Something Wicked has started at Arx - Ward of the Crown - Grace Way.

It's not worth it, whatever It is. Natalia does not move until she confirms everyone else is, and she is HOLLERING once she hits the main room of the house. "GET EVERYONE OUT! NOW! RIGHT NOW!" Thank goodness the vast majority of the staff there are familiar with her, having been a Whisper as recent as a week ago, and all. She does not wait too long to see that her orders are being followed, because she too is heading out of the building.

Mirk comes to a halt outside, a little winded by his rush. "What's happening?" He asks no one in particular, casting a look over his shoulder. It's uneasiness more than alarm now, tensed, as if waiting for something to strike. One hand goes to the dagger at his belt, more for reassurance than preparedness.

Evaristo moves fast when he wants to and comes to an abrupt halt some fair distance from the Whisper house. He whirls around to stare at the building. "What the bloody A - err, what is going on?!"

They can see what's wrong as soon as they head for the receiving room. Something's growing over the door. Something grey and cracked, that creaks against wind that doesn't exist. And it's growing through the receiving room too, around the furniture, through the stained glass lampshades, up the walls...it's wood. Dead wood. Dead wood that's alive and growing very, very quickly.

Octavian, a silken spaniel, Ruslana Stormshead, an aide in Kennex livery, 3 Kennex corsairs arrive, following Zoey.

Dragging as many people as possible with her, Sorrel seems very concerned about the creaking, joining with the group outside to look over at the building. "I'm going to be in trouble //again//," she grumbles warily, standing on her toes to see through the crowd, trying to do a quick headcount.

Lucita steps over near Mirk, casting her glance around her surroundings, both grounnd level and up along windows and rooftops. Her expression holds the same question that Mirk voiced.

Vitalis's words cause Adalyn to rise on tiptoe, desperately searching the crowd. Concern is etched into the deepening frown she wears. "Did he not follow the gathering out? I don't see Lianne or Cesare either..." Her agitation grows by the minute and she looks about ready to launch herself back in despite the ominous sight growing over the door.

Kiera rushes out the door, trying look for sunaia as she exits "Cousin are you alright?" having no clue what had previously transpired at their table, and wanting to asses her welfar

Once outside, Lou turns around and carefully observes the area, looking for anything out of place. Sure, she'd know such things. Maybe. Possibly. In an urban setting, right? Probably not all that great. Woods are her thing. But, no matter where she is and that wood...? That wood is not natural. "Holy shit!" Yeah, Lou's usually polite, but she can curse when the situation warrants. "Get away from the Whisper House, NOW!" And loud. Sometimes loud.

Jamie, turns once he's in the street, looking back towards the building as the grey, dead wood begins to grow over the door and then spread to the rest of the building, and quickly begins taking another headcount, looking for a couple people in particular.

Mia, like all the rest of the crowd, streams out of the Whisper House along with the others. Booted feet move quickly out of the street, but not quite so quickly as to keep her from looking over her shoulder. "What the....," she begins, though soon trails off, her hand moving to her belt. To her sword. The bow would be preferable, but in city streets, with this many people...

"Oh, shit," goes Natalia, as she goes pale. "Oh, oh shit. Oh gods, did everyone get out?" She turns, and bolts. Not towards the front door, but in the direction of the side of the building, as fast as her little feet can take her. "START GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF THE OTHER BUILDINGS!" It's a general command, yelled back as she moves.

Zoey was on the street, on her way to Whisper House to check on one of her proteges when she heard and saw the commotion. Her guards move in closer as she goes to investigate.

Sunaia looks to Kiera and offers her a nod. "Yes, I'm fine," she says. Though what's on her face is concern, and perhaps a little bit of panic as she just stares at what's going on. Just a little bit frozen in place.

"...what the...." Evaristo breathes, staring in horrified fascination, rooted to the spot, till Lou snaps him out of it. "What if it spreads?" he asks sharply. "We could go to the Bard's College." He too is reaching for his weapon, unbinding his warpick from its peacebond. If someone's going to have an issue with that, well, so be it. Then Natalia's words hit him, and he grimaces. "What even IS it?!"

Pasquale stays very close to Sunaia, leaning on her slightly, as the wood spreads over the walls. "Send some people for axes. Not everyone left."

Siri, an attentive apprentice arrives, following Apollo.

Fajra arrives, following Lianne.

Dolente, a mourning dove, Dolce, a collared dove, Apollo, Lianne arrive, following Cesare.

Jerome, a bodyguard, Elaine, an older courtier, Morgana, a proper secretary, 2 Valardin Knights, Bijou the Jewel, the Graypeak Mountain Dog arrive, following Isabeau.

Seeing what the cause is, Valdemar backs away further, and when there is a call to evacuate the other buildings, the Duke moves to do just that. Starting with whatever is immediately next door to Whisper house, he pushes doors open to yell, his voice booming, "Everyone, get out here now! No time to explain, just get everyone outside!"

Apparently, today Ian is tagging along with his wife, the proverbial husband holding the purse while the wife runs errands. Except they have people to do the purse holding, because nobles. He takes the read of the crowd pretty fast, fast enough to draw Zoey up short well before the two of them get to the front of it in a way that puts himself between her and the focus of everyone's attention.

Vitalis is with Adalyn, the two thrumming with alarm and straining to see the bursting growth in Whisper House, "There are people left inside! Adalyn-" his voice chokes off.

Mirk curses as he finally realizes the problem, though quietly. "Sylv'alfar magic," he says to Evaristo. "What can be done? Axes might not be fast enough..." He shakes his head slowly. He speaks softly, not adding to the din with an unfamiliar voice that might only add confusion.

Lucita looks toward Mia and Mirk. She shudders as she lowers her voice to speak to him. Her color fades a shade and eyes open. "Here? Happening here? The Templars are just north of here. Will they come see, come look?"

Evaristo looks at Mirk. "...singing?" he says a bit weakly.

Once out, Lisebet too turns to look. Her eyes widen and she starts backing up. "That's definitely not usual," she says. Upon hearing, she heads for the nearest building, knocking on the door, pulling it open if she can and yelling at the top of her singing trained voice. "Everyone out - there's danger!" Whether they listen or not, that's another story. But she can try and get more people out of the way of danger, just in case. She can try.

cultist bookseller arrives, delivering a message to Lucita before departing.

Evaristo keeps listing ways. "Fire..?" He looks hopeful. "Uhm, maybe not."

There's a sudden rush of panic and activity outside Whisper House, though no one on the outskirts can really say what's going on. Are people being evacuated? Is this another earthquake? The ground isn't shaking, but there's a certain sense of CONCERN nevertheless.

Sorrel looks in the direction of Lucita, heading towards her and considering Evaristo. "You think we should sing?" she wonders curiously.

1 Knight of the Temple, Trouble, the waddling raccoon, 1 Redoubt Buccaneers, 1 Templar Knight guards, Luzio, the burly Mirrormask, Ridley the Rat arrive, following Giada.

Jamie, too, reaches for his weapon, starting to unwind the peacebond that secures his sword to its sheath. Even without his armor, he seems to intend to fight if something comes out of the building. He watches how quickly the wood starts to spread across the Whisper House and then moves to the edge of the building, trying to smash out a window with the pommel of his sword and call to those inside. "THIS WAY! YOU NEED TO GET OUT! THE DOOR IS BLOCKED!"

Mia's eyes snap over to Mirk at his statement and she nods the once, sharply, to him and Lucita both. Even so, she's still backing away from the building, saying, "Yes. Yes, though I've never seen this kind....," she replies, her voice low and grave. Why she would've seen much other sorts is left unexplained, but then she here's Vitalis and, "Who? Who is still inside?" It isn't a question, so much as a demand. Catastrophes apparently eliminate the need for anything even vaguely resembling politeness.

"Not fast enough." Pasquale says softly, perhaps to softly to be made out over the general noise. "Is still better than nothing."

Evaristo throws his arms out, warpick in his hand now - he avoids smacking Mirk on the knee, somehow. "Well, that's what has worked before with them, right? Though I mean... the cost is high, isn't it. I was just throwing out panicky suggestions! I've never seen anything like this! You think we CAN? I mean... I'm just a bard!"

Evaristo wields Valiant, Warpick of the Carnifex.

Giada comes rushing up, her hand dipping into her satchel to pull her mirrormask free. "What's going on?" she asks the nearest person, eyes flicking around.

Vitalis answers Mia, "Apollo. And the Marquessa." He shakes his head, "I don't know who else? Cesare, Adalyn, you said Cesare?" He's easing towards Jamie, approaching the doors.

Mirk's words hit Lou's ears. "If someone is causing magic, then it's someone in the crowd doing it. Or someone that /can see/ what's going on here." At least, she assumes so. Gods let it be so. She starts looking around for people who might be up to no good. "We know it's not one of us." She hopes. She draws her sword and moves closer to Mia and a few others.

Lou wields forest mist diamondplate falchion.

That done, Lisebet returns to look around and see who is here, and what is going on. "Whoever it is might be inside?" she offers, not that it helps really.

Lucita glances toward Sorrel. "Not sure. The last times I have tried singing have near killed me. Singing is not always the right answer to a problem... but.. if you feel it best, I will try. Lord Mirk, have you an alternate suggestion?"

Calluna, A Young Highhill Mastiff arrives, following Drake.

Moonsilver, the pale-feathered raven arrives, following Raven.

Isabeau, as much as she might like to stay and investigate and look into the happenings, is bodily being dragged by Jerome away. Her entourage forming a protective ring around her as she is taken away.

"Is there some reason people are drawing swords to fight magic?" Zoey says to no one in particular as she tries to move Lucita and Sorrel

"Is there some reason people are drawing swords to fight magic?" Zoey says to no one in particular as she tries to move Lucita and Sorrel's direction.

Nothing can be seen on the outside of Whisper House (nothing...yet, anyway), but they can all hear the creaking here too now. Creak. Snap. There's a little bit of a shiver near the well crafted doors. People are starting to stream into the streets, both due to the shouting telling them to evacuate, and out of confusion and alarmed curiosity. A few Whispers and servants come running out when called, but it's no more than a handful. "Is it another earthquake?" one of them asks.

"Singing might be risky. IF there's someone out here causing it, then perhaps Mage Sight could locate the source? But in circumstances like this..." Mirk pauses for a moment, thoughtful. Almost reluctant to continue his thought. "It's lives at stake. I suppose a little danger is warranted.."

Evaristo looks at Lou and Mirk again, rubbing his chin. "If it comes from somewhere... we might be able to find them," he murmurs. He starts squinting hard around the area, looking at people and into the Whisper House itself.

No, Apollo and Lianne and Cesare - they emerge. From an alley. A different door, maybe? And then there is confusion. "No, no, we're here!" Apollo shouts. "Don't go back in after us, we're here, there's roots growing and writhing -" he breaks off, eyes turning around. And he shakes his head, retreating, back away. Back away, he's shaking his head, clutching Lianne's hand. "Let's get out of here," he says.

Raven isn't visable yet but there's flapping above and somewhere near Zoey perches Moonsilver, the pale and ridiculously large raven. Blue eues size up the situation, head canting as it scans the crowd.

"So singing's in your repertoire," Sorrel replies to Evaristo, her hand on her sword as well. She nods to Lucita seriously. "You don't have to try. But you know that I'll rush into danger headfirst." She looks to Zoey for a moment. "Probably because we feel more secure with a sword in our hand. It's a comfort. Gives confidence. Boosts strength." She draws her own sword. "Can anyone see the source? Is there something active to point to?"

"Many times the things that use magic can be hacked into," Giada says to Zoey as she lifts her hands to tie her mask into place. "It's also the nature of people to bring what they can to bear against fear. Can someone pretty please tell me what's going on?" The Archlector of Tehom's face disappears behind stygian and mirrors that are far, far too reflective.

Ian rubs his forehead once as the situation becomes more clear. He touches Zoey's shoulder. "There are people inside the Whisper House." It's an explanation, but not in the sense that he's explaining why people are drawing swords. No. It's an explanation as to why he's about to go get involved.

Lucita says, "We were in a meeting in the Ballroom. The floor started creaking and someone called for us all to get out. There was some sort of wood growing into the building..rapidly, the receiving room mostly but all around in there though we could get out. Dead wood. It seemed to be dead wood.""

Evaristo nods to Sorrel, but he is distracted. "I'm trying to look for the source," he explains. Truthfully, he looks like he's having eye problems, with his squinting and deep frown, concentrating hard. "Singing is risky, isn't it."

Raven rounds the corner in long distance eating strides, "Who or what has mystically farted in my new damned city? Why do I have the overwhelming sense someone has done something foolish?"

"Oh thank the gods," says Natalia, stopping abruptly in her tracks with the sudden appearance of Apollo, Lianne, and Cesare. She huffs out a breath, deflates for just a moment, then draws herself up and turns back, heading for Sorrel. No further hollering happens from her -- whatever panic there WAS, is gone now.

Pasquale looks up when he hears Apollo suggesting that Lianne and he leave. He nods across to him to let him know he's seen but makes no move to leave himself.

Mirk checks mana and occult at daunting. Mirk marginally fails.

Someone wearing an artful and unnaturally reflective stygian mirrormask's eyes narrow faintly. "Did we keep tossing names around again?" she asks as she watches the building. Her hands unstopper a small black glass bottle and water is poured ritually over her hands in ablution. The priestess seems to be suiting up in her own way.

"Apollo!" Vitalis wilts with relief, grabbing onto Adalyn's arm, as the three emerge. He rocks onto his heels, parsing what he's said. "Roots." His brow is furrowed, lips forming a question, a few alarming thoughts coming to mind. He looks to the grand House.

Drake left the Whisper House just slightly before the actual call to evacuate. He was on his way home, when things started to fall apart outside, causing quite a commotion at the outside of the house. He has a blade on him, simply as luck would have it, but a tree doesn't immediately appear to be a thing to draw steel at.

Zoey hears Ian's words and looks of realization followed by pleading draw themselves upon her face. "Please be careful," she asks him before giving his hand a squeeze.

"Everything is risky," Sorrel tells Evaristo with a vague smile that's more bittersweet than anything. She looks then to Natalia as she draws closer to her.

"Skittering," Lianne appends to Apollo's description, though her volume's a bit lower, not likely to carry far among all this commotion and panic. When it looks like Natalia might be headed their direction, she offers a look of warning. That is /not/ a direction anyone wants to go. "It's more than just roots coming up from below..."

Sunaia looks up at the sound of Apollo's voice and there's a look of relief on her features when she spots the Marquis, Marquessa, and Whisper. Then she looks aside to her husband with a few quiet words. She's not rushing to go anywhere, instead just standing there. Observing. That's it. Observing.

Lucita mutters, ""Lord Ian, ... windows, can you get up ... them and people out of them?""

"Fucking..." Giada is not pleased. "If there's insects, this is beyond us."

Lisebet considers, and then she shakes her head. "Actually, we were being relatively good about names," she observes. "Though the conversation was on deep and meaningful conversations." She stares at the building too, wondering if there are centipedes to be seen, or if there's anything she can see. Is there anything on the air today?

Merek looks along to the Whisper House while he comes along, his sword upon the hip and hair drawn back a little bit while he wears the dark attire he often does, scarf along the features. "What's going on?" he asks. The man seems to consider while he places a hand upon the hilt of his weapon.

Raven spots Ian and calls, "Lord Ian! Have you a sitrep? Do you need assistance?" she looks relieved to spot the seasoned swordsman and makes a be line for him.

Apollo is a whirl of recognition of relief - Natalia, Vitalis, Adalyn, Sunaia, Pasquale - and he blinks, shakes his head. Nods. These two things mean the same thing. Off they go.

Fajra leaves, following Lianne.

Siri, an attentive apprentice, Lianne leave, following Apollo.

Adalyn's eyes are frantically searching the building's facade, but snap to search the crowd instead when Apollo's voice suddenly reaches her ears above the din around them. "Oh, thank the gods," she mutters when she catches sight of the marquis alongside Lianne and Cesare. Her shoulders slump with relief upon spotting the trio and she takes a few steps back from the Whisper House, no longer looking as though she might recklessly consider bad ideas. "More than just roots," she murmurs an echo of Lianne.,

Lucita glances from Ian up to the windows, then back down, a little gesture toward them as she murmurs something quietly to him.

After he manages to get some people outside, Valdemar sees people with weapons drawn around him and does the same, drawing the greatsword from its sheathe at his back in spite of the fact he looks sick. Eyes a bit wider as he looks around, the Duke is shivering. Upon seeing Lianne, he moves toward her, and when he gets close enough, he begins to talk to her quietly.

Jamie, at the edge of the building, has broken out a window and is calling people forth from inside - telling them to /avoid/ the receiving room, if they can. He, like many others, has his sword drawn, and looks like he's also ready to climb inside.



Jace finds himself running towards danger instead of away from it. This brings him to the street outside of the Whisper house. Not quite sure what's going on. He quickly tries to spy with his good eye just what exactly going on.

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

Valdemar wields Widow's Lament.

"We need to get as many people out as we can." Ian snaps out the words to Raven in a voice that has become eerily calm. He looks towards the people who seem to be talking about the magic stuff (or maybe just Lucita). "Slow it down for as long as you can."

Raven wields Requiem, a gleaming alaricite halfmoon blade with a shadowmeld grip.

Vitalis eyes the facade of the building, weighing. There are lots of hand holds. He looks at Adalyn and back to the facade.

Ian then, assuming there's nobody present to stop him, goes in to start ordering and/or throwing people out.

Evaristo clutches the skull pendant hard in his hand and keeps concentrating as best as he can amidst the chaos and all the people, staring at the Whisper house. He's not being very helpful here.

2 Culler Brutes, 1 Culler Boatswain arrive, following Raja.

Lucita closes her eyes and draws a slow breath. "Slow it down? Gods have mercy and bless us if we try." And she looks toward Sorrel. "Your assessment of risk? Are people getting trapped inside?"

Vitalis hollers, "DOES ANYONE HAVE A ROPE!?"

Evaristo asides to Sorrel and Mirk; "Nox'alfar embassy. Right near."

Raven is certainly not qualified to argue with Ian when there's a crisis so she just barks back, "Aye aye." Signalling she's heard him and aboard with this plan so she moves to assist. drawing her sword and, if it looks like the plan is to enter, she will enter though Moonsilver flies by, peering into the windows.

Pasquale murmurs quietly to Sunaia as it seems that people are gearing up to leap into the building. "You don't have to slow it all down." his words are louder than they were before. "You just have to keep a few key openings clear. That is why I suggested you call in a team of axemen."

Pasquale checks mana and occult at daunting. Pasquale fails.

"Because, Lady Zoey, there's a mage somewhere doing something, and if they are busy working magic, then they're doing something unusual and can likely be seen and stopped." Lou calls out to Zoey. She's sticking close to Mia while also keeping a keen look around the streets. Of course, the streets are filled with lots of people. "Though folk who have magical sight might be helpful here in having a look to see where it might be coming from." And yeah, she said that. Out loud. She stares a moment at Vitalis. "I'm an Explorer man, of course my backpack has rope!" Which she's wearing.

"Ian!" Jamie calls after the Sword of Stormward, a man he's only met once and is /certainly/ not on a first-name basis with, and then heads in after him, sword gripped in both hands.

Sorrel considers for a moment Lucita's question. "I am assessing. If it were just bugs, I'd bash my head into it. But there was also a lot of sadness, and //that// can be quite dangerous for singing. I suggest that we keep our swords out and call for axes. And maybe some greedy birds who like to eat bugs." She glances to Evaristo. "The source is the embassy?"

Evaristo shakes his head. "No, I meant - the Nox'alfar are right near, and maybe one of them wouldn't mind coming out and complain about humans being boring while doing their blood magic shenanigans."

"Toss it here, Pathfinder," Vitalis claps his hands, opens them at her, he'll catch.

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

Raven checks mana and occult at daunting. Raven fails.

Drake moves his hand to his belt, but looks at Sorrel curiously. "Swords for which reason. Do you think something's about to leap out of it? What do you make of it?"



Catching sight of people he knows going into danger. He shrugs, "Only one life to live." Then he draws his falcion and moves to follow Ian and Raven in. "Who we trying to stop or at least do ourselves?" He calls out to Raven and Ian.

Vitalis and Adalyn move towards the facade of the building, aiming to climb to a second story window.

Jace wields mighty ship crashing through tempest seas falchion.

Raja checks mana and occult at daunting. Raja fails.

Vitalis checks dexterity and athletics at daunting. Vitalis fails.

Lucita says, "sadness... Jayus reflection at work with others? I don't have mage sight so can only look for what might be physical signs.""

The sounds of craziness draws Raja near to the scene. She pauses and looks about blinking. The Culler remains on the outskirts for now, trying to figure out why there is so much chaos.

Adalyn checks dexterity and athletics at daunting. Adalyn fails.

"Sometimes people wear bug suits, Drake, and the best way to deal is to cut them down. Besides. This is physically threatening," Sorrel points out as she motions towards the building.

Since he just misses Lianne, Valdemar turns to look around again, watching Whisper House intently for the time being. He is still shivering, his expression still that of a man ill to his stomach even if he shows no other signs of such sickness yet.

Michael wields a honed alaricite longsword with lion handguard.

Has Mia lost her gods-damned mind? It's quite possible that she has, yes. Even as others move to stand nearer to her -- including that entourage she'd left waiting for her in the receiving room for politeness sake -- turns back towards the Whisper House. There's a flicker of *something* in her dark eyes, though it's hard to say what, and soon enough, she ducked out from behind Lou and is weaving her way through the crowd, back towards the very same door she ran out of. One hand clutches the hilt of her sword, while the other a pouch on her belt, whatever good that might do her? Yes, clearly the woman *has* gone a bit daft, or always was to begin with. Though apparently not crazy -- or quite heroic -- enough to go back inside. No, she stops on the steps, staring, her eyes trailing after those who went in.

"We need to get as many people out as we can, before getting out is impossible." Ian replies to Jace, just before disappearing with him, Raven, and Jamie into the building.

Ian checks stamina and survival at hard. Ian marginally fails.

Adalyn seems to understand Vitalis's intentions the moment she tracks his focus to the facade of the building. She gives a wordless nod of agreement and moves forward to join him. Unfortunately, attempting to scale a building is harder than Adalyn seems to assume it will be. Not surprising, given her penchant for launching into action without much forethought.

Evaristo checks mana and occult at daunting. Evaristo fails.

Michael is inevitably around, because Michael does that sort of thing. He'll have to take his time threading through the crowd to eventually tuck up next to Mia. EXCEPT SHE IS BEING WEIRD! He'll have to take off faster to catch up to her before his sword comes out and draws to point downwards towards the ground.

Michael wields a honed alaricite longsword with lion handguard.

Raven checks stamina and survival at hard. Raven fails.

Vitalis tries to get a handhold or something to climb up, he and Adalyn both. He grimaces as the slide and fall to the ground agian. "Natalia," titles eschewed in the alarm, it's unfamiliar at the least, "Is there an exterior stair?"

Mia wields heart of the Riverlands Oathlands whitesteel blade.

Drake wields Icewind, a Diamondplate Longsword.

Jace checks stamina and survival at hard. Jace is successful.

Jamie checks stamina and survival at hard. Jamie fails.

Zoey stays close to Lucita, her guards moving with her after Ian goes to help clear the building. She whispers something to the baroness as she watches from the street.

Kiera sees Drake and goes for him knowing what will inevitably happen next

Sir Floppington the Soulful Hound arrives, following Rowenova.

"Not an external one, and the other is already compromised," Natalia calls back, lifting her voice to ensure it's going to carry. "There are other ways out that they'll be able to use to get out! We can't get there from here though."

Lou pulls a rope out of her backpack and throws it over to Vitalis. "Catch!" she calls out to him. As this is happening, Mia moves around her and Lou completely misses that. Distractions are great! "Dammit!" she curses again, turning around to see that Mia has gone closer to the building. Her brow crinkles in obvious consternation.

Drake nods, feeling that advice to be sound, and gets his blade ready just in case. Normally he's one to rush in, but given that climbing this tree seems to be deceptively difficult, he waits to see if people climbing need assistance.

Someone wearing an artful and unnaturally reflective stygian mirrormask steps quietly through the crowd and kneels on the ground before pulling her satchel around again; the woman's body language is beyond tired. Out comes a small mirror, and out comes the bottle of holy water again to bathe said looking glass in the typical blessing. Remaining on her knees, her gaze goes distant.

Evaristo grimaces and puts both his hands to his head - this isn't working and now everything hurts. "What is she doing?" he asks of Sorrel, and Mirk, staring squintingly at Mia. "I can't see the source..."

Vitalis and Adalyn are definitely trying to climb, if Drake wants to help, it would be most welcome.

From the shadows, Nova and Flop emerge but do not say anything just yet, but finding somewhere proximal to Mirk is what they both attempt to do.

Raja trots up next to Evaristo once she spies him in the mix. She reaches out to touch his arm. "What happened?" She asks of the man. "Are there still people inside?"

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Someone wearing an artful and unnaturally reflective stygian mirrormask before departing.

Lou Looks over to Raja, giving a sharp nod of her head. "There are still people inside. There are people attempting to get them out. But the dead wood is growing."

Vitalis catches the rope tossed him and looks at the coils in his hands and then gives it to Adalyn. "

Drake checks dexterity and athletics at daunting. Drake marginally fails.

Vitalis catches the rope tossed him and looks at the coils in his hands and then gives it to Adalyn. "You're the likelier to between us to make it up."

Vitalis checks dexterity and athletics at daunting. Vitalis fails.

Mirk closes his eyes, breathing deeply for a few moments, and then opens them again, looking closely at the building. At last, he has to look away. "I can't either," he adds. He remains where he is, frustration writ plain across his face. "I don't know what else I can do..."

After a quick whisper to Mirk, Nova nods and then she dashes away to the northwest direction!

Raja glances to Lou, then to Evaristo. "There are other ways in. Should we take the.. back route?" She is not about to run in that way alone!

"It's compromised already, not safe," Natalia calls out to Raja.

"Raja!" Evaristo says - he looks pale and like he's having the worst hangover ever, swaying a little where he stands. "Some sort of Sylv'alfar magic," he tells her grimly. "We were having a meeting... Guess someone didn't like the topic." There's a glance at Raja and considers it. "It's a detour. But we could."

At Ian orders, Jace gives a nod, "Sounds easier said than done. So nothing new." He says rushing in his blade slashing as he tries to slash and cut through the dead wood with his blade. He steps to the side to let people escape pass him.

Sunaia remains fixed on the spot where she stopped after fleeing Whisper House, there's a glance aside toward Pasquale at some murmured conversation and a shake of her head, then she looks back toward the entrance. She looks a bit lost, truth be told, but she's watching, searching for...something.

A Whisper and a few more of the staff stumble outside as if literal demons were chasing them. One trips. All of them are sporting cuts and bruises, and the one that tripped looks as though they've been stabbed with something in the arm. All of Whisper House seems to shiver now, though the outside still looks deceptively normal.

Normal aside from the creaking, that is. And the skittering that doesn't seem to have any source.

Vitalis turns to Adalyn, "Go, get the Baron, I'll stay and see what we can do."

Raven gives an emphatic snarl of vexation as she's driven off her feet and forced to stagger up straitaway to resume her attempt to get to those who're trapped and ushers a few through, "What in all that's holy?!" She grabs and ushers people. IF they're too panicked to be compliant they're dragged or phbysically lifted and then shoved out before she turns to make another trip to retrieve more.

Lou checks perception at daunting. Lou fails.

Adalyn shakes her head, passing the rope back to Vitalis and murmuring a quiet remark but dashing off at a run.

Natalia slips in Valdemar's direction, moving to speak to the Duke quietly.

Kiera seems surprised but not displeased to see drake still outside as others attempt to scale the building in various ways she has no intention of going into the building but looks about to see if she can note anything

1 Clement trained guards, Alphonse leave, following Adalyn.

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

Jamie checks perception and survival at hard. Jamie is successful.

Pasquale puts a hand briefly on Sunaia's arm, whispers a couple of words, and then gives up on the idea of standing up, despite the fact that he was already leaning on Sunaia, and sinks down onto the ground besides her.

Inside the horror that has become the Whisper House, Jamie has ceased 'opening' doors, rather kicking them open and roaring at any inside to dive out the nearest window to safety, and to keep /away/ from the receiving room. Much like Jace and likely Ian and Raven, he's trying to hack at the dead wood with his bastard sword, but he also takes the time to start tossing flammable things into the center of the growing mass of dead wood. "I hate to add insult to injury, my Lords, but swords aren't going to stop this. And the skittering is coming from below... is there a basement here?" The big Greenmarch Lord looks around for anything that might lead down below. Because that exit needs to be blocked off. NOW.

Inside the Whisper House, Ian draws the beautiful alaricite blade from within his cane and starts shepherding people towards the exit, using it only if necessary to keep someone from being seriously injured a root. While he does so, he brings to bear lungs tested and trained over years on ships and in battlefields: "EVERYONE OUT NOW!" He's bleeding from a leg wound that it's a fair guess he doesn't feel, but that's definitely some blood, oh yes.

Vitalis watches Adalyn go and then turns his attention on the building, eyes going unfocused.

Merek looks to the front of the place and begins to make his way along to work on assisting the people coming out of the Whisper House, "Come on, this way." The man motions a little bit while he takes a look into the place, though he's focused upon making sure people will make it out, he's not going to delve that deep in but he's checking a little.

Valdemar has put the point of his sword into the ground, and is muttering something with his eyes closed and his head somewhat bowed. When Natalia approaches him, he doesn't seem to notice until she is speaking to him, which gives him a start before he leans in to whisper something back to her.

Drake was trying to climb, but it's more difficult than he anticipated. Still the screams inside are making him really question things, not to mention the sounds of skittering which usually only has one particular source.

Raja speaks quietly with Evaristo. Her lips turn into a frown, "We could check, but I could almost guarantee you that whatever is happening in there and whater this deadwood shit is will be happening there too.. Up to you. I'm not going alone. There are people that would kill me if I went alone!" She smirks.

3 House Mazetti Guardians, Marv, a well-meaning squire, Buster, a black and white shepherd dog arrive, following Marzio.

Lucita continues to rack her brains trying to think of something useful. Her words are spoken under her breath, softly as if simply voicing her thoughts to herself, or perhaps Zoey or Mirk or Sorrel who stand nerar her. "The growth is not likely to respond to the goop used on the vines. Don't know if holy blessed water would work... Lord Mirk would mention if he had a solution... Did everyone get out yet?"

Vitalis blinks, eyes coming back into focus and he gives himself a shake, "Sorrel." He rushes to find the Bladesong. "I saw chains." Oh, hi your highness, Vitalis can see again.

Lou's efforts to keep an out out for folk who might be doing strange things are not the best efforts ta all. Every now and and again she looks over at Vitalis, giving him a curious look. A chat for another time. So Lou does what Lou does best in an effort to help, get some things organized. "HEALERS, SET UP TRIAGE FOR THE WOUNDED," Lou calls out. Assuming there are any there, of course.

"It's growing through the floors!," Mia calls back to the crowd, as a warning. She's not yet drawn back from the door, instead brandishing her sword, the bright white of diamondplate readily obvious. As the evacuees move towards the door, she hurries them down the steps. Apparently, the woman has decided to keep this exit clear as best she can, both of crowds and if it begins to close, of the dead wood. If she can. "Keep clear! Keep clear of the doors for the evacuees!"

Evaristo rubs his temples. "It'll take too long anyway," he replies. He looks at the singers - Sorrel, Lucita. At Mirk. "Any ideas? I can definitely bellow out the song, but... I am no spellsinger." His knees give way and he falls down onto them, groaning.

Raven adds her own bellow though it's closer to a cat's yeowl than a booming bark like Ians "Follow the sound of our voices if you can can hear us! Get to us and we will get you out!" She too is bleedin but in chaos it's hard to see where it comes from, "Everyone out! out! Out!" She sucks in a deep breath, "FOLLOW THE SOUND OF VOICES TO SAFETY!"

Drake listens to Vitalis. "Interesting. Confirms all the suspicions. But why here and now. Interrupting a perfectly mundane poetry conversation."

Jace checks stamina and survival at hard. Jace is successful.

Jamie checks stamina and survival at hard. Jamie is successful.

Raven checks stamina and survival at hard. Raven fails.

Vitalis looks to Drake, "I think we might have touched on some Truths."

"Not yet," Zoey tells Lucita, her eyes still on the building, watching as people continue to make their way out. "Ian is still inside, helping get people out. I saw Raven and some others go with him."

Ian checks stamina and survival at hard. Ian is successful.

Raja reaches out to catch Evaristo as he crumbles. "Oy.. Let's get you to a healer.. " She didn't see a wound, but he just collapsed! Must need a healer! She offers to help him should he so accept.

Sunaia looks aside as Pasquale sinks down to the ground beside her and frowns. She looks back toward Whisper House, and all the people already tending the crowd, and then turns to focus her attention on her husband. She drops down to a squat and whispers a few words before lifting his arm up over her shoulder and trying to rise back up.

Kiera responds instantly to Lou's call and says to her brother " Care to help me set up. This is going to be a mess"

Sorrel still manages to be surprised when Vitalis rushes up to her. "Vitalis! Your eyes! You saw chains? I think I can hear bugs," she says, glancing to the building, and she takes a deep breath as she looks towards the building herself, tilting her head to peek for the chains herself.

Sorrel checks mana and occult at daunting. Sorrel fails.

As she kneels, the Archlector reaches up and pulls one of her alaricite hairpins out of her bun, grasping it in her hand and touching the tip to the mirror. It's a subconscious move, one of preparation.

Someone wearing an artful and unnaturally reflective stygian mirrormask wields a pair of alaricite hairpins with mirrorsilver and stygian.

Natalia's soft conversation with Valdemar has her looking abruptly alarmed, and she moves to try and take hold of the Duke's arm to start trying to herd/usher/walk him Away from the incident in progress. She'll wait long enough for him to get his sword of course, but /not/ patiently.

Lisebet shudders a bit, as she stares, trying hard to figure out - "Chains," she says, staring as she stands there, feet at a good distance apart, shoulders squared. "Bloody chains wrapping around Whisper House as it shudders and trembles." She was standing next to Lou but Lisebet's been busy trying to See what is happening. And so she's lost sight of the mundane goings on.

Marzio checks stamina and survival at hard. Marzio fails.

Inside the Whisper House, Ian swats a root away before it can get a grip on his leg and half-guides, half-shoves someone out the door. "I've never been here before," he calls to Jamie. Which shouldn't be a surprise, based on the curses he's summoning while rounding people up. The most seasoned Islesman would be proud. Most of the Whispers probably aren't.

Valdemar nods his head at whatever the last thing Natalia says is, and allows her to usher him away, though he still has Widow's Lament in hand, just in case.

Evaristo uses the warpick as a makeshift aid to get up, and also pulls on Raja, shamelessly. "I'm fine," he says. "Or I will be - there's those much worse off, I should help people instead, aid the healers," he suggests. He eyes his warpick, then the growing wood inside. "Though right now I'm feeling a great urge to hammer a nail into that wood."

"I'll help any way I can," says Drake, though he's a bit at a loss for what exactly to do as there's nothing directly to attack and climbing seems improbably hard. He therefore, will let Kiera decide what she'd like to do, and defend her in the mean time.

Lou looks around some more, furrowing her brow. "IRON GUARD. SET UP PERIMETERS!" Assuming of course there are any Iron Guard there, that's the next thing she starts to call out. "Keep people back as far as possible." Surely some are there. She then sends Willen off to something else. Lisebet can hear where Lou is, and she's still not too far away from Lisebet, having not moved after Mia went to the building.

Marzio must have been in the area already, and attracted by the calls of danger and calls for healers to set up triage. When he hears that there are more inside, he hustles forth, rushing through the door in an attempt to join the others trying to get people out of the building.

Mirk cradles his head with one hand, grimacing. "That settles it. He knew, and he chose to retaliate," he says with a grimace, squinting at Lisebet briefly, as if having his eyes open hurt. Then he closes his eyes for a moment. "I don't know what can be done about it, though. Singing? I don't have any other ideas."

Jamie nods to Ian as he skirts the floor where the dead wood just keeps coming through, looking for an entrance to a basement. And looking for something heavy to block that door with, should he find it. "If we can't get the basement shut, we're going to have one more problem than we can handle, I think," he says, simply.

Natalia sends one last look around, finds Lou with her eyes, and looks relieved. And with that, she is hurrying Valdemar away with a fair amount of urgency. Towards the bridge. Back towards the bridge.

Merek looks up from what he's doing at the door to Lou, and nods a bit. "Perimeters!" The man looks to the Guard with him, "Call the guards to us, we are going to set up the perimeter," he will walk along to motion to people, "Move away if you're not here as a medic or assisting with the Whisper House!"

Inside Whisper House is a horror of growing-yet-dead-looking wood, twisting around the walls and snaking up from the floor. Thorns--no, those look more like claws--are curling out from branches that have no business growing where they are, how they are, or in the shape that they are. Both inside and outside, they can see bark starting to form over the main doorway, roots digging into the timber. It's enough to send some of the crowd screaming.

Lou's call to the Iron Guard, of which there are a few at this point, though they seem as confused as everyone else, is enough to get them moving. Is she a commanding officer? No. She's merely a commanding Pathfinder. Or a Pathfinder. Or /Someone/ who seems to know what to do.

5 Grimhall House Guards, Gustav, a gruff Islander advisor, Vladimir, a shaggy brindle Grim Wolfhound leave, following Valdemar.

Valdemar leaves, following Natalia.

Pasquale chews on his bottom lip for a bit before using Sunaia to get him back onto his feet again. He sways on his feet for a moment and then murmurs to her. "Help me get closer to the tree?"

Michael checks perception at hard. Michael is successful.

Vitalis checks perception at hard. Vitalis is successful.

Jamie checks stamina and survival at hard. Jamie is successful.

Jace checks stamina and survival at hard. Jace fails.

Lisebet checks perception at hard. Lisebet fails.

Lou checks perception at hard. Lou is successful.

Someone wearing an artful and unnaturally reflective stygian mirrormask checks perception at hard. Someone wearing an artful and unnaturally reflective stygian mirrormask marginally fails.

Sorrel checks perception at hard. Sorrel fails.

Evaristo checks perception at hard. Evaristo is successful.

Drake checks perception at hard. Drake is successful.



Not the other saliors inside to show him up in the bellowing contest, Jace calls out, "ABANODON HOUSE!" Then he continues to cut and hack. "I don't know if there's anything we can do to stop it but slow it till others are out." He lets out another slash. "Though I'm just following Lord Ian's lead. "Raven, you're bleeding."

Mirk checks perception at hard. Mirk fails.

Merek checks perception at hard. Merek marginally fails.

Kiera trys to clear an area to to set wounded "We need to fetch water. More blankents from somewhere"

Raja checks perception at hard. Botch! Raja fails completely.

Zoey checks perception at hard. Zoey marginally fails.

Lucita checks perception at hard. Lucita marginally fails.

Kiera checks perception at hard. Kiera marginally fails.

Vitalis is at a loss, with strange things and stranger unfolding all around. He looks from one place to another, letting his intuition and instincts guide.

Raja scowls at Evaristo. "If you go to hammer in a nail, so am I. But, I think.. this is bigger than some carpentry skills." She pauses as the bark begins to grow, her eyes go wider. "GET OUT!" She screams out! It's unclear if those inside can hear her.

After Sorrel attempts to peek to see what Vitalis saw, she ends up wincing and almost falls into him, holding her head with her hand as she sways dizzily. "Fuck that fucking fucker!" she hisses under her breath. "I feel //awful//. This is why I should just rush in and not look before I leap."

Inside the Whisper House: "You're probably right," Ian agrees with Jamie. He seeks out Raven in the increasing gloom that's a constant reminder that the windows are slowly being covered. "We need to know where the door to the basement is. Someone outside will know." Seeing Marzio, he takes a moment to crack the world's most inappropriate grin. "Any chance this counts as a pass on the explorer's test, assuming we all survive this?"

Jamie checks stamina and survival at hard. Jamie is successful.

Raven checks stamina and survival at hard. Raven fails.

Ian checks stamina and survival at hard. Ian is successful.

Vitalis laughs at Ian, a bright bark, for his quip about the Explorers, "Let's say we'll go easy on you, Kennex." He oofs at Sorrel falling into him, a wince for her pain. "Shall we?" He gestures at the house, growing ever stranger. He glances around, sees Rowenova, expression going bleak, "Too familiar, mmh?"

"We'd need an awful lot of nails," Evaristo replies, squinting painfully at the house that is now starting to grow over with bark. He sighs, and starts singing: 'Oh what is the price then of freedom, of choosing your life day by day, but sorrow and heartache and anguish, and sometimes your choice goes astray..."

Marzio checks stamina and survival at hard. Marzio is successful.

Giada pushes up, removing her mask and packing her things away. "When you see chains, think only of the most freeing things. A key in a lock, the shattering of iron, the beauty of a free choice. Counter the fear with your hope." And with that, she moves towards the side. "Alright, Luzio, run to the docks and get the storehouses open and moving," says the Physicians Guild's quartermaster. "I want supplies and hands."

Her voice lifts. "Let's get the injured over here."

Inside the Whisper House: Whatever Marzio had been expecting, it is very clear from his expression that it wasn't this. He looks toward Ian when the Kennex lord addresses him and offers a wild sort of laugh before he says, "I hate to think of what Lou would say if I let you off that easy. What's the plan here? Do we know how many are still inside?"

Once they're both back up to their feet, Sunaia's brows arch and she shakes her head. "You're barely able to stand," she says, simply. "I'm not going to take you closer." Instead she turns and starts to guide Pasquale away from the crowd, and the action.

Alberico, the Malespero aide, Louis, a Malespero Armsman, Mar, the Magpie leave, following Pasquale.

Parker, a quietly assertive servant, Pasquale leave, following Sunaia.

Mia checks perception at hard. Mia fails.

Raja stands next to the bard, allowing Evaristo to lean on her should he choose. She watches, a bit helplessly as the bark grows and the branches sprout. She watches as the wood of the actual house seems to shudder and listens as the bard begins to sing.

Petroc, the most unassuming man you have ever met, 2 Sanna House Guards, Bear arrive, following Cirroch.

Lisebet's hand moves to her copper brooch, and she nods as she hears Giada's words. "We remember," she says, "Think thoughts of freedom." She concentrates on just that. Thoughts of Freedom and unlocking. At least she can do that.

Lucita checks mana and performance at daunting. Lucita is successful.

Raven cries out, "FOLLOW MY VI-" She's sent sprawling with a meaty THUD and wheezing string of cussing. She hops to her feet and gasps, "Aye, Aye. Basement!" She sticks her head out the nearest door or window that faces the gathered crowd, "HOW DO WE GET TO THE DAMNED BASEMENT?!"

Jamie glances over his shoulder at Marzio, "No idea how many are inside - we haven't seen anyone run out in a minute. We're checking what we can and trying to block off the basement, where there seems to be something /else/ down there." And then the big Greenmarcher is going to look in the few places he hasn't been in the Whisper House. Still looking for the basement, and a way to close it off.

Cirroch comes up to Whisper House and the crowd, a missive requesting help but unsigned. Bellowing as he comes closer, "WHERE AM I NEEDED?" unslinging his axe as he continues to stride closer.

Cirroch wields Fatal Foxglove, a large rubicund axe.

Kiera goes to Giada ready to help set up as soon as the supplies arrive

Zoey grips the compass rose around her neck, eyes still fixed on the entry Ian and Raven took. "An open gate. Broken shackles. Sails full of wind." She whispers each image as it comes to mind. "A bird in flight. A horse with no bridle..."

Lucita watches the house carefully and with a sidelong glance toward Sorrel she says to Zoey. "Ian helps me all the time and this time he asked my help. I'm going to try. I have to try. There are people still inside and I have to try." And with that she starts to sing of freedom, of chains broken, of life, of hope, of the strength of loyalty and friendship and again woven in amid freedom, her intent to slow that tree, break chains, free anyone trapped is behind her words.

Michael's voice lifts up just above Lou's call to the Iron Guard. This is a voice they know. "Cordon this block off! Take wounded out and to the Mercys! GET PEOPLE BACK!" Pretty much the same thing that Lou said......Then he immediately changes his mind and calls for something else. "Iron guard to me! ON ME!" Then begins stalking through the mayhem towards a certain collection of four people with sword still drawn.

Vitalis knows that voice. He turns and squints at Raven, "You. Were at the-" Vitalis looks on in alarm at her condition, "-Orfeo." He is staring at Raven and then past her. He lifts a finger, pointing, "THERE. Look!" He wills folk near to see, grabs Sorrel and points, "There! A woman, and three others."

Drake looks around, eyes darting here and there, and then, sees a woman whose expression is unusually calm. He walks up to her... taking a moment to look at her, and then at the companions she's with. His expression is one of suspicion. "Pardon me, but you should probably all steer clear. The Whisper House isn't open for business at the moment."

Inside the Whisper House: "We're going to try and barricade the door to the basement once we know where it is," Ian replies to Marzio, his tone entirely too calm and matter of fact for the situation that's playing out around him. He sidesteps another root and gives it a THWAP with the gleaming blade of his sword while showing someone else to the door. "And getting as many people out as we can. I don't plan on fighting any demon bugs today." Of course, the best laid plans of mice and men...

Evaristo grabs Raja's hand now and gives her a smile - he's still singing, and his voice rise higher, strong and practiced. "But heed not the sorrows I sing you, For JOY is the balance you make, Remember your names and hold Firmly, though darkness may cause you to quake." He suddenly pauses, and stares at something in the crowd - he pulls Raja's hand, moving towards them, still singing, and now as loud as he can: "THE SONG THAT I SING IS THE ANSWER, THE BALLAD THAT NEVER GROWS WEAK, WHEN ALL YOUR NAMES HANG IN THE BALANCE, HOLD FAST TO THE FREEDOM YOU SEEK!" He points to the ones he sing at. NOt for. At. And then... Lucita begins singing too and he grins wildly, and a bit crazily.

The entire front of Whisper House /creaks/. And then /cracks/. It holds, in fact it doesn't seem in danger of collapse, but the crack opens from one end of the wall to the other, and a sudden burst of energy seems to cause the wood growing over the door to go a bit faster. And by a bit...a lot. There's a person sized opening there, but it's not going to remain so for long. Meanwhile, deeper into Whisper House, those inside can hear what sounds like a low moan that trails off into something distinctly non-human. There are a lot of obstacles that way. A lot of them. And the light seems to have disappeared.

Jamie checks perception and survival at hard. Jamie is successful.

Willen does eventually come back with news for Lou, which has her looking crestfallen for a moment. She notes to Lisebet. "Corban doesn't know of anyone among the Kings Own who might be able to help better than we already are." Where is Leona when you need her?? Off fighting elsewhere. She does a double take when Lisebet starts talking about remembering and such and she may have missed something. "Do we need something to protect our names? Because I got something." She looks to Lucita apologetically. "I can pass it along and we can make use of it, but I don't know it'll do much agai...." Lou's voice cuts off abruptly. She sees the same people as Michael. "Sorrel, there are four people over there.... some of which whom I think are enslaved." She points out the four people she sees to Sorrel, and if Lucita is nearby to her as well. "If you know something yourselves, I suggest using it. And, er... one of them is not quite right and may or may not have bugs...."

Jamie checks stamina and survival at hard. Jamie is successful.

Ian checks stamina and survival at hard. Ian marginally fails.

Jace checks stamina and survival at hard. Jace marginally fails.

Inside the Whisper House: "Right..." Marzio says, turning his eyes to the inside of the building and considering it. "Right. So do we want to fan out and move through keeping each other in sight?" Then there is that creaking and the opening of the doorway begins to close. "It looks like the door is going to close whatever is in here off anyways! Even us if we don't get out soon!" he yells to Jamie, Ian, and Raven.

Marzio checks stamina and survival at hard. Marzio is successful.

Merek gets Diamondplate Axe from a backpack, made of black leather.

Vitalis lowers his hand to the whip at his side, peacebonds parted with a movement of clever fingers. In a flicker, it comes to life in his hands, Vitalis bears down on the four... strangers.

Jamie hears the voice of a friend over the din, and the creaking, and the cracking. He pauses for just a moment, head moving over his shoulder. "CIRROCH! WE NEED YOUR AXE MY FRIEND! THE DOOR IS CLOSING ON US! CAN YOU CUT IT CLEAR?" He lifts his voice to its full extent, screaming a line that could be heard across battlefields and the clash of steel and the screams of the dying. Perhaps the Sanna lord will hear him, and take heed.

Answering the Physician's call, a couple of wagons pull up and triage set up begins in earnest. Giada's there, overseeing it all. "This is gonna get ugly," she mutters, dashing off a few notes and sending them running. "Kiera, you hanging in there?"

When Lucita's voice rings through the air, a pleasant sound of freedom and broken chains, a hopeful melody to lift the resolve of all those who oppose the evil tree. And it seems to have an effect on the tree, a third of the tree splitting and landing on the poor little house right next door. It's a hefty destruction on the domain, the branches crushing through the roof.

Merek, when at least a few people are setting up perimeter, he will go back to the entrance of the Whisper House. He tries not to get in the way of anyone. "Ah no you don't," he will take an axe from the hip and will try to swing it up into the growing trees. The diamondplate gleams while he tries to put all his force into keeping the way open, "COME ON! JAYUS, GIVE ME STRENGTH!"

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

Merek wields Diamondplate Axe.

Nevermore, the sulking raven arrives, delivering a message to Giada before departing.

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

"You have a way of protecting our names?" Mirk asks Lou, stepping up beside her. "Is it a method that cann be employed swiftly? Because I have a feeling it might be necessary very soon." He remains out of the way, watching with frustration. "There must be something that can be done..."

Vitalis tucks his chin and cracks Defiance in the slack-jawed woman's face.

Raja moves along with Evaristo, letting him guide her to where he is going. Then he points to the people in the crowd that he is singing /at/. Raja stops, looks to the people and grips the hilt of her blade. But.. her grip softens when someone says something about people being enslaved. She glances towards Lou, then the people in question, staying her hand.

Raven checks stamina and survival at hard. Raven is successful.

As Michael moves swiftly away from her, barking orders, her eyes trail after her. But then the wood starts to swell over the door. Given her position distinctly in front of, well, the front door, Mia springs into action as it begins to seal up. They need more time. Everyone inside needs more time. Hefting up her sword, she begins to hack at the closing wood, trying to slice into it and cleave chunks away.

3 Fidante House Guards, Nevermore, the sulking raven arrive, following Narcissa.

Raja wields Defiance, a diamondplate dagger.

Giada startles, looking up as the tree branches smack off the roof. "Luzio," she mutters, saying something softly as her guard moves off. The Templars, however, are staying annoyingly close, and the woman almost trips over them a couple of times.

Kiera nods to Giada "They need to get out of there. Quickly"

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

Raven cries out of the opening, "Baroness Lucita!!!@ WHERE IS THE BLOODY BASEMENT?!" She waits a moment then calls back, "Lord Ian! Either we pick a way and hope it's right or we get while getting's good. Do we know how many souls are to be lost or saved?" She is finally learning and manages to escape the deadwood thistime as she returns, " IS ANYONE STILL ALIVE IN HIS MESS?! MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN OR BE ABANDONED!"

The raven known to some, through its hollow caw, arrives first before its mistress. Settling next to Giada it pecks gently before delivering its missive. Narcissa is not far behind, the pale Fidante with her own blinded stygian mirror mask in hand as she seeks out the Archlector in the crowd. Golden eyes scan the crowd, the buildings, assessing the situation at hand as she makes a beeline for Giada. and murmurs to her.

"The Wolfheart song," Lou tells Mirk. "Surely you have it? The naming game?" It is then that she hears the wood falling down on the house. She winces and looks like she might want to say something about that, but is looking to Mirk for now. "If you don't, I'll shove a copy at you and you can get it to who can sing it. It requires spellsinging."

Looking to Raven, Ian, and Jamie, Marzio calls out, "If they're still in here and not coming this way, they're likely past saving! We need to get out of here before this place closes us all in here to die! We can stand ready to fight whatever comes out, if anything does, outside of this building!" He points back toward the doorway that is closing and yells out, "Let's go!"

Merek struggles with the axe while he swings away at the entrance of the wood. He is not going to let it close on anyone while he places all of his power into it. "Jayus, if you can hear me, guide my axe and my words. Let them come back safe, place your blessing upon them. I know we don't talk a lot for all you've done for me. I won't promise to make you a gift of wood though, this is... You know," he then draws each swing, each swing he tries to keep the entry way open, along with anyone else that's assisting.

Inside the Whisper House: "I don't like the sound of that." Jace says as blood begins to leak from a wound. "It's becoming more and more we're going to be the one that need rescuing. I vote we escape and make a stand on our ground." He says as he begins to head for the exit with the others.

Giada looks over at the approach of one of her Mirrormasks. "Lady Narcissa, just on time. Seems we've got a heraldry problem." Her voice lowers as they work.

Lucita hasn't stop singing till hopefully Ian and the others return though she flinches when the tree weakens and part breaks off.

Inside the Whisper House: After one last look around the rapidly dimming room, and knowing what the loss of light means, Ian nods to Marzio. "If whatever's in there gets out, we'll deal with it then." He starts ushering Raven towards the door.

Jamie hears the call and, grim-faced, just nods to Marzio. He doesn't look like he likes the idea, but the big Greenmarcher starts to hack his way back towards the rest of the group, apparently having abandoned his search for the basement before he got to the absolute worst place in the House. As he nears the receiving room, he gives one last look around for any stragglers - any sign of life at all. If he finds none, he moves towards the door with the others.

"Singer sing a song so free," Mirk recites, his voice carrying the tone. He doesn't continue from there, nodding his head. "That one? I'm not a spellsinger, but I remember the song."

The call to the slack faced woman goes entirely unanswered, though her companions turn a glare on those who near. Vitalis' whip crack right in front of her face? She doesn't even /blink/, though her head does tilt slightly to one side. The other three are less calm about all this. They suddenly scream and draw weapons, and that sends the crowd around them screaming and running for cover. "FOR THE FATHER!" one of the men shouts, and they rush Vitalis at once. The woman? Still standing. Still looking at Whisper House.

Inside Whisper House: Marzio clearly thinks he's in good enough shape considering he ran into the building last, and he takes up the rear guard to make sure none of the others fall before they make it out of the door. "What was that yell?" he calls forward to the others. "Faster, faster! It sounds like the fight is outside!"

Evaristo checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Evaristo fails.

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

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

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

Raven swats at Ian, "I'm fine!" she looks him over to check his status and assuming that she hears nor sees anyone she follows the others out the way they came.

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

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

Giada's jaw grits. "Fantaaaaaaaaaaastic," she snaps as there's suddenly screaming and running. "TO THE SIDE," she yells to the healers. "We can't help if we're crushed under feet!"

Calling into the Whisper House, Mia shouts to the rescuers still inside, "The doors are almost closed! Hurry, before they seal!"

Lou nods urgently at Mirk. "YES! That one. Others can sing it too, but a spellsinger is required. It's not a guarantee, but it's /something/." Not entirely reassuring, but something is better than nothing. Knowing that Mirk knows the song, Lou goes back into organizational mode. "IF YOU ARE NOT HELPING THE IRON GUARD, WITH THE WHISPER HOUSE OR HTE HEALERS. WE NEED PEOPLE RESCUING FOLK NEXT DOOR ON THE HOUSE THAT'S BEEN CRUSHED!" Assuming folk are not already doing that. She was distracted a bit.

Cirroch looks to his guards, nodding in the direction of Vitalis and those running away from the few standing. A simple command from a nod. Then readying his own axe and stepping closer to Raven, "I said my axe was available, now where do you need me?"

Although physically fit, the way that Rowenova pushed herself during her run certainly winded her to some degree as she comes back wheezing as well as pulling a rickshaw-style cart with at least a dozen axes and hatchets of varying shapes and sizes inside. Sir Floppington takes the lead and barks to warn people that she is rolling up. She finally halts not far from Mirk, nearly falling on her face but manages to plant a knee before that can happen. "Axes if we need!"

Lisebet checks mana at daunting. Lisebet fails.

Raven checks stamina and survival at hard. Botch! Raven fails completely.

Marzio checks stamina and survival at hard. Marzio is successful.

Jamie checks stamina and survival at hard. Jamie marginally fails.

Ian checks stamina and survival at hard. Ian fails.

Vitalis moves like smoke through the oncoming attacks, his attention still riveted on the slack-faced woman. He ducks, weaves, dodges, and flicks the whip out again, this time aiming for an ankle grab, to haul her off her feet.

Jace checks stamina and survival at hard. Jace is successful.

As some of the people suddenly draw weapons and run forward for the attack, Raja also draws her blade and runs forward in defense of Vitalis. The Liberator is angry now and it shows.

Mirk jogs towards Lucita and Sorrel both, identifying the spellsingers among their number. "I know a naming song from the Wolfheart tribe. It might be able to provide some protection here, or at least protect our names," he says to them without preamble, wincing still and one hand going to his head. "It might be warranted in this situation, but it requires a spellsinger. Up to thirteen can sing it, but at least one must be a spellsinger."

Kiera finally realize that something else is going on other than waiting for friends to come out and she screams "Vitalis!" she hollers as she moves off

Klavdiya, who is definitely a handmaiden and not a reaver, Fluffy, a wild nanny-cat, 2 Eswynd shieldbearers, Loryk, a cocky but amiable reaver, Butterpup, a Graypeak Mountain Dog arrive, following Medeia.

Klavdiya, who is definitely a handmaiden and not a reaver, Fluffy, a wild nanny-cat, 2 Eswynd shieldbearers, Loryk, a cocky but amiable reaver, Butterpup, a Graypeak Mountain Dog leave, following Medeia.

Klavdiya, who is definitely a handmaiden and not a reaver, Fluffy, a wild nanny-cat, 2 Eswynd shieldbearers, Loryk, a cocky but amiable reaver, Butterpup, a Graypeak Mountain Dog arrive, following Medeia.

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

Raven has suffered a permanent wound!

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

Raven remains capable of fighting.

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

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

1 Knight of the Temple, Trouble, the waddling raccoon, Ridley the Rat, 1 Redoubt Buccaneers, 1 Templar Knight guards, Luzio, the burly Mirrormask leave, following Giada.

Marzio and Jace manage to get free of the house, but Ian and Jamie sustain injuries, and Raven even moreso. Branches and splintering wood shatter more than just a normal tree, some even -continuing to grow-, stabbing at Jamie and Ian, impaling limbs and flesh but both men get free. Raven isn't so lucky; a spiraling branch splits into three, four, quick as thought her arm is pierced, squeezed, shattering bone and rending flesh to her shoulder.

Raven's cussing as she's caught swiftly turns to frantic flailing and a high-pitch, soul-rending shriek of pain as there's the crepedice of bone and popping of sinew. Fortunately she passes out at some point from the pain, her head drooping forward.

The damage to Lisebet is different, as she tries to battle the mage, attempting to keep the door open. There's no obvious injury yet after a moment she starts to double over, coughing uncontrollably. She spits something resembling sap onto the ground as her pale skin seems to shift to a greenish hue. The beginnings of a plant stem take root on her feet and slowly grow, the vines curving around her legs.

Lisebet checks willpower at hard. Lisebet marginally fails.

While in the middle of helping Marzio shove the protesting Raven out the door, Ian is given a very good reason to regret not having buttoned his steelsilk-lined coat properly this morning when a branch goes through his shoulder. The way he tenses when it happens makes it crystal clear that unlike the still-bleeding leg wound, he DID feel that, and holy hell that's a lot of blood (and another ruined shirt, sigh). But it's not enough to stop him from scrambling out and making sure everyone he came in with gets out with him. He stumbles while he slides his sword back into the body of his cane, turning it back into a walking implement. That he's not using in left hand, because there's a hole in that shoulder now.

Merek will swing that axe of his one final time into the wood which is growing at the entrance, then he turns the weapon to the flat while he tries to hold it up so that people can get away before it grows too much. He's struggling and it shows, this is not an ordinary tree.

"I know the song. I will join you, if nothing else because numbers grant strength," Zoey, who is standing beside Lucita and watching the building, tells Mirk.

Jamie's impaled in four or five places, stabbing at his side, his shoulders, his arms, his legs, but none split, none grow - he almost goes down as a spear of wood pierces his hip, spinning him around in-place just in time to see Raven's arm and shoulder pierced and the dead wood split into a myriad of twisted shapes, rending into her arm to the shoulder. The big Greenmarcher grits his teeth and struggles to his feet, watching as Raven is thrown bodily out the door by Ian before he's on his feet again, starting a headlong run for the door that's shaky at first, and then his pounding feet start gaining steadiness as he, too, makes it out into the sunshine.

Lucita looks toward Lou, her gaze and attention slow to come back to her as she tops singing when people emerge from the house then looks toward the house with the branch fallen through the roof. "Is everyone alright in there? I thought someone called for people to get out of buildings nearby but with such a crowd... might be mistaken." She pauses then adds. "When things calm down, would like the song from you if it is not already in my notes. Been too busy to check on notes."

Lisebet is not doing well, at this point, coughing as she is, leaning forward and trying to spit out whatever is trying to keep her from breathing. She is fighting a sudden fear of course, that definitely comes when plants start to grow up your legs. "Help - " she tries to speak, though whether the words come out or not she's not sure. Her ears are full of the sound of her own - attempts at breathing.

Lisebet checks willpower at hard. Lisebet is successful.

Perhaps it is the diamondplate and few pieces of alaricite protecting him that allows Marzio to emerge unscathed, but the Mazetti Marshal remains at the door and pushes everyone to make sure they do not fall behind given the ever shrinking portal. Once he is free, Marzio turns to help Jamie, Ian, and Raven get away from the building, dragging them if needed to get them free. "Wounds!" he calls to Jamie, Ian, and Raven, "Who needs to go directly to Saving Grace?"

Merek checks wits and medicine at daunting. Merek is successful.

As the last of them who are likely to make it out of Whisper House straggle out, and as Merek continues hacking at the door, Mia does what she can to physically pull the last of them through the doorway and out onto the street. Wounded? Yes, but wounded is better than dead and if that means nabbing someone by a bloodied arm or shoulder to get them through the narrowing opening, so be it. A shove never killed anyone. Probably.



In the process of escaping the treehouse of horrors, Jace lands on his feet and escapes the violence that seems to be visited on the rest of the party. He turns triumphant in time to see Ian and Jamie to be hurt. Though he turns ashen at the sight of Raven, the smile sliping from his lip. "Shit." He answers Marzio as he scoops up the injured Raven, "Raven does, milord. Let's get her there."

After the arduous sprint to the market and back, when Rowenova returned with her rickshaw full of mismatched axes and hatchets, she stumbled a bit before planting not only her knee but also the handles of the cart into the street. That had to hurt, but she only grimaced and did not complain about it. It is Lou whose words inspire her to rise from where she tripped, standing up and pulling out a couple hatchets before she moves to start to chop some wood (alternatively lifting any beams when necessary) hoping to free people.

Kiera nods at the injured trio "Lets get you to the hospital"

Gianna emerges from the Bard's College, lips pursed and brow furrowed. She comes to a halt and blinks, wide-eyed.

Raven's the most quiet and obedient patient you'll ever see. Enjoy it now while it lasts! Of course her left arm dangles uselessly and from it blood spurts-well spurting means the heart's still pumping so she's alive!

Well the roots firmly planting (hah) Lisebet to the ground do break away, and her skin seems to return to it's normal hue, though the vines crawling up her legs embed themselves onto her skin. As a permanent marker of the almost-transformation.

Winter, A Highhill Puppy leaves, following Kiera.

Gerard arrives, having noticed the commotion from afar, he notices the cart that Rowenova has brought. Stepping forward, he grabs a hatchet and begins chopping the wood besides her.

Jamie shakes his head at Marzio's query, "I'll be fine, my Lord. Raven, though..." He watches Jace scoop up the injured woman and nods. He still hasn't put his bastard sword away, and now seems intent taking stock of the courtyard - it sounded like there was fighting out here, before?

Unfortunately, Lucita's comments falls on Lou's deaf ears as she spies Lisebet coughing up sap. "LISEBET!" Oh, and the plant trying to grow through her feet. Also, yelling seems to be the mode she's in tonight as she tries to call things out for people to do who just seem to be standing around. She gives the other woman a 'we'll talk about this later' kind of look, seemingly relieved she seems to be doing better.

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

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

When it looks like all of the people have made it out, Merek will let the axe begin to relax while he growls a bit, his hands pulling it away. Then he sees Lisebet, "GET HER TO THE SAVING GRACE!" The man looks to his axe, and he sweeps that to pull away some of the vines. Then he begins to reach for all his medical supplies, taking the time to assist. He's a trained physician and will do all he can, he begins carving away with a knife and special anti-herbology chemicals. Well, he is a gardener, this is not what he expected to be doing today.
The man takes the time while he begins to work, "Get her on the cart, we don't have a lot of time, she won't make it from work here alone." He's not into himself enough to think he can cure this completely, but he can keep it from growing further, long enough to get her ready for transport, nodding to people.

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

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

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

"My arm's seen worse than this," Ian says to Marzio, a tension in his voice that's stubbornness mixed with pain grimly borne. He'll probably be along, though. Nobody's stubborn forever, even if Ian has been known to try. With shaking fingers, he buttons his coat the rest of the way, because out of sight is out of mind.

Cirroch checks dexterity and huge wpn at daunting. Cirroch fails.

Moonsilver, the pale-feathered raven leaves, following Raven.

For years, Rowenova grew up as no stranger to physical labor as 'camp staff', and so she chops wood like someone who has done it every day for a decade. Also, it is something around which Sir Floppington knows to steer clear, but not TOO far away. As Gerard joins her, Nova jerks her head up and back a slight bit in what looks to be a gesture of greeting but does not speak, conserving breath and energy for the task at hand(s).

Evaristo checks strength at normal. Evaristo fails.

Vitalis eels through the onslaught and makes a strike at the blank-faced woman's leg, aiming to snatch her off her feet.

Drake was close to these ominous strangers, and still had his weapon ready. He thought something might be amiss, and when they move to attack, he's not too startled, being at the ready. He dodges aside their first strike, then returns with a slash of his own. The focus on the fracas means he misses some rather dramatic pain happening around him... but it really is chaos.

Noticing Rowenova's greeting, Gerard returns a simple but curt greeting, focusing on continuing the task at hand.

Evaristo is a bit wobbly - but that doesn't stop him from charging forward towards the mage, swinging his warpick high and straight down in a very straightforward and hard attack, too open for a counter attack.

Lisebet gets dealt with, swiftly, by Merek, which is good. Her breath is still a bit raspy, but she smiles a bit, looking over at Lou. "I'm - I think it's okay," she says. Her gaze goes to Merek, as he works, and then she says, "I feel like jelly." Not to eat. just she's feeling a little bit wobbly, okay maybe a lot wobbly, and don't poke her. "Thank you for helping."

Zoey sees the rescuers escape the building, and deep sigh of relief escapes her. She watches with obvious concern as Raven is carted away, but where the Blackheart is headed is likely far safer and will have the help she needs. She looks between Lucita and Mirk.

Michael checks strength at easy. Michael is successful.

Drake checks strength at normal. Drake is successful.

Vitalis checks strength at easy. Vitalis is successful.

"Might I suggest if we have another meeting, that we not talk about or suggest killing certain individuals all at once next time," Lou remarks more quietly from the sidelines. There are probably plenty enough people from the meeting close enough to her to overhear her quieter words. She looks over at Rowenova, "Row... is Sir Floppington trained to smell if people are inside a place?" She looks meaningfully toward the OTHER building that's partially crushed by wood that may or may not have been evacuated, standing beside Whisper House.

Raja charges forward with her weapon drawn! She goes to the closest opponent of course, launching at him with her blade! However, her strike is parried, completely missing the man entirely. This does not phase her in the slightest as she reels about to go for a second blow...

The Whisper House now evacuated, Mia's eyes tear away from the building, turning towards the scene in the street -- the chaos of it all. Her attention lands on the crowd with swords drawn, clustered around one small group, and then on those swarming Lisebet. And something, something about the sight of the Ashford Duchess makes Mia's face first go pale, then line deeply. She hurries down the steps towards the throng, though towards who... it doesn't even seem that she knows.

Cirroch watches a few be pulled from the house, seeing Raven for a moment he loses his concentration. He tries to shake it off and charges in following to where Vitalis and Evaristo are, a deep growl picking up from within him, his axe swinging in a high arc and missing his intended target, the growl continues through the swing. As he looks back to regain his footing and take another swing, there's a moment, a pause, a deep breath falls from him.

With all the crescendo of crazy and loud noises and screaming pain....Michael is focused. Focused right on the defenders of the woman who is clearly up to no good! In a way that makes it look altogether too easy, he'll dip his shoulder below the strike and come up above with his sword swinging far below the line of his opponent's weapon to slash into the man's chest.

Gianna turns and ducks back into the College for a moment. The double doors to the building are flung wide open and held there by wide-eyed bards. Gianna steps back outside and calls, "IF YOU NEED SHELTER, TO THE COLLEGE!" She waves some familiar Whispers over, pointing at them to get inside into shelter. Other passersby, too.

As the battle continues, Mirk stands back. He shrugs a shoulder at Zoey, offering a few quiet words, but otherwise seems to linger. He's not a fighter, and it's not clear what else can be done.

When Merek manages to get Lisebet patched up, he will note that there is a fight. With a Mage. The man doesn't want to be involved in that, he has people to protect, and will nod to the woman with him. He looks then to Lou, "I have managed to keep the worst away, we will need to move her away from here and the fighting. I don't think that being around a mage is good for anyone's continued health when they're injured." He then looks to the woman, "Are you ready to be moved?" he asks, then he will begin pulling wrapping about the legs, while he notices the sap, and will offer a cloth for her to use. "Try to get that all, you know out of you." To whoever granted him the power to assist in healing, "Thank you. Jayus, Lagoma."

Zoey listens to Mirk, and pauses a moment before replying softly.

Nova picks and axes her way through that other building beside Whisper House, and she glances back toward the Goodest of Boys after what Lou asks of him. Then, she jerks her head in a gesture to indicate a line from Sir Flop toward the rubble to see if he can find anyone. That seems to be enough to send him (giving a wide berth to those who chop the wood) to go looking for people.

Griz the huge wolfhound, Muninn the cocky raven arrive, following Aelgar.

Cirroch checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Botch! Cirroch fails completely.

Griz the huge wolfhound, Muninn the cocky raven leave, following Aelgar.

Evaristo checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Evaristo fails.

Lucita is not in armor nor prepared for a fight. She hangs back with Zoey and Mirk, out of the way of those more skilled with weaponry. Concern shows for those who have been wounded and Lisabet.

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

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

Vitalis is overheard praising Adalyn.

Lisebet accepts the cloth from Merek, and does use it, as she tries to get the sap all out. Because it's not tasty until it's been boiled into syrup for one thing. "It - we have to make sure," she says, coughing a bit again. She uses the cloth to catch the last bits that come out, hopefully clearing out her throat. "I am not hurt that badly." Whether she is or not. She's not moving, but she is watching.

Gianna keeps guiding the frightened through the College's doors, to get them out of the street and doing her best to prevent a stampede. She's distracted by the sight of the battle, craning her neck to see if she can spy anyone she knows.

Ian checks strength at normal. Ian is successful.

"I'll leave that up to Lisebet..." Lou notes to Merek. "Thank you for helping," she tells him in a heartfelt way. Lisebet is one of her closest friends! She gives said friend another relieved look. "Though, I agree, if you're not feeling well enough to stick around, no one would fault you." She seems even more relieved when Lisebet says she's ok. She does look around the grounds and her eyes fall briefly on Ian. She nods in his general direction, letting him know she knows he's ok. She nods something silently in Rowenova's direction, eyeing Sir Floppington a moment as he goes in search of potential humans in the other crushed house. She seems certain he'll alert them to any issues.

Cirroch puts Sanna House Goat Horn drinking vessel in Exotic Leather Satchel with carved bone buttons.

Cirroch puts Chocolate covered white cupcake with cherry in Exotic Leather Satchel with carved bone buttons.

Cirroch puts Sanna family colors arm braid with markers in Exotic Leather Satchel with carved bone buttons.

Cirroch puts a man's uniquely bejeweled rose-gold bracelet with iridescite accents and Northern-styled decorative designs in Exotic Leather Satchel with carved bone buttons.

Cirroch drops Exotic Leather Satchel with carved bone buttons.

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

Cirroch has died.

Vitalis moves like smoke and mist, dodging attacks, elusive. How long he can keep it up is anyone's guess. He moves around behind the strange woman, chin tucked, eyes sharp, whip moving like a living thing in his hands. The bid to drag the woman off her feet wasn't a success, she doesn't seem to even notice them. A shiver slips down his back.

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

Evaristo has suffered a permanent wound!

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

Evaristo remains capable of fighting.

Merek looks to the Mage and will think about it. It looks like the best fighters are on it, he does nod along to Lisebet. "Well, there's not a lot we can do as we are," he will note, then he does take a look along to his alaricite sword. "You sure you want to stay? Well, we can get you there fast enough, we at least need to begin to get you loaded."

Lisebet nods to Merek. Her hands are clasped tightly, fingers laced. She stays quiet now, worried about everything ongoing. After a moment, she says, "That's okay, get ready to go, but I want to stay. To watch and remember." There are a lot of heroics going on, after all. Can ya blame her?

Cirroch is in the middle breathing out, taking his calm finding a center. Some nearby might even say that they heard a final moment of him saying one name, "jaqcie." Then he's hit, hard. The body flies backwards from a swing from the mage and lays lifeless, his axe drops where he was standing. It could be almost comical if his boots stayed put as well. But they didn't.

Just silence.

Though there's one last breath, Cirroch sits up cracking his neck with a tilt to the side. A low growl erupts from the tall Northern Lord. Standing just a little bit taller this time. Then bending over to pick up the Axe, and with a small grin locks eyes with the mage. The growl switches ever slowly, "For...Poppet...Jaqcie... You die now." And with that last low growl the man changes completely, a loud roar echoes through the square, building upon itself as he lunges at the mage, frothing at the mouth, axe spinning into a blaze or shadows and slices. His axe hits the ground and he's taking bites, clawing at the mage.

Then falling silent, landing upon his knees. His eyes close and one last solid breath, one of peace leaves him as he falls over dead.

Evaristo is flying backwards from the attack from the mage - he thuds to the cobblestones and rolls to his feet somehow, and gets up - only to fall down on his knee immediately, frantically pulling up his sleeves. It's almost visibly, the strength draining from him, and those near might see the wriggling and crawling under his skin. He makes no attempt at attacking again, instead stumbling back in horror, grasping for anyone nearby to help him. "...I... can't..."

Those fighting the Su'tavi fighters are suddenly pushed aside as Cirroch, rage-driven, frothing, axe-swining Cirroch, roars past them, bleeding, broken, but still so powerful! Limbs are torn from the mage's protectors, torsos savaged, ribcages split like the rinds of large, swollen fruit, bathing those within range with gore. And he moves still, the the mage, a mage that had lashed out with magic to rend and harm, who has left Evaristo in a heap, has fended off attacker after attacker. Her song ends on a shriek as Cirroch reaches her, leaves her bleeding and thrown backward. She runs, she turns and she flees, eyes wide with terror, leaving behind her own flesh and more in his bloody, trembling hands.

He topples over and there's silence from the enemy, the tree unmoving, the chaos gone, destroyed and burned clean by the fury of Marquis Cirroch Sanna, the proud Ruler and Master of Giant's Reach.

As the quiet comes in the wake of the mage's sudden screaming departure ... the tree shifts, groans with the weight of its existence, and begins to crumble into dust.

Raja lets out a grunt as she is pushed to the side. she falls back, the man she was attacking falling atop her in a bloody heap. With a groan, she pushes the enemy off her and rolls over. Her gaze shifts through the chaos to see Evaristo on the ground. Raja scurries closer to her friend, taking a protective stance to keep him from further harm. However, through the moment of intense courage from Cirroch, the enemy falls. Raja stands there over Evaristo, still clenching her blade and glancing about for any further signs of attack.

Michael needn't have tried so hard then against these enemies to be thrown bodily to the ground and watch his adversary be rent to shreds. A splash of blood spill across his face and chest as he shoves himself back to his feet to watch Cirroch's passing amid the crumble of wood dying. The Iron Guardsman utters a phrase that the Iron Guardsmen really hate to say. "Get the Inquisition."

3 Fidante House Guards have been dismissed.

Nevermore, the sulking raven have been dismissed.

A scan of the square is enough for Ian to get a sense of the battlefield. He advances on the mage, shifting his cane in his hand as he closes in. The tension of pain vanishes from his expression as he approaches, replaced by a deep serenity that, when coupled with those intense electric blue eyes, is unmistakably dangerous. (Pay no attention to the blood dripping down his left hand. He's fine. Really.) Like the calm in the center of a storm, he walks TOWARDS the spectacle of bloody rage that is Cirroch, but it's all over before he can get there, and he's left only to bear witness to those last heroic moments. From his solemn expression, it's clear that right now, for him, bearing witness is enough.

Jamie's too late to help with the mage, but Evaristo is his immediate concern as the man is thrown back even as Cirroch is finishing the mage. He dashes to the man, sheathing his bastard sword across his back, and knees down next to him. "I'm not a healer, Captain, but..." He assesses the man's wounds. "You need to get to Saving Grace. Can you walk, or should I carry you?"

Drake sinks his blade into one of the fighters, but then Cirroch rushes in in a flurry, his violence righteous and his sacrifce noble. Drake holds back the man he's facing, while he has to, and then when the dust and blood has cleared... there's death everywhere, including the Marquis, so ti seems. "Medic!" he shouts, but not for himself of course. Though it won't do the man on the ground any good, Drake still... has some hope to hold out.

3 House Mazetti Guardians, Marv, a well-meaning squire, Buster, a black and white shepherd dog leave, following Marzio.

Lucita's eyes widen in horror as she watches the battle, her color growing paler and as Cirroch falls, tears start to trickle down her cheeks one by one. "I hope she does not get away.. to try to do this again, or worse. Lady Sasha... and his children... Oh, no."

Merek will look on while Cirroch makes that stand. He isn't able to do a lot, and let other duties of his go, and when all is said and done, he watches the man die a hero. He doesn't know what to say, there aren't words for it. But the enemy is defeated, and that's what matters. The man succeeded, and for that, all of them are safe. He's seen this many times before, he wonders if things will ever get easier. Then he will begin to check with Lisebet, "Take your moment. We need to get you to the hospital though," then to Evaristo. He's covered in a little bit of blood himself, he stands up, and nods to someone, "Assist her." He walks over with speed to Evaristo, "Come, now." He moves to assist the man and checks on him, grabbing his medical supplies, "People, help me get him out of here, and Lisebet! Any wounded that can walk, can follow!"

Vitalis falls back at the fury of Cirroch unleashed - his new-seeing eyes wide with awe at the sight, squinting at the spray of blood and the crunch of bone and churning blood. He slips on a slick of it, watching as the centipede woman's slack face is slack in Cirroch's hands. "By all that is sacred and profane..." Vitalis catches himself, slips again. Heart hammering with the heat of the fight he collapses on his feet a moment before struggling up to make a bid to chase the fleeing mage. He's spent. He took no wounds, but adrenaline and shock exact their own fees. He eventually pushes to his feet and casts around, spotting Evaristo and moving to his side, or Lisebet, whoever needs the assistance.

Evaristo kneels with one knee on the ground, using his warpick to support himself with one hand, the other shamelessly grabbing Raja's pants leg. He is swaying back and forth, but he refuses to look away from Cirroch's body, having witnessed his final battle. He blinks up at Jamie though, snapping out of it - sort of. There's a few centipedes crawling around on the ground near him... His eyes are blood-shot, his face pale. "...I think I can walk. WIth a bit of help." He climbs to his feet, nodding at Merek. "I'm not bleeding anywhere. This is... something else."

Mirk hears the roaring charge and turns, watching wide eyed as Cirroch falls. He reaches for his bow, finally, the first time he's actually drawn a weapon since the entire scene began. He's too late, and never even touches an arrow. Instead, he sets the weapon aside and walks slowly towards where the Marquis had fallen. "Cousin..." He says quietly, kneeling beside the corpse. "Scout Rowenova, send for Halfshav guards. We'll provide him an honor guard to his estate. It's the least we can do."

Zoey reaches to take Lucita's hand and give it a comforting squeeze. Yes, the mage got away, but... "Next time, hopefully, we will be better prepared."

Jamie nods at Evaristo, glancing to Drake, who seems to be attending to Cirroch. The big Greenmarcher, himself wounded, but not badly, looks around for other walking wounded that he can start helping towards the hospital.

Raja looks to Cirroch with a solemn look upon her features. She gives a respectful bow towards the fallen man, then looks to Evaristo, "Come here.. let me help you. Let's get you to the healers. There is nothing more for us here."

Lisebet can only see so much, but she gets the drift that Marquis Sanna stopped the trouble, at the cost of his life. She looks very serious as she watches. "We can remember," she says, with a nod. "We can all remember. And learn." Yes, so that next time, they are better prepared. As Vitalis comes over, she smiles. "I take it it's time to head to the hospital?" she says softly.

Ian looks up at Vitalis, his electric gaze tracking up from Cirroch to the no longer blind man. "Welcome back to the world of the seeing," he says, with dry humor threading through his voice. "You've come back with a bang."

Gianna watches the tree crumble, brow furrowed. Her lips part as she steps toward the event, peering about. Spying Raja and Evaristo, she quickens her pace. "Is he alright?"

At the word of Mirk, Nova ceases her chopping which might not be needed now that the tree is dissipating. She spins herself around and deftly approaches where Mirk is, hearing him out with a somber gaze. "Yes, My Lord." says she. Then, with that, she moves to track down one of the nearest messengers who actually has a horse and gives them the message before moving back to Mirk. "Anything else I can do, My Lord?"

Mirk gets Exotic Leather Satchel with carved bone buttons.

Lou watches at first in abject horror as Cirroch goes flying through the air and then in complete awe as he starts os whirling, spinning dance of death. Her eyes open wide. "Furyborn?" she quietly wonders and marvels at his display. But then it ends in sadness and death, as it often dues for such individuals and she grows quiet. Still. Michael speaks and she takes one look at and gives him a succinct nod. "Laric's been busy. I'll see if Faye can come. If not, she'll know who can." The Pathfinder has contacts all over. She once more pulls Willen aside and asks him to deliver a message.

Glancing up, Gerard continues his work at the rubble, hoping to find more survivors.

Evaristo shudders visibly and scratches frantically at his arm. Seeing a centipede on the ground, he stomps it hard, and then almost falls onto Raja from doing that. He just puts an arm around her shoulders. "Let's go," he says weakly. He wipes at his eyes, tears coming. "Fuck."

Vitalis slings an arm under Lisebet's and steadies her. He pauses, considering. "Give me a moment." He puts a hand on her arm and she can feel, faintly, that he's trembling. A few steadying breaths and he pauses to look over at Ian, gives him an upnod, all he's got to offer in the wake of what they witnessed. To Lisebet, he turns his back on her and crouches, smacking his hip, a gesture known by children in any land: piggyback.

Evaristo smiles at Gianna. "I'm fine! Just need to rest a few days, it's nothing, I'm sure," he says, falsely cheerful. "I'll go bother the healers. They'll be happy to see me again haven't almost died in WEEKS!"

Merek looks to Lou when she says that word, and shakes his head a bit. Talking about such things seems the thing he doesn't want to do, after whatever this is. "I think for a while, we should be careful with our words, from what we heard. If that, still lingers," the man offers. To Evaristo, he wraps an arm around the man to guide him, then he pulls a cloth around his arm and squeezes it tightly, pouring a salve upon it, "Come on, come on. You will be ok if I have to pull those mages back, and demand an answer myself."

Ian seems oddly hesitant, especially for a not particularly sentimental man, to step away from Cirroch's body. He whispers what might be some kind of thanks to a man who's well past hearing.

"The rest can be handled after," Mirk says simply. He moves to close Cirroch's eyes, if his eyes are still open, and then rises to his feet once more. "I will handle the details. Merely let it be known that Cirroch died a hero, if you speak of it." He shoots Rowenova a sharp look. "Are you wounded?"

Raja takes his arm, draping it around her shoulder so the larger man can lean on her. "I don't think so. I need to get him to the hospital." This is said to Gianna. "Weirdness." Raja looks to Evaristo, "Don't make me tie you to a chair so a healer can see you. Stop lying."

Lucita nods to Lou's comment and blots her tears. "Yes. Furyborn is what would guess." Her gaze goes to the Whisper House consideringly.

Gianna gives Evaristo a highly suspicious look and nods to Raja instead, as the sensible adult in this situation.

Michael lets his swordtip drift towards the ground before settling between cobblestones and he'll turn back to assess just who else is around. Only a few more moments before he is calling to people. "Merek! I need your help securing the block. Lets send runners to the Sovereign Bridge. It will be hard to get out of the Ward of the Crown without passing over the bridge. I need the woman's description messengered to Prince Laric and Alistair, as well as the Iron Guard barracks."

2 Culler Brutes, 1 Culler Boatswain leave, following Raja.

Alena Sparks, unamused first mate, Silk, the Seafaring Spider, Midnight Sea, an Ostrian gelding, Raja leave, following Evaristo.

Merek looks then to Michael, and nods a bit, "Alright, I will do that. It shouldn't take long," he will note. He will begin to do that, and once it's all done, THEN, he will head to the Saving Grace. For now he takes a retinue of guards with him.

It's too much, really, in this crowd. It's all too much to keep track of -- which familiar face is where, who is still standing, who isn't. Except for Cirroch. No, Cirroch's explosion of rage is impossible to miss, and so is the devastation the man has brought down upon that woman and her companions? guards? in his last moments. But as they fall or flee or both, it seems that all that's left is to try to take stock of the living, seeking out the faces of Sorrel, and Natalia, and Lou, and Lucita, and Mirk, and Lisebet, and Michael, her eyes flickering about as if mentally ticking off boxes one by one... at least until the dust of collapse begins to make even that difficult.

Lou glances over at Merek. "We were careful with our words," she seems to snap at him. "Until someone decided to say we should kill all his kind." Heralds. She's not saying that word right now, but it's bloody well what she means.

Zoey leaves Lucita's side finally and goes to Ian. "You should see a healer as well, before we go home," she tells him gently.

Sis, a redheaded morning person arrives, delivering a message to Jamie before departing.

Ian blinks at Zoey when she comes to his side. "I'd like to check on Raven, anyway," he says after a moment. "Is Baroness Saik still here?" He's already looking past Zoey for Lucita, while blood drips from his fingertips onto his shoes.

Merek looks along to Lou before he leaves, "Apologies, I did not mean anyone was at fault, I just mean going forward, it's a difficult thing to approach in conversation."

Zoey nods in reply. "Just over there," she says, indicating where she came from. "I was with her through most of it."

As they await the honor guard to arrive, Rowenova looks to Cirroch and those intense cobalt blue eyes of hers seem to shimmer a bit but not fully tear up before she looks to Mirk and curtly nods her wolf-framed countenance once. "Certainly." says she about how that man died as a hero. "I am not wounded. Thank you for having asked, My Lord."

After some time, an honor guard in crimson and black with the insignia of the ducal house of Halfshav on their armor shows. Between them they carry a stretcher of mahogany poles with bronzed end caps and a thick canvas that is majorly red but shows the insignia of a white fist in the middle of a black mountain when laid out beside the body of the Marquis.

Gianna turns her head to regard the fallen Sanna, expression inscrutable. She steps aside to watch the honor guard's approach.

There are about six individuals in the honor guard who are dressed their best with solemn/stern expressions. They move in tandem with one another without speaking a single word as they lay the canvas between the poles out alongside where the Head of House of Sanna made his last stand.

Vitalis looks to Lisebet and swallows, nodding. He murmurs something quiet in return.

Jamie, standing off to the side with those who remain, turns to watch the honor guard as they approach and lay the stretcher on the ground, ready to transport the body of the fallen Marquis. "May your next turn on the wheel be filled with bears to wrestle and mead to drink, my Lord," the big Greenmarcher murmurs. He waits as the body is placed on the stretcher, seeing the fallen off.

Ian follows Zoey's indicating hand to where Lucita stands, and he starts in her direction. "Baroness Saik." Something subtle softens in his voice when he addresses her. "I heard you. From inside the house. Thank you."

Vitalis draws up at the guard for Cirroch, hand over his heart and head bowed as the man is loaded with care onto a litter. He's got someone to see to treatment though, and he looks at Lisebet, query in his expression.

"Then let's go. Giant Hall awaits," Mirk says with a dip of his head to Rowenova. He turns his attention to the others for a moment, his eyes sweeping over familiar faces. "My apologies for neglecting all of my friends. Duties. He is my kin and a Halfshav vassal, after all. We shall be exchanging missives about this incident, I am sure, as there will be a great deal to follow up on. Until then..." He turns, beckoning the guards onwards. Cirroch's body is borne on a stretcher by their soldiers, all of his belongings placed with him.

Lou spies Mia looking out over the crowd, counting folk and checking on allies. She lifts a hand in her direction to show she's still alive, giving her a grim look. Merek lies forgotten for now, as she's too hot-headed to respond properly. She also does a bit of head counting, making sure Ian and Zoey are okay, as well as Rowenova and Sir Floppington. Dogs count as people too! And, of course, Vitalis, whom she'd thrown a rope to earlier. She nods to each. "I think I need to go home." And for once Lou is probably glad there's a hidden bevy of Grayson guards following after her, because her rule is they must sneak behind her and be quiet if they wish to do their job of following her.

Lucita remains standing, hands clasped together at her waist as she watches. Her tears have ceased. She looks up as Ian speaks to her. Her lips part as if to say something, close as she nods and she finally manages to say something though it is very quietly spoken.

Ian is totally okay. Just a few scratches. Pay no attention the the blood dripping off his left hand.

Gianna slips back into the College, where hopefully other people are calming what refugees came to them.

"I don't know if I can," Lisebet says honestly. "As fun as my children consider piggy back rides and all." She'll be fine later, but at the moment, she's been loaded onto a stretcher. "My legs are a little bit hurt." Only a little though. Honest.

Mia offers a sharp nod to the Grayson Princess, no matter how many times Lou - just Lou! - might deny the title. And then she makes her way quietly over to Michael, yes, in the middle of all his duties as one of the leaders of the Iron Guard. Apparently, the woman has decided that her duties are just as worthy as she asks him with all the subtlety and delicacy of a rock being thrown through a window, "Are you bleeding anywhere, Duke Bisland?"

Sorrel looks pretty weak at this point, having taken herself out of the fight fairly early. She slowly makes her way over towards Mia and Lou, looking weary and sad.

Dolce, a collared dove arrives, delivering a message to Lucita before departing.

hmms quietly after having just issued a few more orders to random guardsmen. Someone has come to talk to him and he'll look around momentarily before deciding its not the best time to pretend that Mia is too short to see. "No, Auntie Mia. Yet again, none of this blood is mine."

Petroc, the most unassuming man you have ever met have been dismissed.

2 Sanna House Guards have been dismissed.

Bear have been dismissed.

Ian reaches up as though to touch Lucita's arm, looks down at his hand, and decides against it. He speaks to her in a low voice, before finishing, more audibly, with: "I'm going to go check on Raven."

Zoey observes the exchange between Mia and her cousin with a half-smile for his response, then comes close enough to put an arm around Lucita if she allows. She too says something softly before releasing her to follow Ian.

Now that the stretcher bearers have begun their solemn march back toward the Redrain grounds, Jamie starts his own slow walk in the direction of the hospital, nodding to those that he passes.

Vitalis decides that he's going to see Lisebet to her treatment regardless, walking alongside her litter, keeping a sharp eye for any lingering effects -- he was peripherally aware of strange things happening. He squints at her, at the bandages, "Mmh. My apologies. I was- only partly aware of ...other things. What happened?"

"Good," is her only reply. Or at least her immediate reply, as she slowly looks Michael up and down the once to be sure he isn't lying. Not that she would ever suggest something so dishonorable as a Bisland, and her liege no less, lying. But she might consider it. Yes, Mia is definitely considering it. It seems she's spent too long among stubborn warriors to do otherwise. "Then I will leave you to it. And see you tomorrow for tea." It doesn't seem to be an invitation so much as a presumption. A curt bow follows, before she moves towards Sorrel.

LIsebet looks abashed for a moment. "I tried to keep the door open, with - well, let's just say all it did was bring me to that mage's attention," she says honestly. "And she nearly turned me into a tree." That at least is how she sees it.

Lucita nods to Ian and Zoey. "Let them check on your wounds while there. I have a feeling we all need to stay in top shape if possible."

Ian looks down at his hand. "I should probably do that," he admits, before starting off with Zoey.