Tempest: Rain of Fire

Stormtail Anchorage 


 * ''An inlet along eastern coast the northern stretch of the Jadesnake River, the Stormtails essentially consist of a low-rising formation of rocks that have, over the years, been naturally carved out in such a way as to create an agrarian harbor, free from the south to north flow of the greater river beside it.


 * ''Large enough to moor more than a few vessels in, it is at once both an ideal fishing ground and source of water for the nearby freehold of Crown's Refuge, nestled as it is upon the rise known as Drakesreach Bluff towards the east. The eastern edge of the Stormtails has evidently been coverted into a fully fledged anchorage, complete with wharfs, piers, and support buildings. Barrels containing chum and bait stand side-by-side with carefully stacked crates of items evidently harvested from the Jadesnake, or essentially for maintaining the small fishing fleet that seems to call the anchorage home. All in all, it seems that a small fishing village has blossomed here.


 * ''Shimmering rocks of various tones of cobalt and dove dapple the sandy shores of the inlet, surrounded as they are by lush verdant grasses and the remnants of trees that have had the misfortune of growing too close to the rocky earth, backed by others that - as fate has decided - managed to find root in the more fertile soils behind them. In all, it is an idyllic location to be - perfect for wasting a sunny afternoon or a clear evening in


 * Night has embraced the Wildlands; a night that is both clear and crisp, neither warm nor cold, lit by two moons that prowl across a sky tainted only by puffy clouds. To say that it is dark in the Wildlands is an understatement, as there is little in the way of lights from houses and cities for miles around, unlike the world that exists within the walls of the Aegis.


 * Except... that's not really the case at all. Towards the east, elevated slightly above the ground, the soft amber glow of a city can clearly be seen upon the horizon. It stems from the direction of Crown's Refuge to be sure, except the level of lighting would seem to suggest an urban area the size of Aegisport or Hawk's Aerie, not a small collection of wooden houses and hearthfires.


 * Whatever it is, that glow is a mystery punctuated by a pinpoint streak of fire that soars through the dark heavens towards the east. A streak soon joined by a hail of friends a mere second later. Though the weather is calm and dry, it would appear that Crown's Refuge is under the wash of a very different kind of rain - a rain of fire.

Kael pads quietly down, calmly taking up a position mid-group, his expression one of a wary curiosity rather than worry. Not that he makes a move to go past the soldiery ones. It's the sky that holds his attention, the streaks of red there of much more interest than the nearby quiet.

Celeste slips quietly down to the group. Her hand loosening the mace at her side as she looks about the group. Taking up a position to the side, she looks about the water and towards the formation as she remains at the ready.

Lucius Nepos narrows his eyes as the group sees the light of the city, and then of the fire. "Light, what is /that/? No one here to meet us means trouble, I think. To arms! Be vigilant, people, and keep formation unless you're told to break it. Vhramis, or Kael, one of you needs to take a look ahead. Kael would be an good idea since he can try and change form. Do you think you could do that, Kael?" Asks the soldier, motioning ahead with a hastily withdrawn iron spearpoint. "Let's move, in any case." He and Wheat begin to march up to the east.

Syton is captivated for a time by the flames to the East. As is often the case, however, Syton's reverie is short-lived. Lucius's words pull him back to the real world, though his eyes remain in the distance, and his expression darkens into a thoughtful frown. He looks over his shoulder and gives Kael and Celeste each a quick nod. Gripping his staff firmly in his right hand, he turns East and starts off after Lucius and Wheat.

Ester whistles under her breath as she spies the amber light and the sky as it lights up with the fire. "Not good," she murmurs and tenses, her manner becoming even more wary then before. She looses her bow from her shoulder, her gloved finger curling around the ebony grip. With a flick the flap on the quiver is opened and a slender arrow slipped from it's resting places. Lucius's request of Kael causes a slight cringe and she flashes a concerned look in the woodsman's direction.

Slipping her bow from her back into her hands, Milora loosely nocks an arrow and walks this way. She won't be distracted so easily; these streaks of red and orange get no more than a passing squint before she's back to detecting abnormalities in the darkness. Although she says nothing, Nepos' words make her eyebrows furrow slightly.

"Haha! Finally!" mutters Norran aloud with a nearly ear-to-ear grin, a hand reaching behind him to draw Retribution from his baldric and hold it firmly with both his hands as he stalks along with the rest of the group. His footsteps are slow and certain, emerald eyes focusing on the glow on the horizon and the fiery streams in the sky.

The slowly increasing illumination provided by the bolts of fire lancing through the sky draw a deep intake of breath from Wolfsbane, the man rocking on his feet for a moment. "This is all so familiar," the ranger speaks abruptly, a strange note of wonder in his voice, eyes wide as they stare up to the red sky. "Lucius. Do you remember? You must..." His words trail off as he looks back down to see the man already moving away from him, and he grunts and jogs to catch up.

"I can run. But I won't make it there quickly," he states, turning half about to walk sideways, fixing his hooded gaze on Kael as he works to keep up. "I can go with you, if you wish. Though I'll lag behind, and maybe stand out. It'll be hard to hide with all that light in the sky." He gestures off to the distant town, before he frowns and glances back at it.

Kael, oddly calm, nods to Lucius.. "'f I run inta trouble, m' friend - wi' howl." He sets off eastward, his eyes igniting as he moves "Standin' out 'm nae worried about, Master Wolfsbane.." - a burning gaze that remains fixed as his form blurs, shifts, changes - an eye-twisting thing, over in but a moment, leaving behind the massive wolf, a beast that pads east at a lope, scenting the air as it goes.

Katriana Nillu tightens her grip over her bow as she looks towards the flames, taking in a slow breath. "Sweet Light..." she murmurs softly. The Nillu frowns, remaining in formation and moving along at a quicker pace.

Celeste turns to follow the others. Her pace slowly gathering as she starts at a slight trot then to a full run to keep up with the others. Pulling the mace from her side, she keeps her eyes darting to the sky and then others.

Lucius Nepos both nods and shakes his head at Vhramis. "Yes, it does. Let us hope that the situation is not as last year's. But no, Vhramis, you'll go along with us. You cannot run as fast as Kael can. Go, Kael, go! Vhramis stays with us and we march. Watch your surroundings. No talking once we start, unless necessary." With no more words necessary, he begins to move off towards the east at a steady, quick pace.

The Base of Drakesreach Bluff 


 * ''A predominantly flat region of elevated land atop a small cliff that roughly spans one thirteenth of the Drakesreach Sierra as a whole, Drakesreach Bluff is at once both an impressive sight and an equally notable landmark within the Wildlands as a whole. It is upon this bluff that the freehold of Crown's Refuge was first established in 625 ATA, and it is upon this very same bluff that that same city has flourished.


 * ''Though mostly surrounded by dry auburn grasslands to the north and east, and the rushing waters of the Jadesnake to the west, the southern reaches of the base of Drakesreach Bluff hold some notable features, first and foremost of which is the smooth ramp that ascends towards the top of the bluff itself, leading to the only point around the base of the entire landmark by which one can enter the city above.


 * ''That city is, of course, the freehold of Crown's Refuge. Viewable as nothing more than a palisade wall of stone that measures roughly ten foot in height atop the natural aegis of wall that is the cliff face, the suggestion of a multitude of buildings and homes are never the less there all the same. A magnificent and elegant tower of pale white stone and marble ascends above the height of the wall, however, presiding over the surrounding landscape as it spears towards the heavens.


 * ''A set of vast wooden gates rest atop the natural ramp that leads up to the surface of the bluff, evidently the only ingress to and from the city above, while the thick reaches of the Verdigris Forest stretch endlessly towards the south, the edge of the forest directly adjacent to the southern edge of the bluff itself.


 * The southern foot of the Drakesreach Bluff that reaches to the north (atop of which rests Crown's Refuge) is currently one beset by conflict. Fiery streaks of light soar through the night sky from somewhere atop the stone palisade that runs around the lip of the bluff, swooping over an arc that brings them down in a scattered hail near to the unconcentrated tents that make up the Siege Camp that spreads along the northern edges of the Verdigris Forest.


 * In return, archers clad in black leather loose a swarm of arrows back towards that palisade, except unlike the ones that fall atop those within the camp, these arrows are devoid of fire, soaring blind through the night to crash down upon stone or flesh - whatever comes first.


 * The archers duck back after each arrow is let loose, protected in turn by a Shield-Guard clad in scarlet half-plate armor who rushes forward to hold an equally scarlet tower shield over the marksman as they reload, protecting them from any missiles until they're ready to send back a few of their own.


 * Instead of a forward line, this is how the conflict is playing out: Archers from atop the Crown's Refuge palisade loosing a rain of arrows, alight with fire, down at the edge of the Verdigris Forest. Pairs of defenders in turn sending back conventional arrows at that wall, spaced around the area to make themselves less of a target. Most manage to avoid the hail of fire and steel. Some are defended by the shield-guards assigned to them, catching the arrows ona wall of scarlet steel and casting them sundered to the damp earth.


 * A few are not so fortunate, suffering burns, wounds, and death. And not all of them are human; for while humans make up the majority of those who either secure the camp or send forth arrows towards Crown's Refuge, the rest are something else entirely. One half human. One half snake.

Syton Temple moves in with the rest of the party, gripping his quarterstaff firmly, as though ready to use it at a moment's notice. Clearly, whatever he was expecting, it was not the scene now before him. He nearly trips over himself, stumbling a few steps before he comes to a stop. Despite the order for silence, a faint, "shades..." escapes his lips. He stands frozen to the ground, staring blankly at the siege.

Ester stops dead, as the scene comes into view, her expression stunned. The arrow is knocked into places as she looks furtively from side to side for some sort of cover if necessary. She looks to Lucius and Vhramis for direction.

Opening her mouth, Milora is certain to close it as soon as her senses return. Everything around her is taken in slowly, spread thickly like butter across bread; the best word for her expression is detached horror. Among the things that she sees are the archers clad in black leather -- here, she missteps, nearly trips, and corrects herself hastily.

"Shades!" breathlessly mutters Norran aloud as he takes in the scene, careful to move along with the group as he rests his claymore against his shoulder and gazes wide-eyed toward the siege before him. He remains quiet for several moments, finally peering off in Lucius' direction. "We're outnumbered - on either side, to do anything. Our only advantage at this point is that we've not been noticed!" he whispers quickly, a hand reaching to draw the hood of his cloak over his head.

"I wasn't worried about you sticking out," Wolfsbane calls to the departing Kael, shaking his head. He trudges along with Lucius, rolling his shoulder as he falls mostly quiet again. At least quiet in the sense that he isn't talking to others. In fact, the man is muttering rather heatedly to himself, a mish-mash of unintelligable words spewing forth from his mouth in a quiet drone. He slows to a stop as everyone else does, the grumbling pausing as he cocks his head to regard the rather unusual siegers of Crown's Refuge. "We should get under the forest quick," he agrees with Lucius. "Before we're noticed."

Much like everyone else, Katriana stops dead, lifting one leather clad hand to her mouth. Her eyes flicker over the faces of those around her in the group, and she slowly seems to gather herself, or at least enough to move again, removing her bow from her shoulder.

It's not as though the great wolf has gotten far - he's a few paces ahead, certainly, waiting on the group as they catch up, crouched low and lip raised in a quiet snarl. As the rest arrive, Kael actually ghosts back, padding softly as he moves up to Lucius, staying quiet for now.

Celeste's own steps falter, her weapon now pulled free as she assesses the siege. Though only Vhramis's words seem to catch her attention, "You're right. Better to get to the shelter of the trees and decide a plan of action." She turns to move with the group towards the tree line.

"Yes. Let's go. For the love of the Light, shut up. Be prepared to engage them but keep as quiet as possible." Lucius stoops down low and grasping his seraphite shield more tightly, begins to slink off towards the forest, hopefully being able to get around the Scarlet Clad army unnoticed. Nevertheless his attention is very occupied with both the battle as well as the area around it. He raises his spear and flicks it forward, as if it was a standard signaling a move order.


 * Being noticed doesn't seem to be a problem: it's the Wildlands, and it's night, so most people don't stand out much unless they're drawing attention to themselves, such as running around while on fire, or while hauling around items that glow a soft blue.


 * However, arrows have a habit of being somewhat indiscriminate about where they land or who they target, especially when fired from elevated heights and caught in crosswinds. Suffice to say that the sharp whistles and whines of stray arrows landing around the party from Fastheld might be a little disconcerting to say the least.


 * As luck would have it, one of those arrows manages to seek Milora's back... and finds it. Thankfully it's not lit, and as such merely bounces off, causing more impact damage from a shaft of wood wrapped with padded rags dipped in pitch than anything else. However, it's enough to floor someone all the same.

As the hail of arrows makes itself known, Syton's shock gives way to terror. He turns suddenly and scrambles off towards the tree line, staying low, moving quickly. The arrows don't come down anywhere near him. Not even close.

At the order, Ester drops low and starts scrambling towards the trees. She grits her teeth and flinches as an arrow narrowly misses her and thumps into the ground just the to side of her.

Still unsturdy from her poor dance with balance, Milora finds herself required to turn and retreat, aiming for the shelter of the trees. This is fine - the Lomasa is small and deft, which means that she should be able to effectively move away without incident, perhaps even with grace. -- And then she hits the dirt. "Oof!" she gasps as the breath is knocked out of her, the ground suddenly rushing towards her face. Although unharmed, she will require a few seconds to regain her mind before standing and continuing with her scramble for shelter.

Norran quickens his pace to follow the others, glancing off in the direction of the incoming arrows with a frown etched across his pale face. "Should've brought my shield," he can be heard to mutter. The sound of Milora taking a fall into the ground catches his notice, his emerald eyes widening in obvious concern as he breaks away from the group to move to her side. He takes a grip on the ricasso guard of Retribution in his right hand, reaching one out to his cousin. "Milora! Get up!" he whispers harshly, glancing off toward the source of the arrows.

The sudden thudding of arrows is enough to force Wolfsbane into movement, the man scrambling off in the direction of the treeline. "Right. The bow glows blue. So does the shield," he mutters to himself, before laughing quietly. The Lomasa girl's 'oof' causes him to turn about, blinking, before grunting and rushing back to reach down with his free hand to try to haul her up, aiding Norran. "No time for that," he states, an odd light in his eyes.

One of the great advantages to four paws is moving fast, low, and quietly - and Kael certainly takes advantage of those traits. As arrows fall, the great wolf heads for the woods, ranging slightly wide, startling at one near miss. At the wood line, the beast pauses, looking back and waiting, it seems, for the rest, burning eyes blinking.

Katriana Nillu drops down as she moves along, her eyes flickering across to Milora as she falls, but she doesn't move to help her as Norran and Vhramis get to it first. She just moves onward silently.

Celeste turns off towards the tree line, as she's close to the back. She only pauses long enough to help encourage the other three to start moving again. No items of interest upon the black armor only her simply mace, as her other hand reaches out for Vhramis's arm. "We need to get moving again," she says softly before moving off again.


 * "Return Fire!" a harsh yet strangely lilting voice shouts from somewhere amidst the pairs of shielf-guards and archers that harry those that rain arrows from atop a wall that's already atop a bluff.


 * "Keep ttthem dissstracted! You to ttthe eassst, with the ssseraphite! Thisss way!" It could be a trap, or it could be a case of mistaken identity, but it seems that someone within the Siege Camp has spotted the landing party and is attempting to direct them towards the camp. Although the source of the speaker isn't obvious, the source - even without hearing it before - is most likely just the opposite.


 * It seems that the archers upon the Crown’s Refuge palisade have also caught sight of the landing party; the seraphite glows providing an excellent curiosity to take aim at. As those on the ground near the edge of the Verdigris loose missiles, they are answered by a hundred soft clicks from the direction of Crown's Refuge. A hundred whistles, whines, and thumps soon follow as a rain of conventional arrow falls upon the ground all around the southern base of Drakesreach Bluff. It would seem that the Crown's Refuge archers have switched tactics.


 * ''Warfare is an impersonal game in which a person becomes a statistic and thought nothing more of. Those who think it to be a romantic affair have never been hurt by it, and those that are caught up in the crossfire are the true victims of it all.


 * ''The hail of arrows meet find their marks, raining down upon Human, Naga, and Fastheldian alike. Of those caught in the crossfire:


 * ''Temple is struck by a narrow with unfaltering accuracy, piercing armor and flesh alike as it enters through the back of his right shoulder and out through the front, firmly lodged in. Not mortal, probably not a threat to his life or mobility, but as painful as the conflict itself and *quite* serious all the same.


 * ''Lucius is lucky enough to avoid the storm of steel and wood entirely. Vhramis, Katriana, and Kael are subject to arrows that *just* miss; the arrow heads cutting the surface of armor and skin and leaving deep scratches, though little in the way of impact.


 * ''Milora, Norran, and Celeste are somewhat more fortunate: Celeste is hit by an arrow square in her back, which bounces off her armor at an angle rather than sticking in. Norran and Milora are also as fortunate; shielded by Norran's armored form, both arrows hit Norran but do little damage beyond bruising and impact.

Ester takes an arrow to the thigh, lodged just beneath the skin but not run through.

Lucius Nepos raises his spear up into the air straight, so that the rest of the party can hear it when the sound of an arrow thunking into leather touches Lucius's ears. The armored man himself avoids the first stream of strays. He turns to the side to take a quick look at what's going on in the siege camp, currently, which seems to be under attack by the people on the walls, and holds tightly onto the dispassionate composure which characterizes this soldier's usual battle behavior. Then he hears the hiss of the creature, saying to those around in a loud whisper, "Follow along with this. Be wary of them, they are our enemy."

Unfortunately, the seraphite of his shield and of Vhramis’s implements is noticeable from a distance - their only bane. While Lucius is fortunate enough to avoid arrow damage, he lifts his shield up in front of himself. "Get up here with your shields!" Who is he talking to? Well, that would be Hugo Wheat, the only other person with a shield in the group. "Norran, Celeste, move the wounded to the woods quickly! Wheat and I will defend while everybody else moves behind us."

The two armored ex-Blades try and position their shields to best cover those behind them, while at the same time ready to move.

Syton arrives at the tree line, thinking it safe, only to have his assumptions shattered most violently. The impact of the arrow itself makes only a dull thunk, but the sound of Syton's scream is significantly more profound. He drops to the ground, grabbing at his shoulder as he scrambles farther into the forest. He still holds his quarterstaff, despite the fact that it seriously hampers his scramble, fueled now by adrenaline and pain.

"GAH," Ester yelps as an arrow impales itself in her leg. She topples over to the side and gasps in pain. Her bow flies from her hands and skitters in front of her. Her eyes widen in shock as she reaches blindly for the source of her woe. Gloved fingers find the wooden shaft, the touch causing another grunt of pain. She sucks in her breath, grits her teeth and starts crawling forward, reaching for the bow and trying desperately to reach the trees.

Gripping her head in her hand, Milora had pulled herself to her knees when the older Lomasa rushed over to her, followed shortly by Vhramis. Immediately she utters something blasphemous under her breath and hoists herself to her feet on the wrists of the stronger men. "Thank you," she whispers before giving Norran a look displaying some medley of irritation and gratitude. Something is said to him, quickly and quietly: "I am not made of glass!" A split second later she is clinging to the larger form, perhaps out of instinct alone. If he loses balance, she will fall with him; again lucky enough to have been 'missed', however, she will be the first to be moving again. "Norran-" something else, almost silent, before she's gone.

The ranger's outstretched hand clutches tighter at Milora's shoulder as an arrow whizzes by, slicing neatly through the covering of leather on his forearm before into the ground nearby. Wolfsbane's eyes widen as his gaze turns down from Milora to stare blankly at the line of red across his skin through the split black leather. A laugh erupts from the man's mouth, sounding almost disbelieving, followed by another as the arrows thud into Norran's armored back, once he sees that both Lomasas are fine. "They're calling us," he states, turning to the hissed voice rising above the din, before spotting Ester crawling on the ground and moving towards her hastily.

Katriana Nillu hisses very softly as the arrow slices across her skin, but says nothing, moving with Vhramis to assist Ester in getting towards the trees, tossing her bow back over her shoulder again to keep it out of the way.

The elder Lomasa manages a quick wince and a low hiss as he feels the blows to his leather cloaked back, keeping still even as Milora clings to him. He manages to stay steady, blinking a few times at Milora before his face suddenly grows serious, whispering again, "Milora, /Go/! Into the woods!" Hand still gripped tightly on his claymore's guard, he begins to look around the dark treeline at Lucius' order. He takes note of Syton and Ester, taking notice of Vhramis going after the latter, and begins to move as quickly as he can into the tree line to reach the fallen freelander. "Master Temple, one of the lucky ones!" he grunts aloud with a faint snicker, taking a rough grab on Syton's un-wounded arm with his left hand and beginning to tow him into the safety of the forest.

The arrow only causing the woman to falter, straightening her back as she catches sight of Ester falling. Celeste moves to Ester's side, her hands and strength belied only by her frame as she reaches for the woman. Moving to wrap about her waist, she moves to keep the woman before her as she tries to half carry and drag her towards the wood line.

The wolf responds to Temple's cry, yelping as an arrow grazes his flank - doing his best to get Syton moved into full cover, protective. Not that there's much the creature can do beyond offer a neck to hang on to and a shove in the right direction, a low growl and a worried look back.


 * "Light damn it all," a female voice - human, without a doubt, though one with grit behind her words - yells in annoyance. The source of this one is much closer - a shield guard in scarlet half-plate armor with her sleekly curved towershield held high and at an angle over the head of another human clad in black leather. The pair remaining the closest two to the stricken landing party. "They need an escort!"


 * "Head to ttthe Verdigrisss!" the unseen caller from before shouts, deeper in the lines though now identified as a male Naga Shield-Guard, it seems; his charge having been cut down by an arrow just moments before, now protected by the long serpentine lower half that the Naga has coiled around said archer, his shield held towards Crown's Refuge, the tip of his tail flicking with annoyance. "Thossse ttthat can will ssscreen you! Ttthose ttthat cannot will cover! Ssshield Guardsss, provide a line! Archersss, to ttthe tree line!"


 * Thus do marksmen retreat back into the cover of the Verdigris and the Siege Camp while shield guards quickly move under cover of darkness to provide a somewhat spaced bulwark of towershields for the retreating Fastheldians to be screened behind. "Move quickly!"

The Constable and Second-in-Command seems to be willing to play by the game that the Naga are apparently holding the Fastheldians to. He doesn't lower his shield but proceeds behind the outstretched tower shields of the scarlet clad soldiers. "WHERE IS YOUR COMMANDER, SOLDIER?" Asks Lucius, trying to sound authoritative.

With the help of Kael, Norran, and the fear of death, Syton manages to scramble into some real safety. He shakes himself free of his two aides and frantically crawls behind a broad tree trunk, moving quickly despite being lamed. Syton leans nearly face-first against the trunk, getting behind it as much as he can without disturbing his wound. He gasps desperately for air and moans in pain, tightening his hold on the exit wound, around the bloody arrowhead that sticks between his fingers. Everything else is lost to Syton as he finds himself in a world entirely of his own pain.

Ester lets the others who have come to aid, haul her up and half drag and half stumble on her good leg into the trees all the while grunting with pain. "Not... that... bad..." she stutters to no one in particular.

With Syton safely tucked away, Norran now turns his attention toward Lucius and the two soldiers he's talking to. He can't help but grin widely at the scene, shaking his head slowly as he rests the tip of his claymore into the ground and placing his hands on the crossguard. "/Wonderful!/" he mutters to himself in his notably cultured accent, his resting on his hands on the claymore before him also doing the job of mostly hiding the more prominent features of the tabard he wears.

Wolfsbane moves with Ester, bearing her part of her weight as they move into the relative safety of the siege camp. The ranger's eyes dart about to take in the besieging forces; particularly the Naga about, though he doesn't speak as of yet. "Let's find a place to sit," he suggests with a quiet grunt. "We can work the arrow out then. Can you do anything about it after?"

Kael, in the cover of the wood, stays near Syton, absently licking at the wound on his flank. The rest of the erstwhile landing party gets a cursory, burning glance - before he nudges Syton, gently, growling softly, words pitched only for the other Freelander, "C'mon Syton. Yer nae done yet. Jus' a bit farther."

Once within the relative safety of the forest, Katriana lets out a slow breath, drawing her bow off of her shoulder again, back resting against the trunk of a tree, waiting and listening.

As Celeste helps the others to get Ester to safety, she ducks down moving closer to Temple's side. A quick glance towards Kael as she looks down at Syton, "trying to get yourself in trouble all ready, dear?" Her voice soft and chiding as she looks over the wound, then looks back towards Ester.

Ester grits her teeth and gives Vhramis a vigorous nod, "Aye. Once it's out I can fix it." With his help she lowers herself against a tree and waves the man away. "Go...help the others. I can manage."


 * The combined wall of Naga and Human Shield-Guards don't offer much in the way of real protection; but between the screen that they offer, the range between Crown's Refuge and the Siege Camp, and the cover that the Verdigris extends to the wounded, it seems to be enough.


 * Those of the Shield-Guard ignore Lucius for the most part; either on principle of being shouted at by a stranger who they're risking life and limb for, or because they're too busy trying not to become martyrs for the cause. However, two black-clad archers - a female Human and a male Naga - beckon from the shadows of the tree line. "The Archon is in the command tent." the female explains, regarding Lucius and those that follow him curiously. Something about the shield seems to trigger recollection within her deep green eyes.


 * The Naga seems to beat her to the punch. "Ttthe bow!" he hisses happily, "It isss Wolfsssbane!"


 * "Well, Shadow be damned, you're right." the woman offers to her companion, "And all this time I thought you were just some stray refugees looking for shelter, getting caught up in the crossfire. Keep low. The command tent is the big one at the very back of the camp. You can't miss it. Tell them that Wolfsbane is with you. They should let some of you in. Hurry."


 * ''All told, though, despite her trusting nature and her apparent knowledge of one Vhramis Wolfsbane and his seraphite longbow, she looks almost disappointed.

"This should be good. Haul the wounded with us towards this command tent, c'mon!" Lucius doesn't turn to Vhramis but raises his voice to ask the man, "How do you know these people, Vhramis?" The ex-Marshal darts along at a fast speed towards the area.

"No, no. Just a moment. Just a moment," Syton mutters to the tree over and over again, broken occasionally by a fit of pain that finds him writhing and moaning. For the moment, however, he does not seem to be too keen on leaving his safety tree. He gathers himself enough to take a look at his wound. Even with the darkness and tears obscuring his vision, he does not like what he sees. "Light save me," he sobs, tense with pain.

"The surprises never cease!" answers the young Lomasa with a deep laugh, shaking his head slowly as he peers toward Syton, his demeanor darkening somewhat. Taking his claymore by the ricasso in his right hand, Norran leans down to try to get a grip on the much smaller man's un-injured side, muttering, "Hang on to my shoulder, try to get to your feet. It's either this, or we drag you." Norran's actions, however, are /very/ insistent.

Apparently satisfied that Ester is fine, at least relatively, Wolfsbane rises to his feet and turns about as he hears his name spoken. Hissed. Something along those lines. "Wha?" comes the intelligent response, staring openly at the serpent-man. "I don't know them. I don't think. No. I definitely don't." He moves forward, initial steps slow, before he speeds up to head into the tent after Lucius, curiosity getting the best of him.

Still pitched quietly, the wolf points out.. "Ye are stuck wi' me. C'mon, Syton - s' safety farther in, nae here." Kael keeps himself low, trailing behind the Freelander, glancing back at the trees, distrustfully.

"It's alright, Syton," Celeste says softly. "I'm here," her hand reaching out to clasp Temple's arm. "We've a bit further to go, dear. Come now, you can make it." Moving to rise, she tries to encourage and support the freelander.

Lucius Nepos turns around to take stock of the situation behind him. "Hugo! Go make sure Shardwood's got some protection incase anybody decides that sneaking up is a good idea." The other soldier diligently marches off back to Ester's position. The 2nd in command, keeps motioning forward. "Norran, carry Syton over your shoulder. Quicker that way. We must continue to move." Following that particular speech, Lucius makes a spring for the tent.

Katriana Nillu pushes herself off the tree, turning to look in Lucius' direction for the instructions. She seems to just now realize that she's bleeding lightly from the scratch, and lifts a hand to touch it gently. "Hmmm," she mutters, following towards the tent.

All Norran can do at the suggestion is grumble, peering over to Syton for a moment before shaking his head slowly. Apparently deciding Celeste's help is enough, he merely keeps a firm grip on the freelander as he makes his way as steadily-paced as he can toward the tent with the others.

Celeste moves to wrap an arm about Syton's waist, half carrying him to keep lessen the pain as she moves to follow the others. Her jaw set, she moves to follow towards the tent as well with the freelander in tow.

The Lady's Flight returns to Wolfsbane's shoulder as he pauses behind Lucius before the tent, glancing to the ex-Marshall thoughtfully. He looks as if he wants to speak, though he holds his tongue, instead turning to look back to the Naga guarding the tent. He dips his head slightly. "Hello."

Kael moves up and away from the carrying - the great wolf padding up in the direction of Lucius and Wolfsbane, wary and quiet.

Katriana Nillu moves in silence towards the tent, and then nibbles on her lower lip, hanging back a little to wait.


 * The Naga guards take a moment to regard Lucius, take stock of that shield, notice Vhramis and his longbow, and then look at each and nod. "Ttthe Archon isss inssside," the female on the left offers with a smile, red hair sweeping across the pauldrons that encase her shoulders as she gestures to the tent behind her, "I ttthink he'll want to sssee thiss."

"Yes, of course. Kael, stay outside with Syton and make sure he's behind cover. Everybody else, come with." Lucius replaces his spear back in its shield compartment and opens the flap with his newly freed hand, holding it for the others as he enters.

Syton seems to be collecting himself more as he's brought into the siege camp. His feet meet the ground more readily, and his moaning as softened into a light whimper. He is crying a bit more now, though, his tears glimmering in the moonlight. At the moment, he does not seem to have anything to say.

Norran carefully deposits Syton outside the tent at Lucius' words, his hand remaining gripped on his claymore as he manages an uneasy grin toward the odd guards outside the tent. "This should be.../very/ interesting," he muses under his breath, the jingling of chain and shifting of plate sounding as the Lomasa Duke makes his way into the tent after Lucius, Retribution gripped securely.

Vhramis looks from guards to fellow expedition goers, before shrugging slightly and moving to lift the tent flap and duck inside.

Celeste looks over Temple once more before stepping back. Pivoting on her heel, she follows the others into the tent.

''Return to Season 5 (2007)