*Lurien looks up, into the rolling smoke, into the clouds, up at the twisting incomprehensible shapes of the City before him, his feet sunk into the soft ground, his own blood still staining it. his hand strays to his chest where he swears he can still feel the blade of the Steelwyrm pierce his shell. he had been afraid then, he is afraid now, of the same thing yes, but there is one key difference. last time he had something to defend. last time he was alone. last time he had not accepted the truth of his situation
now... he has nothing he needs to protect, no frail failing body to put behind his back. he has allies. he has accepted his fate and the fate of all things and... he isn't afraid of the Steelwyrm. or his armies. or his city. or anything else. there is no way he can lose. no way he can't win. he turns slightly, looking over his allies gathered in the scarce comfort of their camp... there is no going back...
he strolls up to the edge of the overhang, his cloak fluttering behind him in the too warm breeze blowing by, his voice sails upon it, loud. clear. commanding*
Allies of Hallownest! The time is upon us! The towering structure of metal and suffering before you is none other than the fabled City of Steel; a cruel invention of the Steelwyrm, the very city we intend to see felled! Our mission, simple as it may seem, will be dangerous! Those of you who will not be drawing blade, drawing nail or pin or claw or weapon of any kind, you've the task of taking out any external weapons the city has that you can see from a distance or, if the task suits, some may join us within to disable traps and weapons within!
We must be quick, we must be brutal, but we must also show mercy to the slave bugs I have been warned of withing for they have committed no crime, in fact, I do plan to liberate those slaves if we are able! stars above know that Hallownest needs more bugs
We will fight! And we will win! ...Let's move...
*Lurien has only just barely finished his speech when series of loud booming... shots? gun shots? fire off close by and he has but a moment to dodge out of the way to avoid being hit*
[Lurien rolls 3d20 to defend: 14, 17, 19 = 50!]
*from the dust and steam rising from the landscape a large shape emerges. its body is long, smooth and slivery, equipped with a long segmented tail not unlike a scorpion and two large pincers. it moves with clanking grinding metal limbs and absolutely is not a real living bug. the City of Steel is well defended, and its gate guard has deemed it suitable to welcome its visitors...*