Rukhnis has joined the line.

Zoey has joined the line.

Cillian has joined the line.

Clara has joined the line.

Rowenova has joined the line.

It is the dark hour of night. The first fighting line has gone off to try and sneak Lords Rysen and Ian with Lady Brianna out of the encampment. While at the war camp the others grew too restless. Too helpless feeling so there was a decision to go out and do something about it.

Niklas has joined the line.

Niklas checked perception + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 8 higher.

Rowenova checked perception + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 32 higher.

Zoey checked perception + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 9 higher.

Rukhnis checked perception + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 28 higher.

Niklas wields a musical wooden lute.

Kaldur checked perception + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 2 lower.

Clara checked perception + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 12 higher.

Kaldur checked dexterity + ride at difficulty 50, rolling 1 higher.

Cillian checked perception + war at difficulty 15, rolling 16 higher.

What is that heard clomping up to the emcampment but a group of Templars. "We are looking for Scout Rowenova or Lord Mirk Halfshav." A woman with a thick Oathlander Accent and an armor style to boot says.

With Rukhnis on the back of her horse, Rowenova speaks up, "Here!" says she.

Having been given a hand up onto Rowenova's own horse, Rukhnis is riding behind the scout with a look of fiery-eyed determination. Perhaps her own role in creating a distraction is a small one, but she's at least on hand for the first moment anyone wounded comes her way. Peering out from around the scout's shoulder, she eyes the Templars narrowly.

Although the Shaman slash Combat Medic is not the best on a horse, Clara is still upon a horse and here with the others to provide a distraction. She wasn't entirely certain what that distraction would be yet but it would indeed be a distraction. She watches as the Templars approach and the woman looks for Nova.

Cillian is not on the back of a horse but a large Carbiou one hand on the reins the other has his bow grasped tight in it, his eyes look over to Nova and the Templars that show up.

The Templar nods and hands a missive to the scout.

Moving her horse closer to the Templar, Nova turns it sideways and reaches with her free hand to take the missive. She quickly reads then speaks up, "Excellent!" Then, she roars out in her Northern voice, "Prepare riders for a charge and retreat tactics on the far face. Prepare archers with tar/oil arrows to light it up, on my lead!"

Rowenova checked command + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 25 higher.

Zoey wields Dawn's Light, an alaricite bow.

At the word 'archers' Zoey preps her bow. "We'll light up the sky and rain fire down on them."

Clara wields The Icy Stare of Death.

Mikani has joined the line.

Turn in line: Rukhnis

Rukhnis straightens up a little behind Nova and speaks in her rough voice in such a way that it manages to carry, even without being all that loud. "There are some very suitable spots around us that look to carry a load of dry fuel, even in this weather." She gestures with head and hands to indicate a few lower areas in the surrounding landscape where grass and wood are sheltered from the wind and somewhat in the lee even of the pelting drive of the slushy rain that's falling. "If we are wishing to start up fires, those will be the places to go to."

Turn in line: Zoey

"Point me to where the archers go, name my target, and I'll do the other thing I'm known for," says Zoey, her face a mask of calm to cover the roiling emotions beneath.

Turn in line: Cillian

Cillian moves to slip his helm on he looks to Zoey through his horned helm then back to Nova, "Tell me where we are needed and I will show them no mercy." he says with his thick accent.

Turn in line: Clara

Clara listens to what is being sid and nods her head. "Not relevant right now but I did notice some herbs that we might be able to use later, Rukhnis." She nods her head regarding the archers as well.

Rowenova checked perception + survival at difficulty 25, rolling 48 higher.

Turn in line: Rowenova

"That is very good to know," Rukhnis says with a small nod in Clara's direction. "I have my kit with me with various medicines in it, as I am sure you do as well, but we may need more than what we have on hand." The look in her eyes grows a little bit grimmer, but the set of her jaw is only more determined still. "Your knowledge of the local plants may be of very great use."

"I'm no good at riding or shooting," says Niklas, back in his orange and teal armor. "But I suppose I'll join up with the archers for moral support." He wanders over to follow Zoey, looking pretty cheerful for a guy who is going off to face angry shavs.

Turn in line: Niklas

Turn in line: Mikani

After what Rukhnis says, Nova firmly nods, "Right!" After Zoey's request, the Wolf Scout swiftly directs each archer including her and Cillian toward those safer/shelterd places that Rukhnis pointed out. She even urges young people (much like she was growing up around the military camps) to help cart out the oil/tar jugs to said safer/sheltered places. Nova sets up a slick system where there will be a dedicated helper for every archer, like Niklas, who can have a helpful job: to light up and hand off flaming arrows. Noble Savages (who are infantry people in the Halfshav military) help out their fellow Ranging Wolves (arching scouts) after setting up there. Nova calls out to Shaman Clara, and points out the perfect place for the faux charge of the cavalry forces or anyone else who would like to ride up and 'fake out' the Shadowtop enemies. "Please, will you lead them? We will work on the archery over here this way." Then, she brings around her own bow, doing so carefully not to hit Rukhnis, "Would you like to shoot while I ride and systemize?"

Rukhnis blinks at Nova, looking a little surprised, and after a moment answers with mild chagrin, "I have no skill whatsoever with a bow, so I am afraid I will be small use to you there." With a self-deprecating snort she adds, "Indeed, it will likely require a sufficient portion of my attention simply to stay on the horse."

Cillian nods to Nova at where he has pointed him to go, he moves Akkar in that direction once there he slips off the animal and pats his back. The animal moves to rest down on its legs behind cover and waits while Sillian gets set up to shoot some firey goodness.

Clara nods her head to Rukhnis. "Aye, not right this moment but it very well might be useful later." When Nova speaks though the scout has her full attention. "Aye, I will lead the cavalry on a faux charge." She nudges her horse off in the direction of their cavelry so that she can take up a leadership position. Leaving them, she looks nervous for only a moment before she puts on a different face. The face of a leader, one hardened for battle.

Everyone gets separated into their groups. Mikani and Cookie gear up to head off with Clara on the cavalry faux charge while the rest of the group sets up for a rain of fire. The Templars listening to Rowenova get prepared for the offset. As they form into a kite shape on the outskirts of their war camp. The band may be small but it was impressive looking.

Mikani checked charm + propaganda at difficulty 25, rolling 16 higher.

Niklas checked charm + propaganda at difficulty 25, rolling 24 higher.

Clara checked charm + propaganda at difficulty 15, rolling 14 higher.

Rukhnis checked perception + survival at difficulty 15, rolling 28 higher.

Nova and Ruk sort out their abilities, and Nova hops down and lets her have the whole horse before taking her bow to where the rain does not pour so much. Then, she gets ready to start shooting, herself.

Rowenova checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 26 higher.

Zoey checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 43 higher.

Cillian checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 50 higher.

Morrighan has joined the line.

Niklas checked charm + performance at difficulty 15, rolling 52 higher.

Turn in line: Rukhnis

Archery may not be her thing, and perhaps she's not the best person to be riding pell-mell in a mad charge across the half-frozen half-marshy landscape either. But one thing Rukhnis evidently /can/ do is start fires and keep them going. Even in the slushy thunderstorm-rain she's managed to collect enough reasonably dry fuel to get a decent fire burning in the shelter of one low declivity, and it's from this incongruously cheerful blaze that she's helping to heat the tar and pitch and prepare the fire arrows to be used in this other part of the distraction.

Turn in line: Zoey

Zoey nocks her flaming arrow along with the other archers, but instead of merely alighting the sky she aims for one of the buildings. Her target? The dry kindling within. With a still breath she looses, the fire finding its mark and setting the building ablaze.

Turn in line: Cillian

Cillian looks back to his friend the Carbiou who is hunkered behind cover near him, he looks back at seeing where the flames have started and spotting where the dry kindle is he aims for it as well.

Turn in line: Clara

Clara isn't a performer but she does have some leader qualities. She starts to rally the cavalry, get them excited, and spread the word of the exact plan. As soon as she is satisfied with their temperment she starts to lead them forward. Slowly for only a moment before they pick up speed.

Turn in line: Rowenova

In their animal headdresses (not bloodied because they are not blood shaman), the Ranging Wolves (which obviously includes Scout Rowenova) are pretty glad that they actually have noggin PPE for all this inclement weather and icy hail raining down upon them. It is so good to be a Northern person right now, especially in these chilly conditions. Nova happily accepts the flaming arrows from her fellow servant of a ducal house: Rukhnis! Nova quietly rumbles her repeated thanks for each one. After the fire flies a half dozen times from her recurve bow, a small stand of trees lights up, ultimately aided by all the additional fuel which lacquered up each arrow. She does not stop shooting, though, lighting up a pretty hedge of neatly-trimmed bushes beside those particular trees, too. That is going to make someone real upset over there. Meanwhile, anyone who approaches her for further orders is set up with their proper position via a head jerk here and so on there. Her cobalt eyes in their kohl outlines briefly glance toward the rolling rumble of horse hooves over the yonder way. She slightly smiles due to it before getting back to the determined business of firing off fiery arrows!

Turn in line: Niklas

Rukhnis's eyes follow Zoey's arrow as it flies through the air in a brilliant fiery arc, like a shooting star returning with unerring grace back to the heavens from which it fell. And then there are more shafts launching, and still more, until it's an entire shower of blazing streaks coursing against the black and storm-swept sky. But even as she watches, the Eurusi woman doesn't stop lighting arrows for a second, unless it's to pause to stoke the fire and keep it burning brightly in the darkness.

Turn in line: Mikani

Gets on Cookie and nods to Clara as the troops get ready to head off. They start banging shields and blowing horns made from the mountain rams that are found around the area. They are able to make a loud noise before they start their massive charge. The fire in the village starts some people coming out of the houses and a warning bell starts to sound.

Turn in line: Morrighan

Zoey checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 37 higher.

Rowenova checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 36 higher.

Cillian checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 16 higher.

Clara checked charm + propaganda at difficulty 20, rolling 10 lower.

At the behest of Halfshav, the Sword of Farhaven is here, out in this shitty weather, bundled in her fur cloak, since her pyreweave is temporarily on loan. Her eyes lift skyward, peering at the rain with a mild scowl while she pulls her cloak snug about herself. Cold, rainy, winter isn't always that grand - but at least things are getting set on fire today, and that makes the day glorious. A hand snakes out from the confines of fur, grasping at the hood to tug it down to keep her head and face dry, as much as feasible, anyway. Morrighan loiters near Cillian with a bottle of Foolsbane in hand, firestarter in the other. "This'll probably keep your fire burnin' for a lil' while than usual, shite is potent," the dame remarks aside to Cillian while she assists in keeping his arrows doused with Foolsbane and ready to light aflame. "Mydas, you were a bloody genius." May he live on through the burnination.

Clara checked command + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 3 lower.

Clara checked charm + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 0 higher.

Rowenova checked command + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 3 lower.

Mikani checked charm + propaganda at difficulty 20, rolling 34 higher.

Turn in line: Rukhnis

Rukhnis continues to feed the fire and light the arrows that go to Rowenova and any other archer who finds themselves briefly empty-handed. It's not very glamorous work, but the physician keeps it up with dogged determination, even when a not-infrequent rain-soaked gust of wind blusters its way into the lee of the small hillside and sends the fire guttering wildly and her cloak flapping around in the cold wet air.

Turn in line: Zoey

Another arrow nocked and loosed. Zoey's face might be calm, but their is a fury in her eyes to match the fiery missiles she sends hurtling toward the village of the shavs who would *dare* to take her husband from her.

Turn in line: Cillian

Cillian looks over to Morrighan nodding his head to her, "Good it is what we need right now." after letting a arrow lose and getting another one ready he can see Morrighan is cold and his free hand moves in to grab a flask and hand it to her. "It will help with teh chill." he then moves his attention back to the village and readies to let another arrow go.

Turn in line: Clara

Clara and Mikani are at first able to rally the troops just fine but Clara has never done this before. She's a brave little thing but some of her own self-doubt must be caught onto by a few of the troops and as a few of them men catch on it starts to spread. Thankfully, Mikani is there to assist the younger Crovane and help bolster her leadership, whooping them up a little more to drive out the doubt in the inexperienced commander. This is enough to keep them with Clara and Mikani as she charges the forces forward.

Turn in line: Rowenova

Seeing Morrighan in action with Foolsbane brings a rogue-ish grin to their Halfshav scout, but that is short lived before accepting another arrow from Rukhnis as she speaks up, "Now that I know Alchemy, dare we make more of it?" Nova probably means the Foolsbane. Probably. Maybe they can reverse engineer that flammable swill? After shooting off that arrow, another is accepted with quiet thanks to Rukhnis before it, too, goes bye bye. "Remember that time during Beards and Brews when your patron, my liege, tried drinking that stuff after Master Derovai offered it up? Good times." She looks up toward Shadowtop but cannot see the exfil team or her Halfshav right now, but she quietly says, "Come on you people." Another arrow is sent up, lighting up the landscape. Though, somewhat sensing cavalry issues, Nova yells out, "Come on you people!" Well, that did not really help. She must be too distracted trying to keep up with the arrow shooting, so it is Mikani who must help save their day today.

Turn in line: Mikani

Looking around Mikani shouts at the troops to keep them in gear. "For the Compact!" She hollers and that seems to get them to rally and continue on their loud trek to the bottom of the plateau. Just before they get to within arrow range they veer off still making noises as they continue to whoop. "For the Gods and Spirits we ride!" Mikani shouts as they ride in circles before distinguishing their light to ride closer and make more distracting noises.

As for the archers the village still has a few small fires but more could be started. It is horrible weather after all. The fire bell rings and the villagers are starting to put out the blaze. Though there is a growing noise from the village as well.

Mikani checked charm + propaganda at difficulty 25, rolling 16 higher.

Turn in line: Morrighan

Rowenova checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 32 higher.

Clara checked command + leadership at difficulty 15, rolling 3 lower.

Zoey checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 33 higher.

Morrighan eases down into a crouched position near Cillian, busying herself with ensuring he's got plenty of ammunition to fling. Arrows are dipped into the bottle of Foolsbane and lit enough away from it, flint and striker sending sparks from the friction of their contact. The dame sees to it they're set ablaze when needed, handing them off whenever required - carefully of course. She looks on with interest at the fires that ignite, watching them grow with some visible amount of satisfaction. She does her best to keep the materials dry enough, though the same can't be said of herself - clothing isn't waterproof, but not one mumble of a complaint is issued. There's more important things to focus on, like lighting everything on fire. A brief glance is cast upward at Cillian and the flask offered, accepting it most appreciatively to take a short pull from it. "It ain't so bad once you get used tae it, but bein' in Arx so long sometimes makes one forget what real winter is like," she absently remarks, passing the flask back so she can continue her work. "Dero was always determined tae beat th'score on th'most shots taken o' it. Surprised th'bastard is still alive."

Zoey checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 43 higher.

Cillian checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 32 higher.

Cillian checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 47 higher.

Turn in line: Rukhnis

The pockets of chaos erupting in the village and the sounds of shouts and cries only serve to make Rukhnis look more grim and sombre still, as it certainly doesn't seem to give her much satisfaction to be inflicting harm on anyone in even this indirect way. Her face and hair are wet from the frigid rain and she's started to shiver a little even next to the fire as she is, but she continues on in her steady work, feeding the fire, furnishing ammunition. But her eyes keep traveling back to Shadowtop itself, gaze intense as she stares off into the darkness, as if she could penetrate the damp cloak of the night with the force of her will alone for a glimpse of what's taking place above.

Turn in line: Zoey

Clara checked command + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 1 lower.

Mikani checked charm + propaganda at difficulty 20, rolling 10 higher.

Rowenova checked command + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 11 higher.

One might begin to suspect that the Kennex lady seeks to burn down the entire village in retribution for the agony her heart has suffered. Nock, loose, burn. Zoey struggles to keep her breath in check as a sort of mania begins to set in.

Turn in line: Clara

At this point Clara is more following Mikani's lead than anything else because apparently she can't do this tonight. Something is holding the tiny white-eyed woman back from being more than a novice leader. That is okay though! Mikani's got this shit and Clara doesn't have trouble admitting where she is not at her strongest. So since things are going according to plan, no one is dying... she can live with being a bit embarassed... because at least she will live! Live til tomorrow, live to see Rysen again, and live to become a better leader!

Turn in line: Rowenova

@emit Although some things she said earlier did not really help the cavalry charge, there is a brief moment where the wind dies -- before it is sure to pick up once more -- and she yells out, "Get your shit together or I will beat you!" Okay, that sure motivates some of the Northern folk to do what they need to. Turning back to her arching duties, she lets off a speeding row of those enflamed arrows before finally saying, "Okay, I think that should do for now, since we have drawn enough attention our way, we should HEAD BACK ABOUT NOW." Walking backward toward war camp, she lets off a final few of flaming arrows before finally putting her recurve bow behind her strong back. After, the Ranging Wolves do a similar thing, and the Noble Savages pack up fuel jugs, too.

Although some things Nova said earlier did not really help the cavalry charge, there is a brief moment where the wind dies -- before it is sure to pick up once more -- and she yells out, "Get your shit together or I will beat you!" Okay, that sure motivates some of the Northern folk to do what they need to. Turning back to her arching duties, she lets off a speeding row of those enflamed arrows before finally saying, "Okay, I think that should do for now, since we have drawn enough attention our way, we should HEAD BACK ABOUT NOW." Walking backward toward war camp, she lets off a final few of flaming arrows before finally putting her recurve bow behind her strong back. After, the Ranging Wolves do a similar thing, and the Noble Savages pack up fuel jugs, too.

Turn in line: Mikani

Cillian lets loose a few more arrows and the town is on a full blaze before he moves to head back to the war camp. The rest leave bon fires up to distract anyone from where the war camp may be. There is massive bell ringing and chaos in the town as they try to tamp down the fire. Though with the pitch and tar that will be unlikely even in this wretched weather.

The other group are riding in the dark. Their screams sound like the wind wanting to attack from below. A discombobulated mess that seems to just rev up the troops into a frenzy of noise. The thought that they were able try and scare those that wear skin armor or at least distract them from members of the Compact seems to be the driving force as well as shouts and hollers from Mikani. She rides like the wind and screams until she is out of voice. Hollering for them to leave her love alone. Though those words do not escape her lips. After causing a confused frenzy the riders head back to the war camp in the dark so that the White Ravens know not where they are.