Editing Durgaz's Stuff he knows (section)

==THINGS==
===Pathwalkers===
There is a cry across the shattered land of Eredane, one that cannot be heard by mortal ears. The spirits of the land itself are wracked by the pain of Izrador’s triumph and by the vampiric lust with which he drains the magic from the world. Some say that Aryth herself is responding to the Shadow’s rape of all life and energy. She cannot do so directly, they say, and she has therefore chosen messengers, warriors and champions of her cause. <br> Others suggest that these adventurers simply come to the forefront via fate, luck, or determination. These have the blood of angels and devils in their veins or can trace their ancestry to giants, lycanthropes, or any number of other magical creatures. It is only natural, these storytellers say, that such exceptional folk will come to the forefront of the fight against the Shadow.  <br> Regardless of the source of these powers, each person follows her own path, one determined by the unique expression of her abilities. Some may choose to follow their destinies, while others will deny the gifts they have been given. However, these are not professions, religions, or skills . . .  <br> they are part of who the character is. It is these powers, and the choices and responsibilities that come with them, that set the PCs apart from all of the other individuals in the world of MIDNIGHT. And it is those choices and responsibilities that define the PCs, for good or ill, as heroes. <br> Heroic paths are one of the few edges that characters in MIDNIGHT have, but it is a potent one. Some hone their skills to best utilize their path; for instance, someone born to the naturefriend heroic path is quite likely to find himself becoming a wildlander. On the other hand, some heroic paths can have surprising effects on a character; the most peaceful channeler may suddenly find herself directing seasoned warriors in combat.
====Pathwalker: Seers====
Seers are gifted with second sight, an ancient and mysterious
gift. Visions come to them in their sleep, as they fill
their canteens in clear, reflective pools, and in self-induced
trances. Seer characters are often introspective, searching
always within themselves for the answers they cannot glean
from their visions. <br> '''Sight''': The seer can divine information from
an object, place, or person that she is touching. 

===Aradil’s Eye===
The Witch Queen of Erethor watches over the face of
Eredane from her scrying chambers in the heart of the Arbor.
With the war against Izrador closing in around her, even the
queen’s legendary powers have been taxed, and she has been
forced to rely on more mundane methods to gather information.
This has led to the creation of Aradil’s Eyes, an elite
organization of elven trackers and spies who can go to all
corners of Eredane in search of information about the Night
Kings and their forces. 

===Elven Raiders===
Driven back into the dark shadows of their forests, the
elves have suffered grievously under the iron fist of Izrador.
Most hated of all the Shadow’s enemies, the elves have battled
valiantly against a rising tide of darkness. Though their
numbers are limited and their options few, the elves never
hesitate in the battle against the darkness.
Trained to haunt the wilderness with stealth and deadly
accuracy with their bows, the elven raiders patrol the borders
of the elven forests, constantly searching for the agents of
Izrador. When they need supplies or equipment they cannot
get for themselves in the forest, the raiders steal forth to
attack the goblin and orc encampments, laying waste to their
hated enemies and stealing what they can before fading back
into the wilds.


===A Soldier's Knowledge===

====The Kranklobûrz (Dark Mother) Tribe====
Durgaz’s tribe, consisting of 3000+ Orcs. Durgaz’s father was killed long ago in battle; his mother now serves as a midwife back in the Northlands and knows nothing of Durgaz's treachery, or even that he is still alive; nor would she particularly care to learn either.


====Logistics / Supplies====
'''Shadow Camps'''
*  One orc needs about 1/2 pound (1 trail ration) of food per day, just like all other medium-sized creatures. 
*  Oruks and worgs will require four times that (worgs will not have time or security to hunt)
*  Goblins and such less, 
*  so on average a camp might need a 1/2 pound per head per day. Assuming a campaign of 1 arc, that's going to be 15 pounds per head. All this will have to be taken with the expedition. Resupply through an unsecured forest is not a good option. Add to this spare weapons, armor parts, and all other stuff necessary to keep a soldier up and about, and let's call it 25 pounds. 
*  Add to the orc his own equipment of vardatch, javelins, armor, shield, and he can still easily lug all that himself. So far, no need for a supply train.

====Numbers====
'''Shadow Camp troop counts''' 
*  According to some, the necessary ratio to effectively combat irregular forces with conventional troops is 20 to one. 
*  According to Midnight canon, 100 orcs die per elf. This of course, counts in friendly casualties, accidents, diseases, infighting and what not that occurs in the larger battle grounds like the Burning Line. 
*  Still, assuming a 20 to one ratio, and assuming some 200 elves are available to oppose a camp's troops, that would demand 4,000 troops to effectively take and hold a new campaign city. It's the holding part that's tricky, especially in a cut-off a location which the locals have intimate knowledge of.

====Orc Encampments====
'''Shadow Camps Structures''' 
*  Traditiaonally Shadow camps are fairly chaotic unless you're talking about orc legions where the discipline and training are far better.  Chaotic does not mean stupid.  You can't be stupid and survive in Erethor and even orcs new to Erethor have been told and respect the dangers of the wood.  
*  Camps may sprawl out, but there will be pickets, possible traps emplaced, and the leaders will have the best position/most defensible spot in the camp.  

====The Advance====
'''Shadow Camp Advancement Example''' 
*  Getting to a ruined city such as Althorin will probably demand no more than the 700 or so troops you have allocated to your advance, especially since the elves are incapable of facing the orcs in head-on engagements. They would instead harry from the flanks as they always do, identifying and taking out hot targets like scouts, woodland-capable cavalry (wolves) and legates with snipers or magic. For the average grunt, the advance should seem easy. Any specialized shock troops like a fiendish troll probably won't see any use, and won't even be targeted as it is far too tough to take down.

====Holding the Prize====
'''Shadow Camp holding campaign Example''' 
*  This is where things get tough. The elves know Althorin and the area around it, and can be supplied both from the Gamaril delta and the Pirate Princes. Those same seaward raiders are probably part of the reason there is a land-line to River's Fangs in the first place (the other part being the Shadow's lack of seaborne resources in the first place). The orcs will soon find themselves cut off, without an enemy, and stumbling through the forest trying to secure the road. In Althorin, they will be raided and sabotaged by elves moving through the ruins. Any seaside activity will be hampered by the Norfalls.

====Tactics and Stretegies====
'''If I Was the Elf, following the above Example''' <br>  Elves don't do straight fighting. Like any good outnumbered people being invaded, they are sneaky.
*  Temporarily evacuate Althorin. Get as many supplies out as possible, scattering them throughout the forest. Booby trap the ruins thoroughly with both mundane and magical surprises. Make certain that contact is maintained with the Pirate Princes through other landing spots.
*  Immediately initiate skirmishing with the orcs. Using a mixture of unexperienced troops and true veterans, attempt to lure out the expedition's mobile and intelligence-gathering forces. Allow the expedition to advance blindly, but also with a false sense of purpose and victory.
*  Surround Althorin. Use about half the elven force to cause the orcs to feel “boxed in”. The other half should be kept in reserve or spent sustaining efforts against the road. Use snipers and kill-teams to take down any leading or special figures, and keep attempting to lure them out with fake raids.
*  Slowly withdraw from Althorin. As long as they attempt to hold the ruins, the ors are on the defensive. While the orcs keep staying paranoid, sallying now and then, keep moving forces back to harassing the road, occasionally rotating troops back to Althorin so there is always change there, and the shadow forces don't pick up a pattern. Keep harassing them until they give up, or just hold them there indefinitely.

'''If I Was the Orc, following the above Example''' <br>  As long as the orcs are advancing, their doing their job. When they stop and hunker down, they lose.
*  Acquire secondary objectives. Orcs are best when they are assaulting something, or simply doing something. Anything is better than sitting still, even if doing so means less casualties. Therefore, establish projects such as carving a road to the ruins, making checkpoints and so forth.
*  Force the elves to spread out. With their significant numerical advantage, and the availability of reserves, the orcs can divide into several forces, stage probing attacks and feints, and generally force the elves to keep moving in multiple directions. Casualty rates are not that important.
*  Assault enemy strongpoints. Attempting skirmish warfare with untrained troops against elves is futile. Instead, strong points found during previous probes should be pursued. Keep orc presence in Althorin at an absolute minimum. The town can always be retaken, and supplies are available from River's Fangs and Fallport anyway.
*  Keep requesting more troops. Fighting a guerrilla force means constantly pushing them, despite the casualties suffered, something Grial Fey-Killer is proving on the Burning Line. As long as the road stays open, don't try to limit casualties. The elves will be drained faster than the orcs. Keep the enemy divided and moving.