[puffyn]

---- Arcoscephale, Turn 5 ----

I feel as if I have returned from the grave.

Today was my first day up since my injury. I wandered the camp, chatting with the local peltasts. I learnt that Amshula, Balachandra's little sister, convinced the hoplites to follow her back to Skelde Henge to avenge our earlier defeat. A bunch of local troops went too. No one has the full details, but apparently no-one died (on our side), and injuries were light.

It seems that otherwise, things have been quiet during my recuperation. There is word from Bolfar of a odd sign: milk held up to the mouth of a statue of Shiva (some local god of destruction) disappears. It is all nonsense of course, these people will believe anything, but apparently it has them rather worried, and they've cut back on their arm-flailing to catch up on sacrifices to Shiva. Balachandra and Divikar have stopped pouring through ancient texts and have taken to standing in the smoke in midst of the armory, getting in the way of the smiths, and chanting wordlessly. It's always sad to see a friend succumb to madness, but after years on the campaign you slowly get used to it. Thymbre is late returning from her trip; by Zeus, if anything has happened to her...

I'll have to cut this short. My quarter-master just arrived with the news that Amshula has abandoned the troops in Skelde Henge and gone off into the mountains searching for enlightenment. Although the villagers are relatively friendly, I must rush there as soon as possible to make sure my men are taken care of. My quarter-master feels just as protective about me apparently. I knew he collected spare pieces of fine armor after battles. but I didn't know that he had procured a complete set of Strategos armor, cleaned off the blood and grime, hammered out the dents, and polished the bronze to a gleam. I tried to refuse, but he said to me, "Pandokos, my friend, after a fool stunt like that, I'd feel a lot better if you had a bit more metal between you and the world." It's far too good for me, but my old armor is lying in the mud of Skelde Henge somewhere, and I must wear something as I set out on the road to take charge of my army again.

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