The whole of Tresova island is firmly under control of the Carideo rebels, apart from portions of the capital city, where a long, grinding battle is being fought day to day and street to street. Since forcing a landing amid heavy casualties a week prior, the combined Blackshore forces had faced frequent skirmishes with native fighters who had continued mobilizing toward the capital from the wooded countryside. Every passing day sees the forces loyal to the rebel Caius grow more numerous, and the Arvani loyalists grow slightly weaker, all amid the mist and volcanic rumblings endemic to the island.

A last desperate pocket of loyalist resistance continues in the innermost corner of Bloodstone Bastion, but the towers, walls, and yard of that formidable fortress have fallen to renegade Shavs, who have since begun pushing into the last keep. Rebel forces also still hold all three city gates as well as the streets and buildings surrounding them, with numerous ambushes and deadfalls expected to be awaiting Compact forces. Most of the Tresovan warriors are armed with knives, axes, and bows, common woodcutting axes and hunting bows for the most part, ill suited to set piece battlefields, but brutally effective in back alley skirmishing. Proper armor is rare, worn only by elites and the former (restored?) nobility. Rumors flourish in such bloody soil, and stories of the Black Dove (so named for the fletching of arrows found in the throats of slain sentries) and Caius the Undying have circulated.

The waterfront and market district at the center of the city are solidly within Blackshore hands, though with rebels now controlling the walls of Bloodstone, any ships looking to come or go from the harbor would need to run a deadly gauntlet of arrows and shot from above, and jagged waterline rocks from below. Resupply by sea was likely to be costly, and keeping 1500 soldiers fed was no small feat of logistics.

The Battle of Tresova had been a stalemate thus far, and a stalemate heavily favors the natives. Streets at the front are barricaded in both directions. Some of the native peasantry remain in their homes, but the large majority have fled in front of the Arvani advance, taking shelter in rebel held districts.

Baron Aedric Blackshore has elected to concentrate his next offensive on capturing the three city gates to solidify his hold on the rebel capital and cut the flow of fresh Tresovan fighters flooding the city before turning to the recapture of Bloodstone Keep. This is the day's bloody aim.

Caspian tightened the straps of his armor as he looked down the street to the nearest barricade. his mind flashed the first day of fighting.. and the scars he bore from it. he looked to Ian and took a breath, offering a smile, "Going to be another slog i suspect. Whats the plans for the day?" he paused and chuckled, "Any crazy ideas need someone dumb e2nough to try?" he stood, taking a drink from his flask before stowing it.

Kastelon looks grim, which is to say that he looks about as one might expect in any circumstance. A sound strays from him as he's double-checking his gear, before hat hazel eye turns to Caspian. "I'd be wary of crazy ideas," says he, in a low, serious tone that's serious enough that it's clear he's not jesting. And the turn of his gaze forward. "Novel ones, on the other hand..."

After arriving back in Tresova, Ian first steps away to confer with his lieutenants in the Kennex Corsairs. He nods, bright blue eyes alert and attentive as casualties, recent events, and the current state of the city are spelled out to him, and takes his time asking enough questions to get a clear idea of the general state of things. He's while leaving this meeting that he runs into Caspian, and thus Caspian finds an even more somber than usual Ian, which is a feat. "If I did, I'd suggest them to someone who I didn't mind seeing dead," he says in a dry tone of voice, falling in to walk with the other man. "There's not a lot of margin for error in this one. The populace wants us all dead."

Through sheer bullheadedness and a bit of tact in lieu of command, Yuri had managed to amass the greater contingent of knights under the banner of the Order of East Light to ingratiate themselves within the ranks of the Blackshore forces. He worked his way toward the head of the van, helm settled within his arms and primed to settle atop his head as he looked to Aedric expectantly.


War was not the known domain of a Corsetina of Tor. Beatrix knew more about flowers than battle lines. Her arrival here was suggested as a means of 'adventure' but now she had been quietly questioning their wisdom. The situation looked grim. A stalemate like this one could collapse against the Compact's favor at any moment. But one would not read it from The (so-called) White Thorn's slender features, relaxed and undisturbed. There wasn't a hint of worry on her from the outside - her every step and shift of those poisonous green eyes was brimming with confidence, in herself if not for their situation.

She'd yet to engage in the fighting but the heavy losses sustained on the landing had meant that an individual of talent and apparent repute would be called up from the rearguard. Her sword gleams with alaricite and the long fur coat she wore would keep her warm in the cold of the isle's coast... but it was white. It may not be by the end of this. She hoped for more grime than blood, but that was perhaps optimistic.

Aedric Blackshore is a tall, gaunt, and quiet man. His commands, when they come, are not yelled but issued firmly and in close proximity to the soldiers he gives direction to. After drawing in one final and unobstructed breath of the frigid winter air, he slips a metal barbute over his head and exits from a tent near the center of the district, several senior officers of the Black Vanguard in tow. "There are three gates that must be secured and closed before we can redirect our efforts to the Bastion," he explains, this mostly to ensure that those who had volunteered to assist the Islander house had a clear understanding of their military objectives. "We deploy shortly. Prepare yourselves." He draws his longsword and marches steadily east, rallying with the rest of the footmen and knights that would be joining them.

House Igniseri has always supported various members of the Thrax fealty, House Blackshore being among those considered their friends. Marqussa Quenia Igniseri has arrived with a small contingent of her soldiers from Domus Igniseri in order to help route forces. They're currently lounging with the various soldiers, playing dice or other games, before the battle begins. Some are busy strapping up, etc. Quenia, for her part, is looking over any of the mapped areas, trying to get the lay of the land prior to joining in the battle. She's already armored up with her diamondplate rapier with phoenix motif hilt and her rubicund saber, Resurgence, strapped at her side. Once she has everything memorized, as best she can on short notice, sh glanes around the grounds to look for any familiar faces.

Vitalis finishes prayers and joins those contemplating the next steps in retaking Tresova. He studies those gathered, solemn-faced and with an aura of calm about him. The calm before a storm. He murmurs a greeting and nods at Aedric's command, doing a final check of his gear before falling in step with those headed east.

Raven trots to catch up. Caspian and Ian are given a wide berth as she gets an idea of the paths available from here, loosening her sword from it's scabbard and shivering in the chill, "I ain't dying in the northern isles-that's all I fucking know.

One division under Romulius had been sent west in a bid to capture the city's western gates and prevent the rebels in the city from reinforcing the rebels in Bloodstone Keep. The task before the rest was a daunting one: storming the rebel barricades, driving them from the city's eastern district, and sweep westward thereafter. But before any of this could happen, the rebel barricade crafted of overturned wagons, barrels of rocks, and timber logs would need to be broken, and carried. Discreet orders to stand ready for a rapid advance had been circulated, and the next phase of the Battle of Tresova was about to begin. A Redreef war machine had been pushed forward in an effort to assist with breaching the rebel barricade, but it would only have one shot before the general advance.

Caspian looks to ian and exhales, "i mean.. we arent exactly welcome visitors. They are fighting for what they consider to be home.. can we say we would do any lest if our home was attacked by those we felt had no claim to it" he looked once more down the streets. "Sill.. i'd hope they would see reason rather then choose death. for so many of these folks.. it won't matter between one day and the next who rules the island..." he clapped ian on the shoulder as they prepared for the work to begin.

Quenia checks dexterity and war at hard. Quenia is successful.

"That we are not welcome visitors is without saying." Kastelon's tone's mild, at beast, though a note of iron beneath it as he's looking to the barricade. "I would rather that if some must die, that it be them. But that's a preference for our side to come out hale and healthy... as possible." A sigh, and that set of his lips, thinly, as he's easing his bow from his shoulder, as if to wait for what comes next.

Aedric checks command and war at hard. Critical Success! Aedric is spectacularly successful.

Ian checks command and leadership at hard. Ian marginally fails.

Beatrix was no strategist, nor is she any means of heavy infantry like what surrounds her. She crouches and steadies her blade on the approach, following in particular the array of footmen following Aedric's lead. He appeared to be taking a lead, and so the Corsetina follows him - keeping cover until the time is right.

Kastelon checks dexterity and archery at hard. Kastelon is successful.

Beatrix checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Beatrix is successful.

Kastelon checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Kastelon fails.

Beatrix checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Beatrix is successful.

Ian checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Ian is successful.

Aedric checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Aedric fails.

Yuri checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Yuri is successful.

Aedric checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Aedric fails.

Ian checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Ian is successful.

Raven wields Blackheart Halfmoon Blade.

Yuri checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Botch! Yuri fails completely.

Vitalis checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Critical Success! Vitalis is spectacularly successful.

Quenia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Quenia is successful.

Caspian checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Caspian is successful.

Raven checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Raven is successful.

Caspian checks dexterity and small wpn at hard. Caspian marginally fails.

Vitalis checks dexterity and huge wpn at hard. Vitalis is successful.

Raven checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Raven marginally fails.

Kastelon checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Kastelon fails.

Kastelon has suffered a serious wound!

Kastelon checks 'unconsciousness save' at normal. Kastelon is successful.

Kastelon remains capable of fighting.

Caspian crouches with the other soldiers, waiting for the ballista to fire. he looks to the warriors and grins, "drinks are on me when get back tonight alright?" The ballista sends its deadly payload hurtling into the barricade and with a roar, the attackers spring to life. Caspian charges down the avenue, blades flashing out as he scrambles up the ruins of the wall and over the top, into the mess of confused and startled rebels. "For the Compact!" rocks crash onto the street along side him and he looks up, wincing. "Watch the roofs!"

As soon as the projectile is let loose, the force of the blow shattering wooden planks and smashing stone, Aedric charges forward. He is the first of Blackshore's forward deployed to penetrate the enemy lines, and though concealed in part by a grey mist of snow and dust and debris, he is subsequently the first to be injured -- an axe penetrating cuirass and grazing his abdomen. He hisses, but the sound is deafened by shouting and steel clashing against steel.

Mist, smoke, and dust are good cover for an advance and as the crunch and crash of firing on the barricade is done, advance they do. Cat-footed, Vitalis surges ahead, laying about himself with Defiance and a small blade, trip, drag, snare, snag, harry, strike and... disappear. He moves like mist among the hail of stones and arrows, eyes going wide as he sees a barrel teeter and fall towards Yuri. He shouts, "Look out!" Teeth gritted, he slings Defiance out to snare Yuri and pull!

Yuri checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Yuri fails.

Yuri has suffered a serious wound!

Ian parts ways with Caspian in time to take command of the Corsairs before the firing of the ballista, but he might not have been prepared for the moment when it shattered the barricade, because his shout to signal the attack is all but drowned out by smashing timber. What IS more clear is the sight of him advancing through the debris towards the enemy, his alaricite blade, drawn from within his cane at the last minute, flashing in the muddled motes of light in the swirling dust kicked up as the barricade shatters, first lambent white, and then slicked with red. A barrel smashes next to him, spilling rocks of various sizes everywhere, but somehow he knew to take himself away from the spot where it hit, a split second before it did so, grabbing the arm of one of his lieutenants and pulling him out of harm's way, as well. "Have a care, Lieutenant Tash." He's a 'lead by doing' sort of person. Which usually works out better for him when one of his 'lead by leading' family members is present.

The one thing that's beneficial about spending years of time learning all about war, is that a person tends to get a unique perspective when it comes to siege engines. And, if anything, Quenia has studied for years to learn what it takes to keep her city safe, as a small holding in the Lyceum. As they march along toward the eastern gate, it becomes abundantly clear that the barricade is going to be an issue. "If we angle the ballista just to the side a bit and maneuver it down just a hair, I think that might line it up just right for the shot we need," she offers instruction to whomever might be stepping up to take the shot. Seeing no one really volunteer to step into position, she shrugs and steps into place, very carefully adjusting the war machine and calling the orders necessary to get others to help her in doing it. Once she's satisfied, she lets loose with the ballista and the bolt flies through the air, smashing the barricade out of the way. "Alright then," she calmly steps aside, loosing her phoenix motif rapier, seeing has how it's about to get real. As one of the attackers engages her, she deftly and neatly dances out of the way, avoiding being hit.

Raven very nearly gets clobbered by rocks but manages to escape the worst of it. Spying Kastelon's predicament she moves to cover him while he makes his way out of the barrage, "At least it's not boiling oil!" she eyes the buildings warily.

The twang of Kastelon's bow as he's snapping off a shot, and he's advancing along with the others - not as fast as some, perhaps, if only because he's learned. Pieros, and Bastion, the fall and retaking of it, have left him more wary about watching for unexpected horrors, and he's moving more slowly as if to keep a weather eye out for others who are dealing out the harm to them. That he's not paying attention for other -archers-, on the other hand... That doesn't serve him well, though he makes barely a sound when he takes fire in return. "At least it's not," answers he to Raven, through clenched teeth.


The ballista fires and that's the signal Aedric's cohort seems to take for the signal to break formation and rush the enemy. Beatrix was not one for the front line, and so it's just behind them that she stalks beside the Blackshore Baron. The first man to breach the line towards them finds themselves intercepted by a flash of dark hair, dark leather, pale skin and a pale, glistening blade.
Her rapier's tip lances him from a forward charge into a backward stumble. 'Strike, strike, withdraw,' She recalls. The rebel roars back, slinging a massive blade at her in response, but she's a step ahead, artfully gliding past him forward to one side while her blade circles toward finishing the job. At the corner of her eye, she takes stock of Aedric, poising to strike her man down and defend the Baron, if needbe.

Yuri was not one to break the ranks, and upon Aedric's charge; partnered with the loosening of the ballista, he joined along with the other Blackshore forces and knights of East Light to head through the open section within the barricade. But unknown to his eyes at first, within that helm, there was commotion up above. The knight barely had time to react before the crashing sound and a crack amidst the wind had him reeling back and to the side, caught underfoot by something restraining his sabaton. He lurched back, unaware of it was foe or friendly; caught in a snare? No, his vision cleared enough to see Vitalis wrangling him in from the falling barrel; disorientation clouding him in the process as he felt debris crashing around, buffeted by one or two pieces from on high. But immediate harm had been avoided.

The Force and fervor of the initial Arvani assault shatters the first rebel barricade, and although the attackers take a bloody toll in their assault, the defenders are driven from most of the street quickly, putting up a decent rearguard defense, while most harm falls from above. Indeed, the arrow sprouting from Kastelon's wound is fletched with black dove feathers.

Caspian checks strength and athletics at hard. Caspian is successful.

Vitalis checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Vitalis fails.

Aedric checks command and war at hard. Aedric marginally fails.

Ian checks command and leadership at hard. Ian is successful.

Aedric checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Aedric fails.

Ian checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Ian is successful.

Yuri checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Yuri fails.

Aedric checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Aedric fails.

Kastelon checks dexterity and archery at hard. Kastelon marginally fails.

Beatrix checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Beatrix is successful.

Kastelon checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Critical Success! Kastelon is spectacularly successful.

Caspian checks dexterity and small wpn at hard. Caspian is successful.

Beatrix checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Critical Success! Beatrix is spectacularly successful.

Yuri checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Yuri fails.

Ian checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Critical Success! Ian is spectacularly successful.

Caspian checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Caspian is successful.

Quenia checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Quenia is successful.

Quenia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Quenia is successful.

Caspian growls as more attacks pour from the rooftops. "Oh.. think you are so safe up there?" He gives a shout, "Up to the roofs! there is a party just waiting for its guests of honor my friends! Lets not keep them waiting!" he darts toward the nearest wall, jump up and grabbing the small overhanf and hoisting himself up. he shoves off that to grab the window sill and once more again until he clambers up to the top of the roofs. his daggers flash to his hands as he grins to those thinking themselves safely away. "Come now.. don't you know its rude to heckle from the side lines!? Dont be shy, lets dance!" he dashes toward the first clump of men, blades flashing as trails of crimson paint the roof from his first blows.


A broad ribbon of scarlet paints the dirt near Beatrix's dark boots and white coat. Her attacker falls dead and she advances a step nearer to Aedric again, the Corsetina green of her eyes flashing across others nearby. She's not there to lead, but to follow - to kill? Her stance seems to indicate she knows this.
Blade held low, she meets the next wave of rebels actively - forward. It's two men this time, and it's just when she waves past an arrow zipping by - close enough to make her ponytail sway in the backdraft - that she can't help but lose the initiative.
The rebels' swords sing past her, around her, in whispers of deadly air and cold, determined steel seeking her end... but that is all they are. A cutting stroke, the backhand of a gleaming hilt and then a razorous thrust later and Beatrix's left one to stumble to his knees and the other to stumble back towards his allies.

The White Thorn remains untouched.

Aedric checks 'unconsciousness save' at easy. Aedric is successful.

Aedric remains capable of fighting.

Raven sprints ahead in long-legged strides and takes stairs two at a time making her way up to find herself some rock tossing foes or prepare some archers who are overdue for their flying lessons. She charges ahead more with an eye for speed than for caution.

It's Ian's lieutenant, who is a giant of a man, who spots the east gate and points it out to the Kennex lord. "Well." He pats the man's arm. "Time to earn the stories they're going to tell about you in the taverns tomorrow." He gives a couple of quick orders, sketching out a strategy of assault, and then the two men peel away from each other to advance on their target. Ian's still shouting orders as his path takes him towards the wall that Vitalis and Caspian are scaling. He sidesteps a wild swipe of someone's ax, and then a moment later half-sidesteps a falling Vitalis, reaching out to catch him just enough to keep him from wrenching an ankle or something when he hits the ground. He quickly unclips his scarf from where it hangs at his belt and hands it over. "Climb that." And then he's moving on, driving his blade into someone who didn't get out of the way fast enough.

Another shot. That Kastelon misses is something that doesn't bother him quite so much - it's the archer's luck to hit someone and miss now and again, and the gods will favor an arrow or curse it as is their want. Though in the heat of things, the cadence of the shots changes, the Keaton huntsman reaching out with his bow to sharply push Aedric aside to avoid a foe, before swinging it like a melee weapon for a moment. "Take care, my lord," he says, in that even, serious tone of his. "Our hosts here seem not inclined to be kind with their attentions."

"You're just not fast enough on you feet to catch me, either that or you are a poor dancer," Quenia quips lightly to her attacker, as she sweeps in, then back out again, then back in, and each time she does she gives the Tresova warrior tiny little cuts that start to bleed. Her own steps are certain and deft, and she manages to black the last attack from the Tresova man as he finds what he thinks is an opening. "Maybe you should take dance lessons?" she quips in his direction. "It does wonders for the footwork I've found."

In the thick of fighting, it's easy to overlook the finer details. Aedric, shoulder-to-shoulder with another member of the Black Vanguard and focused entirely upon disarming a rebel within arm's reach. Twice he nearly falls victim to the blades and clubs of an unexpected assailant.

Fortunately, two pairs of keen eyes have the baron covered. Kastelon's push precludes a felling blow, and -- within seconds -- Beatrix' rapier swiftly dispatches another. The elder Blackshore, momentarily confused, turns just in time to observe these outcomes, offering both parties a respectful dip of his helm to wordlessly convey his thanks shortly after.

Yuri seemed to also be on the receiving end of punishment, clashing with a rebel blow for blow before it seemed he would be disarmed if the fight continued on in the manner it did. Without much warning, there was a clash to his immediate left, and a dispatched rebel came tumbling down to crash along into the very rebel the knight had been fighting; a vanquished opponent of Beatrix's taken out with collateral damage to the very one Yuri had been clashing with.

There's a long, impossibly long, moment when a bit of masonry crumbles under his hand that Vitalis has to contemplate the wisdom of following Caspian in climbing the face of the building instead of following Raven the Sensible to find stairs. He hasn't even gathered breath for a shout, though, when impact comes, though it's not turf - it's ... Ian and a woolen stank that like to make his eyes water. Half to get it away and half to do as bid, Vitalis grunts a thanks and tosses the -- is it ...crunchy? oh gods above -- scarf over a protruding rafter tail and clambers up, making the roof with no further trouble.

Vitalis kicks the scarf loose to let it flutter back to earth like twisting a horroror borealis back to Ian. He sketches a salute at the Kennex lord, then turns attention to finding the others on the rooftops to better blunt the teeth of traps laid for them.

The force of the Arvani advance is blunted as one of the Tresovan elites, resplendent in plate armor and a red plumed barbute, brandishes a poleaxe and leads a counterattack to stabilize the reeling rebel lines. The chaotic brawl has spilled into a large street running through the eastern gate to the right.

Meanwhile, atop the roofs, a second front of fighting is opened. A handful of archers, and a number of teenagers are confronted with richly armed and armored warriors, and they generally don't like the invitation to dance. The younger rebels promptly run for it, laying a ladder across the alley in hopes of fleeing across to the next rooftop, while the older archers buy a few moments time. From the adjacent rooftop, the one toward which the rebels intend to flee, a dark haired woman nocks a black fletched arrow, and takes aim at Caspian.

Aedric checks command and war at hard. Aedric is successful.

Ian checks command and leadership at hard. Ian is successful.


A long boot steps over one fallen foe and towards another - Yuri's unlucky dance partner. Beatrix leans and pulls from her belt a secondary weapon: her dagger. Soon it is instead sheathed in blood when she finishes the young Tessere Lord's enemy with what could only be a killing stroke, just across his throat. This was not a time for taking prisoners.
The Corsetinas of Tor were perhaps more renowned for jewellery and flowers, but the rosy necklace Beatrix paints across his throat is of a less lovely kind. She offers Yuri a cool, appraising shift of her eyes afterward. Unharmed. She simply nods at him - expressionless - then turns to look toward Aedric, Kastelon, and finally the front. Calm strides move her once more toward the formation of soldiers aligned there, the clatter of steel and the boom of frantic shouts rising all around.

Vitalis wields a blessed diamondplate bow with an earthen green leather grip.

Beatrix checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Beatrix is successful.

Beatrix checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Beatrix fails.

Aedric checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Aedric is successful.

Ian checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Ian is successful.

Yuri checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Yuri is successful.

Aedric checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Aedric is successful.

Yuri checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Yuri fails.

Ian checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Ian is successful.

Kastelon checks dexterity and archery at hard. Kastelon is successful.

Kastelon checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Kastelon fails.

Caspian checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Caspian is successful.

Vitalis checks dexterity and stealth at hard. Vitalis is successful.

Raven checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Raven marginally fails.

Quenia checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Quenia is successful.

Caspian checks dexterity and small wpn at hard. Caspian marginally fails.

Vitalis checks dexterity and archery at hard. Vitalis fails.

Vitalis checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Vitalis is successful.

Quenia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Quenia fails.

Raven checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Raven is successful.

Raven tries to distract the archer, "HEY! IF you know what's good you'll follow the pups, woman!" she barks across, chasing down any stragglers still on the roof and kicking away the ladder *IF* there are any still trying to make it across.

Caspian shoves the body of the last man aside when he sees her. If the way she stood didn't mark her as different, the arrows she began to knock did. Caspian broke into a grin, beginning to rush over the roof tops. his attack are more to clear the way, his eyes staying on her as the arrow comes hurtling toward him. He twists, jerking past the arrow and= vaulting to the next roof, closer to the archer. "Now thats an invitation i just can't say no to!" his eyes burned with excitement as he drew closer.

Yuri checks 'unconsciousness save' at normal. Yuri is successful.

Yuri remains capable of fighting.


The other men Beatrix had engaged were brutes. Hulking, broad-shouldered and powerful, their steps and their swings were predicable, and she'd quickly set into a rhythm that made them look artless. This one was one different. Lean and serpentine, with ropy muscles and swift steps, she isolates the rebel from his fellows with her footwork, leading him apart from the crush of the battlelines, but she can't find the angle in which to drive him back. His spear darts past her at one angle and then another, but her rapier does much the same.
The chaos surrounding Beatrix and her foe thickens and each is forced to withdraw when a pair of riders clash just to one side. Calm and cold, her eyes narrow, following the one that got away for a ways before she bitterly disengages, moving back toward Yuri and Aedric again. She nibbles into her lower lip, something anxious and unsettled in her - her flow disturbed for the first time.

Kastelon checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Kastelon fails.

Kastelon has suffered a serious wound!

Kastelon checks 'unconsciousness save' at hard. Kastelon fails.

Kastelon is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

Kastelon's bow is lifted, the firing off of a shot and another. He's taken a moment or three indeed to snap the shaft of the arrow that's caught him, to make sure it's not sticking out so far, the remainder left as a souvenir for him to take home as remembrance of his having come to this place so far to the east. "Keep an eye out for other archers..." Though the words fall silent as he's taking another shot, and the Keaton huntsman goes down.

Vitalis shadows Caspian and Raven as they make their way along the roofs, grimacing as their harrassers slip away under covering fire, chips of roof tile ricocheting from arrows and rocks thrown their way. He is about to call out when he sees someone who could be the Black Dove but... she hasn't seen *him* and so he loops Defiance and draws his bow, slinking to where he can take a shot at her. Bad angle. He moves again. Bad still. He moves and draws, firing, missing by a hair - some tell of his, some instinct of hers. He hisses and ducks out of sight. Hopefully Caspian's taunting will keep her attention.

Wounded, but not yet incapable of wielding his sword, the sailor shoulder-checks the nearest rebel and promptly presses the advantage, driving his blade through the native Tresovan's midsection. As soon as the dying man collapses, Aedric withdraws the weapon and retreats to the line, cerulean gaze rapidly shifting between the faces of his neighboring combatants -- friendly or otherwise.

The Kennex Corsairs, Jan's squad of mercenaries and other undesirables whipped into shape to serve as House Kennex's ground force, are a hard-eyed group of men and women who are willing to do what they need to do to win the day, and Ian is doing exactly nothing to curb those instincts. With Ian at the tip of a spear composed of himself a good portion of the infantry, they sweep towards the gate, cutting a bloody swathe around them. Off to the side, the lieutenant Ian's been talking to sets up the archers with a protection of pike to take shots at anyone who tries to attack from atop the roof or out windows. Kennex did not come here to play, and the spasms of mercy Ian has shown from time to time are not currently in evidence. He slices the sharp alaricite blade into someone while at the same time he lifts his hand and casually plucks his scarf out of the air. Maybe the stories of the connection between the lord and his very stinky scarf have some basis, because it almost seems to come towards him as if by intent, and he certainly wasn't looking at it when he casually collected it.

Yuri seemed to draw in ire at every turn, more within the realm of parrying off a peppering of blows against him more so than taking any ground for himself as the knights of the Order soldiered on with the rest of the Blackguard of Blackshore. Hesitation lay within each strike that he managed to carry out, an unforeseen weight leveraged within every swing that made him more a liability to himself than anything else around him. His opponents were dispatched by strikes from flanking sides, presenting him with a moment to gather his composure and waning strength.

That taunting seems to have done the trick as the young Tresovan warrior does eventually manage to find a spot to attack Quenia, hitting a spot just beneath her armor in the right way. The Igniseri Marquessa grunts at the injury, wincing somewhat when she takes it, but doesn't let that deter her. She stabs hard at the man, injuring him further to the point that he has to nurse his own wounds. Not wanting to be left behind, she falls in after the rest of the group afterwards, seeking new targets - not waiting to see if the young Tresovan gets up or not.

"CARIDEO AND TRESOVA," The axeman shouts while the Arvani advance slowly grinds on, pushing past the pillar of the eastern gate, and threatening to wholly drive the rebels from this quarter.

High above, the Black Dove flinches as an Arvani arrow flies entirely too close for comfort from an unexpected angle. She nocks another and draws, starting to aim at Kastelon, but then Caspian looks reads to cross the ladder and threaten her directly. She tries to loose an arrow at the duelist, and kick the ladder down before he can...

Caspian checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Caspian fails.

Aedric checks command and war at hard. Aedric is successful.

Ian checks command and leadership at hard. Ian is successful.

Yuri checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Yuri is successful.

Quenia checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Critical Success! Quenia is spectacularly successful.

Quenia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Quenia is successful.

Beatrix checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Beatrix is successful.

Yuri checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Yuri is marginally successful.

Ian checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Ian is successful.

Beatrix checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Beatrix is successful.

Aedric checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Aedric is successful.

Aedric checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Aedric is successful.

Ian checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Ian is successful.

Caspian checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Caspian is successful.

Vitalis checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Vitalis marginally fails.

Caspian checks strength and athletics at daunting. Caspian marginally fails.

Raven checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Raven is successful.

Raven checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Raven is successful.

Yuri staggered through a second wind after a time, mustering whatever adrenaline that stemmed him off from the biting, wracking pain of his injuries to engage in a clash of Blackguard and rebels. He picked one out on complete chance, throwing his lingering strength within each blow from his sword that saw his empty-handed gauntlet strike blows where his sword could not reach. A true strike had a rebel pinned between steel and an alley wall as his fist hammered away on the unprotected face of the revel with shattering effect.

Maybe it's archers helping archers. Maybe Lieutenant Tash has specific orders about collecting downed nobility (it's the second one). But one way or another, after Kastelon falls, some of the pike detach with a couple of archers to dash into the field of battle and drag him to safety, behind their lines.

In the meantime, at the tip of the Kennex spear, Ian roughly jerks his blade free from the person he sliced into a minute ago and lifts his left hand, clad in alaricite, to shield himself from a strike coming on from someone trying to take advantage the moment. However, it's not the alaricite that turns the attack aside. Because his scarf, THE scarf, is still wrapped around his left hand from when he caught it, and it's quite clearly the smell wafting off said scarf, combined with its eye-watering array of colors, that drives the attacker back long enough for Ian to get his sword free. By then, one of the corsairs has already run the man through, freeing Ian to shout more commands, once again sounding remarkably like his older brother Aethan, and drive their advance with a new burst of energy.

Raven turns on heel and charges back down the stairs, one arm out to the side to help counter-balance as she descends the stairs at breakneck speed. She pauses to get her bearings then sprints along the streets following the sounds of chaos.

Caspian growls as he rushes for the ladder, seeing her go to kick it. "No No No No no!!! GAH!" he lunges for the ladder, but its already spinning away. his disappointment being immeasurable, his day is now ruined. oh but whats this.. he was expecting there to be a ladder there. he now finds himself leaning perilously off the edge, his fate sealed for the pavement below. his arms flailed as he tried to balance.. but it was not to be. but then.. by some miracle.. something grabbed him. Vitalis swept forward, his strong arm yanking the idiot off the ledge and helping him to find his footing. caspian stood gasping and nodding his thanks "Gods.. thank you!" he smiled warmly, nodded once, turned and then bolted for the edge. "Save a Dance for me little dove!!" he vaulted towards the ledge, every muscle forcing himself up and up. his fingers grasped the edge.. but.. just.. not enough. he scrabbled, he kicked.. and he fell. all that work from vitalis.. he owed him a drink. he shook his fist in the air.. then hit the first window sill. he grunted, rolling off that to drop down the edge of the next roof. that broke his fall nicely.. but it was fairly cheaply made and he cracked the edge and kept falling. ahh the stable! he hit the roof, expecting the soft thatch and wood to catch him. through that he went, crashing into the cows watering trough hidden inside. he flailed around, stumbling to his feat and rushing outside, hay, clay and thatch clinging to the man, making him more a scarecrow than a man. he nodded to raven as he descended, trying to play it off. he rubbed his back and winced.. "So uh.. what took you so long?" he hobbled on down the street..


The lines are growing messy and splintered in what amounts to a mass streetfight. More a duelist than a warrior, the space allowed suits Beatrix just fine. Another Tresovan - a dark-haired woman slightly larger than Beatrix herself - finds herself isolated from the line of spears supporting her. A pair of arrows whip past just overhead when the Corsetina strikes across at her, then down, then forward in a thrust. The rebel's weapon clatters to the stones making up the street here, and a streak of her blood soon follows it. She staggers away a few steps, holding her side before falling to the earth, defeated amidst the roar of the battle just beyond her.
Beatrix takes a look back at a few of the fallen nearby, some gone and some still breathing - Kastelon among them, being hauled away - before moving back toward the front. There's a calm and a confidence there, but uncertainty too, amidst the cries of the dying and the fighting all around her.

Raven pauses and blink-blinks and STARES at Caspian, "Did..." She looks up, "Did you FALL

Raven pauses and blink-blinks and STARES at Caspian, "Did..." She looks up, "Did you FALL?! Are you ok?"

Vitalis isn't one for cursing, but it's surprise that forces dark syllables from him as he scrambles to snatch Caspian from the tumble of a ladder kicked away under him as the Black Dove flees. He rolls off behind cover and checks his bow, brow furrowed. And as he's ensuring the snatch and roll didn't harm his bow, Vitalis nods his your-welcomes to Caspian and blinks as the blinkered man dusts himself off and with a few gritty footsteps, launches and leaps!

In a great breakthrough, the eastern district is suddenly taken as the last stubborn defense cracks hard. Full fledged retreat begins to the barricades near the northern gate, as an entire block is captured in the time it takes to run the length of a narrow street. On the rooftops, the Black Dove has a moment in which the ladder is kicked away, and she smiles in triumph. The smile fades as Caspian recklessly attempts the wide leap. There's a moment when he might eat it, but then... She can't suppress a sharp laugh, and blows Vitalis a kiss before joining the fighting retreat toward the northern gate.

Quenia is being much more careful of her advance now, her wound still dripping with a bit of blood. Her steps and her attacks are deliberate, an upward swipe here, a feint there, a step back and to the side, then moving in, she stabs at one attacker, before deftly moving into the next. Her moves are precise precision, much like the dance she was taunting the previous warrior about, each movement smoothly falling into the next. "It looks like we've taken the gates!" she calls out to the others as she notices their advancement and the enemies retreat. "They're routing to the next barricade!'

Yuri checks 'unconsciousness save' at normal. Yuri is successful.

Yuri remains capable of fighting.

As the allies of Blackshore approach the eastern walls and ramparts, the rebels -- cajoled on by some nameless officer loyal to Caius Carideo -- fight ferociously. But it is not enough to ensure victory. Their line breaks. Some of peasants, hunters, and laborers retreat to the countryside. Others scramble to reach a neighboring garrison. Perhaps they would rally there and attempt to return later in force. But it is no time to prepare for a counterattack -- that would come after the city was secured. Aedric calls for the gate to be closed and orders a small contingent of troops to linger in case any sympathizers attempt to undo the progress that the royalists have made.

Aedric checks command and war at hard. Aedric is successful.

Ian checks command and war at hard. Ian is successful.

In trying to follow the retreat of the Black Dove, Vitalis exhales relief as he spies a bruised but undaunted Caspian picking himself up out of the rubble taunting Raven as she emerges into the street. A shout goes up from the eastern gate! They've taken it! He inhales and exhales sharply, getting up to slip out of the building and back with his compatriots as the move north. Giving just enough of a silhouette for a pair of lingering archers to take aim and find him with one of their arrows. He winces and ducks to cover again, catching the blown kiss of the Black Dove as she disappears north. He grunts and mutters as he joins the others.

Raven checks perception and investigation at hard. Raven marginally fails.

Caspian checks perception and investigation at hard. Caspian is marginally successful.

Vitalis checks perception and stealth at hard. Critical Success! Vitalis is spectacularly successful.

Aedric checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Aedric is successful.

Yuri checks strength and athletics at hard. Yuri is successful.

Quenia checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Quenia fails.

Ian checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Critical Success! Ian is spectacularly successful.

Caspian checks strength and athletics at hard. Caspian is successful.

Yuri checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Yuri fails.

Aedric checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Aedric marginally fails.

Yuri checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Yuri is successful.

Aedric checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Aedric fails.

Quenia checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Quenia fails.

Raven checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Raven is successful.

Quenia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Quenia marginally fails.

Caspian checks dexterity and small wpn at hard. Caspian marginally fails.

Raven checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Raven marginally fails.

Caspian checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Caspian marginally fails.

Raven checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Raven is successful.

Vitalis checks dexterity and archery at hard. Vitalis is successful.

Vitalis checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Vitalis is successful.

Ian checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Critical Success! Ian is spectacularly successful.

Ian checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Critical Success! Ian is spectacularly successful.

Beatrix checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Beatrix is successful.

Beatrix checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Beatrix is successful.

Beatrix checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Beatrix is successful.

Ian doesn't allow the corsairs to just go charging off to the north into the gods only know what. Instead, there's a pause long enough for him to reunite with Lieutenant Tash for a brief exchange of words. It's Tash who rounds up some of the walking wounded to take themselves, their more injured companions, and Kastelon back to whatever medical facilities have been set up closer to the harbor. The corsairs have reorganized by the time they're moving again, with the archers taking places on rooftops where they can shoot down at the barricade and the pike rejoining the infantry, where they can put the reach of their weapons to good use. The advance continues in good order, once again with Ian leading his men as a pretty good knockoff Aethan Kennex.

As they approach the barricade, Ian slips his cane into a loop in his belt designed for that purpose, and scales it easily; at one point, while swinging himself one handed up away from someone trying desperately to stab him through the barricade, he grabs Quenia by the scruff of the neck and deposits her without fanfare on top of the barricade. "No bonfires," he says in passing, before sliding down the other side, drawing his sword as he goes such that his momentum from moving down the barricade allows him to slam into the enemy with devastating force. He drives his sword to the hilt into the back of one of the defenders, and then swings her around bodily as she dies, such that she becomes a human shield, turning aside a strike that came from behind Aedric, one that the Baron had no hope of seeing. There's a lot of blood, but way less of it is Aedric's than would otherwise have been the case. And the Tresovan defender is all the way dead, now.

Aedric checks 'unconsciousness save' at normal. Aedric is successful.

Aedric remains capable of fighting.

Quenia checks 'unconsciousness save' at easy. Quenia is successful.

Quenia remains capable of fighting.


For at least Beatrix, this has been the first dose of the horrors of war. Blood and bodies and screaming dims whatever sense of glory she might have had in striking down what number of rebels she did. Grime coats the lower hem of her fur longcoat, traces of blood mingled amidst. She draws a slow breath and surveys the former streetborn battlefield, her eyes distant.

So swiftly though, it's on to the next, a certain sense of determination building in her. She scales the barricade easily and advances beside and behind Ian's lead, an unexpected rebel coming up on the flank just when her feet are finding steady ground. But it's some younger man, some son of a peasant, she imagined. He looked so afraid, so surprised when he fell to the ground with slash through his throat on one side.

Vitalis is an ambush predator, and as such, has an eye for such a trap particularly when laid by an individual. For a brief moment, he imagines the streets as she might and hisses to Aedric and Ian, "She'll come from there and... there. Be on guard." And with that he ducks behind a fragment of the barricade and disappears from sight briefly. A prayer on his lips, Vitalis rises up like smoke, draws, shoots. He ducks down, trusting the arrow to find its mark as he, slinks along listening for reports from Aedric or Ian to adjust his trajectory, keep an eye out for Raven and Caspian as they stalk the Black Dove.

Seeing the next barricade, Quenia reaches into a pack and pulls out a rag. She wipes the blood off of her sword before tucking the rag back into her pack. She settles the sword at her side for the moment to make the best use of her hands to get over the barricade, but try as she might she's finding the task much more difficult than anticipated. "ARGH!" she calls out in frustration as she slides down the spat she'd chosen to go over yet again. It's perhaps at this time Ian grabs her by the scruff of her neck and pulls her up and across the barricade. "WOAH" Quenia is all about the one word responses for the moment, at least until she catches her bearings. "Hey, thanks!" she tells Ian. "I guess I need a but more practice with those things," she quips before she sees someone coming in their direction. While Ian is busy eviscerating and dodging opponents, one slips past his guard and engages with Quenia. She does her best to arm herself again, pulling her sword where she'd secured it, but she doesn't manage to get it up in time to block the attack, her attacker getting a cut in one of the kinks in her leg armor. There's another grunt from her and she attempts to lunge forward with a counter attack, but swings far too wide as she's off balance by the wound to her leg, missing her attacker.

Raven briefly sheathes her weapon, climbs up over the barrier, favoring one arm and then swinging her legs over and dropping down and tugging her sword out of her sheath and strides forward, green eyes scanning the area.

Caspian moves along, seemingly every bit of him sore and bruised from his.. err.. rapid descent. He gives raven a small shruf, "well.. i thought i could make. this close.. " he chuckled ..then an arrow cut his mirth short. oh yes.. they were still in a war. he focused up, charging down the causeway to the next barricade. as adrenaline once more pounded in his system the soreness was forgotten as he kicked, clawed stabbed and pushed his way up and over the barricade to land behind it. he looked around.. she was here. he knew she was here.. wel he HOPED she was here. likely.. over there maybe. he ducked as an arrow came whistling toward him, catching his shoulder armor and deflecting but leaving a nasty gash where it cut through the leather. he darted to the side, a defender straying into his reach and being dispatched with a quick efficient stroke. as Vitalis points out with much more specificity where to look, Caspian smiles, "Ah thank you! lets go say hello!"

Another barricade to clear. The mariner, though adorned in platemail, is nonetheless nimble enough to vault it without making a complete fool of himself. He lands gracefully. He is struck in the back, but (thankfully) remains standing -- no doubt because Ian Kennex intervened before the assailant's blade could penetrate deeper. The Sword of Stormward, like Kastelon and Beatrix before, is offered a dip of his helm in thanks. And then Vitalis has called for his attention, the lord gesturing toward two shadowed alcoves above. 'She?' This prodigal assassin. One of Caius' cutthroats, in all likelihood. The baron nods, silently acknowledging the Clement's words.

Yuri moved purely on the graces of his own adrenaline, feeling the points upon his body where his wounds were the most prevalent, but he maintained the course with the other knights over the barricade. The pursuit of the fleeing rebels was harried by a reinforcement line at the barricade, already entrenched into the thick of the fray as a strike meant for himself was glanced out of the way in the briefest of seconds.

It is only moments later that Quenia realizes what Ian said once he put her atop the barricade and she sort of stares in his direction, mouth gaped wide open in a protest of surprise. "I wouldn't. I wasn't. I won't!" she splutters after him, her face paling. Of course, by that time she reacts, Ian's already off saving Aedric. She'll have to comment later; perhaps with more fully formed thoughts.

Once again, a rapid advance is met with a desperate counterattack as the Tresovan rebels fight with desperate ferocity to avoid being pushed out of the northern gate district. There are fewer missiles and stones from above now, as the speed of the Arvani assault has prevented heavier ambuscades being prepared, but the fight at this lighter, hastier barricade is bloody. Tbe heavily armored Carideo captain leading this band remains on his feet, seeing the havoc Ian is wreaking on the lighter armed rebels, he wades toward the Kennex Lord in a last ditch effort to keep hold of the northern gate.

The Black Dove had chosen a ground floor window to fire out of, thinking to flank some unwary Arvani Lord, but promptly finds herself as the one ambushed when Vitalis' arrow flies near enough to bloody her cheek, nearly taking her eye. While most war archers fire heavy bows from a stationary stance, she is able to fire on the run, a practiced hunter are to draw, nock, and loose without looking down. She flees out the house's back door into an adjacent alley, hoping to escape close quarters.

Vitalis checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Vitalis marginally fails.

Aedric checks command and war at hard. Aedric marginally fails.

Ian checks command and leadership at hard. Ian is successful.

Caspian checks strength and athletics at hard. Caspian fails.

Raven checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Raven marginally fails.

Vitalis calls out the Black Dove's moves, wary of her leading them into a trap as he stows his bow - a mistreatment no true archer would stomach, but he is no true archer, Vitalis - and gives chase. He scrambles after the Black Dove with other, intent on running her to ground -- it's a risky gambit and he gives Caspian and Raven a terse nod as they pound their way down the alley.

Vitalis checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Vitalis is successful.

Aedric checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Aedric is successful.

Quenia checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Quenia is successful.

Ian checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Ian fails.

Aedric checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Aedric is successful.

Quenia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Quenia marginally fails.

Ian checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Ian marginally fails.

Beatrix checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Botch! Beatrix fails completely.

Beatrix checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Beatrix is successful.

Yuri checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Yuri is successful.

Yuri checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Yuri fails.

Raven spots the Dove rounding a corner and instinctively tears off-either not caring about the Captain or Trusting the Boss to handle The Boss. As soon as it becomes clear she can't catch the Dove, "Enough of this fucking grabass! Back to the main melee to offer support!" She grunts, shifting weight restlessly as if instinct argues with prudence.

Caspian looks to where the dove is.. or more accurately.. where Vitalis shoots. he charges after her, shoving his way through the crowd after her. "Time to catch a bird!" sadly.. this bird is VERY fast.. or maybe caspian is just slow...

Quenia checks 'unconsciousness save' at normal. Quenia is successful.

Quenia remains capable of fighting.

Yuri checks 'unconsciousness save' at daunting. Yuri fails.

Yuri is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

There's not a lot that's more inspiring to an army of bloodthirsty ex-mercenaries than being led by the dude who is kicking literally ALL of the ass, and the corsairs have scented blood on the water. The cry that ripples across their ranks is primal in the way that it rises and falls, and they tear into the defenders like a pack of wild dogs.

At the same time, Ian sights the captain wading towards him and lifts his bloody sword, half a salute, half a threat. With corsairs flanking him to keep opportunistic attacks at bay, he closes in to face the well-armored captain. And here, finally, his momentum is brought up short. It's one thing to hack through a bunch of people dressed in piecemeal scraps of whatever they could get their hands on, but fighting a suit of armor like that is more of an actual duel, and as Ian faces off against the other man, it's clear that he's testing his defenses, looking for flaws in his armor, analyzing his fighting style. His first attack skitters off the armor maybe never REALLY intended to hit at all, and while he parries the counter with his armored left hand, the improvised buckler isn't enough to save him from the force of the heavier weapon and what's probably a very, very nasty bruise, or even a fracture. Still, Ian has gone from just peacefully calm to peacefully calm and also smiling, which makes it pretty clear that he's exactly where he wants to be.


The quarters become more tight when the Carideo captain closes the distance on Ian and the Compact frontline. Beatrix's careful steps and bladework become terribly closed-off. When a front of allied spearman are unexpectedly thrown back, it's with a stumble and a stagger that Beatrix loses her blade to a sudden lunge and grab by a burly Trevosan amazon, who wrestles it to the floor by grabbing the Corsetina's wrist. The rebel heaves an axeblade at her face in the following moment, but Beatrix ducks aside, sweat on her brow and teeth bared while her eyes trace a path through the battle toward her fallen rapier.

Her opponent, though, just patiently advances, eyes level and axe in hand.

Yuri was stopped in his tracks suddenly, face to face with a larger rebel than he had mass to deal with. Dancing around this mountain would not be possible, and so, with waning adrenaline and strength, the knight placed an offensive against the brute. One solid strike from the axe caused Yuri to list backward with sudden force; his helm cast from his head as the brute rebel placed hands on what little of the lord's neck he could grab before crashing a meaty fist into Yuri's face. He did not stir after that, hitting the floor hard.

A blow is parried and swiftly redirected. When given the opportunity to riposte, Aedric seizes it -- striking the rebel across his face with the pommel of his longsword and instantaneously knocking him unconscious. In the baron's periphery, Yuri falls. Slowly, steadily, the mariner shuffles in the knight's direction -- soon taking a defensive stance nearest the Tessere's crumpled frame.

Ian's earlier comment atop the barricade seems to have Quenia so flummoxed that she doesn't even see the next attacker coming her way, the previous one having been engaged by one of the Igniseri men who've been helping here and there throughout. For her distraction, she takes a slash to the shoulder, which thankfully has steel armor protecting it. That's going to be one hard bruise to recover from later. However, that hit is enough to wake her up to the realities that she's still fighting in a battle, bringing her back to her senses. She turns toward her attacker as she gets her head back into the game, grumbling. "Like to beat a woman while she's distracted, eh? I'll at least give you a fair advantage," she tells the man who'd hit her just moments ago as she steps around him, turns, and then stabs him across his booted heel. The gash is enough that it sends blood gushing from the wound. She steps away from him to look for the next target as she momentarily pauses to watch Ian engage with the captain. She waits a moment to see how he fares, already judging the captain to be much too big a threat for her to join in with. For now. This day. At least.

For the first time this day, the defenders of Tresova have forced the invaders backward. It's not a great distance, only a few steps, but it is the first break in what had thus far been a relentless retreat, and rebel spirits spike when the poleaxe bearing captain returns Ian's salute, and swings with strength and skill enough to force the Sword of Stormward backward.

The Black Dove continues her flight, delaying only a moment to loose another arrow at the first Arvani to round a corner behind her, before resuming her run through the mist swathed alley's.

In the distance, the fiery heart of the island rumbles audibly.

Vitalis checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Botch! Vitalis fails completely.

Caspian checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Caspian is successful.

Aedric checks command and war at hard. Aedric fails.

Ian checks command and leadership at hard. Ian is successful.

Beatrix checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Beatrix is successful.

Aedric checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Aedric marginally fails.

Aedric checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Aedric is successful.

Caspian checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Caspian marginally fails.

Caspian checks dexterity and small wpn at hard. Caspian is successful.

Raven checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Raven is successful.

Raven checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Critical Success! Raven is spectacularly successful.

Ian checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Ian is successful.

Ian checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Ian marginally fails.

Vitalis pulls ahead of Raven as she peels off to go fight alongside the brass, ahead of Caspian and is turning to call something over his shoulder as his foot finds empty air ahead of him and he disappears -- and not in a way he'd normally be known to. But vanish he does, right into the belly of a pit trap, knocking his head on the way down and landing in a heap at the bottom. Unbroken, but knocked smooth out. No one saw that, right? Wait. No. SOMEONE SAW THAT, RIGHT?


A tumble and a swipe of one hand sees Beatrix passing another axe-heave by and collecting her rapier with a swish of leather. She's breathing hard now from the fighting, but she hasn't yet lost a step, nor a limb. Almost miraculously unbloodied, she steadies her rapier out, narrowing her eyes while she squares up with another figure on the front line, her last foe facing engagement from someone now nearer. Ever-chaotic, Beatrix spins and her eyes flash around, seeking another target to isolate from the thick of the fighting.

With Ian's focus now on the enemy captain, the bulk of the leadership duties have fallen on Tash, his second in command, but fortunately, Tash was given some very good orders. A contingent of pike appear, surrounding Aedric and Yuri for long enough for someone to turn up who can carry the Lord from the field before any more harm can come to him, and the infantry continue to attack with force; even with the island rumbling in ominous fashion, nobody wants to desert the Sword of Stormward just at the moment of greatest danger. Not after how far they've all come.

In the meantime, Ian, fully a soldier, faces off with the captain. His sharp, fast moving eyes take in the sight of Raven approaching from behind him, and he shifts his position in a way to open the flank attack, while at the same time baiting their opponent into an overhand strike, probably intending to take at least part of the force of the blow in exchange for the chance to do what he does -- drive his alaricite sword through the maille just at the armpit, between plates.

Quenia checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Quenia fails.

Quenia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Critical Success! Quenia is spectacularly successful.

Aedric checks 'unconsciousness save' at normal. Aedric is successful.

Aedric remains capable of fighting.

Caspian darts forward as the dove vanishes around the corner. Vitalis is ahead of him and he rounds the corner. but.. vitalis is not there.. and in his place an arrow is flashing toward him. he throws himself against the walll, the arrow catching him across the thigh but not enough to slow him. he finally closes enough to launc an attack of his own, a strike catching the dove across the shoulder. "now.. we can have our dance!"

Raven is not one of those 'look your foe in your eye'. Not above stabbing a man in the back she swings downward, attempting to wound the shoulder at the joint of his sword arm, "Mind if I cut in, my lord?" She remains behind the Captain, trying to keep him between her and Ian and forcing the Captain into a very unpleasant situation.

Another person steps in to take the place of the one that Quenia manages to kill. She settles into a nice back and forth with them, where they circle and dance between maneuvers, neither one gaining any ground with each other. Quenia feints to the right and tries to get an uppercut swing in, missing completely, and then nearly sidesteps their attack at her midside. It is then that she sees that Aedric is in more than a bit of a bind, and she turns that neat side step into a maneuver that puts her closer to him where she can pull him out of of the way of the next attack as best as possible, gently guiding him back and off to the side. Moving him maybe just enough out of the way to avoid getting damaged at all. "Hey. You," she says to Aedric's attacker, giving him a stern look. "That's just about enough out of you. You should start rethinking your life choices," she chides the Aedric's attacker sternly in her best Marquessa voice.

The Carideo captain grunts in pain as Raven joins Ian against him, wounding the heavily armored axeman and leaving him open to further violence at Ian's swordhand. Managing only a paltry hurt to the Kennex in return, the Tresovan staggers backward, seeking to bring both goes in front of himself. No longer able to swing the big weapon with any power, he is reduced to thrusting with its top spike, jabbing at the eyes and faces in an effort to ward his attackers off. Once again, the Tresovans are desperately clinging to the defense of the Northern gate, several of the wounded retreating either east, or out the gate into the countryside.

The Black Dove hisses in pain through clenched teeth as Caspian's dagger scores her shoulder, the right side of her face already awash in blood below the cheekbone from Vitalis' arrow. Too close to use her bow, she quips back, "Dancing needs music, Blackshore: sing for me," as she aims a sharp kick at Caspian s bloody thigh, hoping to use the wound to outrun her dogged pursuer.

The brute responsible for Yuri's untimely unconsciousness is dispatched with a single lunge forward, longsword penetrating leather jerkin and severing great vessels in one fluid motion. And then the baron is moved aside -- but not by an enemy. He glances between the Marquessa and the assailant she had identified, confusion hidden beneath the shadow of his helm. When it dawns upon him that her calculated motions have prevented potentially catastrophic injury, he makes a mental note to thank the woman -- after the battle.

The Captain's only response to his scolding is a pained, "Then leave our home."

Aedric checks command and war at hard. Aedric fails.

Ian checks command and leadership at hard. Ian is successful.

Caspian checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Caspian fails.

Aedric checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Aedric is successful.

Quenia checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Quenia fails.

Aedric checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Aedric fails.

Beatrix checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Beatrix fails.

Ian checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Ian fails.

Quenia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Quenia is successful.

Ian checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Ian is successful.

Beatrix checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Beatrix fails.

Raven checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Raven is successful.

Caspian checks dexterity and small wpn at hard. Caspian is successful.

Raven checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Raven is successful.

The thankless task of commanding the corsairs has fallen on the broad shoulders of Lieutenant Tash, but he's got an easy job; he's been given very good orders, and the actual commander is over there in the thick of battle facing off against the Tresovan captain. It's a story they're all going to be telling for a long time, and the corsairs are determined that it would take quite a bit of shine off that story if it didn't end in an overwhelming Compact victory. And so they fight on, their howls sometimes fading into brief pockets of chanting, although in the noise of confusion of battle, it's only really clear to them WHAT they're chanting.

"Only if you plan on waltzing this asshole off a cliff," Ian says in response to Raven's question about cutting in. He's fought alongside her often enough that their tactics fighting side by side are flawless; his attack is almost an afterthought, designed to bait the spike to jab in his direction. It does, and he's able to flow out of the way, step aside and in, and grab the weapon's long halt with his left hand while holding the captain off with his sword. It's only a moment of immobilization, but if Raven's aim is true, it might be enough.


The battles have burned on and Beatrix's confusion amidst the chaos has begun to take a toll on her reflexes. Laden with sweat and breathing heavily from deep in her chest, she stumbles messily into the blow of a pikeman covering the Tresovan retreat, catching her high along one side of her ribs.

Baring her teeth, Beatrix stumbles to one knee, clutching at a tear in her fur coat - palming over it and quickly - but calmly - feeling her fingers beneath for a sense of the severity. She kneels, looking around and huddled in place. Sweat drips from her chin, battlefield grime streaking one pale cheek and she takes in a ragged breath while she looks onward at the withdrawing islanders, then aside at those in command of the Compact forces. Ian and Aedric still stand. Was this what counted as a victory in war? Her pain is dulled at the moment, adrenaline pumping through her.

Raven steps forward and extends her arm, taking full advantage Ian having his blade engaged so Raven can get close enough to bring her blade around, "Aye-aye, M'lord! One dead Captain coming right up!" Even as by the time she finishes her reply there's an ugly cut right underneath his jaw, she slams him into the blade with a check of her shoulder, using the force of his own weight against her blade to help things along. It's a very messy business but if any foes survive to see it perhaps it'll leave an impression.

Caspian gives a grin to the Dove, "Glady! after all whats a fight without a song!" for a moment it looks like he will actually get the fight he is looking for. but then.. her attack comes swift and hard aimed for his thigh. he grunted in pain, his leg collapsing as he dropped to his knee. he lashed out as she turned, the chain blade slicing through the air to leave a scarlet line across her back as she fled. "This isn't over!"

Fatigue, magnified by blood loss and the battle's duration, has finally caught up to the baron. Though the elder Blackshore still stands, his swings have slowed and his breathing is labored. He redirects a blow from one of the remaining rebels but fails to retaliate, his strike countered and effortlessly redirected.

It seems likely that there will be a lot of time spent in the Training Center in Quenia's future as she turns to attack another of the oncoming Tresovan warriors. The young ones are so much faster than her at times, so much so that she's swishing at another and missing them as they dodge her attack. Of course, they might just be feeling the same frustration as she is. She barely registers the Captain's response until that round of attacks is over, turning to give the man a curious look, and is just about to respond to him, up until the time that he falls over, dead, from combined efforts of Ian and others. She snaps her mouth shut and furrows hr brow, watching as their attackers start retreating and making note of where they are going.


It's with a lean and slow draw of her foot to one side that Beatrix grimaces and draws herself back upright, the white fur of her coat stained with crimson along one side from the pike thrust she'd taken in her fatigue and the mess of the enemy's retreat. Her sword rises slowly, the end toting towards the line of islanders opposite Aedric and Ian's.
She swipes a sleeve across her brow, clearing away sweat and standing up taller, sidelong into the stance of a fencer. Her tongue goes over her lips and she clutches the sword up tighter, though her grasp on that elegant hilt is a bit more shaky than before.

The captain meets a gruesome fate, but any rebels of high standing must have expected no less in turning renegade. The last of his fighters flee with their Captain's fall, but that sacrifice has had its effect: the lines were stable long enough for the remaining rebel fighters to overturn a wagon, and place a line of archers atop the roofs facing the Arvani position. With the Blackshore momentum spent, it grows increasingly clear that they can hold what ground they have taken, but they cannot sweep the whole of the city, today.

The Black Dove screeches in raw profanity as Caspian catches her across the back and counts herself lucky to have escaped.

At first the cause is unknown, but there is a distant, wordless shout from the south-west, that spreads as the bearer rebels take it up. Eventually the cause will be seen: the Blackshore banner has been struck down over Bloodstone Bastion.

Raven turns around and looks supremely annoyed, "How the fuck did THAT happen?!" She grits her teeth in irritation. She's a little banged up but not battered and wearied as most, "Well damnitall!" She looks to Ian, "NOW what?" clearly looking to him for leadership.

With the captain fallen, Ian steps away with a curt nod to Raven to quickly touch base with Tash and get a quick update on the situation. While the two of them are talking, news of the stricken banner starts to spread, and someone in the Corsairs starts a new chant, this one taken up by enough men and women that the words can be deciphered: "ONE! OF! OURS! TEN! OF! THEIRS!" After that, it's all Ian his second can do just to rein them in and redirect their fury to locking down control of the territory they've managed to take.

Caspian comes back out from the alley way, grumbling under his breath. he looks around the square, "Did we win?"


Beatrix's sword lowers as the fighting seems to've dimmed to a stop. The foothold they'd acquired here would have to do. Her green eyes flash around at her surroundings and her shoulders sag while she sways a step back from the battle lines, clutching at a trail of blood running down the side of her leathers beneath the coat. A breath seethes through her teeth. The hour was late on this battle, but she hoped a Corsetina - foreign to both this island and Thrax, and not of highborn status - would have the pull to see a medic before they'd become quite overwhelmed with casualties.

As the order is given to retreat to the eastern gate and market district, Aedric moves with the bulk of the Black Vanguard and its collection of allies, his attention fixed upon the distant silhouette of the keep overlooking the city. The dark circles beneath the baron's eyes convey a tiredness magnitudes beyond what would be consistent for his age, and this weariness -- some invisible burden -- slows even the rate and fluidity of his gait. He removes his helm and drags the knuckles of a stained gauntlet across his face, pausing only to draw in another unobstructed breath of wintery air once safely within the confines of the nearest outpost.

Quenia settles down somewhere near by. She grabs the rag from her backpack again and starts to clean off her sword a second time that night. She glances over at Caspian. "We made ground. That's a victory, even if not a full one. We just need to keep it now and press the advance after some rest." Quenia's eyeing the area toward where the Bastion stands. She also looks to the barricaded archers. "I'd say we're at a stand off at the moment."