Originally written December 16, 2011.
There is a difficulty in battling the cult, due to its members appearing like ordinary men or women if they so wish. So it seems then that one cultist walked Wintergarde grounds in this manner for some days before he was discovered. He unveiled himself, which hints a great amount of ego and confidence, perhaps his greatest weakness. For now, he remains at large, and I look to the unexpected arrival of a Stormwind guardsman to inform the Templars of this man's strengths, weaknesses and intent.
It was only a matter of time before our operation was discovered on the east end of the mountains, but I did not expect complete subterfuge. The cultist war in Dragonblight is far from subtle, and their numbers have proven difficult to ford on the field. Still, the Templars are amassing for a dangerous gambit, just on the eve of a cultist appearing on our doorstep. Now we are fighting the dragon front in the west, and a quieter front of wits here at Wintergarde.
I have seen the results of cultist hunting among trusted ranks before, and I do not intend to crumble the comradery that has sprung between the Templars and allies gathered at Wintergarde. However, I have unwittedly begun it, by warning Xodius that his very presence may be what jeopardized us.
A part of me wanted to dismiss him into the wastes altogether, but another part questions whether such action is too late. If the cultist walked among us for days, then he likely saw other desirable targets. Removing Xodius from the grounds will likely remove one less soldier to battle a host of cultists that could appear any day. Still, I warned him of potential dismissal. Though loyal thus far, his presence and very being is still questionable. I question whether it is solely me overcoming biases, or whether my suspicion is still grounded.
All this breaks over the Templars as we finish preparations for a new assault. We are accustomed to the north again, and far more prepared to wage war than we were two weeks ago, when this civil war began. If our enemies did not know our presence now, they would know after our assault. It was only a matter of time before our small solace here in Wintergarde was broken, by our own hand or by the spying of others. I had intended on a few days longer, but we are not wholly unprepared for the arrival of cultists, either.
But for all our prepration, so many other fronts unexpectedly erupt where there was previously no fire. The Blacksmith sent word that Tranquility's Watch is being spied upon by the Alliance. Templars is but a small, specialized force, but there are times when I see its limits in size when wars erupt on more than one continent. Perhaps it is time to reach out to other forces stationed in Dragonblight, Horde and Alliance. The Tears and Bloods are here, the Phantom Legion came with a small force. Perhaps the Legionnaires will set aside differences and cease eying the Watch while the greater battle is fought here.
Perhaps once this first Templar gambit is complete, we will push ahead with allies to complete far greater ones. That will lift the pressure from Wintergarde, once the cult realizes its enemies are spread throughout Dragonblight, and are in no personnel shortage. Any spread of cultist forces will give the Templars and allies more targets, less numbers. We will see if the cult responds with any amount of sound strategy, aside from thus far dressing like a wolf in sheep's clothing.
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