Under New Management
Seven days had passed since Peerha had killed Setther. Just seven days since the army had found a new general in Peerha Meroe. In that time, things had drastically changed.
Right off the bat, conditions were not so severe. Rations were given out in larger supply, because Setther had always believed that if you kept a tight lid on the food supply, then you would never run out. Peerha knew that the winter season wasn't for two months, and he didn't plan to fight this war in the cold. He'd finish it before.
Most troops were skeptical that Peerha could do this. But after three more small battles, they began to think otherwise. The first battle had bebitch the day after Peerha had taken over. They'd tracked down a small platoon of cultists that had taken up residence on an island off the Eastern Coast. They ambushed them, and by the end of the fight, they'd captured the rest of the survivors. Peerha had tried interrogating them, but found they'd rather die than betray their cult. So he let them go.
It was a game of luck he was playing here. Peerha had sent Jekhel to track them. Once they were a day ahead, Peerha took his troops and followed the trail Jekhel had left for them. After the third day of traveling, Jekhel appeared to him. The cultists had played right into their hands. They had marched to another small village, this one already been raided, it's outlanders killed, and the village fortified. But not by much. It was little more than an outpost. The natives of Morrowind that lived there were afraid of the Black Hand, even though they claimed to be the saviors of Morrowind. Peerha used this to his advantage.
He sent out the stealthiest troop in his arsenal to contact the people there, in secret. A day later, and the man returned. The people would rebel, and then Peerha's forces would swoop in and take the place by force. The mission was a complete success.
After this battle, the army had restocked their supplies, which had been given to them by the grateful people in the village. Once rested and re-supplied, the army moved out. Jekhel had looked over his map of Morrowind, and put ink blots on every location the Black Hand had occupied. Every time, the blots were scattered on the Eastern half of Morrowind. The farthest west the Black Hand had attacked so far was Vivec. Jekhel concluded they were afraid or were trying to lay low so they didn't get every political power attacking them.
Peerha wished every political power would come down on them. If the Black Hand couldn't even dispatch his own small force of 150, how could they stand up to the combined forces of Tiber Septum, the Tribunal, and the three main houses of Morrowind; Redoran, Hlaluu, and Telvanni? The war would have been over by now, but with them, it was politics first. Peerha hadn't heard any news about any of those powers though. They were always in such remote locations, he wasn't surprised. For all he knew, they were trying to fight a war with the Black Hand.
But Peerha realized then the advantage of the Black Hand. This cult was not like any of the major political superpowers. They had only one permanent location: headquarters. Everything else was mobile. Small platoons were used to create outposts and bases. If headquarters wanted that outpost cleared out, then that small platoon could be gone within hours. With a power like Tiber Septum and the entire Imperial legion, it would take a full day. This was do to the fact that the Legionarres did not move in platoons. They moved in entire battalions. Hundreds would occupy bases and forts. Which meant a lot of men and supplies would be packed and unpacked daily. The Black Hand were simply faster. With this bonus on their side, they could always stay ahead of the enemy.
But if the Legion ever figured out where the Black Hand's base was, then it would be game over. Thousands would come down on the base, and destroy it. If they failed once, then they would be back again. Without at least one place to house the cult's leaders, it would all fall apart, and they'd simply be reduced to raving fanatics. That was also how he intended to win the war. Once Peerha discovered the Black Hand's main base, he would call in support from the Legion, and it would be finished. No more violence. No more raids. The only problem was doing it. He had no idea where the base could be, and no idea where to start.
However, the third battle would change all that. Peerha would happen across something that would set the end of it all in motion. Since it is such a milestone, this is the battle that will be described in full.