Meetup: Mage

Tenebrae - Friday, August 01, 2014, 6:52 PM

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-=--=--=--=--=--=<* A14: Society for Progressive Arcanists *>=--=--=--=--=--=-

The central courtyard of the Arcane Society is a large and sprawling affair within the heart of the city. Soaring marble pillars reach upward to the sky, four sets of three, evenly spaced apart as the massive columns form a rough circle, each trio of pillars warding a particular direction. Carved into the smooth stone floor within the center of the atrium is a massive circle within the ceiling itself, which opens always to the stars, in honor of Eluna, the Goddess of Light Magic. Taara, the Goddess of the Dark, is given no such honors.

The central courtyard radiates outwards into paths, leading through the exotic gardens of the Society. One extends to the Library, another to the College of Magic. Another path leads off to a small, rather plain looking building between the two colleges, most likely the dormitory for the students, and yet another for the famous Cafeteria. Numerous magi can be seen walking back and forth most hours of the day and night here, with familiars or other odder creatures roaming about, most of them in the latest styles, as dictated by Madame Gelfure, the a more social head than the Society has had in most of its history. Myriad scents and aromas can also be sensed, some delightful, others repugnant, others quite colorful as apprentices and magi alike go about their experiments. Arguments are not unheard of, and even the most "dignified" of magi might be seen from time to time, in a pique of anger, waving an agitated hand to teleport the disagreeable person to the top of the nearest tower.

The Hall is used for a lot of meetings. Classes, reunions, Summonings, etc. Most of the floor has been left open, though several tables with chair are around, as well as a few random collections of just chairs. A small stage and podium sit at one end of the room. Near the other, 'Mad Manny' has set up his table of refreshments... two groups have gathered. A collection of older students quietly attempting to identify the various dishes, and a younger group dareing each other to sample some of them. In all, it's pretty much a typical meeting of academic nerds.

Bellna enters slightly late and a bit out of breath, an egg slowly floating behind her.

Mikilos chats idly with a few professors near the stage, waiting for the regular stragglers to show up before trying to start the actual meeting. As a Senior Assistant Member, the elf has the most authority of all the people who don't have enough authority to get out of actually doing anything. Which is to say he's allowed to to give orders, but shouldn't expect them to be followed.

Bellna seems to be somewhat annoyed with the snake on her wrist. "Oh, let's stop and buy an egg! Let's slither out into the blasted *market* with some copper! Aura, we're *late* now, and there is food here! Like I told you!"

Mikilos sees a lot of weird stuff at these meetings, and teh vast majority is ignored. But a floating egg is worth notice... mostly because egg, at a meeting with less than mature nerds who get bored. "Ah, excuse me. Is that your egg? There's really not supposed to be outside food items." Not that such a rule is ever enforced.

Bellna sighs. "I'm afraid so. Aura-" she gestures towards the viper, "decided to purchase an egg. And it is better than her attempting to devour the food over there, given her usual reaction to buffets."

The egg drifts a bit closer to Aura, who stretches out and manages to just barely reach it. The viper spares a moment to hiss in pleasure, at which point she sinks her fangs into the egg... and falls off of Bellna's shoulder. Since Bellna was using Prestidigitation, and therefore only lifting a pound, this causes the familiar to start sinking.

Mikilos ahs, pondering a moment before letting the matter of the egg drop. So long as the egg itself doesn't. "Likely for the best. Apaprently some of the hor d'oeuvres havn't been fed yet." When Mad Manny serves the food, the medical office gets extra busniess.

Bellna chuckles. "He's still doing the food? I suppose it will give some of the students practice."

Familiar and egg gently reach the ground, and Aura demonstrates that her collar is of many pieces and has stretchy material in between by swallowing it.

Mikilos watches the viper with idle intrest, more to be certain she doesn't get stepped upon. With a many familiars running around as the Society typically has, wouldn't think wizards would learn to watch their feet. So far, this has yet to happen. "Well, he's very... insistant... about his selection. And franky nobody wants to take the time to argue with him."

Bellna sighs and scoops up her now somewhat egg-shaped familiar. "That sounds like Mad Manny."

Mikilos nods, glancing around a moment before relaxing again. "Honestly, like a lot of the professors... wizards in general, really. Most have something in which they have strong feelings, and will take great action for that cause... whatever it may happen to be."

Bellna says, "I'd say that most of the time, it doesn't result in visits to the medical office, but knowing some of the faculty around here, and even more of the students- though not in person for the latter, these days- I'd be a liar if I did."

Mikilos nods, and shrugs. "Wizards tend to be strong personalities. People without them, they don't often make it far as a mage. Bending the very fabric of reality to your will... not something for the meek."

Bellna smiles. "At least we aren't boring." She casts a glance towards the buffet table. "Oh, dear," she remarks.

Mikilos grins and nods. Then sighs at the reaction, pointedly NOT looking at the buffet table. "...I don't want to know, do I?"

Bellna considers this for a moment, then snickers. "No. No, you don't." She tilts her head, and adds, "That poor student."

Mikilos sighs, nods, and ponders a moment what he knows about the current situation. Still not looking "BILLY! What have we discussed about puttign thing in your mouth on a dare?" Might not be the refered incident, but... Billy has a history.

Bellna laughs. "It's not his *mouth* that it bit off."

There seems to be a bit of screaming coming from that general area now.

Mikilos hesitates. "...well, that was the only orifice previous discussed. ....gods, I hope this doesn't result in another PTA meeting..." The elf gives in to the inevitable, and turns to actually look.

It is, indeed Billy- though slightly less of Billy than before, specifically one thumb less. There is also a seven-legged... thing... crawling all over him.

Bellna sighs. "Should we do something about that?"

Mikilos blinks, and hesitates. Manny's food selection is typically exotic, gross, and disturbing... but seldom actually dangerous. A lost thumb is quite outside acceptable antics. "Manny! Help! Franklin, get the cleric, now! Thomas, Sara, clear some room!" The elf hurries foreward, murmuring under his breath. He's a wizard, of -course- he's going to use a spell to try and fix things.

Bellna peers towards Franklin and casts Expeditious Retreat- every bit helps, after all.

GAME: Mikilos casts Deep Slumber. Caster Level: 9 DC: 20

Mikilos murmurs and gestures at the.... whatever it is... sending a fair bit of magic itself direction. And well, if the... thing... is immune to magic, worse case will get Billy to hold still.

The thing relaxes and falls down. Someone is yelling about botched summoning spells, and not repeating them in order to see a "literal food fight."

Bellna focuses herself and casts Ghost Sound. "Please remain calm. There has been an incident," begins repeating over the buffet table.

Mikilos sighs. "Yes! No! As in no more summoning! Really, does no one remember the last safety meeting?!" The magus rubs his brow, stepping back to let the cleric work, then heading for the hall to bring in some of the stragglers.

GAME: Bellna casts Ghost Sound. Caster Level: 2 DC: -86

Bellna follows, leaving the Ghost Sound to run its course- everybody's heard, anyway.

In the hallway, the errant summoner- not Billy, though one of his friends- is running down the hall, apparently having snuck out shortly after the thing latched onto Billy's thumb instead of the intended target.

Mikilos is here more for the people who'd stopped in the hallway to talk instead of actually comming into the meeting. He does make a mental note of the one running. SOMEONE is getting a ten page report on Conjuration Safety assigned to him. "Okay, every body in. We're going to start the actaul meeting part. Yes, you. No, you can't opt out. Do we really have to go though this every time?"

Sandy has arrived.

Verna has arrived.

Mikilos just called people in from the HallWay so the actual meeting part can get started. There has thus far been one rushed call for the cleric. This is above average, but hardly a record.

Lavros has arrived.

A rushed call for a cleric? Verna was under the impression that the meeting was for Arcanists. She does not lift her gaze from the tome she carries as she moves from the hall and into the meeting room.

Bellna returns from the hallway and peers at the table. The drinks *look* safe enough, at least, and she retrieves one.

Nearby the Buffet table, someone has squished the seven-legged thing, and Billy has been escorted off. (Presumably to the medical area.)

Mikilos sighs, and steps up onto the small stage. As the member with the most authority who doesn't have enough authority to get out of it, it's his duty to get thigns started. "Okay, gather around. We'll try to get though this quickly. And remember, any hecklers or snide comments are required to help with clean up."

Lothos has arrived.

What's Sandy doing here?! But here she is, actually, having taken a spot up with some of the other wizards. She has her hands on her hips and she looks rather smugly amused about /something/.

For the moment, anyways.

Bellna makes her way towards a table with her drink in one hand and her familiar looking rather comically egg-filled in the other.

Lothos is not a member here, just a visitor, a curiosity. His magical abilities though are arcane, so he figures it should be a good idea to see what he can pick up here, and if not, mages are likely lousy poker players. For now he remains in the background, observing the goings on.

Mikilos sighs, and speaks up form the stage. "Okay! Couple of quick items before we begin. First, everyone please remeber to clean up after your familiars! This is not only droppings, but fur, feathers, moltings, toys, meal leftovers, trails, oozes, mucus, or anything else. There's been some complaints.

Second, whoever has been enchanting the Restroom doors. It wasn't funny the first time, it's still not funny now. Knock it off.

Congratulations to Professor Metsuze on his 25 years here on Staff. As most of you already know, the aniversary party will be next week in the upper lounge.

And the final bit of old busniess, remember that the Safety Meeting are MANDITORY. You are -required- to attend the occasional meeting, -AND- pass the safety exam. Failure -will- get you banned from the labratories. Tenure does -NOT- make you expempt."

Bellna leans back slightly in the chair, sets Aura on the table, and takes a sip of her drink. Not very good, but that's nothing Prestidigitation can't fix.

"Well, well, well,. Looks what we have here," says Sandy, "Whole buncha wizards." She's a little slurred. Has she been drinking? Yes. Yes, she has.

At the comments of familiars there is a chittering from a satchel Lothos carries, and a small weasel sticks its head out to chitter in the direction of Mikilos. Lothos looks down and smiles, "Yes, I know your neat and tidy. Stop yelling at the man, he won't bother you."

Bellna looks behind her- the table she chose did end up being somewhat near Sandy. "Yes. And?" she asks.

Mikilos eyes Sandy. "I have in my pack several bolts of pink cloth, the plans for the latest dresses of SilverMoon fashion, and a few specific prepared spells. How long you maitain casual attire is entirely up to you."

"I suggest that the safety exam be required prior to entry," Verna speaks up. "Banning the ...eager from a large crater after the fact is less than effective." Her hood dips to Sandy. "Yes, some of us practive wizardry."

Bellna chuckles. "Especially in light of the incident earlier."

Lothos settles in the back, just watching the others here, he hasn't blown anything up lately, and rarely does. Right now he is looking for something to drink, and hoping there is an amusing incident.

Mikilos glances to Verna. "If anyone getting lab time -without- taking the Safety 101 course first, someone has not done their job. No, the issue is thsoe who took the course years ago, and are not up to date with current practice and equipment." He eyes a few Staff members pointedly.

Thyrson has arrived.

Jenner has arrived.

Sandy, of course, settles in and says, "So. What /is/ your agenda?" She asks those, and Verna and Mikilos, rather amusedly. She's definitely a bit on the tipsy side. Tipsy people with powerful magics are not a good thing! Then she eyes Verna and adds, "Yeah, well. I wiggle my finges too, you know."

Mikilos snorts softly, but smiles. "Okay, since nobody seems to stick around for formal lectures anyway, points of discussion are: The situation in Rune, naturally. Heth, his wight army, and various methods to counteract them. And Neutral Casters trying to balence between a Good and an Evil Goddess." With that, Mikilos steps off the stage... because being the obvious target isn't as fun as it sounds.

Bellna finishes her (magically-altered) drink and goes to get another.

Thyrson slips in at the back, leaning on his staff tiredly. He taps forwards, looking for a place to sit that he won't splinter.

Bellna returns with another drink and waves the giant born over. She's sure the chairs have been magically reinforced since she was here. Probably.

Lothos is picking at something to eat, barely listening to the discussion. He slips some bits of food into his satchel for his familiar.

Cesran has arrived.

Verna's hood nods to Sandy. "I applaud your manual dexterity." Her focus and hood subsequently turn towards Mikilos. "Rune's people, and repository of knowledge, should be escorted to safety should the city's defense become untenable. The wights in Dragonier must be destroyed, their souls freed. Simultaneously, if necessary to prevent further corruption." She voices a firm opinion on two of the three topics.

Mikilos grins, nodding to Verna. "Okay..... -how-?"

Thyrson nods. "Neither is a trivial thing," he gestures, "even for those gathered here, no doubr."

Serene has arrived.

Lothos looks over to Mikilos, "Um...isn't the rumor going around we should use giant invisible rocks?" He smiles faintly.

Abrahil has arrived.

Cesran is late and he knows he is late. He moves to try to slip in unobtrusively not because he's anti-social or anything like that. He just wants to gauge the mood of the party. He looks around and gives a nod of greeting to those he knows. It doesn't look like Jibbom is here yet, but when he hears the comment about giant invisible rocks he just had to shake his head.

"Giant invisible whas? Has someone been listneing to Jibbom?" says Sandy, with a sigh. She does giver Verna a nod, though, "That's about what I think too, honestly, I s'pose."

The Monthy Meeting for the Progressive Progress of the Society of Progressive Arcanists meets monthy. It's just that no one ever seems to show up. Perhaps because after reading the name, they lose intrest before getting to the time and place.

Lavros has disconnected.

Bellna may be getting somewhat tipsy as well. "Giant invisible rocks? Bet we could do that, got enough wizards here."

Thyrson sits tiredly, staff across his knees now. "Or we could be more practical. If someone wanted to evacuate Rune's vaults, where would it all /go/?"

"Oh! I'm late, I'm late--please hold the door, no, I'm so sorry, I--" the piping, rushed voice comes from just down the hall, along with the pitter-patter of waddling feet. Moments later, a round little gnome THROWS himself, quite nearly, into the room. His features are cherry-red from excertion, and he's huffing, puffing, "Oh! Oh! I'm so sorry! Why, you just wouldn't believe--oh!" he says, then, his eyes getting round from behind the rose-tinted lenses, "Oh! Is that that new Vesper drink, on the falling rocks! Oh! I'll have just one, then! On the rocks, shaken not stirred!" he chirps, and then stands there panting, this elderly gnome, quite out of breath.

Bellna waves a hand. "It's not *practical,* but if we needed to for some reason..."

Lothos shrugs, "Rune isn't retreating, and ordering a city of wizards would be like herding cats. Overt gestures of magic are also easily countered are they not? I Think the biggest benifit would be to focus on divinition, intelligence. Thats likely the best way to help Rune, intelligence and what is currently happening, small groups of adventurers performing as special forces groups. As far as Heth and all that other stuff....well, thats likely where folks need to be working with priests." Having given his advice, he picks up some food and takes a bite, then takes a seat somewhere.

Mikilos snorts, but grins, deftly mixing a potent bit of booze with a shot of pepper (dragon) and a single large ice cube for the rotund gnome. "Actually I think were talking the idea which spawned the drink. And really, invisible rocks aren't all that difficult, it's the masking of the spell that makes them invisible in the first place that's hard. Then there's lifting it up, and getting Heth underneath."

Cesran nods, "It is not practical and it's practically impossible, all that knowledge that has been accrued over the centuries, it would take some massive work to evacuate it all and we'd need another city just to store it in. We have to find a way to divert Dran's attention away from Rune and onto the real villain in all this Heth. He is the one that benefits greatly from the destruction of Rune and I know he is involved, I have fought his undead dragons in Rune."

Bellna has disconnected.

"That's what started all of this, isn't it?" asks Sandy, "Rune got attacked by some dragons, or something, and then Dran started making belligerant noises?" She looks back and forth between the others.

"Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry...well, that was quite...it is a drink, though, isn't it? Why, it's such a lovely idea. I've always liked the idea of invisible rocks in a martini--oh! Have you been to that little candy shop in Rune lately? They've gut such LOVELY buzzinbees." The round little gnome rattles off the words with a warm enthusiasm, before reaching for his lace-tipped handkerchief and daubing at his sweating features. "Oh my, it's just so hot in here lately! You know, oh! I keep hoping they reopen that pool. There was such a -darling- one the year before, and oh! Master Thermus from the illusion department had made these absolutely adorable flying pegasi for the children. ...so darling. But with all the focus on Heth, oh! It's been so terrible, and I'd just bought the perfect swimsuit for it, too! (These beautiful red stripes!) But that does come to mind..." *daub daub daub* "...Master Thermus has his plate free, my goodness, if he's not looking after the pool. Perhaps we could just dress that Dran fellow up like a clown or two, and be right done with him! The army can't fight very well if they truly see how ridiculuous that...oh, that's not a very kind word to say, is it? But surely...and there I go again. Drinks!" And here he tucks his handkerchief away, and beams.

Thyrson nods once, curtly. "Yes, exactly. First Heth, then Dran."

Jenner has left.

Mikilos ponders. "As I understand, long ago, by some measures, Dran attacked Rune. Dragonier stepped in, and beat back Dran. So Dran is pissed at Dragonier, and thinks they got what they deserved. And now, with Dragonier unable to interfer, the Dran are finishing what they started with Rune. All of that over simplified, of course."

"Well," Thyrson rasps, "there's also the shit that happened while the mists had us."

Beaming, the little gnome wobbles (that is to say, his best attempt at a wibbling sort of walk), and makes his way over to Sandy. He smiles upwards, and then reaches up, and grips her claw-like fingers in his. "Oh! I see you've redone your hair!" he enthuses, before looking to Mikilos, and nodding quite seriously.

"Yeah," says Sandy to Thyrson, "That's some of it." She rubs an ear. Then she sees the gnome oming towards her and grabbing her hand. "What? No, I haven't!" She seems aghhast at the thought, for whatever reason, as Abrahil speaks to her.

Mikilos sighs. "And I fully agree that Heth is the bigger threat. However, that's part of why he must be the secondary goal. The power of Rune and the forces of Dran need to be turned from fighting each other into fighting the undead armies. Even with their help, stopping Heth will be difficult. Without, may be impossible."

Thyrson nods, pointing to Cesran. "He's got the core of it, though. Dran and Heth need to fight."

Lothos shakes his head, "Whens the last time so many countries united? I'm not well versed in history, but from what I do know, its rare you can get people to unite, even against a common foe. You'd likely need the gods themselves to show up in each country and order everyone to attack heth....even then." He shrugs.

Cesran nods as he summons his staff and leans against it. "And there is the crux of the problem. From the information I have gathered, the last diplomat from Alexandria was murdered violently by the Dran's leader while our own adventurers were right there, they could do nothing against this Warlord. It's not simply a matter of cutting off the snakes head, I doubt even if we did kill the Warlord it'd stop the Dran, they'd just rally behind someone else who wants to destroy Rune and keep going."

Mikilos nods. "A martyr would not help matters. As you say, if the head were cut off, another woudl take his place... though to be fair, might be a weaker head."

Abrahil has disconnected.

Verna has disconnected.

"Yeah, I'd say that's a problem," grunts Sandy with a pinch of th bridge of her nose. She isn't intervening too heavily, though, and it looks like this is giving her a headache.

Thyrson nods, putting his feet up. "Well. So don't kill him. Guide him. Break his brain if you have to."

Lothos stands up, then starts for the exit, apparently having heard all he feels he needs to for now.

Lothos has left.

Mikilos ponders a moment. "A powerful Charm? No... easier to just replace him. A clone, or a dopleganger, or something."

Thyrson shrugs. "Until it's found out. And it will be found out. That stuff always is."

"And how, exactlyu, do you intend to convince this warlord to change his mind?" asks Sandy with obvious annoyance. She waves her hand, "I'm hearing a lot of muttering, but I have no idea how you'd go ahead and do that. Especially when he's surrrounded by a ton of his own people." She makes aface. SCrunches it up!

Mikilos ponders a few moments. "Convince them it's already been done?"

Cesran nods, "There is the dilemma everyone agrees on what needs to be done, but no one has any idea on how to do it." He looks to Mikilos, "I am afraid they are probably past convincing they see nothing, but glory and loot. It would take nothing short of intervention by a God to stop them now and I doubt any of the Gods would oblige given what happened last time." He takes a moment to bow his head in silent memorial to the Fallen God. He looks up, "So instead I think we need to look at the other side of the equation. We need to remove Rune from their reach. No Rune, no one to fight, the Dran will either turn their attention elsewhere or disband."

Mikilos ponders a few moments, eyeing Cesran. "Something along the lines of what happened to Alexandros? The whole place just.... disappears? Not quite so extreme, perhaps. Trapping Rune in a dangerous quasi-dimension for five years wouldn't really help matters..."

Cressida has arrived.

Thyrson licks his teeth. "Maybe just steal his mind. A drooling idiot isn't an inspirational leader." He squints at Cesran. "That's a lot to ask, is it not?" He shakes his head. "Maybe from the south -- wights are an honourable enemy. If Rune releases the south, and lets both the wights and Dranei advance..."

"Remove Rune from their reach," says Sandy to Cesran. She just gives him a blank look. "I know anything is possible with magic, from time to time, but what in the name of the Gods are you itnending to do to /remoe it from their reach/? Ask Taara to plop it in the mists too?" Sarcasm, thy name is Sandy.

Cressida strolls into the courtyard, looking over the gathering of people that are still about discussing. She takes a few moments, considering those in attendance before she hears a familiar voice and smiles, starting to walk towards the one person who doesn't tower over her relatively small frame.

Cesran hmms, "It is a lot to ask, but we have a whole nation of wizards if we can combine out magics, with the help of others." He looks at Sandy, "No I would not ask the Shadow Sorceress for anything. I don't want to move Rune to some pocket dimension I would instead like to remove it from the reach of the Dran, but giving it some altitude. There have been flying cities in the past."

Mikilos winces slightly. "Flying cities have a way of suddenly not flying any more.... though I suppose if we move it to hover over Heth before it happens, can enact two plans at once..."

"You want to turn Rune into a flying city," says Sandy, staring at Cesran for a long moment, "You realize, of course, that Dragonier had flying islands too and that didn't exactly go over all that well. But there may be some clues to that sort of thing there, if you're willing to look."

Cesran nods,' I understand the risks of it but I would hope that it's only temporary. The Dran seeing that their prey has escape should disband or perhaps turn their attention on Heth. Either way we can try to sue for some peace while avoiding a war and any more lose of life. It will be dangerous, but the alternatives are unthinkable."

Cressida crosses her arms as she walks up alongside Sandy. "I suppose, theoretically, it might have some potential, as a temporary measure. Though, honestly, I would think if you could harness the magic to turn Rune into a floating city, you could simply throw a mountain at the Dran, then dare them to come closer. Though, simple doesn't belong in this train of thought at all."

Thyrson sits back, listens, hands on his staff. Harharhar.

Mikilos eyes Cesran a long moment. "I think your not thinking of the right alternatives. The loss of Rune is out.... but perhaps a great plain of fog between Rune and Dran. Or a blanket of darkness. If they can't see, they can't attack. Though would be difficult to maintain, as while teh vast majority of Dran was warriors, they do have magics of their own."

Giving a nod towards Cressida in greeting, Sandy grunts. "It might be possible, sure. Anything's possible, but I'm not convinced it'll work. But it's not my idea. Go for it, I say. What's the harm in researching it?"

Cesran nods, 'We don't want Dran to be exhausted, there are plenty of skilled fighters in Dran that could be used to fight Heth or any other threat, I don't want to save Rune just to have to save Dran six months down the road. They do have magic of there own, but I have yet to see them use any artifice, a combination of magic and artifice should be enough."

Mikilos grunts. "Because artifice in war has worked so well in the past."

"So long as we have reworking the terrain of the land on the table..." adds Cressida, "Rather than throwing anything at anyone, why not just put some mountains around Rune? It'll hardly stop anyone there, really, but it'll put a huge obstacle in front of any invading army."

Thyrson has disconnected.

"I suppose," says Sandy, "you can rain shit down from the civilians onto the Dran Armies," says Sandy, dryly, to the others.

Mikilos blinks. "....I take it you havn't seen the new plans to re-route the sewer system..."

Cesran makes a face, "I don't think it would have to come to that and I doubt it would stop the Dran anyway." He hmms, 'Building mountains would be just as hard if not harder, there are other things to think about, such at tectonic movements, the material would have to come from somewhere." HE rubs his chin, "If we can summon the mountains from the plane of earth and use them to build up the Mountains, but still having peaks high enough to be impassable would require a lot of mountain."

Cressida chuckles. "Sure, but you just said 'plane of earth'. I think there's enough raw materials there to make a couple mountain ranges without anyone missing it."

"..." Sandy is just staring at Cesran now. Building mountains. "Wizards," she finally mutters. No sense of right and wrong, you know!

Mikilos ponders a few moments. "Besides, you get a few mountains, and next thing you know there's a group of dwarves wanting to mine them. Which is fine on it's own, but do you really want it right next door?"

Cressida shrugs slightly. "Honestly, if mountains were constructed around Rune, having dwarves move in would only be better for them. They'd have a source of raw materials and another line of defence between them and the rest of the world. I don't think the noise the dwarves could make can even compare to the noise a bunch of arcanists can make, when left to their own devices to develop things."

Cesran nods, "I did and there is a spell called Wall of Stone, if used by enough wizards and enough time it could help to bolster out defense by literally raising a stone wall in front of them. The only problem with that is that they have giants and mammoths so wall of stone aren't going to hold them back for long. Mountains would be a bit tougher, but I don't know of any spell currently that could raise mountains it would have to be researched."

"What the Dran just bash them down? Might delay them, though," muses Sandy, glancing at the others.

Mikilos ponders. "I'm familiar with an item that causes a volcano... but if I recall the legends properly, is quite unstable. And where it could be found in mordern times, if at all, would be a project unto itself."

Cressida frowns slightly. "Creating walls of stoen and moutnain ranges is one thing. Creating an active volcano is quite another. That seems like a lot more danger than would be recommended."

Lavros has connected.

Cesran nods, "Yes creating a volcano might cause more problems then it solves, but we could keep our options open."

Mikilos shrugs. "A mountain would barely slow the Dran. Boiling lava would give them pause.... would certainly give ME pause."

Cressida shakes her head. "I don't think we need to keep all our options open. Theoretically, we could just open a giant portal to Hell between Rune and the Dran, but we ought to rule that out, too."

Cesran hmms, "We could, but remember that the door swings both ways."