Tonight's live coverage

Beya

Hello again, and by popular demand, here is a thread for all those people with actual lives and jobs - and those who have neglected a second reality in favour of sleep.

Please keep watching this thread for a blow-by-blow commentary on the events of tonight. Expected to start in two hours (being told it may be 30 minutes) of this post, though I'll be reporting from this moment in case anything starts happening before.

Hoping I won't be turned into a chicken by Sarapis this time. Laying eggs is a pain in the arse.

Your reporter in the field,

- Beya

Sarapis

The Serenade is 36 minutes after your post.

Kyrra

Thanks in advance, Beya!

Aktillum

Zomg is it Serenade time yet.

Azor

Refresh refresh refresh

Mishgul

rustle

Beya

The earth shakes with an all-consuming crash of thunder, dwarfing mundane 

sounds for a brief moment in its tide of supernatural fury.

[A bit of atmosphere for you.]

Asmodron

I LOVE YOU BEYA YOU BASTARD

Beya

A distant song wafts past your ears; a perfect melody that enchants and 

captivates. You close your eyes for a moment to savour the Orphean serenade. 

When it finally ends, you open your eyes and regretfully return to surroundings

mundane in comparison.

[Deep breath, everyone. Here we go. This post will be edited as the new events unfold.]

[00:10, still holding my breath.]

[Reports coming in that Ormyrr have surrounded Shallam from the North and West (Jaru)]

[Ormyrr in Pash valley]

[Thanks to Cooper: Ormyrr at Shallam's gates. Shallam getting ready to push forwards. Mhaldor waiting outside alongside the Ormyrr]

Plunging his claws deep into Draekar's viscera, a muscular ormyrr rips the life

out of his victim.

Plunging his claws deep into Adalie's viscera, a muscular ormyrr rips the life 

out of his victim.

Impaled upon the bardiche of an ormyrr guard, Zuko rasps his last breaths and 

dies.

Raising his voice in frenetic praise, an ormyrr priest has brought Sothantos to

a gory death.

Xer has been slain by the might of Protector Kendrick, Protege of Sir Aximand.

Lodi has been slain by the might of Cooper Ravenwind.

 

[The battle rages]

Plunging his claws deep into Gwawr's viscera, a muscular ormyrr rips the life 

out of his victim.

Impaled upon the bardiche of an ormyrr guard, Gwawr rasps her last breaths and 

dies.

Impaled upon the bardiche of an ormyrr guard, Zinka rasps her last breaths and 

dies.

[Unconfirmed reports of Dala'myrr under Shallam]

[Cooper: Shallam has killed first wave of Ormyrr, skirmishing Mhaldor. About to take on second group]

[Cooper: Second and third group of ormyrr down.]

[I'm sending scouts into the city to report directly from the area and investigate claims of Dala'myrr under the city.]

Plunging his claws deep into Siyad's viscera, a muscular ormyrr rips the life 

out of his victim.

Raising his voice in frenetic praise, an ormyrr priest has brought Udyr to a 

gory death.

Cain has been slain by the might of General Earionduil Moliuvia.

Cain has been slain by the might of Jarrod Lucoster, Instrument of Decay.

[On the dala'myrr, rumblings were heard from beneath the earth - people have assumed the noises to be dala'myrr. No confirmed sightings.]

Blood-red fog twists and roils in the skies above Mhaldor, shaping into the 

cruel visage of Sartan, the Malevolent.

Thousands of daemons howl and shriek as Sartan, the Malevolent roars above the 

cacophony, "Your Gods are dead and gone, Shallam. The Jade Empress has shown 

Her true colour. Whose creed will you blindly recite now?"

 

Magelord Veldrin Crescent Concordia booms from near the heights of attainment, 

"The one as always, the one of Light."

 

The voice of the dragon Patriarch Kard Silvertongue, Mace of Justice thunders, 

"The ideals we will always follow. Are You surprised at their power?"

 

Thousands of daemons howl and shriek as Sartan, the Malevolent roars above the 

cacophony, "Predictable as always, you spout hollow drivel, even with no patron

to protect you."

 

Sir Ariye Draekar Rian, Phaestean Knight's Herculean voice booms, "Ironic."

 

Thousands of daemons howl and shriek as Sartan, the Malevolent roars above the 

cacophony, "Now begins your instruction in the Seven Truths."

Aktillum

itstimeitstimeitstime

Favonius

The columns of ormyrr slowly descending on Shallam during the day have certainly helped add to the atmosphere of impending doom!

Beya

Sapience shudders and heaves as something massive moves beneath the surface.

[The rumours! They're true!]

 

The voice of the dragon Patriarch Kard Silvertongue, Mace of Justice thunders, 

"Those lies? Spew them to your own citizens. We have no need of their 

nonsense."

The baleful chuckle of the god Bal'met rumbles from someplace unseen, but is 

soon cut off by the ferocious roar of the undead dragon Sycaerunax, who 

descends from the stormy skies to sweep over the continent of Sapience.

 

Raising his voice in frenetic praise, an ormyrr priest has brought Mimi to a 

gory death.

 

Broad shadows darken the central continent as Sycaerunax, Father of Dragons, 

glides upon his enormous wings, joined by a trio of colossal Dala'myrr that 

swim through the air with slow, sinuous movements.

 

Large, dark shadows pass overhead as Sycaerunax and the Dala'myrr turn to the 

southeast, skimming low above the Siroccian Mountains, the bright domes of 

Shallam gleaming in their eyes.

The voice of the dragon Aktillum thunders, "You fly through the Skylord's 

domain, and you underestimate the willpower of mortal Freedom."

 

The ground trembles, and an enormous Dala'myrr breaks through the earth's crust

at the foothills of the Siroccian Mountains with a keening cry. A moment later 

it dives back into the ground, disappearing in a cacophonic rumble that fades 

as the wyrm burrows.

[Scout in Shallam: Just saw Zuko passing with an herald garbed in Shallam livery in tow.]

The skeletal wings of Sycaerunax cast a long shadow over Shallam as the Father 

of Dragons bears down upon the city.

[Scout in Shallam: "Corporal Cazin yells, "Guards! Man the ramparts! Man the 

catapults! Protect the Jewel!""]

Chord

Highlight so far:
You see Champion Salik Rian yell, "Do Lord Sartan really believe in the seven lies?"

*giggle*

Beya

With a brassy roar, Sycaerunax unleashes a massive blast of flame into the 

heart of Shallam.

 

Raising his voice in frenetic praise, an ormyrr priest has brought Cooper to a 

gory death.

 

Plunging his claws deep into Cooper's viscera, a muscular ormyrr rips the life 

out of his victim.

 

Raising his voice in frenetic praise, an ormyrr priest has brought Delphinus to

a gory death.

 

Plunging his claws deep into Shandrala's viscera, a muscular ormyrr rips the 

life out of his victim.

 

A raging inferno of caesious flames slams into the University, and the massive 

domed amphitheatre explodes, sending a shockwave of power rippling outward from

the blast.

Taking the brunt of the explosion, the gilded alchemy tower quickly succumbs, 

collapsing where it stands. A wave of etheric energy joins the dust and debris 

choking the air, momentarily drowning out all sound and causing the city to 

waver like a distant mirage.

A flock of paradise birds takes to the skies over Shallam, their wings carrying

them swiftly away from the devastation unfolding within the Jewel's boundaries.

A monstrous Dala'myrr surges up from the ground in the Shamtota Hills and 

presses forward towards Shallam, hulking legs moving it overland with 

surprising swiftness.

The Dala'myrr collides into the city wall in an explosion of stone and mortar. 

Undeterred by the flimsy defense, the creature barrels down Kashshi Way and the

two glittering domes at its centre.

Mishgul

Beya said:

With a brassy roar, Sycaerunax unleashes a massive blast of flame into the 

heart of Shallam.

 

Beya

Slamming into the southernmost dome with staggering force, the wyrm screeches 

with terrible anger, finding it unnaturally reinforced. Turning, the creature 

redoubles its efforts upon the northern vestibule.

In a shower of precious metals and stained glass the Shallam Museum collapses, 

reduced to little more than splinters, burying the priceless artefacts within. 

The Dala'myrr keens in triumph and dives into the earth, leaving little more 

than rubble to mark its passing.

Kotos has been slain by the might of an alert deer.

[Thought this was funny in amongst the flood of Ormyrr deaths]

A colossal Dala'myrr explodes from the bedrock of the city, sending debris 

hurling into the street. The wrym unleashes a cacophonic screech before diving 

back underground.

A dozen fleeing Shallamese citizens have been swallowed by a sinkhole created 

by the Dala'myrr.

[For those that have thought about withdrawing gold from the Shallamese bank, it's locked. Lost an awful lot of good people to that mistake.]

The undead Father of Dragons alights upon one of Shallam's gleaming domes, 

smashing it apart and devouring the citizens who took refuge there.

Sycaerunax banks and heads directly for the great glass dome at the heart of 

the estate of the Crystalline Circle.

 

Wings folded back to gather speed, he rakes the top of it with his enormous 

claws, collapsing the dome on top of itself in a riot of exploding, shattering 

glass.

The skeletal wings of Sycaerunax cast a long shadow over Shallam as the Father 

of Dragons bears down upon the city.

Beya

The Pillars of the Sentaari Colosseum shake and begin to tumble as the ground 

underneath heaves to and fro.

Tucking his wings tight against his body, Sycaerunax dives into the city to 

pluck up a guard, effortlessly gutting him in the air before flinging him to 

the ground to die.

Roaring in triumph, Sycaerunax descends on the Silverdrop Inn, tearing the 

structure apart with his claws and burning it with gouts of green flame.

 

A Magus of the Guard is devoured by Sycaerunax.

Sceolan has been slain by the might of an alert deer.

[Starting to see a pattern now.]

The guards and patrons of the Silverdrop Inn have died in terrifying agony, 

being crushed by falling timbers and burned by dragonfire.

 

The voice of the dragon Prythe Lanthe, Crith Fraoli thunders, "Run, Chef, Run! 

Lucine will protect you!"

An orphan girl, fleeing for her life, has been incinerated by a breath of 

unclean green fire from the maw of the Father of Dragons.

 

Tucking his wings tight against his body, Sycaerunax dives into the city to 

pluck up a guard, effortlessly gutting him in the air before flinging him to 

the ground to die.

A fleeing Shallamite baker has become a tasty snack for a Dala'myrr.

 

Circling around the walls of Shallam, Sycaerunax focuses upon a lavish tower 

overlooking the Peshwar Delta. With a single beat of his leathery wings he 

twists in the air and releases a focused stream of flame, setting wood and 

gardens ablaze.

Raging through the tower with terrifying speed, reflected firelight shines 

through the smouldering remains of the city, cast through the brilliant shards 

of multi-coloured glass that make up the Dawnstriders' estate.

Lashing out with his mighty tail, Sycaerunax tires of the display and sweeps 

the entire edifice into the doomed city, spraying shards of glass and shining 

filigree upon the ruined streets.

Lys

Thank you, Beya.  Cannot take off from work so close to finals.

Beya

A thick plume of dust drifts noxiously upwards from the eastern section of 

Shallam, swiftly followed by the hulking colossus of a huge Dala'myrr breaking 

through the stone streets and soaring momentarily into the sky above.

Arcing viciously downwards, the Dala'myrr smashes into the stone roofing of the

Medina, destroying it before disappearing once more under the maze of streets.

 

A blinding flash of light splits open the sky, heralding a forking bolt of 

amethyst lightning that crawls to the earth below before flaring, discharging 

the foul power that seethes high above.

With a tortured scream of stone and wood the Medina concedes defeat, shops and 

stalls splintering into dust under the destructive path of the Dala'myrr.

Salik has perished, having been cruelly split open and pinned to the ground by 

Sartan, the Malevolent.

Salik has perished, having been cruelly split open and pinned to the ground by 

Sartan, the Malevolent.

With a ferocious roar, Sycaerunax alights upon the emerald spire of the Citadel

of Light.

[Scout: Sir Gladius yells, "Keep your wits about you!"]

Wrapping his massive body around the dim peak, Sycaerunax slowly squeezes the 

edifice, and countless cracks begin to appear in the structure under the 

relentless pressure.

 

[Scout: "Sir Gladius yells, "This is Shallam, damn it, and we will 

not go quietly into the night! Ensure the civilians are saved! Rescue all who 

will come!""]

 

The sound of cracking crystal rents the air as the graceful spire of the 

citadel swiftly succumbs to Sycaerunax's onslaught.

 

[Scout: "Siyad yelling about providing evacuation."]

 

Plunging his claws deep into Shandria's viscera, a muscular ormyrr rips the 

life out of his victim.

 

Unable to withstand the crushing pressure Sycaerunax brought to bear, the 

Citadel of Light explodes in a storm of emerald glass shards that blankets 

Shallam.

 

[Scout: "Sir Gladius yells, "FLEE THE CITADEL.""]

Jonathin

This is actually kind of stupid. I'm sorry, admin, but a dragon just flying around and ripping apart the city is boring. I am pretty biased though.

Beya

Perishing along with her charges, Earda has been slain, her body lacerated 

while shielding her children from a rain of falling glass within the Citadel of

Shallam.

 

Several Dala'myrr descend from the clouds above the Putoran Hills, swimming 

through the air toward Shallam Road. Their hungry mandibles skewer the fleeing 

citizens of the Jewel, painting the walls of the city with the spattered blood 

of their victims.

Smoke billows from the Peshwar Delta as another Shallamese building collapses 

under the harsh ministrations of the Dala'myrr.

[About time Shallam was destroyed. Not enough things made of stygian, and not enough flowerpots]

[Scout: "Lots of tremors"]

Several Dala'myrr descend from the clouds above the Putoran Hills, swimming 

through the air toward Shallam Road. Their hungry mandibles skewer the fleeing 

citizens of the Jewel, painting the walls of the city with the spattered blood 

of their victims.

Smoke billows from the Peshwar Delta as another Shallamese building collapses 

under the harsh ministrations of the Dala'myrr.

[My scout had to withdraw to escape the destruction]

Sycaerunax roars out a challenge from his perch in the clouds, a sound that 

fills your ears and rattles your bones.

Locked in battle with the ormyrr, officers of the Shallam city guard perish one

by one outside the northern gates of the city, buying time for the citizens to 

evacuate.

The continent groans and shudders, the earth beneath your feet protesting down 

to its very bedrock as the enormous strain building underneath the Jewel of the

East reaches a tipping point.

With an enormous crash, the few shining domes that remain above Shallam 

disappear from sight as the earth beneath the city abruptly drops away.

Beya

Smoke billows from the Peshwar Delta as another Shallamese building collapses 

under the harsh ministrations of the Dala'myrr.

 

The sound of stone grating against stone cries out, loud and hideous. Shallam's

war-torn buildings collapse in response, their foundations giving way beneath 

them. As the structures fall, the panicked cries of citizens trapped within the

growing rubble mix in with the geological cacophony.

 

Impaled upon the bardiche of an ormyrr guard, Kii rasps her last breaths and 

dies.

 

Plunging his claws deep into Kii's viscera, a muscular ormyrr rips the life out

of his victim.

 

His body pierced in a dozen places by the foul arts of the ormyrr, Pericles, 

Captain of the Shallamese Guard has fallen in battle against the foe.

 

Impaled upon the bardiche of an ormyrr guard, Erikka rasps her last breaths and

dies.

Ellodin Longshanks, Magistrar of Battle's Carmian voice resonates, "No! 

Pericles!"

 

The sea joins in the clamour of destruction, its rushing tides sweeping into 

the sinking city.

 

The salty waters of the ocean rush over the Peshwar Delta, reaching the walls 

of the Jewel of the East with startling speed.

Druidess Dida Lighthawk shouts, "Divines of Sapience, will You stand for this? 

Do something, as we mortals seems to be powerless!"

Thousands of daemons howl and shriek as Sartan, the Malevolent roars above the 

cacophony, "I am. Laughing."

Beya

The salty waters of the ocean rush over the Peshwar Delta, enveloping the Jewel

of the East beneath frothing whitecaps with startling speed.

Ravaged by wyrms of sky and stone, the once-radiant domes of the Jewel sink 

into the watery embrace of the sea, and the City of Shallam passes into the 

history.

Sir Agrias de Feura, the Charlatan shouts, "A pleasure to meet you. I am 

Agrias."

[Not sure what this was about.]

[Cooper: Shallam in the process of caving in. Ormyrr everywhere. Mhaldor 

ganking people left and right. We've been evacuating every denizen we could. 

Guards buying us time for this.]

Kelandra Lichlord shouts, "All Hail Lord Sartan!"

[Reports coming in that all of the Shallamese have lost their citizenship.]

Grand Mistress Akia Yusef shouts, "I hope you Shallamese have stocked up on 

prickly pear."

[Shallam's CT gone. Defence clan is now renamed 'refugees of Shallam']

[City scrolls no longer exist.]

Hellrazor Cain de Soulis, Mhaldorian Warlord shouts, "See Shallam, this is why 

you should have not stolen my embers."

The voice of the dragon Jarrod Lucoster, Instrument of Decay thunders, "If you 

hadn't stolen them, he might have stayed in Mhaldor during the destruction, 

instead of on clouds."

Saibel

This is fairly exciting to watch. Saw the announce while in class earlier. Whee.

Aktillum

Why's it always Shallam getting blown up. We're like the red-headed stepchild of IRE games.

Katia

Hashan got blown up before too. Also... is it done now.. can I go to bed?

Beya

A small xoran community of fishers and reed-weavers has been inundated by the 

tidal wave emanating from the submersion of Shallam, each one of them drowned 

and washed away to float upon the briny deep.

[Refugees of Shallam are protecting Jaru from the Ormyrr]

[The road into Shallam is gone.]

A blinding flash of light splits open the sky, heralding a forking bolt of 

amethyst lightning that crawls to the earth below before flaring, discharging 

the foul power that seethes high above.

Veldrin has been consumed by the fires of a primal ember.

[About time.]

[Reports coming in that Cyrene are taking in the refugees of the sunken city.]

[Portal from the ring of portals has been closed off after being flooded out. The city is unreachable by any mortal.]

(Newbie): Romeo says, "Having a house can be a great help, try doing HOUSE LIST

<CLASS>, HELP HOUSES, or HELP HOUSE <SHORT NAME> to learn more."

 

(Newbie): Beya says, "Romeo, that's mean."

[Cooper: Clearing Ormyrr, considering where to put the refugees]

[Concerns are being raised regarding people that spent millions of gold and hundreds of credits on houses in the subdivision. Rumours have it that they might be reimbursed with the room credits and customisations]

Tarkanian

does that mean i lose my enemy status to shallam and the crystalline too?

Ephram

Katia said:

Hashan got blown up before too. Also... is it done now.. can I go to bed?

I kinda hope not. The idea that all the gods are sitting idly by watching without doing anything, even if they're not good-aligned, is... questionable, at best.

Mayapple

Beya said:

A small xoran community of fishers and reed-weavers has been inundated by the 

tidal wave emanating from the submersion of Shallam, each one of them drowned 

and washed away to float upon the briny deep.

Nooooo

Katia

Yes, I am no longer enemied to shallam or any of it's houses.. or gods.. this is one way to lose all my enemy statuses I guess