The evening of the Artshall Defense meeting is a cold one. This time of year, the sun sets and the world seems to freeze in the darkness, but it is snug and cozy inside the castle where Duke Cristoph Laurent is conducting the meeting. The city itself is still a bustling place of commerce even at this time in the evening, with tourists and natives all partaking of the busy nightlife of the city, cultivated by Lady Mabelle Laurent's efforts to build Artshall's reputation as an artistic destination over the past few years. Bards sing in busy taverns. Dancers put on elaborate theatrical performances and artists' host guests in their galleries. It's an eclectic sort of peace, a sign of the city's prosperity.

At least until the guards in the watchtowers situated all over the city begin to sound the alarm. At first, there isn't much movement as if the city is too shocked to react.

And then comes to terrible rumble at the western wall. A sound like the crack of lightning radiates from the western wall and, for those who can see such things, there seems to be bluish sparks that emanate from the spot. Another terrible crack against the wall followed by the sound of rumbling thunder as cracks start to spiderweb over the walls, radiating from the western wall all around. Then, all at once... the walls collapse and the sound of hissing permeates the air. There are figures there in the darkness, moving through the shadows. The suggestion of horrors bearing down on the now vulnerable city.

Sir Corban Telmar is the First Captain of the King's Own, first and foremost, of course, but he is originally of the Oathlands, and so when there was call to meet in Artshall to help organize the defenses, it is only natural that the former Telmar Voice might go. "And you are saying this is //genuine// Artshall honey, from the Duke's hive himself?" the knight is saying, perhaps skeptically, to a merchant. But that is when the alarm goes up and Sir Corban begins to run. Even in his heavy diamondplate armor, he runs.

Being invested in the defense of the Oathlands during these war-stricken times, Drake Wyvernheart is among those armies within Artshall. While this was only supposed to be a meeting of the minds, not unlike many he's attended over the past few months, the sound of attackers from without make for an interruption to the planning. Drake feels grateful that he's remembered to bring leather and steel to this particular meetup. Throwing his heavy cloak over his shoulders, he races to the defense of the outer wall. The hissing, the shadows... it's something more than human, something more than simple still will shatter, and he's grateful he finally had alaricite forged for battle before this possibly deadly encounter.

Savio likes Artshall! It's an artsy place, he's an artsy man, this is a place where a higher than average number of people know what scansion is and Savio is here for it! The meeting, yes, sure, also useful, but there are sooo many good songs to learn around here after.... or, at least, there would have been if not for... you know, sudden disaster.
"Caspian?" Savio is near his protege, frozen suddenly, as though wondering if the other man is hearing, seeing the same things. "Nothing good is about to happen if the walls come down, gods help me, I feel Tremorus and Bastion in the air..."

The return to Artshall has been a _joy_ and a _delight_ for Xandrine as one of Laurent's sworn knights. She's shown off all her cool new Arx scars and told all her cool new Arx stories and flexed for every single barmaid that lets her with all her cool new Arx muscles. It's been great. She is clearly daydreaming about how great it is going to _continue_ to be _later_ as she stands with the castle guard outside of the meeting. It makes the ALARM and the LIGHTNING and the horrible crash and hiss all the worse, as it is ruining a real nice daydream, and she's in no mood for nonsense as she joins the Duke's guard moving in answer.

Okay. Okay. So. Her first outing as the Oathlands' Minister of War didn't go so great -- the whole 'bye Felicia' thing -- and Katarina really needs to hit it out of the park on this one. The diminutive Eurusi-born Valardin is feeling the pressure in an instant, and it shows in how her tightly her gloved hands grip the hilt of her dagger once the alarm sounds and the chaos begins. Like Sir Corban, Katarina dashes to the outer wall, interrupting her fine conversation with Princess Denica. Unless Denica runs with her. Which, who knows, she might.

Lucita has been quietly sitting with Pathfinder Lou and a group of explorers, notes being taken and an occasional comment or question whispered toward Lou. A rumble has her sitting up straight, eyes widening and fingers tightening on her writing quill till the feather is squished. Notes, ink and paper is set aside and she rises from her seat, glancing in the direction of the loudest noises. Her cloak is grabbed, her armor straps tightened to a state of readiness and the hilt of her dagger grasped in one hand. Lou is her group leader and it is to Lou she looks for orders.

Mabelle is sitting all attentive as Cristoph lays out his plans for assault and writes it all down in the ledgers. Minister of coin after all, this will cost. Her heart sinks at the sound of the alarm and she grows utterly pale looking at Cristoph, "That's impossible", such certainty! She steps out to the balcony of the meeting room and looks at the night's sky and as if she can grow any paler, she does. "No, no no, no. Run!", she calls down to the merchants in the view of the streets, but its not like they can hear her from up here. She then turns to Cristoph, "We should bring them in, here is safe", she lowers her voice. As if the entire city can fit in.

That ominous rumble causes Jamie to set his drink down on the table and look at the Laurents around him in an attempt to judge exactly how strange it is. What he sees there does nothing to reassure him and by the time the wall collapses he has already moved to his feet and started moving towards the source of the problem. There is nothing panicked about his movements but the spear of Greenmarch did not get his moniker by hanging back and today will not be different. Where the wall has gone down he finds a spot to defend, preferably with others, and waits. Hoping such an effort will not be required but fearing it will.

Lady Tesha has come to listen to what is being said about the war that lies ahead of them, but things are interrupted by the rumbling crack that comes. It sounded hauntingly familiar to what happened at Bastion. Thankfully she's wearing pants today though and when she sees her cousin take off and others she follows after them. "Please no bugs..." she whispers to herself.

Alis is obviously present at the meeting to support Duke Laurent and see what and where Valardin can be of help in his plans. She's situated herself with the Keaton crew, another somber and stoic face so she looks remarkably like she fits right in. Except for the height, and the hair, and the occasional amused expression at whisperings going on and.. okay, she sticks out. Clearly. But when the alarms sound, and the city walls shake and crumble she runs along with everyone else outside and towards the sights and sounds of whatever horror has come for Artshall. "I can't /see/. Why are you all so tall." Pardon her while she tries to squeeze her way around the Keatons she's with.

Caspian is here along with Savio and some others for many reasons. Friendship, duty, unrequited desires to strike back against a foe who always out maneuvers.. and cider. always cider. He is currently hoisting a keg of the stuff on a shoulder and rushing around pouring out mugs for Savio and anyone else who would try some. "I swear if you haven't had cider freshly squeezed and ..." The sound of the cracks split the air he freezes. he looks to Savio, brow knitting in concern. He looks to the walls as another crash is heard. The keg falls to the ground as Savio speaks, the severity of the situation punctuated by the simple act. he nods his head. "nothing good.. nothing good is making that sound!" he draws a breath, grasps Savio's shoulder with a grin, "Well... this time they will regret not asking for an invitation first my friend!" he spins, and starts rushing toward the noise.

A fine conversation, indeed. Denica is talking quietly with Katarina about something very interesting no doubt, until those alarms echo through the city. When the princess runs, so does the other, in the same direction even. Denica is keeping up speed with Katarina, reaching almost automatically for the blade she keeps secure at her hip. With her inky locks bouncing behind her, she's got her eyes narrowed scanning around trying to get a better sense. The sound though, it makes her shoulders tense, seeming to equate it with terrible things.

With the meeting being conducted indoors, the terrible rumble isn't recognized at first. But then it continues, and it's very clear that this is a /terrible/ rumble and not some kind of minor earthquake that everyone can ignore (don't really ignore earthquakes). However there are WINDOWS inside of the keep and Cristoph definitely looks out of his before he goes dashing through the keep itself. The sight of the wall turning into a display of blue lights and then collapsing is indeed Not Good. It takes him surprisingly little time to exit the place the meeting was being held, move through the keep and exit into the streets of the city. As dark shapes begin moving through the streets from where the wall has collapsed, he waves his arms and calls out. "CLEAR THE CIVILIANS AWAY FROM THE WESTERN GATE, LEAD THEM AWAY!" he calls out to anyone that's going in that direction. And then he's crashing in that direction himself at top speed. "ANYONE WITH A WEAPON, ARM YOURSELF."

Richard is not here for the art, nor the bards. The Commander of the Valardin infantry is here with a small handful of those under his command to meet with Duke Cristoph and others, and to determine whether there's further assistance to be rendered in his intended plans. He is wearing full diamondplate armor, shined to brightness, hands resting easily at his side as he listens. When the first crack sounds, his hand immediately shifts to grasp his mace, though he doesn't wield it within the confines of the castle. "Form up around the Highlord," he utters to his soldiers, as he steps over to Alis' side, prepared to follow her lead. Or in this case, to edge forward and create a path with his bulky frame so the shorter Alis can see what's happening.

Norwood hops to on Cristoph's orders, getting those whom he has been in charge of for many years settled. Only after that does he return to Cristoph's side, expression severe.

Raven pauses, frowning. Moonsilver takes off into the air and for the moment-she simply stands and listens. She scowls, "That had BETTER not be Sunderfall, so help us all." she pauses JUST long enough to look around-checking for anything ELSE that might be happening that's lost in the chaos-everyone else is running forwards the chaos so she takes advantage to try to look around, even up to the sky-making sure she's got a clear view of this moment.

The Archlector of Jayus is often in Artshall, Wylla finding the city to be a second home outside of her duties in the Faith. After meeting several local artists (friends and petitioners both) and visiting a few galleries and vendors, she winds down her third day in Artshall walking back to the inn she's staying in for her duration, waving and smiling as she's greeted by the many friendly denizens.

But then...alarms! The rumble she feels at a distance and then that crack-! Is it a storm? Has lightning struck? But the darkness pours in and things move in the shadows. Wylla's eyes go wide. What's happening!? She hears the call for people to arm themselves; the Archlector freezes, staring in the direction of the awful commotion.

Getting to Artshall in the snow is a somewhat tricky affair, particularly when there are a lot of meetings to attend. Lou did her best to lead members from the Society of Explorers who attended with her along the best route possible, but that left them a little bit late arriving to the meeting. But they do manage to sneak into the building and get settled just before the alarms go off. She gets up to go outside to see what it's all about when the lightning and crackling all take place just before the walls explode. She goes still, so very, very still and her face pales considerably at the all too familiar sound, one very similar which happened in Bastion when Bastion's walls go down. She enters a bit of a fugue state, right away. It might become quickly clear she might need to be jostled out of it to get placed into position.

Acting in her role as the head of the Physician's Guild, Eirene had some to the meeting to discuss what the Guild could to to bolster the medical side of things here to prepare for coming disasters. Like... this one. But she's more than a doctor, she's a military tactician and commander. Even if this isn't her land, her natural inclination to take over a situation kicks in. "Get the civilians away from the walls, form a perimeter around them! Find any of the city physicians and have them prepare a triage center!" She's along the same lines as Crisoph in this, echoing his orders to the guards. She draws her diamondplate blade and heads towards the wall with the others to see what monsters are coming in the darkness.

Ryhalt is a family friend to the Laurent and oft attends their events and meetings. He glances towards the nearest window when he hears the cracks of lightning and the alarm bells. He sighs wearily and runs his fingers through his hair. Then comes the rumbling of the walls falling at once. "Well... that's not a good sound." He sets into action to help evacuate civilians.

Mercifully, Sydney is still only on her first few sips of whiskey, as she stands looking utterly out of her element in the general vicinity of Katarina. The pugilist, up until this point, has had very little to contribute to the meeting save to add thoughtful hums and to nod. Very productive, Sydney. Then comes the crackle, and Sydney immediately strides forward and slams her drink down. "Kat, we need to get the f--" But, well, Kat's already off and running. Sydney visibly bites her lip and shoves her hands into her coat pockets. When they come out, she's furiously tightening the straps on a gleaming pair of what appear to be oversized knuckledusters. Wastefully made out of Alaricite. She's cursing to herself. Frequently. She sticks close by to Katarina. It's sort of the point of being here.

Having been to Artshall before - and having taken time, at long, -long- last, to have gone down to the docks to see his ship so nicely gifted to him by the Duke - Kastelon has been of a mood to be more of a relaxed mine around the important duties that come with being at the meetings for the defense. Having only recently rejoined the Keaton cluster that's meandering about the city and... as much as he should want to loose some words at the Highlord's complaint about their height...
That sound. The turn of his head at the distinctive sound, before he draws breath, and unencumbers his bow from his shoulder, already drawing free an arrow so as to be ready. "This sounds exactly like it did at Bastion when the trouble started," he says in a serious tone. A serious voice that holds not a single hint of being his normal ambiguous tone. "We need to get non-combatants to cover. -Now.-"

"That's /Princess/ Katarina during a crisis!" Katarina calls over her shoulder at Sydney, while she and Denica run as fast as their stubby little legs can carry them.

Mirk Halfshav was gathered there to offer what aid he could to his patron, and perhaps gather a little information himself. There's a slight frown at the crack of lightning in the distance, more confused than perturbed by the sound, and that confusion rapidly becomes a growing concern. He pales at the sight of the figures, and mouths a silent prayer of thanks that he brought his weapons with him all this way. He looks calm, but his hand is trembling where it rests on the satchel he carries at his belt. His eyes never leave the wall, as if anchored to that spot. But when orders start being shouted, he moves for the familiar faces in the city, searching for strength in numbers.

As Lady Knight Commander for the Laurents, Lucie had a seat at the table at the Artshall defense meeting. Her armor is polished to a mirror sheen for what was planned to be something of a family reunion, as she had been spending much of her time in the field away from her family seat. It had started to feel as if she had never left, with her speaking up at the meeting where needed, offering opinions and tactical advice. At the sound of trouble, she puts a hand to the large claymore on her back, and at the sound of Mabelle's voice she moves to action and moves to open the front doors of the building.

A casual evening stroll through the city is interrupted by flashes of lightning and the sounds of thunder. When the wall cracks, Alantir Valardin collects Thalamina Shepherd from a merchant's stall in the marketplace and pulls her in the direction of the great calamity. Amidst all the screaming, hissing, and shouting, a familiar voice -- Duke Laruent's -- is identified. The Oathlander would not need to be twice. His blade is drawn and gripped half-sword, expecting to engage whatever was responsible for the destruction in close quarters.

Edris has been spiffed up for the occasion of a formal defense meeting, armor polished, hair combed, no scruffian ruffian looking Elwood knights appearing here. He has, of course, wandered with interest through the festivities earlier before the meeting--but now he's lingering with the Keatons, a little restlessness settling in. The distinctive crackle of lightening in the middle of winter piques the Elwood knight's interest, and he's already starting to look that direction when the vibrations of cracking walls and rumbling thunder happens. He hears Cristoph's words, though, as the Duke emerges, and within seconds the peace binding of his axe is undone. He looks to those around him as they make ready as well, and will move with them--as they surely will--towards danger rather than away.

Naturally Kael is in attendance, having found a most suitable spot with his cousins Kastelon and Edris, in addition to the Highlord Alis. He has acquired a little stockpile of meat and cheeses - surely Cristoph is providing refreshments - and occasionally glances at the hour marker of a candle. You know, as if the Keaton has somewhere to go or somewhere to be. Still, he has Vern taking notes of the defense meeting and is paying full attention. The sound of alarm has him tensing, eyes flicking to Alis first and foremost. He rises (sorry Alis) before starting to try to heed the command of Duke Laurent and head in the direction of combat. He does not, however, stray too far from the group he was sitting with.

Aleksei has showed up just to annoy a certain cousin who is trying to be all impressive, in that obnoxious way family is able to do. Aleksei has /just/ sidled up to Xandrine to commence said annoyance when the first sounds of danger start hissing on the air. He's quickly drawing to attention, his brow creasing as his gaze whips towards the sound, and then others are calling for help and attack. "/Fuck/," he says, moving forward swiftly towards the western gate Cristoph is flinging himself towards.

Mabelle mumbles aside to Eirene, "There's a hospital on the south side", her fingers trembling as she reaches for her own weapon.

Talu is an easy person to ignore, somewhat unusual coloring (for someone so young, in any case) aside. She's not tall, but not short enough to draw attention either, and she's been very quiet, hovering in the general area of everyone else, but only that. She startles when others do, but her attention shifts to Cristoph immediately, and when Cristoph takes off toward the crumbling walls, she's *surprisingly* quick in following. Somehow, she finds herself right at his heels, guards be-damned. There's the tiniest hiss of air from her, barely audible.

Mabelle wields Frosting Spreader - a brightly colored wide seax.

Looking rather peevish about a visit that was intended to be pleasantly nonviolent, Sorrel straightens up at the sound of trouble, frowning deeply. She looks a bit worriedly to Alis, then follows after Christoph in a worried sort of way, nodding to Edris as the man frees his axe. Her hand is at her sword, and she joins those who are running towards danger.

Amari has been her typical quiet self through the meeting, seated in an out of the way corner with a cup of mead she's been in absolutely no hurry to finish. With the first rumble, she tilts her head and listens. When it intensifies, she slowly stands and circles back to peer out the frosted panes of the nearest window. The cup is set on the sill and her helmet taken out from under her arm as she looks out over Artshall with a perplexed knit of her brow. When the wall collapses, she looks back over her shoulder. It's already pandemonium. People running for exits and all the rest. "It may be Sunderfall - the Knight of the Breach. They've knocked the west wall down somehow and there's probably a giant wave of centipedes pouring in either." She's just full of great news! Very uplifting stuff.

Kedehern and his wife had been near his Nephew-Liege, Cristoph, of course, when the clamor started. "...Shit," he bites off, looking more surly and irritated, than anything. He reaches for his hammer. "Time for things to get... interesting, my dear," he remarks to Shae, and then he's off, hoofing it after Cristoph. His sister-in-law would never let him hear the end of it after all, were anything to happen to the Duke. That, and he liked most of his family, for the most part.

It really doesn't take more than a few seconds, as soon as everyone else begins to move, so does Adalyn. The call to arm herself is one that she's reflexively following before she even gets more than a step or two away from where she'd been sitting. With her spear in hand she's moving quickly towards the western wall, checking to make sure that she's got a good idea where certain people are in all the chaos.

Adalyn wields a diamondplate spear ringed with duskstones.

Vitalis arrives to Artshall with the Clement contingent, on edge for the purpose of the gathering. He sticks close to Adalyn and Norwood, a lean shadow. When Cristoph orders, like Norwood, Vitalis is quick to dispatch Clement guards to the task, helping as he can. A twist of dread in his gut, that kind of rumbling... He looks at his wife and father-in-law, grim-faced. He looses the stays of Defiance, and sitcks close. Amari gives voice to his suspicions and he gives the Redire Baronness a tight-lipped nod.

Lucita approaches Lou, nudging her and murmuring. "How many of us are there and how do you want to position us. Do we need to try to guard any one person or ...report to someone for orders? Dang it all, this was supposed to be just a meeting." Yes, Lucita grumbles and absently draws her blade. She spots Sorrel amid the crowd and gestures in her direction, letting her know Lucita is there if needed.

Lucita wields steel dagger with musical score engraved on pommel.

Shae is with the Laurents and family, int he meeting, sitting next to Kedehern and Amari when there is the loud crash of the wall. Standing she looks around real quick and motions to the very large cat like creature that is with her, and her faithful dog. The smell creature on her shoulder starts to meep at the Baroness, who nods a few times to Cini. Her amber eyes turn to look at Amari and Kedehern, then Norwood, and Mabelle, before she looks to Cristoph. Shae gives a nod to his instructions and she is already pulling Promise, her bow free. Following her Duke, and newphew

Raven spots Mirk as she's sizing up Mirk and dart through the crowd, weaving and shoving until she's by the Halfshav Lord, "Lord Mirk. Don't suppose I could get you to stay with the ladies while I join the frontlines?" She eyes Mirk, "Noooo, I'd better stick with you. If you die I won't EVER hear the end of it."

Corban wields a simple and unadorned sword, polished and sharp.

Shae wields Promise, a diamondplate and golden oakwood bow.

Katarina wields tempest sapphire seas gleaming silvery blade.

Eirene nods back a Mabelle and turns to one of her secretaries - because she is crap for taking notes. "Run and prepare them," she orders, voice harsh and crisp. "We'll need somewhere to fall back to with the wounded." Because no matter what they do, there will be wounded and she knows this.

Denica wields Little Devil, a fire-scorched diamondplate scramasax.

Thalamina is visiting Artshall market in the company of a friend when the explosive sounds erupt. Having been told to come armed and armored, she, herself, is garbed in leathers from head-to-toe. The longbow, Autumn's Whisper, is withdrawn expeditiously from her back while a single arrow is drawn from a full quiver strapped to her hip and canted forward for ready ease. She nocks it loosely while following close at Alantir's heels as he leads them toward the city's western wall.

Jamie wields Untamed, a hand-and-a-half sword of diamondplate.

Sydney wields gleaming cestus of forged alaricite.

Edris wields Hope Perseveres, a diamondplate battle axe.

Savio bolts after Caspian, which is /toward/ the noise, because they're both smart people who make good choices. The call to arm themselves has his own strange, ugly alaricite... thing brought to bear, but snatches of certain words are bringing themselves to his ears. Sunderfall, among them. "Caspian," this sounds a bit desperate, "There's something you should know about the Knight of the Breach, I don't know if I ever told you ---" No time now though.

Alantir wields Wyrmsong, an ashen diamondplate longsword.

Aleksei wields Chainbreaker, the Sword of the First Choice.

Thalamina wields Autumn's Whisper.

Tesha wields wings from the ashes diamondplate longblade with elegant flames handle.

Spotting Cristoph leaving the keep, Lucie grabs her claymore off of her back and falls in behind him, face set in a mask of determination.

Lucie wields Old Claymore.

Kael wields Dawn's Promise, a Rubicund longsword.

Lucita gets siangham from a subtly embroidered cloth belt.

Cristoph wields a sword made of swords.

Alis wields Vale, an oathlands style alaricite sword.

"I will gladly accept protection," Mirk says in a low, rumbling voice to Raven. "But if this is anything like Bastion, there will be no safe place to stand." There's a haunted look in his eyes, clearly remembering that night.

Wylla unfreezes long enough to murmur a stream of prayers, shaking hands gesturing to other citizens around her that are unarmed and caught dazing at the danger. "Come!" she says, fear in her voice. "-RUN-," she insists, starting to push and point people towards shelter; out of the streets and, hopefully, out of the dangers that bear down on them!

Caspian slips past a panic stricken older woman as she unfastens his daggers. he glances over to savio and offers a smile he hopes i encouraging. "i remember.. you and him have a --ooof" he rebounded off a guard apologized and kept running. "history. but this won't be like that! not this time! if its that bastard bucket of metal then m,aybe its time for a round two?" he slowed for a moment, "or at least delaying long enough to get everyone else out. maybe we can find a ballista to use." There was a hesitation in his voice for a moment, but his eyes still flared, "Either way, we'll deal with whatever it is together!"

Lucita jostling Lou is enough to snap her out of it. "We're going to want to get out of the city. Find cover where you can, stick to the shadows where you might. Don't engage unless you have to. If you see tree things made of rats or with tentacles, especially /do not engage/ as they'll make you kill yourself once they touch you." Lou gives out directions as best she can, and starts leading those explorers with her that she can to get to any semblance of safety. "Hopefully it won't be that, but... I'd rather expect the worst." She makes sure she's close to Eirene to provide any support she might to the physician warrior. "Best I stick with you or Aindre's going to be mad if you come out of this too hurt." Or worse.

Tesha is following after Corban and others. Though she does catch sight of Mirk and there's a bit of a frown as she adds him to the 'keep track of' list. She hasn't seen Gaspard anywhere so she hopes that he is still in bed tending to his wounds. She draws her sword as the wall is approached, bracing herself for what might be coming if she can.

Jamie draws closer to Tesha as she approaches the area of wall he's chosen to defend and then nods to Corban too. "Lady Telmar."

Raven sniffs, "Aye, that's true, but since when has something being impossible stopped me from trying anyway? Where we going, Lord Mirk? I'm not dragging you to the front so I follow where you say we go. Best make up your mind before trouble finds us." Her sword is drawn and her head swivels, trying to take note of who is running where.

"Tesha?" asks Sir Corban when he spies his cousin near him. "Stay close," he says. He is worried about her, of course, even if she seems to turn up at these battles with some regularity. "Sir Jamie." He keeps moving towards the walls, searching for the attackers.

Amari wields Sparrowhawk, a spirited oathlands style diamondplate horse bow.

Lou wields forest mist diamondplate falchion.

Gaspard gets greaves of the Shepherd from a simple canvas bag in black.

Gaspard gets boots of the Shepherd's Raiments from a simple canvas bag in black.

Gaspard gets a Shepherd's vambraces from a simple canvas bag in black.

Gaspard gets breastplate of the Shepherd's Raiments from a simple canvas bag in black.

Gaspard gets helm of the Shepherd's Raiments from a simple canvas bag in black.

Gaspard gets gauntlets of the Shepherd from a simple canvas bag in black.

It isn't long before that terrible rumble like so much ominous thunder at the western wall gives way to another sort of noise altogether whenever the cacophany of the crumbling structure begins to settle in ways the dust isn't. Now comes the sounds of death to follow those of destruction. The sound of a person's death scream is a particularly harrowing one, a reminder of everyone's mortality, and out of the smokescreen created by the falling wall come nightmares on six insectile legs, wielding blades designed and perfected by nature itself. These amalgamations of mantis and man are only really recognizable as things once-human by their still near-human torsos, but the rest? Oh, that's all the kind of stuff better left to terrible tales over campfires, not right here in Artshall, running amok in the streets. The first of them inside snatches up a fleeing citizen within a single heartbeat and proceeds to feed on it then and there. The rest aren't long behind, not just pouring in through the breach itself but many also navigating sections of the wall still left standing thanks to those myriad legs. They're fast, they're hungry and they're not here for the honey.

As the walls come down, the city starts to wake up. There are screams as the monsters begin to pour through the rubble of the wall. Following in the wake of those hideous, terrifying creatures, the lumbering figures of what at first appear to be giants step out of the cold shadows. There are half a dozen of them, large and monstrous, looking to be an amalgamation of body parts and weird pieces of plants. As they step over the rubble, they don't go after the defenders. They go after the buildings, wrecking everything in their path. One of the plantgantuans peels off. There is a cloaked figure perched on its shoulder with a gleaming bloodwood bow in her hands. Helena Thornweave begins to fire into the knot of combatants come to defend the city with cold, deadly accuracy. Several guards drop with arrows in their throats, unable to even scream.

Amidst the clash of monsters and men, there is a low, buzzing hum that seems like it is coming from far away...

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

Sydney checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Sydney fails.

Gaspard checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Gaspard fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mirk checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Mirk fails.

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

Caspian checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Caspian fails.

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

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

Ryhalt checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Ryhalt fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amari checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Amari fails.

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

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

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

Tesha checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Tesha fails.

Shae checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Shae fails.

Gaspard checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Gaspard fails.

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

Wylla checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Wylla fails.

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

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

Amari checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Amari marginally fails.

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

Amari remains capable of fighting.

Wylla checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Botch! Wylla fails completely.

Wylla has suffered a permanent wound!

Wylla checks 'unconsciousness save' at normal. Wylla fails.

Wylla is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

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

Katarina checks dexterity and small wpn at hard. Katarina fails.

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

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

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

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

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

Drake wields An alaricite blade with wyvern-wing guard.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ryhalt checks strength and huge wpn at hard. Ryhalt is successful.

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

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

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

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

Gaspard wields Shepherd, a diamondplate blade.

Sydney checks dexterity and brawl at hard. Sydney is successful.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lucie checks strength and huge wpn at hard. Lucie fails.

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

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

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

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

Richard checks strength and medium wpn at hard. Richard marginally fails.

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

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

"I saw that look on your face!" Xandrine hisses to Aleksei as they run for the break in the walls. "I'm gonna throttle you if you mess up my thing!" Ah, family. For all the sass, she pivots away from him with trust that he will cover the flank. She moves to intercept the onslaught upon the civilians, teeny, tiny lil' blades out to deflect and turn away the blows. It's amazing what you can do with a set of knives and no consideration for your own welfare!!

Drake looks to the top of the wall, seeing the striking figure with the cloak and bloodwood bow. So, that is she. He catches sight of her direction, but then must deal with that which is in front of him, the mantis-men that strike with deadly accuracy. He raises his cloak to try to block, but a slash of the mantis-bladed hand slices past his defenses, cutting leather, drawing blood. He winces, but it's not enough to knock him down. He draws forth the blade, the alaricite yet unnamed, and untested, and slashes back at the mantis-man with all his might, holding the sword one-handed. Fortunately, the metal proves strong, and Drake strikes true, dealing a wound better than the one he got.

At the wall, there is the small Telmarine delegation: Sir Corban Telmar, his cousin Tesha, and then Lord Jamie of the Greenmarchers. When the terrible bugs come to attack, the First Captain finds his interest drawn to his poor cousin who is in the way rather than his sword that looks to strike. "Tesha, look out!" he cries, putting his shield in the way of a terrible pincer that is about to crush her, sparing her the worst, he hopes, of the blows. But his own alaricite sword clangs helplessly, unable to penetrate the carpace.

This is, sadly, very familiar territory for Kastelon Keaton. The siege - and fall - of Bastion might have been a while ago, but the thoughts of that horrible evening are still fresh in his memories and... it was as damned cold that night as it is now. The figures are coming in, and they're every bit as horrific as he remembers from the last time, and there's a howl from the Keaton huntsman as he looses arrows at the approaching figures. "NON-COMBATANTS, FALL BACK!" He shouts, hoping that the tone will reach those who are more in need of fleeing. And while he's taking a few moments between shots, that dark head turns this way and that - the problem of having but one eye since Pieros - to look for familiar faces who might be needing more defending, and not just the cluster of his kin and his Highlord who he's gathered with in the heat of the moment.

Does Cristoph realize that someone is following him at his heels, he does. There's some surprise to see Talu so close but he doesn't dissuade her, maybe he should. But he doesn't, the only mode he has right now is 'get there'. She's given a thankful look instead of any warnings. As he sprints by Amari, her words sink in and he mutters a curse under his breath. "Where is Norwood?" he calls out into the rushing crowds of people, pushing his way through the panicked citizens. He draws his sword from his hip, letting the unevenness of the blade catch whatever light the city has to spare. As the initial wave of dust and smoke settles to reveal the horrors on the other side, Cristoph has to stop for just a moment and observe what he's seeing. But it's a second too long, really. Because then there are arrows being fired down by Helena Thornweave and gargantuans are in his city. He nearly loses his sword, momentarily agape at the destruction. But it doesn't last forever. "COVER THE CIVILIANS," he shouts out. "KEEP THE INVADERS BUSY." As he swings and misses, the enemy in front of him is inexplicably pushed back. Another has withered in front of him and Talu, he's surprised. Yes. Another decision and he steps closer to her, something quickly uttered in the chaos.

Richard shakes his head. He can hear the buzzing noise, but it's an undercurrent backdrop of more immediate problems. He pushes through the crowd, taking in the various crisis at play, as he eases his mace into his hands. Instinct makes him want to dash forward, but years of experience make him take a beat to assess what's the most immediate threat first. "Those giant creatures will smash homes... people... before they can flee." He's frowning as he glances back to Alis and the Keaton group with her. Already, the insect-people-hybrids are surging forward, and one strikes at Richard, catching him in the chest. He grunts and stumbles back, grimacing in pain. His return attack is slow, barely managing to glance off the creature and doing little damage. He grimaces as he looks up, and up and up at one of the giants. "Think I can climb that?" he sounds sincere, considering.

As one of the scythe-like blades of the Mantis-Man Abominations sweeps towards them, Kedehern ducks down underneath, jerking Shae down alongside with him, feeling the blade graze the back of his hair. As he rises back up, and he lets go of his wife and baroness, and then grasps the Diamondplate maul in both hands, swinging it around and into the carapace of one of the horrors. "Too! Many! Damn! BUGS!"

"Lord Jamie, Cousin Corban, neither of you go getting hurt out here." Tesha points out to the two men that she's standing with, blade at the ready. But there's that freezing up with the wall crumbling and she envisions that bugs of all varities are going to come pouring over it. And that's exactly what happens. Thankfully Corbans knocking her out of the way of most of the damage is absorbed by the diamondplate she wears. "I'm fine." she winces as she rights herself again.

Ryhalt grits his teeth as he sees the monstrous amalgamations in the distance. They were expected to show up somewhere, but... well, it's a bad day, huh? Keeping calm, he helps guide the raging flood of humanity away from the menaces, doing his best to ignore as people fall all around from the arrows. A lance of burning crosses the side of his neck and bursts against his shoulder. Spurred to desperate action, he jabs his ranseur at one of the incests and shouts for people to continue moving on. It's kind of a lost cause in all the panic, though.

Whatever it is -- bug, man, or some crude combination -- it must not live; an affront to all that is right and reasonable in the world. So Alantir swings, stepping aside shortly after to avoid one of the thing's awful appendages.

Alis gives a nod of thanks to Richard, and one to Sorrel as people begin flanking her on all sides - but still making sure she can see! So excit... holy shiiiiiiit. There's a moment where she stops right in her tracks at the mantisoids, and rolls the shoulder of her sword arm a little. Time enough for a quick glance over her shoulder to Edris, seeing where he's situated before she shuts the visor of her barbute and wades in alongside the others to defend the citizens of Artshall, pulling people out of the way, and attacking the joints of the sword-arm (literally) of the closest mantids. "Get their arms first, to get rid of the weapons! And go for the belly where there's no chitin! Gut them." she suggests, sounding grim. "You mean, you want to ride a giant. Again?" Wait again? What? "...Do we need to throw you?"

Composure only goes a long way. Mabelle stands there trembling for a long moment, filled with guilt, covering her ears at the first scream. She insists with Wylla, "Let them stay! The castle is safe. Lead the others out of the city, into the waystation", she yells commands as if anyone is even listening to her. Eventually she is out on the street, watching the ruin of the buildings, the carnage of Artshall's good men and there comes the water work. Something comes at her though, she's not precisely a warrior but she's bendy. She avoids it and stabs whatever camE her way in the chest. It looked too easy. Maybe she's a rage motivated person. "WHAT IS THAT HUMMING?", she yells toward Cristoph.

"Mess up what thing!!" Aleksei is INNOCENT, Xandrine!! And rather /focused/ now, in fact, as he's suddenly presented with an unexpected attack on his friend's city. He twists about to cover Xandrine's flank, just as she trusts him to do, only to come face to face with one of those horrific bugs trying to take a chunk out of his shoulder. He yelps, managing to keep it from ripping out his throat, at least, but he's bleeding now. And he can't even manage to get a good stab at the thing in turn.

Eirene expertly bobs and weaves to dodge the arrows, scowling up at the archer elf.. Her diamomdplate blade slashes and hacks away at the monsters is mantis-things. "Oh FUCK those jump-up excuses for dandelions," she shouts as she sees the plant-gantuans. She pulls a bottle off her belt of alchemy supplies and says "Time for a fuckin' field test," to Lou and Lucita. She then starts to coat her sword in it. "Let's see if I can make that shit bleed."

Raven strides forward a few steps to try to head off one of the plant abominations, trying to head off the threat and cover Mirk. She issues a sharp whistle, "HEY! I Heard your summoner smelled of elderberry farts and her master had a limp noodle! Lookit meee!!!" trying to make Mirk invisible by being EXTRA obnoxious.

Sydney does her able best to stick close to ~Princess Katarina~, though she can be overheard muttering about the correction from her patron. "Gods above, let it be something that can actually bleed if I hit it. Or that I can actually fucking /hit/." A prayer passes her lips, then, the chaotic din drowning it out entirely. As it turns out, wishes do come true! Sydney just so happens to be in the line of sight of one of the horrific mantises, and the problem with fighting a /mantis abomination/ is that one generally doesn't have good experience with their movement patterns. Sydney takes a heavy hit almost immediately, staggering backward as one scythe-like blade scrapes viciously along her front. Her nostrils flare and she immediately weaves back in and crashes her gleaming, alaricite-laden fist directly at the nearest insectoid leg she can reach, hoping to feel a crunching of carapace, then flinging herself back, "Sharding /fuck/!" Blood starts to appear on her steelsilk-clad chest. "Stick close to one another! Don't break off!"

"Ah, shit, these things again," Savio seems to recognize the nightmarish bug-human-hybrids as they come through the walls like an intrusive thought ruining a restful night of sleep! The tone suggests he is not happy to see them again, but neither is he hesitating to strike. "Caspian!" They're a team! They're on it! "Time to make this mantis," weapon twirl, "Pray."
Then he gets hit by a stray arrow. "Shit! Ow! Fuck."

"Shit. Shity shit. Shit." The triggered Grayson princess calls out as she sees both the Mantid-uans, and the Plant-gantuans. Neither is a good lock. "Lady Lucita, get behind me," she tells the Saik woman as she pulls out her diamondplate sword. "Stay close to Eirene and I and we can try and defend each other," who is Lou kidding!?! "If we can." Of course, as she is saying this, she's dodging a particularly big block of building that crumbles near her, tumbling out of the way in reaction, and then she finds her self face to face with one of the monsters. She's able to parry the attack and then get a sweeping blow against one of them herself.

And when the battle begins, Mirk draws his bow, black wood backed with gleaming alaricite. He fires upon the first of the...mantis men? Mantis creatures? Monsters. The first of the monsters that approaches him, the arrow flying true, though it's an open question what an arrow can do to things like this. Unfortunately, even if he fells the first - and that's a big if - the second is more than enough to start carving him up. He's bleeding heavily from a gash down his arm, backing away with a grimace. "How do we fight this?"

There's a nod in Norwood's direction, an indication to Vitalis to keep an eye on him. Not her. Adalyn has zero doubt that her husband is going to disregard that and still keep an eye on her, but there's also an honest priority that her father deserves their attention. Or as much attention as can be provided given the situation. Once she reaches the wall she dodges, ducking one of the blows of the incoming...things, then she moves forward, spinning her spear in a move that would look great. If she were in a wide open space, and showing off instead of fighting a real battle. The butt of the spear catches someone else, then the head comes rebounding back towards her face which causes Adalyn to get smacked, and loose her grip on the weapon.

As Corban turns his shield towards defending Tesha, Jamie turns his sword to the task of removing the attacking threat. His own sword bites into the carapace forcing a splash of ichor to splash against the nearby cobbles as he wrenches the blade back clear and dances clear of the blow meant to drive him away. "Can't promise that Tesha. Us before the citizens."

Apparently in no mood for this enemy, Sorrel does a terrible job trying to fight down this enemy here. She looks a bit sick to her stomach, taking a hit before looking to Alis. "Are we throwing folks now? Ugh, I've never seen these things before. They look dreadful," she grumbles.

The surge of people separated Norwood from Cristoph's side, but even with that, Norwood hears his Duke's calling his name. He shoves his way through the crowds, trying to reach Cristoph without losing sight of Adalyn, Vitalis, or Amari in the way. It's not possible. He catches half a glance of Shae, but that's all he manages before the wave breaks. Queensguard sings out at the enemy, but he isn't effective in the slightest.

Caspian stumbles for a moment at the sight of the mantis human hybrids. Only for a moment. "Well shit! thats not something you see every day! do they bite your.." he lunges back as a scythe carves through the air, catching him with a small gash along the arm. "no.. No they dont only bite!" he looks to Savio as he begins to spin the chain blades, letting the blades slip farther out to grant him reach as he hurls himself back toward the mantis. "Come on you overgrown dung eater! over here and let me step on you!" the blades whistled in the air as they sliced into the creature, the alaracite slicing deep with each slash. He gave a cheer at Savio's words, his smile bursting forth as the thrill of battle took hold.!

Lucita stays beside, not seeking to flee the city but heads toward Eirene, "That's Auntie Eirene. The Malvici's will have my hide if I did not try to help keep her alive." Her eyes widen as she spots the plant Gargantuan and its rider. "....have mercy on us. We don't have the ... ... ... with us to ... against that." Her voice fades into the sounds of battle, some words not so easy to discern unless standing next to her. She ducks to the side as one of those deadly arrows whizzes past her head so close it severs a lock of hair. She grasps the arrow, yanks it out the wall then holds it like a siangam and throws it. Hard, and accurately as it connects with one of the enemy. She keeps her distance away from the 'things' and their grasp as much as possible.

It's hard not to be taken aback by the sights, the horrors that unfold, but with blade in her hand, she focuses. Simple and complex. Dodge and strike. The occasional glance down her shoulder at Katarina, keeping the woman in sight as chaos ensues. Denica Thrax is moving light in step, but heavy in heart, going for an attack with the sharp of scorched metal. There is little to say, rather she is just watching everything happen with fresh eyes. Eyes close as something squirts at her, punctured by the tip of her blade. It's easy to just get consumed by what is in front of her, but trying to hop up she is looking to see the full picture, not to loose sight of everything going on around her.

Lucie pales, but stands her ground as the creatures top the wall. One approaches her with claws bearing down, and she throws herself aside, landing hard on her steel armor but unharmed. She rolls into a standing position and hefts her great claymore, cursing as she watches the mantis man lose interest in her steel-clad form in favor of a softer unarmed target. Gathering herself for the next assault, Lucie throws an arm before a group of huddling civilians and barks at them to retreat.

Thalamina staggers backward when bearing witness to the monstrous creatures pouring violently through the shattered wall, the actual stuff of nightmares. It takes her several moments of staring, mouth agape, for her to register that she is incredible danger, and side step the rush of an amalgamation of man and mantis in her general direction. She tucks and rolls to one side, rises to her knee, draws and releases her nocked arrow. The pure, unmitigated fear that washes over her causes that practiced aim to falter. The sudden rush of adrenaline born of that animal instinct to survive and repel this threat claims her accuracy and the arrow sails past her target by a hair's length.

Katarina sticks close to Sydney and Denica. Her golden eyes flash wide at the torrents of scythe-entity insectoids being loosed upon Artshall, and then in the distance, Helena Thornweave. "We need to get through the line," Katarina says to her fellow fighters. "If we--" She pauses to absolutely swing and a miss at a mantis-creature just in time for it to gouge Sydney. "Sydney!" she squeaks. "Come! We need to move forward -- these things are all in chains, so we need to go after the one dragging those chains in her wake!" Now is not the time to get into weird, obtuse metaphors, and to punish her for this, a mantis-thing stabs Katarina in the shoulder. "Aah!"

It isn't Edris' first monstrosity rodeo, though that is not to say that he's ever gotten used to it. He too keeps tabs on his cousins and Alis, fighting alongside the Princess of Sanctum. He moves to strike at one of the mantis hybrids first, dodging out of the way of prickly and sharp claws. His axe falls heavily on it, crunching through carapace to the squishy underlayer. But the sound of that buzzing causes a sweat to break out over his brow, far more than it should be even with heavy fighting. But his eyes keep moving upwards to the remnants of the wall and towers, just like they did at Bastion. Perhaps expecting to see something familiar there.

Raven grunts, "YOU Run, I hack and slash until they go away or I'm to broken to hack and slash anymore. Welcome to fighting the hordes, My lord-it's almost always impossible and yet utterly vital. Keep an eye out for fallen who need collecting." She manages to evade harm but succeeds less in protecting Mirk, "Damnitall, Where's Lord Ian?!"

Snapping out of her terror isn't easy but she does, Wylla -does- and she is ushering people out of the streets as best she can, pointing the way down allies that (she hopes!) leads to safety, helping those that fall, encouraging them to -run- to keep running, and- ... and she doesn't see it. They move so fast, these praying-mantis-men, with their dangerous appendages, the insectoid inhumanity.

The way they move, the sound of them, a scrape of movement to quick, to quiet, at the top of stone steps that lead to a lower gate and a garden made for peace and prayer ... it's here the Archlector of Jayus screams, startled, stumbling backwards as wicked natural weapons cut more than the air before her. Her hand, the right, the one deft at brush and craft and paint, is lost in a slide of bone and muscle and a spatter of blood as Wylla falls backward, bleeding stumb of her forearm all she sees as she falls and the merciful darkness claims her. She's left at the bottom of the steps, no threat, to bleed on the stones at the garden's gate. Unconsciouse.

There is a low curse as Shae is watching Amari, and perhaps a bit distracted by the very loud and angry meeping coming from Cini. Thankfully her husband gras her in time, and pulls her out of the way. And as soon as he lets her go, an arrow is knocked to Promise and she lets the arrow fly, slamming into one of the bug men. A quick glance toward the gargantuan, and then a worried look toward Kedehern. Catching a moments glance at Norwood. And then she is running over to Amari, moving to protect her as best as she can.

Amari snaps out of her window view on the disaster reverie as Cristoph rushes by, and with a nod to Vitalis, she's on the move too. Seems everyone is running west, towards the fallen wall. She's soon pacing Shae and Kedehern, keeping their familiar figures in view even as the panicked citizens of Artshall begin to crowd in around her. "Get behind us, everyone. Quickly now!" She encourages as she's pushed further from her anchors. She even loses sight of the Clement contingent until there's suddenly an opening made before her, one of the plantgantuans is upon her. Surprised, she barely zigs when a zag was in order and manages to loose the arrow she had nocked. She probably shouldn't have. The giant's deformed arm sweeps her neatly up and sends her cartwheeling through the air. Only, the street is narrow. There's not much air to fly through before she hits a wall and rolls onto her back, stuck on a second story roof above the entrance to the Golden Goose tavern. Nearer to eye level now, she sits up there, roofed and dazed. And bleeding!

It does not take long at all for Kael to engage into the midst of the chaos. While the giant creatures might be concentrating their efforts on the buildings, the rubble, the Keaton heads immediately in their direction. He eyes their heel, a particular tendon in mind, until he sees one of those insectoid abominations take out an innocent citizen. Just like that, his course shifts, and he he lifts his blade with a new target in mind. Alas, an arrow flies through and hits him in the side where his armor is strapped, throwing him off course temporarily. It is not a deadly hit however, and thus the Keaton is once more able to engage against his targeted foe.

"Eirene! No! Wait" Lou's eyes widen in panic as Eirene starts to coat her sword. "You don't know if it's going to work or not," she tries to reason with her, suddenly fearful for Eirene after losing Felicia not just that long ago. She doesn't try to physically stop her, but she's also really, really not happy about it. She's looking around for anyone else close by who might be better capable of protecting Eirene than she is. "RAVEN! Eirene's going to charge after the plant things!" she calls out.

Eirene mutters, "... Gloria, don't ... me get stepped on ..."

For being so tall, Gaspard has done exceptionally well as the brooding silent type, hiding in the backs of the loose group formed of Telmar and its vassals. Blinking wide-eyed, Gaspard soaks in the utter chaos steadily forming at a rapid rate. Immediately he responds by calling out to citizens, urging them to get behind the rest so that those combat-inclined can do their duty without worry of actively protecting while fighting. His jaw sets and his lips purse as he frees Shepherd with a steady hand. With a rattle of armor, Gaspard rushes in to help the group of telmar types near the wall breach fighting a giant insect. The insect strikes out with a nasty looking pincer, striking a chink in his armor. Immediately parts of his armor don a new blood-red hue, wincing visibly as he stumbles from the force. He stomps a foot down, catching himself and retaliating with a swift thrust, only barely missing the abomination of a creature. If it's even that.

Vitalis is nodded away from Adalyn towards Norwood. And in the swirling of insect creatures and screams, he spots the Baron, frantically trying to make it to Cristoph, and also keep a bead on the rest of them. He pauses a moment and ducks under a scything mantis arm, his eyes gone wide at just how close that was, whip cracking out to foul the footwork of their foes, turns out having more feet to foul is an unexpected advantage. He shouts seeing Amari go flying and moves out -- headed for Norwood, a prayer to Limerance on his lips.

Lucita says, "If you are going to use the goop, share it with others, many blades.. or arrows, may succeed better on something 'that' huge, Auntie Eirene. Try arrows with it first, see if it has any effect, coat the points?""

Raven's head swivels towards the shouting of her name, "Lady Eirene! Don't. You. DARE!" She growls in frustration torn, "This way, Lord Mirk!" She calls to Lou, "Don't Let Lord Mirk From your site. TELL me what stupid thing you need doing and *I* will do it!"

Lucita mutters, "I'm trying to talk ... to her, ... her out ... being stomped distance."

"We need to destroy those things, and if this helps?" Eirene shoves the bottle back into her belt, blade now coated in a sickly green and red sort of ichor. "Otherwise we're fucked, Lou. And so are the civvies." She stops at Lucita's suggestion and shakes her head. "Arrows are too far off to see the effects." But then she sighs and says, "Find me archers and I'll dip their tips." Not an innuendo, not at this time.

Lucita help me call for archers, Pathfinder. "ARCHERS! OVER HERE for tip dipping in this goop stuff. It might maybe help."

As the chaos begins to increase, Helena grins atop her plantgantuan mount and continues to fire into the crowd, heedless of whether she is hitting combatants or civilians. She remains on the shoulder of her moving hunting stand, relatively safe from those swinging sword. The other five plantgantuans move in step with her, but leave destruction in their path. Buildings that hosted parties but minutes again are now nearly rubble. Whatever damage they take barely slows them down, as if they are immune to pain. It seems that only actual destruction of their bodies that removes them from the fight.

That humming buzz grows somewhat louder, only adding to the chaos of the night, like an cacophonous song to underscore the horror all around them.

What started out as a double fistful of half-man/half-mantis monstrosities acting as the twisted, deadly vanguard for the nightmares spilling through the breach in the wall around Artshall quickly blossoms into a number and presence that would be uncountable even if the city hadn't just been seized by total chaos. When they move they're fast, decisive, thriving in the complete disorganization they've caused, snatching citizens with those barbed, inescapable scythes and starting to devour them while they're still alive. It doesn't seem to matter that in their feasting they find a need to stop and actually partake, because every ungodly insect abberation that suddenly becomes preoccupied by the need to feed is seemingly replaced by two more and whenever one of them is slashed, stabbed or crushed to death it's like there's three others filling in the space and spreading out until the streets of the city are starting to feel well overrun. They aren't just maneuvering along the cobbles of the streets, not with those many legs, they're up on the walls of buildings too, the blackened dots of their massive mantis eyes swiveling around intently in search of prey to catch and to devour. For lack of a better term, it's an absolute feeding frenzy.

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

Norwood checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Norwood fails.

Eirene checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Eirene fails.

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

Richard checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Richard fails.

Thalamina checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Thalamina fails.

Lucie checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Lucie fails.

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

Mabelle checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Mabelle fails.

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

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

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

Adalyn checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Adalyn fails.

Cristoph checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Cristoph fails.

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

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

Kastelon checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Kastelon fails.

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

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

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

Kael checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Kael fails.

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

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

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

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

Xandrine checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Xandrine fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Drake checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Drake fails.

Tesha checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Tesha fails.

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

It is from the other side of the city that one Marquessa Consort comes charging, clad entirely in diamondplate, brandishing Lastguard. She was just on her way into the city, her horse abandoned when she pushed it too hard to make it towards the action and the rest ran on foot. Needless to say, she is out of breath and flushes, her helm left still on her horse and her dark curls a flying mass as she screams, "Mother! MOTHER! FATHER!" She is looking into the fray, flinging herself into it.

Iliana also tags her name on that, somewhere.

Iliana wields Lastguard the Sword of Leary.

Caspian checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Caspian is successful.

Despite the terrible damage, Caspian does not take a permanent wound.

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

Caspian remains capable of fighting.

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

Alis has suffered a serious wound!

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

Alis remains capable of fighting.

Amari checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Amari is successful.

Despite the terrible damage, Amari does not take a permanent wound.

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

Amari is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

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

Richard has suffered a serious wound!

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

Richard remains capable of fighting.

Eirene checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Eirene is successful.

Despite the terrible damage, Eirene does not take a permanent wound.

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

Eirene remains capable of fighting.

Lucie checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Lucie is successful.

Despite the terrible damage, Lucie does not take a permanent wound.

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

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

Kastelon remains capable of fighting.

Tesha checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Tesha is successful.

Despite the terrible damage, Tesha does not take a permanent wound.

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

Tesha remains capable of fighting.

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

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

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

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

Sydney checks dexterity and brawl at hard. Sydney is successful.

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

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

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

Lucie checks strength and huge wpn at hard. Lucie is successful.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mabelle checks dexterity and small wpn at hard. Mabelle fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ryhalt checks strength and huge wpn at hard. Ryhalt is successful.

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

Kastelon checks dexterity and archery at daunting. Kastelon fails.

Kedehern checks strength and huge wpn at hard. Kedehern is successful.

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

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

Richard checks strength and medium wpn at daunting. Richard is successful.

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

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

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

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

Raven calls out, "KEEP THEM FROM FEEDING! I don't know how yet but THEY ARE MULTIPLYING IF THEY CAN FEED!" She snarls and bares her teeth, "I am getting SICK of always being at a fucking DISADVANTAGE!!" She lets her frustration at the familiar futulity of the situation fuel her murderous rage and she goes slashing trying to find a way to render jaws inoperable or slice open throats so their gruesom meal can't nourish them-or at least that's the hope, "I DON'T CARE HOW! KEEP THEM FROM FEEDING!!" she drives forward, trying to dispatch or render foes unable to eat.

It is possible that the fumble of the spear is what does it, but when Adalyn bends down to scoop it up it slows her down on moving out of the way of an arrow. The arrow doesn't hit anything vital, but even non-vital things hurt, cause bleeding, and all kinds of other bothersome things. There's a surprised cry of pain as flesh is torn by the arrow, and she lifts a hand up to grab the wound. With one hand holding the wound, Adalyn tries to move again to take a lunge at one of the insect beings, her balance off and the strike too slow and wide to do anyone any good.

"There's no time, Lucita. It's either a now or never sort of situation," Lou says in a resigned voice as she looks to Eirene. "Alright. Go. But be careful. I'll try to keep your back clear as you're doing it, so you don't have to worry about anything else attacking you," she assures the formerly Malvici, now Riven woman. "But the moment you can, get the fuck out of there." She looks to Lucita, "Stay with Lord Mirk and any civilians." And while Lou barks it as an order, it's up to Lucita to decide what she would do in this situation. She looks to Raven to see if the other woman is with her on this.

Looking down the length of her shoulder at Katarina who comments on the source of the chains, she catches sight of Sidney too. Keeping close to the other women, despite the chaos around, she is taking small steps or long ones. Chaos begets chaos and she finds herself tripping a little, mostly on account of getting hit by something rather terrible. Vivid blue eyes go wide and she gasps with a quick shake of pain that manifests into some quick cussing. Denica is blinking rapidly before she breathes in and out. There isn't much of a change to really focus in on it, nor does she especially care. Rather, she is striking whatever is gripping at her, with quick retaliation. Rage begets haste in her step. "Lead the way," she mutters, heading towards whatever danger the others do.

There's a sharp, horrifyingly audible snap near Cristoph as one of the mantis-men suddenly folds backwards in ways that even mantis-men are clearly not meant to. This is followed by the crack and crush of its legs as they too bend the wrong, wrong way. Others near him fall from sword blows, and what isn't entirely clear, but must be other sword blows.

"How am I..." Mirk mutters under his breath, but he doesn't finish the question. He looses one arrow, reaches for another, and miracle of miracles, he avoids getting hurt even worse. But if those mantis-men have their way, that won't last for long. He turns to Eirene. "I can try to tip the arrows in them. I'm not sure I can accomplish much, even with them, but it's the best I can offer," he says, holding out his arrows for the alchemical concoction in question. "An alaricite bow might offer a certain something for a task like this, though."

In Bastion, the horrors had rolled down the streets, catching anything they could and feeding off of them, going into buildings to do the same and... Kastelon clearly remembers this from how he's racing -towards- the monstrosities, and not away from them. The bow is still in his hand, that one eye lining up with the human figure that's riding in on them as the commander of this abyssal critter-cavalry charge and he's taking a bead on her before loosing his arrow with a sharp TWANG! That it misses is hardly something that registers on his face. "KEEP THEM AWAY FROM ANYONE WITHOUT SHARP THINGS!" If he's kidding about this, it's not clear, but the scowl on the Keaton huntsman's features intensifies as he's pulling another arrow from his quiver, standing his ground to try to take another shot at the figure he presumes to be Thornweave.

Ryhalt has better luck with the arrows for this while, but the feeding monsters is a problem. He rushes up to one of them to jab and slash at it with his ranseur, trying to distract it from further feeding and give the civilians nearby time to flee.

Raven looks at Lou and Eirene briefly, "Busy ladies! Use your words. I need you to TELL ME what you NEED from me!"

A poorly-timed swing nearly costs the Oathlander prince his footing. From his periphery, he senses one of the amalgamations within striking distance. Alantir quickly steps right, avoiding the thing's first assault, but -- unfortunately -- he subsequently finds himself vulnerable to the advances of another.

Sir Corban is light on his feet. Or, well, heavy on his feet what with the heavy diamondplate armor. But he manages to remain uninjured, parrying and striking away the sword-like pincers with his shield while he brings down his sharp and simple alaricite blade, rendering the monsterous thing and then looking around. "Tesha! Get back!"

The response from the Highlord makes Richard actually laugh: a rare enough occasion for the normally serious knight, even more so in the middle of battle. "...maybe," he muses, grunting in response to Alis as his brief humor fades back to his normal somber demeanor. "If we don't stop them, they'll tear through the city and leave nothing and no one left to defend." His watchful gaze catches sight of one of the approaching plantgantuans, heading for a building. It's a long shot, and he seems to know it, squaring his shoulders as he darts forward into the fray. As a child, he climbed trees, this should be no different, right? Wrong. The plantgantuan moves and heaves underfoot, so even as he gets some purchase he slides back as much as he climbs. Sheer determination forces him upwards, and there's a moment where he's grasping for his mace when it looks like he'll fall... but he manages to swing it, smashing the metal weapon towards the plantgantuan's face. He draws back for a second strike... and goes flying as the giant creature spikes him away. For a heart-stopping moment there's nothing, just a slow inexorable flight downwards. Then impact, and pain, and Richard groans in agony, breathing shallowly as his fingers find blood through his dented armor.

Jamie's head lifts as Raven calls to stop them from feeding and he grumbles. "Already trying." even as he plunges his sword between the joints of bug creature currently trying to murder Tesha and sends it sprawling. He hopes its dead but there are too many of the creatures for him to hang around and check. His weapon coming up in a desperate attempt to fend off a vicious claw which only succeeds after he uses his weaponless hand to physically wrench the claw away. He nods briefly as he sees Gaspard fighting nearby and moves in an attempt to support the massive Blackram in his endeavor. An occasional glance is cast back to Tesha but, for now at least, he seems to think Corban has her covered.

Funny thing about being launched and ragdolled against a wall, you tend to lose track of your bows and arrows, and even senses. Amari doesn't leap up and heroically jump kick a mantis to death or anything so wildly awesome. She just sits there, all crumpled up in her armor, like a discarded pile of rubicund and diamondplate. When her darkness fades, she awkwardly and slowly looses Wildly Inappropriate from its sheath at her hip and she raises it skyward as if to pray for divine intervention, or maybe just call for help. "SEND BEES, please. ALL THE BEES!" She calls out, like that makes any kind of sense. A mantid-man climbing up the side of the tavern is attracted by the motion, shout out for bees and glitter of the sword and skitters over to stab her to death, or close enough. There's tastier people with less of an armor coating to feed on nearby, and none of them are likely to chop at it with a blade either. Much better prey than the baroness. When it's gone, she rolls off the half roof and lands in the street with a clatter of metal. She's probably fine, just taking a much needed rest. Never mind the growing pool of blood under her. She'll be right as rain in a moment. Maybe.

Xandrine twists beneath an awful something that she's trying real hard not to think about as her blades flash toward softer, unguarded bits: joints, eyes. Catching Aleksei's yelp, she can't help but look toward him -- but seeing him still standing, it's not _that_ which distracts her into becoming a Big Bug Bite -- it's one of the civvies, thrown beneath an overturned cart, as she pauses to reach and pull the young man out, throwing him into the line of retreat as she takes a sharp nip across her shoulder. She doesn't just yelp; she _swears_, sharp and vicious and rising in a squeaking noise as she bashes the hilt of her dagger into the eyes of the beast upon her until it lets go.

Vitalis leaves Adalyn's side and OF COURSE that's when she needs him there most. But he is a whirlwind among the scythes of mantids, snapping limbs, tangling feet, popping heads off like they were dandelions. It's one way to stop the feeding. He's making his way, carving a swath to Norwood, one sharp report of Defiance at a time. A weapon unsuited to most battlefields is well-suited to this. He reaches Norwood's side, panting, slicked with ichor and ghastliness, eyes a bit wide around and focused. In time to see... whatever the hell that was happen to the mantids near Cristoph.

Raven nods once firmly to Eirene and Lou, "Aye-aye Pathfinder! Point me to where we're going!"

Iliana's blade comes up against one of those mantis monstrosities, blocking one wicked, serrated scythe from piercing her. She pushes him, it? away and swings back at it, but it skitters away up the wall of the building next to them. She curses, but she doesn't pursue it. Instead, she looks around. She ducks past one, her ice blue gaze catching on Cristoph as it draws to the snap audible over the fray. Recognizing her cousin, at least, she sets herself to trying to make a path towards him, calling out, "Cristoph! Fuck. Where-- FUCK. What the FUCK are these? Fuck!"

Mabelle is clearly not in the right state of mind for this. Her mourning/panicking/guilt tripping that's taking place while she wanders the streets alone, far from anyone who has her back, is probably not a good idea. It makes sense then, that while distracted, one of those beady eyed things knocks her off and shoots her flying over one of the shops, right through the glass, "Son of a... dog", she mutters and rises to her feet. Clearly she should not be here. She tries to swing at it but fails, he already went off to someone else. Her eyes drawn to what happens next to Cristoph, looking surprised and relieved at the same time as she begins to look at the bodies piling up at the streets. Kneeling next to one of the bodies, she cracks for a moment before rising and continuing her efforts to spare people, looking for that humming sound direction. Spotting Amari, Mabelle runs toward her, murmuring, "Sit down, sit down, you're done".

Continuing to wade in to the thick of battle, it becomes hard to see through the throng of people and rubble and giant insect things. So everything becomes just a blur outside the field of view, Alis' focus becoming singular in just slicing through whatever insect arms, legs, mandibles - whatever it takes to get the creatures off of the civilians trying to escape. It means she doesn't even see the creature swooping in from the side, grabbing her by the leg with an audible snap of pincers that makes her scream in pain before she stabs it in the eyes to get the thing off her. And, find something to grab onto to haul herself back to her feet. She's not done yet. Fortunately, tears of pain can't be seen behind a helm.

Despite the call for archers, Eirene sees an opening. The battle-medic, in a 'hold my beer' moment, hands the half-empty bottle of herbicide to Lucita and Mirk and charges forward as Lou gives her the word about having her back. She runs forward, pumping her arms and legs as she dodges the first of the mantis on the way towards the nearest plant-gantuan. The second in her way brings its sharp blade into her thigh as she tries to avoid it. Despite the slash, her shadowmeld pants hold her together. She makes it close to the plant monstrosity and stabs it hard with her diamondplate blade, driving the poison home. "Please, Gloria, let this shit WORK," she prays through pained clentched teeth. Her mission succesful, she looks over the battlefield to make her way back to the safety of numbers.

Lucita scowls at Lou but quickly follows the suggestion. Over toward Mirk she heads, one of the beasts nearby. She stumbles a little, which was quite lucky as it means she managed to evade an attack at the same moment. She lashes out with her dagger as she runs toward Mirk but does not take time to really focus on an attack and misses the quick moving ... thing. She stands in her usual position, between Mirk and foes yet leaving him toom to use his bow should he choose to do so. "Lou sent me over to be near you. This.. is bad... Think we need to grab wounded and get out of here if this does not turn around soon. There are so many of them."

As the throng of monstrosities begins to crowd the defenders, Lucie retreats until she nearly backs up upon Cristoph and other nearby defenders, only planting her feet when moving any further would inhibit their ability to fight freely. Unable to move further, she raises her claymore to bring it down upon the mantis-man encroaching upon her. The success is short lived, as Lucie notices blood - her own - on the claws of the fallen mantis, and with it the searing pain of a gash opened in her abdomen.

The battle settles into the ebb and flow of warfare, and Norwood gets into the rhythm. Queensguard rises and falls in quick succession. It cuts into the mantis-men flesh. They're giving as well as given, and Norwood has a line of blood running from where the enemy managed to get past his armor. He acknowledges Vitalis, asking - "Where's Adalyn?"

Katarina, having suffered a grievous injury to her shoulder (not actually grievous, but she'll be complaining about it for literally weeks as if she lost a leg), fights on. She does better, ducking under the swipe of a mantis-creature and stabbing it in the belly such that things that need to remain inside it to live end up no longer doing so. She's trying to lead Sydney and Denica toward: "Princess Lou! Lady Eirene! Crow!" She means Raven, but it's the thick of battle and she forgot a commoner's name. Look. Princesses have problems. Katarina looks to Lou: "I trust you to know what in the world these things are, and how to STOP them." She looks out toward Ms. Thornweave some distance away. "...and stop HER."

Lucita passes the bottle of Goop over to Mirk. "Eirene sent this if you want to dip your arrow points to try.

Caspian slices through the limbs of one of the bugs, the poor civilian it was about to eat dropping to the ground and scurrying away. "I swear there were not this many of them!" Raven's voice cuts through the air, all be it distant and he curses. "Shit..." he look to savio and snorts, "Thats just cheating.. they should know the rules..." His pithy words were cut short as a mantis claw crashed into him, puncturing armor and catching him in the side. apparently the beasty didn't like his words or dismemberment. likely his words. Caspian cried out in pain, slashed at the creature and driving it back, staggering back and wincing as he tightened his armor to staunch the wound. teeth grit he looked to Savio, "What i wouldn't give for some thraxian fire about now.."

Despite the sheer chaos, Gaspard is utterly comfortable in the heat of battle. Despite bleeding from his side, this doesn't slow the giant of a man down in the slightest. Teeth clenched, he brings up his shield just in time as a half-mantis creature swipes out with a scythe for an arm, the sound of its hardened chitin screeching across diamondplate metal. Retaliating in kind, Gaspard thrusts forward, skewering the half-mantis on through with the sickening crushing sound of chitin and flesh. He glances back at Corban and Tesha, assessing them from a short distance away before finding his next nearby target. As Jamie fights his way to Gaspards side, the man is given a firm nod. "This is madness." He calls out. "Steel yourselves! Form a formation, protect the archers, push back the horde! Make sure your back is covered by ally, not foe!" His voice booms out, in a commanding tone.

Around Cristoph and Talu is a growing number of dead, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference when there is more and more swarming from all over. One of the monsters manages to break through the protection of his arm and blood springs to life. Despite the pain of being hit, he keeps to her flank, trying to stop the woman beside him from being swarmed completely. Even if it seems like she doesn't quite need his help. "Try not to listen to them!" he calls to her, but that's easier said than done. A mantis creature snaps next to him and his response is just move out of the way, he doesn't seem surprised by /that/ at least. "MONSTERS," he calls to Iliana. "Kill what you can!" He calls out again, "CLEAR A PATH FOR THE ESCAPING." He stares up at the trundling plantgantuan's wrecking his city. "THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE CITY. ONLY THE PEOPLE MATTER."

Somehow, the Elwood knight hears the Blackheart's words in the fray. "THEIR JAWS! STRIKE THEIR JAWS!" he bellows to pass the word along, apparently capable of being loud despite his usual soft-spoken nature as his voice carries. He ducks out of the way of another slash from a scythe-claw, and splinters and god knows what else as the battle rages around him. He swings upwards to try a strike at the mantisman's jaws, running past it in a follow through. It's then that he hears Alis scream. Luckily he sees her go down, and sprints the close distance to try to cover her. He's within pull-yourself-up range, but he keeps his weapon in his hand, to guard her back.

Mabelle calls back at Cristoph, "LIKE HELL THEY ARE TAKING THE CITY. NO!". Yes Mabelle, that will sway them. She's still evacuating people though.

"Amari!" Shae calls out to her cousin who was now on the second floor of a building. Fuck. And then she hears Lou's voice calling for archers. And then she sees Mabelle running for Amari, looking a bit unsure if she should go protect them both or go to Lou. And that's about when she takes an arrow to one of her thighs. A breath sucked through her teeth, and then she is running... hobbling... limp running. "Kedehern help Amari and Mabelle, I'm going to Lou," she calls after her husband. "Pathfinder, how can I help with my bow?"

Raven notes to Lucita, "I am staying out here til the fight's over or I'm too hurt to fight, You and Lady Eirene goop up Lord Mirk's quiver and then get the fuck out of here. When Lord Mirk's out of arrows he will retreat-EVERYONE takes wounded when they fall back! If you get into trouble make noise so we're sure that I know it!"

Drake seems to have a bit of difficulty evading these mantis strikes, especially as their numbers swell. There's more than anyone could reasonably easily fight back against, and the Wyvernheart favors aggression over defense, charging their ranks. The tip of his blade is thrust forward, and drives into one of the monstrosities... he twists it, cracking what might be described as a carapace with his alarcite blade. As he does, another mantis attacks him from the side, and drives its own bladed hand through his leather armor. The blood flows... but Drake presses on still. At the sound of strategy, shouted aloud, he slashes the blade for another creature in a strike aimed for the jaw.

Savio is sinking the alaricite teeth of his weapon into the mantis-things over and over again, leaving him liberally splattered with the noxious, nightmarish goo that issues forth from them when they are struck. He is moving fast to avoid the scythes, and seems to be trying to bash as many as he can, as hard and fast as he can, to stop their ability to eat civilians. Or eat him. Or eat Caspian. Or -- okay yeah no they are stabbing Caspian. "AH!" Savio steps in, taking a swing to help his protege drive the creature back, to show it the error of its ways! "Then we'd just have bugs /on fire/ fighting us, Caspian. Do a quick check and tell me if all your arms and legs are attached, please? If you need to get the fuck out of here, I got you..."

Vitalis scrubs a hand over his face, gauntlet squeegeeing ichor clear under the flash of his beret. Grim-faced, he looks back to where he left Adalyn and can't pick her out of the fray. "She's back there. Lookout-" he grabs Norwood and drags him clear of folk fleeing the rolling tide of insects and the plantgantuans beyond. It's entirely too like Bastion.

Sydney forms up alongside Katarina, the agile fighter finally looking the part in spite of the damage she's already taken. It's all she can do to keep herself intact and the line from collapsing. She cries out as she intercepts one of the mantids, sidestepping its sweeping strike and delivering a crushing blow to the creature's head with a carapace-crunching CRACK. She throws herself back and looks to Katarina, "There's no end to them!" Her eyes snap to the wound that Katarina's sustained, curses, and grinds her teeth at the sound of that swelling /buzz/. "Whatever that sound is, I don't /fucking/ like it!" She keeps half an eye on the walls nearby, as if considering something, but ultimately sticks with the pack, following her own advice. She advanced along with Denica and Princess Katarina.

Thalamina rushes to cover Alantir at the very moment she observes that he is vulnerable to the flaying limbs of a hungry amalgamation. She readjusts her aim, opting now to send a sharpened arrowhead through the skull of the one threatens her friend's life, and releases it. The pointed tip makes purchase and the creature collapses on the cobbled stones. The duke's voices echoes above the din of battle, his orders ringing clear and true. And so after waiting for the prince to regain his footing, the lady begins to retreat, though her cobalt eyes remain peeled for civilians that are under attack and in need of rescue along the way.

A glance over his shoulder, hearing the shouting. Not a scowl, not a frown, just... clear determination as Kastelon assesses where the others are - where his marquis and his Highlord are, where his cousins are, the Laurents - and turns that single hazel eye back towards the figure astride the gargantuan. "I wish I had barrels of oil and some flaming arrows," he can be heard to bite off lowly, with a hiss of breath, before the arrow's nocked once more and he takes aim. "Gloria, favor us."

As Aleksei moves through the crowd with Xandrine, he manages to avoid injury for the moment, slicing through the fray with a grim, determined energy. He catches some of the shouts going around, about STOP THEM FEEDING and STRIKE THEIR JAWS, and he tries to adjust his focus accordingly. But then he hears Cristoph yelling about the city falling, and there's a moment where his face is stricken. But all he can do right now is try and help clear the path his friend asks for.

Iliana's chin jerks sharply in a nod to Cristoph's orders, a trained soldier to follow commands. She mumbles something to herself, what might be a prayer, as her fingers wrap tighter around the sword and she turns to find a path, to try to carve a path of retreat.

Kedehern lays about with his hammer, as best he can, giving Shae a nod, as he tries to make his way to Amari, and Mabelle. "Get her out of here, please!" he calls to his cousin, half-picking up Amari hand her way, if Mabelle will take her. Should she do so, he then sets himself up to provide a bulwark of sorts, and shield the retreat of the others.

Moving from one foe to the next is Kael, and though he tries to keep track of certain key people within the chaos, it might end up being a pointless thing. The Keaton is focusing on points of vulnerability in the chitin, much like many of his comrades, and in fact is changing up tactics to go for mandibles when he hears a particular scream in the background. He whirls and starts to head back in the direction of Alis, only to be clumsy, to step left when he should have stepped right. The next blow he takes from one of those monstrosities is a heavy thing, and he barely keeps his balance. For a moment he appears to be dazed, but he manages to focus just in time to see Edris sprinting that way. Trusting his cousin, he delays just long enough to re-engage the insectoid, to do away with it before continuing his approach to the pair.

Lou only has enough time to give a scant nod in Katerina's direction. She's pointing after Eirene who just took off running in a direction, and seems to be going after her. And, so it's like that, Eirene dodging through mantis people to get to a plangantuan. She follows after, getting hit by the mantid that Eirene managed to dodge. There's an audible oof, but it doesn't snag her enough to catch her. Blood is running down a leg and she lips slightly after the Riven noble woman. As she does, she's frantically using her sword, hacking left and right to keep anything else after from attacking Eirene as best she can. It's not an infallable plan, but it's a plan at least. She doesn't watch to see if Raven follows after. That leaves those that were coming to her to aid to make a decision if they follow too or not.

Raven bellows, "If you got two working arms you'd better be helping haul off wounded when you fall back!"

Mirk shakes his head at Raven. "It's not taking well enough. It'll never fly like this," he tells her and Lucita both, setting aside an arrow and drawing another. "But I'm standing my ground, at least for now."

"The longer we hold this spot." Jamie tells Tesha, Corban and now Gaspard. His posture making it clear he doesn't intend to move until he has too. "The more time the people have to escape."

Katarina nods back to Lou, and takes off running to follow both Lou AND Eirene. Her legs hurt from all this running. But she'll worry about that tomorrow.

Raven's sensible words gain a nod. She helps Mirk apply the goop to arrows should he wish her to do so and if not just says. "When we retreat, I'll grab someone wounded if I am still able to do so and help them get to safety."

Mabelle calls toward Kedehern, "I cannot carry her! And I am not getting out of the city!", stubborn little Laurent.

Caspian pats his arms, legs, head, then nods, "limbs accounted for! blood maybe not.. but limbs are good!" he looks a bit paler, but with adrenaline coursing he doesnt seem to realize how hurt he is. "it might slow them down. and its not like this is working!" he looked around, "how is the evacuation going?!"

If Norwood or Vitalis were able to spot her, it would just distract them. So while Adalyn was worried about where //they// were at one point, she does her best to now make sure that her focus is on getting herself out of the mess she's dug herself into.

"I'm alright." Tesha states as she manages to spit out blood. Really, she's fine! She looks from Gaspard to Jamie and then to Corban and she gives a nod to them. "We hold this spot. No matter what." the Redmarcher states as she brings her blade up to do just that. She was going to fight.

Alis s given that hand up by Edris, her grip probably far too tight when she hauls herself up, and adjusts her sword. "We have to clear that path. The Duke has called it, and I won't fail him in that." There's an angry grit to her voice, but she'll stay close, keeping her eyes peeled for Kael then when she sees him coming. Between the three of them, there are plenty they can help.

"Blood is a thing that you need inside of you!" Savio worries at Caspian, risking a look over at him. As to how the evacuation is going, and maybe how the whole fight is going, his weirdly Saffron-accented voice summarizes neatly, "Not well. None of this is going well."

"I will drag you out myself if I have to, cousin! You heard the fucking Duke!" Iliana shouts angrily, snarling across the way as she hears Mabelle. Her ice blue gaze seeks out the younger woman, pinning her with narrowed eyes for only a moment, marking her spot in the chaos.

Edris acts as a bulwark for Alis, perhaps confident that she'll get up on her own, though he keeps his body close for an easy grip up--bracing himself to take an impact if he needs to. It gives him a moment to look around, and assess where perhaps the next stand should be taken. At something Alis says he offers her a hand up, and then nods. "Aye." When Kael arrives, he makes ready, grim determination in his face. "We'll hold so that as many can get out as possible."

Having lost sight of Lou, Shae moves back to Kedehern, Amari, and Mabelle to help assist them. Her eyes narrow on Mabelle, "Yes, you are, we have to get everyone out of here that we can."

Raven shoves her sword to the side and bellows, "Goop me!" She then calls out as she presses forward, "Hey Fuckers! Are you peckish! I am SWEET AND JUICY! fRESH MEAT RIGHT HERE!

Calling out, Gaspard repeats orders from others in a position to make them, voice booming out to those nearby him. "STRIKE THEIR JAWS! DON'T LET THEM FEED! CIRCLE YOURSELVES AMONGST THE ARCHERS! FORM UP!" A look of concern washes over his expression towards Tesha. He opens his mouth to speak then shuts it, lifting his shield just in time to parry off another blow, glowering at the half-mantis as he strikes out. "There's no point in holding this spot if we're all running around scattered like headless chickens!"

Raven shoves her sword to the side and bellows, "Goop me!" She then calls out as she presses forward, "Hey Fuckers! Are you peckish! I am SWEET AND JUICY! fRESH MEAT RIGHT HERE!" trying to draw attention to herself and distract from those fleeing.

It's not quite clear. Those looking can see Talu tip her head toward Cristoph. They can see her lips move. They can see her reach toward him - they're only a foot or so apart now - and touch his shoulder, ever so lightly. Ever so lightly.

Then the armor at his shoulder blackens. Pits. Seemingly rots and then crumbles. It spreads and spreads, his armor turning to ash and ruin as surely as the mantids around them, falling off in chunks that themselves disintegrate before even hitting the ground.

Norwood turns and watches Cristoph LOSE HIS ARMOR. His yell is more of a scream as he throws himself at the enemy between them.

Caspian looks around desperately, "Siege engines.. fucking siege engines is what we need!" he looks around fanticlly to the walls that are still intact. "Does the city have any?! can we turn them against the plant zombie.. er.. the plangantuans!"

"Please, don't make me have to carry you -both-," Kedehern pleads with Mabelle, gritting his teeth.

"Test completed, time to fucking go," Eirene says to the small group who has followed her into the frey, still dodging and trying to smash away the mantis-taurs when they press their attack.

Mabelle calls to Iliana and Shae, "I will leave once everyone else leave... and you cant, I'm wearing shadowmeld, you'll melt", she warns Kedehern and then she notices her cousin being stripped of all defenses, screaming at the soldiers around her, "DEFEND YOUR DUKE!"

Lou gives a succinct nod in Eirene's direction. "Follow me." This time Lou leads the charge back through the bugs and plantgantuans to where they left Mirk and Lucita.

There's no sign of slowing on the part of the mantis-manstrosities, voracious and relentless in their pursuit of any moving citizen around them. They've become so thick in the streets of Artshall now that many of them are forced to take to higher ground up on the rooftops in search of prey already otherwise unoccupied. Some few of them - for anyone unlucky enough to catch sight of it - even turn on each other to fight over struggling victims, pulling them to pieces and showering the area around them in blood and other strange human confetti. These creatures make no sounds not even in victory, it is the cries of anything they snatch up and seize for their own which acts as ominous warning. They're not alone, either. Nevermind Helena Thornweave and her plantgantuan elite guard, that droning sort of everywhere-noise that's just somewhere over the horizon and out of sight grows closer still, more intent, constant. Every second it grows louder, pressing, whatever is coming is coming fast. Maybe it's bees?

While initially as the mantids swarmed over the city walls, many civilians were lost, but as the chaotic fight drags on, more seem to be escaping than dying. From atop her plantgantuan post, Helena ducks out of the way of an arrow shot by Kastelon. Without even looking, she begins to rapid fire arrows in his direction. Eirene attempts to get close to one of the others and successfully slashes at it with the special 'weed killer'. She catches its arm and the entire limb starts to turn brown like a wilting plant. The creature grunts, rips its own arm off, and bats Eirene away with it into a building. Richard also appears to be trying to climb one of the monsters and manages to get up it and successfully stab the thing in the face. It bleeds a rivulet of a mixture of sap and blood. The creature closes its giant fist around Richard, picking him off him like a tick. He then spikes the man into the ground.

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

Lucie checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Lucie fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ryhalt checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Ryhalt fails.

Gaspard checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Gaspard fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Edris checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Edris fails.

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

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

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

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

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

Iliana checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Iliana fails.

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

Thalamina checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Thalamina fails.

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

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

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

Katarina checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Katarina fails.

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

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

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

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

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

Lucie remains capable of fighting.

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

Ryhalt remains capable of fighting.

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

Gaspard remains capable of fighting.

Thalamina checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Thalamina marginally fails.

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

Thalamina remains capable of fighting.

Katarina checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Botch! Katarina fails completely.

Katarina has suffered a permanent wound!

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

Katarina remains capable of fighting.

Richard checks 'unconsciousness save' at normal. Richard marginally fails.

Richard is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

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

Mirk checks dexterity and archery at hard. Mirk fails.

Thalamina checks dexterity and archery at hard. Critical Success! Thalamina is spectacularly successful.

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

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

Lucie checks strength and huge wpn at hard. Lucie fails.

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

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

Ryhalt checks strength and huge wpn at hard. Ryhalt is successful.

Denica checks dexterity and small wpn at hard. Denica fails.

Sydney checks dexterity and brawl at hard. Sydney fails.

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

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

Kastelon checks dexterity and archery at daunting. Botch! Kastelon fails completely.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shae checks dexterity and archery at hard. Shae fails.

Vitalis checks dexterity and huge wpn at hard. Vitalis marginally fails.

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

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

Kedehern checks strength and huge wpn at hard. Kedehern marginally fails.

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

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

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

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

Lou tries her very best to lead Eirene and Katarina through the throng of mantid beasts, but that throng of mantid beasts has become quite thick indeed. So, it's no surprise that Lou does not see it when it is coming, one of those thick legs bearing down on her just as she's about to weave to relative safety past the last of them. Its leg is coming down thick and sharp toward Lou, until. . . .

Jamie grunts as a mantis creature gets in a strike against him and slowly backs up to the rest of the Telmar group. Stabbing on of the creatures as he goes. "We're not achieving anything here anymore." assuming they ever were. "We need to find a place where people have been gathering and get them out." he looks over to Cristoph and the melting bugs and armor and grimaces. "Unless you know how to deal with THAT."

Ryhalt's coffee's running out, that or he's just not that great a fighter. He spins about to jab his spear at one of the monsters only to find the mandibles not where he'd calculated them to be. More of his blood spills as he gains a nasty slash across his forearm, but changes his grip on his weapon and continues fighting to give others time to escape.

Mabelle is all about trying to help Amari while refusing to leave and suddenly there is a Mantis behind her and he is aiming at Lou, who's with her back to him. Mabelle takes out her Apis dagger and tosses it into his neck. And he's down. However when his friend comes over to scoop up the pieces, Mabelle struggles with him.

Breathing is agony. Attempting to move is a fresh hell, as Richard hastily rolls to avoid getting ground entirely into a paste on the ground; he's still caught a blow and he roars in pain. It's past time to move; he heard Cristoph sound the retreat, but getting to his feet is a feat in itself, as he learns that his hip is not so fond of bearing all of his weight. The knight grits his teeth, searching for his weapon. He can't see it, so he liberates a Oathlands sword from a fallen knight, uttering a prayer to Gloria and the Queen of Endings as he hobbles, using the sword as a makeshift cane, face white. Given the choice he wouldn't run. But none of them have a choice. He moves to try and cover a line of retreat, wavering on his feet. When a mantis comes towards him, it carelessly stabs him almost as an afterthought and he slumps over, falling unconscious.

Perhaps emboldened a little by seeing his brother take such a risk, Drake fights back with greater fervor, dodging and rolling clear of another slash. Then Richard is grabbed and spiked... into the ground, and Drake sees it happen, letting out a shout of total shock. He's fighting back against the hoarde... but his attention is naturally directed elsewhere, and his next cut against the beasts is a bit ineffective. At least he's still on his feet, even though he's wounded. He fights his way toward where he last saw his brother, to make sure medics are at least working to keep the injured clear of trampling.

Speaking of nubs, Katarina nearly has her left arm reduced to one. The Princess /screams/ as she gets a mantis-blade right at the wrong angle -- the blade swings upward and into her armpit, gouging deep and almost hacking into her until it clears bone. Katarina SCREAMS and topples to the ground. Her arm is useless for the moment, and she swings her blade with her right hand while on her knees, barely missing the beast now wearing her blood. She forces herself to her feet, and calls to Lou, Sydney, Denica, Eirene, the rest: "I'm-- I'm coming! Don't wait for me! I'll follow! I promise I'll follow, just -- move, move, go, in the name of the gods, go!"

TWANG! Kastelon looses another arrow into the darkening sky towards the figure of Helena Thornweave atop the gargantuan. And misses. Not a flicker of worry to find his expression as if he's not yet deterred by it, before he does take a moment to look for where the others are. Fewer figures that he recognizes, fewer that are clearly visible throughout the mass of the things swarming through the city. "Swear to the gods, buzzing flying things are -not- going to be easier to defend against," comes the thought, before he's shouting again. "DO WE NEED TO GET TO COVER BEFORE THE BUZZING GETS HERE?" A step back, two maybe at most, keeping half the pace of that lead horror, as if he's not truly retreating.
Because he's not. He's letting it get better into range, to where hopefully the archer atop it can't hit him before he hits her. It's all he's got.

Look, it must be the shock of seeing Cristoph's armor melt off. Iliana is in the middle of yelling "What the FU--" when a mantis-man monster thing slices into her side, the sharp bug claws getting between a crack in her armor. There is blood, but she is quick to turn around and slice the claw off but the mantis itself gets away. She is trying to clear a path, but there are /so many/ of them that no path appears around her. Just more mantis.

For a man that's being stripped of his defenses, he's oddly calm and collected about it. He bows his head, and waits while the armor disintegrates from his very body as if it were nothing but dust from the earth. Underneath is just an umbra shirt and also other clothes, he's not naked, sorry, soaked with sweat from the fight. When Talu is done, he reaches out a hand to clasp hers or maybe her shoulder, whatever he can manage to reach in their departure For whatever else anyone is thinking during this fight, the action speaks of friendship. When he straightens again, he cocks his sword armor. "ARTSHALL HAS BEEN LOST BEFORE. LET IT BE LOST AGAIN. SAVE EVERY SOUL YOU CAN." He's much lighter on his feet without the additional armor, and it seems to play into his ability to dodge and hit monsters with his sword.

He moves away from Talu. And the calls goes out to everyone, "RUN! ABANDON THE CITY! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" And if anyone tries to stay behind near him, Cristoph is going to bodily drag them off himself. "GO."

Regardless, the humming sound that keeps getting stronger unsettles her as she watches her life's work collapse and shakes her fist to the sky, "YOU BETTER BE HELPING BEES, YOU BETTER BE OR WE ARE SWITCHING OUR MAIN INDUSTRY TO APPLES YOU UNGRATEFUL PIECES OF HONEYCOMB".

Eirene only has a moment or two to savor her succesful test. "FUCK YES IT WORKS." She grins wickedly and then WHAM. The rotting arm, even as plant debris falls away from it, smacks her solidly in the face and she flies into the side of a still standing wall. The battle-medic tumbles down into the debris below. She pushes herself up and shakes the pain away even as her nose is streaming blood down her face. There's only a moment to regain her senses after that smack. She picks up her dropped longsword and starts hacking her way back to the rest of the Arvani, mantis-jaws slashed and stabs parried. She's hurting, though, clearly. But she's disengaged the gargantuan-plant-thing now that she knows the stuff works. "LOU," she shouts in a panic, seeing the leg coming down on her friend. And there's Katarina. She goes to grab Kat and help the princess evacuate.

Caspian may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but even he can see a lost cause. As the mantis swarm grows and grows, he calls out to Savio, "Keep falling back! we got to rejoin with the others!" he throws himself to the side as a mantis slashes at him, coming close to taking his head off, but instead nearly slicing his chest piece in twain. He slashes back at the mantis and grabs for Savio, "Come on! time to go! i think we are the unwelcome ones know! see.. suddenly burning the city down doesn't seem so bad!"

Raven sniffs and sets her sights on the biggest fiend here. The Gargantuan. She issues a gutteral bellow and charges! She manages to be too fast for any of the foes or the plant- Gargatuan to hit but so too is the pesky Plangantuan. She issues another bellow, "EAT ME!!!!"

There are three of them, Edris and Kael and Alis, that support each other and form a triad of people fighting back to back to try (not very well this time) to hack and slash their way through mantoids to create a path. It's a new tactic, so maybe give it a bit to work or something. But, they also force their way determinedly to the downed Knight of Solace that their friend Richard. And, between the three of them get him picked up and lifted to safety while they usher as many civilians with them as possible. It's a pretty scary situation, and the Princess of Sanctum tries her best in the midst of that to offer reassurances. And also maybe curse under her breath at rumor of Cristoph's armor melting off what the fuck. Slowly but surely they make their way towards the nearest exit.

Gaspards shield is forced past, finding another chink in his armor as he's struck. He lets out a grunt of pain, ducking under another scythe as some blood flies from his open wound. He registers it, but it doesn't slow him down any. "I can't keep this up much longer!!" He says towards Jamie, Corban and Tesha. "We need a primary focus. We're outnumbered twenty to one, and we only have so much breath and blood in us." Warily, he looks to the mantis that scored on him, striking out swiftly with an arc of Shepherd, only to miss by a marginal amount. He's far from fatigued, but he -is- wounded fatigued, it's evident despite his unyielding fighting spirit.

Caspian blinks as he runs past Raven who is screaming and hacking at a plantgantuan. "Raven what the FUCK are you doing!?"

Norwood is just going to cleave his way like the enemy is butter towards Cristoph's side. "Why are your //clothes// gone?!" he yells at his Duke, crashing right up beside him.

The grip on her spear shifts, and Adalyn straightens, her expression turning as serious as it ever is as she focuses on what is happening. Tuning out the noise, the chaos, everything that she can so that she can focus on being light on her feet. A snap from some manibles is dodged, and she twists around to try and shove the spear beneath one of those insect arms in the hopes of finally managing to land a decisive blow. But her hopes get dashed fairly quickly when she's not successful at landing that blow. A small moment of panic at her own failure to do any real good has her rapidly scanning the seething chaos for Vitalis and Norwood, the Duke, the rest of her family.

Lucie struggles to stay on her feet as she is overrun by mantis-men. Dimly aware of hearing Mabelle's yell to protect the Duke, she desperately swings her claymore, only finding air or glancing off of chitin. As her attacks are frustrated, she feels claws hammering into her armor, and she resolves to stay standing in order to serve as a wall for those behind her if nothing else. As Cristoph gives the order to evacuate, she throws her shoulder forward into the monstrosities, trying somehow to forge a path through the creatures.

It's not at all that Kastelon hasn't heard Duke Cristoph's shout, over the din of all that's going on, over the clattering and the screams. Not that he's picking up his pace by much either, as he's continuing to do what he can as he's slowly, so slowly, creeping backwards and firing now and again. "I'll buy what time I can!" Shouts the Keaton archer, a deep breath taken into his lungs, before he bellows out, "WHERE YOU GO, WE SHALL FOLLOW!"

Mirk curses quietly, firing another arrow, but his attention is drawn to where Cristoph falls. He attempts to make his way forwards, but is stymied by the threatening limbs of another mantis-creature. With a frustrated grimace, he draws the sword he'd brought to the fray. "We've lost the day," he says quietly to Lucita. "It's time we left." He starts to back away, though not without taking time to make sure that no one is left in front of him, and anyone he can help will be. Sensible about danger he might be, he's still not one to save himself first.

Kedehern learns that it's a bit hard to swing about a diamond plate war maul, while also carrying one of your wife's unconscious cousins. Still, he manages to avoid being stepped on by any plantgantuans, or sliced in half by a Mantis-Man creature, so he has that going for him, as he and the others make their fighting retreat, trying to buy time for the non-combatants to get to safety. Eventually, he hands off Amari to Shae's Treecat, imploring the beast to carry her off.

When Katarina breaks a run towards Lou and Eirene, Denica is following, holding up her blade and waving it about. There is some strategy to this, perhaps she's hoping it might clear a path. It does not. While it helps her stay away, it's thick and it's hard to see what is happening, even more so how those around her are fairing. There is little she can do to help either Katarina or Lou, even though she tries to hit whatever attacked either of them, she comes up short fumbling with her blade in the chaos. Looking between then, Sydney, around back and then her eyes go wide as she hears Katarina scream. Making an about turn, spinning in place she is looking over at Eirene taking a step towards her now and the two princesses.

Lou only has enough time to register that there was a /MANTIS?!?!/ behind her before its leg pierces through past her diamondplate chestpiece and into a vulnerable area in her side. Before it can stab all the way down though, Mabelle's dagger gets it in the neck. She has to twist herself off of the mantis before she can get away from it entirely, but she manages to do that before anything else comes after her. Likely, there will be may gift baskets sent Mabelle's way later. For now, she continues to fight, for as long as she can, and she finally clears the path to Mirk and Lucita. "We can't stay here much longer. There's no telling what that buzzing sound even /is/," she tells them. She may have missed Eirene's whooping triumph moment as she was being rescued.

"I gave them up! Now, go! We don't have a lot of time!" Cristoph grabs Norwood's armor and yanks on him to bring him along, to urge him out with the others.

It would be easy to fall to panic and fear in a retreat, but Cristoph's voice cuts through it all before the seed can truly take root in Xandrine's heart. She draws a ragged breath and shakes her hair back as her gaze sweeps the streets: familiar streets, yes; _home_, yes; but it's the friends, and the family, and the -- "Oh, fuck, look out!" Okay, focus. Lots of uglies to kill to help people get out. She puts on her FOCUS FACE as she falls in line with Aleksei to help civilians out.

Raven shrieks, "I am SO SICK OF YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!!!" she tries to stab the Plangantuan with another heartfelt, irate but not horribly accurate swing she calls to Caspian, "GO, Damnitall! Grab a civilian and FALL BACK!!"

Lucita moves with Lou, Eirene, and Mirk and Raven when she gets done hacking at the monster as a group, retreating as the order by Duke Cristoph is given. "Yes, we need to get out before ... more of us are killed. And Eirene, it works? Thank, goodness. A lot of that is going to be needed." She glances around. "Lets see who needs help getting out of here!" And she backs away with Mirk.

Corban is still able to keep on his toes, managing to keep the terrible, terrible pincers away from him. But when he tries to strike back, the carpace never quite manages to cut all the way through. He glances towards Tesha, glad to see his cousin has not been laid low yet.

Thalamina spots a number of terrified civilians huddled in an alley as she retreats. Mantis-men have begun to creep up the street, no doubt following the rush of men, women and children toward the city's standing gates, opposite the outpouring of monstrosities in the hole they made in the Western wall. It is only a matter of time before the innocents are surrounded and consumed by them. And so she stops mid-lunge, pivots on her heel and shouts to the civilians, "Run, now!" before unleashing a volley of arrows at the encroaching enemies. One-by-one they fall to her precise aim, until at last there is a break in the onslaught that allows her room to follow up the rear of the civilians fleeing for their lives. "Keep going. Don't look back!"

Mabelle starts to well up and tear, looking as her home is getting burned to the ground. All the people, all the work, "I'm not leaving", she keeps repeating, "I'm not leaving, I'm not leaving. We're not losing Artshall".

Vitalis gapes at the dissolution of *alaricite* under Talu's touch. "Duke Laurent, fall back! Baron!" He chokes a shout, mind screaming at the mounting horrors, eyes white around the edges as he surges forward on the Baron's heels as the Sword of Artshall springs to his liege lord's defense. He falls back, sticking with the Clements, searching for Redire's white tree amidst the chaos. "Gods have mercy." He makes a sign over his chest and begins the retreat.

"This way, this way!" Edris calls out to still fleeing civilians and gods only know who else, he strikes out again and again as he works with his cousin and his highlord to try and keep the path clear for as many as they can, making their slow and steady progress. But as the swarm seems to be overwhelming, what actually seems to be happening is that they're the ones being literally used as a bulwark and shield. Helping to get Richard settled so that they can carry him along as well, Edris turns his back at an inopportune time. He seems to sense the dagger-sharp end of a claw hurtling his way, turning to face it and try to swat it aside--but his parry goes wide and instead the point finds just the right weak spot in his cuirass, stabbing up into his underarm. He shouts in pain--but at least it's not in his weapon arm.

"YOU'RE LEAVING." Cristoph waves to Xandrine, "CARRY LADY MABELLE OUT!"

Sydney shakes her head frantically, "We're losing ground! And whatever that noise is, it's only getting closer!" She leaps out of the way of a mantid attack and attempts to smack it with a reprisal, but the thing's too fast. And then Katarina is screaming, and Sydney's eyes snap to the downed Princess. She sees Eirene's trajectory towards the woman, and grinds her teeth, nodding her head sharply to Katarina, "Don't you /dare/ be lying!"

Following the Duke's command, Alantir shifts his attention to ensuring those seeking to evacuate the city are afforded a safe path to do so. Unfortunately, in the wake of another another wide swing, the most he can do is attempt to distract a handful of the beasts as they descend upon a pocket of civilians -- all the while narrowly avoiding their bladed appendages.

And Xandrine, with her horrible, bloody, buggy mess all over her armor, advances on Mabelle like the Death of Fashion embodied to DO CRISTOPH'S WILL.

Lou pauses in interacting with the others as she hears Mabelle commenting she's not leaving. She goes over to her side and says, "Lady Mabelle, your people are going to want you to live. Live so you can fight another day. You can build it up again, no matter how many horrible things they do to it. Bastion is proof of that. Come. We need to go. Don't stay here any moment longer than needed. Don't make your family try to rescue you." She is trying to be as gentle, but forceful, as she can.

Caspian stares at Raven a moment, "oh well this is it then savio, she finally snapped." he snorts and slows to try and do his best to keep the really big bugs off Raven while she vents her rage on the big plant who likely didnt WANT to be there anymore than raven wanted it there

Amari is like, literally dead weight. If not for Kedehern propping her up and moving her about, she'd just be face down in the street, napping. Her limbs are all dangly and useless, and she can't keep her head up. If she is awake, her only view of the battle is of the cobblestones and her toes, mostly. Someone will have to describe what happened to her after. If there's an after.

Mabelle steps back and not making it easy on Xandrine, "Maybe the bees will help! We are beekeepers, they will help!", she insists. Also, ew she will ruin her dress.

"WHY WOULD I LIE WHEN MY ARM'S NEARLY OFF," Katarina snaps at Sydney. She smiles tightly at Eirene and then shoves Eirene to hustle ahead. With the good arm.

Mabelle in in severe state of denile.

Raven waves her arms and legs doing jumping jacks and still trying to get the Plant-gantuan's attention, "**EEEAAAAT MEE you miserable snot weasels!"

Shae fumbles with her bow as she is trying to get to Mabelle, Kedehern, and Amari, scooping it up off the ground as she stumbles toward them. Pausing for a moment, she quints a touch listening to the buzzing for a few seconds to see if she can tell what exactly that buzzing is coming from. Kacela, darts off with Amari, doing her best to get the Baroness out of there. "Mabelle we have to go now!" Shae says firmly to the lady. Turning some to help provide cover as they are all leaving. Her amaber eyes surviving the chaotic mess, to look for Adalyn.

Aleksei looks at Mabelle. He looks at Xandrine. And then he looks at the mass of mantises still swarming around them. "I'll cover you!" he says, taking up position at Xandrine's rear, clearly assuming she is about to have the use of only one arm after she uses the other to bodily haul Mabelle out.

"WE AREN'T GOING TO GET RESCUED BY FUCKING BEES!" Iliana shouts, angrily, passionately, voice cracking towards Mabelle.

Kastelon maneuvers his steps, keeping the slow, steady pace so he can keep up some rate of fire, but also shifting, moving, to ensure that he's in better position to cover while Xandrine's trying to get Mabelle out. "Get her and GO!" He shouts over his shoulder. "I'll buy some time!"

Kael moves back to back with his small group, bracing himself up against what he assumes is Alis' bad side, even as he might lean a little bit into Edris from his opposite side. His blade continues to lift, to try to slash through his foes, but the fatigue of battle is starting to make an impact. Surely the loss of his blood is also assisting in taking the strength from his sword arm. Once they reach the fallen knight of Solace, Kael grunts to Edris, and chins to the man, moving to take one side if he will take the other. Evidently Alis is off the hook and just has to navigate though her assistance will not be declined. He's on the cusp of offering some mutter under his breath when Edris takes his blow and he grimaces, trying to swing at this new foe.

Raven says, "Just PICK HER UP! She weighs less than a sack of fucking grain!!"

Sydney flails her arms back at Katarina, "Because I've seen people do /stupid shit/, and you better not be one of them!" She has to beat a retreat after, as promised.

"We can retake and rebuild the damn city, Mabelle! We can't do the same for you!" Kedehern shouts, reaching to try and grab her.

Savio is unhappy at Caspian's suggestion that they need to get gone, but more unhappy about what seems likely to occur if they stay. A moment is spent watching all of this, all of it around them, and there is a moment of eyes closed, maybe a prayer, maybe not. Caspian snaps him back out of it with the mention of Raven, and he opines, "It's fine, she was never right to begin with." He means that with love. And he is there trying to help swat the bugs away. "Let's fucking go, Raven, it's time to go. Stop trying to make Eat Me happen, it's not going to happen."
They probably should get gone! An anxious look passes over the surroundings, looking for any last victims that could be helped out...

Gaspard calls out sharply. "Grab someone and FALL BACK! Build a line of defense!" He begins to budge some, shoving the half mantis back with his shield to gain some room, glancing around alertly as he takes stock of the battlefield. He shoots a look towards Tesha, Corban and Jamie. An urgent one. One that speaks, as if he wants to say something, but can't just yet amidst the heat of battle.

Raven says, "The sooner YOU ALL are going, the sooner I am! Don't WORRY about me, GET OUT OF HERE!!"

Denica stays at the back moving with Eirene, Katarina and Sydney. There is a noticeable grimace but she says nothing, rather she is waving her blade around trying to catch sight through the chaos. Face red, eyes squinting, boots heavy against the ground.

"HOW DARE YOU CALL A PRINCESS OF THE OATHLANDS STUPID," Katarina snaps at Sydney again. If she survives this, she's going to send Sydney so many apology letters. She doesn't mean these things. She's just nearly had a limb severed and it's making her cranky.

Caspian nearly gets run through by a bug when raven screams about being eaten. still.. when it comes to dumb ideas Caspian is on board. "yeah! eat me!!! Eat me! no wait not me eat her! Eat Her! the short one! the angry one! eat her!" he begins to fall back slowly, looking for those that need carried out as well

Lucita backs away with Mirk, Lou and Eirene. In doing so she spots where the Archlector Wylla fell, unconscious and bleeding but stil breathing. "There, grab her before one of those things gets to her!" And she looks at the others and tries to help lift her.

"LADY MABELLE LAURENT, IF I CAN FUCKING ABANDON BASTION TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY, YOU CAN DO THE SAME THING FOR ARTSHALL." Mabelle's denial, in spite of Lou's gratitude moments earlier, makes her snap sharply. She's giving the woman a rather stern look. "But if you want to die, you're just going to make yourself fodder for the Traitor and be one of his creations." With that, Lou stalks off. "So, think about that."

"KASTELON!!" Edris' voice booms out, as he's looking for his other cousin. Though typically stern and with emotions highly guarded, it would seem that the Elwood holds a great deal of concern for his family. At least until he hears the other man's voice in the fray. He's not dead yet, so that settles him a bit. With another grunt of pain, he steadies himself so that he can continue to help Kael move the unconscious Solace knight to safety, as Alis helps protect them.

Raven says, "CASPIAN WILD! What part of *I* don't leave until YOU'RE gone do you NOT UNDERSTAND?! Fall back! GO! Go HELP someone in need of HELP!!""

"RAVEN! CASPIAN, BOTH OF YOU get your scrawny asses over here and help carry the wounded out," Eirene barks, blood still streaming down her face. She's getting Katarina out of there, speaking of the wounded, nodding at Denica and Sydney. "Time to get the fuck out of Arthall," she says grimly. "Before we end up becoming Mantis-fodder. And what the FUCK is the buzzing," she adds, glancing at the sky with a frown. "Nevermind, I do NOT want to find out."

Mabelle slips away from all those trying to grab here like a child avoiding bedtime. She looks at the sky still, waiting for the bees to come rescue them. Goodness me she will need therapy this one. Eventually, something Lou says makes her blue eyes turn dark and she calls toward Helena, "I WILL KILL ORICHALCUM IF ITS THE LAST THING I DO. YOU TELL HIM THAT. YOU FUCKING TELL HIM THAT". Oops, she cursed. Norwoooood.

What? What? Norwood has no idea, but he's not about to let Bare Chested (yes, the player refuses to admit that Cris probably has a shirt on) Cristoph run around without him. So side by side with the Laurent Duke Norwood goes.

Caspian nods, "oh! you were talking to me! right!" he spins and darts back toward Eirene, looking for any poor souls still lagging behind who could use a lift. "im coming Lady Eirene! Savio you with me!?"

'Grab her before one of those things get to her' -- What a dire thing to overhear. Dire enough to distract Savio's attention away from Caspian and Raven, and over toward Lucita. Raven wants to Raven, that's fine, he will depart to help! "Lucita! I can help you with --" Whoever that is. Some poor broken person. ....Wait. Not just anyone. A sharp indrawn breath follows, horrified. "Oh, no. Oh no. Oh, no no no," the words are kind of on repeat, and stooping to help Baroness Lucita, he stows his weapon to try to scoop up Wylla's prone form. There is nothing, nothing except despair in the words, as he whispers, "Oh, no, Wylla. Wylla, no."

Iliana's iced blue eyes slide to Helena, not recognizing the woman, as Mabelle calls her attention to the woman by calling out promises to kill people. She breathes in and then out, taking a moment to murmur to herself, "If ever I needed steel--," as she watches the woman on the platgu--

Lou makes her way right over to Eirene. "Who do I need to help carry out of here?" she asks, preparing to help with the wounded. She does glance over to see if Mabelle has maybe come to her senses a bit.

Helena continues to fire off arrows from atop her perch. When she sees that SOMEONE has very rudely hurt one of her plantgantuans, she hisses in irritation and then starts firing at the crowd, whether they are trying to escape or not. She's not going to make a retreat easy. The taunts of the those on the ground are ignored as if too insignificant to acknowledge. Helena does stop firing briefly and cocks her head to the side as if listening to something. Her eyes narrow and she calls out to the other plantgantuans, "Pull back. The Duke is here!" She must be talking about Duke Cristoph, right? But that is not where she looks. Instead, she gazes to where the western wall used to be.

And smiles.

The tide of mantid men never ebb, they only flow, crashing through the streets of Artshall in scattering waves that snatch and consume as they lap forward, sweeping along citizens, going for those brave or foolish enough to take up arms against them first and moving on after to those who are fleeing. The worst part? The monstrous scythe-armed creatures never even seem to finish any meal they catch. Maybe they're picky, or just in a hurry.. or maybe they know exactly which parts it is they like the best, throwing down some victims after eating only a hand or some of a face, the occasional leg. In the chaos of the half-mantis abominations, nobody can really be faulted for maybe missing the lone figure who steps up to where the western wall around the city once stood. Dressed all in fashionable darks the likes of which someone might wear out to a celebration, the singular figure is much calmer than anyone should be during the massacre of Artshall. He fishes around in his pockets, just casually so, and goes through the motions of lighting up a slick little cigarillo while he surveys the damage that's been thus far wrought upon this grand battlefield. Anyone else might start shrieking and flailing as they're engulfed and then near-disappear into a shroud of aggressive, swarming wasps so thick they drop the visibility for anyone they're attacking - and oh, they are attacking - but not this man. For many here, this place is a bloodbath. It's carnage. It'll live on in some minds for the rest of their lives. For the Duke of Wasps, it's just another winter's night warming himself on a fine smoke. Even if the walls remained, they wouldn't stop the smothering cloud of stinging insects that blow through the streets like a breeze which brings only pain and death by a thousand little stabs. As quick as he's there he's gone again, or at least obscured by his buzzing servants, and who could even worry about him when that ominous noise building for so long has revealed itself as an endless number of something that is assuredly not at all bees.

Talu gives Cristoph a few moments to get away from where they were standing. Or, rather...she gives him space. The young woman rolls her shoulders forward, her back arches a little unnaturally, and then--

Wings. Wings, and scales, and the wings lift to the sky like two massive leathery shadows in the midst of the screaming and dying, deeply scarred. The creature is also deeply scarred...her scales are an unhealthy gray shot through with brilliant streaks of far healthier silver, and with a roar the likes of which most of them have never heard, the dragon leaps straight upward into the sky, those wings flapping in a powerful downbeat that sends mantis-men flying in all directions, crumbling and crunching from the sheer force - more than physical it would seem - of the movement.

The dragon banks, soaring over the city in the opposite direction of the fleeing humans, but even so, they can all feel the air practically crackle with sudden, unnatural heat. And then a stream of nearly white-hot flame sears through buildings, through insects, through corpses and lighting against one of the plantgantuans. Heavy, bloody snow turns instantly to vapor. She breathes in again, heavily, and seems to falter. The silver in her dims slightly. Her wings miss a beat. Rather than fire, she tips her head skyward and roars again, those this time words. First one. Then, after hesitation, three more.

Talu says in Draconic, "Sister!"

Talu says in Draconic, "...I need you!"

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

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

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

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

Ryhalt checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Ryhalt fails.

Tesha says in Draconic, "Don't fall..."

Alantir checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Alantir fails.

Alis checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Alis fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Iliana checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Iliana fails.

Edris checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Edris fails.

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

Sydney checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Sydney fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Raven checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Raven fails.

Caspian checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Caspian fails.

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

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

Xandrine checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Xandrine fails.

Tesha checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Tesha fails.

Savio checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Savio marginally fails.

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

Savio remains capable of fighting.

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

Jamie has suffered a serious wound!

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

Jamie remains capable of fighting.

Ryhalt checks 'death save' at easy. Ryhalt is successful.

Ryhalt remains alive, but close to death.

Ryhalt is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

Ryhalt checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Ryhalt is successful.

Despite the terrible damage, Ryhalt does not take a permanent wound.

Alantir checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Alantir is successful.

Despite the terrible damage, Alantir does not take a permanent wound.

Iliana checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Iliana marginally fails.

Iliana checks 'unconsciousness save' at easy. Critical Success! Iliana is inhumanly successful in a way that defies expectations.

Iliana remains capable of fighting.

Edris checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Edris marginally fails.

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

Edris remains capable of fighting.

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

Sydney has suffered a serious wound!

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

Sydney remains capable of fighting.

Raven checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Raven is successful.

Despite the terrible damage, Raven does not take a permanent wound.

Caspian checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Caspian marginally fails.

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

Caspian is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

Xandrine checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Xandrine is successful.

Despite the terrible damage, Xandrine does not take a permanent wound.

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

Xandrine remains capable of fighting.

Tesha checks 'death save' at easy. Tesha is successful.

Tesha remains alive, but close to death.

Tesha is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

Tesha checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Botch! Tesha fails completely.

Tesha has suffered a permanent wound!

Kastelon checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Kastelon is successful.

Despite the terrible damage, Kastelon does not take a permanent wound.

Kastelon checks 'unconsciousness save' at hard. Critical Success! Kastelon is spectacularly successful.

Kastelon remains capable of fighting.

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

Katarina has suffered a serious wound!

Katarina checks 'unconsciousness save' at daunting. Botch! Katarina fails completely.

Katarina is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

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

Lucie remains capable of fighting.

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

Mabelle remains capable of fighting.

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

Shae remains capable of fighting.

Gaspard checks 'unconsciousness save' at normal. Gaspard marginally fails.

Gaspard is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

Alis checks 'unconsciousness save' at normal. Alis fails.

Alis is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

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

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

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

Mabelle checks dexterity and small wpn at daunting. Mabelle fails.

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

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

Xandrine checks dexterity and small wpn at daunting. Xandrine is successful.

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

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

Gaspard takes a third slice, staggering back before lowering to a knee before falling over right then and there with a clatter of armor from sheer pain alone. Nothing is fatal, but he was incapable of remaining awake. His wounds caught up to him.

A dragon takes fight, causing Drake's eyes to immediately look to the sky. He missed the source said dragon, in all the chaos... is the dragon on their side? He hears shouting, but before he can get a bead on where and what.... there's wasps. So many wasps. Being used at least to the terror of stinging insects, and the pestilence that they bring, Drake starts swatting at them. The city may be about to fall, and he is wounded, but he's standing still and still going to give one last push, to get as many civilians out of harm's way as he possibly can and give those hurt worse the chance to retreat. Though he manages to avoid the deadly stings, swatting the wasps with a big alaricite blade in a way that does as much damage to them as they do to the others proves a lot harder. It's unclear if his return strikes are doing much good... but he's at least trying.

"AAAAARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH" Katarina screams as wasps sting her, including on her tongue, which is why her scream is an 'argh' instead of something more dainty and feminine. She collapses because, if we're being honest, she almost had an arm removed and there's a /lot/ of blood loss involved in that. Also, the wasps are stinging her open wounds.

There are no more things for Kastelon to be shouting. No, with the wasps filling the air, he's not opening his mouth to be yelling overmuch - there's another snap of an arrow off his bow, before he shifts to pull a cloth over his mouth and nose. No entry for wasps, no! His head turns this way and that, the better for him to be getting a good gauge as he's backing still slowly towards Mabelle and Xandrine before his voice can be heard again. "For FUCK sake, get -moving- you two!" That he actually -swears- might be a better warning as he's trying to get a bead on -either- said duke or Thornweave....

So, Corban has a lot that he is processing here. First, there is the dragon. The dragon is something that something Corban is processing. His eyes draw up to the sky, and he looks around, confused. "Sister?" he says, to no one in particular. In that moment, he doesn't quite see the stinger coming for him, striking just at his neck and leaving QUITE the awful mark. But not as bad as it is on some others. For, while he brings his sword down to smash the giant wasp to the ground, he spies Tesha fall out of the corner of his eye. "Cousin!"

When it comes down to it Jamie's first focus will always be on helping others. He seems torn for a moment about staying put and fighting but glances a struggling victim and turns to help them up onto their feet. Trying to actively shield them with his body as he starts moving away from where the others who were with him decided to stay and fight. His expression shows how torn he is about that choice. His efforts to shield the refugee hamper him badly as he is retreating and somewhere in the chaos of all those bugs, collapsing buildings and angry dragons, he takes a wound that crumples his breastplate to the point of ruin.

Norwood keeps running beside Cristoph, yanking people to their feet and pushing them ahead of him as he goes. If needed, he will throw someone over his shoulder. Cristoph says run, so Norwood's going to run.

Iliana refuses to go down. She refuses to give in. Her heart soars as the dragon does, a renewed moment of hope-- that is crashed among the gore and violence surrounding her. She swings her sword wildly, trying to hold the line, but she makes little impact even as a scythe gets caught in her shoulder.

Raven makes the most of the distraction and tries to hamstring the plant-gargantuan with the Solution-smeared blade but immediately is knocked back, staggering with a pained cry. She blinks and looks upwards, "I am talking to everyone! The only one dumb enough to be last to leave this party should be me! move, Move, move!" She's still ducking and swatting at the gargantuan and/or anything that gets near to her. When Mabelle says the Troublesome name, "Oh for *fuck's sake*. SOMEONE GAG HER WHILE YOU'RE AT it! Saying that NAME!" She pauses and blink-blink-blinks stumbling back, "Oh. Shit..." Her eyebrow knits as she looks upwards. This time there's a distinct pitch of panic, "Everyone needs to RUN NOW! I think there's another coming! Runrunrunrun!" For once she heeds her own advice, stooping to grab people who are in need of a lift on the way-in this case she sprints towards Caspian and as hurt as he is she stoops low as if she's tackling him and with a pained cry of effort drapes him off his feet and in a fireman's carry over her shoulder, "RunrunrRUN!!"

They might be retreating, but the wasps just don't care. Alis is partially shielded by a taller Kael from the worst of it. But, when she turns to try and help a civilian up onto their feet so they can continue running she gets a wasp sting right in the small of her back. There's not even any chance for her to shriek about it; there's just a garbled gasp and she crumples to the ground like a ragdoll.

"I need some help over here," Lou's calling out, just on the heels of asking Eirene where sh ewas needed. She's rushing over to Ryhalt's side, "Help me pick up him and get him with the rest of the wounded, so we can get him out of here. Lisebet will have our hides if he doesn't come home." She then pauses, her jaw gaping wide when she sees Cristoph's companion leap up into the sky and turn into a silver /dragon/. DRAGON!?! It's a good thing Lou didn't pick Ryhalt up, or else he would be in worse shape. She stands there, gaping in wonder, at her very first gaze of such a creature. That wonder, though, quickly turns to concern, then fury as she notices how the dragon is struggling. Not /at/ the dragon. At whatever made the dragon so unhealthy looking. She firms her lips and shakes herself out of it, then looks back to the crowd, as if she wasn't just gaping at a huge flying beast herself and barks, "Well, let's get a move on!"

Cristoph is not naked, Norwood. HE IS NOT. And because of that, there's no visible tattoos, if there even are any. What kind of scandalous rumors are flying? But that doesn't matter, because he's staggered away into the fleeing people of his city, blood dripping down his side. His hand goes to it as he looks up to see Talu transform into a dragon in front of everyone there. His eyes go wide, awestruck as anyone with even a lick of sense has to be. He shields those same blue eye eyes as she breathes flames onto their enemies. For a moment there's a triumphant yell, then it dies on his lips. She falters, and he stops in his retreat. "Tavalu!" the cry is caught in his throat, and there's the panicked look of a person who believes they've miscalculated. He hears the roar go out over the crowd and he swings his sword, "I said go!" He rushes to assist the rest of those running, his sword the side for the now. As he goes, he kneels down by the now unconscious Ryhalt. "Sorry, it's not your time yet." He can't hear him. But he'll start dragging the Duke of Westrock out of here.

Running is usually NOT an option. But the swarms of wasps, plus dragon, plus crushing manibles....well, it's a lot. And Adalyn doesn't think to attack or fight, instead her first reaction is to flap her arms around her face and head before she's running, "GET OFF!"

Bleeding at the bottom of the steps, in her unconscious state Wylla has curled around her missing hand. There's a pained whimper, her cheeks wet as Savio gathers her up. She knows nothing, the darkness velvet and embracing, brittle with pain that stains her forced slumber. Shock has her shaking, her robes of office stained with blood, her freckled cheeks speckled, her face gray with bloodless and discomfort.

Chaos. Wasps. Body parts. Evacuating is top of mind. But, leave with the people you came with, or met along the way. The princess Thrax stops abruptly to make sure she's evacuating those around her, keen to grab anyone along the way. Watching as Katarina collapses after the blood curdling screams as she is bit. Denica crouches down and will try to lift her up mustering what upper body strength she might have acquired from sculpting clay. "You are leaving! Now!," she shouts at the unconscious woman, looking to see if anyone can help her hoist up the princess, if not, she's going to do it herself, grunting and cussing, rolling her if she must, but everyone's getting out. Glancing around for Eirene and Sydney, Denica is blowing the hair out of her face and trying her best not to get stung.

Caspian is distracted.. because how could you NOT be distracted in a moment like this. a DRAGON just burst out from the city. Amidst all the chaos and carnage.. Caspian cant help but stare up as the Dragon takes to the sky and unleashes a conflagration onto their enemies. He stares, wide eyed, and then bursts out with a cheer, "YES!!" he turns to run, trying to make quick his escape. but then the bugs.. so many bugs. He sees a mantis moving to descend upon a victim. he throws himself forward to stop it.. but a wicked blow aimed at a civilian, drops him to the ground instead. He is little more than dead weight as Raven hauls him up onto her shoulders.

Sydney says in Draconic, "FIGHT ON!"

Sydney jerks her head back around, stopping dead in her tracks as Talu transforms and takes wing. Her eyes go wide, and the sound of the Talu roaring sees Sydney taking a step forward, towards the danger, looking on with what can only be described as the temporary folly of an awestruck youth as she screams ... something? At the top of her lungs. That... proves to be a costly mistake. The wasps start to catch up, which is an unideal situation to be in. She turns to run, and even though she manages to keep ahead of being stung to death, she sure as hell doesn't manage to keep in front of being stung at all. Wasps pepper her body with dozens if not hundreds of stings. Wearing airy, flowy steelsilk that shows too much skin proves to be an extreme detriment when confronted with WASPS. "Fuck! /FUCK!/" Stings on her /face/. Stings on her arms, her legs, her ass. But, uh. She got to see a dragon, so there's... that...

Bees are great. Who doesn't love bees. WASPS, though: TOTAL assholes, just ABSOLUTE fuckers. Xandrine looks daunted by the swarm that blows through the streets. Her knives might be little, but _their_ knives are _tiny_. (They are called stingers. Wasps don't really have knives.) Watching Mabelle, that's all that Xandrine needs to decide her: she closes on Mabelle, taking sting after sting, and the cut of her blade is only so effective, can only possibly do so much. She has her eyes down, her mantle lifted, as if to shield herself -- but as she draws closer to Mabelle, it's clear that it's actually lifted to try to shield Mabelle. She moves to try to gather Mabelle and HAUL HER THE FUCK OUT with a perfectly polite, "Excuse me, my la--OH FUCK, OUCH." Eh. It was almost polite.

Mabelle narrows her Crystalline eyes at Raven, "You will not speak to me like that, do you hear me? Not in my home!!!" Clearly this is not functional. Its rage. Mabelle gets stung by a wasp on her shoulder and now... that Duke of Wasps comes in and she has words for him, pent up words, "You are nothing and you will remain nothing, this time we will wipe you for good, I swear it on my life", not adding a comment about him better not touch her jewelry coffers. Eyes glistening with grief, she realizes its time to go, she looks around for her friends, picks up Alis on her shoulder and stars moving toward the exit, slowly, since she's eating for two now.

Kael tries, he really tries. Yet when that blow takes out the Highlord and she falls unconscious, he stands there for a moment in sheer shock with color fleeing from his face. At least he manages to catch her by the arm and keep Alis from taking an entire fall. Richard might slump somewhat in the process, as his grip loosens on the Knight of Solace. "Edris," he says to the man, because right now he is not looking at him, just at the Valardin. He attempts in vain to try to maneuver them both, taking care of their wounds, in an appropriate manner. Occasionally he glances to Edris, to assist, and the two work in unison. Somehow the pair will manage a timely egress.

Ryhalt swivels his head at the sound of wings--*dragon*--wings. He really, really should be running and is jostled by the frenzied crowd as. He starts to say, "Let her make it--" but whatever the rest he'd been trying to say is cut off abruptly as the rampaging mob starts running faster when dragon fire rains down on the city. That would have been really neat too watch, but unfortunately Ryhalt's too unconscious to see it. Hopefully someone gets to him before he bleeds out and such.

Eirene has been trying to get Katarina to safety so she can tournquet that wound, but the wasps swarm and sting the princess into unconsciousness. Eirene swishes her jacket at them to shoo them away so she can grab Kat and haul her away. She glances up at the dragon and blinks in awe but says nothing of the majestic silver creature. Wounded to evacuate. "Everyone who can fucking stand and move, evacuate the unconscious," she orders, sword sheathed so she has both hands free. She glances at Denica and Sydney and says, "I got her, go!" Her cardian skin coat seems to be protecting her against the stings, as does the steelsilk scarf around her throat. She dressed smart.

Lucie continues to shoulder charge through the melee. As the downblast clears some space around here, Lucie looks around to see if there is anyone with her as she charges towards safety. She gathers any stragglers she can and tosses a downed fighter with all of their parts intact over her shoulder. "STAY BEHIND ME AND RUN," she yells back to her small group of civilians before she resumes her charge, this time assaulted by stingers which find every conceivable chink in her armor.

Thalamina continues to help civilians escape the city as she aims to follow the duke's of Artshall's order to retreat. However, she does take a moment to search the immediate area to confirm Alantir's whereabouts, but finds that he has disappeared from her sight entirely. Brows furrow as her frantic pivoting turns up nothing but unknown faces. Her retreat is forestalled by this single concern: that he has fallen to some monstrous enemy in battle. And so while she guides civilians to the closest exit, eyes remain ever peeled with earnestness toward the western gate.

Tesha's ears are ringing and it's probably from the way her blood is pounding through her veins. She feels like death really. She shouts something at the bugs in a rather unintelligible way as she holds the sword in her bloody hand. Then there is a dragon in the sky and the woman goes completely still for a moment, which doesn't help when something hits her which causes her to take to a knee as she stares up at the sky and states something in another language that some might know there and it sounds much like the language the dragon was speaking. She's bleeding and rather feeling like she's on deaths door, but she remains conscious as she drags herself back up, "I don't know who the sister is she speaks of." she calls to Corban. Apparently some people on the field spoke Draconic. Big surprise! Not. "Corban...Gaspard...pull back." she murmurs. Then she looks to find Jamie who is already moving and the blood soaked Redmarcher retreats...still trying to see if the sister comes to its siblings aid. Because she'd drop dead if she saw two dragons in one day.

Raven struggles, "What part of of DON'T SPEAK IT AROUND DRAGONS do you people NOT get! I KNOW you all were told same I was! RUN!!! If I am saying Run you should already be GONE!" through gritted teeth, blood streaming down her side as she trot-trudges Caspian to safety.

This whole horrible battle, Aleksei has been hearing Cristoph ordering fighters to help protect the civilians, to help lead them out. But as he looks back at the buzzing mass of wasps, and the man who's stepped inside, there's a grim sort of resolve as he turns towards the mass. "Xandrine, get her OUT of here!" he yells back at his cousin. For a moment his gaze lifts, wide-eyed, to the sudden heat and power of a /dragon/ overhead. And then he looks back down and starts moving forward, holding a line wherever he can, trying to buy whatever time he can for those retreating. And somehow, miraculously, he manages to slip past stinging attack of the /mass of wasps/, which doesn't even make sense, even as his sword slices through the onslaught, singing through putrid flesh with such grace that it's like he's dancing with the alaricite.

The decision to remain behind and buy the city's survivors additional time is an easy one for any knight of the Oathlands to make. As such, Alantir Valardin does so without hesitation. The dragon flies. The wasps descend. During these seconds, he is critically injured -- but the prince rallies, longsword in hand, and holds the line. As the last of their battlefield advantage expires, he slowly begins his retreat, sabatons stepping carefully over the corpses of men and insect and flaming debris, his composure maintained through shallow, forced breaths.

That glower, as smouldering as it can be from one eye when he's looking to Mabelle, implies that Kastelon is trying to get them moving. A keen eye might well notice that he's not moving anywhere near as well as he was moving when he'd arrived earlier in Artshall, and that he's firing anything less than indiscriminately... well. "My lady, we can deal with the niceties of these things back in Arx." TWANG. "-PLEASE- go, and let the rest of cover." Though how a wounded archer's supposed to 'cover' against -wasps- is a good question... though he does look around, again, to see through the horror of what they're buried in as to how Kael is managing with the other Keatons. If he's covering their withdrawal.

Lucita is busy helping get the wounded and unconscious to safety as quickly as she can. She flinches, almost dropping the person she is dragging as wasps make their way under her armor and sting in very inconvenient spots. She swats at the armor trying to squash them. Her lower lip is clenched between teeth trying to block a howl of pain and though she does not stop her efforts to help others, her expression betrays just how much she is hurting and her lashes darken with moisture she stubbronly refuses to to let slide down her cheek. "Soldier on... soldier on... blast it all these things hurt." A quick worried glance is given the others near her.

Edris shouts as a swarm of wasps move in to sting him. It's possible that he has been stung by such things before but never in this kind of swarm. Unfortunately, his shout is poorly timed, as some of the wasps take advantage, and then he is coughing and choking and spitting wasp bits back out onto the ground for his troubles. By the time he recovers enough find his bearings, his exposed skin is covered in welts and stings. It ain't pretty. Despite his swollen eyes, he does see Alis crumple to the ground, and he drops to his knees as if to shield her, and checking for breath. He looks up at Kael, his own face grey. WIthout thinking, he scoops her up and places her on top of Richard, and once more taking up the Solace knight. Yes, the Keaton and Elwood Cousins are going to use a Solace Knight as a stretcher--for the Princess of Sanctum. Luckily Richard is kinda bendy, and Alis is kinda small. And then they're ready to hustle as fast as they can go once more. In all the commotion probably nobody will bat an eye--and what Richard and Alis don't know won't hurt them!

Mabelle grunts at Kastelon and Aleksei and Xandrine, "I'm going!!!", she's just carrying a tiny High Lord.

Richard is nothing but a dead weight, borne by his fellow Oathlanders, wholly oblivious to the Duke, the dragon, the wasps and all the desperate defenses that occur as the remaining people attempt to flee Artshall. He might be getting stung in the fray but if so it doesn't rouse him, hanging limply as Kael and Edris wrestle his unconscious form: and Alis', when she joins him in temporary oblivion. Probably a good thing, since he's being used as a makeshift stretcher.

Shae was running with Kedehern, still looking around them to watch out for others that might be in need of help getting out of there. Spying Adalyn, Shae's eyes widen and she shifts her direction toward her sister. Immediately finding herself surrounded by wasps as well. Stinging the woman, over and over again as she ties to get them off of her. Meanwhile the little treemouse on her shoulder has taken refuge in Shae's thick cloak to avoid being attacked by the wasps. Further loud, and very angry and disgruntled meeping is heard.

Savio is not sticking around to fight things, nope, nope. Not sticking around to look at dragons, or any of that! Priorities have shifted, and the priority now is getting Wylla out of here so she doesn't get trampled into little Wyllabits by all these evil creatures trying to make nightmare confetti out of the inhabitants of Artshall. But so much is happening, so much, and a panicked "No!" calls out as Caspian drops -- the sight of that!! -- At least Raven has got him. Maybe his heart stopped, but he promises Wylla, "We're okay, we're okay, we're --"
The words cut off abruptly with a surprised choking noise as suddenly a river of blood is pouring out of him, onto Wylla, way too much of it. That seems like a sign that the rescue attempt is under some stress. He just didn't see that mantis claw or the swipe it would take, and the sound he makes is somewhere between surprised and apologetic. There's blood everywhere. His. Hers. What a mess. A mess to which WASPS are added like the spicy croutons of pain on this despair salad. Stinging, stinging, stinging, they're relentless! Savio tries to hold Wylla closer, tries to shield her, and presses forward, promising one more time, "We're okay --"

Lou glances up as Cristoph stops near Ryhalt. She nods at him and helps pick up other parts of the body, silently helping the Duke move Ryhalt to safety. So far, she seems to be lucky enough to keep out of the way of wasps, monsters, and all that sundry stuff.

Alis has no idea at this point who is hailing her to safety. Is she over a shoulder or draped on a Wyvernheart stretcher. Wherever she is, surely she is dreaming of more pleasant things than what's going on around her!

Raven says, "I promise you whatever's next we do NOT wanna be here for it!" She leaves a trail of bright red blood in a rather distinct trail as she hauls Caspian off, "Gods, it'd be really fucking nice if my other arm worked." she calls, "Lord Mirk! What's your status?! Lady Eirene?!"

Tesha gets a few feet before she faceplants into the ground. Oops.

Kedehern roars in frustration, as the wasps surround and sting his wife, but... He has his hands full, having stooped to pick up one of the wounded, and can't really do much about them, in vengeance at the moment. Just you wait, wasps. Your time is coming... Still, he reseats the body of the injured personage across his shoulders, and keeps pumping his legs to move. Sweat pouring down his forehead, as the armored baron runs in full plate, with a passenger.

Caspian is carried along by raven, nothing but a burden at the moment. he did manage to bleed all over the place, painting the snow and mud crimson as a final homage and farewall to the city of Art.

Eirene calls out to Raven as she hurries along with her unconscious Katarina. "I'm good, I'm good," she says despite the fact her face is covered in her own blood and she's limping. "Keep moving!"

Katarina, though currently unconscious, will write a letter expressing her sincere gratitude to Eirene, though it may be some time after the Physicians confirm that her wounded arm isn't gangrenous or anything like that.

Amari is going to have to read about all these cool happenings later, when she wakes up. For now she's dragged out of danger first by cat, and then likely some of Laurent's men. While being carried away, she gets to dream of more pleasant things as her unconscious body joins the trickle of survivors undoubtedly fleeing poor stricken Artshall that's now full of death and wasps.

Mabelle turns back to look at her home and its nothing but destruction and death. No beauty, no art, no innovation, just rabble. Then Cristoph passes by her with the pretty beat up body of Ryhalt and she trails out after him in zombie state.

Raven says, "I know there's lots of need but Caspian feels like a corpse! Caspian needs a medic AS SOON as we're clear! " And those who know the few times when Raven's insisting on attendance of a physician she isn't about physically relocating one to the patient she feels needs to be a priority, at least she says please? "Someone please help!""

Helena looks to the sky and snarls, "Who invited THEM? He's not going to like this.." She mutters something to her plantgantuan, gives it an affectionate pat on side of its neck, and then leaps off its shoulder, flips through the air, and into the crowd of mantises before disappearing. When Dragons show up, it is time to retreat!

In the wake of the tranformation and ragged cry of Tavalu, there is no answer at first. Then, as the Duke of Wasps makes his entrance and Helena Thornweave abandons her plantgantuans and leaves, red wings beat furiously in the night air and a bestial war drowns out the sound of wasps and mantis creatures. The red dragon comes into view. By comparison, she doesn't just look healthy next to Talu. She is vibrant, humming with primum and potential. Her golden eyes are the shade of burnished gold in the moonlight as she surveys the scene in the city below. The mantises have overrun every part of the city. Even the castle isn't safe as the creatures swarm over it. There are many dead around the base of the walls, but whatever protection might have been there has been broken by the sheer numbers of the creatures. The ruby dragon cries out in draconic, her voice a bellow even over the buzzing of the wasps and the clicking horror of the mantises. Then, judging that as many have evacuated as they can, she begins to breathe fire over everything that remains. The creatures, wasps and all, are devoured in hungry flame, but so are the buildings, the roads, even the castle. She does several passes, breathing out gouts of fire with every glide of her wings.

Cynara says in Draconic, "Get up, sister! Get them out of here! I'll handle the rest!"

Aleksei checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Aleksei fails.

Alantir checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Alantir fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Xandrine checks dexterity and athletics at hard. Xandrine fails.

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

Xandrine checks 'unconsciousness save' at normal. Critical Success! Xandrine is spectacularly successful.

Xandrine remains capable of fighting.

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

Aleksei remains capable of fighting.

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

Alantir remains capable of fighting.

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

Iliana has suffered a serious wound!

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

Iliana is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

Hauling Gaspard out of the city? NOT an easy task. Especially in diamondplate armor. Whomever DOES grab the unconscious man, is unfortunate in their pick, lugging him along likely with a drag.

Tesha's not able to see the second dragon that enters into the fighting. But if she did she'd have been in love. The bloody Redmarcher is found by one of her guards that came with her and he tries to figure out the best way to carry her that won't injure her more given she's barely hanging onto life. For now her head lulls back, her eyes closed and blood trickling from her nose and mouth.

It's hard to resist the urge to just stop and /stare/ at that dragon. And maybe Aleksei was distracted too long, because by the time he finds his head, finds his /feet/, he's barely making it through the remaining wasps as he starts to /book/ it out of the city. Wasps and mantises cut through flesh, and fire singes and nips at him, leaving him bloodied and ashen. But he finds Xandrine again, reaching for her, grasping her, making sure they /both/ manage to haul each other out of this mess. Wounded, but still alive. That's what matters.

Jamie reaches a point of relative safety where he gives up his charge and turns to head back into the city despite his obvious injuries. He's barely started moving that way when the red dragon turns up and starts burning the city. He flinches at the wake of head and changes his mind. Instead heading to where people are struggling with the heavy weight of Gaspard and the lighter Tesha. "Let me help."

Iliana does attempt to flee the city, even as the second dragon appears above it. Fire has been added to the chaos and has made it much more difficult, of course. As she tries to flee, one leg of a plantgargantuan kicks her, not even noticing her, into a building. The Marquessa Consort crumples, a potato sack likely filled with some broken bones.

Cristoph is hauling Ryhalt with him, not quite in the position to swing a man the same size as him in armor over his shoulder. That struggle gives him to see the red dragon's arrival, to notice the difference between her and the silver dragon that first leapt from the center of the city. "Ah, fuck." He knows what's going to come next as she begins to make her passes. It's sort of like the deal he made before, isn't it? Gribbing onto the other duke a little more tightly, he puts some seriously muscle into get them both out now. He doesn't look up again, he ignores the fire as his city goes down in flames.

Norwood runs, and prays Margerie and all the others got out. CLEARLY he should have chosen a better place for them to be tucked away safely. It's fine.

This is not how Kastelon, clearly, wants to live his life. This is twice, TWICE, now that he's been in a city as it's besieged by some kind of horrors, and that the city has fallen. The expression on his face, that part which is visible (which is not to say a lot, bearing a cloth over his lower face and that eyepatch of his to cover part of his upper face) expresses that fatigue as he's bringing up the rear. The now-and-again firing of an arrow into the miasma while he's trying to -NOT- pay attention to the dragon, to not let it distract him while he's making good on his promise to ensure others get to safety...

You know what Morgans are bad at? Retreats. Like, haha, sure, you could totally say it's about fighting to the last breath, but honestly, with her mantle up? Xandrine just _trips_, it's not even _cool_, it's not even _graceful_, it is going to impress exactly _zero_ cuties. She pushes herself up, covered in soot and blood and an awful lot of bug guts. She groans. "I always hated these boots," she says, clawing for Aleksei's hand to haul herself up against him, and pull him up against her, as they stumble out.

Raven casts one more look around to make sure Mirk, and everyone else she's promised to look out for is-fuck. Gaspard. She growls and stoooops to grab the man by the ankle, "I'm sorry my lord." she staggers off carrying Caspian and dragging Gaspard by the ankle. Teeth gritting as she trudging along with the added weight.

Lou helps Cristoph settle Ryhalt down wherever he needs to go and then rejoins Eirene, Lucita, and Mirk. Her face is back to that haunted look she had for months and months after Bastion, but her eyes are locked on the dragons above, now that they are in relative safety and out of the city. Her gaze trails along as she watches Cynara now, unable to keep the awe out of her eyes. That. That is much more like a dragon should like, her expression seems to say. "I think I'm going to stay here a few days. See how folk are doing. What they need. Shove things I know they're going to need at them," she says after a moment, in a remark to Eirene. She's bene through this. Though not quite at the level of destruction Artshall has fallen under.

Corban has fought evil pincer things. Corban has crushed a wasp with his sword. But now? Even now Sir Corban Telmar has realized that the battle is not to be fought more and it is time to fall back. "Here, give her to me," says the knight, even as he tries to dodge the chaos in the terrible Artshall. He picks up Tesha in a fireman's carry, intent on seeing his cousin safely from the City.

As Lucie gets clear of the ruined Artshall, she turns to take a last look at her home, now just a glowing ember lighting the horizon in the distance. A home that she had been away from, that she should have spent more time at, but home nonetheless. Weary, but still possessed of the determined expression she wore when this ordeal began, Lucie begins tending to the surviving civilians.

Mabelle looks up at the sky as the humming sound is exchanged by loud flaps of wings and gushing winds. Its a red dragon. Wait what? a red dragon. She's pretty sure she has completely lost her mind at this point, despite her seeing one before, but then fire is being rained down and there is really a need to run, so she runs. Grabs whatever she can on her way out. People. People. Not art pieces. But as she looks back over her shoulder at the city, or well, the plot and calls to the others, "Evacuate people to the villages. We will just have to...", her voice cracks, "Start over".

Caspian missed seeing the dragon in all its glory. It really was a sight to behold. but not for him! he was busy being carried around by Raven who thankfully was much better at him at the whole not dying thing. As Raven hauls him off, the flames of the city shimmer in the night sky.

Drake knows a losing battle when he sees one, and with the city now burning.... well, at least it's taking care of the wasp problem, though it felt like a terrible way to go about it. Flaming debris is falling on all sides now. He dashes to one side as a wall comes down. His cloak is flaring behind him, the fire giving a brilliant backdrop to his silhouette as he beats a hasty retreat. He makes it out on his feet, aiding as many as he can to escape likewise, ushering civilians and blocking them from flames pouring below.

The first dragon struggles in the air for a moment. Her wings flap more than they should, she claws briefly in front of her as though *that* would help. But then comes the other. Larger, healthier, far, far stronger, and something in the other's presence seems to bolster her. Her wings spread fully, bringing her higher, and then, with sudden clearly reckless abandon, those same wings fold and she sharply dives. More flame from her, unwise but as devastating as the first, and a mere candle to the red's fire. Just above the buildings she pulls up, swooping nearly too close to those fleeing - a few tumble from the force anyway - thundering over their heads. "Run!" she says, in Arvani this time. And then an echo of Cristoph's words. "Cities can be rebuilt, people can only be remembered. Run and live!" She banks, plunges, snatches up some unfortunate mantis-man, and sends it flying off over the city. What spot of dragonfire hell it lands is anyone's guess.

Eirene's evacuating. Eyes shift upward to the majestic red dragon only long enough to admire it for a second. But she's getting the wounded out before they can join the pyre. The fire is reflected in her blue eyes as she turns to watch the castle go up in flames once she's at a safe distance. The majesty and misery will stay with her for a long time to come. She nods at Lou, "I'll start organizing triage as soon as I see to the worst of the wounded," she promises, looking around to ask Cristoph for permission to do so.

There is so much happening all at once, it's hard to catch everything, and still some things stand out clear as day. Sharp in focus and still the world blurs. There are plenty wounded and people struggling to reach safety and so when Eirene takes over the situation, Denica turns her attention on assisting the mass exodus of people fleeing. Offering a delicate though still somewhat strong arm, more so it's a look of assurance or a gesture to catch people's attention. There are the quite murmurs of encouragement, keeping her voice calm as she tries to deal with those paralyzed by panic, helping to find a path out of the chaos.

Jamie takes Gaspard's arm when he realises that Tesha is being dealt with and Raven is hauling the man by the ankle and then hauls himself back up to his feet with the deadweight of Gaspard leaning into his side. "Ugh. Why do they have to make these Blackrams so big." He's staggering now as he drags himself and the Blackram along behind Raven.

Though it is likely to be chaos for awhile, surely Edris and Kael will find the right place to eventually settle their unconscious comrades down. With as swollen as his face and hands are, it's a wonder he can see at all, so he might be relying on Kael mostly to guide them, putting all his strength into making sure that they and the others around them get out alive. He can see the play of light, at least. And hear the gasps of those around him.

Being free of danger doesn't mean being in good shape. Doing an undignified, venomously cursing dance at the insects who had been hounding her every move until she got enough distance, Sydney only stops fleeing when the stings stop. The /heat/ of dragons breath draws her attention, but there is little she can do from this distance other than watch the diving and wheeling of the great beasts, her eyes trained for a few seconds too long on the ruby dragon before she rips her attention away and flees the field, lest she invite /more/ wasps upon herself.

The Oathlander's mobility, limited by an injury previously sustained, precludes him from escaping the city at a pace much quicker than a jog. During his retreat, the second dragon makes its pass, and the rooftops and ramparts and streets become bathed in flames. Before clearing what is left of the gate, Alantir spots the crumpled figure of Iliana, bends to hoist the woman into his arms, and then immediately continues on his determined march -- tabard singed and armor covered in some combination of soot, ash, and blood.

Raven gives Jamie a grateful look, "Gods, you are a sight for sore eyes, My lord. C'mon, my lord. Besides the fire neither of us got long before blood loss catches up with us. Gods, I'm glad you're here." She smacks Caspian's rump, "Keep breathing of SO HELP ME, Champ!" She snarls in ill tempered threat, trying to jar-shake him closer to consciousness and keep him breathing, now moving at a uneven lope.

Thalamina continues to search for Alantir's familiar silhouette among the crowd of escapees, cobalt irises framed by brows furrowed with concern. But the cleansing flames breathed by the dragon soaring overhead are enough to send the most brave of combatants to fleeing for their lives. And so she continues to retreat toward the furthest edge of the city, away from the destruction claiming the lives and infrastructure of Artshall, all the while angry tears stream down her cheeks - those of defiance, confusion and mourning for the dead and dying that could not escape. Gentle hands guide wayward civilians onward, even as a /second/ dragon issues forth sane and helpful orders from high above. It is only after admiring this spectacle that Thalamina finally spies Alantir assisting Marquessa Iliana through the gate, so she rushes to lend her own aid to the effort and help them both escape with their lives.

Savio is in worse shape than usual, bleeding all over the place from the mantis torso-slash, but he's managed to keep up with Raven and Caspian, and keep hold of Wylla! That's all there is to do now, put one foot in front of the other, keep moving, try not to think about what if these Nightmare Wasps make permanent swellings from their stings and then he has to both bleed out AND be ugly. Don't think about it, Savio! Don't think about it! "All it takes is all we have, Blessed Wylla," he speaks to her, though she isn't awake, and he murmurs some half remembered bit of poem, maybe for both their sakes, very quietly. A little brokenly. A little not believing it, but trying anyway. Just above a whisper, "Listen, those who thought I'd fall, And hear what I have spoken: Though bloodied, I am standing tall, And I cannot be broken."

The fact that Kael and Edris are currently hauling Richard and Alis out in such a manner should likely have Kael commenting or similar, but at this moment of time? There simply is nothing. He just focuses intently on the Highlord, ensuring that he can see her breathe - and thankfully she is! - even if it is difficult to tell at the moment. As they race away from the flames, from the horrors, he finally tries to take stock of faces in sea of people fleeing. Trying to to find friends, allies, in the crowd. It is a relatively futile thing to find all of them however and yet he keeps looking.

Managing to beat back the wasps that were attacking her, Shae manages to get out of the city with Kedehern. She pauses a moment, as the city is now burning. Set on fire by a very large dragon, staring on in awe for a few moments. And a touch of fear. A shake of her head she looks to Kedehern, "Amari, we need to find where they took her." And then Shae would run off to track down where Amari was taken to.

The red dragon tries to avoid the spots where the people are still making their retreat. Her primum is something of a lure and so some of the mantises cannot help themselves but wander in the shadow of the dragon's wings and they pay for it in fire and destruction. Finally, as the retreat of evacuees goes from a stream to a trickle, she glances at the gray-silver dragon and says something Very Firmly in draconic before going in for the last pass. Then, she flaps her wings hard and pushes up into the sky and is gone. In her wake, the city of Artshall burns. The fire burns and burns until there is nothing left to feed it and it eventually gutters out sometime in the next couple of days. The city is ash and yet the land is neither tainted by the Legion creatures that attacked it nor occupied like Bastion. Cities can be rebuilt, and thanks to the efforts of the defenders many of the people of Artshall have lived to help in that rebuilding.

Lou nods to what Eirene says in response. She glances around at the chaos of those finding a place to rest or those coming in among the wounded. She takes a moment to look around, to find a place where she can stand taller, above the others. She finds a stump. She climbs atop it. From there she calls out, "PEOPLE OF ARTSHALL." The first part is the loudest, but the rest is no less loud that first really. "I have been where you are standing now. Take your time to grieve the loss of your city. Take your time to mourn your dead. Take the time you need to remember who you are. But do not get lost in it. Do not let it fester, like a wound. Take that grief and let it shape you. Find the fire within, and once you have recovered yourselves, and use that fire to fight back. House Grayson stands with you here today. I stand here with you today. You will come back, stronger than ever." The words are not much, but Lou projects as much confidence into her words as she possibly can. "And together, we will take on this threat."