(01) The Approach

[mgtremaine]

You bet they will drop a portcullis at the opening...

[waysoftheearth]

You bet they will drop a portcullis at the opening...

Yessiree

[waysoftheearth]

Garamon, Stern and Flin smash through the dispatched guards to charge the hastily reloading crossbow-men under the far-side arch.

"Do it NOW!" urges the man at the back, a note of panic in his voice.

Thanis squints, narrowing his aim upon this fellow and lets fly. He hits... someone... as the group raise their weapons to fire again, and the portcullis comes clattering down. Garamon, Stern and Flin are pelted with a hail of bolts that dash off their armor, but for another missile that bites into Flin's hardy flesh.

And then the gate crashes into the stone floor, preventing the rampant trio from reaching their quarry. The missile men hurry to back-peddle out of spear reach as they yell and swear and fumble to reload again...

Half a move won't get Stern, Garamon, and Flin across the bridge, so missile fire.
Thanis first: THAC2 14 vs AC7 1d20=9 +1 (bow), is a hit. Will the personality figure be hit? 1d6=2, no. Someone else is in the way. 1d6=4 hp damage. Dice for hp 1d6+1=5, 1 hp remaining.

8 Crossbowmen (THAC2 17) fire again: 8d20=14,14,10,7,6,8,9,1. Two potential hits... who is targeted? 1-2=Garamon, 3-4=Stern, 5-6=Flin. 2d6=6,3 so it's Flin(AC5) and Stern (AC3). Flin is hit, d6=3 damage; 10 of 15 hp remaining.

remaining half move gets Stern, Garamon and Flin to the portcullis face...

What now?

[zygarti]

Flin winces in pain as another crossbow bolt slams into him. He begins hurriedly looking around for a way past the portcullis.

does Flin think it would be possible to lift the portcullis if all three of us lifted?

[rredmond]

Garamon grunts in frustration as the portcullis slams down and the enemies move out of spear range.
He looks to see if there are spots to the side of the portcullis to keep him and his comrades safe from the missile fire.

does Flin think it would be possible to lift the portcullis if all three of us lifted?

Dig this idea, and Garamon is in. If not, then he'll get to the side to, hopefully, not get hit. And see if there's any way up and over the wall, or doors/windows/meurtrières.

[waysoftheearth]

He looks to see if there are spots to the side of the portcullis to keep him and his comrades safe from the missile fire.

The most obvious way to get out of their line of fire would be to jump over the side-wall of the bridge, into the mire below (the surface of which is only about 8ft lower than the causeway), and then--hopefully--wade through the swamp to scale the muddy bank and go around the small moathouse (it's a small-ish, squat box tower about 20ft wide each side). The main risks would be getting bogged or drowning in the mire or--if you're totally paranoid--being got by swamp denizens...

It might be possible to try to run along the top of the side-wall and then jump as far as possible toward the bank... or maybe hang by your fingertips over the sidewall out of sight... or perhaps Garamon and Stern could jointly throw Flin toward the bank? Or maybe you could run back to the slaughtered bodies and use them as meat shields... or... you tell me

does Flin think it would be possible to lift the portcullis if all three of us lifted?

There's no reason why the three heroes can't collectively try to lift the gate... they might even be able to do it, between them.
However... there are 8 men reloading crossbows a mere 10ft or so away. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel.

In all, it's not a "great" position to be in

[rredmond]

…perhaps Garamon and Stern could jointly throw Flin toward the bank? Or maybe you could run back to the slaughtered bodies and use them as meat shields... or... you tell me

Both time honored courses of action.

Sheesh I’d hate to give up ground that we’ve gained by Flin’s blood!

[rredmond]

If they had reinforcements, they are a bit cowardly to run away so quick! Garamon says out loud, then in a whisper "any of you have any oil where we can even up our odds?

Did Wraist use his spell yet?

[ehiker133]

Goldwen continues running...

... much like when charging the Swamp Castle.

[waysoftheearth]

Did Wraist use his spell yet?

No, Wraislin (no 'T') hasn't employed any magic as yet... perhaps an "open portcullis" spell would be timely

Goldwen continues running...

Tass, Goldwen, and Witherun have arrived at the front of the near-side moat house, and are there with Wraislin.
Do you want Golden to run through the near-side arch, past Thanis, and out onto "target practice bridge" to join the three already there?