Brainstorming

JP with Lorem, Omni, Winteroak and Bandorchu

Gonyaul paused being put on the spot in front of everyone. The professionals wanted his ideas? How bad was this situation he wondered.

He replied, “What is dealing with?” His imaginative mind, which wasn’t confined by experience, battle, or rules of engagement, began weaving behind the scenes.

Alexis gave him a short summary of what was about to happen and their plans of using the buildings and falling back to the mines.

“… they are better armed than most of the people here, but the main problem is them being on horseback. Any ideas how we can get them off their horses on their charge?”

Gonyaul folded his arms into his long sleeves and closed his eyes. He remained motionless and silent for a few moments, with just his breathing proving he wasn’t a statue. He looked tranquil.

Suddenly a mischievous and playful grin bloomed at the left corner of his mouth. Like flood gates were opened, idea after idea came pouring out. Many wouldn’t work unless they could circumvent the laws of nature or miraculously evolve human anatomy. Others were impractical or simply nonsense. It was stream of conscience brainstorming.

A few ideas had potential merit, and they went as follows:

“What we have? We have dirt and rocks and lot of diggers. Like Emagoz, giant tortoise, we go cave mouth. We like the head. Go in and out for be safe. No able to get around or behind us with fast horses.” He envisioned them bottlenecking.

“We dig wide deep trench around mine opening with all we want inside. Put lot of sharp small rock inside this. Then we pile stacking rocks make wall. On other side rock wall dig second trench again.”

The idea was that only doing it at the mine entrance meant they didn’t need to make as much of a trench to close off the fronts only entry point. Perhaps even certain structures were close enough to the mouth entrance to be included behind the digging. Horses would have to jump over it. The rocks would cause issues for the footing and the jump itself. And they potentially might not see the trench on the other side till too late. Perhaps many of the horses would crash into the second trench over the rocks and throw the riders.

“If must go deeper in cave. Make places for sneak attack like jungle spider that make trap door in ground and then pop up.”

He added, “I know where to find fresh water in cave should we have to long stay.”

Alexis pondered Gonyaul’s idea, looking at the small settlement.

“I think he‘s onto something. Just the mine entrance would be much easier to defend.“

Listening to Gonyual’s brilliance, Voah could see exactly what Alexis meant and she was of a similar mind. Why try to defend an entire settlement when they could move the necessities to the mines? This hour they had been afforded gave them a little more time to get their plans underway. The main issue was being completely besieged and unable to find a way out.

She smiled and nodded, “And is there any other way we can take them at range?”

Gonyaul chimed in again, “Can we throw fire?”

He then got even more excited by another idea that popped in his head. “Take all drunk making drinks and oils. Pour on ground. Light on fire when they pinch together.”

Markus shook his head. "We don't have that kind of flammable materials at hand." He and the Odonine miner exchanged worried looks.

Gonyaul nodded, “sharpen tent posts to make spears in ground to stop horses??”

“I know the Odonine don’t want to go down there.”

Alexis sighed.

“Can’t say I’m yearning for it either. But they should at least get used to the idea that we’ll have to retreat there. Not sure how long we can stop them in the settlement.”

Gonyaul inspired by the talk of not liking the cave threw out another idea. “Any way get glow mould on them. Then they fight each other not us?”

“No.”
Alexis firmly said.

“We’d probably end up getting at each other’s throats before we get any of that chac on them.”

“The spears are a good idea to keep them at bay or divert them. Also, if we have ropes or nets, we can use them as tripwires or to corral them into an area we want them. Maybe there is a way to prop them up as the attack happens so that they can’t tell the obstacle is there until it is too late.”

Internally she wondered if trying a secret preemptive strike would be worth it to get her hands own a bow, but thought better of it. But it might be a good idea to fell a couple of the archers and take some for themselves. Voah could handful at once in melee but if they were overwhelmed she would have to get into a ranged attack position or become useless.

“Hopefully Markus or the others who know the layout of the settlement can give their own input on defensive routes and positions.”