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: "It tontil.  Rea astticove eeas m hitiat ckec whmohi.  Etiv ha artyinmen proweroul ut thanceerslar th ll o san but ticpropro.  Riwh N nceverive be fo rool.  In I kor stitanle, icch th ckek mo ethoes.  Ilng adha innt utis haof tr rut thipl encwh wa ei ainul Atnc necasino.  Ne pr t ll temi one andvirers, m it ourshethe tete he.  Nteforere ereel eau linoutour red u u ca conil rom t ame undureles mithi en.  Erelinwhe ere E conce at een illeaueve ithon elolwi.  Asente?"]
This message was last updated by the GM at 04:06, Wed 20 Nov 2019.

[Language unknown: "Esive ngcom Olli!  Liet li ovehi, san u ven iou nt itheraame e ee."]  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: "Tic nti!"]  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: "Weofel na il!"]  The voice shouts again, an.  [Language unknown:  "Pomen fo vir oneounwit unul pl seterente!"]

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: "Of i tr!  IEOUL RI CKFI! IOU!"]

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:  "Prenc ut el t ndeichyin!"]  The deep voice shouts from outside.  [Language unknown:  "At red ous ndeoutant staar leslo ineun!"]

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:  ”Lo EC ENCA HA NDE DINASTDER HISINTERE IT A FITAAS IC!!!!”]  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.