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

The Saffron has seen more Arvani attention than ever in these past tumultuous months. With the conquest of House Pravus enraging the slaver kingdom of Skal'daja, and the native Shavs of the islands under threat of Compact intervention in their way of life, the tension has been thick. Rumors have abounded in the city state of Tremorus these past few weeks. Attacks perpetuated by and against Shav'arvani are not uncommon, but of late they've begun to increase in severity. Usually, one tribe acts alone. Yet if word is to believed, the attacks have involved Shav wearing multiple colors.

Most are quick to dismiss this. The tribes have been bitter enemies for centuries, with long histories of bloodshed against one another. The idea of a potential alliance among the 'barbarians' is unprecedented. But the evidence has yet to amount to a conclusive answer. In these wild times of the world, perhaps anything is truly possible.

It wasn't long before these rumors reached the peers of Arx and those loyal to the ruling house, Leporidae. An investigation into these affairs was launched immediately, with allies of Tremorus pulled in to assist. Their ship arrived that morning in the city's docks. By now, the afternoon sun was high in the sky.

There were two avenues to explore for their information. One being in the heart of the city, where one could mingle among the common folk and dip into the rumor mill. Or moving directly into the wilds themselves, to see with one's own eyes whether this is anything more than fear-mongering.

Lady Andromeda Leporidae is the Sword of her house, and called the Titan of Tremours; today, she towers, to receive those who are joining them, her face as usual carved in stone; the expression of the wary guard hound at rest. Leather gleaming, fitted tight to her muscular frame and perhaps even a little idealised as it shows off her musculature, Caelestis strapped to her belt, the gladius oversize for anyone but the towering terror. Star iron and steelsilk glimmer as she rests her hand against the hilt, the darksteel providing contrast to the light of day, and indeed, any shade of colour surrounding it.

"Welcome to Tremorus. I would ask you enjoy your stay, and the sights. The Mountain is impressive," She offers to the Compact representatives. "But that will have to wait."

This is home. Not in the same way Pieros or other cities are, 'it counts because it's in the Chain' with a scattering of past memories from wandering -- Tremorus is really, truly home, and despite the threats that called the party this way, Savio seems happy to be here. Brother to Giorgio, cousin to the Very Tall Andromeda, he's near the Titan of Tremorus. He isn't too short by Arvani standards, but he looks tiny compared to Andromeda. TINY. She could use his rapier for a toothpick.

She is impressive, imposing, in control, an absolute wolf of a person... and then there's Savio, colorful and lightly built, rocking from heel to toe. Smiling. Proving that there are apparently all kinds of kinds native to this island.

Flanking the Sword and Titan of Tremorus is one half of the Pontebros. Giorgio Pontelaeus looks nowhere near as impressive in his snow white armor as Andromeda, who he stands behind and just to the left of. Tall and slender, Giorgio looks nothing like the skilled warrior and more the dignified prince, despite his common heritage. A cupridium bow is slung over one shoulder, but one look at the man would likely mark it as more ornamental than anything. He nods his agreement with Andromeda's greeting to those Compact representatives arriving to offer their aide, and he says, "Perhaps once this is seen to, we might have time to enjoy the sights and wonders of Tremorus."

Dio has arrived in the city with Sina and a contingent of armed sailors. The pirate lord is dressed in leather armor, over which rests the black naval coat of House Seraceni. His dark eyes pass over the crowd, but when he is addressed by Andromeda, he says, "Thank you, My Lady. I don't believe we've met. I am Marquis Dio Seraceni. I've heard a little of the rumors on the docks, and I'm happy to help here however I can."

Emberly has come along to help be one of the diplomats the young lady looks out with her eyes shifting from one to the other, she knows none, and she has no armor or guards of her own. She looks to those gathered, and she moves to the direction of the others.

Sina arrives alongside Dio, accompanied as well by three Templar Knights on loan from the Grandmaster himself. The Knights follow close behind, forming a triangle two her right and left, and one behind her in a protective manner. The Archscholar is wearing her own exotic leather, given to her by Mother Cassandra, and a slim alaricite blade of Nox'alfar make is sheathed at her hip, carried on behalf of Mother Bianca. A simple pack of oiled canvas is slung over her shoulder as she pauses to look up at Andromeda and her impressive height. The Archscholar dips her head toward the woman in greeting. "Thank you for your welcome, my lady. I am Archscholar Sina Godsworn. I pray that we can be of some aid to you with these troubles."

Andromeda looks from one Pontebro to the other, and gives a nod of agreement with Giorgio's words. She does not smile, but she does incline her head to Dio. "I visited the Seraceni Manor during the tactical meeting, as guard and escort to the Praefecta, my lord." She notes. "But we didn't get to speak. It is a pleasure to meet you." Pausing. "I am Lady Andromeda, Sword of Leporidae. This is Giorgio Pontelaus, Minister and Merchant Prince. Savio Pontelaus..." A beat. "He fights well." She rolls her shoulders. "Well met Count Dio, Lady Emberly, Blessed Sina. I hope the ascent wasn't too strenuous." The City of Tremorus holding to the three peaks of the mountain, being far, far above their trading port, yet still bustling; the stone architecture of the buildings looking more fit for Andromeda's size than anyone else... And yet.

"We suspect there might be those that know, in the city, more about these matters." She glances to Giorgio, at this. "But no matter what, I expect we will eventually have to descend into the Wilds... And I warn you. The wilds of Dawnsend hold... Many threats." She sighs. "Still, if we are to bring the war and punish those who'd raise sword against us we will have to go. I was told you brought diplomats. I will leave for Giorgio and those among you skilled in those arts to make the first moves. But if I can provide answers about our fair City, let me know."

Giorgio offers a smile and nod of his head in support of Andromeda's words, his eyes tracking to each of the newcomers as they make their introductions. Once Andromeda mentions leaving the diplomacy to him and the others, Giorgio steps forward and offers a regal bow to Dio, Emberly, and Sina. "Again, it is a pleasure to meet you all. But I am afraid that our time for pleasantries is short indeed," he says with a slight frown. "I feel that our best avenue toward success will be to first find what we may in the city, and then to move on into the wilds to verify what we might learn through our social avenues in the city. Unless there are some within this group that are masters of stealth, I would not advise running into the Wilds unprepared."

Savio bows to the Arvani as he's introduced as... him. No particular title in play, apparently, but neither does that seem to bother him. He seems to agree with Giorgio's plan, and echoes amiably enough, "Into the city then, and what we find, we find... and if it takes us from there into the jaws of crocodiles?" A moment is spent uncertainly assessing the Arvani, before he just smiles brightly. "It'll be fine!"

Emberly looks over as Andromida speaks of the dangers of the wilds "Lady Emberly Crovane, I am a skilled diplomat I have come to lend my aid where I can help." she says almost all too quietly. She looks over to Giorgiio and she gives her head a little nod to the pressing time, stealth was also something she knew little about. She nibbles her lips a bit wondering if her social leanings would really do them any good.

Sina listens to what Andromeda has to say, then the others, and gives a nod. "I believe it would be wise to gather as much knowledge as we can, before venturing forth into the wilds," she agrees.

Dio nods to Andromeda. He raises an eyebrow whens mentions Savio fights well, and he flashes a grin. "It's good to see you again, Giorgio, Savio, and good to meet you, Lady Emberly." He glances to Sina when she speaks, and remains by her side as the party makes ready to gather information in the city.

Emberly checks charm and diplomacy at normal. Emberly marginally fails.

Giorgio checks charm and diplomacy at normal. Giorgio is marginally successful.

Dio checks command and intimidation at normal. Dio is successful.

Sina checks wits and investigation at normal. Sina is marginally successful.

Having found that the group seems to be largely in agreement, Giorgio nods his head and then moves out toward the city and the citizens there. "I would recommend splitting up within our group so long as we stay within the city and within shouting distance of one another. Andromeda, Savio, and I can translate the native tongue for you who are not from Tremorus." With that, Giorgio moves among the people and begins to ply them with friendly greetings and charming conversation, inquiring with any who look like they could be helpful in discerning what they are hoping to find out.

Emberly tries to talk to the locals, she tries, yes she tries - the red haired diplomat was good at this really she was! Only there was the merchant prince over there, with his words of honey. She quickly shuts her lips and moves over to observe. Perhaps hoping to catch a bit of the language spoken.

Dio drifts like a shadow beside Giorgio. He is silent, grim - and the sense of dread he emanates seems all the more suffocating in contrast to the gregariousness of the Merchant Prince. Should it seem that any of Giorgio's contacts seem reluctant to share what they know, Dio will step forward to ensure the maximum degree of compliance.

Amenable to Giorgio's directions, Savio has attempted to assist, and translate for, Emberly as she makes her attempts to speak to the locals -- Perhaps it's not going as well as it could, but as one of the attempted conversational targets walks away, he shrugs at her. "I don't think it's you, my lady. This is an isolated part of the world, and people are wary of foreigners here."

Splitting into groups of orators and translators, the ragtag group spreads out through the city. The native citizens are generally respectful of the Arvani in their midst. Having trusted members of Leopridae's family escorting them seems to be enough to curtail any reservations they may have about visitors from the continent. First among these groups is Emberly. The Lady speaks to a sailor dressed in colorful garb, which has worn down with age. His squinting gaze drifts from the lady's face to her native mouthpiece. The sailor offers little more than a grumble. "Ain't no idea. Ain't none. Don't know nothing. Them Shavs are massing, biggest army we'd ever see, you should've sent soldiers not talkers."

Giorgio in the meantime is followed by the looming shadow of Dio. His tact fairs a little better as he has the advantage of experience and wisdom with the Island's people. He finds himself in the company of a young woman, her leather armor and cloak giving the implication that she's seen her share of wildlands. "Shavs? Yeah. Plenty of 'em. Weird thing too. Those shoreside clans don't usually partner up, but we had to deal with at least three of 'em together. Being friendly didn't seem to bother them at all." She rolls her shoulders, looking about ready to close this conversation.

It's then that she spies Dio from her periphery, and a shudder crawls down her back. "Uh... Well ehm... I heard tall tales of some kind of benefactor thing going on. No coincidence they're all picking /now/ to start making friends, y'know?" She begins to slink back. "That's all I know, honestly."

Dio glances at Giorgio. "Benefactor, eh? Hmmm... wonder what's being offered." The confirmation that there is an agent behind the recent shav cooperation doesn't seem to improve the mood of the marquis. His eyes pass over the crowd in search of his companions, curious as to what Sina and the others may have heard.

Giorgio nods his head, then turns to Dio and says, "Me too. The Pontelaeus is typically the main benefactor within this part of the Chain. I'd say this new benefactor would likely be the Skal'dajan fleet. You get this information to the others, I have one more source to tap." With that Giorgio cranes his head over the heads of the crowd, then steps off to a wall and has a hurried word with a street kid he's spotted. Pulling out a piece of parchment, he scrawls something hastily upon it, then counts forth a few coins and hurries the kid along to run out of sight.

Emberly moves off from the group as she hears a little more about what has been going on, she tries to investigate a little further using some of her streetwise skills, her eyes watch the kid, "anyone else see that?" she asks the group at large.

Savio ambles his way back toward Giorgio, catching his brother's words, and frowns at his guess. "Skal'dajans are foreigners too," he points out. "They'd have to be offering some kind of reward or some kind of threat beyond anything else on Tremorus in order to get all those wild folk cooperating all of a sudden. That kind of power does not sound like good news." He blinks at Emberly, apparently having missed whatever she's talking about, "See what?"

As the others begin to focus on speaking to the natives with the help of translations from Andromeda and her helpers, Sina sets herself to the task of observation. Her silvery eyes move about the nearby buildings, people, and spaces, searching for anything unusual or of note. She does try to hear the conversations and attempts to pick up on them, but for the most part, it's just babble. She does pause, however, after a moment, tilting her head slightly as she hears something she recognizes. She rounds a corner to investigate, glancing over her shoulder toward Dio. Her Templars follow her, and she keeps a distance from whatever she noticed, not hurrying exactly around that corner, but also not being slow about it. After a moment, craning her head to look at something, she frowns, and then glances down. She stoops to peer at something, and then picks up something shiny from the ground.

Andromeda checks command and intimidation at normal. Andromeda is marginally successful.

Andromeda walks along with the Scholar as she checks out her leads, and, well. It's Lady Andromeda. The Titan of Tremorus. The Sword of Leporidae. A crossing of powerful muscled arms, and a _look_ is usually enough to promise consequences if there's not an answer forthcoming.

Dio comes to stand beside Sina. "Sounds like there's someone organizing the shav'arvani - making them some kind of offer to work together," he says softly to the Archscholar. His eyes follow hers as she stoops to pick up the shiny object from the ground, curiosity clear to read on his features.

Emberly looks over to Savio, "A street kid, looked like he was suddenly in a hurry." she guestures where the kid had headed off "Might not be anything."

Giorgio isn't gone from the group for long, and soon enough the elder Pontebro returns to the group. He is tall, so he cuts through the citizens easily enough. Once he is back, he motions for the group to return to one another around the Archscholar. Giorgio looks to see what the shiny something is as well before he holds up a crumpled note and offers in a voice pitched low enough that only their group might hear. "One of my friends within the city says that it is big. The 'Clanlord' is making new friends and they're formalizing the deal tonight. I think we need to make an appearance at the deal and see if we can't negotiate them over to our side. I've not heard of the Clanlord, but we probably need to hurry."

Andromeda glances to Emberly as she and Sina returns to the group, at her question. "...I'd check for my purse, were I you, my lady. Tremorus is mostly a safe city, but there's still the occasional risk of the loss of valuables." She points out to the group. Then grunts - looking to Sina to let the Arcscholar volunteer what the two of them found.

The Archscholar is standing in the street, looking down it after a pair of men, and seems grateful for Andromeda's presence, as there seems to be the sound of arguing around that corner, and then a hasty apology from one of two men, who then begin to beat a hasty retreat around a corner. "I think perhaps we should find out where those two are going," she notes to Andromeda as they return to the others. Meanwhile, Sina studies the object in her hand. After a moment, she shows it to Andromeda and then the others. "A coin," she says simply. "With a black griffon. We know that the Dune Emperor's banners bear a black griffon. I think we can confirm our suspicions that the Eurusi are at least showing a presence here."

"Eurusi? On MY island?" Savio sounds aghast that it's more likely than he thinks, then he looks at Giorgio, considering. "I don't disagree, but do you know where this deal will be happening?" A cautious step or two follows the men Sina called attention to; he's not the stealthiest but seems loathe to let them get out of sight.

Andromeda checks intellect and war at easy. Andromeda is successful.

Dio glances towards Andromeda at the mention of a Clanlord, and the revelation of the Archscholar causes him to frown. He says to Giorgio, "Can you tell us anything about the shav clans here? Their relationship with Tremorus? Have they sought to integrate into the Compact? Are they blindly devoted to their traditions? Are there powerful clan chieftains or councils of elders that rule them?" The marquis seems prepared to walk with those familiar with the city, whenever they should decide to move.

"Ulgor. He's... Hmh. Maybe a spirit or god or something." She furrows her brow. "Or at least, that's what I always assumed. The warriors of Clan Thunderskin died calling the name." And sometimes survived, calling the name. But that's neither here nor there. "But a spirit... Would not take someone's hide for being late?" She concludes out loud, looking after the others.

"We should head towards the Thunderskin territory. I think you are right - the Dune Emperor is somehow trying to sway the Abandoned into some alliance against us. I will not have that. The Mountain would not fall, but we have need of our warriors elsewhere." She gives a shrug - and will let Giorgio answer Dio. Looking to Savio. "Do you think their hearts beat different, when taken from their chest?"

"We have not been a part of the Compact long ourselves," Giorgio says in response to Dio. "There are plans to integrate them into the Compact, but as of yet that has not happened," he says, though he does seem distracted by the two men who had just moved away from them. Looking back to Andromeda, Giorgio seems to think for a few moments before he says, "The Dune Emperor must be the benefactor. I would assume this Clanlord perhaps hopes to inherit our mountain if he sides with the Emperor and they are able to displace Leporidae. Let's go to this meeting and see if the Pontelaeus might be able to sway them back to our side. We may have to kill the Clanlord."

Emberly looks over to the mention of a spirit or God being mentioned, she looks around but its the question from Giorgio that makes her think shes on the wrong mission. She follows along attempting to stay out of trouble. As they talk more about Killing the Clanlord she mmms "well, I can stay back - I do not want to be a liability to the group."

"No, but I heard if you put salt on them they beat for a little longer," Savio answers Andromeda's important question, after giving it sincere thought. "I think that's interesting." Perfectly normal cousin chat aside, he raises both brows. "So the Clanlord is meeting some envoy of Skaldaja, tonight, soon, at a meeting in which we'll try silver first and blood next, to try to tilt these scales in our favor. They can have our money or we make their skulls into bowls to drink wine from. That sound about right?" He regards the non-natives of the group and advises, "Wear sturdy shoes."

The Archscholar lifts an eyebrow at the mention of taking people's hearts from their chests, and drinking from people's skulls, but she says nothing, her eyes filled with a sort of sorrowful resignation toward the prospect of potential bloodshed. "Naturally, diplomacy should be attempted first. But if we must shed blood to ensure the Eurusi do not gain a potentially powerful ally in their efforts to take this island, then we must. I will try to stay out of the fighting, because fighting is not my strongest skill, but I am prepared to aid if needed. I am here mostly to aid in what knowledge I can provide of the Eurusi." She glances to Dio briefly, and then she tucks the coin into a small pocket in her pack, to keep for evidence of the Eurusi presence. "Do we know where this meeting will be? Perhaps those fellows who ran away may lead us to it?"

Andromeda gives a sage nod of agreement to Savio. This sounds likely. But Emberly's statement - and then Sina's words - have her speaking up. "Yes. Like the Arcscholar says, first Giorgio and you," The Sword nods to Emberly, gestures to Dio and Sina. "Try words. When or if words fail, I will fight them until they yield. Until their bodies are broken and their houses shattered. Until the fire scorches their fields." Her fists clenching. "We will destroy all who threaten Tremorus."

Giorgio checks perception and streetwise at hard. Critical Success! Giorgio is spectacularly successful.

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

Dio listens to all that is said. His eyes meet those of Sina and he looks troubled. Turning to Andromeda, he says, "Fighting might be risky unless you intend to arrive at the meeting in force, My Lady. If that is the case, it's possible we can force a duel, but I think we should be very cautious in our approach. If ever there was a time to gain advantage by diplomacy - this is it. We can gain valuable allies for the war that is to come. If we end up in a battle here, the Dune Emperor will have effectively weakened our forces, and we'll have played into his hands. In any case, I am prepared to follow what you decide in your lands." He does not move from Sina's side.

Giorgio looks to Emberly and pats his bow before saying, "Don't worry. I'll keep you safe." Looking back to the others, Giorgio says, "Money talks. The Pontelaeus has been the benefactor of this Island for years and I don't like someone else thinking they can come in and offset this tradition." He looks to Sina then, considering what she has said of those two men and then he looks to Andromeda and Savio. "They have to be heading for the gate. Hopefully they don't know the /fast/ route." With that, Giorgio makes to head toward the gate, expecting the others to follow quickly.

Sina gets an exotic leather helm engraved with gilded symbols of the Faith from a standard adventurer's pack made of oiled canvas.

Finding the meeting place would be no easy task. Half of their group can't communicate reliably with the natives on their own, and nobody worth their salt would be caught dead associating with Shavs with the Titan of Tremorus on the streets.

But then again, not everyone is the goddamn Merchant Prince of Tremorus, Giorgio Pontelaeus himself.

Following the merchant's lead, the group is taken back to the city gates. No one dares disturb them on their trip, nor even give them so much as a look that could be construed as even /slightly/ suspicious. Within the hour of their arrival, a group of four makes their way down the barren street leading out of the city.

Each one wears a long brown cloak that obfuscates everything from the waist up, save for their faces. Two men, two women. The one in front bears a crescent scar across his forehead that circles down to his cheek. He's the one who extends an arm, beckoning their group to halt.

There's a familiar face to his left. The same man that had given paltry apologies for stepping in Andromeda's way prior. Upon spying the Titan for a second time, he has an identical reaction of fear.

The four of them stay put for a moment, one of them, a woman with short brown hair takes point. She offers them a friendly wave. "My lords. Ladies. Compact emmissaries. Welcome to Tremorus, enjoy your stay."

They didn't stop after their casual greeting, looking to shuffle right out of the gates as they were.

Emberly moves closer to Sina, as a disciple of Limerence, the new follower shifts behind the lead of the other. She says a small prayer to herself, murmering softly her eyes close a moment. She breathes as her hair shifts over her shoulders, and then she moves to follow the Merchant Prince, her eyes on Giorgio rather impressed. She sticks close to those in her group with the pointy sharp things.

"You need to stop." Andromeda doesn't use many words. She prefers talking with her sword. Or, if needed, with a hot iron. It can ask questions, people can provide the answer they want. Raising her hand, as a gesture to the gate guards. "There is conversation to be had. Yes?"

Sina nodding in agreement with Dio, Sina adjusts her pack on her shoulder, pulling it around and unhooking her helm. She puts it on her head, tucking in her bunned-up hair and buckling the chin strap, then looks to her templars, who nod to her. She gives them a nod in return, and then she looks back to Andromeda. "We are ready." Then, as Giorgio declares a likely direction, Sina gives a quick glance to Dio at her side, giving him an encouraging smile. Then she quickly steps after Giorgio, keeping pace with him easily enough.

As they reach the gate, and the four people in their brown cloaks make their way up the street, she hangs back behind Andromeda, not willing to put herself at the front of the group. The helmet now conceals her hair, and part of her face, making her look almost like any other Knight of the Faith of the Pantheon. Her gaze turns to Emberly, and she gives the Devotion of Limerance a soft smile, and a dip of her head. Sina turns her gaze to Andromeda again then as she speaks up, telling the group to stop. She murmurs softly to Emberly, "I'm sure glad she's on our side." She watches on with a sense of clear admiration about her for the giant of a woman.

Giorgio leads the group to the gate and waits, confident that they had to have beaten their target before they could escape the city. And then... there they are. He eyes the group from where he stands, considering them and then snorting as they make to brush past. "Yes, I think it in the best interests of all involved if you stop and have a few words with us," Giorgio says, his own tone friendly and honeyed, clearly intending on using persuasion to get what they need from this group.

Although it is rare, Lord Bedivere whitehawk did leave Cabbit at home but does have his entourage of a couple guards from his House. He currently features that divinely crafted Knights-of-Solace tabard and a weapons belt with the quality steel sword Stalwart at his side. He moves along with those who are currently seeking street knowledge. If the chance to pick up maps (more than just one and by more than one cartographer), then Bedi would have done so, getting familiar with the overal shape/topography of everything around them.

Dio stands near Sina, just behind Andromeda. He rests his left hand casually on the hilt of his blade, as he watches the reactions of those addressed by the Sword of Tremorus.

"Stop?" The woman does as asked, although the rest of her group haven't done the same with nearly as much grace. Seeing the two guards at the gates closing ranks to block the way forward, they have little choice but to awkwardly scuff their boots on the road as they come to a halt. "I don't understand, my lady. We're just leaving the city." She places a hand upon her chest and bows deeply. This one knows her etiquette, that's for certain. "If we've offended in any way, then I do apologize."

The scarred man fixes his gaze on Giorgio. Cold green eyes boring into him with an icy chill. "Don't need to talk about anything, my lord." He says quietly. "Just trying to leave."

Giorgio steps forward, though not so much to put himself in front of Andromeda or Savio. "We know what's going on today. At least, the rumors of it. The Clanlord is joining the clans beneath the banner of a new benefactor," Giorgio says, eyeing each of the four in turn. "This is the wrong path for you. The Pontelaeus supports Leporidae. Fortune has followed that decision for years beyond count. I guarantee you that your fortunes will fare better allying yourselves with Marquessa Ezmeralda rather than this foreign force. She knows your struggles and how best to help. This other force would use you and enslave you."

Giorgio checks charm and diplomacy at daunting. Giorgio marginally fails.

Emberly checks charm and diplomacy at daunting. Emberly marginally fails.

Andromeda checks command and intimidation at daunting. Andromeda catastrophically fails.

After slowing to a stop, Bedivere does not speak to the four but takes note where everyone is and then moves with no hurry to linger over where he might intercept any attempt to escape the diplomacy (which he leaves to those from the Pravus fealty).

Dio checks command and intimidation at daunting. Dio is marginally successful.

"You will stop. Or I will stop you. There is no peace for the enemies of Tremorus. There will be terror. There will be blood. There will be the cries of your families, as I bring you pain untold through generations."

She is quite serious. She has her hand at her blade. "Actually, I might just kill you regardless."

Andromeda checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Andromeda is marginally successful.

The Archscholar remains silent throughout, watching the exchange with silvery gray eyes. Her stance takes on a hint of tension, but for now, she keeps her hands away from her weapon, one hand hooked into the strap of her pack, the other resting at her side, not making any threatening gestures herself. She falls back on the best defense she knows, and that is silence.

"She'll do it," Savio totally helps matters. "She has no sense of humor, she means it! No but I love you," he adds to Andromeda herself, lest he be the next one cryin'.

Dio smiles stepping up from behind Andromeda. "And believe me, if you knew what fate awaited you if you do not comply with us, you would beg Lady Andromeda to slay you now. Have you seen how your benefactor treats his vassals?" The marquis walks around those to whom he speaks, his eyes move coldly between each of them. "They are enslaved - not with mere whips. You and everyone you know will be reduced to lifeless husk. Your elders, your children and everyone you know - meaningless as you grind your live away without any hope of freedom. We are here to help you, and we ask for nothing but a little information."

Emberly looks over to Savio and she winces a little but she also tries to support the diplomats "Please let us find a way peacefully." asks the faithful. She looks between them and she nods her head to what Dio says "we come to offer another option."

Bedivere seems to be of the same mind as Sina. His dual guards in their Whitehawk colors are equally quiet as him, but as the talk turns aggressive, they spread out a bit behind and to the side of Bedivere much like wings, except they are wing men, if you will.

"The wrong path?" The woman addressed Giorgio first. What was once a polite smile has fallen into a frown. "You lie through your teeth while you await the Arvani to come and enslave us all the same. Do not speak to me of 'wrong' and 'right'."

The Titan's threats then fall upon the group like a hammer. None shudder with fear, but all adopt a knowing look. There's a subtle nod to the scarred man beside her, before he suddenly leaps forward.

In an instant there's an axe in his hand, his cloak billowing open to reveal the steel chest piece underneath. Boldly, he swings wide and fierce at Andromeda. The blow misses her by barely an inch.

The two ladies draw blades as well, a dagger in one hand's and a broadsword in the other. The pale-faced man is the only one to stay behind, with his visage set into a look of uncertainty at the Marquis, Dio.

Andromeda wields Caelestis.

Dio wields a Lycene assassin's blade.

Bedivere wields silver hued steel long sword wrapped in carmine leather.

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

Savio wields Diplomacy, an elegant rapier.

Giorgio wields cupridium longbow.

Sina wields Brixeur'Ame.

Dio checks dexterity and medium wpn at normal. Dio marginally fails.

Giorgio checks dexterity and archery at normal. Giorgio is successful.

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

Andromeda checks strength at normal. Andromeda is marginally successful.

Savio checks strength at normal. Savio is successful.

Giorgio checks strength at normal. Giorgio is successful.

As the woman gives him sass, Giorgio looks aghast. "What did you say to me?" he sputters, his expression of decorum fading for an instant as she names him a liar! Then all hell breaks loose. Giorio backs away from that swaying axe, pulling the longbow from over his shoulder and an arrow from the quiver at his back. "Savio! Don't get in front of me!" he calls the warning, even as he takes aim at that hussy that called him a liar. Pulling back the string, he takes sight and lets the arrow fly at her!

Andromeda is a little emotional. It happens. Overcome. But not so overcome that she doesn't see the axe coming. For the Titan to duck would probably be fruitless, but she sidesteps, a snarl spreading across her lips.

"YOU DARE!" She calls out with that deep voice, drawing her blade with an ominous step forward, the midnight steel sucking in the light, glinting only along the edge as the steel is raised. Rushing forward. "I survived months of torture. I killed all who stood against me. I broke them to pieces with my hands and whatever jagged pieces of wood, steel and bone I could find. And now, you face me at my prime? DIE, FOOL!"

And sure enough, she grabs that blade, the Titan of Tremorus rushing forward with a massive overhead strike, attempting to cut the scarred man in twain.

Once weapons are drawn, Sina can no longer rely on doing nothing. She lets her pack drop, and draws Brixeur'Ame from its narrow sheath at her side, setting herself in a defensive stance, though she does not attack anyone. Her Templars surround her, prepared to take the brunt of any attacks toward the Archscholar. Sina remains behind Andromeda and those who are far better fighters than herself, and watches the group carefully, trying to stick close to Emberly so that she can help to keep the Devotion of Limerance safe.

When the fight starts, Bedivere draws Stalwart and his entourage of two do, too. A few glances and a jerk of his chin, and then those three surround the pale-faced man who stayed behind. There is no attempt to hurt him but to apparently keep him with them and not let to get away.

Emberly moves behind those that go into aggressive negotiation's, she falls back, as Andromeda snarls and she looks over to Sina, she looks over and through the grouping that surround her and peer out at those swinging into action, she looks thankful over to Sina and she draws a uneasy breath

Arakkoan locals are throwing down out here. "Well watch where you're AIMING," Savio yells at Giorgio as he draws a rapier ironically named Diplomacy, and attacks the other woman with a blade drawn, before such an assailant can get ideas about sticking her blade into his cousin, brother, or mainland allies. He's a cheerful, gregarious, optimistic person, but none of that seems to slow down his blade when talks have broken down.

Dio's eyes rest on the pale faced man who seems to understand what is truly at stake. But then there is shouting and Andromeda slicing and general chaos. Dio draws his blade, and falls backwards towards Sina, while testing the defenses of the blade-wielding woman.

Now that the scarred one has gotten up close and personal, it's clear to see that he's the muscle of this entourage. His arms bear the scars of several battles, and his steel breastplate has seen its share of wear and tear. He tries fruitlessly to block the blade of dark steel. The arching swing crashes through his defense and straight into his shoulder. The armor stands little chance. He bats the sword away with a grunt of pain, as blood begins to spill down his side. "For Clanlord Ulgro!" He shouts with fury, bringing his axe around to bear yet again.

The lessers of the group do not fare much better. The woman who'd been a smooth talker up till then locks blades with Dio. The two clash with a furious scrapping of steel that dashes sparks across the road. While she can block Dio, she can't block an arrow at the same time. Giorgino's projectile catches her in the thigh.

The third meets the tip of Savio's rapier, earning a dose of Diplomacy straight through her hip. She grits her teeth and snarls, twisting the dagger in her grip to strike at him with reckless abandon.

The fourth, stilled by Dio's intimidating speech, is jolted awake by the commotion. Seeing the danger, he's just as quick to throw himself into harm's way as the other fanatics. His target being the archer that was picking them off from afar.

Savio checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Savio is marginally successful.

Giorgio checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Giorgio is marginally successful.

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

Dio checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Dio marginally fails.

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

Sina checks dexterity and medium wpn at normal. Sina marginally fails.

Giorgio checks dexterity and archery at normal. Giorgio fails.

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

Dio checks dexterity and medium wpn at normal. Dio is marginally successful.

Bedivere checks dexterity and medium wpn at normal. Bedivere is marginally successful.

Giorgio watches as the fourth goon gets up and joins the fray... and charges at him! Giorgio isn't the most skillful archer, and a dude charging right at him spooks him. He fumbles with his arrow, trying to fit it to the string and draw and fire at the incoming assailant, but in his hurry his shot goes wide.

Dio checks strength at hard. Dio is marginally successful.

Savio clearly did not expect the dagger-wielding woman he's fighting to be reckless enough to keep engaging after she got skewered through the hip, much less to craftily get her fighty way too close for comfort -- he's off his stride a bit for the counter-attack back at her. It has not worsened his mood. "What are you doin' later?" he asks her, as though they might be flirting in a bar. "You wanna meet up there in a bit? We still can, hey!" It's too late for talks. He just likes talking anyway.

Andromeda is usually fairly quiet and reserved. Usually. Even in charge of her troops, she frequently maintains perfect discipline, calling out orders. Now, she's giving her foe the death glare. "I know pain, oh foolish one. Ulgor cannot help you now. Your prayers should go to me, to Andromeda. The Titan of Tremorus. To the Praefecta Ezmeralda, who might stay my hand. To the Archduchess Belladonna, whose fist will clench the Saffron." Her breath exhaled in a gasp. She cries out, in fury, hammering several more overhand blows; though they are predictable, and while she is strong, her force may be deflected.

Bedivere checks strength at hard. Bedivere is successful.

As the scuffle intensifies, Sina continues to step back occasionally, avoiding the conflict if she can, though she still has her sword held before her in a gloved hand. She keeps both Dio and Emberly in her sights, alert to any signs that either of them might need help, confident that Andromeda pretty much can handle the big fellow. Seeing that Dio may be in a spot of trouble, and she so near to him, she attacks the woman as well, seeking to slide her blade through the woman's side with the slim rapier-like alaricite blade, but she misses by a hair, perhaps misjudging the distance, and the fact that her Templar is partially blocking her way. The Templars do not attack the group at all. They are there solely to keep Sina safe. Their swords are drawn, but they are likely only going to try to intercept any direct attacks toward the Archscholar.

Emberly peeks out occasionally from Sina's protective crew.. she watches the going ons and she shakes her head a bit at the banter between Savio and his flirting companion. "mm dates over bloodshed.."

When that fourth fellow attempts to jump the archer, the Whitehawks are there, Bedivere bringing around the flat of Stalwart in a backhand motion to try to bonk him on the nog. "No." says he at the same moment he might make contact!

Emberly checked dexterity + artwork at difficulty 19, rolling 32 higher.

Dio and the woman he's facing clash blades. The marquis's footwork is not impressive, but when Sina steps in, Dio takes advantage and sweeps his blade across his opponent's abdomen, and circles to her right.

"How foolish you are." The brute growls under Andromeda's assault. Whatever he can't deflect or block by millimeters, he's agile enough to side step. Albeit with difficulty given his new wound. The blood flowing only seems to anger him further, as a wide swing just barely manages to clip the Titan's arm. Nothing that her steelsilk wouldn't prevent. "Ulgor will tear your mountain until you are nothing but gravel. He will skin the Rabbits, as you should have been long ago." With a snarl, he continues his onslaught. No finesse, no precision. Just instinct and rage.

The pale-faced mook that was on his way to Giorgio just barely ducks in time for an arrow to fly over his head. He's all smiles on the rebound, ready to drive his weapon deep in the Merchant Prince's throat. Just before he can, he's stopped by the emphatic 'BONK' of flat steel meeting his face. "OW." His weapon clatters to the floor, and the rest of him drops to his nose. Clutching his nose that now poured blood. "FUCK!"

Savio's date-night isn't going to plan, his muse for the evening not seeming to be a cooperative sort. "I would rather drown than share a room with you." So cold is she, as she ducks beneath his swing and bats at his rapier with her dagger. Locked in a duel of grace.

The smooth-talking woman now has to dance with two. She breaks from the clench with Dio to narrowly avoid Sina flanking. It's a rushed defense she puts up as she's sent on the backfoot, but nonetheless, she keeps her wits about her. Deflecting one blow and dodging another, as aims to counterattack both of them as she can.

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

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

Dio checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Botch! Dio is simply outclassed. This is monumentally beyond them and the result is ruinous.

Sina checks dexterity and dodge at easy. Sina is successful.

Bedivere checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Bedivere is marginally successful.

Dio checks dexterity and medium wpn at normal. Dio is marginally successful.

"RUDE," Savio accuses Dagger Date, "Also, same... it's complicated!... but I still need to know where you were going later! You and your friends!" He steps easily out of the way of her next strike, and almost seems to be enjoying this. Andromeda is screaming for the pain and death of the unworthy, Giorgio hasn't shot him yet, things are pretty good...

Or they were, until he catches a nearby flash of motion catches his eye, the trajectory of the smooth-talking woman's blade. It seems on course to be absolutely grievous, and all the banter dies away in a brief gasp of "OH NO SHIT WHAT?" Savio has zero chill, but he's fast, and the rapier reaches out to try to deflect Dio's assailant away from such a grievous strike!

Sina checks dexterity and medium wpn at normal. Sina is marginally successful.

Andromeda checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Andromeda is marginally successful.

Giorgio checks dexterity and archery at easy. Giorgio is marginally successful.

Bedivere gruffly bellows as he motions with Stalwart, "You're lucky I turned that blow 90 degrees, perp! Stay down!" One of the Whitehawk guards snatches that weapon that the pale one just dropped, making sure it is taken from availability within the scuffle. The second guard moves to make a grab at the fellow with the broken nose and handle him as Bedivere gives a brief glance Giorgio's way before trying to behind scarred brute and maybe bonk him, too. "Please." he sneers lowly about the anti-mountain/anti-rabbit talk.

Giorgio surveys the field for a moment, watching as the various combatants make their moves. His eyes are inevitably drawn back to the fellow holding his nose though, and it is there that Giorgio aims his next arrow, drawing and letting fly at the man before he can resume his own attack.

Maybe a different house Sword would object to having her personal combat interrupted, but then, Andromeda is not a different House Sword. She just grins, as Bedivere joins in - the first show of positive emotion she's had so far. Changing her tactics, she grabs her blade in both hands, throwing herself heedlessly forward to give an underhand swing and either drive the scarred man into Bedivere or, hopefully, cut him in twain.

Bedivere checks strength at daunting. Bedivere marginally fails.

Andromeda checks strength at daunting. Andromeda is marginally successful.

Giorgio checks strength at hard. Giorgio is marginally successful.

Dio checks strength at hard. Dio fails.

Sina checks strength at hard. Sina marginally fails.

Dio steps forward with light stabbing feints, before taking a sweep at his opponent's head. Flushed with the thrill of battle, he is heedless of the trap she set! Had it not been for Savio's lighting reflexes, his throat would be open, and he'd be half way to the Abyss. He grins at Savio. "Thanks, Mate," he manages to say, before the clash of blades steals all his attention.

As the woman she is engaging alongside Dio attempts a counter attack, Sina is able to dodge back fairly easily, even as her Templar moves in to block the attack. The armored knight then steps to the side again, allowing Sina to do her thing, while also prepared to come to her defense once more. Meanwhile, the other two knights seem to focus their attention on keeping Emberly and Bedivere safe, though their eyes dart between all the combatants near them, to assess any potential dangers to the Archscholar, who is their primary charge.

As Sina sees another opening, she moves back to Dio's side, seeking once more to flank the woman he is fighting, hoping to distract her with another jab, this time aiming to drive the blade through the woman's abdomen.

Emberly checks charm and performance at easy. Emberly is marginally successful.

Emberly is not sure what to do, really shes not! so as the fighting continues she draws out a slender flute, she begins to play as if there were nothing but beauty around her. Slash, clangs of the sword, blood on the floor, but the lady takes up being the bard in the party filling the room in song.

The scarred giant and Andromeda trade blows. The sharp end of his axe manages to cut across her waist, just as the flat end of a sword clangs against his back. Angered at this interruption, the veteran takes his eyes off of the Titan. Staring down the Whitehawk intruder instead. "You little-" He doesn't get to finish his insult before the blade of Leporidae is running straight up his back. He roars as another wound is opened. With only Bedivere in front of him, the berth of his rage is single-mindedly focused on him.

Smooth Talker on the other hand is faring much better. She's proven to be quite the duelist, holding off the attacks of two enemies simultaneously. The dance they weave grants her the briefest opening, and she's quick to take it. Her blade swinging through the air, on a collision course with the Marquis' throat. However, her opening snaps closed with a flick of Savio's rapier! The blow is diverted, stabbing into the Marquis' shoulder instead. Nonetheless, she allows herself a moment of smug arrogance. In fact, there was even a tune to go along with the battle. Wait. Someone was playing an instrument in a battleground? What? That left her utterly confused.

"Excuse me." Savio would feel a familiar pinprick on his neck, as the dagger-wielding bachelorette swatted at him with her nails. "We weren't finished, my love."

The fourth and final goon to have joined the fray meets with the most abrupt end. Just as he raises his head to look upon Giorgio, just as soon does he see the merchant pulling back an arrow. His grunt of pain is cut short as the sharp tip wedges itself in his collar, and slumps back to the ground. His eyes rolling to the sky.

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

Savio checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Savio is marginally successful.

Sina checks dexterity and medium wpn at normal. Sina marginally fails.

Dio checks dexterity and medium wpn at normal. Critical Success! Dio is spectacularly successful.

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

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

Savio checks dexterity and medium wpn at normal. Critical Success! Savio is spectacularly successful.

Giorgio checks dexterity and archery at hard. Giorgio fails.

Giorgio checks dexterity and archery at normal. Giorgio is marginally successful.

Dio checks strength at easy. Dio is successful.

Savio checks strength at easy. Savio fails.

With the Scarred Man turning his attention from Andromeda, she draws her blade across the cobblestone, striking sparks, and when she raises it up with a sharp ringing sound of metal, tossing broken pebbles against him though her blade doesn't quite come far enough. "Don't worry about him, Ulgor's pet. Worry about me. Go down on your knee, beg for mercy, and I will only make your death take days rather than weeks."

Sina continues to harry the woman that she and Dio are fighting, seeking to keep her distracted, at least, enough that Dio who is likely more skilled, can engage with her more readily. She darts in for another jab with Brixeur'Ame, but the woman is just too quick for her, and avoids the attack again. The Archscholar is silent throughout the fight, intently focused, offering no taunts or words to the group. It's clear she wants this done, and done quickly.

Giorgio watches as his arrow fells the man who had been clutching his nose, but the sounds of combat draw him back to the fight at hand. He looks toward those remaining targets for a moment before calling out to his eyes, "Don't kill them all. We need their information, if they're too stupid to ally with us!" Then he draws and fires at the woman his brother is fighting.

Lining up for another bonking, Bedivere finds that the scarred brute has been shoved his way, and so he has less range for a swing with him so close, but there is a little bonk. It does not do much good, though, since there was not much swing behind it, so it was pretty useless, but he at least helps by distracting the shav. Maybe so much that he will take the next round of heat. Giorgio's words are exactly what he has been thinking. "Right!" says Bedi.

The close brush with the Queen, put off for a time by Savio's reflexes, brings Dio to an intense focus. As soon as Sina engages with their opponent, Dio side steps and grabs her shoulder with his free hand, thrusting his blade into her chest. The blade passes to the hilt, before Dio rips it free. There is a sad look in his eyes as the woman falls, but when his eyes turn to Sina there is only grim determination. He slashes his blade though the air, casting forth an arc of blood, before moving behind the enemy leader being engaged by Andromeda and Bedivere.

Emberly plays her flute! yup its another sound rather then screams. The peaceful Devoted follower of Limerence plays with the love and hope she can, its a flute, so the notes are sweet and almost gentle to the cadence of metal, and wizzing arrows. She pauses there and calls out "Come on! Lets all calm down, no need for more bloodshed we did not come to fight!" she reminds

We weren't finished! Savio whirls back to the girl with the dagger! "Love? That was fast. This is moving too quickly, I want to see other people!" He strikes at her again with the rapier, a quick, accurate jab that... only just does a little scratch. Maybe he likes her. Or maybe he just heard Giorgio suggesting an effort to get information.

"This fight is lost, you goblin-hearted harpy," Savio smiles. "Turn, talk, or die."

Emberly checks command and diplomacy at daunting. Emberly fails.

Another swipe of Bedivere's blade manages to inflict surface damage at best. The bloodied behemoth looks ready to swing yet again, but the words of the Titan draws his aggro. He twists at the waist, staring down Andromeda just as he'd done before. "I will enjoy picking that pretty sword off your body, and running it through the rest of your bloodline." He barks as he charges yet again.

Soothed by the sweet tunes of Emberly's flute, the Smooth duelist barely has time to react to Sina's attack. At the last second she deflects, but it only leaves her wide open from the other end. Grabbed by the shoulder, swung and impaled through the chest. She looks surprised. Like this was the last conclusion she thought of. "Hah-" One last gasp escapes her before she drops to the floor.

Meanwhile, the Goblin-Hearted Harpy was still in a deadly tango. Still bleeding from the hip, she acquires a new knick right across her wrist. More blood to stain that cloak, when she had so little left to give. A swift glance around the battlefield told her enough. Two dead, and the leader was sustaining more wounds by the second. "... I see." She says. "Then I pick... turning." Literally, that is. As she spins on her heel and makes for a hobbling escape! Though it was going to be hard to get far, as Giorgio's arrow soon side-swipes her the moment her back is turned, tripping her up in the process.

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

As the Harpy goes down, Giorgio looks around for Emberly and then yells out to her, "Help me keep her from getting away!" Then Giorgio is running toward the Harpy, jumping up on her back with both feet to keep her down. He even fits an arrow to his bow and aims it down between her shoulder blades. "Stay down! You've lost and we need information."

Bedivere checks dexterity and medium wpn at normal. Bedivere is marginally successful.

Sina as the woman falls to Dio's blade, Sina steps back, still holding her blade at the ready. She does not engage with the leader, instead falling back to a defensive position in front of Emberly, her Templars once again closing ranks around her. She murmurs a soft prayer for the fallen woman to the Queen of Endings, "May her spirit return to the arms of the Queen, and find purpose in another life." Her voice is sad and soft, but she does not spend a great deal of time on it for now, keeping her focus on the combatants. As Emberly attempts to get the leader to stand down, Sina now turns toward the harpy as she attempts to flee. "Come. This is a battle you cannot win. There is nowhere to run." As Giorgio's arrow brings her down, and then he goes to jump on her, Sina moves to stand over her, alaricite steel pointing down, inches from the woman's face, so she can see the gleaming metal.

Andromeda checks dexterity and medium wpn at normal. Andromeda is successful.

Savio checks dexterity and medium wpn at normal. Critical Success! Savio is spectacularly successful.

Dio checks dexterity and medium wpn at normal. Dio is successful.

Andromeda checks strength at easy. Andromeda is successful.

Savio checks strength at easy. Savio is marginally successful.

Dio checks strength at easy. Critical Success! Dio is spectacularly successful.

Emberly shifts her fingers through her red locks her eyes passionately flicker, as Giorgio calls to her to help stop someone from getting away. Courage. Ye Faithful one. She attempts to block the woman from leaving. "It is not the time for blood and war, for soon both will be upon your door, it is not time to run and flee, all that is needed is this necessity". A pause and a plea as her hands go up you would think emberly was performing at a poet night ... but alas it was here and now, the small diplomat tries "Stop! Talk to me!"

Emberly checks charm and empathy at easy. Emberly is marginally successful.

"This is Caelestis," Andromeda informs the man, deftly side-stepping the sweeping strike. "She was forged by dragon's fire. She was quenched in titan's blood." She grabs at his shoulder, with her free hand, attempting to set him up for a gut-wound that'll be fatal, if not immediate. "And your death? Your death will be a song to her. To me. To my Praefecta, and to the Archduchess. Your failure and the despair I see in your eyes? It is sweet as wine to me, for I know, that you know, that nothing you care about will survive."

With a flat smack here and a flat smack there, Bedivere bruises up the brute, macking him in the elbow which has to hurt like when you check a doorframe. Then, there are those who are younger that come to engage, and the old man steps back a wee ways, making room for the others to take their tolls.

Dio stalks behind the colossal warrior. As he and Andromeda exchange their words, Dio stabs him in the back with a vicious, skillful flurry of strikes.

A stab from the side, a blow from behind, kicking and scratching, steel and bludgeoning. The scarred man has put up quite a fight, but he can't be everywhere at once. The combination batters down whatever stamina he had left, little by little. His weapon clatters to the floor, and he falls to his knees. His arms limp at his side. "You... You can't..." He wheezes, blood trickling from his lips. "You can't win... You can't win... You can't." He just repeats the phrase over and over, with the hazy image of Andromeda in his eyes.

The Harpy meanwhile was in the midst of crawl-kicking as best she could. She had only a marginal amount of fight left as the corpses around her. Though the clear motivator here was fear. Her eyes are dashing between Sina, Giorgio and Emberly in kind. Although the words the noble lady shares gives her pause. "... I don't... I don't wanna die-- please."

Seeing that Giorgio, Sina, and Emberly have the would-be escapee well in hand, Savio blows a kiss toward the Harpy and then sets sword in hand to lend his rapier to the fight against the warrior who has been plaguing Andromeda! Precise, painful jabs of the sort the weapon is meant for, each leaving a new spurt of blood in its wake. He laughs, and it sounds a little unhinged, but delighted. I mean, he IS related to Andromeda, you know? Something similarly unhinged and delighted is shouted to his cousin in their native language.

Savio says in Arakkoan, "KILL THE SHIT OUT OF HIM."

"Tell me your name, so I can add it to my list of victories." Andromeda whispers, as she leans in close, leans down enough, as though she was going to see the scarred brute off with a kiss, rather than a sucking gut wound. And then she twists the sword, as Dio, Bedivere, and Savio drive him further onto her blade with their strikes, opening up his back. "If you live long enough," She promises. "I will pull your lungs out the wounds in your back. And I will throw you off the mountain. And if you live, if you fly like a dragon? I will let you go."

Giorgio crouches down before the Harpy as she crawls and offers her a true smile, the expression likely practiced and comes easily to the Merchant's features. "You won't die if you tell us what we want to know," he tells her, looking into her eyes and speaking clearly. "We want to know who the benefactor is that is reaching out to the Clanlord. We want to know who the Clanlord is. We want to know what is being offered to the Clanlord and what he is offering the Shav tribes. And we want to know where the meeting is. If you tell us what we want to know, and it is truthful, you have my word that you will not die today."

Emberly moves over to touch the Harpy on her arm "you wont die, I promise" she says as Giorgio comes near.. she breathes softly looking to the man then "see you have his honorable word, an oath made in faith that you will not die." she says her eyes flicker to the companions then

As soon as it is clear the scarred man is no longer a threat, Dio stalks over to the survivor. He stands beside Giorgio, glowering over the harpy, blood dripping from his wounds and weapon, gazing at her with cold, dark eyes, like those of shark just before it feeds on its prey.

Emberly is overheard praising Giorgio.

Stepping back a few steps, Bedivere gives a grateful nod to Sina that is a delayed reaction to having noticed she tried to help him a while ago, but everything going on had him distracted. One of the whitehawk guards brings a rag with which they help Bedivere clean his sword before he sheathes it. Mayhaps, having help cleaning your sword is kinda shameful, but there is... only so much a one-handed man can do, you know? He completely missed how the pale one ended up the casualty of a failed shot, and how the blood from that spurted all over the guard who had tried to 'arrest' him, per say. "Are you wounded there?" The 2nd guard quickly shakes his head, "Not my blood." Then, Bedivere nods a touch before he looks back to the ongoing interrogation.

The giant groans in pain as the dark steel twists through his gut. He reaches up slowly, grasping at Andromeda's wrist. What little strength he has is beckoning her arm forward. /Demanding/ she finish the fight. "I... am... Hruld. First to bend... the knee... in service..." His lungs are working overtime to push every word to the surface. "First who will see you... in the Abyss... when he sends you back to me."

The 'Harpy' as the group has come to call her, remains wheezing at the gathering above her. But if she wanted to retaliate, she had no other move that could save her skin but this. "I..." It was unclear just how much a word of honor, an oath given meant to one of her kind. But the alternative was still appalling. "Clanlord Ungor Thunderskin." She speaks the name with a mix of reverence and fear. "He... He will unite the clans. All of them. If he builds his army, then the people from the Dune will help us tear Dawnsend from the Compact's grasp." In a moment of confidence, she actually breaks out a smirk. "It'll be glorious."

Tsk'ing, Giorgio says, "You know... I said if all of your words were true. Is claiming 'it will be glorious' really the sort of perspective statement you want to run with right now?" He brings his arrow forward, letting her see the sharp point of the tip. "/Where/ is the meeting taking place between Ungor and the other tribes?"

Andromeda licks her lips, shifting her grip, from shoulder to scalp. Her nostrils flaring as she relishes the pain from the cut he applied. "You were a worthy foe, Hruld of the Bended Knee," She informs him. "I take your death, for me. For Leporidae. For Pravus." She intones. "I will take your heart, for it's courage. I will take your head, as a trophy." And with that, she withdraws her sword from his gut - to saw it through his throat instead, cutting his head off with several slashes of that blackened blade, the razor's edge cutting through skin and flesh with ease, though now also facing his spine.

As the woman begs for her life, Sina hesitates, then draws the sword back, and sheaths it once she sees the leader is being handled rather expertly by the others. She turns her gaze back to the harpy. "What do you believe in?" she asks softly. "What is it that you fight for so fiercely? To protect your people? Your families? Or do you truly wish to ally yourself with those who would ultimately enslave your people?" She crouches before the woman, resting her elbows on her knees as she gazes at her. "We believe in Gods who are just and merciful. You have been promised by a Devotion of Limerance, God of Fidelity, that you will not be harmed, and so you will not," she agrees, putting weight behind Emberly's words.

After a moment, she goes on, "We believe in, and fight for, freedom from slavery. You are rushing headlong into it. We fight to protect our people, our families, our loved ones. It sounds to me as though your Clanlord fights to conquer. We fight for the Gods, because we believe that they are benevolent. What are your gods like, I wonder? What is it that you /really/ fight for?" Is she really trying to have a theological discussion with the woman right now? "I am the Archscholar of Vellichor, God of Histories. We Scholars value knowledge above all else. I want to know more about you, your people, your language and culture. I don't want to fight you. Let us help you, and learn more about you... and in turn, perhaps we can help you out of what is certain to be a disastrous situation if you embrace these people of the Dune Kingdoms who are anathema to the Gods. You do not have to enter into these agreements with malevolent forces, to keep your people safe."

Sina checks charm and theology at hard. Sina is marginally successful.

The mention of Dawnsend causes Dio to glance toward Andromeda, but she is clearly occupied. He turns back, listening to Sina, remaining silent at her side.

Savio withdraws a cloth from a pouch at his belt, to wipe down the rapier before he sheathes it... then the cloth is unceremoniously dropped on the ground next to the great warrior who met his end at Andromeda's mighty blade! Sensing a need for translation, he wanders back over to the Harpy and smiles at her. "Hi," Savio greets, then folds his arms and translates for Sina! As best he can, anyway.... there are some glances here and there that suggests Savio may not know the finer points of Archscholar and other such concepts either. The translation may be a little wobbly there. But he's trying!

Although he is not much of a theologist, Bedivere is a mentor in an Academy. Not of Vellichor but of War. He is also a Knight of Solace, too. He sage nods after what Sina says to the Harpy. "What our Archscholar says is true. Also, having seen multiple Erusians attempt to rise up against us, they all failed, at least the one my friends and I faced. Multiple times. If you really want a better future, the local House would be the better allies. I have been reviewing the maps." He pats a scroll case at his 'handed' side. "I bet the foreigners want you to do their dirty work for them, want you to be pawns."

The Harpy bites her lip, staring upon Sina as she devotes her full attention to the sermon. The mix of pain and fatigue bids her to listen throughout, as does the Archscholar's exemplary show of knowledge. She shuts her eyes tight, asked for information from one side and asked for history on the other. She looked close to tears. "Don't talk... of mercy. Don't talk of peace! You are not free of guilt. Your people. The Pravus, the Foxes, the Serpents and their slaving ships... They've preyed on us for centuries. Coming in the night, burning our homes, taking our riches." She spits a wad of blood on the floor, turning onto her side.

This gives her a clear-cut view of Andromeda's brutal coup de grace on their leader. Her eyes widening as she takes in the gruesome sight. Slowly, she points beyond them to that very grisly scene. "And that... /That/ is what the Leopridae do to us. That is what they'll keep doing to us, with /your/ help. Your Compact. You want to know my people's history? There will be none left to learn by the time your people burn it to the ground..." Her glare faces Georgio. "Dozens of tribes gather in the heart of Thunderskin's lands. The army is swelling. You won't... beat them directly." Her mouth hangs open, but no words come. Whatever further comment she was about to say stopped dead in its tracks.

Giorgio's eyes track toward Andromeda as she finished off the Biggun. Lifting an eyebrow and looking back to the Harpy, Giorgio says, "You do understand that you attacked us, yes? We wanted to talk and appeal to your reason. You attacked us. And we defended ourselves. You are still alive. We have not needlessly ended your life. As for the Leporidae, you are simply wrong. If you were to join with us, you would have a place among us. Working toward a better future for all of Dawnsend. That's what we all want. We want /all/ of our people to prosper together. Your people and ours."

Emberly listens to the woman her eyes look a little sad, she lets her gaze slip upon the others as the woman talks "You are right, no one is without guilt, but you should know that not one of us is like the other, people are different, each have their own oaths to uphold but, we can try to bring peace instead of bloodshed." she says quietly

Andromeda rises, placing the cut-off head in the net attached to her belt, which she carries for just such purposes. Glances, disinterested, over at the conversation while she removes the jagged remains of the man's breatplate. As if to underscore the woman's words, she grunts, her blade cutting into his ribcage, splitting it open, and she removes - as promised - his heart. That goes in a cloth, wrapped up tight, and comes to rest alongside the head in that net. Only then does she wipe her hand, and her blade, on the man's pants. Cutting off some of the fabric to thorughly wipe her sword down, though not so careful with her hands. She sheathes her sword, and rises. "Your history will remain. We keep the history of all the people we have conquered. We are a learned people. We cherish what we have built," She notes, cooly. But she's certainly not arguing about the other bits of those accusations.

Giorgio checks charm and manipulation at hard. Giorgio marginally fails.

Savio is less sympathetic than Emberly, in between translation duties. "Don't sing sad songs to the foreigners," he scoffs at the group's new Harpy bestie. "You play a sad little tune now, but we know what you are."

Emberly checks charm and manipulation at hard. Emberly marginally fails.

Sina winces slightly as she hears the sound of bone being sawed as Andromeda takes the leader's head off. She looks where the woman pointed, and shudders. She turns back to the woman after a moment, looking rather sick at the sight herself, her face going pale. "That is not... I can see why you would hate us," she says softly. "I am sorry that things turned out this way. We /did/ try to talk with you, however. And we were attacked. There are no innocent parties here. We must all take responsibility for our actions, where it is due. But the violence will not end, until both sides," she says with a glance toward Andromeda to include her, "are willing to forge a peace. That will never happen, if your people side with the Eurusi." She speaks now more, her expression regretful as she straightens, rising to her feet, and turns away from the gruesome sight of Andromeda cutting out the heart of her enemy, refusing to watch.

Dio stabs the cloth Savio used to clean his blade and raises it to his hand, doing a once-over of his own blade before returning to its sheath. The pirate lord drops the now dark red cloth to the ground with a plop. He crosses his arms, murmurs quietly to Sina, "The Clanlord has given them a vision, and they're buying it, because they don't know the power that ultimately pulls the strings, and they hate the alternatives. The Black Gryffon is far more clever than I'd thought, but this is similar to his approach with Waldo and Ivan."

"Yes, you do, don't you?" Her ire falls upon Savio. "Savages in our mudhuts. Tufts of fur growing from our ears. Coming through your windows in the night to steal naughty children away forever." She spits at his boots. "How /learned/ you are, lover. Cleanse your conscience before you take a son or daughter away from their mother's, because they dared fight for their own lands!" On hands and knees, she gestures to Andromeda. "She says it so plainly. To be conquered. Enslaved by your 'houses'. If that is our fate, then why not be the conqueror? Why not follow the man who will break our chains?"

Her head lulls. She's lost a lot of blood, and the effect is clear on her woozy posture. "How could I ever... How could I /ever/ believe that you only want peace? How?"

Emberly looks over to woman then around "is anyone a healer?" she asks as she looks over the warriors "or brought any suncatchers?" she looks to the woman "do you have suncatchers here? You need healing."

Bedivere cluelessly/curiously regards Savio's retort to Emberly's words. Though, after a few glances between the those two individuals, he looks back toward Andromeda's butchery. His dry lips press together in a flat line, but there is nothing said. He looks back to to Sina and the broken woman, and backing up what she says. "I am sorry, too. Those from Eurus follow entities with dark powers which can compell people to lose their free will. Want help up?" says he before then offering down his only/gloved hand (from his left side). Yes, that is a bit risky to lend your only hand, but he does so.

Dio checks command and intimidation at hard. Dio is marginally successful.

Andromeda crosses her arms, and snorts. "You could join us. Become vassals, rather than be conquered. Look at our city? We educate all our people. We feed them. Tremorus is a miracle as unseen in other lands. Look at the spires of our palace. Look at the buildings, the wealth of our land. You could be part of it. But you choose to fight. No." She shakes her head. "Those who join us prosper. But those who stand against us die. This is the way. We are superior to you. Not because of the way you live, or the way you look. But because you are weak. And we are strong. And bending knee to another weak tribe will not make you strong."

Sina's expression is one of resignation as she listens to Dio's assessment, and she nods. She murmurs something to him in a softer voice.

"Murderers," Savio snaps back at the Harpy! "Fools who cling so desperately to the past that to imagine a better future has become abhorrent to you. Thieves who steal and kill rather than cooperate or do for themselves. We offer you talk and you draw weapons. We offer you money and you cut our throats. We offer you knowledge and you repay us with ignorance and contempt. We hold out our hands and you spit on them. If you weren't so bad with a knife you would have left us bleeding in the dirt without a second thought, now you play the victim?" He's Helping here with Andromeda. For sure. "Join us or die against us, but don't pretend you didn't have a choice."

Dio kneels down beside the Harpy. "You want chains broken? Do you know what they call Skal'daja? The place from which your benefactors sail? It's called 'The City of Chains.' They are using the Clanlord and your people." His voice is low, deep, resonant - yet carrying an edge that has held the most dangerous men and women of Ischia under his command. "If you want to set your people free, this is the time. We have our conflicts, but your people survive. Accords can be made, and we are listening, but if you join with the Skal'dajans, you cast away your culture and your future forever. It is not an exaggeration to say that the fate of everything you hold dear rests on what you tell us right now. Speak, and I swear to you that you will be heard, and you will survive this encounter. If you refuse, your people will be enslaved, and I will drag you back to the Osprey where you will be tortured for the rest of your short life."

Emberly coughs looking to Savio "not dieing today she has a vow made.."

Savio's hostility toward the captive vanishes in order to cast a very innocent I-would-never look at Emberly. It'd work better if he wasn't covered in blood.

Sina checks charm and theology at normal. Botch! Sina catastrophically fails.

As Dio kneels beside the woman, Sina watches, listening as the Marquis speaks of what the Skal'dajans are about. She nods along with the things that he says, and after a moment, she steps around into the woman's line of sight again, blocking her view of the corpse of her fallen leader. "The Skal'dajans are not the only peoples of the Dune Kingdoms," she tells the woman, her voice a bit less friendly this time, anger rising up in her as she speaks. "The Eurusi religions are centered around all things malevolent. The people of Ahj'on live in their City of Mirrors, where the Magisters of the Mirror hold sway. Here, they work in powerful dark magics, using human sacrifice for their blood rituals. Skal'daja, as the Marquis has stated, is known as the City of Chains, the Great City of Slavery, home of a hundred thousand slaves. Their Grand Vizier lives in the Palace of Toil, and serves the Dune Emperor by providing him with armies of slaves. In the Silent City, it is said that they raise the dead, while in Suj'abbat, they celebrate only lies and deceit. "In Petrioch, the city is known for its hundreds of plagues, while in Mangaldissi, it is known as the City of Poison. Lagadorus is unchanging, never allowing one to change, or grow... it is stagnant and they like it that way in their complacency. In Vel'ichalah, they hoard secrets, rather than sharing knowledge, while in Lim'Al'Ruus, they make an art of betrayal, allowing no one to keep to a vow. In Jay'alaz, you will weep with despair, for it is a city without song. And Glor'Ruus," she finishes, her tone harsh and frightening even, "is the seat of the Dune Emperor, who follows the Dark Reflection of Gloria, who is the Archfiend of Tyranny. Here they send slaves to fight in arenas to their senseless deaths for the amusement of their masters, and make no mistake, the Dune Emperor's rule will be absolute." She stares down at the woman. "This is what you are embracing, by embracing the Eurusi. You embrace the nightmare of the Abyss. This will be your fate. Your life will not be your own. The world will fall to darkness in another Reckoning. The dangers your Clanlord seeks to embrace are greater than those you will find here. You should go and tell him, so that he can fully understand what he faces."

Savio is trying. He is trying SO HARD. He can't even be mad at the captive anymore, such is the overwhelming power of Sina's outburst and enthusiasm and the difficulty of keep with it! He's gonna have a brain bleed trying to flip it from Arvani to Arakkoan and get the same meaning without missing what comes next... the translation stumbles a little. If she didn't quite make her point, it might not all be her fault!

The Harpy does her best to shrink downwards at the barrage from the Titan and her paramour in combat. She's said her piece, and there's hardly anything left in her to keep fighting on those points. It's Dio who holds her attention instead, when he bends low to speak to her. Her unfocused eyes meet his, her head lolling side to side as he spoke. She did her best to appear smalleer, like an animal being scolded for its misgivings. With her head bowed, she mumbles something. Incoherent to most, but just barely received by the Marquis' ears.

Then comes Sina. With her dispensary of knowledge, her well made points, her deep insight. All of that pounding on her ear drums and filling her head with more and more... words. Just /words/. So many WORDS! Too many words. "Shut up..." She growled. "Shut up. Shut up! SHUT UP!" In an instant she seemed ready to pounce, but her misguided attack is fumbling before it even begins. She fumbles forward, crawling prone toward the Archscholar at a snail's pace. "I'll break your lying face!"

Dio rises to his full height. A sorrowful look clouds his features as the woman growls at Sina. He offers the Harpy a hand to lift her to her feet.

"She will not die today. Savio gave his word." Andromeda intones. "But if she stays in this city..." She leaves that note hanging. "We are running out of time."

Sina steps back, and her Templars step between the Archscholar and the Harpy. It's rare to see Sina lose her temper. But when she does, she does it spectacularly. "Crawl back to your Clanlord, and tell him that we spared your life this day, as promised." She turns her back on the woman then, and says no more.

Bedivere never knew all the different names of all those Eurusian cities, but he certainly nods along. It might be a bit much for an injured person... "Everything she said is true, but it boils down to: you and yours will be influenced by darkness. You would lose yourselves if you follow your leader into their arms. At least you can choose to do good when you want to do so, maybe even choose to do bad, but good would living be if you were compelled into always doing bad? Forced to do it?"

Andromeda grunts. "No. No warning for our enemies." She interrupts Sina. Leaning down to grab the woman by the scruff of the neck and haul her to her feet. "She will not die today, but if she stays in this city..." She looks at the woman's face, impassive. "I will end you. You will cry my name in thanks when Death comes for you." She points out. Then looks to Sina, to Dio, to Bedivere and Emberly. Carelessly, she tosses the woman towards them. "Our gift to the Compact. She will speak to you, I am sure. But if you let her go, here? I must end her. And I do not want to make Savio a liar."

Savio has obvious beef with these Dawnsend shavs, but he doesn't seem to object to any of the plans afoot, eventually seeming to approve when Andromeda 'gifts' the captive to the Arvani. "If you need a translator, let us know," he offers easily, before looking up (up up up) at Andromeda and smiling at her when she doesn't want to make liars out of him and Giorgio. "You're so thoughtful." Terrifyingly, he seems to mean that.

"It is her choice then, to sail with me as my guest or die," says Dio after Andromeda speaks. His dark eyes rest on the harpy. "I am called Marquis Dio Seraceni. We set sail for Pieros. Join me if you wish. I offer you what protection I can." His eyes pass then for a brief moment to Sina, and he speaks a few quiet words.

Denied her vengeance, the Harpy can do little more than raise shakily in Dio's grasp. With a final look at the group, she speaks in a withered tone. "You will rue every enemy you've made from atop your mountain. Justice is absolute." She folds afterwards, her head bowed and her limbs limp.

Bodies were still strewn on the street. One of them was missing several parts of themselves for another's collection, though the gate guards didn't seem overtly squeamish at that. Still, word would likely spread soon enough about a skirmish at the gates. Though none but those involved would know the expanse of why.

Clans mass, with Eurusi backing beneath the Clanlord. What was once only hearsay was becoming a grim reality from an infiltrator's firsthand account. The threat to the City-State was undeniable. Though the Clanlord still had yet to formalize these alliances, time was ticking away.

Sina turns back to Andromeda as she speaks, and she gives a nod, seeming to have calmed herself down somewhat. If she regrets any of her words, she doesn't show it. Then the woman is thrust toward herself, Dio, Bedivere and Emberly, and one of Sina's Templars steps foward to take the woman in hand. "People are not gifts, as that would imply she is property, which she is not," the Archscholar tells Andromeda firmly. "But I am certain we can take her off your hands, if she /chooses/ to come with us, and provide accomodations for her, in order to uphold the vouchsafe that was offered." She glances to Dio, Emberly and Bedivere, to see if they are in agreement. She nods to Dio's words, and looks back to the Harpy for her answer.

Since these are not Whitehawk lands, and the woman gets to at least choose, Bedivere motions his stumpy arm up as if to give a thumbs up except he momentarily forgot there was not one there. He soon slides that back behind that knightly tabard that he wears with Solace insignias emblazoned on it.

Savio leaves, following Dio.