CYOA - Seasons of Sorrow

No, we don't want anyone outside X. I'm fairly comfortable in this scenario. The whole point of taking the town was to form a solid defensive perimeter. The only enemies who could potentially harm the Inn are the Fire Sages, the Risen Behemoths, and the Dracozombie, which Drake has likely already dealt with.

I'll post my custom strat when I'm a bit more awake, as I haven't even got home yet.

Closed.

Alright, here's my strat. Sorry it took me so long. We pile our units into the Inn, with the bulkiest characters on the first floor, backed by our healers and mages. Our wounded units will retreat to the second floor, along with one healer, and heal. Our fliers will stay above the Inn, just out of range of enemy archers, and provide what support they can.

We prioritize eliminating the enemy Sages and Snipers, and stay on the defensive. Every time we defeat a Risen, we have our own Fire Sages burn the body before it can return. Once we have cleared a path, we book it to the Citadel.

Also, our Fliers should keep an eye out for Drake and the Dracozombie.

You turn your back on the Risen just long enough to give an order.  "Get inside one of the buildings!"

"Which one?" Rosalin shouts back.

You aren't willing to turn again to survey the buildings.  "The middle!  The biggest!  I don't know, pick one!"

Rosalin shrugs, then charges at one of the buildings' doors with her axe.  Alyssa practically tackles her to the ground.  "Let me handle it," she suggests, slipping a thin strip of metal from her sleeve.

A few seconds later, the door to the center building is open.

Your forces start to filter inside.  You and Paen slowly back away from the wall of Risen together as the space behind you clears.  The Risen slowly advance, keeping their distance.  You risk turning to give another order.  "Fliers, get some height and stay clear of their arrows!  Be ready to give us some help once we figure out our plan!"  The sound of wingbeats signals Rain's immediate departure, and your other fliers quickly follow.  "And be on the lookout for Drake or that other one," you call after them.

You soon find yourself back-to-back with your rearguard.  Walt reaches up and gives you a hand dismounting Marth while Doran and Paen eye the slowly-approaching wearily.  You hop down quickly, and Marth starts to trot off.  The Risen part to let him pass, not bothering with a horse.  Paen stubbornly refuses to go inside until everyone else goes first.  You let him take up the rear, closing and locking the door as he steps in.

Rosalin and Cecil are already standing by the front door with a large dresser off to one side.  "Are we staying in or heading out?" Cecil asks.

"Holding our ground for now," you answer.

"Told ya she'd say that," Rosalin responds, sliding the dresser in front of the entrance.  They head off to find more furniture for the rear entrance.

You take a moment to look around.  To your left is a large counter with a several drawers built in.  To the right is a small kitchen and beyond that a set of stairs lead to a second floor; some of your troops have already gone up.  The rest of your group is standing around in what appears to be an inn common room, stocked with small tables and simple chairs.  

"This is an inn?" you ask no one in particular.

"Looks that way," Doran answers.

"It is," Bud tells you.  "They've got rooms upstairs an' everything.  Saul went an' took the guys that're banged up and some healers, they're working up there now."

"I see," you respond, already back to thinking of a way out.  Two small windows on the front wall, none on the back.  Less vulnerabilities, but you have no clue what's going on behind the locked door.  Glancing out the front windows, you can see the Risen forming a semi-circle in front of the door.

Paen takes a seat on the counter.  "I hope they attack soon.  I'm getting tired of all this running."

You walk up the stairs to see if you can help the healers, and to get a better idea of the situation.  You count five rooms, three on the back and two on the front, with another small room on the far end.  Alyssa pokes her head out and calls down the hall to you.  "Store room.  Nothing useful."  She disappears back into the room, apparently not satisfied with her first search.

One of the room's doors swings open and Ferris steps out, stretching.  He pats a small bandage on his arm.  He smiles when he sees you, but says nothing.  He lightly pats your back as he steps past you and down the stairs.  

You step into the room he emerged from and find Charlotte with a heal staff.  "J-June...  Are you hurt?" she asks.

With all the excitement, you hadn't even checked.  You give yourself a quick once-over and don't find any wounds.  Plenty of blood, but none of it yours.  "I'm fine," you tell Charlotte.

"Good," she answers simply.  You both stand there, unsure of anything to say.

You notice a small window behind Charlotte, and you point.  "Do all the rooms have those?" you ask.

"I... think so," Charlotte answers.  You slip past her and glance out, back down into the alley you escaped from.  The Risen are packed in tight, all staring at the inn door with their weapons in hand.  One looks up and sees you.  Its mouth slowly twists into what you assume to be a smile, and you step back from the window.

You head back downstairs, surprised there's still no sign of a Risen attack.  You look out the front window again, out onto the main road.  One of the groups of generals has arrived, and the already large horde of Risen and soldiers adds them to their numbers.  The number almost 70 troops now, 30 of them undead.  And another 24 are densely packed into the alley behind you.

You realize why they aren't making a move.  Your estimate time is just over one-forth gone before the enemy reinforcements arrive.  A protracted siege is in their favor.

You could keep sitting in the inn - wait for the enemy to try something, though they might just sit there and wait as well.  Setting archers and mages up in the windows on the second floor would chip away at the enemy numbers slowly, but you aren't sure how the enemy will react.  They may become aggressive and rush the doors, or they may drop back out of your range and keep waiting.  You could try to force your way out of the front or back.  A head-on fight is risky, but may be the best option in terms of time...

While you weigh your options, you lean against the inn's west wall.  It's stone up to your waist, then it turns into wood.  You suddenly remember the buildings were slammed against each other, and you whirl around to face the wall.  A few members of your group turn to stare at you as you probe the wall, tapping at certain points with your hatchet.  You're almost certain that smashing this wall would lead into the building next door - and through that one, you could smash through to the next, and then into the street...  It would leave another point you'd need to defend if the enemy attacks, but it would let you slip past their blockade and slip behind them.  Then you could either attack their force from the rear or just send a small, quick team straight for the enemy headquarters...

Doran looks at you thoughtfully, and he seems to be trying not to smile.

(A) Wait
(B) Whittle down the enemy forces with ranged attacks
(C) Open the door (front or back) and send out melee units
(D) Tactician: Start breaking through the wall

I have no clue which way to vote there seems to be risk to everything we do whether its being overunned by the foe, or just exposing ourselves to the open..... I guess I will wait for others input before placing an official vote.

Looks like D then.

B. I'll post my team tomorrow, as I am in desperate need of sleep.

"We're going to charge through the enemy lines. King Paen, are you ready to get into the fray?"

Paen stretches and fakes a yawn. "Oh, I suppose I can spare a few minutes from my busy, busy schedule."

You scan the room. "Bune should be there, so we'll take Mary, as well."

She clutches the Goetia. "I'm ready to go."

John glances at Fumiko, who returns a nod. "I'm going, too!" he announces.

"I was hoping you'd say that," you answer. "We'll meet up with Rain outside. Charlotte, do you still think you can fight?"

"I... I can do it!" she yells.

You glance at Saul. He nods. "I'll stick with her. Another healer won't hurt, I'm sure."

"I'll take command here, then," Doran concludes.

"Actually, I want you with us," you explain. "In case something happens."

Doran looks confused for a second, then shrugs. "Fine with me. We've got plenty of capable leaders around here."

"Holland, can you take command?"

His mustache bristles. "Me? Are you sure? I do training more than actual leading..."

"You're an instructor of Valeria's Holy Knights. You would never have reached that rank if you didn't know what you were doing."

Holland strokes his beard. "Alright. You can leave this to me. But you take care of my wife, you hear me?"

Doran pats him on the back. "Charlotte and I'll be there. Rain's going to be fine."

Fumiko grabs Mary and wraps around her. She glares at John. "Don't make me regret sending her with you." John takes a half-step back and Fumiko grins at him. She lets Mary go and steps back. She looks over at you, still grinning. As her gaze passes over Doran, you notice her tail swish a bit. Judging from his expression, he noticed as well.

"Is everyone ready?" you call out. No objections. "Let's move out, then!"

Holland orders archers and mages upstairs, then positions lancers by the front windows. You slip through the wall into the house, helping the others behind you. Carefully avoiding the windows, you mass at the side door.

"Out the door, take a left, then a right. Then we just keep running until we reach the enemy headquarters. Don't fight anyone you don't have to." Nods all around.

You yank open the door, half expecting a wall of Risen to meet you. Instead, you find a lone figure waiting for you.  Marth snorts as you stare in surprise.  Saul's mount steps out from an alley and heads your way.  "How...?" you hear John start to ask.

You ignore his question, running out to mount up.  Saul leaps onto the back of his horse, as well, then pulls Charlotte up with him.  You offer Paen your hand, but he shakes his head and starts running.  The rest of your infantry follows behind him, and you spur Marth forward.  As you turn the corner to the main street, you see the horde of Risen and soldiers still surrounding the inn.  You expect one to whirl around and notice you, but their attention is elsewhere.  Through the crowd, you can just make out Cecil and Rose standing just outside the inn, challenging anyone to get close.  Meanwhile, Alyssa and Syrene lob arrows from the second floor.

With Paen and Doran bringing up the rear, your team charges towards the council chambers.  You've put plenty of distance between yourselves and the enemy when a general finally happens to notice you.  He calls out to the rest, and a few units start chasing you.  Realizing how far behind you are, they change their minds and break off, moving to block the door you'd escaped from.

With just a few buildings between your group and your target, Rain, Dan, Claudia, and Wendy swoop down and land beside you.  "This is our big plan?" Rain asks.

"It's a gamble," Doran responds.  "But it's better than sitting in that inn until their friends show up!"

From this distance, you get a better look at the enemy's headquarters.  The building itself is larger than it looked from the town outskirts - as wide and long as several other buildings put together and made of solid stone, it could serve as a small fort.  A short staircase up to a large set of doors are the only visible entrance on the front, and the back seems to vanish over a sheer cliff.  Far below, you can hear the sound of waves crashing.

The three main roads meet in a large half-circle just in front of the chambers.  Thirty Risen, revenants, fill the plaza, while a pair of legionnaires flank the doors.  Looking back, it doesn't seem any enemies followed you.  You can still see the crowd laying siege to the inn.

(A) Clear the Risen out slowly and carefully
(B) Clear the Risen as quick as possible
(C) Try to lure the Risen away and double back