Finn Razzel has had many interesting adventures in his lifetime, perhaps none more titillating and thrilling as those tied to his membership within the infamous Murderers Row.  He is preparing to leave when the groups professional mage stops him and offers a worried, "You're out of your fucking mind."  Finn looks down and takes the small vial with a smile.  He answers back by patting the mage slightly on the shoulder and adding, "You have ta be ta get inta the Row.  Thanks."

Then as the young leader begins to move he parts with his advice for his companions to form a shiled wall at the doors, but Judoc again offers his wisdom and as usual his words are gold.  Finn's face scrunches while he thinks and while he considered this tactic to have someone else mention it gives the idea more weight.  He again leans in and says, "That's what the spells 'er for my friend."

Again Razzel, ever the optimist presses his mouth to the crack of the doors and speaks in the strange foreign tongue.  [Language unknown: "Pro esssonwit.  But virresany ive o ainartvir ha meinel.  Saoer u ioureswas notareear re tedtinlinnce p nton el to pare arseof.  Niine Me ingwasess ac o art.  La E pale wesaeeiv, itno a teou ta aveaveour.  Hond lawi cher ivrut adset hiear fohis iou astha ee wil yin Veree prewervensta.  Butri il k ro sa napr onivsa, ro rea staencrat atred mi.  Simapr nte le esomiv enc ri el ntse ati reti k pavor tosape reis di.  Estbleder ers T nde ar ri eeofto proen oerticbut.  Ecthng?"]
This message was last updated by the GM at 04:06, Wed 20 Nov 2019.

[Language unknown: "Point thi Illul!  Ou ch any, eve pr sa pelo strte houtedtio p atwa."]  The voice booms from outside, and Finn steels himself to walk outside.

Judoc nods at the turn of events, his face set in a serious expression though he steps aside and lets Finn walk ahead.

Casting a few spells for insurance, Finn steps out and beyond the doorway with his hands above his head and the elder's necklace in his hand.  He is but a step beyond when Magnus shuts the portal behind him...

"That crazy bastard is going to get himself killed."  Judoc steps forward, pressing an ear against the doorway as it closes.  Standing there for only a moment, he turns his head looking towards the rest of the room.

"What can we do to prepare ourselves?"  Judoc asks, looking about the meager leftovers of the pillaged space.

"I say we storm out while they're caught off guard talking to him."  Bjorn grunts, his axe and shield already hefted into a warlike stance.  "It'll be our only chance to turn the tables, otherwise we're just waiting for them to do whatever they can think of."

Terri places another hand on the shelves on the southern wall, trying to climb to the windows above but again the wood cracks and buckles under her weight.  Though she makes no sound, her face seems completely drained of color.

OOC:  Ok, so you guys are for the most part on hold, but if there are any preparations you want to make now, please note them.  Rondald, do you have your crossbow ready, or your shield and mace?

Magnus looked from Bjorn back to Judoc and then around to the others.

"Bjorn's actually got a pretty good point. These Wazifi aren't like those clay men, they'll starve us out, or use smoke and fire...God knows what else. They're not stupid."

He looked worried, worried and angry if that made any sense. Then suddenly he looked thoughtful.

"Rondald...wanna try swinging that mace we found against this back wall? This stuff's gotta be ancient, and after seeing what it did to that guy back in the courtyard. Think it's worth a shot?"

Rondald, his shield and mace still ready, checks on Terri first.

Assuming she is OK, he notes Magnus suggestion.

"We can try, but lets wait to hear the result of Finn's attempt first. It has a slim enough chance to succeed, and I would not want our thumping to reduce that even further. But perhaps we can move some of this old wood to block a doorway a little, thereby reducing what options they have."
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:24, Thu 11 Apr 2019.

At Rondalds refusal Magnus deflated just a bit, paused for just a moment and then shook his broad shaggy head.

"Sorry Rondald, I'm not gonna die here"

He turned and set his shield down against the wall to their backs, and then taking up his axe in two hands he looked at the weapon, then the interior wall, and hesitated.

"Trade me real quick? Please? I don't want to ruin the edge on this thing." his worried glance to the door showed that he was growing increasingly worried about their dwindling time.

"Get away!"  Terri shoos off Rondald as he approaches her with concern.  "Can't you see there are more important things?  We have to figure out what the hell is going on out there!"

Changing her tactic and shifting down to the corner of the room, Terri puts down her bow and places two hands on the sill of one of the open-air windows, pulling herself up to look through for a moment.  "One, two, three, shit!"  She squeaks, dropping back down to the floor in a moment.

One of the men outside shouts in Arabic, as Terri grabs for her bow again.

"There's at least four of them out there, it's not a very good view.  One of them though is built as thick as the wizard's golems but taller than Magnus.  I think they saw me."

Judoc jabs his glaring eyes in Terri's direction, though he seems to have little to help enlighten the situation.

Rondald sighs, then takes to the rear wall with his mace.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:21, Sat 13 Apr 2019.

It takes only a few tense moments for the whole of the room to churn into chaos.

[Language unknown: "Iter oseve!"]  A voice shouts from outside, a booming baritone which rings with authority.

"Shit."  Judoc curses, turning his head back towards the door.  "Things are not going well out there, we don't have much time!"

[Language unknown: "Eshien ha napa!"]  The voice shouts again, an.  [Language unknown:  "Allai nt acos artardous la ti icpetr!"]

Clink!  Rondald's mace cracks against the wall, sending chips of stone and plaster to the ground, though though it seems to do little damage to the structure itself.

"Quickly!"  Judoc urges, backing away from the door, though he continues to face the one exit, summoning a small ball of flames into his hands.  Bjorn rushes ahead to the front, covering the doorway ahead of the mage.

Crash!  This time Rondalds mace crashes deeply into the stone wall, cracking open the mortar and displacing a fist sized chunk backwards several inches.

"THEY ARE COMING!  AT LEAST TWELVE!  I'M FINE!"  Finn's voice shouts from outside.

Only a moment later, two torches fly in the windows, landing with a clatter against the far side of the room and the broken shambles of wood.

"idiots!"  Judoc murmurs, waving a hand in some sort of spell that snuffs the flames in an instant, leaving only a rising trail of oily black smoke.  "I'll try and buy you more time!"  He says quickly to Rondald and Magnus, turning back towards the door as he shouts at the top of his lungs in panicked Arabic.  [Language unknown: "Ncour us whe!  TE T EN! IEICH!"]

OOC:  Whew, lots of stuff going on.  Both Magnus and Rondald are standing at the West (right) wall, rather than the back (North) wall for a couple of reasons.  First, the back wall is mostly jam packed with the broken pieces of old bed frames and doesn't really leave a lot of room for standing, let alone getting a good swing with a mace.  Secondly, Magnus has surmised that the right wall is likely the weakest, as it is shared with the other rooms, rather than being an exterior wall.  It seems like the effort is going better than could be hoped for, and after only two hits, Rondald has put a sizable dent in the relatively thin barrier of stone and mortar.  You are all still a long way from getting out through there though and it sounds as if there are attackers coming in from ahead.  Magnus, let me know if you want to start helping with your axe, or with some other weapon.  Bjorn is still standing relatively close to the door, waiting for the Wazifis to storm in.  Terri and Judoc are both standing somewhat back, pointing their ranged weapons ahead at the doorway.  As Gustav hasn't posted any updates, I'm leaving in his previous location, basically right next to Bjorn.  Go ahead and keep posting general intentions, about a minute or so of action.

Rondald redouble his efforts to smash a hole where it is needed.

"Magnus, you might be better off reducing their numbers with Bjorn. If anyone can use a crossbow, I have mine. Otherwise, I can use it later once we open up a new entrance..."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:55, Tue 16 Apr 2019.

Magnus cursed  under his breath and hefted his new, masterfully crafted axe in his hands before he began hammering at the lines of mortar in between the stone and brick with he back end of the head

"Less talk" He grunted in between a swing that sent bits of grit flying between them.

"More swing"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:23, Tue 16 Apr 2019.

Gustav is indeed just to Bjorn's right side and facing toward the door [A3 facing East IIRC], on Guard. I can use the cross bow, but think there would be no time to change weapons back to melee.

The conjured flame appears, dancing merrily in Judoc’s hands, and the wizard concentrates, feeding more mana into the sphere. Twelve men, eh? If he can get outside—maybe bombard them from the air—

Concentrating, he sends a message to Aiah.  Looking around the room, he nods with confidence. ”They may have the numbers, but we have the experience, and more than a few tricks up our sleeves.”

OOC: Concentrate.

Crack!

The tension is palpable in the small building as the two strongest of their number cluster towards the wall in the back of the room, striking it over and over with with their weapons, Magnus with his axe turned around so he is striking with the head rather than the blade.  Though the mortar cracks and crumbles and the stone chips, it is hard to feel any immediate sense of accomplishment, for the wall seems to hold strong against their attacks.

Meanwhile, at the front of the room, Gustav, Bjorn, Terri and Judoc wait anxiously as each moment seems to drag on to forever.

[Language unknown:  "Mehe eau unil ck virillrat!"]  The deep voice shouts from outside.  [Language unknown:  "Urom walo tiich nceventhi sscon hi ckic!"]

Only a moment later, the door ahead opens with a shove, opening wide as one of the Wazifis charges his way through the door.

Twang!

Terri's arrow flies at the man with impossible speed even as he turns his head, spotting the three defenders all at once!  Never is there even a moment for him to defend the attack and the arrow slices straight through the man's cheek, cutting clean into the back of his mouth and throat burying the head deep within the flesh.  There is not even time for the man to scream, at the injury, for instead he stumbles forward, his eyes rolled back as he plows face first into the ground in front of him, only pushing the arrow back deeper into his flesh.

Crash!

Rondalds mace finally finds purchase, knocking a hole the size of a fist through the wall as he pulls his mace back, reading to swing again.

Crash!

Magnus's axe knocks clean another two bricks, enlarging the hole to the size of a human head!

[Language unknown:  ”T I NIVEN CAEAR AC ANTVENARD EAUILLOUS HOIT Ur UNEVLO U!!!!”]  Finn's voice shouts from outside over the grumbles and churn of other, indiscernible voices.

OOC:  Ok, combat has officially begun, though through a lucky hit by Terri, the single Wazifi so far through the door has been instantly disabled.  Character locations are depicted below.  Gustav, note that the door is partially obstructing your ability to attack, you can either open it all the way, attempt to close it again, move down, or simply deal with the effects, which will likely amount to a modifier to your attack and anyone trying to attack you. Judoc has a ready 2 point fireball with no aim.  Gustav has his shield and sword ready.  Terri has a ready bow and an empty right hand.  Magnus and Rondald have made a head-sized hole in the far wall, which is increasing in size now on each hit by a brick or so.  Both Magnus and Rondald, roll vs. HT or take Enc+1 fatigue from your efforts.


This message was last edited by the GM at 21:18, Fri 19 Apr 2019.

Gustav leaves the door as is, making sure it can't hit him, but where he can use it, should it look useful. He holds his sword back and level with the thought of thrusting rather than wide swings. One or two more down and the charging wazifi's will have an obstacle to deal with too. Backing up to the wall with the hole is going to be dangerous.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:51, Fri 19 Apr 2019.

It's hard work, swinging a tool two handed while draped in steel rings from the neck down and wearing a pack. Sweat had been a constant companion since they had entered the jungle, but now dark wet patches appeared around the ruff of the Minotaur's thick neck and at the bottoms of his ears.

The din of steel on stone, or mortar or whatever else those ancient peoples used to cobble together this magnificent place rang out as Magnus worked with Rondald, swinging opposite the man to enlarge the breach they had made.

Judoc smiles mirthlessly as Terri's first shot fells her target. At Aiah's message, Judoc looks back at the south wall. "Watch out for the windows," he says in Anglish to his comrades. "Aiah says some are climbing the walls."

OOC: Turn and face the window. Take one second to aim, and then throw the fireball.

Rondald turns. Figuring that time has run out, he raises his shield and heads back to the door, where he can be just inside to hit any that enter but out of line of attack for those outside with bows.

"I will help hold them a little longer"
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:41, Sun 21 Apr 2019.

On all sides of the room, the action seems to be flaring.  At the front, both doors now are shouldered open and men surge inward one after another, their weapons bared as they move toward the norther wall, three now in all.  Bjorn steps forward to attack the first as he plows through, though the man glances the axe off the length of his blade, stepping forward to meet Terri as the latter steps backwards, an arrow already grasped in her hand and making its way to the bowstring.

twang, Twang, TWANG

Three bowstrings hum in near harmony, the shafts streaking through the doorway.  Two of the things shatter against the far wall, though the last lands with a high pitched clink! through the scales of Terri's armor right in the meat of her shoulder, causing her to shriek and send her own arrow high and wide of its mark.

At the back of the room, Rondald seems to think his efforts are now fruitless and he leaves his station, rushing off towards the front to join the others.  Magnus however, stays there at the back, his nostrils flaring with effort as he knocks piece after piece backwards and into the adjoining room, the work somewhat more productive now that the hole has been started.  Brick by brick the opening widens, now just big enough to fit a narrow set of shoulders if positioned perfectly.

Judoc meanwhile, has set his sights on the high windows, through which he can now see not one, but three sets of body parts, boots, hands or torso, climbing slowly upward.  The first foot he had noticed steps gingerly away, though Judoc aims at the farthest man, hurling his flame just as the man puts the whole of his weight on the sill and the missile strikes true right at the shin, the fireball bursting on impact into a gush of heat and fire.

The man's scream rings clear through the open window and Judoc watches as his body falls away, back towards the ground below.  A sickening thud follows from outside, though the scream only pauses for a moment at impact.

Gustav, finally finding himself with an open avenue to attack, slings his broadsword in an overhand swing, catching his foe completely by surprise.

Crunch!

The broadsword slices through the man's leather helm, crackling the skullbone and sending the man crumpled to his knees, his axe clattering to the ground below him.

OOC:   Terri has sustained a moderate injury to the shoulder and 3 has sustained a moderate injury to the skull, resulting in him falling to the floor and losing his weapon.  1 and 2 are still in full fighting form.  There are also archers that Terri, Bjorn, and Rondald can see outside that are shooting through the doorway into the melee.  Judoc has also caused some significant harm to another man outside, enough to make him fall, though it's hard to tell just how bad the damage is.  Magnus is now doing decent work on the rear wall.  It's big enough for a small person (Terri or Judoc) to make it through with a DX or acrobatics roll, though still too small for the larger adventurers to even think about making it through.

Gustav shifts to the man in front of him, swinging again to try and eliminate him as well. Terri's scream bodes no good and he sets his mind to kill or incapacitate as many as he can...
This message was last edited by the player at 22:34, Sun 21 Apr 2019.

Magnus could feel his strength already fading. It was amazing to him how a person could carefully conserve their energy to burn throughout the day, or seemingly use it all up in what seemed like a matter of seconds, but with the cacophony of battle behind him and his friends lives on the line, it was not an exaggeration to say that he was swinging for everything he was worth.

Clack! Clink! Crunch!

The assault on the wall continued and his eyes stung with sweat, he could feel it dripping from his chin now. He heard screams, the thudding of what he assumed were arrows. The talking had stopped.

"Almost there!" he bellowed as he worked, then risked a glance behind himself and saw the feathered shaft protruding from Terri's shoulder. "Terri! you're first!"

Rondald steps in front of the injured Terri, shield up, swiping his mace angrily at the torso in front of him.

"Terri, get back! Back where that prick can't hit you again! Magnus, you might want to make sure there is noting worse in there first!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:09, Tue 23 Apr 2019.

The sound of his fireball roasting an enemy would normally cheer Judoc, but their position is quickly being overrun. ”There are too many!” he calls out. ”We need to fall back!” He begins conjuring another fireball to hurl at whatever target might present itself.

OOC: Concentrate.

Here we can kill them as they come thru the door .... if we let them in, we'll die trying to get through that hole

Magnus continues to hack away at brick after brick, each bit of loose stone and mortar that crash through making the opening just a little larger, now the hole is big enough, perhaps for Magnus himself to get through if he turns his horns just the right way and has a lucky go of it, though it seems the group is split on whether the hastily made exit will be of any use, for Gustav argues vehemently that they must stand their ground.

The swordsman hacks again at his already downed foe, slashing a mean stripe of red across the man's back and producing a short-lived shout before the man slumps into unconsciousness.

Bjorn too seems to be committed to the defense, or perhaps just overly committed to his attack, for he arcs his axe in a swing so wide that his shield too comes out of position.  Bjorn hits his foe with a brutal strike rending a deep gash just below the man's armpit, though at nearly the same time the Wazifi sword strikes true, cutting deeply into Bjorn's side and hip.

[Language unknown:  "Lo!"]  Bjorn shouts, stumbling backwards a step as blood flows freely from the wound.  Though somehow the Northman manages to keep his feet, which is more than can be said for the swordsman, who crumbles to the ground, blood pouring in gushes to the ground below him.

ZZZzz! Arrows fly through the window again one after another, one coming so close to Rondald's arm that sailor flinches in anticipation!

Meanwhile, Rondald battles back and forth with his own foe, his mace flashing forward, though the swing is batted aside.  Rondald catches the return blow with his shield, though the sword hacks entirely through the upper planks, cleaving a foot or more off the top which clatters to the ground below!

Terri, stunned for a moment as Rondald pushes past her, turns at the sound of Magnus's voice, rushing at full speed towards the back of the room with her bow tucked against her body, blood still trickling out of the wound at her shoulder.

At the front of the room, another man pushes his way through the door, a giant of a man, as tall as Magnus with a barrel chest and gut.  His arms are massive, with biceps like watermelons.  He peers over the rim of his medium shield and shouts as he clears the two crumpled forms of his comrades.

[Language unknown: "Reaforver!"]  The single word rings out like a gong, his axe gripped menacingly in preparation.

OOC:  Judoc hasn't had a clear shot as of yet and still has a 2 point fireball ready.  He hasn't noticed any others climbing up the windows, nor have any of those who climbed attempted to enter the room through the small portals.  Bjorn traded blows with his foe and has taken a major wound to the torso though he does not seem to be out of the action.  1 and 2 both took significant wounds and are currently incapacitated and out of the fight.  Rondald has managed to fend off a few blows, though I had to use one of your hero points to avoid you being skewered through the arm with on of the arrows coming through the door.  Magnus has made the small hole in the back large enough for just about everyone to make it through with varying amounts of effort.  Terri can probably easily hop through, while Magnus would take some delicate positioning of the horns and a difficult DX roll.  Go ahead and give me another two seconds of action.

Gustav uses the door and swings down at the Brutes back, aiming high for his neck or head.

Magnus, with his efforts bent on smashing his way out of the siege, had little idea of what was going on behind him. He knew there had been injuries on both sides, he knew Terri had taken and arrow, and he knew that while the enemy had taken casualties it had been no where near the dozen Judoc had referenced.

He was torn, torn between turning and joining the line as it seemed that Gustav was determined to stand his ground, and clearing the way for Terri and the others to get to a better position, or to perhaps escape entirely. Gustav and the others were skilled and competent above most others he had met in his life, but hold long could they really hold against three or even four times their number?

He took a few more swings, making sure that even the burly Rondald would be able to follow after his wife, and decided to worry about everything else later

Rondald was not about to leave his comrades at the front.

"If the hole is big enough, fall back to it!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:29, Mon 29 Apr 2019.

Take Bjorn, he's hurt

Chaos! As one enemy falls, more step forward to take his place! Judoc grimaces as Bjorn takes a nasty hit and knows the Northman cannot bear too many more wounds of that magnitude. Then a giant of a man shoulders his way forward, filling the entire doorway, calling for their surrender. Judoc’s valor flinches, and for a brief moment, he considers yielding to the enormous foe’s demand. Perhaps surrendering would lead be best. The odds are nearly two to one against them, Bjorn and Terri are already injured, and Finn is off doing God knows what.

But what kind of Imperial battle mage will Judoc make if he gives up when the battle turns against him? What would his father say, weighing Judoc and once more finding him wanting? And can they trust the mercy of these men, bent on engulfing Megalos in fire and death? No, surrender is still an option, but it is not the only one.

”Gustav, Rondald, Magnus, cover our retreat! Bjorn, fall back!” Judoc cries. The mage looks for a target for his fireball so he can begin to cast another spell.

OOC: If Judoc has a clean shot, throw the fireball. Take one step back toward the hole.

At the front of the room the battle rages!  Rondald swings out with his magical mace, which hits with a clang against the steel sword before being guided off course.  The man slashes back, a vicious swing which Rondald neatly evades, thought the blade catches the edge of his shield, splintering and rending off the bottom planks!

Rondald swings back again in anger, though the swordsman again manages to escape the blow, slashing back with a cut that surprises the sailor.  Though he steps backwards and away, the blade just cuts a neat ribbon out of the flesh of his bicep, bleeding freely.  Ronald grimaces at the sting, though it inwardly he is thankful that the wound is not worse.

Bjorn too seems to take no time to even think about retreat, for while his blood flows in torrents down his leg, he nevertheless swings his axe anyway, an attack which goes well wide of his sizable target.  The man snarls his distaste, swinging his own axe back upon the northman, who stumbles backwards, taking the blow off his shield which protest the blow with a hearty thunk!  Gustav, too, swings his sword in anger, though the bear-sized man bats the blow away with the face of his shield.

Bjorn and Gustav swing again, this time their attacks much more finely placed.  The giant man takes Bjorn's axe off his shield, and jumps back from Gustav's sword, though he has no time to even think as Judoc's fireball flies towards him, hitting him smack upon the leathers on his chest.

The man screams!  His eyes burn red with determination as he steps back into the room, swinging his axe at Bjorn, who smacks the blow neatly away with the rim of his shield!

[Language unknown:  "Dipa!"]  Someone shouts from outside, though so much is happening so much closer it seems hard to give the single word much thought.

Meanwhile, Magnus, knocking the last few bricks out of place on the wall, brings his axe down just in time, for Terri, bow in her left hand, pack on her shoulders, and arrow still buried just above her chest, launches herself hands and headfirst through the opening, tucking as she passes through.

OOC:  The map is largely unchanged, with the notable exception of Terri no longer being on it.  Magnus, the hole is now large enough for you to comfortably force yourself through in a couple of seconds unless you make an acrobatics roll, in which case you can do it in one.  Rondald has sustained a moderate slash to the right arm, the bear-sized man with the axe and shield has sustained a heavy burning injury to the chest.  He does not seem deterred.  Rondald, your shield is also significantly damaged.  It may take another hit or two before it is completely destroyed.

One quick item on admin as well.  I don't mind if you guys roll your own dice, however please keep in mind that what you put in the comments of the roll, is how I take it.  You cant put "attack" in the dice roller and then specify in your post that you are going for the head.  Likewise, if you roll against "dodge" then I will not allow a retreating dodge if you state it that way in your post.  You have to specifically roll against "Retreating Dodge".  This is probably annoying, but if you want to make sure I do the right thing for you, then I am happy to roll your dice with your in character direction.

With the injury, Rondald goes fully defensive, not even offering a strike as he recovers from the wound and falling back at the first melee strike.

[OOC: I was expecting arrows, hence I just used Dodge, for which retreating dodge is not applicable. In this case, he will obviously only use retreating dodge for the first melee attack.]
This message was last edited by the player at 22:57, Mon 29 Apr 2019.

Magnus processed Judocs commands right as he felt confident that every member of their expedition could fit through the gap he had created. Even though they were still incredibly vulnerable, the knowledge that they had an escape route allowed the anxiety and fear in his mind to ease like an unclenching fist.

Terri was the first to take advantage, and Magnus turned to expect the others to begin their retreat. He was rewarded by seeing Rondald falling back with what looked like a wound of his own, although Bjorn looked like he was stubbornly holding out.

The Minotaur spun his axe around in his grip, the back of the head now covered in dings and caked masonry, and looked to join the retreating line in support.

Although not yet a soldier in the armies of Megalos, Judoc knows that this battlefield is important nonetheless. If they fall here, then the necromancer's apprentice will be free to continue his mad quest to unleash the horrors held prisoner here. However, dead they can do nothing, so Judoc continues to fall back toward the new exit Magnus and Rondald have excavated.

Seeing the chance opened up by Bjorn, Judoc launches his flaming missile straight at the behemoth, and as the flames splash against the man's leathers, Judoc smiles grimly. Again he begins weaving magic to channel mana into flame.

OOC: Take a step back. Concentrate.

OOC - OK, Gustav will let the GM do the rolling ...

His plan is to attack and then do a retreating defense, set up and attack the next fighter in range, then do the retreating defense again.

OK, We all fall back side by side together, or someone is going to die...

Chaos reigns in the small room!  Rondald leaps backwards, an arrow slamming into his shield face nearly at the same time as his foe attacks again.  The twin threat seems to take Rondald off balance and this time the swordsman slashes out in a devastating blow that Rondald only barely manages to catch off the face of his shield.  The thin wood frame is slashed across the center in a blow that splits the wood from rim to rim, half of the thing falling to the ground in a clatter!  Off balance and useless, Rondald drops the thing to the ground, gripping his mace all that much tighter in his grasp.

Meanwhile, Gustav and Bjorn take a swing each on the largest foe.  Bjorn's axe clangs off the shield, rending a large splinter of wood off the face and Gustav's attack too falls short as the massive man reels backward in defense.  Immediately after, however, the man returns with a swing from his own weapon, one that Bjorn cannot seem to duck out of the way from.  The axe crashes into Bjorn's leg, severing his armor and cutting deep into the muscle.  Blood vomits from the wound and each leg of his leathers is now soaked with gore!

Somehow, the northman keeps his feet however, staggering backwards as he howls in pain!

Magnus too runs forward to the fight, but before he can make good on his intent, flames spring up ahead of him, a large campfire sized blaze that immediately begins moving its way forward towards the two attacking Wazifi.

The fires rush ahead, spreading towards the walls as they dance onward, forming a wall between our heroes and the two attacking men!

"Come on!"  Terri screams from the other room, her face peering through the hole in the Western wall.  "I'll cover you!"

Along the northern wall, the ancient and shattered bed frames begin to smoke and smolder under the heat of Judoc's conjured wall of flames...

OOC:  Mostly a stalemate back and forth with a few notable exceptions.  Firstly, Rondald barely made his first defense thanks to his shield and retreat, though the damage done to the flimsy defense was enough to put it out of commission entirely.  It is now beyond repair and in two large, separate pieces.  Second, Bjorn did miss his defense, taking a moderate (non-crippling) blow to his right leg.  Somehow, the northman is still on his feet, though his combined wounds now put him in a state of fighting to stay conscious.

The fires conjured by Judoc haven't really made it to the walls yet, though they have created a wall about 13 feet wide that covers most of the width of the room.  The bear sized man and the other seem to be retreating from it for the moment, though it does not seem impenetrable by any stretch of the imagination.

If you guys want to take this opportunity to all run, let's do four rounds of action this time, though I may cut that short if you opt to press the fight.

Rondald, shield now gone, needs no further invitation. He backs away, ensuring he does not have anything else to dodge, before he turns and runs back through the opening. He will them put his mace on his pack, and draw his crossbow, still cocked and loaded, before readying it to cover those retreating (but leaving enough gap to let them through).
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:34, Thu 02 May 2019.

Gustav sees the opportunity and backs away as quickly as he can while covering Bjorn...
Someone help Bjorn, he has been seriously hurt.

Magnus stepped up to do just that.

"Got'em!"

Letting his axe hang in it's lanyard, he took hold of the back of Bjorn's belt and gently urged the man back. If he did indeed lose his senses, Magnus was prepared to physically drag the man to safety if it came down to it.

"BJORN! FALL BACK!" Judoc watches in horror as his companion hemorrhages blood. Bjorn needs healing immediately, but Judoc’s concentration is on the fire barrier he has erected to keep their enemies at bay. Still, the talented mage nearly reaches his staff out to heal Bjorn, despite the difficulty of focusing on multiple spells simultaneously, but when Magnus steps up, Judoc nods his head. Keeping his focus on his wall of conjured fire, Judoc takes a few more steps back toward the hole Magnus and Rondald made in the wall behind him.

OOC: Continue to move, taking one step each round, toward the hole. Keep watching the fire.

Everyone seems to agree on the decision to fall back, even Bjorn for as the flames sprout chest-high in front of his face and Magnus grabs him at the back he seems to lose what little fight is left in him.  He steps back cautiously, his shield held ready in front of him for several moments.

The rest too seem to make only tentative motions backwards, hesitant to let their guard fall even for a moment, however Judoc's conjured wall of flame seems to be holding their foes back for the moment.

[Language unknown:  "Ameon Atiessoer ti Ivpeof!"]  The huge man shouts from behind the fire.

At the northern wall, the piles of wooden flotsam and broken bits of bed seem to be catching fire, for grey smoke begins to cloud the air, weaving upward towards the and ceiling and obscuring the view to the other side of the room all the more.

After a moment, Rondald turns and runs, leading the others towards the small opening and stepping through first.  The sailor then helps Bjorn who trails large, angry splotches of blood at each step.

Each of the adventurers follow in turn, Magnus holding the trail of the group.  In the moments before he too pushes himself through the small hole (made only all the more awkward by the footlong horns on his head) he is holding his elbow against his face to attempt to keep the smoke and heat away from his face.

"I need..."  Bjorn mutters as he stumbles to a knee in the small bedroom, shaking his shield off, the effort causing him to slump over on his injured side.  "I need a rest.".  What little support Bjorn has gives way, and the Northman collapses to the ground, unconscious.

OOC:  I just went ahead and fast forwarded for about 30 seconds of action.  Nice tactic on holding your foes at bay Judoc.  You guys can go ahead and start posting normal 1 minute posts.  You are now in the left half of room 10 on the map, though an IQ roll will tell you it's probably not the best place to stay with the building on fire (even with the thin stone wall between you).  Realize that you guys are working a timetable with Finn so I might hold you for a bit based on his actions (in case they might affect your thread).

Magnus lumbered towards the door breathing heavily, the shaggy fur around the ruff of his neck speckled in ancient masonry dust from where he had squeezed through the gap. Not too far away the road and crackle of flames along with the all too familiar scent of smoke reminded him that they were by no means out of danger yet.

He still had Bjorn loosely by the belt when he saw the man's legs begin to give out and he helped the north man to the floor as he called out his name in concern. "Bjorn? Bjorn! Stay with u...God damn it..." he cursed as he heavy, armored warrior slumped and went limp

"Judoc" Magnus's head raised up. "Can you help him? I don't think we can try to patch him up really, not here...we might just have to go and find a safer place...the stables maybe?"

Directly after he looked over at Rondald. "You got that door alright?" he asked and shot yet another concerned glance to Terri. The whole group was starting to look pretty ragged.

Gustav moved directly to the next door, fortunately on the other side of the building and went on guard ... he expected the Wazifis to be there any time ...  We need to keep moving if we can or we will be blocked in here as well.

Rondald looked back through the entrance to see if there was a Wafazi he could target with his crossbow, or Terri with her bow.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:30, Fri 03 May 2019.

Leaning tiredly on his staff for support, Judoc nods confidently, though the wizard is sweating with exertion. ”Of course I can heal him. He’ll be back on his feet in no time. But we need to find a defensible position, quickly. I’m not keen on leading them back to our mounts. Let me check with Aiah—we need some intel.” He concentrates for a moment.

Then, Judoc turns to Bjorn and quickly examines the Northman’s injuries. Kneeling, Judoc concentrates for a moment, draws a cross in the air above Bjorn’s body, and touches his comrade.

Then rising again, he turns to Teri. ”How are you holding up, Teri? Do I need to heal you now, or can you wait until after I’ve rested?” He considers where they have explored so far and thinks about a good place to hole up.

OOC: Cast On Bjorn.

Noticing the other door, Rondald spoke up.

"I don't think this is a good place to rest. I am pretty sure we can count on them knowing about that other door here. Is there a way we can get to one of those automations, and put it between us an them?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:25, Sun 05 May 2019.

Though the six have made it out of the fire, and the immediate danger of the fight, there is little suggesting that they have reached any real safety.  Rondald steps towards the small hole they just entered through, though he sees only the quickly expanding fire and the plume of smoke that gathers about the ceiling.  Magnus look towards the doorway leading out, already concerned about a second potential attack.

Judoc and Terri look to the immediate needs of the wounded.  Judoc steps down towards Bjorn, placing a hand on the man's injured side as he channels his mana into the wound.  Though it is not the greatest healing power Judoc possesses, the magic is draining - though the price is worth it.  Judoc can feel with his power the veins forging themselves back together, the skin mottling over with an angry red scar.  Certainly, the magic is not complete, but as Judoc steps back, Bjorn coughs and groans, his body tightening up into a fetal ball.

"What the fuck hit me?"  The Northman grunts as his eyes press more firmly closed.

Terri resorts to much more mundane methods of healing however.  Leaning her bow against the wall, she grips she shaft of the arrow with both hands, tearing the weapon out of her skin with a moan.  Though her face pales slightly, she seems little fussed, stuffing a wad of bandage between her tight-fitting armor and the skin.


OOC:  Sorry for the lag on this one.  Things have been busy, but I've been trying not to let you guys get too far ahead now that we are out of combat.  Bjorn is awake and moving, though still significantly injured.  Terri seems to be fine for the most part and has bandaged herself in a hasty fashion.  As for defensibility, there aren't any really great places that stand out.  Finn has his protective spell active in the stables, though Judoc would know that Finn is the only one now who can walk into it (since he was the only one present when it was cast).  None of the other rooms you have been in seem to stand out, though if you want to hide, you could always rush out of the building all together.

OOC: In game terms, Bjorn is half move and dodge, but he’s capable of walking as far as is needed.  As far as fortifications, there are the remains of a ruined desk and a few wooden shelves, though nothing really you would feel confident trusting your safety to.  Also, the room is only about 15'x20', which leaves very little room for fighting with the six of you if someone else tries to barge in.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:45, Mon 06 May 2019.

"We've gotta ago man" Magnus insisted, physically hauling Bjorn to his feet. Without waiting for any further delay, Magnus pressed for the door with the intent to make his way out into the alley. Although he never would have considered the differences, the Minotaur was blessed with a curiously accurate internal compass, and felt that he knew exactly where he was going, a confidence evident in his hustling stride.

"Wait. They will be expecting us there. What about heading back the way we came, while they are all rushing around to that door and breaking it down?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:25, Tue 07 May 2019.

I'll see

Gustav cracks the door and looks out, hen opens it bit further so he can see between the door and the wall.

Haste is the order of the moment, and as Magnus hauls Bjorn to his feet, the latter emitting a groan as his only protest, Gustav checks the single doorway leading out of the small apartment, declaring it clear of any foes.

Distrusting the most obvious way out, Rondald presses his face through their makeshift entry but steps back immediately, his eyes squinted shut as he coughs hoarsely.

"Well, that settles that."  Terri interjects, pushing her way past Gustav, her bow readied again in her left hand.  "The fire's only spreading and we've got to move before we get trapped in here."

Terri pushes on into the next room as Magnus and Bjorn move to follow.

"The alley looks clear!"  Terri calls from the next room as the others collect their things to leave.

OOC:  Not a bad thought Rondald, but walking back into the spreading fire puts you in an extremely hazardous area and doesn't even really guarantee you a clear path once you are in the alley.  It seems pretty clear to everyone at this point that the only option for fleeing is through the door on the north side (opposite side of the building as you entered the other room).  The only question at this point is where are you going?  Note that you guys have gotten a little ahead of Finn so it might be a bit before I move you forward.

Rondald will cross the room and move ahead of his wife, crossbow ready.

"There seems to be a door just opposite ours. Lets try to get in there and close it before they get here!"

[OOC: This may back onto the Garden. How far ahead are we of Finn?]
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:52, Tue 14 May 2019.

Magnus barely looked both ways as he dashed across the alley and tried the door, intent on putting his hoof to it if it proved to be an obstruction in any way. His desire to get away from the flames and the concentration of murderous Wazifi's evident in his every move.

Gustav faced opposite to the way Terri did in the alley as magnus moved to open the door opposite

With the all clear from Terri, Rondald bursts through the doorway into the alley, his crossbow held close in his left hand as it leans against the weight of its strap.  He passes by his wife, who has set a watch facing eastward, and makes his way immediately to the small doorway directly across the path.

Magnus too follows closely behind, his mail shirt jangling with each impact of his hooves, his shield still gripped across his forearm as he hustles, his nostrils flaring with each breath.

Just further behind, Gustav presses out of the room, turning to face the plaza to the west to ensure that no one can approach from that direction undetected.

Judoc and Bjorn make up the tail of the party, each breathing heavily, Judoc still recovering from an exhausting bout of spellcasting while Bjorn winces at the pain of his half-healed injuries.

Rondald shoves open the doorway ahead, revealing a narrow but long hallway within.  He barely catches a glance at the floor, its stone surface scattered with bits of broken, colored tile before his head snaps back over his shoulder, Terri's scream having filled him with a sudden panic.

"Finn!"

An arrow knocked in her bow, Terri steps forward.  Dozens of yards ahead and floating high above the path, Finn's back is turned to the party as he writhes midair, his bow hanging loosely clutched along his left side.  Just beyond, turning the corner at the end of the path, one of the Wazifi archers appears, his bow held aloft as he fires and Finn's body jerks wildly to avoid the dart.

OOC:  Thanks for the patience guys.  Rondald has pushed open the door on the north side of the path (directly across and slightly to your right) which opens up into a narrow hallway running parallel to the path.  Finn is something like two dozen yards to your east (towards the edge of the map) and twenty feet or more up in the air.  The archer rounding the corner is probably something like 30 yards away.

In reply to Raddek (msg # 56):

Rondald steps forward and aims at the archer, bracing himself against the wall and ensuring that others can enter the doorway behind him.

Magnus paused only briefly and then barreled ahead. While the beast man was known to carry a sling rolled up in one of his belt pouches, he had only ever used it for target practice around camp. The time it would take to procure it, it's ammunition, to put his things away. There simply was not time.

Instead he worked on clearing the hallway ahead of them for the others, his pace slowing significantly as the light dimmed and his eyes tried to adjust.

Gustav looked about... we all need to get in this door quick.  He followed his own advice ...  he turned left on entering the hallway and exposed his light stone to see in the dark.

Stalling not a moment in the open space of the little alley, Magnus thrusts himself into the narrow corridor, giving his eyes a moment to adjust to the relative darkness.  He shuffles aside a small bit of debris with his hoof, the painted rock emitting a light and high clattering as it skitters across the floor.  A glance reveals where the stones have come from, for a wide latticework of chalky mortar still clings in some spots, long since dried out and crumbling.  The empty tile-space reveals little of the pitch black emptiness above, though thick, wooden crossbeam supports cut across the hallway each few paces.

Along the other side of the hall, three wooden doors stand closed, at uneven intervals.

Just behind Magnus, Gustav and Judoc push their way in, pausing as well to take in their surroundings.

---

Only feet away, Rondald raises his crossbow to his face, leveling his bead towards the archers at the far side of the alley...  It's a far shot, but he hasn't yet found a target that his failed to hit with deadly accuracy.

Finn, glancing over his shoulder for only a moment, continues his hummingbird like float slowly over the roof of the outer rings of the building.  An archer flings another arrow skyward, though Finn is out of sight by the time it climbs to his height.

[Language unknown:  ”Ivos ome re k chla treend enc wasearugh i ntiectwhe anieet ni thevornte asil ckro witamethi?”]  Finn shouts at the top of his lungs.

Silence spreads out across the distance, that is, until a man takes a running leap from the low roof on the right side, across the alley, clasping at the roof of the outer buildings for a moment before he scrambles up to the top.

"I'm going to the horses!"  Finn shouts in Anglish though he is long out of sight.

"Shit!"  Terri squeaks, for the two archers at the end of the alley avert their gaze toward the three remaining in the alley, and Bjorn steps forward, clutching his axe as he steps up to Terri's flank.

"We takin 'em?"  Bjorn asks, his head turned towards Rondald as the sailor levels his crossbow towards the two Wazifi.


OOC:  It's about 1300 on the 14th of May.  I've got the small hallway depicted above, sorry for the half-doors, I'm sure you understand reasons for the awkward cut.  You guys just stepped into the door at the top of the map.  Rondald, Terri, and Bjorn are just outside the doorway, though Finn is no longer in sight.  Sorry if I was unclear in the last post, but the debris in the hallway isn't big enough to have to clear out of the way, though it may be just big enough to annoy Magnus, with the bits of stone catching in his hooves.

The archers at the end of the alley aren't advancing yet, though they have definitely caught sight of the three of you left out in the alley.  Bjorn seems amenable to tracking them down and killing them if Rondald wishes to do so.

"I am just providing cover. Get into the hallway! Move!"

He squeezes the trigger of the crossbow, aiming at the first archer's torso. Once the bolt flies, he gets up and follows whoever has gone in through the door.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:38, Tue 21 May 2019.

Gustav goes to the door on the left (as you enter) and listens, he looks for any cracks to see through and if he sees/hears nothing opens the door carefully with his sword on guard.

Magnus was behind Gustav, but there was nothing careful about the Minotaurs pell mell rush down the hallway. When he reached the end of the hall, he put his hoof to the door roughly where any latch might have been, the need to catch up with Finn and to get away from the Wazifi army foremost in his mind.

Bjorn grunts at Rondald's refusal, turning towards the door as he slowly limps along.

Twang!

Rondald's bolt streaks down the alleyway, straight towards his mark, the archer on the left that seemed to look the meaner of the two.  Mean, perhaps the man is, though he does not appear stupid.  As Rondald recoils from the shot, the man dives to the ground, spilling his quiver of arrows all about himself.  The shot hits just above him, shattering into pieces against the wall in the same space the man just vacated.

Not waiting for any response, Rondald turns towards the door, letting the crossbow swing back to his side as he runs to catch up with the others.  Terri and Bjorn a few steps ahead of him.

Gustav, turning left as soon as he enters the hallway, races towards the first and only door at that end of the hall.  He pauses to listen momentarily at the door, though Magnus charges in behind him, shoving his way through and planting a hoof neatly at waist level.

The door explodes inward, smashing through part of the rotted frame!  Both Gustav and Magnus look inward, and indeed they see again the small overgrown bit of garden where they first started this adventure.  The wall just on the left is smashed through, a small collection of the broken stone pushed up in the far corner...

OOC:  Everyone is at least into the hallway now and Magnus and Gustav are looking into the same small garden where we started things.  The giant hole in the wall is on your left hand side, and the small hallway with the horses should be just through there.

Gustav heads into the Garden , on guard.

Rondald now enters the door, pushing any in his way further in if they stop for whatever reason.

"Keep moving. We have to keep going unless you want to take them here. But I suggest this is not the best place."

Once inside, he will let folk move at more their own pace whilst he recocks his crossbow.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:23, Wed 22 May 2019.

Magnus did just that, hustling with labored breaths towards where the horses had been hitched. He was tired and soaked with sweat, and while the absence of a plan in the wake of what had happened weighed on his mind, he would feel much better once he had assured himself that Finn was alright.

As he reached the intersection between the stables, he did a quick peek to his left to make sure that the Wazifi's were not charging down the road after them.