War of the Burning Sky: The Scouring of Gate Pass

[Fax Celestis]

Helionaluxis and the new woman get Lyanne and Cyrick to snap out of their panics. Varcolac is shaken, but remains in a modicum of control. But where the party is now not in a state of panic, the rest of the mob is. From atop a rampart, a guard screams and dives into the crowd below, not rising to his feet as far as any of you can see.

Several bodies from both wyvern- and griffin-riders, burning from the dragon's breath, plummet into the mob, crushing several under their dead weight.

Torrent shakes her head and yells over the din. "See that tower?" she says, pointing to a tower on the other side of the mob and the gate. "That's where we're going. The problem is now going to be getting there."

[Mike_Lemmer]

Helionaluxis

Helionaluxis looks around. "Where did Sovorian go..."

He'll have to take care of himself for now. It's too dangerous out here to stick around for long.

She looks above to make sure nothing else is falling from above, then looks at the others.

"Are we just going to push through the mob, or does someone have a better plan?"

She looks at the new woman, observing her for a moment before she speaks again. "What about you?"

[The_Snark]

"I'd rather not be sticking around here either, I think." The red-haired woman regards them steadily by turns. "Or did you mean, do I had a way of getting through the crowd?" She looks at the mass of people. "I suppose we could try to frighten our way through people, but I don't know if it would work any better than bludgeoning our way through." She has a spear on her back, tucked over a pack, but apparently she doesn't think much of the second option, because she doesn't make any move towards it.

[Proven_Paradox]

Cyrick snaps out of his panic, and immediately his expression darkens. He says nothing to the others as he takes a look around, trying to spot an alternate route, the shame in his eyes deepening with each death he spies that he can do nothing to prevent.

[Mike_Lemmer]

Helionaluxis

"It may come to that. They might clear out if they can get through the gate."

Helionaluxis looks at Varcolac as she places a hand on Cyrick's shoulder.

"Do you think you can ride to the gate and get it open?"

[Proven_Paradox]

Cyrick flinches away from Helion's touch, but at her query, he nods hesitantly. "I think so, aye," he shouts to be heard.

[Fax Celestis]

The mob does not appear to be going anywhere anytime soon, at least as long as the gate remains closed.

[kamikasei]

"I'll help at the gate. The guards may well see the merit of the idea with little persuasion, but if not or of they've fled too, we'll need muscle there." Lyanne looks from Varcolac, to her mount, to Cyrick and Helionaluxis. "Do you mean to take this beast there? It might help part the crowd, but its load will be at some risk."

[Mike_Lemmer]

Helionaluxis

"Would you rather go through it on foot?"

[kamikasei]

"If we keep a tight formation and stick together, yes, I would. These people are panicked beyond self-preservation, if we try to push through with the insect many of them will likely end up trampled, either by us or by others trying to flee us." Lyanne isn't looking at Helionaluxis as she speaks; she's eying the walls around them, giving her points the air of thoughts spoken aloud. "...Of course, if we could disperse the crowd altogether first, before trying to push through it at all... That ridiculous feat of climbing you pulled off back there, could you do it again, perhaps get to the gate that way?"

[Mike_Lemmer]

Helionaluxis

Helionaluxis shakes her head as she pulls out her shield.

"I can only do it once a day. It will not help us here."

She looks around for anyone else trying to calm down or disperse the crowd, like lone soldiers.

[Shiny, Bearer of the Pokystick]

Varcolac

"I don't have any real objections to trying to scatter them. Lacrolus here can be very unnerving if you're not used to him. And I doubt we can trample them any faster than they're trampling themselves."

She pats the creature's wide abdomen affectionately.

[Proven_Paradox]

At the talk of trampling bystanders, Cyrick shakes his head. "There must be a better way." He continues looking around, searching for a backalley or another way around the mob.

[Mike_Lemmer]

Helionaluxis

If Cyrick can't find an alternate way around within a few moments:

Helionaluxis grabs Cyrick's arm and turns him around to face her.

"If we open that gate, they'll disperse. Let's push through; our delay is costing lives."

Helionaluxis readies her shield.

"Shields and strongarms on the edge, vulnerables inside. Let's push."

If everyone else joins in, Helionaluxis begins pushing her way through the crowd once everyone's ready.

(Aura: Switched to Fast Healing 2 to mend anyone down nearby without stopping.)

[kamikasei]

"I suppose Lacrolus will have to get to the gate one way or another," Lyanne muses.

With a glance up to the sky in the direction the dragon passed, she steps up beside Helionaluxis, gesturing towards Cyrick to take point between them. "We'll try to break a trail for you to follow," she tells Varcolac. "Just be careful of what you're carrying. The rest of you, I suggest you get between us and Varcolac. Everyone stick together - if you can get a grip on one another, all the better."

[The_Snark]

The red-haired woman glances towards the crowd as if considering; then, she shrugs, pulling the spear from her back and hefting it with the point up in the air and the butt out. She takes a spot on the side—there really doesn't seem to be much room anywhere else, and although she's slender, she looks to have a wiry sort of strength.

[Fax Celestis]

Spoiler

Show

Sorry everyone. I hate this season, and it's hating me right back. I'll try to be less of a flake than I have been. In the meantime...

The group manages to push their way through the mob with little difficulty, though there are a few moments when things get a bit intense. You find the guard you saw fall from the rampart earlier, but he doesn't appear to have made it. You're not sure if it was the fall or the subsequent trampling that did it. He does, however, have a keyring on his belt, one of which fits into the gatehouse door that's locked not fifteen feet from his body.

You grab the keys and open the door to find a timid man in a guard uniform trembling in a corner of the small room. To his left is a winch system that looks like it'll open the gate. He stands when you enter, and says, "Hey, you can't be in here!"

Looks like he just remembered his duties.

[Mike_Lemmer]

Helionaluxis

Helionaluxis stares at the timid man.

"The crowd outside will crush itself to death unless it can flee through the gate. Either you, or we, are opening that gate."

Diplomacy, Aid Another: +2 to Cyrick's Diplomacy roll
Diplomacy (Aid Another) (1d20+4=15)

If the guard still refuses to let us open the gate after a Diplomacy check:

Helionaluxis steps towards the guard, towering even further above him.

"The first duty of any city guard is to safeguard its citizens! If you refuse to do even that, then get out of the way for someone who will!"

Intimidation check: 13
Intimidation check (1d20+9=13)

[Proven_Paradox]

If there's a window that looks down to the other side of the gate, Cyrick will look out of it to make sure nothing nasty awaits the people below should the gate be opened.

Assuming there's nothing there--

Cyrick looks the man over and steps forward after Helionaluxis says her share. His voice is intense as he says, "You wear the garb of this city's guard. Tell me, what are your duties here? Are you a guard to protect the people, or to protect this gate? People are dying because this gate remains closed! If you are a guard to protect these people, open the gates so that they may escape! If you are a guard to protect this gate, then step aside and let a protector of the people do what needs to be done!"

Rolls:

Spoiler

Show

Diplomacy: (1d20+7=22) (24 with the aid another from Helionaluxis)
Intimidate: (1d20+7=27) (Only if it's necessary. Also; WOOOOO NAT 20!)

[Fax Celestis]

The man startles at such force, snaps a salute, and throws the mechanism into gear. The doors begin opening, and the mob abates slightly as people find breathing room.

[Mike_Lemmer]

Helionaluxis

Helionaluxis briefly grins at Cyrick, then turns back to the guard.

"We need to pass through them as well. Continue manning the gates once we're gone."

She then tosses him the keys (unless anyone objects) and heads back outside to pass through the gate.

[The_Snark]

A bit of an idealist, the knight, decides the red-haired newcomer as she listens. But not a soldier here, it seems, although the others sound the type... She looks out the window as the gates open, spear leaning against the wall. She watches the crowd begin to flood outwards for a minute, then turns back towards the inside of the room and follows the other woman back outside. "Where are you headed next?"

[Mike_Lemmer]

Helionaluxis

"Out of here, to the south. Somewhere we can prepare to fight back. You plan to come along? If our leader okays it..." She gestures back to Torrent, then leans against the wall and silently watches the crowd disperse below, glancing over at the newcomer occasionally.

[The_Snark]

"If you don't mind." She glances at the white-haired woman indicated. "I'd rather not be travelling alone with an invasion on the way, and south is as good as any other direction for me," she replies.

After a moment, she extends a hand. "Jenair. You?"

[Mike_Lemmer]

Helionaluxis

"Helionaluxis, servant of Bahamut." She takes Jenair's hand and shakes it firmly.

Now that she mentions it, Jenair might notice numerous patches of gold scales scattered across Helionaluxis's skin, especially around the large scars on her arm. She probably also feels a slight tingling when she's around Helionaluxis, like she's radiating magic.

[The_Snark]

Jenair

Jenair returns the firm grip. The red-haired woman has prominent facial features—a strong jaw, a long, narrow nose—and her eyes, upon closer inspection, are almost unnaturally blue, as if the color of her iris has spilled over into her pupils and sclera. Those eyes studiy Helionaluxis with interest, lingering thoughtfully around the scars, although she doesn't ask the obvious question.

[Mike_Lemmer]

Helionaluxis

Helionaluxis's eyes lock on Jenair's, then try to look past them. She follows her gaze down to the scars.

"Dragon claws."

She returns to staring at Jenair's eyes, waiting silently.

[kamikasei]

Lyanne edges up to Torrent and speaks quietly enough that she hopes the new arrival will be unable to hear. "Are you okay with taking her to the rendezvous? We could well use her; Sovorian appears to have been lost in the crush. If you think it's too much of a risk, we can try to shake her, though it'll be harder now that the crowd's dispersed."

Whichever way the cleric answers Lyanne drops back after to walk alongside Helionaluxis and Jenair. Once they appear done with their own introductions she offers her hand to the redhead.

"Lyanne. No one's servant, but I'll have your back so long as we're travelling together."

[The_Snark]

Jenair

Jenair takes the offered hand with a nod of greeting, once again giving a single firm shake, although her hands do not have the calluses common to trained soldiers. She seems to identify with Lyanne's point of view a good bit more, from the look of it. She nods once at Helionaluxis's explanation, with a final glance at the scar, but she does not inquire into it any more, nor does she return the explanation in kind by elaborating on her eyes unasked.

[Mike_Lemmer]

Helionaluxis

Helionaluxis's hands are calloused, rough, and scaly.

Helionaluxis nods at Lyanne's statement. "As will I." She thinks for a moment.

"Don't be alarmed if I breathe fire on you. It won't hurt, I promise." Her stoic expression betrays a sly grin for a split-second.