OK, so let's assume we walk on smaller roads, Vanyra and me maybe skipping along the rooftops to guide the way, staying in touch with Myria mentally to guide Myria, Qwe and Yuu around road blocks etc. Towards the next exit of the city. Let us know if something happens and what the general scene is we see.

So just wondering in what basic direction you guys hope to exit the city; the choices are North, West or South.

Travelling north would take you towards the wealthier area of the city and the noble district, which I can imagine Yuu and Qwe would like to avoid for now.

Travelling west is probably the shortest route out of the city for you, and would deposit you on a road leading inland.

Travelling south will take you down through the harbour and some of the merchant districts, and then possibly some middle and lower class neighbourhoods. Eventually you could end up on the other side of the hills sheltering the harbour of Ossylia and have the open ocean available to you. There are a number of medium and small town along that coast.

I'll leave that decision to Yuu and Vanyra.

I edited my post, suggesting we try the quickest route.. being the west one.

So you guys can stay at this gate and try to get through, or try another one. There's about 20~30 people ahead of you, but most seem to be merchants and the like with loads of goods, and hence why it is taking so long for the line to progress.

do the guards seem more interested in the people, or in the goods?

Also, what's the gate and the surrounding wall look like? Could we use other routes to the other side of the wall? Can we see through the gate? And how far?

The walls are 30 feet tall, the gate is an large arch that can be shut with a portcullis, so you could see through to the other side to the buildings beyond. There are buildings within 10m of the wall.

The guards seem to be interested in people and goods, they're asking questions and poking through people's stuff, if their stuff is large (ie. carts, big sacks, etc).

Jan, if you're thinking of teleporting through I'll just let you know that as it stands you cannot teleport with someone, except maybe Qwe, since you have a weight limit of yourself and 100lbs. If you put someone in the dimensional pocket there mass is still there, thus when you teleport they'll stay where they are and only you will move, essentially forcing them out of the dimensional pocket. I kind of messed up that interpretation with the Captain on the boat, but that's water under the bridge now.

Ah, so you are suddenly (preemptively) changing my powers ;)
Of course that is what I was thinking about.  Could you somehow send me the rule books again? Since I moved computers it seems I lost them, which makes it hard to look up anything really.

OK, so other questions:
- Do they let anyone pass?
- How many guards are there?
- What is Yuu's reaction?

And how many guards are there?

Here's your answers:
1. You haven't seen them turn anyone away.
2. 6 guards in total.
3. I don't know, you'll have to ask him.

Speaking for Erik here, but it wouldn't be too difficult for Vanyra to move a bit closer and possibly overhear the conversations between the guards and the people wanting through, since she has exceptional hearing ability. That may give you some more insight into what's going on.

Yes, the last question was aimed at Yuu.
And yes, very good suggestion.
Let's try to figure out what they want, then go for it and be ready to blow stuff up as a distraction, do we have some bomb on a timer? Or maybe an illusion on a timer?

And thanks for the books.

Yuu looks concerned. It's reasonable to assume him and his sister are on someone's wanted list. He just doesn't knows whose.

I like the idea of Vanyra listening in closer. Also, how wide is the gateway?

Vanyra will happily eavesdrop on the conversations.  As long as Vanyra is within 100 feet, she could hear pretty easily (her penalty is -1 per 100 feet instead of -1 per 10 feet).  So she might not even have to move closer.

Since the line is moving slow, Vanyra can spend more than a minute listening in and 'take 20' which would result in a 32 Notice.  If this is deemed not possible, taking 10 is fine and the result is 22 Notice.

If this does not work, Vanyra can consider mentally linking with one of the normals who are closer to hear everything that they hear.

For getting past the wall...
Zelpuz could teleport to the top and to the other side of the wall with a rope for everyone.  Vanyra could also probably get to the top of the wall by jumping or climbing, but the teleport up is probably easier and quicker. (too bad Jan doesn't have that 1 character point to increase the weight limit on Zelpuz's teleport)

The gate is about 20' wide. Three guards man each side, one team address folks going one way and the other the opposite.

Vanyra: You won't be able to take 20 to a listening check as the conversation is fluid and thus spending 'extra' time to do something doesn't really apply. Additionally, there will be a -2 penalty due to all the sounds, voices and general noise around the area. But you wouldn't have any trouble approaching within 20' of the gate, as long as you don't try to skip ahead into the line.

As for teleporting and dropping down a rope, please remember that you're in the middle of a city, the walls are there for a reason (keeping people in/out) and given the general mood in the city at this time there's a high possibility that a group of people scaling the walls will draw a lot of attention.

The 4 of us together is far more suspicious than separate. I'm going to take my sister off to the side, and purchase a few random cheap supplies, basket of wood or vegetables. I'll dirty us up a bit (probably don't need much), and aim to work through the gate on service to some tavern keep on the other side.

Hell, I could probably find an old lady or man, and offer to carry their goods through for them if I see an opportunity.

Zeluz could probably just teleport, and be done with it. Vanyra and Myria could theoretcially just walk through as normal. It seems the goods are the focus, more than the people. And any reason for her to be wanted? Doesn't seem likely. If any questions, you entered town seeking medical attention for Myria. You received it, and are now departing back to the wilds. Plausible enough story.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:40, Tue 12 Jan 2016.

As a side note Myria and Zelpuz already have legit reasons to be in the city or leaving it as members of the Order of Ashes. I mean they hunt down deviant Mespah as a job, and that's pretty much what they're currently involved in no matter what side you look at if from. Vanyra's a bounty hunter, so more or less the same.

It wouldn't be difficult to get some stuff to haul through gate, and a change of clothes. Just take some time.

If simply going through the gate is going to be tried:  While dressed in her simple primitive outfit (sans cloak), Vanyra can go through immediately behind Yuu and Qwe.  This would probably draw the guards attention away from Yuu and Qwe and make the guards more likely to send Yuu and Qwe through quickly without paying much attention.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 00:25, Wed 13 Jan 2016.

Good call.

Ok, I'll grab some cheap junk, with Qwe, and make the cross.

Sounds good. Zelpuz and Myria can go a few people ahead and ask a few questions about the 'added securities' for Vanyra to hear. Maybe it'll point to what they are looking for.

Also, how many guards usually attend each person at the gate?

2, if any.

Ok, so you're splitting up into 3 psuedo-groups to get through the gate? I'm going to list the supposed stories each group is going to use for questioning, let me know if anything needs to be modified. Secondly, if you've got bluff or diplomacy skills please roll them if you plan on being the one talking... preferably diplomacy unless you're actually going to BS these guys.

1) Myria and Zelpuz: Essentially sticking with their real story; they've been tasked with hunting down a dangerous Mespah who's apparently allied with smugglers (Blood Runners), and suspect he's making to leave town.

2) Yuu and Qwe: Sob story of sorts, orphaned in the recent harbor explosion and are moving to the countryside to be with their aunt and uncle... or something like that?

3) Vanyra: She's a bounty hunter and looking for a bounty? Probably be good if she had a specific name or something; I'm sure she'd know a few of the current prime bounties off the top of her head.

For Vanyra, she'll probably keep the story truthful and even simpler.  She is heading out to look for her next job since the city life isn't agreeing with her.  Then, on further inquiry, she would name bounties that she would be interested in investigating that would also take her out of town.

She will also be using her charms to get nicer treatment from the presumably male guards.

Taking ten will result in 17 for those who find her attractive, 13 otherwise.

If necessary, she will use Sense Motive/Empathy to help in guiding the conversation.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:33, Fri 15 Jan 2016.