Miles ahead of Drake's Explorer's League caravan, concealed within a narrow, heavily wooded ravine that overlooked the primary trade route leading towards the Serpent's Tooth foothills, Commander Vorlag crouched. Around him, his elite player squad, the "Steel Vipers," were similarly positioned, their high-quality gear glinting dully in the filtered sunlight. Further back, almost invisible amongst the dense trees and rocks, a detachment of twenty Argent Excavator Legionaries (Level 35-38 NPCs), disciplined and heavily armed, awaited his signal. Their silver-and-grey uniforms and standardized weaponry spoke of a well-funded, organized military force, far removed from common bandits or city guards.
Vorlag checked his tactical overlay, a custom interface provided by the Excavators. It showed the estimated arrival time of the target caravan – the "Jian-affiliated traditionalists" Chief Surveyor Marius had ordered them to intercept. Their current ambush spot was perfect: a natural chokepoint where the trail narrowed, with high ground on either side offering excellent fields of fire for his ranged players and NPC crossbow units. The plan was simple: a devastating opening volley to cripple the lead wagons and sow chaos, followed by a swift, overwhelming assault from the Legionaries to secure any passengers or cargo of value, while his Steel Vipers focused on neutralizing any capable defenders.
"Marius wants relics, especially anything resonating with that Forge signature. And any 'specialists' captured. The rest... expendable. This caravan is small, probably a few under-leveled guards and some academics. Should be a quick, clean operation."
He glanced at his party members. Kael (Level 27 Shadow Rogue), his second-in-command, gave a curt nod from his concealed position. Seraphina (Level 27 Frost Mage) idly twirled a crystal wand, her eyes scanning the empty trail below. Grak (Level 28 Berserker), a hulking Orc player, hefted his massive two-handed axe impatiently. They were a seasoned team, veterans of numerous "asset retrieval" operations for the Excavators.
Suddenly, a whisper message chimed in Vorlag's interface – it was from one of his forward player scouts, Whisperwind (Level 26 Ranger), positioned several miles down the trail. << Whisper from Whisperwind: Commander, target caravan has deviated from the main route. They've taken an old, unmarked northern fork into the Broken Spire Hills. Repeat, they are NOT on the primary trail anymore. Looks like they're deliberately avoiding this pass. >>
Vorlag swore under his breath, a string of curses that would have made a dockworker blush. He stood up abruptly, his carefully constructed ambush plan instantly rendered useless. "Damn it all!" he snarled, his voice low but furious. "They changed routes! How? Did they spot our scouts? Or just get lucky?"
Kael materialized beside him, his movements silent. "Bad luck, Commander? Or maybe they have someone with good perception. That northern fork is rough terrain, rarely used. Adds at least half a day to their travel, probably more."
Seraphina joined them, her brow furrowed. "So, the ambush here is a bust. Do we pull back, report to Marius, and try to intercept them further east?"
Grak grunted. "More waiting? Bah! Let's just track 'em down and hit 'em in the open!"
Vorlag silenced them with a sharp gesture. His mind raced. Pulling back meant reporting a failure to Marius, something he was loath to do, especially after the previous caravan incident involving the unknown Bladesworn. Marius expected results, not excuses. And the thought of that small, insignificant caravan slipping through his grasp, potentially reaching the Echoing Forge area before his own main force, was intolerable.
"No. We don't pull back. Marius wants them neutralized before they reach the Forge valley. If they took the northern fork through Broken Spire Hills... there's only one other place they can reasonably pass before the terrain opens up again towards the mountains – the Redstone Defile. It's a less ideal ambush spot, narrower sightlines, fewer escape routes for us if things go wrong... but it's their most logical path now."
He accessed his detailed regional map, provided by the Excavators' cartography division. He pinpointed the Redstone Defile – a tight, winding canyon about five miles north-east of their current position. It would be a hard, fast march to get there before the caravan, especially if the caravan maintained a steady pace.
"Kael, Seraphina, Grak," Vorlag snapped, his decision made. "Relay to your squads. We're moving. Whisperwind, maintain distant contact with the caravan, report their speed and exact heading, but stay out of sight. The rest of you, pack it up. We're redeploying to the Redstone Defile. It's a longer shot, less advantageous terrain, but it's the only chokepoint they'll hit before the foothills open up."
Some of the other Steel Viper players, hearing the new orders relayed, grumbled. "Redstone Defile? That's a deathtrap if they're expecting us!" "We've lost the element of surprise, Commander. Maybe we should just wait for them in the mountains?"
Vorlag rounded on them, his eyes blazing. "Marius expects results, not excuses! We lost the ideal ambush, yes, but we haven't lost them. They're a slow-moving caravan with wagons. We are an elite strike force. We will intercept them at the Defile. The Legionaries will provide the hammer, we will be the anvil. Anyone who questions that can explain their cowardice to Chief Surveyor Marius personally."
The grumbling ceased immediately. The threat of Marius's displeasure was a potent motivator.
"Legionary Sergeant!" Vorlag barked at the nearby NPC officer. "Prepare your men for immediate forced march. Destination: Redstone Defile, coordinates to follow. Light infantry pace. We need to be there within three hours." The Legionary Sergeant, a grim-faced veteran, saluted crisply. "Understood, Commander! The Legion will be ready!"
Within minutes, the meticulously prepared ambush site in the wooded ravine was abandoned. The Argent Excavator force – Steel Viper players and their supporting NPC Legionaries – began a rapid, disciplined redeployment, cutting cross-country through the rugged wilderness towards the Redstone Defile. Vorlag pushed them hard, driven by his frustration at the caravan's unexpected route change and his unwavering determination to fulfill Marius's orders.