Tararr attempts to follow Chitleen's words, but is unable to hear over all the screeching and beating of leathery wings.
The number of bats decrease with distance and the remaining mass centers on Tararr as the others flee to safety.
Surak pauses long enough for Tararr to catch up, and touches his arm before running back towards the campfire.
Round 6:
Now clear of the swarm, Chitleen is able to focus on acting against it. He spins and advances to within throwing distance and unleashes his third acidic missile...
Alkahest: for
Free of the multitude of whirling and biting bats, Chitleen finally bull's eyes his grenade and the swarm around Tararr disperses leaving scattered charred bodies that crunch beneath his feet.
Ominously, you still hear chirping and flittering sounds from the dark silhouette of the tower, but for the moment you are able to treat your wounds.
"That was not something I expected to be findin' that place, now, hahaha." Tararr says as little rivulets of blood trickle from his many bites.
Chitleen slowly stalks back to the others, eyeing the dead bats on the ground warily. He looks to the tower then back to his companions "So.... do we feel lucky?"
I would place preparedness more highly than luck, my kin. Or the mules should serve as fodder for the bats would they hunger still.
"So the question becomes do we linger long enough for the larger residents to return? Or do we make ourselves scarce from this place and seek refuge West?"
"I suspect 'hat we aren't gonna be gettin' loose of this fella very easily. Them bats of his 'ill likely hound us all along this trip. Take care of him and his buddies here an' now. Let's burn his place down and crush him as he comes out the door."
"If you wish to risk it good dwarf, then I will stand at your shoulder... though back a few paces."
Surak nods. "It would seem we have taken up with monsters."
Not put off by a bunch flippity-floppity little blood sucking pests, Tararr leads the way back across the bridge toward the dark form of the tower which the dwarf sees, is still surrounded by a cloud of bats.
"We really got 'em goin' up there, boys. How you wanna approach this?"
"If there is another pack of bats akin to the last, then I fear I will not have the acid today to disperse them..."
"The swarms we can't do much about, there are simply too many of them. But the man-bats...I'm sure they bleed just as the were-jackals did. Perhaps we can draw them away from the tower when they return?"
He keeps a careful watch of the sky, and listens for the flying bat-men, crossbow at the ready.
"Hmmmmm, think them fellas are watchin' us now?", Tararr says looking around.
Chitleen shakes his head "No, I would imagine they would have come upon us as we slew their children if they were still here... retreat will allow us to refresh ourselves and perhaps Daeron would be able to recall words of power that are of more use?"
You keep a wary watch on the tower through out the night and eventually the bats return to their roost as the sky lightens over the eastern hills, but Chitleen sees no further activity in the upper part of the tower.
"Ahh...well, hopefully the small bats will not be as much of a threat during the day."
Surak ponders. "Can we automatically consider the bat-men evil who must be stopped? They seemed to trade fairly with us last night for food, and did not attack us in the night. We were attacked by the normal bats they may keep as pets, but only when we invaded their lair when they were not present. Perhaps we should approach them first during the day and try to speak to them and find out their true nature? If we simply attack them with no true reason, we cannot call ourselves a force of good fighting evil."
Chitleen smiles gamely "Ah, a question of philosophy. I would have no answer of certainty one way or another Surak. Similarly I would not seek to pose the question of their guided or unguided assault is worthy of revenging... though we must also wonder what the thoughts of the greater bats will be when they return to find we have slaughtered their children or pets."
"They're powerful 'nough to live out here with the gnolls and powerful enough to cause us trouble. I says we burn their roost down and be done with it. I made that bastard a promise an' I intend ta keep it."
"I take no issue with killing those who deserve it. But if we murder haphazardly, we cannot call ourselves heroes. Tararr...you may be rash, but in your heart you are a good person. While your actions get ahead of your intentions sometimes, I know that ultimately you are a good person; we have battled enough evils together in the last few years for me never to doubt that."
As you consider your options, the sun rises over the hills spreading light over the valley and ruined tower. Still you see no sign of either occupation of the tower or a return of the Shabha clan.
Surak begins his morning rituals, which seem to involve periods of meditation interspersed with various drills with a bastard sword.
Chitleen spends a small time renewing his tinctures before contemplating the tower. He awaits Surak being free from his meditations before posing "I would tend to flight in this instance... but I fear what they would be capable of if they came upon us in the night unprepared and unready for them."
"If they do not return by mid-day, we should move on. They may be more scared of us than we are of them."
A determined Tararr spends the morning piling up scrub inside the entrance of the tower. There is no sign of the family you saw the prior evening as Tararr lights the thicket and soon the tower fills with smoke, killing or dispersing the remaining bats.
Chitleen assists in part, but mostly watches as Tararr is hard at work. When the bats appear to moved on, he regards the interior questioningly... wondering if it is now safe to enter...
Crossbow ready, Surak looks with Chitleen, trying to see if it's safe to explore yet.
The thick gray smoke pouring out of the tower subsides eventually so that you can explore. The cool dark musty interior of the tower is now hot and smokey. Inside you crunch across a carpet of acrid guano and charred bats. The pair of goats are long dead.
Upstairs, you find a barren room open to the sky. A lean-to with sleeping pallets lies off to the side and there is a fire pit, but little else.
Surak examines the goats to see if they show puncture wounds or other signs that the batfolk were bleeding them for sustenance.
The goats are more roasted than charred and indeed Surak finds numerous small puckered wounds on the goats mainly about their necks.
Picking over the cinders Chitleen shrugs "There is nothing remaining now... if we meet the others along the way then so be it. We must just remain vigilant to their return. Should we for the mine once more or have you more questions for the dead and burned?"
"They seem to have been using these goats as their blood supply, so at least it seems they may not be preying on people constantly."
"Indeed, lets show this place our backs."
Morning has passed by the time you finish with the tower and are ready to travel. Beyond the tower, the trail moves upward into the mountains though not too steeply yet as it follows a broad canyon. Evening comes sooner than you would like since you got a late start today and you must decide whether to push on or look for a camp site.
Looking around at the walls of the canyon Chitleen muses out loud "If the Sabha come then the canyon might restrict their movement... shall we make camp?"
Survival:
"I suppose only a few of us can see in the dark, so this is probably a good place to stop. Everyone is certainly quiet today..."
You find an elevated spot beneath a pair of stately sycamores that looks suitable. The mules are tied off and camp set as you finish off the rest of the roasted goat.
Perception:
With a hiss Chitleen picks up the noise and snaps his head towards the mouth of the chasm. His hand goes to his satchel to retrieve his tincture of sight.
Perception:
"What's is it Chitleen? Did you see something?"
Chitleen hears a cobble roll as if kicked by a heavy boot and the faint rattle of chains.
Whispering to Surak, Chitleen informs "Boots and chains come near" before applying the painful tincture to his eyes and blinking as the darkness is no longer a barrier to his sight.
Surak nods, and quietly readies his crossbow, scanning for threats.