaborated. “Some, if not all, large birds of prey can't open their claws in flight. Supposedly so they don't accidentally drop their prey in mid flight. At least I have heard that much. Like I said, ask the gryphon riders themselves, they should know if that is just some silly rumor or if there is some truth to it.”

“Hm.” I looked skyward for a moment to order my thoughts. “You are right. I'll ask them once they return. What about the size of the barrels? Do we have enough smaller barrels around to make smaller fire bombs? And how should we find out just how accurately they can drop them? We probably shouldn't use real firebombs for some test runs, right?”

He grimaced in return. “I hate to break it to you, but you probably should order those smaller firebombs directly from the alchemists. Send an order for them back with the next messenger. I'd rather not play around with those barrels here in the field. That stuff is incredibly sticky and it lights on fire entirely too easily. Using those things with a trebuchet is already dangerous enough. I really wouldn't want to ask any of my men and women to open them without dire need.”

I sighed. “They really are that dangerous, aren't they?”

He nodded to emphasize the point. “They are. If you want to find out how accurately the gryphon riders can drop them we could make a mock up that will not set anyone ablaze by accident.” He fell silent for a moment, pondering exactly how he would go about it. Finally he spoke up again. “Bags of colored pebbles should work. Make sure they have the right weight. When they hit the ground they should split open and the pebbles will spill not entirely unlike the alchemical oil would.”

He looked up at one of his sergeants who was seated nearby, probably with orders to keep their captain in bed. “You heard everything? Go and have some mock ups of various weights made. Have someone draft up a design, with sketches and everything as well, so we can send it back with the next courier right away if the trials with the gryphon riders work out.”

As the sergeant left Yath'zur let out a short laugh. “You know you are changing warfare, probably forever.” He rubbed his chin again. “Even if the firebombs don't work out we could still have the fliers drop the pebbles from the bags from high up. They should do about as much damage that way as if they were launched from a sling.”

I groaned. Just imagining a rain of pebbles or other projectiles unleashed by dozens of fliers sent a shiver down my spine. “Generations of warriors to come will curse me for this, won't they?”

He waved my concerns away with his good hand. “Don't worry about that. I on the other hand will have to worry about getting some gryphon or hippogryph riders onto the company's payroll if this works out.”

I stood and grinned. “Well, I'll worry about more immediate concerns then. Your sergeant has the mock ups well in hand, yes?” As he nodded I continued. “Then I will worry about setting up a targeting range. We'll want to have it done before they return from their reconnaissance mission.”

And with that said I left with a wave, to actually get things done. Setting up targets was actually a lot easier than I expected. A decent sized spare tent served as a stand in for a large slime while a bunch of sticks with dented helmets and shields, scavenged from the battlefield, affixed to them represented an infantry formation. Making sure everyone would stay clear of either once they were set up was a little more tricky. People were curious after all. In the end I had to set up guards to make sure no one would be anywhere near these targets when we hopefully would unleash a new kind of hell upon them.

The gryphons were the first to return, announcing themselves with a loud screech that was impossible to miss. Kah'le jumped off the back of her mount, handing its reigns to one of her sisters, right away. “We followed the tracks of that big slime all they way to a bog. It might be where most of the smaller ones have come from as well. We couldn't spot any more of them and not for lack of trying either. No other enemy movement of any kind in that direction either.”

That was good news. I sighed in relief. “Are you and your sisters up for a little experiment? Want to drop some bags of pebbles on the targets we set up out there?” She nodded but raised an eyebrow at the same time as well thus I kept explaining. “We decided on bags of colored pebbles for this experiment instead of barrels of alchemical oil as it is less dangerous. We prepared them with a range of weights since we weren't quite sure how you would want to go about it and how much additional weight you and your gryphons can carry.”

I led her to the assembled prototypes. “Is it true that gryphons can't open their claws in flight?”

She nodded. “Much like eagles.” then she pointed at a bunch of smaller bags filled to the brim with red pebbles. “Well try these. We should be able to carry two of those each.” True to her word she picked up two bags and slung them over her shoulders by the attached slings.

I picked up four more for her sisters. A series of quick explanations later the trio was airborne again and I was left to watch from the palisade, together with quite a few other curious souls.

We didn't have to wait long. The three gryphons circled far above us twice before going into a steep dive. I couldn't actually see the gorgon sisters release their weaponized bags of rocks but it must have been just before they pulled out of their dive again.

Two bags hit near the tent, spilling their bright red colored contents far and wide as they split open. The third hit the tent dead on, making it collapse into itself.

The gorgon gryphon riders weren't done yet though. They circled several more times to gain altitude again before going into another dive, this time aiming for the sticks with the shields and helmets. All three bags hit somewhere within the mockup formation, spilling their contents everywhere. Numerous helmets were knocked off their sticks and just as many shields were sent flying wide. More than a few sticks were reduced to splinters altogether.

I couldn't help but grin. This looked promising. Yath'zur might just be right. This could change the way we waged war for good.