Fort of Last Hope

[Dorganath]

During the last reaches of morning, Connor reappears in the Fort of Last Hope with a satchel hanging from his hand and seeks out Daniella.

"Commander," he says addressing the Toranite. "Has the floor been cleared?"

[Alatriel]

Daniella turns to look at Connor.  "I'm starting to wonder if we should put bells on you or something Mister Garvill," she says with a wry and rare attempt at humor.  "Yes, the floor has been cleared.  Follow me please."

She leads him down to the lower levels of a largeish building towards the center of the Fort where soldiers have worked to clear the boxes of supplies out of the room revealing a flat stone floor.

"Will this do?"

[Dorganath]

Connor follows along to the room.  When they arrive, he surveys the room with his eyes and without for a few moment before finally nodding.

"Yes, thank you. This should do well," he says as he lowers the satchel to the ground and starts to walk around in a general circle through the room. "I shouldn't need anything further, but I will confer with you before I leave."

With that, he returns to the satchel and begins to remove at least some of its contents.

[Alatriel]

Daniella watches him for a few moments, and then with the sound of armor against stone, she makes her way back up to the surface level of the building and out into the fort, leaving Connor to do whatever it is Lucindites do.

[Dorganath]

Connor gets to work before Daniella even leaves, and he scarcely notices her departure.  He works diligently, arranging components, applying magic and generally proceeding with the demeanor of a critical artist rather than of rote precision as magic runes and symbols are laid out in a circular pattern about two meters in diameter near the center of the floor. Bit by bit and layer upon layer, the circle takes shape with growing complexity.

Several hours pass without a break, reaching into late afternoon. Finally, with the last components in place and a "breath" of magic, the circle comes to life. Its symbols glow softly and dimly as patterns assert themselves and solidify.  In just a few moments, it all fades, leaving only a faint glowing nimbus of energy about a meter above the floor. He observes the final result critically for a time, walking a slow path around its perimeter.  Apparently satisfied, he gives a slight nod and proceeds back up to the surface and outside.

Without delay, he seeks out Daniella once more.

"Commander, the first part is ready," he says. "Please see that the room is not disturbed.  I will return in the morning with assistants to establish the permanent portal. We will arrive in the room you provided directly.  Do you have any message to carry to Fort Hilm?"

[Alatriel]

"Very well, sir," Daniella says to Connor.  She turns and immediately assigns two Toranites from their position to move to guard the room stating that no one is to enter, not even them.  They salute and immediately head down to the specified location.

"No, sir, I can't think of any specific message to bring to Fort Hilm at the moment, but if you would be so kind as to bring a report back from them as to how they are faring I would be appreciative.  Other than that, I suppose we will see you again in the morning."

[Dorganath]

"Very well," Connor nods. "Until the morning then."

...and once more, he is gone in the blink of an eye.

[Alatriel]

Daniella turns crisply from where Connor disappeared, muttering something under her breath about mages and bells.

[Serissa]

Ferrit gives Vrebel a couple of sheets of paper with sketched maps indicating troop sizes and placements observed as she initially approached the fort the night before.  Just in case, she points out a good spot for traps between two campsites, and x's in the location of what might have been a moveable tower being built.  Then she leaves as quietly as she entered.

[Dorganath]

Early the next morning in the grey light of dawn, the patterns on the floor set up by Connor flare to life again, and the pale nimbus of energy expands and intensifies.  The glowing symbols flare even brighter at one point on the circle, and the glowing creeps slowly around the circle in each direction from that point, leaving behind only dark and inactive tracings. The whole effect seems not unlike a fuse, and it is clear there is little time before the ends come together once more.

In moments, a mage appears in the center of the circle and steps out with haste.  Another follows suit, and then another. A half-dozen in total, each carrying bags of components and materials, before the traveling glows around the circle meet again after about a minute since beginning their path.  The circle goes completely dark and the glow that once hung in the air disappears with a small whoosh.  Connor reappears in the room a moment later, and after some brief instructions to the other mages, he heads to the door and speaks to the guards.

"Please inform the commander we have arrived and are starting our work," he says. "Inform her also that if all goes well, the portal to Hilm Castle will be re-established in three days...four at the most."

Waiting only for acknowledgment from the guard, Connor turns back into the room and joins the efforts within.

[willhoff]

*Vrebel thanks Ferrit for her early recon and takes her drawlings.  He studies them briefly and when he looks up she is no longer there.  He mutters something to the air about staying safe but I'm sure you know that.  He then heads to the war room to check her drawlings with the floor map placing markers on the floor representative of her new findings.*

[Script Wrecked]

The [POST=1718605]same[/POST] morning, Argali [POST=1718169]returns[/POST] to the Fort with three giants. She arranges billeting and provisions for the giants(1).

She then reports to the Lady Commanderr that (according to the giants) Ractraferioz has ensconced himself in the mountains and is preventing travel northwards, which is why these three giants have been unable to return north, nor are any other giants likely to be able to head south to assist the Fort.

When she is dismissed, she seeks out Thane Kobal with the giants in tow. She makes the introductions:

"Zis iz the Shaman Mogrrin, the Son of Earrth Herjak, and the Ranked Warriorr Kaltrrak. You arre mentioning zomething about digging the tunnels [POST=1718339]beforre[/POST] Argali left. Perrhaps the Son of Earrth can be making the zpecial assistance with the hole making."

She gives Herjak an inquiring look.


(1) not a straightforward task...

[Dezza]

// Just so you know things are getting very complicated now from a writeup perspective and timelines. I'm trying to remain consistent but please let me know if I've mucked something up.

And so, twenty four hours after Ractrafiorez gave his ultimatum those in the fort have not been idle. Several hours after losing some of their dragons the Cult renewed their assaults and havve not let up for over twelve hours.

Meanwhile inside the Fort work crews were assigned and overseen by Kobal to clear the rubble from the main tower as fast as possible to unearth the dungeons below and thus the passages said to exist beneath the Fort.

Others were planning their counterattack measures that would begin once the Cult gave a respite in the assaults on the walls. While Conner was busy working with other mages to establish a new portal.

Amidst the chaos volunteers began to emerge from different areas of the battle in the fort to join Wren and vrebels planned missions. People like Ferrit who also brandished several dragonslayer swords she had kept safely in her possession for just such an emergency. The sisters Hayley and Kylie also popped up from somewhere in the fighting to offer their magics to the conflict. And even so as Daniella strode from one position to another she was stopped at one point by Drexia who seemed to come from nowhere and who explained that she had bullied a mage in Fort Hilm to help her get there so she could keep a watchful eye on Daniella and ensure she didn't burn herself out.

The stage was set, actions were in place. The allied forces inside the fort were more or less holding their own on each wall while engineers desperately worked to shore up the southern wall and repair or block the tunnel through the wall into the fort and more and more braces were being pinioned into position on the western wall.


// A day later, Day 2 of Ractrafiorez's deadline. The day after Raz and Hardragh capture Prim. Alandric and the Nesar army are marching into Kuhl towards Vilsna. Molvaren is setting up his armies out from the second line of defence for Fort Hilm, the predominantly Rael positions.


CRASH! Another boulder slammed into the tower over the gate to the northern wall. The ground trembled under Daniels feet and dust showered him and the other men sheltering behind the battlements. The boulders had been slamming into the northern walls for three days now without cease. Unfortunatly for the defenders of the Fort the lands around it were filled with boulders and material for the Cult to use in their engines and use them they did.

Daniel glanced along the wall to the next tower. its front face had collapsed hours before leaving the men inside exposed and it had had to be abandoned. For the last two hours he had had to have pikemen working to prevent Cult soldiers from accessing the now open tower with ladders from the ground. With a few more direct hits he had been informed the left tower over the northern gate would likely start to disintegrate as well. The rest of the towers on the northern wall seemed to be holding but they were taking some considerable punishment. He looked around him, the soldiers were axhausted and rotating in and out in shifts to try and snatch at least some rest. The Cult had been relentless since the southern wall had almost been breached with Ractrafiorez made a suprise entrance.

Daniel had been assigned to the northern wall while Vrebel went with wren to start planning their missions. So far they had not had a chance to leave the Fort due to the build up of enemy forces outside all around them. Ferrit and Gel'larian had managed to slip out overnight but so far, as far as Daniel knew they had not returned.

CRASH! Another boulder slammed into one of the crennalations and it exploded sending stone chips into the soldiers hiding behind it. Screams filled the air and Daniel felt a warm sensation on his head. Raising a hand to touch his forehead just below his helm he looked at it to see it covered in blood.

SHUDDER! The western wall near its southern quarter seemed to move slightly as perhaps the biggest projectile yet slammed into it dead centre. Kobal, who had left the tower clearing units undr someone elses command had taken over on the western wall since Daniel had moved to cover Vrebel on the Northern wall. In the last twelve hours the Cult had brought up a monster of a trebuchet that sat deep in the Cult lines and heavily protected by Myr'drachs and had started using it to send huge boulders against the heavily damaged western wall. The wounded dragon was being used to life the massive boulders and debris being used in the trebuchet.

Kobal watched as they began to wind up the device again cursing it with everything he had in him. it was slow to wind, slow to prepare but its projectiles did massive damage when they hit. The first one had landed on the wall just before first light killing a dozen archers and creating a two feet deep crater in the top of the wall where it hit. Since then at least one every hour would drop from above into the southern end of the wall. He'd already lost two towers, smashed to smithereens and even as he watched dozens of men and women were working to place heavy wooden poles against the back of the wall to try and hold it in place against the new threat. Even as he watched them work he knew it was going to be a bad day.

"Thane! Thane! Come quick, the third towers slipping."

Definitely a bad day thought Kobal as he raced along the wall.


At the same time for the third time that morning the soldiers on the southern wall, supported by Griff, Kromlek, Daniella, Andrew, Argali and the three giants trapped in the fort with them were desperately trying to close a breach through the tunnel and over the broken towers above the broken gate into the tunnel. Myrdrachs were thick on the walls while elite Drachs seemed to be everywhere. Every reservist from the eastern wall had been committed with this third major assault and Daniella was even considering bring in more aid.

She ducked left as a Myr'drach swiped at her and risked a quick glance to the battlements that towered over her position. They had made little leeway in trying to block the tunnel because since it had been opened the Cult had not relented and were using some of their best soldiers and Myr'drachs to hold it open. She could see Kromlek and Wren next to the remains of the left tower supporting pikemen and heavy infantry against at least a dozen drachs who were on the wall with them. Near the remains of the right tower Argali stood toe to toe with Vrebel and soldiers trying to hold of more Myrdrachs.

The tunnel itself was almost wall to wall with the dead, her own men and many of the Cults as well. And now they were fighting just inside the fort on the street between the gate entrance and the first buildings, many of which had gaping holes in them from the CUlts endless barrage from their catapults. her men and women were a sea of mixed soldiers in the area engaging hand to hand with the elite Drachs of the Cult forces while her archers and crossbow men were on top of the buildings overlooking the area trying to pick off their targets in the melee below.

Back and forth the battle raged until a flight of four Myrdrachs overflew the walls where their fellow myrdrachs were engaging the walls forces and landed in the midst of the soldiers on the ground. Then another group followed and then several more were landing in the street and engaging the forces gathered there. Daniella could feel the balance suddenly shift.

"FALL BACK! HOLD THE LINE!" The instructions were loud and clear and many on the verge of fleeing the deadly assaults of the Myrdrachs broke ranks and almost fled to the safety of the narrower streets beside the buildings turning and forming walls of steel for their pursuers. Thankfully their nerve held and soon the streets were walled off with heavy pikes. Daniella cut at another Myrdrach as it ripped a young guardsmen in two, hamstringing it as four pikemen lunged forward driving hard adamantium tips into the creature and pinning it to the hard ground where it died.

Up and down the street near the main southern gate, amongst the rubble, the smoking ruins of buildings and other objects near the walls the battle was raging. Daniella could see Myr'drachs engaging her soldiers inside the Fort itself now and as she watched more Drachs began flowing through the tunnel. Frustration filled her as Drexia ran from cover, blood over her clothes from the fighting and caleld her back to the safety of the lines the Myr'drachs were now trying to break into. Archers from above shot arrow after arrow intot he creatures below trying to break thrugh into the main streets of the Fort with marginal effect.

Those on the wall still held position but could see that the area inside the fort below the wall was now starting to be overrun by Drachs.

Daniella turned to Drexia, anguish on her face. "Tell them to sound it."
Drexia nodded and raced off, moments later a horn sounded, echoed within moments by others around the Fort. The enemy were inside the Fort.



On the western wall Kobal was inspecting the ruins of yet another tower as the horn sounded. He turned and glanced back towards the direction of the southern wall. Stepping quickly he bellowed orders to the Rofirenite Captain Alerancy.

"HOLD THIS WALL AT ALL COSTS. ANVIL! TO ME!"  He drew his heavy hammer and charged down the steps from the wall to the busy, debris strew street below, bloody murder on his face. Around him seemingly from numerous directions, blood soaked and grim looking dwarves joined him forming an iron wall as they flowed along the street parallel to the wastern wall and which then led to the southern wall.


On the northern wall Daniel had tended to his own wound and protected a young mage from Fort Hilm while he cast several spells into the opening of a seige tower the Cult had tried to move up to the broken tower on the wall when the horn sounded. A low curse escaped his lips and he forcibly dragged the mage back from the edge of the wall where he was trying to target the Cult with his spells. Nearby Portlie and Arfur did the same for another mage also targeting the enemy.

"Get back below with the others." He turned and spoke forcibly to Portlie and Arfur. Find Adjutant Werring and tell him he's in charge, the enemy are in the Fort, I'm taking some of my men to assist." The two men ran off and Daniel raised his voice as loud as he could.

"ROFIREINITES, WITH ME! THE ENEMY ARE IN THE FORT." He grabbed his shield from where he had propped it against the wall and charged for the nearby steps. All along the wall knights in bloodied and battered armour along with several clerics raced to join Daniel falling into formation natrually as they did so.

In fact all over the Fort men and women rushed to designated positions preordained should just such a situation arise.



Meanwhile Hayley and Kylie had managed to get to the top of one of the damaged buildings where the archers and crossbowmen were shooting down intot he Myrdrachs and Drachs up and down the street below. In position they unleashed everything they could as fast as they could along with several mages they had rustled up on the way to their position.

A thunderous display of Al'noth ripped into the open area and the area just inside fort from the tunnel was engulfed in a maelstrom of devastation. Drachs were blown to pieces of fell down dead where they stood. Several Myrdrachs were blasted to pieces, their blood splattering the ground in great buckets. Dust, fire, debris catapulted into the air making it almost impossible to see anything near or around the gate for some time. Great dust clouds rose above the walls and intot he sky above while a cacophany of noise assaulted everyone in the vicinities ears.

On the wall itself the shear bulk and size of the Myrdrachs was slowly pushing the defenders back and creating more space for more Myr'drachs to gain a foothold on the top of the wall. men and women desperately fought to stop their advance and many fell beneath the feet of their friends or toppled over the edge into the fort and some over into the masses of dead outside the fort.

Kromlek and Wren were covered in blood, doing their best to cover each others back and save the lives of the men and women fighting desperately with them around them as well. But despite the deadly power of Kromleks blood soaked axe and the whirling speed and ferocity of Wrens flickering blade they two were forced back by the power and ferocity of the Myr'drachs.

Argali and Vrebel however were managing to hold their ground and were slowly closing the gate on the wall to the ruin of the tower over the gate. One by one dealing with the Myrdrachs and cutting them down, one step closer to clearing the wall. But it was hard and bloody work and the potions were flowing freely to try and stay upright and vertical in the fierce battle.

Then out of the smoke around the tunnel the earth trembled and cracked. Two earthern forms rose out of the ground and formed into two powerful earth elementals that strode with heavy lumbering steps into the tunnel itself smashing aside several Drachs trying to enter the Fort and used their bodies to block the tunnel.  Nearby Drachs seeing what was happening scanned the allied forces and saw the two giants controlling the elementals. A group detached from assaulting the allied soldiers in the narrow streets between the buildings and targeted the giants advancing on them rapidly.

With a roar and the rush of a massive sweeping greataxe the third giant, a ranked warrior of his clan leapt from nearby to defend the Son of the earth and the Shaman that were focused on the work of the elementals. He roared loudly and backspun his axe severing the head of a drach in a rush of blood then thumped another in the chest with his free hand. Bones cracked and the drach sank to the earth where the giant kicked him so hard his body twisted like a sack of potatos to lie in the street unmoving.

Four more drachs circled him warily, each feinting here and there to guage the monsters speed until eventually they rushed him at once slashing and ducking and weaving. The giant was not a ranked warrior for nothing. His axe swept a mighty arc, his feet and his free hand strong enough to crush and break bones if they connected. They ducked and weaved around each other, cuts and slashes appeared on the giant but he was oblivious to them as another drach lost an arm then his leg to the deadly axe. The fight continued as the Shaman and the Son of the Earth worked with the elementals to collapse the tunnel.

Drachs hacked and cut desperately at the elementals blocking their way in the tunnel even as the huge creatures began pulling at the stones above them using their rock fists to punch and crack them. The Drach blades cut great chips out of the elementals bodies, but these were not minor elementals, these were elder ones whose bodies were more resistant to the blades than others. Slowly, surely, great cracks appeared in the tunnel roof and chips and bits of rock started to fall onto the Drachs blocked in the tunnel trying desperately to move the elemental blocks of stone out of their way.


Meanwhile up and down the defensive lines Daniella, followed closely by Drexia were pressing to where the fighting was heaviest trying to prevent the Myr'drachs from overruning the lines and entering deeper into the fort. Out of the corner of their eyes they saw several Myr'drachs leap intot he air and start to engage the mages and archers on the roofs above.

Hayley and Kylie saw them coming warning those they could, men and women started fleeing as best they could as the monstrous Myr'drachs landed on the roofs of the buildings and started advancing trying to break up the archers, crossbowers and the mages up there. Spells were unleashed, men and women screamed as they plummeted to their deaths from the roofs above.

Suddenly the sounds of heavy boots thudding on the street reached Daniella's ears and she glanced to to the western edge of the conflict to see Kobals Anvil heavy infantry and a mixture of other soldiers including some of the Voraxians slam into the Myrdrachs and Drachs fighting in that quarter with a thunderous clash of metal on metal and fierce battle cries.

Moments later A collection of Rofireintes, Toranites and Lord Herfords Blackford Blue Helms charged into the melee as well.  A moment of relief gripped Daniella,short lived as she suddenly had to duck as a Myr'drachs wing almost cut her head off. Drexia raised her weapon to damage the Myrdrachs wing as Daniella spun around and impaled it on her glowing blade.

The battle raged on, on the walls above the tunnel, up and down the street, across the rooftops. Slowly but surely more and more soldiers flooded into the area desperate to close the breach the Cult had made into the Fort.

CRACK. A massive cracking sound reverberated around the area from the wall. Suddenly a section of wall seemed to move and drop a touch. Above, Argali stepped back feeling the ground beneath her move. Vrebel stumbled back out of the way of a Myr'drachs claw, mometarily unbalanced by the shift in the ground beneath him.

On the other side Kromlek went down under a massive onslaught by the Myr'drachs and was dragged back by several soldiers directly behind him while he still shouted abuse at the enemy but clutching his almost severed leg. Wren glanced nervously at the wall beneath his feet for a moment ordering those soldiers around him to fall back a few feet. The Myr'drachs advanced into the gap pushing them harder than before.

CRACK...SHUDDER.  The sharp sounds of shifting stone could be heard now and then above the constant sounds of battle going on around the area.

GROAN, CRACK, CRACK. Suddenly the wall gave up its own battle. The elementals in the tunnel, almost at their end from the drachs desperate attacks on them pulled the final stone from the ceiling that had been the turning point for the massive amounts of weight and force being applied by the solid stone walls above them.

There was a great crashing sound that went on and on and the massive blocks of stone that once were part of the gate towers and the wall running over the tunnel into the fort itself collapsed onto themselves. Dust catapulted into the air engulfing the area yet again, Drachs screams were cut off as thousands of tonnes of stone collapsed on top of them in the tunnel.

On the walls Wren stumbled backwards with his soldiers trying to backstep as blocks of stone before them disappeared and dust engulfed them. Several Myrdrachs disappeared into the rubble and others leapt into the air and back over the wall as the ground beneath them suddenly disappeared. On the other side Argali, surefooted and steadfast grabbed Vrebels cloak in time as he fell forward with the collapsing wall, dragging him back to the safety of solid ground.

Stunned faces amongst the allied soldiers and also the drachs trapped inside watched the massive pileup of stone. Moment later, realising they were now trapped inside the Drachs turned to face the allied forces moving to engage them and charged. Fighting viciously to the death supported by the Myrdrachs. When the last Drach lay dead in the street the remaining Myr'drachs lifted into the air and fled back over the ruined southern wall.

Hours later, as dusk settled over the fort, fighting still raged on the western and northern walls with the western wall suffering some heavy hits from the monstrous trebucheet brought up the day before by the Cult.

Many had returned to their previous positions while others gathered to discuss options in the aftermath of the collapse of the southern wall tunnel. Even now the way was impossibly blocked and the Cult were faced with having to either fly over the walls or to mount an assualt over huge piles of jagged broken stone. Sitting ducks while they did so. Piles of dead lined the area near the gate where allied soldiers worked to burn the corpses before they spoiled and caused disease.

Tired, dirty, caked in dust and dried blood a number of the forts leaders and adventures held a brief meeting.

"Have we any word from Ferrit or Gel'larian yet?" Daniella glanced tiredly at Wren and Vrebel. Wren shrugged.

"Not yet, they slipped out last night right before the Cult came at us again. Its not friendly out there, the Cult are literally everywhere, it was a longshot sending them out to scout in the first place but..they're stonebound so at least they have a way out if they are discovered."

Daniella grunted, "Hopefully it doesn't come to that. The Cult are going to have a  of a time getting over that south wall now, the rest of the wall is still pretty solid. More solid in fact than any of the others barring the eastern wall which is untouched. Kobal, tell them whats out there."

Kobal nodded and spoke picking dried Myr'drach blood from under his fingernails. "Deh Cult av got a new toy. A monster trebuchet dey beh using teh send blocks deh size of giant at deh wall. It beh slow teh load an foire but when it does it does a lotta damage. It beh deep in enemy loines and heavily protected an its bustin meh wall. Oi lost three towers already and even deh braces on the southern section are startin teh crack under deh strain of deh hits. Not only dat dey got sappers out dere Oi jus nauw it. Dey beh tryin teh undermine deh wall. between dem and dat trebuchet. Oi figure deh next wall teh come down will beh deh southern section of deh western wall so we gotta beh ready fer dat."

Daniella thanked him as worried faces looked around at each other.
"We lost a lot of good men and women today, we cannot afford another breach like that. And technically we've got to last another 27 days before Ractrafiorez is going to come back. The Cult have attacked non stop on the northern and western walls since this morning. Without Intell Im not willing to risk Wren and Vrebels idea and let them go outside, even if we could get them outside with the enemy knowing. Until we get some sort of reprieve, or word from Ferrit and Gel'larian you guys stay put and help support the forces inside. They went out the southern tunnel before it was collapsed. Lets hope they can find another way in."

She just finished speaking when a Wolfswood Ranger raced up to the group and bowed politely. Daniella nodded for him to speak.

"Commander, I've just come from the southern wall. The Cult have another army approaching to the rear of their lines. They bear the banners of Kuhl infantry. I believe they have arrived from Sundance Ma'am. Estimates due tot he size of the group we think there to be at least five to six thousand."

Low whistles, curses, breathes expeled suddenly at the solemn news emerge from many of those gathered. men and women involved in almost non-stop fighting for more than 12 hours shoulders sag. Finally Adjutant Werrin speaks up.

"Foive or six tousand! Unbelievable, ow are weh supposed teh face so many."

Daniella, face keeping a nuetral expression while her insides churned managed to speak suprised that her voice remained firm.

"Bravely, Adjutant Werrin, we will face them bravely and we will make them pay dearly for each pebble, each stone, each step they take into this fort."

As her last words left her lips a loud roar echoed over the fort. With the last vestiges of light fading quickly two shapes flew over the fort as horns suddenly sounded. The Cult had some more Dragons. Two thuds followed by heavy crashing sounds echoed in the night amidst the clamouring horns.

"Looks like Oim up again." Argali stood from her bench, tiredly brushed dirt from her armour and stomped away.

All Daniella could say was 'Lets get into position then. Its going to be a long night."



Two days later, Ferrit and Gel'larian had still not returned to the fort. The Cult attacks had waxed and waned but with their bolstered numbers the allied defenders were hard pressed holding their ground, but hold the ground they did. The newly arrived dragons played havoc with Argali's ballistaa playing cat and mouse tactics with the dragon killing bolts. Even with the decoys arranged by Andrew two more of the precious Ballistae were destroyed while the dragons, obviously aware of their potential managed for the most part to avoid any major injuries from the bolts. However the dragons did not fly as often over the fort making those inside wonder if they were now wary and worried of the capacity of those inside the Fort to hurt and kill their dragons.

The western wall held, with the help of the giant Shaman and Son of the Earth in helping to reinforce the backs of the wall. But more towers were lost and the top of the wall looked like a crater filled ruin. In many places soldiers could not walk on it due to being exposed to Cult archers.

While the northern wall was holding but two more towers were close to collapse.


// Ferrit & Gel'larian, PM's sent

[RollinsCat]

He was exhausted, crusty with blood - his and others.  He'd sung the entire south wall fight and was punch-drunk tired.  The only reason he had song left in him was by Ilsare's blessing of longer notes and for that he was eternally grateful.  There was something nagging at him, something he thought he could do, even if it was only the tired talking.

But it meant going out there.

He looked around, taking in and skipping past a number of officers.  The hell with command chain - it was only a way to make things go slower.  She was harder to spot with the dust, gore, and dents in her armor - but there, getting a drink in the latest, and surely to be brief, lull.

"Commander."  A bow that nearly toppled him.  He'd have to get some rest before trying this.  "I have an idea.  It can be used in conjunction with other plans if there are any to cause distractions or sabotage that trebuchet.

With Rac's ultimatum, things have to be tense out there in Cult land as well.  I have some abilities with vocal illusion.  It's not as blantant as visual ones -  not as common a discipline to focus on to the degree I have, so they may not be expecting it.  It won't work on the myrdrachs but I think if I can sneak into the rank and file, I can start some trouble.  Fights, whispers of deserters, that sort of thing.  But I have to be close - I can't do it from here.  And I don't want to waste a good distraction if there is some better way to dovetail it into plans."  Reaching out to steady himself on a recently flung bolder, he gave her a moment to think.

[Script Wrecked]

The battle had raged like a dark tempest. A sea of combatants roiled about and over the Fort walls, the great Myr'drachs crashing upon the defenders, full of fury and power. Few participants were able to catch more that a glimpse of the great scene about them, their immediate attention on the opponent that was trying to kill them.

And in that moment of focus, there was little else, no personal history, no thought of family or expectations from superiors or loved ones. The warrior moment, there, complete, weapon and armor an extension of form, seeking balance and poise in movement across an uneven battlefield.

Most of the time, these were solo moments, of self oneness. Rarely, though, they were shared with another; two could move in counterbalance with each other, like a fluid ballet between two dancers.

It was an unlikely pairing, two opposites in almost every regard. He was towering, making rounding sweeps with his greatsword, like a vast scythe to those too slow to escape its reach. She was perhaps half his height, but firmly planted wherever she stood, her shield a wall. Time and again he struck at the opponent's flank, only to step around her form to evade the counter stroke. Time and again she stepped in to block a charge or blow. On occasion, roles were exchanged, he would take the brunt of an attack, and she stepped inside their guard to strike from behind her shield.

And so it had gone on, throughout the day, a unison largely unwitnessed amidst the greater combat. It had come to an sudden end when the wall had collapsed beneath them. Unseated from the battle, they had a moment in which they exchanged looks of acknowledgment, having shared a truth that only warriors can know, before stepping separately into the fray once again.

[Alatriel]

"Commander."  A bow that nearly toppled him.  He'd have to get some rest before trying this.  "I have an idea.  It can be used in conjunction with other plans if there are any to cause distractions or sabotage that trebuchet.

With Rac's ultimatum, things have to be tense out there in Cult land as well.  I have some abilities with vocal illusion.  It's not as blantant as visual ones -  not as common a discipline to focus on to the degree I have, so they may not be expecting it.  It won't work on the myrdrachs but I think if I can sneak into the rank and file, I can start some trouble.  Fights, whispers of deserters, that sort of thing.  But I have to be close - I can't do it from here.  And I don't want to waste a good distraction if there is some better way to dovetail it into plans."  Reaching out to steady himself on a recently flung bolder, he gave her a moment to think.

Daniella runs a hand through her hair as she considers.  "Mr. Reid, there aren't enough troops to spare to cover you to go out there.  When you say close, how close are we talking?  It poses a very real threat to you, you understand.  If it's a risk you're willing to take, if it helps, then anything that might make them slow their advances would be good.  However, we've lost so many men with these assaults..."  she trails off with a momentary look of anguish.  "If this is something you truly think can work, see if you can gather a couple volunteers to protect you.  Any more than that might draw too much attention anyways."

[RollinsCat]

A long tired breath.  "I'm not doing it just to do it.  I'd like to clear some space around that trebuchet, so we can sabotage it.  Or blow it up.  That'd be a good use of the illusions if Ilsare blesses me with success.  Let me talk to the others and see if we can get a plan together."  With that, he went to get a few hours rest before finding Vrebel, the Copperstones, and the others not attached to a command.

[Dezza]

// Not one to rain on anyones parade but looking over each wall is looking into a sea of faces. Imagine the battle against helmsdeep in teh lord of the Rings. There is no real way Andrew could move through that unseen to assault the Trebuchet...no way at all.

// And...Ferrit and Gel'larian have not returned since they left days ago...

[RollinsCat]

Before sleeping he takes a look off the north wall, then returns to Daniella, paler than before.  "Scratch that...I had a look.  But keep it in mind if you need something subtle."

[Alatriel]

Daniella smiles grimly and nods at Andrew as he finally realizes, then she goes about doing what she needs to do.