Six From Gate Pass - A War of the Burning Sky Campaign (3.5)

[digimattic]

Arnir nods his head in agreement with the elder elf "gan gis awey. law ul tr'lh calnor atul vas ca'rey"

then looking at Lars he says "I would join you Lars, if you feel I would not hinder your efforts."

 

[fromage67]

Kirio shakes his head and follows Lars "I'll accompany Lars, best if none of us are alone". with his bow ready he follows the human scanning the crowd for potential threats

then looking at Lars he says "I would join you Lars, if you feel I would not hinder your efforts."

Lars turns back and flashes a grin at Arnir and Kirio, and for a moment, through the dirt and deep shadows under the eyes, and through the hardened features of a difficult life on the streets, the features of a young man, barely out of childhood, become apparent. "You would not hinder me, although, if I must skulk and hide, I will let you know, and we will arrange something. This way." Lars hops away, crossbow still in hand, scanning the street scene ahead, headed in direction of the Gate.

OOC: Lars will stop as soon as he catches sight of the gate as far away as he can, unless some other event occurs beforehand, of course.

 

[Gregor]

Kirio, Lars and Arnir
**************

You walk a few hundred meters away from the burning building where your other party members have stopped to save a woman from a burning building. You near the gate to the next district: a large stone wall with a single arched opening protected by thick wooden doors banded with iron. The doors are open and soldiers patrol the top of the wall. More guards stand by the doorway and try to control the thick throng of civilians who are pressing to get through.

When you arrive, you find yourself quickly caught up in the throng. Civilians push from behind you clamouring: "Out of the way!" and "Please, let me through!" You all feel like you're being pressed into each other and look around nervously. Guards cry out: "Make way! Be calm! All will get through!"

Suddenly, fear rolls across you and the mass of civilians. Your blood runs cold for some reason and you feel like you're on the verge of panicking. "Ilmater save me, what is that in the sky?!" you hear a voice cry out from the crowd.

You look skyward and hundreds of feet up, you see a great crimson shape with massive bat-like wings, a long tail and a wedge-shaped head on a long neck. Each flap of its house-sized wings sound like the sail of a frigate in strong winds.

Suddenly: "ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!!!"

A great bestial cry rips through the air. It is the sound of power and ferocious intensity. It is the primordial sound of a creature who has endured on this plane of existence for centuries. It is the sound of terror and it has caused the civilians to scream in horror.

As it flies out of sight, almost everyone in the crowd panics at the same time, screaming and tearing at each other to flee. One soldier patrolling the gate wall jumps in terror and falls amid the crowd, being trampled to unconsciousness. The throng pushes against you with the force of a river, threatening to grip you in its collective fear and toss you around like driftwood.

Arnir, you stand your ground and face the fear, but Lars and Kirio are gripped by terror and panic. They are carried away in the crowd, screaming for help.

GM: Lars and Kirio, please make Reflex save vs. DC 15 or be trampled by the crowd, dealing 1d6 non-lethal damage

Alric, Bannock, Hrimr and Torrent
*************************

As you prepare the blanket and discuss your course of action, you hear a roar blast through the air. You're too far away from the source to determine its origin and the smoky air blocks out most of your vision beyond a hundred feet or so.

GM: Once Bannock states his action (i.e. if he decides to assist with the plan to convince the woman to jump and then catch her with the blanket), we will play out this event. You are also a few hundred metres from Kirio, Lars and Arnir so you're unable to directly participate in their events.

 

[funkmamagoat]

Kirio looks up at the ancient creature and is gripped with a cold fear the likes of which he has never experienced in his 214 years..., he is slowly pummeled as he is pulled along by the sea of terrified humans; he receives an elbow to the nose from a terrified man trying to free himself from the throng; somehow someone he does not even see kicks him in the groin as they are pulled down; a woman falling behind him reaches out and tears her nails down his arm in a desperate bid to stay upright...

 

[fromage67]

Lars takes in the huge red shape flying overhead, a nightmare made real. Fear like he hasn't felt since he was a lonely child trying to survive on the streets grips him. All thoughts of gnomes and military intelligence are swept away as he struggles to stay upright and tries to head for cover.

Even though he is buffeted by the many bodies around him, he manages to vault over a few unfortunates and finds a dark safer place in an alley. His heart hammers in his chest as he waits for the dragon to be far, far away.

 

[digimattic]

Arnir stands helplessly as his friends are swept away in the throng of madness, taking a step back to survey the situation. He gazes up at the massive beast and resting on his bow he offers up a simple prayer

"Mother Mystra give me the power and the knowledge to survive this city. Let your mysteries be known to me and let your power flow through me."

Raising again he surveys the beast in detail, hoping to recall something about it.

 

[Gregor]

[sblock="What Arnir knows"]

Perhaps this is an area of interest for you, given the hide on your bow, or maybe you recount this information from musty tomes and scrolls during your arcane training, but you recognize the unmistakable beast as a Red Dragon.

You are familiar with these creatures up to the age of 'juvenile' which are significantly brighter in colour, smaller and therefore younger than the one that just flew overhead. However, a juvenile would have little problem in making a meal of you and your party. Red Dragons can breathe terrible cones of fire from their mouths and are capable of casting divine spells through arcane methods.

Red Dragons are arrogant and lust after treasure. Given their confidence in their own powers, they generally consider themselves to be above all other beasts. If the Dragon is here as a result of the Ragesians, or at their whim, it is likely that vast power and resources are being used to ensure its cooperation.

Given the size of the Dragon over Gate Pass, you are of the belief that it likely has additional power beyond your current understanding.

[/sblock]

 

[Bannock]

Bannock remained with Torrent and Hrimr to lend his strength to aiding the woman. He has grabbed hold of the blanket, but also looks up at the facade of the burning building to determine if he could climb up the side and pull the woman out the window if need be.

 

[The Bashar]

Hrimr touches Alric and Bannock on the arm and whispers something in Dwarven. They both feel a bit more confident in the next thing they do.

OOC: I cast guidance on Alric, Bannock, and myself. You guys will get +1 to the next attack, skill, or saving throw roll.

He then looks up to the woman in the window and yells:

"WOMAN JUMP! WE WILL CATCH YOU IN THE BLANKET!!!"

 

[Adjuntive]

Alric chuckles bitterly to himself for a moment, savouring the ridiculousness of standing in a besieged city, potentially besieged by huge monsters, trying to save a single woman, by standing beside a burning building with a blanket. If he wasn't terrified for his life, he'd drink to that.

He then looks up at the woman and calls to her:

Come now lass! Jump to us. We'll catch you and you'll be alright.