Chapter 6: The Hunter and the Prey

Naucans

Seeing the city guard break ranks does wonders for the residents of the Green and their willingness to run for the gates, especially when Coreene offers to lead. Minama stares wide-eyed at the fire monster and tightens her grip around Coreene's neck. One of the halflings near to Coreene looks up at the girl with a kind smile, patting her dangling foot, and says, "Don't worry, dear. We're all together, we're going to be just fine."

There are few stragglers for Verrian to wrangle. Say one thing for the average halfling -- when the group decides on a course of action, the individuals tend to follow along in an orderly fashion. Most everyone moves at a good clip toward the main gate, a few slower people suffering from physical ailments or carrying too many possessions lag behind, but they're moving along steadily.

The towering fire monster falters in its progress through the burning city, turning slowly this way and that as it bellows an inhuman roar. You can't see what might be distracting it, but you watch as it raises a massive clawed hand in a fist and pounds it to the ground near to it. Even from here, you can feel the ground tremble, resonating from the thundering blow.

I have moved swarms of bees with less trouble.

Thanks for that. But I think it would be better to save those spells until we are under direct attack.

Wil keeps an eye on the fire creatures and another on the advancing hole in the ground and, however improbable it seems, one eye on the crowd.

Now is the time to run. We are less than a mile from the gate. Once we are out of the town we will be safe.

Gods, I hope we will be safe when we get out of town.

It's gratifying that Verrian doesn't have to ride herd on the halflings to keep them moving. For those who are carrying too much to be quick, she shares her strong suggestion that they get their priorities in line and drop whatever is slowing them down. She still stays back to look out for the ones who are slowed by infirmities.
The distraction of the fire monster is a mixed blessing for Verrian; it means her halfling charges have a greater chance of all making it to the gate, but it also suggests that the rest of her friends might be in greater peril.

Regardless, there is nothing else she can do but to continue making sure this group of halflings gets out of Hara.

Everyone: Keep moving! Don't stop to look around. We must get through the gate!

Irist ignites a flurry of artificial flames on her body. That.....would have been a smarter way to go last time. She uses "message" to help get her point across as she stands amid the running chaos.

Friends, please! She did not understand! Let us leave this place safely and we will be no more trouble to you! Or if you know where your leader wants to claim as his land, please! Help guide us to a location that he doesn't desire!

Swan, now balancing a very large ornate bird cage in one hand and somehow now has a whip in the other, rushes over at starts cracking the whip near Ember. "Yah, move along, git!" He yells, peeking through the bird cage as an angry cockatiel snaps at his nose. "Oh, Ember, sorry. Do you need more water?"

Ember's pouting face could kill a man, but Uelten can't see it. She takes the hint and starts running again.

What exactly is the plan for when we get out of here, eh? Land is connected! Fire spreads!

Party People

Ember's message to the elementals seems to have little or no effect on their mood or interest in the party. After a few moments of study, they all race off to aid their cohorts in their orgy of destruction, gleefully tearing apart whatever structures they can find and setting them aflame.

With no other reason to stick around, the mass of humanity races toward the Silver Gate. The street opens up into a broad square, which once upon a time must have been a nearly palatial park. There are groves of trees, though still only starting to get their leaves, a series of cleverly connected ponds and streams, graceful archways and footbridges. Pip launches himself from Elora's shoulder and flits excitedly to land on one of the tree branches, chirping merrily as he hops from one branch to another with his usual short attention span.

Across the square, you can see the Silver Gate. True to its name, the towers that hold the gates themselves are dark stone inlaid with swirling abstract patterns of silver that glint dully in the distant firelight. The gate itself is closed, and appears to be unguarded.

Naucans

It is not far to the main gate of the city. The gates themselves stand open. Coreene knows that normally they would have been closed by now on a regular day, but it's likely that the growing fire has thrown normal activities for a loop.

The city square here is not exactly empty -- there are a few city guards that are still fleeing from the fire monster -- but it appears that the path to the gate lies open and unobstructed.

Coreene continues the charge, but keeps her eyes open. They're almost out of the city, almost to the relative safety outside of the walls. She couldn't let anything stop them now.

"Oh, Pip do be careful! But take anything that looks useful, only this once! I fear this locale will soon be reduced to ashes." Elora has to shout over the roar of the crowds. Drawing her attention to Ember again Elora points at the gate. "We're almost there, thank the moon. Ember, could you maybe not give the illusion of self-immolation? Not that it bothers me! But I think some of the crowd are getting a bit antsy..."

How....on earth are you so well-spoken when we're about to die? Ember stares at Elora disbelieving (and a little impressed) as she dispels the illusions on her skin.

"Don't say that! And I'm not the one trying to command fire elementals!" Elora replies with noticeable distress across her face.

Naucans

Something about the square makes Coreene's skin prickle, and she stops to take a careful look around. Darkened corners, alleyways, rooftops, she studies them all with a discerning eye. As best as she can see, there's nothing lying in wait here. She can hear the distant sounds of people shouting, presumably about the fire, but nothing that would seem to be a threat, immediate or otherwise.

The way forward seems to lay wide open after all.

Party People

Pip chirps a few more times, swoops down to the ground beneath his tree, and picks something up in his beak.

He flits back to Elora's shoulder once again, offering her the trinket he's picked up. It's... a sparrow feather. It could have from a sparrow just like him. It doesn't otherwise seem particularly noteworthy, but Elora can tell that he's pleased with himself for bringing it back to her.

Some of the people rush forward for the gate, shouting that they'll get it open if they have to break it down themselves.

Careful not to draw attention to herself, or the large group of halflings about to exit the city, she shares with as many as she can reach, @Everyone:: "The way ahead is clear! Come! We have almost reached the gates!"
She continues to keep her eyes peeled, not wanting anything to catch them unawares.

Ember grumbles at Elora, though she knows she's right.

Would'a been really cool if it worked.

Still bringing up the rear of the halfling crowd, Verrian follows them all as they enter the town square, chiding anyone who is still trying to carry too much and helping along anyone with physical ailments. All the while, she shares equal parts encouragement and exhortations to keep moving, don't stop.

Coreene seems to be convinced the square is free of threats, so Verrian follows without much trepidation. Nevertheless, she scans the area as they go.

Don't rush the gates, we will just get bunched up behind them. Calm will serve us best.

"I'm sure it would, but we'll have to wait till later okay?" Elora responds, not wanting to snuff out Ember's hopes and dreams.

"Good job Pip." Elora stashes the feather. Whether she is doing so simply to satisfy Pip or for some ulterior reason is a mystery.

Hearing Wil's call, Yelnar arrives near the gate and puts down a struggling elderly halfling so that he can assess the situation.

As soon as he hits the ground, the halfling turns and kicks Yelnar in his heavily armored shin, saying "I told you I am not a baby and do not require your assistance, you oaf!", then storms off.

Yelnar blinks quizzically, before shrugging his shoulders and taking a look at the gate. Yelnar looks a bit frazzled, and you get the strong sense Yelnar has been stretched a bit past the limits of his social repertoire trying to help hurry people along in the rearguard.

Party People

Yelnar recognizes the stone towers here as made of a type of stone common in this area, but the silver threaded throughout could only have been accomplished by magical means. Probably valuable once upon a time, but it's hard to imagine who would pay for such a thing in these times of scarcity. A closer look at the gates demonstrates that they are barred from this side, but do not appear to be locked. They are in some degree of disrepair, as many things are, but some of the townsfolk say that they have seen them open from time to time. Not many people go in and out through this gate any more. With people working together, it should be relatively straightforward to open them.

Behind you, from the way you came, you can still hear the shrill cries and howls of the fire elementals and their widening swath of destruction moving through the city, but they don't sound as though they are approaching you at any significant speed. They may be satisfied with the fuel they have at their disposal currently.