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The Land of light is under attack!

The first sign that war had come to Serenia were the boats filled with Mara. They came as a complete surprise as no word had yet reached the main land of the Mara's taking over Eowyn ports and boats. Swarming silently out of the ferries, the Mara caused a massacre in the towns before the guards could beat them back.

Every port (including the smuggling ones!) have been attacked and Aevah has issued an evacuation order to keep the civilians safe while she and her warriors deal with this threat.

But that was only the first wave, and the second soon lands. Serenia did not have as many ports leading to Eowyn as Soudul, but it is a close thing: another army of Mara infests the forest surrounding the Ashen City, cutting it off from the rest of the land.

Aevah, worried about her farmers but not willing to draw the Mara's attention to them, keeps the Mara pinned against the Ashen City walls, hoping that they do not turn around and destroy the wealth of farm lands in the south or the villages within the forests.

She cannot hold all of them at Ashen City though, and Mara raiding parties comb the land looking for buildings and Orderites. While she can fly and does so to keep in contact with the outside army, Aevah stays within Ashen City to help defend as well as keep the citizenry calm. As such, she relies upon those warriors not manning the walls to keep her farmers and villages safe.

Army Ranks:
Those with an army rank who are outside the walls have been ordered by Aevah to perform raids on the Mara, keep the raiding parties away from farming lands villages as well as to destroy any boats that contain Mara that try to land.

A few others are given orders to scout above and behind, see if it is possible to land a large enough force behind the Mara's and surprise them.

Scouting will need to be done as well: who's leading this army? How are they being placed, any weak spots in the patrols or army lineup?

If you are within the walls: you are to defend the city, keep the citizens calm, and lead attacks on the army outside the walls.


Important note: As an Orderite you can fly, but only Experts have the strength to fly enough distance to land a safe distance away from Ashen city. If you are an Apprentice or Adept, you cannot fly over the siegeing army to get in or out of Ashen City.



You may still roll for Mara encounters! Roll the dice in this thread and at the end of the meta, claim all your loot and EXP! Or you can also just link to a Hunt thread in the Hunt forum if that is easier for you.
At the bottom of your post keep track of the Word count for the hunts (you still need 300 per Mara!), the EXP gained and so on.

Sometimes the Mule will quote and tell you that you are being ambushed or attacked by Mara, treat these like normal Mara hunts and follow the prompt given.

Avani
Orderite Adept Farmer, Civilian
Her family's ranch near Lake Tyluafel, near Sue's house

Avani knew something was wrong. As she stood on the porch watching her parents leave for a Council meeting in town, she shivered as the wind blew, and she looked up at the sky as she rubbed her arms. Something was not right, for the birds were silent, and the hastars and sheron in the barn were more skittish than usual this morning... The fact her sheron was skittish was something to note.

Honoka and Nix stood at at her side, sort of leaning in on her legs. She looked down at her khehora "child" and Nix, and the fact they were silent too made her even more nervous.

She wondered what was going on. She had heard of attacks out on other farms, but she had never heard of anything close to here.

She went to the shed where papa kept most of the tools and she looked around. Nix and Honoka stood at the door as she went in further looking for the tool she knew was in here.

She smiled as she found it, and picked it up. A long staffed scythe. It would have to do she guessed.

She left the shed, and locked it up. Most of the ranch hands were in town at the meeting, and she was virtually alone. But, as she ushered her charges into the house and locked any thing that could open, she knew that the feeling in the wind was a bad omen, so she took precaution and hoped her parents would return soon.

Maeron Aredan and Darke Frost
Expert Orderite Warrior and his Bonded
Farms Near Lake Tyluafel

"Unless your legs are broken, you can walk," Darke scoffed as he turned his nose toward the treetops. "I don't see anyone else riding about like a lazy arse."

"That's because no one else has a Khehora for a best friend..." Mae grumbled as he sauntered ahead. They were certainly being kept on their feet. If that was what the Mara had hoped to accomplish, job well-done for them. But at some point, he started to get annoyed. Stupid chunks of rock had no business going after tiny families of farmers out in the middle of nowhere. If they wanted to attack Aevah, fine. He wouldn't be there to help her. But when the raids were so wide-spread across Serenia, of course he was forced to leave the rabble of the city so that he could aid in defense elsewhere. Probably only because he was strong enough to fly. If he wasn't he would've been all-too-pleased to stay in Ashen city and fight there. At least he wouldn't have to hunt for an opponent.

"Here." And then there was an arm in his face, halting his movement. "Take Tallow and Rikher and head up the path here. Could be nothing happening, but there is a family living up there. Best check it out now to make sure they aren't being bothered. Send the beast back if you need assistance."

A rumble of annoyance slipped through the Bond as Darke was referred to as a 'beast,' but Mae hissed out a "Yes, sir," before his companion could say anything they'd regret. The two named Guardians slipped in behind him as Mae fanned his wings and glided up the path. The boys were both younger than him and struggled to keep up on running feet.

Darke was obviously pleased by this.

As he flew, the trees parted, and he was able to gain a bit of altitude for a better view. House, barn, fence, hastar, girl with a stick... Staring at... something. he gaze traveled back to the treeline, where only the brilliant golds and shining lights reflected against metallic armor told Mae that something was awry. "Let's head there." Mae told his Aihora, pointing down to where the girl stood.

"The other two...?"

"They'll catch up eventually." And then they were shooting toward the blond teen. Mae landed in front of her with the heavy sound of thumbing boots, and Darke was at his side with an aggressive crow toward the statue beast. Mae snorted at the sight of the 'weapon' the girl held, if it could be called that. "Going to be cracking a lot of rocks with that? Get inside and stay out of the way." He ordered crisply.

Maeron Aredan and Darke Frost
Expert Orderite Warrior and his Bonded
Farms Near Lake Tyluafel

Mae tipped his head to scowl at the hastar. He didn't know much about animals, but he strongly doubted having the girl about would keep it from going into a panic once battles started raging around it. Whatever. He wasn't anyone's father, so if the girl wanted to stay and get hurt, more power to her. "Fine. Just don't start crying when you get scared."

Just Listen!

Avani
Orderite Adept Farmer, Civilian
Her family's ranch near Lake Tyluafel.

Avani wondered what it was the Khehora thought funny, but ignored it anyway. This seemed to be no ordinary Khehora.

"You sure took care of that menace!" Criani said taking her head off her hand and moving to where the remains of the... well whatever it was. The Khehora was sniffing around the muddy mess and said, "Better clean this up..."

Avani didn't wanna touch the thing. It was too strange, and she had no idea what it was. She and Nix wandered near the mud puddle and moved around the dirt around with the the blade of the sythe. She didn't know what to do: Part of her wanted to leave it alone and get back into the house, but another part wanted to see what it was.

"Here!" Criani said flinging some things into a bucket that had once held water, "It left some good stones...." Avani saw the Khehora gather up the stones and shrugged and picked up a piece and, thanking the goddess, didn't feel anything strange come over her. She threw it in the bucket along with the nice pile Criani had going.

When there were no more pieces left, Criani smiled and said, "Now watch..." Avani watched her close her eyes and move her hand near the mud puddle. she saw the water come up from the ground and seperate from the dirt, clean and debris free. Some of the water went into the other bucket that Avani had used, and the rest sort of floated around Criani's hand. "Hmmmm.... Where to put this..." Criani was silent for a moment and then smiled, "Ah, that's a good place!" Avani watched the rest of the water float to the rain barrel that caught rain off the roof during the rainy season. It was empty, and Avani smiled as she saw the floating water sploosh into it. "How's that?" Criani said.

Avani looked back to the Khehora and smiled, "That's fine!" She then looked to where the Mara had once stood, and opened her eyes wide in surprise as there was just a pile of dry dirt. Avani went over, and picked up the only tangible thing the monster had, the large hammer that it tried to attack her with. "I'll give it to Shenra... She can melt it down or something..."

"I'll take to the skies till I know you are safe little two-legger!" Criani said while smiling... or what looked like smiling, "I'll be around, so feel free to call out if you need me!"

And with that, Criani took to the skies, leaving a tuckered Avani down on terra firma.

"Come on Nix." Avani said to the little Fea, "Honoka is waiting."

And with that Avani went back to the house feeling a little safer, knowing she could relax a while with Criani looking out for her high above.

Sueno
Orderite Expert Farmer/Rancher
At Her Farm Near Lake Tyluafel

Sueno gave the feathered Khehora a smile. "Thanks. But.. it wasn't without help. An it was more Gazini attacking it, Ah just used magic to restrict it's movements."

Sueno noticed the others approaching and nodded at Maeron's mutterings.

"Ah've got to check on the other animals. Then clear the mess up." She said with a sigh as she eyed the rocky piles. Maybe something could be scrounged from them? It was against her country upbringing to let anything go to waste.

Suluksati
Aedaun Alikhovan, Feral Battler
Serenia – Ashen City Coast
43 luk, with the Jiji hunt and Meta


Suluksati had fed on the large fish, rested on a small island for part of the night, and then, after finishing the fish for breakfast, had set off for the not - so - distant shores of Serenia.

She could see it, now, the bright spires of Ashen city, that place of Orderites that a wild creature such as herself had no place in. Nor did she have any desire to live in its walls - so much like a cage.

Her homeland was not this place, but the stony, forested steppes further out. She did remember, though, sitting in her clans territory and looking out at the shining spires and wondering - briefly - what they were like.

Now she had a chance to find out. She roared a challenge at the mara swarming the shore, flying over their ranks as they attempted to attack her. She had a very specific mission in mind, a cause that drove her powerful wings forward through the raw, battlefield air. Aside from her challenge, she ignored the mara, homing in on a group of Orderite raiders, striking at a group of mara.

"Hail!" she howled, a proud call that demanded attention and respect. She flew closer, circling around them once, almost thoughtfully, inspecting the group.

The Orderites were well dressed, uniformed in the bright standards that she - barely - recognized as that of the Orderite Army, or the Holy Army of Seren, or whatever they called themselves. They were also well equipped, bringing well made weapons along with their imprinted weapons and bringing it to bear against the mara to great effect. She bared her teeth at them as she saw the gleam and shape of dragon orbs, tucked away where they - and their stolen power - could easily be acessed. Filthy dragon hunters.

But they would do.

With a shriek, she dove in, grabbing one of the svelt hammer-wielding mara and flinging it away into its fellows with a discordant clang. In the space that it made, she landed, turning to the orderites as hr magic blazed around her.

"I wish..." she snarled, "To speak to your leader."

(359/300)
(Rolling for Crafter Mara, 51-100)

Sueno looked back and forth between the Khehora and orderite. It looked like they were having a silent conversation... were they bonded? She had yet to meet a bonded before, though she had heard them.

She sniffed as the boy told her to bascially be a good lil girl turned to leave. How rude! She turned and motioned for Gazini to follow before she trotted off to the barn to check on her fae's, Videe and the few Sheron and Uruu's they had for milk and eggs. If she was to be attacked then she wanted him near.

If he just wanted to leave, fine! She wasn't going to say bye or anything... rude boy.