Herja drops Command Tent.

Herja drops Healers Tent.

Reigna has joined the Healers Tent.

Rinel has joined the Healers Tent.

Zyxthylum has joined the Healers Tent.

Orick has joined the Healers Tent.

Thea has joined the Healers Tent.

Darren has joined the Command Tent.

Aindre has joined the Command Tent.

Michael has joined the Command Tent.

Calla has joined the Command Tent.

Gael has joined the Healers Tent.

Gael has left the Healers Tent.

Gael has joined the Command Tent.

Patrizio has joined the Command Tent.

Gael has left the Command Tent.

Oswyn has joined the Healers Tent.

Patrizio has left the Command Tent.

Michael has left the Command Tent.

Darren has left the Command Tent.

Kael has joined the Command Tent.

Tesha has joined the Command Tent.

Michael has joined the Command Tent.

Malesh has joined the Command Tent.

Preston has joined the Command Tent.

Alis has joined the Command Tent.

It's springtime in the Saffron Isles, but already the air is warm and the sun shines as bright and warm as a midsummer day on the mainland of the Compact. It is a day full of tension. The defenders of Pieros and the citizens within its walls are aware that battle is coming. Scouts were able to give the Compact warning of the swarm of soldiers that are head to Pieros, determined to take the city as a staging area for a greater invasion of what parts of the Isles that House Pravus and its allies have been able to claim. The watchers on the walls blow horns and shout their warnings. The Skal'dajan army has been spotted. They lead with heavy siege weapons, created to mow down the jungle before them and catch the first wave of arrows that might be headed their way. Behind them, soldiers move for the plain between the walls of Pieros and the jungle, filling the tense silence with shouts and cries of battle.

Brianna wields Wildfire, the one-handed waraxe with deerhide wrapped handle.

Aiden wields Starfall, an alaricite bow.

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

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

Alis checks command and war at hard. Alis fails.

Aindre checks command and leadership at hard. Aindre fails.

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

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

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

Preston checks command and theology at hard. Preston is successful.

Tesha checks command and war at hard. Botch! Tesha fails completely.

Bridget has joined the Command Tent.

Bridget checks command and propaganda at hard. Bridget marginally fails.

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

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

Tikva checks dexterity and archery at hard. Tikva fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Martinique checks dexterity and small wpn at hard. Critical Success! Martinique is spectacularly successful.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Khanne checks dexterity and archery at hard. Khanne fails.

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

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

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

Felicia checks strength and medium wpn at hard. Felicia is successful.

Aiden checks command and animal ken at daunting. Aiden marginally fails.

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

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

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

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

Thea checks dexterity and archery at hard. Thea fails.

Aiden checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Aiden fails.

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

Tikva checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Tikva fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunaia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Sunaia fails.

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

Brianna checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Brianna fails.

Lenard checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Lenard fails.

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

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

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

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

Audgrim checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Audgrim fails.

Ember checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Ember fails.

Gael checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Gael fails.

Deva checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Deva fails.

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

Corban checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Corban fails.

Tikva stands with the archers on the wall, and as the horn blares the clarion warning of their advance, she lends her voice to it, encouraging the others who fight with her. "Be ready, we're ready, they're upon us," she says to her neighbors, vibrant in the force of main will behind her warmth. Her arrow soars with the first volley, disappearing into the main mass of hurtling fletching. She's already pulling another one; no matter whether any individual shot strikes true, for they are an army, and the massed arrows soaring at once are what matters, though some score and others splatter in the mud underneath the rolling siege engines.

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

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

Aiden remains capable of fighting.

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

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

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

Tikva remains capable of fighting.

The initial engagement with the attacking army is brutal. This is 'foreign land' to much of the Compact's armies and generals and all the planning in the world doesn't make the first fight in new territory any easier. Beyond that, it is clear that there are more than just soldiers amongst the attackers as well. The air hums with magic, making more than one soldier confused for a moment as memories of previous battles, battles where they had convinced themselves that the 'monsters' they saw in Setarco and during the Siege of Arx were just frightening men and women. More than a few falter in their steps despite the commands issued from the generals and leaders of the various gathered forces. In the field, the armies meet with a clash of weapons and a roar of noise. Off to the side of the Compact's soldiers, a small group clad in steelsilk hoods and cloaks begin to make gestures that seem to make the hum of magic in the air deaden somewhat much to the obvious frustration of some of those spread out through the enemy forces. As the armies clash, many take wounds. More than a few stand out. Gawain is a beast on the field, taking down three approaching soldiers while not receiving even a scratch in return. Marquessa Quenia Igniseri comports herself well and impales one of the attackers on her rapier. Martinique manages to slice the throat of an attacker that meant to do her the same. Brianna swings her axe at incoming soldiers. The blade lights up as if set ablaze, shocking her attackers long enough to dispatch them, but attracting the attention of other nearby combatants who target her specifically.

Lucita readies her weapon, mouth set in a determined line. She glances at the people beside her and murmurs in a low tone to them. "We can do this, we 'will' do this, we have to." When the battle surges and she finds she is faced with an opponent, she seeks out a vulnerable spot to insert her blade and efficiently does that as she ducks under a return blow aimed at her.

Patrizio Pravus is a figure in his blue and steel armour, striding out where he can be seen amongst the centurions of the First Legion, his hair perfectly coiffed as he's surveying the scene before him. He's looking calm, serene, almost resigned to the fact that a land battle would come, and so here it is, and here he is, in the place of great commanders of the Legion of the past. Jade eyes watch the approaching forces, the disposition of them, the siege engines that come along with, before he's turning to the soldiers of his fealty. His soldiers. "Stand firm! We /will/ defeat the Skal'daja and their allies, and end the scourge of their threat against our lands. For Gloria! For the Chainbreaker! FOR ARVUM!" And with that, the general leads the charge into the fray.

There are worse ways to engage an enemy force than by just cannonballing into them screaming bloody murder. There are also better ways, and that is what Baroness Ember Redreef demonstrates to the class in today's lesson. The Bloody Baroness charges, sword out, a roar in her lungs, but charging ahead makes her prey for numbers, and though she swings and swings and swings, she's also swung at and swung at and swung at -- and hit and hit and hit.

Reese is fighting in the battle along with the Grayson forces. She is in their vanguard toward the center as if taking point. The warrior princess is not commanding though, but instead seems to be serving as sword while Prince Aindre takes charge. She Elvesbane the sword of Grayson drawn and is adorned in her ribbon, pink and griffins. She seems to be holding her own, getting in some good hits and dodging return blows from their foes. She continues press on.

The blonde soldier stood ready with the ground forces, at her baroness's side as the enemy moves to join the battle. When the call is made, she charges forward with a cry of "For Redreef!" with her dagger in hand, rushing towards the first foes she can see. As the horns call and the cries mount she is ready with her blade flashing. One throat is opened, and she lunges after another enemy with an angry shout. Unfortunately, that left her side open enough for a rapid swipe she couldn't deflect, leaving a stinging cut across her ribs. She is undaunted, however, and blood has been spilled--she continues to fight in search of more.

There is a ripple across the compact lines as the thousands, tens of thousands, of Templars take a knee. Their swords, spears and other weapons are planted into the dirt and their heads against them in quiet repose. The Templar's prayer pose. Preston steps out of the command tent to watch as the Seraphs read their sermon to their parishes. Then, a Godsworn templar in each area rises. Preston nods to them before he kisses a small pouch, throwing it into a small brazier. After it burns, he lifts Crusader high before he places it in the brazier to take some of the ashes, mixing them with water poured down the blade. The resultant ashy-mix is taken and touched to his forehead and to his chest. His actions are mimicked across the field in each Templar detachment, before he turns and takes a banner from his squire, planting the three rings of the Faith by the command tent to flitter over the troops. He turns and returns, reluctantly, to the tent as the Templars rise to their feet to answer the enemy as the rush to engagement begins "Gloria guide us, in all we must do".

Lenard raises his blade before his face and proclaims, more to himself than anything, "In the name of the faith, I will bring death to the enemies of the compact." Then the knight marches, wearing the tabard of the knights of solace. He's aggressive, but so far his blade fails to find meaningful bite, and his aggressive approach causes him to take injury. He is not deterred.

Aiden Rubino need Grayson is standing in a line of Rubino archers, aligned to meet the on coming enemy. The Black Falcon flies over head, snapping in the wind, while the Duke himself is prepared with bow and arrow, quiver slung across his back, to meet the on coming invaders, wearing one of the most exceptional SNARLING Griffin helms! Thank you Porter. His sterling silver eyes look out through a helm, while Archibald, his ever faithful gryfalcon circles up on high. The Falcon Duke is ready, looking toward the feathered favor that Silas Whitehawk gave him, which dangles on his wrist and giving it a little kiss for luck. While he was a General at Stormwall, he's decided to hold the line with the Rubino Army this time, in show of courage and bravery in the face of the enemy coming to enslave them all. "Stand fast, keep your aim true, make every shot count!" Aiden looks back once toward the commander tents, out on the field himself to hopefully keep order with the troops. "What do you see my friend?!" Aiden looks skyward toward Archibald, but then steadies himself forward, "Falcons!" He looks down the line, "Prepare a volley!" And in unison with the commands running down the line to them, he nods, "Loose!" Nocking an arrow against his alaricite bow, he draws it back he manages to get one shot off taking out one of the enemies rolling in on their position... an arrow hits him in the thigh in return. The momentum drives him back a step, staggering to a knee as his ranks form up around him. "Keep Firing!" He strangles upward, looking resolute and determined.

Among the ranks of the Malvici ground forces Santi could be found, the Malvici Lord standing shield to shield, shoulder to shoulder with other members of the Malvici troops. As the battle takes shape and the grand melee begins Santi moves out, lowering his shield and angling it aside to lash out striking out before raising that shield and ducking back. The man pressing forward with the others, fighting for every foot and so far managing to avoid being injured.

In between fire, Tikva is focusing hard on one of the enemy combatants, sweat brought on by the jungle heat rolling down her face. She starts to push sweat-sticky hair out of her eyes with the slide of her arm and the moment's distraction leaves her wide open for a Skal'dajan arrow that gores through her side, slicing through the blood dark ringmail and lodging between her ribs. She staggers with a choked off cry, falling to her knees and rolling in the new shock of pain, white as a sheet. "I'm fine," she hisses. "I'm fine. Fight on." She proves it, filling her lungs to shout, "NONE GREATER. HAIL GLORIA."

Wherever this battle takes Porter, it won't take him more than a few steps from the side of the Knight Commander of the Knights of Solace, Dame Bree Harthall. The large man is all but glued to her side and covering her back as the battle begins to rage all around them, as others begin to take injuries he doesn't slow and doesn't falter (yet). His huge axe slices through the an enemy neatly, leaving a spray of blood in its wake and he side-steps back and over once again to his partner. He deftly avoids a blow and then whirls to face the next challenge.

Calla is doing her part as part of the command to bark orders down the lines of Pravus warriors to gets them to move to where they will be the most efficient, her ember eyes sharp as they access the situation and adjust orders on the fly.

Harlex takes to the field and leaves the strategizing to the strategists. He stands with the armies of Velenosa and when the enemy comes, he meets them with the glinting transcendent blade of the Whisperer of Names. It rings against armor and steelsilk, moving easily through flesh and bone. He has to pause to grab one of the Hound soldiers by the collar and hoist him to his feet before a spear finishes him. "Shit," he says under his breath, "Stay alive, you fuckin' bastards," the black wolf barks. Such leadership. Wow. With his alaricite claws, he swipes and blinds an enemy that tries to take a stab.

Side by side. That promise was made long before the battle begun, and it is one Bree looks to stay true to - and her partner in this pact, Porter, remains close by in the fray. Her weapon is drawn, but she struggles to find the flesh of the foe, the hum of magic more acutely affecting her than she would like to admit. With the other Knights of Solace, they push forward as much as they can, and she dips out of the way of an oncoming blow, but her own efforts are seemingly meaningless in this - so far! She keeps an ever watchful eye out for her comrades, ready to leap to their aid if needed.

Before the assault begins, Deva seems incredibly distracted by something. She stands with her bow in hand and looks around, not making eye contact with anyone in particular. Finally, she summons a smile and casts a glance skyward. "I will!" she tells... no one? How weird. At any rate, clad in dark red leathers, she teams up with her twin Darren for the action. "Over there!" she warns him, gesturing toward an enemy, but the callout means she misses the sword that nearly slices her ponytail off. Worse, it slashes her arm. "Not today!" she hisses angrily, doing her best to stay upright and slide out of the way.

"Mother, may those who die today find peace in the Shining Lands." those close to Felicia might hear her offer over the deceptively plain length of Wheelspinner. Touching its flat briefly to her forehead. When the first surge comes, she goes along with it, striking out at the soldiers closes to her, but that tell-tale hum and the steelsilk clad people off to one side draw her green-eyed attention like a flaming arrow,"With me!" she tries to cajole those closest to her, turning her attention to charge towards those gesturing figures.

Reigna stands at the front of the medical tent, a calm, collected expression on her face as she waits. It will not be long now. The sound of metal on metal rings out, joined by the screams of the wounded; the song of violence and injury. The Keaton Marquessa's eyes are fixed, waiting for the first waves of the injured to be brought to the tents; behind her a young blonde woman makes herself small, trying to stay out of the way. As for Reigna her eyes have a detatched quality as if all her emotions have been pushed far, far down. Far enough that they cannot, will not shake her current numb composure. As the first casualties are hauled back towards the hospital tent she raises her voice, "Light extra braziers! Put the cauldrons on to boil! Praise and Worship to Lagoma! We are healers, focus on those we can save and give mercy to the rest! WE BEGIN!"

From out the din of battle's fevered pitch comes out a light emblazoned in the crimson-red of a long, curved flamberge; it is Gael, and he has come to Brianna's aid. Cutting in repeated flourishes thorough the accumulating masses of foes, arrows and blows come upon his being in droves, some parried - most sustained by the chain and leather of his ensemble - until he is able to reach her flank. So darkly pitched is his attire that he's seldom seen, but so redly shines the sword, that it is as though possessed by an unseen force as this weapon carves a path on its way to her. That Lagoma's tabard emblazoning him with her flame is tattered by then, frayed at the edges and punctured by shafts that coldly stick out his torso in drainages of blood, but he fights on.

Audgrim is together with others from the Crimson Blades, their armors not necessaraily uniform, but all wearing mostly black, with some red details here and there. Audgrim is in a group of archers and his diamondplate bow's katwangs are true and steady, hitting targets - though he has to try to shrug off that feeling of confusion and falters a little for a moment, only to regain his resolve and moving forward. However, the enemy has archers too - an arrow flies true, hitting him and piercing slightly through his cuirass on his side; he grunts and grimaces, but then breaks the arrow off and continues, leaving it in there for now. It's better to do so than pull it out and bleed even more. "Steady, be ready to engage with swords," he calls to his fellow archers - though he isn't a commander either, he's done his share of battle.

Herja has joined the Command Tent.

Crawfish has joined the Healers Tent.

Zyxthylum is garbed in his best approximation of what a healer should wear. A few of his personal touches include the strange filtration mask on his face and a hanging censer of cinnamon incense that dangles from the hand that grasps his staff. With his emaciated form hidden in the depths of his protective leathers, the man might even fit the part with his jingling pouch of medical tinctures and salves. His muted voice rasps through the holes of the odd leather visor, "Where can you use an extra hand?" He asks those gathered at the triage tents.

The Lady Brianna Standing tall in her green scaled leather armor and obnoxiously gleaming helmet, Brianna Halfshav cuts an imposing figure. She fights with her men from the Cascade Springs guard, leading from the front, as is her way. Her battle cry is wordless, defiant, challenging. She raises her axe and it's wreathed in flame, slicing down oncoming attackers. But being the person with the shiny helmet and the shinier axe is a great way to make more people attack you, and she takes a wound early. But she just roars again and keeps fighting.

Sunaia's a face among others, wan and pensive growing more and more restless as the warnings are called - she tenses, the anticipatory shiver - even beneath the steel and the swelter. Pale eyes scan, pause, fix - scan. Her colorless lips part, bare teeth in a wolfish grin and snap - and she's lunging in with the rest to the charge, the alaricite of the shotel bright until it bites into a side of an enemy soldier. She shakes her head, quickly, realizing that in her impulsive swing she's left herself open. Too slow to react to that she curses at the pain.

Standing tall in her green scaled leather armor and obnoxiously gleaming helmet, Brianna Halfshav cuts an imposing figure. She fights with her men from the Cascade Springs guard, leading from the front, as is her way. Her battle cry is wordless, defiant, challenging. She raises her axe and it's wreathed in flame, slicing down oncoming attackers. But being the person with the shiny helmet and the shinier axe is a great way to make more people attack you, and she takes a wound early. But she just roars again and keeps fighting.

Tesha dips her head and closes her eyes when the battle begins and she whispers something out in a rather weird language, but as soon as that is done she's up and moving to help with troops and things, because she's no good with fighting, even though she is carrying a sword and knows how to use it. Her mind tries to stay on those that are here in the tent. Sadly she's not keeping as focused as she'd like to.

Thea starts springing into action, following Reigna. As the battle begins, the combat medic turns watching for the briefest of moments before looking to her brigaders. "You---go and help bring the wounded here,"the nee Wyvernheart"s tone firm and loud. That said, Thea is quick and starts gathering supplies and making sure everything is ready for what is to come.

Thalamina's usual calm air and carefree attitude has shifted as she stands on the wall among the Grayson archers, bow in hand and first arrow notched. It does not take long for that bow to be lifted, and upon the commander's orders, it quickly sails and heads straight for the enemy's line. Her movements do not faulter, not does she hesitate to take a life when ordered. Though, it seems she may have been holding her breath for the first shot, and it is quickly released after her arrow finds it's mark.

It is often said that one should not wear a cape into battle. Apparently the Highlord of Redrain, Darren, has not been told this. He wears what appears to be the hide of an entire bear covering his leather armour, falchion in hand as he stands side by side with his twin. As Deva calls out he turns to slice at them, sword catching his enemy's as he fells his opponent. He's too slow to help Deva, and the Prince grimaces as she loses her ponytail. "DEATH TO SLAVERS!" he calls, his voice rising above the din, charging back into battle to defend his sister.

Seated atop his horse, a white Vanner out of Chevalle, along with a small contingent of cavalry, towards the right hand end of the Compact's line, Gawain Blanchard watches the approach of the enemy with a frown, sweat beaded across his brow, whether from anxiety or the heat of the Saffron Chain. Then when the command to advance comes, and others along the line start to move forward, the Blanchard lord draws his visor down, and, with a cry to his horse, Gawain surges forth, a small contingent of cavalry out of Chevalle following in his wake, thundering across the open ground towards a band of the foe. There's a shearing of metal as he makes contact, the tip of his spear punching through a foe's armour, then another, that body sent spiralling, and then he catches a blow on his shield and raises the spear again to lunge downwards, finding a gap in his enemy's armour once again.

Quenia had come ready to do her part this time, to be part of the combat. She'd taken a number of years to get the skills, do her training, get some armor, and get into shape. It shows, and it shows well for her. She takes her time in selecting her target when they finally engage in battle, and it easily becomes seen that in this particular moment that she's comports herself well. Likely, it's because she has Ian in the back of her mind correcting her moves, telling her where her feet or wrong, that sort of thing. She expertly uses her rapier to impale one of those who engaged in battle, and makes sure to stay close to her cousin Lucita in case it might be necessary to give her aid somewhere. Her own expression is one of fierce determination. She's not about to let slavers take over her homeland!

Khanne waits as she stands on the wall, watching the enemy as they grow nearer and nearer. She is focused, misty grey eyes sharp, her breathing steady if slightly quickened with adrenaline. She can feel it, that magic in the air, and it is not their own. Reaching into her pouch, she pulls out a small wooden token and kneels to the ground on one knee, pressing it there with her hand as she stoops over it. "For every action... an answer. For every action, an answer." Her eyes are closed, and she repeats these same few words a total of thirteen times before rising up. She slips the token back into her pouch and readies her bow and an arrow to take her first shot. "To the last!" she yells out the Redrain call as she lets the arrow loose. She doesn't see what it does (nothing), because she has to duck and dodge to save from being hit herself.

Prince Aindre can't exactly see the width and the breadth of the battlefield from here but runners with swiftly-scrawled reports are coming and going at a harried pace even from the opening moments of the clash. There isn't a one he misses and that grim set to his expression changes little as he gains an image of the unfolding events before him. He moves over to the command tend and pick up one of the several Grayson banners standing tall in the Saffron winds and pushes it into the hands of a runner, sternly barking his orders, "Carry this up the left, do not raise it yet. I want you opposite the First Bannerman. Wait until you have word. Go!", before striding back into the tent.

Maris finds himself in the thick of battle, serving in a mismatched force of soldiers and mercenaries from the Isles. Whether it's the vibrant violet eyes set within his pale visage, or the rather fearsome set of serpent-themed rubicund plate armor that he's wearing today, the big, war-torn sellsword is a rather easy man to pick out in the ragtag line. When the lines clash and the battle deepens, his bastard sword fails to shatter the enemy opposition; instead, he opts for maintaining their position and fending off blows, keeping those men around him stalwart and situationally aware while he eyes an opening.

Rinel's face is dispassionate as she limps from wounded to wounded, eyes quickly assessing the wounds of those who have been brought in. "Green," she says, to someone with blood running down his arm. "Yellow. Pressure and bandages!" she shouts, as a ashen-faced soldier is brought in, her side soaked in crimson. The theologian pauses briefly at the side of a young man and reaches out to gently close wide, unseeing eyes. And then she, too, is in the fray, as she hears the call of "red!" Soon enough, blood and bile stains Rinel's hands and robe as she plunges into the effort of wrenching life away from death.

Among the Valardin Knights stands Emma -- a slender but steady figure clad in pale armour, crowned by a diamondplate half-helmet suggestive of a dragon countenance. Sky-blue eyes flash like fire, all focus and determination as she steps forward, confident and unafraid. She raises her sword as she strides out to battle, pausing for a moment to call out in clear, commanding voice to the troops behind her. " For House Valardin! Take courage and fight with everything you have! Steel Bends, Honor Holds!" Then it's into fray with the Valardin Princess. Cutting down her first assailant with a lightning arc of her blade, she finishes him off with a vicious slash to his throat. The next foe she dodges with ease, sidestepping the wide swing aimed her way. Her eyes narrow dangerously as she turns on the one who dared to attack her.

Bridget arrives upon her noble steed dressed for war in full plate. Rather than charge into battle, the noble lingers at near the back of the lines near the command tent. Most of her efforts are focused on maintaining tight, magnificent looking formations, but it is a goal that soon falls apart with the inevitable chaos of battle.

At the commander's tent, the flap opens wide and out strides Alis. However, the reason for it becoming held back is due to the Keaton on her heels. Kael looks altogether too grim, which seems to be an expression that is going on in the vicinity of the tent. The two Oathlanders are conversing with one another, voices pitched low, and a few gestures are made to runners which, in turn, carry on orders to Valardin and Keaton troops. It is with great reluctance that the Keaton Marquis slips back in the tent, looming off to the side to take stock of the battle map within.

Oswyn has left the Healers Tent.

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

Aindre checks command and leadership at hard. Aindre fails.

Preston checks command and leadership at hard. Preston fails.

Tesha checks command and war at hard. Tesha fails.

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

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

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

Oswyn has joined the Healers Tent.

Michael checks command and leadership at hard. Michael fails.

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

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

Lenard checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Lenard fails.

Aiden checks dexterity and archery at hard. Botch! Aiden fails completely.

Patrizio checks strength and medium wpn at hard. Patrizio is successful.

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

Tikva checks dexterity and archery at hard. Tikva fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Khanne checks dexterity and archery at hard. Khanne fails.

Maris checks strength and medium wpn at hard. Maris is successful.

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

Audgrim checks dexterity and archery at hard. Botch! Audgrim fails completely.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Deva checks dexterity and archery at hard. Deva fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Darren checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Darren fails.

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

Lucita checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Lucita fails.

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

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

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

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

Sunaia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Sunaia fails.

Reese checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Reese fails.

Deva checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Deva fails.

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

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

Audgrim checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Audgrim fails.

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

Tarik checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Tarik fails.

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

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

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

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

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

Brianna checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Brianna fails.

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

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

Aiden checks 'death save' at hard. Aiden fails.

Aiden has died.

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

Sunaia remains capable of fighting.

Deva checks 'unconsciousness save' at easy. Deva marginally fails.

Deva is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

In the chaos, the commands of the generals in the tent are followed as best they can be, but whatever the Cardians to the side are doing to negate the mages on the field is starting to wear off and that hum of power starts to fill the air again. Those with mage sight might even notice little sparks in the air. Then, from the side, Petraea Livy decides to make a spectacle of herself. She turns the nearest Skal'dajan mage into a pillar of fire. Suddenly, the mages start to swarm as best they can through the crowd, judging the Cardians as the biggest magical threat. Yet, strangely, as some of them try to Work, it just... doesn't work. At all. Even the Cardians look surprised, but only for a moment before they start to take advantage of this strange turn of events. The soldiers on the field just keep coming, swarming the Arvani with fury. Many of those on the field take damage, some worse than others. The defenders of Pieros try their best to withstand the onslaught. Dame Bree manages to prevent Patrizio Pravus from taking a fatal blow by blocking it just in time. Gawain, the Beast of Blanchard, attracts a lot of attention and seems about to be overrun when Aiden swoops in and takes several of the blows meant for Gawain, leaving him a bloodied mess and gasping out his last breaths.

Reckless, aggressive. Lenard's eyes are full of death, his smile widening as his blade finds purchase in the enemy, pushing forward aggressively. The man is here to live up to his words, to kill the enemies of the compact. He's relentless. Silent. But one look at him shows, he does not intend to stop until he's incapacitated or there are no enemies left.

Overextended into the Eurusi line, Gawain is thrown from his horse by a blow that rips his shield from his hand, and he's left sprawled on his back, winded, breathless, and far too rattled to do a damn thing - just himself for a moment, and his rearing horse nearby a poor obstacle to his adversaries.

The leaders of the Crimson Blades send commands to their own troops. Hired on as a mobile force to go for any place that seems need of help, they are now sent to try to deal with some of the siege engines, supported by archers, Audgrim included. He's having no particular success in the rush as he shoots and runs, an arrow almost piercing a friend - he winces, then is slammed into and knocked over by an enemy, stabbed and wounded further - but he manages to get up, and away and moves onwards still in the chaos, as they swarm for that siege engine.

"For the CHAINBREAKER!" Patrizio's shouting to inspire the Pravusi troops to continue forward, to try to push back the forces that are clearly more than they'd planned for, when they'd contemplated the defence of the principal city of the Chain. The sheer number, though - the prince's for falls briefly where he's towards the vanguard of the troops, but it's luck clearly that saves him, the hot hiss of his breath as he's nodding his thanks to Bree and rising back to his feet, that blade of his shining as he's redoubling his efforts to push the battle forward once more, and into the line of the enemy.

Martinique takes a few swipes at another approaching enemy, spotting Ember being hammered by foes in her peripheral vision. She tries to angle herself to give aid through the press of the fighting, using wild swings to ward away attackers. One gets close for a moment, a fellow knife-fighter, and there are a few passes, lunges and abortive stabs before Martinique steps around a more ambitious attempt at attack, and avoids further harm.

It is said, by Corban, such that it is almost even a quote of his, that a leader takes the field to bleed with his men. And so Corban is a leader. He stands shoulder to shoulder with the Compact's forces at the front of the line, resplendent in his silver rubicund armor that marks him as a knight of the King's Own. His brilliant alaricite blade, sharp and pointy, Leona Thrax's blade, cuts through the man before him, the knight stepping aside the one who seeks to take his place. There is blood, yes, but it is manageable. The First Captain fights.

Arrows rain; fire shoots towards the sky; the battlefield is a world of chaos. Tikva is white with pain and tension, freckles standing out stark in her pallor as she dodges and rolls, coming up to fire another shot. In the thick of it, all she can do here is try to stay alive. Once, she sang battlefields. Now, her breath comes short and ragged. All there is in this moment of time is the fight, for defense, for freedom, for survival.

The febrile air pulses with burning anticipation, the battlefield a roiling formicarium where instinct and bloodletting are indulged in with wild abandon. Gael is at the center of it all, the eye of the storm; his Confessor's black, frayed longcoat covered in overlapping layers of blood in gradient levels of desiccation. His blade swings stark through the fire of combat, its travel-path sonorous as it cuts through wind and emptiness alike, and so slow - and ample - these swathes are, that they are easily telegraphed by the wary enemy, it invariably affording him distance from being struck himself. "Come here!" He hellishly shouts, full of impatience, at an officer beyond the line of battle, the iron discoloration of his eyes widening within the roared challenge as he maintains his ground, surrounded by Northlanders and Brianne all around.

Oswyn has left the Healers Tent.

Lucita gasps as she hunkers down and braces against the oncoming enemies, the Malvici to one side of her and Igniseri to the other. Her small cluster of Saik soldiers stand with her. Her dagger blade already bloodied, she carves it through another opponent but at a cost to herself. Red starts to stain her armor. "Ow."

Oswyn has joined the Healers Tent.

As the reports come in, Preston nods to the runners before he drifts back to the command tent entrance and looks out at the field himself. His head shakes a little "We need to get the pressure on hold the lines. The lines break and we will start to lose entire sections. But we also need to fight through to the mages." Preston ducks his head back into the tent and gestures to one of his people as he begins scribbling "We have to push." But whether that is certain or just his hope being expressed, well.

The Maw finally breaks through the opposing line, knocking aside an enemy spear and swinging that fearsome bastard sword in an upward arc, butchering a hapless opponent in his advance. The pale swordsman's compatriotes follow close behind, jostling the enemy line and exchanging deadly blows as the pitch of chaotic, bloody battle continues to surge. "With me!" He calls to the allies behind him, trying to take advantage of the whole and continue his assault, seeking glory in this relentless battle.

Brianna is bloodied, and she is getting winded, but she is fighting. "Thanks," she grunts to Gael, fighting back to back with the one-eyed man against the hostile onslaught.

The more blood Harlex's blade drinks, the darker the metal becomes. It drinks much of the Skal'dajan as he fights in the thick. And the harder that fighting gets, the less patient he becomes with those around him. Instead of guarding a fellow Velenosan soldier, he shoulders him hard out of the way and hacks the head off of the enemy instead. It's like he's somewhere else, someplace else, as if a chorus cries him on through the throngs of the fragile bodies before him. Screaming and tearing through foe upon foe, name upon name. Stories ended in the blood bloating the field. It feels like home. Really.

The flash of her blade remains deflected by the skilled opposition, and Bree's grunts of battle do little to best the Eurusi soldiers she fights. She remains by Porter's side, she sees the blade of the enemy get past his defenses, but in her peripheral she sees a general being overrun. With a swift dashing forward, a ducking beneath the swing of an axe, she spins and blocks the fatal blow that would have ended the man's life. There's little time for celebration, because she's kicking the foe away, turning to make sure Patrizio can stand, and then her eyes are on Porter again. She let him take a blow to save another. He'll understand, right? She raises her blade again and rushes to return to his side. The crackle around her is too noticeable, the sparks she sees in the air alerting a newly acquired gift. "Do you see that?" she calls out to her fellow Knight of Solace, knowing that he, too, might notice the shift.

Reese takes a strike to the right thigh that leaves the Grayson princess bleeding. She cries out at the blow, it hurts after all and Reese cannot fully mask her pain. The Sword of Grayson stays at the vanguard of the Grayson troops despite her injury and continues to fight. Previous to getting hit, she got in a few good strikes on the enemy forces. It remains to seen how she will do now while hurt. Reese has a hard time keeping track of everyoen and everything while in the midst of fighting and while effected by pain. Still she looks over to Aiden and anquished cry escapes her lips. She tries to press forward still upon hearing Preston's words, not giving up.

Aiden's first war, the Silent War, had him nearly being squished by some giant ready to smash him against the wall, when Estaban Saik risked his neck and put his life on the line, taking injury for him and saving his life. In a moment as the lines start to break down from the hammering of the foes, a hundred faces are milling in the fight, thousands perhaps. The friends he had back then, aren't there for him now, as life has changed and given him an army at his back. But like how Estaban hurled him in the way of harm for some random person he'd never met, Aiden finds himself doing that very same thing as battle lines tangle....the Rubino is caught up in the war, caught up in the fighting, caught up on life being better. And better for him started when he was saved. It's time to pass that on. He crashes into Gawain as hard as he can after seeing the man stagger after his horse was fallen, and knows there is simply no time to block the lance coming for Gawain - not with a simple bow he's not! Poor Archibald, his gryfalcon shrieks ... but at least it's a quick. Aiden hits the ground and looks with a gurgle of blood frothing, to see that Gawain made it, before his men sworm him... The Rubino lines call "The Duke has Fallen!"

Quenia's own attacks come at a disadvantage this time. Her footwork was sloppy, her arm droopy. She was on too much of a high of getting her first attack right and impaling someone. However, she manages to slip away from her attacker, dodging them effectively just about the same time she sees Aiden start to go down. "Aiden, no!" she calls out, no titles or anything for her Duke.

Deva didn't exactly have 'getting stabbed' on her to-do list today, but there she is. Worry and panic flares in her eyes as Darren fights off the foes that start to corner them. Close quarters is not ideal for ranged combat, so her attempt at a shot at one swinging for her brother strays too far. It's too crowded too quickly, and before she can try to swap from bow to staff she's stabbed soundly in the torso and yowls accordingly. "Get out!" she warns the other Redrain. Then she scowls something in a dark, foreign tongue at her assailant with a slow blink of her eyes before she drops to her knees and thunks to the ground unconscious in a spray of blood.

Ember is a safe distance from the mages exploding in flames, but she can still feel the heat of it -- a testament to the destructive power. "rrRRGH!" spits the Bloody Baroness. She can taste blood in her mouth and she thinks it's hers but she's not wasting mental effort on determining stuff like that. She's hacking at enemies -- taking hits in the process, but starting to turn the tide of giving worse than she's getting. Her mind is only here. There is only this.

Felicia isn't shy about striking out at the enemy soldiers that cross her path, but for her at least... the Skal'dajan mages are the target. The spider-daubed redhead flat-out hunting them through the battlefield,"Surrender!" she recommends to the Eurusi in their native tongue as she wades in the direction of the mages. Not concealing her presence in the slightest.

As the battle progresses and the grim toll of the fighting starts to get truly ugly, Porter's axe hasn't stopped. He stays close to Bree in the fray, even as she moves this way or that through the ranks of the enemies. He growls in frustration when someone manages to get in a hit on this breastplate, crashing against it with enough force to the dent the metal against his skin and cause him to wheeze a breath. "Not. Again." This time his armor holds up a bit better against the strike, or maybe, he backs up just in time to avoid the worst of it. He crushes the enemy in front of him and then swings around to catch sight of Bree, just in time to see her save Patrizio and come back to him. "What's happening?" he breathes out in a rush of words.

Watching the battle take place, Thea prepares herself from another round of bodies. Shouting out to brigade, she calls,"GO! Help bring back who you can,"her voice loud and clear. There's a brief look of surprise as Adien falls to the ground, knowing she can do nothing to save him from where she is. Instead, she focuses on what she CAN do. Which is keep the insides in and keep people from bleeding out.

Among the Malvici soldiers and men on the field Santi moves out, breaking from the line just slightly in that push against the enemy forces when that opening is found with their sudden if not momentary loss of their magics. The Malvici's diamondplate Kopis glinting in the light with a shean of blood dancing along the blades edge as he fights, the man remaining firm in his duty and unwavering as he seeks to cut down the enemy numbers as much as he can. With every slash and forward stab of his blade, his shield raising now and then to deflect blows adding to the song of Gloria, that sound of battle.

Sunaia's struck down -- and she wasn't paying attention to who or what or how, but once she's back up and onto her feet -- she continues. There's too much going on to stop now.

Darren matches his opponents blow for blow, but where one falls, another takes their place. There's a cry of pain from the high lord as he's distracted from the yowl from his sister, letting a hit get in under his guard. "Shit fuck.." he hisses, turning Nightfrost on the ones that would do him harm. And then his sister falls beside him and he lets out a bestial scream, the prince completely ignoring what she'd told him to do and wading into the fray with his sword flashing, trying to guard his sister's unconscious form with his own.

Calla stands in the opening of the Command tent with an eye on the chaos that ensues outside. Orders are barked to runners to keep the lines tight like Preston said, to push together and fill in gaps in ranks with fresh soldiers from the back.

Zyxthylum has to take a break to get a drink out of his medical flask. Taxidermy is one thing, stitching flinching, feeling flesh is another. The mask and goggles come off to reveal the sweaty and scarred visage of the little goblin face. Drawn and tired he looks twice as morbid. More of his special medicine and the tremors begin to subside, a glazed-over look enters his good eye and he returns to the messy work.

Thalamina is anything if not for constant, and truly that is what one should hope for when you are fighting a battle with waves after waves of enemies coming towards you. Steady, calm, each arrow placed within her bow and her focued straight ahead without distraction. As those beside her begin to get wounded, Thalamina shifts her attention, brows furrowing before she looks forward again.

Prince Aindre strides from the command tent in time to see magical fire erupting out in the chaos of the battlefield, surveying what he can of it with a stern look and reading the rest in the many missives which are coming and going. He grabs the attention of one of the runners, taking the missive from him and banner into his hands, this one all gray without any green. "I want full support on those mages! The meddling of minds is intolerable. Run like the wind, messenger!". In the moments after, even with the roar of the battle sounding like an eternity across the fields of Pieros, the Rubino line's mournful calls for their fallen Duke are brought to the Grayson prince on the Saffron winds and he stares on - stunned - for too long of a moment. His expression tightens further, not in anger or sadness but with the stoicism that holds back both like a dam that cannot afford to break in the moment while so much is at stake.

Was already spitting a little blood after the first few few moments. Tarik is more successful in his attacks this time, but it has been years since he had to dodge weapons on a battlefield. Tarik shouts, "Feck!", when he gets hit again. Tarik carves his way towards the healer's tent, holding his sword in one hand and his amulet in the other.

Tarik has joined the Healers Tent.

"I don't..." Bree looks to respond to Porter's question, but then the FLAMES of a Eurusi mage are seen, and she spins, blue eyes wide in both shock and horror. But the work of mages is so beyond her scope of power, so she regains her composure (as best she can), and moves to protect Porter's back.

It's hard to keep track of everything going on, even from her vantage point up on the wall. Khanne is waiting to see if her little rite she called into effect actually works, while also trying to shoot thre dastardly Eurusi mages within her range... unsuccessfully, staying whole and hale... more successfully so far... and, watching out for the others fighting. She spots Aiden falling and furrows her brow, shaking her head when the Rubino line's call out his death. No time to mourn now. It is time to avenge. She then spots Deva fall in a spray of blood and calls out, "No!!" Looking, hoping to see someone save the Redrain Princess, to take her to the healers. Her heart races, her face flushed red, and all she can do is ready another arrow and prepare.

Emma is utterly merciless in the viciousness with which she chops down her next foe. In an unstoppable arc, her sword vengefully swing into its target, which just so happens to be a fortuitously exposed throat. Her face is a mask of feral fury as she commits to her assault, renewing it twice over until a trench is hacked into flesh. Blood gouts outwards from the terrible, gaping wound; it shines like rubies as it splatters across the mirror brightness of her breastplate. Yet more illumination is reflected within the metal when a pillar of fire climbs into the sky, licking tongues of red and gold against sheen of Emma's armour. It's then that she turns wide-eyed to stare at the flames like a woman enraptured, frozen in place -- just in time to leave herself open to an attack from another assailant.

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

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

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

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

Alis checks command and war at hard. Alis fails.

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

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

Volcica exhales harshly as the rite enacts, glancing to Khanne-- and then following her gaze to Deva. "No! Today's not her day!" Volcica bolts, sprinting from the spot on the wall towards Deva-- no matter how far that might be, or how dangerous. She's got her spear in hand, at least, should she need it.

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

Patrizio checks strength and medium wpn at normal. Patrizio is successful.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Maris checks strength and medium wpn at normal. Maris marginally fails.

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

Gael checks strength and huge wpn at normal. Gael is successful.

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

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

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

Gawain checks dexterity and huge wpn at normal. Gawain is successful.

Volcica checks dexterity and medium wpn at normal. Volcica fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bree checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Critical Success! Bree is spectacularly successful.

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

Volcica checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Critical Success! Volcica is spectacularly successful.

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

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

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

Khanne checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Botch! Khanne fails completely.

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

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

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

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

Corban checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Botch! Corban fails badly.

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

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

Thalamina checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Botch! Thalamina fails completely.

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

Sunaia remains capable of fighting.

The Eurusi mages are struggling, but that makes it far easier for the Cardian mages to pick them off one by one as the battle rages. The commanders, now getting a feel for the intensity of the battle and the terrain upon which they fight, start to form their forces into a hammer that is smashing through the front lines of the Skal'dajan ground troops. The enemy fights with tenacity and perhaps a touch of panic upon realizing that their mages are not nearly as successful as they thought and that their primary advantage might be lost to them. During the course of battle, Khanne is nearly gutted by an enemy soldier only to find Volcica there to block the blade and plant her own in the man's throat. Thalamina is nearly caught unaware as she fires into the approaching lines, but Bree, who after today will be likely know as the Divine Shield of the Templars, saves her from the lance that was going to impale her.

The Eurusi mages are struggling, but that makes it far easier for the Cardian mages to pick them off one by one as the battle rages. The commanders, now getting a feel for the intensity of the battle and the terrain upon which they fight, start to form their forces into a hammer that is smashing through the front lines of the Skal'dajan ground troops. The enemy fights with tenacity and perhaps a touch of panic upon realizing that their mages are not nearly as successful as they thought and that their primary advantage might be lost to them. During the course of battle, Khanne is nearly gutted by an enemy soldier only to find Volcica there to block the blade and plant her own in the man's throat. Thalamina is nearly caught unaware as she fires into the approaching lines, but Bree, who after today will be likely know as the Divine Shield of the Templars, saves her from the lance that was going to impale her. Corban manages to behead an oncoming soldier, but opens himself up to a brutal stab in his lower back.

Coming out of the command tent, Prestong grabs one of the Templar squires and hands him instructions "The Blackram pikes. Order them in to pin their lines and push, try to create an opening to kill one of their Masters now their mages falter. Inform the light horse to exploit openings, dispatch the mounted knights to any breaches to prevent them from breaking through to our rear." Preston says before looking beyond and to the battle lines "What I would not give for Ida and her bolt throwers now, or to be down there myself. Honour is holding to duty, glory is fulfilling wants. And I am bound to the former and not the latter." He notes to himself before returning to the tent.

Slice, stab, nick, nick, nick, stab, little cut, big cut, Phew, Lucita's bladework with small weapons is not easy. Dodge, duck, and a very lucky slippery skid through blood and guts keeps Lucita's head attached to her shoulders when she narrowly avoids a weapon blow as she helps hold the compact line.

The Crimson Blades wade through the enemy - an enemy that suddenly seem to be easier to fight, they can /sense/ something - and they smell victory. Audgrim is lobbing arrow after arrow into the enemies, and now he's striking true. Once they reach the catapult, black and red swarm over the Skal'dajan troops there, and then set up a defensive perimeter quickly and efficiently; they then start to turn the catapult the other way... Hey, all is fair in war, especially if PAID to fight. Audgrim's arrows keep hammering into enemies beyond their defensive line - though they get peppered with arrows in return, so they start building a quick shield wall as best as they can. However, it takes less than a minute to turn the catapult... and start aiming at the OTHER siege weapons of the enemy! A group of enemies break almost through, and once more, Audgrim has to fight off someone up close, but he swings around the catapult and puts an arrow right into the man's eye at close range, cold blooded and collected still, ignoring his own blood loss.

Lenard pushes forwards. The panic in the enemy formation is noticed, and causes his smile to turn into a grin, showing his glee. He becomes even more aggressive, any opening in the enemy lines near him, he'll try to take, become the wedge to separate and slaughter the enemy.

Aiden falling is more than enough to keep Quenia distracted enough that her next attempt to attack one of the Eurusi soldiers goes wide, so wide that she nearly stumbles. However, she spins around just in time to be missed by the returning blade. She's seen real time battle before. This is her first. Her very first where she actually gets to attempt to kill things. Usually she's stuck behind someone. It's all a bit daunting. SHe checks to see if her cousin, Lucita, is still nearby, not wanting to miss her in the fog of war.

Another breathless pause, mopping blood and sweat away. Tikva can feel the rising hope, though, carrying her to surer footing as she fires another shot. It's far too early for victory, but it is never too early for optimism. "Come on-- stand strong-- Gloria is with us--"

Santi had been doing well up until that point, the man managing to over extend while striking out at one of the Eurusi forces leaving himself open. That opening and over extension of his earning the man a quick counter attack. His attempt to block with his shield bringing a glancing blow from the enemies weapon to cut across his arm as he tries to push the blade away only to have it slip past and deliver the minor wound. Blood flowing down along his arm bringing the man to grimace as his shield is all but thrown away to the side before he reaches for his mug.

The battle's going as one might expect. Patrizio's clearly not giving too much thought to the matter of any forces on their own side - he's dealing with what he can see and what he can control, and that's his sword at the moment as he's rallying the soldiers around him forward. The formation of his centurions are steadily cutting into the enemy line, while making sure they aren't being too detached from the body of the main forces, as well as his keeping more of a wary eye on how far they are getting from Pieros, and not risking letting the Skal'daja cut them off...

Lagoma teaches never to ignore augur, and sure enough, beyond Gael's dead-angle he feels it; *sees* it, as a lance comes bearing down upon Sunaia and sends her sprawling, then skidding, across the ground. His advance comes to a sudden halt, air catches in his breath, and with a flit of a stare to the front then o'ver shoulder back to her, he abandons the northern frontline and rushes through a death-array of enemies on his path to the Malespero Lady. Arrows fly by his being, wheezes that whisper promises of a swift end as he catches a greatsword with the longer length of his flamberge, pulling it aside and chambering it into a riposte wherein he drives Flamestrike hard through an Eurusi's throat, piking his head inadvertently into the air just before he reaches Sunaia. He takes a violent hold of her armor's neckline and wrenches her away from the front, lifting her with an abusive sort of ease; "With me, my lady!" He blares aloud, but his actions tell otherwise -- this is not a request. He means to take her to the healer's tent.

It wouldn't be right to say that the battle gets easier, but for now, for a few moments? Porter is able to breathe between swings of that axe. He has to pause for one moment, because he's lost sight of Bree again! This is what he gets for getting caught up. But he notices in time to see her saving another combatant! There's a grim smile that manages to curve his lips, even in this chaos. Proud. After crashing his weapon into another enemy, he hauls ass across the field to catch up with her again.

Ember is finding her rhythm. She can sort of dimly hear the battle around her. Voices, metal on metal. Inside Ember's helmet all of that sounds like it's underwater. She can hear her breath against her visor. She can hear her blood pounding like a drum in her ears. She knows she's wounded but she refuses to /acknowledge/ it. Her teeth are gritted so hard that she feels like her temples might pop. But she can't stop. There are still things moving on the other side. She can't stop until that's well and truly fixed.

Harlex doesn't quite know where he is but he has enough sense to know where to swing that deadly blood red blade. He swipes to the side, splitting the arm off a Skal'dajan swordsman. Another with a spear comes toward him and he punts the severed limb forward, causing the attacker to flinch. The claw-tipped black gauntlet grabs his throat and pulls it open with a brutal spray. "Push!" He barks to the soldiers around him.

Volcica moves to step away from Khanne, to get to Deva, when she sees the enemy out of the corner of her eye. She's not the best fighter, and simply lunges with her spear-- and perhaps the spirits are smiling, because the tip finds Eurusi throat, and she's left staring for just a minute. A soft prayer is offered to spirits and gods both, before she's once again attempting to charge off for Deva.

As the line presses forward, Sir Corban surges with it, his alaricite blade flashing in the sun of the plains. With a shout that is neither particularly distinct nor memorable, he throws himself at the Eurusi spear-carrier, slicing the silver blade clean through the neck. But with the forward momentum that propelled him through the now deceased spear carrier, the knight finds himself catching a blade to his back from the carrier's friend, causing the First Captain to spin to confront the one that had slashed into his skin.

Reese continues to fight on at the head of the Grayson forces. She looks in the direction of the healing tent, finally picking up at that Deva has fallen and sucks in a sharp breath if intense concern. The girl draws back her shoulders slightly, trying to fight on despite the fallen Aiden and Deva. She murmurs softly as if saying a prayer. Reese is still holding her own, managing to fight well. She is still standing despite her injury. She looks over to Tikva to try and make her cousin in law is okay and well to her cousin Patrizio as well. The girl then starts to press forward, at the front of the Grayson forces, she pushes on into the fray.

Thea just stares at the--"Fuck,"she merely whispers as the mages all start to join forces. Rushing back into the tent, she calls out,"Brace yourselves,"she says. "We're going to get a large influx of bodies,"Thea's face grim.

Darren is oblivious to anyone coming to help Deva, the Prince spinning around with his sword to guard her body from any that would approach. He's lost in his anger now, Darren swiping and slashing with Nightfrost for as long as their enemies continue to present themselves to the blade.

Sunaia is still on her feet. Isn't she. Might be. No, she wasn't. But, that was a moment ago. She's here. She's filled with spite. Still standing because of the same, no doubt, or she's just too damn stubborn. But there's the sound of her name being called and she responds to Gael's call, turning a look over her shoulder and flat-out growling at him, until she's scooped up -- and hauled away, and she flails until the fight's out of her.

Maris finds his advance cut off by a new mass of enemy soldiers, another line of Eurusi reserves rolling in to reinforce this section of the battlefield. All the swordsman can manage is to hold his gained ground, allowing the compact forces around him to solidify their positions and repel the enemy assault. The Maw knocks away spear thrusts and parries wild slashes of curved, foreign blades, always vigilant, striking violet eyes trained on the enemy.

Reigna has her head down, working. She focuses on her work. From patient to patient, calling out directions and orders as needed. Supporting her healers, offering suggestions as needed.

In all phases of life - parties, important ceremonies, meals, and (apparently battle) - Baelos Redrain is always late. Or at least so it seems. Perhaps he was in the tangle of the reserves, or at some other post. But now, just as the flames blast the plains the Prince has found his way to the front lines, in the hammer blow, sword in hand, face and armor smeared with mud and blood. By the fate of the spirits, he spots Volcica nearby: "Shaman!"

Surrounded by the surge of Rubino soldiers who follow Aiden, then a few of the Chevalle horse who wheel back towards him, Gawain gasps down a couple of breaths as he tries to find his feet again. Upon realising what has befallen Aiden, the Blanchard calls to whatever soldier might be nearby, hoarse from having been winded, "Help him, Help him," - too late - and goes to grasp his spear again, his shield lost somewhere in the melee boiling up ahead. He looks down to Aiden again, expression hidden by his visor, then lurches forward towards the melee with a cry, "Chevalle! Chevalle!" He spots Corban's predicament and, perhaps intent on making up for something, Gawain heads towards the Knight Captain, endeavouring to clear more space around him with his spear. He takes a slice to the arm for his trouble, his plate buckling slightly, although fortunately for him, it turns out to be superficial.

Bree's promise to stay beside Porter is TECHNICALLY still there - even if she finds herself slicing down one of the Eurusi, cutting her path through their forces as the Gild emblazoned armor she wears begins to reflect the red of battle. She senses off to her left another onslaught, another ally being forced onto their heels, and with little thought she sprints forward, the clank of her steel sounding, and the brunt of her shoulder used to dislodge the lance-wielder, to send him flying back. "You okay?" she asks of Thalamina, a woman she's never met before this day - but now is not the time for introductions! She spins to find her constant, the Kennex Knight who fights beside her always, and exhales a loud, "For the Compact!" as she rushes forward again.

Gael has joined the Healers Tent.

Sunaia has joined the Healers Tent.

Felicia continues her pursuit of the Skal'dajan magi, a black and silver spider stalking the ones she can spot through the clash of swords. Those she comes across she falls upon with a vengeance, taking advantage of their struggle to use their powers to cut them down,"Surrender!" the shout bellowed at the Eurusi near her for those who hesitate to cross her path.

"Shit" Thalamina hisses as the lance grazes her though does not actually move through the soft fleshy bits it was hoping to. "Thank you" she tells Bree with a serious expression, eyes blinking slightly as if the constant focus clearly wasn't good for her. "I'll return the favor next time" she says with a grin before moving to pull her next arrow from the quiver and notch it for the next push as she hears the next command.

Martinique exchanges a few more strikes with her knife-wielding opponent, a wiry Eurusi woman who is clearly grinning wickedly under the veil. She strikes, attempts to strike again, but cannot get through her enemy's guard--but likewise her own evasion is too swift for the blade to strike home.

Khanne is too busy watching Volcica move to head off to help Deva to notice the Eurusi fighter coming right at her. She has just enough time to open her eyes wide in surprise when she sees the sword about to gut her. She arches her back, trying to move out of the way, but thankfully, Volcica has her head in the game today and lunges with her spear just in time, laying the enemy out. Khanne puts a hand to her heart and bows her head to her friend, her vassal, thanking her silently as she takes just a moment to catch her breath. One deep inhale, a slow exhale, and she's back with bow in hand, though her face looks far more pale from the fright.

Rinel straightens from a patient with a grim smile. "Get him to convalescence," she tells an orderly, as she begins to wash her hands and tools. As new people enter the tent, her smile goes flat. "Get those two off their feet!" she snaps. A new, clean set of tools is taken, and she makes her way to the newcomers.

Tesha's internal worrying may start manifesting if she isn't careful. The woman has left her helm off to the side of the tent and is currently waiting for updates. There's a lot of them. She gives a look down to her hands and there's a thoughtful look as she moves to find something to write with and a scrap of paper from her pocket. It might not work. It might. But she's going to try it anyways. Or die trying.

Bridget's contribution to helping with the command tent slowed. Mostly, because she was busy with leaving the tent, mounting her horse to scout and return with results. It was an unnecessary arduous feat for the woman in full plate. She returned panting, with the vague assurance that "It is getting better."

Having been skimmed across the flesh of her hip by the point of an thrown shortspear, Emma nonetheless rights herself with more speed than she ought to. She braces herself steady on her feet, readjusts the grip of her sword hilt as she finds her purchase on the blood-splattered ground, and levels her steady gaze on the isolent fool who would seek to slay a princess of Valardin. A wince of pain crosses her ethereal face, but the expression flows into a determined gritting of teeth. Blue eyes flash with a glint of balefire hatred as she dashes and dodges through the path of Oathlander knights, moving to the metallic song of their clashing blades and clanking platemail. As soon as she's within distance of her prey, her sword falls upon him without mercy. Her voice pierces the air as she slashes and stabs. "Die!"

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

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

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

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

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

Tesha checks intellect and war at hard. Tesha is successful.

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

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

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

Maris checks strength and medium wpn at normal. Maris is successful.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tikva checks dexterity and archery at normal. Tikva marginally fails.

Gawain checks dexterity and huge wpn at normal. Gawain is successful.

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

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

Martinique checks dexterity and small wpn at normal. Critical Success! Martinique is spectacularly successful.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Porter checks dexterity and huge wpn at normal. Porter is successful.

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

Orick cuts a few glances between the wound he is stitching closed and the stumbling Gael over near Thea and Rinel, as soon as Orick is done with his current patient the blood is instantly wipe clean from the aeterna gloves he is wearing and he rushes over to try and steady Gael, "Easy there sir, you're in no state to head back out-" Ultimately though, he cuts a hesitant look between Gael and Thea as if he meant to stand down if Commanded.

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

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

Tikva checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Critical Success! Tikva is spectacularly successful.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Volcica checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Botch! Volcica fails completely.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Felicia checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Felicia fails.

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

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

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

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

Sunaia has left the Healers Tent.

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

The sound of weapons crashing together and the shouts of the injured and dying fill the air, a loud din that might make even thought impossible. The commanders, perhaps confident now that the tide of the battle seems to be turning, make several calls that manage to separate the bulk of the Skal'dajan forces so that the troops can start carving them up. In the field, the tide of losses and injuries seems to be ebbing on the Compact's side. Volcica, so soon after saving Khanne from a debilitating blow is targeted herself, but Tikva, bloody and wounded and yet still moving and walking in her determination to make sure Deva is helped, helps prevent Volcica from suffering the same fate that she saved Khanne from. Martinique is a whirling dervish of death with her poignard, carving her way through the line. There seems to be a shift in the morale of the troops as well. The sense that, perhaps, the scent of victory is in the air...

Darren could totally help Deva if he wanted to. But he's far too busy felling those who would dare lay a finger on a Princess of Redrain. His cape does, at least, swirl majestically around him as he fights.

Though left exposed from his forceful blow before, Sir Corban Telmar's diamondplate breastplate withstands most of the strike against him. He presses on forward in the line, felling the warrior that sought to fall him first, and driving himself forward into the Skal'djan lines that begin to buckle. "Forward!" he calls out to the other soldiers. "Forward until they rout!" The alaricite blade finds another enemy to drive to the ground.

The mercenaries in black and red manage to lobby five or so large boulders at enemies and other siege weaponry, smashing a ballista to pieces - but they are forced to abandon their overtaken catapult as the enemy presses in too much. Rather than leave a functional siege weapon behind, they cut ropes, set it on fire, remove the supports holding it in place and ten or so push all they have to send it rolling down a small slope, towards the enemy; a catapult now on fire, moving into the enemy lines. There's some cheering and jeering from the mercenaries (and most definitely some quick looting), before they swarm away to another part of the battle field. Audgrim and the archers are covering on the outer flank, lobbying arrows over their comrades, while a shieldwall protect their flank. Their new target? The enemy archers. Their mobile force rely on hit and run, and they weave nimbly through the battle, crashing into the archers from the side, causing havoc and bloodshed. Audgrim and his fellow archers, move together, targeting those Skal'dajans that come rushing to aid their own, to give their melee figthers a better chance. With the commanders now having tactics that split up enemy forces, the archers there find themselves almost alone - the Crimson Blades make quick work on them, and already they start looking for their next best target.

Prince Aindre emerges from the command tent once more, the stoniness of his expression having finally broken into something.. not angry, not vengeant, but there is something terrible and with teeth there as he pulls several runners to the the side and barks orders. "Up the middle. Find field officers Forthright and Saven where they ride. I want to see Skal'dajan forces divided, show them the fury of closed ranks and brothers and sisters standing back to back." He doesn't voice anything about his fallen brother but it's there like the whisper of a ghost. "You, to the Rubino lines. Pull the faltered Grayson flank and use it to bolster. I want to give the Rubino troops the talons to pull our enemies to pieces. If Aldavere has fallen, congratulations on your promotion. Now ride. Hard, soldier!". Okay, maybe a little vengeant.

Martinique likes fighting. It's why she's a soldier. And today, well, a normal person wouldn't call this 'fun' but Martinique is clearly enjoying herself, a wide rictus of a grin spread across her features as she finally skewers her knife-wielding enemy, then whirls around to slash out the eye of another foe. Another turn, almost a complicated and point dance, and she sinks the knife under the ribs of a third enemy before jerking back and aside from the frantic blows now aimed at one carving through their comrades with grace and glee.

Staggering through the chaos, Tikva shoots a man in the throat at point blank range and then kicks him while he's still choking on his own gore. "Hey," she wheezes at Khanne and Volcica, saluting with another arrow. She staggers a bit, grins with blood spattering from her split lip. It's a very shit-eating grin, pale and wasted with that reckless, fey energy about it that sometimes overtakes her on the field of war. "League of redheads, gonna get Deva to those tents. Help me gather her up?" She could totally carry Deva on her own if she didn't... have... an arrow sticking out of her side.

"Forward!" Patrizio shouts at the top of his lungs, as there's the separation appearing in the lines of the Skal'dajan forces. His sword gleams as he points it forward, the snake on the protective wrap about his hand practically hissing at the enemy as he gestures. "For Setara and for Arvum! NO quarter!" The blade flashes, back and forth, as he advances with the centurions into the breach.

Still unscatched in this battle, Maris launches another heated foray into the thick of enemy lines, trying to clear the way with broad swings of that bloodied bastard sword. But he's just as quick as he is strong, deflecting spear, sword and axe alike, clearing the way for the compact forces around him. Here or there, enemy soldiers get to taste the lick of his rubicund blade, going down into the dirt and grit on the field with missing limbs or gaping wounds. Still, he steps over them, hungry for more bloodshed as the tide of battle slowly turns.

It's kind of like playing a game. Ember is there. And the other player is there. And it's just the two of them. And then she steps over the other player's body and sometimes her boots go squish because the other player is open now. But that might be giving it too much thought. More consideration than is coming from the Bloody Baroness. To Ember, it's like this: it's kind of like... the other person is there. And she's not dead yet. So she keeps pushing forward. Keeps killing. Keeps killing. Keeps killing.

Perhaps high on the stroke of luck that was saving Khanne, Volcica runs headlong into danger! There's a quick flash of a smile to Tikva, and a look to Baelos, and then she's pointing to Deva and Darren, and nodding to Tikva. "Baelos, guard us?" Big brown eyes look to the Prince, and then she's forcing her way towards the fallen Deva, and majestic Darren.

The joy of battle Lenard possesses is no doubt helpful in this occasion. The knight's blade directed at the enemies of the compact. The prince's zeal matched only by his prowess. The Oathlander is finding purpose and passion in this crusade. And though injured, he pushes on, with clear intent to make the Queen of Endings quite busy today.

Michael has his own orders to give, finally it may seem for the gusto with which they're given. "Lyros. Take the Irregulars from the reserves and follow Rubino in. We'll be the haft to keep them separated." Michael's man-at arms, his messenger and now a unit commander takes to horse to form up the unit that had been gathered and formed for the Lodge of Petrichor and will now seek glory upon these plains.

With his rubicund mug in one hand and his diamondplate kopis in the other Santi is a man on the move, the Malvici Lord pushing forward into the Eurusi lines bringing his blade up to block an incoming enemy sword only to turn in towards the man as his left hand brings up his mug bringng the heavy base to slam into the side of the enemy's head. The Malvici stepping past as the Eurusi warrior drops to his knees leaving the man to those behind him as he presses on, a grin slowly begining to form along his lips as if the man were truly enjoying himself.

Preston looks over the map in the command tent, stalking back out to observe the reality, before marching back in to the tent. His lips purse, twisting as he muses over things before he gives a nod "I think we must accept that having opened the door we must now step through, with the fullest expression of our devotion to the Gods." Preston takes a small slip of paper and scribbles on it before signalling for one of their runners "Commit the remainder of our mounted forces and reserves, and notify Solace to do the same. Break them, pin them. If they surrender once their Master dies accept it and disarm them." Preston instructs, repeating what is on the paper so it can be relayed "Gloria watches us, brother. We must show we are her children. Honourable and devoted to defend the innocent, to a righteous cause."

Quenia is out-skilled by her combatant. She's been fighting the same one for several rounds now, and at the very least she hasn't been joined by others yet. She's not used to so much physical exertion, and some of that might be showing as well. She's still capable of dodging just fine, keeping out of the attackers ways. She misses the others falling in the fog of war, aware of only her immediate surroundings for the moment.

Lucita's lips move to silently shape "mourn later, fight now.. ow." She shakes some of the gore off her dagger and wipes one hand across a sweaty brow before lunging in to attack another foe. "Watch out Cousin Quenia!" She warns as she catches some of the battle being waged beside her.

Brianna is bloody. She is wounded. She is dizzy and flagging, but she musters all her considerable strength and even more considerable stubbornness and keeps fighting. She has no other option. She has people at home who need her.

No where that Bree charges into battle to save people will be absent of Porter! He covers her path through the field, ensuring that no one tries to sneak up on the exuberant Butterfly Knight (or himself). His back is turned to her, an occasionally glance thrown over his shoulder to keep a mental note of where she's gone to next. But all the while he's swinging that axe, cutting down any that might get in their way. "I think we might win!" he calls out to her and side-steps the blow of a sword, returning the favor with his axe.

If it didn't get Harlex's blood flowing he might feel rote about the whole thing. They fall under him, he takes ground, they scream and then they gurgle. Whisperer sings reliably in his hands, slicing through when he isn't maiming or rending. Cutting the leg out from under one soldier, his heavy boot comes down to break the head like a melon. He doesn't feel or see anything noble ahead or around him. He sees soldiers, on both sides, fighting and dying. He sees glee, like baying wolves, running down the prey. He smiles at this, like all falsehoods are at last shed, and he laughs.

Deva is probably just making gurgling noises, but would absolutely yell at Darren if she was awake. But she's not. Her spectacular redhead saviors will find her pretty easy to hoist off the ground, aside from all the blood. Still breathing though!

Felicia pursues the mages among their ranks with a single minded determination. Where the Cardian mages catch one alight or dispose of her target she continues her path. Mage stalking death in her spider tabard and diamondplate. It's business to her, the opportunity given to the faltering Skal'dajan troops in her infrequent bellows of 'surrender!', an opportunity not offered to the one that manages to find a spot between her platemail.

Reese contines to press on still at the head of the Grayson forces. The princess focused on the battle. Her thigh continues to bleed, but she is still able to fight. She looks over to Deva with concern, but doesn't break formation.

Tesha's shoulder's slump as nothing happens when she scribbles out something quickly. Maybe it didn't work like that. She does settle the strip of paper back into her book though and she returns the to commanders table to speak with a few of the runners that are back.

Bree's skill in battle seems to be improving the longer they are at it - the fire fills her veins, the exuberance of her fighting cutting through the line that faces her and her fellow knights. "Onward!" she echoes the calls that move through the Compact forces, turning to flash a quick grin at Porter's optimism. "Gods willing!" she calls back, spinning to his side to deflect the blow of her own assailant, sweeping her foot outward to knock the foe to the ground. "The air is different!" She doesn't rush off this time, too focused on her own back to leap into action.

After her close call, Thalamina is at least a bit more relaxed in her movements, lest she find herself far too focused on one particular area to ignore another. Her arrow sails through the air even as the commanders order the troops to begin separating the Skal'dajan forces into smaller, manageable groups. She doest even make whooshing sounds as the arrow flies and sticks into the neck of an enemy soldier.

Khanne shoots off another arrow, watching as it hits its mark. However, she then sees Volcica, her own savior, coming under attack... the Eurusi who dared soon feeling Tikva's arrow in return. She looks to Tikva, to the arrow in her side, then heads off towards Deva with Volcica and Tikva. "I'll help. You two... just... no lifting."

The din of war is loud, but Baelos Redrain is louder! He takes a few minor blows but otherwise is dispatching foes ably as he makes his way to Volcica, Khanne, Tikva, and others. And he is a redhead. He nods, "I will cover you!" His range is long enough that perhaps he will do just that.

As Gael's coat comes undone, soon follows his vest, only that it must be forcibly ripped apart if it's to make way with the many cinching embeds of wood from the shattered arrows. Luckily, the leather parts to the violent wrenching of knobbled hands, and after many a tearing noise he reveals the grim valley of injuries littering the broad berth of his torso. Fissures redundantly cut atop scars and other amassing of collagen, where warped flesh is torn anew to be reshaped by these cuts, and stabs, of sword and arrow alike. Blood indeed flows in healthy droves for Rinel to staunch, and the body of Gael surrenders more and more to the cushion of canvas behind him, his eyes rolling in their socket to their ceiling, verging into unconsciousness as skin pales and lips turn damp. "I didn't have a choice," he answers back, his voice a stifled yet mulish rejoinder.

Electing to follow through after Corban as a gap is formed in the line, Gawain thrusts and jabs at the foe ahead. He's struck again for his trouble, a glancing blow off his greave, and he stumbles, though doesn't fall, apparently intent on following the Silver Sword deeper into the fray. As plans go, it's pretty simple, some spur of the moment decision to stick by someone, with a small band of soldiers out of Chevalle following the Blanchard on through.

The battle rolls on, and by this point Emma has taken a few glancing glows from weapons both cutting and bludgeoning. No doubt she will be covered in bruises and nicks by the end of this engagement. If nothing else, however, the slow-growing pain that's spreading through her frame has one advantage: it sharpens her attention in the act of denying that very pain; it makes her attacks more efficient (but no less vengeful) as she slashes and stabs into the meat of the enemy forces. She's cold fury now, totally absorbed by her bloody work, for better or worse.

Ember checks luck at normal. Critical Success! Ember is spectacularly successful.

Rinel checks luck at normal. Botch! Rinel fails completely.

Orick checks luck at normal. Orick is successful.

Bree checks luck at normal. Bree is successful.

Aindre checks luck at normal. Aindre is successful.

Santi checks luck at normal. Santi fails.

Patrizio checks luck at normal. Patrizio is successful.

Volcica checks luck at normal. Volcica is successful.

Corban checks luck at normal. Corban is successful.

Malesh checks luck at normal. Botch! Malesh fails completely.

Tesha checks luck at normal. Tesha marginally fails.

Reigna checks luck at normal. Critical Success! Reigna is spectacularly successful.

Porter checks luck at normal. Porter is successful.

Tarik checks luck at normal. Critical Success! Tarik is spectacularly successful.

Maris checks luck at normal. Maris fails.

Lenard checks luck at normal. Lenard is successful.

Harlex checks luck at normal. Botch! Harlex fails completely.

Audgrim checks luck at normal. Audgrim is successful.

Tikva checks luck at normal. Tikva fails.

Calla checks luck at normal. Calla marginally fails.

Preston checks luck at normal. Botch! Preston fails completely.

Thea checks luck at normal. Thea fails.

Oswyn checks luck at normal. Oswyn is successful.

Michael checks luck at normal. Michael marginally fails.

Emma checks luck at normal. Emma fails.

Zyxthylum checks luck at normal. Zyxthylum is successful.

Gawain checks luck at normal. Gawain fails.

Martinique checks luck at normal. Martinique marginally fails.

Darren checks luck at normal. Darren is successful.

Deva checks luck at normal. Deva fails.

Kael checks luck at normal. Kael fails.

Gael checks luck at normal. Critical Success! Gael is spectacularly successful.

Lucita checks luck at normal. Botch! Lucita fails completely.

Thalamina checks luck at normal. Botch! Thalamina fails completely.

Alis checks luck at normal. Alis is successful.

Khanne checks luck at normal. Khanne marginally fails.

Quenia checks luck at normal. Quenia marginally fails.

Reese checks luck at normal. Reese marginally fails.

Felicia checks luck at normal. Felicia fails.

Baelos checks luck at normal. Baelos marginally fails.

Brianna checks luck at normal. Brianna fails.

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

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

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

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

Tikva checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Tikva fails.

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

Preston checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Botch! Preston fails completely.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tesha checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Tesha fails.

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

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

Thalamina checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Botch! Thalamina fails completely.

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

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

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

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

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

Bridget has left the Command Tent.

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

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

Tikva remains capable of fighting.

The forces of the Compact have grown confident. Their Cardian allies seem to be easily picking off the Skal'dajan mages, who don't seem to be nearly as effective as promised for some reason. The fighting drags on for minutes that feel like hours and the ground below them is churned into red mud with the blood that has been spilled. Those that are most sensitive to magic feel it first. A strangeness in the air. A low rumble in the earth. When the vines lash out from the thick clusters of trees that surround them, they strike without caring who they hit. Skal'dajan, Arvani, Cardian. They are all trespassers here in these jungles and they will all. be. punished. The Cardians take the worst of the initial blows. Petraea Livy, furious as she sees her people fall, continues to target the Skal'dajan mages brutally basically turning them into pyres, thinking they must be behind this. The vines begin to strike against anything and everything on the battlefield. The troops. The tents. The command tent is knocked down on one side and Tesha might have suffered for it had Kael not been quick thinking and got her out of the way. The vines lash out again and again and the trees.


The trees begin to -move-.

Orick checks mana and occult at hard. Orick is successful.

While tending to the wounded, Thea feels a rumbling. And--"Was that a vine,"she asks, a bit confused. "I thought we--,"but then she does a dobule take. "Did those trees fucking MOVE?" She shifs closer to Sunaia, muttering to herself. "Damn plants...I thought this was done---"

Tikva checks mana and performance at hard. Tikva is successful.

Ember checks composure and occult at hard. Ember fails.

Quenia immediately calls out, "If they are anything like the Thornweave vines, stay away from them!" Yes, Quenia knows quite enough about /those/ vines. She's seen blood eating vines before. The treees though? Those are a whole other story. She looks up and gapes at them.

Lucita checks mana and performance at hard. Botch! Lucita fails completely.

Reese looks to the Grayson soidlers with intense concern in her gaze. She tries to seek out Aindre as if looking for him with help directing the soliders. She then tries to rush toward Tikva as if meaning to defend her. She is praying all along to Gloria. The princess looks nervous.

Emma gets a pair of curved diamondplate short swords from an azure steel scabbard with engravings of dragons.

Emma wields a pair of curved diamondplate short swords.

Ember is still fighting. Trees are trees. They can wait their turn. She's still after warm-blooded prey. She chases down a Eurusi and misses another Eurusi about to cross her path trying to flee from the vines. The Eurusi fleeing has a sledge -- he swings it wildly -- there's a KLONG sound and a CRUNCH as Ember's helmet visor is smashed in. Ember is staggered but doesn't drop her sword. She claws at her helmet with one hand in a daze -- grabs the helmet -- pulls it off -- hair braided back, away from her face -- lips peeled back into a blood-stained snarl -- nose probably broken -- breathing makes bubbling sounds -- her eyes are solid black -- spheres of midnight in her sockets -- she makes a noise that's barely human --

Rinel checks mana and occult at daunting. Rinel is successful.

Reese checks mana and theology at daunting. Reese marginally fails.

THe moment the trees attack - Crimson Blades are whipped about, a few of them, but then they start retreating. Audgrim is running, rushing even, shouting; "The Island doesn't like people in general! This isn't Skal'dajans, this is the ISLAND trees itself!" He's not a very commanding person, but he's doing his best to make his own side realise what is going on.

"Pull back!" Patrizio's spent the bulk of his life as a soldier and now as a commander of others, but he's aware that there are things beneath the heavens that are not as easy to attack as other people. And these trees and vines are some of those things, especially in light of those things he's hearing shouted about him. "Pull back towards Pieros and form up a defensive perimeter so we can figure out how we're supposed to stop these things!" It's a horrible thing to consider, but as Sir Tiberio would've told him, were he here, sometimes you just have to buy some time to figure out what you're doing, and that sword of his continues to slash at the vines and trees, working to try to buy the Legion time to follow his orders.

The lash and whip of the vine that slaps across Tikva's face and neck sends her reeling. She staggers, finds herself on hands and knees on the earthen jungle floor. She scans around, panicking with wide eyes as she witnesses the arboreal assault. "No, no, no, we _just_ got out of--" she breathes, and surges to her feet. She takes in a deep breath, lets it out, then another, through the diaphragm. She fills her lungs despite the scream of pain in her body and then lets loose a pure, high, musical note, resolving to sung words, a shimmering crescendo borne clarion over the screaming and clashing of the madness of war: "BACK, PLANTS! BACK, VINES!" She doesn't have a rhyming scheme, but she is _very_ loud, as she tries to interpose body and song between the forest and the other wounded. "I SING YOU BACK! I SING THESE SAFE! SAFE AS SANCTUARY! SAFE BY PETRICHOR!"

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

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

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

Aindre checks mana and occult at hard. Critical Success! Aindre is spectacularly successful.

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

Baelos checks strength and medium wpn at hard. Baelos is successful.

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

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

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

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


*** Martinique has called for an opposing check with Ember. ***
Martinique checks strength and brawl at easy. Martinique is successful.
Ember checks strength and brawl at easy. Ember is successful.
*** Ember is the winner. ***

Maris checks strength and medium wpn at hard. Maris is successful.

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

Kael checks strength and medium wpn at hard. Kael fails.

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

Volcica checks mana and occult at hard. Critical Success! Volcica is spectacularly successful.

Tesha wields wings of twilight oathlands steel longblade with twisted flames handle.

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

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

Oswyn checks mana and theology at daunting. Oswyn fails.

Preston checks mana and theology at hard. Preston is successful.

Reigna checks mana and occult at daunting. Reigna fails.

Khanne checks mana and occult at daunting. Khanne fails.

Quenia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Quenia fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gael checks composure and intimidation at daunting. Gael fails.

Felicia checks mana and occult at daunting. Felicia fails.

Felicia is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

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

Orick walks of the healer's tent still in a daze and in another language he shouts something that the plant life around him, bellowing in something that is definitely not common arvani.

Lucita is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

Martinique begins calling out to their troops, "Fall back! Fall back!" This is above like, all of their pay grades. Forests are not appropriate opponents for common soldiers, at least not unless they had some torches or something. She takes a bit of a slice from a vine but shrugs it off, and continues her call until--oh no. She spots Ember, her eyes black, and she grimaces. "FUCK!" She's seen this before, and this time--well, she just charges at her baroness and throws a punch straight for her jaw. It is blocked, and Martinique curses again, circling. "If I have to stab you, Zoya might flay me alive to make a new dress." She knows the words fall on deaf ears, but she says them anyway.

"Pull back!" Patrizio's spent the bulk of his life as a soldier and now as a commander of others, but he's aware that there are things beneath the heavens that are not as easy to attack as other people. And these trees and vines are some of those things, especially in light of those things he's hearing shouted about him. "Pull back towards Pieros and form up a defensive perimeter so we can figure out how we're supposed to stop these things!" It's a horrible thing to consider, but as Sir Tiberio would've told him, were he here, sometimes you just have to buy some time to figure out what you're doing, and that sword of his continues to slash at the vines and trees, working to try to buy the Legion time to follow his orders.

Michael was rather unprepared for the commander's tent to begin to waver wildly in the air above their heads. So his first slash opens up the entryway much wider until he steps out to hack the pathway open of those who will attempt to depart fromo the commander's pavilion towards the troops proper.

Santi mutters beneath his breath when he sees the trees begining to move after those vines had begun to lash out, The man managing to dodge the vines keeping away from being tangled up or ensnared as he can be heard by those nearby briefly "Mother fu.." The words falling away into the din of battle and the sounds of shock moving along the lines. The Malvici Lord looking along the way the vines seem to be attacking them all, Hearing the call for retreat the man doesn't fall back right away, Instead Santi stands to help hold off he attacking flora in order to allow others the chance to withdraw.

Lenard chases after the fleeing Eurusi, through the vines. Ignoring them as they lash him, his blade finding purchase in the retreating enemies, continuing his chase, grinning as he deals death to the enemy.

As the trees of the island comes to life, Deva releases an intensely awful, loud, and pained noise as she jolts awake as if deeply wounded yet again. It probably doesn't sound all that great for Volcica, Khanne, or Tikva. Darren might be used to it. A hand clutches at her chest as if reaching desperately for something underneath her leathers and failing miserably. With wild, angry eyes, she glares at the faces of the Eurusi nearby and begins to spit and screech in an awful but seemingly fluent language that is not Arvani. In fact, it sounds an awful lot like the noises from the opposing army! The words pour out of her mouth like a waterfall of deeply buried and seemingly endless anger that sounds like some long-winded variation of 'go screw yourself.' When she's done, she wheezes for breath and passes right out allllll over again to continue bleeding on everyone coming to her rescue.

"Lady Telmar, are..." you all right. These words? Kael does not bother spending time saying them. No, he just assures that Tesha is indeed fair before whirling about and seeing to the safety of the others near him. His hand moves to his blade, gripping the hilt as he bows his head and takes this moment, of all moments, to speak a prayer underneath his breath. It is a mantra that continues, under his breath, even as he is on the move in an attempt to evacuate. That he is moving on the heel of Princess Alis Valardin is likely an expected thing, though the Keaton Marquis is attempting to ensure those in his vicinity are doing all right - including himself. Alas, this - perhaps the distraction of prayer - causes his strikes to be entirely too weak, or miss, when they occur.

The Crimson Blades are NOT getting paid to fight some trees - especially not since they're not technically the enemy they are getting paid to fight. Besides, Audgrim convinces his group to run with him back towards the command tents, weaving away from fights. On the way, Audgrim is shouting; "THE TREES DO NOT WORK FOR SKAL'DAJA, they come from this ISLAND! THEY have killed Eurusi before!" He's shouting this even as he's coming up to the command tent. "Hey, listen, the trees don't five a flying fuck who is here, they'll kill ANYONE. I donno if we can fight a whole ISLAND! Better we move back and let them handle the Eurusi and defend - oh right, what Prince Patrizio is saying." He upnods to Patrizio and then winces, nudging at the arrow still stuck in his side. "Shiit, it is chafing against a rib."

Darren ineffectually tries to cover the party of those taking Deva to safety, the Highlord flailing with his falchion at the trees. "Bloody trees!" he says angrily. The groan from Deva immediately has his attention, the man reaching for his twin's hand, making everything more awkward for those carrying her as he tries to hit trees with a sword, hold his sister's hand, and follow along with the group.

After her earlier outburst, Quenia is doing her best to try and usher Lucita back from danger, but her cousin has other things in mind. "Lucy! Now's not the time!" she says urgently to the Baroness Saik. "We've got to get out of here!" When it looks like Lucita isn't going to budge, she takes in a deep breath. "Alright, then I'm not leaving your side," she tells her. She sets up in a defensive position to protect Lucita for whatever it is she has planned, doing her best to put all of her training behind that action. Unfortunately, things get past her in their attempt to make for grabby hands and such. Or, in this case, grabby leaves, and Quenia becomes too busy to protect her cousin as she'd wanted as she tries her best to fend off the man-eating foilage.

When Martinique tries to sock her in the jaw, whatever self-control the Bloody Baroness has remaining is spent smacking the soldier's fist away. It's a reflexive motion, like swatting a fly. Ember doesn't stop to consider, doesn't display any further interest in Martinique, because she's already moving. Her eyes remain painted over completely in ink, and Ember makes sounds usually heard from wild boars -- you know, the kind that eat people. Her sword is drawn, and she's ready to kill man and tree alike. Audgrim cries out somewhere that the trees 'will kill ANYONE' -- the woods are not alone in that tonight.

Sort of skipping away from a vine that lashes at him, Gawain jabs at the thing, and again, then another, though maybe a spear isn't ideal for chopping things up, and at best he's keeping them at bay, not damaging things. There's a call for retreat, and the Blanchard hesitates, then looking to the soldiers to his sides, he hisses a breath and starts to withdraw, spear ready to lunge at any unfriendly foilage.


Orick walks out of the healer's tent still in a daze and in another language he shouts forceful commands at the plant life around him, bellowing in something that is definitely not common arvani. The words flow out of him as if conjured from another time and place, perfectly spoken words seem to have some sort of effect on the vines around him, none of them attack Orick and the Professor weaves his hands through the air deftly with that glazed over expression as he continues to walk boldly toward the vines without an ounce of fear. "Stand down and go back where you came from, this is not your fight.. not this day! We are not hear for the jungles and I would not see you fell by our blades!"

The trees start to move and Porter stops fighting because seriously, what the fuck is this new fresh hell? He stares around and then starts shaking Bree's shoulder like maybe she doesn't see it. She totally does, there's no way she doesn't. "We need to move! Get the wounded and go." And then he's trying to do that and trying to avoid vines and- "This isn't included in the training, Knight-Commander!" he calls out. He does /not/ try and kill any of the vines.

Tarik has left the Healers Tent.

There's a moment, where branches attack and Felicia pauses in her stalking of the remaining Skal'dajan mages. Gloved hands raised to the air as she calls out a plea to the dead in the tongue of Deathwhisper. And then collapses bonelessly where she stood. Clunked in the back of the head? Rebuked by other forces? Hard to tell as she collapses among the dead and dying heedless of where she falls.

Oh. Great. The plants are attacking. Brianna screams at the vines at hacks at them, managing to stay up, but not really managing to get any headway.

Tesha was not prepared for the tent to get shredded and thank goodness Kael was paying attention or she'd probably have another head wound. "Thank you." she tells Kael quickly as she straightens again. This time she pulls her sword and manages to hold it with one hand while she puts the visor down on her helm. She swings at one of the branches that intrudes, but she can't seem to hit.

Carrying the last powerful note of her song, Tikva holds it as the trees and vines seem to fail to breach the circle around the healer's tent. A bright sheen of unspent tears trembles in her eyes as her lips curve up. "Sanctuary," she breathes. "Oh, shit. Well--" As the music shields the healers and the most vulnerable from the onslaught, she staggers, and drops to a knee on the ground. She resumes the song for fear that if she stops singing, the warding circle around the tent will fail. But the vines and trees have stopped breaching it. For now.

Maris holds his ground admist the roar of battle, one of those treacherous vines finding purchase, managing to slice him at a weak point in his plate armor. But he finds even more success in his effort to fight back, hacking down thick vines and earthy trunks in his assault, knocking them aside with powerful slashes of his bastard sword. Despite it all, compact forces seem to be falling back.

Tikva has joined the Healers Tent.

Lucita attempts to join Tikva in singing but she is tired, winded from the battle and wounded. She can't catch her breath enough to harmonize with Tikva in trying to sing the dangers away from those most vulnerable, the wounded and healers. A tear of frustration trickles down her cheek as everything goes dark and she falls unconscious.

Sir Corban isn't quite certain //what// is going, though he has fought against things that had evil plants and branches before. He hacks and slashes at the vines and other vegetation that comes at him, managing to keep them away from him for the time being. It is then that he sees the former knight of the King's Own fall and he manages to retreat safely enough to grab up Felicia over his shoulder, to carry her back towards the healers.

Rinel snaps her head up from where she's working on Gael's wounds. In an instant, she's flicked a latch on Reminder and unsheathed the blade contained within the cane. Her eyes dance around as she raises the weapon--and then she dodges aside as vines erupt from beneath the ground. Vines near her. Vines near her /patients/. The theologian takes in a deep, deep breath and closes her eyes. When she opens them, there's something else in her gaze. "Not. In. My. /Clinic/."

There's the rustling sound of a breeze, and then the vines nearest her are blown back as if caught on a rogue wind.

When the tides turn, or rather the trees move, Bree is frozen by wonder for the briefest of moments. Like Porter, she's overwhelmed by the sight, but unlike Porter, she's seen something like this before - with Tolv. The moving of vines. She nods to his call, "Yes! Protect the injured! Don't let the vines get them!" She rushes with him toward the fallen, to the tent where they're being brought. "Gild guide us!" she shouts to the winds, narrowly dodging a creeping branch, but she kicks them back from the healers. One of the tenants of knighthood is to protect the weak, and so that is what they do!

Caught by the vines as they collapse the command tent, Preston pushes himself back to his feet and his eyes flash for a moment with something approaching anger. Preston takes a deep breath, coughing a little from the blow "Hold." he calls, edging so he is between the trees and the path to the others. Crusader, its perfect blade, is drawn and Preston holds it in a guard as his voice begins to lift. It is a canticle of the faith, his eyes closing as he loses himself in prayer. After a couple of moments, Preston plants Crusader in the ground point first and kneels on one knee, praying to Gloria. His armour even seems to glow for the briefest moment to those close to him, but that's no doubt a trick of the light. But those close do seem to survive with less damage.

She's found more of her people. Khanne's allive, and with them. Tikva saved her, and is there. Baelos is there, Deva's not dead yet, and Darren is there. Things are coming together-- but then the trees are writhing and flailing, attacking, and Volcica takes a deep breath, and closes her eyes. She pauses, focusing on.. things.. and then.. she's crying. Sobbing. Gasping, terrified sobs of pain. "Stop.. stop crying. Calm down, calm.. it's.. it's going to be okay. Please stop.." Slowly, slowly, the trees and vines nearest her start to settle.

Harlex grits his teeth. "Fall back!" He barks, hacking at a vine. Waving his sword round like a sheep herding harassing his flock, driving them away from the jungle. "Not dying on a branch because some silks wanted a new island, let's go!" He kicks one soldier stammering, reasonably, at the otherworldly sight.

Malesh is not known for his martial prowess. The last time it's known that he showed up to a fight it cost him an eye. And some hair. The hair grew back at least. He doesn't really know what he's doing outside of the command tent, but when the fight comes to him he does the only thing he can think of, dig his spear tip into the ground and turn a circle, a little whirlwind of death just for the weeds. Luckily for the tall, tall man, these plants are all short, for now. They got him with their sneak attack, staggard him, but he's doing okay for himself with his whirling counter attack!

As the surrounding hinterland goes rogue and sapient, and roots of black and charred bark begin sneaking in from underneath the tent's canvas, Gael's unaware -- but only so at first, as he not sees, but *feels* the tension off of Rinel's sudden movements, and in an instant he shudders awake. Quick-like, he unfurls from his chair while effortlessly he frees his hat to hang it on Rinel's head, freeing his eyes to avert about in search of Flamestrike, the tilted-over flamberge strewn over his would-be bedding. He wields it, and interposes himself between his healer and danger, the blade angling into fighting stance as vibrations sonorously ride up its undulating edge, and just as they are about to be overcome by them, a power that doesn't use words sends them soaring off before his very eyes to the sound of a rushing, inexorable gale. "What the fuck," is all he's able to coherently put together.

Is still grimacing in pain as he attacks the trees around around him, "I refuse to let this be feckin hot place be where the Moriens fall!" Tarik sees Lucita fall and takes a deep breathe which only causes him to feel more pain, and rushes to her side. Tarik puts Luctia on her his shoulder, "This one is for you, Rowenova." Tarik whispers to fallen Lucita, "Yeah, you are going to us future cub watching"

When the trees join the battle, Calla's ember eyes grow wide for a moment before she jumps into action and starts to call the troops under her command to fall back and regroup. Her gaze desperately scans the battle for someone in particular, but the Baroness only huffs her frustration when she can't seems to find whoever it is. A shake of her head removes any thoughts lignering as she gets back to work relaying orders.

Bridget's horse was already on its path away from the unnatural, deadly plants. She makes no moves to steady the beast or change his course, seeming to concur that retreat was the best course of action.

Where there was a command tent once, now it's no more and Prince Aindre has somehow, miraculously, managed to not go spilling over with the linen shelter and much of its contents, this due in part to a duck of his head and no small amount of luck. Somehow, the sight of the living foliage doesn't seem to stun him as much as it should and he grits his teeth and tears his eyepatch off to whip his head around in search of something. Whatever he's searching for he seems to find with a weary, long-suffering huff of realization. In a heartbeat he makes a decision, finding someone's nearby steed and relieving them of it. As he climbs up, he tells his second, "Andros, mind the men. Steady as they are, give no mercy!", and then he's off while digging in his heels into the horse, encouraging it along and fast across the battlefield. It's the Cardian mages he seems to be heading for, riding through their ranks, shouting to them, "Cardians! There! It must go!", pointing wildly at a lone Bayan tree at the edge of the jungles. He has no authority over them, but hey, Cardians die as well as anything else to attacking vines and branches. Whether they go or not, he seems to be spearheading the charge.

Reigna is having a convresation with the young blonde woman in the medic tent. The blonde looks terribly frightened, shaking her head repeatedly. REigna gives her a hug and reassurances, but as the vines attack, Reigna's jaw sets and, once assured the young woman is safe, she gets back to her work.

Reese is there with her weapon drawn. The princess seems to be a guarding position and she seems to have been praying. She is doing her best to try and keep Tikva safe is she can. She tries to keep an eye on the Grayson forces too. Her gaze once again strays to Aindre, hoping to year any commands he gives. She looks over to Santi, sucks in a soft breath. She turns to Deva at her noises and her blue eyes widen. She looks really worried. "Princess Deva..." She says. Reese doesn't follow inside to the healer's tent though, but stays out of such ready to try and fight and defend their retreat as best she can. She looks to Felicia. "Will have to make sure we get her.." She says half to herself, trying to note where the fallen knight is. She then notices Aindre, is encouraged by him and goes to follows his charge!

It should at least be _relatively_ easy to keep Tikva safe when she is kneeling on the ground singing at plants instead of leaping around getting herself shot.

Oswyn has left the Healers Tent.

Breathing slow and deep as she casts a wary sky-blue glance at the spooky vegetation, the blood-splattered Princess Emma considers her options as to how to proceed next. One hand is raised into the air at shoulder-height to signal the attention of the handful of Valardin knight's under her command. Her voice is firm and decisive when she raises her voice to the armour-plated warriors. "Hold, for now. Do not advance unless I give the order. Retreat immediately at my command." It'd odd that she doesn't look especially surprised at this leafy turn of events, but neither is she going to rush in where angels fear to tread, either.

Combined efforts to either soothe or hack at the vines seem to be working at giving more Compact soldiers room to fall back to the city and minimize further losses. The Skal'dajans are not so lucky. There is nowhere for them to retreat but into the very jungle trying to kill them. The combined forces of the defenders had cut a bloody swath through the Skal'dajans anyway. The trees simply clean them up. The air smells of blood and sap and is filled with screams and the sounds of dying men and women. The Cardian mages are nearly wiped out. Petraea Livy, whatever she is now, is not fit to interact with. She's injured. She's furious. She's -on fire-. Then, as Aindre and Reese move to approach her, she seems to be dragged hard and fast backwards through the jungle and away from the 'battle' as it stands. As the people retreat or are killed, the vines start to calm, as if satisfied to be dealing with the problem of human infestation one way or another.

The trees are moving... That doesn't seem good. But she's trying to carry Deva to the healers. Deva - who suddenly jolts awake and starts yelling what to Khanne sounds like gibberish before she passes out again. If nothing else for Khanne, this battle is a lesson that multi-tasking is not her strong suit. She pauses her carry, stooping down to the ground to touch the earth. She closes her eyes, wiggling fingers in bloodied dirt. She can't seem to find whatever it is she was clearly looking for and rises up with a deep sigh, going back to making sure Deva gets to the healers.

As the vegetation seems to grow more quiescent, Tikva's song dies out, the last night dying aborning. She bows her head, breathing raggedly, her palms bracing against the ground. She teeters, blood dripping from her face, her side, and is finally silent, except for one last muttered, "Shit."

Ember checks willpower at daunting. Ember is successful.

Orick's chanting in that ancient tongue trails off as the trees fall back and he blinks several times as if coming out of a trance, he stumbles and then looks around to find himself -outside- the healer's tent. He promptly resolves this by retreating for cover and figuring out who needs healing in the aftermath.

The withdrawal slows, as the Pravusi forces draw closer to the wall once more, and there's the faint relaxation of the expression on Patrizio's face. "Hold positions," he calls out to his soldiers, with a look mindfully up and down along the line. And a wary turn of those jade eyes towards the jungle as he's shaking his head. "I'm thinking that we keep guards posted. Keep an eye out for more of those... things coming out of the forest." And a turn of that gaze towards those who'd been handling tactics while they were the field. "And if something comes moving towards the walls... hit it with Arvum Fire until it dies." He might be joking, but the tone of his voice hints that he's not.

Audgrim is leaning up against an armor rack near the healer tents, hand over the side of his belly where he's got an arrow still, and a cut over his hip. He's not as badly off as others though, and most of his blood is still inside his body. He's listening to the hypnotic singing, a bit dazed and confused, but as the forces have withdrawn back and to more safety, he stares out at the mayhem on the field where the trees are slaughtering the Skald'ajan forces. "The enemy of my enemy," he murmurs wryly. "Now to figure out if we can get OFF this island..." He calls out to see if there's ANY news about the maritime battle.

Somewhere between Petraea being jerked into the jungles and the assault of the flora seeming to slow down in coincidence it, some of the righteous wind in Prince Aindre Grayson's sails seems to die off and he brings his charge to a halt, noting Princess Reese is there as well. He holds up a hand for her and uses his outdoor voice, "Hold on! Hold up!", and quickly adds, "It's.. it's not evil. It's scared. Or was..". Whatever that means. The tree? He turns his gaze to survey what he can see of the battlefield to ensure for himself that the attack of the flora truly has halted and only then does he look back to Reese, "Are you wounded, cousin?", with some concern for her.

Getting back to his feet, Preston lifts Crusader and places it away in its scabbard as all seems to be calming. He flags down a runner "Signal to the ships they can come in. Let us start the process of returning our people to the mainland." He says before he looks wearily towards where the front was fought "I have people to visit for now. See I am not disturbed, I should see what the bill is. And say goodbye to our brothers and sisters" And Preston walks off towards where the fight was fiercist, to see and speak to the Templar troops.

Alis has left the Command Tent.

Preston has left the Command Tent.

Only when Bree is certain that no roots will be carrying off any of the injured does she ease up on her alert. Her eyes are to the retreating forces, to the bodies that litter the plains, and then to Porter. "You're right," she exhales a breath, her lips curving slowly. "We need a new training regime." She rehomes Celestia, and then moves to clasp him on both arms, her gaze sweeping over the taller knight quickly. "You're hurt. I had to... you're going to be okay." She squeezes, and then turns to look again to the fields. The tabard of the Knights of Solace dot the survivors (and some of the fallen) and she nods her head. "We did it."

As Gael is witness to the branches slowly receding away through the openings that bore them, a profound softening of realization loosens the glowering perpetuity of his stare set upon that flapping tent-wall. His hands tilt downward along descending wrists, and he lowers his blade's long end to the ground alongside them. Sighing in a strange release of dejection, he laments that, "The trees are pulling up their roots. Darkness corrupts their land." However stubborn this man is, indeed, he sweeps his hat off of Rinel's head and turns to drop slowly on his back across the cot. Staring at the ceiling, his inchoately grumbled regrets continue. "A shadow has fallen upon Arvum, as humans have fallen."

Is it little surprise that once he is capable of it, once he is able, Kael is striding in the direction of the healers. Is he injured? No, no, nothing like that. Yet there is a purpose born in his movement, a desperation in his eyes, and finally he can breathe an exhale of relief once he spies Reigna in the distance. He'll just stay there a while with her, out of her way.

Volcica seems to gather herself enough to follow after the other Redrains, tears still streaming down her cheeks. The occasional sob still makes her shudder, but she reaches out to lightly touch those around her. Khanne, Tikva, Deva, Baelos, Darren. Just making sure they're okay, that they're still here.

Ember's rampage continues until suddenly she finds herself without any more Skal'dajans to rend, without menacing vines to hack. The inky black color of Ember's eyes quivers and then recedes, like a skin being peeled back from over eyes normally the color of fire. She stands there, far ahead of even Aindre's men, having gotten so lost in wrath that she veered wildly off-course. Battered, bleeding, and having lost a stretch of time, the Bloody Baroness sheathes her sword... and is disappointed to do so. She lingers in her spot for long moments afterward, listening, as though hoping she'll hear the sound of underbrush rustling ominously once more.

Eventually, when there's no more Eurusi to kill, Lenard turns around. The Prince leaving the now calmed forest, taking a moment to brush off anything that's too excessive before making his way back to the enemy, his smile fading as he looks around at what happened, wordlessly heading for the camp. To get a bath. Any who talk to him get a shake of his head before he continues.

After a moment, however, Bree turns to look at the forest, the calmed roots and branches not meaning a threat disappeared. "What spirits haunt these trees, I wonder?"

"It's not nearly as bad as the last time!" Porter insists when Bree points out that he's hurt. "Maybe we can incorporate ropes into the drills!" He'll allow himself to be directed to wherever there is first aid, chattering the entire way in the remaining rush of adrenaline and excitement.

Reigna has left the Healers Tent.

Santi resists the urge to look back seeking out any within the retreating forces, The man standing in defense slowly pulling back as its clear that others have had a chance to withdraw and that their own wounded had been cleared. That diamondplate Kopis held at the ready even as the vines begin to calm, The Malvici Lord for now forgetting his shield out there among the bloody mud and the dead and dying Eurusi. Moving back foot by foot until finally withdrawing to the relative safety of he city once others had the chance to withdraw.

"Never the ropes," Bree snorts, the adrenalin of the battle still pumping through her and allowing her to see the humor in it all. She'll feel the weight of the losses soon, no doubt. She moves off with Porter to make sure he is tended to.

Reese halts the charge as well when Aindre does and when the rush of battle starts to leave, the weakness of being injured starts to take over and she winces. "I'm okay. Just a little injured." She says as her right thign bleeds and the girl starts to limp. Now she that is not on the high of fighting, she is feeling the pain. "You did wonderfully." she adds. "Very commanding. Um...we need to make sure we get everyone who fell." She adds, looking around.

Tesha reaches up to pull the helm from her head when she realizes that for the moment they've won. Or...stopped things at least. She resheathes the sword that she was holding and then looks around to see if she can see familiar faces besides those that were in the tent, "Corban?" she spies her cousin. Oh boy. She heads to see where she can help...and hopefully not make any roots angry in the process.

Martinique pursues the rampaging Ember, always a step or so behind her as she has to deflect enemy attacks and avoid rampaging vines. It's really hard to catch a battle-maddened warrior woman in the midst of an angry forest and an enemy horde! But ultimately Ember comes to a halt for lack of enemies, and Martinique skids to a halt next to her. "Baroness. We've won. Let's go." She says simply, grabbing her liege's shoulder and trying to steer her away from the carnage.

"Rope!" Porter inists.

Kael has left the Command Tent.

When the fighting ceases, Calla finally spots a certain Malvici lord and heads over to him with a look of relief, hooking her arm in his as she looks him over for any significant injuries as they head back to the city.

Michael has left the Command Tent.

Maris is left in a field of red, having defended the rear of the retreating compact forces. That crimson rubicund armor is splattered with an additional layer of red, though very little of the blood is his own. For the remainder of the day, he helps in hauling back the wounded and dead until they can finally leave this damned island.

Khanne After seeing Deva off to the healers, Khanne returns to the battlefield. She looks out over the destruction that is strewn about, slipping her hand into her pouch to take out that wooden disc that appears to have some sort of symbol on it. She kneels once more ot the ground and whispers those words again, thirteen times. "For every action, an answer..." When she is finished, she rises up, battle weary and bloodied, both her own and others staining her white leathers, and heads off with Volcica, Deva, Darren, Tikva, Baelos, and the others towards the ships, ready to sail home.

Once it seems she's adequately defended herself from man eating trees and vines, Quenia makes her way over to Lucita's side. "Medics! Some help getting my cousin to a tent or back home would be appreciated!" she calls out, then she looks over to where Aiden has fallen, and if no one else has gone to tend to him she calls attention to that as well, making sure Rubino-Zaffria Duke is seen to in the aftermath of everything.

Ember allows herself to be turned by Martinique. She snorts some blood out of one nostril and comments, bitterly, "Even victory isn't enough anymore, Messere Barlinnie. Even victory isn't enough."

Calla has left the Command Tent.

Tarik gets Lucita back towards the healers, before taking off his helmet. He wipes the sweat from his brow, "Too feckin hot here. It is worse than Arx."

When Reese mentions the fallen it seems to expel the adrenaline right out of Aindre who goes loose in the shoulders all at once and where that bold confidence was on his face it becomes the sort of sadness that stoicism only barely can hold back in a time like this. "My brother fell. Aiden fell. I need to find his body. I have to. Can you help me with our men? This one last time?". There is maybe something uncharacteristically pleading to his face then and he goes in search of exactly that, trying to keep the desperation off his expression, attempting to locate the Rubino line and where they had been.

Thea has left the Healers Tent.

Orick has left the Healers Tent.

Tesha has left the Command Tent.

Reese sucks in a soft breath. "I can of course help." She murmurs. She sounds concerned, her thoughts likely drifting to Duke Aiden.

Gael has left the Healers Tent.

Rinel has left the Healers Tent.

Crawfish has left the Healers Tent.

Tikva has left the Healers Tent.

Malesh has left the Command Tent.