Liam exits with the rest, still casting distrustful glances at the dwarf.
Kalaya joins the others, quietly studying their interactions.
"Come along, Magnus," Stilgar says, wary of leaving the gnome alone with Terranus, "Let us hear what Master Ironhead has to say."
Along the way, he overhears Auric's words, and raises a brow. "His aura?"
"Uh, yeah. It's like a spiritual footprint. His is mostly clear- or at least, not bad enough for me to notice."
"Hmph. Still. Meddling with gods will come to no good. Better to live here, now. Enough problems as is, you know."
"Here and now is only a tiny glimmer of the universe we experience Jon. And there are far older things in this universe than "Gods"." Kalaya says cryptically.
Jon stares at the woman for a moment. "Even more reason to avoid the gods and these older things. Here, now, nature's good enough for me."
Magnus jumps in on the exchange between the two humans "Interesting that you would make a decision before having all of the information. Kalaya is right that there is much more to be seen, explored, and understood. Nonetheless, Jon is also right in that all the knowledge in the world means little if it has no impact on the world we live in."
"Everything impacts the world we live in if you're willing to see the connections...events on planes we cannot even comprehend are probably affecting what we are doing right now. And what we do will affect people we will never meet."
"Doesn't matter. Can't see it, can't stop it, don't worry about it. I can see hear and now. That's what matters."
Back in the common room, the monks help make Heyward Ironhead comfortable in a roughly constructed chair--the only one in the room--while the rest of you make do with rock outcroppings or the floor. The monks serve up food and drink while the crippled dwarf collects his thoughts.
"I thank you," he begins, addressing Stilgar and Magnus, "for bringing us to this place. The Archive is invaluable and we shall do our best to see it preserved. I also thank you for coming at Gendo's request," he says the the rest of you. "It is good that you are on hand in case of problems while we excavate and explore the rest of the area. However, I want to be sure we're clear where we stand. If my order is going to take responsibility for the Archive, then I will ultimately be making the decisions on how things should be done here. That prisoner, that Terranus, was clearly considered dangerous to be imprisoned so. The very fact that he is still alive despite being forgotten for centuries is proof of that. I do not want to risk setting him free until more is known about who he is, where he came from, and why he was placed here."
"I agree wholeheartedly, don't release something you can't control. He's much more interesting in his current state anyways. The possibilities I could realize if I could just learn the spells they use to create his set-up."
Kalaya remains silent, litening to the opinions of the others.
Setting down his drink, Stilgar nods in agreement with Master Ironhead. "The oread is a disconcerting development. It is not something to be dealt with lightly," he states, stroking his beard thoughtfully.
"On the matter of the Archive, I confess that I had hoped to take advantage of its power again. That is the reason we returned. Granted, now that this place is under your authority, I would understand if you forbade such a thing."
"I can see my way to letting you speak with the Archive. I expect it will see regular consultation for quite a while. Too much to know, too much forgotten. I think..." Master Ironhead trails off, frowning. He cocks his head a moment. "Do you hear that?" he asks.
Perception:
Auric pushes himself up from the floor.
"Bats?"
At Master Ironhead's question, Liam listens but doesn't hear what he refers to. "Bats?"
Magnus appears to be out of the conversation for a moment, staring again off into space. His eyes turn a blank grey as though blind.
"Not big ones, I hope," the cleric says, his expression falling.
Magnus' eyes widen as though looking at something shocking before they return to their normal colour.
"Not big, many! Retreat to the sealed rooms, or help me to repel them!!!" Magnus rises quickly and casts a spell to make a false wall blocking view of the recently uncovered area and prisons. He tries to make the view as similar to the original as he can.
[dice=init]d20+5
well...ok then. I guess I'm going last.
Jon steps to the side, drawing his scythe.
Initiative:
Auric unhooks his warhammer and readies his shield, stepping out toward the bats.
Stilgar takes but a moment to adjust his buckler before drawing his own warhammer.
Initiative Order:
Jon
Stilgar
Liam
Bats
Monks
Auric
Magnus
Kalaya
Jon stands firm, awaiting whatever danger comes. He'll ready an action to attack if the opportunity presents itself.
Reaching for the golden bead of blessing at his belt, Stilgar murmurs a brief prayer to Baal.
Liam will move behind the frontliners, then begin exhorting his companions on to victory. "Alright lads - and lady - let's drive these airborne rats back into their holes!"he cries, waving his spear in the air.
Round 1
Stilgar invokes the blessings of Baal upon the party, as Liam inspires the group and readies them for battle. Jon stands stolidly by, awaiting the coming onslaught.
He doesn't have long to wait, as a stream of screeching, fluttering bats floods into the room, swarming around Stilgar, Auric, and Jon and covering them in small bites.
Fortitude save:
Jon's scythe lashes out! for damage!
Jon attempts to swing his scythe, but the myriad nipping teeth and wings beating in his face leave him too disoriented to take any offense.
Magnus will move up and cast colour spray on the bats, maintaining the illusory wall near effortlessly.
Auric swats at the bat swarm with his warhammer.
Hammer Time:
Auric swings his hammer, but the bats simply swerve around its arc.
Magnus steps forward and sends a blast of riotous color into the swarm. Aiming high, he sends it up over Stilgar's head, but catches the two humans in the blast. Many of the bats begin flying around erratically and cease attacking, effectively neutralizing the swarm around the three, however there are move bats flapping up the tunnel.
Kalaya, eyes blazing, raises a hand towards the bats in the tunnel, hissing out words of power. The bats in the tunnel halt their onward rush, their raucous screeching becoming even louder and more shrill.
Actions for round 2, after the Will saves have been resolved.
"Watch it, Magnus!" Stilgar calls out when he sees the wizard's spell. Too preoccupied to see what it has done to the humans caught in it, he approaches the nearest swarm and lashes out at it with his hammer.
Will save:
"What the-?!"
Jon manages to avert his eyes in time, but Auric catches a face full and the world disappears behind a veil of spots as he struggles to keep his mind focused on the task at hand.
Jon swings again at the darned swarm!
Jon and Stilgar swing their weapons at the swarm. Though Jon is able to slice nearly a dozen bats out of the air with his swing, it does nothing to appreciably decrease the momentum and effect of the swarm, Stilgar's strike even less so.
Magnus launches a bolt of acid into the remaining swarm and then dives back behind the illusory wall along with the monks.
"You'll be fine. " Magnus shouts against the screeching of the bats from behind the false stone.