Darrow ticks his head readily. "Understood. I will position my marines here, along the redundancy." He points at the curve of the wall. "It will allow enfilading fire if they bring ladders or siege towers. Then we will repulse any at the walls." He unlimbers his great, heavy flail, and speaks to his marines. "Men of the Lament...we are the bringers of tears, the siege of sorrow. Let us fill the silence with their last breaths."


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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.
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Harald nods once to Darrow, "See it done." The Grim lord turns aside to bid, "Lord Edward, take position with our reserves. Direct the fire of our archers as needed, and stand ready with them to draw swords and reinforce any faltering lines." A look turns slowly over the field of battle at the Enemy's towers and hordes roll forward. "Shieldmen, ready. Archers, loose when the foemen draw within range." The words are spoken slow and level, his intent frown never slipping. "This is the hour every warrior was born for. Your ancestors behold your deeds this day. Make them jealous."

((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))

Edward watches the sight of the movement and the large towers lumbering towards the walls. The mass of bodies that swirl around the base of them like hands pushing food towards the colony. There is a quiver in the man who has not seen such an array of battle before but the Duke's orders puts some heat into the cold that would hold his bones in place. He gives a nod, "Aye aye, Duke." with that he draws his sword and then turns to begin moving back to the line of archers. For him this is the easy part, telling other men what to do.

Darrow lifts his left hand to the ranks of marines, no crossbow in his own hand, but ready to command his squadron, and his reflecting-pool blue eyes seek Harald.

Seva gives Valdemar a strained smile. "A fine day indeed." She murmurs quietly, lurking back near the supplies until needed.

Edward checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 16 lower.

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

Harald checked command + war at difficulty 40, rolling 26 higher.

Valdemar checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 25 lower.


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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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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))

Harald watches the first volley of artillery with a steady glower. "Reload and shorten the draw of artillery by three turns," the Duke instructs without color. "Axemen, oppose the ladders when they draw near. Flame and artillery continue fire on the towers."

Darrow checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 1 lower.

Seva checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 30 lower.

Harald checked command + war at difficulty 40, rolling 31 higher.

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

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

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

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

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

Edward checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 0 higher.

Valdemar has rolled a critical success!
Valdemar checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 16 higher.

Valdemar checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 20 higher.


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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)).

Edward checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 16 higher.

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

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

Edward checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 9 lower.

Harald checked luck + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 1 lower.

Merida checked luck + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 9 lower.

Harald checked command + war at difficulty 40, rolling 5 lower.

Merida checked luck + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 5 higher.

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

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

Merida checked luck + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 5 lower.

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

Merida checked luck + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 24 higher.

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

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

Harald narrows his eyes as the enemy divide away from the Thrax rampart. "Ready the Thraxian fire. If the foemen send a giant, it may be soon." A messenger runs up to the Duke, to whom he rumbles a response.

Seva narrowly manages to duck a few arrows. It's clear that Harald and the other seem to have the command thing handled and she'd be no use to anyone dead. So before it comes to sword against sword, she heads downstairs to wait by the gate. If anyone needs healing, the princess will be waiting there.

Valdemar fires and ducks, fires and ducks, and now that the adversaries are within easier distance, his arrows fly more faithfully than at first.

Back at the reserves Edward can be heard shouting with the tone of a deck master at the archers who misfired. Praising their second volley that did not go awry. Ducking arrows as they come in he turns to the lines as they close to the walls. He orders the reserves to focus fire on the diverting towers as the rest of the soldiers prepare to repel boarders...so to speak. With sword in hand he readies for the assault.

Julianna Bennett - Apprentice Apothecary leaves, following Seva.


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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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Darrow scowls as the bulk of the enemy forces start arraying themselves against the northwestern and further west gates. He actually seems irritated at the phasing out of the troops, but at least he recognizes the utility. "Rip them apart for their insolence. They march to fight softer men than we." His voice is ice, and deathly serious to his marines.

((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))

Merida checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 19 higher.

Edward checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 10, rolling 0 higher.

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

Harald checked command + war at difficulty 40, rolling 11 higher.

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

Edward checked command + leadership at difficulty 40, rolling 11 lower.

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

Strangely, for the Thrax defenders, the shavs break and flee from the wall of house thrax with scores dead from dropped oil, fire, rocks and arrows. One siege tower, half ruined and stuck, stands mutely in the distance. The attackers all scatter and split, the majority headed towards seawatch, the rest headed towards Valardin, leaving Thrax with the predicament of whether they stay and guard the wall seemingly under no threat currently in case it is a ruse, or potentially risk Redrain being overrun.

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

As the shavs scatter and join the swelling ranks attacking the other walls, Valdemar lowers his bow, eyes narrowing. "What do you think this means?" he asks of their lack of adversaries. "Nothing good, most likely."

The Grimhall woman had snatched up a bow and arrows, her ample dexterity allowing her to fly off multiple arrows. While she does not aim to well, she aims for quanitity over quality. As the enemy falls back her eyes narrow, looking to her uncle and cousin.

Harald narrows his eyes and shakes his head. "I suspected a Formorian. But..." A low rumble in his throat as the Duke considers the strained defense of the Redrain Ward.

Cutting rope, stabbing those just coming over the crennlations. The Lord's blood is as red as his namesake. As they enemy retreats, Edward narrows his eyes and he moves down from the reserves near the Duke to see what the new orders are.


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


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

((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.))

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

Harald raises his rough voice to bid aloud, "Grimhall, down! Out of sight, kneel behind the ramparts!" Aside he rumbles, "If theirs is a ploy, let us see what they do if they think it achieved."

Valdemar grunts in agreement, and sinks down alongside the other men of Grimhall. Out of sight, out of mind. Hopefully.

Merida ducks behind the ramparts, looking to her uncle and cousin. Her eyes shine with excitement, and she flashes them a grin

Harald checked command + war at difficulty 35, rolling 9 lower.

Merida checked command + war at difficulty 15, rolling 3 higher.

Edward checked command + leadership at difficulty 35, rolling 16 lower.

Warpig, 6 Thrax Guards arrive, following Dominic.

Hoping to assist the Duke's ploy Edward starts to order the reserves forward, to help the illusion that the Grimhall's have pulled away. He begins shouting orders, "To arms! Stay ready!"


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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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Pariah, The StormCrow, 4 Redoubt Buccaneers arrive, following Maximilian.

((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))

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

Harald checked command + war at difficulty 35, rolling 9 higher.

Darrow checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 8 higher.

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

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

Edward checked command + leadership at difficulty 35, rolling 5 higher.

Dominic arrives at the Ramparts to provide his assistance alongside that of his dogs. He joins the other captains and quietly tries to catch up with what is going on, "I and one other can go to assist the Redrain by flanking the bringers or is there a plan in play right now?" He says to them after a moment of studying.

As the Thrax Ward defenders appear to have withdrawn, the one 'abandoned' siege tower that was stuck afar field of the wall of Thrax opens and several robed figures walk out and calmly stride towards the wall of House Thrax. ((If you opt to shoot at the figures, you may check dexterity + archery at 90 and pray for a miracle, or similarly use command + war at 35))

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

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

Darrow looks ill at ease on the walls, his fingers clenching and unclenching against the haft of his flail. "The Redrains will need assistance." As the robed figures approach, lean leans forward.

Pariah, The StormCrow, 4 Redoubt Buccaneers arrive, following Maximilian.

Pariah, The StormCrow, 4 Redoubt Buccaneers leave, following Maximilian.

Dominic nods to Darrow, switching to his harpoon and taking aim, "Let's deal with the present company and then you and me Darrow, we move to Redrain. That good with you?"

With the emergence of those robed figures, Harald gives a slow nod. "The Redrain will, but first let us cut these down. Darkwater and Redrain, all captains direct the artillery and archers. Let them come, flee, or fall."

Pariah, The StormCrow, 4 Redoubt Buccaneers arrive, following Maximilian.

Edward checked command + leadership at difficulty 35, rolling 1 higher.

Maximilian checked command + war at difficulty 35, rolling 2 lower.

The figures get Edward's attention and he shouts, "Archers ready!" waiting for them to get into position, "Loose!"

Harald checked command + war at difficulty 35, rolling 3 higher.

Darrow checked command + leadership at difficulty 35, rolling 0 higher.

Merida checked command + war at difficulty 15, rolling 6 lower.

From his place on the wall, Max holds check on his men. This is not their element. These stone walls, these immovable battlements. They are men of the sea, and movement. Sitting still is death and it creates a nervousness among them.

One of the Darkwater marines presses his fingers to the lips, then to the side of a ballista bolt. A second later, Darrow Darkwater drops his hand in a slashing motion, the scorpion buckles as it fires, flinging a missile down towards the approaching figures. His marines, like the knight himself, seem at home here, as long as battle is joined.

Dominic checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 90, rolling 41 lower.

Dominic waits for the robed men to get a bit closer, "Those fucker ain't stepping foot in our ward." And he lunges the harpoon at the group.

Dominic drops Retiarii's Last Stand.

Dominic checked luck + dodge at difficulty 50, rolling 30 lower.


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


Hit by a direct attack of Oblivion Magic by Tolamar Brand.

Dominic remains alive, but close to death.

Dominic falls unconscious.

Julianna Bennett - Apprentice Apothecary arrives, following Seva.

Maximilian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 20, rolling 12 higher.

Edward checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 20, rolling 1 higher.

Darrow checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 20, rolling 35 higher.

Seva checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 20, rolling 3 higher.

Valdemar checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 20, rolling 7 higher.

((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))

In Thrax, there's dust everywhere, and no one can see where Tolamar Brand went, though it seems like a straight line was blow right through the district and half the defending soldiers were killed in an instant. The sounds of distant battle ring out from the other wards.

6 Thrax Guards arrives, following Remi.

Darrow survives the crumbling walls, weathering their fall like the roiling deck in a bad storm. His marines - more or less, but not all, end up scattered, but some certainly make it through. He pushes to his feet, warily, the scraping of his flail and sheathed blade against the broken stones ominous.

Grateful for the armor Edward pushes the remains of dust and shards of rock off of him as he stands up. He coughs a few times and then spits out a wad of phlegm as he begins to survey the damage. He pulls off the awkward ill-fitted helmet and lets it drop as he reaches for his sword and stumbles over to the edge of the rampart wall. His eyes narrows and then he rolls his sword in his hand and he looks across the breach to Darrow, "Regroup and hit them before they can enter the breach." the words both statement and question.

Seva somehow manages to make it through the crumbling walls, looking terrified but determined. She takes a few nervous steps towards the gathered group before ducking into hiding by the supplies. Anything to shelter from the oncoming men.

Maximilian rolls away from a bit of exploding battlement, bringing his cloak up to shield himself. One of his men is not so fast and Lucky Randol is no longer able to claim that name. Now people will call him One Eyed Randol. Max glances down the line - to spot Seva.... "Take the prince to safety!" he calls out as he starts to pull his men back. "I recommend we fall back to the inner gate! This battlement is a deathtrap!" He calls over to Darrow and Edward.

Darrow looks over to Maximilian, his eyes scanning the rubble for the Duke of Grimhall. Lips peeling back, he swings them back to Maximilian. "Cousin- I cannot find the Duke. We've got to keep the breach plugged - we cannot allow them within the Ward and to the civilians." Glancing over the breach, he nods at Edward. "I agree, Lord Redreef - smash them in the teeth."

Maximilian grunts as he hears Darrows pronouncement. The smoke clears enough for MAx to see the inner gate. There's a moment of heartstopping lurch and Max's jaw sets. "Inner gate is gone. We're it, boyos." Says he, turning to eye whomever might be coming. Those robed figures. "Well. It's not a deck, and it's not a storm, but it's aas good a place to die as any, my friends."

Valdemar survived, covered in dust and bits of stone, he stands and gives his head a sharp shake. His gaze moves over what remains of the battlement, noting who else stands and who remains prone. "There is no gate to fall back to. I suggest we find steadier ground and make our stand."

Edward gives a grim nod and then he looks at the breach, "Lord Darrow, if that was Brand he is in the city. It might be wise to take your men, and the Count, and go search for him. Leave me the Count's forces and with Lord Valdemar, the rest of Grimhall, and the Isle Canines, we will hold this breach. Or we will die trying."

Dominic is blasted by the force, his body thrown like a rag-doll by the robed man's magic. Rock and debris fall on Dominic's unconscious but alive body.

Darrow gestures out, then, and glances to either side, where the shav's had retreated to. "That is the head of the snake. I propose we strike into its heart. Whilst we have the chance."


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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))

Maximilian glances sidelong at Darrow. Then to Edward. Then to the breach. There's a lot of side eye going on. "Anyone have an eye on where those robed men went?"

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

Darrow gestures out, then, to the robed figures approaching, and glances to either side, where the shav's had retreated to. "That is the head of the snake. I propose we strike into its heart. Whilst we have the chance." He nods at Edward. "You remain as Duke Grimhalls second, Lord Edward." Back straightening, he gestures to his marines. "Marines of the Lament! With me. By the Sentinel - we will purge this thing."

"I am doubtful a handful of men will do much to slow Tolemar Brand," Valdemar muses. "Do we know what can fell him? Because a charge on his person seems most likely fruitless."

Maximilian nods with Darrow. "Concured. Darkwater Reserves, with Lord Redreef. Seva, Get Dominic out of here. I recommend working with Donella to get a general evacuation underway." Says Maximilian as he moves to the ropes to rapell down the side of the broken walls.

Seva is slow to spot her injured uncle but when she does, the princess dashes to his side. She's halfway there by the time Max's words reach her ears. "Of course, Count." She calls, voice wavering. The girl attempts to stabilize her uncle before moving the body.

As he and his men arrive just within the breach to the city Remi blinks as he looks through the dust and broken stone left with the fall of the rampart wall. The Thrax Prince's left hand moving motioning a few men forward to try and drag the injured to relative safety before he is drawing his cutlass and ordering them to hold the line and the way into the city.

Darrow "Fear in the face of fury is how the heart fails." He turns, stoic, and - in perhaps one instance in which Maximilian and Darrow resemble one another, he repels down after the Count.

"Fear in the face of fury is how the heart fails." He turns, stoic, and - in perhaps one instance in which Maximilian and Darrow resemble one another, he repels down after the Count.

With that Edward nods, "Good luck," said to the Count and Darrow. Then Edward gives his sword a twirl at the wrist and he begins to shout at the dispersed reserves "Alright you scabs get your asses together and find your formations! We have a hole to plug!" he begins to move over towards the surviving men the Count is leaving, learning who the lead elements are for the Count, "Time to get off this wall...," giving additional orders to begin to find stable high places for the archers remaining and getting the infantry into the rubble to be the stopgap.

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

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

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

Valdemar watches as Darrow and Maximilian take their men and go Brand hunting. He draws in a soft breath and then gets to work organizing the surviving men of Grimhall to work with the Redreefs so they can do as they might to defend the gaping hole in the walls.


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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.
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((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.))

Seva busies herself wrapping up any wounds on Dominic that are bleeding heavily. Her expression looks grim as she tries to heft Dominic up enough for her to carry him off.

Darrow Moving through the shattered Thrax gates like a shark through clouded water, Darrow sweeps into the city, following the path of the destructive blast. He steps through the plaza littered with the warped and twisted bodies of the thralls, seeking the path that Brand took as relentlessly as a predator tails blood-scent.

Maximilian's booted feet hit the ground below, and Max releases the rope. The Alaricite Saber gleams. "If I die?" Says Max, gallows humor. "You are disowned. The take away from this is you should not let me die." He says beforre moving off with his cousin, intent on finding the missing man. Of course, he's no fucking investigator and the ward is PROBABLY going crazy.

As Remi and his mixture of Marines and outright pirates stand watch over the breach into the city those who had been sent to help clear the wounded to safety move along dragging or lending an arm to some escorting them free. One of the marines even moving to assist Seva with the broken and battered Darrow.

The shallow beat of drums thunder in the distance in answer to the call of explosion from the Thrax ward. A piece of the ever lurking leviathan stirs from its slumber like a hungry and angry beast. A steady growing /boom/ /boom/ /boom/ bellows from the back of each individual serpent prow-headed longship that fills the horizon. The drums set a disciplined pace for the Thraxians. It seems Abbas had come back to the Bay of Thrax and did not fail to bring along some of his fellow hard-lighted friends fresh of the forge that is the Mourning Isles; that had been just lurking and waiting just in case. The Warlord is in the lead longship taking his turn at the oar like all the other reavers were expected to. War jaded voices call out from the ships in tune to the furious hammer of the war drums: o/~ Gen'rals gathered in their masses .. *BOOM BOOM* Just like witches at black masses! *BOOM BOOM* Evil minds that plot destruction! *BOOM BOOM* o/~ It fades as the men roar their bellowing names into the Salt for record of the sea to carry into the depths to carved forever in the bottom of the sea, o/~ Oh Magnata, yeah! o/~ And then they hit the rails over the the coastline and tear into the forces at the Seawatch Gate. Dogs growl and maul their way forward as axes fall like murdering kisses upon a lover's brow. The man enters the breach from behind and snarls. Two axes, one in each hand. His war-painted reavers smothered in blood all around him they grin ear-to-ear at seeing their brethren.

((Those who are staying to defend House Thrax against impending attack, stay in this rampart room. Those who are fleeing/going to another ward, do so and leave the room.))

Once the archers are in position, Edward confers with Valgrim to ensure that his men are placed in the most efficient manner. Deferring to the elder sailor's experience with the forces for the Count, knowing that they are as ready as they can get now. With Valdemar helping to handle the Grimhalls he trusts their positioning as well. Those too wounded to stay are sent back to the rear for Seva. When the sounds of soldiers is heard Edward turns towards the breech and the drums make him smile, "Prince Abbas," he begins to move towards the line of soldiers just coming in to address the larger man, feeling a little bit of hope. "Welcome to killing ground."

Hey! Reinforcements! "Prince Abbas," Valdemar greets once he's satisfied with the way his men are arranged. "Darkwater Reserves have moved further into the ward to hunt for Tolemar Brand, who we believe is the one that struck us and ravaged the walls. Lord Edward and I remain here with our men to hold off the army that will try to rush the gap. Will you and you men give us aid?"

Seva is more than happy to let the men sent assist. She leaves the matter of carrying Dominic to them and scurries after, rummaging through her supplies. Not that she can do much more for him at that point.

Julianna Bennett - Apprentice Apothecary leaves, following Seva.


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


Julianna Bennett - Apprentice Apothecary arrives, following Seva.

((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.))

((Okay, so here Abbas, you can decide up to 3 people to check command + leadership or war at 30 to not have a rout at the attack comes in, and everyone can roll weaponskills at 50))

Rolf have been dismissed.

5 Grimhall House Guards have been dismissed.

Abbas checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 54 higher.

Remi checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 8 lower.

Maximilian has rolled a critical success!
Maximilian checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 24 higher.

Edward checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 24 lower.

Darrow shakes his head, staring down the broken path. He turns, the shouting of shavs and the beating of drums at the gate, and clenches his left fist. As a unit, the marines wheel, starting to reload their crossbows, as Darrow Darkwater strides towards the breech, death in his eyes.

Darrow has rolled a critical success!
Darrow checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 34 higher.

Maximilian checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 23 higher.

Maximilian comes to a stop, grabbing Darrow's shoulder. "THis is madness. In this chaos... no. We need to stand, cousin! These men..." he gestures to the scattered, straggling soldiers on the street, covered in dust and stricken with fear. "They need us." With that, Maximilian pushes his hood back an turns to face the breach with his cousin.

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

Remi checked luck + dodge at difficulty 18, rolling 8 lower.

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

As the forces begin to spill in Remi is for a moment at a loss for words, the man used to being on the other side of sieges and coming over the walls rather than having to defend a place. With the influx of Shavs the man raises his sword and motions his men forward, Though given that momentary delay and the chaos of the battle the orders seem to fall short.

Edward checked luck + dodge at difficulty 34, rolling 15 lower.

Maximilian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 22, rolling 10 higher.

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

The fray is joined and Edward is not one to shy back from the combat of it all. The commands shouted and the return of Darrow and Max getting a nod as he angles his sword and joins the cries of battle as he moves forward.

Maximilian chooses his place and makes the call - gesturing for wagons to be moved, rubbble to be shifted to make the best choke point as can be had down here on the ground. "Darrow, here. We will choke them on their own numbers."


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

Fierce hounds bark and hiss trained for Bringer blood and they foam at the mouth. "Keep them in reserve!" The Warlord bellows, "Don't waste them early. Only if the Bringers come...", The Warlord turns and orders the rest of his men to hold the breach. They begin to clang axes and maxes together and the Reaver's howl out, "Tears at our Wake!" after those who depart. And they fill the gap and prepare for slaughter. More than a dozen hounds kept back in case Bringers come at the gap. And when Max goes with a fury and the butcher spots Darrow pass he grins wide and finishes for the men with proud Thraxian bloodlust filled eyes, "Never at our Wake, brothers." As they see the dire gleam in the eyes of his killers. The man then turns to plug the whole with his brothers. The dreadlocks filled with the fetish items of the dead. He tugs on his steel helm and goes into the breech patiently. Killing as they come to him through the lines to command his men from the top of the rubble; a game now of Thraxian King of the Hill he boots off the head of the fallen Bringer his brother took and sends it rolling down the heap. "Good day to die, brother." He tells Darrow.

Maximilian's selecte choke point holds as arrows rain down and Darrow stoppers the flow, and indeed, their own numbers work against the Shavs. While Max is not his cousins equal with a blade, he is a decent battlefield commander - though better when the battlegrounds are small, wooden and moving. He works with some of the shellshocked soldiers of the street to contain those few that make it past Darrow.

Maximilian checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 24 higher.

Edward checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 8 higher.

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

Abbas checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 42 higher.

Edward checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 12 lower.

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

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

Returning to the breach with Maximilian, he tells the count, "You hold them here, Cousin."

"I am going to flatten them." The Knight of Sorrow steps through the breach, marines two by two filing behind him, and they fan out, blades drawn. With no warcry, the Silence is met by the silence of Darrow and his men as they pierce into the ranks of the Shavs, though many, many swarm towards the rubble and clamber over the breach. Like a quilled fist the onslaught of the squadron is felt. Bloody smashed Shavs fall away from the furor of the Lament, until Darrow's target is reached - a towering Bringer lumbering towards the gates, and the rawboned knight lays into it with brutal abandon, uncaring for the own wounds he suffers, until the thing topples and falls.

Abbas checked luck + dodge at difficulty 11, rolling 17 higher.

Edward checked luck + dodge at difficulty 27, rolling 6 lower.

Darrow checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 29 higher.

While Darrow's marines seem to be silent. And Abbas' men have their warcry. Edward's cry joins those of the Grimhalls still under his own command as he swims through combat swinging at anything that is not a friendly and taking a beating in his blood spattered armor the Duke gave him prior to the assault. Pushing in to support the Darkwater Regulars to hold the choke point.

Seva escorts the pirate and Dominic to one of the medical tents. She ducks behind it, waking to see if anyone else is hurt and needs her help. She spots Edward taking more than a few hits and calls out to him. "Here, if you need healing!"

Remi meanwhile strikes out from the line of defending pirates and marines standing within the breach leading deeper into the city. The man entering the fray fully finally as he moves back into the fray. The Thrax Prince throwing himself fully into the fight, the look in his eyes one of near madness showing that excitment and the thrill he felt of the moment. The man bringing his cutlass out to begin to clash with the blades and weapons of the Shav attackers.

In the intense fighting in the Ward of House Thrax as the shavs begin to charge again, Lord Edward takes a punishing slash to the back before the shav is cut down.

Edward takes serious damage.

Extremely punishing wound from last round (missed before)

Edward takes critical damage.Edward rolls stamina+willpower+survival against difficulty 31, getting 3.Edward remains capable of fighting despite their wounds.

A bringer backhands Remi, sending him flying, before being cut down by Remi's pirates.

Remi takes serious damage.

The Bastard's Butcher was not one for sweet axe-play. He stood with his men and bellowed commands from the top of the heap as he took his licks with the heavy clang of simple steel austere armor. The growl of the beasts thundering behind the breech are cast in hungry fury and at the sight of a Bringer; the muscled beasts strain against leather harnesses trying to go towards it with the beast master's training. One breaks free and goes at the corpse to rip whatever dust or flesh it can despite the death. Abbas stands upon the Thraxian hill of rubble. Braided war-beard and dreadlocks spill from his helm. He chops and smashes to get a view of the field before them. "Hold, you in the name of Mamgata let their Abandoned blood pour like a wine." He growls, "We are men (and a few women) of Thrax. We are the Salt. And this is our mound of rock and we will suffer none who test our will to remain. Let them pile until they have to throw rope to surmount the wall of corpses before our feet. We will skewer them as they tumble over!"

Darrow casts a hooded gaze, back at the Count Maximilian, Lord Edward, and the Admiral Abbas Thrax at the pile of rubble, commanding the defense. As Remi Thrax wades into the foe, and the clack of weapons against the curtained shields of his marines, he calls out, stentorian. "Prince Thrax! To me! We cut our way through!" His men, vicious despite their lack of numbers, continues to sow confusion and curtail any sort of coordinated charge at the weakpoints, as the wheeling knuckle of marines, and the spinning, metal tears of Darrow threaten any who turn their backs. TWo marines fall, but for the moment, the brutality and cohesion of his squadron overpowers the milling Shav'arvani.

The back of the bringers hand was not on the things Remi expected to feel that day, A kiss from a woman perhaps, The touch of metal through flesh naturally given the siege. But the fist of a bringer? It was not expected, The force of the smack sending the Thrax Prince through the air to tumble and crash upon the ground as his men set in upon the Bringer. The pirates from The Storm Reaper throwing themselves with a near wild abandon at the Bringer to cut it down even as the Prince lays there trying to shake the force and dizziness of the hit from him as he begins to move on the ground showing he was still intent to be in the fight.

And under the chanted extortions of Abbas Thrax, a horn is brought to the lips of a marine, and a low, guttural, eerie clarion is sounding, adding noise cutting through the fog of war as the forces of the Lament stab and swing.

And So Maximilian starts his advance as well, gathering men of the city as he moves. A rag tag group of smiths, farmers, soldiers and whomever else was standing around and would follow an Order, Maximilian uses them to plug the gap and keep the wall steady. Maximilian is sparing with their lives, playing a defensive game that is devoid of flourish or flounce, it's designed to hold a line, not press it back. All this wall must do is -hold-.


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

Abbas checked command + leadership at difficulty 35, rolling 37 higher.

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

Maximilian checked command + leadership at difficulty 35, rolling 11 higher.

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

Darrow checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 7 higher.

Remi checked command + war at difficulty 35, rolling 3 lower.

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

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

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

Zhayla, Joslyn, Shadow arrive, following Reese.

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

Morrighan, Reese, Luca, Anze, Ysbail, Rickard, Tallius arrive, following Darren.

The small contingent of soldiers overwhelmed by the sudden emergence of a Bringer finds Edward backhanded hard enough to hit a wall. Something breaks as he coughs up blood and lays there for a moment and then begins to the slow climb to his feet. When he goes to make a call he coughs again and spits blood into the dirt. With a weak wave of his sword he gives a greatful nod to the Grimhall soldiers that move past him to cover him as he makes his way back from the line. His fighting for now done.

Seva is barely done trying to patch up Edward when she sees Remi go down with that backhand. The tiny princess throws herself into the fray long enough to kneel by Prince Remi's side and attempt to assist him. "Be careful, cousin." She quietly murmurs.

Anze checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 23 higher.

Darren checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 32 higher.

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

Tallius checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 35, rolling 47 higher.

Morrighan checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 38 higher.

Maximilian focuses less on killing and glory in this moment than most might expect of the dramatic Count of the Watch. But here, in this breach, plugging it with bakers, farmers and the occasional soldier, Maximilian is sparing and drab. From the front, he holds the line, his sword and shield ready to defend his men. There is no singing, no boasting, no crying out in fury. Just calm words of encouragement for men who prepared for a wholly different battle. The words work, his efforts keep the men in check and in line, composed and orderly.

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

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

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

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

Joslyn checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 38 higher.

Kahlana checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 7 higher.

Zhayla checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 35, rolling 8 higher.

Victory has been had at the Redrain Gate, but the fighting is not over. Streams of Redrains, mixed with Griffins and Foxes, come to rush the Thrax ward with Darren leading the charge. He barks orders - archers this way, infantry that. Fill in that hole there, healers to the wounded. And with the infantry at his back, Darren leaps into battle, charging at the first group of shavs he can find.

Reese arrives while at he head of Grayson forces. She is in the company of several other great Compact warriors. The princess charges into the fray. "Griffins! Attack the Abyss spawn!

Reese checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 11 higher.

Picking himself up from the ground Remi looks around, the man spitting a bit of blood on the ground covered with broken remnants of the wall before he is stumbling forward to pick up his cutlass from the ground. The man calling out orders to his marines and pirates though usually commands are best given when not recovering from a backhand from a bringer and every other word doesn't seem to be fuck. The mixture of marines and pirates still living in the moment of wild abandon as they fight the shavs. The Thrax Prince giving a sigh as his words fall on deaf ears before he is returning to the fray moving in to work into the new surge of shav's through the breach.

Anze heads right into the breach. He's not a commander or archer, so he heads to where he will be the most use. Spearing one abandoned through as he finds himself a spot to shore up with the defenders.

Joslyn arrives with Reese, grinning as she enters the mess that is the Thrax ward, and with a nod she says. "The fun never ends," charging in alongside the others. "Let's send some of these bastards to join their friends!"

With Edward retreating to the back Valgrim, the right of Count Darkwater and with prior word, will inform Max that the Grimhall units have shifted to his command.

Tallius is running along beside Darren, and as they approach he's up on the very edge of the wall suddenly, running along and firing arrows into the fray, running up alongside the soldiers suddenly as he yells out, "Have no fear lads, helps at hand!" before he pulls an arrow from a fallen Shav and sends it flying at another enemy immediately after. "Don't let up, push them back and grind them into dog meat!"

Unlike his Count and cousin, the normally drab and dour Darrow seems within his element - and has actually fought his way out past the breach, surrounded by a cordon of marines and his own flailing morningstar-tears. As the Shav'arvani forces begin to shift and redress from the other wards, and the ranks of enemies begin to increae, a fell expression enters his face....

.... a smile, blood - spattered and predatory.

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

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

Morrighan barrels into what remains of Thrax's ramparts with a contingent from the Redrain Ward, following in behind Darren. "Surpriiiiiise fuckeeeers!" she gleefully bellows, dashing alongside Darren, rubicund blade flashing as she heads into the fray. Left and right she's cutting, ripping, and tearing into every shav she comes across, already covered in blood - and not much of it her own.

Maximilian glances over to Valgrim - then finds Edward with his eeyes. Good. "Grimhall, Darkwater, to me! Shield Wall and turtle. Let these sons of motherless goats die on our shield, like at Krakensmaw and beyond!"

Rickard dives into the fray, though he's never all that far from Reese, always within line of sight to her. He lets loose with a "YAH!" of triumph as the adrenaline from their victory really starts to sink in, and a hearty cry looses from his lips. He lashes out, thrust, parry, jab, jab, thrust, parry, thrust. Yes, his dagger. The metal one that shines, and is quickly covered in blood and whatnot.

Kahlana jumps into the frey once again, she has blood splatters on her white hair, her dagger moves with a slice against one of the bringers. Her eyes flash and she calls out "TO THE LAST!"

Abbas growls in fury and grins in bloodlust to the men around him. The blood smattered Thraxian Warlord watches as bodies pile both reavers, marines, and small-folk alike. As Darrow starts forward the man growls and turns, "Do not unleash until they turn!" He bellows as the dogs snap and growl. With a tug yanks his axe out of the head of a shav with a jerk of his steel clad foot and he kicks it down the pile. And then the Redrain begin to show. The sea barbarian grins and grunts his welcome by holding up his bloody one-handed axes to those who come to bolster their ranks. The man turns grim-faced and he howls to his Reavers, "FORWARD!"

Coming in with the group of Redrain, Ysbail takes a moment to seek out the tents of the healers before making her way over postehaste to see if anyone is left still in need of medical attention. Edward gets a bright smile from the young shaman as she moves in, "Hello! I am Ysbail, that looks pretty painful, lets see if we can fix it!" Cheerful and whistling a bright tune, she grabs a few supplies and goes to work!

Luca the Lazy, Winged Fox of Grayso arrives rushing along at front of the Grayson's still on the normally-lazy warhorse Gluefoot, bearing rubicund in one hand, gleaming alaericite in the other, and not pausing even to say anything witty as climbs to the fight and starts laying into shavs like a whirlwind. Only...is he whistling a jaunty little tune as he does it? This whole fight is like a birthday present for him it seems like.

Zhayla arrives with the other Grayson forces under Reese's command, garbed in light leather and wielding an improbably large weapon. The shattered state of the Thrax ward has left her unusually silent, but she's unwavering as she brings her weapon up in fierce defense.

Seva scurries back towards the medical tent but not before stopping to give Reese a wave.

At the front, in the breach, the last men of Darkwater, Grimhall and the ward itself, covered in blood, dust and bone, form a shield wall to try to plug the gap. Maximilian holds his line, as the others rush to reinforce and take part. "Right flank, right dress! Make a hole for our friends." He calls to Valgrim, who repeats the order, allowing the shield wall to shift to the right by three paces... a gap for the Redrain to pour through.


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


A nod is given to Ysbail as Edward recognizes her after Seva has left him. He shifts and finally lets her work before he lays back with the other wounded and keeps his sword close...listening to the battle rage on.

((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))

Reese checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 60 higher.

Anze checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 2 lower.

Morrighan checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 10 higher.

Zhayla checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 28 higher.

Darren checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 35 higher.

Anze checked luck + dodge at difficulty 12, rolling 49 higher.

Reese checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 2 higher.

Tallius checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 24 higher.

Kahlana checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 13 lower.

Abbas checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 44 higher.

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

Luca checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 17 higher.

Kahlana checked luck + dodge at difficulty 23, rolling 3 lower.

Darren checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 1 higher.

Joslyn checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 12 higher.

Ann joins Ysbail and Seva in the healer's tent, having stopped briefly to stock up on whiskey for the wounded, to kill the pain and the cleanse the wounds, along with more bandages and steaming cloths.

Remi checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 18 lower.

Remi checked luck + dodge at difficulty 28, rolling 6 higher.

Rickard checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 6 lower.

Maximilian checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 7 higher.

Maximilian checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 11 higher.

Abbas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 10 lower.

Abbas checked luck + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 1 lower.

Reese continues to fight at the front of the Grayson forces. She charges into the fray, striking with her silvery pink blade and taking down foes.

"Redrains! Fill the holes and fuck them the FUCK UP!" Darren bellows to his men, directing archers to the gaps made by the recent explosions while infantry battle the shavs that pour in. Darren fights alongside bears and serpants alike, his sword striking deep and true for the time being.

Rickard checked luck + dodge at difficulty 16, rolling 30 higher.

Ysbail looks up from her work when Ann and Seva arrive, smiling brightly at them both. "Oh hello! I was just trying to see if I could help the lord here, but the work done was so fine that I don't think there's anything more for me to do!" Looking back to Edward, she offers, "Apologies my lrod, it would seem my skills aren't quite up to par with the care you've received, but on a good note, with as well as you've been cared for, you'll be up and about in no time!"

Tallius surveys the devastation of the breached wall, and runs up on a particular section of it, ending up at the tip of a shattered beam over a large gap in the wall. "Oh look, this will do!" he says cheerfully to no one in particular, pumping arrows out in a steady stream until his quiver runs empty. Then he's back onto the remaining parts of the ramparts, grabbing up quivers off of dead defenders to replenish his own stocks so he can get back into things.

Seva lurks near the edge of the tent, quietly directing her own assistant apothecary to bring more supplies. Despite the chaos, the princess seems very calm as she looks out for any injured.

Zhayla races forward to David vs. Goliath one of the too-massive attackers: the tines of her trident glint as she strikes, the shaft giving her reach to match -- even beat -- those she stands with. "Bigger they are," she calls. "You know how this goes!"

Luca doesn't seem to be slowing in the least in his whirlwind of slaughter on the front lines, though he does manage to come alongside his wife amidst it, and from inside his helm, there's a laughing "Gods you're hot when you're killing!" that escapes him before he's renewing his death-dealing beside her. Awww. Battle-lovin!

As Remi throws himself back into the fray the man stumbles slightly bringing his blade to miss one of the shav attackers, A low mutter of frustration leaving the man. The sight of one of the Shav axes coming in towards him has the Prince giving a low curse, "Oy fucker." As he ducks back and quickly steps out of the way of the attack.

Darrow checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 3 higher.

Abbas continues to get dented with the blows of the Abandoned. The austere and steel clad beast orders his reavers to the slaughter. He looks sidelong for a moment as he stands on top of rubble and corpses alike. And he growls in fury as he commands his Thraxians. The man holds the spear of the center. The sharp point to split the oncoming waves; inspired by the mountains that break the relentless pound of the Salt that fight along his side. The man grits his teeth and tells Darrow. "Take the big fucker."

Reese looks toward Zhayla with concern she when charges toward one of the big monsters. She turns to Luca. "Nimble! Focus!" She calls. Reese can be a bossy and commanding wife. "Zhayla...." She says and then rushes to join her side, not wanting her to get hurt. Not that Zhayla often gets hurt. She looks about to check on where Luca, Rickard and Joslyn are exactly now.

Joslyn charges along with everybody else, ready to take down everything she can. Cutting through the ranks and emerald dagger flashing in the light. The jade of her eyes alight with excitement, taking in everything around her with a determination. Each stab brings a yell of exertion, a loud scream of anger and hatred. She won't let anything past her, frowning as she takes her blows, getting hit with the blood and screams of her enemies, showing not a flicker of mercy, each strike aiming for the kill.

Sometimes, too much enthusiasm can be a bad thing, such as in Rickard's case. He overextends himself, and just barely misses making a pincushion out of one of the troops, before turning away.. and right into a throng of shavs. As they move to pile onto him, Rickard manages to wriggle out from beneath and regroup with the rest of the forces. He grumbles as he looks at the slightly-shredded bits of clothing clinging to his body, shakes his head, and readies himself for further orders.

With a sidelong swipe of her blade, Morrighan cuts down one of many of the shav attackers, blood spraying, and she flicks what she can off her sword before her attention briefly drifts off towards those freakishly tall bastards. "Well. Fuck." she loudly intones, reluctantly stepping back and aside in Darren's direction, taking up a defensive guard around the nobleman.

"Hey top!" Calls Valgrim to Maximilian. "What do we do about those guys?"

"Giants fall. Hold the line against the numbers, and let the guys behind us swarm! Make room for the little one with the big fooken sword!" Calls over Maximilian, referencing Zhayla. "She's good at this shit."

Kahlana fills in a hole along side Abbas and she tips her head a bit ruefully to him, she slides her dagger against a bringer, dancing here and there. She was a fast woman, her feet moved effortlessly as she listens to the commands around her.

A massive juggernaut, towering over the other formorians at 15 feet, roars and charges through the lines, smashing aside troops. It brushes Kahlana out of the way as it charges towards Abbas...

Kahlana takes moderate damage.

The beast is hit by hundreds of arrows, and looming over Prince Abbas Thrax... it towers and dies, and scrapes his shin as it falls. It's an insultingly petty injury.

Abbas takes minor damage.

Seva sucks in a sharp inhale and weaves her way over to her cousin Abbas and Kahlana. Kahlana gets checked over by the tiny girl first as Abbas seems largely unscatched.

Abbas pauses to wipe the smear of crimson from his eyes. The dark circles that have stained his flesh around him are upon many of the men at his side. His dark beard hangs in its war braids from the steel helm that covers his face. His steel aces do the work of solider but not of a God. The man is in front of his men setting the example and when the beast comes he holds his axes together and plants his feet. The man looks up with a devil's grin as he prepares for a glorious and bloody death. The man grunts turns and shouts, "TEARS IN OUR WAKE!" And he turns and he steps a booted foot upon the beast's head and walks up his shoulders. From his position up high he grins up at the arches above him and he bangs against his steel chest with his axes like King Kong. And he growls to his men, "No mercy!" From atop the beast, "And hold those fucking hounds until the end!" He turns and waits for more. "Let this now be called Barbarian's Pass. For only barbarian's of the harsh cold this day will know the taste of the other side."

Ann watches Seva go out into the fray to heal, her eyes widening at such danger. She does not follow, contenting herself with the ones who can make it to the healer on their own or with help.

Kahlana smiles a little as the Princess tends to her in the middle of battle, "Thank you fair lady." she says quietly as she gets herself back into the frey. Her eyes watch the large giant falls before he looks to Abbas and she laughs before she moves in along side the Prince once more.


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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.
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((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.))

Maximilian checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 36 higher.

Luca checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 44 higher.

Darren checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 44 higher.

Zhayla checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 29 higher.

Maximilian checked command + war at difficulty 1, rolling 24 higher.

Remi checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 23 higher.

Morrighan checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 34 higher.

Abbas checked command + war at difficulty 1, rolling 89 higher.

Anze checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 48 higher.

Reese checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 54 higher.

"Well shit." Says Maximilian. He knows the moment of ebb flow before the tidal wave comes crashing in.. "Forward! FORWARD NOW!" He calls out, and his formation bristles with swords an spears, as defense is forgotten for the moment.

Tallius checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 1, rolling 38 higher.

Joslyn checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 54 higher.

Rickard checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 25 higher.

Kahlana checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 58 higher.

Reese checked command + leadership at difficulty 1, rolling 31 higher.

Joslyn pauses for just a second, a bare moment when she has herself some unmoving and unresisting targets before she charges forward again, she means to cut the throats of as many of them as she can before they resume their onslaught. "Gods be with you," she murmers to herself, though to whom she's speaking, who knows?

Darren checked command + war at difficulty 1, rolling 43 higher.

Anze cleaves through the abandoned closest to him, cutting down any nearby him, and then as the Thrax push forward Anze barks out to the closest Redrain infantry "form up, form up, regroup the lines! Cut down the ones around you and form up!" trying to get the Redrain infantry back into proper order.

Seva gives a nod to Kahlana and a smile before moving on to the next hurt person. She uses the moment of stillness to try and drag the more heavily wounded back towards the med tent.

Tallius is back up on his percher, firing down as he yells out, "Push through them, cut them down and pierce into their ranks! We can circle and hit them from behind, cut them to shreds against the walls they try to push down with the weight of their accursed numbers!" He then leaps off of the perch and moves with the rest to push, however far that push goes.

For a moment, as the Silent armies still, so does Zhayla in a moment of visible unease. She pivots in the next second, making use of the pause to continue her assault after that hiccup of 'what the--', with a desperate edge wary of what might come after the pause.

As eerie as it may seem, Darren too knows that there is always a calm before the storm. "Do not relent! Do not stop! Cut them down!" he calls as he points his sword up in the air and then to the motionless shavs before them. He moves through the shavs with the Redrains at his back, intending to slice down as many shavs as he can before they start to move once more.

"Oh come on! I was just starting to have fun!" Luca bitches loudly, not that it slows him down in the slightest from taking advantage. He's not one to fight cleanly. He just uses the time to try and find Bringers amidst the herd to slaughter with the alaricite, but is cutting throats and femoral arteries left and right as he goes through them, leaving a trail of standing corpses intent on bleeding out soon in his wake.

Reese continues her attacks, striking at the large monster with continued skill. She doesn't seem to know what is going on, but she is going to use this to press their advantage. "Keep fighting. We are destroying them!" She yells to her troops.

The Bastard's Butcher was not shy about the slaughter. And the moment everything goes still he growls and grunts, "Free the fucking dogs!" And from the back the twelve men holding the harnessed war beasts of Thrax are let loose. And as they dig their feet and tear off in search of Bringer throats the Thraxian Prince turns and growls to his killers, "Cut their heads off with your axes or smash them to pulp!" He growls, "To glory." And the Reaver Prince leans down and he hacks with his two axes until the melon of the giant until it comes loose. And he growls to his soldiers as he brings it up like a Thraxian banner, "Death to the Bringers!" And her turns and wages forward to slaughter while the getting' is good. He drags the head of the giant and uses it like a club by holding and swinging it by clumps of hair. "No mercy!"

"YAAAH!" Rickard cries, blade held aloft as he charges into the line, slashing wildly, stabbing the shavs and really trying his best to make them into meat shishkabobs. Of course, yes, he stays close to Reese, always trying to keep her in sight. Not gonna let her get all stabbed and whatnot.

Remi checked command + war at difficulty 1, rolling 30 higher.

That moment of stillness, when the Bringer army goes slack, Morrighan takes the opportunity to her full advantage. Though she doesn't wander too far from Darren's side, she's leaping at the nearest enemy, rubicund blade held aloft, plunging it down through armor into the shav's skull. She goes down to the ground with it in a crouch and yanks her blade free, carring a bit of brain matter with it. Then she's darting at another, side swiping, disemboweling, throat cutting at anything close, working to try and clear some area around Darren to help keep him safe and out of harms way.

Remi pushes forward bringing his cutlass up, The man calling out. "Reaper on me." The marines and pirates under the man's command falling in line abandoning their wall of sorts to begin that forward push with the Thrax Prince as others make their own presses forward. The /Lost/ Prince moving to launch himself at one of the Shav's standing there in that trance of srots bringing the serated blade along back of their knees before turning and cutting down as he slips behind them bringing the blade to slice down along the line of their back.

Amid the wrack and ruin of the Thraxian ramparts, there is a stirring among the bloody stones and rising dust. Grunting through gritted teeth, Harald pushes to his feet, casting the broken remains of his shield aside and trying to sort through the chaos if the blasted Ward. His voice a rough rumble, he speaks to any of his men who can hear, "Any Grim left with breath to give.. rise."


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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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Max has had command of Grimhall forces since Valdimar's withdrawl and Edwards injury. Max snaps off a nod to the Grimhall NCO and releases that command back to Harald.

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

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

Joslyn takes a breath, looking to the carnage, to the surroundings and to what had just... ceased to be. She took a deep breath and laughs softly. "Gods... Thank you," she says, walking then away from the battlefield. That's somebody else's mess to clean up. Her work here is done.

Maximilian calls over to his men. "Defensive lines. Do not advance - Do not attack unless attacked! These people may not be our enemies anymore, with their dark masters hold broken." Max's order gets him... odd looks from some of his men, but they don't break line.

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

Anze barks out the orders to the Redrain infantry then "solid lines, reform an backup tha Thrax lines." And then he glances around the ward to find where his liege is "Darren" he calls out as he moves towards his cousin "glad you're alive" he leans in to mutter something to Darren before looking over the wreckage of the Thrax ward.

The mess, of course, falls to the healers. Ann steps out from the tent, carrying supplies and water to the battle field, keeping a careful eye out for her kin as she moves, offering water to the dying, binding and cleansing what wounds she can.

Reese looks over to Max. "Stand down! Only attack if attacked." She says. She looks over to Abbas to see what he will do. She glances between Rickard, Zhayla, Luca and Joslyn. "You all made it. Good." She murmurs. Her smile to Luca is quite warm.

"Redrains, HOLD!" Darren's voice rings above his troops as the shavs and bringers just cease to be and suddenly collapse in on themselves. For the first time in a long while, he takes a deep breath, and wipes the blood from his forehead. "Get the wounded to the healers. Take prisoners where you can," he commands a few of his generals, before turning into Anze. He reaches for the man and pulls him into a hug, "I'm glad you are alive, too, cousin. Go to the gates, see what your lady needs," he says to Anze. "I think we're done here."

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

Anze nods at Darren, pulling his helmet off and glancing to Reese and max and shakes his head before nodding at darren "thanks" he says before he's heading off to the seawatch

Morrighan remains cautious despite the eerie stillness, sword still brandished, watching everything with a severe alertness. She surveys the wreckage that is the ramparts, all the corpses of ally and foe, silently noting just how many were lost. Anze's approach catches her attention, and her head swivels his way, holding in place beside Darren once he gives his order. The former's remark on the latter's state of well being is met with a light snort. "As if'n I'd let anythin' happen tae him," she says, moving to give Anze's shoulder a light punch. "You did good."

Zhayla looks shaken by the sudden collapse of the line, visibly unnerved by it. In the face of battle against giants, she's cool as can be, but this--. A twitch shakes down her spine. She falls in with the rest of the Grayson forces near Reese, looking over the others present and giving them a wan smile on finding them on their feet. "Nice work out there."

When the masses begin to collapse Remi just blinks and looks over the field of battle with the broken ramparts and the dead and unconcious mingled together. The Thrax Prince bringing his cutlass down to wipe it across his torn shirt before sheathing it as he slowly begins to back away. The man calling out to his own men, "Alright lads, Blades down but on watch."

Kahlana hears Darrens voice as she helps bring down the giant that had turned to fall onto the Thraxian wall... she holds and she moves a breath over to Darren, her eyes sharp as she moves closer and she looks around.

Seva slowly makes her way through the wounded. She's patching up and healing as many men that she can. Thraxian or Grayson. None of it matters when so many have given their lives to protect the city this day.

Harald is awash with dirt, blood, and stone dust as the Grim lord surveys those shouting orders. When did the Redrain get here? Is that a Lycene? "Darkwater," he mutters in greeting. "Tell me of any word from the Thrax Palace."

Luca looked like he was about to go out on a killing spree amidst downed bodies, but Reese's call stopped him short and, with a sigh, the utterly untouched Velenosa-turned-Grayson Champion is pausing, flicking blood off his blades and moving to smoothly sheath them as he starts back towards Reese. As he goes, he's pulling free his helm to reveal barely sweat-damped hair and a broad smirk as he quips her way. "You say that like you're surprised, Ribbons." After which, he'll be totally inappropriately moving to take off his commander's helm and give her a kiss to melt alaericite as husband rather than soldier.

Darren sheaths his sword, heading over to Abbas to incline his head to the man. "Prince Abbas," his voice is deep but warm, and he says something in a quiet voice to the man before he casts his eyes to the broken wall. "Let your High Lord know that Redrain will be here to help fix your wall, as we were here to help defend your ward. You fight well. You all do." And then, after his words are spoken, he takes his turn to leave.


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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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Darrow checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 1, rolling 67 higher.

Rickard exhales quietly as the battle appears to come to an end, sheathing his weapon and offering a nod to Reese. "Indeed." He moves closer to Reese, standing as a sort of sentinel to ensure nothing untoward happens to her.

"None." Says max, turning to snap a salute to Duke Harald. "I've kept them appraised via messenger, but received no responses back." Says Max, relaxing the salute, to look over the people who have come to defend.

Stepping out from the ten, Ysbail glances around at the gathered folk, the lines of soldiers, the dead and.. comatose? shavs. Casting her gaze about, she ends up moving towards Darren to smile bright at the High Lord, "Excuse me, Your Highness? With your permission, I'd like to start moving about the city, see if I can help tend to any of others that may need healers.."

"A little." Reese says toward Luca, moving over to her husband and seeming less bossy now that the battle is over. She removes her helm, revealing her flushed cheeks and matted golden locks that are now are damp from sweat. "Surprised and happy and surprised." She then turns to Rickard. "Yo fought really wonderfully."

The dogs do not stand down. They run amok in fury in vengeance for the injury to Dominic. Ripping at the throats of Bringers of Silence where they can. When the bodies are piled high and when his arm grows heavy and all that is left is ratty hair in his bloody fist. "Thrall nets." He turns and growls. The men storm towards their longships and they fetch the nets. "Take prisoner as many as we have nets and can safely take." The butcher of Thrax flashes a smile and nods to Darren, "In your debt. When the wall is up if ever you need our fleet we shall come to your aid. As Warlord, I will pass my praise for your support directly to the High Lord. All of your people should be proud. As I am of my men." The tired man pants in his steel. He grabs a bowl of water and washes the blood from his serpent breastplate. Hoarse from shouting. "Spears to the wall, get defenses going." Back to orders. He has to get to the defense and the interest of Thrax. "We must all be wary until we know more."

Remi looks to his second, One of the more wild and less reputable looking men under his command and mutters lowly to him, "Help get the wounded to healers and then have the lads and lasses check the Reaper for damage." With that said he turns and begins to move away heading for the city proper.

"There's no debt to be paid, Prince Abbas. But I will look forward to the next time I can fight by Thrax's side," Darren says to the Prince, before he looks to Ysbail and dips his head. "Go, see who needs tending to. I suggest heading either to the gates, or to the lower borough." Then, to Morrighan, he lays his hand upon her shoulder. "You did well out there, Morrighan," he says to her warmly. Then, to his soldiers, he waves them off. "See to your wounded, bring them to the healers, and go back to the ramparts. You fought well out there! I couldn't be prouder," before he, too, moves to leave.

With the battle closing, Edward finally forces himself to his feet and he wipes his sword against an arm to clean it. He slides the blade into the scabbard and he rises up as straight as he can, watching the aftermath of the fight.

A light blush comes to Rickard's cheeks. "It is my honor to fight for you, Princess." He smiles, and offers a flourished bow. He runs a hand through his sweat-misted hair, and briefly glances skyward, before returning his gaze to the here and now.

Harald nods to the answer, looking aside to order a runner return with a report. Back to Max, "The weaker among our people had taken shelter there. If it stands, our losses will be less." He notes Edward and calls the man, "Redreef. Here."

6 Thrax Guards leaves, following Remi.

Ann, too, slips away, once the wounded are well cared for and the Redrains have left the field.

Chapter 4. The King's Wake


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Loud Interlude
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Luca leaves off making out with his wife post battle to let her praise her guardian Rickard, giving the man a nod himself, then looking to Joslyn and Zhayla in turn to smile their way and declare. "Well fought. Though I had hoped for more Bringers." Only he'd bitch at the lack of such a challenge. "Now comes the greatest party seen in the city in a thousand years I suspect!"


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

Fridrik, a small White Fox arrives, delivering a message to Maximilian before departing.

Abbas gets to work. Orders. The strategy. He allows Max and Harald their say. He orders that the wounded be tended to and taken to rest to relieve the men on duty when they drop. The wounded are coordinated to be gathered and the military falls to the will of the Thraxian healers command. The men that build; they hammer and build. Thrax took it. And they split it's wig. Now it was time to work and prepare for the next. "I am proud of all my brothers tonight. Thank you Darkwater, Grimhall.." He points his axe to Darrow. "Two rations of rum for the fallen. Four for family." And that's it. He joins the work and labor. Stripping his armor off and doing it in his undercloth. Using his knotwork and working the nets with their prisoners. Ensuring the security of the captives.

Maximilian nods once, then turns to start organizing the search for survivors. So many have died in the Thrax District. Not just thralls, but civilians when the battlements fell and the shavs swarmed in.

The Lord of Redreef gives a nod and makes his way over to the Duke and stands close. He gives Seva another small word of thanks as she comes over to tend to him his less serious wounds and wanders off again. The armor is most likely ruined, "Duke." he says as he looks at the carnage.