A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

5 Armed Confessors have been dismissed.


**********************************************************************
On the 3rd day of the Siege of Arx, the attack does not arrive at once. The defenders expect a day that does not come. On the beaches outside of Arx, the brief flashes of lightning illuminate the endless horde arrayed outside the city, but they have not yet begun to march. Little by little, the banners are raised, and the mouths begin to extend from them. Tens of thousands of shards are gathered in a mile long circle with the banners face them, and Azazel begins to emerge. There's a feeding frenzy of Azazel's mouths chewing his own minions, and for some time after, nothing happens.

Then the fountain in the city center, already red from the falling blood rain, turns black as night.
**********************************************************************


Mattheu wields Siren's Song.

Ronja wields Seafarer's Lament.

Rosalind wields Stormpiercer, the Longbow of House Blackwood.

Titus wields The Bloodsong.

Mirari wields Valediction, a alaricite misericord with ornately carved ivory shadow hilt.

Jasher wields House Thrax Reafian Longsword.

Victus wields Barathrum, the imperial oathlands alaricite greatsword.

Apollo wields Malice - an ominous black dagger.

Sorrel wields Percussion, alaricite mace.

Aleksei wields Chainbreaker, the Sword of the First Choice.

Jhond wields Sweet Lies and Bitter Truths, a pair of alaricite swords.

Vitalis wields Defiance, an Oakhide whip in glinting white.

Khanne wields Elements of Hope, the alaricite bow.

Triton The Ravenseye spearmen are drawn up and ready for an attack they knew would come. With some idea of what will happen, they march to join the rest of Arx, banners flying bravely and drums beating.

Petal slips out of her shop that is quite close to here. The shop her little daughter Lily lives. Her daughter being at risk has finally got her spurred into action ad swallowing back her fear of the incoming abyss creatures. She arrives with a borrowed bow and in simple leather armor. Her cheeks are pale and her breathing is elevated.

Pasquale Malespero hurries to join the defensers responding to that worryingly black fountain, concerned enough to leave the walls for as long as it takes to confirm if this is, or isn't, the place where the next attack will bypass the walls. His armor just a little dinged up from the previous battles. He looks strong and hale, moving with the quiet confidence that feeds through cantrip into a reassuring sense that everything is not as frightening as it might otherwise be. He is wielding a massive longbow that is surely to large for any mortal to draw; its limbs scaled, its body wrapped in shadowmeld and steelsilk vines studded with star-iron monkshood blossoms. There doesn't seem to be a string. That doesn't seem to matter. Whilst he has a quiver complete with his usual bow, and his usual arrows, he doesn't seem to be carrying any that would fit this new, larger bow. He doesn't seem to think that matters either.

Adalyn wields Blade of stories.

Rosalind marches side by side with Triton, her twin, her other heart beat. She looks at the warriors of Ravenseye and she smiles a moment, at just how far they've come, and she continues to march. Ready. Strong.

Insaya wields Hidden Blade.

"Do you see this thing? Watch, watch carefully it blinks!" Lys is talking to someone next to her as she makes her way into the City Center-- come from the word spreading through the city that the fountain is filled with blood. Only to find it /black as night/.

"That is probably a bad sign."
From the much plain sheath on her back she pulls out an obscenely beautiful blade. Like liquid rather than metal, that shows off visions of the world.

11:56. Sen arrives at a run, from the direction of the Upper Boroughs. Presumably she wasn't terribly far, but, then, she is *very* fast today, and as she arrives she's even faster, slipping from human to Wolf shape between one step and the next, from two legged to four legged run a second later. Run. Run run *run*.

Esme arrives to the scene or has been out here, it's always hard to tell in the night and blood. Luckily, her armor is already red and so is her hair, so now she just looks like a slightly wetter and probably more annoyed red rose. There is a slight glittering to her eyes here and there in the lack of the light before them. Esme comes in with Kindness with her as she prepares. To her left side is strapped a... is that a.. yes.. she has a teddy bear strapped to her left hip for the moment. She pauses to straighten her robe to make a slight little hat for him, so that the bear doesn't get bloody or dirty.

The Ashen Knight known as Titus has recently returned from far far away and stands with many others, each of them he calls one by one a hero as he thanks them for their stand. "To the Last." the words are said to them all. He is inspired it seems from the pilgrimage to the Heart of the Necropolis, those crimson eyes shining although his pale face is healing from numerous wounds. As the battle is beginning, he reaches into a pouch he wears on his neck and sprinkles out white sand mixed with gold on the ground as it begins to be mixed with the blood rain, saying something to the wind in remembrance and he gives a kiss to Khanne his wife that he stands near. The duke unslings then a large kite shield, dark black with an ominous sigil that is emblazoned on it of an upside down white skull with strange symbols as the blood rain begins to soak it crimson. He holds it so that Azazel and his minions might see what is coming for -them- as he unsheathes the Bloodsong. "For many, this is where our story will end but the world will continue on. Fight on for them, not for yourself. Fight for those who you have ever loved, ever have been loved by, for any who have hurt you or hurt others. Fight for those who at one time did something for you, for those who took something from you. Fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. Fight for a world that is breaking and crying out as the hour approaches midnight. Do not pray for victory today, oh no. Pray that you will not yield to the darkness which desires to consume you and all others as it seeks to destroy a world in rage. FIGHT! TO THE LAST!"

Confessor Imori have been dismissed.

Confessor Warren have been dismissed.

"Oh fuck me it really is a fucking flying ship." Ronja Sandreef has been saying variations of this the entire time she's been on the Nightstar, in between annoying questions about how the thing WORKS. She knows how SHIPS work. Sails, hulls, the construction, this and that. But this ship FLIES. "Right, then. If I die today, hell, at least I got to be on a fucking FLYING SHIP." She draws her sword. "Not that I plan to die, mind. I've got folks that owe me money, yeah?"

Petal heads toward her patron (Titus) when she hears his battle call, getting ready to stand with him or well more likely behind him. She stands her little self behind him.

Mattheu Rivenshari stands resolute, his form adorned with the ceremonial bells of his Rivenshari lineage. Each bell chimes softly with every movement, a symphony of his heritage echoing through the chaos of war. With the house sword, Siren's Song, gripped firmly in his hand, Mattheu surveys the ominous sky, pulling at the helm and hood to cover his face from the rain. He still holds a smile as he watches the blood fall from sky. "It's as if they are calling the North to the fight. Is the blood supposed to terrify us?" A grin over to Titus with nudge, "Will this suffice for what you need? Should we get a bucket?

Hovering above the city, the beautiful brass trim of Freedom's Phantasm - the new Nightstar - was stained by the bloodfall. The sleek ship's gangplank hung open, and in the doorway stood Prince Victus. The lightning crashes and the faces of a million demons flash across the field. It was no nightmare, but a frightening reality of what had come. Drawing in a deep breath, Victus steeled himself. "Secure." The gangplank retracts, and the deck's entrance slides shut.

Thankfully, Raja was already in the city, though on her way back to the Lowers. Panic from the city center reaches her ears and she pauses to turn and look towards Naisha, a tall elven woman with large skeletal wings. Some may know her as The Peregrin. "Welp. Sounds as if we have work to do." Raja says, smirking and pulling a blade from her belt. She turns to make her way into the center of the city, followed by the massive winged woman. Standing there, Raja takes pause to take in the situation, her gaze turning to her allies as they begin to assemble.

It's a short walk, looking back over her shoulder at her first business and the home she's kept for many years. The roof Of Works Obscura in the distance, as Mirari struts towards the chaos. The woman has an easy sway on her hips, each side hilted with weapons. The Corsetina is adorned from head-to-toe in steelsilk, there's the look of bloodlust in her dark emerald eyes. A quick up nod when she sees the likes of Caspian and Viviana in the mix. Despite the blood raining down, there remains a twisted smirk on the woman's face. A hand pulls a blade from one of the belt loops, it fits perfectly in her hand. It was made for her. It gleams, it hasn't tarnished yet, not yet. The woman rolls her shoulders, and finds a place.

Raven is here with a brave few remaining Iron Guard. As before the men and women of the guard are asked to stand on a volunteer basis. Those couple of dozen stand with Raven in what is either foolishness, defiance, or perhaps even the desire to be something more than the boot-heel of oppression "Today we decide who we want to be and define our legacy. I for one don't plan to ever give an inch to shitheads!"

Neviah just happened to be shopping for something protective, something that wasn't overpriced by the combination of demand and the courage of the merchants. She got caught in the blood rain, under an awning.

Harlex studies the fountain and makes a low throated "Hm," of disapproval. His sword is in hand, the silence that follows is -- uneasy. If the world is a dream, this is a nightmare. But he's steady in the face of it all, no speeches left to give. The worst is yet to come after all.

Sapphire is spending the ship ride as a sapphire blue snake coiled about Victus' shoulders. Snakes don't make a lot of noise, and that means she doesn't have to make conversation. Her tongue flickers at the blood when Victus takes a peek.

It's been a long time since any battle has reached the City Center. A long time. There's been skirmishes that touched it during the invasions of the Silent War and beyond. Skirmishes during the Crownbreaker Wars. And fighting here and there during its long history. But the last time a battle was truly fought here was a little over a thousand years ago, before Arx was a great city. When ancient heroes called the Metallic Order and the soldiers of their Guard stood and died.

And now, as monstrous maws begin to emerge from the fountain, followed by thousands of Azazel's demons, the thousands of citizens of the Compact running and screaming in terror are praying that some of the heroes today prove to be history's equal.

Massive tongue like tentacles from floating maws shoot out and grab Iron Guardsmen, pulling them into waiting fangs. Merchants run from their stalls, being run down by winged balrogs and other monstrosities. A great shadow in the shape of something that looks like a dragon rises from the fountain, its wings showering acidic drops wherever it flies. And there's all too little time for the Compact to rally to it, even as the rest of Azazel's army begins to march up from the beach.

((Dragon rider people, not here yet. Everyone else yet, due to the amount of help you have, this has been downgraded from impossible difficulty to daunting. Hurray! Everyone can check at daunting, unless you have some special other difficulty lowering mod as well.))

Jhond is there to. Socks, Sandals and all. His sword swords hand loosely in his hands with the tips at the ground as he steps into the center of the city and eyes the fountain through the crowd with a frown. "I.. probably wouldn't drink that."

Mirk checks mana and occult at daunting. Mirk fails.

Titus checks command and war at daunting. Titus fails.

Fortunato checks wits and artwork at daunting. Fortunato is successful.

Raven checks mana and occult at daunting. Critical Success! Raven is spectacularly successful.

Mirari checks dexterity and small wpn at daunting. Mirari fails.

Sen'azala checks willpower and leadership at daunting. Botch! Sen'azala fails completely.

Victus checks strength and huge wpn at daunting. Botch! Victus fails completely.

Triton checks stamina and survival at daunting. Triton fails.

Ronja checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Ronja fails.

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


Filshiar enters the city center with his sword drawn, having been on the ready for days now to uphold his oath and protect this city. Though his armor may be slick with the blood raining down on them, the emblem of the King's Own shines through. Muddled, perhaps, but visible. He narrows his eyes at the blackened fountain and looks between those assembled, readying himself.

Vitalis checks perception and huge wpn at daunting. Vitalis fails.

Rosalind checks dexterity and archery at daunting. Rosalind fails.

Bhandn checks strength and huge wpn at daunting. Critical Success! Bhandn is spectacularly successful.

Apollo checks dexterity and tanning at hard. Apollo is successful.

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

Caspian checks dexterity and small wpn at daunting. Caspian marginally fails.

Khanne returns the kiss to Titus, but no smile resides upon her features just now. She is focused and running through the mental checklist in her mind. Armor, check. Bow, check. Sanity... left it at home so she could stand here brave, check. She listens to Titus' words and there is a lift of her chin, they are words she has carried in her heart from the start of the battles, and she shall do so now. "Half Savage, Half Hero. It is now time to be both! To the Last!"

Aleksei checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Aleksei marginally fails.

Sorrel checks charm and performance at daunting. Sorrel is successful.

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

Viviana checks stamina and medium wpn at daunting. Viviana is successful.

Fortunato's wound is on his back, beyond his easy reach. Probably for the best. How does he fix himself up? How does he ask other people to fix himself up? These are definitely things to worry about, distract oneself with, when the night extends and the skies rain blood. He's on the ship. He looks over at Victus's Sapphire snake instead, for a moment. "I wish I was a snake," he decides. He looks up and over at the darkness, the maws. "Fuck."

Jhond checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Critical Success! Jhond is spectacularly successful.

Pasquale checks composure and war at hard. Pasquale is successful.

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

Samira checks perception and occult at hard. Samira fails.

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

Petal checks mana and agriculture at daunting. Petal is successful.

Jasher checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Botch! Jasher fails completely.

Mattheu checks willpower and survival at hard. Mattheu is successful.

Raja checks dexterity and small wpn at daunting. Botch! Raja fails completely.

Neviah checks mana and occult at hard. Botch! Neviah fails completely.

5 Armed Confessors have been dismissed.

Ferrando checks dexterity and stealth at daunting. Ferrando fails.

Tikva is pounding pavement from the Upper Boroughs, running pell-mell into the driving rain of blood. It is starkly red, splashing across hair and skin and armor. Inquisition themed armor doesn't really show the blood - it's dark, dark red - but the borrowed fireweave she wears is much lighter in hue. Nightingale's sweeping, spectral wings drive the enormous, shimmering bronze-brown bird aloft above her as they charge into the fray, into the heart of their beloved city. She fills her lungs to let out a blast of power, not settled enough to pull her instrument but not needing it. The music and the magic were always hers. "This is my weave-- to strike through clean--" she sings.

[MAGIC: 1] Mirk and Nyx had been circling in the air, a blue dragon soaring above them, as he has often in the past three days. With battle so close at hand, Mirk spends time there communing with his elements. But as soon as the square turns black, the dragon wheels around and begins to fly towards it, Mirk gripping his staff tightly. Even before the maws begin to appear, the pair are racing, diving towards the battlefield that the city center soon becomes. It is directly into the fray, wind howling and the dragon's claws flashing, but it's into terrible resistance. Even with the might of a dragon and a novice druid to bring to bear, they are not faring well.

[MAGIC #1 - ATTACK] Vitalis arrives to the City Center at the raise of cries and horns, he comes with Rat behind him, allies and strangers around him -- today no enemies save Azazel. Mist and smoke pool around his feet and he cracks Defiance, once, twice, th- it snaps smartly into his leg, "Dammit," Vitalis curses, coiling the whip again to begin a new.

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

Lisebet checks charm and diplomacy at daunting. Lisebet fails.

[MAGIC- Use 1 - Attack] Tikva is pounding pavement from the Upper Boroughs, running pell-mell into the driving rain of blood. It is starkly red, splashing across hair and skin and armor. Inquisition themed armor doesn't really show the blood - it's dark, dark red - but the borrowed fireweave she wears is much lighter in hue. Nightingale's sweeping, spectral wings drive the enormous, shimmering bronze-brown bird aloft above her as they charge into the fray, into the heart of their beloved city. She fills her lungs to let out a blast of power, not settled enough to pull her instrument but not needing it. The music and the magic were always hers. "This is my weave-- to strike through clean--" she sings.

Lys checks willpower and medium wpn at hard. Lys is successful.

[Magic 1 - Blood Vines] Petal while standing behind Titus and with his cabal of allies, lets out a frightened whimper as the tentacles come. She cuts her wrist, just a little bit, dropping blood on ground. She summons up her own tentacles of sorts, thorned vines that fight back against the tentacles.

[Magic]
The maws pulling at those nearest the fountain first and Mattheu is throwing his hands up, shadows coalesce around him and his companions, weaving together into a shimmering barrier that seems to distort the view around them. From the outside, it appears as though they vanish into thin air, concealed from the sight of their foes. Turning to Titus and Petal, "Stay behind me!"

As Titus stands defiantly before the overwhelming darkness of Azazel, he lifts the Aegis of Silence, its Oblivion sigil a stark contrast against the chaos. His crimson eyes, full of love and determination, seek out someone in the heat of the battle and locks his eyes on her. "My heart, Khanne." He calls out, his decayed voice now resounding with a deep, unwavering resolve, "Know that my love for you is eternal. But today, I offer myself to Oblivion, for your future, for the moment right now so many have made a stand against a tremendous foe. For a future of all those who will survive and thrive beyond this moment. My story, our story, may fade but in its sacrifice, a brighter tomorrow will emerge. Stand strong, my love, and remember not me but that the worth of many outshines the tale of one. To the last, I fight for you, for us, for a world reborn! One flame is extinguished but sparks a thousand more!" And with these heartfelt words he truly means, Titus with the Aegis of Silence raised high, charges into the darkness as magic swirls around him of blood and ash turning into what might look like a giant serpent's fanged maw. It is there, in the midst, that a huge roar is heard as the giant serpent of blood and ash clamps on and viciously rips apart a shadow dragon as it screams the last moments before in a single moment, there's a deep silence that reverberates from where Titus went. The serpent of blood and ash disappears but the shadow dragon is killed.

[Magic 1, Attack] Ferrando and Beaufortmax are on combat air patrol, which is a very technical-sounding military term for 'flying circles around Victus' airship'. Still a bit worn down from flying with inadvisably little stops for rest on the way to Cardia to be able to join the attempted invasion of the Lowers despite resting afterwards, the pair nonetheless circles around ready for an attack that doesn't come... at least, not from the air as expected. The fountain erupting dead center is pretty hard to miss. "Shit," he mutters, as Beaufortmax is already diving down into the breach, breathing ice into the backs of a crowd of demons far too late to contain them.

[MAGIC - Flay there] Apollo should really learn to run -away- from danger. And maybe he would have. Except he saw people he cared about a lot die yesterday. Except he can intuit, everywhere, the armor he's made, rent with blows and bites and burns, not doing what it is supposed to. Except he knows the world - his, but really the whole world - is overflowing with grief. He couldn't live with himself. He looks at the fountain and its blood and glances to his omnipresent (lately) battle buddy, but the guy just shrugs and waits, like he knows something's coming, which... not like he doesn't. And when that mouth rises, his chin trembles, but he raises a smoky gem in one hand, his blade in the other, and SLASH-SLASH-SLASH. He yanks with the hand that's got the stone, face crumbling with the effort. Surely not pulling /everything/ off that thing, but that's just fine. Piece. By. Piece.

[MAGIC 1] There's a goddamn assassin-snake hanging around his neck. This is... fine. This is just gonna *have* to be fine for right now. As Victus takes them through the inner workings of the ship, the glowing engines stall for just a moment as the whole vessel rocks to the side. He braces a hand on the wall and makes his dash to the deck. Into the open air, where the blood pours and the screams from below reach a new pitch. With sword in hand, he raises its tip to the sky. The first wave of screaming demons in flight are pulled forward, and cut to pieces with one tidal swing. It's just a drop in the bucket compared to the endless hordes that still circle around them.

Titus has died.

Harlex checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Botch! Harlex fails completely.

[Magic #1]As the creature rises from the fountain, Esme prays to Limerance. Or she states her good-byes to him. It's hard to tell. A breath is pulled into her lungs as she draws up to feel the calm in the chaos. Then her eye open as she attempts to swing her sword to attack first to the creature that rises.

[Magic 1 - The Darkest Blade] Like a shadow, Mirari fades and a blade extends from her. The woman moves with quick ease, spinning around and slitting the throat of whatever is in front of her. There's little time to enjoy the kill, her mood has darkened, and she attacks without reservation. The blood spurts, her toe kicks at the body pushing it away, it's chaos from the start and the woman moves through it, tempting it to dance with her, as she meets it squarely with the tip of her dark blade. The smirk never quite leaves her lips, twisted and unapologetic.

[MAGIC - 1ST USE - ATTACK - SCORCHING WAVE] There was hardly any time to react, to take in everything that happened all too quickly. One moment, the Sword of Farhaven is assisting with patrols, the next, darkness and bloody rain. Commotion at the city center drives her in that direction, Demonslayer quickly unsheathed. Morrighan is running with all the speed she can muster, jaw clenched tightly, just as much as the grip she takes on her weapon before the blade begins to turn white hot. She weaves around people, maneuvering to get a clean shot at the maws and tentacles rising from the fountain. Fire lights in her eyes, turning from blue to red and orange-gold before swinging the legendary blade into a fiery arc, sending a tumultuous wave of roaring flames forward.

[Magic #1 - Attack] As the maws begin to emerge from the fountain, Pasquale turns towards them with a frown on his face. He isn't the quickest to respond. His instinct being that of a watcher more than of someone who heroically throws himself at any threat without thought. Yet the hesitation there as he takes in the scene, pushes away the shock and terror, before he begins to draw his bow is tiny. Nobody who isn't looking for it would likely notice. He draws that massive bow back and as he pulls a number of long razor shards take place around the string - their tips dripping with poison that almost looks like blood. He draws it in the way he's learned to draw a bow over hundred upon hundred of hours and when he releases the shards fly like the arrows of thirteen bows before plunging into the demons he picked for his first target. Where each shard makes contact it dissolves into more of that poison, burning flesh away even as the sharp edges cut through skin.

[Magic 1- Shadow Blur] There is little time to react. Demons pour in like a tidal wave. She is actually a little surprised at how fast they manage to pour through the fountain! "Jhond!" She spies him in the crowd and proceeds to work her way towards him. The darkness around her feet comes together, curling up her legs and hastens her step. She moves with an unnatural speed. Demons attack her, using tooth, claw, and whatever crude abyssal weapons they can use. Raja is quickly overrun by the foul beasts before Naisha steps in with her skeletal wings, spinning to deflect the creatures and bring them low.

Petal cries out when Titus charges in with heroism, giving his life. She falls back to Mattheu now and carries on. She has her daughter with Cillian to protect. Tears will be saved for later.

[[ MAGIC 1 RAVEN]] Raven whips around to face the oncoming horde of demons "We are so fucking OVER this Donkey-shit!! FUCK OFF ALREADY!" her extreme ire that probably borrowed some rage meant for someone else "Killing! Meddling! ruining EVERYTHING!!!" she draws her sword but her other hand lifts and writhing, spiteful, black tendrils erupt from her "JUST DIE ALREADY DAMNYOURBALLS!" the blackness branches off and energetically burrows into demonic flesh.

[Magic - Attack] Viviana has been still as the tomb -- slicked in blood, then since they've been on board the Nightstar, face tilted up toward the skies, with one hand on the swept hilt of her Nightfall, she draws it with a sigh and allows the blood to coat the star iron blade. The rain around select enemies of the Nightstar are suddenly star iron and sharp-edged -- droplet-sized and keen for blood.

[MAGIC 1] As something winged lunges for Neviah and the merchant who shelters her from the rain (without fee), one of them spins and reacts, unthinking. There's nothing flashy to it, just Neviah's hand extended one moment and the absence of a balrog the next. Dust flutters to the ground from where once there was life.

[MAGIC #1] The moment news trickles in regarding the events unfolding in the city center, Samira is on the move. Her fingers curl tightly around a small stone held in her palm. Her other hand reaches instinctively for her blade, but it's not her weapon which she draws upon but her magic. Features transformed into a look of grief and grim determination, she cries out in rage as she gestures to the tentacles, intending to turn them tangling into each other.

[Magic 1] Lisebet was not immediately at the city center, having been at the bank. But as she comes out to the blood rain, and sees panicked folks runnign away from the city center. So she heads that way, just in time to see all the craziness. Her eyes widen, and she comes to a shocked stop. Oh gods, no nono. Her we go again! She takes a moment to realize she has to do something. This is - another fight. Breathe, Lisebet. Breathe. And then she reaches a fist, opens it, as if releasing a ball, and says, "I am certain that you really do not want to do that." That magic suggestion flies out around her, hopefully slowing down and confusing demonic critters and allowing others to hit them.

Lys grabs cuts and slashes the disgusting tentongues as they lash out at Iron Guards. She tries to cut one free before it can be pulled back into a mouth. But there's just too many mouths and too many tentongues and--

She catches sight of Titus charging directly into the darkness and her lips part in a shocked expression. "Fuck. Fuck! Fight on! Fight harder!"

Rosalind begins loading her bow, shooting off arrows as she screams,"TO THE LAST!" It's when she sees Titus that she finds herself frowning, a small tear forming in her eyes. Anger appears in her features as she begins to draw more arrows, shooting..

[MAGIC 1] Aleksei leans out over the edge of the deck of the Freedon's Phantasm in those early moments, watching darkness erupt from the fountain with a look of grim horror. And then Titus steps out, and Aleksei is //struck// by the sight of the giant serpent below. The silence reverberates, and the demons flocking towards the airship tumble in a momentary stunning, letting him leap forward on the deck to slice a whole set of them in twain in one fell swoop.

Triton [Magic 1: Maul] - Triton has not shifted form yet, but he is quite capable of grasping the Dream and wielding the High Magic even as he yells to the Ravenseye troops around him. "RAVENSEYE! Shiieeld ... wall!" Clash and clang as the spearmen close ranks, shields overlapping, the spears bristling forward toward the shards. In the read, the bowman under House leadership draw and loose over the shield wall. "Drummers beat halftime. Advance!" A slow but very low thump as the wall moves a short pace. The Lord points at the closes Mas=w in fromt of the advance and growls, very bestial, and his invisible claw slams into the nearest Eater-wannabe with a ripping, crunching sound. THUMP! Another half step.

There's magic everywhere right now. Good magic, bad magic, raining blood magic, end of the world magic. And then there's Ronja, hacking away with a sword. "Did you all just fucking see that?!" she blurts, before remembering she was in the middle of stabbing a flying monster. "The big snake mouth thing, I mean -- I know there's a lot of crazy stuff to see right now...!"

Harlex is swept by the sudden onslaught, his weapon lodged in /something/ and unable to move briefly, he fails to act before yanking his weapon free.

[MAGIC 1] Fortunato is not, unfortunately, a snake and cannot become one. Nor can he become a dragon. Or anything else but a light person who can look like someone else. He affects a sigh. He leans out over the edge of the ship as a great serpent /does/ rise, a terrible emanation of power and quietude. "All right," he says. He puts his hand on his heart. He closes his eyes. Then he raises his hands and weaves his great line of light to snap into and through the horrors of the sky.

Somewhere in that run, Sen misses a step, and the next moment a very angry... *something* slams into her side and sends her rolling. Her claws skitter against the cobble stones and then she shoves up again, just in time to see Titus do...*that*. The Wolf's ears slick back, her lips draw away from her teeth, and she lunges at the first available target.

[Magic - Cantrip - Inspire] It's as the tentackles shoot out from floating maws and the army marches up from the beach that Khanne looks around to all those standing there. She has three red lines painted down the left side of her face. "My friends, stand strong in the face of the evil that comes. We must not back down, we must remain defiant with hope shining in our heart! Remember your loved ones, your cherished memories, and know that we fight to ensure that future generations may have those cherished memories as well!" It is then that she looks to Titus. Her jaw trembles and she places a hand on her heart. Her eyes well with tears and slowly they slip down her cheeks. Her voice has lost its strength. Even as Titus raises his sword high, she speaks to him. "Your heart is within my own, my Titus. I shall fight with honor... I...I shall stand strong knowing you will always be with me, to the last! For hope, and all of tomorrow's stories... " And as the silence fills the spot where he once was, she whispers, "I love you... To the last."

[magic 1] Caspian stared at the demons..and then looked too so the heroes around him. "In the face of such courage, such selflessness... No demon will stand!" The white flames burst forth as he charged into the fray, the Phoenix screeching as it attacked alongside the man

"Hooooly...." Words absolutely fail Sir Bhandn, but not his reflexes. He barely gets out of the way of one of those tentacles, Fidelis in his hands. The Knight of Solace turns and with a loud yell brings the diamondplate greatsword's edge down upon the would-be devouring tongue(?) that came from the floating maw that thought he'd be a good snack.

"I hope that hurt, you fucker." Huh. That thought sounded like it came out of his mouth.


Filshiar moves swiftly into the fray, his arming sword flashing with each strike he takes at tentacled tongues and frightening maws. There's no magic to it - well, maybe a bit of a blessing - just a blade against the darkness. But did he see it? Yes, he saw. The battlefield is a wild one and it's hard *not* to see the incredible things around him, but he does his best to remain focused.

[MAGIC 1] The airship flies, and so Sorrel and Frog are aboard, ready to sing and bash in the faces of flying monsters. Already the air is thick with them, and Sorrel sings a bracing song to help things move along.

See, the nice thing about being surrounded is that it's a target-rich environment out there. With each swing Jasher makes, a snarling demon staggers back if not already cut down. However, the blood-slicked stones betray his footing, and he staggers--just enough for a demon to leap past his guard--
--And then the great serpent's maw bursts, Titus' last act, and the demon hesitates a second. But it's long enough for Jasher to push the creature away with his boot, and one thrust with Reafian to do the rest. There will be time later for losses. For now, it's survival.

Sapphire blinks a lot, but snake eyelids do not really help with pounding bloodrain. With a longsuffering air, the blue snake slithers down Victu's leg and to the deck. She seethes in a most unsettling way and then Sapphire stands there, hands on hips, face turned up as if into a refreshing summer sunshower. "What did that guy say?" She shouts. Because it's really loud here in this hellscape.

Jhond launches himself in way of the oncoming board as a whirling storm of flashing, biting alaricit edges and questionable fashion choices. He was in his element, a smile on his face despite the danger as he dismembered the demonic forces around him.

With the blast that destroy one of the shadow dragons, the demons climbing up through the fountain pauses for a moment, buying the defenders desperately needed time to face the assault. Then more and more bubble up from the fountain in the City Center, and the sky is thick with flying demons joining the assault from the coast. Distantly, the ground army is hammering at the Seawatch gate, and little noticed in chaos are thousands of flickering lights in the Bay of Thrax coming closer.

((The battle is such that there is no luck roll. Everyone is attacked that is currently present, with daunting as the regular difficulty, and hard if using magic defensively before any modifiers.

Cardian people, you are rolling ride or magical skill at hard as you push for Arx, while Azazel in many thousands of giant floating mouths is trying to tear you out of the sky.))

Ferrando checks dexterity and stealth at hard. Ferrando is successful.

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

Sydney checks dexterity and ride at hard. Sydney fails.

Bhandn checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Bhandn marginally fails.

Apollo checks dexterity and tanning at normal. Apollo is successful.

Ronja checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Ronja marginally fails.

Madeleine checks dexterity and ride at hard. Madeleine is successful.

Alarissa checks composure and occult at hard. Alarissa is successful.

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

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

Lisebet checks charm and diplomacy at hard. Lisebet is successful.

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

Aleksei checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Aleksei fails.

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

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

Petal checks mana and agriculture at hard. Petal is successful.

Pasquale checks composure and war at hard. Pasquale fails.

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

Morrighan checks mana and occult at hard. Morrighan marginally fails.

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

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

Tikva checks charm and performance at normal. Botch! Tikva fails badly.

Rosalind checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Rosalind fails.

Fortunato checks wits and artwork at hard. Fortunato is successful.

Harlex checks willpower and survival at hard. Harlex is successful.

Dominique checks dexterity and ride at hard. Dominique is successful.

Sen'azala checks willpower and leadership at hard. Sen'azala marginally fails.

Duarte checks intellect and manipulation at hard. Botch! Duarte fails completely.

Medeia checks intellect and alchemy at hard. Medeia is successful.

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

Filshiar checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Filshiar fails.

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

Galatea checks mana and alchemy at hard. Galatea is successful.

Samira checks dexterity and stealth at normal. Samira is successful.

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

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

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

Viviana checks stamina and medium wpn at hard. Viviana is successful.

Neviah checks mana and occult at normal. Botch! Neviah fails badly.

Adalyn checks dexterity and ride at hard. Adalyn fails.

Sorrel checks charm and performance at hard. Critical Success! Sorrel is spectacularly successful.

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

Insaya checks perception and occult at hard. Insaya marginally fails.

[MAGIC 2] Mirk whispers, his expression somber, and looks down at Titus. It's only a moment, the wind comming at his bidding, and then he unleashes it as a wall of wind that forces back the flying demons nearest him and Nyx. "TO THE LAST!"

Mattheu checks willpower and survival at hard. Mattheu fails.

Lys laughs in the face of a demon that leaps at her from the fountain. She moves so fast that her blade seems to almost blur. She slashes out at cuts the demon's arms off in two quick slashes. Before she dances on to her next target, a red-haired menace in all black with a beautiful sword.

[Magic 2 - Shield of Thorns] - As the attack watches on the small form of one little shav seamstress is surrounded by a done of thorned green vines with red blood tips t othe thorns. Such has kept her from being harmed.

Apollo, seeing Titus rush like that - the speech - looks one moment angry, the next stricken - no, it's not that. It's that it's -everything at once-. His eyes scan for Khanne, his blade-hilt describing armor around him, his Shadowmeld turning from inky black to gold, gleaming, jeweled. Comparisons to what Avary suddenly wore on the bridge should end at the armor. He goes to her, shrugging off attacks, and presses his stone into her hand. Whispers, urgently, in her ear.

[Magic 2 - Umbral Knives] The fighting is worse than the previous battles! The ground is slick with blood. The demons are EVERYWHERE! There is chaos all around her! Raja had tried to side up with Jhond, but the demons had pushed her back. So now, she fights back to back with the fallen seraph. "DIE!" Raja roars at a group of demons that reach for her with outstretched claws and gnashing teeth! With a movement of her hand, a spray of inky-black daggers formed from the very shadows around her fan out in front of her before she steps in to finish them off with her own dagger.

[magic #2 - Defense] In the wake of Titus' sacrifice Pasquale's composure almost slips. His steps fall out of pattern. His expression shifting towards grief. He moves his fingers to brush against the griefstone on his bow, takes a deep breath, and then pushes determination ahead of everything else. The only thing that he can control today is the death of demons and his own, his bow and Snake's survival. He slams up a circle of glass-like shields which shine like ichor but an attack flung by one of the demons punches through one of them and into him.

[Magic 2, Defense] Seeing a whole mess of demons flying up into the sky, the indigo dragon and its rider swoop up after their ice breath strafe to get back in position to fire at the flying creatures ready to swarm the airship. As one of the few things in the air not serving Azazel at the moment, this makes them a very obvious target for a whole lot of those many things, and yet... Ferrando and his dragon (or probably more accurately Beaufortmax and her human) fly through a cluster of foes that surely should have landed some serious hits on them, and they just... suddenly didn't seem to notice them until the pair had already flown past.

[MAGIC 2] Fortunato draws a fragment of his lash of light back to himself, and appears to use it as a seed to grow a sphere around himself. He looks up through the transparent surface of the shield, through the haze of demons. He tries to look down through the haze of demons, tracking Khanne's voice. Here he is in the sky. The wrong place?

[Magic 1] Back to his senses, Harlex whirls his blade and side steps the crush of a demonic claw. Debris comes rushing toward him from something barreling into a house and he swings his arm with a flash beneath the din of blood rain. His military jacket morphs along with his hood and claws forming terrible armor resembling a beast, he's hardly even human shaped and crouched like an animal prepared to bounce. The slits of its horrid metallic helm has eyes radiating a sinister red. His cloak, wild and almost sentient, as he moves with preternatural speed through danger.

Vitalis falls back from the onslaught, the scraping of claws and slip of countless bodies, laying about himself with Defiance, moving like smoke, though not smoke for now. He will not waste Titus' sacrifice.

[Magic 1 -- Uncanny Alchemy] Galatea was a sickly child and a frail adult--she's not built for a marathon journey, riding across the ocean and back, with nary a wink of sleep in between save what she can get in the saddle. Luckily, she has the help of an experienced, aged dragon--one which has borne human riders before. The blue-scaled wyrm sweeps between attacks without even needing to be bid, seemingly having a sixth sense for danger. Even more luckily, for what her body can't handle, there are drugs for that. Magical drugs. Galatea downs a shimmering tincture from one of the vials at her belt, which seems to increase her focus and reaction speed--pupils enlarging to a somewhat worryingly dilated width, as she weaves through the skies to Arx with single-minded purpose. "The weather could be better," she hollers over to Sydney, her draconic wing-woman, as it were. It implies a brazen confidence she does not actually possess.

Raven grunts and leaps aside, not bothering to free her writhing black tentacles of spite from their gruesome work but rather distracted as she's forced to duck and dodge demons as they seek to wreak havoc.

[Magic 1] Something else comes for her, and Sen is sent rolling off her feet again. In the moment between contact and ground, there's the flicker of...something about her, but whatever it is, it doesn't quite work, and she hits the stone shoulder first with a snarl. Demon claws skitter off her armor...harmlessly, if only for the moment.

Triton [MAGIC 2 Defense: Primal Resilience] Triton yells orders and encouragement, hammering the Ravenseye shield wall into a moving line of flesh and steel before he begins to shift. "Captains, hold your lines and keep up the heat. Do not rush! Hold formations! Do not retreat unless I signal it or nobody iis left standing. You have been briefed! Archers, empt your quivers! Cavalry, hold the flanks! Kady Ravenseye is in charge!" Then he is shifting, his form overlaid momentarily with that of a translucent White Bear, and he gains a little weight...maybe 2000 pounds. A huge white bear now leads the Ravenseye ranks...and it is quickly tackled by a flying something that is dark, ugly and quickly clawed to tatters. The bear roars with pain, but staggers up, shrugging off the trauma and lashing out at anything Abysmal in reach.

There is so much going on, and Rosalind's focus is everywhere. She closes her eyes, trying to find it again but in the meantime she is getting beaten and bruised.

[Magic 2] Mattheu struggles to keep the shimmering wall of shadows up. His gaze still stuck upon the charge Titus made a shake of his head bells singing out as he fails to keep the wall going. Reaching for his blade there's a glance back to Violeta and Tregva, a moment of hope as he is left to face the demons pouring out.

[MAGIC #2] Esme looks over the lands with the blood coating the ground and the people working with each other against this creature. There is a shake of her head as she looks up more towards the sky. Perhaps she is looking for an answer, but then she then strikes out at the creatures to fight as she can attempt to. The blade within her hands glowing as she does for the fight. She is currently trying to hold off as she listens to the battle. There is not a cry from her, it's as if she's still assessing the next move she must make.

[magic 2] Caspian cursed as the horde attacked, a veritable forest or claws and fangs. He danced through them however, occasionally swapping locations with an afterimage of flame.

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

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

[Magic 2 - Defense] Instead of an advance toward a shadowy partner, she parries and steps sidelong, bootheels slipping on the deck of the Freedom's Phantasm, bolstered by the song of the Dragon Bard --and Viviana offers the Singer a duelist's bow, murmuring, "I'll dance. You sing." Those aboard the flying ship may feel more sure-footed, as though they've been given a breath of a second wind.

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

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

Filshiar checks 'unconsciousness save' at easy. Critical Success! Filshiar is spectacularly successful.

Filshiar remains capable of fighting.

[Magic 2] Of course it gets attention. it's magic. The echo she hears reverberates in her head, which is at this point only mildly annoying. And even if the magic didn't get their attention, Lisebet is here, so she's a target. She sidesteps and then her eyes flash, as she changes her tactic, bringing up a glowing green shield around her. Jade green. "Not this time," she says sturdily, holding that shield up to defend herself. It's a stressful moment for the dark haired duchess. There's that echo again but the shield holds, as Lisebet works to get herself back to some cover.

The battle was fierce. Sacrifices are made. But Threnody shines true against the darkness as Romulius appears. "Alright, Ainsley...let's give this fucker one more stab in the eye." Romulius takes to the field! "Make 'em bleed!" He roars from the crowd, swinging his blade, missing, but he manages to survive the counterattack!

Jasher permits a minute grimace in the moment's breath. The bloodrain has left a miasma of iron tang in his mouth that no amount of discreet spitting would ease; its very reek fills the air alongside the somehow less pleasant stench of dying demon. With the moment's surprise spent, Jasher strategically withdraws; he joins the others present and angles his blade here and there, forcing demons to confront Reafian's guard. Even a slavering beast needs to reach him to hurt him, and he does his best to keep out of their range, exploiting the reach of his stature and blade as best he can.

Neviah checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Neviah fails.

Neviah has suffered a serious wound!

Neviah checks 'unconsciousness save' at daunting. Neviah fails.

Neviah is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

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

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

[MAGIC 2] Samira's grip on the stone in her hand tightens, her breath momentarily stolen by the sight of Titus's selfless sacrifice. So much loss, so much yet at stake... she draws upon the emotions welling up, inhales a quiet breath. As the enemy surges close to attack, the air around her grows hazy, the colors around Samira beginning to blend in with the surroundings until suddenly she cannot be seen at all.

[Magic 1 - Defense] Khanne is shaking a bit, though her jaw has tightened once more and the look in her tear filled eyes is one of anger. She feels the sorrow, of course, of watching her husband die, but in the moment, she feels a compelling anger towards Azazel and his army. She is positively seething as she stands and finds the steel within herself once more. Lifting a hand a bit, palm facing the ground, she murmurs some words before lifting it fast through the air. Thorned vines rise from the ground before her, creating a wall between her and the demons to offer her some time. She looks to Apollo and gives a bit of a nod to his whisper, then sees Fortunato above her(?) and seems all the more confused. Angry and confused.

MAGIC -USE 1-High in the skies fly a group of dragons leading others toward Arx. As attacks begin against them Lucita calls out to those who are closest. "Let loose lightning or attacks where you see it will work best. I'll try to keep them occupied and my dragon and I shielded, and s many of you as I can." And she lets loose a song with a burst of sound tightly focused on protecting her group of dragons from the enemy.

[Magic 2 - A Shadow Kiss] Determination in her eyes, Mirari kills. That's what she's here to do and she's going to do with, with every weapon she has. This time, she doesn't need her blade. Just a kiss. Mirari sucks the life out of those that approach her, a little sweet gesture, she blows a kiss and the bodies hit the floor. Shards choking, the life sucked out of them, as she watches this happen, she sees one going for Jhond, but before the creature can get close to him, it's holding their throat gasping. The eyes start to bulge, nearly popping out of the sockets from the pressure. Mirari watches with utter fascination, before she winks at Jhond. There's no need to exchange words, rather Mirari goes back to killing everything in her path. The woman's blades drip with blood, but they are forgotten, because she's her own weapon.

In a bloody rain, all dragons might well be said to be red, but the one that falls out of the sky from the oppressive cloud cover is the color of livid green bile. Praesodymanin grows larger and larger. And its rider, Insaya, screams at the top of her lungs and gets absolutely no cool points amidst all the flappy flappy, clinging for dear life. GOOD EVENING, AVIATORS! Yeaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh! "I hope you remember the last time you did this?!"

[Magic 2 (defense, failed)] The spearing slash of a sharded tentacle lancing through Nightingale above her leads Tikva's next burst of sound, as she tries frantically to bring magic her aid too late, to a scream -- wild, discordant, afraid. "Nightingale--" She grips tightly, one-handed to a stone as she watches the great shimmering bird twist above her and turn, wings beating, to fight back. "Gods, gods, all right, all right, steady on--" Tikva breathes deep, pocketing her stone, yanking up the balalaika. "Together, together, we're in this together--!"

Madeleine leans in closer on Tamrussa, the blue-white dragon who she has bonded with. They flew swiftly from Cardia with the sister emotionally connecting with her mount. As they travelled, Maddie found herself getting more and more at ease on the dragon's back. As they get closer and closer to Arx, spying the darkened skies full of blood amd winged terrors, Madeleine pats Tamrussa and says gently, perhaps lost on the winds, "Mangata will be with us, my friend... I have faith."

Aboard the Nightstar, Ronja fights well, but the numbers are against her. Also, it's raining blood and that's exceptionally gross and she has to keep spitting blood out of her mouth. "Gaaah! I don't even know what this could be blood /from/!" she whines, while struggling to fend off numerous wing-flapping beasts.

[MAGIC - 2ND USE - DEFENSIVE - FIREWALL] Chaos. Chaos everywhere. Morrighan inhales deep, slowing her thudding heart, trying to calm the storm that rages. Her eyes flicker briefly to where Titus has fallen, and her jaw clenches tight. There were too many enemies, too many targets, too many closing in, clawing and reaching to take her with them. She loosens a harsh "Tch!" and throws her hand out, and in good time. A flickering wall of fire bursts to life, forming a protective barrier around the Last Daughter, but it's quick to evaporate, dying out once it has performed its intended purpose.

"Ffffffffffuuuuuuuuuck--" The swarm around the airship is a bit /a lot/. Aleksei is slicing through them one after another, glancing aside left and right to his compatriots on deck as well. An imp's claws and teeth sink in, finding purchase in flesh, before he can reach to yank it bodily off of him and /crush/ its head before tossing it aside. He's bleeding now, but -- he keeps going.

While Galatea speaks to her, Sydney is looking instead at the carnage that they're flying over, her fingertips trembling, her teeth slowly baring. Her eyes narrow to near slits and she whispers, "It's so much worse than I dared to hope." The fall of blackened blood starts to spray into her eyes, and she flinches against it. Looking sharply to the side, she nods to Galatea, "...Let's fucking /fly/." All things being equal, it is not an ideal time to be learning a new skill. Like riding a dragon.

[MAGIC Defense - Failed] Victus squints his eyes to regard Sapphire. "What?" Taking your attention off the battle, a surprisingly rookie mistake from him. His instincts kick in quick enough to whirl him back around before he'd end up sliced by a diving imp! Unable to lift his sword in time, he focuses his energy inward... and only generates a sputtering of light in turn. Even with nothing to show for it, it still forces him to cough a mouthful of saltwater, barely perceptible with all the blood rolling down the deck.


Filshiar’s blade becomes slick with the blood of these creatures as it slices true, though he takes a hit of his own from…something. There’s so much going on all he can feel is some teeth or claw (probably) cut into his side through his armor. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he rides the sharp flow of it, breathing harder now as he brings his sword to bear again. "Come on then."

The skies are aflame with lightning, fire and blood, as thousands of twisting creatures streak through the sky. Some of the elemental allies of the Compact strike back at the storm above, the weather shifting to be more upon their side, while abyssally corrupted spirits literally rain down fury upon them. Massive armored ogres charge citizens, trying to slaughter as many of the frantically fleeing merchants as they can, and a giant is doing its best to just smash houses inside the Ward of the Compact. It's chaos, and thousands of different floating Azazel maws are just eating everything they can.

And the fires in the Bay of Thrax are getting closer. ((Round 2: 631 victory points, dragons not here yet. Daunting difficulty base, reduced by speical mods. No roll for dragon people right now))

Sapphire frowns at those on the deck of the Phantom. Between Victus, Aleksei, and Ronja. "Get it *together*," she hisses. Like they are embarrassing her. "Not you, Viviana. You're doing great, sweetie." With that, she vanishes in a puff of dark smoke, pulled through the turbulent air to skewer half a dozen flying demons in the blink of an eye, flashes of blades and blood.

Pasquale checks composure and war at hard. Pasquale marginally fails.

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

Lys checks willpower and medium wpn at hard. Lys fails.

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

Caspian checks dexterity and small wpn at daunting. Caspian is successful.

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

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

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

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

Rosalind checks strength and occult at daunting. Rosalind marginally fails.

Sen'azala checks willpower and leadership at daunting. Sen'azala is successful.

Petal checks mana and agriculture at daunting. Petal is successful.

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

Jasher checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Jasher fails.

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

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

Ronja checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Ronja fails.

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

Fortunato checks wits and artwork at daunting. Botch! Fortunato fails completely.

Raja checks dexterity and small wpn at daunting. Raja marginally fails.

Victus checks mana and war at easy. Victus is successful.

Samira checks perception and occult at hard. Samira fails.

Ferrando checks dexterity and stealth at daunting. Ferrando fails.

Triton checks stamina and survival at daunting. Triton is successful.

Lisebet checks charm and diplomacy at hard. Lisebet is successful.

Bhandn checks strength and huge wpn at daunting. Botch! Bhandn fails completely.

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

3 Pravus Honor Guard, Edmund, Paxton the Party Pigeon arrive, following Bridget.

Jhond checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Jhond fails.

Above in the sky, a great nimbus of light surrounds the airship.

Viviana checks stamina and medium wpn at hard. Viviana is successful.

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

[Noting MAGIC 2 from previous pose that I missed] He was keeping eyes on that pale face and dark head of hair, and now she's down. Apollo searches, but doesn't see where Neviah's got to - and she doesn't seem like a /fast/ person, does she? Eyes drop to the ground, and he finds her amid boots and snags her just as his gleaming armor is dissipating. Under an arm, around the ribs, under the other, and he's dragging her back, away from the fountain. A couple smacks to her face are the extent of his medical knowledge of /wake the hell up/, and he's gotta refocus so he doesn't become Azazel meat.

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

[Magic 2] Up, up. Sen is *up*. She tears through whatever it was that just hit her - she doesn't even stop to get a real look at it - and plunges onward. An ear twitches at the scream from Nightingale, and then she's shifting directions, running flat out on all fours. For a moment, there's a spectral outline around her, and then it's to her side, like a ghostly shadow, except this one is a true wolf, rather than half. Both take a running leap at a demon near Tikva, force enough to knock it over and go rolling again. Hi. Wolves here.

Merek checks dexterity and medium wpn at daunting. Merek fails.

Sorrel checks charm and performance at hard. Sorrel is successful.

[MAGIC 2 - Botched defense from the previous pose that I, too, missed] Rattled by the sudden attack, just barely countered, Neviah stands up and extends her arms to the side, breathing, taking stock, seeking calm. Closing her eyes was a bad move. And while the next balrog doesn't get her, the merchant she saved moments ago dives at her to return the favor and she's knocked utterly unconscious by the crack of her head against the blood-soaked paving. This, of course, happens before Apollo drags her to safety.

[MAGIC 3] Inspired by the sacrifice of Titus, Mirk says, "Come on, old friend, it's time to kill." Then, Nyx flies straight for one of the shadow dragons. It's a duel of tooth and fang and draconic breath, as Mirk summons gales of wind that are aimed at knocking the shadow dragon off balance at key moments. "Lightning!" He calls out, as blue-white bolts begin to rain down around him, answering his call. One or two strike the shadow dragon, but not enough.

[Magic 3 - Flowers of doom!] Petal draws yet more blood, bringing rapidly growing vines with white flowers that change to blood red flowers to spring up from cracks in the market pavement, reaching to the attack and grapple with the forces of the abyss.

[magic 3] there was a flash of light as the twin arcs of caspian's blades sliced through the demons. The champion carved his way into the thick of it, a whirling dervish of blades. The Phoenix scooped up demons in each talon, ripping them to pieces with its beak even as fire engulfed the ones left behind.

[Magic 3] With Frog and an annoyingly cheerful song, Sorrel smacks a second imp who'd like to bite Victus's face off with her mace. Or is it a drumstick? It doesn't matter, does it? The power is in the music, the battle song. SQUEAK! SQUEAK! SQUEAK!

[MAGIC - 3rd use - Attack] Tikva turns with the flash of a grit-toothed smile - relief, welcome, or just acknowledgment, maybe - to glance towards Wolf and Sen'azala only for a beat before she spins the rest of the way through the pirouette, singing a blast of sonic power to smash into one of the demon creatures that is coming towards them and detonate its sharded head in a shower if ichor. She reaches to start pulling alaricite out of her quiver where once she would have kept arrows there, between chords that the battle is probably too loud to hear.

[MAGIC 3] Fortunato's eyes are sharp (bright!), but it's still a bit muddy with blood and corruption, hard to see much of what's going down below in detail. Still, he's able to catch the actions of the ogres. The /predation/ against ordinary people. Always predation. He flares, furious, his shield dissolving to be replaced by the lash -- but he over-commits over-extends. It's too far. He's trying to reach too far-- He's so fixated he almost doesn't see the nimbus surrounding him and the rest of the ship. The charge --

[Magic 3] Esme glances up at the light in the sky. Limerance? It does not appear to be Limerance. She shifts to protect the bear a bit more and offers to her 'companion'. "You know, it would help if you would give me advice on how to take these things down the best way." Her sword is swung towards the thundering creatures.

[magic 1] Rosalind is growing angrier and angrier as things continue to happen. As people get hurt. Rosalind knows how to control that now, thankfully. And so she starts to tearing through the street, a low growl in her throat. But Rosa starts to lose momentum as she starts to jump onto the giant. She landed, but not at all with grace. And not as angry as she was was.

[NIGHTSTAR CANNON] Victus takes a step back from the deck. Quick glances at each of the impromptu crew. "... I'll be back." Without another word, he backpedals and vanishes down into the bridge. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck..." He stands behind the wheel, hands moving across the control panels with urgency. His heart hammers in his chest, the draw of the ship pulling at his very being in that moment. His digits curl into his palm as every light blinks back in affirmative. Three. Two. One. "Boom."

He slams his fist against the firing mechanism, and energy runs through every crystalline surface of the airship. From its bow, there's a great CRACK as a shaft of rainbow light beams across the sky. It soars over the walls, deep into Azazel's forces, and bathes the battlefield in a flash of light. At first, there is silence... and then the blast wave approaches.

[MAGIC #2 - DEFENSE last round, CANTRIP - Soul Compass] Vitalis recoalesces from mist and barrels headlong into the haunch of a ... what is that even and bounces clean off, spilling backward and landing hard on the cobbles. He is caught a moment, in a memory of Josephine chivvying he and Apollo like they were lads and, Gods, they *were.* He shakes off the daze of tumbling and curls, rolling to his feet. He checks his wound and looks at his fingers. There's no blood. He checks again. Still no blood. Hurts like that there should be blood. A shard shrieks and bounds at him and Vitalis shakes himself back into the fray.

[magic #3 Attack] There is another moment of uncertainty from Pasquale as his eyes lift to Snake and he realises that this isn't quite working how it was supposed to work. This time though he's solidly in his fighting mindset, the loss of Titus already shoved into the back of his mind for /later/. Now. Now is for demons and mouths, blood and magic, death and suffering. He takes a deep breath, revelling in the fact it comes easily, painlessly and the fact that drawing his bow comes painlessly and easily and the fact that the arrows manifest both his magic and the magic of the bow. This time most, if not all, of the shards impact into dirt instead of flesh.

[Magic 3] Lisebet is still struggling to process what all is going on. It's chaos, it's too much. it's - She takes a breath and continues to try to buy time, to slow down the demons and such. Her words are murmured, maybe not even in Arvani, as she concentrates. It's not hurting her head, yet, but she can feel it. Magic use is still not easy. She sends a wave of magic out, with the whispered request. "You really don't want to do that. Just stop now, it's enough." She's not sure if it's really helping, but she is determined to continue slowing them down as much as she can. She is by now ending up near to where petal is, which has her eyes widen still more.

Raven flails ineffectively as her rage threatens to burn itself out, forcing her to take a deep breath and spit out blood "Forfucksakes!" she heaves trying to blink blood from her eyes.


Filshiar leaps over a quivering tendril, splashes through a shallow pool of blood, and slices anything he can along the way. The King’s Own sword sings through the air, though is drowned out by all the amazing spells being thrown around. Still, it strikes true, and the knight loses himself in the fight.

[Magic 2] Harlex moves like a blur through the enemy, his sword vibrating from the speed at which he cuts. Each swing causes rippling waves of black wind that slices and dices through anything they touch. It's area of effect leaving wide-wasting carnage as he moves, wild, through the hellish battle. It's madness, literally, in all directions.

Triton [MAGIC 3 Offense: Maul] - Triton rears up, scanning the chaos from fifteen or so feet up for a moment, his focus mostly on the area in front of the House lines. Up ahead are ogres playing lawn hocky with fleeing humans and headed toward the Ravenseye shield wall. Roaring with rage, the great bear sweeps his paw across a ragged line of three or four of the monsters. Their armored guts rip apart in a spray of bloodd, meat and metal bits, bringing them down in a tangled heap that gives some citizens a running lead and causes some enemy ranks to split aside left and right, opening *their* flanks to the advancing spearmen. He cannot talk, but the Captains are trained and ready, their orders marching speartips into Abysmal bodies. Go Team Ravenseye! Now, to see how mych trouble Rosalind is gettung into...

[Magic 3 - marginal fail] Mattheu punches at the ground only to have a splash of muddy blood spray back at him. Pulling to Siren's song he whispers something within Ravashari as he takes a deep breath. Shadows wrapping in tendrils around the blade creating a set of extra teeth and bells to sing and bite when he swings at the creatures before him.

Mattheu says in Ravashari, "In the embrace of shadows and the melody of the winds, our spirits find strength and resilience. Let the shadows guide our steps and the winds carry our song, for in their embrace, we are unstoppable."

[MAGIC 2] "HEY VICTUS?" Aleksei shouts from over the din of battle. (Can Victus hear him from inside the bridge? No, probably not. "WHAT'S THAT WHITE LIGHT?" And then -- //BOOM//. He's never been on the /deck/ for this moment, and it's almost enough to stun him out of the fight -- but then he leaps forward to slice another clusters of demons out of the sky.

Jhond may have bit off more than he can chew. thankfully Mirari appeared and saved him and he barely has time to nod in thanks before the next foes are bearing down. still, he grins and keeps hacking away before blinking at the rainbow laser.. but spots raja in the light and tries to fight his way towards her.

Down one goes. Then the next one. Raja and Naisha stand back to back, turning and slaying the enemies that swarm them! Raja is being pushed back by the swarms, the woman uttering curses at each gnashing mouth that comes her way.

[MAGIC - 3RD USE - UTILITY - FIRE MANIPULATION] Morrighan's eyes flit briefly overhead as Mirk and Nyx soar over, engaging in battle with one of the shadow dragons. "Stay safe you shit," she mutters under her breath - but ultimately has little time to worry. It's a fight for her life. The dame hones her focus, sharpening it like a blade to find the sources of fire around her, and with her free hand, gestures towards them. Her eyes glow like embers catching light, and she manipulates the flames from food source to food source, anything combustible, directing them to take a path towards the demons that threaten to harm and kill, the flames reach out hungrily to consume, burn, and destroy everything it touches.

[Magic 3 - Offense] Viviana is no suspire, but, she has studied dance in addition to her swordplay -- she continues to duel with her shadow against the enemies surrounding them, and the sparkling glitter of sky iron from Nightfall flurries around her and into a flying demon. "Death of a thousand little cuts -- and still, we go on."

Lisebet says in Halcyon, "You really don't want to do that. Just stop now. It's enough."

Sapphire touches down between drops of red rain, her mismatched eyes wide and reflecting the afterimage of the blast. "Ohhohoho," she laughs, a little maniacally. "Nice job, toymaker!"

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

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

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

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

[Magic 2 - attack] Holding a stone in one hand so tight her knuckles are white, Khanne looks up into the sky, at the light around an airship above. She raises her hand towards the sky, fingers splayed out. Twisting her hand to the left then the right, clouds begin to form swirling in a sorrowful gray color. Her eyes have not stopped shedding tears, but she does so in a way now that even without a word, it is likely understood that she is hurling all kinds of hateful words towards the enemy. Now that the clouds are churning, she spins her hand in the air over and over until a funnel cloud forms and she growls, "rip them away. Shred them in your winds."

[Magic - The Darkest Blade] As the Corsetina moves through the chaos, she fades into darkness, drawing her blade. There are so many shards. There are times where she's spot on, but other times it's a matter of trying to just manage the situation. Not every hit is a death blow, it's never going to be. Mirari rolls with the punches, literally at times. When she does falter, she doesn't dwell on it, rather she uses the opportunity to think and reassess. There's a familiar face in the crowd as she is making her way in his direction, using her blade to push her way through the horde.

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

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

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

Ronja is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

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

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

Bhandn checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Bhandn fails.

Bhandn has suffered a serious wound!

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

Bhandn is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

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

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

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

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

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

Merek remains capable of fighting.

STRENGTH floods through Romulius's body as he swings his blade, killing one demon.....two. "RRRRAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!!" His battle cry echoes outward towards the enemy lines. As ogres charge towards citizens, trying to kill, steal, and devour in all of their cruel and bestial ways. Suddenly, Romulius is /sprinting/ towards that wall of death. As he runs, a hand /pushes/ Fortunato out of the way before something truly /terrible/ can happen, sparing him from a potentially gruesome fate. "KEEP STANDING!" He roars, his blade lifted as he leaps at an ogre, piercing the bastard through the eye with Threnody. "See you in hell!" He laughs aloud, like a madman.

Lys pulls from inside her cloak a figure out of Baron Audric de Lire. She whirls around and shoves it directly into one of the ravaging maws. "CHOKE ON THIS YOU FUCKSHARD." Only, well. Azazel-maw seems to want to take her hand with the statuette. It chomps down at her elbow and she lets out a little shriek and screams, "LET GO OF MY HAND YOU FREAK!" She makes the maw over and over with her blade, before she managed to pry her mangled arm free.

Her mother never told her not to put her fingers where they don't belong, apparently.

The indigo dragon and rider are buzzing around the airship, blasting ice breath at approximately 3 or 4% of the demons trying to rip them apart. This is not a particularly good tactical situation and instead of attacking they abandon all pretenses of offense and just evasively dodge and try to power through all the barrage of hits coming in from the massed amount of demons furiously trying to bring them down while also staying clear of getting blasted by whatever the airship is about to unleash. Beaufortmax bellows a roaring snarl, as if to say it'll take more than that to bring her down. Their next turn is a bit on the wobbly side, however; they felt that one. "30-to-1's gonna be tough, huh," Ferrando mutters to himself.

Ronja lets ouf the heroic battle cry of "GUNNNHHH" as she's kicked in the back of the head by a flying thing that happens to have horse legs and thus the kick of a horse. She falls to the deck of the Nightstar, fortunately face-up so that she doesn't drown in a puddle of blood an inch deep.

Bridget wields The Claw of Mescino, an Antique Sword.

[MAGIC 3] When Samira reappears, she has repositioned herself in an attempt to find the best vantage point. So many targets to choose from, really. Yet there's so much unfolding, countless horrific creatures looming, that she has trouble focusing effectively on the ones she has targeted -- and entirely misses sight of the enemy who aims a punishing blow towards her. She staggers forward, a cry of anguish and desperation upon her lips as her knees threaten to buckle. Still, she remains upright, defiant.

From the west comes Merek. No one has seen him in a while, but he is wielding an alaricite sword. With no magic to his name, he draws the blade forward and takes his time to let his beltcape whip in the wind, the hood along his features covering them. "It's been a while folk, I suppose this is where we win or lose. I don't feel like the Compact losing today. For the future, for Jayus, for the Gods!" He's swarmed fast, wounding inflicted upon him as he fails to parry away.
Still, somehow he keeps on standing and lifts up his weapon, pointing it forward. "NOT YET! FOR SERAFINE! FOR MIRA! FOR ALL THAT WAS TAKEN FROM US!" It looks like he's going to fight until the outcome of this party.

Her laughter cuts off like a crack of thunder, when Ronja hits the deck. "She's going to slide..." Sapphire looks around. Everyone else seems rather busy. "Should...I?" She tries again. Hm. What would someone heroic do? Her weirdly shattered face lights up. "I've got it!" She is fast and strong, after all, gathering up poor Ronja in a very uncanny embrace and yanking the door open to toss her into the ship's hold. Out of danger? Ish?

Jasher makes a quick assessment over the field. Then, in the process of his attack, he lifts Reafian a hair too slow; a demon chomps on his arm. He utters a startled holler before regaining enough wits to swap the sword to his other hand and smash the creature's head with the pommel. Once, twice, thrice--and it pulls free, dazed, to fall in a gurgle when alaricite meets abyssal flesh.

Ronja lands in the ship's hold with a loud and harmful sounding THUMP.

The army of the Compact is fighting on all sides of the City Center, managed to react to the push while most of the Iron Guard is holding Seawatch and the walls around the city from more shards. The fires in the Bay of Thrax get ever closer. Millions of small skittering rat-sized abyssal insects scurry up from the fountain, and as they wash over guardsmen they leave just skeletal remains in their wake, while shadow dragons breath acid down over the defenders.

((Defensive round, dragon riders will do checks again for flying here. Everyone else is rolling defensive skills at daunting or magic use defensively at hard, but keep in mind if it's the 4th cast, will need to sacrifice an item or start rolling mana after to avoid damage.))

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

Mirk checks mana at normal. Mirk is successful.

Pasquale checks composure and war at hard. Pasquale is successful.

Duarte checks intellect and manipulation at hard. Duarte is successful.

Apollo checks dexterity and tanning at hard. Apollo marginally fails.

Pasquale checks mana at easy. Pasquale is successful.

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

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

Sen'azala checks willpower and leadership at hard. Sen'azala is successful.

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

Viviana takes Sundown, rubicund and cupridium storta from black double-wrap swordbelt.

Sydney checks dexterity and ride at hard. Sydney is successful.

Ferrando checks dexterity and stealth at hard. Ferrando fails.

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

Victus checks stamina and dodge at hard. Victus is successful.

Lisebet checks charm and diplomacy at hard. Lisebet is successful.

Medeia checks intellect and alchemy at hard. Medeia is successful.

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

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

Madeleine checks dexterity and ride at hard. Madeleine is successful.

Petal checks dexterity and sewing at hard. Petal is successful.

Mattheu checks willpower and survival at hard. Mattheu is successful.

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

Filshiar checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Filshiar fails.

Lys checks willpower and medium wpn at normal. Lys is successful.

Sorrel checks charm and performance at hard. Sorrel is successful.

Insaya checks dexterity and ride at hard. Insaya fails.

Jasher checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Jasher fails.

Merek checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Merek fails.

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

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

Adalyn checks dexterity and ride at hard. Adalyn is successful.

Viviana checks stamina and medium wpn at hard. Botch! Viviana fails completely.

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

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

Dominique checks dexterity and ride at hard. Dominique is successful.

Tikva checks charm and performance at hard. Tikva marginally fails.

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

Samira checks perception and occult at normal. Samira marginally fails.

Fortunato checks wits and artwork at hard. Fortunato is successful.

Lys, hand now free of the maw, turns about and focuses really hard on her sword. Tears in her eyes briefly. She sends a pulse of light from the sword into the open maw where she just shoved the statuette. "Audric /says hi/!" The light from her sword shatters inside of the maw, tearing the thing a part from the inside out.

Romulius checks strength and survival at daunting. Romulius is successful.

Alarissa checks composure and occult at hard. Alarissa marginally fails.

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

Bridget checks dexterity and ride at normal. Bridget is successful.

Tikva checks charm and performance at normal. Tikva is successful.

Galatea checks mana and alchemy at hard. Galatea marginally fails.

Esme notes that Bhandn has fallen and she does not defend this round. She takes the moment to stop her casting to move to his side and then she grabs hold of him to drag him to some mercy hold out, some where in the city center. "Try not to die, okay?" She moves to tuck him away a bit more as if he can hear her. She takes a few steps back to look at the battle and pauses. "Um..." Esme moves back to Bhandn for a moment. "If you don't die you can have all the cookies I stole from Mattheu." Then back to the battle.

[Magic 4 - steelsilk given - defensive - weave of vines] Things are intense and Petal with her army of blood vines is getting frightened. Getting might be the wrong work, she /has/ been. She rapidly and magically starts to weave shield of many slender thread like blood vines about her small form for protection.

[MAGIC #3 - YOU MIST] Skettering rat-sized things -- how about some rat-sized rats to play with. A throng of rats spills through the city center, waylaying the little demons and as a wave of the beasts surge forward to find Vitalis, he goes insubstantial in a poof of mist and smoke, swirling as he spins and reforms a moment later. That was too close.

Jhond checks dexterity and dodge at daunting. Jhond fails.

Filshiar checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Filshiar fails.

Filshiar has suffered a serious wound!

Filshiar checks 'unconsciousness save' at daunting. Filshiar fails.

Filshiar is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

Jasher checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Jasher fails.

Jasher has suffered a serious wound!

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

Jasher remains capable of fighting.

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

Merek has died.

[MAGIC 3 - The Commander's Cruel Armor] Back into it, witch a glance to check in with - where'd he go. "Malachite!" shouts Apollo - not that loud, really, once you account for uh, the battle. And then he jumps, with a "/Fuck!/". Dude was /literally right there/. Like he lets Apollo get three feet away, smh. Anyway, that sure sharpens his SITUATIONAL AWARENESS just enough to for him to repeat that armoring gesture, gilt-and-jeweled armor only barely flickering over him in time to keep the acid off, and disappearing very quickly.

[MAGIC 4 - MANA AT NORMAL SUCCESS.] The duel between dragon and shadow dragon is going in the dragon's favor. Nyx is too old and canny, never allowing the shadow dragon to gain purchase with its claws or get a clear shot with teeth or breath, while Mirk is calling forth gales of wind to bat away any of the other flying demons that attempt to interfere with the duel. Spotting Ferrando, he sends a whisper on the winds, "A courtesy, from one dragonrider to another." Then he raises his staff high, calls out to the winds, and a wall of wind rises briefly around Ferrando and his dragon, blowing aside any incoming hostiles or projectiles.

[Magic 4 - The Mirror Shatters - Sacrifice] A wicked looking shard rushes towards Mirari but in a moment she shatters. Little pieces, scattering around where she once stood. Each one is an image of the smiling Corsetina. She challenges the shard to pick one, to find the real Mirari. Each one is identical, like a reflection in a mirror, she looks at them. Then as the woman comes back together, she's standing near Romulius, glancing down the length of her shoulder at him. There's a couple quiet exchanged words as she holds her blade up, smirking at the princess before jumping into the fray. Embracing chaos, and creating her own carnage.

[Magic 4 - alaricite given - defense] Tikva belts out another raw cord as she reduces the alaricite to powder, blasting a flying attacker hurtling towards Nightingale and sending it wheeling off course to crash into a building. The city is definitely coming out of this the worse for wear, but at least she and Nightingale are still fighting in a rain of ashy powder and wet, wet blood rain.

[magic 4 - defense - Mana@easy] The breath of an acid dragon pours towards Pasquale. Rather than ducking or dodging, Pasquale merely turns to face it, his eyes as much on the battlefield as they are the dragon, measuring the flow of battle, the breath of it, and turning it into a dome made of shields just in time. Acid splatters onto the glasslike shields, sizzling as it meets the coating of poisoned blood that coats them already, and eventually giving way with most of the shields still intact and Pasquale himself unharmed but for a few singed spots on the leather coating his armor. His gaze turns up towards that dragon as the danger passes, determining just how intent the dragon was on harming him in particular. Trying to pick out a weak point he can throw magic and spite at which might take it down.

[Magic 3, Defense, fail] Ferrando and Beaufortmax continue swooping evasively through the skies trying to dodge the attacks of a dauntingly overwhelming amount of demons. Once again, they try to slip through a trapping swarm of demons with magical trickery. But whether due to the lingering damage of their recently aborted attack, or just plain bad luck, some of the demons fail to notice them... but a lot of them still see them just fine, and several of them don't miss.

[MAGIC (4) - Sacrifice emotionally tied item (Repaired Floating Winds Hammock)]
With a fierce determination, mattheu focuses his waning power, drawing upon the love imbued within the colorful silk hammock. "Forgive me Ima. I know how you loved this piece. A true Ravashari creation from your dresses." A wall of shadows materializes in a swiftness before Mattheu, its inky depths swallowing the battlefield behind it. He grits his teeth against the strain of maintaining the barrier, feeling the love and sacrifice pulsating through his veins, fueling his dwindling magic. With every passing moment, the shadows threaten to unravel, but he holds firm, trying not to laugh as Esme calls out to Bhand. "There's more cookies in it for both of you if you survive even!"

[Magic 4, Defense, Failed - Sacrifice] Normally so sure-footed, Viviana finds herself suddenly distracted by Sapphire's praise -- ( and swiftness to save Ronja ) that she slips on the deck and goes down. She's blindly throwing herself in another direction. "Verona--" There's a storta that's thrown off the side of the flying ship, rubicund as red as the bloody rain.

[MAGIC - 4TH - SACRIFICE - FIREWALL] "Gods above, Lagoma give me strength," Morrighan exhales upon catching the sight of abyssal insects engulf and consume the guardsmen, and she almost flinches at the skeletal remains left behind. The dame moves towards those in need of better defense, a little extra time to duck and run. As her booted feet hit the ground, she pulls a piece of alaricite from the pouch strung to her belt. Her eyes burn bright as the metal begins to glow from red to white, and waves of heat begin to ripple and wave out from the metal - thankfully she's wearing pyreweave gloves! Gritting her teeth, the piece of metal begins to break apart, creating a swirling mass of flames that surrounds the dame prior to her pushing a hand out once more. Fire erupts, drawn from sources around her to create another wall of flames, protecting herself, and any helpless nearby.

Triton [MAGIC 4 Primal Resilience (mana) Defensive] - Triton begins to drop to all fours again, but he is hit by a swarm of tiny critters newly arrived to the part. Probably would have been a lot worse if it were not for thick fur and a suprnatural metabolism! He rolls, squishes, bats and regains his feet next to the shield wall. Some torchmen there aid him, waving fire at the insects as he stands again and moves forward to the cheers of the House ranks.

[Magic 2, marginal fail] Both mount and rider pressing themselves as hard as they can, Galatea reaches once again into her bag of alchemical tricks -- this time producing what is, effectively, a glorified enchanted smoke bomb. She tosses this ahead of her mount, and as the smoke expands into a cloud, she attempts to grasp hold of it via magical means. This...sort of succeeds...but Galatea maybe forgot one small detail. Even if it makes it more difficult for Azazel andd his minions to pick out precisely where to target, it also means she and her dragon can't entirely see where they are going. Perhaps she should have thought that one through a little more thoroughly.

[Magic 3 - Shadow Step] A huge monstrosity approaches Raja and Naisha, salivating and snarling! It holds a huge club and it brings it down in their direction! "Watch out!" Raja calls to Naisha, and anyone else who may be close enough for the swing to connect with. The woman utterly dissapears with the shadows, stepping out from Jhond's shadow beside him. "Hi!" She calls to him, face covered in blood, sweat, and gore. A fallen seraph, a tall elven woman with huge skeletal wings cuts a path through the demons and meets up with Raja and Jhond. She introducses Jhond, "This is Jhond! Jhond, this is a friend of mine. Naisha." She then turns, whips out her blade to block a clawed hand from taking off her face!

[Magic 3] Sen snarls again. There are so many things attacking she's having trouble even tracking *what* she's being attacked by, but in the moment, her reflexes and her magic are saving her. She leaps back from a snapping mouth, then sideways in almost the same motion, a blur of movement broken by her actually *vanishing* in the process. There, gone. There, gone. She's already looking a little weary. Still, she's also attempting to keep near Tikva, as if the other woman were an anchor in a vicious storm.

[magic 4, alaricite] Caspian was not slowed by the throng of the abyssal horde. The champion carved his way through demons, weaved around monster, and parried the wild swings of damned. When the press was to thick, a sudden image of flame replaced caspian, the man appearing to the side to continue the fight. "We will send every single one of you wretched spawn back to the abyss!" The phoenix took up the cry, a screech ringing out and the bird flew low, then pulled up, wings tucking in as it spun in the air, flames wreathing out of it to incinerate swathes of the enemy.

[MAGIC 4, alaricite] Romulius's wild, heroic leap may not quite reach Fortunato on the ship, but it still serves to flinch him back before he can take fifteen claws to the face. Or fall off. "Thank you," he calls down. The shockwave pushes outward. Sapphire tosses Ronja-- what's happening? Fortunato snatches a queen of alaricite from his bag and it swells and dissolves in his hand. He reforms his shield. "What do I do what do I do," he mumbles.

Step by step, Jasher is forced to give ground. Step by step, he relies on Reafian to ward off the relentless horde, yet despite his efforts, the strikes slip through. One, two--his already wounded arm fails to fend off a third in time, and a cruelly barbed tail sinks into his right shoulder where the diamondplate doesn't quite protect. It twists and gouges as it digs its way out, rivulets from the bloodrain now mixing with his own blood, flowing freely.
He breathes through his mouth, tasting the reek again. In and out. Focusing on the breathing helps keep the pain at bay.

[Magic 3 - Attack] After the tornado, Khanne spins the energy of wind back up into the clouds, starting a flashing light show amidst the grey as thunder begins to roll louder and louder. Lightning arcs from the clouds to strike out at some of the winged demons, one by one. *Zap* *Zap* *Zap* She laughs (it sounds a little creepy through all her emotion) thinking of how Tituts would have enjoyed seeing her in action, and the tears begin anew.

[MAGIC 3] SLASH SLASH. CUT CUT. Aleksei has found his rhythm, slipping aside the oncoming attacks, always managing to be in the Right Place at the Right Time. And sometimes that applies to others: he sees Viviana goes down and leaps over her, sword crushing through the skull of one of the demons liable to bite her head off.

"Up and at 'em!" he says, finding a bit of cheer in the moment as his sword easily bats aside another imp before it can get to her, giving her time to find her feet again.

Triton checks mana at easy. Triton is successful.

[[ MAGIC 3 RAVEN]] Raven instinctively uses her tendrils this time to shove demons away buffeting them in a wild squid-like flail rather than dodging. She casts her gaze around to try to get a sense who's here and what their status is doing her best to not slip in the blood as she tries to reorient herself in the chaos.

Rosalind has been climbing on the giant, clawing at the thing. She has somehow mananged not to get thrown into a building. Thankfully. Spying Triton, she waves to him as she slides on down, fighting her way back.

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

Romulius is built like /iron/. Blades come to descend upon him and he bats them all away. The spirit to survive, the will to live on as he roars at thet enemy, laughing his ass off like he was having the time of his life. "ANY OF YOU WHO WANT TO SEE THE ETERNAL DARKNESS, STEP FORWARD!" Fearlessly, he keeps moving forward, managing to avoid suffering. His blade raised, the alaricite glowing like a beacon of hope in dark times. "FOR THE COMPACT!"

[Magic 3] In this terrifying armor, he moves through pure instinct. His sword slicing through fangs and jaws of things without form and only possessed of that singular intention; to eat. Harlex feels that weight of that enough, but their feast will end here. Claw and sword rebuke attack after attack, twisting and turning with inhuman ferocity. This dark beast of sharp edges attaches itself to the side of a building, taking in the terrain. "Must kill. Must kill." His voice muffles through the fanged snout of the helm. Harlex may have had his doubts about this new age of magic, but the Nametaker seems to be doing just what the Queen built him to do. Probably.


Filshiar stabs and turns to swivel out of the way of claw, only to run right into another. Sharp, vicious things cut into him and coughs up blood before falling to the ground. His vision swims and the dizzying effect makes him feel nauseous just before everything goes black.

[MAGIC 3 Defense] Victus leans over the wheel after the ship has fired, breathing unevenly. The wave of vertigo will only last a few seconds, but it's clearly a bad one. He manages to catch his face in one of the ship's polished surfaces. No grey yet, but he's sporting a few new lines under his eyes. Just as he rises, prepared to push onward, he sees Ronja's body tumbling down the stairway. B l i n k. He quickly stops to watch her just long enough to confirm she's breathing. Once assured, he nods at her unconscious form, turning just in time to see an imp barreling down at him next. Once more, he reaches inward, and this time he finds what he's looking for. There's a slight silvery sheen to his skin, a flicker of brightness just enough to be noticeable. As the imp's claws bat at him, Victus... just stands there. Stubbornly taking each blow that lands clean, yet rebounds off of him all the same. Once he's been scratched at five or six times, he grabs the imp by its face and throws the creature into the floor. Splat.

[MAGIC 4 - alaricite given] Samira recovers her balance and manages to spin out of the way of an oncoming rat, grimacing as she moves. She lifts her hand, gesturing to a pair of twisted, monstrous creatures in an attempt to get them to stop their assault and turn on each other. Her head swivels as she spots Raja out of the corner of her eye, a flicker of gladness to see Naisha fighting alongside her.

Ferrando is in real danger of having an unscheduled landing when a sudden gust of wind at his and Beaufortmax's back not only boosts them ahead of pursuit but also knocks a big hole in a dead-ahead swarm of demons. "Aha!" Ferrando exclaims. "We're not out of this thing yet, Boo!" They are still dodging for their lives, admittedly, but it's much more optimistic dodging again.

"For a second, I thought I was going to make a glorious mess --" Viviana breathes out, huffing as she gets to her feet and offers a bow of her head to Aleksei, grinning. "Thanks for proving me wrong."

"Hi!" Jhond says to Raja with a grin as they meet up n the battle and then blinks at the woman accompanying her "um.. hi" he says and then turns to an approaching demon. Distracted, he dips when he should have ducked and takes a raking wound down his side. "Skalds hairless balls!" he curses and winces from the pain, but glad the steelsilk kept it from being worse.


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And for the first time in a thousand years, a flight of dragons is seen off the shores of Arvum, as dozens of dragons and their riders are visible in the skies from Arx, demons in the air fleeing before the gigantic white dragon taking the lead.

The fires in the Bay of Thrax finally make landfall. The fires are lanterns from a thousand ships, as tens of thousands of soldiers make landfall, and an earthly howl is heard as not-quite-human soldiers prepare fall upon the demons. "TEAR THEM FUCKING APART!" Is a scream from a hulking half-wolf warchief. The Dragons of Cardia and Wolves of Nefer'khat have arrived.
**********************************************************************


The battle changes, as the dragons sweep in from the air and the Khati arrive as was promised. Azazel, never one to be reasonable, continues the attack, and the situation within the City Center is still desperate even as a score of elder great dragons join the fight.

((Difficulty has dropped to hard base with the arrival of the allies, be sure to still keep track of magic, can do checks and dragon riders can pose in with thier rolls.))

Medeia checks intellect and alchemy at hard. Medeia is successful.

Lys checks willpower and medium wpn at normal. Lys is successful.

Pasquale checks composure and war at normal. Pasquale is successful.

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

Sen'azala checks willpower and leadership at normal. Sen'azala is successful.

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

Morrighan checks mana and occult at hard. Botch! Morrighan fails completely.

Fortunato checks wits and artwork at hard. Fortunato is successful.

Petal checks dexterity and sewing at hard. Petal is successful.

Tikva checks charm and performance at normal. Tikva is successful.

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

Ferrando checks dexterity and stealth at hard. Ferrando is successful.

Dominique checks stamina and leadership at hard. Dominique is successful.

Victus checks strength and huge wpn at hard. Botch! Victus fails completely.

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

Apollo checks dexterity and tanning at normal. Apollo is successful.

"Look at that," Sapphire shouts, pointing through the chaos and blood to...more chaos! No, dragons. A dragonflight. "Victus! Stop squandering your life and look at that! They - oh." So, the demons are *driven* before the dragonflight, which means they are flying into the ship in a thick clot. "This'll be fun."

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

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

Triton checks stamina and survival at hard. Triton fails.

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

Raven checks mana at easy. Raven is spectacularly successful.

Khanne checks mana and occult at normal. Khanne is successful.

Sorrel checks charm and performance at hard. Sorrel is successful.

Merek keeps on swinging that weapon, his blade arcing about as it comes through the demons. Eventually though, one of them manages to cleave right into him. Blood spills while he grunts a small bit, and he laughs while he takes up his blade, continuing to fight. "Until my next turn on the Wheel! My friends, it has been a pleasure! Tell Bianca, tell my sister, tell Reese, they were the greatest friends I know."
He turns now, having suffered a mortal wound, and smiles at the demons, "And this is my last words to you. Iron will always meet the blade aimed at this city." He looks to the dragons, to all those that come to the city. He did it, he made it until magic was back. He would never know what it was like, not in this life. Still, perhaps. There is something about it all that amuses him. He charges into the demons, into the maws, and swings his blade wildly, wound after wound is given to him. Who's to know if what he does brings about any change. But it was never about that. It was being here.
As he is pierced through multiple times, blood trailing down his body, he swings his blade one final time at the enemy, and then slams the end into the ground, before he rests his hand about the hilt. He dies leaning atop it, "I'm coming guys. It's been so long. I lived when you did not. I can finally join with you. See you next time." His eyes close, looking peaceful.

Alarissa checks composure and occult at hard. Alarissa is successful.

Mattheu checks willpower and medium wpn at hard. Mattheu fails.

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

Tesha checks intellect and theology at hard. Botch! Tesha fails completely.

Madeleine checks wits and empathy at normal. Madeleine is successful.

Lisebet checks charm and diplomacy at normal. Lisebet is successful.

Pasquale checks mana at normal. Critical Success! Pasquale is spectacularly successful.

Galatea checks mana and alchemy at hard. Galatea marginally fails.

Viviana checks stamina and medium wpn at normal. Viviana is successful.

Sydney checks dexterity and brawl at hard. Sydney marginally fails.

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

Samira checks perception and occult at normal. Critical Success! Samira is spectacularly successful.

Aleksei checks mana at easy. Aleksei is successful.

Rosalind checks strength and occult at hard. Rosalind is successful.

Bridget checks dexterity and ride at hard. Bridget is successful.

Insaya checks perception and occult at hard. Insaya is successful.

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

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

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

Duarte checks intellect and manipulation at hard. Duarte is successful.

Esme moves for Filshiar to drag him over to a safe spot too. Although, she does look up at the dragons and the reinforcements. There is a pause in her 'rescue' to bounce on the balls of her feet in a small happy dance. Then back to serious matters. She drags Filshiar to a different safe spot talking to him. "There are dragons and others coming now. You should be safe for your nap. I'm sure you will be fine." She tucks him in safe and whispers, "Don't forget to donate at the shrines when you come to." Then she goes to assess the field again. Magic or yanking people around. That is the question.

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

Lys is like lightning on her feet. She's moving with quicksilver footwork and that damned sword is cutting through demons like butter. She laughs as she dices up the demon-maws one by one.

[MAGIC #4 - SHARP LOOK] Vitalis hears a different pitch in the air, catches a flash of color in the sky not black and red. The dragons. The dragons are here. He scans for Adalyn among them, but it's too far and too chaotic. He does let out a loud WHOOP and lays about himself with renewed furor. CRACK! Stab, snare - STAB, rake.

[Magic 5 - steelsilk given - offensive - Thornes to Needles needles to blood] Petal's blood vines spike out with tons of slender needle like thorn that shoot out at the forces of the abyss. There are so many of these little needle thorns and they are hungry and seeking of blood. This might not even be exactly safe. The needles poke into the enemies, piercing and sewing into the their abyssmal flesh.

[MAGIC 5 - SACRIFICE ALARICITE 1.] "A dragonflight," Mirk breathes in awe. "Nyx. The time has come to fulfill my promise, and allow you to fly for the White King's honor once again." With that, the dragon roars, unleashing a blast of ice directly into the stomach of the shadow dragon before them, and Mirk sends a gale of wind after it to blow the stunned shadow dragon away. Then, disengaging from a hurt - but not killed - foe, Nyx and Mirk fly to Alarissa and Valar's side, the ancient dragon allowed to fly with his King once again. "Shall we?"

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

[Magic 4 - alaricite] Venandi Sen'azala has heard many, many wolf howls in her life. She's heard the First Wolf howl. She's howled Destiny dead. She has not, ever, heard *these* howls with her own ears, outside of distant memories of long dead Venandi. She has never heard the howls of her own people. There's a light in her, literally, as her eyes go white, as the air around her drops to below freezing temperatures. She howls back, fury and welcome and JOY. "To live is to choose, to choose is defiance. FOREVER DEFIANT!" And then she hurls herself at the nearest demons, biting, tearing, whirls of black and white flame following her every movement, tracing with her claw strikes. Death, death, death.

(Magic 1- Get your sea legs) As a servant of Mangata, Sister Madeline is at home on the sea. But Mangata also rules the wind and air, so the sister seems to have adapted well to riding on dragon back. She rides her blue-white elder with easy grace and wears a calm smile despite the bloody rain and horrible crowded sky. As she dives down over the square she makes a sweeping motion with her hand and monstrosities find themselves losing their balance as if caught in a storm. As they fall, they're easily taken out by the defenders. "DON'T LOSE FAITH," she cries. "The Gods and our allies are with us!"

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

[[ MAGIC 4 Raven, mana check @easy pass]] \\Black tendrils of inky blackness continue to seek out flying demons and effectively tear them them apart making it hard to tell what blood comes from the clouds and what blood comes from demons being torn to shreds above them all. "FOREVER DEFIANT!" she bellows in spirited echo to Sen'azala as the prima sings one of Raven's favorite tunes.

[MAGIC - Use 5, Alaricite given, Attack] Tikva turns brilliant, shining eyes to Sen'azala beside her on the battlefield and hisses, "/Fuck yes/," and as the howl goes up, she slams her hand down on the body of the balalaika and lets out a rising descant to the howl, the one she learned to fight Destiny; harmonizing with the trill of Nightingale in one toweringly loud blast of sound.

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

[MAGIC 4 - alaricite - Flay there, goddamnit] Oh. /Oh/. They're here. The dragons, the wolves. Allies. How bolstering is /that/? Apollo actually smiles. Bad day to be Azazel. There's blood dripping on his teeth. This is not a look he's gonna want to reprise when all this is over. "Still some room on your shelves, isn't there?" he says to Malachite, and he lifts his blade, slash-slash-slashes in the air before him. He doesn't /have/ to say the words, but he does offer a vocal amendment in that strange tongue he's been using. Skin flies off tentacles, rips at mouths, when he gives a tug.

Apollo says in Abyssal, "And today you're the fool."

A swing further of his blade as the dragons take to the skies. "YES! HAHAHA!" Romulius laughs as he watches the dragons take to the skies, as allies from Cardia and NNefer'khat arrive to turn the tide. They can win this. They can /do this/. "IN OUR WAKE!" He leaps into the enemy, slicing through thtem like butter, his blade quick, his teeth bared, his hands tightly clenched.

[CANTRIP - Summon Flame] As the dragons of Cardia and their Arvani companions arrive, Medeia is not far behind Valar upon her bonded great dragon, Serasadin - a lustrous bright green beauty. Sera veers to breathe out sticky, corrosive ichor that nearly matches her scales, spraying acid over the demons as Medeia sends balls of flaming fabric down to set the acid aflame.

Breathe in, breathe out. Jasher keeps his breathing steady, even as the pain of his wounded shoulder pounds, vicious and insistent and digging with little mental claws of its own. He clears his throat, and as the howls come up, the howls of the wolves of Nefer'khat, he doesn't laugh his joy. He cleaves another wailing demon in two, Reafian red in his other hand, a hoarse yet exultant call erupting from his throat: "Tears in our wake! Never at our wake!"

[magic 5, shadowmeld] As the cries rise up and the dragons and forces approach, a cry bursts forth from Caspian. "See! See now how your fool decisions have failed you Azazel! We Stand defiant, we stand strong, and we do not stand alone!!" The warrior charged on then, his blades flashing as the Phoenix ripped through the demons alongside him.

[Magic - The Darkest Blade] At times there's this calm expression that washes over Mirari's features. It's not that she isn't reacting, it's that is at peace with it and herself. Finding that zone, where everything just comes together. The woman smirks as Romulius laughs, it's contagious in a twisted way. It at least brings a chuckle from her own lips, because why let the world get you down. The woman uses a shadow blade and though it blends with her, it is shard and deadly. Kicking corpses out of the way, teeth grit and she keeps killing. Quick, decisive moves, damaging everything in her path.

[magic 5 attack (mana@normal passed)] Pasquale has his eyes on a certain acid spewing dragon and as it turns to make another pass he draws his bow and sends another batch of those poison-razon arrow-shards in flight to meet it. He glances away the moment the shards have left the bow to check the battlelines and quickly check that Apollo is still standing. Already knowing they will strike their target, even if he doesn't know exactly if the dragon itself will be downed by the strike.

Descending from the air is a great big bright red dragon (omg!) How big? Titan of Setarco (at least) big! The only similarity this steely-eyed, fearsome beast shares with its rider is they both have impeccable facial hair. Bright rid barbels resembling a fu manchu for the dragon, and the finest mustach in all of Arvum for Duarte. Duarte, however, is somewhere between worried and absolutely fucking terrified as he clings for dear life on the back of this thing. (And he'll be bow legged for the duration of his life.)

"THAT ONE?" the booming voice of the dragon says in a resoundingly loud dragon murmur. It looks at Mirari for a moment then snorts a small flame. "I CAN SEE WHY YOU LIKE HER." The beast flicks shards out of the raven haired Corsetina's path. Duarte himself doesn't seem to be doing, well, anything - except that the enemies he flies near decide to fight among themselves rather than target him. One even stabs itself to death.

Banking sharply left and right to skirt around obstacles, the venerable white-scaled dragon Violas streaks down from the sky with a fiery-haired pugilist riding astride her. Sydney's bright green eyes are fiercely narrowed, and her teeth are bared with outright fury, the inherent rush of soaring atop of a dragon blunted and then quashed at seeing the carnage from on high. Her voice pierces through the din, "VIOLAS! Show them the might of Cardia!" Violas beats her wings once to decelerate, and Sydney leaps from on high, her momentum carrying her towards the nearest shard. Which she summarily overshoots. "Fuck!" So much for her own grand entrance. She at least keeps her feet.

[Magic 4, Attack, -1 alaricite]}n Occupied as they are pulling dizzying turns one after another trying not to get clawed out of the sky by flying demons of every variety, Ferrando doesn't quite understand the sudden flood of Draconic *smug* he picks up through his bond with Beaufortmax at first until she pulls a hard right and splits two elder dragons screaming the opposite way. "-Ohhh-," Ferrando notes brightly as they wheel around to follow. "Cavalry's here. Let's fucking GO, Boo!" A cloud of demons diving out of the way of the elder dragons in a panic has no chance to avoid being blasted by the indigo dragon's ice breath as they dive into attack with renewed vigor.

[MAGIC 4 (Mana)] Aleksei flashes a grin back at Viviana, giving her the briefest little flourish salute of his sword. It is, in that moment, a very Champion duelist sort of thing to do. And then -- there are dragons. Off on the horizon, and Aleksei's breath catches in his throat for a split second. His smile spreads wide and warm and sudden, entirely reflexive, and it's a smile that looks like hope. And then he's back in the battle with renewed vigor, knocking aside one of the demons from the side of the ship.

[magic 3] Looking up, Rosalind blinks at all the flying things. She grins a little at that. "So neat,"she murmurs. Then she stops, murmuring something about fire and guidance. There's a look of defiance on her face, one that not many see. Then she takes off, with literally a blaze of fire around her, burning everything in its path. Everything that tries to hurt the Ravenseye. "TO THE LAST,"she cries, jumping and ripping to shreds the enemy.

[MAGIC 5, alaricite] Beat after beat. Fortunato seems to be struggling a bit with the rhythm. Toss up shield, let shield fade save for a /seed/ you grow the lash from, withdraw lash, use the last flickers to grow a shield. At the moment, Fortunato lashes. He lashes with fervor, with that reawakened hope, dragons and wolves. He even expresses joy. A shout. A good moment. Hold onto it.

Its been a long flight back from Cardia to Avrm! To see the city finally, to see all the demons around it, she frowns. "Alright,Fulgurium like old times yes." she says to the large purple dragon she is flying in on.."For the compact!" she cries out as she leans in on the dragons neck sword in one hand as they move into battle slicking through demons as they go. Her eyes can to see if she can spot Vitalis but they are still a distance away and she does not see him yet.

Duarte used [MAGIC], bytheway.

[Magic 5 - Sacrifice - 1 Alaricite ] Viviana's rolled onto her feet -- quickly, pausing to watch the flight of dragons on the horizon line. "Fucking dragons," she murmurs in awe. She's breathing in deeply and laughing out loud at the sheer surreality of it all, the wonder -- the horror. It's overwhelming. It's extraordinary. It allows her to find that steadiness within, the coiled serpent readiness that's prepared to uncurl and attack in preparation of their allies arriving. "They're gorgeous."

[Magic 3 -- Dragonsfire -- Marginal fail] Galatea's dragon, an aged, venerable, blue-scaled behemoth of a wyrm, soars above the bobbing hulks of the wolf-men's ships, leaving a wind current in its wake that sets the canvas of ships' sails to rattling. There is no shortage of targets within the walls of Arx now--and she picks one of the largest. A hulking demon that towers over its kindred, the dragons' breath and Galatea's own conjured magical fire are joined in a single stream of fiery punishment--one that smolders and licks about the monster's form, but leaves it remarkably still intact, despite her best efforts. The momentum of the blue dragon's passing carries her dangerously into its reach, just overhead.

"A stubborn one," the dragon rumbles (in Draconic, no less), the gleam of something like excitement glimmering in its faintly rheumy eye. "Yes, this will be a battle worth remembering."

Galatea, meanwhile, looks like like she can barely keep hold of the reins, such is the speed of her mount.

[Magic 4 - Umbral Knives - Alaricite Sacrifice] Raja is still in the thick of the fray, swinging and fighting alongside Naisha and close to Jhond. She spies Samira nearby, "Sam!" She calls out to her sister! She is about to say something else, but a brute of a monster comes at her and she immediately summons shadow to coalesce into a wicked dagger that is thrown /through/ the creature's neck!

MAGIC 1 Attack - Lightning crackles out of Custos' mouth as he swoops in adjacent to Alarisa on Valar and Madeleine and Tesha. She sings a damaging, stunning wave of sound toward the enemy, spreading out to the sides and ahead. "There, look there. We can get that group!"

[[MAGIC 1 - Aura of Prismatic Light - Utility] A glimmering prismatic light shines in the darkness where there is no sun. Through the clouds of airborne demons and the flashes of black lightning and the falling of the blood rain, a great elder wyrm sweeps majestically through the skies among the flight of dragons that are arriving, searing enemies with a powerful prismatic beam that disintigrates them on contact. The Great Dragon of the Heart has arrived, answering Valar's call for aid, with Marquessa Dominique Wyrmguard on his back. She sits the dragon saddle as if born to it, and she has a sword raised in one hand, while her other hand is wrapped within the harness strapped to the saddle for her to hold onto. The Great Dragon of the Heart needs no reins nor bit, nor other contraptions to guide him. Dominique is bonded to him, heart and soul, and the two fly together as one even as the blood rain showers down around them. With her strong thighs gripping the great Wyrm, legs tucked back, the Marquessa cries something out to the others in another language. Her pale blue eyes are fierce, and surrounding her is an aura of prismatic light, which radiates glory, burning away drops of blood rain before they can touch the Marquessa, and burning any shards that touch it as well. Meanwhile, the Great Dragon of the Heart, in prismatic glory, sears through enemies with a powerful prismatic beam, thrashing enemies aside with great sweeps of his tail, or gusts from his great wings. Following the Great Dragon of the Heart, who flies just behind Valar, other dragons soar through the air, shattering enemies with their deadly breath, or batting them away with powerful wings and tails. The Dragons have arrived.

It's her fault, maybe. Sapphire is shouting at Victus, distracting him, and in the chaos, at least the vanguard of the fleeing demons has wits enough to aim a gnarled bone lance shimmering with primum at the High Lord. Too close for shouting, she instead throws herself in the way, taking the lance in her left side chest just below the shoulder. She snarls, stepping *into* it to - well, it looks like she drags a fingernail down the thing's brow, and after that its skin unzips, leaving everything the skin used to contain to plop to the deck in a very gross pile.

Mattheu swings Siren's Song through the air, his strikes meet only empty space where the demons once lurked. Frustration gnaws at his insides as the shadows of his magic fade away, leaving him vulnerable and exposed. He turns to look to the skies where falling blood pelts at his sight. Raising a hand up to block the blood rain to see the dragons flying towards the fray. He lets out a shout as he turns back to seek for another imp only to step into a slice by claw.

Bridget arrives upon her noble steed, waving her sword and galloping around. She was an odd sight, wearing bulging armor that was the shape of someone twice her size, especially around the mid-section. The only thing that kept balance to the fat bellied armor was the long nosed helm, which she had difficulty keeping above her face to shout commands under.

"We have them! They haven't a chance!" Bridget bellowed out before the visor of her helm clapped abruptly shut. She might have had more to say, but was far too busy flailing an antique sword down at anything or anyone she thought unfriendly.

[Magic 4 - alaricite] Harlex leaps back down into the fray, an ingot of alaricite drawn from beneath his cloak. It bursts like a sore, sputtering with molten gore. He rips forward, debris flying aside from the speed of his movements. When he brings the blade down, there's a terrible sound as a vicious, black gale shreds another swathe of demons. "Bring me something worth my time!" He snarls in that half-feral posture, the heat of that red armored visor seems to melt the metal from the sudden flare of magic running through him.

Catching sight of Duarte on a dragon! Flicking shards out of the way catches Mirari's attention amidst the chaos. "YOU GLORIOUS BASTARD!," Mirari shouts towards Duarte and she flashes the dragon an impressed smile. Though it's probably lost in all the chaos, but she does scream pretty damn loud.

Dominique says in Draconic, ""We're almost there! They're still fighting! We can do this!""

(Magic #1: Flamerthrower) Insaya aboard Praesodymanin clings with her legs, honed from years and years of walking the streets of the city from one end to the other, and as they drop low, the green dragon parts his jaws to breath the most unholy light from between them, aiming for a cluster of enemies around one of the snapping banners. The rider lifts a hand and glares, and a gout of flame to match "my Praseous" licks out to the side as the dragon banks, bathing the area under her scrutiny with such intense heat that even the air there seems to ignite.

[Magic 4 - Attack (Sacrifice alaricite)] Khanne lifts her eyes to spot Mountain. Once misty-gray, they are like ice in the moment, wet with tears, hot with anger. "He loved the story of you," she murmurs in the ancient language. "Let's ensure more is written." Letting the clouds rumble on their own for a moment, she shifts her focus to the ground beneath the demon army's feet. Slowly, her hand raises, towering stones rising as she does. When they reach a height that seems to satisfy her, she crashes her hand down, clapping against her other hand where the stone is held, sending the stones toppling ontop of the demons and demonic insects, crushing as many as she can. "Skulls crushed."

[Magic 3 - Offensive ] Alarissa rides, strapped in safely on the back of that massive white dragon that leads the flight. Never has she been in battle before. But she's there in that brass conveyance upon Valar's back. She doesn't look back. It won't help to look back. Valar needs to see what is in front of him. She knows what that Rainbow that went off means and Valar no doubt can feel the worry. Her hand tightens on the rail, gleaming alaricite covering her. When Mirk and Nyx join there's a flicker of her gaze toward the pair and for a brief moment she dips her head upon hearing Mirks voice. But then eyes forward again, always looking over the battlefield. They've made but have they done it in time. She doesn't look for the ship. If they survive this, she'll find him. "We hold true to our Oaths. Hold nothing back" Murmured into the air around her and to Valar and draws her hand out and up, fingers cupped and then draws her hand down swiftly. Over a section of demons that are making for the city, no one really there to drive them off, is a hailstorm of pearls. All kinds of sizes, shapes, colors, pummeling down on the demons, shredding holes in wings, hitting them with sickening thuds and making pulp out of them.

[MAGIC 5 - object sacrificed] Samira's gaze lifts to the skies, watching as reinforcements arrive. Nothing so welcoming as the sight of allies. It has a buoying effect and, with a defiant scream, she makes a slashing motion toward a group of shards. The effect is instantaneous: immediate chaos as they begin attacking one another, a brief but welcome reprieve for the defenders they were targeting. She glances back to Raja, a triumphant gleam in her eye as she sees her sister in motion. "Fuck, yeah, Raja!"

[Magic 5, sacrific jade to Apos] Lisebet glances around, again reaching for that magic, calling it to her and sending it out to slow and stop the incoming horde. The diplomacy magic, sent by the diplomat, is meant to confuse and stop the attackers from attacking. Just them though. It's a flittery magic that slips out from her, slipping and winding around them. She's feeling the stress, but then there's a new sound. It's loud here, but that chilling wolf call has her look around. Still not sure what's going on, but then she sees it. That large white dragon, visible in the streak of a lightning bolt. "Oh. That's so - " Her eyes brighten, and a smile crosses her face. "I wish you'd been here to see this, Clover," she murmurs about her sister-in-law. Family most definitely. That brings a deep breath and a very loud cheer. "We remember! We remember - and we fight! For Arx! For the Compact! For the Dragons! And - are those wolves? Fight everyone, fight! Maybe she'll spur folks on.

[MAGIC 4 - sacrifice alaricite - failure] Dragons? That does get Victus' attention *very* quickly. So much so that he rushes back up onto deck, heavy boot falls causing the blood to splash in his wake. Normally he'd be a bit more conscientious, but there was someone on those dragons that he knew. Someone who carried his heart. "Holy fuck." He puts a hand over his eyes to shield them from the blood rain as he watches the flying cavalry roll in. Squinting as though to make out the riders, there's not even a glance spared to the demons that encroach on their airspace. By the time he notices, it's already too late. In misguided haste, he channels his own primum again, but it's directionless, simply flaring out without the conviction behind it. But then, in the blink of an eye, the heroic Fractal is there. Sapphire taking the brunt of the attack, leaving the High Lord's eyes wide. Even wider when she causes the damn thing to just fall apart. "..." Perhaps not the best time to get philosophical, but he still speaks. "You did mean it." A beat. "Thanks."

[MAGIC - 5TH - GIVEN ALARICITE - SCORCHING WAVE - BOTCHED] Joy flickers across Morrighan's features as she notices the dragons sweeping in - just in time. A broad smile briefly tugs at the corners of her mouth, and she pumps her fist into the air. Hope renewed, she reaches for another piece of alaricite, holding it within her gloved hand. For a moment it begins to glow white hot much like before, but unlike the time prior, the flame that begins to engulf it flickers out, and the piece of metal turns to ash within her grasp. She was not expecting that.

[Magic 4, Alaricite Given] Tesha reaches out a hand to run her fingers over Calumar's sapphire scales as they fly closer to danger. She whispers something in another language. Trying to soothe her nerves...and the dragons. Because he was very much alive and had a life as well. "Let's see if we can make this work my dear." she tells him with a smile from her scarred face. "FOR ARVUM!" she shouts from atop the dragon.

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

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

Jhond checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Jhond fails.

Jhond has suffered a serious wound!

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

Jhond remains capable of fighting.

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

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

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

Mattheu remains capable of fighting.

Triton [CANTRIP 1 Distract] - Triton is weary and it shows despite his primal vitality. He swipes at a threatening ogre, knocking it back, but so *many* are advancing. He growls something, bracing and then ducking down. When he stands again, there are two bears and they split ways, backing up to each side, roaring defiance. Of course, today of all days the ogres need to show a modicum of intelligence and two split off after each bear. The illusory bear quickly pops unto nothingness, leaving its pursuers dealing with scores of Ravenseye spears, but Triton does no vanish quite so easily and he is dogpiled by smelly armored forms. House troops split off in his direction, but he is getting badly used by his new friends and suddenly there is new blood matting the once-white fur. Staggering, he lumbers toward the line, slamming aside an ogre on the way.

Tesha says in Celestial cant, "May the gods watch over us!"

With the waves of fire washing over the demonic ranks, Azazel's forces are pressed. Outside the city, another fierce battle rages by the arrival of the Khati, as Seawatch Gate holds, and the King's Own are pressing into the shards there. In the City Center, it's a mad melee with hordes of flying creatures trying to swarm the dragons, desperate to bring down the gargantuan elders particularly.

((Defensive round, can all check defenses at hard, or if using magic, defenses at normal. Remember to check mana after or sacrifice items if over the 3 cast limit. Victory Points 1344 currently.))

Jhond checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Jhond fails.

Duarte checks intellect and manipulation at normal. Duarte is successful.

Mattheu checks willpower and survival at normal. Mattheu is successful.

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

Tikva checks charm and performance at easy. Tikva is successful.

Medeia checks intellect and alchemy at normal. Medeia is successful.

Lys checks willpower and medium wpn at normal. Lys is successful.

Sen'azala checks willpower and leadership at normal. Sen'azala is successful.

Madeleine checks wits and ride at hard. Madeleine fails.

Esme checks mana and occult at normal. Esme is successful.

Alarissa checks composure and occult at hard. Alarissa marginally fails.

Romulius checks strength and survival at normal. Romulius is successful.

Sorrel checks charm and performance at normal. Sorrel is successful.

Mattheu checks mana at easy. Botch! Mattheu fails badly.

Mirk checks mana and occult at normal. Mirk is successful.

Ferrando checks dexterity and stealth at normal. Botch! Ferrando fails badly.

Esme checks mana at easy. Esme is successful.

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

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

Fortunato checks mana at easy. Fortunato is successful.

Mirk checks mana at normal. Mirk is successful.

Apollo checks dexterity and tanning at normal. Apollo is successful.

Galatea checks mana and alchemy at normal. Galatea is successful.

Victus checks stamina and dodge at normal. Victus is successful.

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

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

Morrighan checks mana and occult at normal. Morrighan is successful.

Morrighan checks mana at easy. Critical Success! Morrighan is inhumanly successful in a way that defies expectations.

Pasquale checks composure and war at normal. Pasquale is successful.

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

Triton checks stamina and survival at normal. Triton is successful.

Petal checks dexterity and sewing at normal. Petal is successful.

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

Lisebet checks charm and diplomacy at normal. Lisebet is successful.

Sydney checks dexterity and brawl at normal. Sydney is successful.

Bridget checks dexterity and ride at hard. Bridget marginally fails.

Samira checks perception and occult at easy. Samira is successful.

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

Alarissa checks composure and occult at normal. Botch! Alarissa fails badly.

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

Dominique checks stamina and ride at normal. Dominique is successful.

Fortunato checks wits and artwork at normal. Fortunato is successful.

Tesha checks intellect and theology at normal. Tesha is successful.

Khanne checks mana and occult at normal. Khanne marginally fails.

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

Lys checks willpower and medium wpn at easy. Lys is successful.

Khanne checks mana at easy. Khanne is successful.

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

Mattheu puts Siren's Song in leather rucksack with pouches.

Mattheu puts River's Flood, a diamondplate glaive in leather rucksack with pouches.

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

[Magic #1 - Mirage (Defense)] Lys is there one minute a maw flying at her to try and devour her. And then suddenly her body seems to just jitter in place, from side to side, then suddenly she splits into three versions of her self. But which one is the real one? The three laugh at the maws coming for her and then split in different directly. The maw chomps at the Lys on the left, only for it to dissipate into a mouthful of haze-scent smoke.

"Missed me!" One Lys sticks her tongue out at the maw.

The other one makes a rude gesture and jeers, "Better luck next time!"

Adalyn checks dexterity and dodge at normal. Adalyn fails.

The claws of a demon dig into one of Jhond's arms, tending through the magically enhanced silk and tearing into the muscle. He drops one of his swords and snarls in pain, stepping back to try and put himself in a better position as he keeps fighting with the other blade.

[MAGIC 4 - mat sac]"YOU GOING TO DO ANYTHING BACK THERE?" the bright red dragon (hereinafter referred to as Sangular) grumps at Duarte. Whatever Duarte says back in his white-knuckled terror can't be heard above the extremely loud din of the battle, only Sangular's booming chastisements are potentially audible. "YOU ALREADY LET THEM BITE ME ONCE ON THE WAY OVER HERE." But as Duarte is getting chewed out by a skylord, the flying demons are having an awful hard time targeting the pair, and it's not like something as giant as Sangular is hard to miss.

[Magic 6 - Defensive - Steel silk given - Cloak of wove thorns] Petal continues to weave her magic. A needle is pricked to her right index finger, drawing a drop of blood even as the very thin and strong thread like vines with needle thorns tighten their protective woven dome about her. She is hard to touch or hit.

Vitalis checks luck at hard. Vitalis is successful.

[Magic 5 - alaricite] Harlex is a frenzied image, he seems to hardly move and yet attack after attack is evaded with the most unhinged movements. Another piece of alaricite is drawn and erupts in his hand, reforging the vicious clawed gauntlet in time to catch the eight-fingered fist of a hulking brute. It yields and he presses on into the melee.

[Magic 5 - alaricite] Sen's movements are a vicious dance, one flowing into the other even when she makes jarring shifts in direction. A slip of alaricite is fading to dust between her clawed fingers, and then she suddenly has her blade in hand. It catches the teeth of something horrible - Azazel horrible? She doesn't check - and she rolls under the strike, vanishing again. Half a second later she's visible, and letting the momentum carry her back up to her feet.

[Magic 4 - mana check] Esme has been doing a lot of dragging back and forth it seems like. She does pause to look at her little plush companion. "Why are you acting like you did the work?" War is hard. Minds are not. Esme shakes her head a bit and then looks at the creatures. Those things devouring everything. Those things destroying their homes. She mutters something under her breath that probably has her favored God (sorry pantheon). Then she moves to attack with her sword back to being a light in the darkness.

[magic 6, alaricite] the chaos of battle did not let up, and neither did the way Caspian evaded the attacks of the demons. Spurts of flame flashed as he became a flickering spot of death to the abyssal forces

[Magic 6 - Defense - Steelsilk given] Even with the reinforcements the battle is promising to continue for some time yet and Pasquale makes the decision to draw closer to Snake so that he might better defend the both of them. He takes out a precious piece of steelsilk and once more summons a ring of shields - this time covering as much of himself and the great serpent as he can manage.

[MAGIC 6 - Defensive - Alaricite sacrifice] Tikva draws her next breath, and channels her weave into the air, sending vibrations through waves of sound that defend her and Nightingale from a volley of imps, shaking them aside and skewing some of them into a tangled confusion of other fighting. She wipes powdered alaricite from her forehead but it doesn't do much good, it's all smeary blood and glitterdust. She squints up into the sky. "Gods, that's a hell of a thing," she breathes, and then twists forward, bringing the balalaika up again for the next assault.

[MAGIC 6, mana check] Fortunato checks his bag. He counts. He perhaps -- tries to calculate how many battles are left (an infinity?) against how many resources he can bring to bear (not an infinity). His heart flares through his fireweave shirt as he pulls into his reserves. The shield rises. Blood rain trickles off of it.

[MAGIC 3 - Flameshroud] "Sera, behind us!" Medeia calls out to the Skylord, and the great winged being pulls up as the lady holds on for dear life. As she does, the pair become limned in flickering flame, providing temporary protection from attacks that sends some of the flying demons spinning back as they catch fire. As the dragon levels out, Medeia catches her breath, looking around to find where Duarte and Mirk are.

[Magic 4 - item sacrified] Galatea's dragon soars quickly, but it is a very large target. The towering demon she singled out for their mutual attention is likewise not feeling charitably about having been nearly cooked alive. Steam rising from its fire-crisped flesh, it splits its maw wide in a frightful, dagger-toothed roar, his oversized talons managing to reach the precise spot where Galatea sits astride the dragon. But then...Galatea turns transparent, and the talon passes through her like it was trying to grasp at so much mist. She has phased into an ethereal state--a taxing trick, to be sure, but it's saved her life all the same. Galatea gasps for breath when she reformulates into her more material self, briefly thereafter.

"You are still alive, little one," rumbles the blue dragon, seeming pleasantly surprised. After all, with the soul-bond in place, any risk to rider carries equal consequences for the mount. "You humans are full of surprises. Let us see to it my faith was not misplaced. Next time, we strike him from on high!"

[MAGIC: 2ND WITHOUT SACRIFICE, MANA SUCCESS.] Mirk and Nyx fly with Valar and the rest of the dragonriders from Cardia, and as the dragon rains down destruction, Mirk is doing his part fending off any flying demons that come near them, using well-timed blasts of wind that catch their wings and wrench them backwards or send them hurtling down. Few, if any, are fatally inconvenienced, but that isn't his goal. Mirk is keeping his partner whole and alive, letting Nyx rain down destruction. "My friend," he whispers to Nyx. "This is your moment." He raises his staff to Medeia in a salute, when he catches her looking over.

Rosalind keeps shotting arrow after arrow, but her movements are slowing. She takes breath after breath, trying to regain her composure. Seeing Triton, the eldest twin stumbles a moment.

[MAGIC - item - The Commander's Cruel Armor] The arrival of the dragons and the sky-bound demons fighting makes everything very fraught. There's a sense, really, that everything could come crashing down on their heads, and Apollo is particularly sensitive to that. Not quite as sensitive as he is to land-bound grotesqueries loaded with teeth; he refashions his gold-and-gem armor as he sees an ogre trampling his way, side-stepping on reflex even though that armor can surely take plenty. Not to mention what's underneath it. That ogre is gonna regret ever catching his eye.

[MAGIC 2 - WYRMGUARD - DEFENSIVE] As the demons begin to swarm trying to attack her and her dragon, Dominique lifts her sword higher, and the blade suddenly flares with prismatic light, bright enough to blind the enemies that are attacking her and the Great Dragon of the Heart. The aura around her brightens and expands, until it surrounds herself and the dragon in a protective magical shield of prismatic energy, damaging enemies that come into direct contact with it. The Marquessa holds the shield, while the Great Dragon of the Heart does the work of killing, searing more enemies with that powerful prismatic beam, just slicing through them. The demons that it touches burst into flames, and then disintigrate into burning flakes of ash that are completely consumed before they ever touch the ground. Along with the blood rain, burning ash falls like snowflakes. "KEEP FIGHTING!" she calls to the allies below, her aura of light shielding her and her dragon, and still radiating that inspiring glory. "THE DRAGONS ARE WITH YOU!" She tilts in the saddle and the dragon banks, soaring around to come around again for another attack upon the demons, focusing that intense prismatic beam on any of the larger demons now.

[MAGIC #5 - YOU MIST (alaricite)] Vitalis is a whirlwind of mist and smoke, whip and dagger, insubstantial here, diamondplate and leather there. He keeps looking among the winged reinforcements for Adalyn, and there - there - he can see her on the back of a great purple dragon, her spear raised, hair streaming. "ADALYN!" He bellows, but can't see if she heard -- surely there's too much wind noise and chaos. He is sucked back into the fray, puffing into smoke and back as the endless onslaught continues. There's a trembling in his bones. It's not much longer he can keep this up.

[MAGIC 5 (Alaricite)] Part of Aleksei wants to be watching the dragons, and the khati, and -- all of it. But now's not the time: he's crushing alaricite in one hand, reducing it to dust, his body feeding off of the power it leaves behind in the same moment to cut a demon's head from its shoulders.

[Magic 5 - alaricite] This time, Victus wouldn't be caught unaware. As another of the flying fiends soars, the Lord of Thrax plants his feet, that stubborn defiance being summoned up once again. The creature tries to tackle him, but instead merely *thuds* off of his frame, as though it'd slammed headlong into an immovable object. The lull gives Victus ample time to run it through with his blade. Another one dead... another spit of saltwater. He leans against the airship's rail, peering out across the battle and to his fellow crew. "Hold. HOLD FAST!"

[magic 5] Mattheu is breathing hard, trying to catch his breath and seeking for a way to slip back from the fight. His hand going to a colorful necklace he wears. "Ima."

[Magic 6 - The Mirror Shatters - Sacrifice] A quick glance is all Romulius gets as warning, because Mirari has a plan! Tap, one, two, three, with a foot, and lips curl into a final smirk. Eyes sparkle, time to have a little fun. Her attention is on a rather offensive ogre that is coming towards the two of them. Mirari is taunting it, "bring it!," she calls out and as the Ogre reaches for her, she shattered in many, many little pieces. All Mirari. All self-satisfied and grinning back to confuse the shard as it tries to grab for her, or at least, jagged pieces of a mirror that might be her. It keeps the creature attentive for a moment, leaving him open.

With the fires wreaking havoc among the demonic ranks, Jasher takes the quantum of respite to check his injury. That's going to leave a scar. With a prayer on his lips and Reafian upon the unwounded arm, he grimly carves into the shards, learning and relearning what kills or maims a demon, one blow at a time.

Triton [MAGIC 5 (alaricite) Defensive: Primal Resilience] - Triton stumbles into the edges of the House ranks, men circling to jabs spears past hime. Even with that, one of the ogres stabs outward with a huge sword and pierces his flesh superficially. The bear roars with rage, now, and a crashing blow from a huge right paw sends an ugly monster to the promised land, head going one way and body another. Wounded, matted, glarign red and bellowing, the bestial some of the White Bear charges forward to ram a last ogre away from the line. behind him, the dums beat to close the diminishing ranks and the shields lock up again. Battered and bloody, House Ravenseye fights on.

Raven launches herself forward, tucking into a roll and coming up covered in-well she was already covered in blood so it's not like her quick roll out of the way has done any more damage to her fancy steelsilk. She cries out "NOW you're going to fucking find out you gods-damned nibbler!!"

Jhond checks 'death save' at normal. Jhond is successful.

Jhond remains alive, but close to death.

Jhond is incapacitated and falls unconscious.

Jhond checks 'permanent wound save' at hard. Jhond fails.

Jhond has suffered a serious wound!

[Magic: 1 Aegis of Glacial Tides]

As the swarms of flying creatures approach, Sydney pivots to swat the nearest of them away from her, but when it becomes clear that they just /keep coming/, Sydney turns her focus inward. Her fists yank outward as though pulling something away, and a sudden jolt of cold washes over those directly surrounding her as a swiftly rotating shield of water and ice crackles around her, sending several of those flying assailants crashing against the ice floes and splashing awkwardly into the water and losing their flight momentum. "ENOUGH!"

[Magic 5 (mana check 1)] Struck with a rolling moment of grief, Khanne's hand falters as she tries to change the story of the elements. She moves her hand to cover her mouth, fingers trembling, and reminds herself, "for all of tomorrow's stories..." as she composes herself once more.

Triton [MAGIC 5 (alaricite) Defensive: Primal Resilience] - Triton stumbles into the edges of the House ranks, men circling to jabs spears past hime. Even with that, one of the ogres stabs outward with a huge sword and pierces his flesh superficially. The bear roars with rage, now, and a crashing blow from a huge right paw sends an ugly monster to the promised land, head going one way and body another. Wounded, matted, glaring red and bellowing, the bestial son of the White Bear charges forward to ram a last ogre away from the line. Behind him, the dums beat to close the diminishing ranks and the shields lock up again. Battered and bloody, House Ravenseye fights on. (repeat to clean it up)

Insaya flattens herself between the wings of Praesodymanin, his greenish scales sheeting the slick blood and grimed now with smoke. In her shagreen armor, ray leather, she just sortof... blends in. The demons plucking at them miss widely, and the huge creature beats his wings so hard that they shoot up to a great height, leading them like dark stringers overhead. "And the old man smiled," she sings, "And the young man smiled..." words to a drinking song from the Oathlands, as she clings. Maybe it's calming.

[MAGIC - 6TH - ATTACK (CRITICAL ROLL) - SCORCHING WAVE] Watching in irritation as the ash falls through her fingertips, Morrighan begins to move towards her next target. "I'll ne'er give up!" the dame yells, eyes flashing bright as she digs deep. Flames flicker around her form as she readies Demonslayer, the blade already taking on its tell-tale glow whenever she begins to summon her flames. "I'll burn you back tae the hells you came from, an' not even ashes will remain!" Heat surges in intense waves as flames lick around the blade, and with a mighty swing, she sends a tidal wave of flame towards the demonic ranks within her line of sight. "WE WILL ENDURE! WE WILL NEVER FORGET! TO THE LAST! BURN!"

[Magic 4 - Defensive - Alaricite Arm Sacrificed] They're diving into the fray this time and there's just so many. It catches her by surprise. She's not battle hardened like her husband.It draws her attention away for a moment but that moment is all that's needed for something to dart past Valar and the others around her and into where she stands. She catches sight of it not soon enough and for a moment there's a flicker of many Alarissa's on the back of Valar but they fizzle out when the flying demon claws at the woman and she gives a scream, curling inward on herself even as it finds the overlapping plates in her armor and draws blood. She still keeps trying to keep an eye on the air around them though. She has a job. She has one job.

[Magic 6, -1 jade] it's becoming easier to understand what to do, for Lisebet. Sort of. She catches sight of a flying imp heding directly at her and brings up that glowing jade green shield, using some more of her jade as primum. She holds the shield, quietly, defding against that imp which flies unexpectedly into the solid green and then slides down it to land on the ground. Her eyes gleam with just a hint of green, even though that's not their normal colour. Bedraggled and covered in guck, she still keeps trying.

MAGIC 4 (alaricite sac.) - Defense --- Custos is agile, gliding and lifting to help divert attacks on the elder dragons and carry Lucita as she sings the song-shield solidly in place and watches to see where an attack might be most useful. She flinches to see the demon strike against Alarissa but still does not stop singing.

Raja is going HAM on these creatures! Both her and Naisha work together as a mean unit! However, even the best fighters are hard pressed this day. The slick blood causes the Culler woman to loose her footing as she slides to her knees. This was all one of the enemy needed and with a feral snarl, the beast brings a blow against Raja! Just as Raja expects the blow to land, it never hits her! Instead, Naisha had spun in front of her, the cruel blade embedded deep into her flesh! Raja's eyes go wide and watches as the fallen Seraph simply takes the blade, rips it from her own flesh and uses it to decapitate the monster who DARED.

[Magic 6 - object sacrificed] Samira can't help but let her gaze flit toward the skies again to watch the dragons' approach. Her hand tightens around the stone she holds and then her focus is back on the fray. She spots a nearby minion of Azazel approaching the area near Morrighan, ready to enleash a torrent of fire, and breaks into a run to get closer. One fierce gesture from the Culler sends the creature spinning, his flames scorching a group of shards instead.

[Magic 6 - alaricite, star iron, IDK that sword was expensive] Viviana unsheathes another rapier at her side. Immaculate work, finely wrought, and encrusted with an assortment of rare materials. She cracks the upswept viper hilt against the brass trim work of the Freedom's Phantasm, murmuring, "I'm no princess, I'm a king --" Nightfall in her dominant hand, with Vanity in her off-hand. She slowly destroys the beautiful sword as she raises her defenses and parries the winged things away from the others that are more vulnerable.

[MAGIC #1 - Dreamshield] Adalyn is moving through the flying demons hacking and slicing them as she and her dragon move through the skies. she and her great elder purple dragon! There is a demon in coming on them, she watches as he skin starts to shimmer and glow a shield starting to sputter but then fails, "Careful friend!" she looks down as a whisper of something catchers her attention but then her eyes are back in front of her and she lets out a battle cry as she and Fulgurium dive in again.

[Magic 5, Alaricite Given] Tesha prays in a different tongue as she summons up her magic along with Calumar's breath weapons. The duo are still settling in. Three days flight to get here was a lot. Plus...Tesha is kind of stressed. If she dies, he dies. If he dies, she dies. So this was a solid commitment. "Keep yourself safe." she tells the dragon as she blasts holy white light at one of the demons that fly close to them.

Sapphire shrugs, the blood seeping from her wound so dark it looks almost black. "If you die, I die," she says, but it sounds like 'you're welcome'. She takes a moment to look at it. The chaos, of course, the bloody and screaming hell. But also the dragons, flying in formation with the old white one in the lead. She's seen this before. But never has she felt this way; not at this sight, and possibly not in centuries. She feels a spike of hope.

It must be contagious. She *does* have an open wound.

Madeleine sees Alarissa in danger and swoops over on Tamrussa to try to help the princess, dipping Tamrussa in fast. But there's too many, and she's diverted back as the imps claw at the blue-silver dragon. "Let's see if we can do something about this rain," she says calmly. "I'm sorry, friend," she says to her dragon as the beast is raked.

[Magic 5, Defense, -1 Alaricite, botch] Evidently a lot of the flying demons bear some grudges for all their thwarted 30-to-1 odds earlier because despite the skies getting a lot busier in a good way, there's abruptly a whole lot of demons inbound on a three-way pincer and not a lot of the rest of Wing Two around to bail them out. Once again, the strange aura of unnoticeability can't keep up with the enemy numbers and it's going to be another rough patch for Ferrando and Beaufortmax.

Bridget was found herself cracked the back by a demon. She didn't topple limply from her horse, but instead slid in an awkward, flailing motion off of its side. She landed *almost* elegantly on her feet, falling briefly to a knee.

A glance is all Mirari gets in acknowledgement. He's briefly distracted as he turns to look upon Raja. "Raja!" He calls out to her, as if to warn her, though once it would appear that Raja would be alright, his dearest friend, he turns his attention to Mirari. "Let's fuck him up." He smirks, and he seems to rush towards the Ogre! The ogre grabs nothing but smoke when Mirari vanishes from view, Romulius leaps into the air, blade descending right over the neck, the impact of the jump when he lands is /painful/, but he's alright. "Fucker...." He spits, all while other demons rush towards him, the warrior managing to keep them away.

The City Center is holding. Through dragon flame, blood and tears of the Compact, but it is holding. There's victory cries in the east, and triumphant howls from the khati, as more Compact forces begin to arrive, the fight ending in other parts of the city. Some of the demons are giving ground, as panic is starting to set in as the forces of the Compact and its allies take their toll. Some of the demons are even starting to flee, as the massed mouths of Azazel scream in ferocious rage.

((Round 5. Passed aggregate of 10k Victory Points across Battles. Azazel's army has been defeated. Final round. Checks at easy as they are running.))

Duarte checks intellect and manipulation at easy. Duarte is successful.

Mirk checks mana and occult at easy. Mirk is successful.

Jhond finds himself face to face with a hulking brute. He darts in, sword lashing out but doesn't see the smaller shard coming from the side. it tackles him, bringing him down and biting into his shoulder with jagged teeth before someone else in the fray tears it off. He lays there, stunned, before the magnitude of the wound suddenly hits him and his body reacts to send him into blissful unconsciousness.

Sydney checks dexterity and brawl at easy. Sydney is successful.

Mirk checks mana at hard. Critical Success! Mirk is spectacularly successful.

Lisebet checks charm and diplomacy at easy. Lisebet is successful.

Jasher checks dexterity and medium wpn at easy. Jasher is successful.

Apollo checks dexterity and tanning at easy. Apollo is spectacularly successful.

Tikva checks charm and performance at easy. Tikva is successful.

Sen'azala checks willpower and leadership at easy. Sen'azala is successful.

Tesha checks intellect and occult at easy. Tesha marginally fails.

Galatea checks mana and alchemy at easy. Galatea is successful.

Victus checks strength and huge wpn at easy. Victus is successful.

Aleksei checks dexterity and medium wpn at easy. Aleksei is successful.

Rosalind checks dexterity and archery at easy. Rosalind is successful.

Lys checks willpower and medium wpn at easy. Lys is successful.

Mirari checks dexterity and small wpn at easy. Mirari is spectacularly successful.

Pasquale checks composure and war at easy. Pasquale is successful.

Viviana checks stamina and medium wpn at easy. Viviana is successful.

Medeia checks intellect and alchemy at easy. Medeia is successful.

Dominique checks stamina and ride at easy. Dominique is successful.

Fortunato checks mana at normal. Fortunato is successful.

Pasquale checks mana at hard. Pasquale marginally fails.

Petal checks dexterity and sewing at easy. Petal is spectacularly successful.

Samira checks dexterity and small wpn at easy. Samira is successful.

Khanne checks mana and occult at easy. Critical Success! Khanne is inhumanly successful in a way that defies expectations.

Vitalis checks perception and huge wpn at easy. Vitalis is successful.

Triton checks stamina and brawl at easy. Triton is successful.

Caspian checks dexterity and small wpn at easy. Caspian is successful.

Insaya checks perception and occult at easy. Insaya is successful.

Lucita checks mana and performance at easy. Lucita marginally fails.

Raven checks mana and occult at easy. Raven is successful.

Ferrando checks dexterity and stealth at easy. Ferrando is successful.

Fortunato checks wits and artwork at easy. Fortunato is successful.

Raja checks dexterity and small wpn at easy. Raja is successful.

Mattheu checks willpower and survival at easy. Mattheu is successful.

Adalyn checks strength and medium wpn at easy. Adalyn is successful.

Esme checks mana and occult at easy. Esme is successful.

Morrighan checks mana and occult at easy. Morrighan is successful.

Alarissa checks perception and leadership at easy. Alarissa is successful.

Sen'azala lunges after the fleeing demons, Wolf ghosting in her steps, then at her side, then in front. They tear one to pieces. Another. Another. *Another*. There's an ogre in their path now, one of those that were killing fleeing civilians, and she takes a flying bloody leap at it. Between herself and her grandmother, its head is torn straight off. "It's 11:56 on a TUESDAY NIGHT!" she snarl-shouts. ...It is not actually Tuesday.

[MAGIC 7, mana check 2] Is it strange that when /Sapphire/ is showing hope, Fortunato's is struggling? He's up and down. Beautiful dragons, khati armies, demons fleeing, Azazel shrieking. Azazel still here to shriek. Fortunato's heart flares again, one more /push/, and his lash flick-whips-arcs toward any, any mouths he can reach. Well, if he can't, he'll snag whatever. Is demonic. And not on their side. There is aiming involved.

Triton is one moment barely on his feet, the next he is running down fleeing demons and ogres in a rage-fueled bloodbath, a full ton of bone and muscle clawing backs and ripping free heads. Overlaid on his for, sometimes beside him, a ghostly white bear even larger than the Lord of Ravenseye is sounding a triumphant bellow as the enemy routs. Behind, the sield wall is at doubletime as the troops race to man the walls, surround the foundtain and seal the breeches!

Romulius checks dexterity and huge wpn at easy. Romulius is successful.

[MAGIC - 3RD USE WITHOUT SACRIFICE.] Mirk digs deep, his breathing misting, his lips blue. He's been pushing himself hard. "No quarter," he says to Nyx. "Not one demon left standing." He reaches one hand out to the heavens. "THE STORMS DO NOT BELONG TO YOU, AZAZEL." His magic feeds into the stormclouds, static and pressure brewing there, unleashed when Lightning hears his call and unleashes a barrage of thunderbolts that rain down on the fleeing armies. Nyx swoops low, ripping through anything in his path. The first thing? The wounded shadow dragon they had been dueling before, dealing the fatal blow with a bite to its throat.

[MAGIC - ATTACK - use 7, sacrifice given] Tikva and Nightingale chorus together in another blasting tide of sound, blasting a fleeing shard and sending it crashing to the blood slick cobbles. As Azazel's forces begin to flee, she screams triumph and Nightingale soars high, trilling with the roars of the dragons and the howls of the wolves and the croaking of Frog.

Harlex checks dexterity and medium wpn at easy. Harlex is spectacularly successful.

With the fleeing forces, Raja is able to get back to her feet! She turns to look to her allies around her and immediately slaughters a demon that was trying to harm Jhond while he lay bleeding on the ground! The creature splattered and died in a grotesque mass of ichor and vicera. "Naisha.. thank you." She says to the winged woman. Then Raja moves to Jhond and kneels beside him. "Oh.. Oh.. medic!" She calls out, afraid to move him.

Maybe she senses it. Sapphire snaps a look back, at Fortunato. "Does it feel familiar?" She wonders, the sharp smile on half her lips somewhere between madness and exhaustion.

[CANTRIP - Summon Flame] With another swoop, Serasadin lays down a wide swath of acid over the retreating demons, and Medeia releases a few more fier y balls of material after. When things calm, she urges Sera to Sangular's side so the lady can check on Duarte.

[magic #2 - Mirage (Attack)]

The two Lysii that are remaining dance around one of Azazel's demonic creatures. Stabbing and slashing, as they confuse and bewilder the creature that is trying to flee.

"Someone kill that fucker already!" One of the Lys cries out.

The other Lys gives a huff and says, "We're /trying/, asshole."

"HAD I KNOWN I WOULD HAVE TO DO ALL THE WORK..." Sangular rumbles as Duarte just looks dejected, a shade of green and possibly numb at this point. The pair go in pursuit of the fleeing army, but not before Sangular delicately pinches Mirari's back collar with two talons and gives her a soft toss across the battlefield... When they are out of range of mass murdering civilians and friendly combatants, Sangular rears back his massive head and brings it down to exhale a thick, powerful gyser of hot dragon fire at the Azazel's army.

Vitalis checks mana at normal. Botch! Vitalis fails completely.

[magic 7 - attack - Mana@hard] Pasquale sees the tide of battle turning. He sees and decides to push himself a little bit further, sending a final torrent of arrow-shards through the beautiful scaled greatbow he's been using into the fleeing foes without any pity.

Esme checks mana at normal. Esme is successful.

[MAGIC 6 - Flay there, RIGHT THERE - beholder shadowmeld - crit] Retreat, huh? Oh. That ogre was just running. The tentacle things and mouths, though. Apollo turns, watches it slithering back down into the fountain on the retreat. He glances aside at Malachite, chins in indication. All together now. /Slash slash slash/, and a tug with /flourish/. He didn't /invent/ the zipper, no, but he sure might inspire someone to. Skin goes one way while the body whips the other.

[Magic 5 -- Sacrifice] The blue dragon called for death from above. It is precisely this death which Galatea prepares to deliver unto the towering demon she has singled out as the target of her rage. The dragon slams bodily into the beast, pinning it to the ground. It opens its mouth to breathe a coup de grace upon the foe--

--only to discover that the demon's mighty, taloned fists, wrenching its maw shut. Galatea isn't about to take this lying down, however. Straddling the dragon's back, she splays out her fingers, eyes glowing radiantly from the excessive, unhealthy amounts of power and primum that have been forced through her body in these bloody minutes. Crackling, leaping, coruscating fires wholly envelop the demon's head, and yet still it roars its defiance. "SYDNEY," she calls out towards Sydney, her voice supernaturally loud, cutting through the clamor. "HELP ME KILL THIS THING. DO IT LIKE WE PRACTICED!"

Vitalis checks mana at easy. Vitalis is successful.

Raven checks mana at normal. Raven is successful.

Ronja remains a very heroic pile of unconscious limbs in the Nightstar's hold, but if she was awake, she would certainly be cheering with everyone else. As it is, she's dreaming about eating the biggest sandwich you've ever seen.

Whatever is attacking her, abandons her and Alarissa clings to the rail and watches as they fly and Valar burns demons in the air that are stupid enough to stay or get caught in the retreat. There's too many friendly's below and nothing makes it into the conveyance so she holds fast and flicks eyes from demon to demon in their path so that Valar can obliterate them.

Ronja wakes up.

Jhond wakes up.

Bhandn wakes up.

Neviah wakes up.

[MAGIC 3 - WYRMGUARD - Defensive] It does take a lot out of a person, riding a dragon for that long. A lot of stamina. But Dominique seems to be born to do this. She rides the Great Dragon of the Heart now in pursuit of the fleeing enemies. She shouts, "Harry them until they are away from the city, my friend! Let's drive them out of here!" She tilts in the saddle again, and the dragon soars majestically. "AS YOU SAY, LITTLE MORTAL!" it booms. The Great Dragon of the Heart rarely speaks, but he does now, and his chuckle booms across the city as he flies in pursuit, harrying the demons with his prismatic beam. Together, dragon and familiar Dominique work to drive the last of the demons out of the hard of the city, in tandem with the other dragonriders. Dominique allows herself a little grin as GDotH passes by Valar. "Valar!" she cries, and she inclines her head to Alarissa too. And then she's focused upon the sweeping of the enemy forces again, expending more magic to keep the shield up around herself and GDoTH. She has to keep them both safe, after all. If one dies, so too does the other. And she's not about to let the GDoTH die.

[Magic 6 (crit) - attack (alaricite given)] After her momentary break, Khanne closes her eyes for a moment, lifting her face to the sky. She doesn't care if anyone hears her, perhaps the words are even directed towards someone (like the enemy), she just starts talking as she refocuses her determination. "I will not give up hope. I wield hope! I will not give up my heart. My heart is full of love and is where Titus' heart will remain! I WILL NOT BACK DOWN!" She opens her eyes and lifts her hands towards the sky. "I WILL SEE YOU DEFEATED, AZAZEL! YOU WILL NOT END OUR STORIES!!!!" Anger has returned. Despair is triplefold as the tears simply stream down her cheeks. She sucks in a breath and lets out a long, high pitched wail of a scream as her hands come down and lightning explodes from her cloud above, turning demons in its path to ash.

[Magic 7, -1 jade] Lisebet reaches out for magic, more primum, and she sends a quick succession of green spinning disks at the nearest demonic bad guys on Azazel's side, with a flick of her wrist. She's not used this spell as much, but it is an attempt to actually do a bit of damage, even if it only hits the fleeing demons in their backs. Or what passes for them. "I - wait - they're leaving?"

[[ MAGIC 5 Raven mana check pass normal]] Raven runs after some of the retreating horde and claws at some "Wretched Turd-munchers!!" she stops then and looks around "Ughn, I have blood everywhere. I haven't been this filthy since my orphan days."

Madeleine checks mana and theology at easy. Madeleine is successful.

Ronja sputters awake in the hold. "Where am I-- what-- where's my sandw-- What happened...? Is this... the Shining Lands...? It's awfully /dark/..."

Fortunato saccades a glance to Sapphire. "Has felt familiar," he says. It's on the border of a snap. The light of his heart still wells through the fireweave cloth. "Azazel is swollen with power. He's the real threat. Now what."

The indigo dragon and her rider barrel through another cloud of demons. Somebody loses a scale, or a piece of armor, but they're still flying... and like a ripple through the clouds, no more demons seem to be flying -at- them. They're all retreating, scattered, broken. Ferrando barks a triumphantly weary laugh, pats Beaufortmax's neck, and more or less just sits back and lets the apex predator do her thing, expelling demons out of her domain with ice and claw.

"That's right you bastard...."

Romulius laughs. "RUN FOR THE FUCKING HILLS!" Romulius charges forward, blade raised as he LEAPS onto a Ogre, stabbing it in the back of the neck and forcing it to walk forward through the other demons, a twist of the blade here through the nervous system and an arm swings out. And eventually, after Romulius has piloted a ogre through the enemy ranks, he suddenly TWISTS the blade sharply to snap it's neck and turn it's brain into literal mush. "WE WHO DO NOT YIELD TURN AWAY THE DEFILER! In the words of so many of us...." He smiles. "YOU WILL NEVER TAKE THIS CITY!"

"Fucking brilliant!!," she shouts at Romulius winking at him after their coordinated attack. The Corsetina cannot resist the urge to use one of the pretty weapons attached to her hilt and so for a moment, she just tries to slaughter everything she can see and find. Ripping through it the old fashion way, no magic, just steel. It cuts through the flesh and blood splatters everywhere. What she isn't expecting is to get TOSSED across the battlefield by a dragon. Duarte will pay for this later, no doubt. But, it's amazing, and as she is thrown across, she's got two knives, one in each hand. She's cutting up every demon she can see along the way. "I WILL FIND YOU DUARTE!" Threats. But, it's good to be able to still make them.

[The Tangled Skein - Crit success - Magic 7 - Offensive - Steel silk given] - Petal's vines with their needle like thorns weave into a tangled skein of plant doom and destruction! They chase after the fleeing forces inflicting damage and desperately seeking blood. These are some dangerous plants.

Mattheu manages to find a side to the old walls of the dome over the city center. Staring at the fountain as others continue to fight. His hand curled around the small ring upon colorful necklace to raise the ring to his lips. A hard swallow as the demons set to turn and start fleeing from the city. Looking up to the sky as closes his eyes. Speaking in Ravashari. A tear running over his cheek as he's able to catch his breath.

Mattheu says in Ravashari, "Not coming to see you just yet Rivuthalar. It'll be a long time till we set foot on land again. Mother was right."

Azazel's forces begin to retreat, but Samira is determined that the horde should be lessened even more. By now the stone is tucked safely in her pocket and her beloved blade is firmly in hand. Her booted feet pound against the ground as she runs after fleeing creatures, slashing and slicing as many as she can manage.

[Magic 2: The Waterfall]The entirety of Sydney's form becomes wreathed in water, dragged along from her previous defensive strike. She launches into one of the retreating, her speed difficult to follow save for the afterimages of water that trails after her. The sound of Galatea's voice has her snapping to attention. Wreathed as it already is in flames, Sydney drags a large swipe from the ground that sends shards of water and ice spraying into the demon's head, as she roars, "ANTIPODE!" The combination attack of fire and ice utterly detonates the demon.

As though reacting to Victus' will, the airship shifts, lowering closer to the ground as the hordes of darkness start to falter. For the first time, Victus allows himself to grin. To feel, for the briefest moment, true hope in the demon's rout. His sword flashes through the air again and again, chopping down every frightened creature that has to sail over the ship in their retreat. From the sky, they have a view of the whole battle, as the dragons fly at their side. Despite the terror, the grisly scenes... it's victory, and it's /beautiful/. He glides toward Fortunato and Sapphire while they speak. "Seems you'll both be stuck here for another day."

"YOU'RE NOT DEAD," Viviana shouts toward Ronja -- (what, war is loud) -- "AND I ATE YOUR SANDWICH."

[MAGIC - 7TH - CANTRIP - FIRESTARTER] Morrighan doesn't wait for the flames to extinguish themselves before she's running through them, pyreweave cloak wrapped about herself as she leaps through. Her gaze still burns bright with fury, Demonslayer cutting through what remains in her way. The metal gradually cools, flames snuffing out, but the Sword of Farhaven isn't yet done. "TRY AND RUN!" comes a growl, and the fiery-haired woman snaps her fingers, sparking flames to just barely ignite on anything that would catch, hoping to maybe burn or catch fire to anything within the fleeing army's path.

[Magic 6 - Percephon's Pin Sac'd] Tesha is out of Alaricite and she knows that things that are very meaningful can be sacrificed to power magic. There is a sadness in her mismatched gaze as she pulls out the pin the belonged to her brother Percephon and offers it up to the powers that be to power her next spell...that fizzles out. "Tesha..." Calumar gives a sigh, "Don't get upset. It'll come with time." he states to her. "We don't have a lot of time..." she whispers as she lays her head down on his neck, "But they are running for the moment. Thank you."

[Magic 6 - Alaricite] Harlex is witness to another rout. They army of demons is broken and as the dust of the alaricite fades in his clawed grip, he steps forward toward the retreating enemy. His sword cuts through the air, shredding scores of everything in his wake like a hundred greatswords all swung invisibly through the blood-hot air. Its a howl of wind that shatters windows, shakes trees to their early ends, and sunders the blasphemous tide.

[Magic 5 - mana rolled] Esme watches all the things run. She sends a light blast from her at their defeating forms. However, then she turns around to look at those that have fallen or who is in need of assistance. She just offers a quick prayer.

"I'm sorry I'm not wealthy! But you're much more beautiful when you're not covered in tat!" Insaya shouts to Praes as they soar, the wind whipping through her shag of red hair thick with spent magic and desperation. The great wings fold back and they are suddenly twisting, falling toward the ground from a terrible height. And as they fall backward, they twist like a coil to direct both of their flames behind them vaporizing flying monster to chunks of ash, and still continuing to twist. The leathery wings fold open to catch the air with a WHOOMPH in a cupping motion, and they drift in pursuit of the fleeing army, blazing, blazing.

Jasher didn't know when the horde broke, but gradually, awareness sets in that they're not coming *at* him but *away*--shards turning tail to flee, heedless of Azazel's many-mouthed screams. He allows a ragged breath of stunned realization, then presses forward, driving Reafian into one of the shards who had kept the nerve to keep fighting--or found the fear of dying better than the fear of the Eater's wrath.

Ronja considers Viviana an enemy, this day.

One moment, demons are /swarming/ the Freedom's Phantasm -- and the next, they're suddenly starting to turn. He rushes after them, hacking away at those imps before they can make it beyond the deck of the ship, cleaving as many as he can to the floor before they're gone. And then he's left panting, watching the rest of them flee. Watching -- /all/ of it. "/Fuck/ those dragons are big," he says, staring at them. "That's -- it's Valar, right?" His eyes track the huge white dragon in the sky, some emotion thickening his voice.

[Magic - Cantrip - I Bless the Rains] As Tamrussa hovers, massive blue-silver wings flapping to hold position, Maddie raises her hands to the sky. "Mangata! Hear the plea of your daughter! Cleanse these stones, bring the rains purity and peace! Wash away the stains of violence..." Rain slowly starts to fall around her, pure, clear (Blessed?) water.

[MAGIC #6 - SHARP LOOK, mana roll 1] The report of Defiance cracks and echoes off the blood-slicked buildings of the city center, the enemy routes. Completely. He harries their flight with blade and leather, mist and smoke, tooth and claw. They've done it! THEY'VE DONE IT! Broken the army of Azazel! He roars after them, chasing until they're gone for true. It's a long way back to where the others are and he's bloody and breathless and shaking, barely able to keep Defiance in his hand, he slings it around his neck, the gleaming white smeared with blood and just ... leans on a crate miraculously intact after all the fighting.

Adalyn moves after some of the flying demons that are trying to get away, they are not going to make it. Catching up to them she slices through them sending their bodies falling to the ground. She looks down.."Down my old friend!" she makes a barrel roll and starts to make her way down to get lower, covered in red from the blood raid. The large purple dragon gives a roar as he moves down even lower to find a spot to perch on a wall or top of building, she looks down at those on the ground as she breaths heavily.

"Not her sandwich," Sapphire gasps at Viviana. She does not confirm anything for Aleksei. Suffer, Aleksei, in your ignorance. (Yes, obviously that is Valar.)

(That was Magic 2 for Insaya. )

"Uh-huh." Victus confirms for Aleksei, a little giddy. "That's my wife with him, y'know." Hehe.


**********************************************************************
Azazel's army breaks. The demons are fleeing in every direction, the sky clears, and the fountain of the City Center no longer is of blood. Outside of Arx, the army of a million shards is routed, much of it fleeing into the country side. A diminished threat, and none at all to Arx.

Azazel himself roars in frustration and then the heads sink into the ground. He's surely not defeated. But the attack is over.
**********************************************************************


Magic 5 (alarcite sac, marginal fail) Lucita's diversion works, sort of, maybe. In any case whatever was attacking Alarissa whips around to go after Lucita and her dragon, leaving them to dive and spin and rise suddenly to evade the attacker. This leaves Lucita nearly toppling off the dragon and her songs ending as she gasps, pulls leather and scrambles to maintain her seat. Once she catches her breath, she takes a moment to see the positions of Madeleine and Tesha and Alarissa, getting back into formation with them.

Server Announcement: Server Message of the Day: Will be events for day 4 up tomorrow, before the finale on wednesday.

Triton Oh, Lucita has an alarcite sac, too, just like Apostate's!

Fortunato turns to Victus. "That was quite a sacrifice and quite a blast. Well done. Glad to be stuck here." He places his hand over his heart as if it settle it down. He looks back over the dragons. His eyes almost shut. "Valar ... gods. Does time repeat?"

Sydney stands panting in the aftermath of the retreat, still wreathed in that crackling shield of water and ice. "...How does one..." She swats at her own spell with a soft frown. "...Make it... not do this anymore?" Look, learning a new skill atop a dragon is not the same as using it for realsies.

Jhond wakes up with a very elegant "Ouch.." and makes the mistake of trying to move his arm which gains another "ow.." before he manages to get his eyes to focus and spots Raja hovering over him, "oh.. hey.. I think I tripped" he says weakly, though with a pained grin.

"You can go rest now." Pasquale says to his bow. "You and Snake." he looks up to the great serpent spirit hanging around before looking back to the bow. "Truly. I will be fine. You made a true difference."

Coated in blood, sweat, and demon ichor, Tikva starts to put away the balalaika and stops because she doesn't want to get all that yuk in the nice instrument case that was a birthday gift. Lowering the instrument weakly in her hands, she watches the demons flee with a look of dazzled wonder in her face, and then looks around slowly, seeing the darkened city and the huge dragons as with new eyes. "You were right, Nightingale," she says. "You knew what we needed. You were right."

Mattheu lets out a laugh as he sees Raja. "You owe me a blade."

Sapphire rolls her eyes. "My wife," she says, in a mocking simp voice. Then, she vaults over the side of the ship, hitting the ground with nary a stumble (but a sizable splash of blood). That's fine. There's blood everywhere.

Alarissa's not sticking to formation, when it's clear that there's no longer any active danger and a quick glance to make sure the other dragons are okay, She leans over the rail. "Take me to him please." Asking Valar, not directing him. She looks to that flying airship. "I told him I would come back to him. I need to see that he is okay. I just need to see him."

When Sapphire hops down Lys catches sight of her and a wide grin flashes across her face. She stabs another demon or two as they flee, and then leaves her clone to shimmer away mid-stab of a demon. Her sword is sheathed and then she's literally /charging/ at Sapphire.

Is it a good idea to tackle hug a thousands year old assassin? Probably not. But Lys is high on victory and there's her favorite person /right there/.

"Sapphire!" She shouts as she goes to literal glomp onto the woman.

Raven sits on the edge of the edge of the fountain after sheathing her sword. Pasquale talking to his bow like it's a person gets a curious side eye. She fishes out her flask and unscrews the cap "I am a bit surprised I keep surviving this shit."

Madeleine gives a wave of her hand to her fellow dragon-sisters. She gives a warm smile at seeing none of them out of the skies before stroking Tamrussa's neck. "I'm so sorry, friend. Perhaps someone can see to your wounds," she apologizes softly.

Vitalis goes to the fountain and dunks his entire head in it, throws his head back and shakes like a wet, well, a wet rat. Rat hops up onto the ledge surrounding the fountand looks around, grooming the muck and gore from his whisksers. With a twitch of his nose, a lash of his tail, he squeaks at Vitalis - just once - and then darts off. "Wait!" Rat does not wait.

Aleksei's voice breaks on a laugh at Victus's response. HE'S NO SIMP JUDGER. "My brother--" he starts to say, and then he has to swallow back the rise of emotion, eyes still on Valar in the sky. "I just hope he gets to see him before all of this is over."

Petal's plants are chasing and Petal struggles to get those blood vines back under control!

Apollo watches the heads sink in with deep, deep satisfaction. Glances over at Khanne: she seem alright? Pasquale: him too? Samira... can't find her. Raja? She's probably with Raja, and he should go make sure the benches over there provided enough cover for Neviah. He crouches down next to where he put her, gives her shoulder a shake, all bloody and terrible looking. "Neviah, psst. Wake up."

Raja turns as Mattheu comes up to her right as Jhond is speaking. Between the two men, she cannot help but to laugh. "I do, Lord Mattheu. I do. I have been.. busy." She sighs. "I am a slacker! Sorry! But, I will make sure it gets to you should I survive the days to come!" A grin is offered to him. "Besides, you have far better blades than anything I can make." She kneels beside Jhond, "Welp. Looks like we are going to have to get you to a physician. You fought admirably."

Triton Torn and weary, the Ravenseye troops begin pulling back. Where there was a bear, now is only a bloodied man in dirty armor and blood. He meets up with his sister and with his wife, joining the trudge to the compound and healing.

Khanne with the battle won, for now, it seems all the energy has seeped out of Khanne. She lets herself fall into a heap, cloak and hair covering her form as she lets out the emotion she had been using to fuel her anger. The sobs are silent, but they shake her body as she clutches the ground beneath her.

"It wasn't her dream sandwich, that's cruel," Viviana murmurs, below her voice, and she only realizes what happens when one has been sword-dancing in blood rain while slaying demons with her -- wait, that internal train of thought stops and she starts to sag against the railing of the landed ship, watching the reunions with a sly half-smile. "I love love stories."

Sen'azala chases them. she chases and chases, until there's nothing within eyesight to kill, until nothing demonic is alive within reach. Then she stops, breathing heavily. She tips her dripping sword back, letting it rest against her shoulder - the armor there is already coated in blood, this makes no difference - and, for a moment, closes her eyes. By the time she opens them, Wolf is no longer visible, but this doesn't seem to surprise her distress her at all. She returns to human form. It's a little sluggish. Her hair remains white a little longer than usual. She's tired.

Mirk and Nyx approach the other dragonriders. "I hope that you're all whole and well? It's good to see you all. Some had begun to fear that your mission had gone dangerously awry, though I knew with Lord Ian and Ferrando returning that the rest of you must not be far behind. It's been an honor to fight alongside you all today."

"I wish /I/ got to see Holden again before it's all over," Fortunato says. And perhaps it's a foil against how he's feeling, that dread he's still fighting with, but he then adds to Aleksei. "Most of your family is hot," with the implication Aleksei is the exception. :(

Galatea is covered in superheated demon viscera, utterly ruining everything she's wearing and sizzling a few holes in her outfit, not to mention her hands, which look rather badly burned. But this is not, in fact, a new experience for Galatea, who already has nerve damage in her hands from alchemical accidents anyway. She barely seems bothered. She pumps a fist into the air, laughing in giddy, half-manic excitement at the high of victory, and the catharsis of knowing a long-dreaded doom is passed.

Duarte doesn't look like he's feeling too hot. Sangular snorts, and flies off somewhere distant and out of sight. (Probably so Duarte can puke)

Adalyn looks around among those in the center, "Vitalis! " he calls out as she slimbs down off the dragon, "Rest for the moment my friend." she touches the dragon and looks around, 'VITALIS!" she cries out again panic stats to set in as she does not see him just yet in all the mess on the battle.

Petal One the vines starts to snake toward a wounded Jhond as if sniffing blood. "No, no..more blood for you tommorrow!" Petal says.

Jasher takes the moment of respite to finally lower Reafian, now more ichor than alaricite. He doesn't sag--oh no, not yet, wait until he's not out in public--but he takes several deep, long breaths, as if appreciating the newfound opportunity to keep breathing following the demonic incursion. A grimace follows as the pain of his shoulder becomes apparent, smoothed over as he glances around, then at the dragons about.

Duarte leaves, following Medeia.

Sapphire catches Lys, sure, but she hisses, "Shhh! The literal and figurative white dragon of honor is up there." She sets Lys on her feet and gives her an awkward few pats about the arms. "There, there. Look at you! All in one piece, and everything. I'm proud."

They've shattered. They've broken. The army of Azazel flees and roars in frustration. The attack is /over/. Romulius looks up in that moment, taking a deep breath. "Fucking bastard..." Romulius turns to look around. Mirari was alive. Raja was alive. Victus was alive. So many lived. So many stood unbroken against the dark tide. A slow smile forms on his face. Peace of mind. Against all odds....they made it one more night.

Aleksei gives Fortunato such a LOOK. It is either HURT or OFFENDED or TRYING NOT TO LAUGH. "Oh my gods, you are /such/ a little shit."

"Mirk!" Tesha looks VERY relieved that her favorite cousin-in-law is alive and whole. "You're looking very well." she tells him. There is a dip of her head to Nyx, "You as well." she grins. "Have you met Calumar?" she asks them. "I think Ansel might...not like what I have done, but...we'll deal with that after the end of the world is averted." she shrugs.

Vitalis hears Adalyn's voice and hops up onto the fountain ledge and scans the crowd. He spots her, because of course he does, "Adalyn!" He hops down and nearly collapses on shaky limbs, weaving through the crowd to throw crushing arms around her. Something muffled comes from his face buried in her neck, hair. ADALYN!

Petal looks to Sapphire in amazement and then to her wild needle vines. "Be good...there is a dragon Queen here..be good.." She chase after the vine near Jhond, pricks her finger and gives it a tiny bit of her bood. "There there lots more tomorrow."

Lucita gives Mirk a beguiling smile. "An honor to finally be able to join you, my friend. And Nyx, this is Custos, Custos, that is Nyx who is ridden by a very dear friend of mine." She then glances aside and then back at Mirk. We came as quickly as could and worried we would not get here in time to help.

Still swatting uselessly at her own barrier, Sydney looks skyward just in time for Violas to come thundering down right beside her. The dragon cranes her head and quite simply steps on the periphery of Sydney's still-active defensive spell. It clinks against her and shatters. "/Gods/. Thank you, Violas."

Lys checks composure at hard. Lys fails.

As the sky clears, the helm snaps open and Harlex looks out over all the carnage. "Ah."

Victus squints as Sapphire disembarks. He doesn't have a snappy comeback right now, but he's gonna think of one. Eventually. Right now, all he can do is shake his fist in mild anger. "Yeah... I got this soreness in my knee now." He remarks to Fortunato... is that a strand of grey on his beard? Maybe just a coincidence, it's only /one/ after all. JUST THE ONE. "But I'll take it." He drapes his arms over the rail, letting his whole body just sort of, melt a little bit. All of the adrenaline was just gone. "I dunno. I think Aleksei is kinda handsome." He remarks with all sincerity. "Covered in blood and smellin' weird right now, but, to some people that's a plus..."

Lisebet is very tired now, shaking a bit, as she realizes things are done. "Oh gods, I think ... I am going to throw up," she murmurs. Stress, relief, tired. and well, she frowns, before she shakes her head. "I am going home. to get clean and ... sleep." She looks again at the dragons, and then around to see who she can briefly identify as still alive. And then she just turns, takes two steps, and just sits down. Tired.

Lys looks sheepish and looks up to the sky where Valar is. She lowers her voice so people can't over hear, "We can take'em." Yeah, sure. She looks like the happiest woman in the entire world when Sapphire pats her arm awkwardly and then she notices Sapphire is /bleeding/. She looks absolutely horrified and immediately screams, "I NEED A MEDIC!!"

Madeleine bows her head to Mirk and Nyx. "It was an exciting ride," she says, smiling calmly despite her words. "You fly like you were born to it," she comments to the Shaman. "This is Tamrussa, a fellow lover of the sea. Come, Tam, let's get you some rest and some wine. I can make the -best- wine..." The dragon rumbles an agreement with the Sister and they head for somewhere broad enough to land, which is tricky with the city stuffed full of refugees.

Petal tries to keep her vines far away from Sapphire as the dragon bleeds!

Beaufortmax has decided it's time to go report to Valar and so has basically found a spot to drop off Ferrando in the city center and flown off to do dragon things. This spot is the roof of a two-story building, mind you, but unfortunately for Ferrando Boo knows all about Lowers Rooftop Tag and seems sure he can figure it out from here, even if half the surfaces in the vicinity are presently slick with demon innards and bloodrain and who even knows what that gunk over THERE is. Ferrando decides this is a great time to just sit on the edge of the roof and take it all in for a bit.

Raven issues a sharp whistle and and lifts a hand to wave at Harlex " I was right! cut a wake clear through them like I knew you would!"

After making sure her threats on Duarte are heard loud and clear, Mirari watches as the army of Azazel fails. A smile forms on her lips, it's marred by blood, but it keeps growing wider. The woman breathes out, she saunters across the battlefield, if anything is in her way, she just kicks it. A brief pause as the dark-haired woman whispers something to Romulius before she walks off. Mirari takes the slow way home, processing everything or maybe just enjoying the scenery.

For now, they've made it through another day. Another battle won, and prices were paid. Morrighan stands a ways from the city center, looking out towards the corpses of the fallen. So many dead. She takes in a deep breath and tilts her head back, face lifting towards the sky. "So we endure, yet again," she muses aloud to herself before flicking the ichor from Demonslayer and returns the weapon to its sheathe. Her gaze eventually shifts towards all the dragons, her attention shifting from one to the other in a mixture of awe, curiosity, and envy. Alas. Moving back towards her comrades, the dame meanders over towards Mirk and Khanne while slipping off her helm. "Glad tae see you both made it."

Samira finally sheathes her blade, watching with wordless satisfaction as the last of the horde retreats. Only once the battle is over and her heartrate begins to slow again does she realizes the piercing pain in her shoulder. Ignoring it for now, she turns to Raja and nudges her. "You're a sight to behold in battle, you and Naisha, you know that?" She offers a nod to Mattheu and Jhond, a tired but triumphant acknowledgment of what has been accomplished here, before glancing over the surroundings, searching.

Sapphire blinks. "Why, what's wrong with you? Oh. ME? Yes." Sapphire warms to this immediately. "I was *run through*, protecting Victus. It was very heroic." She waits for acknowledgement of her heroism...for a moment. Then she just sort of wriggles her shoulder, and her flesh does that weird seething thing to fill in the hole. All better.

Pasquale looks over to Apollo and gives him a nod as if to say yes, i'm fine, without actually bothering to say it. He studies the landscape of corpses and dragons and exhausted combatants again before letting his eyes finally fall where Titus fell. He clasps his hands about a stone held on a string about his neck and bows his head, eyes closed, for several long moments and then, somewhat abruptly, turns to leave.

Fortunato's initial response to Aleksei is to tilt his head back and laugh like a maniac. He shakes his shoulders. He resituates his posture. His heart is (mostly) dimmed to its usual hideable radiance. He looks at Victus. He shrugs. "The blood almost disguises how straight his nose is." Ew. More seriously to Victus, "You look that touch more distinguished." Less serious. "Unlike others on this boat."

Jhond eyes the vine creeping towards him a moment before giving a rueful smile, and a wince, up towards Raja, "I did something at least..." he lifts the hand of his uninjured arm, "Help me up? I can walk, but not sure how much use I'll need for a while otherwise"

Galatea is a complete mess, and probably smells terrible, after gods know how many days riding across the ocean with no bath breaks in between. To say nothing of the burns and demon blood splatter. Yet, as dainty as you please, she gets down from the back of her dragon, to admire her reflection in the now bloodless pool. She snaps open a parasol and rests it on her shoulder. "How do I look?" she asks her dragon.

The dragon makes a low rumble, and diplomatically refuses to answer.

Insaya calls to Mirk and Nyx as the green dragon she has been priveleged to finally touches down... squishing bits of demon between his claws, wetly. Schlurpppp. "Almost. Cardia is a battlefield, where Cynara has been holding Malar, but only just. You look like you've had your hands full. I hope you all saved some lucre in all the commotion?" Slowly, she oozes off onto a claw to be put on the ground. "I don't know what the Khati were promised, but some of our friends would like a souvenir or two..."

"/Ugh/. For Victus? He better name his next kid Sapphira or Sapphiro! He better be /grateful/!" Lys preens over Sapphire's heroics. But then she blinks in awe as Sapphire just repairs herself, blinking several times. Her green eyes get real wide and she says, "You gotta /teach me/ that!"

Adalyn spots Vitalis and starts to head for him, she is sorry for those she pushes to the side.."Vitalis!" her arms wrap around him in return her eyes close as she barriers her head into his neck and holds onto him. Its the longest she has been away from him from home form anyplace, but she did it and they are won the day. She leans into him as she holds him.

Eventually Petal gets control of the vines as they start to sink back into the earth from where summoned them, no longer prowling for the blood of Arxs fallen. Petal seems relived by this. She sucks in a soft breath.

"Wind is a companion," Mirk replies to the Godsworn. "We'll have to visit, sometime there isn't a battle." A nod to Lucita and to Tesha. "I recall," he says with a chuckle at Tesha. "A pleasure, both of you. And you!" He turns to Morrighan. "Don't think I didn't see that bonfire burning so brightly down there." He chuckles and shakes his head. "If we all survive this war," he says to insaya, "I will personally hand the Skylords my bow. The finest wood backed with pure alaricite. That is a promise."

"Alright," Sapphire says gamely. "Do you have several decades free so that I can break you down into your constituent goos and teach you how to reassemble yourself?" She glances up, to where the sun should be, as if to check the time.

"/Thank you/, Victus," Aleksei says /very seriously/. "And if you weren't married, I totally would, too." Victus did not say that he would do anything. Aleksei doesn't care. And then he looks back to Fortunato. "WOW. I get it, Reckonings make you /mean/ and /spiteful/. Lashing out with all these untrue things about me not being handsome." SNIFF.

Raja glances up to Samira, offering her sister a smile. "Sure thing." She replies to Jhond. She helps him to his feet, allowing him to lean as heavily against her as he needs. "Sam. Naisha and Raven both saved my ass in this fight. I am only here because of them." She says to her. "You are a sight as well. We all are." She smiles to Samira. "I got to get this goon to a healer. You going to be okay?" She says to Samira.

As the demons flee, the Great Dragon of the Heart flies over to the Valardin ward with Dominique on his back, and they land in the courtyard before Cairn Valardin. What happens after that is anyone's guess. She doesn't return to the center of the city this day.

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

Neviah blinks and smiles dopily at Apollo. Maybe her second smile at him ever. It doesn't last. Her eyes shut tight and she groans, rolls over onto her side and vomits.

Dominique is overheard praising Alarissa.

A wolfish smile tugs at the corners of Morrighan's mouth, her eyes alight with amusement and mischief. "I was jus' tryin' t'keep our visitors warm. I dunnae think they appreciated my hospitality," she quips with a snickered laugh. Behind the amusement, there's a look of pride and accomplishment. "I hope I did Brimstone proud," the dame then says, quietly, and then lifts her gaze skyward, towards the ship - more pointedly at Fortunato. It was a relief to see him still there, and she gives a lopsided smile and a quick salute his way.

Now that the battle high has worn off, Sydney casts a quiet glance around the city center. Some of the buildings are scarcely holding together in places, after being deluged by flame, acid, water, ice, and a bevy of other strains. She takes a shaky breath and wanders over to Insaya. "Cynara can handle it. If anyone can."

Raven looks up and double-takes "Is that...what is he...is that Princess Alarissa?!" she then hears her name and looks over at Raja and Samira "Oh shit, Raja, Sam, are you ok?"

"Excuse me, I'm not a goon. I'm an oaf" Jhond clarifies with an affronted expression, but grins a moment before making the terrible decision to bend down and pick up his falllen sword. He manages to do it but looks terrible or more terrible afterward. "right.. to the physicians"

From Khanne's heap on the ground, the world seems a muted version of itself. She hears people talking all around her, but most of what they say just isn't registering right in this moment. She does hear Morrighan, but cannot summon the words to answer just yet.

Lys frowns a little bit at Sapphire's question and she says, "I'd probably have to abdicate the barony... Let me see about how my new husband would feel about running the barony by himself..."

"The bloody dance was fun, this battle over and done --" Viviana sing-songs to herself, cleaning the gore from Nightfall. She smiles at the clean, but streaked blade and sheathes it. Fetching a flask from her swordbelt where two of her Champion blades once were. She sniffs the contents, swigs a mouthful of Setarco Fire to clean the taste of sourness from her mouth. "I need a bath."

Lucita says, "We will owe help in return if we manage to survive what remains here. Against Malar I mean. I'll have to be spending some time there every year for a while so best it not be with Malar around." This is spoken in a matter of fact tone of voice. "I expect these dragons need food and rest. This last leg, to get here, was very demanding, a hard push."

Vitalis turns loose of Adalyn to look at her. "You made it." In lieu of a kiss, he presses his temple to hers, eyes closing and scars flaring once, aglow. He doused his head, but he's still nasty with demon funk. He smiles and holds her close, looking around at all the dragons. He squints up at the sky, returned to normal, griffins, dragons, a whatever that thing Volcica was on. He scans the crowd and links hands with Adalyn, going over to where Apollo tends a vomiting woman. It's the least gross thing that's happened today. Human. Grounding. He turns loose of Adlayn's hand to kneel and fish a waterskin from his pack, offers it to Neviah.

Esme walks over to Khanne slowly. Almost like one would a feral animal. The archlector doesn't say anything. She just kneels beside the woman silently.

Sen'azala wipes her sword gamely, eventually coming to the conclusion that it's not getting any cleaner with what she has to hand, and then she sheathes it, and looks back. Her eyes scan the crowds, she looks, and then, her expression unchanging, she moves at a slow jog toward Khanne.

Sapphire nods, as if this is reasonable. "You check with him and --" she stops. Her eyes stick to the sword Lys carries, and for a moment, the near-half of her face that is gaunt and twisted betrays a truth: sorrow. "Where did you leave him?" She wonders, mildly. The beautiful half of her face is composed, haughty. From her ruined, black eye, a single tear falls.

Victus is just an innocent bystander to this Fortunato and Aleksei hotnees beef. With a snort, he pushes off the rail. "I'm putting the ship on the ground. Don't throw each other overboard." The prince stalks toward the bridge again, hopefully not running headlong into Ronja along the way. Time to land!

Mirk swings himself down from Nyx's back, and approaches Khanne. He removes a gauntlet and rests one hand on her shoulder. "Cousin," he says softly. "The battle is won. I know it's hard, and our family lost more than most, but we should appreciate the victory he earned for us."

Intent on making sure everything is routed, Alarissa at least manages to swoop by the Nightstar, a look to Victus and a smile on her face to see that he's upright and not bathed in his own blood actively. "I'll be home soon enough. You can tend to -my- wounds for once" Though there's just scratches and bruises. A hand up to wave to her husband as she and Valar make their way. Likely to Valardins ward to land in a place less crowded and make sure that demons are gone for sure. She'll be home soon enough.

A pigeon almost too fat to fly, Franz, a gray clad ox of a man, Hans, the shorter version of Franz leave, following Jhond.

Insaya tosses her arms around Sydney in a tight, and even a little teary hug. Over her shoulder, she laughs to Mirk, "Then let's try to survive a little longer, then. But I think your bow may be the least dangerous thing about House Halfshav and its nobles. Oh, sh....ugar. Syd, where's the Phoenix? Do you see it? Where's Caspian?"

"Yeah, of course, I'm going to be fine," Samira assures Raja, wearing her best stoic 'it doesn't hurt' expression. "You go and I'll see you soon." Raven's approach finds the Culler turning, a nod given in answer. "You? I heard you were looking out for Raja." Gratitude softens her tone before she adds, "I'd expect nothing less than you being ferocious and terrifying in battle."

Apollo smiles right back at Neviah. A win's a win. And he nods. "Reasonable," he judges, and looks up to find Vitalis there. "Finish sicking up, drink some water." Yes, yes, that's a good idea. "Neviah, this is Vitalis. One of my oldest friends." A pause, then: "Vitalis: Neviah. One of my newest." His eyes turn toward Khanne again - just checking - but she's got someone there, and he turns to look Vitalis over. He's... bloody, duh. "Are you hurt?" he wonders.

Neviah's thanks are in her eyes if not her words when she takes the waterskin from Vitalis. She does the requisite swish-swish-spit before drinking in earnest. It does the job, getting her to feel well enough to try standing. She reaches to Apollo for support. She winces through the greetings, just barely able to nod at Vitalis and pass back the befouled container.

Lucita gets reseated on the dragon and the two take off, headed toward the Lycene district.

Galatea eventually has decided she's not going to burn up from whatever wounds she's suffered, and turns to plod across the battlefield to where Sydney is standing. "We have a decision to make," she tells her, with a certain gravity, as if the occassion wasn't yet cause for celebration. "Are we going to try and go help Cynara? Will our bond-mates even do so if we ask?"

Lys closes her eyes when Sapphire asks the question. Her fingertips touch the blade softly. Her voice is sorrow-touched as she says, "We buried him off the road near Graypeak-- near that orphanage. We didn't have time to bring him back to Arx to bury him in a garden."

Morrighan checks mana and occult at easy. Morrighan is successful.

Adalyn smiles, "I told you I would be back." she holds his hands moving over to where Neviah an Apollo are, her eyes look her over then she looks to Apollo, "I am happy to find you both standing my friend." she is a bit hyper at the moment, you would be too if you were on the back of a dragon. She looks back to the large purple dragon that flys off to where the others are and she looks back to them. "Are you all ok? DO I need to get a healer?"

Tesha looks between people and sees the sadness. Oh. She doesn't know what to say really, but she definitely knows that Khanne and Halfshav have lost much. She gives a whisper to Calumar and he moves to take off again. Heading for the Gauntlet at Telmar.

Khanne senses people approaching, and when Mirk speaks, she looks up at him, though doesn't move from the ground. She nods and says, her voice cracking, "I do... I appreciate what he did for us... I appreciate every moment I had with him. Every single one." She lifts herself up a bit, enough to sit back on her heels. Spotting Apollo, she mouths, 'thank you,' towards him, then says the same words out loud to Esme and Sen'azala. "I should have known he would do something like that. Its one of the reasons I married him," she says with a sigh. "I'll be okay. I'll see him again. Just..." It's gonna be a minute.

"You better believe it," Fortunato tells Aleksei. "Every minute I have to be covered in demon blood and rain blood and worrying about the imminent destruction of the world, the closer I get to Gold and his burns. I will just be burning everyone in a moment. At least, if they're below a certain standard of attractiveness." He glances to Victus. "You're safe. I promise. From my rage. Er. Thanks for landing. Going to land. Might need to rest a bit." He looks off the edge and waves to Morrighan with enthusiasm.

3 Thrax Guards have been dismissed.

1 Thrax Elite Guards have been dismissed.

Squint, Quartermaster of the Sea Drake have been dismissed.

"Mm." Sapphire says, and whether she approves or disapproves of that call is anyone's guess. But, she DRAGS in a big breath, and pats Lys again. "Good. When all this is over, I'll find his grave and spit on it. Now, let's go find something fun to do." And with another shimmer, she makes herself look like a totally normal woman and slips her arm through Lys's.

"And Adalyn. Dragonrider." Vitalis gives that honorific to her at the least. Well earned. He gestures to Adalyn as he hands the water over to Neviah. "Nice to meet you." He accepts the waterskin back and surreptitiously wipes the mouth before taking a swig himself. He opens his hand and watches it tremble before he closes it into a fist briefly. "Ada?" He offers her the skin. He looks to Apollo and Neviah at Adalyn's question.

"Ah, shite," comes a mutter under her breath when Morrighan's eyes look for Khanne, finding her form on the ground. Her expression falls and the woman brushes an gloved hand back through her unruly curls before she takes a few steps over the Halfshav's way. The appropriate words were hard to find, hard to offer to another in their time of grief. Instead she exhales slow, reaching out to delicately touch Khanne's shoulder. A soothing, comforting warmth radiates from her hand as it takes on a faint glow. She wasn't a Mercy by any means, but sometimes there were other ways to help heal, to help mend, sometimes that was just offering comfort, to let it be known someone isn't alone. "Dunnae hesitate tae call on me if you need anythin'," she says softly, gives Khanne's shoulder a faint squeeze, then releases her.

Lys links her arm with Sapphire's and is /more than happy/ to go get up to No Good with the fractal.

Esme takes a breath and allows it to leave slowly past her lips. She lifts a hand to attempt to touch Khanne. "What we know and what we feel are not always the same thing." Her voice is pitched low as she looks over to Titus and then back towards Khanne. "I have loved and lost, but I cannot feel what your heart feels. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"The war is not yet over. Azazel will not rest, and he is powerful enough to do his own bidding," Mirk says, closing his eyes for a month. "But for tonight, allow yourself to enjoy a moment of peace, Cousin." He gives her shoulder a squeeze and then releases her. "Do you need a flight back to Halfshav Hall? This is probably one of the few times I can promise one. Nyx is in a good mood."

Aleksei offers Valar and Alarissa a little salute with his sword before starting to wipe it down -- as soon as he can find a clean surface -- so he can sheathe it. "Aye aye, Captain," he tells Victus distractedly. He knows how to sailor. He's so good at this. You can tell by the way he doesn't leap to the bridge to help.

To Fortunato, he says, "I'm gonna throw /myself/ overboard. Out of grief. At your burns."

Sen'azala doesn't say anything in return. She stands there a moment, then she lifts a hand to about eye level. There's a black raven feather between her fingers that wasn't there a moment ago, and she turns it slowly, this way, that way, looking at it with care. Then her hand flattens, and the feather twists, grows, and catches the wind. It's just one raven that lands on Khanne's shoulder. "It's not actually real," she admits, as if this were a failing of sorts.

Petal looks untouched by the battle and her vines are gone now. She sucks in a soft breath of relief.

Raven shrugs "I look out for those I can, I am glad you two are going to be ok." she looks over at Khanne with a deep, sympathetic frown "Fuck. I had better tell his grace we'd better prepare a memorial for lord Titus." she draws in a deep breath "Too many fucking funerals."

Neviah can't safely nod. "A healer would be a good idea," she says to Adalyn. "A healer and a bed." She's half-soaked in blood, but bath isn't on the list. Apollo would know that it rarely is.

Sydney claps a hand to Insaya's back and draws her focus to Galatea. "No. We're needed here. If... WHEN we turn aside Azazel's assault, then I do imagine our first order of business will be Cardia."

Adalyn nods her head as she takes the flask drinking it, "Alright." she says softly, "Lets get you to the Saving Grace shall we." she moves to pick her up gently cradling her in her arms, "If the two of you wish to follow." she looks to Apollo and Vitalis.

Galatea looks down beneath her feet. "I suppose he's out of minions, at this point, but that doesn't mean he'll be out of gambits. If I had to guess, the labryinth underneath the city is probably where he'll be hiding, now. As it was described to me, he /is/ that labyrinth, in some kind of metaphysical sense." She looks up at Sydney. "Probably a group of people will need to descend down there to kill or banish him properly."

"Well, I'm going to -- go first," Fortunato says, and he descends, one way or another, his moment of levity with (against) Aleksei done. He picks his way across the mess of the square, his head lowered. He passes by Khanne, by the cluster around Khanne. His "I'm sorry. I know-- I'm sorry," is inadequate. He walks on, his feet trailing mess.

"I think perhaps she could use a healer, yes," Apollo says, bracing Neviah as she reaches, rises. He sheathes his blade, glances aside at the approach of his bloody but fresh-faced friend. "We can take you to the Saving Grace," he says, "- we're going that way, I think, or you can come back to the tower and Lianne can look at you. She's better with dead bodies than living though. Which are you?" A little gallows humor.

"Same to you," Samira answers Raven after a swift glance over the other woman to ascertain that she's in one piece. The mention of so many funerals brings a grimace to her face, her eyes flooded with sadness. "So much loss." She frowns, still uneasily scanning the surroundings, searching for a couple faces in particular. Eyes alight on Apollo, a subtle easening for some of that tension, although her frown deepens as she notes Neviah's condition. She seems to be in good hands, though, and Samira turns back to Raven to offer a quiet farewell. "Take care of yourself, Raven, yeah?"

Jasher gingerly proceeds to clean his sword. It's a difficult task with only one-and-a-half working hands, and goodness gracious demon ichor is hellish to take off--pun absolutely intended. But it gives him something to do as he lets the adrenaline wane and other feelings--such as the pain, the exhaustion, and the *smell* sink in, and when he finally wipes Reafian clean enough to sheathe it, it's done with a palpable sigh.

Raven nods to Samira "You too. damned timely arrival. Stay alive, eh?"

Between Adalyn and Apollo, Neviah's passage is seen to, he does what he does best, and clears the path ahead. Scout. "I'd introduce you to Rat, but he's-" he waves a hand, "-of being Rat." He looks back from where he's cleared the way.

Khanne reaches up to put her hand on Morrighan's for a moment and nods, appreciative of the offer. "I will. Right now, all I need is for that bastard to be fucking ended." The last bit comes out in a snarl. Ah, the anger is returning. She takes a breath though, best save that for the next battle to come. Surely there will be more. She nods to Esme and offers a sad sort of smile. "As they say, it is better to have loved and lost... I was blessed the day he came into my life.... and will always be, for as long as I breathe, to have known him. Thank you." She takes another breath and shakes her head. Nothing anyone can do for the time being.

Khanne watches Sen'azala as the feather appears and then... a crow upon her shoulder. She looks up and at the raven with another sad smile, touching a feather in her hair. A raven feather, giving Sen'azala a knowing look. She nods to Mirk then. "I might like that..." Then to Fortunato, "Thank you..."

Ferrando eventually takes the slow, careful, dare I even say boring way back down to street level and a bit stiffly wanders off homeward, giving a wave to any remaining dragonriders he passes. The battle adrenaline is wearing off and he looks ready to sleep for a good long while.

Neviah groans. "No hard questions for the rest of the day," she weakly insists at Apollo. To Vitalis, she says, "S'okay." Her eyelids lower. "Rat can wait." She's fading. She probably needs to not be standing up right now.

Raven watches Khanne a quiet moment, sorrowful and clearly wanting to comfort the woman but seeing she is surrounded by a solid support structure so after a moment she goes and begins to find the fallen of the Iron Guard and make note of their names.

Mirk whispers a few quiet words to Nyx, who begrudgingly permits this, and then climbs back onto the dragon's back. He holds a hand out to Khanne, to help her up, and says, "When you're ready, Cousin. And no sooner. Besides, you're learning the element of Air, too, aren't you?" Then, with a wistful smile, as if quoting something, "Even the newest Druid of Air will know what it means to fly on the winds."

The smile fades as he turns to his fellow dragonriders. "Azazel is still loose, with the power of both Fable and Legion at his command. We will not be safe here until he is sealed or dead, though I have no idea how the latter can possibly be done."

Adalyn looks to Apollo, "Alright, a carry to the hospital it is." she puts her sword away and picks up Neviah and holds her liks a sleeping child in her arms, "I am taking her to the Saving Grace." she moves to start, "Come on Apollo." she say gently to her friend. "Hang on we be there in a moment."

Insaya takes a knee to pray her gratitude under open sky, and says, "One war a time. One foe at a time. But if they ask it, the future depends on how we honor our commitments. And to make Cardia better for our acquaintance." The dragon snorts, and she looks up at him. "Well, some of you are twats. I'm sorry, but that's how I feel. ... Why don't you rest? I'm going to help... move the dead. When I stop moving I may never get back up."

Sen'azala doesn't smile, but, as usual, she has her own feathers. ...Three, it seems. It used to be two, some time back. They are, unfortunately, probably a lost cause with all the gunk, and will need replacing once she gets back to wherever she hides herself. She doesn't say anything else, she merely turns to start off. Two steps on and she seems to realize that *maybe* she should go see to all those khati soldiers, rather than slink away. She goes that way instead. The raven lingers, though it'll vanish into smoke after a few minutes.

Esme nods her head to that and will attempt a sort of side hug. She's being respectful of her space. "No matter the time, if you need anything, please let me know." There is a longing look at Nyx. It's more the riding of the dragon. FOCUS! Yes, back to Khanne. "I will add you to my prayers." She moves to stand then.

Apollo could carry Neviah. Instead, he's going to let Adalyn. Why? Adalyn is stronger and he knows it. He gives a glance to his companion, the other bloody tanner, and tips his head the way they're going. He follows. He's even /invited/, gosh. He could have friends /plural/. Just gotta work on those social skills. A little. A lot.

2 Rivenshari Clansman, Timbo, agile and cheeky rivenshari youth, Apria, Starling of the jeweled wings, 2 Rivenshari Elite Guards arrive, following Eshra.

2 Rivenshari Clansman, Timbo, agile and cheeky rivenshari youth, Apria, Starling of the jeweled wings, 2 Rivenshari Elite Guards leave, following Eshra.

Neviah, Apollo leave, following Adalyn.

"Thank you, Esme," replies Khanne as she watches Sen'azala run off to check on the khati and Raven off to take care of her tasks. She looks around the battle field then rises to her feet. She walks to where Titus died and closes her eyes. She whispers, "for all of tomorrow's stories," then blows a kiss to the wind before going to Mirk and Nyx, climbing on the dragon with her cousin's help.

"I'll surely try. You do the same," Samira responds to Raven, lifting her uninjured arm to give the other woman's shoulder a quick pat. She turns then and strides away from the city center. Off to have her injuries bandaged perhaps, if she's got the good sense to do so.

Galatea eventually picks Sorrel out of the diminishing crowd, chipper despite her ghoulish appearance and all the death and blood everywhere nearby. "Sorrel, Sorrel!" she raises a hand. "Ah, you're all right! I was worried we had arrived too late. Thank goodness."

Once Khanne is safely on the dragon's back, Nyx leaps into the air. The dragon and both Halfshavs recede into the distance, seen soaring somewhere in the direction of Redrain Ward.

2 Armed Confessors, Angwyn the otter, Mordred, Abner, Capt'n Waddles the small cock with a bell, 2 Rivenshari Clan Guardsman, 2 Redrain Guards arrive, following Ann.

2 Armed Confessors, Angwyn the otter, Mordred, Abner, Capt'n Waddles the small cock with a bell, 2 Rivenshari Clan Guardsman, 2 Redrain Guards leave, following Ann.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 59 higher.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 52 higher.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 25 higher.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 25 higher.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 73 higher.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 28 higher.

Petal checked dexterity + sewing at difficulty 42, rolling 61 higher.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 24 higher.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 17 higher.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 14 higher.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

Tamorin, a bubbly Whisper Assistant, Evensong, a twittering songbird arrive, following Anisha.

Tamorin, a bubbly Whisper Assistant, Evensong, a twittering songbird leave, following Anisha.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

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

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 40 higher.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 29 higher.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 26 higher.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 15 higher.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 61 higher.

Ramona - A Guard in Ashford House Colours, Bigsby - A Thoughtful Looking Young Man in Nondescript Clothing, 2 Ashford Archer, 1 Ashford Scout arrive, following Lisebet.

Fajra, Scoundrel arrive, following Lianne.

Fajra, Scoundrel leave, following Lianne.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

Leonardo, a kindly old librarian arrives, following Cassimir.

Leonardo, a kindly old librarian leaves, following Cassimir.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 36 higher.

2 Armed Confessors, Angwyn the otter, Mordred, Abner, Capt'n Waddles the small cock with a bell, 2 Rivenshari Clan Guardsman, 2 Redrain Guards, Mattheu arrive, following Ann.

2 Armed Confessors, Angwyn the otter, Mordred, Abner, Capt'n Waddles the small cock with a bell, 2 Rivenshari Clan Guardsman, 2 Redrain Guards, Mattheu leave, following Ann.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

A murmur goes through the daytime crowd of the City Center as one of the most notables of society arrives.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 20 higher.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 29 higher.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 33 higher.

Petal checked perception + streetwise at difficulty 20, rolling 30 higher.