Pigoen makes it to breakfast, carrying her breatplate, and looking like she ran a mile. "Always feel better moving" she admits with a tired but happy smile. "It looks lovely Gavin, thank you!"
Nodding, "Yeah, thanks for the meal, sir! This is a bountiful spread for sure." Maximus then waits for the women to begin eating before he partakes himself.
The Witness attends this morning's feast, observing the other attendees and listening to their conversation, but contributing only if addressed directly.
Once breakfast is complete, but before they assume wind-form, he addresses the group. "We're now five in number. Our preferred method of communication, Gaius and Maximus, is through a specially created network of temporary inter-cerebral conduits linking our minds together, allowing instant mental dialogue over any distance within the same planar matrix - a 'telepathic bond,' in the parlance of our times. This is especially useful when in the vaporous form Gavin's magic allows us to take, as after sublimation we're no longer capable of vocalizing.
"However, we have skill enough to connect only four minds in this manner. The question, then, is who do we exclude from this bond?"
"By 'our' the Witness means his and Gavin's. Mine is still my mouth." she smiled faintly, her way of saying she didn't mind being left out.
Gaius looks surprised between a bite of biscuits. "Telepathy," he marvels out loud. "That is useful. I suppose I did not realize that we would be unable to speak. That would make spellcasting difficult as well. Most of what I do well requires speech. Though we should be able to become corporeal again."
The Knight considers for a moment. "If we are concerned about needing to quickly speak with anyone that we encounter, I can forego participation in the wind walking. I am rather fleet of foot. I would venture that I could nearly keep up with you all even if you are traveling at your maximum air speed. It could grow fatiguing, though. If I do not partake in the vaporous form, it would behoove me to maintain a telepathic link with as many of you as possible."
After another quick thought, a flash of inspiration comes to Gaius. "What of dew of lunary? I knew of a seer in Estria who swore by the herb. Could that allow us to include all five in the mental bond, if we could find any at market?"
"That's a good idea, we can certainly check for some. Although, tomorrow I can utilize our fourth attunment to cast both without outside cost or assistance." Gavin replies
After the meal, Gavin checks the 'mailbox' and then asks around in the market for some dew of lunary.
Really trying hard to keep all of this information straight, "First, I'm with her," he points to Lyra. "I'm slightly partial to using my mouth as well. Call me crazy. Secondly, are we about to become the wind? Is that what we're talking about here? You all talk to each other with your minds because you're all wind? Do I have that right?" He looks to them with a raised eyebrow, truly curious if that is what is involved.
"Oh! Something else I just thought of. If we all do wind up 'talking' to each other with our minds, how do you keep from knowing each others thoughts? Because I can tell you right now, I do NOT want to know what everyone is thinking. Like... AT ALL. And especially at the same time. Just the thought of THAT is unsettling. I really don't need that kind of mind damage. This whole 'time' thing the Tower has going for it is too much as it is; I don't really need - or want, to be honest - anything else stacked on top of that."
"Thankfully No!" Lyra blurts out quickly "No bleeding into each other's minds for tea, time, and... twins. The wind bit is a very quick way to travel though, with no worries of bashing ones head or misstepping and tumbling endlessly down the stairs. It is... rather boring really."
Gaius smiles and nods at Maximus' discomfort, pontificating. "I think it is as she says. You have to put intention into communicating. We do not speak constantly. Thoughts occur with or without our intent, but intention towards another is the key that gives a thought enough form to reach out. Humanity has found many ways of organizing repeating patterns. We give meaning to mutually significant patterns and layer them together for more complex meanings and uses. Like a good story. Or a set of finely crafted arms and armor. You need intention and practice to take the raw material and make something that will be useful and lasting for another person, much less for yourself. Telepathy is just like speaking, signing, writing, dancing, or even going through your sword forms. They are all ways of translating your thoughts into a series of patterns that another person can understand."
Gaius shrugs. "All that to say: you don't need to worry about anyone reading your mind. You're vocal enough when you have a mouth that I think you'll say exactly what you mean to say when you mean to say it."
The lovely Montoya sisters join those gathered around Gavin's table, along with Byron, Anne, and the Svenik brothers. Eskarne (the more flirtatious, younger sister) chats with the two northerners throughout breakfast, but Eider spends most of her time listening until she's asked about Lyra's coin. "We traveled down to it yesterday and found that it was still there, more or less," she answers, "it seems to have sunken down into the statue some though. The face of the coin that's away from the statue seems completely normal, but it couldn't be lifted from its resting place and it seems embedded into the stone. We just tried lifting it normally though, I'm not sure what would happen if you were to pull forcefully or pry it?"
After answering any additional questions about their trip to the coin, the sisters politely refuse Gavin's offer to include them in a spell in exchange for their service at the house of healing.
Gavin plays the part of host like an excited child whose found friends to play his game. Smiling throughout and chatting away. He introduces Maximus and Gaius as "Two fine young Knights who have agreed to travel with us for a time to try to keep me out of trouble." and introduces the other guests to them by name.
He also make the knights aware of the services available at the market, and the proprietors of such.
"Humgrin Helmhammer runs a smithy. Kjell, a leatherworks. Abund, a woodcraft. Teague is a stonemason. Ilse operates Perfect Powder. Archbanker Lombardi runs the 'bank' here, and facilitates trade, near as I can tell. And Finn O'Donal is the fine barkeep at the Temple, Where my mailbox is located." He concludes, thinking back over the list to be sure he's not forgotten anyone.
"Oh! and Claudette LeGuin, Stanna, and Jean-Paul! Operators of the House of Healing." he concludes, finally satisfied with the list.
In response to both Lyra and Gaius, Maximus lets out a resigned, "Whew! Well that's good. Because that could've easily resulted in some serious therapy," he says with a wry grin.
Maximus then nods in greeting to all of those he's introduced to. "Well met to all of you! This Tower continues to amaze with the livelihoods within it. There is no way I would've ever dreamed that there's practically an entire city within it. It continues to fascinate."
"So what's the story behind the coin?"
Lyra explains "The only way we have at the moment of knowing which floor we on at the moment is a count from the bottom. It's tedious for anyone other than the Witness." she compliments the big brain of their wizard. "So when Eskarne , Eider, and I went exploring the other day we experimented with ways to mark floors. Ink was absorbed quickly, now we know objects will be as well, just slower. Damaging walls we have been told will animate the statues against you."
Byron (a handsome fellow in a neat brown robe) raises a finger as if to draw attention to himself but waits for Lyra to finish before explaining, "actually, none of those people Gavin just introduced are in attendance now; they're all over there in those booths. I am Byron Bright, a recent arrival here in Redwatch from the year 2142."
"This is my partner Anne Hardy," he continues, gesturing to the redheaded woman beside him who wears a chainshirt and flannel skirt, and carries a strange L-shaped metal and wood object in a leather sheathe on her hip, "a clever and capable companion, to be sure." There's a faint odor of sulfur about her.
"And these are our new friends, Karl and Thor," he concludes with a wave towards the two burly blonde men chatting with Eskarne.
Gaius' eyes widen at the mention of the year 2142.
[b]"Well met, Byron Bright. I am Gaius Ignatus of the year 522. Also recent arrivals with Maximus Benedictus here. I suppose it has become customary for people to introduce themselves more regarding when they are from than a geographical where."
With all of the advancements that the Witness has described, Gaius can hardly fathom what more has occurred in the ensuing 800 years. He thinks to delay asking on that--more for Maximus' benefit than his own. No need to break his friend further. Yet.
Lyra explains "The only way we have at the moment of knowing which floor we on at the moment is a count from the bottom. It's tedious for anyone other than the Witness." she compliments the big brain of their wizard. "So when Eskarne , Eider, and I went exploring the other day we experimented with ways to mark floors. Ink was absorbed quickly, now we know objects will be as well, just slower. Damaging walls we have been told will animate the statues against you."
"Well that is good information to have. Note to self: Do NOT damage the walls. Not exactly sure why one would want too but I'm guessing that rule is there for a reason and I, for one, have NO desire to test that theory. It's just safer," he says with a wry grin.
Byron (a handsome fellow in a neat brown robe) raises a finger as if to draw attention to himself but waits for Lyra to finish before explaining, "actually, none of those people Gavin just introduced are in attendance now; they're all over there in those booths. I am Byron Bright, a recent arrival here in Redwatch from the year 2142."
"This is my partner Anne Hardy," he continues, gesturing to the redheaded woman beside him who wears a chainshirt and flannel skirt, and carries a strange L-shaped metal and wood object in a leather sheathe on her hip, "a clever and capable companion, to be sure." There's a faint odor of sulfur about her.
"And these are our new friends, Karl and Thor," he concludes with a wave towards the two burly blonde men chatting with Eskarne.
Maximus simply stares at the fellow. He then raises a hand to scratch his cheek while still staring at him. Which might leave one to wonder if the warrior is ever going to blink again. Trying really hard to wrap his mind around all these 'years' being thrown at him and failing miserably, Maximus simply bursts out in laughter. "Good one! The year 2142! As if! Boy there are a lot of funny people in this Tower. You know, I'm beginning to think that this is part of the Tower's game. Have a bunch of people in here throwing out random years that they've so-called arrived in. But I'm on to you!" he points, smiling as he takes it all in stride. "On to you and all your little friends too," he winks and nods, starting to understand this little game.
He then turns his attention to Anne, "Hello, miss, I'm Maximus." He then catches sight of the strange item on her hip. "If you don't mind me asking, what is that metal/wood object in your sheathe there? Don't believe I've ever seen anything like it."
Anne pulls something resembling a hand crossbow with no limbs or string from the leather holster on her hip and displays it to those at the table. "It's called a pistol," she explains. "You load it with a cartridge packed full of explosive powder and a piece of metal, and when you pull the trigger it causes the powder to explode. This metal tube is called a 'barrel' and it's designed to contain the explosion safely, which forces the metal piece--called a 'bullet'--to burst out the open end at high speed. You aim it like you would a crossbow and if the metal piece hits something it will pierce into it much like a bolt or arrow would. In fact, if you shoot someone at close enough range the bullet will punch through armor like it isn't even there."
Byron smiles as his partner explains her weapon and then adds, "I don't think they even existed in the fifth century at all, but by our time they're as common as bows or crossbows."
Because of Anne's description of the pistol, Gaius thinks for all of Cardriss that it sounds magical. But as he waves his hands and begins to detect magic, he notices that there is nothing particularly arcane about the object.
"May I examine it?" Gaius asks. If Anne lets him pick it up (likely with a series of stern precautions), then he begins looking over it carefully in his hands to try to understand something of the mechanisms.
It sounded similar to what the Witness had described as a nearly new invention in his own time period, with gunpowder, alchemy, and more. And yet it was able to convert materials into incredible force and propel them forward. How utterly fascinating.
"Nothing like this existed in our time, at least not that I ever saw. And we visited some strange places in Cardriss. Is the way of the blade even still practiced in your era with weaponry such as this available? Is magic practiced?"
Gaius is sure that he has a thousand and one questions, but he isn't entirely sure where else to begin. He was no ancient elf, one who had witnessed large swaths of this impossibly long age. Even his own brief knowledge of history from his own age went back a few hundred years: not two millennia! What countries and peoples still existed? How large had cities become? What stories persisted through the years?
These questions and many more ping around in his mind, though he tries his best not to broadcast them to his companions. Instead, something else emerges.
"Two things strikes me as I consider what I have learned since coming here. First, the Tower has stood in our world for over 2,000 years by the time that you entered, long after Maximus and I found our way. This leads me to two possibilities: either no one has returned to any of our previous times, or if they have they have remained quiet and secretive about what secrets can be found here. I would have imagined that in 2,000 years we might know something more about this quest that we are on. But I get the impression that while the world has continued to develop in many other ways, this Tower remains just as well-understood in your day as it did in mine. I mean, I am sure that your scholars have tried to learn more and have better methods than those in our day, but we all seem as uncertain about our purpose."
Gaius pauses and invites any discussion of this conclusion. Perhaps they had all long considered this possibility, and he was only just now catching up. After a few moments, he introduces his second thought.
"When Maximus and I first emerged through one of the Portals, we might a dwarf in the Ironspine Mountains. She seemed at least somewhat aware of the Tower. Or at least...she was happy to talk with us of her father who spent years going in and out of a Portal. But then when I mentioned the Tower in the center of the world, she became quiet. I did not pry further, but I wonder now what she knew, and if anything had changed. I did not even think to ask the year. I have since learned that those who travel too far from the Tower are forcibly dragged back to it. But do you know if anyone has even tried to travel closer towards the Tower, or any of the Anchors, from one of the Portals? Could one even make it?"
Gaius thinks of what he knows of the geography of Cardriss. Yes: if he could find his way to the Ironspine Mountains again and have a reasonable sense of where in the mountains he was, it wouldn't be too difficult to teleport to Korryn or one of the Anchors. Being that far could be dangerous, but with a little experimentation to determine the time of the portal's opening, they might be able to manage a fruitful excursion.
The workings of the weapon seem surprisingly simple to Gaius: the trigger mechanism is very similar to a crossbow but instead of releasing a string under tension it releases a tiny spring-loaded hammer that strikes a piece of flint, the resulting spark must be what causes the powder to explode. Anne smiles as she accepts her pistol back and looks knowingly at her partner when the knight asks about blades and magic.
"Magic is still practiced in our time," Byron answers with just a hint of a smirk, "though I get the impression it is less common than it used to be, and there are places in Cardriss, in our time, where it's difficult--sometimes even impossible--to use. Blades are still pretty common though. They're cheaper than guns and easier to maintain, and far quieter- the explosion that powers guns can be quite loud. Karl is, from what little I've seen, a rather accomplished swordsman."
At the mention of his name, one of the Svenik men looks over and adds, "Eilif was better, but he left the staircase the first day."
Anne pulls something resembling a hand crossbow with no limbs or string from the leather holster on her hip and displays it to those at the table. "It's called a pistol," she explains. "You load it with a cartridge packed full of explosive powder and a piece of metal, and when you pull the trigger it causes the powder to explode. This metal tube is called a 'barrel' and it's designed to contain the explosion safely, which forces the metal piece--called a 'bullet'--to burst out the open end at high speed. You aim it like you would a crossbow and if the metal piece hits something it will pierce into it much like a bolt or arrow would. In fact, if you shoot someone at close enough range the bullet will punch through armor like it isn't even there."
Byron smiles as his partner explains her weapon and then adds, "I don't think they even existed in the fifth century at all, but by our time they're as common as bows or crossbows."
Maximus listens intently and finds himself cutting his eyes toward the weapon with a look of awe upon him. "Pierce through armor as if it isn't even there? My gosh that just sounds like... like death. How do you defend against something like that? That just sounds unreal. And common as bows and crossbows? Are you serious? I mean, that's just hard to fathom." The warrior can't help but shake his head at the idea that a weapon like this can be so powerful. I gotta say, the future sounds pretty bleak. If it really IS the future. I guess it's got to be though. Not sure where else you'd get a death weapon like that. This is all just too insane.
"Magic is still practiced in our time," Byron answers with just a hint of a smirk, "though I get the impression it is less common than it used to be, and there are places in Cardriss, in our time, where it's difficult--sometimes even impossible--to use. Blades are still pretty common though. They're cheaper than guns and easier to maintain, and far quieter- the explosion that powers guns can be quite loud. Karl is, from what little I've seen, a rather accomplished swordsman."
At the mention of his name, one of the Svenik men looks over and adds, "Eilif was better, but he left the staircase the first day."
"Well at least blades are still around. Don't know how you fight someone who's got one of those," he motions toward the pistol, "pointed at you when all you've got is a blade, but, at least they are still around. Nice to know the future hasn't gone completely psychotic yet."
Gaius' frowns at Karl's mention of his companion leaving the staircase. On the first day no less. The members of the so-called Research Institute, Baldric and Micah, may have made him some kind of compelling offer. And they either did not know or refused to free-of-charge provide information on their findings. As far as Gaius was concerned, leaving the staircase was as good as death.
"Till hans hälsa, och din," he calls over to Karl.
As Maximus seems wary about the possibility of facing someone with a pistol, he tries to be reassuring. "With enough training, I'm sure you could learn to deflect the projectile with your shield. Though I imagine taking cover would be very helpful. I can envision certain magical and mundane means to level the playing field. But I also imagine that we have no reason to fight Anne. Now that we know what one of these weapons looks like, we will be prepared if we face someone with ill intent."
Gavin has little interest in studying how mans desire to destroy one another has advanced over the centuries, but he does not discourage the discourse.
When the meal is finished, He casts both Telepathic Bond and Wind Walk with mythic points to achieve the desired caster level and uses the bond to discuss a plan.
++Unless any of you have a better idea of where to start, my suggestion is this, We use wind form to quickly go to the bottom, looking for open portals along the way. If we find one, we can explore it. If we find no portals, We can proceed back up past Redwatch to a point somewhere between Redwatch and the 'top' of the Tower. At that point, we can attempt to Dimension Door through the wall to explore the inside and begin mapping for ourselves.++
Karl and Thor both raise their glasses in response to Gaius' call, and the former offers, "the way a gun can punch through armor is fearsome, to be sure, but they can only do it at close range, fifty feet or less usually. Outside of that range you can treat them just like archers. The real trick is, once they reach that range you charge them as fast as you can and try to surround them or back them into a corner. Its hard to shoot well while you're dodging blades, and unless they have special training their likely to have holes in their defense while they're trying to reload or aim. Plus, a decent swordsman can usually dish out damage faster than most gunmen once you're in close combat."
The rest of breakfast passes rather peacefully with no more paradigm shifting revelations and the others thank Gavin and excuse themselves when the priest heads to the Temple to check his mailbox (which he finds empty). Upon his return, he joins in casting the rest of the morning's preparatory spells and then suggests heading out.
Lyra silently turns to wind and hums to herself in her mental silence. 'Wonder what they are talking about? Breakfast? Interesting facts about walls or sliding past them with magic. Maybe tea, Gavin can talk for hours about tea. Witness might be lecturing with mathematics and obscure arcane theory.' wind Lyra sighs, counting statues since there isn't much else to do.
Gaius floats with wonder, relishing in his new-found mist form and its slow but controlled movement. As the group discusses their plan, he glides up and does a small flip. He had done this sort of thing many times at higher speeds, whether in the heat of battle or simply stretching his capabilities at the end of a long day's journey, but he still had a sense of gravity in most of those situations. This was marvelous!
++A downward spiral seems agreeable. Maximus and I have been up and down the accessible height of the tower, so top to bottom or bottom to top makes no particular difference to me.++
As they descend down towards the proverbial coin, Gaius broadcasts a consideration to the group: ++Do you have any theories about the coin or the ink? The resorption of foreign matter into the tower's substance is curious. Yet we slept on the stairs relatively stationary for hours and had no difficulty rising or feeling like the tower would consume us. Do you think it is that we are living? Significantly larger and more complex than ink or a small coin? Or something else?++
As the group speculate on the meaning of the coin's absorption, they begin their long journey downward. Gaius and Maximus are surprised by how fast they're all able to travel in this form and quickly discover that they must actually limit their speed in order to match the stair's curve. Still, it's a far faster means of travel than any other the two knights had attempted in the Tower. Lyra, too, is reminded of this speed as she tries to count the statues whizzing by; clever as she is, she can manage to keep up but it does require some focus.
The journey seems less monotonous at first, thanks to their great speed, but after a few minutes it's settled back into one repetitive blur. It takes a little over two hours to cover the 168 floors down to where Lyra left her coin. When they arrive they find that the hidden marker's absorption has continued since the Montoya sisters' visit. The face of the coin is still visible but it sits flush with the smooth surface of the stone and it's boundaries have grown indistinct, bleeding into the white stone around it.
Gavin stops and rematerializes. Taking out his travelers anytool, he forms a small pry bar and pokes at the coin a bit to see how firmly it is in.
Gavin quickly discerns that the lingering coin veneer is inextricably entwined in the surrounding stone.
"It can't just be living vs unliving" she finally gets to musing with Gaius. "Or my bedroll would have started to sink in some way overnight." she taps her chin "Maybe since we attuned ourselves through the trials to the towers magic, we have some kind of aura that makes it not try and swallow us and our immediate items?"
"Well that's a fair thought," Gaius responds as he rematerializes. "If that's the case, then our own auras could extend to adjacent possessions. We could imbue something with a longer-lasting magical aura and see if it is any magical aura that causes this, or if it must be specific. I believe I can generate a glamer that would last nearly two weeks. It would also be interesting to attempt to speak with the stones directly, but I only hear rumors of powerful archdruids with such capabilities. I can scarcely imagine."
Gaius looks from Gavin to Maximus. "I know that the advice is to do no damage to the stones of the Tower lest we incur its wrath. But if anyone can dislodge the coin from the stone, then...well, Maximus is one of the strongest people I have ever met."
Shrugging, "I can give it a shot if you all are wanting. Although I will say it looks like it's fairly entrenched. But I can try. Just say the word and I'll see what I can do."
"I don't know what valuable information we gather be extracting the coin, and if it does trigger the statues nearby, dealing with that may use resources we intended for exploration. My recommendation would be to leave it." Gavin replies
Gaius shrugs. "Just a thought. If you're satisfied with this experiment, we may as well continue down towards the bottom. We may find an open portal along the way."
Nodding, "Yeah the last thing we want to do is trigger a bunch of statues. Leaving it sounds like a plan to me. Let's keep rolling."
Lyra was interested in seeing if the strongest of people could pull the coin out, the gleam in her eyes was unmistakable. But reason is often the destroyer of fun. "so would being chopped to bits by statues though as well." she sighs as she mumbles to herself.
"Off to the fireplace then?" she says with more hope of something to do.
Gaius smiles and nods as he begins to shift back into mist. ++To the fireplace!++
With a pause long enough for the Witness to take some notes or measurements, the group returns to wind form and continues the planned path.
++A good theory, Lyra, regarding our attunement. I don't believe removing the coin by force is possible - it appears to be dissolving into the stone, as if The Tower is consuming it. Very interesting.
++Shall we proceed to the fireplace, or test our luck with finding an opening between here and the bottom? I find either option acceptable.++
The five explorers return to mist and speed downwards again. It takes about half an hour to cover the remaining 32 floors to the bottom. Micah and Baldric are no longer there but it is otherwise just like they last saw it. Since no new open doors had yet presented themselves, the group turns around and begins flying upward. Nearly an hour and a half passes as they spiral upwards 120 floors to where the found the fireplace. There is no door there now, only another niche and statue.
Lyra poofs into solidness. "Okay, who wants to try a dimensional door? Attunement gave me a few and I rarely use other kinds of magic, so I am willing since we are not in a dangerous need to use up the rest of yours right now." she waits though before doing so.
With the first casting of telepathic bond expired, the group returns to solid form to discuss the plan.
"The fireplace is as good a place as any to try to get in. I have a few dimension door spells, however, using them would detract greatly from my abilities for the rest of the day. If there are no objections, having Lyra move us in sounds like a good plan." Gavin replies.
Acute senses on the Witness
Angelic aspect on self
Blessing of the mole on all
Communal tongues on all
Mass feather step on all
Aid on Maximus
Aid on Lyra
Aid on Gaius
Blessing of the mole- 30'darkvision, +2 competence bonus to stealth (11 mins)
Aid- +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and saves vs fear (11 mins)
mass featherstep- ignore difficult terrain (110 mins)
communal tongues- speak and understand all languages (20 mins)
Blessing of the mole- 30'darkvision, +2 competence bonus to stealth (11 mins)
Aid- +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and saves vs fear (11 mins)
mass featherstep- ignore difficult terrain (110 mins)
communal tongues- speak and understand all languages (20 mins)
Blessing of the mole- 30'darkvision, +2 competence bonus to stealth (11 mins)
Aid- +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and saves vs fear (11 mins)
mass featherstep- ignore difficult terrain (110 mins)
communal tongues- speak and understand all languages (20 mins)
Lyra nods, looking to the other "So is everyone... wait..." she stops and remembers Witness's lengthy discussions of the limitations of dimensional door. She holds up her fingers and counts people.
She gives a slightly embarrassed smile "I think I can only bring three people per castings. I can cast it three times, which would work, but anyone of them could fail do to the interference of this place."
Maximus
Gaius
Witness
Lyra
Gavin
Acute senses- +20 enhancement bonus to perception checks (11 mins)
Blessing of the mole- 30'darkvision, +2 competence bonus to stealth (11 mins)
Aid- +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and saves vs fear (11 mins)
mass featherstep- ignore difficult terrain (110 mins)
communal tongues- speak and understand all languages (20 mins)
"An excellent point, Little Bird. This is what I would propose. I will take Maximus and Gaius in, and when I have successfully done that, Lyra will bring herself and the Witness. If she fails to overcome the Tower's resistance, the Witness can cast a follow up attempt." Gavin suggests after thinking for a moment.
Gaius listens to the discussion regarding transportation and chimes in. "I also know the magic of dimension door. If we are concerned, I can also transport us--but only once. Actually, I could manage to do it more than once, but only through the aforementioned attunement."
Gaius recognizes the intent and magic behind each of the spells that Gavin casts and holds his hand up to pause his preparations when he begins the enchantment of Aid.
"This is excellent magic, Gavin, but I can provide a similar effect while saving your magic this day."
Gaius then begins his own series of spellcasting. After about half a minute of chanting, intoning, and plopping a grape into a waterskin, a few things change about Gaius. First, an insubstantial cloudy vapor surrounds his fists. Then his arms grow longer, taking on a vaguely rubbery appearance. Then five additional images of him begin to flicker into existence, mirroring his movements in a mildly disorienting display. Then he takes a long sip from the waterskin and passes it to Maximus. Finally (assuming that was able to interrupt Gavin's triple casting of Aid), everyone is instilled with a powerful feeling of hope.
"Drink this, if you please," he says as his eyes take on a focused look. "I promise I am not trying to get us drunk, but rather enhance our senses. It's decent mead with magical qualities."