Katarina draws in a steadying breath, raising her blades and shifting her stance closer towards Edain and Fiachra. Golden eyes rimmed in kohl squint off a pensive look, watching the rising tide of bodies. "We will endure and stand strong," she shouts to the soldiers on her left.

When that movement comes, Percephon works to see those barrels of alchemical itch liquid poured over the sides, and then the lord scholar works his way back. It's the Silence he knows is coming, and his task is a simple one of coordination. Flags of different colors that continue to be distrubted and prepared to help serve as signals, runners to work to help with the evacuations in the worst case that the walls should be breached. He leaves the front of the ramparts for those mighty warriors and archers to man, toiling off in the background.

Silent and solemn until Edain speaks, Roland stands in his blue armor, helmet down. He has a rather nice sword, still sheathed, but ready to hand, and grips his shield as he watches the siege towers approach -- and draws his sword. Weirdly, he speaks to the sword in a grim voice, "Are you ready? They're coming."

Fiachra stands so that he's shadowing Edain, opposite his sword arm, and allowing plenty of room for him to move. The archer seems to be used to working in close tandem with someone more focussed on melee. His lips twitch, a thin smile coming to them with the Prince's words, but his green eyes watch the approach of the enemy. As Katarina joins them, though, he spares a small nod of support for the diminutive princess. No words form the Greenmarch man, he lets his presence and stance speak for itself, along with the calm that surrounds him.

((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))

Katarina checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 25 higher.

Edain checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 11 higher.

Valerion has rolled a critical success!
Valerion checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 8 higher.


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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.
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Fiachra checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 45, rolling 10 higher.


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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.
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((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))

Roland checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 3 lower.

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

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

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

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

Percephon checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 2 lower.

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

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

Valerion checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 7 lower.

Katarina checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 14 lower.

Niamh checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 12 lower.

Fiachra checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 45, rolling 4 lower.

Edain checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 13 higher.

Percephon takes a minor wound from an arrow.

Percephon takes moderate damage.

With the first towers falling, Niamh sends up a cheer for the ballistae operators. She walks along the line, encouraging the soldiers as best she can. But there are a LOT of shavs out there, and with the clamor of balistae being wound and orders being given... well, her words might not be the most effective of things. She might be a little hard to hear with the arrows that come flying their way.

Roland takes a minor wound from an arrow.

Roland takes moderate damage.

Edain raises his sword as he calls for another round of fire, "When monster's came to Sanctum to kill us we called it a tragedy, but when the sun rose in the morning we killled everyone one of them, and we are still here! If Tolamar Brand's army wants to come all this way to die, I am happy to help." The folded redsteel blade of Truth falls and the Prince of Sanctum the Hero of the West calls, "FIRE!"

Valerion sees the incoming hail of arrows. Though he tries to direct his ballista crew to take down another siege tower, he dives for cover. Without his direction he only hopes they will land their shots. Standing once the arrows have clattered around him he peers out over the ramparts and raises his sword. "AGAIN!" Directing his blade towards the towers.

The tip of Fiachra's tongue touches the corner of his lips as he mans the catapult. The former scout is certainly not used to operating the unfamiliar siege weaponry, but he puts his full efforts into it. There only a small flash of pleasure on his face when he connects with his target, before he's readying for his next effort. As before, he remains quiet, calm, even as the rain of arrows from the enemy starts.

"Gloria's left toe!" Roland grunts as he's struck by an arrow, but lifts his shield and keeps the worst of the barrage at bay. He does what he can to put his body between the projectiles and those manning the artillery, in the hopes of the defenders doing a bit of damage in return.

The excitement as the intial towers fall washes over Katarina's teams, and it is all she can do to keep them together with breathless shouts as she runs across the ramparts to take shelter behind a wall. "DO NOT FALTER!" She shouts, pulling free a spare blade from its sheath as she rises from her crouch to turn a worried eye upon Roland and Percephon briefly. "Are you both alright?!"

The back of the ramparts should be safe, or so Percephon thinks, working to continue to coordinate the efforts of communication between the men manning the wards. And then the hail of arrows come streaking in, with one striking him square in the thigh. It's this that prompts Dame Cora to drag him by the back of his collar to haul him down, even as he shouts, "Fascinating. Quite fine, don't mind me-", where his focus turns instead to directing runners to bring in the wounded to the Mercy's and other healers, to get as many of those minorly wounded back upon the ramparts as quickly as possible.


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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.
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((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)).

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

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

Fiachra checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 45, rolling 7 higher.

Niamh checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 10 higher.

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

Katarina checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 10 higher.

Edain checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 18 higher.

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

Niamh checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 8 lower.

Katarina checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 24 higher.

Valerion checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 3 lower.

Roland waves a hand toward Katarina, then jerks his shield up again at the next barrage, "I'll manage, Highness."

With enemy arrows whizzing left and right, Niamh shows some nimblness in the plate armor she wears. "Aim for the towers! Bring down the ones pushing them forward!" she tries to direct the archers nearest her. But Niamh? she's not been in command of archers before, apparently.

Valerion is focused on the fact that there seems to be further opposition coming towards Valardin's ramparts. His eyes widen but his face seems set in a grim determination. "Let them come..." He mutters under his breath and looks at the approaching hoard, sidestepping arrows as they rain down around him. Being pinned made it very difficult to direct the men under his command. "REDOUBLE YOUR EFFORTS!"

Katarina inclines her head toward Roland and Percephon, as they both sound off an affirmation of status. The princess cannot try and correct Nimah in the heat of battle, what with siege towers casting baleful shadows down upon her own sections. "Ready!" She shouts, rushing forward to aid in the reloading of a catapult as one soldier begins to weary. "FIRE NOW!"

Several arrows lodge themselves into Edain's shield as he holds it up to try and defend some of the archer line alongside Roland. Lowering his sword again he calls, "Return fire!" and another volley flies towards the Abandoned army.

Fiachra's second attack falls short, and the Greenmarcher hisses between his teeth, muttering something about the wind and the difference between an arrow and heavier ammunition. His brow furrows slightly as he works to adjust to the changing conditions, once again calm as a volley of arrows rains down on the ramparts. He certainly notices the shifting of the enemy forces, and laughs. "So eager to taste Oathlands steel, are they? Lets make them regret it!" His voice carries, pitched to do so even though he's not performing as a commander at the moment.


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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.
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((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))

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

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

Valerion checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 21 higher.

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

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

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

Fiachra checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 42 higher.

Edain checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 1 higher.

Katarina checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 4 lower.

Valerion checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 19 lower.

The catapuls have done their job as much as they can and with the first of the Silent army scaling the walls, it's time to push back people and aim at closer targets. "Keep them from reaching the top!" Niamh orders, unnecessarily. She joins in on throwing rocks down against the inavders, beaning a climbing figure on the head in the process.

Roland joins in the fray, chucking projectiles down and working with others to dump boiling pitch and rocks. Archery isn't his forte, but he's not half bad at hurling crap, at least.

Valerion wastes no time in aiding his fellows, picking up a bow from one of the fallen archers he levels a shot at one of the shavs ascending the ladder. Taking his time and picking his moment before he releases the arrow from the bow.

Edain runs to one of the oil pots where one of the soilders manning it is down with and arrow to the side. He puts his shoulder into it and it starts to move over."Don't give them an inch!" Edain calls up. He rears up and directs some soilders near him to the stacked rocks, "If they serve the silence, yell your guts out and throw a rock on their heads!" he looks over the wall then and calls out as the burning oil finally tips over and dumps down towards climbing attackers, "Silence this assholes!"

Hot tar and other scalding materials are the choice of the team Katarina assists in tipping over the edge to keep as many of the Silent Army slowly attempt to crawl the walls. Nope. She turns her face up to look at the siege towers looming above, before Edain's shouted words forces a sudden laugh out of her. "Haha!" Her gloved hands wrap over the side of a ladder, hurling it back over before it can latch on.

Ryder the falcon arrives, delivering a message to Edain before departing.

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

Abandoning the catapult, Fiachra moves so that he's shadowing Edain once more. He draws his longbow and starts showering arrows on those attempting to scale the walls. It's a perfect rhythm, he draws as he inhales and releases on the next exhale before pulling another arrow from his quiver. Since this is his element, he seems to be firing with a deadly kind of accuracy.

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


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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.
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As the siege towers land upon the walls, Percephon heads back further to see to the preparations for potential evacuations of the citizens, should worse come to worse.

3 Telmarine Armsmen, Cora the Optimistic Telmarine leave, following Percephon.

((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.))

Roland checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 8 higher.

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

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

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

Katarina checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 8 lower.

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

Edain checked command + leadership at difficulty 15, rolling 24 higher.

Katarina checked luck + dodge at difficulty 8, rolling 25 higher.

Fiachra checked luck + dodge at difficulty 17, rolling 7 higher.

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

Katarina checked command + leadership at difficulty 15, rolling 9 higher.

Valerion checked command + leadership at difficulty 15, rolling 20 higher.

With the first shavs cresting the wall, Niamh takes her place in the defensive line. Dusk in hand, enough room to either side to work, she holds her ground. Let Edain encourage through his inspiring words! This is where the Greenmarch Knight shows her bladework. Quick, efficient strokes ensure some shavs will never make it past the ramparts, the alaricite blade getting its taste of blood today.

"VALARDIN!" bellows Roland, taking up his sword and setting to work -- strike, block with shield, batter foe back over the wall. This work he understands.

"Hold the line!" Edain calls as he slams his shield into the body of a shav cresting the wall, and plunges his sword forward into one. "We will not fall!"

Valerion smiles as the first shav makes it up the walls. When the poor bastard comes barreling down on him, he sidesteps him with grace and drives his blade home. Kicking him off the blade and back towards the ramparts he flicks the blade off his sword and spares a glance down the line to see how the rest of his fellows are faring. Hearing Prince Edain's decree he turns down the line to repeat the command. "HOLD THE LINE!!" He raises his blade in an aggressive stance, preparing to cut down anymore shavs who ascend the ladder.

Fiachra backs up too late as the enemy starts coming over the wall, and a shot goes wide as he needs to regain his footing. His natural grace sends to serve him well, though, since he also neatly avoids the weapons of the enemy as he dances backwards and plants his feet, drawing another arrow with a growl.


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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))

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

Niamh checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 41 higher.

Edain checked command + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 43 higher.

Katarina checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 1 higher.

Valerion checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 15 higher.

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

Katarina checked command + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 24 higher.

Valerion has rolled a critical success!
Valerion checked command + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 56 higher.

Roland checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 30 higher.

Edain checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 13 higher.

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

"Push 'em back before they climb over!" Niamh instructs as she stabs someone through the neck when they poke their head over the wall. Her blade slides free; the body tumbles down, and before there's time to provide further helpful advice she's already engaged with the next one over.

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

Valerion seems to be having a grand time, he moves quickly between the shavs, cutting down one. Feinting another and deftly decapitating a foe whilst rolling beneath yet another attack and slashing upward. Opening a shav from hip to shoulder. He slightly pants as he stands, surveying the areas that need reinforcement and directing his forces to fill in the gaps. "Today! You stand and fight! You will not fall because you cannot fall! Fill those gaps men!"

The Prince of Sanctum weaves amongst his knights and soldiers. Standing shoulder to shoulder with them so they know their Prince is with them. "Dragons of the West, Roar your defiance! WE WILL NEVER BE SILENCED!" Edain yells as brings his blade down on a shav attacking a downed soldier.

Katarina heaves a ferocious cry as she charges forward, ducking low to force her blade between the ribs of a shav. Blood sprays across her flank as she narrowly avoided being speared through before she can yank her blade free. "Keep going!" The young Eurusi encourages. "We will stand together! As brothers and sisters! Dragons! Let them hear you roar!" She screams, kicking off a shav and slamming in her pommel against his temple as he overshadows another bent soldier struggling to help a wounded knight to the rear.

Roland's sword gleams as he fights, ducks, pivots, and with a mighty kick plants his boot right in the middle of a shav in the process of climbing over the wall -- sending him flying back over the battlement and down to the ground below. When his prince orders the battlecry, he bellows again, "FOR VALARDIN!"

Fiachra continues to keep half an eye on Edain as he nocks an arrow, clearly watching in case he needs to interfere with an enemy attack on the Prince of Sanctum. He's firing as he moves, aiming for vulnerable spots and going for fatal or crippling attacks as much as possible. As he sinks a bolt into the shoulder of an enemy, he grimly twists his body out of the reach of the blades flashing around him in turn.

Ryder the falcon arrives, delivering a message to Edain before departing.


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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))

Roland checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 19 higher.

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

Fiachra checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 8 higher.

Katarina checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 8 lower.

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

Valerion checked command + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 13 higher.

Katarina checked luck + dodge at difficulty 8, rolling 30 higher.

Katarina checked command + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 32 higher.

Edain checked command + leadership at difficulty 20, rolling 21 higher.

Edain checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 20 higher.

It's never the first, or the second, or the fourth person you kill in a siege. It's the ones that keep coming that threaten to breakthe lines of the defenders. And Niamh is determined to hold. There are no glorious words, just the inspiration of a plate-wearing figure who doesn't back down from the fights that stream her way. Over and over Dusk is moved into place, to parry, to riposte, to stab something coming over the wall. This is how Niamh makes it through so far: one by one.

Despite the cramped quarters of melee combat, Fiachra's arrows continue to find their marks. He snarls at an enemy that threatens to cross the invisible 'line' he's using to keep enough of an arc free to be able to effectively use his bow, before shooting. Then he's looking around for his next target, continuing along as Edain's shadow as they move along the walls.

It is a game of inches. Pushing them back one invader at a time. Edain's s hield is as much of a weapon as his sword at this point as he continues to use it to bash people off guard, even as his sword continues to do it's grim work repelling the invaders.

The foes blur from individual faces into Yet Another Body as Roland keeps fighting. His features are obscured by his helm, but he keeps fighting, steadfast and enduring.

It's a frightening thing, to be constantly overwhelmed by bodies that tower and loom overhead. Her blade does not always ring true, but is with a passion and deep-seeded determination that she defends her men from the blows of shavs that savagely thrust their blades forward, allowing the soldiers with better reach to do what she cannot while rallying them together. Slowly, but surely, she begins to move in with Edain and Fiachra. Like routine, she twists to cover the archer that shadows their liege. Shouts in Arvani and Eurusi, doing what she can to draw their ire from Fia.


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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.
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((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))

Niamh checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 23 higher.

Katarina checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 12 higher.

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

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

Fiachra checked luck + dodge at difficulty 13, rolling 3 higher.

Roland checked luck + dodge at difficulty 12, rolling 12 higher.

Valerion checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 6 lower.

Valerion checked luck + dodge at difficulty 6, rolling 24 higher.

No matter how many they stopped in the Gray Forest, thousands lined up outside the walls. More have been killed in the weeks since the siege, but the endless stream of shavs is enough. Niamh continues on, implacable, as Dusk cuts through enemy after enemy. A scratch to rubicund armor here, a grunt of trying there, but so far the Grandmaster of the Gold Order is making a good show in her gold dragon tabard, though the white now has quite a bit of red on it.

Edain checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 6 higher.

Edain checked command + leadership at difficulty 25, rolling 14 higher.

Valerion checked command + leadership at difficulty 25, rolling 1 lower.

Qaali has rolled a critical success!
Qaali checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 45, rolling 65 higher.

Katarina checked command + leadership at difficulty 25, rolling 2 lower.

Qaali is one of those horrible opportunistic sorts. She's managed to clamber to a position upon the ramparts, spending an inordinate amount of time getting perched. Others have been more courageous and self-sacrificing. The full quiver was awful to lug along, but now that she's got a bead on those assaulting the western wall, she can pull upon her bow and loose arrows upon the foe. Maybe it's luck, or the way of the wind, and those more valiant than herself, but she starts to add her efforts towards what she can cripple if not kill.

Truth's red blade sings through the air, cutting down shav fighter's as they come over the wall. The prince kneels down and raises his shield, guarding a wounded soldier. "On your feet Dragon! You have fight in you yet!" he says as he looks up and down the battlements, finally he calls out, "There!" he points his sword to a new ladder that starts to send fresh attackers over the wall and he tries to direct fighters to repell them.

Cursing in the language of the tribes of the Oathlands as his next arrow clanks off a shield, Fiachra continues to twist himself out of the way of counterattacks. His voice rises in a taunt here and there, attempts to distract attention from others holding the line. His bright eyes dart around, trying to watch everything at once and gauge how the battle is going.

Roland takes a hit to his shield protecting the soldier on his left, grunting as he has to break to dodge an axe coming his way -- but managing to avoid taking any actual damage as he fights on.

Valerion manages to land a blow against a particularly large Shav, he seems unfazed and swings his large hammer at Valerion. Narrowly avoiding the attack he ducks just as Qaali's arrow buries itself in the shav's throat. Wiping the sweat off his forehead he stands there for a moment spinning the pommel of his blade in hand at the close call.

The Eurusi transplant grimaces as Fiachra begins to taunt at intervals to draw forces away from him. "Godsdamnit," she laughs, some dark humor found in the moment, as her blade's wicked tip crashes into the of one shav.


**********************************************************************
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.))

Roland checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 13 higher.

Niamh checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 13 higher.

Fiachra checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 20 lower.

Fiachra checked luck + dodge at difficulty 30, rolling 8 lower.

Qaali checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 11 higher.

Valerion checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 27 higher.

Edain checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 0 higher.

Niamh's too far down the wall, too busy with staying alive, to see the shot that saves her favorite cousin. All she sees is the next shav, and the next, and the next. Even the light weight of Dusk grows heavy with the continued use. The stag-helmed Prodigal Knight slices through another, spills someone's guts, takes a head, shoves one off the wall. But the stream of shavs just keeps coming.

Katarina checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 18 lower.

Katarina checked luck + dodge at difficulty 28, rolling 9 higher.

Edain checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 17 higher.

Katarina checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 7 higher.

Valerion checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 4 higher.

It's the fog of war in full effect now. Blades fly, screams are heard, bodies on both sides fall. Edain holds his shield high but his sword arm starts to sag. He is starting to tire but he draws a deep breath and presses forward hacking without grace, to force back a shav and to give himself room to be breath, "There are people down there right now, praying for a dragon! We will not fail them! HOLD THE LINE!"

A bringer takes offense at Fiachra shooting him, plucks the arrow from its body and throws it back with enough force to punch through Fiachra's shoulder.

Fiachra takes serious damage.

There's too damn many. The amount of targets presenting themselves for Qaali's aim is frightening. She tries to remember to breath more normally, rather than drawing a breath as she draws the bow. And releasing an arrow as she expels a breath. The sound and sweat, savagery and skill of those right in the thick of things is almost overpowering. Targets are numerous, but openings are more rare. She fires and repositions again, to present a less static target for karma to come calling. Hearing the call to endure, she does what she can to take the heat off of those in melee.

Valerion is using more economic movements and a defensive stance to ward off enemies and cut down those who get too close or drop their guards. His muscles burned and he knew that they needed to push past and dig deep to hold the line. "Stand your ground and do your Liege justice!"

Fiachra might have to rethink that whole taunting thing. One of the Bringers he sunk an arrow into takes apparent offense, and pulls the offending bolt from its body before throwing it back at the Greenmarch arrow. As his own arrow buries itself in his shoulder with enough force to come out the other side, the man screams. His own shot goes wild as blood starts to trickle down over the leather. Still, he manages to remain on his feet, hissing in pain as he reaches up to try and break off the shaft.

"Fia," Katarina screams out, throwing her weight bodily into the bringer that threw the arrow to knock him off balance. Golden eyes flicker struggle to keep sight of the Greenmarcher, forcing her blade deep into the bastard's eye socket with all her might. "FIA!" the princess calls for him, dropping low to avoid being ripped open by the serrated blade of a Valardin Knight, unashamed to crawl amidst bodies of both enemy and friend to reach the archer. She rolls to her feet, bringing her bloodied blade up in a clean swipe to break the shaft if he cannot. "Stay with me! No more risks!"

"Hold the line!" Roland bellows, half to himself, as he plants his feet and swings hard, a bulwark in blue against the oncoming attackers.


**********************************************************************
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.))

Roland checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 57 higher.

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

Fiachra has rolled a critical success!
Fiachra checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 68 higher.

Katarina checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 3 lower.

Katarina checked luck + dodge at difficulty 13, rolling 8 higher.

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

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

More red than white now is the Gold Order surcoat that Niamh wears. The white fabric is rent in places where a sword scraped agagainst her armor or an arrow deflected. Yet the Greenmarcher continues to hold her ground, giving example for the soldiers around her to do the same. Though some have surely fallen or retreated, Niamh herself remains, grim determination hidden behind the stag helm.

Valerion checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 6 lower.

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

Katarina checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 4 higher.

Edain checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 6 higher.

"It's not risk, it's tactics!" Fiachra hisses in return to Katarina as she joins him, but he doesn't move so quickly that he loses the princess who's determined to watch his back. "Thanks." That's added as the shaft is cut, allowing him to raise his bow once more. He obviously has no intentions of backing down, and he snarls out at the Bringer who wounded him, "A Stag doesn't fall so easily! We stand against all you stand for and will not be silenced!"

"Get the wounded up and get them back!" Edain calls out as his sword falls again forcing back another shav to the edge of the wall. He turns then as a Bringer comes over the wall like a demon out of the abyss and strikes his brother-in-law, "Fiachra!!!!" he calls out.... and he proceeds to stand up and launch several shafts into the bringer looming over him. He blinks, "Yes... keep that up!"

Valerion continues slogging on, one shav, two shav, three shavs. He hasn't the focus to direct his forces and though he makes a valiant effort the young Knight Commander is trying his best to shield his men from the shavs that threaten to overwhelm them.

Qaali finds herself running lower on ammunition. She tries to yell below if she sees a swell of enemy intent trying to be as opportunistic as she would. Her voice chirps out high and shrill, but cannot cut through the din with the same power as those in command. It's more: "To your left! Your other left!" Probably just adding to the cacophony. Two missiles throttle into the masonry near her, sending sharks of stone and mortar and making her flinch away. She picks her way towards another quiver of a fallen ally. Pulling for the blood-spattered arrows for her own use. "Need it. Sorry. So sorry. I'll use'm good I swear."

"I have him, Edain!" Katarina shouts through a brief gap in the crowd, her blood-stained face briefly visible from behind Fiachra just after the bringer that leaps over the edge of the wall like a bat out of Abyss. "Keep leading us to glorious victory! I'll make sure he does not take another hit," she avows vehemently, bringing her steel-plated arm up to force a blade's path to go awry from herself and the archer. She kicks a shav square in the jewels, flinching back as he goes stumbling into her.


**********************************************************************
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.
**********************************************************************


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

Niamh checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 31 higher.

Katarina checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 10 higher.

Fiachra checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 21 higher.

Valerion checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 13 higher.

Edain checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 26 higher.

Qaali checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 10 higher.

Edain checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 6 higher.

Valerion checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 3 higher.

Katarina checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 15 higher.

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

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

Despite their losses, the Valardin lines along the Western Ramparts are still holding. Niamh has picked up a shield from a fallen defender and now uses it to sweep aside attacks while launching her own. The metal has long grown heavy, the armor hot, but as long as it's sweat that runs down skin and not blood she remains in the fight and isn't giving up.

Sir Rhys, a Valardin Knight arrives, following Alis.

Valerion has renewed his efforts, digging deep into his reserves of stamina. He plants his sword in the chest of a fallen shav and turns around to scan the battlefield. Noting a particularly vulnerable point he rushes over and directs his men. "Shore up those defenses! These scum will not have us this day!"

"For Gloria! For Lagoma! For Prism and the First Choice!" Roland chants, voice echoing in his helmet, though it's no doubt hard to hear over the general clamor of the battle. Swing goes his sword, slam goes his shield, and he does not flag or waiver. "Get your foul arses out of the Queen's city!"

The bloodied fletching of Qaali's new arrows slicken her fingers, making her mouth acquire an odd smirk. Pulling back her bowstring and rising up behind the rampart she's using as cover, she smears a streak of redness along her cheek. Using allies as pockets of importance, she sends arrows into the foe. She doesn't make any attempts to dodge if someone targets her in particular, focusing on moving up to support Niamh next, that warrior's helm standing out quite prominently. Expending arrows, even if they can't kill, they might still serve to startle or jar when striking hard and suddenly.

The Prince of Sanctum plants his boot squarely in the foot of a shav coming off the siege tower, "Get off my wall!" Edain exclaims as he Wilhelm screams his way to the ground. "Form a shield line!" Edain calls out forming the center of said line, "Archer's and spears attack from the rear rank! Force them back!"

Eirlys fights her way towards Fiachra, Edain and Alis. She is trying to keep an eye on Alis and keep any abandoned that might be after her. If at all possible she will at times check on Edain, try to keep the enemy away from him as well. She has thrown herself into the fighting with all she has wielding her blade while praying quietly to the Old Gods and the Gods of The Faith.

Blood trickles down from Fiachra's shoulder, still, but it's little enough that the archer doesn't seem to be crippled by it. He lets out a wordless war-cry as the Bringer he was aiming at falls, turning smoothly with Katarina's movements so that he can pick a new target, sinking an arrow into the throat of an enemy coming at the pair. Though he still has an eye on Edain, he's staying close to the princess.

A tiny, shiny figure has been slowly making her way along the ramparts. Starting down at the Velenosan ward, through Grayson, and now the gleam of her splattered armore is seen shoving its way through to the Valardin ward. Alis heeeeeeere. But is as yet too far away to join the real fighting. Or, have her voice heard above the fray.

Katarina glances over a shoulder back at Fiachra, worriedly glancing over the arrow pierced deep within his shoulder with a crane of her neck. Like clockwork, the miniscule princess shadows the Greenmarcher, drawing back to guard his flank when he takes a shot. And, in the precious moments he is reaching for a new arrow, the princess is startling fast to cut down a Bringer encroaching upon them. Blood-tinted Oathlands steel flashes over ashen flesh, serrated edges tearing them asunder to open necks and exposed flanks unrepentently.


**********************************************************************
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.
**********************************************************************


((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.))

Niamh has rolled a critical success!
Niamh checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 87 higher.

Valerion checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 13 higher.

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

Roland has rolled a critical success!
Roland checked luck + dodge at difficulty 16, rolling 22 higher.

Katarina checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 6 lower.

Katarina checked luck + dodge at difficulty 16, rolling 24 higher.

Eirlys checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 8 higher.

Katarina checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 16 higher.

Alis checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 24 higher.

Edain checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 16 higher.

Alis checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 7 higher.

Qaali checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 32 higher.

Fiachra checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 18 higher.

Edain checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 27 higher.

"Hold!" Niamh cries out, the voice not as strong as it should be with the metal covering her mouth. "Get these walls clean!" She takes a moment to suck in a quick breath before rashing into squaring off with whatever evil the Silence tries to bring her way. Her surcoat in bloody tatters, her rubicund armor in need of polish and some dents removed, and Dusk well blooded, the Prodigal Knight exemplifies the spirit of her house's war-elk: stubborn, and refusing to back down from a challenge. One might expect her to stamp a foot and charg with her antlers, but she doesn't.

Alis finally ducks, squishes, or climbs her way over dead bodies to get to the main part of the action along the Valardin walls, starting to bark orders as she goes. "You will HOLD! We will not fall here!" One soldier is helped up to their feet, checked for injury, and then has the sword shoved back in their hand. And when necessary, any of the attackers that get too close has the spiked flail swung out them. Out of the way! ... Please.

Only the small crease between his brows belies the pain Fiachra has to be in as he continues to draw and release one arrow after another. However, he just grits his teeth and holds his ground, trusting Katarina to keep the pair of them from being overwhelmed.

There is a sigh of relieve that his sister has made it to this section of the wall. The Prince draws a deep breath, and finds a second wind. Shav's charge his make shift shield-line and the Prince of Sanctum charges forward meets them half way. With a backhand smash he crashes his shield against an attacker's face, following it up with a heavy overhand chop from his red bladed sword. "Archer's form up and loose arrows!"

Ryder the falcon arrives, delivering a message to Edain before departing.

Eirlys makes sure to be no near Alis's flail, last thing she needs is to be hit with Alis's spiked ball! The young Greenmarcher hears the call of her cousin and growls in response. Alis's words also are heard and she makes sure that she somewhere between Edain and Alis as she continues to fight. The Gods only know what she is covered in but it doesn't matter. Now is the time to fight and not let them take the city.

Roland clashes blades with a shav who manages to parry him, but the return swing of the enemy's compatriot is neatly dodged by the Valardin knight rolling dexterously away, popping once more to his feet right where he needs to be to catch another axe swing on his shield. A lucky move, and modestly impressive in its dexterity, even if it doesn't exactly defeat any enemies in the doing of it.

Katarina will not let Fiachra down this day. "Dragons," she screams over the clash of Oathlands steel against metal, climbing to her tippy toes to lend an assessive stare towards the bodies of 'Shav and Silenced alike climbing over the wall. "Adjust yourselves! Tighten your stances and hold your shields! Don't let them through!" As a particularly massive Bringer comes barreling past to knock into a shield maiden, with them in their paths, Katarina widens her eyes and knocks Fiachra roughly out of the way, ducking down to avoid a cleaver to the face. Being short has it's bonuses. "Sorry, Fia! Did not want you getting hit!"

Valerion moves closer to Edain and the others, closing ranks now that he does not need to command forces. He gives the others a smirk and twirls his blade, taking a stance and making sure he is watching his sword brothers and sisters' flank.

Ryder the falcon arrives, delivering a message to Edain before departing.


**********************************************************************
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.
**********************************************************************


Qaali expends her quiver again and rushes towards one of the barrels for more arrows. She passes a stalwart ally, who catches a bolt meant for her, which she is oblivious to. She nearly goes head first into, what with blood and bodies making footing uncertain. The call for organization has her trying to follow the directive. She picks a space on the ramparts, close to barrel and gives her bow a hellacious workout. The sound of it upon release providing a beat to the rhythm of battle for her.

((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))

Niamh checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 6 higher.

Alis checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 26 higher.

Katarina checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 19 lower.

Roland checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 21 higher.

Fiachra checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 50, rolling 6 lower.

Alis checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 23 higher.

Fiachra checked luck + dodge at difficulty 16, rolling 2 higher.

Eirlys checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 21 higher.

Katarina checked luck + dodge at difficulty 29, rolling 4 lower.

Edain checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 19 higher.

Edain checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 31 higher.

Katarina checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 14 higher.

"Get this thing off my wall!" Niamh shouts out once the club-wielding giant has fallen. It's not that she has a ton of time to enforce that order (or authority, but hey, sometimes you yell and people listen). With more of Fomorians coming Niamh starts coming in on the closest one, quick sweeps of her blade used to draw its attention away from less capable soldiers before she's going at it with double-handed blows of the bastard sword.

Valerion checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 15 higher.

"Well, you heard her! Get that fucking thing off the wall!" Alis shouts, backing up 'The Niamh's' order by making it a command. Seeing two of her loved ones hit (Kat) and almost hit (Fia) has her making a push towards that knot of people so she can try and beat the tar out of whichever of those attackers winds up closer to her spiked ball of danger. If only she had one more flail. The balls of steel jokes would be amazing.

Edain looks over the wall at the monsters clambering up and starting to crest over, "Fuck those are big." Edain says As a massive hand grasps a battlement and starts to pull itself up and over, Edain rains down a hail of blows on the massive fleshy mit trying to thrash it until it looses it's grip. "Keep them off balance! Push the big bastards back and use them to bottle neck the others!"

Eirlys finally has pushed, shoved, and stabbed her way to Edain's side so that she is near the man, able to protect him while fighting. The Greenmarcher focuses all she has on taking the enemy down and keeping Edain safe.

Being previously knocked aside by Katarina keeps Fiachra off balance just enough that his next shot goes wide as he hisses lowly in pain. "Kat!" That's a warning as he catches the incoming enemies out of the corner of his eye, but it's probably just a touch too late for the Eurusi princess. He does manage to leap back a half-step out of the way of the warhammer that was probably meant to cave in his chest.

Roland's sword almost seems to hum as it works, holding his position on the ramparts. The tide of enemies just doesn't stop -- and now they're getting bigger, too. He grunts as he slams his shield into a shav, pushing the woman back, but keeps fighting.

In truth, the Formorian wasn't trying to attack Katarina. She just simply was in the way. She does go flying from its backhand.

Katarina takes moderate damage.

Valerion moves in quickly to push back the monstrous beasts that are trying to clamber up the walls. He looks down on them with widened eyes and shakes his head, bringing his blade down on the creatures hand again and again. Hoping to do as his Liege suggested and remove it from the wall.

It's with a warbled yelp that Katarina catches the backhand, the air knocked out of her on her land against the side of the wall. Gloved fingers scramble for purchase, struggling to pull herself back from the edge as more shavs are spotted advancing quickly up the ladders. "-- Am okay," she squeaks out muffledly.


**********************************************************************
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.))

Roland checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 39 higher.

Edain checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 27 higher.

Niamh checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 74 higher.

Katarina checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 40 higher.

Alis checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 59 higher.

Valerion checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 62 higher.

Fiachra checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 1, rolling 51 higher.

There's something about gifthorses and not looking at them in the mouth that Niamh heard once. It's a weird saying. But she was told what it means, and no she follows the advice. While the forces of Silence are all just -standing- there, she takes some time to clean up the field around her. A stab, a shove, a thrust, a kick. She just does what she can to get the bodies off the wall, and out of the way for when they come to again. The focus is not on the shavs, but on the Shards, the Bringers, or the Formorians. The big threats.

Edain checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 13 higher.

Alis checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 27 higher.

Katarina checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 7 higher.

Eirlys checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 47 higher.

When the Bringers and their allies go still, Roland takes a breath -- before leaping into the fray, sword slamming, shield battering, as hard and as fast as he can while they're distracted. There seems to be no end of the enemies, but as many of them as he can kill, he's killing.

Edain pauses for only a moment, as the invading forcers stop, frozen, as if hypnotized by some siren's song only they can here. It only takes a moment for Edain to get his wits about him and he rallies a few of the knights around, Bowing to Eirlys as he does, "Thank yo ufor having my back again." he says and then leads a small group to push a large formorian over the edge hopefully sending it tumbling into Shavs and shards and bringers that are frozen mid climb.

Valerion is put off slightly as the enemy stands senselessly for a moment. He exchanges a few wary looks with the others but wastes no time in taking advantage of the opening. His blade cleaves through the enemies ahead of him. Clearing a swath between him and the wall and regrouping near the others. "What is this?" He eyes the rest of the field to see how far this phenomenon extends, a bad feeling rising in his chest. He looks over to Kat,"Are you alright your highness?"

Well, if they're just going to -stand- there. Alis leaps at the back of one of the giant ugly things like she expects it to give her a piggyback ride. Except, not. She bashes the bringer head with the butt of her weapon. Hopefully until it passes out. But the second it moves? She's going to leap off like she's just grabbed the handle of a frying pan stuck in the fire for hours.

As soon as there's a pause, Fiachra plants his feet next to a barrel of arrows and draws and releases as quickly as he can manage, aiming for vulnerable targets like eyes, throats, and the like, deliberately taking out as many of the invaders as he can while they are making such easy targets for him.

When Edain seems to be hypnotized Eirlys tries to snap him out of it, but he seems to come out on his own. She takes a moment to frown before stepping slightly ahead of him while still giving him space to fight. She tosses him a smile. "Always and really you don't have to thank me, Edain." She moves with Edain, fighting to push the formation over the edge to hopefully help send the abandoned falling like Edain plans.


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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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Sunrise, lilac breasted roller arrives, delivering a message to Edain before departing.


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

Ryder the falcon arrives, delivering a message to Edain before departing.

Sunrise, lilac breasted roller arrives, delivering a message to Edain before departing.

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


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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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Roland is overheard praising Edain.

Niamh is overheard praising Edain for: He held.

"Hail to Prince Edain! Valardin!" shouts Roland, who is covered in blood and a weary mess, but he nevertheless lifts his sword in acclaim.

Alis is overheard praising Edain for: For the Highlord!

Niamh is overheard praising Fiachra for: Took one for the team and made it count.

Valerion is overheard praising Edain for: For the Hero of the West!!

Eirlys is overheard praising Edain for: For the Highlord! A Leader that we needed!

Fiachra is overheard praising Edain for: The Dragons stood tall, with the High Lord alongside them.

Katarina wearily raises her bloodied fist in the air, echoing Roland's shout with a passionate one of her own. She looks over the bloodied remnants and destruction left in the wake of the battle with a small grimace, a trembling hand rubbing against her bruised face.

Eirlys is overheard praising Fiachra for: Badass even with a arrow in the shoulder!

As the wall is cleared, Edain lowers his sword and his shield fall and he draws deep breaths, "Words cannot express how proud I am of you wall. Those that prayed for a dragon this day had that prayer anwsered." He looks th en to Roland, Katarina and Fiachra, "You three, get to PRincess Sophie's medical tent now and get patched." He looks around for other wounded, "Anyone else need to tend their wounds. He l ooks to Niamh then and bows his hand and places a hand on her shoulder to murmur something to her.

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

Alis joins the others in their acclaim, pride in her family obvious. But also for those who have been injured, she turns immediately into a harping mother hen with a flail and an attitude to back it up. "Sir Roland, Katarina... Fia." Her breath catches on that, looking at his shoulder, echoing Edain's call for them to get healed. "I'll walk with you, just in case."

When the fighting is over, Niamh removes her helm. Blonde hair has been pulled back in tiny braids close to her scalp and some of it now escapes that weave. Her cheeks are flushed, her skin moist. She smiles briefly to the HIgh Lord and bows her head. "As my Prince commands." She finds some scrap of cloth to wipe her sword clean and then departs from the ramparts as ordered.

Fiachra picks his way towards Katarina, considering she was backhanded away from him by one of the Formorians. "You all right?" That's asked quietly, but he gives her a small smile. His head comes up, though, when he gets ordered off the wall by Edain. He sketches a bit of a bow to the high lord, and mutters something about having had worse as Alis comes to join them.

Chapter 4. The King's Wake


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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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"It's only a flesh wound," protests Roland, who -- well, he's so covered in blood that honestly it's hard to tell where exactly he's hurt. "I can wait. There're worse off than I."

Eirlys stays near Edain as if trying to continue watching him even though the fighting is over. She pulls a cloth out to clean the sword before attempting to sheath it. She looks at her brother and calls out. "Fia! You good?" She then turns to Edain to say something quietly to him.

Katarina presses her mouth into a faint line, a dubious look cast between Edain and Eirlys when the high lord stops to share a quiet, hushed word with her. The young princess turns her eyes up to Fiachra and Alis before she begins to pick herself up, a small smile creasing her lips, "Y-Yes, am fine," she promises, not quite ignoring orders of Edain to make sure the critically injured are carted off in successive order long before she is.

Alis gives Roland a /look/. "You need to be healed." Oh yes, she's going to be stubborn about it.

Uh-oh, Roland got THE /Look/(TM) Eirlys looks at him. "You might as well go or she will drag your ass there."

Valerion wipes his sword off quietly and looks over to everyone who seems to be celebrating the victory of their High Lord. He smiles with his eyes and sheathes his blade, helping any of the wounded to the nearest medical station. He stops when next to Edain and gives him a nod and a smile. "You did well Your Grace, it was an honor to fight by your side." He looks to everyone else there. "It was an honor to stand with all of you."

"Yes, Your Highness," says Roland, bowing his head. He looks like a giant schoolboy in comparison to Alis.