Tinka was still clinging onto Velma's back as the ursine form crashed into the locked bars.<strong>"Whoaaaaaa!"</strong>She cried out as she was almost thrown from Velma's back at the collision.  But she wisely used the momentum to grab onto the bars and leap from the furry back.  Sliding down the slick bars she landed on her feet and drew out her staff, turning to face the rats as they chittered and began to swarm.<br/><br/>Velma's form shifted, shrinking and flowing as she reared up and took two legs, her front legs growing into heavily muscled and lethally clawed arms.  She had just enough vocal capability to roar in the gnome's direction,<em><strong>"Door!" </strong></em>before the rats surged forwards.  Velma stepped forwards to meet them, one heavy foot crashing down on their swarming furred bodies even as she swung low, her claws scraping the stone floor and devastating several of the beasts with each swinging swipe.  However for each rat she destroyed, and there were several destroyed with each mighty swing of her furred arms, two or more surged in to take the place of the fallen vermin.<br/><br/>Behind her Tinka's staff flared into light even as she heard the gnome's high pitched voice falling into a steady chant of arcane words.<br/><br/>A rat lept for velma's face and she caught it in the air, her powerful jaws crushing down on it's body and blowing through it with no more difficulty than a halfling summer sausage.  Rank blood and meat filled Velma's mouth however and she spat it out immediately sensing almost on a primal animal level the filthy flesh would not make for anywhere near as tasty faire.  Still the foul taste in her mouth turned her stomach even as the first of the vile beasts sunk filthy teeth into her furred flesh.  Not a painful wound, but certain to be the first of many.<br/><br/>Behind her, she heard Tinka finish the last of her chant just as the rats swarmed around Velma's feet and reached the small gnome.  The sound of the barred gate unlocking echoed over the chittering of the rats, and unfortunately the sound of the elf's voice raising as he finished an impromptu doggerel,<strong>"Little gnome feel the blight, while my rats deliver bite, and you'll find yourself without sight!"</strong><br/><br/>Tinka cried out then, "Ahhh, Velma, I'm blinded!"  A moment before she yelped in pain as the rats began to swarm around her feet, biting her as well.  But the door had been opened, and the elf began humming another tune.<br/><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">ooc</div><div class="spoiler_body">The rat bites do no damage to Velma because of her DR.  However you need to make a fortitude save DC 14 each turn, otherwise you are so distracted and nauseated by them that you are unable to take any signifigant action other than bat at them somewhat ineffectively.  The door is open, as Tinka's knock spell worked, but she is now magically blinded and also being attacked by the rat swarm.</div></div>