Carissa, a Malvici bodyguard arrives, following Eirene.

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

Oak, the brown-coated War Horse have been dismissed.

Carissa, a Malvici bodyguard have been dismissed.



All the world's a stage...

As the curtain rises, so to speak, it sees the evening falling and as twilight settles upon the city of Arx, the crowd has begun to gather at the famed Blackrose Theater. < Charm+Propaganda+Bonuses result : 130 > The rumor in the city is that everyone who is absolutely -anyone- is going to be here tonight, for the event of the decade if not century. To hear the hubbub about the city, The Most Lamentable Tale of Thyrimus and Prisbe is absolutely the most glorious thing ever put to pen, and there are rumors that the King himself has roused from his convalescence and may be in attendance upon this night! It has certainly resulted in a record number of persons attempting to attend the event!

The evidence of additional security is evident everywhere, the Iron Guard having turned out a large presence in order to help control the crowd, while it seems as though a number of the most important guests (no doubt nobles and court officials!) have hired members of at least two mercenary companies to act as bodyguards this evening! No small number of commoners and even a few minor nobles have, after a look at the crowd and realizing their own station, accepted defeat and begun to depart from the event...especially as rumor begins to circulate through the crowd that the door is being very selective in who is allowed inside. A few scalpers claiming to have tickets are making a thriving business not far from the doorway, dodging Iron Guard chasing them off.

When one finally makes their way inside, the person at the doorway hands each guest a mask to wear, and the foyer of the theater is a crowded riot of colors as people mill about. Two doorways off to the sides lead upwards towards the private boxes, no doubt reserved by the most elite of guests in attendance. Meanwhile, the huge double doors down into the theater stand open, and guests steadily are making their ways into the theater to find their seats, a number of ushers helping them to find their spots.

Prince Aiden Grayson arrives with Nisaa Whisper on his arm after exiting from a carriage, the latter dressed in an umbra crop top, skirt, and cloak befitting the social importance of the evening. Aiden himself was wearing a fashionable tunic with an embellished flare that hides the fact that he was wearing something else underneath.As they make it to the door, the masks handed to them cause Aiden to jest lightly, "It seems we may be a part of this play after all." He hands one to Nisaa as he escorts her in further with a quiet smile on his face, drawn in to casual conversation with the lady on his arm, nodding them toward the noble boxes, as there ought to be one with the Grayson's name on it.

Max, an emperor tamarin arrives, delivering a message to Aiden before departing.

Senza Luce arrives, following Branan.

Gisele is here but garbed as usher rather than Scholar. Commonborn and common-raised, she has the mannerisms down to a fault, and is a quiet-- even a subdued-- presence in her role. Each person to step through the doors is looked to and offered a respectful little curtsy. She is one of those to hand out the masks-- prettier specimens than the one she wears-- and, where necessary, to lead those wearing them to their seats.

As the crowd begins to filter in, a petite form makes her way to the center of the stage, completely clothed in a heavy black robe and cowl. She stands there, perhaps forboding to some, her face not visible, and only the the single hint of a green ribbon poking out. She stands, waiting, watching as the crowd finds their seats.

3 Grayson Guardsmen, Alejandra, a snowy white hound, Planchet, a young valet, 1 Iron Guardsmen arrive, following Ainsley.

Senza Luce leaves, following Branan.

Reese arrives in the the theater while adorned in a simple blue and cream woolen dress that while pretty looks like something a commoner would likely own. Golden locks are loose about her slender shoulders and free of their normal ribbons. Her sword is at her side, the pink blade partly covered by a plain leather sheathe. She hopes how expensive the item is goes unnoticed by most. She takes a mask from Gisele and so does the dark man nimble man at her side. Prince Luca is in commoners wools as well.

Lingering backstage, presumably with the other actors, is Audric! He's thumped once as things start to begin, as the actor-sellsword had, apparently, been taking a nap. He tugs his flask free, taking a drink before slipping on one of the masks, not yet stepping out onto the stage.

The head of the Malvici medics may be wearing a simple black and white domino mask, but she's fairly easy to recognize in her black leather coat covered in phoenix embroidery. The mask, though, compliments her black and white braids of hair. Despite the fine occasion, she still carries her longsword at her hip and her healer's bag opposite. She seems to be searching the high boxes and the concentration of the King's Own to see if the rumors are true and the King gotten off his royal arse to pay a visit.

The new lawyer in town, Mira Matessi, has arrived wearing a formal dress, with layered black and red skirts that form a red stripe down her middle. The corset is mostly subdued undecorated, black in front with edging in red, and her low neckline shows off an amount of cleavage that would be fairly scandalous if she weren't a commoner. The lawyer herself, however, seems a bit nervous and shy, gloved hands clasped demurely before her as she follows the crowd into the theatre. Her fox-red hair is pulled back into a simple, silky-straight ponytail and tied with a black lace ribbon at her neck. A matching choker circles her neck, with a little red jewel at the throat, and she smoothes her skirts under her as she takes a seat in the second row, by herself.

Even the Inquisition is here! But no one would know it. None of the scarlet and black, or drawn up hoods, are present among the crowd or guards. No... instead of the Inquisition making their presence clear... they are mixed in with the ushers and theater troupe, donning masks of vibrant colors and Lyceum styled outfits as their cover is intended. Alistair himself moves about with a mask that is so unlike him... a large smiling mask of pure mirth and delight. Of course the Prodigal Inquisitor behind the mask is eternally silent, guiding guests to seatings seeming at random, handing out mask after mask. Occasionally he tilts his head this way and that, as if playing the part of the actor and putting on a show with his maniac looking mask. Don't expect much more then him.

Nisaa takes a mask with a dip of her head, looking it over curiously. Her arm remains linked with Aiden's and she nods. "Perhaps so. I have seen such inter- urrr... inter-... plays where audience takes part as well. They have always been wonderful fun." She is indeed wearing a rather lovely umbra outfit this evening as she walks with a graceful step at Aiden's side, her skirts swishing around her legs.

Silas is present, strolling near the entrance, but it might be difficult for most to tell when he's donning a silver and gold mask which obscures half his face and wearing a new set of rubicund armor. His guardsmen seem to recognize him and interact with him, however, in their own crimson and silver versions of the mask he wears. His blue eyes scan the crowd filtering in, impassively.

Tikva stands backstage, swathed in a long fall of loose white silk with gold ribbons tied around her gloves: an angelic look, really, wispy and flowing. Her mask is white and gold, matched in shade and kind to the flow of her ~costume~. She has a cue to await, the young lady bard balanced on the toes of her flat silk slippers with a tendency to bounce in place. Bounce. Bounce. Very dignified. Unlike Audric, she is not drinking anything. Wouldn't want to spoil those pipes.

Upwards, Prince Aiden Grayson and Nisaa Whisper go. Their tickets were purchased in advanced and so the Prince secured a suitable spot in the box closest to the stage, "I sent my request to the theater very early on. We should have good seats. If you don't like them, maybe someone would opt to switch with us?" They climb up the stairs, Aiden actually in a good mood since he's with a friend, looking at the mask as he shrugs, "I will put it on later, maybe after we greet anyone we know?" He looks around as they climb, to see if there's anyone else coming up to the noble boxes he might know. His personal guards are lumbering up behind him, one carrying a particular bow over his shoulder. "It's my first opportunity to see a production cast in Arx," Aiden says as an aside to Nisaa.

Occasionally, there is clanking as Tobias patrols around the theater with six of his men. The blood red armor and crimson cape Tobias wears are both cleaned up for the occasion. Occasionally, he and his men patrol to another part of the theater, his left hand idling on his scabbarded sword. Otherwise, the Lord General makes no attempt at conversation; he is here as security... not as a herald. When he stops, he and his men go into a traditional military posture, hands behind their backs, as they keep watch over the audience, their masks concealing their identities.

Alistair hands out another series of white masks, giving a low sweeping wave to a series of seats on the right side of the theater to a well off looking group. Slowly he turns towards the stage, his eyes falling upon some of the troupe performers and musicians that sit in the music pit. A slight motion causes a song to rise up from the music pit, a little bit of pre-show entertainment as some woodwind instruments and horns play a soft song that doesn't smother conversation but gives a light tone to the air. One would think there isn't a siege going on!

Eirene folds her arms over her chest, looking around in irritation. What, no sign of the king? Dammit. She grimaces deeply and lets out a long sigh. "May as fucking well try to enjoy it," she mutters to herself. "Waste of my money, stupid comatose..." She trails off into something probably better left unsaid in such genteel company. She is escorted to her seat, one proper for a woman of decent standing and military rank.

Audric does, eventually, start to amble around behind the stage, giving a few final, immediately pre-show directions to the various actors and stagehands getting things set up. Somehow, through magics known only to Audric, his cheerful grin is conveyed despite the mask. "You know," he says, offhand, to the others behind the curtain. "This might be the best show we've put on in ages. I can't -wait- to begin."

Gisele continues at her duties, small and unobtrusive. The masks she passes out go seemingly at random-- bright colours here, two black ones, a mask painted in rainbow hues. The white in the box she has at hand are kept in reserve, though there is care here-- it always seems happenstance that she selects something other than white to pass out. They are there, they are ready, and so is she.

Luca the Languid came in on Reese's arm dressed a bit more subdued than usual, the simple cloth seeming a touch bulky on his usually lanky frame, and the simple charcoal cloak kept draped over him as if he were feeling the chill of the evening. Not exactly dressed for the theatre is the Champion Prince. But he _is_ bearing his pair of blades as usual, dangling both at left hip in duelist stays, peace-knotted seemingly. As he's finding place for Reese and him to sit, he's murmuring something to her grimly and giving a certain signal to others recognized by their masks to be ready.

As Mira watches people mill about, banter, talk and find seats, she quietly produces the mask she was handed: Bright red, with tall black ears. Taking off her glasses, the lawyer in black slowly dawns the mask, securing it firmly into place before opening her deep blue eyes and waiting, hands folded on her lap.

There really isn't anyone that Nisaa knows well, especially as others start to don their masks. She looks at her own, a pale green, and slips it onto her face, trying to make sure her hair, elegantly swept into a wavy up-do, is not mussed. "I have not been here in Arx either. I am sure the seats you secured will be perfect, Prince Aiden." Nissa smiles at him, holding her umbra skirt up to walk up the stairs and towards their box. Upon entry to the box, a guard looks at her and tells her to hush. Nodding, she presses her lush lips together, acquiescing quickly.

Tikva turns her head to watch Audric for a moment behind the gold glitter of her mask. It's amazing how much can be conveyed through body language; Audric's magical grin; Tikva's considerably milder quizzical head-tilt. "Break a leg," she tells him cordially. Adjusting her skirts, she lightly adds: "Not mine, please."

Arrived with soft clanking is Ainsley Grayson; over his armor he wears a black silk tunic which hides most of it from view-- though nothing hides the redish pink of his rubicund gauntlets. He takes a black mask from the attendant and slips it onto his face. His silver eyes shift around the interior and an usher helps him find a seat-- somewhere close to the stage; which means he's down in the commoner seating in the auditorium, up rather close to the stage.

Ainsley has joined the Commoner Seating.

Silas frowns when one of his guards sidle up and whisper to him. There's a long pause from him, but he nods and the guards occupying Aiden's and Nissa's desired spots part to let them through. He moves closer to the front of the stage, where the performance will presumably take place.

Eirene has joined the Noble Seating.

Aiden has joined the Noble Seating.

Nisaa has joined the Noble Seating.

Reese has joined the Commoner Seating.

Eirene has left the Noble Seating.

Eirene has joined the Commoner Seating.

Reese keeps ahold of Luca's arm as they head toward the commoner's seating. She perches down next to the nimble prince, while keeping her blue mask over her features. The girl then murmurs softly back toward him.

Aiden looks down at a the olive green mask that he was granted himself, sighing softly as Nisaa puts her's on. "How am I supposed to be social with a mask on?" He complains weakly toward her but they arrive at one of the noble booths upstairs, and he slides his mask on all the same. His own guards come piling in with. Aiden looks down around them but smiles to Nisaa, "The view is fantastic. I'll really have to thank a friend for getting us these seats." He helps Nisaa to a seat, and takes up a spot next to her, lowering his voice to whisper something to her.

Mira has joined the Commoner Seating.

Eirene didn't bribe the right people, apparently. She's cordially invited to sit somewhere less fancy - which is fine. She just rolls her eyes under the domino of black and white checkers and settles in, still crossly folding her arms over her chest as she waits. She doesn't seem to note anyone she knows too well in the crowds, but she does toss a nod to Tobias as the red cape is fairly easy to spot. Just as she's clearly not disguising her easily identifiable garb.



A voice calls out, "Places..if everyone would please take your seats please, everyone..the show will be starting in a few minutes, and we need everyone to proceed to your seats!"

Ainsley is settled into his seat, though he does wave toward Reese. A careless flick of pinksteel covered fingers. And then he's turning his attention toward the stage. Gray eyes focused on the curtains.

Alistair steps away from the doors, making a slight mask switch from the bright red manical smiling mask to the dour and eternally frowning blue mask. Theater performers switch masks, right? The large prodigal's demeanor doesn't change much, still very silent. He lets the masks speak for him, handing out more masks to guests and the like. He guides a rather old commoner couple over to the left side of the theater, making sure they have some nice seats with their blue and red masks. As the seatings start to fill Alistair moves away leaving Gisele and others to give masks to the last few who filter in. Going up to the boxes he gives a bow to Aiden and Nisaa whisper, motioning to the box next to them to be filled by a noble looking family from the Lyceum... stuck in Arx because of the siege.

Nisaa reaches over to take the mask from Aiden. She attempts to help him place it on, her delicate fingers working carefully. "Some feel, it is easier to be so when there is a mask to hide behind." She bites her lip, verdigris eyes glancing at the guards who asked her for silence. She lowers her heavily accented voice then, speaking in quiet tones to the man she now sits beside. Before settling more comfortably after helping him with the mask, she slips her cloak off and sets it aside.

Eirene produces a flask from inside her coat and takes a long pull before settling it back inside. She offers it to those around her in cordial fashion. The scent of expensive burbon hangs on her like a perfume. Her blue eyes flicker towards the stage, away from the crowds.

Reese and Luca went toward the front closer to the stage. They are not all that far from Ainsley, but not right next to him either. She notices Ainsley's attention and a somber hopeful smile is given to her cousin.

A last few masks given out-- white among them-- and Gisele sees these final guests to their seats. The disciple-turned-usher then retreats to the rear of the theatre. There, at the aisle's end, and with her back to the wall, she clasps her hands together and adopts the posture of attentive attendant.

"Don't worry," Audric replies to Tikva, giving the woman a hidden grin. "I'm sure you'll do wonderfully. We'll have to talk about a more regular performance role, once this is all well and done." The flask is produced again, and the sellsword takes a drink as he ambles towards the curtain - still behind it, but ready to move as his part comes up.

"Enigmatically." Luca quips cheerfully to Aiden as he's passingly hearing that complaint about being social with masks. "It's a Lycene trick, but you'll pick it up soon enough." He adds as they pass to find seats, his cinnamon eyes glittering past the purple mask and his Lenosian accent distinct enough to fit that purple as if house colors. Course, the viper-pommeled blades would probalby equally mark out the Champion as much as his unruly dark hair, so he's just not exactly king of incognito. Finding his place with Reese, he peers about, catching the look in turn from Ainsley to Reese and adding his own friendly, easy wave, but eyes smoothly gliding over the crowd around him. Clearly he's just looking for the King like Eirene was earlier. Yeah, that's it.

Aiden does try to keep his voice down, though at Alistair's direction, he does turn to look toward the noble family pointed out, nodding to the direction, "I may speak with them at the intermission." Though he quickly started to laugh nervously when Nisaa reached forward to help secure his green mask around all that curly hair. "I should wear a mask more often, you think?"

The Lady in the Mask of the Red Fox is very quiet as the 'Commons Seating' section fills up, having arrived alone. With a banker on her left and a Legate on her right, Mira Matessi crosses her legs under her layered skirts, revealing a little more of the red inner skirt that usually forms the red stripe down her front middle. Her eyes linger occasionally on a few of the masks in the crowd for reasons unknown, inscrutible behind the lacquered wood.

Silas remains standing until he is instructed to do otherwise by the mysterious voice. He plops himself in one of the aisle seats, off-center, in the left side of the auditorium. His gaze leaves the crowd and fixates on the stage.

Silas has joined the Commoner Seating.

Tikva blows Audric a kiss for luck, or at least, it's possible to assume that that's what that gesture means. The masks make everything a little more ambiguous.

Occasionally, Tobias looks over the audience, no doubt looking for security threats. For the most part though, he simply keeps patrolling. Once the call goes out for seating though, Tobias moves to a more generalized location and stops, setting his men to be quieter.



And all the men and women merely players...

As the crowd makes their ways to their seats, the theater begins to hush, quiet falling as people are moved to their seats and settle into place. The theater is still a riot of colors as those masks are in place, but standing out like beacons amongst that sea of color are a few masks, so pristinely white that they are impossible to miss for someone elevated, for example on stage or in one of the nobles boxes. The boxes themselves are nearly impossible to see into from the common seats, no doubt a plan of the theater designer. Ushers move about, shielding over the lamps to dim the lights, though not as far as one might expect. All grows quiet and still, as eyes turn towards the stage to await the beginning of the spectacle that has had so much said of it. The faint rustling of people moving about is audible, as those nearby settle into their seats and get comfortable.

    As the seats are found and the murmur of the crowd starts to fill the Theater, the cloaked and hooded figure step forward. In a -terribly- overblown and melodramatic tone, she begins to open the show, "Welcome to the macabre, the serious, the droll... this Most Lamentable Tale and Cruel Tragedy of our Star Cross Lovers.... this tale, told in the darkest of tones, with the reverence of the darkest nigh..." There's a stage whisper of nonsense from off stage and the figure looks over. "What? Wait, you mean.... Oh, well. In that case..."
    The figure throws off her cloak in a dramatic fashion, masked as the audience is, but in her tell-tale mirrored mask. She wears exotic leather armor, but her hair is done up in an elaborate due, ribbons and feathers of every shade of green imaginable spilling about her face. "Welcome! Everyone! I am Princess Isolde Velenosa, and I welcome you to this comedy of errors, of a troupe of players putting on a play within a play for the King within the play. Do not worry, simply laugh and enjoy yourself... and I give you the story of star crossed actors as star crossed lovers... Thyramis and Prisbe!" She makes her way over to the side of the stage at a podium, where she readies herself to "Narrate" the "Show."

Eirene's a sharp eyed woman. Her dark Malvici blue eyes narrow slightly as she catches something odd in the audience; the masks being changed. She keens her head as she studies this a bit more closely, a frown catching comfortably on her lips. The princess on the stage is glanced back to as the play begins properly - but still. Odd. She takes another drink from her flask.

The Inquisitor looks towards the stage as he descends from the boxes, having sat another group and handed off a bundle of... flowers? To throw to the stage of course... when the play ends. He seems to shake his head in slight amusement at the theatrics that Isolde puts on, slowly shifting from his frown mask of sadness to a third mask. A blank mask, no features except the holes that allow him to see, flat, pristine, faceless. Sentinel would be proud. Slowly he motions for something and the curtain starts to whine and creak as it is pulled back and the play starts to begin.

Gisele is one of those moving about to dampen the lights. It doesn't take long with so many dutiful ushers at the task. As the narrator's voice rolls over the theatre, she retreats to her place. There, the soft summer yellow mask she'd worn previous is traded for green. In the shadows cast by the eye-holes, her gaze is restless, sweeping those seated before and below her, from her place near the doors.

Ainsley is oblivious to anything off! He turns his attention to the stage and leans back a little bit more into his seat. His gaze watching Isolde silently.

With a bird's eye view, Prince Aiden sits straighter in his seat to look down at the crowd and then toward the stage, his hand sliding toward Nisaa to clasp with hers as he displays a nervous smile. From where they were sitting, it was easy to notice a shift in the color patterns below. Gray eyes under a green mask turn to stage to listen to Princess Isolde Velenosa, whispering something aside to Nisaa.

Ainsley does, also, reach down and tug a new mask out of some pocket in his tunic, and casually switch his masks. This one is green.

Audric reaches up, switching out the black and white Mummer's mask for a flat green one - and, of course, taking another, final pull from the flask before slipping it away. Patiently, the sellsword waits for his cue.

Reese changes her blue mask to a pale green with a pattern of leaves. The blue one is abandoned on her seat. She looks to Ainsley, is he changing his mask? Reese seems relieved when he does. She peeks around the area trying to spot where the white masks are.

Nisaa shakes her head to Aiden as she settles back into her seat, giving a dip of her head to the nearyby noble family. "No, Prince Aiden," she says with her honeyed Eurusi accent. "It would be a shame for others not to be able to speak with you for who you are precisely." The lamps are dimmed and she looks about, watching everyone mill about or get comfortable. Curious, she leans towards Aiden and whispers softly, "it seems green is the shade to be tonight? Perhaps we are setting a trend?" She smiles as he seems to whisper to her at the same time, giving him a nod.

Killian GM Roll checked perception(4) + streetwise(2) against difficulty 35, resulting in 44, 9 higher than the difficulty.

The woman in the red mask watches the changing of the colours, her gaze passive and unmoved. She looks to other masks in the crowd, then slowly turns her gaze sideways toward the banker who is staring at her chest. When his eyes rise to meet hers, the banker looks like he's about to make a funny comment from how his eyes crease. But as her sapphire gaze remains upon him, his eyes widen a bit, and he turns his mask to face the stage. Mira does the same, wordlessly.

Silas sinks slightly in his seat when he elusively swaps his mask for a significantly less stylish green mask. Or at least he thought it was significantly less stylish. The rest of his men also seem to be in varying stages of mask-swapping. He absently sniffs at the air before shifting and turning to exchange whispered words with a guardsman seated next to him.

Luca, for his part, settles in near to some of the white masked sorts, flashes grin aside to Reese, flips off his mask smoothly and leans in to steal a kiss from the pink-bladed warrior princess, then replaces his mask...or rather a green one that was just like his other mask. He's then leaning forward in his seat as the play begins, watching intentlly and trying to slowly, subtly move his hand under his cloak in a way that doesn't seem threatening, but is slowly, silently slipping free a length of glittering mirror bright elfsteel beneath the shroud of that dark cloth covering it.



They have their exits and their entrances...

And so the play begins at last, as the crowded theater falls silent, rapt attention paid it seems towards the stage and the goings on upon it...

    And so the play commences, with a great deal of slapstick comedy. Isolde offers occasionally obvious, always amusing commentary as the actors run around like idiots. Granted, they understand the dangers, but they, too, have gone into this as the Princess has... providing as much light-hearted backdrop as they can before shit happens. They bumble in a ridiculous parody of several famous romantic stories as they get themselves together to put on this play for the "King." As a scene closes, the lights come back to focus on Isolde and she announces, "One and all, we now allow for an intermission, with a special performance by Lady Riven!" She claps her hands and moves back to the side, a hand coming to rest on her rapier as she looks over the audience for the green masks.

Tikva strides out onto the stage with her head swept high, the green glint of her mask a startling offset to the red floof of her short hair. Her gold-trimmed white gloves and flowing white dress make of her an image altogether innocuous, a slight figure in silky white whose sturdy muscle is almost wholly obscured by the long fall of the fine fabric.

She stands in the middle of the stage for a beat, two beats, alone in almost perfect stillness. Then, her bright eyes lift behind her mask, her breath fills her lungs, and her low, throaty voice begins its song, starting low and then quickly gathering in volume and power until she's belting it out like a diva or something. "Come now, come to me, come now, to the flame. Come now, come away, come forth just the same. You are hidden before me but I'm calling your name. Come out of the darkness and into the light. It may be it'll burn you before we close this night--"

Tikva checked mana + performance against difficulty 15, resulting in 35, 20 higher than the difficulty.



And one man in his time plays many parts...

As the Lady Riven takes the stage and her voice takes flight, there is a moment when that crystalline song seems to pierce the very soul, and everything is still. It is a moment of utter stillness, the only thing that exists in that theater, is that achingly beautiful voice, raised up as though it strives to brush the very heavens. The moment hangs there, balanced upon the precipice, seeming to draw out longer and longer, daring anyone even to breath lest it pass them by.

A single discordant note, played from the orchestra pit, breaks the stillness of that moment like a clarion call to action!

And then all at once, the sound of the doors at the back being swung open seems to signal movement. Men in the uniforms of the Crimson Blades and wearing green masks burst into the Aisle, armed and armored, with weapons drawn. All about the theater in the noble boxes, Iron Guard uniforms spring up from behind the barriers, bows and crossbows in hand. At the same time, the stage that had just emptied floods as men and women in the uniform of the Valorous Few swarm forth, weapons drawn and green masks upon their faces!

And the chaos of the moment is immense, as screams mingle with the sounds of the rush of men, and worse yet, something horrible fills the room. With a resounding crash, one of the seats and it's occupant are hurled across the room as a creature rears up, it's arms elongating obscenely as huge claws rip from the tips of it's hands, and the curtain at last rises upon the true spectacle of the theater.

Alistair has moved down the center of the isle between the left and right commoner seating, his faceless mask occasionally turning left and right as he looks up and about. He occasionally leans in to speak with someone or another as he approaches the music pit, seeming to getting ready to play the part of the conductor as Tikva begins her song. He nods his head in agreement to the words she lets slip in their growing power and volumne. He slowly lifts his hand, the sounds of shifting instruments can be heard in the orchestra pit. But it is not the sound of music that joins Tikva's singing... a single note is blown in clear signal to all who are present.

Up in the boxes, those who have gotten very good seats might notice some of the other guests shift and stir. As they getting ready to leave? A little break before the rest of the play? Next to Aiden and Nisaa Whisper the trio of Lyceum nobles who were seated next to them rise up slowly, but then bend down into the depths of the box. When they emerge once more their masks are green, and they hold no flowers in their hands, only sizable crossbows that they start to aim into the crowds below. Alistair himself turns his back from the music pit and draws steel, the sound joined in an ominous chorus as seeming half the theater draws weapons as well.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 51, 21 higher than the difficulty.

Reese checked perception + survival against difficulty 35, resulting in 23, 12 lower than the difficulty.

Silas checked perception + investigation against difficulty 35, resulting in 25, 10 lower than the difficulty.

Aiden checked dexterity + archery against difficulty 30, resulting in 23, 7 lower than the difficulty.

Eirene looks mildly amused by the antics of the actors. She claps when proper, laughs when it's particularly funny, and enjoys her liquor to get through the boring parts. But the singer is quite lovely. And oh. Wait. What? An ambush- no a trap. Now she can have fun. She blinks a few times as the crowd erupts into chaos and finds herself trying to stand her ground and draw her blade as people panic and run to break past her. "Head for the exits," she shouts, trying to encourage the commoners to get out of her damn way. (No action due to surprise round)

Reese checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 77, 47 higher than the difficulty.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 43, 13 higher than the difficulty.

Luca checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 60, 30 higher than the difficulty.

Alistair checked perception + investigation against difficulty 35, resulting in 29, 6 lower than the difficulty.

Tikva has rolled a critical success!
Tikva checked mana + performance against difficulty 35, resulting in 66, 31 higher than the difficulty.

Eirene has left the Commoner Seating.

Alistair checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 35, 5 higher than the difficulty.

Reese draws Devotion, her pink alaricite blade. She peeks over the crowd quickly, but fails to locate any of those in a white mask. The wool adorned princess charges for the bringer she can spot, the very large one who was just tossing. Anyone can locate him, including Reese! She strikes out at the beast and her blow is good, liking making contact and likely inflicting damage.

When the doors are thrown open and chaos erupts, Mira does not immediately rise from her chair. The Mask of the Red Fox turns toward the sound of the howl coming from nearer to the center of the theater, the blue eyes falling upon the Bringer, and its monstrous transformation. Withdrawing a small notepad from the center of her corset, the tiny leather journal is opened and a small pencil produced from the binding. What she could possibly be writing is anyone's guess.

Aiden smiles to the comment from Nisaa, "Why thank you for saying so. I'm glad you approve of who I am, precisely." He nudges her shoulder with his own, quietly laughing, "I'm sure they wished for a trend set by a King. Unfortunately, we'll do, it appears." He winks underneath the mask and falls hush to the theater stage as the crowd grows silent.
Then the play commences and Aiden tries to relax into the nature of the slapstick comedy, adding his soft laughs to the light-hearted acting when the play calls for it. Several times he does look around the box, subtly as he can, then down below, following the motions of peers alike, before attentions inevitably returns to the production or to Nisaa. The singing from Tivka has Aiden sitting forward, to appreciate the vocal force in which the woman commands. He seems just as enthralled by the singing as anyone else.
The chaos afterward, has the Prince stand at once from his chair in the noble booth, his hand flexing for Nisaa to remain seated and in fact shoos her down behind the booth, "Stay down Nisaa..." He rolls his arm toward his guard to bring him the Grayson bow that the guard carried, he takes a moment to adjust the string and settle the quiver at his hip, nodding as he nocks an arrow. The chaos around him is not new, but it does make his hands shake and thus the pull of his bow wasn't as strong as it needed to be, the height of being in the booths different as well. When he aims for the Bringer, his arrow might go astray in the mayhem, but he loses track of it with the solid twank of crossbows next to him.

Gisele is not made for combat, nor has she any wish to engage with the monster revealed. She hugs the wall near the doors, where that river of armed men come pouring in. It would be wise of the little disciple to flee but for now, she doesn't-- trembling like a leaf, she still holds her ground while watching from behind her mask. Marking where the white masks are, if anyone has shed them, if any/thing/ is trying to hide. Marking the true identity of those who enter the theatre on the heels of the defenders.

Finally, the moment's here! Audric saunters out from behind the curtain, a big ol' grin painted across it, followed by the Few. He's even put his hat back on. He draws the pair of swords from across his back, one alaricite and one an odd, dark red metal, slowing not even a little bit as he hops off the stage and advances on the revealed Bringer. "Try to keep the collateral to a minimum, lads! No one's paying us to kill -them-," he calls, as impossibly cheerful as ever, stepping close to take a slash at the Bringer with Coinspinner and letting loose a mad laugh.

Aiden wields Eagle Strike, a Grayson Bow.

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

Audric wields Coinspinner, a wickedly sharp alaricite long sword.

Up on the stage, Isolde is still narrating, but it's definitely not to tell a story. "Left side, third row, fourth and fifth. Right side, three in the back. Careful now, blue mask in danger in the front." And so on and so forth. She uses her booming stage voice to carry over the din, and uses her rapier to point out Bringers that start to react, to filter to the commanders and the soldiers.

Isolde wields exquisite high quality steel rapier with delicate starflower.

"Behind the formation of Crimson Blades, everyone. They are here to protect you!" Tobias shouts as the chaos starts. His mask is fixed to his helm, and he puts it on as he clanks over to help and command his men. Along the way, he pulls and wields Requiem, his alaricite sword. As disciplined as ever.

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

Ainsley does not leap into attack, instead the prince tugs off his tunic so it doesn't get in the way. His feet carry him to the stage, and he plants pinkish gauntlets onto the edge, and hauls himself up and onto it. Threnody is then draw from it's hilt, and he takes several steps forward, turning so that he's infront of the singing Tikva.

Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + brawling(4) against difficulty 23, resulting in 82, 59 higher than the difficulty.

Ainsley wields Threnody, an alaricite longsword.

Nisaa enjoyed the play and it's satirical take on romantic stories, but it is Tikva's voice that captivates her. The Whisper blinks copper hazel eyes behind her mask, so moved by the song she is nearly in tears by the beauty of it. The discordant note strikes and all around her, int he noble seating and below, chaos erupts. Her head swivels upon her elegant neck as she looks all around, the noble family leaping up and wielding cross bows. The sudden burst of commotion makes the woman gasp and lean in to Aiden a bit in surprise, her eyes wide. "What is happening?" Aiden tells her to get down, but she only sort of slumps a bit in her seat, too unwilling to give up her view of what might happen.

Backing away from the front of the stage but remaining at center stage, Tikva almost seems to grow fiercer and wilder in her music, with all the more power forced into her voice. It's impossible to hear all of the words she belts out, of course, over the general hubbub and shrieking chaos of the audience, but every instant of her body language speaks to the raw defiance that powers her song. "COME NOW TO THE FLAME--" she sings out. "I'M CALLING YOUR NAME--" Most of the song is to this theme, however.

No one can see the frown beneath Alistair's faceless mask as the theater erupts into utter chaos. They should have done better stacking their side, limiting those who were innocent and had no idea, but the trap needed to look real. He watches as the mercenaries and Iron Guard surge forward, to form a protective wall for those who are not apart of the trap to slip behind and to somewhat safety as the Bringers... for once... have the tides turned on them. Arx isn't reacting this time. Arx is attacking. Wordlessly Alistair surges forward to bring his blade down upon the Bringer that reveals himself, waiting for more to do so... and also not waiting as his eyes search for white masks, knowing all others are doing the same. The poison has been marked... and will be removed.


**********************************************************************
While many chose to avoid the Blue Potion after its closure, it was not so for the group composed of Aureth, Agnarr, Princess Freja Redrain and Lady Khanne Halfshav, who went inside to uncover the strange disappearance of Master Athris, a well-liked apothecary. Inside, they uncovered a recently dug-out passage that led deep beneath the city, to the dangerous catacombs. There, they encountered the Demon of the Cathedral. Though he left them bloody and wounded, Aureth especially so, they nonetheless survived the encounter and were even able to uncover the demon's plans to unleash dangerous poisons within the city. They also found Master Athris, his mind unfortunately broken by the loss of his wife and being made to work for the cruel demon. Before they could destroy the poisons already created, they were forced to flee the catacombs, having disturbed something that slumbered within. The group was able to escape before the stairs they had taken were shattered by the moving catacombs, only to arrive on the scenes of a fire. Aurum Texts was lost, undoubtedly the victim of the demon's cruelty, especially when the remains of young apprentice Tivathy were found within.
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Silas doesn't truly intend to pay attention to the play, but the pure quality of Tikva's voice momentarily manages to entrance him. But then all of a sudden poor Josef was flying and he goes crashing back into reality. He jumps to his feet and unsheathes his alaricite blade with a light twang, but in the blur of color and noise he finds himself unable to find what he was searching for. Releasing a growl of bubbled up frustration, his glare fixates on the obvious threat -- the monster who presented himself -- and he advances alongside the others. Kill it quickly, was the plan!

Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + brawling(4) against difficulty 77, resulting in 67, 10 lower than the difficulty.

Reese wields Devotion, a silvery pink alaricite short sword.

By the time the trouble started, Luca was ready to stab himself in the eye with his shiny new alaricite blade. It's not that it wasn't a good play. It totally was, but he HAAAAATES waiting, and this was the worst sort of waiting. Waiting for fun killing! So when Tikva's music started, he was all sorts of eager, eyes drilling holes practically through the backs of heads of two white masked sorts that he had his attention set on, having planned out a thousand ways to get to and kill them in an instant. And that's when the entire plan he had in mind fell apart because his anticipation was distracting him so bad. The chaos erupted, the masks disappeared into the crowds, and then the claws and sounds, and DAMNIT, they're gone! So it was that Luca rose up, his gleaming alaricite already in hand, ready and unwetted with its first blood, and he's left just doing what Reese does, going straight for the most obvious target, moving like a bat out of the Abyss on her heels, following the opening she makes with his second blade having been drawn, steel reverse-gripped defensively while he leads with mirror-bright alaricite. Viper's Soul cuts and oh the satisfaction of how smoothly it cuts. The joy of flesh parting like mortal flesh, as much better than the diamondplate as the diamondplate was above the rubicund. He's going to enjoy this fight to the deepest part of his soul clearly.

"Bringers! THere! There!" Isolde calls out, an edge to her voice and she tenses up. "Daggers near the Civilians... hurry! Center row!" She looks panicked to Tobias and the other mercenaries about. "Go, go, go!"


The chaos reigns, as battle is joined. The first Bringer to have revealed itself casts about, ripping up another seat and hurling it towards the noble boxes, where Aiden has risen to fire an arrow down at it, catching the Grayson Prince before he can duck into cover even as the creature flails about, attempting to deal with the swarm of attackers coming after it. A huge claw takes a massive swipe at Reese, narrowly missing the Princess in her turn. Slashes and stabs rend at it's flesh, tearing into the body of the creature as it hulks up out of the seats, sending more of the chairs bouncing about.

Fresh screams though, fill the air, as more of the creatures expose themselvevs, two..three..five...SEVEN BRINGERS in total begin to lay about them with claws that flash shockingly fast. Calls from Isolde warn their locations, in scant moments before it would have been too late in many cases, helping to move the mercenaries and guards to targets. The largest amongst the bringers seems almost to move faster than the sight can follow, attempting to reach the group of civilians that the Crimson Blades are herding towards the doors, seemingly trying to guard them. How they are separating the good from the bad is anyones guess, but they seem unerringly to have known which of the people were Bringers as the white masks are revealed at last!

Unfortunately, what they could not detect were the servants of the Bringers who were amongst the crowd, and even as the mercenaries join the fray, they find themselves faced off against shocking numbers of the relentless servants of the Abyss, even amongst the seemingly 'safe' civilians as the men and women turn upon their would be saviors with hidden knives and swords, as the sounds of battle ring out through the theater. Were it not for the cries of the Princess Isolde, her eye catching the movement just in time, it is entirely possible that the mercenaries would have been unable to defend themselves!

Catching flying debris

Aiden takes moderate damage.

Reese checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 43, 13 higher than the difficulty.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 46, 16 higher than the difficulty.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 32, 2 higher than the difficulty.

Silas has rolled a critical success!
Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 112, 82 higher than the difficulty.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 62, 32 higher than the difficulty.

Alistair checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 48, 18 higher than the difficulty.

Aiden checked dexterity + archery against difficulty 40, resulting in 39, 1 lower than the difficulty.

Eirene checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 40, resulting in 26, 14 lower than the difficulty.

Isolde checked command + leadership against difficulty 30, resulting in 26, 4 lower than the difficulty.

Ainsley checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 63, 33 higher than the difficulty.

Luca checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 43, 13 higher than the difficulty.

Tobias checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 50, resulting in 36, 14 lower than the difficulty.

Tobias checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 50, resulting in 29, 21 lower than the difficulty.

Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(6) + brawling(5) against difficulty 36, resulting in 68, 32 higher than the difficulty.

Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(6) + brawling(5) against difficulty 29, resulting in 86, 57 higher than the difficulty.

Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + brawling(4) against difficulty 26, resulting in 43, 17 higher than the difficulty.

Killian GM Roll has rolled a critical success!
Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + brawling(4) against difficulty 39, resulting in 84, 45 higher than the difficulty.

It quickly becomes clear that Isolde has no actual battlefield command experience. Well, clearer. She keeps calling out, but the din, the screams, the battlecries... her voice gets drowned out, though she doesn't stop, not for a moment as she keeps stabbing at the places she sees nasties with her thin blade. She goes on the theory that more information is good and -someone- might see her, and she might do -some- good to help. Civilians near the stage, she motions to get up with her, to give the combatants more room.

"Direct the civilians and innocents to the back of the stage." Alistair rumbles out in a deep voice, as he knows the back rooms of the theater... that were brimming with guards and mercenaries, are now empty and could provide refuge to those who were not aware of the trap. He turns sharply as another Bringer reveals himself, the Inquisitor bringing his blade up in a high two handed chop. "Arx strikes back! May the Sentinel guard the righteous!" he roars. (Attacking Bringer 2)

The others appear to turn Bringer 1 into an alaricite pin cushion, leaving Silas blinking and without something to release his pent up aggression and adrenaline on. So he instead nimbly vaults over a row of seats, climbs further into the audience, and finds himself himself a smaller Bringer to unleash his fury on. It was distracted, and didn't turn quickly enough to see the alaricite sword coming at it's head. The blade embeds itself with a sickening squelch.

Mira had steely resolve at one Bringer. Two Bringers were slightly concerning. But the third and fourth send a cold shiver down her spine, and as the numbers keep growing and growing, her eyes widen further and further behind the red mask. For a moment, she attempts to stand her ground with notebook in hand... But then all the white masks are off, revealing Bringers, and Mira lowers her notebook, realizing her efforts are pointless.

Turning sharply about and seeing the cowering fat banker blocking her exit, Mira looks down at him imperiously. Pulling off her red fox mask dramatically, the curvy redheaded lawyer pulls herself taller, demanding of those around her, "Don't just cower there like frightened children." She snaps a hand in front of her, pointing from the civilians around her toward the ranks of the Crimson Blades. "MOVE OUT!"

Aiden is in the process of firing a second arrow... when there's suddenly a shadow. He looks up in time to see it. Flying debris! A seat, a flying seat! He squawks! The flying chair is the root cause for failure on part of Aiden Grayson. He has slow reflexes to things thrown at him by the hand of Bringers. His arms rise up at the last moment to try and deflect most of it, but he's taken down with a sick crash. The Prince is sent sprawling back and disappearing from few for those on the ground. For those in the box and for Nisaa, he is groaning loudly, trying to shake it off, but it's clear that it's dazed him. His hand rolls up the mask to settle on his forehead, spitting blood. "Chairs... aren't ... meant to fly..." his sleeve is drawn up to wipe his mouth, sending a look over to Nisaa, "Stay down... Bringers." If she didn't see for herself, he belatedly tries to explain the situation, his hand dragging up on the nearest seat to help pull himself up, wincing. He'll take a few minutes to recover, exhaling a deep breath and pushes himself up.

Audric's laugh resounds as he continues to fight, both of his blades snapping out in short, lethal arcs or quick jabs. He's not a duelist - he's a killer. Now lightly spattered in Bringer blood, the sellsword takes a moment to step back, grabbing one of the Valorous Few sergeants. "Be a good lad, take a few of the boys back and make sure no one gets up onto the stage before I can get back there, eh?" he tells the man, before falling back into the fight. Reese gets a mad grin, partially concealed by his now partially-askew mask as they lay into one of the Bringers.

When the stage comes under Siege -- Ainsley moves -- Threnody flashing in the light, as the prince leaps forward to slash out at the to creature attempting to climb up onto the stage. The pinkish blade of the alaricite blade cutting through the air with a little whistle. The attack is reckless and utterly aggressive.

Eirene is quite busy trying to draw her sword unprepared as she was, and making certain that the innocent civilians are getting behind her. This means her strike is not quite a strike but more of a swipe. "Get to the stage, "she yells moving that direction herself.

Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + brawling(4) against difficulty 99, resulting in 60, 39 lower than the difficulty.

Even delighting in the ease with which the alaricite cleaves flesh, Luca recognizes that first Bringer is a lot tougher than some he's faced and a quick glance reveals enough others that he's worried a brief moment rather than ecstatic. Then he of course thinks better of the situation. The Challengegasm is building! He might actually get hurt! Maybe even killed! It's wonderful! And so Luca's calling out. "Keep that one tied up. Going to piss off the others!" He calls to Reese and Audric, rushing off then at his own almost inhuman speeds straight for another of the Bringers, which he passes by flipping it the bird, instead going for its cohort further back, seeking to drive a blade into its chest deep. Was he trying to piss the first one off into coming after him? Totally. Gotta keep them from going after civilians after all!

The last notes of Tikva's song die as she scrambles for the wings and the place that she has left her quiver and bow. She pitches and rolls the last few feet, snagging the bow and quiver in a wild fluttering of silk. Her eyes are wide as she scrambles, lunging for her weapons where the one she was using -- her voice -- has already done its bit.

Reese's pink sword is stained with bringer blood as she continues to fight the large beast. She finds herself fighting side-by-side with Audric and his mad grin gets the warrior princess' brief attention. She grins in return, but the grin is more hopefully detrimined than anything. She turns her attention back to the large creature, striking out with her pink blade and hitting the beast. Luca's words draw her notice, but her her look to him is very brief. She probably is too distracted by the battle to answer the nimble prince.

Aiden stands up but he's still dazed. "I. Am. A. Grayson." A determined mantra, "Act... like it." He aims and takes another shot at the nearest bringer, having lost track of things. He just sees monsters and aims.

Seeing Aiden rise up to shoot a cross bow only to get hit with a theater seat from below, hurled at him by the Bringer, has Nisaa let out a short screech of surprise, no longer as curious. She slides to the floor and onto her knees, peeking over the seats towards Aiden to see how he fares. She is new to the city, and doesn't know much about the siege, but has certainly heard that word before... 'Bringers'. Her eyes are wide behind a green mask that now rests slightly crooked on her face. She stays down, popping her head up to look around on occasion while her hands roll up her skirt to unsheath a dagger strapped to her thigh... just in case.

Nisaa wields a plain dagger of excellent make.

"Anyone who can assist, we need help over here!" Tobias calls out, "This thing is far more than the usual!" Even fighting defensively, he's having a seriously hard time keeping up with the thing, and the way his men are being tossed around like ragdolls makes it clear he drew the short straw.

6 Thrax Guards arrives, following Donella.

6 Thrax Guards have been dismissed.


Whatever they may have planned, they certainly could not have expected the sheer savagery of the beasts that they have trapped in their gilded cage, and the luxuriant and ornate theater is awash with blood in what seems but a matter of seconds. The moment is not without its victories, as Audric and his Valorous Few swarm forth and to the assistance of Princess Reese, freeing other fighters to shift in the moment and move to attack other of the creatures. It is hard, even for they who are in the press of the melee, to try and know who among them gained a killing blow against that first of the monsters as it falls beneath a dozen blades, the shimmering alaricite wielded by Audric and Reese setting the wounds aboil with rancorous smoke.

The movements of the Lord Commander Silas draw the attention of his Iron Guard, and a half dozen of them in one of the boxes swing their crossbows, unleashing shots into the Bringer he approaches, keeping it distracted as he runs up and swings his sword down. The creature's head splits in half like a melon against the might of that blow, and a cry goes up from the Iron Guard of "IRON AND BLOOD!" as they cheer their leader onward.

The moments of victory are short lived. Luca and Alistair manage to duck in, their swords digging deep, Luca's leavving a boiling trail of blood where it cuts the creature but they two are not enough to bring it to immediate heel. They fair better than Eirene as a claw lashes out at her, gouging a trail of blood as it strikes her. An arrow fired from the balcony slips right across the vision of one of the Bringers, nicking it's nose as it looks up towards Aiden with an almost contemptuous glare, grabbing a woman who was frozen in terror and hurling her bodily at the young Prince. Her lower half catches on the edge of the noble box, unfortunately she was thrown with such force that her upper half keeps going, crashing into Aiden with tremendous force and rendering the box a horror show of carnage as the womans remains lie scattered about.

It is not all for loss, one of the creatures moves towards the stage and those upon it, even as Tikva continues to sing. There is something about her voice that seems to draw its attention, even as Ainsley steps forward to bar its path. The Grayson prince fares well, Threnody slicing into the creature in an eruption of black blood but not stopping it from trying to get onto the stage.

It is the Crimson Blades though, that bear the worst of the chaotic attack. They valiantly stand their ground against the largest of the creatures, protecting the civilians they are attemptingg to get out the door, but with their numbers diminished by the attack of the creatures minions they are pressed hard. Bodies of Crimson Blades are sent flying as they are thrown about, and even Tobias finds himself hard pressed, the creature slipping past his guard and drawing blood from the Lord General, but they manage to hold their ground even as Mira helps guide more civilians from the chaos, and with a shout one of the guards in the balcony screams out, "THE CIVILIANS ARE CLEAR!" as everyone left appears to be fighting for one side or another, or directing their efforts into the battle in some way.

Bringers like to throw things at Aiden.

Aiden takes serious damage.

Aiden checked composure against difficulty 15, resulting in 15, 0 higher than the difficulty.

Isolde checked perception against difficulty 20, resulting in 24, 4 higher than the difficulty.

Reese checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 55, 25 higher than the difficulty.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 54, 24 higher than the difficulty.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 67, 37 higher than the difficulty.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 38, 8 higher than the difficulty.

Luca checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 72, 42 higher than the difficulty.

Tobias checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 50, resulting in 33, 17 lower than the difficulty.

Tobias checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 50, resulting in 26, 24 lower than the difficulty.

Eirene checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 40, resulting in 30, 10 lower than the difficulty.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 51, 21 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva checked dexterity + archery against difficulty 30, resulting in 24, 6 lower than the difficulty.

Alistair checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 35, 5 higher than the difficulty.

Aiden checked dexterity + archery against difficulty 30, resulting in 36, 6 higher than the difficulty.

Isolde checked command + leadership against difficulty 30, resulting in 36, 6 higher than the difficulty.

Ainsley has rolled a critical success!
Ainsley checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 74, 44 higher than the difficulty.

Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(6) + brawling(5) against difficulty 33, resulting in 38, 5 higher than the difficulty.

Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + brawling(4) against difficulty 30, resulting in 52, 22 higher than the difficulty.

Silas pulls his sword out of the Bringer he had just slain, paying little heed to the celebration of his men but encouraged by their own performance in the bloodbath. He then departs from the seats and stalks up the aisle, towards the exit, but takes a short detour to attempt to finish off a nearby Bringer which appears to be already injured. He raises his blade again and swings down at the Bringer's head. The less Bringers, the better.

Isolde calls out to Eirene, specifically, "Eirene! I'll keep an eye on them and back you up when this is cleaned up! Tobias, BEHIND YOU! Watch your damned back! Even I know that!" Isolde calls out, taking a skittering step away from the approaching Bringer. "Get this asshole off me, someone. Well, before it gets to me. FIRE!" She motions to the Iron Guard and points to the Bringer that the get. To her credit, she doesn't obviously -look- like she's having fun. But there is a satisifed look on her masked face.

Eirene wears her leather armor all the time for a reason. And the elaborate flame embroidery? Hides the many patches and scars from similar attacks. She grimaces at the bit of claw that gets thru but keeps going for the stage, her attacks not her focus but moving more to get to a good place to fight. It does, however, leave her more open to the Bringer's assaults.

Audric's mad laughter doesn't show any signs of stopping, even as an arrow thuds into one of his sellswords. He just thumps the man on the back as he passes, charging towards the Bringer approaching the stage. With a gleeful cry, the Captain-General kicks off a nearby chair, bringing both of his swords down in a slash across the Bringer's back.

Aiden has had bodies thrown at him by Bringers before. The last one was alive. This, was a full on screaming woman. He sees her coming at him last minute and it's unfortunate that she hits the wall at such a speed to break her apart, sending her upper torso at him and sending guards around him scattering at the remains scattering about. The momentum again. Chair first, woman second, levels the prince for the second time. He crashes against one of the other guards, pinned between flung woman and hard cased plated guard. The aftermath leaves Aiden Grayson covered in crimson gore. It takes the effort of two or three guards to remove the dead woman and check on the health of the young Prince. A conversation held with him and after a few checks, they push Aiden up on to his feet, soaked from blood, his and the woman's both. The sensible thing would be to take cover and wait for the fighting to be over, however, Aiden, looks completely numb and calm. He approaches where the crossbow archers are and lifts his Eagle Strike again, taking aim at one of the Bringers and loosing the arrow with a flash of anger in his eyes.

Ainsley manages to duck other otherwise dodge out of the way of Tikva's arrow. Maybe his then wild, hard swing at the Bringer is what causes her name to be off. He thrusts his alaricite blade forward with all of his might. Shouting as he goes, "IRON AND BLOOD, GLORIA BE PRAISED!" His aim is to knock the bright right off of the stage.

Scurrying to safety, Mira falls to her knees beside an Iron Guardsman slumped against the wall, well behind the line of defense erected against Doombringer the Invincible's inexorable march. Tearing off some of her black skirting, Mira wraps the straps tightly around his midsection, attempting to staunch wounds. Shuffling on her knees sideways, Mira bends down over a fallen guardsman and leans her cheek near his lips. Detecting breath, the formerly well-dressed lawyer struggles to get him upright and breathing easier against the wall as well, tearing his shirt open to see where the Bringer hit the guy.

Ainsley kicks at the bringer hard with his rubicund booted foot as he shouts.

Tikva lines up a shot but she wavers even as she stands there, trembling slightly in her silks. She blows out her breath as she watches her arrow fly wide, and winces when she sees it hit one of the mercenaries instead of the Bringer she was /trying/ to shoot at. "Shit!" she yells. (Dignified. Ladylike.) "Sorry!"

Reese was about to dart at the bringer heading toward the stage, after all Tikva and Isolde are up there! She even takes a step in that direction. She then notices how Audric and his warriors have had the same thought and well then there is Prince Ainsley defending. Instead she turns about, running toward Tobias, his warriors and Luca. She tries to attack the bringer on Tobias, her blade sinking into the creature's flesh.

Alistair's blade comes down again, parrying away a swipe of ever sharp Bringer claws as he lifts his foot to deliver a powerful kick to the infernal creature... giving him a moment to survey to chaos of the theater. But it is chaos they planned for. Almost everyone here knows their plan, knows their purpose, and those who have a mind to fight who did not know... are quickly catching on. His eyes shift to the stage as one of the Bringers swarms towards where the play was just happening, the Inquisitor lifting a hand and directing the crossbows and archers that line the boxes above to rain their fire down upon the Bringer that threatens Isolde and Tikva from their position on the stage. His blade comes up once more to strike at the Bringer before him. He hopes the Crown has a good cleaning budget. The theater is going to need it.

Nisaa is splattered with blood and perhaps more gore as the top half of a woman goes flying over her head and towards Aiden. Despite hunkering down, seems she isn't immune to a blood bath. That's okay, some from her home lands say it's good for the skin. She stays on the ground, but is actively watching everything taking place, dagger in her hand. She begins to sing quietly, barely a murmur, though if any are aware enough to hear, it's not in Arvani at all. Arrows fly, swords swing, people shout and are injured, monsters attack, and Nisaa sings watching it all. Reaching up with one gloved hand, she wipes some sort of human tissue from her cheek where a bit of it has landed.

Tobias simply mutters, "Fuck." As he and his people continue to be whittled down by the giant Bringer. Then Isolde is yelling in his direction, "I don't tell you how to do your ceremonies, Princess." Is all he responds to her 'behind him' nonsense. The constant attacking is definitely wearing in him though. As the other Bringers start to be destroyed though, Tobias continues with his wall of bodies. The Crimson Blades know what they're signing up for, and right now? Running would just get the thing chasing them.

Luca's grinning fiercely now, dancing his war dance with all the steps precise and beautifully executed, his blade steaming, baptized with Bringer blood, if not with death's blood yet. And yet he's presently keeping fully on the move, almost taunting the Bringers he cuts at and makes obscene gestures at as he passes. But now his sites have turned on the Bringer of Doom (BoD) at Tobias' call. It's like he and Reese are working in tandem, even separated across the bloody floor. He's flashing a fierce, proud look her way as he watches her reach the big ugly bastard first with her pink alaricite, while he's going at it lower, dropping to slide on one knee along past its knee-level, swinging his own glittering bright alaricite out at the thick tendons on the backs of the thighs, trying to drop the thing for easier pickings while it's reacting to Reese's higher hit. As he's coming back up just as fluidly as he went into the slide, Luca's common cloth pants are shown to be ripped at the knees, glittering exotic diresnake scale leather shining from beneath in blues and purples. Apparently he and Reese came prepared for the fight, even though they haven't had opportunity to need the defensive measures yet.

Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + brawling(4) against difficulty 51, resulting in 59, 8 higher than the difficulty.

Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + brawling(4) against difficulty 35, resulting in 53, 18 higher than the difficulty.

Alistair takes minor damage.


It must surely feel as though they have been fighting for hours, so desperate is the battle. Blood runs in the once fine carpets of the Theater, and it's probably best not to dwell upon the condition of the nobles box in which Aiden had taken his date. Some fellows really know how to treat a lady! The archers arrow finds its home this time though, sinking into one of the Bringers in the center of the room. It is joined by arrows called down from the archers about the theater, assisting the battle in the center thanks to Isoldes direction! Silas and Alistair hack and thrust, adding the weight of their might to the force arrayed in the center of the room, and between the damage dealt before and the fury of their continued onslaught, another Bringer is rent limb from limb under their blades. It is not without cost, as both Alistair and Silas take grazing blows and Eirene takes a hard strike from the other creatures at the center.

    At the stage, it's a mixed bag entirely, Audric and his men rushing behind the Bringer that attempts to claim the stage. They slice into the back of the creature, only for one of them to shift in front of the creature and block Tikva's shot with his elbow! For a moment, it looks as though the creature is going to be able to press its attack, but Ainsley steps forward and with a mighty bellow he drives his blade home, the Bringer's chest erupting in a spray of boiling black ichor as he kicks it contemptuously back to the orchestra pit. The oboe will likely never play another note.

Tobias and his men though, are facing off against the worst of the monsters, and the situation looks Grim. Though they are now fighting a defensive formation, trying to weather the assault and hold the door to keep the creature from escaping, it's huge claws lash out again and again as Luca and Reese swiftly close on the creature. As the two impact into the creature they manage to score two deep, boiling gouges into the creatures back, causing it to turn its attentions towards them!

Alistair checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 34, 4 higher than the difficulty.

Reese checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 50, 20 higher than the difficulty.

Luca checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 68, 38 higher than the difficulty.

Tikva checked dexterity + archery against difficulty 30, resulting in 58, 28 higher than the difficulty.

Aiden checked dexterity + archery against difficulty 30, resulting in 35, 5 higher than the difficulty.

Isolde checked command + medicine against difficulty 30, resulting in 48, 18 higher than the difficulty.

Eirene checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 48, 18 higher than the difficulty.

Ainsley checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 47, 17 higher than the difficulty.

Tobias checked command + war against difficulty 15, resulting in 34, 19 higher than the difficulty.

Audric checked dexterity + athletics against difficulty 15, resulting in 53, 38 higher than the difficulty.

With the stage clear, Audric's laughter stops for a moment as he notices something. A rope, helping to keep some of the lighting suspended. "I'd get clear if I were you!" he calls, gleeful as he takes a hold of the rope with one hand, slices through it with his other sword, and briefly becomes an Audric-shaped projectile, arcing through the air to land, swords first, on a Bringer. "Incomiiiiing."


Needless to say, the Bringers did not expect that! The heavy chandeleir comes down hard, catching one of them on the shoulder. Audric isn't quite lucky enough for a direct hit, but the creature staggers from the wound and it provides quite the distraction for those nearby, allowing Silas to slip away and keeping the two mid room from fighting effectively for the moment!

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 56, 26 higher than the difficulty.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 62, 32 higher than the difficulty.

Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(6) + brawling(5) against difficulty 68, resulting in 73, 5 higher than the difficulty.

Isolde calls out as she climbs down awkwardly from the stage. Unlike some people. She calls out though, doing her best Eirene impression that she's seen the surgeon do to wounded people. "If you're hurt, get to the stage so I can patch you up and you can get back in there. Audric if you get hurt I'm only going to laugh, you crazy bastard!"

Aiden checked toward Nisaa, muttering over toward her something with a regretful look as she continues to sing them a battle song. Best date ever! Fingers slide another arrow out of his quiver as he props his foot up on the wall to get a good aim toward the Bringer who keeps the exit blocked, but not before he gets to see how Ainsley takes out the Bringer on the stage. His mouth curls at seeing that, taking heart that his brother is still alive and kicking ass, prior to shifting his aim toward the Bringers in the middle and realizing they would be easily dealt with and instead, take that aim toward the one at the doors chewing on Crimson Blades. Narrowing his eyes, he mutters something to Gloria, though he pauses to see the mid-air dramatic's of a man sailing through the air to land on a Bringer. History in the making, Aiden whistles under his breath and returns to the battle at hand, sure-footed shooting, releasing an arrow toward the Bringer of Doom.

Ainsley jumps down from the stage so he can make his way to the middle of the room. His alaricite blade already covered in black blood; it slashes at the Bringer there. Stabbing and swinging as he goes.

Tis but a scratch

Luca takes minor damage.

Tikva is much more satisfied with the next arrow she sets loose from her bow, standing sure-footed and fierce upon the stage as she lets it fly. Her breath huffs past the flash of her teeth as she smiles. There's nothing that requires her to leave the stage to take her shot, after all. "Hah!"

Nisaa tries to smile at Aiden, reassuringly. She pauses her odd sounding singing for a moment. "At least it is dark," she says of her dress, her bronzed skin splattered with blood except for where she has made attempts to wipe it off, leaving it smeared. She seems calm, composed, but doesn't move.

Mira yelps when another Iron Guardsman falls from the pike wall, scrabbling over to slowly drag him by the shoulder pauldrons away from the fighting, "Why is...this armor..." Mira strains and arches, wincing as she pulls the guy over to the others finally, "...so heavy?!" Panting a pit, Mira leans on her side, elbow against the guy's stomach, which elicits a groan. "Oh, sorry! Sorry!" Working on patching wounds, Mira frantically starts to staunch the wound, at least until someone better trained can look at it.

Silas helps kill the wounded Bringer with Alistair with comparative ease, but realizes there were still more blocking his path to the Bringer at the exit. He hisses when he finally notices the grazing wound at his side, but keeps his blade up as he circles one of the two remaining Bringers nearby...

    Until Audric suddenly shouts and the immediate area around him is suddenly showered with glass as the mercenary captain manages to cut down the chandlier overhead. He shields his eyes with a gauntleted hand, but smirks and climbs out of the debris. "Good job!" He exclaims, making a beeline for the Door Bringer now, crimson alaricite blade flashing through the air.

Eirene puts her back to the stage, using it as a bit of cover so the wounded triage can begin. She holds her arm to her side, starting to switch tactics. Faster rather than focused. "Die you shriveled dick fucker," she calls as she lashes out. She seems to be preparing to withdraw from the floor, glancing at the princess and the wounded behind her.

"Maintain control." Alistair rumbles out, trying to exert some kind of control over the utter chaos. Plans can only go so far. He watches as the Bringer is cut down at the stage, losing his focus for a moment as the slash of a Bringer's claws strike at his fine Lyceum style outfit and shredding some of his armor to leave a rent of red across his chest. Slowly the Inquisitor turns to stare at the Bringer as if the beast just tried to tickle him and lets out a snarl as he holds his blade tightly and joins Silas in hacking the Bringer to meaty bits. The faceless mask of the Inquisitor is streaked with scarlet blood and ichor, giving the green mask a rather menacing appearance as he turns his blade upon another of the Bringers in the middle of the theater. Beneath the mask the man furrows his brow as Audric employs some... irregular tactics. The Prodigal takes a step back as Audric uses his body, sword and the the very expensive lighting of the theater... to squash one of the Bringers. The Inquisitor simply grunts in begruding appreciation of Audric's handiwork. "Show off." he might be heard mumbling.

Tobias doesn't even have to think about it. As the Bringer of Doom turns on Luca, "Crimson Blades, FALL BACK. ALPHA SQUAD, RETREAT! Beta squad, get inside and Phalanx formation at the door! I want a wall of pikes stabbing this thing. GO GO GO." Tobias yells out his orders as the squads exchange places, and the Crimson Blades turn from a bunch of sword wielding bodyguards to a wall of pikes keeping the Bringer at longpike length. Tobias himself moves to the side to let his men work. "On my command, peirce!"

Reese continues her fight near the very large bringer. She hears the light fixture go crashing behind her, bringing the girl to tense as if startled and bringing her to look briefly back toward Audric. Reese doesn't have time to focus there and instead she strikes against the bringer, lifting her blade. She sucks in a soft breath as if focusing upon more than just the fight. "Please banish all the forces of evil from us, destroy them, vanish them, burn them." She chants softly as if praying.

Luca's laughing richly and with vast joy as he and Reese come together in that slashing mixture drawing the BoD's attention to them. And like a dance, they're spinning past each other, with Luca winking her way as he goes from behind dark green mask, quipping. "If I'd known we'd get to dance together proper, darling, I'd have asked you to wear that dress I like so much." Banter or not, Luca's turning his spin into another type of footwork, seeking to step in closer to the BoD rather than bypass it, getting right up in its face, grinning brightly and looking for angle to drive blade at its flesh again even as its claw is swiping at him in that closeness. For once, Luca misjudges his dodge, swaying back like a willow tree in the wind, usually putting him millimeters out of reach. But in this case, the claw tip is millimeters longer than expected, and Luca's taking a swift little cut to the cheek without even a grunt. It's truly the most pathetic wound given in the entire fight and he's just pausing long enough to lick the blood at his lips and murmur to the thing. "Oh, it's on now, fugly!" After which he's moving almost inhumanly fast himself to try and cleave at the creature and keep its attention on him while Reese focuses her attention in a different sort of way.

Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + medium wpn(5) against difficulty 30, resulting in 84, 54 higher than the difficulty.

Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + medium wpn(5) against difficulty 30, resulting in 40, 10 higher than the difficulty.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 45, 15 higher than the difficulty.

Audric checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 47, 17 higher than the difficulty.


They can almost feel it, the way the ebb and flow of the battle shifts, like the changing of the tides sweeping away the flotsam in the harbor. The battle surges, but it's as though the crash of that chandelier was some rallying cry, and the weary battlers surge and shift. At the door, the distraction of new attackers draws the focus away from the Crimson Blades, and Alpha Squad falls back, dragging wounded and dead with them quickly in a disciplined withdraw. The gap isn't open but a heartbeat, as fresh troops surge forward and where before, weary swordsmen stood as the last blockade against the monsters escape, now a wall of shields interlock and pikes shove forward, a near impenetrable barrier blocking withdrawal!

In the middle of the room, the Valorous Few join battle with Alistair and Eirene, Ainsley hot on their heels as an arrow flies over his head and into the Bringer a moment before his blade strikes home. It is Eirene though, who has struggled to defend herself against the creatures summoned while she was trying to enjoy the play, who manages at last to hit home and bury her blade into the back of the creature, finishing it at last as it topples to the ground. The Valorous Few and Audric lay into the other, pulling it down under weight of numbers setting to work on it with a cry of, "We have this one, get the other!" to those nearby.

At the doorway Aiden's arrow finds the largest of the monstrosities, even as Luca and Reese continue their assault. The nimble prince proves as troublesome for the fast monster as everyone else, dancing away with only a scratch from a huge claw while Alaricite blades bite deep into the creatures flesh, Silas' added to the number as the Iron Guard unload projectiles into it, running low on bolts and arrows by now!

All about the room though, the Valorous Few, Iron Guard and Crimson Blades who were pressed by the servants of the Bringers are finding the tide shift in their favor as well! A group of Valorous Few have managed to drive a knot of servants into the orchestra pit, gaining the high ground and mercilessly brutalizing them even as the Iron Guard search about the room, sending arrows and bolts into the singles and strays, sending them toppling to the ground. Meanwhile the Crimson Blades who were cut off catch a group of five servants and slam them into the wall beneath Aiden's balcony box, grinding them into dogmeat as they vent their fury against the minions of the Bringers!

Amidst it all though, as all the minions and lessers fall, is the largest of the creatures..who seems largely unhindered by the boiling wounds in its flanks!

Tikva checked dexterity + archery against difficulty 30, resulting in 49, 19 higher than the difficulty.

Alistair checked composure against difficulty 15, resulting in 30, 15 higher than the difficulty.

Aiden steps up onto the chair and then braces his other foot against the low wall, an arrow draw against his cheek as he takes a greater moment of aim. He waits for an opportunity between the melee going on around the Bringer, then lets his arrow fly...

With her clusted mess of wounded Crimson Blades, Iron Guards, and random civilians, Mira is more or less holding down the fort on the other side of the wall of pikes. The door is *right there* but, well... Her eyes turn nervously toward Doombringer the Invincible as the surge of adrenaline starts to wear off. She has no one else to help right now. Nowhere to go. All she can do is wait...and watch. And that's when the terror starts to take hold...

Alistair checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 41, 11 higher than the difficulty.


Aiden knows he doesn't have the shot, it's just a bad angle..he leans a little


Aiden knows he doesn't have the shot, it's just a bad angle..he leans a little farther, and it's that moment too far as the young Prince starts to fall from the balcony he was upon. The arrow flies from his bow even as gravity exerts her ruthless demands, and he doesn't see as his arrow drives into the back of the left ankle and sinks into the floor, pierced through and hopefully pinning that limb in place! The noise when Aiden lands, is likely unpleasant.

Isolde checked intellect + medicine against difficulty 30, resulting in 59, 29 higher than the difficulty.

Luca checked strength + medium wpn against difficulty 50, resulting in 46, 4 lower than the difficulty.

Reese checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 75, 45 higher than the difficulty.

Eirene checked command + medicine against difficulty 30, resulting in 43, 13 higher than the difficulty.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 58, 28 higher than the difficulty.

Silas checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 30, resulting in 43, 13 higher than the difficulty.

Tobias checked dexterity + medium wpn against difficulty 50, resulting in 47, 3 lower than the difficulty.

Killian GM Roll checked dexterity(6) + brawling(5) against difficulty 46, resulting in 64, 18 higher than the difficulty.

Ainsley happens to look up and see the mirror of himself leaning over the balcony to fire. It doesn't take him long to see what is going to happen. "AIDEN!" Ainsley cries out, and his blade is tossed rather careless so he can charge up an aisle-- shoving anyone who attempts to stop him aside --so he can get underneath Aiden, skidding just in time to have his young brother slam into him. With a rather loud clanking noise; leaving Ainsley splatted on the ground but Aiden likely unbroken.

Splat

Ainsley takes serious damage.

With the last of the Bringers slowly being dispatched... and their mindless shav minions meeting similar ends, Alistair turns his attention towards the final hulking feature of the strongest Bringer. The beast seems eager to escape the trap, but the press of guard and mercenary soldiers as the abyssal creature trapped. One less Bringer to terrorize the city. Alistair takes a moment to clean the bringer blood off his blade, uncorking a small vial of holy water to cleanse it before he drives once more into the battle...

Luca's dancing back from another attempted strike just as the arrow whooshes past his shoulder and slams into the monster's foot. He doesn't hesitate. He just dives forward, crying out. "Go for the throat, Ribbons!" And as he hits, it's into a graceful little combat roll angled past the thing, a roll from which he's springing up out of with a ferocious roar, the shining alaricite Viper's Soul cutting into the thing at the knee, clearly intending to lop the damn thing off so that it's left with only the pinned foot to stand on (or likely topple from). It may even work! But there was a lot more resistence to the bone than anticipated and Luca's coming up out of his hit a lot slower than is ideal when that close to a monstrous demonic being you just tried to badly injure.

Nisaa gasps and stands up as Aiden falls off the balcony. "Prince Aiden!!!!" Her singing has stopped and she looks around then to the guards around her. Not knowing what else to do, she sits down, the mask hiding some of her expression.

Silas focuses on the threat in front of him, moving to get a good angle on the Bringer at the exit. Tunnel vision, really. He retracts his blade from the monster's flesh, briefly withdraws, then lunges forward to attack the same spot. His men around him continue to follow suit through the carnage.

Isolde can't do anything in a fight, really, but what she -can- do is make a beeline toward people falling from the rafters, unless their name is Audric. She dashes toward Aiden and Ainsley, coming in to slide on her knees, assessing and acting practically in the same motion. "We got you." Deft hands fly about, stopping wounds, stablizing limbs, shaking her head. "Nice work, both of you. Now, take a breath, let us work, get you patched up."

The massing Bringer continues to be a problem... but he and his men are still on the job. Eventually, the longpikes have an opening he can exploit, so Tobias gestures with Requiem. "There! Forward. I want to see black Bringer wounds on that!"

Tikva runs up to the very edge of the stage, drawing another arrow from her quiver to fire a shot at the Bringer's head, to one-two punch with Reese's strike -- hopefully -- before she drops back on her heels. She hesitates there on stage, keeping at range with her teeth set against the curve of her lower lip as she watches the chaos with searching eyes. She is without quip!

After his little chandelier adventure and a little further fighting, Audric's mask has entirely come off. Which means that manic grin is entirely visible, blood spattered across the sellsword. Taking advantage of (relative) calm while there's only one left, he sets about ordering his sellswords to aid with the wounded as they can, snapping out orders that may or may not be helping at all, but they are, at least, delivered decisively.

Reese hears Aiden falling and she winces with concern, but she too far away from her cousin and too deeply engaged to do anything to save him. Luckily Prince Ainsley is here! She hears Luca's words and looks toward the nimble prince, giving him this somber nod. She then sees that the monster is about to her attack her betrothed! She having this wedding damnit. She darts in between the monster and Luca or attempts such, all while trying to slice at the beast. "Get away from him, hellspawn!"

Aiden makes a dashing figure as he pushes with his toe to get that last bit of leverage that he need to let the arrow fly, hard twang from the string when his balance is grabbed by gravity, leaving the arrow to sing through the air. He had tried something out of wild hope and whim to Gloria. He had tried to send a shot to cripple or pin the Bringer in the spot so the others could fight it with an advantage. The consequences had been immediate. There was nothing underneath him and he just had enough time to look back as he fell, his arm reaching as the balcony fell away. It was going to hurt. Life flashes before his eyes. The floor was coming fast... still his heroic brother was faster. It wasn't a pretty thing, his falling momentum was hard hitting and he couldn't lessen it for his brother. WOOSH! The collision should make anyone wince! He gets immediately winded, but he doesn't die. Worried for who he landed on, he rolls over to see... "AINSLEY!" Is his striken horror for using his brother as a crash pad, rolling off him, shaken fingers reaching out, "Ainsley?!"

Eirene clutches her arm to her stomach in pain, hissing as she back away and manages up to the stage to take over the triage. Her voice rings out over the din to the guardsmen not attacking the final Bringer. "Get off your asses and come help me, bring the wounded here." She starts seeing to the worst, glancing at Isolde as she hurried to help the falling prince. One medic at a time. She can help them later. "You got this, Princess. I'll work up here."

"I'm fine!" Ainsley says immediately, when Aiden scrambles off of him he pushes himself upward. A glance is given around and he asks, "Where the fuck did I put my sword." He huffs a moment, a briefly pained look flickering across his face, before he goes to find where Threnody went.

Gaius, a Thraxian Confessor have been dismissed.

Balanar, a shadowy Confessor have been dismissed.

"Prince Aiden, he's all right. I need you to hold still." Isolde puts a hand on Aiden's shoulder. "You're both going to be all right. Lady Eirene will string me up if I fuck this up. You're all right. Hold still so you don't hurt yourself more. I need to check you out."

Aiden slumps back to the floor out of relief, to hear Ainsley brush off his concern. Then Isolde is there and the young Prince is apparently of the fight, feeling all those horrible injuries as adrenaline and the near-death experience brought on. He'll be a good patient for Isolde, at least.


Everything happens all at once, as in a surge of motion and assault the group moves against the last of the huge creatures. An arrow thuds into the ground, shot through it's foot and pinning it in place, even as Ainsley dives to catch his young brother, sacrificing his own body in order to try and catch the falling Prince Aiden. Alistair shoves forward, pulling a bottle from his clothes and dousing his blade in holy water, taking the place vacated as Prince Luca dives between the huge creatures legs, rolling past and flashing his blade across the back of it's huge leg. The sickening sound of the sinew and muscle contracting as it's severed is audible just before the Inquisitor's blade drives that blessed water into the creature's side, even as it spins in place. The pikes of the Crimson Blades thrust forward, several piercing into the creature, but it is moving even still, and it's eyes lock upon the nimble Prince Luca, a huge claw swiping downward mightily. Silas slams his blade home, deep below the other arm of the creature, but his angle won't do the Prince any good even as the Lord Commander's troops back their leader and arrows thunk into it's hide, pincushioning it. Tobias yells a command at his troops, but he knows it is far, far too slow to draw back the pikes and thrust again..all the Crimson Blades can do is watch helpless at the tableu before them. Audric and his Valorous Few have seen to the grim work of finishing the one that had been brought down, and surge to block any escape the creature might have, too far away to reach in time as that claw comes heavily downward towards Luca, even as he is trying to roll back up to his feet.

Princess Reese Grayson though, moves quickly, ducking around the creature in it's moment of distraction. The blow that would have certainly landed upon Luca drives into her instead, sending a spray of crimson blood as she cries out her defiance and her sword comes around in a flashing arc. Light seems to shimmer along the blade, like the flare of a lens turned in the sunlight as it dances from hilt to tip, growing brighter along the way until there's a brilliant flash of light as the tip impacts the creature, digging deep. It may be some trick of the light, but every cut and wound, the creatures eyes and mouth, all seem to glow with a brilliant radiance as the blade passes through it's flesh, to emerge on the other side of the swing.

Leaving the creature to topple crumple slowly to the ground, sightless eyes staring unseeingly, the tinges of burns around the wounds, eyes and mouth as it lays dead at their feet.

Reese takes serious damage.

Mira has left the Commoner Seating.

"Broken ribs, I think, and you are going to be sore. Get at least a day of rest, and more if you are one of those people that will actually listen to healers instead of my cousin and brother, and well, everyone I know." Isolde nods, lighter now that the monsters are dead. She starts wrapping limbs, nodding to Aiden. "By the way you're holding yourself, you likely sprained several things. Don't push yourself." SHe eyes Ainsley. "You're next. Don't go running off. Let me look you over or I'll sic the Tender Mercies on you."

Nisaa sees that the last Bringer is down and rushes past the guards near her, slipping on some gore but thanks to her gracefulness as a dancer, she does not fall. She heads to Aiden where Isolde is seeing to him, full of concern for her friend. "Prince Aiden? Are you okay?" He just fell from a balcony after getting a theater seat and half a woman thrown at him, surely okay is debatable, but he is moving, talking, and so she is relieved.

Tikva hops down off of the front of the stage and scurries forward in a flare of pale skirts. She lost her shoes somewhere in the rolling about, or maybe she just doesn't give a crap to keep track of them; barefoot and armed with her bow, she circles around the Bringers towards Aiden and Ainsley with wide blue eyes. "Hell of a debut, huh?" she says in a falsely light aside to Isolde as she turns up.

As the fighting comes to an end, Audric stretches his arms up above his head, shoulders popping, before he sheathes the pair of swords, and gives Tikva a bright, beaming grin. "You did fantastically!" he says to the woman, as full of good cheer as ever. "You could have quite the career on stage, if you were so inclined."

Luca's left crying out when Reese steps in way of that claw, but freezing when he sees that amazing lightshow she puts on with her blade and the effectiveness with which it ends things. His steel blade dropped though as he rushed to her, helping prop as needed and murmuring soft words in a rush to her, oblivious to further danger. Or perhaps not entirely so, since he's still got his hand on Viper's Soul.

Eirene is on her knees, quickly pressing bandages from her ever-present healer's kit into the nearest victim to stop the bleeding. "Who the fuck decided a trap full of civilians was a good FUCKING idea," the medic calls out angrily. She too is bleeding but she saves her own wounds for later. She looks at one of the Valorous Few and scowls. "Don't care who goes, but some dickhead better move his ass down to the Malvici barracks and mobilize the 4th. Get them here as backups for the civvies. Let the Mercies keep working at the Solace."

Silas backs away from the spectacle that is Reese's shiny sword after she takes a mean hit meant for Luca. He squints at the brightness and lowers his alaricite blade. The creature thankfully crumples under her might and the terror finally ceases. He releases a heavy sigh and casually flicks off a string of blood ichor from his weapon before moving to regather his men and take stock of their casualties. Aiden and Ainsley were given a concerned look, but seeing them being tended to momentarily relieves him.

Reese darted in front of Luca, taking the blow that was meant for him. The Grayson princess has leather on beneath her wool dress, but she lacks her usual steel. The creature's claws dig into her shoulder, causing a large wound and her crimson blood starts to flow down her arm. She continues fighting, slamming her blade into the creature who falls their feet. The brilliant flash seems to stun her, but so does the pain from the injury. She looks pale as she stumbles back from the fallen body.

As the last Bringer falls, "Halt! Standby." Tobias orders of his men, before he takes Requiem and thrusts the blade down into the things head, checking to be sure it's well and truly dead. He pulls the blade and pulls a cloth from a pouch on his armor, starting to wipe down the blood. He gives a grunt as his elbow wound flares, before he sheathes the blade, and looks around to the others. "This was good work. I didn't expect so many, or this big one." Then, he looks to the exit. "I lost too many men doing this."

Isolde grins widely at Tikva as she finishes up with Aiden, patting his shoulder gently, shifting to move to Ainsley, if he allows her to do so. "I learned that you're amazing, and I am utterly and thoroughly ridiculous. But! This was successful. We'll have to get a list of the fallen and make sure they receive honors." She starts to look Ainsley over, nodding a little. "You're fairing better. Let me get some of these cuts stitched up, and you need some rest too. But again, I doubt anyone that uses a sword listens to that sort of advice, so I'll get you as stablized as I can."

Ainsley finally manages to find his sword, and he uses his discarded silk tunic to clean it off. And then tugs the masks of his face. His gaze shifts about the room and he finds Aiden first, and gives his brother a little nod of his head-- and then there is Tivka. His gray eyes shift to silver-bright and he makes his way /straight/ for the redheaded Lady Riven. His expression angry? fierce? Something... Hot. Definitely /heated/.

He's like a train, a clanking train in steel and rubicunid headed toward Tikva. As soon as he reaches her his gauntleted hands going to her hips to try and drag her up against him and his head going dooooowwwn. Mouth angled for hers.

Tikva checked dexterity + dodge against difficulty 15, resulting in 33, 18 higher than the difficulty.

Aiden was still lying there, because he was told not to move, or at least take it easy. He'll wince his way to get propped up against a wall, exhaling a breath and looking up toward the balcony and back toward Ainsley. It's Nisaa's concern that has him murmur, "That... was a bad time. I'm sorry... Nisaa." Sore all over, he just sits there, soaking in the shock of it all. To Ainsley he tries to put on a brave smile, but doesn't stop his brother, instead he asks to Nisaa, "Are you alright?"

Audric turns his grin on Eirene then, showing teeth. "It certainly worked, didn't it? And not -that- many people died," he says, brightly, producing his flask to take a drink. "It worked so well I won't even be stubborn about the fact that you aren't paying my lads." He jerks his chin towards one of the sergeants. "Go do what she said, bring the whose-it-whatsits. Need any supplies or anything brought up, Lady Eirene?"

Isolde shakes her head and laughs quietly, standing, offering the pair a nod before slipping away, moving to an out of the way place to survey the damagee.

Mira is quietly with the wounded, helping keep people alive until a real medic can see to them. She's not drawing a lot of attention to herself and seems to be perfectly fine with that. Most of her skirting has been converted into bandages and tourniquets, but she's still modestly dressed as she moves about, checking on civilians, Guards, and Blades alike.

Luca laughs at something Reese whispers back to him, even as he's leaning down to give her a quick kiss, chide some more, and then call out. "Any medics free after that fucking mess? I sort of have plans for this one on our wedding night that don't involve bandages!"

Tikva ducks her head, eeling sidelong as Ainsley moves to grab hold of her. Which means that he basically gets a mouth full of fluffy red hair. Super hot, post adrenaline rush. It's probably sweaty, too. "Easy there, tiger," she says in a voice of low reproof. Her fingers twist against his armor. Her gaze skips up ruefully as she ducks, glancing with a rosy tinge of plain embarrassment warming her cheeks as she looks to Isolde and Audric. "Uh," she says. "Thanks!" This isn't awkward and dorky at all. (Yes. It is.)

Nisaa is covered in blood and such, but none of it hers. She lets out a small laugh and says, "you asking of me if I am alright? I am fine. Will not break for watching. I am sorry I could not help. Did not know how."