If Nuyok can make this out, or at the point in which Lekchock makes a sudden move and therefore appears to have been spotted (e.g., drops to the floor, etc.), Nuyok will rush down the stairs with sword in hand.

Any violence or sudden movement will suffice. As soon as it is described, you can notice it.

Cas is highly anxious. Should she notice Nuyok bolt, she is sure to be right beside him providing protection.

Ditto to the beside, nix to the protection.
(Although three probably won't fit down the steps I'm ready to rush in and wreak havoc.)
OOC: No, not wreak, cry. Then we get dogs!

Nuyok will keep an eye on Lekchock, while quietly saying to the party "I believe we've been spotted, we may have to rush in, but for now Lekchock's fine."

The bays in the cellar have been numbered. Each one is a cross-barrel vault. When I refer to a pillar by number, it is the pillar at the upper left corner of referenced vault. The guard for instance is tied to the east side of pillar number 20.

Nuyok's psychic danger sense goes off as the man behind pillar number 11 raises an ax. Now that the man is moving and brandishing it, the adept also senses something he missed previously. The ax is spiritually enhanced. It is also about to be launched at Leckchock. He cannot tell if Leckchock is aware of the attacker.
Nuyok springs forward and down, drawing his sword on the run. Cas is at his side, her long stiletto ready. Beka and Celeste follow, the barbarian woman leaping off the side of the stone staircase as they descend.
The stone-flagged cellar is dimly but thoroughly lit by oil lanterns hung at intervals. Many areas have boxes and barrels of goods and stores. There are numerous possibilities for weapons of convenience.
Tied to pillar number 20 is a city guardsman. His faced is bruised and purplish and he has a gag in his mouth. The women recognize him as Jornu, whom Melkut feared dead. He is shouting something, but it is unintelligible.
Leckchock hangs by his feet from the top of a cross barrel arch. They actually grip the ridge of stone firmly enough to allow him to use his hands.
Three hill tribe barbarians are immediately visible. The one aiming the ax at Leckchock sees the party descend the stairs and lets forth a bellowing war-cry, "Wheeeeeeey-Yi!!!"

Actions and Contingencies? Be sure to include weapons, tactics, appropriate skill levels, and armor.

Vagrant, you will have to work off of what you could logically perceive, and post as a voice until you are ungagged or untied. I'm too pressed for time right now to keep a separate thread. Sorry.

Rushing down the stairs, Nuyok hisses toward the party "spirit weapons", and enters the chamber, moving toward the closest guard (the one about to attack Lekchock?).

Nuyok will half-move to the closest guard (seems within reach), and attack with his sword, switching to full Spirit Sense (13-), Detect Hostile Intent (11-), and Anticipate Movement (+1CSL), allocating the CSL to defense. At any point Nuyok is in HtH combat with the guards, and does not have to move, he will switch the Spirit Sense to Find Weakness (11-) and use that on the guard and attack in that phase.

The reason for Nuyok's full Spirit Sense is in case he spots an extra hidden person, especially one who may have possessed the lumina, in order to warn everyone of the hidden threat. Also, to the extent he can take a zero-phase action to glance toward the corner pit / well / shaft to the river below, Nuyok will look that way to try to spot a fleeing adept.

Spotting fleeing adept, if possible, 13-
3d6: 6, 3, 4 (STUN: 13, BODY: 4) Tue November 4, 2003 @3:47 PM (EST)
General PER roll for hidden threats, if possible, 13-
3d6: 4, 5, 4 (STUN: 13, BODY: 3) Tue November 4, 2003 @3:47 PM (EST)

Cas will be using all her DCV. If someone engages her directly it will be her top priority. If she is left alone but Nuyok is in danger, she will target that person. If no one is engaged with either of them, she will engage an enemy that someone else is already fighting.

Again, should she encounter Vagrant, she will give him her spare blade for the time being.

+2 HTH Combat
+2 DCV
Broadsword
Heavy Leather 10-

Beka will advance hurridly down the stairs. She will move to the first opponent she sees (within a half move, if not, half move and hold). She will use the +2 HTH to hit until she gets hit and then switch it to DEF. She will place herself so a friend or pillar is at her back and ATTACK!!!

As you advance, Lechock nimbly descends the slope of the roof, moving so quickly he seems to be sliding along the ridge. The maneuver obiously catches the guard by surprise; the axe blow never falls. Leckchock's recovered axe takes the man in the shoulder. He screams and drops his ax, crumpling to the floor.

Beka moves towards barbarian#2 (at pillar 27), but advances slowly enough to make sure her back is always covered by a pillar. She stands at pillar 18.

Nuyok and Celeste change tracks in mid course, since the closest man (pillar 11) is no longer a threat. The next nearest barbarian will do. Nuyok takes a moment to look about the cellar with his adept perceptions.

In the distance, the female hill tribe barbarian moves towards pillar #30. She takes up a fighting stance, though she has no visible weapon.

Cas brandishes her long knife and remains abreast of the adept. She is on the alert for any threat. Her face is serious and dedicated, far more concentrated that you have seen her for days.

The barbarian at pillar 27 looks at the superior force bearing down on him and retreats abck to pillar#28, a cautious retreat.

Guard Jornu continues to shout unintelligible words. He looks extremely agitated.

There have been a number of unresolved half moves, since no one would want to move into HTH range and then be unable to attack. I have treated this as a cautious advance. After all the cellar is full of moving shadows now, and you quickly sense it would be foolhardy to rush in.

Also, I am waiting to hear from Celeste and Leckchock, and possibly Vagrant.

[EDITED on Wed November 5, 2003 @12:15 AM (PST)]

Nuyok, a freebie perception roll will only reveal cursory information. You will have to dedicate a half or full phase to glean more valuable observations. However, you believe there are one or more people in bay #5.

Vagrant waits for someone to notice him. He will wave his weapon in the direction of the concealed barbarians to the first caravan member he recognises.

Nuyok will make his cautious advance along the left side of the cellar (along 3,4,5 blocks), signalling to Cas with his offhand toward one of the left side bays ahead.

Cas will advance slowly until the indicated bay (which one was indicated btw) and once within close range will make a sudden leap into the opening expecing to be attacked.

OOC: Glad Cas caught that, I thought it was better than saying "signalling toward X bay that there are people present" as that might be harder to justify being able to signal. Given that we're along the left side, I thought the sharp angle would also be hard to clearly point out which bay as well...

Let the dice gods decide. (please no 18's)

Perception 13-:
3d6: 10 Wed November 5, 2003 @9:34 PM (EST)

Deduction if it Helps 8-:
3d6: 11 Wed November 5, 2003 @9:34 PM (EST)

And maybe Conversation is the right skill here 11-:
3d6: 9 Wed November 5, 2003 @9:34 PM (EST)

OOC: I guess it can be tough to know what one can convey vs what the GM says can be conveyed, but Nuyok gestured toward a middle bay along the top row.

Nuyok's warning and Cas' perception can be considered enough so that Cas will not be surprised should anyone come jumping out.

OOC: I'm just waiting foe Leckchock and Celeste to post. If not, I'll run the next section of combat tonight.

OOC:Sorry about the dely had some emergencies come up and computers go down (notice the plural on computers) I'm back now and will catch up

Lekchock's first action will be to try to un-gag the guard, he seems to have something really important to say. I'll try to keep the piller between me and anyone that might want to throw something sharp at me. I'll attack anyone who gets into melee range, but my first priority will be to free the tied up guard

Leckchock nimbly runs over to the bound Jornu. The gag over his mouth is no makeshift thing; it is a well-made ball gag, designed to prevent intelligible speech. Since Leckchock has only an ax as a tool, it will take him a full phase (i.e. until his next action) to remove it. Any quicker would bring undue injury upon the man, whose face is swollen and cut already.

Beka runs forward; the axman (28) is within her reach. She lunges with her broadsword and scores a nasty wound to the man's neck. Though he is bleeding freely, he responds with a swing of his ax, narrowly missing her sword hand.

Celeste runs to join Beka, taking advantage of the guards's distraction. Her sword is ready and her face is written with death.

Nuyok moves slowly with Cas alongside (I am delaying Nuyok's actions for Cas' DEX unless it becomes a critical action Since Nuyok's speed is higher, I am giving him a free perception. The bay indicated earlier has Throne and two axemen in it. Throne is about to do something that isn't quite an attack, but definitely has a homicidal intention)

The female in the middle distance appears to be in a full combat pose, presumably upon the hidden figure Nuyok reported.

The Axman (28) appears more ready than they would have guessed, and tries a round house swing, designed to disembowel both women. The spirit ax whistles through the air and is nimbly avoided by the pair. He looks annoyed.

Nuyok signals to Cas with a "follow" signal and advances. The vixen remains at his side. He readies his sword and swings around the pillar, apparently at an unseen target. There is a scream from around the bay's partition and a wounded axman emerges. He is followed by Throne and the other Axman. Throne is smiling and holding a whistle to his mouth. His other hand brandishes a sword. He blows the whistle.

Meanwhile, Lekchock has removed the gag from Jornu without further injuring the man's tortured face. Jornu spits out the ball gag, and in a ragged voice screams, "TRAP!!! It's a trap! Go back! The shaft is loaded with spirit axmen!" Nuyok's head has already whipped around, prompted by an adept's danger sense.

At that moment, in response to Throne's whistle, a savage war whoop rings from the far corner as reinforcements boil up. Hill tribe barbarians pound up the wooden stairs of the shaft, their faces colored with frightening masks of paint. They all carry axes and they all look ready to kill.

OK, because Leckchock removed Jornu's gag, you are all aware of the nature of the threat coming up out of the far (and darker) corner of the cellar. There is no surprise condition.

Throne shouts, "Shoot, Kramer! Shoot for your life! Shoot or die, and your friends with you!" He is yelling at the hidden figure guarded by the unarmed female barbarian.

Vagrant, Cassie has taken a martial pose near you. From your experience, you realize she stands ready to snap your neck should you try anything like aiming at Throne (or her for that matter).

As if things couldn't get worse, there is an answering whoop from the kitchen area above. More barbarians?

Cas wants nothing more this moment than to kill the wounded Barbarian in front of her. Okay... so she also wants to kill Throne but the barbarian is the focus on her mind. The reason is simple. Cas can only see one way this barbarian could have been injured, and that was if the barbarian was hurt fighting Rath.

"I'm going to finish what Rath started," Cas will shout. And as if it would make any difference to moral she will give a fox scream.

OOC: Argh, I knew it was a trap, just not this bad of one! Where's Handle?!

Assuming Throne's trying to get Vagrant to activate his replica ancient weapon for him, Nuyok will shout out "Vagrant, do what you must," and press forward hoping that his enhanced speed and find weakness and Cas might enable him to get through the barbarian guards and get to Throne himself, having seen him felled before by Rath.

Nuyok will continue to use Find Weakness when able, and attack the guards with the CSL on DCV, attempting to get to Throne, and Find Weakness on him to deal a grievous enough hit such that Nuyok could take an action to "cover" Throne and use that as leverage to stop the fighting.

OOC: Knew we shoulda come up from where we escaped from last time.

Lekchock will use his ax to free the injured man then do his best to get to the celing and get behind Throne.

I inted to go out in a blaze of GLORY!
I will continue fighting the Hill Tribe in front of me shouting about how lousy they are to kick a kid out etc. I will then advance and attack the next one I see (realizing that may come from behind). I will keep a pillar at my back, and switch my +2HTH to DCV.
Banzai for (w)Rath!

Vagrant raises the gun from his side and looks at it. He glances to Cassie and then back at the gun. He levels the weapon at the hoard coming out of the shaft. Vagrant "points" to these barbarians with a nod of his head hoping to get Cassie to look toward them. He target's the gun to one, then another and then another. He shrugs his shoulder and tosses his other hand a bit in frustration. Finally he talks into the gag as best as he can, "Uauug unn ug auur gguungg aauag a ugnag?"

Orlando's foot raises and smacks the door. It cracks, but does not break. He looks annoyed and plants a round house kick upon it. This time, something gives and the doors slam open.

Orlando calls out, "In the name of the High Justice, I--"
"Ah Demon-Kings take it." He strides in. There is an expensively appointed foyer on the other side of the threshold, with plants and reflecting pools. You have little time to notice this, because your attention is drawn by two things. First, the unmistakeable sounds of war cries and combat from ahead, and the arrival of Handle from behind. He is out of breath and appears wounded.

Faliol rushes over to Handle, to lend assistance to his human friend.

"Orlando, this is Handle, one of the caravaners attempting to get our friend Vagrant released. Handle, this is Orlando, a Paladin here to arrest Throne and his thugs."

Noticing that Handle is wounded, he uses his limited medical knowledge to access Handle's health.

Paramedics 12-
3d6: 9 Fri November 7, 2003 @5:58 AM (CST)

Warning! Conditional statements follow!
If the roll indicates that Handle is in immediate danger, Faliol will bind his wounds, while waving Ricco and Orlando forwards. "I will be right behind you in just a moment. He needs immediate attention."

If, however, the roll indicates no immediate danger, Faliol does the following:

"I will patch you up later. Your wounds are not threatening, though I imagine, quite painful."

Sticking to the right of the Paladin, Faliol keeps one eye on the young human to make sure he doesn't pass out or slump over from his injuries.

.oO(He needs treatment, but others are fighting and dying right now...)

"It be good to know you still be livin' at the least!" Concern and inquisitiveness seem to war on the plucky 'coon's furry features. His eyes dart about the combat site. Realizing Faliol has the matter well in hand, Ricco urges on Orlando. "It be soundin' like the battle be waged, Paladin. We best be at it."

He doesn't move in front of the warrior but, he does seem to urge the man forward, from behind.

Given that the situation is critical, your roll reveals nothing more than that he is standing and moving and not spurting blood. He'll fall down if it's too serious.
You just don't have the time or a safe place to do more.

"Handle, without more time, I simply cannot tell how badly you are hurt. We best join Ricco and Orlando. Try to stay out of the worst of the fighting, if they give you the choice."

Faliol moves off after Ricco/Orlando. He keeps glancing back to make sure Handle is doing ok.

"Huh, huh, I," I pu7ll the hand away from my aching and slightly bleeding ribs, "I think I'll live. I'm just glad I didn't have to fight this one here," indicating Orlando. "I sure am glad to find out he is on our side."

I look around taking in the scene.

" Where is everyone? I took out two before getting here. Are we still behind the fight or is it coming upon us? If we are behind we should trya nd get in an attack ontheir flank and draw soem of the heat off our friends. maybe open up a means of escape for them."

OOC: Seeing all those benzene rings and letter codes, I thought I was back in Chemistry class.....