Calypso nods to Aislin as she approaches. She follows Aislin's gesture up to the rooftops, nodding in confirmation. "Good. Thank you. Will you be on the roof tops with them Lady Aislin?"

Despite the grim morning, Audric doesn't arrive looking serious. In fact, the Captain-General arrives with the a contigent of the Few, laughing and grinning with them. A few signals are exchanged, and the mercenaries disperse, heading to various assigned stations. "Well!" he says, approaching Calypso. "If you've anything particular in mind for my lads, let me know - otherwise, I'll be on the walls. This is going to be fun!"

Rymarr takes an opportunity once he's arranged himself within the ranks to survey the Seawatch Gate and those who stand to defend it. The narrow visor shifts from left to right and right to left while he considers it all. Calypso's nod of greeting is met by a deep dip of Rymarr's own black and green crested helmet, as an armored fist rises up to hold to his breastplate in silent salute. Once his hand lowers again however, Rymarr's attention drifts away and settles onto Esoka. The enthusiasm receives a stoic nod of his helmet before he utters a stoic response, "That we shall, Dame Esoka. Do you know why? Righteousness always triumphs," he says as he hefts his shield onto his arm and his hand casually slips beneath the obscuring barricade that it presents, to come to rest atop the pommel of the alaricite blade slung high at his left side. As an aside he comments toward Esoka with another stern nod of his helmed head, "In fact, I may be so jubilant if we overcome this? I may curse," he says in way of a joke. Given that by all accounts he never curses.

Reese leans into Luca during the kiss, but when it is over the girl has a nod for her husband and seems back into a more militant mode. She looks over to Rickard, giving him a gentle smile. "They do seem to be an exciting group." She says toward the smith with all this hope that he will live. A wave is given over Aislin as she notices the Ashford Lady.

Merek swallows thickly, and moves with his team and two personal Guards as well as Meeka to check on some more siege equipment, then he moves back to that catapult he had aim adjusted towards. It seems to be ready for an opening to hit a tower. He takes a deep breath, and exhales. "Continue to dream!" he calls to his repair team, something meaningful to him of Jayus.

Calypso nods to Audric. "Glad to have the Few with us. Stick to the walls for now. We'll be swift in giving orders if there is any need for a change in strategy."

The skirt is discarded for this important fight that's coming. She's taking a deep breath, decked out in her armor as well fixed up in anticipation that she can manage. Diamondplate dagger in her hands, she twirls in around in her fingers, taking a deep breath she looks around and towards the distant foes. "This is it," she says to nobody in particular, she gives a glance around. "I'm hoping they don't get close enough for my little dagger to be of much use."

Maude nods to Calypso. "Yes. We'll see how it goes, I suppose." she notes in a flat voice, then turns her head towards Aislin, watching her grand-nice for a moment before offering a smile. "I hope they enjoy the ropes and bridges. I didn't attend to all of them myself, but - well, we had all those carepenters and all that wood." she clicks her tongue.

Aiden Grayson stands with the archers, as he's been tasked to do, setting up his station with a full basket of arrows by foot and oil ready to fire them should that be called for. He checks to both side of him along the line of archers, "AIM TRUE, For our people! We will win." He looks down toward the commanders of the battle and along the archer lines, waiting for the given orders.

Fezzik the Hawk arrives, following Inigo.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Rymarr before departing.

Peregrine wields an etched, well-balanced rubicund longknife.

Ywaine is up on the ramparts with his squad from Emerald Company, Crimson Blades. The mercenaries are checking out their bows, making sure quivers and short weapons are arranged. "A'ight boys, y'know th' drill. Y'done made good work of th' evil folk last time, so no slouchin' this time. Keep an eye on yer ranges. Sergeant, ah want supply totals at five an' fifteen minutes. Yer casualty area is over there," he points, slapping backs. "'Till we got enemy in sight, go half up, half down sergean'," the big man says. The Telmar strides in their assigned area, his red steel war bow in his left hand, that weird looking super short trident on his right hip.

When the verse comes to a conclusion, Tikva cheers and then starts the song over again: "Break yourselves upon our gates," she sings out happily, "our /arrows'/ /heads/ shall be your fates--" She stands ready, her arrow held in hand, her eyes wide and bright.

Estaban stands atop the gate bow in hand ready to protect the city he looks back down spotting Caelis come in and move over to her men, he watches her for a long moment then back over the ramparts as he starts to sing along with Tikva why not? He watches and waits why he sings the battle song.

Luca's words for his uncle Niccolo are quick and stiff and awkward, whatever they are, but they come after with an even more quick and awkward attempt at a manly hug and seeming genuine sentiment by the pained look of the Velenosa-turned-Grayson Prince. And after, whether accepted or rebuffed, he's taking up his lazy mount on Gluefoot again, and charging back towards the Grayson contingent as soon as he can get the stubborn warhorse moving again. A thing perhaps easier than usual as if it can sense the potential for what it's trained for in the air.

Audric nods once at Calypso, before heading towards the steps up to the top of the wall. He gives a beaming grin to the other defenders in that section, leaning calmly against the battlements. "Times like this, I wish I could carry a tune worth a damn," he says, brightly.

Niccolo stares at Luca and listens to the man. He then speaks quietly to him, and following a little awkward quick man-hug, let's his nephew step away and back to his horse and the Grayson forces.

Calaudrin takes his case of smokes out and lights one, inhaling what could possibly be his last. He stares down over the ramparts at the enemy that decides here is their place to make a move. He makes quick work of his vice, blowing a ring of smoke up and into the sky. The butt is thrown to the ground, stamped out with the heel of his boot. His bow gets slung down from his shoulder and he pulls out his first arrow. The fingers of his shooting hand twitch in nervous anticipation at his side. He could say something stirring, say something moving. Maybe. But ultimatley all he's got for the rest of the Iron Guard with him is "Iron and blood! Iron and blood!" Timeless. Tada.

Dash the Guard Corgi, 2 Iron Guardsmen arrive, following Silas.

"Sadly, I'm not a skilled an archer as many of the Glades are," Aislin admits to Calypso. Something of a shame, for an Ashford. "But I'll be going up there to help with tracking, as best I can." Maude's comment earns a tilt of the head in return. "Like I said, it's not the trees... but the Glades are used to providing aerial support. Hopefully they can make a difference... though I wish Harlan were leading them today; he's a former Glade, and the better archer."

On the ground. Caelis and her marines are grim faced, the lot of them calm as they form up with the ground forces. Caelis has her blade in hand, eying it's mirrored pommel before looking up at the arrival of the Few and breaking into a smile as she shakes her head. She looks back to her men and murmurs a quiet "Be ready, be calm. Battle's no different from a storm, let's not lose our heads or lives when they sweep in." She takes a moment to put her eyes on her family before looking up to the sky. "Rocks, and storms, and death defy, you all."

Luca has joined the By the Gate.

Audric has joined the Ramparts.

Esoka laughs, a deep, rich sound, at the idea of Rymarr cursing. "That, Marquis, I would like to see. If she's nervous, it doesn't show. Her energy is bright and eager and utterly //alive//. She's charged up for this. "The gods are with us. This, I don't doubt. And when it's done, we shall reclaim the beauty of the Gray Forest, and have vengeance for those who've defiled it."

Kima has joined the By the Gate.

Reese has joined the By the Gate.

Inigo paces idly back and forth at the front of the Fidante army, clad in his well-worn black and red leather armor, the diamondplate longsword Recompense strapped to the belt at his hip. The young lord projects an air of calm regardless of the nervous turmoil that rages inside. Though he feels prepared, he has yet to command an army in actual combat. To help quell his nerves, the ebony haired Malvici sends his gaze across the large number of men and women gathered, seeking the regard of his cousin, General Calypso. A nod and hesitant smile given, he shifts his azure regard to his family and friends, scattered about the field.

Joslyn has joined the By the Gate.

Inigo has joined the By the Gate.


**********************************************************************
There's no sound. The experienced at war are used to drum beats. Shouted orders. The clamor of those building their courage and seeking to gain some advantage of the enemy and test their nerve. There is none of that. The Silent Army has labored in the past weeks building the siege towers, and now as one they stand and turn towards Arx, the tens of thousands of shavs arrayed in a great line that stretches from the beaches of Arx to past the far western wall of the city. And they start to march.

Slowly, at first. Scores of siege towers leave the treeline, the dozens of the towers all slowly, steadily rolling towards different parts of the wall from the Ward of House Valardin to Redrain to Thrax, with a sizable body slowly marching along the narrow strand to come towards the Seawatch Gate. Not in range yet, but soon, and with them walk tens of thousands of archers, a promise of a volley to come. Minutes will creep by, in steadily building anticipation as the only sound greeting the defenders are the barely audible protests of the wood of the siege towers rolling forward.
**********************************************************************


Esoka has joined the By the Gate.

Ywaine has joined the Ramparts.

Peregrine's Gold Feathers are arrayed behind the gate and from their ranks rises a low, keening chant. Perhaps its meant to unnerve a normal enemy. The Abandoned woman turned Princess prowls along their ranks, her naked blades clutched in her hands, her posture that of a hunting cat or hungry falcon-- ceaseless movement and an intensity that bodes ill for whatever marks itself as prey in her eyes. Her voice rises with her soldiers, high and sweet and chilling as they focus on the gate.

Silas has joined the By the Gate.

Rickard has joined the By the Gate.

Rymarr has joined the By the Gate.

The more people join her in singing her battle song, the higher Tikva's energy seems to grow, like some horrifying extrovert sponge soaking up all of the glow of a hundred stamping, shouting, chanting archers. She fills her lungs and charges onward, grinning maniacally, "We stand tall and strong before your fate with gods behind us five and eight--!"

Tikva * hate, not fate, whup

Caelis has joined the By the Gate.

A few minutes pass, and three hundred heavy infantry march up to the Gate, all in Crimson Blade tabards. In well timed sync, they move to fill in potential gaps in the line holding the gate, and set themselves in place with phalnx spear and shields. Tobias himself moves over to the command tent, overseeing the fighting. The two hundred Crimson Blades archers get into position om the Ramparts, ready to fire. Tobias gives a sweep over his men, "Crimson Blades! You know the stakes! You know why we fight here! Do Arx and her citizens proud, and let's make sure we have a tomorrow to wake up to!"

Merek has joined the Ramparts.

Orelia has joined the By the Gate.

As the opposition begins their advance, Inigo leans to one of his commanders and whispers quiet orders. The commander turns and barks orders to be ready with shield when the volley of arrows comes streaming over the walls. Satisfied with the result, the young blade master turns to watch the approach, his fingers unconsciously drumming the hilt of his sword.

Reese looks toward Joslyn, giving her a hopeful smile. She then puts her helmet back on and draws her silver pink blade, getting ready.

Rickard sticks with Reese like some sort of soldier-boy errand-runner. Perhaps he even looks like one, dressed to the nines in greenish hues, idly fingering his blade as he surveys the field of battle, and keeps an ear open for orders beyond 'stay with Reese'.

Armel is mostly quiet as the enemy approaches, glancing left and right at the men who stand with him. "Steel your hearts, men! Trust in your steel! Trust in the Gods, for they stand with us! Hold steady, see to your brothers, and we will carry this day!" And so he waits, his eye turned outward, letting no sign of the anxiety he might feel show on his face as he makes his own place to stand, right in the path of the coming siege towers.

Audric tips his head to the side, far enough to let his neck pop, watching the towers start their approach. "You know, I will say, their method of doing war is probably much easier to handle with a hangover," he says, tone dry, before producing a flask and draining the last of it. The flask is then tossed over the edge.

Orelia has left the By the Gate.

Orelia has joined the Ramparts.

Maude nods to Aislin. "So they are. And yes, shooting arrows from an elevated position is shooting arrows from an elevated position, one supposes. Terrain is to our advantage, certainly." she nods confidently and reaches out to lay a hand on her grand-niece's shoulder for a moment, matching a brief nod and quiet smile. "I'm sure they'll make a difference."

"Aim True!" Prince Aiden repeats toward the line of archers standing along near him, wearing the tabards of House Grayson, "Wait for the orders! Everyone together... Aim True, for our people!" His voice was firm with a sense of command about it, but at least, he'd be taking task of those archer lines around him, working together with other leaders along the wall. With a steadying breath, he watches as the siege towers come closer, "Every arrow that is aimed true is one less for our friends to fight! AIM True, for Arx!"

Merek looks to his team, and nods a bit, while he pulls out his blade, and then readies it at one of the ropes that hold the catapult. He is ready to launch it, then he will begin his true work, which is making sure these machines stay in shape enough to match the enemies. The rubicund blade seems to shine above it. Waiting for the call.

Merek wields Eurusian Nightsong.

Luca wields Viper's Fang, an elegant two-handed Lycene sabre.

Rymarr wields
Autumn's Grace, an alaricite longsword.

Ywaine wields shadow of eventide recurve greatbow.

Kima wields The Absolute.

Orelia sucks in a breath and follows after her grandmaster, blade drawn.

Niccolo wields imperial shadowed violet Velenosa steel blade.

Audric wields Coinspinner, a wickedly sharp alaricite long sword.

Luca wields
Viper's Soul, an elegant extended-hilt Lycene sabre of Alaericite.

Rickard wields Ebon Hilted Blade of Woe.

Having indulged in her chosen vices already, Thena watches wide-eyed as the forces come closer, then closes her eyes. Her lips move silently for a moment and then she reaches back for her bow.

Thena wields The Greatest Bow Ever.

Seeing the others about him drawing their swords or preparing their weaponry, Lord Inigo does the same. Recompense slides easily from its home, emitting the soft sound of leather on steel as the iridescent blade shines in the torch light.

Reese wields Devotion, a silvery pink alaricite short sword.

Arriving back near his wife by the Grayson's, keeping warhorse at hand in case he needs to charge into opening of the battles to come, Luca doesn't draw any of the three blades he bears, two bearing viper headed pommels at either hip, one with entwined serpents in a non-Arvani style on his back. Instead, he just settles in near the Graysons, murmuring Reese's way with his helm faceplate up to show his smirk. "Now the worst part of war. The waiting."

Inigo wields Recompense, the Sword of Unity.

Silas is here, with his men, looking as dour and stoic as he can manage. No inspiring warcries from him yet. Dirge is unsheathed already, held in his right hand, with a fluttery green and gray ribbon tied around its hilt. His gaze momentarily rises to gaze at the ramparts.

Silas wields Dirge, an alaricite longsword with a faint crimson sheen.

((Defenders on each wall manning a siege weapon can check dexterity + archery at 45 for those personally manning. The commander at each ward can pick up to 3 people (including themselves) to check command + war or leadership at 40 to encourage or direct fire))

Reese looks over to Luca, having a nod for him. "The waiting is hard." She murmurs and then smiles over to Silas. 'Baron Silas." She says.

Kima stands at the gate, in the thick of Southport and Malvici soldiers. There's little banter back and forth between them, though a few rough, if brittle, jokes are traded here and there, to equally rough laughter.

Joslyn nods to Reese and Luca. "At least when the battle starts I'll know what to do..." she says. "Just kill anything that's trying to kill me."

Merek checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 45, rolling 13 lower.

Rymarr's breath comes as a loud sigh of cleaning exhalation from the narrow visor of his helmet. He hefts his shield up at his side in preparation for use. Once he's made himself fully prepared and ready, Rymarr's helmet shifts around to survey the Deepwood soldiers arrayed against the oncoming battle. He unsheathes the blade from his side and lifts it high for the Deepwood soldiers, marked by their three black lines before he calls out to them, "Do not falter! Arvum and it's people need us and we will answer that call!" That said, Rymarr's attention turns full ahead as he bounces his blade within his hand. Ready and waiting, the energy begins to course through him as the lower rim of his shield begins to lightly rap against his armored thigh.

"Stay safe," Aislin replies to Maude, offering her great-aunt a rare, if somewhat strained, smile. But as the enemy begins to march, the younger Ashford moves away, quickly clambering up a rope to the rooftops to rejoin the Glades where they keep watch.

Calypso checked command + war at difficulty 40, rolling 25 higher.

Niccolo checked command + war at difficulty 40, rolling 5 higher.

Ywaine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 4 higher.

Maude checked command + war at difficulty 40, rolling 15 higher.

Silas casts his gaze aside and nods to Reese. "Princess Reese," he murmurs with a solemn nod. "Good luck."

Estaban checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 45, rolling 9 lower.


**********************************************************************
The army marches steadily forward. The siege towers finally roll within range of the defenders' trebuchets and catapults, stationed all along Arx's walls. The attackers have no such siege weapons, seemingly they'll be relying upon scaling the walls with ladder and tower, or forcing a break at the seawatch gate with rams. This does give a brief window of uninterrupted fire for the siege weapons of the defenders.
**********************************************************************


Calaudrin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 45, rolling 15 higher.

Armel leads troops that are, for the most part, melee soldiers with heavy plate and arms. Although there is a goodly quantity of archers, he is more than happy to let their volleys be directed by the other groups so that coordination can be achieved to better effect, otherwise silent, his pre-battle speech made.

Ywaine settles behind a catapault, making small adjustments to the bearing. With a sharp command the machinery slams up and outward, heaving it's projectile out towards the encroaching enemy.

An encouraging howl rises from the Gold Feathers on the ground-- moral support for those who launch the first volleys up there on the ramparts.

Esoka murmurs a final prayer of "Gloria, guide my hand" under her breath, then raises her sword in a salute to the Deepwood and Riven soldiers she's nearest to, braced for defense of the gates. Her posture is all of readiness, the silence from the oncoming enemy only seeming to tighten it.

Niccolo starts passing out orders to his men. "Hold the gates for as long as you're able to!," he cries out. "If they breach, be ready to funnel them. Lead them to the kill zone, do not falter!" The archduke barks out, with the experience of someone that has seen many a battle during his life time.

When the call has come, Merek lifts up the blade, and slashes down upon the rope, which allows for the catapult to fire forward. Then it's flipped around as he swivels on his hip, "Get to work, help them reload these things!" he exclaims, while he takes his time to move and board up on his weapon to begin and pull it back with the help of Meeka, his Guards with him. Work it, work it, make sure all is kept in perfect balance. He does strap his black kite shield with a dragon curled around a rose upon it to his shoulder for defense.

Is this necessarily Calaurin's job? Maybe not. But until the enemy is right up close for him to properly shoot with his bow, he nudges a nervous looking guy out of the way and takes over. "I got you." No judgement apparently. He makes with the mechanics and fires off.

Reese stands among the Grayson troops with her silvery blade drawn. She looks up toward the archers and cheers, trying to pick out Aiden and Tikva from among them. She then looks toward Merek for a moment. Finally her attention returns to those nearby at the gate. She speaks softly back in response to Luca.

Rickard spins his dagger back and forth, switching from a forward to a reverse grip, praying his companions can hold back the siege, but preparing himself for the potential for the wall to break, and hell to come pouring in. He glances to Reese, offering a grim smile, before returning his attention to the battlefield.

Tobias stays back for now, allowing his Colonels to handle their Companies. His eyes stay on the siege weapons as he sits atop Oak, his War Horse.

Calypso keeps a watch on the ramparts as they begin firing off the first rounds at the enemy forces. "Steady." She says in a cool even tone, keeping her icy gaze on the look out for changes in the field.

Rickard has left the By the Gate.

Rickard has joined the By the Gate.


**********************************************************************
Fire begins to come from Arx, from ballistae, catapults and trebuchets. In the Ward of House Valardin, Fiachra manning a catapult scores a solid hit on siege tower, and directed commands from Prince Edain and Valerion manage to land successive follow up blows that collapse it. Princess Katarina helps direct two teams who together shatter a second, the tower falling with the eerie silence and lack of expected screams. House Redrain fares less well, but still manages to land a hit through Tallius and the direction of Darren, not destroying a tower but damaging one enough where it might be stalled, and shavs pour of it to make repairs. House Thrax has mostly frustrating misses, until Duke Harald Grimhall, possibly from pure intimidation, inspires a catapult team whose boulder hits dead center of a siege tower, shattering it and almost certainly crushing ever shav inside.

The fire from the eastern gates is heaviest, with perhaps the greatest concentration of forces as the point attacked before. Calypso and Maude each directing teams that bring down a tower each, with Ywaine firing a ballista that damages another under Niccolo's direction.

But still, they come on. A number destroyed or damaged, but scores remain. Dozens, maybe hundreds of shavs killed, out of tens of thousands. And now they are walking into arrow range, and a storm is likely to follow.
**********************************************************************


"Safe enough." Maude mutters to herself, then looks through various messages that arrive from diverse points on the battlefield with reports, and returns them with curt orders before stepping out. She looks at the sky, it's not raining arrows just yet, and keeps her raven visor held up a while longer. "Hmm. I expect those towers may be slightly flammable. We shall see, won't we? Slow them down."

((This time, anyone can do the same checks, including for base archery. And -everyone- on the ramparts or at the seawatch gate might be pelted with arrows. Everyone check luck + dodge at 10))

Tobias checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 23 higher.

Joslyn checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 12 higher.

Merek checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 12 higher.

Aiden checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 11 higher.

Niccolo checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 4 higher.

Tikva checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 0 higher.

Audric checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 18 higher.

Kima checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 41 higher.

Armel checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 5 higher.

Rickard checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 29 higher.

Esoka checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 3 higher.

Thena checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 3 higher.

Maude checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 6 lower.

Aiden checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 31 higher.

Calypso checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 22 higher.

Caelis checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 4 lower.

Inigo has rolled a critical success!
Inigo checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 52 higher.

Peregrine checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 33 higher.

Reese checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 14 higher.

Ywaine checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 19 higher.

Sparte checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 25 higher.

Estaban checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 1 higher.

Costas has rolled a critical success!
Costas checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 112 higher.

Ywaine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 18 lower.

Silas checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 8 higher.

Tikva checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 28 higher.

Rymarr checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 9 higher.

Calaudrin checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 3 higher.

Calaudrin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 40 higher.

Merek checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 45, rolling 23 lower.

Thena checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 29 higher.

((For regular archery, difficulty at 15.))

Luca checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 31 higher.

Ywaine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 6 higher.

Orelia has rolled a critical success!
Orelia checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 75 higher.

Aislin checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 11 higher.

Aislin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 4 higher.

Maude takes a nasty wound from an arrow.

Maude takes serious damage.

Orelia checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 17 higher.

Estaban checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 17 higher.

Caelis takes a moderate wound from an arrow.

Maude takes serious damage.

Ywaine gets out from behind the catapault, back to where his men are. "Alright, up an' ready! Get ready boys." The massive redsteel great bow he uses is prepared and he takes aim, beginning to get his arrows into the air, alongside all the others.

Caelis takes a moderate wound from an arrow.

Caelis takes moderate damage.

Sparte is there with his fellow guardsmen, the rank and file. His red helmet and blade admitedly standing out. When the arrows come he uses the large blade as a shield, narrowing his profile so those missed by the blade slip past.

Calaudrin swings his bow into action, nocking an arrow and taking up his proper position on the ramparts. He squints and takes aim at the enemies he spots below.

Armel has his men, experienced in weathering barrages, cluster together, shields up and tilted to absorb the barrage, thankfully mostly unscathed, he himself avoiding injury as he keeps his silence otherwise, glancing left and right to ensure his men and the others are holding position.

Once the ballista has been set up once more, Merek takes his time to let it spin around once more. This time the aim seems a bit way off, does it even have a /chance/ to hit anything? Either way, he takes his time to check and make sure the weapon is in good condition, then he begins to reload it in preperations once more. An arrow might strike his shield, but it seems the first volley is far enough away from them. He still grunts, "So far away it's completely chance who they hit... Come on guys! Keep on!" he exclaims, the teams working the repairs.

Tikva shifts to the side, very narrowly missing getting an arrow to the knee. She huffs a breath through her teeth and smiles hard and bright as she joins the volley of the archers on the walls, sending her white-fletched steel soaring towards the enemy.

Esoka flicks her gaze up to the ramparts across the warriors gathered there. Trying to keep track of Tikva face in the line of them, and scan the other bowmen presenting the first line of defense. As the archers begin to let loose arrows, her shield comes up. If her side can shoot at them, they can shoot at Arx, so she does her best impression of a turtle.

Kima, along with her fellow soldiers, engage in tried and tested tactics: when the storm of arrows come, they hunker beneath their shields, effectively forming a single turtle out of many human parts. No one, the Lioness included, comes to any harm within this first volley.

As the arrows begin to rain down upon the defenders assembled, Inigo flicks a quick glance at the nearby Fidante army, a small smile creasing his lips as he sees his commands were heeded. The lot of them raise shields, almost in unison, as the arrows fall among the soldiers. As for the lord himself, he neatly and deftly dodges every projectile that finds its way to him, the shafts of the arrows littering the ground as if they were cultivating an arrow garden. "Well, I suppose Fiora won't have any need of a fletcher any time soon..."

Thena finishes her prayer and pulls her visor down, then reaches for an arrow and nocks it. When the order comes she sends the projectiles into the nearest of the foe.

The Crimson Blades drill relentlessly just for this purpose; to weather arrow barrages in turtle formation. Those on the Ramparts keep to cover under the stonework as best they can. Tobias himself simply keeps under an awning as the arrows start to fly, Oak dodging as needed. Still, he remains silent.

On the wall, Audric hunkers slightly behind the battlements, finally drawing the swords off of his back and spinning them in his hands. "Sometimes I wish I used a shield," he says, wistfully. "Maybe after today. Probably not."

"Arrows!" Silas shouts out in warning when the volley descends upon them. He and the men stationed around him lift their shields appropriately and, for the most part, they come out of it unscathed. For now.

Caelis catches an arrow in the volley, she furrows her brow as it pierces her and grunts, cutting it off at the shaft. "Hope that wasn't poisoned." She grunts and tosses the shaft to the ground before looking to her men.

Niccolo finishes passing orders to the ballista crews, and turns his attention to the sky. "Arrows!" he calls out and finds protection out of that deadly rain, managing to avoid getting turned into a pin cushion. "Keep firing at them, keep the pressure!" he calls out to those under his command.

Tikva sings out, "Boring," probably in re: shields, since she's also up on the ramparts not far from Audric and the Valorous Few. "Too slow!"

Prince Aiden Grayson stands in line with the Grayson archers, listening to the calls from the leaders behind them, "Alright, it's time! Aim TRUE!" He nods to those alongside him, nocking an arrow, taking aim and rising his bow upward so it has the proper arch to get the distance and volley down with the others. When the order is given, his arrow flies loose and he's quick to draw another one and nock it as well in time for a series of volleys that rain down on the enemy.

Joslyn manages to take cover from the arrows just fine, but as she murmers between the others at the gate with her, the oncoming arrows seem to melt away her fear, and draw out her anger.

Estaban ducks down under cover a arrow wizzing by maybe a bit to close for his liking he growls out once the valley is done and comes back up he draws another arrow letting it lose he has a hard look on his face one of anger and hatred for the enemy.

One disadvantage to rooftops as compared to treetops; rooftops come with rather less natural cover. (And to be fair, you usually aren't dealing with barrages /from above/ when in a treetop.) Still, Aislin and the Vista Glades scatter fairly effectively when the arrows come down, taking shelter where they can.

Costas filters out of the chaos up on the wall, taking up a watchful position at Calypso's elbow. Though the approaching army and their siege weapons cannot be ignored, the shaven-headed Malvici retainer applies the greater part of his attention to the crowd nearby. There had been enough incidents inside the city that an attack from within seemed plausible, and he would make sure that if any hungry blades were waiting to strike at the Lady General (and by extension the other commanders at their position), they'd have to go through him first.

Audric gives Tikva a broad grin, showing teeth, and raises his sword briefly in acknowledgment to her. "Fair point! I like my swords too much, anyway," he says, cheerfully.

Maude staggers back as an arrow's driven through her. This always happens. Though this one arrow actually sinks deeper than the last time, piercing right through her mail and into the older general's shoulder. She stumbles back a step or two, and shakes her head under the helmet. "There's stupider ways to go, I suppose." she mutters and decides to take cover wholly behind a wall for a moment, studying the injury and gripping the shaft of the arrow, tentatively.


**********************************************************************
Shavs start to fall, likewise soldiers begin to fall from the walls from shav arrows, though losses are particularly light in Redrain's walls under the direction of Anze's infantry acting as shieldmen. The fire from House Valardin's ward is a bit poor, not properly accounting for the sudden high wins, and the siege towers draw ever closer. House Thrax's fire directed by Harald is effective, and another tower goes down, though oddly it seems as if most of the towers are now avoiding the Ward of House Thrax- they seem to be splitting their forces to mass towards the western towards in Redrain and Valardin, possibly on account of the poorer fire, and towards the seawatch gate. Perhaps a thousand are still coming towards Thrax, which looks intimidating to defenders, but to those further in the rear and watching the flow of the battle, Donella Thrax notes the disposition against the Thrax Ward is unusually light.

Towards the Seawatch gate, the fire is the heaviest, and wordlessly the Silent Army is marching over hundreds of dead, and dozens of siege towers continue to roll towards the gate even as two more collapse, one pitching off the cliff and into the sea. The shavs go to a knee for another volley.
**********************************************************************


Rymarr peers up at the pinnacle of the wall for a moment before he calls out, "Shields!" to the Deepwood formation. He follows that declaration with stepping in to the side of the nearest individual at his right and raising his shield up to meet the volley. If Tikva sought a drum beat, she gets as the arrows strike home in shield after shield. He keeps his shield raised and his sword at the ready while he calls out to Esoka, "The gods are with us, Dame Esoka!" he calls out over the thunder of arrows striking shields, "They're firing arrows while we fire rocks. Rock always wins," he explains with utter certainty while he remains ducked beneath his cover of upraised shields.

Calypso ducks out of the way of the incoming volley, side stepping stray arrows. She spots Costas as he stands in position in front of her. She gives him a firm nod of acknowledgement.

((Same rolls gang for this round, still luck and dodge to see about arrows, and archery or command/war. And then we'll be into melee)).

Aislin checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 2 higher.

Peregrine checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 18 higher.

Tikva checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 1 higher.

Aislin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 6 higher.

Audric checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 5 higher.

Merek checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 31 higher.

Inigo checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 26 higher.

Reese checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 25 higher.

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

Thena checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 14 higher.

Esoka checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 5 higher.

Armel checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 13 higher.

Merek has rolled a critical success!
Merek checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 37 higher.

Costas checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 33 higher.

Silas checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 2 higher.

Luca checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 44 higher.

Rickard checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 36 higher.

Calaudrin checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 1 higher.

Caelis checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 8 higher.

Rymarr checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 15 higher.

Orelia checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 31 higher.

Thena checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 9 higher.

Kima checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 43 higher.

Orelia checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 11 higher.

Aiden checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 1 higher.

Calaudrin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 47 higher.

Joslyn checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 15 higher.

Aiden checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 18 higher.

Rymarr checked command + war at difficulty 15, rolling 19 higher.

Niccolo checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 11 higher.

Calypso checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 20 higher.

Armel checked command + leadership at difficulty 15, rolling 28 higher.

Estaban checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 6 higher.

Reese checked command + leadership at difficulty 15, rolling 27 higher.

Merek sees the next arrow volley which comes, and takes a moment to step back from it. He then motions, "Have that machine at the ready," he states. He then slides his crossbow from the holster he has, and then lines up a shot towards the incoming Shavs. He seems to be aiming for wherever their leaders might be, and as such, he lets loose a couple volleys while they ready to hit the gates true.

Maude checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 5 lower.

Tobias checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 19 higher.

Calaudrin ducks out of the way as another volley of arrows comes sailing over his head. "Pretty glad that I wear steel armor..." He mutters and curses as things go flying past. He winces as they inevitably hit some people. Then he stands up and fires down at the shavs once again.

Arrows continue to rattle off shields, and in some cases, helms, the cacophony more than enough to make up for the silence of their enemy. Kima remains hunkered down, more than content to weather the proverbial storm.

Inigo grits his teeth as the second volley descends over the wall and into the courtyard where the soldiers of the Compact wait. He actually has to try to avoid the arrows that fall this time; ducking, dodging, dipping, diving, and dodging out of the way as each projectile slams to the ground at his feet.

Ywaine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 41 higher.

Ywaine checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 4 higher.

Armel stands with his men, the arrows plinking from their angled, heavy steel plate or the broad widths of their shields as he shouts out encouragement to his men. "The Gods are with us, men! To your positions, shield the archers!" He tries to get his men filter through to stand ready to intercept the siege towers where they will roll in, making ready to be the first, sturdy wave to intercept the enemy and not hesitating to be the first in the line of fire himself, for that matter, taking his place.

Kima, the absurdly lucky dodger, this time manages to shove Maude out of the way of a likely arrow hit. Or maybe she was just shoving Maude. Who knows.

Black leather on Prince Aiden makes him look more formidable up there on the ramparts, tucking behind the curtain wall when arrows whizz by, though he remains standing firm and taking true aim at the enemies below. When he sends another arrow over the ramparts down at the marching defenders, he jerks back in time, an arrow slamming into a man behind him. Aiden looks back with horror as the arrow takes down the soldier behind him, turning back with his shoulders rising up, "Damn them! AIM TRUE! FOR OUR PEOPLE! FOR ARX!" His hands might be shaking as he nocks another arrow, but he still does it, an icy cold steel look to his eyes, "Make every arrow count!" He aims for one of the siege towers and releases. The arrow soars and strikes true, sending an enemy tumbling dead from one of the siege towers. One arrow at a time. It all counts!

Esoka sweeps her eyes, as well as she can from beneath her shield, at the Riven men and women by the gates. They've responded readily to Rymarr's call of, 'Shields!' or are just ducking for cover. Her response to Rymarr is a loud, barked laugh. "We've fine archers on the ramparts. I only hope Lady Tikva leaves a few for me!" She's with the force holding the gates, the Riven melee troops with their Deepwood lieges.

Tobias checked command + war at difficulty 15, rolling 32 higher.

Caelis steps out of the way of falling arrows, more nimbly this time. Any jokes she bites back, her brow furrowing and looking to Inigo. "We'll see how keen these archers are when we can put blades on them."

Niccolo checked command + war at difficulty 15, rolling 55 higher.

Calypso has rolled a critical success!
Calypso checked command + war at difficulty 15, rolling 111 higher.

Reese checked command + war at difficulty 15, rolling 14 higher.

"For ARX!" Rickard cries, raising his blade. The sun gleams off of his blade, causing Rickard to quickly put it back in its sheath and rub at his eyes, wincing. "Damn, damn, damn.." He coughs and scuffs his boot into the dirt, glancing sheepishly at Reese.

Maude checked command + war at difficulty 15, rolling 24 higher.

Audric takes a moment, stretching as best he can while still mostly keeping himself from being prickled with arrows. "They'll be here in a moment," he says, cheerfully. "And then things get -really- fun."

Silas grunts as arrows begin to rain upon them again. "Shields!" And once again they go up, the Iron Guard doing a marvelous job being like turtles taking refuge from within their shields.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

"Ha!" Tikva stands her ground as another enemy arrow shatters against the wall right beside her. Her arrow flies clear and smooth, and she watches, satisfied, as it strikes a shav in the throat. "That felt good. Keep it up, guys! BREAK YOURSELVES UPON OUR GATES, OUR ARROWS' HEADS SHALL BE YOUR FATES--"

Reese is with the Grayson forces at the gate. She is close to both Luca and Rickard. "Incoming! For Arx!. Graysons!" She says toward her forces. She has her pink sword drawn and seems ready to fight.

"Ruby Company, Emerald Company, reposition for incoming siege towers and ladders! Your priority is *archery*, not to hold the line up there!" Tobias calls out as another wave of arrows hits his awning. Crimson Blade heavy infantry, meanwhile, continues to weather the assault with a turtle formation. "Heavy infantry, reposition in the line for the rams!"

Niccolo keeps barking orders, for the men to cover themselves and each other with shields. For the archers in his unit to keep raining arrows in the enemies. He himself has found a wall to duck behind when the enemy arrow rain comes his way. The archduke continues weaving in and out to direct and keep himself alive, at least for now.

Estaban plants himself behind the wall again looking around at all the archers then over to Prince Aiden nodding his head to the prince then looks "For Arx!" he cries out as he readies his arrow again to let lose on the shav below.

Luca sighs as another wave of arrows comes arching over the wall, judging his position and tugging Gluefoot's lead aside at the last moment to let the warhorse avoid the hail as well. Frankly, the lazy prince seems bored with the falling death and is showing a certain anticipation for what's coming. Audric's call earns a fierce flash of white teeth from the Lycene Grayson. "Why is it you get to say that's fun and not get glared at Aud?" He calls out over the rattle of armor and groans of wounded. "I clearly need to become a mercenary captain so I can get away with more!"

Calypso steps out when she hears the second volley coming. "Shields up! Keep the fire focused!" She ducks and dodges as best she can as a brave messenger runs in to send her a message from one of the other wards. The boy looks Thraxian. She send him off with swift succinct words. Her focus swiftly turning back to the battle before her doing what she can to keep the forces aligned and focused!

After sidestepping an arrow, Inigo flashes a sideways glance at Caelis before returning his attention to the sky. Despite how quick his attention shifts, sharp azure eyes note the wound in her side and he allows a grimace to spread across his lips. "Less keen, to be sure. Either way, be mindful of your wound and don't over extend yourself. If you need help, tell me.... I'm not losing family today."


**********************************************************************
The first confirmed bringer falls from an arrow shot by Merek at the Seawatch Gate, the thing seeming to dissolve shortly after its shot. First, but certainly not the last, as the arrow fire tapers off and finally the siege towers are approaching the walls of Arx- save strangely the Ward of House Thrax, where it seems no attack comes yet. At the Ward of House Valardin and Redrain, and particularly at the Sewatch Gate, towers roll up to the walls and ladders begin to go up, and by the thousands shavs begin to try to climb.

Along the coast, Admiral Alrec reports that hundreds of rafts and canoes and other ricky vessels are hugging the coast towards the Gray River. Cheap, expendable craft with no more than a handful of shavs each, but obviously intending to storm the Lower Boroughs. The Pravus, Thrax and Argento vessels in the bay under the command of the Admiral turn to rake them with archery fire and capsize them, but some are certain to get through.
**********************************************************************


Rymarr takes a reprieve from hunkering beneath his shield during a brief lapse in volleys to call out to the few Deepwood archers on the walls, "Return fire! Prepare to receive the enemy on sword point and speartip," he declares as he tucks back in beneath his shield. He remains tall, though hunched with his head bowed while he awaits the end of the volley and the meeting of the enemy, with sword in hand.

Joslyn quirks lips and looks to the oncoming hoard. "Bloody things..." she sighs, flipping dagger idly in her fingers and waiting to see when the next wave of arrows come. The ladders and arrows start and she grins then, chuckling under her breath. "All right, Ladies, Gentlemen. The fun begins."

Maude is shoved aside. Did that arrow bounce off a wall and head straight for her, or was it deflected by a bird above? She must have no luck at all, Maude, but the arrow's whistling in her direction when she's knocked over, landing on her rear on the cobblestones a moment before clambering back up to her feet with some grunting and puffing. "Right." she nods to Kima, then looks back to the troops up on the ramparts, and receives another couple of reports. "Fine. Get the - hit whoever's pushing those towers forward! Slow them down." she lifts a hand towards the archers.

((Now anyone can try to stop the scaling ladders- boiling oil, throwing rocks, shooting arrows, et cetera. Even with no archery skill, everyone can roll dexterity + archery at 10 in a mass attritional attack. Still can up to 3 people that roll command. Lower Boroughs, you can also pick 3 people to check command + war or leadership at 15 to start to organize a Lower Boroughs defense))

Luca checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 15 higher.

Calaudrin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 20 higher.

Merek checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 2 higher.

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

Peregrine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 33 higher.

Reese checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 10 higher.

"Knock down those ladders! Prepare the pitch!" Calypso shouts out, sending runners up to the ramparts. "Let none of those Shavs hit the top!"

Thena checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 15 higher.

Sparte checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 41 higher.

Tobias checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 41 higher.

Tikva checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 34 higher.

Audric checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 44 higher.

Armel checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 28 higher.

Orelia checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 30 higher.

Silas checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 17 higher.

Estaban checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 24 higher.

Caelis checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 12 higher.

Orelia checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 28 higher.

Joslyn checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 7 higher.

((For clarification, everyone on the walls can check dex + archery, up to 3 people can check war/command))

Zhayla checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 13 higher.

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

Sparte checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 18 higher.

Merek twirls around his crossbow once he has finished off the Bringer which Meeka had spotted for him, then holsters it. He then takes a moment to listen to the calls that come up, and takes his time to gather some of the catapult ammunition, in an attempt to roll it over and help harry the Shavs climbing up.

Inigo sucks in a deep breath, his grip shifting just slightly on Recompense as he prepares for the wave of enemies to flood in around them. "Stay STRONG!" The Fidante Commander calls out to his troops. "Support your fellow soldier! Give no quarter! This is our home and these guests came uninvited! Let's show them what we think of party crashers!" At the clatter of ladders on the walls, Inigo shifts his attention to the soldiers on the wall, watching as they scramble to throw debris on the climbing Shavs.

Calaudrin's heartrate is almost certainly pumping. As the siege towers get closer, he begins to aim at the ones coming at him trying to take out somne that's helping make them move.

Zhayla has joined the By the Gate.

Thena continues to rain arrows down as fast as she can get the shots lined up, silent, grim and with laser focus. And The Greatest Bow Ever.

Tobias checked command + war at difficulty 15, rolling 21 higher.

Niccolo checked command + war at difficulty 15, rolling 35 higher.

Calypso checked command + war at difficulty 15, rolling 35 higher.

Armel does his own part, using the thick, two-handed warhammer to smash at the ladders as they appear, aiming to try and unabalance or destroy them as he struggles to reach the point where one of the siege towers will slam down, calling for his men to come with him and to form up in a defensive formation.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

"Right then!" Audric says, straightening up as towers and ladders close in to range. "Lads, you know what to do!" One of the other sellswords - probably one of the ones not terribly good at fighting, passes Audric a bottle. He takes a pull from it, setting a boot to nearby jug of boiling pitch to kick it towards the base of a tower. The bottle's thrown after, because why not add a little more burning to the mix?

"Oh no you don't!" he growls out as a latter comes up and she looks over to start shooting down at the shavs coming up to attempt to breach the wall..."They are climbing!" he shouts out attempting to stop as many from getting up as he can.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Orelia's sword might not be the most effective weapon for hacking at the ladders but the noblewoman still tries. Anything she can do to try and damage or knock them off is enough. When Armel calls, she's there even if she's not truly a knight yet.

Artorius wields Requiem.

Tikva fires an arrow to slice through the top of a ladder, calling, "Cut them down!" along to her fellows as she kicks and stomps around at the top. "That's right, throw that big fucking rock, it'll help!"

Calypso looks to Maude and Niccolo. "The towers have broken and the enemy flees at the Thraxian Ward. They suspect a ploy and await orders. I'll take suggestions if you've got them."

Artorius has joined the Ramparts.

Costas stays back as the defenders on the wall rush forward to repel the climbers, maintaining his vigil over the command post and its occupants. Though his leathery mug remains its calm illegibility, the warrior drums the fingertips of his left hand on the wooden scabbard strapped to his hip. An anxious tick, betraying his eagerness for the wait to be over. On sea or land, the long moments before the violence passed with infuriating slowness.

"I'd check the city proper. If they're avoiding the walls, good chance they've found a tunnel inside the Ward and were just keeping the defenders on the Ramparts." Tobias suggests to Calypso as his people reposition.

Aiden nods toward Estaban and he might have caught the shot from Merek, but it's chaos and evey second counds. There's only so much time one can spend looking around! It's all action and arrows. Aiden ducks down between the breaks in the curtain wall on the ramparts for reloading, to allow the other archers to fire when he's preparing a second shot. It's a back and forth motion working in pairs to keep the arrows raining down on the enemies a steady process. He leans over the wall and looses an arrow directly down on an enemy trying to raise ladder, watching the enemy slump over, though, another quickly takes its place.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Squee, the Flying Squirrel arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Rickard has left the By the Gate.

More orders are dispatched to the walls in an attempt to stop those trying to climb over. Niccolo turns towards Calypso after the latest orders have been dispatched. "Send runners through the city, see if there are any sightings of a breach somewhere else. We're going to have to form a defense for the Lower Boroughs as well from the sounds of it."

Caelis sighs, sparing a look up at the ramparts before turning her focus back to the gate. "They better not blow the gate. I hate splinters." She grumbles and looks back to Inigo at his comment with a nod. "It's only an arrow, had worse. I've got this." She looks to Luca and Joslyn before shuddering. "Parties are the worst." She jokes, a feral smile.

Maude holds on to the arrow in her shoulder as she looks back to Calypso, "It could be a ploy, but what's the point of it? We move troops back from Thrax, they take Thrax. It's not the Thrax Ward the enemy wants, is it? Keep a token force, send what they can to the Lowers."

Warpig, 6 Thrax Guards arrive, following Dominic.

Artorius awaits at the ramparts! He helps the others in trying to keep shavs from climbing the wall best he can.

Reese looks over to Maude. "I will bring the Grayson forces where you suggest, Lady Commander."

Smoke bombs fall from the wall of House Redrain, a concotion created by Vallery which seem to be causing havoc among the shavs attempting to scale the walls. It becomes obvious quickly that most of the forces that were attempting to attack the walls around the Ward of House Thrax have turned towards Redrain, and the heaviest hammer blows are falling upon Redrain and the Seawatch gate. The defenders are fighting furiously, and they have all the advantages as shavs try to scale. Boiling oil, arrows, even simple rocks are thrown down, as well as more exotic poisons perpared by Eleyna, Blacktongue and Valery. The defenders take full advantage of the vulnerability of the attackers, and the shavs die in the thousands. Near ten thousand shavs are dead in minutes, as hundreds upon hundreds of the Silent Army run right into the heart of the defenses... but it gradually is being overwhelmed. Near ten thousand are dead, but the the trickle of shavs getting over the walls on ladders threatens to become a deluge. Now is the time for swords.

Calypso nods to Tobias and Niccolo as their words of wisdom are granted. Another nod for Muade. "We'll tell them to send a few scouts in to the city to look for breeches, but to hold Thrax Ward. Redrain and Valardin have both checked in. They are seeing what we see here now. We'll see if word comes back from the lowers."

Aislin calls down to Calypso and Maude from one of the rooftops overhead, "I can send word out through the Glades to see if there's any sign of breach, or enemy action, within the city walls." After all, it /is/ why they've got scouts and runners -- and the network of rope bridges -- along the tops.


**********************************************************************
Smoke bombs fall from the wall of House Redrain, a concotion created by Vallery which seem to be causing havoc among the shavs attempting to scale the walls. It becomes obvious quickly that most of the forces that were attempting to attack the walls around the Ward of House Thrax have turned towards Redrain, and the heaviest hammer blows are falling upon Redrain and the Seawatch gate. The defenders are fighting furiously, and they have all the advantages as shavs try to scale. Boiling oil, arrows, even simple rocks are thrown down, as well as more exotic poisons perpared by Eleyna, Blacktongue and Valery. The defenders take full advantage of the vulnerability of the attackers, and the shavs die in the thousands. Near ten thousand shavs are dead in minutes, as hundreds upon hundreds of the Silent Army run right into the heart of the defenses... but it gradually is being overwhelmed. Near ten thousand are dead, but the the trickle of shavs getting over the walls on ladders threatens to become a deluge. Now is the time for swords.
**********************************************************************


Warpig have been dismissed.

6 Thrax Guards have been dismissed.

Silas grumbles as he prepares for the inevitable melee, striding forward. "Keep them out of the city!"

((Again, 3 individuals in each ward -except- Thrax can roll command + leadership or war at 15, and everyone engaging in melee can check dexterity + medium wpn at 30. For anyone failing a roll, check luck + dodge at 10 + however much you failed by. Lower Boroughs can now be involved as well.))

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 14 higher.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 17 higher.

Peregrine has rolled a critical success!
Peregrine checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 92 higher.

Reese checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 21 higher.

((Can still use archery if primary weapons skill, yeah))

Armel checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 29 higher.

Rymarr checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 33 higher.

Kima checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 69 higher.

Sparte checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 1 higher.

Artorius checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 31 higher.

Aislin checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 34 higher.

Esoka checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 16 higher.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 31 higher.

Luca checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 20 higher.

Fiora checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 21 higher.

Calaudrin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 45 higher.

Ywaine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 7 lower.

Aiden checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 12 higher.

Inigo checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 33 higher.

Thena checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 0 higher.

Costas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 12 higher.

Tikva checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 9 higher.

Zhayla checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 27 higher.

Caelis checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 20 higher.

Joslyn checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 42 higher.

Calypso checked command + leadership at difficulty 15, rolling 62 higher.

Niccolo checked command + war at difficulty 15, rolling 15 higher.

Maude checked command + war at difficulty 15, rolling 37 higher.

Estaban checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 18 higher.

Orelia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 9 higher.

Ywaine checked luck + dodge at difficulty 17, rolling 1 higher.

Warpig have been dismissed.

6 Thrax Guards have been dismissed.

Tobias checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 2 lower.

Inigo sucks in a deep breath and exhales as the first of the Shavs make their way over the ramparts. He spares a few heartbeats to seek out the attention of his closest and most loved. With a wink and hesitant smile, the Malvici lord turns and charges the invading Shavs. "For Southport and Arx!!!!" His sword is swept forward, indicating the Fidante army's engagement, and attack they do. The soldiers had been waiting eagerly for that signal and glady step forward to defend the city.

As the enemies come up over the walls which are scaled, it becomes quite a bit harder for him to deal with repairs. Merek draws out his shimmering red steel and launches at those of Brand's Army which have made it over. The blade is at least skilled enough to parry blows that come his direction and spill blood upon the Ramparts. Some manages to get on him, while his Guards roll out their own blades and begin to take them on. Meeka meanwhile shifts a bit to take out her dagger, and scout out the swarms while she takes her time to sweep a dagger into one or two.

Aiden glances at a ladder that's aimed to be put up against the wall by them, "PUSH THEM OVER! Oil!" Though the enemies keep coming, even as Aiden and a few others heave-ho on the ladder to send one of them wobbling back before it's overwhelmed with enemies and impossible to move. "Keep on them! Keep on them! Fire at will! FIRE AT WILL!" Aiden himself is doing what he can to keep targets from getting up near them, as ladders keep thudding against the ramparts.

Warpig, 6 Thrax Guards leave, following Dominic.

Tobias checked luck + dodge at difficulty 12, rolling 0 higher.

His people have their orders, so Tobias hops off his horse and get into the thick of it. The blood red armor and crimson cape of the Lord General can be seen on the Ramparts as he gets into the thick of it, laying into the enemy to keep pressure for both his men and those of others.

Tobias wields Requiem - an elegant, alaricite longsword with a spiral guard.

Shavs start coming over the wall and quite suddenly this is an entirely different ballgame. Calaudrin backs up and away, trying to create space, any space at all as he pulls back on his arrow and starts taking lethal shots. "Iron and blood!" He calls again to the Iron Guard that are on the ramparts with them.

Reese has her silvery pink blade drawn. She charges at the incoming forces. "Graysons!" The princess tries to keep close to Luca, Zhayla and Rickard as much as possible in the chaos of battle. She has every intention of trying to keep the three of them safe.

Up and over they come, Ywaine reaching for arrow after arrow, taking steps back and taking short range shots now. "Sergeant, re-up us at half out," he calls to the NCO, his bow unusually quiet as an arrow flies from it. He keeps an eye on Tobias, as he can.

The shavs start to come over the walls, and Audric meets a few of them with his blades. Alaricite and diamondplate flash as the sellsword gets into the mix, throwing himself gleefully into the fighting. The mad cackle that's come to accompany the sellsword in a fierce fight bubbles up, a broad grin on his face.

Artorius watches as hundreds of Shavs begin to join the walls "Push them back! don't give them an inch!" he shouts, drawing his greatsword and beginning to rush into the fight. He charges practically head-first into the fray, cutting down as many as he can with his men. His rubicund blade flashing in the light as the large weapon aims to meet the flesh and bone of many shavs.

Joslyn lifts her shoulders, dagger in hand, diamondplate emerald gleaming in the light. "Let's do this!" charging in alongside the Graysons, screaming her battlecry as she charges in.

The Knights of Solace stand firm upon the wall, and as the shavs begin to scale, they move to intercept, Armel himself swinging his hammer in a broad, fierce arc to /slam/ the first shav up clean off the wall, shouting out ot his men, "Don't let them get a foothold! protect the archers, don't let them through!" No time for complicated speeches while he's busy showing by example, his warhammer reaping its first kills of the evening as the battle is joined properly at last.

Esoka seeks Zhayla's eyes in the fray, so she can flash the Deepwood sword a feral grin. As the shavs come over the walls, she springs into action. She tries to keep close to Rymarr in the press of warriors, sword swinging high, shield now bashing as a weapon itself rather than being used for defense.

Tikva dances quickly out of the way of melee combatants, firing arrow after arrow in rapid succession from her quiver as she wheels and dances across the wall. She sings out, "Our arrows' heads shall be your fates!" as she lets fly.

Fighting with swords is practically what Silas does. As soon as one of the shavs gets within stabbing range, the festively-ribboned Dirge slices through the air and embeds itself squarely in the poor fool's shoulder. The alaricite blade is cruelly wrenched out, taking a good chunk of flesh with it.

Calypso shouts from her command post. "Keep focus! Get them off the walls! Fire at will!" Her voice is a collected commanding thing even in this tense, hectic situation. The communications from the other wards seem to keep coming in, though nothing troubling enough to report out loud. Her sword is drawn though not raised, ready if need be but Costas' presence holds a certain confidence in her immediate safety that allows her to keep focus on the bigger picture.

Something to hit at last. Caelis joins in the fray calm and quiet. She saves her energy for her blade, bringing it down on Shavs with stubborn focus. She and her men are pushing to keep the Shavs from getting past and into the city.

Peregrine's Gold Feathers howl their joy at finally being able to close with the enemy. And none is more fierce and joyous than the woman who commands them. The princess is first into the fray, her knives glinting bright at first-- and then growing darker with the blood of those who, unlike her people, did /not/ escape Brand's predations.

With the fight turning into a melee after some of the shavs manage to climb over the walls, Niccolo lifts his sword. "Cut them down to a man, do not let them gather together. Keep them on a trickle," he calls out instructions to the men and women under his command.

As the enemy forces begin to come over the wall, Aislin curses under her breath in Eurusi; archery is not her strongest suit, especially not when friend and foe are so closely entwined. She turns back to the Glades nearest her, snapping out a quick order: "Keep eyes on them from overhead. If they breach /anywhere/, carry word to the other commanders immediately." Then, drawing her sword, the Ashford woman takes hold of a rope and quickly descends from the roof to enter the fray.

Sparte falls in with his fellow guardsmen, slashing at the incoming shavs with his blade while trying to turn the tide. "Gotta get those ladders down."

Swords aren't really Fiora's style, but she tends to be nimble enough to get away with not needing them, too. Twisting away from the advancing shavs, she straightens long enough to loose an arrow before getting back on the move. Already reaching for another, she flickers a gaze around the area, seeking out friends or family to ensure nobody is being overwhelmed.

Kima is no stranger to the fierce press of battle. When the time finally comes, and the enemy arrives, she and the soldiers with her meet the charge with determined force. Using her shield both as a means of defense and, in some cases, a weapon, her sword arm snaking out with alarming speed and clinical accuracy. There are no heroics to be had here, just brutal efficiency.

Rymarr moves in with Esoka at his side and his shield at the other. The Deepwood forward advance is done with the point of weapon and shield to lead the way. Clad in steel from head to toe, Rymarr plunges forward like a juggernaut as he moves to meet with the invaders.

Zhayla mirrors Esoka's grin, and in doing so sheds some of the tension that knots her shoulders, leaving her more ready to face the advancing line. She's moved from deep within the Grayson forces to stand in the front lines with Reese and Luca, and she's laughing at something Luca has said in the moment before the first clash. Then it's to business.

Oak, the brown-coated War Horse, 6 Crimson Blades Sergeant leave, following Tobias.

Oak, the brown-coated War Horse, 6 Crimson Blades Sergeant arrive, following Tobias.

Maude isn't in much shape to draw her sword, not unless she's forced to. "Alright. Have them hold steady. They'll breach, but if they do we encircle and destroy them, it's of no ocncern." she comments, and steps back out to yell a few orders. They're curt, direct things, not so much concerned with the morale of the men on the walls. She'll leave the encouragement to others, while she directs troop motions and supplies behind the lines, trading messages and signals with the archers on the rooftops.

Costas drifts in front of the command area as the enemy forces make the top, a deeper calm settling into his movements. The violence was finally here and for just a little while the Malvici swordsman would be in his element. Standing back from the main engagement he waits until the first shav slips the chaos to try to approach the command area, thumb of his left hand shifting his blade an inch clear of the scabbard with a soft *click*.


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In the Ward of House Valardin, Ward of House Redrain, the Seawatch Gate and in the Lower Boroughs the battle intensifies. Shavs continue to pour over the walls using ladders and siege towers. A cheer goes up from the Seawatch Gate as Princess Peregrine Grayson cuts down a Bringer of Silence, and strangely is circled by crows overhead for a moment. The forces attacking House Thrax seem to have deserted it, as House Redrain is coming over even heavier assault. While thousands of shavs are dead, more are pouring in, and the defenders rush to meet them.
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((Each round will get harder. This time, anyone can check dexterity + yourweaponskill at 35, except redrain who are facing higher forces, at roll against difficulty 40. Checks for command + leadership or war now are against difficulty 20, again picking 3 for that or anything unusual. Thrax, you can continue trying your bamboozle, same difficulty, or opt to reinforce Redrain))

Luca checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 55 higher.

Inigo checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 18 higher.

Rickard has joined the By the Gate.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 0 higher.

Reese checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 42 higher.

Sparte checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 26 higher.

Aiden checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 4 higher.

Artorius checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 4 higher.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 20 higher.

Peregrine checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 9 higher.

Fiora checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 31 higher.

Kima checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 10 higher.

Calaudrin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 23 higher.

Tikva checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 12 higher.

Caelis checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 9 lower.

Rymarr checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 14 higher.

Zhayla checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 7 higher.

Orelia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 1 higher.

Armel checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 29 higher.

Aislin checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 5 lower.

Aislin checked luck + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 4 lower.

((For anyone failing a check, be sure to roll luck + dodge at 10+whatyoufailed by))

Costas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 28 higher.

Niccolo checked command + war at difficulty 20, rolling 33 higher.

Tobias checked command + war at difficulty 20, rolling 56 higher.

Calypso checked command + war at difficulty 20, rolling 47 higher.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 11 higher.

Caelis checked luck + dodge at difficulty 19, rolling 4 lower.

Joslyn checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 37 higher.

Squee, the Flying Squirrel arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Ywaine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 3 higher.

Esoka checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 14 higher.

Rickard checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 3 higher.

Moderate wounds during the fighting.

Aislin takes moderate damage.

Caelis takes moderate damage.

Merek seems to be matched when two Shavs come at him, and he almost is struck. He lets out a sound and then Aneka comes in and cuts one down, which manages to make room for him to take the other. He then spins his weapon and slams it into another Shav. "Jayus..." he murmurs, his words a quiet supplication seeing the whole onslaught, and he tries to push some of them back, kicking one over a wall, still so so many... "Guide me." He is managing well enough for now, but it is getting a bit more difficult.

Peregrine's laughter rises above the clamor of combat. It carries a shout from the woman, some Shav remark that appears to be aimed high at the crows overhead (those who speak Crownlands shav would hear, "Why so surprised!") as she braces a boot against Bringer chest and yanks her dagger free of its eye. Yoink. And then it's back into it, her Gold Feathers closing in around her as they throw themselves (screaming) at the next clump of Abandoned.

Calaudrin hops out of the way of two people taking each other out with swords and dares to get close to the ramparts wall again. He leans over and takes out a handful of shavs that are on their way up. But frankly the number of them getting up is intimidating. He breathes heavily and steps back, nocking yet more arrows to dispatch enemies.

Artorius does a twirl with his blade as he fights through line after line of shavs coming to kill him. He cracks his neck as his greatsword cleaves through a few more. One manages ALMOST nick him, but he moves just in time, slicing down a few more shavs with technical skill in his stance and a glimmer of his blade. He notices a few people get hit, especially Caelis and worry and anger grow on his face as he fights harder against the coming horde, wanting to kill as many as he can.

When the first forces began to form, Luca was atop Gluefoot rushing forward to add to the his blades to the mix, diving off the warhorse at one point to let it crush one shave while he's spearing two more, joyous in his usual too-graceful battledance. He seems to be intent on cutting a path to lighten the resistance for Reese, though there's far, far too many attacking at this point for him to keep her out of combat certainly, but it at least thins the herd somewhat. It also gives him opportunity to be hunting the crowds for the real challenge of Bringer heads to add to his collection, though he cheers eagerly when he sees one go down under Peregrine's blades.

With the battle on the war getting worse by the moment, Tobias pulls back from the melee briefly and looks down to his Phalanxed men. "Iron Company. Switch to swords and come up here. Push them off one side of the Ramparts and relieve the pressure. The rest of you keep in Phalanx formation and fill the gaps." With that, Tobias surveys the battle as a whole, "Archers, pull back a bit and let Iron Company do their job." Then Tobias starts to direct Iron Companies efforts as they come over and up.

Estaban has rolled a critical success!
Estaban checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 19 higher.

despite the best efforts of those on the walls, the tide of shavs is starting to make progress, and the defenders are being pushed back step by bloody step. Each Knight that falls is taking many shavs with him, but there are a /lot/ of Shavs. Armel himself is concentrating on keeping his space clear, his hammer throwing shavs to the stonework or pitching over the edge. For now he is unhurt, and his men stand their ground.

Audric's good cheer doesn't falter for a moment as the fighting gets thicker, blades dancing. He lets out a sharp whistle and makes a quick gesture, forming a wedge of Valorous Few with him at their head as he cuts forward, sword points lashing out at the bits necessary to keep living of the shavs who're in the way. "I -love- this part," he calls, that manic grin in full effect.

Reese continues to attack the incoming forces with her silvery pink blade and while in the midst of the Grayson forces and close to her allies. She seems focused on the battle, the girl no longer having many many words.

Calypso continues to command the forces at the Seawatch to keep the gate held! Another missive comes in and she looks to those at the command tent with her. "Redrain is seeing increased numbers. Thrax still sees nothing. We can send Thraxian troops to help them or we can cut some of our own from here to their ward."

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Sparte manages to cut down another shav, knocking their body off the wall into the ones below. A glancing blow to shoulder forces him to turn, taking his attention into the next enemy. "Here we stand! Here we stand!" It is part of the refrain from one of the songs that have been going around.

Silas finishes off the first shav he attacked and simply moves onto the next, refusing to spend much time assessing the situation. There were commanders on the field who can do that! For now, Silas is bent on killing as many shavs in front of him as he can, while being mindful of the blades slashing in his direction. The few which manage to get past his guard scrape uselessly against his rubicund armor.

Firing her arrow directly into the back of an enemy's head, Tikva cries out, "Fuck yes," and cackles as she draws another arrow from her quiver. Good thing she's got a lot.

Niccolo has left the Siege Command Tents.

Rickard continues to stick with Reese, charging up behind her and lashing out with his blade, loosing a Grayson war cry. He soon finds himself covered in detritus and other bits of gore, howling madly. "Yah! YAH!" His blood pumps, adrenaline surges, eyes wild with glee as he revels in the thick of battle.

At the gate, Caelis fights with her marines to hold the line. "Hold the line!" She yells, taking her share of wounds. Her eye catch Artorius and she shakes her head with a manic smile under her face plate.

Aiden is being driven back as the overwhelming odds start to pile over th walls. Somehow they're losing the advantage of those high walls and tensions are mounting! The action is no longer a field away, it's up close. Aiden secures some arrows and fills his quiver, but he's on the hasty retreat, pulling arrow fire against any of those he sees crawling up the wall. He ends up near Estaban, while his every fired arrow so far has hit a mark and taken down an enemy.

Esoka offers Zhayla's a knight's salute with her sword. And then, indeed, it is time for business. She lets out a high-pitched, wordless warcry, throwing herself into the press of enemies as it thickens. Her sword endeavors to loosen it some.

Continuing to dance lightly out of the way of oncoming shavs, Fiora waits for a head to pop up over the wall before letting the arrow release. Another glance tossed down towards her family and friends and she's starting to make her way to a point where she can get down and join them.

It's bloody butcher's work. There's no glory in it, no bard off in the near distance singing songs and adding music. It's hot, and the stink of gore fills the air. Whatever expression Kima ears as she hacks down enemies before her is not to be known, her visage obscured as it is by the horsetail-plumed helm she wears.

Joslyn is alongside Reese and Luca, words are gone as she enters the fray, eyes wide open and her blood pumping as she only screams out her exertion and battlecry, each swing of her dagger aiming for the throats and eyes of her enemies before her.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Deep in the press of bodies, Aislin finds herself on uncertain footing and misses a parry. The gash to her side has her hissing a curse (this time in Crownlands shav'arvani). But there's no time to fall back, no time to tend the wounds, and so the Ashford voice braces herself and redoubles her efforts.

"Luca! What'd I say?" Zhayla calls as she wades into the aftermath of the newly-Graysoned Prince's attack to mop up. It's a chide -- a follow-up to 'leave some for the rest of us' -- the really has no bearing in reality. As before, there remain /plenty more/.

Estaban is up on the ramparts dancing around moving gracefuly with his bow letting arrows lose on the shavs coming up the wall. "Prince Aiden yes?" he calls over to he young prince, "You know how to shoot back to back ya?" he watches the prince, "Together! For Arx!" he waits to see if the young prince joins him as he continues to try and kill as many as he can.

Calypso gets another missive. "Elites have shown up at Thrax ward. we need to send some of our own reinforcements to Redrain. Princess Reese and a few Grayson fighters should do it." She looks to Maude for confirmation.

It appears the Malvici blade master got his reputation for a good reason as Inigo carves his way through the descending Shavs, grim determination writ on his face. His diamondplate blade flashes in and out, pulling back for a parry here, shifting with his body in a dodge there, generally wrecking havoc among the attackers. As the familiarly feathered arrows begin taking down targets, he shifts his head quickly to find the form of his sister as she makes quick work of the invaders with her skill. With renewed vigor he pushes into the fray, his sword cutting a wide path for his men to follow.

Reese looks over to Calypso, nodding in response to her words. "Yes, Lady General Commander. Rickard, Luca and Zhaya, Joslyn with me?" She says and picks out some of her other forces too.

Niccolo keeps on barking those orders around. "Do not let them group up, force them into smaller numbers," the archduke barks and at Calypso's inquiry, his eyes narrow and he dips his head. "If need be I can go as well, but that should be enough for now," he offers his agreement.

"Yes.. You are?!" Aiden may not have time to find out who Estaban was, at least, but he does answer in kind, "Back to back! Right! For Arx!" He lets his stance turn, breathing heavily as he starts to fire off arrows as fast as he can nock them, enemies pitching over the side and piling up before him.

Out in front of the command tent Costas yanks his blade free from the chest of the shav impaled upon it, scattering an arc of crimson blade onto the flagstones. Another shav slips the general melee, intent on cutting down the presumably-distracted warrior on its way to do in the command staff. His eagerness in this spells his doom however, the axe-blade humming through the air where the Malvici man's head had been a moment earlier. He would never know to where his enemy had moved, twenty-two inches of curved rubicund severing his spine just below the base of the skull.

Joslyn calms herself enough to look to Reese, nodding in affirmative. "Yes, Reese. Right behind you."

Rymarr's breath comes in heavy bellows from beyond the narrow visor of his helmet as he smashes into the enemy advance with the Deepwood. He hits things, they fall down. He moves on to the next.

Rickard nods to Reese. "With you, Princess. Always with you." He smiles, and cleans off his blade.

Calypso nods to Reese. "Let Prince Darren know you were sent from the Seawatch and that the Thrax Ward is seeing elites." She gestures off towards Redrain ward. "Hurry!"

Zhayla casts a glance toward the Deepwood forces -- her lips moving in what may be a prayer -- before she tips her trident up in a salute to Reese. "I'm with you," she affirms.

Estaban puts his back to Aidens breathing heavily, "Lord Estaban Saik." he says to the young prince with a smirk he can not see, he continues to shoot Shav and knocking them back off the gate to fall on the other shav coming up.

Squee, the Flying Squirrel arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Maude looks to Calypso, while slightly struggling to break off the arrow in her shoulder. "Hmm. Yes. If Redrain falls we'll have a second front to defend, best to hold them now." she confirms with a nod, and a brief glance towards Reese.

Orelia is silent as she tries to carve her way through the shavs. It's not easy, considering it's her first real fight. But she manages to stand strong next to the real members of the Knights of Solace.

Luca's stabbing two shavs in the face and actually using their falling bodies as ramp to run up in order to hop atop the stomping Gluefoot again, wheeling the horse around calling "Go, I'm right behind." to his wife as he's hacking his way free. "Just when this was getting fun!"

Maude's confirmation seems to be enough for Reese. She gives the Lady Commander a somber nod. "We will hurry." She then leads about quarter of the Grayson forces and her listed group away from the battle and hopefully to Redrain gate.

"Better we met under different circumstances!" Aiden calls out behind him, breathing heavily. War is hard work! Adrenaline pumping, Aiden worked with Estaban, moving and shifting as they needed to along the ramparts, "That's at least half a dozen! We'll need more arrows!"


**********************************************************************
As more and more shavs flood over the walls, the battle continues to intensify, with mounting casualties all around and more and more dragged to safety and the waiting aid tents set up by Eirene, Benjamine and Sophie. At the Seawatch Gate, a shot by Estaban fells a bringer, causing a cheer to go up from the defenders. At the Ward of House Valardin, it looks like the lines were buckling for a moment, and then Prince Valerion managed to rally them once more.

At the Ward of House Thrax, the defenders hide for precious minutes, making it seem that the defenders withdrew to help reinforce House Redrain, and then robed figures hidden in an abandoned siege tower slip out and approach the wall of House Thrax. House Thrax's defenders rise and scream to loose a volley at the figures, and two of the three robed figures immediately fall. Arrows fired towards the third robed figure seem to disintegrate in mid air, as Prince Dominic Thrax throws a harpoon that seems to hit a wall in the air and turn to dust. The figure lifts a hand and flicks it dismissively towards Dominic, "Cease". With an ear-shattering explosion that deafens all in House Thrax and sends shockwaves through the city, the wall of House Thrax explodes outwards in a shower of rock, boulders flying into the air that disintegrate and turn to dust as they fly.

Behind the wall, all the thralls in the Thrall's Lament are killed instantly, reduced to dust, and the Gate of House Thrax is evaporated. The ramparts of House Thrax begin to collapse.
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((The battle continues to intensify, new round with difficulty again going up by 5, so every ward will be checking dexterity + weaponskill at 40 with redrain at 45, with same checks for damage after, and same command checks. If any leader is altering the disposition of their forces, can page me about it))

Aiden checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 13 higher.

Peregrine checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 2 lower.

Tikva checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 0 higher.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 32 higher.

Ywaine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 3 lower.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 15 higher.

Kima checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 33 higher.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 4 lower.

Artorius checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 10 higher.

Calaudrin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 12 higher.

Rymarr checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 40 higher.

Merek checked luck + dodge at difficulty 14, rolling 4 higher.

Caelis checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 17 lower.

Costas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 59 higher.

Peregrine checked luck + dodge at difficulty 12, rolling 13 higher.

Fiora checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 6 lower.

Esoka checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 29 higher.

Caelis checked luck + dodge at difficulty 27, rolling 13 lower.

Inigo parries a Shav blade and disengages from combat at the rumbling of the ground from the boom nearby. As he steps back, Fidante soldiers stream in about him to fill the hole. He sends a questioning glance towards General Calypso, an eyebrow arched as to what has just occurred. Noting the departure of the Grayson troops and Princess Reese, Prince Luca, Joslyn, Zhayla, and Rickard, Inigo motions towards a squad of Fidante men and commands them to fill the gap. The soldiers dutifully slant in that direction and the young commander angles with them to assist.

Fiora checked luck + dodge at difficulty 16, rolling 7 higher.

Inigo checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 37 higher.

Estaban checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 16 higher.

Aislin checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 24 higher.

Ywaine continues to work, a step forward and a size fourteen kick into the chest of an advancing shav. Smoothly he draws another arrow, nocked, aim and let loose, drawing again as he shuffle steps to the left. "Sergean', re-up on arrows, shift section bravo west twenty paces," he booms as he works, sparing a glance for Tobias.

Armel checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 30 higher.

Reese has left the By the Gate.

Rickard has left the By the Gate.

Zhayla has left the By the Gate.

Joslyn has left the By the Gate.

Luca has left the By the Gate.

Giuseppe, a kindly old man, 1 Grayson Guardsmen leave, following Luca.

Rickard, Zhayla, Joslyn, Luca leave, following Reese.

Sparte checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 16 lower.

Orelia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 0 higher.

Artorius lets out a battlecry as he sees more and more shavs begin to attack himself and his men. He sidesteps many enemies, throwing the mto their deaths over the wall. Eventually, he manages to stab through two shavs, lift the blade to slice through their skulls to strike down another. He sighs "There's almost no end to them...DON'T GIVE THEM A SINGLE STEP!" he shouts, trying to urge his men and other fighters onward. He looks to his allies to see who needs help, but otherwise, he's fighting through the aggressive onslaught.

Sparte checked luck + dodge at difficulty 26, rolling 26 higher.

The explosion briefly distracts Audric, who frowns for just a moment. "That seems less than great," he says, dryly, before turning back to the fight. The pair of swords begin their dance once again, stabbing and slicing, the Valorous Few doing their part to hold their section of the wall. "Come on then, fuckers! This all you have?"

Merek attempts to catch a soldier with his blade, but then he takes a rush that sweeps him back. With some fortune he catches a blade with his shield, and then another with his blade. He is slowly being pushed back, "No... Not here, no more of my friends, NO MORE!" he exclaims with a shout. "GLORIA, JAYUS, VELLICHOR, QUEEN, AION," he shouts off, calling on each of the gods, while he does his best to fight back. His blade is now in a fierce impassioned blow for blow to defend his life.

Tobias checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 11 higher.

Niccolo checked command + war at difficulty 25, rolling 23 higher.

Calypso checked command + war at difficulty 25, rolling 34 higher.

Squee, the Flying Squirrel arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Maude checked command + war at difficulty 25, rolling 25 higher.

Ywaine checked luck + dodge at difficulty 13, rolling 5 higher.

Esoka lets out another of those high-pitched, modulated screams over her shoulder at Zhayla. Good luck! Her screaming them refocuses, to holler in the face of the line of shavs she's facing as she plows into them. She keeps should-to-shoulder with Rymarr, almost seeming to draw strength as the intensity of the battle increases. Her sword cuts one down, her shield slams into the face of another. And on it goes.

On the run, Fiora shoots wildly, missing her target and nearly taking a blade in the back for her troubles. Instead, the darkly-clad Malvici woman rolls and grabs a ladder, feet to the wall as she starts sliding down, leaping off at the last moment to start running for her brother. That was a close one!

"Yikes," Tikva says, even as she lets another arrow grimly fly. "What the fuck--?"

That shutter step from Ywaine lets him just barely step out of the way of a sword swing!

As the fighting intensifies, so does Silas. He soon finds himself being unable to step in any one direction without a shav being in his way, but that simply makes hitting them easier! He growls ferally and plunges Dirge through the neck of one shav, aiming at all the vital fleshy bits which make people fall and bleed out very quickly! When they don't get crushed under the stampede, that is.

Calaudrin side-steps a man trying to cut him down. "Too fucking close." He mutters. He tries to get a good eye at what's going on around him, but it's simply chaos. He trips one and shoulder bumps another until he has space again, letting loose yet more arrows in the shavs coming over the wall, as well as the ones that have come over. When he reaches back and his shaft is empty, he begins to mutter and curse. Then he starts pulling, ranking and outright ripping random arrows out of corpses(?) and using them. A downed enemy screams, "Sorry, you'll be dead soon anyway." It's fine, it's good. Recycling is good for the environment.

Armel is having to stretch his Knights further and further, as the Grayson forces leave, at least some of them, but even as more and more silver-edged knights fall, never to rise again, they do not take a backward step that isn't paid for in blood, and not a single one of them retreats. Armel is striking left and right, screaming out entreaties to the Gods and orders to his men, keeping them focused and making sure, subtly or not, that Orelia stays close by, and the more lightly-armored of his brothers behind most. Reaping a fierce tally, but it's only getting worse.

"Rams incoming!" Tobias shouts as Requiem lays into the enemy. Tobias doesn't need to issue any orders as the armored red behemoth holds the line alongside Iron Company. The Lord General is getting splattered with blood as his people continue to keep the slaves of Brand off the Ramparts.

"I wish it was under better circumstances as well my prince." he breaths heavily shooting a shav down, "We are going to need more arrows!" Estaban yells down bellow as he and Aiden dance with one another moving together taking the shav down.

The soldiers of Southport, amongst which Kima can be found, spread themselves out to cover the sudden loss for a quarter of the Grayson troops that were dispatched elsewhere. As Kima continues to hack down enemy Shav, she can hear the gravelly voice of a sergeant as he shouts, "The knee that breaks brings ten men down!"

Rymarr lunches forward with a thrust of his alaricite blade into the chest of a shav who takes Esoka's shield to the face. As the shav stubbles back, Rymarr steps forward and makes good with his attack. He remains at Esoka's side, striving to cover her while she fights, just as she does the same for himself. The clatter of steel resounds as he moves, his shield raised against an attack cast in his direction. He knocks aside the club that barrels its way toward him, redirecting it away from himself and Esoka with use of his shield. The attack shifted aside, Rymarr steps forward and in with a downward slash of the longsword at his target. The shav takes the blow to the shoulder and before the falling body can take his blade with it, Rymarr yanks it free and moves to the next target. That next target finds him however as it comes barreling into him in an unchecked charge.

Aiden stares wide eyed toward the shockwave and the sounds that come from somewhere further in the city, though he can not do anything about it, locked in a back to back effort with Estaban, bow string giving a solid 'twang' for each time he looses an arrow. "THERE!!" He gestures toward Lord he's working alongside, moving along the ramparts toward one of the abandoned baskets arrows, hopefully in time before another group of shavs launches over the wall.

Lord Inigo finds the fighting a bit more intense at his new location. After dispatching a few careless Shav he lifts his sword in the air, catching the attention of a Fidante officer. With a nod, the officer directs more soldiers in his direction. The group rapidly moves to assist the future duke and his men. By the time they join the fray, the bloodied Malvici lord has already begun cutting his way through the opposition at the head of the group, trying to thin the crowd before the announced approaching rams deliver a wave of baddies.

Caelis takes a truly wicked wound, that if she survives, may force her to withdraw.

Caelis takes very serious damage.

"Fill the gaps, Keep close! Keep steady!" Calypso calls out as Reese takes her battalion out. A few more messengers come and go between the command clusters all over the city it seems. Though none yet from a Thraxian runner.

"FIND WHAT THAT WAS! WATCH FOR ENEMY MOVEMENTS!" Aislin shouts this up to the Vista Glades on the rooftops, gesturing them northwards towards the sound of the explosion with her free hand. "GO! GO GO GO!" And then she turns her full attention back to the fight at hand, striking out with all her strength.

Niccolo watches as Reese's forces take off to go reinforce the northern walls. He glances at Calypso, dipping his head at the woman and then turns his attention to his own men and women. "Keep cutting them down, keep funneling to the kill zones. Do not let them get by you. Kill them to a man!" The archduke calls out to his troops, as he continues to direct them during the battle.

The shockwave rips through the ground, and Maude's expression hardens. She tosses aside half the shaft of the arrow, leaving the tip embedded in her flesh, and looks to Calypso. "The walls are not our last line of defense. There's a whole city's worth of bottlenecks and ambushes, and each ward has a gate of its own if need be." she notes, then strides forward, keeping an eye on the gate and an eye on the ramparts. "They've been through the gate before and they paid for it! Wait and we'll thin them out here." she yells to the troops above the gate and the murder holes, checking a few messages from nearby runners.

Spreading out to help account for the troops leaving the gate, Caelis and her marines spread a little too thin and in the readjusting as they fight Caelis earns another wound. She buckles under the force of it. "Shit. Kima! Take my men!" She calls out and looks to her people with a nod.

Orelia does manage to stick close to Armel. She seems to be struggling now, barely managing to parry oncoming blows. Her stormy blue eyes are set on the enemy however and it seems unlikely that she'll back down.

Peregrine waves a bloody hand at her own troops after she and they have found their feet again. "Go see!" she urges the forest-trained guerillas, and a small number of them split off in pursuit of Aislin's forces. The rest, bloodied and panting, remain arrayed around their princess. Not one of them grins as fiercely as she does, prepared for the next wave.

A shav rushing the command tent suddenly straightens and falls forward, a redsteel cutlass buried in its back. Costas takes a brief moment to survey the surroundings before clearing the distance in long bounding steps. He lingers a brief glance on Calypso as he wrenches his weapon free before putting the command post at his back again, ready to add more bodies to the growing field of corpses he's been tending.


**********************************************************************
At the Seawatch Gate, the archers on the walls concentrate fire on the ram smashing at the gate itself, though shavs are still pouring over on ladders in an unending tide. House Valardin and Redrain continue to hold, if bitterly, as does the Lower Boroughs with knights of solace and questionable allies fighting shoulder to shoulder. The Ward of House Thrax appear breached, but strangely the shavs don't seem to be turning towards it yet. Even at the walls of House Redrain, they continue to race up ladders instead of turning towards it, but how long that foolishness continues is anyone's guess. Prince Remi Thrax goes to bring his marines to rally at the city proper, and Prince Talen and his mirrorguard reserves move towards the breached Ward of House Thrax waiting for when the shavs smarten up and redirect forces. The combats around the city continue to intensify as more of the thousands pour in, the shavs seeking to use their superior numbers at specific points and overwhelm the defenders.
**********************************************************************


((Same as before, the difficulties continue to increase by 5, and mind characters can withdraw if they choose. The reinforcements to house redrain have removed it's increased difficulty, so it's dexterity + weaponskill at 45 for everyone this round))

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 16 higher.

Armel checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 18 higher.

Aislin checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 9 lower.

Calaudrin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 45, rolling 20 higher.

Fiora checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 45, rolling 5 higher.

Peregrine checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 13 lower.

Aislin checked luck + dodge at difficulty 19, rolling 8 higher.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 1 higher.

Rymarr checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 42 higher.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 16 higher.

Inigo checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 4 higher.

Peregrine checked luck + dodge at difficulty 23, rolling 8 higher.

Artorius checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 3 higher.

Tikva checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 45, rolling 9 lower.

Tikva checked luck + dodge at difficulty 19, rolling 7 lower.

Esoka checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 42 higher.

Costas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 54 higher.

Estaban checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 45, rolling 3 lower.

Kima has rolled a critical success!
Kima checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 81 higher.

Inigo checked perception at difficulty 20, rolling 4 lower.

Orelia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 2 lower.

Aiden checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 45, rolling 11 lower.

Sparte checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 18 lower.

Sparte checked luck + dodge at difficulty 28, rolling 23 higher.

Niccolo checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 14 higher.

Aiden checked luck + dodge at difficulty 21, rolling 0 higher.

Calypso checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 38 higher.

Artorius continues to fight hard, somehow not taking a single blow as of yet but fighting with everything he's got. He even manages to throw a shav over the wall, hoping to drop him on his fellow warriors on the ladder. He fights hard, fighting the shavs with his men and downing many of them. dead shavs litter around Artorius's feet. He lets out another warcry as he continues to battle.

Orelia has rolled a critical success!
Orelia checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 48 higher.

The battle seems to flow all around him, and it is quite difficult for Merek to discern what is happening. The waves from the battering ram, and calls perhaps of what is going on elsewhere. He has his blade in his hand, managing to cleave through more Shavs, one taking a clean blow that manages to take them down. "Dream," he tells them, while he manages to continue into the battle. Holding as best that he can. Millions of thoughts seem to echo on his features, but none seem to be spoken, while he sweeps through the enemy.

Sparte is being forced onto the defensive bit by bit as the shav numbers increase. He shouts out as he continues to fight, deflecting blows and keeping his head high. "The Sentinel has out backs and Gloria has out hand! These walls will keep on standing, no scav will see me blanching!"

Ywaine has rolled a critical success!
Ywaine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 45, rolling 17 higher.

Ywaine directs the squad with him - Emerald Company, archery folks, 20 men - to focus fire on those incoming rams. That done he focuses his shots himself, pulling arrow after arrow from his quiver, taking quick aim and letting loose his shots!

Estaban checked luck + dodge at difficulty 13, rolling 2 lower.

The Knights of Solace are being reduced to small, hard knots of defenders, struggling to keep the enemy from their archer charges and to protect the steps leading down into the city, and even then some are getting by. He stands, in the center of one such line, Orelia at his side, his hammer lashing out to pulp a shav with each strike, and upon seeing Orelia pressed, turns and buries the spike of his hammer into the enemy's skull before wrenching it clear. Getting really hair now, but the knights will /not/ back down without the withdrawal order.

A moderate wound during the fighting for Tikva.

Tikva takes serious damage.

Calaudrin walks the edges of the wall, really pushing his luck today. He kicks people in the head as they try to come over, he shoots others that are manning the battering ram. He stops here and there to rather cruely rip arrows out of the dying. But only enemies. Only dying /enemies/. "If I don't get to have another smoke today because someone kills me, I'm going to be so pissed off. I hope I come back with the undead army." Then he hops down and looses another arrow.

A flesh wound during the fighting for Estaban.

Estaban takes minor damage.

Silas continues to fight his way through the deluge of shav bodies. He is still miraculously unscathed through all of this, but one could guess that he's immensely helped by the sheer amount of chaos and confusion amidst the battle, while also being significantly helped by superior weaponry and armor. He pauses after beheading one particularly ugly shav to steal a glance at the ramparts.

Tobias checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 28 higher.

The thunderclap from the direction of the Thrax ward shakes Esoka's feet under her. She tries to ignore it. Or, at least, shove it in the back of her mind. And keep the enemies around her at the front of it. She beams at Rymarr as he stabs the shav she downed with her shield. And on it goes. The keeps wrecking her way along, blade now covered in gore, but that doesn't seem to make it less sharp. "To the last!" she hollers. Head tipping up toward the invocation of the gods from Sparte. Her yell turns into a whoop of approval.

Coming up on Inigo, Fiora looses an arrow that goes over his shoulder and into a shav rushing from the side. Flashing her twin a brief smile, she offers, "Are you having fun yet, brother mine?" She doesn't stay long, however, giving him a nod and moving past, trying to make her waay towards the command tent.

Tikva whuffs as she takes a hard slash in the fighting and falls back, skittering across the wall. Her arrow flies wide and she kicks back with a booted foot, smashing down hard on the Shav's instep with her heel and then dropping to roll away over the wall, bow and arrow brought up to bear on her assailant so that she can aim her next shot right at his throat. She yells something that sounds mostly like, "EUGH! I - fucking - hate - close - quarters!"

With the help, Caelis is taken off the field of combat, leaving her men with her family to hold the gate. The explosion makes her look up as she winces and wraps a hand over the worst of her wounds rushing to a healer while there's still breath in her body.

Caelis has left the By the Gate.

Rohm the Blackguard leaves, following Caelis.

So concentrated is Lord Inigo that he fails to notice his sister's approach, much less his cousin Caelis receive a serious wound. Instead, all is the fight... sweat, blood, grime, screams, and grunts. His lips are locked in a permanent snarl as he furiously fights his way forward, tugging his blade from the chest of one Shav to lop off the head of another nearby. As Fiora arrives, she is able to note her brother is covered in blood, miraculously none of it his. A wry grin splits his grim determination as she shifts by and moves towards their other cousin commanding the forces. "Don't you know it!" He replies as he drives the point of Recompense through his current target. "Just a walk in the park..."

As Tikva takes a hit, Audric wheels around, redirecting a few of his sellswords to aid in her defence. The Captain-General's swords lash out, taking the throats of a few shavs, before he gives the woman a grin. "I feel like you could use some cover," he says, brightly.

The battle rages and the orders continue to be shouted by the archduke. Niccolo points, directs, waves his sword and calls out positions for his men and women to move to. The man looks grimly at some of the Lycene fighters having to leave the field of battle. "Fight for your loved ones, fight for each others. Do not let them pass!"

Orelia falters for a moment and a shav takes advantage of the opening. There is a flash of fear as the noblewoman is certain that she's about to get hit. Then it's gone as the warhammer that was aimed at her not so long ago hits the Shav before he can even raise his blade. Orelia manages to flash Armel a brief smile before going back to work.

Aiden even though in tandem with Lord Edward Saik, is unable to draw and loose another arrow when the shavs get rather close quarters to them! Aiden blocks a shav attack with the metal of his rubicund bow coming up to guard himself, getting pushed back into Estaban from the momentum. He struggles with the shav, having no blade to defend himself with, resorts to kicking - sending the weapon flying out of the shav's hand. Only, the said shav reaches out for Aiden's bow, and the two begin to struggle and wrestle for it!

Pariah, The StormCrow arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

"You godsdamned heroes," Tikva grins up at the sellswords from the floor of the rampart, blood dribbling from her lip as well as from the split in her side. These things happen. She pushes up onto her knee, hoisting her bow to take aim for another shot, as she calls out, "Remind me to write a song for Cap'n Audric and the Valorous Few when we get this shit done--"

The shockwave doesn't get Tobias' attention until he pulls back from the line. Nothing for that now, so instead Tobias pulls back to survey the flow of battle. "Copper and Bronze Company, ready yourself for the Gate to be breached! Archers, if they manage to breach the Gate, concentrate fire on those coming through. If you're about to be overrun, fall back down the Ramparts." Tobias takes a moment to take in the battle proper, to see if he needs to give any other shift in orders.

"Aiden!" Merek calls out, and since he isn't being harried too much, he rushes to try and cleave into the Shav on the Prince, hoping to at least give him some spare time to break free from that wrestle hold.

Estaban pushes forward by the shav that was attacking Aiden he ends up to close to a Shav coming over the wall and is nailed by a blade in the side, "I will not fall that easiley." he brings his bow up to try and push the shav off the wall then turning his when he hears the princes name called out, "Aiden, turn." he pulls his bow back to nail the shave that is trying to get at the prince.

A Thraxian messenger finally arrives after a tense communication-less time passes. Whatever was relayed in the message has Calypso nodding and sending out a flurry of more messengers. That taken care of she looks to the rest of the battle in front of her. commanding troops to fill weak points and defend!

Audric shows Tikva his teeth, turning to catch an incoming blade with his own. The second blade spears the man, and Audric's foot pushes him backwards. "Just doing what we're paid to do, no heroics about it," he says, cheerfully.

No longer trickling in by ones, Costas engages a group of shavs trying to move on the command tent. The knot of chaotic movement rolls back and forth, the Malvici armsman keeping his foes focused on him and punishing any attempt to push past to the Lady General's position with a sudden explosion of violence. For every body that falls to his humming blade however another breaks free from the front, providing constant pressure which only drives the warrior deeper into the cold, black whisper of the combat high.

Aiden is in that death wrestle for the bow, his only shield between the intent of a silent shav. He does in fact see Merek and between that blade that sinks into the shav, and Estaban's orders to turn, Aiden puts the shav in direct line of fire for Estaban to finish off. Blade and bow having done the trick to keep the enemy off the Prince, he heaves a breath out, "Thanks!" But there's work to be done yet, as he shakes himself out, looking at their situation, "We're going to make it...!" He tells them both, looking to Merek, "Keep with us Merek!"


**********************************************************************
A bringer at the Seawatch Gate threatens to throttle the life from Tikva, but is cutdown by Baroness Kima, as triumphant cheers rise from the defenders for the Lioness of Saikland Greens. Ywaine directing fire towards the battering ram sees the shavs temporarily flee and abandon the ram entirely as scores drop from the withering fire, and at the Ward of House Valardin, the Greenmarch archer known as Qaali shoots down a Bringer threatening Marian, the Sword of Sanctum. House Redrain holds, though Lady Khanne takes a grievous wound, and House Thrax sends Lord Edward Redreef to defend the breached wall and position the archers along what remains of the shattered ramparts. The Lower Boroughs continue to hold, holding the line of the Pit with (and against) the Dead. The battle rages on, and the numbers of shavs entering the city and fighting the defenders only continues to increase.

Prince Abbas Thrax, the Butcher's Bastard, had ships hugging the coast and waiting for an opportune moment. His reavers land and immediately advance upon the rear of the shavs at the seawatch gate, cutting into them and making the attack on the seawatch gate buckles before he is forced to withdraw and turn towards the broken remnants of the Ward of House Thrax, falling to the breach. Further in the north, perhaps taking Abbas' attack as a signal, there's horns sounding from the Gray Forest.
**********************************************************************


((Difficulties to increase, dexterity + weaponskill at 50 this round. Ward of House Thrax is not attacked yet this round, but the shavs around the Ward of House Redrain are starting to notice the opening, and will next round.))

Aislin checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 14 lower.

Aiden checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 18 lower.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 4 higher.

Artorius checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 4 higher.

Aislin checked luck + dodge at difficulty 24, rolling 12 lower.

Tikva checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 7 lower.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 2 higher.

Calaudrin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 21 higher.

Rymarr checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 14 higher.

Tikva checked luck + dodge at difficulty 17, rolling 13 lower.

Sparte checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 11 lower.

Sparte checked luck + dodge at difficulty 21, rolling 30 higher.

Aiden checked luck + dodge at difficulty 28, rolling 19 higher.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 4 higher.

Esoka checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 4 lower.

Peregrine checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 7 higher.

Armel checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 28 higher.

Tobias checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 5 higher.

Kima checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 4 lower.

Costas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 4 lower.

Inigo checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 12 lower.

Fiora checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 10 lower.

Kima checked luck + dodge at difficulty 14, rolling 20 higher.

Estaban has rolled a critical success!
Estaban checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 46 higher.

Fiora checked luck + dodge at difficulty 20, rolling 6 higher.

Ywaine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 11 lower.

Artorius fights off many like a monster, taking many opponents on at the wall trying his best to defend the archers from the onslaught of attackers. He twirls his blade and kills a few shavs with a single swing, cracking his neck.

Costas checked luck + dodge at difficulty 14, rolling 28 higher.

Ywaine has rolled a critical success!
Ywaine checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 21, rolling 87 higher.

Esoka checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 14, rolling 8 higher.

Inigo checked luck + dodge at difficulty 22, rolling 24 higher.

Niccolo checked command + leadership at difficulty 35, rolling 12 higher.

Calypso checked command + war at difficulty 35, rolling 31 higher.

Maude checked command + war at difficulty 35, rolling 8 higher.

Ywaine throws himself to one side with a quickness as an arrow comes flying in, hitting his shoulder as he rolls forward and comes up at a run - pulling his greatbow back to let loose an attack at the attackers at the gate, "Y'all done heard th' general. Focus fire on those that break through," he booms. "We ain't losin' and that's a gosh darn order!"

Somehow, it seems that Aiden's words make Merek take another breath in, and he nods, "Let's do this then! FOR THE GODS!" he exclaims, then he, aside with his Guards as well as Aiden and Estaban, begins to cleave through more and more Shavs, while he tries his best to push them back. In the distance, he sees the assistance that they are receiving, and lets out a cheer as he cleaves his blade into one of Brand's Army. "YOU SHALL NOT PASS THESE GATES!" he shouts at each enemy as he continues to battle.

Calaudrin shoulder checks someone out of the way, then ducks underneath so that he can take up a shielded position near a crate. He stands just tall enough to continue loosing his recycled at arrows at the enemy. He's managed so far to make it through this unscathed, but even he's not stupid enough to expect that this is going to last forever.

Aislin is briefly surrounded by shavs, taking several brutal wounds before quick shots by Estaban manages to drop those surrounding her.

Aislin takes very serious damage.

Kima, having felled a particularly nasty looking enemy, finds herself tangled in the arms of another. Her strike becomes foiled, and she ends up grill to silent, snarling face with a Shav. Unable to make use of her sword arm, the knight does the only sensible thing and bashes her helmed head into the face of the other. Blood and teeth fly, and even as she's tilting her head back for another go, are Southport soldiers pulling her back into the line and straightening her out.

The fatigue was setting in now and his breath is clearly labored. Still, Silas continues to cleave through shav flesh like it was ripe melon. His alaricite blade, Dirge, was now slick with the blood of a several dozen men. His armor is splattered and splotched. He's very... red, in general.

Orelia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 7 lower.

Orelia checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 19 higher.

And now the push back comes... the surge forward of the Compact troops in his area is halted and the army about him begins to find themselves being forced backward. Inigo himself feels the change to deflecting and parrying more blows than being able to deliver them. Such is the change in momentum that he stumbles, a blade swinging just wide of his chest, before stepping back to join his men, an edge of terror flitting in his sapphire eyes. Those same eyes flick to his sister's last seen location, searching to assure himself of her safety.

Armel spares only a grunt for Orelia next to him after he dispatches the shav that was about to disembowel her, and a muttered, "Higher guard" Before he is back to the fighting. He is a spinning, vicious whirlwind of steel and rubicund, his bullish strength and refusal to take a backward step inspiring his men to do the same, although their lines are becomining dangerously thin, some of the shavs managing to flow past and down the steps or to assail the others on the wall. At least Orelia doesn't need saving again, managing to do it herself this time, right? the pile of shavs are kicked from the wall every so often in a gruesome rain.

A man shot by Tikva plucks the arrow from its chest and then throws a spear with tremendous force at her, the Bringer giving her a vicious wound.

Tikva takes critical damage.Tikva rolls stamina+willpower+survival against difficulty 25, getting 38.Tikva remains capable of fighting despite their wounds.

Audric continues doing his thing, swords dancing as the Few hold their section of wall, blood flying. Audric is thoroughly caked in gore, making the manic grin he wears even more ghoulish. "They just keep on coming, don't they? Really should have argued for per kill," he says, during a brief lull, before diving back in.

"Our coffers would be empty, and you'd have to make a damn throne of it," Armel barks back to Audric as the swirl of the melee brings them close enough to be heard, if only just.

With the rams entirely abandoned, "Bronze Company, northern Ramparts! Iron Company, southern Ramparts! Push them back!" Tobias moves once more into the fray as he begins to cut down shavs once again. Requiem dances in the air as he continues to fell them as they come up the ladders. "Archers, shift attention at your judgment to keep up pressure!"

Aiden is starting to let the fear set in, despite having a friend and much newer sort of friend (Estaban), he backs into the parapet wall, taking a moment to try and regain his composure. So when he sees another shav leaping over a ladder hooked in, his aim is off... But the aim of those around him are quite on point. One missed arrow, two missed arrows... He tries to focus, scrambling to fill his quiver up with more arrows if he can find any!

At some point, Esoka's tendency to hurl herself at the enemy like a human battering ram is going to stop serving her well. The shav she sword-brawls with this time manages to defend against it and hits her back, bigger and harder. Her shield comes up quick, this time for purposes that are purely defensive. It keeps her from great harm and she scrambles back, rebalancing herself.

Estaban stands with Aiden and Merek as they continue to battle the shavs seeing that Aislin was in trouble turning slightly he aims and takes them down, he is breathing heavly. "Do not over work yourself or they will get the upper hand." he says to the Prince and fellow Iron Guard. He then goes back to what he was doing before and killing shavs!

Tikva chokes and coughs, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth as she begins to withdraw. Her blood-slicked hand is wrapped close and tight around an arrow, halfway to her bow. She groans, rolling her eyes. "I better--" she huffs and puffs, tears leaking unheeded from her eyes.

Orelia decides to take the grandmaster's point and moves into a more defensive stance. The shavs keep coming and she's trying to down them but it's not as easy as Armel makes it look. Luckily, she does manage to dodge any new blows.

"The look on their faces when they got the bill would be -entirely- worth it," Audric calls back, Coinspinner coming down to cleave through a collarbone. Spinning away, he narrows his eyes briefly at Tikva. "I can spare a body or two to get you off the wall, if you need it!"

Rymarr moves around to the flank of the opponent which Esoka raises her shield up to defend herself again. His own shield grants the shav a sharp crack to the back of the head before Rymarr continues onward within the melee to his next target. He lashes out with his blade and cuts the legs from under the next shav to step toward him and Rymarr takes a half-step back to check his own advance, his shield held at the ready while he takes note of Tikva's unfortunate circumstances. He considers her a moment before he calls out to the Greenblood knight, "Dame Esoka! Deal with that one and then get Lady Tikva out of the fight! Fill the gaps!", he calls out in general to the Deepwood faces to fill in said impending gap. He takes that momentary reprieve to take stock of his surroundings and the shavs flooding over the walls, then to the gate itself, and finally to those defending the area around the Seawatch Gate in whole.

The fighting continues and that grim look on Niccolo's face isn't going anywhere. He continues passing out his orders, but by now the soldiers know what to do. "We will not falter," he calls out to his men and women. "We will not be defeated," he continues. "We will take them down to their last man if need be. But we will not lose this city!" He calls out.

Sparte struggles through fatigue as he continues to face the bringers and their shavs, doing his best to hold the line with the others. While his skills arn't as great as some others, he is somehow still standing and free of wounds. "My city, my country, we fight them all for three." A paint, and then he starts from the beginning. "Here we stand, here we stand!" Whenever he is able to find the breath he repeats the chorus from the song. So far none have joined him, they're a bit distracted. "The Sentinel has our backs and Gloria has our hand!"

"Please," Tikva says, spitting a little blood as she staggers, with an acknowledging nod to Audric. "Please and thank you."

Aislin glances up, offering Esteban a thankful nod when the man hits the shavs who surrounded her. The Ashford voice looks... bad. Staying upright is an act of will, but her hand remains clutched around the hilt of her sword. She knows should withdraw, but the path to do so from within the chaos of battle is unclear.

Audric nods once, before clapping one of the other sellswords on the shoulder. "See her back to the Mercies, if you would," he says, turning back to survey the fighting.

Armel barks out orders to his men, and the last of the reserves move now, to the command of "Clear the way for Aislin and the others to withdraw! Protect them with your lives!" They move to comply, knowing full well that this order might actually result in death for them.

"Hold Steady! Fill the gaps!" Calypso shouts out as she keeps up with where the major gaps are being opened up in the defense line. She sends runners to the medics to pull the wounded from the fight. She points to Tikva and Aislin in particular!

Tikva uses the aid of Audric's friends to help herself down off the wall and into the midst of the fighting in melee. She draws her gifted sword from its sheath at her hip and uses it one-handed to ward off anything dangerous that seems to look like it's getting anywhere near her and squints, bleeding and confused, through the chaos to look towards the medics' tent

.

Esoka's eyes sweep up to the archers on the ramparts. She's lost track of Tikva in the fight, but Rymmar's words //snap// her attention back in that direction. Wordlessly, she nods and runs with all the deliberate speed one clothed in steel can to that bit of the battlefield. She arrives just in time to see Audric's men taking her friend to the Mercies. Heart in her throat, she opens her mouth to call something after them. But it doesn't come. She just plugs herself into that hole in the defender's lines. A look to Audric, who she does not recognize. But she'll holler her questions at him anyhow. "How badly is she hurt? The Lady Riven?"

Splitting his attention between so many foes Costas had stopped paying attention to where the dead fell. The mistake was first felt as a cold spike of panic as his heel struck the solid mass of a dead shav's torso, and only quick reflexes save him from toppling head over tea-kettle. By the time he gains his footing the group of attackers had fanned out around him, and so he backs up slowly until he finds the best position he can make: flanked on either side by the fallen. Let the shavs clamber over their dead themselves.

Tikva has left the Ramparts.

Aislin doesn't look entirely thrilled by Armel's order -- risking the lives of multiple knights to drag one life from the lines seems unbalanced to her -- but she takes the opening when it's offered, allowing herself to be guided towards the medic tent.

Maude stands out, dispatching orders as she tries to keep an eye on the scene directly ahead of the gate and her mind on the fullness of the city. "It doesn't matter where they get through. If they get through elsewhere, we should prepare to meet them where it counts." she says to Calypso, and draws a ragged breath, hardening herself as she directs troops elsewhere, to reinforce the remainder of the walls along the length of the Boroughs and lend new breath to the defenders where needed.

Orelia gives a nod towards Armel before pushing and slashing her way through shavs to reach Aislin. The slight blonde lurks near the back of the knightly escort, defending against any that try to follow.

"Not dead?" Audric replies to Esoka. "I just swing swords for coin, I'm no healer." He grins, showing teeth amongst the red visage once again, before stepping forward to take his place in the line again.

Artorius has left the Ramparts.


**********************************************************************
Losses continue to mount, and for a moment it seems as if the different wards might be overwhelmed, but they keep holding. Thousands of soldiers from each of the great houses are dead, and the painful brutal battle against the superior numbers grinds on. Princess Donella from her high vantage point sees it first- thousands of men and women wearing the colors of House Deepwood and Riven riding out of the Gray Forest from the north, and directly at the shav rear. A few thousand attack tens of thousands shouldn't amount to much- except with the advantage of surprise, the better ground, and against tired forces. The attack makes the Silent Army's line buckle, and the constant ferocity ebbs ever so slightly in the wards. House Thrax's moment of calm unfortunately comes to an end, as shavs waiting to scale the ladders to attack Redrain divert to storm towards the breach in Thrax. A hard fight is ahead, without defenses.
**********************************************************************


((Difficulty -drops- to 30 for Seawatch Gate, Lower Boroughs, Redrain and Valardin. Difficulty -stays- at 50 in Thrax due to the shattered defenses and depleted forces.))

Aiden checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 1 higher.

Peregrine checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 55 higher.

Inigo checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 50 higher.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 10 higher.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 17 higher.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 23 higher.

Tikva checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 16 higher.

Orelia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 15 higher.

Rymarr checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 27 higher.

Estaban checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 22 higher.

Sparte checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 2 higher.

Fiora checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 9 higher.

Esoka checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 21 higher.

Ywaine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 7 higher.

Armel checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 13 higher.

Calaudrin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 54 higher.

Costas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 16 higher.

Aislin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 3 higher.

Calypso nods to Maude. "We have our fall back plan if we need it. The Thraxian Ward is breached. Word has been sent to the paladins but nothing sent back to us yet. We will move if we have to but I plan to hold this ground." She glances up again as she notices the ebb in the forces coming at them. "Take advantage of their weakness! Strike back!"

Tikva takes an attack of opportunity, even as she staggers through the fight by the gate. Her arrow goes flying, slick with her own blood, and she smiles with wet, red teeth as sees her arrow strike true. She spits more blood and then goes, "Oh, sorry," to the sellsword whose boot she just spat blood all over.

Ywaine takes aim, firing another arrow as the sergeant from his squad hurriedly gets resupplies of arrows up from behind him. Ywaine snags another arrow, aims and lets fire, taking a moment to check out his group of twenty archers. "Alright, Deepwood an' Riven are gonna get all my booze tonight," he calls, "Y'see it, boys, fire it up! Drop 'em 'tween us, hammer an' anvil!"

Kima checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 22 higher.

Tobias checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 34 higher.

It seems even as the defenders tire, so to does Brand's Army. However, with the reinforcements and surprise maneuvers out from the forest, it becomes clear that the tide is turning, at least in the Seawatch. It is time to make that count. Merek swivels around with his blade and catches a few more enemies, blood splattering while he drives forward. He manages to reach one at the wall and kicks them off it, before he starts to cleave into those climbing from the siege towers onto the ramparts with skill. His shield catches a few blows with skill, his actual dodging having taken second seat with the battle on-going, but he will push on.

Armel commands to his men, "Push back, you heard her!" And the exhausted, embattled forces of the Knights of Solace begin to do exactly that, Armel at their head as he swings his warhammer in great, brutal arcs to clear the way, desperate to clear a few stretches of wall and provide solace (hehe) to the defenders in those locations and swing the momentum back in the direction of the people of the Compact.

Calypso checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 28 higher.

Esoka cranes her neck backward to follow the progress of Tikva being hauled off the battlefield. There is some glaring. GO AWAY AND DON'T DIE. She forgets that, though, as word of the attack from the rear ripples through the line. A loud, glad yell escapes her lips. "Thesarin! He's done it!" Back into the sea of enemies she goes, sword whistling high and with renewed vigor at word that her housemates are on the way. With feeling.

Aiden nods to Estaban's word of not to over do himself, taking a little breather to consider the fight, looking down into the thick of it, trying to find a particular banner and sign of his friends. There's some vague worry on his face, "Come on brother... Gloria protect him." He slips another arrow out of a basket of arrows, his hands not shaking so much after the break. Calmly, he regains focus, steps alongside Estaban once more, selects a target, and fires true.

Niccolo checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 32 higher.

From the ramparts, Calaudrin witnesses the riders coming in to attack the rear of the shav army. For the first time this entire battle he gives a whoop of optimism. "Yeah! RIDE THEM DOWN!" With renewed energy, he leaps once again into action. He dedicates a significant portion of his energies now to offering cover fire for those around him are caught up in melee combat.

Silas only vaguely comprehends what's going on beyond the gate, and how it was affecting the men before him. He's in the thick of it, fighting alongside his men just as fiercely as they fight for him. "Just keep going!" He commands over the din of clashing steel and death cries. It was essentially what everyone else was shouting! More of the same.

As the press gets a little lighter, Audric leads the Few forward to press the advantage. The tips of his swords slice and stab into vital areas, the Captain-General's mad laugh bubbling free again. "And here most people were getting worried!"

"We might be able to send some of our forces to reinforce the Thrax ward," Niccolo observes, his expression grim as he continues to call out orders to his soldiers. Those dark brown eyes of the archduke move from spot to spot in the battlefield in front of him. His features somber, but showing little else at this point.

As the forocity starts to ebb a bit from the reinforcements, Tobias gives a grunt. "I think half the Compact is going to shower them in booze." Tobias agrees to Ywaine. Instead of getting into the fray some more though, Tobias starts to direct the effort up on the Ramparts, giving soldiers guidance to weak points and where to shore up the defense to relieve the pressure of soldiers being overwhelmed as he directs Rampart forces with the view he has up up top. "Push them back. Get some room for our archers to support Deepwood and Riven."

And strike back they do... just as soon as the enemy forces push forward, their reinforcements appear to flee. A cry goes up through the crowd as the Compact army surges forward, cutting down many at the front line. Lord Inigo does his part, cleaving the heads from the shoulders of a number of Shavs in a row. The grim determination of the young Fidante Voice fades a bit into a dark joy as the darkness falls away in front of their blades. "Push forward! Fight with all you have!" And in example, Inigo jumps deeper into the fray, his iridescent blade flashing as it sweeps through the crowd.

Estaban looks and aims his bow letting a arrow lose smiling as it hits the shav and it falls back off the wall down onto the many others tha lay dead at the bottom of the wall. He looks spotting Aiden in a panic, he moves to touch the Princes shoulder and to help him back up. "It is not wrong to feel panic, but use it to your advantage my Prince use it to drive you on and to keep going." he tries to give the young prince a bit of a pep talk.

Dropping another shav as she fights her way towards her cousin, dropping a shav that had gotten past the initial line with a well-placed arrow. She draws up near Calypso, calling out, "Permission to scout Thrax, General?" With Deepwood and Riven reinforcing the numbers at the gates and ramparts, she's looking to find information on what happened in the Thrax ward.

The soldiers among whom Kima fights suffer losses, to be sure, but they are not nearly as hard hit as they could be. They were, after all, some of the most formidable soldiers in all the Compact. Despite Kima having fashioned a certain reputation for herself, the knight does not act the hero while standing amongst her brethren. They are not warriors. They are soldiers. And the difference is vast.

Artorius fights harder and harder with each wave. He cheers and lights a warcry when he sees the riders of deep wood and Riven! "Fight to the last man!" He laughs, but let's out a cry of rage soon after, cutting down multiple shaves as he swings his mighty weapon as he makes his way to his kin. Maybe even a bringer falls to his onslaught.

Rymarr and the rest of the Deepwood contingent presses forward at the order presented by Calypso. They move forward at a measured and methodical pace. Block, slash, forward. Block, slash, forward. When one shav hurls itself at Rymarr, he knocks it aside with use of his shield before bringing his blade down into the man's spine. He yanks his blade free quickly before he begins to advance forward inexorably. Weathering a number of minor blows against his thick steel armor, his shield and blade provide ample defense on top of his armor alone. He isn't on the wall, so he was in no position to see the efforts of either his own House or their vassal in the form of House Riven finally arriving to spring their attack from the rear of the Bringer army's line. Thus no celebrations for Rymarr. At the moment he remains acutely focused on fighting, surviving, and protecting those within his immediate vicinity which he is able.

"Permission Denied, Fiora. Communications are getting through to us from them now." Calypso points back at the ever present forces pushing their way against our own. "I need you taking out as many of them as possible. Don't let up."

Aiden looks over at the hand on his shoulder, peering up toward Estaban, "I will, keep fighting. For my family, for my friends, for... Arx!" He gets some wind back in his sails after the pep talk, clapping Estaban back on his bicep, "I'll stand with you." Once again, the Prince regains a better footing, to work with Estaban and near to Merek, if the other was still around throwing shavs from the wall. "We will win..." A mantra he begins to say, "Aim true."

Once her charge is at the medical tent, Orelia starts to cut back through the crowd of shavs. She seems to have gotten her momentum back and is stepping over bodies to try and push back the enemy.

Costas seizes on the moment of distraction as Fiora drops one of the shavs he's been fighting out in front of the command tent, scooping up a fallen sword at his feet and hurling it at the nearest foe. The enemy drops to his knees, a spray of blood arcing out from between fingers clutched around his ruined throat. Not wasting a second, the Malvici retainer again launches himself at the group with a low growl of aggression.

Pariah, The StormCrow arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Tikva sits at the medical tent, temporarily disarmed and whining about how she wants to get back out there and shoot some more. There's a lot of blood and a lot of bandaging happening.

"Gods and spirits, Lady Tikva." Aislin settles in not far from Tikva, to let her own wounds be bandaged. She, too, doesn't look like she's terribly thrilled to be off the field -- abandoning comrades to the fight doesn't sit well with her. "I thought for a moment we'd lost you."

Esoka maintains a position where she can glare toward the medical tent, until she's reasonably assured Tikva is actually there. Then, back to the lines, where she presses to rejoin Rymarr and the Deepwoods. "She's with the Mercies!" she reports to him tersely. "The sellsword who aided her said she was still alive. She was shooting at the enemy as she went. So." There's that. She seems to take that as a good sign. Her eyes are shining. "It worked! The marquessa plan with the prodigals worked!"


**********************************************************************
The Deepwood forces cannot turn the tide, of course. The weight of numbers is too much, but it does give new life to the defenders. Princess Reese, fighting in the Ward of House Redrain, rallies the troops who all scream "TO THE LAST!" around the Grayson. House Thrax looked near breaking, until Count Maximilian directed archers in a withering fire on the shavs attempting to storm in to the breach, and Darrow tore a bringer's head off with his flail, making the enemy forces storming the ward pause. In the Ward of House Valardin, Fiachra drops a hulking bringer that was smashing Valardin knights left and right, eliciting a cheer from the defenders. Still, the battle rages on, and it's by no means decided. As the deepwood forces attack from the rear, it seems that the Silent Army attacks intensify.
**********************************************************************


"It'll take more than -- ow, fuck! -- that--" Tikva wheezes a little and wipes blood from her lips with her arm. "--to take me -- ow, /fuck/ stoppit!! -- to take me down."

((Things have evened out between the wards, somewhat. It's difficulty 35 this round for all wards, -including- Thrax, and for the Lower Boroughs.))

Aiden checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 0 higher.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 9 higher.

Peregrine checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 23 higher.

Inigo checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 4 higher.

Esoka checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 2 higher.

Orelia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 6 lower.

Kima checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 28 higher.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 52 higher.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 1 lower.

Ywaine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 1 lower.

Armel checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 12 higher.

Rymarr checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 14 higher.

Costas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 18 higher.

Audric checked luck + dodge at difficulty 11, rolling 23 higher.

Sparte checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 18 higher.

Ywaine checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 11, rolling 17 higher.

Orelia checked luck + dodge at difficulty 16, rolling 21 higher.

Calaudrin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 2 higher.

Fiora checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 54 higher.

Artorius checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 5 higher.

Estaban checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 3 lower.

Niccolo checked command + leadership at difficulty 35, rolling 18 higher.

Calypso checked command + war at difficulty 35, rolling 32 higher.

Estaban checked luck + dodge at difficulty 13, rolling 1 higher.

Merek steps back and over towards the direction that Aiden is standing with Estaban, and then mentions to them both, "Keep a path cleared on my sides, I'm going to clear a swath to one of the towers for our forces to storm," he tells them, then he takes a small breath, then exhales, then rushes forward with a shout as he cleaves through one... Two... Three... Of the Shavs that are now picking up once more in the battle. He calls to some surrounding him, "Cut off the route they have from that tower, we can lessen their numbers there!" he exclaims, then two more are quickly swept with his blade.

Tobias checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 34 higher.

Maude checked command + leadership at difficulty 35, rolling 2 lower.

Maude checked command + war at difficulty 35, rolling 13 higher.

Artorius fights through quite a few shavs, barely dodging two attacks before swiftly dispatching the attackers. He slowly makes his way to his family, though still on the wall.

"We gotcha, Black," calls Ywaine and calls out to his sergeant, "Alpha and bravo section, focus fire on that Tower he's runnin' towards." he takes aim himself, seeking - along with his 20 archers - to help clear the way for Merek and his assault on the tower - to help make sure he doesn't get overwhelmed.

The enemy army's attacks begin to intensify again and Calaudrin stops for breath, leaning against the wall before he yanks a quiver of arrows off the back of a dead shav. These are now his. He drops several more shavs, "Lost count by now." His earlier optimism is turning into tired exasperation as there just seems to be no stopping the current bloodshed. It's an onslaught.

Silas hasn't used finesse in this battle yet, and he doesn't intend to start. He slashes to the right, slashes to the front, slashes forward - each time hitting the flank of an enemy with a sickening squelch. Underneath the shell of his armor he remains unhurt, but sweaty and harried. He begins to use some of his victims as weapons themselves, flinging them at incoming foes to distract them as his blade descends.

The tide of battle is called a tide for a reason; there is an ebb and a flow to it. Just as the push back from the forces around him arrives, the Shavs up their intensity. Once again, Inigo is found fighting in the thick of things, his arm feeling twice its weight as he hacks another screaming attacker from his path. Sweat pours from his forehead, forming rivers of dirt and blood across the landscape of his face. His gritted teeth shinning brilliant white from behind the grime that has collected through the battle, chestplate rising and falling with the exertion of combat.

"Watch yourself." he calls to Merek when he puts his attention on Merek a Shav comes up he looks back to shoot but is takken off guard almost taking a sword to the gut but he moves to bring his bow up and block the hit with out getting harmed. "Aiden watch out." Estaban calls to the prince about the Shave that is in close combat now.

Audric keeps to the walls, the sellsword still laughing as he fights, swords swinging - though he's lost a little of the reckless, eager energy. They've been fighting for a bit now, after all, and it's hard work!

Aiden listens to Merek's intention, looking over to Estaban to see if he follows what the Merek needs. "We will!" Aiden starts to flex his fingers, getting sore from being out of practice for standing at battle for so long. Though, he does manage his shots, to help keep the path cleared for Merek, "We should put Fire to our Arrows! Fire those towers!" He yells out to those around them, not sure if anyone will hear, or if they have any time to fire their arrows now. It's an idea, one that he has no time to put into action, supporting Merek as the man wished!

Rymarr nods his helmed head in response to Esoka's proclamation, though he doesn't answer immediately. Immersed within the melee, it's only after he cuts down another shav and shield bashings another to the ground to be dispatched by another in Deepwood livery that the Marquis in his black and green armor turns his attention swiftly to Esoka as the weight of her comment sinks in, "They've arrived? Excellent news. They deserve some justice for their homes and people," Rymarr replies in his stern and crisply spoken way. He turns his attention back to the fighting once again as the tide begins to come crashing forward once more. He turns his focus forward and calls out, "Shields forward and spears up! March them down!", he calls out to the contingent of Deepwood within the walls. He sets words to action and begins to march forward with his renewed line as Rymarr's shield rises up before himself and his sword lashes out from above it like a deadly form of whack-a-mole.

Niccolo has moved on from calling out orders, to trying to keep the morale of the troops up. "We have not fallen, we are still fighting!" He shouts out to his men and women. "Stand your ground and do not let them go past you! Stay together, fight together!" The archduke calls out.

Calypso shouts up to the ramparts when she catches some shenanigans going on up there. "There will be no suicide attempts today! Hold your ground soldiers! Fight them where we have the advantage!" She looks -pissed-.

Sparte cuts his way to Merek when the man calls for assistance. "I didn't catch all the plan, but I've got your back, Merek!" Sparte cuts down another shav, giving another shout to the air. "Here we stand, here we stand!"

Armel is not insane, and thus does not rush for a siege tower full of shavs to fight through. What he /does/ do is regain some ground on the walls, following Calypso's lead and keeping the footholds they have held to with the rugged intensity of the Faith, their flag flying high as he lays into him left and right, breathing hard and fast. He's not eighteen anymore, after all, and he leaves the rushing plans to those young enough to try, he and his holding their ground so the shavs don't pour into the city.

Seeing what Merek is trying to do, Tobias uses Requiem to point towards the tower. "Archers, direct your fire to those trying to get up to the tower Guardsman Black was trying to push towards, the Lady General has spoken." Tobias then gets back to directing the rest of the force up on the Ramparts.

As Merek strikes up the line and realizes he can't push much further without being amidst a whole army, and looks aside to Sparte, "Here we stand! But, uh... On second thought, I don't think we'll get there with just archer support." And Calypso states 'no shenanigans. "However... If we combine enough forces," he shakes his head, and steps back once as a swing comes his way. "Shards," he mutters. He takes down another Shav and decides to hold with the rest already on the ramparts, not pushing past the advantage line. "We'll figure something out, while we take back ground."

Esoka only catches the shouting from Calypse about suicide attempts. Her eyes do go to the ramparts again. Narrowing. But she does not dwell on it much. There are still too many of the dark army around her to keep her occupied. "For the Gray Forest!" she shouts, as she dives at an enemy shav.

Pariah, The StormCrow arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Maude nods to Calypso and leans on a wall, bloodied gloves leaving stained notes behind. She furrows her brow, following Calypso's attention to the ramparts, "Why the fuck does anyone want to take back ground. We have the ground. This terrain favors the defender, if anything we should be ready to pull back." the older woman grunts and stands, "Bravery's a terrible thing." she limps out from under cover and has messages sent to the scouting parties. "If they break through on Thrax, they'll likely come down Peddler's. We need archers watching the walls there."

Inigo has left the By the Gate.

Between crescendoes of frantic violence Costas overhears the conversation between Calypso and Maude in the command tent behind him. The truth in that icy cynicism brings a rough smirk to his lips, but he entertains the brief respite for only a moment before launching another fierce assault on the collection of shavs before him.

Squee, the Flying Squirrel arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.


**********************************************************************
The Battle in the Ward of House Redrain hits a fever pitch, and as the Northlanders see their highlord -singing-, they suddenly all start screaming, "TO THE LAST!" A moment later, Shadow laughs off a seemingly brutal wound, and Tallius lands a near impossible shot- a shot that sends a bringer sprawling, using its inhuman strength to knock over one of their own siege towers, and collapse another. The defenders roar, and are suddenly swarming over the attacking shavs. Moments of vicious fighting later, the Ward of House Redrain is clear of attackers, having defended to the last and held, and the shavs yet to scale up re-route to attack the Ward of House Thrax rather than funnel into the grinder of House Redrain.

House Thrax continues to hold, but at great cost, without defenses. The additional attackers is almost certain to overwhelm them. House Valardin, the Seawatch Gate and the Lower Boroughs buckle, as the dead piles on, but those battles are not near completion.
**********************************************************************


Around the gate where Kima fought, bodies had begun to pile up. Deep enough in some places for their relentless and implacable enemy to climb over, which is what scores of the bastards were doing, only to be met by the heads of pikes. Pikes that killed, that would Shabs who made no effort to truly defend themselves, that whipped back and forth trailing banners of blood and gore.

Kima had never witnessed the like. For all her battles, for all the terrors of combat, it was an image that struck her with palpable force. One that would, should she have any days left, remain with her.

Calypso nods at Maude's words. "We've got healer reinforcements coming out way. The mercies seem to be spread thin. Redrain is stable. Thrax is stable. No news from Valardin which I can only imagine means they are stable."

((Attackers have given up on the Ward of House Redrain, the first battle site to be a victory. Defenders there can lick their wounds or move to support one of the other wards, and Thrax particularly needs it badly right now, even as the Deepwood reserves are moving forward to help the breach. Difficulty at 35 for all battlesites, with no rolls for Redrain- finished there.))

Orelia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 7 lower.

Kima checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 2 higher.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 6 lower.

Calaudrin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 43 higher.

Peregrine checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 23 higher.

Merek checked luck + dodge at difficulty 16, rolling 11 higher.

Orelia checked luck + dodge at difficulty 17, rolling 9 higher.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 27 higher.

Ywaine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 2 higher.

Esoka checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 19 higher.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 10 higher.

Armel checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 29 higher.

Fiora checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 8 higher.

Costas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 47 higher.

Aiden checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 28 higher.

Artorius has rolled a critical success!
Artorius checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 82 higher.

Sparte checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 2 higher.

Estaban has rolled a critical success!
Estaban checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 14 higher.

Ywaine takes a moment to exhale out a long breath - one of the very rare times that his legendary stamina is helpful. He throws his right arm out a few seconds, shaking it free before grabbing another arrow as he eyes his line, front and back. "First section, thirty seconds, half a waterskin!" he calls. "Second, aim at the front edges of the line! Then switch. This is a marathon boys, it ain't no sprint!" He aims, tracking a shav, and lets loose another arrow.

Niccolo checked command + war at difficulty 35, rolling 30 higher.

Calypso checked command + leadership at difficulty 35, rolling 16 higher.

Petal arrives while her right shoulder is covered in a bandage. She has a basket filled with healing supplies with her. The Shav mender, quickly looks over the area trying to get a sense of where the wounded are.

Tobias checked command + war at difficulty 35, rolling 42 higher.

It seems that Merek has been caught in quite the predicament due to his fighting, and as such he has to sweep himself back and forth from the strikes of the Shavs while he manages to step back where Estaban and Aiden are, looking to Sparte, "Right... Well," he makes a small sound, and then decides to take his time to regain his bearings.

Artorius let's out a massive cry of rage, lunging at the shavs still pouring onto the walls. He slices through many in a single stroke of speed, bodies piling and body parts flying as he starts cleaving a path on the wall.

Calaudrin doesn't engage in anything crazy, he holds his position and sticks with defending it as he takes down shav after shav. His arrows have yet to fail him, but there's certainly a degree of fatigue working into his bones now. In a brief lull when no one is trying to kill him, he dips his hand to his belt and pulls out a flask. He unscrews the cap quickly and takes a rapid swig before replacing it again. The fight must go on. He readies his bow, nocks another arrow and downs one more enemy.

Artorius all to try to kick these shavs off the wall and maybe even scare some away.

Audric drops back from the front for a moment, letting his sellswords take the brunt of the fighting as he catches his breath. He doesn't linger long, though, quickly stepping forward to run a man through with both swords, flicking them back to send him tumbling down the wall.

Tikva shifts and squirms at the medic's tent, despite the pain; she looks like she's about halfway to ready to hurl herself back into the fray despite the fact that she's still literally leaking blood. Luckily, Aislin is there to stop her.

(Because 'caution' and 'reasonable assessment of danger' are traits you associate with Ashford.)

Silas climbs over a large pile of dead shavs to get to another fresh batch. "Clean up is going to be -awful-..." he mutters under his breath. He flicks some blood off his alaricite blade, continuing to stride forward.

Calypso keeps her watchful eye on the troops here at the seawatch. "Hold your ground!" she shouts back to help keep the forces focused on their target.

Armel does not engage in heroics, or bursts of aggression or savagery. He holds the line. His men hold the line. In the vicious marathon of the siege assault, they seek to outlast the foe, no matter how many knights must fall. And so they do, with Armel holding the center of that effort, his hammer arm never ceasing in its horrible reaping of the shavs and bringers before him.

Aiden dodges with plenty of warning from Estaban, nodding to Lord Saik, but still trying to keep aid going for Merek. He's holding his own once again, taking out shavs as they show up on the ramparts, adding what help he can to Merek, especially now that he's in a jam. "Estaban! Merek needs help!" He tries to get the other's attention.

Hearing the latest reports on the other Wards, Tobias takes a brief moment to shout down, "The Crimson Blades volunteer to reinforce other Wards as need be, Lady General." With that, Tobias gets back into the fray, continuing to keep up directing the flow of the Ramparts fighting.

Rymarr checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 35 higher.

Squee, the Flying Squirrel arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Esoka holds the line. No more, no less, but she puts all the force in her body and steel behind it. She's back to using her shield to batter opponents, now that she's got her second wind in this thing. One shav she knocks to the ground is aimed at Rymarr with another of those fierce, barked laughs. She's getting into a rhythm.

Petal rushes into the medic tent. She draws close to Tikva and Aislin while pulling out fresh bandages. "Are you okay? Do you need me to tend to you?" The healer looks to be injured herself, but it was treated and she seems okay.

Calypso another missive comes in just as Tobias shouts towards her. "Hold your ground here! The Redrains have claimed victory on their ward and moved to help Thrax."

Arguably, Aislin is only holding Tikva back because the healers have just finished lecturing /her/ about going back out before she's properly seen to. It clearly bothers the Ashford woman on a deep level to abandon others to fight on the field while she sits in a medical tent. "If you can patch us up well enough to get us back in the fight," she notes to Petal, "they could use every bow and blade. And the medics here already have their hands full."

Estaban is able to fling the Shav off the wall turning to face where Merek is, "Watch my back Aiden!" he starts to shoot the Shav over were Merek and Sparte are. His arm is starting to hurt but he ignores it the best he can, he is breathing heavy starting to feel the preasure a bit.

"Yes, by Lagoma and Gloria both, please tend me! I gotta get back out there!" Tikva points at Aislin with bloody fingers and looks earnestly to Petal.

"Lord Saik, remind me to get your drinks!" Aiden adds in, for the ability that he sees of Estaban's bow, "I would benefit also from a few tips!" He moves into position to turn and take over watching Estaban's six.

Petal quickly goes about trying to tend to Tikva. She unrolls her white clean gauze bandages and gets out a vial of water mixed with some kind of herb. The wound is washed and dressed. She tries to check on Aislin as well, but she provide her no better help than the Ashford lady has already had.

Niccolo goes back to shouting orders to his troops, and they're staying right where they are as they continue to fight to try and hold the ground they have. The news from Calypso regarding the Redrain ward are heard and he dips his head in approval, drawing a deep breath.

Another wave surged to close with those at the gate, the area immediate before it packed solid with the enemy. Kima felt their eyes upon her. Hands reached out towards her and the others, no matter the distance, and clawed the air when not brandishing weapons. Locking shields, the soldiers of Southport continued to fling the enemy back, attempting to clear the newly made hill of flesh and bone. The Lioness had never before delivered such slaughter.

Rymarr seems to have fallen into a steady repetition with Esoka fighting at his side. She knocks them down, he stabs them while they're dazed and down. He shifts his shield a little lower to see to her exposed side, while his alaricite blade flicks out with quick, deft slashes. He cuts down another shav and then proceeds to step over it before he mutters among the din of battle, "Sentinel grant us righteous vengeance and Gloria provide us fiery hearts." He moves to the next in the line of shavs, slowly working his way toward the ramparts. There is no mad dash to climb the steps or otherwise push for the siege towers, only the steady resolve to methodically cut his way there with the Deepwood forces at his back and sides.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Once Petal finishes bandaging Tikva, she grins like a maniac at her, swings up to kiss her cheek -- leaving a bloody mark on her cheek not distinct enough to look like a lipstick mark -- and swarms back away from the medical tent, dashing into the fray as she draws an arrow and hoists her longbow.


**********************************************************************
The slaughter continues. Bodies are starting to be stacked deep in the wards, with shav and defenders alike scrambling over them. Suddenly the Silent Army seems to pause, and far-too-tall men take their frontlines- the cry goes up that the formorians are taking the field. At the Seawatch Gate, a hulking figure at least 9 feet tall and covered in black armor strides through the gate, carrying a morning star larger than most men's chests. It smashes defenders, crushing dozens of Crimson Blades and Iron Guardsmen alike before finally Artorius comes face to face with the beast, his rubicund greatsword Requiem managing to barely deflect the titanic blows that would have shattered him before Artorius cleaves his greatsword through the beast's visor, felling it.

At the Ward of House Valardin, the former champion the Niamh Greenmarch, and new leader of the Gold Order, engages in a duel with a lumbering eight foot tall man in iron plate, managing to dance around the club wielding adversary as it knocks chunks of stone out of the rampart until she lands enough pinprick attacks to bring it low.

At the ward of House Thrax, a cheer goes up as Northlanders rush in to bolster the ranks of the defenders, and just in time- at least two entirely-too-massive men are smashing the front lines before being driven back by their combined forces. Suspiciously, none have yet shown in the Lower Boroughs, possibly because they couldn't have fit on the little boats they used to attack the Boroughs, but they are more than making up for it in the sheer number of bringers tearing apart Knights of Solace. The battle rages on.
**********************************************************************


Aislin offers Petal a thankful nod, even though the woman wasn't able to help her. She gazes out the exit of the medic tent, in the direction that Tikva went... but when she stands, she finds herself swaying on her feet. With no appreciable improvement in the state of her injuries, she settles back down with visible reluctance, positioning herself to see what little slice of the battle she can, and listening carefully to any word brought into the tent.

((The formorians are a complication. It's going to be harder fighting for this round only as they attack brutally- difficulty 50 for valardin and seawatch, thrax is at 40 with the reinforcements, Lower Boroughs is suspiciously at 35))

Orelia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 15 lower.

Peregrine checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 20 higher.

Armel checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 1 lower.

Rymarr checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 8 higher.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 14 higher.

Orelia checked luck + dodge at difficulty 20, rolling 30 higher.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 12 lower.

Esoka checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 8 lower.

Peregrine checked luck + dodge at difficulty 11, rolling 3 higher.

Tikva checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 17 lower.

Audric checked luck + dodge at difficulty 22, rolling 4 lower.

Aiden checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 18 lower.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Calaudrin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 10 higher.

Tikva checked luck + dodge at difficulty 27, rolling 15 lower.

Merek has rolled a critical success!
Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 16 higher.

Armel checked luck + dodge at difficulty 11, rolling 13 higher.

Costas has rolled a critical success!
Costas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 53 higher.

Artorius checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 21 higher.

Esoka checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 18, rolling 4 higher.

Aiden checked luck + dodge at difficulty 28, rolling 19 lower.

Fiora checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 3 lower.

Kima checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 3 lower.

Ywaine has rolled a critical success!
Ywaine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 12 higher.

Fiora checked luck + dodge at difficulty 13, rolling 12 higher.

Kima checked luck + dodge at difficulty 13, rolling 51 higher.

Tobias checked command + war at difficulty 35, rolling 12 higher.

Merek looks as the Formorians come to the frontlines, and he seems like he is about ready to back up, however he calls to his friend Aiden, and Estaban the fellow Guardsman, "Stand fast!" He then comes around and whatever is coming at Aiden, he hopes, just hopes he can save the Prince... If he's close enough, his blade is a dance of fury and defined will to protect. "JAYUS! GUIDE MY BLADE!"

Calypso checked command + war at difficulty 35, rolling 11 higher.

Formorians. A long curse from Ywaine and he sprints his way amongst his men, slapping backs. "Fire at the bigguns," he calls as he slides behind a catapault. "Aim, right twenty," he booms to the men, "Range twenty. Low an' straight, boys," he checks the 'sights', such as they are and reaches for his dagger - the siege weapon is aimed at one of the Fomorians. With a slashing gesture, Ywaine's dagger slices through the rope to send the huge projectile into the air!

Maude glances at the map, then at her missives, "Redrain forces should be enough to hold Thrax for a while." she remarks, then steps forward with only a brief glance to Calypso, her eyes drawn to the bloody chaotic melee by the gates. "Bloody mess. Still, better a bloody mess than open terrain." she steps back and stares at the giants lumbering in through the opening, a bloodied hand on her sword. "Well shit." she exhales, then signals the archers, pointing to the hulking shapes, pointing to her face, pointing to the hulking shapes again.

Esoka checked luck + dodge at difficulty 18, rolling 6 lower.

Armel was NOT expecting enormous, armored people to take the field, and the sudden burst of ferocity from their foe and the push of the shavs to go with it shoves even him on the back foot. He is suddenly accosted on several sides by a rain of blows from club and sword, his armor thankfully proof against such attacks before he can, with a roar of "FOR THE GODS!" he hurls them from himself...With the aid of his knights and Orelia, who is fighting her own battles next to him, one of a thousand small images of insane courage, horrible cowardice, and savage bloodshed taking place all along the wall.

Niccolo checked command + war at difficulty 50, rolling 10 lower.

Petal stays in the healers tent. The girl is too fearful to step closer to the battle. It looks like she was already injured once today. She has bloody kiss on her cheek.

Estaban checked luck + dodge at difficulty 28, rolling 13 lower.

"Fomorians!" Calypso shouts towards the troops, just in case anyone didn't actually see the 9-foot-tall metal-clad giants headed towards them. "Focus them down. Eliminate them!"

Niccolo checked luck + dodge at difficulty 20, rolling 5 lower.

Costas sidesteps the falling body of a dispatched shav, pulling his blade free and drifting back into position between the melee and the command tent that he has been guarding since the assault began. The trickle of enemies that had broken the line to push the commanders was now a cresting tide as the battle rose to a crescendo, but the Malvici retainer stood before it calm and collected despite his heaving frame and the sweat running in rivulets down his face; so far had he sunk into the cold blackness of the battle trance.

"ARCHERS, ALL FIRE ON THAT GIANT, NOW! BRONZE COMPANY, KEEP A GOOD DISTANCE FROM THE THING, LET THE ARCHERS DO THEIR JOB!" Tobias shouts above it all to be sure he's heard. "EVERYONE ELSE, HOLD POSITION ON THE RAMPARTS." Tobias gives his orders with the sudden shift in strategy needed. Tobias keeps an eye on the Gate, checking to see how many are actually about to pour through.

Silas hasn't met a Formorian before, but after they bat away his men and begin to slaughter them, he decides he doesn't like them and proceeds to earnestly stab them with his alaricite blade. Or attempt to, anyway. The Lord Commander may do better compared to some! "Careful, men!" He calls out towards the Iron Guardsmen fanning around him. "Shields up, keep them at bay! No heroics."

Armel orders his men to "HOLD THE LINE!!" no matter the cost, and no matter that so, so many brave knights are falling in the melee. Not a single one flees the field, or takes a panicked step backward, despite the horrors now facing them. At least up on the ramparts it is just a sudden tide of shavs, right?

A formorian behemoth, full 10 feet of muscle and armor, charges through the ranks and pins Aiden to the ground. It lifts a massive warhammer high in the air and brings it down towards Aiden's skull, only to have Estaban leap forward to shove Aiden out of the way and take its terrible brunt to the chest. A moment later Merek lands a blow to the back of the beast's skull, felling it.

Estaban remains alive, but close to death.

Estaban falls unconscious.

Artorius after felling the large creature, he stood atop it with a face to the enemy that screamed anger "who's next?" He growls.

Right. "On me!" Peregrine yells to the Gold Feathers. There's very little of gold left to see on them, skin and hair and leather all hidden beneath crusting gore, and the other bloody remnants of battle. They are known by their shrieking, as they fan out around the giants to harry and harass.

Artorius after felling the large creature, he stood atop it with a face to the enemy that screamed anger "who's next?" He growls. He then cuts through a few more of the enemy as they press their attack *

The next wave appears and Calaudrin moves forward, stepping up to send further arrows into this newest onslaught. The formorians appear and he just shakes his head. "Well, fuck." He focuses all of his arrows on those big monster things. There's sweat on his brow, under his helmet. He dances along the ramparts until he can catch sight of Silas and the other members of the Iron Guard down below. His attention is diverted by the drama unfolding around Aiden. "Oh, extra fuck." He shoots a few arrows down below before hurrying over to the Grayson prince and company. He puts his hand on Estaban's chest to check the damage.

Rymarr's notion of slowly fighting his way to the ramparts and the towers beyond is soon brought to a simmer. The brutish figures clad in their heavier armor taking the front line of the Bringer forces is enough to deter the Marquis of House Deepwood from trying to push deeper. Instead he's got a perfectly valid opponent ready and available as a recent presentation. He calls out an order to Deepwood's forces, "Cut around one of the big ones, hem it in, then harry it! Spines and legs, bring them down!", he roars out from beneath the narrow visor of his helmet. He sets his own words into actions as he throws himself into the fray once more, fighting along side his soldiers and with Esoka at his side, he blows and swings, trying his best to cover himself and Esoka all in the same instance.

Captain-General Audric is absurdly lucky, in so much that the blow from a formorian should have taken his leg off, but it instead hit his foot. Mind you, one of his toes might be pulverized, but it's still lucky. Lucky-ish.

Audric takes moderate damage.

Merek swivels on his hip, and even as he sees the weapon strike Estaban who takes the hit for the Prince, there is fury that wells up inside. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he exclaims. With force of power and sheer skill, he comes around, leaping atop on a dead Shav and then cleaving the blade with near-inhuman rage to cleave the point that keeps it alive. He drives his blade so hard blood seems to splatter and spull all over them, before he leaps back, and looks to what's happening, "ESTABAN, NO! GET HIM OUT OF HERE!" he exclaims.

The formorian wasn't really trying to kill Esoka, but ran right over her. Being trampled is approximately zero fun, but it does let her hamstring it, at least.

Esoka takes moderate damage.

Fighting for a while is a dangerous business - it's really only a matter of time before something slips through. Of course, what slips through is not normally a -giant-, but no one's ever really accused Audric of sanity. The blow lands and he launches into a torrent of swears, ending with, "And that was my favorite toe, too!" Followed by, of course, more stabbing at the various threats around him.

Aiden has all the rotten luck in the world, first bringers with dead bodies, and chairs, and then living people... In the calamity that surrounds the little archer group on the ramparts, Aiden is suddenly turning around to face a massive formorian behemoth, that pile drives him into the unforgiving rock of the ramparts. Life flashes before one's eyes as he's unable to do anything but stare down the hammer that will end him. He winces and closes his eyes, expecting the worst! Only, when it doesn't happen and instead the weight lifts off his frame, does he wheeze for air and look aside to see Estaban's form lying limp near by... and Merek cleaving the creature's death... "Lord Saik!" Aiden cries out, crawling over toward the man, shocked at the condition, shocked that he was still breathing, shocked at the monster that was just felled before him. He reaches out for the man, "Estaban...!" He looks around, "SOME one help me with him!"

It is very, very, very unfortunate that the same formorion, weighing probably six hundred pounds before another couple hundred pouds of Iron Armor, then falls bodily ontop of Tikva who was doing her best to fight it.

Tikva remains alive, but close to death.

Tikva falls unconscious.

Petal steps from the tent, taking her healing basket with her. She tries to rush to Tivka's side.

Esoka does not hesitate to go for the formorians, though sight of the creatures does bring a sharp exhale from her body. She //slams// it. It knocks her down. Which hurts. A lot. But her sword at least is in a good position to strike at the hamstrings of the creature. Rymarr's cover gives her time to get back on her feet, panting and a little dazed.

Calaudrin is flanked by four other members of the Iron Guard, three men with no name and some guy that everyone just knows as 'Ned' that happens to follow him around a lot. "He still has a pulse. Get him out of here, take him down to the medical tent. NOW." He orders Ned and one of the other guards. "Help Prince Aiden get him down off the ramparts. Hurry the fuck up." With any luck those guys won't fuck up getting Estaban down to the medical tent, they're pretty competent.

The healers finally get around to Aislin; feeling much better, she gets back to her feet. Sword in hand, she moves to exit the tent and rejoin her comrades... only to see Tikva fall. The profanity this time covers all three of the foreign languages she speaks, as she dashes to try to help move Tikva back to the tents.

Orelia tries to hold the line even as many fall around her. The blonde is barely managing to parry off strikes but not quite getting hurt just yet.

"Lady?" Petal says to the knocked out Tivka. She tries to push at the 600 pound creature, but Petal is tiny and it does no good.

Calypso watches it all happen. The Formorian, the heroic leap to save a Prince. And the injury that sent her friend and vassal to the ground. Despite the obvious emotional connection to Lord Estaban, she makes no move to help him herself. This is why we have medics. She keeps doing her job and expects everyone else to do theirs. "Holy the line!" She shouts out again. Perhaps a personal steeling against the relentlessness of this battle.

Armel looks over the edge of the wall, and sees the absolute /mess/ that is the situation at the gate, and he looks around at his men, holding their ground. "TO THE GATES!" He calls at the top of his lungs, and although it presses those left behind sorely, he and a couple hundred of his best moves for the steps, aiming to reinforce the line and stop what he sees as a situation in danger of collapse.

Petal has tears on her lashes when she abandons Tikva for the moment and rushes to Estaban, trying to help him. Maybe she didn't think she could help Tikva. That cannot be good! She is unarmed and armored and probably at risk, going into the fray.

Aiden is jostled upward by someone grabbing him and he doesn't fight it, truthfully. His concern remains on Estaban and he will go with the injured Lord as they're scurried on down the ramparts. "He'll ... be okay?! Right...?!" Things become a blur, but he's bodily removed from the ramparts, clutching his bow as he's guided somewhere to safety, or at least, off the wall!

"Let's get that thing down," Niccolo calls out to his men and women, grunting as he catches sight of the Formorian. "And do not let them through!" The archduke calls out.

Artorius looks to his companions, then to the fomors, a rage burning in his eyes as he roars at the enemy, charging at the giant creatures.

Petal reaches for her bandages, her herbal water and some smelling salts from her wicker basket as she tries to tend to Estaban. "Sir, Lord, wake up.." She murmurs, hovering and bustling over him. She gives him a bit of medicine that is designed to dissolve into his cheek and that he doesn't need to swallow. It is a little pressed pancake of something powered.

Armel decides to line up on the first large, armored bugger he can see, probably joining with Artorious and those around him as he strives to plug the holes developing in the lines.

Armel has left the Ramparts.

Armel has joined the By the Gate.

Aiden has left the Ramparts.

Tobias has joined the Ramparts.

Orelia has left the Ramparts.

Orelia has joined the By the Gate.

Tikva is just going to take a nap beneath 600 pounds of horrific armored Fomorian now.

Artorius has joined the By the Gate.

Orelia dutifully follows Armel to the gate, looking grim.

Kima, is, of course, there in the thick of it at the gate.

"SOMEONE HELP ME GET THIS FUCKER OFF OF HER!" Aislin's bandaged enough she can roar this without dissolving into coughing, as she puts every ounce of her strength into trying to push the fallen Fomorian off of Tikva, in order to see the Riven noblewoman back to the medics.


**********************************************************************
The formorian attack is brutal. The defenders at the Seawatch Gate buckle under the ferocity of the hulking attackers, with Lord Estaban Saik and Lady Tikva Riven succumbing to their wounds and being on the edge of death. Ywaine of the Crimson Blade roars for siege weapon fire, and several of the formorians fall under ballistae fire, while another charges right at the command tends, smashing defenders like insects until it comes face to face with Costas Voducce. The sailor manages to dance away from its blows, and somehow manages to land a perfect cut with his sword under the beast's chin, driving the blade up into its brain and killing it.

In the Lower Boroughs, Duke Cassius Pravus duels with two bringers at once and then lets out a battle cry that finds all the knights of solace rallying and swarming forward on the bringers, cutting into them in a ferocious attack that as the dust settles leaves the attackers fighting a retreat.

Suddenly, all across the battlefield, something very odd happens. Every shav, every shard, every bringer of silence, every formorian... they all stop moving. As if pausing to listen to something only they can hear, and ignoring the fact they are in a life or death struggle.
**********************************************************************


((For this round, -everyone- can roll against difficulty -1-. That's right, 1. Go nuts. They aren't trying to resist at all for a minute.))

Aislin checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 38 higher.

Fiora has rolled a critical success!
Fiora checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 1, rolling 106 higher.

Orelia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 44 higher.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 40 higher.

Artorius has left the By the Gate.

Petal checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 38 higher.

Esoka checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 63 higher.

Aiden checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 1, rolling 40 higher.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 59 higher.

Calaudrin checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 1, rolling 57 higher.

Armel checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 60 higher.

Rymarr checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 52 higher.

Tobias checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 47 higher.

Ywaine checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 1, rolling 26 higher.

Peregrine checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 75 higher.

Calypso checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 32 higher.

Costas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 72 higher.

Armel doesn't question this! Armel doesn't particularly /care/ at the moment why the enemy suddenly stopped fighting him! No, he's going to concentrate on simply killing at many of the little bastards as physically possible before they come to their senses. If they even do. And hey, a big of the big ones too, if they present themselves, a warhammer is pretty open to anything when it comes to fatal engagements.

Niccolo checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 23 higher.

Esoka hefts her sword again once she's up and refocuses on that fomorian...who fell on top of Tikva. She yells something in Crownlands shav. It's probably profanity. It sounds like profanity. If you speak the language, it's as colorful as one can be while terrified. For the Riven lady, not for herself. She rushes to hep Aislin get the creature off of Tikva. And make sure that fomorian is good and dead. She'll help it along, if it's not.

Maude checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 36 higher.

"Fire for effect," calls Ywaine again, as he knocks his next arrow and takes aim, letting fly. He checks down on the ground - a thoughtful glance there, as if making sure that the folks are where they need to be for getting that monstrous form off of Tivka!

Calypso finally takes a swing when she sees the opposing army stop. Might as well get a hit or two in while she can! She looks over at Niccolo then. "What was that? Is Brand..." Her icy gaze searches the horizon for any other sign of whats going on.

Silas doesn't contemplate on -why- the gigantic creatures suddenly stopped attacking, and takes the opportunity to slaughter as many as he can manage. "Get 'em!" He orders his men to abandon their defensive stances for the minute so they may also take full advantage of the situation. There's no telling how long this will last!

Estaban has left the Ramparts.

Kima checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 53 higher.

Orelia goes after as many of the enemies she can hack down before they start to move again. She doesn't really question why they stopped. There isn't time to waste.

Artorius checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 63 higher.

Calaudrin squints in deep suspicion when all of the people fighting suddenly stop fighting. "I don't like it." He comments to the two guardsmen standing next to him. There's a signifcant pause from him as his eyes widen when non-fighting shavs are cut down in front of him. The sound of Silas' voice comes up to him from the ground. He snaps out of it and starts firing his bow again, fighting alongside his fellow guard on the ramparts. It's a clean-up effort. He'll kill as many as he can.

Niccolo watches the enemy just stop and lifts a brow. His sword is already out, so this time he leads by example. He gets to start hacking at the closest enemy and exchanges a look with Calypso. "Perhaps," it's all he says in response to her, resuming his hacking at enemies.

Aiden looks down at Estaban, fury in his heart when he hears the call for all those to strike quick and sure. He'll run a ways to finding some targets and empty round after round, his eyes watery but his stance fierce. "THIS is for Lord Saik!!"

Merek takes a moment to reach for the battlements, and then he slides down rolling along the ladder. His entourage follows with him, and for this brief moment, he takes his time to try and help with moving the formorian from Tikva. He is sure people take the opportunity to assure it is dead, as such he does the tactical thing and tries to get her safe.

Taking a moment to look over the sudden movement, Tobias gives a small frown under his helm, before he starts to just cut down the assaulters, while shouting down. "Any of the Wards have sight of Brand? I was expecting to see it by now."

Artorius unleashes a mighty roar, one that echoes all across the seawatch for all to hear, almost out blaring all of the war cries already going on. He leaps with his great sword, attempting to fell the fonorians and kill some shavs on the way.

Petal hovers over Estaban. The lord seems to be in better shape, but he is still passed out and gravely hurt.

You know the expression 'like shooting fish in a barrel'? That's what this has become, once every enemy stops dead. Fiora Malvici pauses for a brief second, just the barest hint... and then she seems to take that as a cue to go INSANE. Arrows fly fast and furious, every single one of them finding a killing shot in their target. She barely even needs to aim, its as if the Gods have smiled upon her and just lined them up in perfect order.

With the brief hesitation in the shavs, Audric pushes forward with renewed energy. His swords lash out, slicing cleanly through currently still bodies.

It seems there are enemies crushing through the command tents, which eventually forces Maude's hand to the hilt of her sword. The one hand not busy with paperwork, at least. When the enemy stops, her lips pinch and her eyes narrow, "Hmmm." she sounds suspicious, but draws her sword and moves to dispatch any enemies that have broken through to her immediate vicinity with ruthless efficiency. It doesn't take too much effort to slash one throat and then another.


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The carnage in the midst of battle with a force that simply stops defending itself is unbelievable. Most of the veteran battle commanders know that losses are typically light until one side routs, and then it leads to a massacre. This is something far worse, as they are right there, surrounded by enemies, and making no effort to avoid it. A couple of slugging formorians seemed to be snapping out of it, but Fiora and Ferrando respectively managed to cut them down before they could fully recovered. The Silent Army is destroyed, with still the shavs not reacting, and theoretically leaders can take prisoners from the unresponsible shavs if they desire at the yet undecimated rear lines.
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Weapons were snagged. Shields were pulled down, helms ripped from heads, and everywhere Kima looked, there was blood. A Shav came within range, oddly...distracted. Kima swung her sword, watched a head spin away from its body, watched as the body shivered and twitched before crumpling. Another she drives the point of her blade against the lower back of, cutting deep enough to sever the spine. Another, making no move to defend himself, allowing Kima to crack her sword down upon his matted pate, blade hacking through bone to pull back with a clump of hair and skull. It's just chop, chop, chopping. Blood and meat fly away.

Rymarr finishes dispatching the last of his opponents just as it comes to an outright frozen halt. As it falls before him, Rymarr comes to a halt. He advances no further nor continues to assault the front lines of the enemy. Instead he takes a few steps back to catch his breath, even a momentary respite is a godsend. He collects himself, gathers his breath, and quietly offers up a prayer from within his helmet, "Gloria, thank you for this moment of reprieve. I'm ready to continue," he says with a stern nod of his head, as if adding validation to his assurance that he's prepared to continue.

Costas had spent many nights since the first formorian sighting wondering how you would fight such a thing if you had. He'd watched the first one fall under a swarm of soldiers, scores of blades hacking at the thing until it ceased moving. If he would come face to face with one without an army next to him, he reckoned, he'd do the obvious thing: run away. But here was one of the damned things charging right at the single position on the field that was his charge. No running away from that. What happened next would take him several days to sort out straight, but as the massive beast collapsed to its knees before him he could only stare at it in mute wonder. What was it that he had felt, just then? Did all that childish bluster about the power of honor and duty actually have some shard of truth hidden deep down inside? The warrior mulled this over for a moment before coming to his senses with a low grunt of amusement. Get over yourself, man.

With perhaps a whole contingent to assist with it, Tikva is eventually helped to the healers Merek would hope, at least that's what he is doing. He doesn't quite feel like cutting down a host of unfighting enemies for the time being. That's not his thing. Once the formorian is moved enough, he calls over, "Medics!" He lets them tend to Tikva, as he seems to look exhausted. He is panting for breath, as he leans atop his blade.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Artorius looked around after the army seemed routed. He let's out a small sigh before enragedly screaming at the sky in victory, his foot burying itself in the fomorian he had slain. He looks then to the shavs, growling lowly, his blade still readied.

Tikva is totally unhelpful with this process. She lies limp.


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It's not clear, largely, why at that exact moment the remaining Bringers of Silence in the fight, in the streets, and in the fields sieging Arx all suddenly stop, and then collapse in on themselves. But they do. Seeing such unnatural things just..cease to be is heartening, even if the experience is surreal, bloody, and terrifying. As having your city stormed tends to be.
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As the fighting rather abruptly comes to an end, Audric doesn't spend a lot of time cutting down the defenseless. Instead, he leaves that to the Valorous Few remaining on the wall. He ambles to the ramparts, leaning against them to peer out over the largely destroyed army.

Armel does not, even for a moment, try to take prisoners, or to take mercy on the enemy. "They are corrupted souls! End them." And with that command, the remaining Knights of Solace, unless he stops them, advances, step by step, their sharp blades and heavy maces and in Armel's case, brutal warhammer, slaying them as methodically as a scythe taking in the harvest. There is no screaming of glory. Not shouts of defiance now, just the horrible business of slaughter. "Reach the rear, and cut my fucking men down from those crosses!" He commands of his men, leaving the wounded to be tended by the Mercies and medics.

Squee, the Flying Squirrel arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

"Cover th' folks if'n they go fer prisoners," calls Ywaine to the sergeant and men, as he pauses to take a breath after his last arrow is shot, fingers automatically reaching and nocking another one. "Gimme status on equipment, arrows an' men, sergeant, general is gonna done be askin' too soon. Get some water int'a the boys." he says as he blows out his breath.

Merek checked composure at difficulty 25, rolling 4 higher.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

"Don't..." Aislin limps over to Calypso, once Tikva is in the hands of the healers. "/Don't/ kill the surviving shavs, if we can avoid it, General. I'm guessing... it wasn't their choice to fight; they're... likely Writ-bound."

Shadow had been moving through the city streets as fast as he could limp it, The man stopping only long enough to have some of his wounds bandaged before continuing on to seawatch. The large shav holding bandages here and there with blood seeping through. The man's bared chest with the woads worked across it stained in blood likely a mixture of his own and others.

Aiden runs out of arrows eventually and looks back up the ramparts. With the enemy frozen in time, he risks a run up them again, looking through the rubble and the wreckage, going to the point where Estaban saved his life, and finding the man's bow in amongst the carnage. Grasping it in hand, he heads back down, in the long minutes it takes to sprint up and down the rampart stairs. Eventually he comes along to Estaban's side, where a messenger comes upon him, passing him something.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Aiden before departing.

Is this... it? Calaudrin stops shooting his bow and he waits. This seems to simply be too easy. He frowns and steps towards the edge of the ramparts. "Boss?" He calls down to Silas, checking to see where the Lord Commander is amongst the pile of bodies.

Merek looks horror-stricken for a moment at Armel's call, then he watches as the Shavs are cut through, he looks like he's about to vomit, "They're not /fighting/ anymore! Stop... Please, just... Stop, no. Don't, they were put under spells by Brand... Don't!" he exclaims, "They need to be freed of his spell!"

Calypso nods to Aislin as reports start coming in from all over the city. "We saw the same thing at Giant's fall. Only they had turned and ran by this point. It was not their choice to fight. They will be spared."

Sparte is not relieved or encouraged by the enemy ceasing to move. Rather than taking part in the culling of a defenseless foe when the opportunity is there, he turns away from the fighting to look through the combatants. Eventually spying Silas, he heads towards the commander. "I have a really bad feeling about this, sir. Permission to take a squad and verify the graveyard is still secure?"

Niccolo watches as everything suddenly stops and his eyes narrow. "Well then," he observes to Calypso. "We probably want to grab some prisoners for interrogation," he tells the Lady General and then, the archduke exhales. "We should run some patrols around the city, just in case," he observes and then dips his head to Aislin's observation.

Kima and those with her have enough presence of mind to cease fighting when the Bringers actually collapse upon themselves. No matter her personal thoughts on the matter, the Lioness of Southport awaits command from above.

Orelia follows after her grandmaster, taking up the grim duty of ending the remaining shavs. She doesn't flinch as she hacks down enemy after unresponsive enemy. It's disturbing but she doesn't have time to dwell on it. Not until the shavs are all dead.

Esoka helps hand Tikva off to the healers. Shouting, "DON'T DIE!" after her. If you could heal people by shouting at them, she'd be a //great// Mercy. You cannot, though. She looks to her sword, then looks to the shavs on the field. She walks straight up to one, unresponsive as they are, and levels her blade at it. But does not kill it. "I am Dame Esoka Greenblood and you are my prisoner." She'd like a formal surrender out of him, but just //informing// him he's surrendering to her will do.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Calypso before departing.

Calaudrin tags on a quick, "I want go with him! If he goes. Ditto his feelings and all." to his call to Silas.

Silas and his Iron Guardsmen help clean up the remaining dazed shavs and Formorians. It is only after all immediate threats are eliminated, does the Lord Commander pause to catch his breath and assess the situation around him. And the sheer carnage and destruction is enough to momentarily overwhelm him. He lifts his gaze towards the ramparts when he hears Calaudrin and raises his fist. "We... did it!" He huffs and turns to Sparte. "Yeah, you two go check. Something's up."

After a moment... "Crimson Blades. *cleanup*. Run down the Bringers. If any of the slaves retreat on their own. let them." Tobias starts to walk down the Ramparts, before he starts to wipe down his Alaricite blade, heading for Calypso, "Did the paladins have anything to do with this?" Tobias shifts his attention to Aislin, "What makes you say that?"

After a few moments of watching, Audric sheathes his swords. "Well," he says. "That wasn't nearly as bad as everyone was worried about!" He flashes a grin, showing white teeth amongst a red-smeared face. "My fucking foot hurts." He turns, ambling towards the stairs down to ground level, limping just a touch.

Merek takes a moment to look off to the side, and then debates for a moment. He looks over to Silas, and looks hesitant, "I'm going with them," he exclaims, then he is going to follow Sparte and Calaudrin.

Estaban lays there limp, not moving his breathing shallow if at all he looks ppeaceful why he takes his nap.

Calaudrin clambers down from the ramparts quickly and hustles after Sparte. "I don't trust this." He mutters to the other man and coasts along behind the younger man. He's covering their rear, bow raised to shoot off any surprise attacks in the streets.

Sparte glances over to Calaudrin, then to Merek. He gives a nod. "Right, let's hurry." Then off he goes.

Merek has left the Ramparts.

1 Iron Guard, 1 Iron Guardsmen, Meeka, Beauty leave, following Merek.

Calaudrin has left the Ramparts.

3 Iron Guardsmen, Ned leave, following Calaudrin.

Merek, Calaudrin leave, following Sparte.

"Y'heard th' general, cover the infantry as they bring down the rest," booms Ywaine to his men, "Time enough to rest when we're dead, boys! Up and at 'em," he booms.

Armel pauses as he hears the lady-general speak. He hesitates, and looks for a moment like he might just order his men to continue slaying the enemy while they are unable to fight back...But then he relents. He calls out to his men, "Knights, Cease!" They, of course, immediately comply. They do, however, move out, waaayyyy out into the field, to start the process of cutting down the old, dried skeletons of their brothers from the giant crosses.

Calypso collects a few more missives. Redrain, Valardin, Thrax. She glances up at Tobias and shakes her head a little. "We can only guess at this point. Still no communication from the Paladins."


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Arx has over ten thousand dead soldiers from all the great houses that stood in the defense of Arx, and died on its walls, streets, or in the defense of the Lower Boroughs. Thousands more civilians perished, particularly inside the Ward of House Thrax. But the city still stands. The Silence has been broken, the Silent Army shattered, Tolamar Brand has been destroyed, even if the stories for all of it might never be known.

The King's War has ended. King Alaric Grayson IV is awake if unwell, and the people of the Compact are hopeful. Now, surely peace will come. Surely.
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"Huh," Rymarr quietly grunts at the sudden crumpling of the Bringer of Silence's lines. He was still in the midst of his brief reprieve as granted by Gloria when the army began to collapse in on itself, which left the Marquis and knight of House Deepwood to look on with equal parts confusion and elation. He stows away such expressions however as he slowly lifts a hand up to scoop his helmet free of his head in order to permit himself a healthy gulp of air. He takes a moment to survey the Seawatch Gate and those who stand in defense of it. He considers as many faces, familiar and unfamiliar, as he is able. Finally his attention drifts to Esoka and he offers a nod in her direction before he sets off at a ground-eating march in Esoka's direction.

Gaius, a Thraxian Confessor, Balanar, a shadowy Confessor, Francis, the Inquisitorial Mouse arrive, following Alistair.

As the call is made to take Prisoners Shadow's hands lift almost worried someone might mistake him for one of the enemy, The man calling out loudly and likely not helping that case in Northlands Shav as he looks to the defeated armies shavs. The man trying to help not just the compact but also the shavs or trying to.

Artorius cracks his neck, eventually composing himself. He looks around at the dead, then notices that while he is remarkably unscathed, he is covered in blood, which strangely looks like great war paint. He sheathes his great sword, holding the blade itself at the sheathed blade. He turns heel, looking to check on survivors "how many survivors?! He calls out.

Bloodstained and tired Anze moves his way through the moving troops of the forces at the Seawatch gate, glancing this way and that as he tries to find his way through the crowd. Eventually he finds his way to the command tents, busy as anything else, but his goal and the person he's looking for. "you're alive."

Anze has joined the Siege Command Tents.

Shadow says in Northlands shav, "Put down your weapons. No more death today. Surrender or return home.."

Armel barks out toward Shadow, in passable Northlands Shav, "Nobody is going to take you prisoner, don't worry." He has at least stopped his men from killing any more of the Shavs, even if they are starting the process of rounding them up, those that aren't running. His silver-edged plate is running almost red from the gore and blood, but otherwise he is uninjured.

Aiden wanders over to where Estaban is resting and slumps down on his knees beside the Lord Saik's cot, holding the man's bow in his hand and over his lap, "Lord Estaban, you saved my life." He looks around him at the chaos, the adrenaline kick wearing off, and his hands tightening around the bow, whispering a prayer or two over Lord Saik.

"Because we've seen other Heralds bind men to their cause -- unwillingly -- with Writs," Aislin notes to Tobias. "Some probably served willingly -- but others? He probably bound those in an Abandoned clan who seemed good fighters, tying them to his army whether or not they were willing. But if the enemy who held their Writ has fallen... they may recover their own wits, and be free again." She pauses here, and adds grimly, "They might well be allies in the next fight." Because, it seems, she's quite convinced there /is/ a next fight brewing.

Petal is in the healer's tent with a bandage over her right shoulder. She tries to tend any wounded brought to her. "He needs more healing. I have don what I can." The girl says toward Aiden.

"Assuming this is the end of it. Seems to be, doesn't it? Or close enough." Maude wipes her sword clean as she looks from Aislin to Calypso. She's not strayed far from the tents, putting down only those Shavs in her immediate vicinity. She reaches to the arrow in her shoulder again and prods the flesh around it under the mail, but it seems well. She gives her grand-niece a look, however, a long scrutinty from head to toe.

Esoka informs as many shavs as she can that they're surrendering to her. She does it with a note of nerves in her voice she never showed during the combat itself. She herds them along as best she can, to a spot on the side of the field where prisoners can easily be contained. Her eyes find Rymarr's, briefly, and she offers him a small nod. "It's over. Gods send, I've no idea how. But it's done."

Orelia makes her way over to Armel, her black leathers wet with blood. She gives Shadow the tiniest of waves. "Grandmaster Armel, do you want me helping with cutting them down?" She asks softly. "Don't know if it'd be disrespectful since I'm just a recruit."

Peregrine has left the By the Gate.

1 Grayson Guardsmen, Quork the uncommon black raven leave, following Peregrine.

Aiden looks up toward Petal, "What's your name?" He asks, "I wish to thank you for helping him..." He looks distraught and starting to feel the ravages of the war, or possibly thinking of others of his family, "So many ... died." He reaches out to touch Estaban on the shoulder, then recoils his hand in favor of sitting by the man's unmoving form.

Calypso glances up from the pile of missives as she hears a familiar voice. She stands silently for a moment looking at Anze and his blood-splattered armor saying nothing. But then, she smiles a rare and genuine thing. "And so are you." She seems to have a light in her eyes in that brief moment. But then the reality sets in around her again. She nods to Maude. "It appears that way. We'll have a lot of clean up to do. Take a few of the Shavs in for questioning. If any run, let them."

Eventually, Audric makes his way over to give Aislin a ghastly grin. "Looks like you all had fun down here," he says, brightly. "If Brand's dead, they might snap out of it, or they might be fucked in the head from the trauma. Who knows!" He produces a flask from somewhere, taking a drink. "Hopefully no one decides they want to try and squirrel away his sword as a trophy, eh?"

Armel removes his helmet, slowly, suddenly seeming to be ancient, rather than his slightly-middling years, pasted with red from head to foot. "No, it's alright. Please, go help with the efforts. Then help the Mercies, however you can. Tend to the wounded. I need to..Take stock." And he begins to wander toward the command tents himself, receiving missives from the other Knights commanders in the city, his eye scanning the figures with a look of dull sorrow.

What sort of trophy do you even take from a giant? Costas mulls this over after checking over his shoulder to ensure that the Lady General and the rest are safe and secure in the command tent. He circles round to the thing's stinking jaw, tests the edge of his redsteel blade against a comically-large tooth. Was it like a whale? Was there some dark cousin to ambergris in there somewhere?

Chapter 4. The King's Wake

"Petal." The girl says to Aiden and she speak with a Northern Shav accent. She gives Aiden a somber smile as the girl is still hurting from own wounds. "Maybe if he is taken to the house of Mercy, they can help him further? I wish I could do more." She murmurs.


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Loud Interlude
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With the defeat of the Silent Army, the Compact hopes it can rebuild. The losses in Arx have been devastating, and crisis after crisis has plagued the Compact for some time. With the world saved through tremendous sacrifices, now the hope turns to peace, and for the recovery of his majesty King Alaric Grayson IV. The worst is over, of course. It has to be.
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Anze smiles back at Calypso, leaning in to mutter something to her and then looking over towards the gates "I'll see what I can do to help." He says before stepping out of the group of command tents and towards the dead and dying "we're gonna need firepits for tha bodies."

Covered in blood, though perhaps not any of it his own, Darren comes in quick strides to the Seawatch gate. His sword is sheathed now, his army has gone back to his ward, and Darren walks alone and purposefully - straight over to Calypso. "Lady General," his voice is deep, kind for the woman, as he bows his head to her. "It's done. We've survived."

Silas mutters a few commands to guardsmen who approach him seeking guidance, before moving towards the medic tents to see to the wounded and dying. His gaze goes to Estaban and Aiden when he spots them, and approaches when he's done asking questions of the nearby healers. His attention goes to Aiden, but once it's clear he's unhurt it goes to Estaban. Petal is given a firm nod. "Thank you, Mistress Petal. We will have him carried to the House of Solace when things are less chaotic. I trust he'll be fine in your care."

Anze has left the Siege Command Tents.

Artorius sits down, looking for Carlos "...where's Caelis?!" He searches for a moment.

"Next fight? Joy." Tobias sighs a bit, before he gives a barks again, "Colonels, I want a report on Company aftermaths by tomorrow night. No rush. Send all our wounded over to the House of Solace." Before he looks back to Aislin, "Sounds like you're planning for something new already." With that, Tobias moves to one of the makeshift chairs, and plops down with a loud thud, visibly tired. "if it wasn't the paladins, I'm very interested to know who managed to deal with Brand, myself."

Calypso inclines her head to Darren as he approaches the command tent. "Prince Darren! I hear the first victory of the day goes to House Redrain. Congratulations on keeping your ward and helping the Thrax. I had no doubt in redrain's ability."

Shadow finally lowers his blade and sheaths it as he begins to wander through the aftermath of the battle. The man seeing that the fight was truly over and covered in blood with wounds some bandaged and others not begins to make his way towards the medical tent. The large man from the mountains peeking inside only to notice Aiden and an injured Petal. Any issues he had with the Grayson Prince forgotten as concern shows across his features despite his own injuries as he asks the Shav woman, "Are okay?" His brow lifting as he looks to her. After a moment he does shift his focus to the others in the tent stumbling back from it slightly as he shakes his head only to plop down rather suddenly where he had been sitting. That adrenaline that had kept him going starting to finally wear off leaving only the pain and exhaustion.

Orelia gives Armel a stiff bow before jogging off to help the rest of the knights. She shoots a concerned glance back but doesn't say anything.