To the People of Arx
Posted by Raymesin on 01/15/24
To the Crownsworn and the other commoners of Arx,
You've all heard the proclamations of what everyone else is doing, what's coming and where it's all going to end up. It's coming here, right here to Arx, right here to our city, again. If you don't know me then you might know of me - Raymesin Ulbran, Harlequin Raymesin, Queen's Blade, Paladin of Death and legendary knifeman. I was born a bastard and orphaned on the streets of the Lowers as a small child, but I survived and I thrived, I grew and I learned, and last month I led the Queen's own army at Harrow Hall. None of it was handed to me; I've fought every step of the way from the starveling child in the gutter to where I am now, and there's no reason that you too can't carve your names into history.
I call on all of you, people of Arx. The Iron Guard are arseholes, but they're /our/ arseholes, and there's nowhere near enough of them to hold the walls against what's coming. Thing is, you don't need to be an expert swordsman to stop things coming over the top, you just need to be willing to do it. Take up your hammers and your axes and your staves, take up your shovels, your knives and your brass knuckles. Take up your rolling pins, your shuttles and your laundry dollies. Take up your flails, your pitchforks and your billhooks, take up your cutlasses, your marlinspikes and your crowbars. Bring the tools you know how to use, and learn to use them as weapons to defend yourselves, your kin, and your city. There are those who will help with weaponry and armour, who will help with training and finding the right place to stand. What they can't help with is the will to fight.
If we fail in Arx, there is nowhere else to run, nowhere deep enough to hide. This is it; you have a choice. Get those in need of shelter ready to evacuate into the Wards, and protect them there. Forget the old family feuds and squabbles; this is too big for that, you can go back to them later if there's a later to go back to. This is your city, and our enemy has given you a choice; die on your feet or on your knees. For me, he can shove that choice where the sun don't shine. I'll stand on my own two feet and defend my city, and take down as many shards and demons as I have to in order to get the job done. And between now and when they arrive, I'm going to be setting up all sorts of unpleasantness, and we know - better than anyone else - how and where to do that. Let's lay in wood ready for barricades, to funnel our enemies through the Lowers and draw them into killing grounds. Let's make up caltrops and slow the rush. We know what's too dangerous to leave lying around; let's get ready to use that knowledge to give ourselves a chance. And let's give ourselves the best chance we can. We've got a few weeks. We can do a lot in that time. Let's get on with it - and let's show all those silks who the common folk really are.
Up yer arse, Azazel!
--- Mazetti Stance via Hadrian ---
An inspired and eloquent refusal. We respect the Queen's Blade's dedication to the life that has been forged and commitment to Arx. May good fortune find you in the days and weeks ahead.
--- Iron Guard Stance via Ainsley ---
Like the man said: We're arseholes but we're your arseholes. Work with us to protect whats ours.
You've all heard the proclamations of what everyone else is doing, what's coming and where it's all going to end up. It's coming here, right here to Arx, right here to our city, again. If you don't know me then you might know of me - Raymesin Ulbran, Harlequin Raymesin, Queen's Blade, Paladin of Death and legendary knifeman. I was born a bastard and orphaned on the streets of the Lowers as a small child, but I survived and I thrived, I grew and I learned, and last month I led the Queen's own army at Harrow Hall. None of it was handed to me; I've fought every step of the way from the starveling child in the gutter to where I am now, and there's no reason that you too can't carve your names into history.
I call on all of you, people of Arx. The Iron Guard are arseholes, but they're /our/ arseholes, and there's nowhere near enough of them to hold the walls against what's coming. Thing is, you don't need to be an expert swordsman to stop things coming over the top, you just need to be willing to do it. Take up your hammers and your axes and your staves, take up your shovels, your knives and your brass knuckles. Take up your rolling pins, your shuttles and your laundry dollies. Take up your flails, your pitchforks and your billhooks, take up your cutlasses, your marlinspikes and your crowbars. Bring the tools you know how to use, and learn to use them as weapons to defend yourselves, your kin, and your city. There are those who will help with weaponry and armour, who will help with training and finding the right place to stand. What they can't help with is the will to fight.
If we fail in Arx, there is nowhere else to run, nowhere deep enough to hide. This is it; you have a choice. Get those in need of shelter ready to evacuate into the Wards, and protect them there. Forget the old family feuds and squabbles; this is too big for that, you can go back to them later if there's a later to go back to. This is your city, and our enemy has given you a choice; die on your feet or on your knees. For me, he can shove that choice where the sun don't shine. I'll stand on my own two feet and defend my city, and take down as many shards and demons as I have to in order to get the job done. And between now and when they arrive, I'm going to be setting up all sorts of unpleasantness, and we know - better than anyone else - how and where to do that. Let's lay in wood ready for barricades, to funnel our enemies through the Lowers and draw them into killing grounds. Let's make up caltrops and slow the rush. We know what's too dangerous to leave lying around; let's get ready to use that knowledge to give ourselves a chance. And let's give ourselves the best chance we can. We've got a few weeks. We can do a lot in that time. Let's get on with it - and let's show all those silks who the common folk really are.
Up yer arse, Azazel!
--- Mazetti Stance via Hadrian ---
An inspired and eloquent refusal. We respect the Queen's Blade's dedication to the life that has been forged and commitment to Arx. May good fortune find you in the days and weeks ahead.
--- Iron Guard Stance via Ainsley ---
Like the man said: We're arseholes but we're your arseholes. Work with us to protect whats ours.