Subject: Looming battle

(this is just ridiculous)

Buchek's howling rage shakes the iron bars with loud clanging and clattering, but the large hinges on the iron door hold fast [Strength check 18 v. bend DC 24, fail].

Erk yells out, "We're here, Buchek! Give us a moment, and we will have you out!" Turning over his shoulder to Kayla he says, "Grab those keys; see if one fits the cell locks."

Kayla, seeing the keys in the adjoining cell were beyond her reach, slides up against the iron bars, warily avoiding Buchek's grasping fists. Whispering to Erk as she passes him, "Get in front of the lock and keep talkin!", she reaches inside her backpack for her lock picking kit and selects the appropriate tools for the job. [Action used to get her gear out of her pack and ready, a pick attempt can be made next turn]

Erk moves toward the cell in an attempt to calm the raging barbarian, but Kayla's words pull him up short. Understanding her intent, he uses his wide body to shield the view from the doorway to the common room, and makes his placating gestures from further away.

Elotai's words receive no words from Bermid, whose eyes have widened in shock at the howling, primal outburst from the adjoining hallway. His absent nod is the only indication that these are, in fact, the people he had arrived with.

The howling in the cell hallway draws attention from two of the guards in the common room, though most exit the tower running toward the bridge. [Elotai and Bermid would notice them moving to investigate]

***

The barbarian, seeing Holn's confident, passive stance, loses confidence entirely and thinks better of his assault. Running from the invulnerable mystic, he heads back toward the bridge and reinforcements. Seeing his adversary depart, Holn surveys the scene.

His concentration on the barbarian's mace consuming him, he hadn't noticed the flaming arrows at all. Looking around, he sees the last volley clear the wall and watches as several roofs have been set ablaze. In the flickering light, he sees a gray streak low to the ground heading back towards the tower, followed by Telwyn, running at great speed in the same direction.

Turning, Holn sees a rush of guards heading in his direction, and decides it would be best not to be the point man for the assault. He also runs back toward the tower, if nothing else than to get behind a line of armored fighters. [I'm assuming this is what he would do if the barbarian ran - in the future, give me a contingency plan, or at least thought, so I have a little more to go on]

[Jake: to answer your question, the rage lasts 8 rounds. It has now been one. If they can get you out of the cell, you could conceivably split a head or two before you crashed]

Subject: Clarification

Ignore the "ridiculous" comment... I had at first had Kayla picking the lock and failing miserably, but then realized she'd need to unpack her stuff first. So, ignore the man behind the curtain.