In a nearby section of Bastion, the sound of a vast explosion rocks the city. The reverberations of it can be heard and felt, shaking buildings, breaking glass and toppling grates. People and animals shift nervously, uncertain as to what has just happened. They stare with wild eyes to the skies and then to the other outer walls and for a moment, silence.

And then the walls closest to them collapse in a devastating spray of stone and morter. The debris fly, soaring through the air into smaller building and collapsing them. People are crushed, animals panic and run. And through the dust and smoke emerges a massive, hulking figure. They're encased in the darkest of dark armors, shining and black with what appears to be even darker nightmare swirls that make the heart sick to view. In the knight's hand, they carry an immense hammer that brings immense sorrow. He lifts it high over his head and strikes the ground again, sundering it. A crack breaks through the cobble stone, creating a shallow ravine straight through the street.

Raven checks willpower at hard. Raven is successful.

Orland gets jostled to the ground as he turns the street, by a wall of panicked people. He's been trying to get back to the Cathedral, having left the celebrations to go... wander the streets and check on the 'market situation' ahem ahem. That's left him in this part of the city where the ground trembles and thunders under foot. He catches onto a tipped over cart, the animal smashed underneath one of the larger chunks that was blasted through. The roiling dust from the explosion has him hunkered down, coughing as he pulls a cloth up to his nose. He looks down at the ring on his finger and he pivots in attempts to follow that light. The rise and peels of screams send sheer terror through him, getting up again and trying to follow his way through the streets and debris, "Savio...." he coughs out, hopeful he can make it back to the Lord Proscipi.

Raven had paused, somehow, to grab a peice of roasted something from an abandoned plattered in the commotion and thus lost track of her princess. Even NOW, she has a peice of bread jutting out of the corner of her face, chewing on it as she wipes grease from her gloved hand and draws Requiem, "There is no we're gonna be holding this city. Sooo. Diversion and hope they spare the civilians?" crumbs flying as she talks and when the bread falls from her mouth...it gets a glance but to her great credit she does not pick it up off the ground to resume where she left off. "Orland, stay behind me, yeah?" she strides forward a bit, keeping a note of where her people are.

Aella With the cathedral emptying, Aella worked to unbind her ax and and head out to the streets to see if she could help people escape the danger. Thankfully, she's a sailor, so the ground shaking doesn't unbalance her, but the sight of the hulking figure leaves even the tall woman looking upon him in surprise. "Fuck." She gulps, fearfully looking around and yelling for citizens of Bastion to run, gesturing behind her. "Oi!" She calls out, drawing his attention, hopefully away from unarmored and unarmed people. "This has poor life choice written all over it..."

Scythia gets a form-fitting, slinky, short-sleeve red leather jacket from a red hard leather backpack for storing essential items.

Scythia is not a fighter, despite the sword she holds and the attempts at learning swordplay. She is small, and wearing a damn ballgown. At least it's pyreweave. She flicks dark eyes around as she catches sight of the hulking figure approaching. She gives a hiss of breathy exhale then manages a single phrase as her hand clenches on her sword, "Non omnis moriar." But still, she isn't advancing. Instead she is looking for guards or knightly sorts to join in whatever fight is coming.

Bhandn can't stop an obscenity from leaving his lips as the wall gives way and crushes multiple individuals. But it's the sight of the hulking figure that causes him to stop and gape for a moment, completely at a loss for words. Then the hammer strikes the ground and something just as impossible happens to the street. He glances at Vigil, sitting in his hand, a simple sword of fine steel, but the figure in the black armor has given him pause. "I think today is the day," he declares to the air cryptically, and hurriedly moves to unbuckle the greatsword on his back. He draws it, ignoring the scabbard completely as he wields that diamondplate-with-sapphires weapon. "Get the civilians out of here!" he barks to no one, moving to place himself in harm's way. He doesn't move to engage the armored figure, but he will be a deterrent if it comes to that. "Defend and never yield, defend and never yield." He's saying it over and over like a mantra under his breath as he labors to get through the crowd to set up a defense, as likely feeble as it is.

Bhandn wields a beautiful greatsword engraved with sapphires.

"Orland?!" Having been separated from the original party group he intended to follow to the harbor, Savio is LOST, lost in this infernal... northern, snowy city, which is now doing its best to trigger all his worst memories of the fall of Tremorus. And now he's lost his person, running through the night in a panic, hollering the other's name. "ORLAND!" This echolocation eventually does produce an Orland, thank the gods, as well as a few other friendly faces of whom Savio is fond. "We have to get out of here, we have to --"

Oh, they aren't alone. They aren't at all alone. He's transfixed for a moment by the figure coming through the city at them, especially by the sorrow, sorrow, sorrow of that terrible weapon. Can't look away from it. Oh, that sadness. "......Oh no," Savio summarizes this situation.

The street cracks in half and the people of Bastion are in a mad panic, they rush to and fro in a desperate attempt to escape. The knight cares not for what they do, he strides forward and with his hammer pulls back and slams it into one of the buildings with incredible force. It begins to shake, shudder and eventually fall and cut off one avenue of escape. There is a city gate nearby, but it will take time and energy to reach. The hammer is lifted again, crushing down on a band of citizens attempting to flee. There are screams at first, but then they're cut short.

From behind him, the hole in the wall begins to be filled. Not by impromptu repairs, but wave after wave of shav attackers. They pile in, cutting down citizens and rushing any who might save them. All the while? The knight continues his path of wanton destruction. The first of the invaders is near to reaching Savio, Orland, Bhandn, Aella, and Scythia.

Orland spots Raven but there's someone else that's more important to him right now, sorry Raven! He hears his name being called and he runs toward it, getting shoved aside once or twice by people fleeing in all directions, "SAVIO!!" The moment that he spots Savio he hurries to close the distance and looks worriedly over the face of his partner, grabbing onto him with his breath staggered from the rush of adrenaline, "What's going on?!" He asks the other Lord, looking back where a certain woman went, "Raven's gone out there.. Savio there's a--" yes Savio sees the figure now too, which has Orland licking his lips as they're caked in dust from an exploding city. His eyes lock onto Bhandn too as he watches the man wield a greatsword, "Shit..." He tightens his hold of Savio, looking into the Lord Proscipi's eyes, "I love you Savio."

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

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

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

Orland checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Orland fails.

Scythia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Scythia fails.

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

Raven checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Raven fails.

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

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

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

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

Raven checks luck at hard. Raven fails.

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

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

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

Scythia remains capable of fighting.

Cling! There's only time for the briefest, most desperate of embraces that Savio can catch Orland in, before he answers what's going on with, "Another city's coming down around our ears." Laugh-sob. "We got this. We've done this before, we just did this, it's okay. I love you too, and everything is going to be okay." Parting now, he draws the rapier that, while it's certainly had enough blood on it in the past, was supposed to be a decoration tonight. "Get out of here if you can. Help the civilians. I'll find you!" Shavs are pouring toward them. No time, no time. "Stay in one piece, I'll buy you time!"

Here they come, and Savio asks of his companions or himself, maybe, "Ready?" Of course they're not. But the fight starts, and now his blade is bloodied anew, striking the first assailant who gets within reach.

Aella runs at the knight, because poor life choices. "Hey ugly!" That giant weapon is swinging, buildings are falling, and unfortunately the countess doesn't get far as she trips over rubble.

Scythia's uncovered arm receives a bloody strike, streaming down it as it practically gushes blood. But she doesn't leave that injury unpunished as her blood red rubicund sinks in and drives through. She inhales deeply for a long moment, gaze flicking to Savio as she says, "Thanks for the lessons, brother. I hope to live to get more." But she's already not looking particularly well.

A brutal swing decapitates his attacker, Bhandn swinging that diamondplate sword in a vicious arc that bulls through his foe's defenses. His opponent felled, he spots Aella tripping over the rubble and moves hurriedly to help her up, a bit roughly. "Get. Out of here." Yes, he just ordered a Countess around. "Get. the civilians. to safety." It's a clipped tone, because now is not the time, in his mind, for anything but action. He'll slip back into a defensive stance immediately after, expecting another attacker to follow after the first.

Orland checks perception and streetwise at hard. Orland is successful.

Raven steps forward. Perhaps well aware of the danger, or perhaos just stupid she strides forward and swings her Alaricite blade with an emphatic grunt. Her blade not only fails to find it's mark but she is stuck against her injured shoulder, her blade having been up to block it but not able to withstand the full force causing it to slam with her foes weapon into her own frame. Staggering back to get her feet beneath her, "Numbnuts! You should be running!" she grunts to Savio and ORland and perhaps to people behind her in general but she's busy trying to distract the knight, "HEY! You're literally the biggest jackass I e'er seen!" Her face a feral, pained snarl.

Orland clings to Savio as much as they possibly can with another city collapsing around them, his desire and instinct to stay with Savio registers completely. There's something about that confidence that they'll be okay which Orland nods to. He's the younger of them and somehow survived two massive wars already in the Saffron. He looks at the giant knight coming at them, "I think if I can get some people to follow me through the streets... zig and zagging,..." But there's not much time to explain as invaders pour in and come at them. He slams Savio back and takes a nasty buldgon across the shoulder, which systematically makes him drop his knife and unable to fight back. He looks at Savio in the eyes and kisses him hard and fast, "Find me." He looks toward Raven and the others, but pushes back away, trying to gather up some civilians, "To me! I know a way... follow me!!" he tries to round up some as he goes, looking back before he decides to take an alley or some other quick means of a clear path.

The knight wields his hammer with crushing decisiveness, he doesn't hesitate and he doesn't stop. He marches with a stoic air to him, menace oozing off the intimidating flash of glossy black armor. He doesn't make a sound, he doesn't utter a word. Not a threat, nothing. He simply destroys and kills. Buildings, animals, people. Anything in his path, CRACK. He hits the ground and another sundering forms in the streets, ripping along to those fleeing. Someone falls down inside and there's a sickening crunch as they hit the bottom.

There is one glimmer of hope, and that is the path that Orland has discovered through a section of street that doesn't look completely destroyed. If citizens can be funneled in that direction, it's possible they may save some of the people here.

Orland checks command and intimidation at hard. Orland fails.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scythia checks command and manipulation at hard. Scythia is successful.

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

Aella falters, staring at Bhandn. "Don't sacrifice yourself." She's a hypocrite. But then she nods to the man and looks around, lifting her voice and treating them like her crew. "CITIZENS OF BASTION! TO ME!" Her long legs begin to carry her in the direction of the path Orland found. "MOVE MOVE MOVE!"

Scythia steps back from the line this time, dodging beside , her voice and bloody sword raised to point out the path - a thunderclap to answer the cracking of the hammer, "Citizens of Bastion, that is your way out. If you do not wish to die, run. Run NOW! If you are a warrior, fight with ME to block the path of those escaping unless you are a coward!"

Felling another invader, Bhandn doesn't respond to the Countess's comment. He's too focused on the fighting, but his dispatch of another enemy gives him a moment to glance at the woman. "He has to be an adept, or..." he says aloud to the air, still somewhat transfixed by the hulking knight in black. There's a profound shudder from the knight, who remains ready to engage another shav that wishes to challenge him, still endeavoring to stall some of the flood of invasion to buy time for the people to be led to safety.

All throughout the city of Bastion, the skies are full of swarming locusts. Oddly, the swarm seems to be mostly centered around the castle of Grayhold.

"Where would we go if we did?" Savio calls to Raven over the sound of the melee, questioning her command to be running. "We have to get these civilians out of here first!" That's the plan -- buy time, buy time. A long look is cast after Orland, watching him work on exactly that, before he shakes his head at Scythia, worrying, "Don't be a hero." He's managed to stay intact so far, but the second assailant is quicker than the first!

From the direction of the harbor, a full sized boat soars through the air, dropping debris and providing a view of the hull as it soars overhead clear across the city and lands somewhere in the noble district of the city.

Orland keeps them on track and does try to hollar at people, but he's suddenly coughing on a bug?! Or maybe a cloud of dust. Either way, he avoids an invader's arrow by a hair and watches it clip into someone's donkey! It rears and yanks the tether of his handler free and kicks and trashes, nailing a few more people in the cross hairs. "Fuck." He swears, "Aella! Tell them to leave their animals behind! Tell them to just follow me and run!"

Raven snarls and pivots on the snow and ice, "Then stay BEHIND ME!!" She stalks forward with hateful, vengeful sneer born not of noble thoughts and deeds but out of PURE AND UTTER SPITE "HEAR ME NOW! Any Mother-humpin Sack of turds who swings on what is **MINE** I will FEAST on your heart while you watch!" she leaves a red trail in her wake and lunges with force dredged from the bottom of her soul, "AND I AM STARVING!!"

As some of the people of Bastion listen to her, Aella, starts motioning them after Orland. But there's a ship?? In the sky??? "That is not where.... Oh shit! Keep moving, keep moving!" She hears Orland and looks in his direction. A nod. "Your pets will find better hiding places and trickier paths! They will be fine! We need you to follow us out!" Her thick northern accent might be difficult for some to understand, but she's trying.

Some of the civilians don't follow them down the path Orland indicates, some continue to flee and rush instead into the knight's path. He crushes them with his hammer, blood, guts and gore drop from the weapon. The metal glistens, not just from the blood his enemies but from the dark, malicious cast of the steel itself. He swipes people aside as if they're mere flies, insects to be crushed under his thumb.

There is a mad rush, a crush of people down the streets and a potential light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, a courtyard. People are sprinting like mad, trying to find a safe path to the gates. But it looks for a second, like they might just be able to cross with their people. And then?

The ground shakes. Unholy tremors. It shakes, and shakes, and it explodes. Blocks of cobblestones and chunks of earth spray in all directions. From the ground emerges a centipede of monstrous proportions. It easily clears the buildings when it rises up. Which it does, when it grabs a several people and flings them up into the air and then screeches and the glass in the windows breaks in a cacophony of shattering horror.

From the direction of the southern streets of Bastion, an unholy shockwave of tremors emits from the ground. Then a massive centipede, taller than many of the buildings peeks its head up as it tosses several human beings into the sky and screeches before descending again.

Increased screaming erupts in the direction of the western gate, as those who have managed to get out are suddenly attempting to get back /in/. Above the screams, wolf howls are suddenly heard, horrible and wrong to the ears.

Scythia's gaze flits onto someone on the back of the centipede, and she starts in surprise, "Fuck. FUCK! That mage who attacked the Whisper House. I knew she was in the Crownlands but... We need to not be here right now." She scowls a little as she begins to backpedal into the cleared path, assuming that's still clear, anyways. "Unless one of you is uh... actually able to fight magic because... not in this lifetime for me."

Orland checks perception and streetwise at hard. Orland fails.

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

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

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

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

Orland checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Orland fails.

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

Scythia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Scythia fails.

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

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

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

There's no way out. There's no way out. Savio is in a state of consciousness that can only be described as disbelief as the locusts fly from above, shavs surround them -- civilians panic, unable to cope with something that is so far beyond them, and honestly, it's beyond the rest of them, too, isn't it? If it's a choice between stall for time with the horror centipede literally wrecking buildings as well as lives, and the evil knight? Bad choices overall, but he turns his blade toward the knight, and that hammer, and its power, its sorrow, the evil grief woven into it. Into all of this.

Aella checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 1 higher.

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

Orland checks 'unconsciousness save' at normal. Botch! Orland fails completely.

Orland is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

The reason why Orland loses track of the way out is because he gets punched against a wall by some of that cobblestone that's flying in the air because of a massive centipede breaking through the ground!! No amount of streetwise knowledge and awareness of getting around an urban sprawl can prepare him for that. It staggers him and disorients him severely, to the point he's slouched against one of the walls, covered in debris dust with runnels of red making streaks through the grit down his face from some cut caused by flying rock not a moment ago. He looks up in time to see back from the direction he was leading people, to notice his partner heading toward the thick of danger. The knight. His eyes flash toward the centipede and he grimaces about to say something when the building he was leaning against collapses... pretty much on top of him!

Aella is absolutely not okay, and as she raises her voice to get the citizens moving, she falters, her words choking in her throat. The monstrous centipede causes the ground around her to shake so hard that she falls, landing on her elbows hard and getting stepped on by several fleeing civilians. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck..." In desperation she tries to roll aside, terror filling her eyes.

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

Orland wakes up.

"NO YOU FOOL!" But Bhandn is too busy with the invaders to do more than call that out to Savio as the man engages the knight of all things. He is relentless, clearing a space around him with wide sweeps of that greatsword's beautifully silvered diamondplate edges. "GO!" he barks at civilians, urging them to escape in the path he opened up for them. He's still in the thick of it, unable to do more than avoid taking blows for himself at this juncture.

Raven looks around, nostrils flaring and her eyes sweeping the surroundings. She doesn't panic though her expression remains grim as she lurches forward and drives her sword downwards trying to spear the Centipede down, locking her wrist and elbow so the blade's braced since she doesn't have use of her arm from the LAST attack.

The knight has not said a single word, not until Savio attacks him. When the hit lands against his armor and the blade cuts into the sickening darkness of that steel, he turns very slowly and swats him with the warhammer.

Swats.

As if he were but a gnat, sending him flying back into some crates. "You dare strike the Knight of the Breach?" he demands, a nasty, gravely voice emanating from his throat in the deepest and most fiercest of growls.

In the background, the centipede appears to have a rider. A woman who has taken off her jacket and is just /more/ centipedes. From her mount, she casts a terrifying display of magic. Trees and vines rip across the courtyard, strangling anything they touch.

But a moment of light, even with many of them now wounded, and the people they're shepherding starting to flee in panic?

Bhandn cuts a path. There is safe way from them to go to the north, to the gate that may lead to safety.

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

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

Orland checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Orland fails.

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

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

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

Savio checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Savio fails.

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

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

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

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

Scythia checks command and manipulation at hard. Scythia is successful.

Aella checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 6 higher.

Orland checks 'unconsciousness save' at hard. Orland fails.

Orland is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

"Just get them out of here!" Savio yells back at Bhandn, who is (not at all incorrectly) calling him a fool. "Get Scythia and Orland out of here, and the civilians! We're just buying time, you have a path, go! Get them out!" It's a lapse in focus that costs him getting gently wafted through the air into a stack of crates from that hammer, oof. And as he picks himself back up to his feet, there's -- a building falling on top of Orland. And Shavs piling onto it. And no way to get there and help, and -- now this sass, from the creature, the 9 foot nightmare who asks if he dares? He spits out blood, and presses the attack again -- less successfully, but this time perhaps dodging better. The answer to the Knight of the Breach comes in another language.

Savio says in Arakkoan, "I've known greater sorrows than you."

Scythia is not meant for combat in ballgowns. She calls out with her voice, her confident presence ordering, "Keep going!" She urges the fleeing civilians, attempting to fend off blows with her sword and injured self as she pushes towards that path that Bhandn clears, "We will find safety together!" she urges, the dominating presence of hers, catching attention and for once being used to urge people where she wants them. That commanding, austere tone hopefully getting people to listen.

Orland checks 'unconsciousness save' at hard. Orland marginally fails.

Raven abandons trying to cut down the more fearsome of the foes and shifts her attention towards the north, leaning into it, not waiting for ground to yield but swinging wide in arcing cuts and demanding swings as she does her best to help cut a path towards the north in the desperate, urgent, needful press to find save haven SOMEWHERE!

Getting out of the way of the crowd proves harder than Aella anticipated, especially when sudden vines are tripping her. She's dashing for Orland, stumbling and getting snagged along the way, but she's determined. It's an almost sisterly determination. "Can't have my favorite hair gnawer lost..." She scoops him up in her arms and secures him, yelling to Savio, "I have him, let's GO!"

"LEAVE HIM BE!" Bhandn yells back at Savio, still fighting to clear a path through the ingress of invaders. "WE. NEED. YOU. HERE!" That's said as he dispatches yet another shav. Those are all the words the knight has to muster, his eyes desperate as he hacks his way through faceless foe after faceless foe.

Orland checks 'unconsciousness save' at hard. Orland fails.

Orland checks 'unconsciousness save' at hard. Orland is successful.

Orland wakes up.

When Savio speaks to the Knight of the Breach, he turns once more. The words reached him. He slings the hammer over his shoulder and he approaches the young man and hunches down until they are about eye level. And when he does, he whispers something so low that no one else can hear it. And his gauntleted hands move with impressive speed to rest on the top of his head, not to strike. But stroke his hair, gently.

The mage and her centipede continue to wreck havoc in the courtyard while Raven and Bhandn are clearing a path through the shavs, Scythia is able to encourage them to follow her. There's the sound of things crashing all across the city and one very surprising path lays before them. The massive centipede is out of the tunnel and nothing else is coming out.

From the direction of the docks, thunderous sounds of destruction are heard again along with roars of what sounds very much like pain, loud enough to shake the remaining buildings of the city.

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

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

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

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

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

Bhandn checks dexterity and huge wpn at hard. Bhandn fails.

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

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

Scythia checks composure and manipulation at hard. Scythia is successful.

"Into the tunnel!" Aella is shouting as she sees that it is clear. Orland is coming to, but she doesn't set him down and make him walk. "We'll get you out of here." She's cradling him like a child, and being surprisingly gentle. "SAVIO!" She's horrified by what the knight is doing. "We need to go!" There is an edge of pleading in her voice as she starts to head for the tunnel, hoping the bard will follow her and his love. As she passes more civilians, she speaks sternly, urging them toward the tunnel. "She had to come in from somewhere, go, take it out of here!"

Scythia's ability to keep her face straight in these moments, and keep herself calm and cool despite the blood that leaks down her arm is utterly commendable. There is something about her intense nature as she shepherds the people into the empty centipede tunnel, urging them "Go! Go. Get out of here!" She looks towards Savio and calls out, "Savio! If you don't come here NOW, I will come 'help' you there!" She seems perfectly serious as she urges people into the danger hole.

Raven continues to do her best to cut a wide circle, "The tunnel! Take the tunnel! They ain't worried about guarding it and safer in there than up here! Get in the tunnel and get our man outta here!" She continues to leave trails of red in the ice and snow byut by now it mingles with blood from so, so many and Raven is considerably better than most of the rest.

It had to happen eventually, but Sir Bhandn finally meets an opponent who defends himself against the knight's offense. There's a suggestion of a growl, but Bhandn maintains his focus, keeping himself out of harm's way from the invader's counterattack. He remains focused on one thing only: preventing people from being cut down. "It's better than nothing," he growls out loud. "There's no end to this mob!"

Attack him, Savio! He is right there, the Knight of the Breach is right THERE, approaching, coming forward...! But he doesn't attack, doesn't run away, a blurry line between hopelessness, defiance, and paralysis -- as if such semantics mean anything when the result is exactly the same. And the result is that he doesn't do anything when the Knight comes near, held by that attention like a wasp in amber, helpless to do anything but accept the touch, and listen. Captivated by the cruel mercy of that nightmare.

"It's not so." But those words are broken in a way that confirms whatever it is, it's already so. And he already knows it. Some stupid sound like choking or sobbing follows, inadequate for the seriousness of the moment, and then he turns and runs as almost tangible waves of bleak grief wash after him. Almost thoughtless of the Shavs now, but managing avoid them; into the tunnel and away.

Orland makes some sort of groggy greivously injured groan and rumble... but otherwise he's not moving much. Thanks for the ride Aella!

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

Scythia remains capable of fighting.

After the group begins to flee toward that abandoned centipede tunnel, the Knight of Breach stands from his crouch and hefts his hammer once again. For the first time he moves with speed, rushing in another direction and felling buildings and people wherever he goes. The cries of those left behind follow them as they flee to safety in the woods beyond Bastion. And as they travel through the complete darkness of that long bumpy tunnel, they can hear the sound of the massive centipede overhead as it skitters over the once great and ancient city of Bastion. And even once they're outside of the walls, they can still hear the screams and buzzing of insects.

Scythia gets flusteringly tight second-skin crimson leather trousers from a red hard leather backpack for storing essential items.

Scythia gets an armored crimson leather corset, drawn brutally tight from a red hard leather backpack for storing essential items.

From the harbor, a shrill, piercing, unearthly scream is heard, "NOOO! MY BABY!"

Howls go up again from the west, but they're moving away quickly now. The screaming from that direction is...much diminished, but still so very, very present.

Abruptly, all the locusts have flown off, most buzzing off into the sky. Just as sudden as their arrival, they are gone, save for entirely too many bug corpses from swatted bugs lingering anywhere and everywhere.