Written By Niamh
May 7, 2017, 6:38 a.m.(6/2/1006 AR)
Normally I would allow the Scholars of Vellichor to write my white journals for me, but today I am too weary to trudge to the Archives this morning. I trust Aislin will understand if I use her paper and desk and write them here, so I can watch her sleep a little longer. She did not fare as well as I in the battle last night, but at least she was able to walk home. At least the siege is broken.
Prince Edain held the western ramparts! There were some slips, and at times we were pushed hard, but we came through it all. Princess Katarina and Prince Valerion helped guide the ballista with skill and precision. Sir Roland has marked himself as a man I must meet, for he held his own with a beautiful sword in a deadly dance. Fiachra was wounded, but will will live, and like Qaali showed himself to be a fantastic archer, calm under pressure. Never have I been so glad to see Eirlys and Alis as they made their way in with some relief, either.
This morning, though, Arx is a graveyard. Perhaps that is fitting since they say it is the Death's city. The bodies of our soldiers, those of the shavs we fought, have been stacked like cord wood in places and laid in honor at others. We must bury them, or burn them, and move forward with the lives they gave theirs defending.
It is not all bad news. Now that the siege is over we will set out for Sanctum. I will take Muiryn, Aislin, and Joslyn to Downing Glen to tend to the presence there. Then we'll turn to Sanctum, see Alis and Fiachra wed in the eyes of the Pantheon, and come home again. Out of the city, riding with loved ones and friends... it'll be a good rest for the soul before the work begins again.
Thank you to all who fought with us. Thank you to everyone that held their line.
Prince Edain held the western ramparts! There were some slips, and at times we were pushed hard, but we came through it all. Princess Katarina and Prince Valerion helped guide the ballista with skill and precision. Sir Roland has marked himself as a man I must meet, for he held his own with a beautiful sword in a deadly dance. Fiachra was wounded, but will will live, and like Qaali showed himself to be a fantastic archer, calm under pressure. Never have I been so glad to see Eirlys and Alis as they made their way in with some relief, either.
This morning, though, Arx is a graveyard. Perhaps that is fitting since they say it is the Death's city. The bodies of our soldiers, those of the shavs we fought, have been stacked like cord wood in places and laid in honor at others. We must bury them, or burn them, and move forward with the lives they gave theirs defending.
It is not all bad news. Now that the siege is over we will set out for Sanctum. I will take Muiryn, Aislin, and Joslyn to Downing Glen to tend to the presence there. Then we'll turn to Sanctum, see Alis and Fiachra wed in the eyes of the Pantheon, and come home again. Out of the city, riding with loved ones and friends... it'll be a good rest for the soul before the work begins again.
Thank you to all who fought with us. Thank you to everyone that held their line.
Written By Max
May 7, 2017, 4 a.m.(6/2/1006 AR)
My gaze sweeps the area we called Thralls Lament and I am struck by an enormity of purpose that I can only write about. I can barely give words, much less speak them aloud.
There are no laments here now. No cries or wails. No moans of the wounded, no panicked cries as people seek to locate their family in the middle of this calamity. There is no hurried, frantic teams of men shifting rubble to find the survivors before they are too far gone to save. There are no shouted orders of medics as they labor to save those on the line between living and death.
There is no sound here at all, save for the occasional shifting of unstable rubble. They are all gone. Men and women who labored with the vain hope of freedom through work and effort. They have been turned to less than nothing by the power unleashed by Brand as he entered the city. A power that nearly killed me, and did claim the majority of my men. They are just gone. If immortality is to be remembered by family, then they have been denied even that small comfort. Their families died with them.
I will speak to my Princess and High Lord in the morning about what comes next.
There can be no more lamentation here.
There are no laments here now. No cries or wails. No moans of the wounded, no panicked cries as people seek to locate their family in the middle of this calamity. There is no hurried, frantic teams of men shifting rubble to find the survivors before they are too far gone to save. There are no shouted orders of medics as they labor to save those on the line between living and death.
There is no sound here at all, save for the occasional shifting of unstable rubble. They are all gone. Men and women who labored with the vain hope of freedom through work and effort. They have been turned to less than nothing by the power unleashed by Brand as he entered the city. A power that nearly killed me, and did claim the majority of my men. They are just gone. If immortality is to be remembered by family, then they have been denied even that small comfort. Their families died with them.
I will speak to my Princess and High Lord in the morning about what comes next.
There can be no more lamentation here.
Written By Aiden
May 7, 2017, 3:11 a.m.(6/2/1006 AR)
My words may not have meant much to everyone who I wrote, but I feel the ones that responded to me are the true reason I fought today. We won. I knew we would. I spent my final hours after the battle in celebration with those I cherish and those who cherished me most. I am content with that. With the special few. You know who you are.
Written By Ainsley
May 7, 2017, 3:03 a.m.(6/2/1006 AR)
Brand tried to erase me.
Brand tried to make me into nothingness.
But Gloria called my name louder than Brand's silence. Gloria guided me back to the right path. Back to myself. To her. To my duty.
And I cut Brand's fucking head off.
Brand tried to make me into nothingness.
But Gloria called my name louder than Brand's silence. Gloria guided me back to the right path. Back to myself. To her. To my duty.
And I cut Brand's fucking head off.
Written By Abbas
May 7, 2017, 1:22 a.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
In the depths a beast terrorizes and remains. And a host awaits. We are never tired, never conquered, and we rise from our struggles merely harder and more determined.
I am proud of Thrax and its vassals today. They chose /our Ward/ and unleashed their long-held plans. And they were driven into the brink. The men did not break. Walls will shatter, violence will unfold, and the Leviathan and her ships dominate the horizon.
Soon we shall take the dead and burn them upon a great pyre. They are the ones we honor for their sacrifice and glory. For they died proud men useful in battle. One could not ask for a finger death.
Long live our High Lord, Victus. Long may he spread fear and boldness into the belly of the beast.
I am proud of Thrax and its vassals today. They chose /our Ward/ and unleashed their long-held plans. And they were driven into the brink. The men did not break. Walls will shatter, violence will unfold, and the Leviathan and her ships dominate the horizon.
Soon we shall take the dead and burn them upon a great pyre. They are the ones we honor for their sacrifice and glory. For they died proud men useful in battle. One could not ask for a finger death.
Long live our High Lord, Victus. Long may he spread fear and boldness into the belly of the beast.
Written By Jhond
May 7, 2017, 1:01 a.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
Hey, we're alive. sad I was useless.. but better that than dead
Written By Cicero
May 7, 2017, 12:58 a.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
Elation and joy,
It worked, that hopeful scheming,
The world did not end
It worked, that hopeful scheming,
The world did not end
Written By Cicero
May 7, 2017, 12:56 a.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
The broken army,
The dead and dying abound.
Victory at cost
The dead and dying abound.
Victory at cost
Written By Tikva
May 7, 2017, 12:45 a.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
Okay ...
... ow.
... ow.
Written By Thena
May 7, 2017, 12:44 a.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
I lived.
What now?
What now?
Written By Merek
May 7, 2017, 12:43 a.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Silas
He recently was made noble as a Baron. I am hoping that he is able to do quite a bit in his new position.
Written By Merek
May 7, 2017, 12:42 a.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Aiden
I fought with him and for him on the battlements. I am happy that he is safe.
Written By Artorius
May 7, 2017, 12:12 a.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
Another battle I survived, when likelihood I should have fallen.
Yet I emerged without a scratch on my form. Someone must be looking out for me, or I'm incredibly lucky.
Regardless, we lost too many in this fight. Beyond the count of grief. Let not a single soul pass from this world without being given the glory they are due.
Yet I emerged without a scratch on my form. Someone must be looking out for me, or I'm incredibly lucky.
Regardless, we lost too many in this fight. Beyond the count of grief. Let not a single soul pass from this world without being given the glory they are due.
Written By Merek
May 7, 2017, 12:08 a.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
Relationship Note on Estaban
I fought with him and Aiden at Seawatch during the siege. He is an honorable and wonderful nobleman. I am happy that he was well cared for after the battle.
Written By Artorius
May 6, 2017, 11:50 p.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
We faced the full strength of Brand today. We faced the might of the darkness that assembled against us and threw us down with hopelessness at almost every turn. Yet with every turn, we rose triumphant in courage, we rose triumphant in strength.
We won. Against all odds, we won.
Let our children, and their children's children, hold this day in reverence.
We won. Against all odds, we won.
Let our children, and their children's children, hold this day in reverence.
Written By Ann
May 6, 2017, 11:39 p.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
Document the sixteenth:
Have we won?
The future stretches out before us and we can but count the cost
Steady, stoic, cleaning blades and filling holes
How much did you pay? How much have you lost?
Where, your children?
The currency we used to pay our debt; your daughter and your son
How much did you pay? How much have you lost?
But, we have won
Have we won?
The future stretches out before us and we can but count the cost
Steady, stoic, cleaning blades and filling holes
How much did you pay? How much have you lost?
Where, your children?
The currency we used to pay our debt; your daughter and your son
How much did you pay? How much have you lost?
But, we have won
Written By Ysbail
May 6, 2017, 11:04 p.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
There are times when I think perhaps I should have made father let train in weapons. Being in the midst of a huge and bloody battle without so much as a dagger for protection. But then the battle ends, and I see all the dead, all the wounded. And it makes me glad that I was trained to heal instead. Bringing relief from suffering is a hugely gratifying experience.
Oh, and thank you all the people that made sure we didn't die in some horrendous fashion!
Oh, and thank you all the people that made sure we didn't die in some horrendous fashion!
Written By Caelis
May 6, 2017, 11 p.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
My soul is lighter too. I look forward to seeing Semiramis again.
On another note, blood loss and herbal teas have made me quite bold in my messages.
I suppose it's my turn to blush.
On another note, blood loss and herbal teas have made me quite bold in my messages.
I suppose it's my turn to blush.
Written By Audric
May 6, 2017, 10:37 p.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
It's remarkably hard to get blood out of your ears when it gets good and in there. Like when you go swimming, and you can't get water out? And you make that weird sound to try and get your ear to pop for a while before you realize it's water? It's like that, but stickier.
Written By Calypso
May 6, 2017, 10:24 p.m.(6/1/1006 AR)
I can not recall in all my time as General of Southport a more singular and fluid movement of unity in the Compact as we have witnessed today. Each ward defended fiercely. Each commander leading responsibly. Each soldier fighting with all their might. And all to the same goal.
I will continue to hold my faith in humanity and in the sharp steel we wield. Through these things, all is made possible.
I will continue to hold my faith in humanity and in the sharp steel we wield. Through these things, all is made possible.
Please note that the scholars may take some time preparing your journal for others to read.