Kylara looks at Xune coldly.  "Either you take orders, or you do not.  The choice is yours, as are the consequences."  Turning to the others she says, "now, pick a group..if you can crawl or fly stealthfully, come with me and we will position ourselves above and below the enemy.  If you are a caster or if you cannot fly or crawl stealthfully, then go with Xune.  Once my group is in position, above and below the enemy, then Xune's group will approach the bridge as if to cross peacably.  When Xune's group gets within striking distance, the casters will let loose their spells upon the enemy.  After the initial casting, my group will descend from the ceiling, or crawl up from below as the case may be, and attack the enemy leaders and casters.  Meanwhile, Xune's group will then engage the enemy and fight their way towards us."

She pauses, looks back at Xune and then addresses everyone again.  "I don't care about holding the bridge.  I don't care about these derro to tell the truth.  What I care about is find out how well each of you fights.  I care about us learning to fight as a team, and I care about find out who among you will follow orders, and who will not.  I care about finding out who among you is deadly...and who among you is just dead.  This battle is a test, as are most things in life.  That is Lolth's way; continual testing.  Now, pick your group and lets kill."

As I just told Zanan, a real life situation has ... well ... exploded.  As a result, I am now spending most of my time dealing with that situation.  Hopefully the crisis will pass in the next couple weeks.

"The best way to take a bridge is from both ends at once."  Kylara'anon says.  "I can lead a small group of those who can remain quiet and stealthy to the far side of the bridge, there.  Once there, one of the arcanists can start the attack with a spell, an area effect upon the pillar, be it fire or web or something else.  Then we attack from both sides trapping the Derro at the pillar between us.  We will not use missle weapons - we don't want to hit each other - but we will rush into close combat."  She looks out at the bridge.  "Before we do this, however, I want a scout's eyes on the far side of the bridge to make sure there is not an army there waiting for us.  Who can get eyes-on the far side of the bridge and then report back without being seen or heard?  Other than me that is."

Kylara'anon has the party set up guard positions around the make-shift camp and then works out a rotation for manning the two positions.

"Perhaps they wanted to breathe."  Kylara'anon replies to Tavia.  "Regardless, lets proceed.  Each to their role as before.  Khalas, you shall work as a bolt, supporting the blades and scouts.  I should not have to say it, but I will; be on your guard people.  A little dust does not mean there is nothing here that will not end our lives if we are careless."  She gestures to the scout to lead the way.

"Well answered", responds Farviaan with a slightly respectful nod . "I just wanted to make sure that we understand each other. Just remember, the live-or-die-rule applies to commanders, too."

"Absolutely true."  Kylara'anon responds.  After Trinyon and Sheirya declare themselves she nods, "very well, you two shall be bolts on support.  Sheirya, your primary duty will be to support the front.  Trinyon, yours is to support the rear, namely, our trail guard scout.  Naturally, that is but a general plan; circumstances trump plans of course and I expect both of you to use your skill and judgment in determining where best to focus your efforts and how in the absence of commands from me."

Kylara then follows Tavia and Faviaan out, through the streets, into the next temple and down into darkness.

Kylara'anon responds to Xyranma.  "A demonstration would be appreciated, but it will have to wait until we are on the trail."  When Xune appears Kylara'anon looks her over and gives her a slight nod.  "Very well, you will be most useful."  As she finishes, silver light heralds the appearance of Khalas.  Kylara listens to him present himself, then responds.  "What an eccentric performance."  

She takes a deep breath, lets out a sigh, and gestures for the assembly to gather in front of her.  

“Most of you are familiar, or at least should be, with the Way of Lolth.”  She looks about for any blank, curious faces, and then proceeds.  “This patrol will be ruled by the Way of Lolth, but it will be run by the Way of Patrol.  So, for your benefit and our success, I will explain the way of patrol.  I do not have time to give you full instruction as you might at a xonathull Magthere, a battle-academy, so this will have to do.  Your first lesson is this; there are four roles in a patrol; Scout, Blade, Bolt and Lead.  Scouts move in front of the main body, and behind it.  Where needed, they also move on the flanks.  Their purpose is to find others before others find us.  They keep the main body from getting surprised by enemy.  Their secondary purposes are navigation and drawing the enemy into ambushes by feigning hostile contact and then retreating into our kill zone.  

The second role is the Blade.  The Blades are the melee fighters, those who go hand to hand with the enemy.  Blades may have ranged weapons, to be sure, but their primary purpose is to engage the enemy in close quarters and slay them.  

The third role is the Bolt.  The Bolts support the Blades and the Scouts with spell and arrow.  Thus, the term “Bolt” is derived from both Lightening Bolt and Crossbow Bolt – so, by spell or crossbow, the Bolt’s give ranged support to the others.  Healers are also included in the Bolts, as Healers support the others with spells.  And when not healing, they had best be slinging bolts, arrows, knives or stones if there is fighting.  

Finally, the fourth role is Lead.  The Lead leads.  Its that simple.  I am the Lead for this patrol, so I will give the orders.  Now, there will be a strand-of-command, in case I fall.  Every person in the patrol shall be ordered, by their relative station, and by that order shall you know the strand-of-command.  Normally, I would work this out before we set one foot into the wilds, but we are pressed for time and so I will have to learn your stations as we go and then announce the strand order afterwords.

For the time being, I need to know who can fulfill which roles; who are my Scouts?  My Blades?  And my Bolts?”