Thanks for the suggestions, I will pass them along!
The player is just joining the game after another had to drop out, and he is new to 5e. He started as fighter 2 / cleric 3, but we will make some changes for next game.
The previous week the seven players (at level 4) had met the Feathergale Knights and were preparing to attack the manticore lair at dawn, but expected the typical nightly raid by one or two of them. Six knights and six characters manned the ballistas on the roof, and had eight hippogriffs ready for flight. They had continuous flame spells around the outside of the walls, but that gave them limited sight at night. I had a dozen manticores attack them, who fired their tail spikes from out of sight range. The party was stunned and confused, and it took two volleys before they decided to take cover, and were hit by a third volley. Two knights and a character were unconscious, and all eight hippogriffs were dead. They finally closed the top hatch, which was a very thick wooden door, and they figured they were safe inside.
At least until they heard the drawbridge open and howling sounds. A dozen gnoll wereboars (I ruled that any humanoid could be affected) rushed into the spire, while the survivors barricaded themselves in the large room on the second floor (S8), where they had the feast. One knight was a lycanthrope, and let them in. They tried to open the door and only let a few in at a time, but they all stampeded through. Fortunately the knights had silvered weapons, and after a long hard fight they were all killed. Only the head knight and Savra survived, as did the six party members. Most were out of spells, and close to zero hit points. [end of game session, we went long time-wise]
We started up last week with the new player riding his horse like mad, into the spire, chased by three manticores. As he made it in, his horse was shot out from under him, and he rolled to the stairwell door. Three characters had gone downstairs to close the drawbridge, but were too late as some manticores were inside. They helped the wounded character upstairs. As soon as Savra spotted him, she fired and hit him with an arrow. The players found out that Aiden was an ex-knight of the spire and Savra's ex-husband. Two years ago he had ran away from the order and her! The players were excited about getting a new cleric in the party, but he was at zero hit points and also out of spells. They survived the night and leveled up. This has some potential for fun...