(2024-05-05) Safety In Numbers

Details

Author:	Mishell
Summary:	In the autumn of Year 21 ADP, all hell breaks loose behind the Greymane Wall. Lukas Rhenardt, Lord Graves, finds himself the leader of a motley group of evacuees.
Rating:	M for Mature 17+

Arc: Gravehowl Pack

+ Show additional content warnings

crisis vibe, political conflict, minor body horror (werewolf transformations)

Alarms have been sounded throughout the city. You’re not certain why yet, but the city is suddenly under lockdown and Prince Liam is gathering people in the market district for evacuation.

You and anyone you may have been with when the alarms sounded make your way there; some of you spot other people you know, and all begin to cluster around a grizzled blond man in his early forties. Some of you may recognize him as Lukas Rhenardt, Lord Graves.

Rhenardt surveys the milling group of people grimly.
Merelda peers at Oslynn, as if maybe she might have something to do with this.
Oslynn stands with her back against the wall, eyes wide. She looks ready to bolt.
Zeke pushes through the crowds, looking for a captain or a sailor or any one he knows. "Oi, Ozzy!" he calls. Not exactly an officer, but she'll do.
Gabriella stays close to Oslynn, hovering protectively. Spotting Rhenardt, she breathes a sigh of relief. "Lukas, what's going on?"

Ozzy rushes over to Zeke.
"Is it the rebels?" Merelda asks.
Ozzy's eyes widen at that.
Rhenardt raises his eyebrows at the familiar face and nods to Gabriella. He glances in the direction of the alarms. "I mean to find out."

"Thaniel! Thaniel…" Anselyn dashes into the rush straight for his friend. "Are you all right? What's happening?
Zeke looks suspiciously at Merelda, but Ozzy seems to be listening to her, so he joins in. He's a joiner.
Ambrose Falston has smushed himself against a wall in hopes of spotting anyone rounding a corner before they spot him. "It was only a matter of time," he mutters.

Thaniel reaches for Anselyn's hand. "The bells are ringing? I don't know why. I didn't do anything wrong."
"For a full city lockdown, they must've done something serious this time." Merelda glances at Oslynn again, raising an eyebrow.
Oslynn scowls. "I didn't do nuffing."

Apricity Hearthleigh: "Can't one enjoy a simple walk through the city anymore? What is it this time?"
Gabriella cringes at the sounds of that voice. Hearthleigh. Of course he's here.
Gellarn crosses his arms over his chest, taking in the gathering of people. He nods with a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes at Apricity.

"I expect Lieutenant Walden will be organizing a defense against — whatever it is, in the market square. Come with me," Rhenardt says to Gabriella. "Rivere and I are heading that way."

"There's no fire…wait." Anselyn smells the air and looks up. "The sparrows are gone."
Yseulde looks at her brother with concern. "Are you sure?"
"Sparrows? Why would the rebels make…" Merelda trails off, her brow drawing down with concern.
"Everyone stay calm," Gabriella puts on her Authority Voice. "Follow Lord Graves."
Apricity looks at Gabriella, then Gellarn. "At least it seems we have pleasant company with us."
He smiles.
"I aim to please pleasantly," Gellarn says to Apricity. The words are there, but there's nothing particularly pleasant about him right now. He seems oddly grim, for Gellarn.
"Why've we got to lock down? Can't the guard handle it?" Lloyd asks.
Zeke eyes Rhenardt. Well ok, I guess, says his expression.

Rhenardt raises his eyebrows at Gabriella and looks around at the group again. He doesn't look entirely like he wants all of these people to follow him.
Rhenardt: "Very well. Everyone stay close, then. Safety in numbers against — whatever it is."
Thaniel seems to take in the crowd for the first time.
Gabriella nods approvingly at Rhenardt.
Anselyn looks anxiously about.
Lloyd siiiighs.
Ozzy follows like a little duckling. A very scared duckling.
Merelda falls in with the group, looking around at the nearby buildings. She might be checking for damage.
Gellarn stays closer to Rhendart, but he keeps looking back over his shoulder, monitoring the rest of those following.
Apricity follows. After all, he's a law abiding citizen, who never gets into trouble.

"Don't be scared," Zeke tells Ozzy, "I gotta knoife!" He shows off his dagger.
Gabriella checks her rifle as they walk, ensuring it is clean and loaded.
"Where'd you get that??" Ozzy eyes the knife enviously.
"On ship! I'm allowed," Zeke says.

"It will be all right," Yseulde says, a little overconfidently. "We're not alone."
Rhenardt sweeps a look across the disarray of the square.
"Should we be runnin'?” Ozzy asks. “People's runnin'."
Rhenardt: "We are maintaining order. Panic is dangerous."
Thaniel hums to himself. He is not running.
Ambrose does not appear at a glance to be that much of an asset in a crisis, looking cagey and built for town life. Of course he's tagging along.
Lloyd eyes the closed gate dubiously.
Gellarn dodges slightly as a panicked person runs out from behind him.

Gabriella: "Stay with us, Oslynn. We are safer together."
Ozzy takes a deeeeep breath.
Apricity begins to see the seriousness of the current situation. He looks around, warily.
Anselyn looks back at Thaniel.
Merelda nods at Gabriella. "If you don't know what's happening, let's stick together until we can sort this out."
Rhenardt looks over his shoulder for signs of panic. He nods curtly. "Lieutenant Walden is stationed at the northwest gate. We'll see what he knows."

Zeke looks around, a 13-year-old version of 'grim' on his face.
Ozzy eyes Zeke's knife again. "Maybe you should let me have that. You're a bit young…"
Zeke bristles. "Imma sailor, I am!"
Rhenardt comes up short and signals abruptly for a halt.
Ozzy startles at the halting.
Gellarn halts just a moment after the signal.

Apricity looks ahead. "Hm. Those are…"
Rhenardt: "Dead."
Lloyd pales at the corpses. "Wha—"
Merelda takes a cane in hand. It was the only weapon nearby when all this happened.
Gabriella frowns at the sight of the dead guards. She kneels down by one to inspect the body.
Ozzy blanches. "@#$%."
"At least three dead, nothing behind us right now," Gellarn remarks, checking the back alley.
"Yep," Zeke says knowledgeably. "They's dead."

Rhenardt glances to Gabriella. "What is it?"
Ozzy stares out the gate like she wants to escape.
Apricity approaches the corpses. "Peculiar. The work of rebels, I assume?"
Anselyn: "No one there anymore. Gone. Into the earth?"
"I'm… a healer. Excuse me. Please let me through." Thaniel approaches as well.

Lloyd starts spinning around wildly, checking their back.
Merelda: "No answers here, then."
Gabriella frowns and looks up at Rhenardt, shaking her head. "Lukas…look at these wounds."
Rhenardt pauses by the corpse before the gate. "… Walden."

Gellarn takes up a back position from the group, watching the alley, and then the gate.
Thaniel kneels by one of the guards, because he doesn't know who's who. Light gathers in his cupped hands, flickering wildly like a candle.
Rhenardt crouches down to examine the wounds Gabriella indicates. His frown deepens.
"Anything left to heal?" Gellarn asks Thaniel.
"Oh." Thaniel sighs. "Not this one. His light's gone out. Let me… try the others."

"Is it an attack?" Merelda asks, looking around. "The rebels?"
"Or those terrifying rumors are true,” Apricity says calmly, hoping to send a shiver down others' spine.
Rhenardt looks up sharply at Hearthleigh. "What rumors?"

Zeke does not examine. He looks around, gripping his dagger tightly.
Gabriella tries to speak quietly to Rhenardt. "No blade did this."
Rhenardt nods once at Gabriella. He rises to his feet again.
"Slashed and bit," Yseulde murmurs quietly. "Like the slowest deer in the herd."
"What, did animals do this?" Merelda asks, a little too loud.
Anselyn: "No. They wouldn't. These aren't food. They're people."
Thaniel holds the little handful of Light over Lieutenant Walden's forehead. Nothing happens.
"Oh, so that's the Walden who knows things?" Ambrose's is smiling tightly, because this is wonderful. "Of course it's not animals - it's the Scourge at last - eh?"

"Sir!" Gellarn yells sharply, pointing behind them.
Rhenardt looks up sharply at the shout, and reaches for his sword.
Merelda brandishes her cane.
"What's that?!" Apricity lets out. He is weaponless.
Rhenardt: "Everyone stay behind Rivere and myself. No one panics."
Gellarn draws his own sword, and shield, that he totally has.
Apricity hides behind Gellarn.
Ozzy sticks close to Rhenardt.

"His soul's already wandered." Thaniel moves over to the other slain guard, letting everybody else handle what seems to be danger.
Gabriella readies her rifle. "Everyone stay calm and stay together!"
Falston: "What the -"
Zeke: "Cor…"
"What in the blazes is that thing?" Lloyd demands.

Merelda flinches, but the others handle the monster before she has to strike it.
Thaniel lags behind the group, having failed to resurrect a third person, but he does catch up.
Gellarn watches Thaniel with a weather eye.
Rhenardt: "They're everywhere. The guards must be organizing. Into the square!"

"How could this happen?" Merelda pales, looking around the square.
Gellarn can be heard quietly adding up numbers, taking in general groupings of the worgen. They're rapidly climbing into double digits.
Apricity sneaks in the middle of the group. Security in numbers, they said.

Prince Liam is surrounded by wolfmen, fighting them off valiantly.
“I say, you there!” calls the Prince. “Lord Graves, isn’t it? Have you or any of your people seen the Lieutenant?”
Lukas stops short and bows curtly. "Your Highness. Walden is dead at the northwest gate. We're —" He surveys his following again. "Reporting for duty."
Liam frowns. "I feared as much. But clearly none of you are the sort to hide in the face of danger. That means I shall need your help. It’s the worgen. Arugal’s wolf-men. They’re everywhere!"

"Cor blimey," Zeke whispers, having already said cor. This is plainly an escalation.
Rhenardt: "Arugal's — I see."
Ambrose boggles at the creatures in a sort of mystified daze, not especially hurried in his walk. It's like he is not surprised something awful is happening, but the shape it takes is a wealth of novelty.
Lloyd is only hiding a little bit in the face of danger. It's fine. He's hiding in the group.
Thaniel holds the little ball of Light in his cupped hands, whispering to it about being just a little faster.
"The wolf-men?" Merelda blinks. "But they were meant… this must be a mistake."

Liam surveys the group. "My father had warned me that the Archmage’s creations had run amok. We’re doing our best to stop the worgen from getting indoors, but their numbers are too great. Can you help evacuate civilians toward the military district? My father’s army can protect them there."
"Of course." Rhenardt salutes the Prince.
"There's nearly twenty, just here in the square, sir," Gellarn says in a low voice. "But they're spread out, we could take 'em in smaller groupings, get the civilians clear of the rest."
Rhenardt: "Focus on getting people out. All of you, spread around the square, make sure people know."

Ozzy bolts off and starts knocking on doors immediately.
Zeke bolts in the opposite direction.
Lloyd lets out a cry as a worgen jumps down near them from above.
Gellarn looks up, watching the rooftops now.
"As a civilian, I say we hurry there as fast as possible." Apricity says.
"I agree, but we can't leave these people," Merelda says, looking after Ozzy.
Apricity stays with people. Strong people.

Frightened Citizen says: What in the world? Let's get out of here!
Frightened Citizen says: I don't want to die!
Frightened Citizen says: There's one after me!

Thaniel screams as a worgen emerges from the inside one of the houses and chases him.
Gellarn goes towards the screaming priest.
Gabriella: "Where's that girl gone? Oslynn!"
Merelda follows Gabriella. She has a gun.

Ozzy panics and runs back into Rhenardt's orbit again.
Ambrose prods a dead wolfman's clawed foot with a mildly disgusted look before wandering off to beat on a door. When someone scurries out, he slips inside for a few minutes.
Frightened Citizen says: Help!
Rhenardt fends off the worgen chasing the civilian.
Zeke is absolutely frisking the dead worgen for spare copper.

Gabriella sighs with relief to see Ozzy with Rhenardt.
"I feel safer wif him," Ozzy says to Gabby and Merelda, pointing at Rhenardt.
Rhenardt looks around at the chaos and barks, "Everyone back with me! Keep together!"
"Sir!" Gellarn responds, he's close enough for shouting distance at least, trying to keep with the herd of others.

Yseulde bangs on doors. "You have to go! We're under attack!"
Apricity finds a shovel in the center of town. He picks it up and begins defending himself from the worgens with it.
"KEEP TOGEVVA!" Ozzy bellows.
Rhenardt gives Ozzy a slightly startled look.
"Yseulde, do we stay with that man?" Thaniel asks, pointing at Rhenardt.
"This place isn't safe is a right understatement, lady," Lloyd shouts at a fleeing evacuee.
Apricity swings a shovel into a worgen's head.

Prince Liam actually manages a strained smile. "Thank you for your assistance. You seem capable; please see if anyone else needs help before you head to the military district."

A woman waves to the group. Some may recognize her as Gwen Armstead, Mayor of Duskhaven.
Lukas salutes smartly again and then turns just in time to see Gwen approach.
Gellarn keeps watching the rooftops, and the square, and the group. It's probably youth that keeps his neck from getting sore.
"Hey! Over here!" Gwen cries.
Rhenardt: "Ma'am?"

Gwen: "Listen, we can’t let our supplies be destroyed. With Gilneas walled off from the outside world, we won’t last through winter if we lose much more of our stock. Please help me salvage what you can."
Thaniel reaches out to put a hand on one of the pumpkins in the cart for no obvious reason.
Merelda nods. "We'll need all the supplies we can, once this whole problem is settled."
Yseulde: "Right. I'll see what can be found."
Thaniel fetches a box and walks it back over to Gwen.
"Die of winter or of wolfmen?" Lloyd shudders.
Merelda shoots Lloyd a look. "Let's not die of either, good sir."

Merelda collects a few boxes.
Thaniel walks back with another box. It seems like he's only carrying these one at a time, even though they could probably be stacked.
Zeke pokes through the boxes, abandoning those with clothes in favor of those with food or raw leather.
Ambrose cups fire in his palms when finally accosted by a beast in the chaos. Well there's something he can do, maybe, if he actually throws it. His pockets jangle.
Apricity follows Gellarn around, letting him handle the boxes.
Merelda carries what she was able to salvage, mostly foodstuffs, and returns to Gwen.
Gellarn keeps counting under his breath, two sets of numbers now. One might be supplies, the other worgen. He rounds up and down, not using precise numbers.
Zeke scoots back to Gwen, dragging a load of supplies. He looks around, panic showing for the first time, until he spots Rhenardt.

Apricity comes back with one single box. He's helpful, see? Don't use him as a human shield in case of danger.
Merelda looks around, counting heads.
Rhenardt sets two crates down and looks around, counting the faces around him. Apparently he has already taken their tally and knows who he should see.
Gellarn looks more like a human shield, setting down his boxes with one hand. He's strong, for a young man just barely come into his full height.

Gwen receives the supplies as the group brings them in. "Noice," she says. "This'll do for now."
"We're missing a few. We mustn't let anyone fall behind," Merelda says to Rhenardt.
Rhenardt: "We will not. Where are the Pearso– ah." He nods to Yseulde.
Merelda: "Ah, there's the last of them."
Yseulde: "here. had a fight. We're okay."

Rhenardt steps back so he can survey the group fully. "We've done what we can here. I'm reporting back to His Highness for orders. Stay together. Rivere, watch our backs."
"Lukas," Gabriella murmurs to Rhenardt. "I did not think it relevant until now, but S.I. Ramsey has been missing. He was investigating the Starlight Slasher killings. I think he was closing in on all of this."
Rhenardt pauses and raises his eyebrows at Gabriella. He nods once, frowning in thought, and then turns his attention to the Prince.

The Prince looks up as they approach.
Merelda spies a broom near the market stall. She considers her cane, and the broom, and then swaps them before following the others.
Gellarn pulls up the rear, watching the worgen.
The Prince nods. "Again, you have my thanks. Head to the military district with the others. Stay together and stay watchful. I see you’ve been helping Mayor Armstead; check in with her when you get there; I’ll stay here and cover your retreat."
Rhenardt: "Aye, Your Highness."
"Go now," the Prince says firmly. "That's an order!"

Rhenardt: "Everyone, with me. We move quickly now!"
Thaniel: "Oh…"
Yseulde: "Let's go. It'll be all right."
Ambrose doesn't need much convincing to scuttle along with any cluster of people that will take him. He makes a point of drifting toward the center of the flock - no reason.
Apricity follows the group, staying within the group, away from worgens.
Merelda looks more and more alarmed as they pass through more of the city infested with worgen.

"Go!" Rhenardt barks to the others. "Through the barricade, go! Rivere and I will cover you!"
Ozzy goes!
Zeke follows Oslynn.
Thaniel takes the stairs at a very quick, careful walk.
Apricity doesn't follow the kids, and follows adults instead.
"Is it just me or are there seemin' more of 'em?" Lloyd asks.
"It seems to be getting somewhat worse," Merelda says, something of an understatement.

Gwen Armstead smiles at the sight of familiar faces.
Rhenardt ducks through the barricade to catch up with the others, and counts heads again. He nods curtly at Gwen.

Gwen pants a little. "Most of us made it here alive, but there are worgen on this side of the city as well. We’re going to continue south and meet up with the king and his guard. Before we head out, feel free to check in on anyone you know. But don't take too long about it."
Gellarn lingers at the barricade, counting off what he sees, two sets of numbers. One of them is dropping, and the other is climbing.

Yseulde: "They told us to run. Our parents. They told us to run. They were right behind us. They said…"
Yseulde grabs for Anselyn's hand. "Stay with me."
Anselyn holds tight.
"Maybe they'll be ahead?" Merelda looks at Yseulde. "My own parents I hope are safe indoors somewhere."
Ozzy spots Celestine of the Harvest, and bursts into sobs, running straight to her arms.
Thaniel seems torn about whose hand to take. He takes Anselyn's other hand.
Merelda spots Oslynn heading to the harvest witch and backs away from Yseulde and Anselyn to follow her.
Celestine speaks to Ozzy in a low tone. Ozzy squares her jaw and nods, then begins helping wounded soldiers for a while.

"Gellarn, that's a nice sword you have, there. And an even nicer man carrying it. Mind if I run to safety with you?" Apricity asks, smiling softly.
Gellarn nods to Apricity, but he seems distracted. "Long as you don't stand in the sword range, you can appreciate the view behind me," Gellarn mutters to Apricity.
Apricity smiles. "I will be delighted to." He winks.
Gellarn makes no reply, no answering wink.

Yseulde leads them both to familiar faces, to get advice about fighting back.
Rhenardt spots Sergeant Cleese of the city guard nearby and moves aside for a quiet word with him, keeping an eye on the group around him all the while.
Zeke runs off to the side of a sailor. They speak briefly, with Zeke pointing back to Rhenardt. The sailor grabs Zeke by the shoulders and says something, before pointing at Rhenardt and the group, then running off. Zeke dashes back to Rhenardt's side.
Gabriella stands watch with her rifle, filling attacking worgen with lead.

"He's hurt," Thaniel says, looking at one of the wounded guards. He whispers to the Light, which gathers in a soft glow around the man.
Ozzy spots Merelda's eye on her. She gasps and points behind Merelda. "Look out!" she cries.
Lloyd ducks and covers his head at the cry.
"What?!" Merelda asks, spinning around to look.
Thaniel also looks. "What? What is it?"
Ozzy takes advantage of Merelda's distraction to slip into an alley for a bit.
"Why you…" Merelda starts, when she realizes what Ozzy's done. Then she shakes her head. "Stay safe, Ozzy."

Zeke salutes Rhenardt. "I'm to stay wif you, sor!"
Rhenardt looks Zeke over and nods at him. "What's your name, son?"
" 'Zekeal Borden, sor!"
"Very good, Mr. Borden.”
Zeke puffs up visibly.
Gabriella steps up to Rhenardt and Zeke. "Ezekeal's a good lad. I'm glad to see him here with us an– wait, where's Oslynn gone now?"
Ozzy returns. She is holding something inside her coat. Quite a bit of something.
Ozzy: "Oi'm 'ere!"
Gabriella sighs in relief and irritation when Oslynn reappears.
Ozzy: "Quit yer fussin."
Anselyn touches his magic to wounded guards, and a limping, fleeing rat. "Poor little thing.”
Merelda retreats to be more in the center of the group, gripping her broom tightly.

Rhenardt steps back to look the others over again. "I know S.I. Thorne, Lady Veyne, Miss Pearson. And Rivere, of course. The rest of you, names?"
Thaniel goes, "Hm?" and then seems to register the question. "I'm Thaniel Clay. I'm a healer."
"Apricity Hearthleigh, a pleasure to meet you," Apricity says, bowing gracefully.
"Mr. Clay. Very good. And… Oslynn. Mr. Hearthleigh." He nods to Apricity.

Gabby peers at Oslynn. "What have you got there, girl?"
Ozzy does not volunteer her name or seem to think it's important. At Gabby's question she huddles tighter. "Nuffing."
Cheddar pads up to Oslynn, sniffing curiously at her.
Gabriella gives Oslynn an I-Don't-Believe-That-For-One-Second look.
A high pitched whine emerges from inside Ozzy's coat. Her coat wriggles a little.
Cheddar barks.

"I'm Anselyn," Anselyn says. "I've seen you. Yseulde is my sister. Thaniel is my friend."
"Ah, Mr. Pearson. Of course." Rhenardt nods curtly again. He glances down at Cheddar.
Ozzy: "Shhhh shhh Cheddar, SHHHH!"
"Lloyd Lowynn, seller of the finest — oldest — wares in the city."
Anselyn turns to Thaniel with concern.
Gellarn tenses at the whine inside Ozzy's coat, and his sword arm moves reflexively.
Apricity takes a step back away from Oslynn.
Rhenardt: "And Mr. Lowy— Oslynn, your coat is whining."
Cheddar nuzzles under Oslynn's coat.
Merelda steps in between Gellarn and Ozzy.
Zeke eyes Oslynn.
Ozzy stares down Gellarn. "Them's not wolfmen. Just pups. Tiny ones, in the alley. Not leavin' em and you can't make me."
Ozzy huddles her little bundles closer inside her coat.

"Wolfmen pups?" Apricity raises an eyebrow.
Thaniel looks at Anselyn, then at Ozzy, and nods. "Are they hurt? The pups."
"Cheddar. Behave. Heel." Gabriella uses her stern Master voice. The mastiff obediently steps away from Oslynn to Gabriella's side.
Rhenardt eyes Oslynn patiently.
Ozzy eyes Rhenardt back a little worriedly.
Anselyn: "We can take care of them."

Ambrose clears his throat, glancing skyward for a moment then down an alley toward signs of further scuffle. "Ambrose Falston, thaumaturgist for hire. Not presently, of course, the fire is gratis, given the everything." He waves a hand about.
One might guess what someone might pay for fire on demand for.
Rhenardt shifts his gaze from Oslynn to Falston and nods.

"Wolfmen pups?!" Lloyd repeats, ducking away from Oslynn.
Gellarn glances to Rhenardt for a decision.
Anselyn: "Just pups."
Ozzy nods at Anselyn.
"Animals deserve to get to safety as well," Merelda says firmly. "There's no harm in it."
"Harm might be if we need to be quiet, and they can't be, but that's neither here or there right now," Gellarn mutters.
"Hm," Apricity turns around. If the girl wants to put herself in danger like that, fine.
Zeke snorts. Girls.

Ozzy: "They're called 'Enry, Finley an' Emily. Says so on their collars."
Gabriella sighs at Oslynn, but has the barest hint of a smile. "Take good care of them, Oslynn. But mind they don't slow you down."
"They're a family," Anselyn says. "Now we have to save them."
Merelda: "Oh.. they're someone's. I do hope they only fled to safety and we find them later on."
"I'll keep 'em quiet I promise. I'm good wif animals."
Yseulde: "Otis can be their Da. Otis, mind the pups."
Otis looks curiously at the puppies. His opinion on being enlisted is unclear.
"Charming. Beware that they struggle with their bladders, at that age," Apricity says.

Rhenardt: "Here is what happens now. Sergeant Cleese says that other survivors have moved on ahead. We are going to join them, for safety in numbers. We will, again, keep together. I want Mr. Borden, Mr. Clay, Mr. Pearson, and Oslynn in the center of the group.”
Ozzy: "Yessir."
Zeke: "Roight!"
Thaniel nods.
Ozzy: "You can call me Miz Boles if you want, sir."
Ambrose goes back to acting unassuming, his moustache twitching a bit when his name isn't spoken.
Rhenardt: “S.I. Thorne and I will lead. Rivere and… Falston will bring up the rear. The rest of you at the flanks, and keep a sharp eye out."
Ambrose’s eye twitches again when his name is spoken.

Apricity pouts slightly at the fact that he's not in the middle of the group. He'll end up there, somewhere, anyway.
Zeke looks about fiercely, holding his dagger up. He plainly thinks he's there to protect the others in the center.
Gellarn nods. "Right, sir." He's lingering on the outer edges of the group already, and mutters the numbers he had before again. One is significantly higher than the other.
Merelda sighs, and moves to the back of the group. In the middle of a crisis is no time to insist on social ranking.

Rhenardt: "Lady Veyne, you keep an eye on the children."
"Of course, Lord Graves," Merelda says, with a fleeting smile.
"Oi'm fifteen," Ozzy says firmly. "I'm grown."
"No, you're really not," Gellarn mutters in response to Ozzy.
Rhenardt nods patiently at Ozzy again. "But you have the pups. Keep them quiet."
Zeke: "Yer went an' picked up puppies. Now you need defendin'."
Ozzy puts out her tongue at Zeke, kind of undermining the 'grown' argument.
Thaniel whispers to Oslynn, "This is a lot of names. I forget who the man giving orders is."
Ozzy whispers to Thaniel, "That's Lord Graves."
Thaniel nods. "Thank you."
Ambrose scurries near to Gellarn without making too much of a fuss but not looking happy about it. He sizes up the other fellow. Possibly more nutritious looking, which is a bonus.

Rhenardt strides to the front of the group. "Are we all ready?"
"Yes, Lord Graves," Thaniel says. He smiles dreamily. Look at him, he remembered a name. (Oslynn JUST told it to him.)
Ozzy grins at Thaniel and gives him a thumbs up!!
Thaniel smiles back and returns the thumbs-up.
Yseulde: "Ready."

"I would like to say once more that I am a simple civilian. I have no abilities for war," Apricity says.
"Civilian maybe, simple, never," Gellarn says. It's almost a flirtation, but he sounds too grim for it to land the way it should usually.
Apricity places a hand on Gellarn's arm. "Well, simple may have been a euphemism, yes."
"War? Are we doin' a war?" Lloyd asks.
"I certainly hope not. Just an evacuation." Merelda reassures Lloyd.
Rhenardt regards Apricity coolly. "The vast majority of people here are civilians. No one is being given much choice right now."
Ozzy: "Oi, man up."
Rhenardt: "Right. Let's go. Fall in."
Apricity sighs.
Ambrose keeps looking over his shoulder. He doesn't speak up about his civilian status, but it's rather obvious.
Yseulde has re-loaded and stowed extra magazines in convenient pockets.

King Genn Greymane himself stands bravely amid the chaos, and seems to recognize Rhenardt. “Lord Graves! I heard you and some brave companions had been assisting my son.”
Gabriella bows, a bit stiffly, before the King.
Ozzy GAWPS.
Merelda curtsies properly.
Zeke mutters something that a child should not say, and stares at the King in awe.
Rhenardt bows. "Your Majesty."
Gellarn's counting starts again. The lower number has started catching back up to the higher one, but they're still not breaking even.
Apricity does a perfect bow. "Your Majesty, it's an honor."
Lloyd clutches his Old Blunderbuss close. Whether he knows how to use it properly is unclear.
"I only wish we could have met in different times," Apricity adds.
Rhenardt glances sidelong at Apricity.
It takes until 'your majesty' for Thaniel to seem to recognize the king. He bows.
Yseulde: “Oh crumbled biscuits, it's the king.” Yseulde bows, then thinks better of it and curtsies, wobbling only a little.
Gellarn cuts a proper bow to the King, as much as he can in armor.

Genn surveys them with grim dignity. "Friends, I ask you now to assist me with a task that is… unusual to say the least. I assume you’ve heard Lord Darius Crowley branded a rebel, a traitor, a terrorist. But before the civil war, I called him a friend. I won’t leave him here to be devoured."
Merelda's eyebrows raise at 'devoured'.
Ambrose's eyes grow wide with a blink. He straights up sharply, causing the candlestick holders stuffed in his pockets to clink.
Rhenardt's expression goes flat, but he nods courteously to the King.
Greymane eyes Rhenardt. "I never blamed him. His land and people were separated from Gilneas by a stone wall. But nor do I blame myself; I had no choice. Blame aside, Crowley is exactly the sort of person we need now, and he is no good to us dead."
Gabriella nods. Reasonable.
Yseulde thinks that's fine, from the way she nods. Who wouldn't do the same?
Lloyd shivers and glances around behind him again.
"Your Majesty," Rhenardt agrees mildly, and inclines his head.

Greymane nods back. "I need you to enter Stoneward Prison and ask Captain Broderick about Crowley’s whereabouts. If it were me or one of my men I suspect Crowley would not cooperate, and we need him working with us. Am I understood?"
Apricity's face shows a little disdain for a second, but he suppresses it quickly. How is that Apricity's problem, again?
Nearby, Lord Godfrey mutters, “We ought to leave Crowley in prison with those beasts!”
Enter the prison? Zeke's eyes get even wider.
"There's getting to be more of them than there are of us in these places. We do need every hand we can get," Gellarn says, low voiced. He might not have gotten the full memo about how to not panic civilians.
Merelda, quietly, starts to panic.
Rhenardt nods subtly at Gellarn.
“We're goin' in a prison?" Lloyd sounds shocked.
"Me, in a prison? Well, there's a first for everything, isn't it?" Apricity says, blankly.
Gabriella eyeballs Apricity.
Thaniel drifts away from the group to whisper to one of the other survivors.

Lord Godfrey, the tophat-wearing nobleman nearby, seems deeply disgruntled. He waits for the king’s attention to turn elsewhere before speaking to the group under his breath.
"Fine by me," Godfrey mutters,"if His Majesty wishes for you to risk your life to rescue a traitor. Do me a favor, though, and kill some of those fleabags while you’re out there. There’s coin in it for you, hm?"
Coin! Zeke's eyes get wider still. Any wider, and he won't have a face, just eyes.
Gellarn watches Thaniel, stepping slightly to keep in him sight.
Merelda looks nervously towards the residential district, breathing a little too quickly.
Rhenardt smiles thinly. "Coin seems of little present use. Killing the beasts, however…."
"We certainly weren't going to just let them eat us while we went in," Gabriella says dryly to Godfrey.
Thaniel returns to the group.
Rhenardt beckons Gabriella aside.
Gellarn shifts again to enclose the group once more with Thaniel back in it.

Rhenardt beckons Gabriella aside.
Gabriella steps over to Rhenardt with a raised eyebrow.
"Wolfmen in the prison too?" Lloyd complains.
"We find more wolves in prison than in the woods, usually," Apricity says to Lloyd.
Rhenardt says to Gabriella quietly, "When we're inside, you'll want to speak to Crowley. There's little love lost between the two of us."
Gabriella: "I was a Royalist as well. We might want someone more…sympathetic."
"Did many others make it out?" Merelda asks to no one in particular.
"About thirty," Gellarn says to Merelda.
Merelda nods at Gellarn, looking a little sick.

Ozzy tugs Rhenardt's sleeve. "Lord Graves?"
He glances down at Ozzy. "Miss Boles?"
"If we're goin in the prison, can we look for me… friend, Nigel?"
Gabriella smirks over at Oslynn.
Gabriella whispers to Rhenardt, "Like her."
Rhenardt studies Oslynn. "We are collecting strays everywhere, then. Very well. But you'll have to be sharp about it, aye?"
"He an' 'is little bruvver got frown in there in the spring. I gotta look fer em."
"Why've you got a friend in prison?" Lloyd asks Oslynn.
Ozzy just glares at Lloyd and doesn't answer.
"What does your friend look like?" Thaniel asks.
Ozzy: "I'll know 'im when I see 'im."
Thaniel nods and just accepts this answer.
"I was almost in prison once," Zeke volunteers so as not to feel left out.
"Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades," Gellarn mutters at Zeke's assertion.

Ozzy adjusts her hold on her sleepy puppies and squares her jaw. "Ready when you lot are."
Rhenardt turns his attention back to Gabriella. "We'll have to make do, then. In a crisis we're all allies, I suppose." He shrugs wearily.
Rhenardt: "Everyone, same formation as before. We're moving."
"Nothing like a little disaster to finally bring everyone together," Ambrose mutters mostly to himself while eyeing down a side alley.
Gabriella: "At the very least, he knows I have no taste for politics. Perhaps it will help."
Apricity moves.
"Right, sir. Mind the roofs. There's more up there wandering," Gellarn says.

Captain Broderick stands guard at the prison, and observes the newcomers warily.
"Inside!" barks Lukas. "Everyone in!"
Gabriella lets out a growly little sigh as she enters the prison. She put a lot of these people in here. This could get interesting.
Merelda hangs by the door, counting to make sure everyone's made it.
Gellarn holds the door to the end, then slams it shut behind them.

Rhenardt nods sharply at Captain Broderick. "Captain. We're here for Crowley, at His Majesty’s command."
Broderick frowns. “I don’t understand why the king wants to waste time saving his hide, but if you want to risk your life, then be my guest. Crowley and his men are holed up upstairs, probably plotting against the king as we speak!”
Gabriella: *dryly* "Yes, I'm sure that's their priority."
Apricity takes out a deep breath. He'll be his guest, he guesses.
Rhenardt: "… Aye, it seems an unlikely time for it."
"Prison is one thing, but he was not sentenced to execution," Merelda says sternly.

Ozzy bolts upstairs!
Rhenardt: "Follow that — Miss Boles!"
Gabriella: "Oslynn!"
Thaniel walks up the stairs carefully.

Ozzy: "NIGEL??"
"Oi!" yells the voice of a child. "Not one more step you flea bags or I'll pop off your domes –!" Malcolm cuts off, rifle aimed at the group as he kneels, one eye exaggeratedly squinted, lightly biting his tongue as he focuses.
"We're the good guys, ya git!" yells Zeke back.
"Nigel," Ozzy calls. "Are you 'ere?"
"Here goes the pup again…" Apricity whispers.
"Come on then," Gellarn says to Thaniel.
Malcolm wavers a little and falls over thanks to the weight of his gun before he catches himself on an elbow and pushes back up.
Ozzy’s eyes go wide at the sight of the child. "Mal???"
"Ozzy—?" he frowns.
Ozzy makes her way over to him as quickly as she can while holding a coat full of… something.
Malcolm: "Why are you leading a pack f'royals? Are you wolves?" He squints and points his gun at her again.
Ozzy: "No you git, we ain't wolves. Is Nigel 'ere?"
"Not sure he'd even hit somethin', trying to shoot like that," Gellarn mutters.
Malcolm: "Nigel got stabbed two monfs' ago over a breadroll."
Ozzy's face drains of all color, and she sits down.
Zeke nods. Yep, that happens in prison, he knows. He looks around to make sure people see that he knows.

Malcolm: "Mm… awroight…" He slowly turns his rifle away.
Rhenardt steps forward again beside Ozzy and frowns down at the new child.
"It was only a matter of time…" Ambrose mutters glumly, before spooking at the thump of a leaping shadow landing several roofs over, freezing.
Gabriella frowns. "I'm sorry to hear that, young man."
One of the puppies, with "Henry" on his collar, wriggles out of Ozzy's coat as she sobs.
"He started it," Malcolm explains with a shrug. His ears perk up as he spots Henry. "Wot's that then, have you got hounds?"
"My condolences for your loss," Merelda says, in a sincere, but distracted tone.
Ozzy wipes her nose on the back of her hand and nods at Malcolm, clambering unsteadily to her feet and steadying the other two pups.

Gellarn keeps his attention on the roofs. "Sir, we might want to get out of sight, off the bridge," he says, louder enough for Rhendart to hear.
Rhenardt looks around and nods at Gellarn. "He'll come with us, then. Miss Boles, collect your friend. We need to move."
"Come wif us, Mal. We're gettin' you out."
"And fast, please," Apricity adds.
"I'll take one." He holsters his rifle with a filthy rope and lowers to grab the puppy. "Oi! I'm guarding Crowley you lot!"
Rhenardt: "We're rescuing Crowley, so that suits."
Malcolm: "…Oh."

Rhenardt eyes Lord Darius Crowley and steps back to allow Gabriella to the fore.
Malcolm: "Some royals. I don't fink' they're wolves." He starts to pet Henry.
Yseulde: "Mr. Mistmantle!"
Lord Darius Crowley has seen better days. He eyes the group, looking ready for a fight.
Gabriella approaches with caution, hands raised, rifle put away. "Lord Crowley? S.I. Gabriella Thorne."
Apricity stifles a laugh. A good way to introduce yourself to a prisoner.
Rhenardt side-eyes Apricity again.
Crowley eyes Gabby and says, “No need to insult my intelligence. I know that Greymane sent you. But these beasts don’t give a damn about our politics. Gilneas needs to stand together.”
Malcolm pointedly stands on Crowley's side. He glares at the newcomers, but the expression is countered slightly by him cradling Henry to his chest.
Gabriella: "I could not agree with you more, m'lord. We're here to get you out of here."
Gabriella looks to Rhenardt, nodding.
Crowley: "But first – one of those mangy fleabags got Dempsey, and I need to stabilize the bleeding. Have your group give me a hand holding back the mongrels while we get him bandaged, and then I’m at your service."

"Sir!" Gellarn shouts it just before the worgen leap onto the bridge.
Lloyd cries out again at the sudden worgen ambush.
Rhenardt: "Everyone, behind Rivere, Thorne, and myself! HOLD THE LINE!"
Ozzy SCREAMS.
Anselyn gasps in horror.
Malcolm draws back and goes back to firing, squinting with his tongue out until his gun starts to steam.
Merelda yelps as the worgen swarm, and then starts beating them with her broom as hard as she can.
Ozzy clasps her hands together, a golden light flickering between them - but it fizzles out. She curses.
Thaniel moves into the cover of the rooftop, kneeling by a wounded man, cupping Light in his palms and whispering to it.
Gellarn steps in front with his shield, trying to catch as many as he can on it.
Apricity hits worgens with a shovel. He has no fighting techniques.
Rhenardt: "Civilians to the back! Hold the line!"
Merelda grits her teeth and swings wildly.
Rhenardt glances grimly at Merelda like he might, perhaps, think she is a civilian.
As the others fight, Thaniel helps heal Sean Dempsey.
Ambrose finally yells a bit at the sheer numbers of incoming wolfmen. "A matter of time — and this is it! Trapped in a pond with no outlet for how many years, and now…"
Ozzy: "@#$%! We're all gonna DOIII!!!"
Rhenardt: "We are not. Stand fast, Miss Boles!"
"Not today, we aren't!" Gellarn yells.
Ambrose: "Now the waters have dried and the birds can see the bottom…"
Lloyd hides behind everyone, shooting like crazy and thankfully, not screaming.
Merelda is breathing hard, but she still holds the broom at the ready.
Zeke appears from the crowd at Rhenardt's side, his dagger bloody and stuck with bits of fur.
Ambrose ignites his own lapel in the chaos, just a little.
Anselyn hisses, green light flaring around him.

The wave of worgen eventually seems to ebb. Perhaps they've simply found easier prey…
Gellarn looks no worse for the wear. He's almost thriving in just doing nothing but holding a position.
Apricity also breathes hard. He passes a hand through his hair, making an "ew" sound at the sweat.
Malcolm wipes some sweat from his brow and goes back to petting Henry the puppy before he tucks the hound into a small pouch on his front.

Crowley gives them a feral grin. “It sure doesn’t look like these beasts care much whether you’re a rebel or a royalist. Send word back to Greymane that my men will join his. And tell him…"
He hesitates.
Gabriella arches an eyebrow.
Crowley exhales. "There’s a safehouse not far from here, in Josiah’s cellar. My lads stashed some heavy artillery there. Tell our king that my arsenals are now at his disposal."
Malcolm gawks at Crowley's confession.
"Good man," Merelda murmurs.
Gabriella nods. "Thank you, Lord Crowley."
Rhenardt considers Crowley. He nods. "Thank you."
Malcolm: "I'll go wif you lot but I still fink I hate you, Ozzy."
Yseulde: "Hate her later. Let's go."
Ozzy looks at Malcolm, her eyes incredibly sad. "Fair," she says finally.
Zeke: "'ere, no call t'be hatin' Ozzy!"
Malcolm frowns at Zeke and pats Henry in the pocket.
"Hate's a luxury right now, and we've not the coin to pay for it," Gellarn says.
Malcolm sticks out his tongue.

Yseulde: "I can hear them howling out there."
"Everyone, in order again!" Rhenardt looks them over. "Let's move."
Rhenardt: "We're too exposed up here."
Malcolm: "I've been to Josiah's loads've times. Almost like somefing of anuffer' home."

"Rivere!" Rhenardt calls over his shoulder. "Do you have the count? Are we together?"
Gellarn: "Yes, sir!"
Rhenardt: "To the King, everyone. Go!"
Thaniel does his best to stay in the middle of the pack.
Rhenardt: "Rivere and I will hold behind you. GO!"
Gellarn pulls a worgen off Ambrose Falston, bashing it with a shield.
Merelda stays at the back, watching the children and holding her broom sort of like a sword.
Rhenardt jogs to catch up once the others are clear.
Ambrose had scuttled off when his bacon was saved without so much as looking back. They have it handled, surely.

Lord Godfrey eyes the group as they approach. "If I hadn’t seen you kill a few of the mangy things with my own eyes, I’d think you did not complete the task I assigned you. We’re hardly putting a dent in their numbers."
Malcolm takes a quiet moment to clean his gun, clearing out the muzzle. He squints defiantly up at Lord Godfrey, filthy and rebellious.
Gellarn's numbers are going again. There's another growing gap in his numbers. One is lowering, and one is getting higher and higher.
"What are you counting, exactly?" Apricity asks Gellarn in a low tone.
"How many of us, how many of them, how many we've got left still alive enough to fight," Gellarn mutters to Apricity.
"Hmm." Apricity answers, thinking about the numbers he just said.

The king nods to Rhenardt. "Friends, did you find Crowley?"
Rhenardt: "Your Majesty, we did. He is alive with some of his men on the prison roof. He told us he has an arsenal concealed nearby, at our disposal."
Greymane boggles. "Rebel arsenals? In my own city? What in the bloody hell was Crowley up to?"
Malcolm hmphs.
Anselyn nudges Thaniel. "Can you help me? Dad gave these to me, and they're heavy. Because of the dirt."
Thaniel nods. "I can help."
Rhenardt: "Josiah's cellar, he said."
Greymane: "Josiah’s cellar is just west of here. It is unnerving that artillery was smuggled inside the city by my enemies, yet it might end up saving Gilnean lives today. Find Josiah Avery and requisition the rebel artillery. We’ll put the weapons to good use."
"Your Majesty." Rhenardt salutes crisply.
Apricity bows to the king.
Malcolm grumbles.

Anselyn offers his friend a sack with flowering plants in it. It is heavy, like the plants were pulled out of a pot freshly watered.
Thaniel takes the sack with both arms. "It's heavy," he agrees.
Malcolm salvages bullets off of a mangled corpse and spots Ozzy.
Malcolm: "Awroight, don't be sad, I don't properly hate you fully, I fink." He pats Henry in his pocket.
"Give me the other one." Yseulde takes it from her brother. "Let's catch up."
King Genn Greymane yells: Hold the barricades! Do not give them an inch!

Rhenardt moves aside and waits for the group to assemble around him again.
Apricity didn't leave Rhenardt's side. He stays with the strong people.
Gellarn just nods, watching the roofs as much as the square around them.
"All right." Rhenardt nods. "Same formation as before. When we reach the cellar, everyone stays behind me until we know what's inside."
"I just hate you a bit's all," Malcolm explains casually to Ozzy before he blinks and looks up at Rhenardt.
Rhenardt signals the rest sharply. "Hold behind me."
Gellarn remains on the stairs, at the back of the group, his head turning periodically to look back up, watching their rear flank.

Ozzy halts on the stairs, hanging back as Lord Graves asked.
Malcolm: "Oi! Josiah, we've come to collect!"
Rhenardt surveys the artillery within, and then approaches the man cowering in the corner. "Mr. Avery?"
Merelda stops immediately, but asks, "What is it?"
"Cannon!" Zeke says happily. "That lot're in for it now."
Gabriella's eyes scan the cellar.
Something isn’t right. Yseulde doesn't break trigger discipline, but she's alert.
Josiah cowers against the wall. “Don’t look at me! Leave me alone!”
Rhenardt: "Sir. We're here with Crowley's permission — what?"

Josiah throws back his head and roars. His entire body contorts and convulses, his face elongating into a snout, claws erupting from his fingertips. The sight stirs a primal, paralyzing fear in those seeing it for the first time…
Malcolm scrambles for his gun.
Josiah lunges toward Rhenardt just as a rifle blast rings out from behind the group, distracting them. Josiah jerks once, bleeding from the chest, then collapses onto the floor.
Zeke yelps and brandishes his dagger.
Merelda holds up her broom, now sort of like a shield.
Rhenardt is actually knocked backward onto the floor by Josiah's lunge. He swears, staring at the corpse, and then looks toward the door.

A black-haired beauty some may recognize as Crowley’s daughter stands with her rifle smoking. She is surrounded by a small pack of well-trained mastiffs, her expression grim.
Lorna Crowley snarls. "He turned into one of them, didn’t he? How do we even begin to fight an enemy that can do this to us? My father’s arsenal is certainly a good start I suppose."
Malcolm flushes madly at Lorna Crowley despite the horrors of Josiah's recent death. "Hi Lorna…"
Lorna wipes her brow, focused and strangely distant. "We’re going to need to clear the way ahead if we’re going to move these cannons above ground. There are worgen hiding in the alleys ahead. Dogs can sniff them out, so grab a hound and get hunting while I see to what's left of Josiah."

Rhenardt gets stiffly to his feet. He nods courteously at Lorna.
Gellarn keeps his shield up high, looking at Rhenardt. "Sir?"
Merelda can't help a quick appreciative glance at Lorna, but then she turns back to the dead man.
Thaniel: "Lord Graves? Are you hurt?"
Rhenardt shakes his head curtly at Thaniel.
Ambrose has flattened against a wall again, staring bug-eyed at the blood. He's holding it together like someone who has seen plenty but doesn't exactly know what to do when it's all firearms and monsters.

"He transformed… That explains the growing numbers, doesn't it?" Apricity says to Gellarn.
"It does. They're…we're shrinking, and they're growing," Gellarn says, in a hollow tone, to Apricity.
Zeke says proudly to Gellarn, "Yeah, but now we got cannon!"
"Correction. We're not shrinking. Everyone in our group is perfectly fine." Apricity adds to Gellarn's answer.
Malcolm frowns before it seems to dawn on him. He looks down at Josiah's corpse and lightly pokes it.
"How does it spread?" Merelda asks, looking around. "Does anyone know?"
Malcolm: "Iunno'. I fought they came from somewhere."
Yseulde: "It's a curse. Isn't it?"
Rhenardt: "However it spreads, we will slo– stop it here. Let's go."
Gellarn nods to Rhenardt.

Lorna lets out a sharp whistle trying to command the group's attention.
"I need your help!" Lorna snaps. "Grab a dog and go!"
Malcolm looks back to Lorna. "Awroight Lorna!"
"Is it the water? It's the water, isn't it?" Lloyd asks.
"We can talk later!" Lorna urges.
Yseulde: "Right!"
Rhenardt: "You heard Miss Crowley. Let's go."
Zeke: "C'mon, dog."
Thaniel is carrying a heavy sack of plants, so he does not grab a dog.
Gellarn holds the rear, looking back behind them.
Ozzy stays near the cellar door, protecting her pups.

"Wait, I drank water today. Am I in danger?" Apricity asks.
Lloyd: "Iunno'. Maybe."
"We should all keep an eye on one another, just in case," Merelda says firmly. "It might be there are… precursor symptoms?"
Malcolm squints suspiciously at Merelda. "I'm not a woof."
"Not now, you aren't," Merelda agrees.
Zeke mutters about Merelda, "Yer a chipper one, aren't ya."
Merelda murmurs back to Zeke, "I'm a realistic one. If you see any signs, let me know."
Zeke scratches his head but nods.
Rhenardt: "Do not panic. We are all well, and we will stay together. Hold the line."
Ozzy: "Yessir."
Malcolm clicks his tongue.
"It's easy to tell us we should not panic. We don't know what transforms people yet." Apricity says, looking around suspiciously.

Greymane turns to Rhenardt and gives him a fierce grin. "Well?"
Malcolm widens his eyes to see just how much ground has fallen to the worgen.
Rhenardt: "We have secured the arsenal, Your Majesty, and culled the beasts' numbers behind us."
"It's the WATER!" Lloyd cries. He might be panicking.
Rhenardt shoots Gellarn a look and then looks significantly at Lowynn. Sit on that one, please, he is panicking.
Gellarn nods, stepping closer to Lowynn. "It's not the water, mate. Look, we'll get a beer, we'll be fine."
"Beer…we'll be fine…" Lloyd repeats, breathing deep.
"That's right. If they wanted us to only drink water, they'd have never made beer, aye? I'll buy you a round, when we get out of this." Gellarn mutters it, as he adjusts his count again.

Greymane: "I knew Crowley would come through. But by the Light… all these years after the war and Crowley was still hiding enough firepower to level half the district. … It might have to come to that, unfortunately."
Gellarn is holding the line, but his face is paling, as he adjusts his numbers. The second number is approaching triple digits.
Greymane sighs. "But we can’t open fire just yet. There is a civilian trapped on the other side of the prison, and not just any civilian. Do you know of Krennan Aranas?"
Rhenardt: "The alchemist, Your Majesty?"
Yseulde: "He's been to the house. The greenhouse, I should say…"
Greymane: "He’s possibly the most brilliant alchemist this world has ever known. One of his potions saved my daughter Tess from dying soon after she was born. I need some strong riders to take a horse and charge through those beasts to rescue him."
Malcolm scrambles over to poke his head over the barricade and scoffs with equal parts amazement and fear. "There's scores of'em."
"An alchemist… to cure the curse before it takes hold?" Merelda asks.
Yseulde looks down at her bag. "Oh. I think…we need to find him."

Malcolm: "M'not going over. I'll stay here and blast em." He mimes shooting his gun.
Yseulde: "I can go. I'm a good rider."
"There are horses there," says the king. "Well trained. Take one if you can. Ride fast. Do not stop."
"Safety in numbers, as we said previously. I'm much more suited to add to the numbers, if you ask me, than to venture alone," Apricity says.
"Here, leave the plants with me, Yseulde," Thaniel offers.
Yseulde hands them over. "I'll be back."
"I'll… wait 'ere…" Oslynn says faintly. "Not much of a rider."
Zeke looks dubious. "I never rode a horse."
"I know how to ride. My aunt was a jockey. I can get there fast," Gellarn speaks up.
"I can ride," Merelda offers. "I'll go as well. Safety in numbers."
Malcolm pokes his head around the barricade to take the odd potshot at the worgen horde.
"It's been some years," Gabriella says, "but I was an army scout. I can ride."
Rhenardt looks between the two. "Miss Pearson, Lady Veyne, Rivere. Back each other up."
Thaniel is now carrying two (2) pretty heavy sacks of plants. He nods.
Yseulde: "Right."
"Got it, sir." Gellarn waits for Merelda to mount up first, as a Lady. "Milady."
"I'd rather we keep our most competent fighters on foot," Apricity says, looking at Gellarn. "Don't you think?"

The group rides through an absolute horde of ravenous worgen. They slash and bite at the horses, but the riders are galloping full speed and the beasts can’t quite keep up.

Krennan Aranas is literally treed by the horde, who seem unable to climb up to him. When he sees the approaching riders, he leaps down, and [SOMEONE] catches him and helps him onto their saddle.

Godfrey sits atop his grey gelding waiting for the riders return.
Yseulde dismounts. "There!" She smiles, looking for Anselyn. Her smile fades.
Merelda is shaking a little when they return, her eyes wide.
Rhenardt looks her over. "Are you well, Merelda?"
"Yes, Lord Graves," Merelda says, taking a deep breath. "I'll be well."
Gellarn is starting to sweat, breathing harder, but he steels himself as he drops down from the horse.
Yseulde: "Anselyn?"

Godfrey grins. “Aranas! It would seem the mongrels caught you sleeping. Come with me and I’ll make sure you get out of the city alive."
Krennan Aranas says: Thank you! I owe you my life.
Lord Godfrey yells: We've got Aranas! Fire at will!
Zeke cheers as the cannon goes off.
The cannon wreaks absolute havoc on the mob of worgen.
Malcolm grins open-mouthed as he watches the cannon in action.
Godfrey says, "We’ve done all we can here. Let King Greymane know we’ve bought some time. It won’t be long before the worgen are back in force." Godfrey frowns. "We’ll need to fall back to Greymane Court, to the west. Go now, or we’ll be trapped like fish in a barrel!"

Rhenardt: "Bravely ridden, you three. It's time to fall back, you heard Godfrey. Form up!"
"Go NOW I said!" Godfrey barks.
Yseulde: "But my brother…."
Godfrey: "NOW!!!!"
"Awroight bloody hell…" Malcolm says, having jumped at Godfrey's voice.
Apricity goes now. He doesn't have to ask twice.
Yseulde: "He was just here—"
"Stop building walls over your barrels!" Ambrose finally throws his hands up, unable to contain his pique, and wrenches away without waiting to get into it.
Gellarn brings up the rear. "Go, go."
Gabriella: "Keep moving!"

Crowley waits with his old friend King Greymane as well as various survivors and livestock, including a number of riderless horses.
Rhenardt: "Miss Pearson. Your brother?"
Yseulde keeps looking back.
Thaniel moves, but he's looking around for Anselyn.
Yseulde: "He was just here."
Rhenardt: "We need to keep moving. Gods willing, we'll send someone back. The people who are here need to go."
Malcolm takes to anxiously scanning the rooftops.
Yseulde takes the heavier looking plant sack.
"That's terrible, truly, but we must hurry, now." Apricity says to Yseulde.
"'Ave we lost one? 'As he turned?" Lloyd asks.
"Don't know yet," Gellarn says to Lloyd. "No one who has stayed with the group has turned, though. We're safe together."
Thaniel says quietly to Yseulde, "We'll find him. Once we get these people to safety."
Yseulde: "Maybe he saw someone."

"Your Majesty." Rhenardt salutes the King grimly.
Apricity bows to the king again.
King Genn Greymane says: If we can make it past the gates into Duskhaven we'll be safe. The eastern mountains are virtually impassable.
Lord Darius Crowley says: We need to keep the worgens’ attention in the city, Genn. It's the only shot we have for the survivors to make it to Duskhaven.
Prince Liam Greymane says: I'll stay behind with the Royal Guard, father. It is my duty to Gilneas.
Lord Darius Crowley says: Not a chance, boy. Gilneas is going to need its king's undivided attention. Can't have your father wondering whether his child is alive or not.
Lord Darius Crowley says: My men and I will hole up inside the Light's Dawn Cathedral. I've already given the order and the cannons are on their way. Lead our people well, Genn.
King Genn Greymane says: We were fools to take up arms against each other, Darius. The worgen would've never stood a chance.

Malcolm frowns at the King and gradually finds him to be better company than the worgen.
Rhenardt looks from Prince Liam to Crowley. He nods with reluctant respect. "I'll stay with Crowley. Myself and as many of my people are willing."
Zeke: "I'm wif you, sor."
"I'll follow you, sir. Right now, we're all Gilnean, that's all that matters," Gellarn says.
"I'm wif Crowley." Malcolm says.
Yseulde keeps looking back the way they came.
"I'm… I'll see this group through, till we're to safety," Merelda says with a nod.
"Safety in numbers," Apricity repeats. "Well, except if the numbers get infected by the worgen curse," he also says.
Lloyd looks sharply at Apricity.
Thaniel moves over to Sister Alymra and Celestine of the Harvest.
"Have you seen Anselyn? Did he come this way?" Thaniel asks, anxious.
"He was here," Celestine says. "But he left soon after."
Thaniel smiles, relieved.
Gellarn's counting is getting disturbing in implications. The first number is smaller, and the second number has increased exponentially. He's still counting out loud. He might not be able to keep the numbers in his head silently.
Malcolm frowns at Gellarn. "Are you quite mad?"
Gellarn doesn’t answer Malcolm. He might be too focused on keeping his numbers straight.
"Once we're in Duskhaven, though, I'll thank you if anyone finds news of my parents or my brother. Or a woman named Alina Heath." Merelda again glances back to the city nervously.

Crowley looks solemnly at Rhenardt. "You don’t have to do this, friends. You’ve done more than enough already. But if you decide to stay… I’d be a fool to turn you away. My men have fortified their position inside the cathedral and are ready for what comes next. I’m about to head there and take as many of these flea-ridden devils with me as I can. You’re welcome to grab a horse and come along for the ride."
Rhenardt nods.
Malcolm starts looking around for a big person to ride with.
Gabriella stands firmly by Rhenardt's side, ready to support him.
"Celestine says he was here, Yseulde," Thaniel reports.
Yseulde: "Maybe he went to the cathedral already. He always thought it was pretty."
Apricity doesn't seem like the kind of big person who will let a kid ride the horse with him.
Malcolm doesn't seem to get the message. He walks up to Apricity. "I guess I'll ride wif you then."
Apricity refrains from sighing. "Sure, lad. Sure." He will push Malcolm off the horse for his life if it comes to it.
Rhenardt is not going to let a child ride with him because he is going to DO WAR.
Crowley raises his voice a bit to be heard. "Everyone gather yourselves — then mount up and we'll ride."
Gellarn looks ready to ride again, but he's a broad man. He's not fitting another with him, even if he could somehow fight around them, which he can't.
"Ugh FOINE I'll ride a bleedin' 'orse." Ozzy grumbles.
Zeke: "I'll take the spotty one."
Thaniel approaches a horse, whispering to it.
Merelda approaches a horse.
Lloyd looks dubiously at the horse. "Well, if we're all goin'," he says.
Gabriella: "Remember to stay close. Don't let the worgen split us apart."
Gellarn steps forward to offer Merelda a boost up for the horse.
Merelda nods her thanks and accepts the boost to mount up.
Apricity gets on the horse. He helps Malcolm join him.
Malcolm: "Don't go too fast, awroight?" he asks, loading his crossbow.
"As long as you don't shoot me," Apricity shrugs.
Malcolm: "I'm a good shot, I'm not afraid of nuffing, eiffer."
"Right," Apricity says.
Rhenardt swings up confidently into the saddle and surveys the others.
Yseulde: "You'll ride like the wind. Squeeze with your knees."
Gellarn turns back to note the survivors, and mounts up with skill.
Thaniel ties the sack to the horse's saddle and mounts up.
"I'm not afraid of nuffing, honest!" Malcolm doth protest much.
"That's only cos you don't know better," Lloyd informs Malcolm.
Yseulde mounts.
Malcolm: "Oh, what do you know –?!"

Lord Darius Crowley says: Let's round up as many of them as we can. Every worgen chasing us is one less worgen chasing the survivors!
Malcolm's throwing aim is not on par with his ranged weaponry skills and it shows. "Blimey, there's LOADS!"
Apricity is focusing on getting to the destination. He doesn't listen to Malcolm.
Lord Darius Crowley yells: You'll never catch us, you blasted mongrels!
Gellarn counts and counts. The numbers are well into the hundreds now.
The group rides through ravening feral worgen, and the entire pack takes off after them toward the Cathedral.
Merelda lights torches at tosses them at the worgen as she rides.
Zeke clings with grim determination and his knees.
Rhenardt focuses on drawing the worgen to the choke points of the churchyard gates.

Tobias Mistmantle stands in the doorway of the cathedral, aiming his rifle out toward the chaos and picking off worgen that get too close.
The group reaches the Cathedral and quickly dismounts. The worgen are close behind, and the swiftest few leaders attack, dispatched by swords and spells. The slower bulk of the worgen are heading straight toward the cannons on the cathedral steps, many clustered together where Rhenardt has led them, and do not seem to realize the folly of this plan.

Tobias cries, "All right, this is it! If we’re going to put a dent in their numbers the time is now. We have the position. We have the firepower. All that remains to be seen is whether we have the courage… and I don’t see any cowards standing in front of me.”
Malcolm: "Tobias!!! Did you see —?!"
"Grab a cannon and give em hell"! Tobias yells.
Malcolm cheers, but still looks pale and clammy.
Thaniel does not grab a cannon. He goes directly inside the cathedral.
Apricity lets others use the cannons. He stays in the church's entrance.
Thaniel rescues the sack of plants from his horse.
"Yahoo!" Zeke jumps in the air and runs for a cannon.
The cannons, once again, make mincemeat of the worgen, and for a moment things quiet.

Tobias shakes his head. "We had enough ammunition to carry on the civil war for another month. Yet the worgens’ numbers are such that we’re nearly spent. We don’t want to be caught out here in the open when that happens. Fall back inside the cathedral and report to the boss. I’m sure old Crowley will know what to do next."
"Mr. Mistmantle," Yseulde says. "Did you see my brother? Is he here?"
"You heard him!" barks Rhenardt. "Everyone inside."
Malcolm starts to shiver with fear.
Ozzy: "Cor…"
Malcolm: "We'll make it out of this one I fink."
"Anselyn?" Thaniel calls as he walks inside the cathedral.
Gellarn holds the door once more, following only after everyone is inside.
Yseulde: "Anselyn?"
He's not here. Yseulde goes back to looking behind her. She glances at the other, then squeezes her own arm.

At the sight of Rhenardt and his group Crowley grins, eyes lighting up. “You made it! I shouldn’t be surprised; you work well together.”
Merelda moves back into the cathedral with the others.
Crowley considers the situation. "We’ve got a good choke point here, friends. Feel free to say a prayer if that’s your sort of thing. Take courage, and let’s kill these mutts."
"May the light of the new moon guide us," Gellarn prays.
Rhenardt nods curtly. He turns to the others. "Children and civilians in back."
"Looks more like a dead end?" Lloyd mutters.
Thaniel deposits the sack of plants behind the altar.

Malcolm pales as the worgen rush in, and hastily reloads his crossbow.
Merelda is a civilian. She hangs back, watching the others with worry.
Apricity is also a civilian. He hangs back, near Merelda. "My, we've spent much time together today, haven't we?"
"That we have," Merelda says, with a reassuring smile. "Lord Graves will see us through this safely, I'm sure of it."
Apricity smiles at Merelda. "That smile is all the reassurance I needed."
"HOLD THE LINE!" bellows Rhenardt. "Defend the civilians!"

Zeke stands next to Gellarn, teeth bared, dagger at the ready.
Malcolm gravitates naturally to behind Rhenardt.
Yseulde finds high ground and shoots. She's a fine shot, and standing still, she doesn't even make sure a worgen is falling before she aims for the next one.
Gellarn charges forward, to hold the line against the wave of worgen, protecting the civilians as best as one young man can.
Lloyd is a civilian, but he still shoots things. He doesn't want to die.
Ambrose dazedly scorches rampaging wolfmen. "I should've been headed to Duskhaven…"
Ozzy seems to have actually figured out how to do a little healing spell, and aims it at random people.
As the others fight, Thaniel sings. It's a traditional harvest-time song, but it seems to function in the moment as a conduit for the Light as well, functioning as a [Hymn of Hope] to restore mana to the casters present.

Rhenardt cuts down another worgen and then falls back a step. He is very pale, and suddenly sheened with a sickly sweat.
"Oi! The boss is hurt!" Malcolm runs over to Rhenardt.
“Sir? Sir!" Gellarn rushes to Rhenardt's side.
Ozzy: "Lord Graves?"
Rhenardt makes a low sound and drops his sword.
Ozzy: "I can 'eal ya…"
Zeke skitters to Rhenardt's side, too. "Oi, s'matter?"
Apricity looks around. "What? What happened?"
Ambrose: "Don't tell me he's wounded. We need that one, don't we? Oh dear."
"What? Is he ill?" Merelda takes a step forward.
Malcolm's attention is diverted by yet even more worgen rushing in.

Rhenardt stumbles away from the others and waves a hand at them. It is twisted, clawlike. "Get back!" he barks, and then gasps.
"I didn't see anything — " Gellarn sounds more panicked about that than anything yet so far.
"Did he drink the water?" Lloyd shouts.
Merelda screams.
Apricity takes a step back. "Is he…?"
"No — " Gellarn raises his shield up, stepping back, putting himself between the others and Rhenardt.
Malcolm: "Lookit' his hand! He's turning into one of 'em!"
Yseulde covers her mouth with one hand. "Get back," she says. "Listen to him."
Gabriella hurries to Rhenardt's side, but remains calm. "Lukas, what…?" She steps back at the sight of his claw.
Apricity stands behind Merelda. Very gentlemanly.

With a snarl, Rhenardt hunches over.
Merelda raises her broom in Rhenardt's direction.
Apricity holds his shovel in front of him. Impressive weapons, back here.
"Oh, Lukas…" Gabriella lifts her rifle toward her friend.
Gellarn holds his position, between Rhenardt and the rest.
Zeke tries to scramble backwards but trips and falls over Gabriella.
"HE DRANK THE WATER, EVERYONE RUN!" Lloyd screams.

And then Rhenardt… transforms, with a roar. He lunges for the people standing nearest, swiping first at Ezekeal. And then he scrambles for the door, turning briefly at Falston on the way before he flees.
Ozzy SHRIEKS!
Malcolm jumps back, wide-eyed.
Zeke screams like a little girl, unless that girl is Ozzy who got some lungs on her.
Yseulde shudders. Tears fill her eyes. But she lifts her crossbow and aims it at Rhenardt.
Thaniel gasps and rushes back to hide behind the altar as well.
Gabriella squeezes her trigger. BANG! But the shot misses. Surely just because Rhenardt is so fast. Surely.
Gellarn just grunts, as he tries to keep his shield up, following the movements of his former commander. But he's just one man with a shield.
Ozzy starts to sob uncontrollably.
Ambrose cups handsful of fire, staring at Rhenardt - far too slow for the speed of one of the beasts, He yelps and crumples back as Rhenardt bolts, cinders fizzling away and wrapping his arms in close.
Yseulde fires soon after, but a sob shakes her aim.
Malcolm starts to hyperventilate and dizzily stays close to the others.
"It's the end of the world! We're all going to die!" Lloyd is now full panic.
Malcolm shakily racks another bolt into his crossbow as the worgen continue pushing.

Apricity runs to Crowley, where he feels is the safest.
Ozzy also runs toward Crowley. He seemed nice…
Crowley looks pale as you approach. “Was that Lord Graves…? We’ve lost Lord Graves?” For a moment he looks as though he is in despair, but he quickly shakes it off.
"One man isn't the world! We keep holding the line! Just as he said," Gellarn shouts.
“Yes,” Crowley agrees. “Never mind. Another of you will have to step up and lead. Don’t give up now. Stay together.” He scans the room, then frowns sharply. “Why are no more coming through the doorway? I know we didn’t kill them all…”

Tears trickle silently from Merelda's eyes, as she lets the broom fall. "What will we… without… we can't…"
Gabriella places a hand on Oslynn's shoulder for a moment.
"But those he hurt…" Apricity looks suspiciously at the two of them.
Ambrose shivers and scrambles away from the door, clumping back in with the others while gripping his arms in.
Gellarn turns towards the group. There's no longer any clear leader, and his eyes dart around to each face wildly.
"Everyone stay close!" Gabriella commands. "Now is not the time to panic."

Thaniel has quietly curled into a ball back here, arms wrapped around his knees.
Lloyd goes quiet, but he is shaking like a leaf.
"Clearly, safety in numbers has served us well, until now," Apricity remarks, sarcastically.
Gabriella gives Apricity a sharp, scolding look.

Crowley suddenly looks up at the massive stained glass windows. A shadow passes over one of them. “FIND COVER!”

Gabriella moves immediately to put herself between the attack and the young ones.
At the shout, Gellarn becomes cover, holding up his shield, trying to keep it up.
Apricity hides behind the people shields.

The great high windows of the Cathedral shatter, and worgen pour into the Cathedral like rain.