Subject: Crashing the party; Heavy metal thunder 4

[New initiative order: Rat, Spurt, Finlan, Rat, Sa'id, Farron, Cadfael, Mission, Garyth, Cale, Rat, Rennik, Garth (note that Garyth's delayed action, waiting for Mission to go first, has moved him down below Mission on the initiative order)]

The noise is incredible. Inside the hollow tower, the sounds of rats squealing, weapons slamming on armor, and men yelling raises an echoing cacophony, though surely it will only be a dim memory of battle noise to those who survive.

The largest of the four rats continues his mindless assault on the halberdier, gnawing on the leather covering his ankle. [Attack 23; Damage 6] This time, the nasty teeth tear the man's boot completely open, and deep gash is ripped into his lower calve. Despite the wounds he has received, the big man shows no signs of slowing down or stopping, and continues to press his attack.

However, the thief who was kicked in the face takes a quick glance at his brother, then holds his hands up and begins to back away. He does not drop his sword, but he is definitely showing signs of desiring an end to hostilities.

The second rat [Attack 19, miss] tries to maintain its grip on the fighter's leg, but he is able to kick it away.

Sa'id maneuvers around the doorway until he has line of sight with the halberdier. It will be difficult to use a ray spell in the through the crowded and chaotic interior of the tower [-4 to ranged touch attack]. Sa'id shrugs and decides to cast anyway, since doing nothing might easily get his friends killed. He points a finger at the fighter, and chants the scorching ray spell. [Ranged touch attack 6, miss] He has just about finished, when Garyth, moving for better position in the fight, steps between him and his target. The spell goes off, but Sa'id quickly shifts his aim point, and the scorching ray draws a black line up the tower wall.

Farron is standing just behind him, and also looses line of sight with the halberdier. He decides to instead incapacitate one of the thieves. Pointing his metal rod at the thief who has not yet been wounded, he utters the hold person charm. The thief grimaces as his muscles begin to lock up [Will save 5], and then he is motionless, though his eyes betray panic.

Cadfael sits with his head bent in prayer as the first rat throws itself through the doorway. At the first cry of pain his head rises and he feels a surge of hope, Pelor's light has brought his companions to him! The hope in his eyes lights up with the flashes of Farron's magic and dies as Mission's blood spills to the floor. That blood, he knows, is on his hands as much as it is his enemies. The ropes that bind him cut into his wrists as he strains against them, knowing his efforts are futile. The prayers ringing in his head no longer seem to have words but now seem to be simple calls of raging despair. The blood that pours from Garyth's unnatural wounds fills his eyes and in desperation he reaches out to Pelor, past Pelor, to anyone, to anything. Something answers.

*snap*

The ropes break free [Burst ropes strength check versus DC 23 for hemp, Fate point used for natural 20, result 23]

Mission sees the thief he was engaged with backing away, trying to stop the fight. He too backs away, hands defensively in the air. "Lay down your weapons!" Mission cries. "Your mage is dead, and we outnumber you 2 to 1! I swear, no harm will come to you if you will surrender now and tell us true why you are in this tower!" The thief he faces looks all to ready to take him up on his offer, but he hears a derisive laugh from behind, and turns to face the big fighter. The man shows no sign of backing down. [Mission is on full defense, no movement or attacks, but +4 AC dodge bonus]

Garyth watches the halberdier move to engage the heavily wounded monk, who looks like he's just trying not to get hit again. He shifts his position, moving to the side where it will be difficult for the man to move his large weapon quickly. The thief on that side isn't moving, so one of the wizards must have zapped him with magic. Garyth is not above using the opening created by this. His hand darts to his belt in a lightning fast motion, and he leaps at the big fighter with a weapon in each hand and screaming "Overlook!" at the top of his lungs. He brings the two weapons together at the man's head in a clumsy and awkward attack, but luck is with him. [Sword attack 19, miss; Mace attack, fate point used for natural 20, critical threat, threat roll 1, normal hit; Damage 4] The mace, despite his lack of training with offhand weapons, slips past the fighter's guard and strikes him a ringing blow on the helmet. The man's face whips around, and it is clear the blow did nothing more than anger him.

The third remaining rat, kicked away once by the fighter, attacks again. [Attack 21; Damage 7] It takes advantage of the distraction created by Garyth, and slips over to join its brother in gnawing on the back of the man's leg.

Rennik has watched all this from above as he nocked a new arrow, and tried to get an open shot. The big man is beset from all sides, hit by Garyth and by all the rats, but fights on undeterred. He is clearly a man of great stamina and bravery, though of questionable sense. Finally, after Garyth's knock to the head, the man steps back and Rennik has an open shot. He puts two more arrows into the air, the second leaving the bow only a split second after the first strikes. [Attacks 23 (for the record, this was roll 17 +10 to hit -2 rapid shot -2 angle of fire), and 20; Damage 9 and 8] Both arrows strike home, despite the awkward angle and the man's heavy armor. When the second arrow hits, the man grunts, then slowly drops to his knees. He pants for a moment, then falls over on his side, and lies twitching. He is dying, but with his powerful constitution, it will not be quick.

And that quickly the fight is over. One of the two thieves is paralyzed by Farron's hold spell, and the other has backed far enough away to appear non threatening. He looks up at the pile of rubble, and the mage's twisted and broken body, then down at the fighter, gasping his last breaths, and finally at his brother, frozen and helpless.

"Tempus' tears, what have you done?" he says to you, shock and grief evident on his face. "Please, don't hurt my brother. And let me help Garth. Or do you plan to just watch him bleed to death?"

[Fight is over unless you want to kill the two thieves. Garth is at -5 and dying. The mage is dead. One thief is still under a hold person spell, the other is the one speaking. Let me know what you want to do from here. Matt, if Rennik is coming down, let me know. You will need 3 or so non hasted rounds to get back down, and I need to make a climb roll for you.]

Subject: Re: Crashing the party; Heavy metal thunder 4

PS, Karl, unless you make them stop, the rats will kill Garth next round.

Subject: Re: Crashing the party; Heavy metal thunder 4

OOC: Sorry, this has to be quick-- I won't be on the net again until tomorrow morning.

Mission will defend any of the fallen 'enemies,' as he did give his word. And he will look plaintively at Cadfael until healed.

Subject: Re: Crashing the party; Heavy metal thunder 4

Sa'id takes a few strides into the tower. His eyes sweep over the battle's aftermath but come to rest on Cadfael. "Are you hurt, Brother?" he asks. "Rennik thought you may have been poisoned."

Subject: Re: Crashing the party; Heavy metal thunder 4

Surveying the scene below, Rennik feels it all ended too quickly and easily. He decides to notch another arrow and maintain his position, ready to loose at any sign of trouble from the thieves or otherwise.