Supposedly - according to several experts on the rising Warlord situation - a man named Tain Rrevar, operating from the middle of nowhere, gave orders to his vast network of spies, in an attempt to infiltrate and destroy the mighty nation of Kaelath. In part, this was true, except that Tain Rrevar was never at the actual hideout, unless an important meeting was called for. A decoy Tain Rrevar, at this time of day, a decoy Tain Rrevar was sitting in the main hall of the underground tunnels used for hiding the Warlord's troops, and distributed information to various high-ranking spies. Some would relay the messages - and Tain's plans - to the major informants in each of the Kaelathian cities. Others would carefully pass the information on to the real Tain - without even knowing that they were doing it - so that he could make his plans. As far as Tain could tell, it would be another month or so before he could take his first city, and then the others would fall like dominoes.
However, the real Tain Rrevar had a more interesting lead to follow: a certain Kaelathian royal who had renounced her title. From what Tain had read from the recently-delivered reports, she had all of the necessary training that royals had, but detested the throne. "She'll be a good cause to unite behind, in the best case, and a scapegoat at worst," thought Tain, who was traveling with a certain caravan at this time. He had even let it slip - obviously, not in person - to a group of bandits that there were some particularly good supplies traveling in the caravan. The bandits did attack the caravan, but the girl managed to repel five of them with some rather surprising skills as a swordsman. At least, Tain thought to himself, it wasn't his men raiding the caravan. Still, he'd have to defend himself, especially now that the raiders were quickly closing in.
Tain - who, at this time, was posing as a traveling mercenary by the name of Derin Alvar- grabbed his quarterstaff, and hopped from the back of the wagon. From the looks of the bandits converging on the caravan, they weren't particularly well-armed compared to Tain's own spies. Still, they were using swords, so Tain could easily take them down. Raising his quarterstaff in defense, he engaged the first bandit. The first bandit charged towards him, and attempted to stab the so-called mercenary in the ribs. Tain, prepared for his strike, caught the bandit's blade between one of the multiple iron rings at the tip of his quarterstaff, and disarmed him with a swift spin of the blackened wood staff. As the bandit's sword clattered across the ground, Tain kicked the bandit's chest, and rammed the edge of the quarterstaff - which was tipped with an iron cap - into his left temple. Another bandit, picking up the sword of his unconscious comrade, lunged towards Tain. Apparently, this bandit hadn't learned his predecessor's mistake, as Tain blocked his attacks without much difficulty, and quickly dealt with this other bandit. Still, there were several others bandits.
Tain, bored with having to fight unskilled opponents, invoked his illusory powers. To the bandits, fog rose from their feet, and voices wailed around them. There seemed to be a black figure at the center of the fog, and it slowly turned its gaze at each of them - all of them would feel the figure looking at them - to reveal its ghastly, alabaster skull. Suddenly, the figure lunged towards each bandit. Frightened by the mercenary's display of skill, and the somewhat-realistic apparition of death, the mercenaries fled into the forest, screaming.
Tain could hear cheering from where he stood. Judging by the fleeing bandits from the other wagons, he could guess that his target had dispatched some of the raiders. If she was able to gather this kind of support easily, then she'd easily be able to be the leader of a proper army. Perhaps, she might prove herself, with sufficient time...