Prologue

The axemen, seeing they are almost through the barn's rear wall, ignore Erden's warning, and the gnome makes them pay for it: aided by his supernatural insight into the future, the diviner predicts the axemen's every move and unleashes a bolt of fire at the larger of the two thugs at the exact moment he breaks through the wall. The man thuds lifeless to the gound with a smoking hole in his chest. Horrified, the other thug turns and runs. Erden can take an OA here if he wishes.

Out in the front yard, the two slingers are fighting just to stay conscious. Rydler's spell sears the one who is still standing, causing him to stumble slightly as he rushes to help his friend up.

The thugs' leader and his second-in-command seem unfazed by the half-orc and the two humans in front of them. With well-practiced timing, the shortswordsman lunges at Baracus to unbalance him while the leader whips nearly six feet of razor sharp steel at the half-orc's neck. The tactic would have worked too were it not for Urban, who raises his shield just in time to deflect the blow.

The marksman, seeing the shield go up, lets fly his arrow at Urban's ribs but the well-placed shot is thwarted by the paladin's chainmail.

The warehouse's front wall is fully engulfed in flames now. And within, crates of Aditya's precious dried chili peppers have begun to burn. The horse is in full panic panic and tries to buck the wagon. The thugs are clearly outmatched but for Aditya to survive you need to end this now!

What do you do?

Got your games crossed, J? :-D

Ybus manages to keep the horse from bolting. Perhaps it's the dangled treat, or perhaps the animal is taken aback by the halfling himself, who is crazier than anything the horse has ever seen. Urban falls back to the wagon and takes the reins, preparing to bug out as soon as everyone is on board.

Missing his swing on the fleeing axeman, Erden joins the others on the wagon. Singling out the lone archer in the front yard, he sends arcane owls tearing into the man, who falters but recovers, taking a bead on the melee out front.

Rydler's riddle gives the thug leader pause, and Baracus brings his greataxe down, leaving the man's shield arm dangling uselessly, attached only by a ribbon of flesh. "Aaagh! Fuck you! FUCK YOU!!!" The maimed thug screams, and slashes at the half-orc in retaliation, but with one arm missing his balance is off and his steel whips swish over Baracus' head.

The shortswordsman lunges at Rydler, but inexplicably his sword arm seems to have a mind of its own and diverts the thrust towards Baracus instead. The strike ends up ill-timed and comes up short of the raging monk's ribs.

The two retching slingers have obviously given up and are stumbling away in an effort to flee.

The marksman takes aim at Rydler but the same inexplicable force makes him flinch at the last moment. The wayward arrow hits Baracus in the thigh, drawing blood. 7 damage before DR.

The conflagration is in full force now, threatening to bring the warehouse down. The yard is starting to fill with choking smoke.

What do you do?

The barn doors explode outward, showering burning wood splinters all over the back yard.