( Good point. Also, I could still re-cast the same AoE on the centipede if it shows up. )

( Seeing what the failed dice rolls did so far.. I fear that those rats would decimate us. )

(What I'm thinking is we try and clear a path forward while "protection from evil" is still active. If Tanea's "Calm Animals" spell works on the rats then we move further down the tunnel and let the rats and nightmares duke it out. Those two groups fighting will buy us time for our party to escape.)

If we can keep the rats calm with the spell and run past them we could potentially:
-Avoid combat (for now)
-Advance down the tunnel
-Save spells for later

~~~~~~
Siegfried the Human Paladin

The group advanced as Loradan hoped.
Evidently, the danger of ethereal ghosts and giant insects overcame the fear of a few overgrown vermins.
The huge rodents, however, seemed surprised.. were they going to attack or escape?
Loradan was ready to cast Ice Storm on them, but he waited to see if Tanea managed to use her "Calm Animals" spell first.

Tanea! Nows our chance. Roy's fireball has lit up the rats position. Hit them with your spell!

I stay at a safe distance from the rats waiting to see the effects of Tanea and Loradan's spells. After their spells are cast, I strike at the closest rat unaffected by the "Calm Animals" spell.

Loradan put a hand on BenKii's shoulder "Wait warrior, I'm preparing a spell, just in case".

It's funny how he always considered "Calm Animals" useless.. in that situation such magic ability seemed almost vital!

I prepare my sword to attack one of the giant Rats in case they cannot be calmed, and my boots to run as fast as possible in case they all are.

~~~~~~

Siegfried the Human Paladin

Of course. I mean to be the 3rd member to strike the closest rat not affected by "Calm Animals". In order of Tanea's spell, your spell, and then my strike.

74 - runnerex - Yeenwi - Drow Necromancer

Yeenwi decides to advance forward with the group, but being stubborn, he first casts Control Undead toward the Nightmares one more time.

(I don't know how lack of sight at the moment of casting a "targeting spell" impedes the chances of it actually hitting and therefore working. I send Doc a chat about it. My guess is, it might do so alot, because the fireball missed, being cast blindly. EDIT: Doc confirmed the caster has to see the target and BenKii directing the spell wouldn't have worked.)

(In case of fleeing, please remember, that Shins, Tanea and Gilius (also Peloquin once he reaches us) have very short legs. So try not to run too fast, unless you actually want to split the group.)

Tanea, the Halfling Shaman, also votes for B, but if most of the rats are calmed, we can leave as soon as the not calm ones are dealt with. (Doc said, the spell holds a while, so we can leave the area before the spell's effect ends.)

--------------------
Tanea, Halfling Shaman (female)
My heart is beating wildly as I listen to the sounds of fighting. The darkness of the tunnel makes it all the more frightening. Origi's Tunnel ... Origi's gone now. I shudder at the memory. The fact, that it doesn't sound like the attacks from the group acually hit the nightmares, makes it worse. First worried by the sound of a hit, fearing things might have taken a turn for the worse with the nightmares hitting us, not the other way around, Roosevelt's noise of satisfaction brings the relief. It is short lived as the bodies of those clawed feet rushing towards us come into view, the glow of the fireball going over their heads and lighting their dark eyes, makes the whole scene appear unreal, but the now prominent smell of wet fur tells me otherwise. Eight giant rats! I work my magic and hold my breath, clutching my staff so thight, my fingers hurt, but I barely feel it. Every fiber of my being concentrates on those rats, willing them to refrain from attacking us. I more feel than hear the shift of positions of my companions as they try to account for the now known "new" threat and time seems to slow down ...

Tanea, Halfling Shaman (female)
--------------------

58 - FlockeSchnee - Tanea - Halfling Shaman
1. As soon as Tanea sees the rats, because they are now close enough (Doc confirmed it for me), she casts "Calm Animals" on all of them.
2. If less than half of the rats are effected by Taneas first "Calm Animals" spell, she casts "Calm Animals" again on those still "uncalm".

Fish the Half-Orc Berserker

I vote for option B.

Ready to strike down any giant rat that is not calmed down.

Edited my original post

I hope everyone doesn't mind but I'm going to try and recap everyone's actions by quoting people's bolded text for each turn to help Doc and everyone else keep things straight.

25 - BenKii - BenKii - Human Warrior
I stay at a safe distance from the rats waiting to see the effects of Tanea and Loradan's spells. After their spells are cast, I strike at the closest rat unaffected by the "Calm Animals" spell.

58 - FlockeSchnee - Tanea - Halfling Shaman
1. As soon as Tanea sees the rats, because they are now close enough (Doc confirmed it for me), she casts "Calm Animals" on all of them.
2. If less than half of the rats are effected by Taneas first "Calm Animals" spell, she casts "Calm Animals" again on those still "uncalm".

45 - phaolo - Loradan - Elven Mage
Waits to see if Tanea's "Calm animals" spell works. If it doesn't work, he casts "Ice Storm" on the rats that weren't affected.

57 - ConsulCaesar - Siegfried - Human Paladin
I prepare my sword to attack one of the giant Rats in case they cannot be calmed, and my boots to run as fast as possible in case they all are.

67 - Testor0 - Rufus - Human Cleric
1. Rufus praises the Holy Guardian to repel the nightmares from our actual plane, or, drive them away from the group and take care of those beasts.
2. Trying to convince the group to continue its way, Rufus goes helping the head of the group. He uses his Silver Light-Hammer on fire and his shield to smash and to repulse the incoming giant rats.

13 - paladin181 - Roosevelt - Human Paladin
++ROOSEVELT CONTINUES TO ENGAGE THE NIGHTMARES AND ATTACK AS HE CAN WHILE RETREATING TOWARD THE PARTY AND THE RATS++

63 - Genocide2099 - Fish - Half Orc Berserker
Ready to strike down any giant rat that is not calmed down.

74 - runnerex - Yeenwi - Drow Necromancer
Yeenwi decides to advance forward with the group, but being stubborn, he first casts Control Undead toward the Nightmares one more time.

68 - Peloquin - Dwarven Thief
1. I arrive within reach of the clan, but remain stealthily in the shadows at a safe distance
2. I study the path ahead of me to see if there is a way I can sneak past the battle of the Nightmares, undetected.

These people have not made a turn yet:
76 - Lemon_Curry - Shins A'Hoy - Halfling Thief
4 - sasuke12 - Strigon - Drow Necromancer
38 - ZyloxDragon - Roy Jenks - Half-Orc Battemage
40 - Pouyou-pouyou - Gilius - Dwarven Druid

And lastly, just some things me and others have been using in the game:
(text) = Whenever you put your words between parenthesis, it means your talking outside the game as yourself to other players.
bolded text = Means your specific action for that turn. Not required but it makes it easier to single out your actions.
italics text = Monologue or like my Captain's Logs where your talking to yourself in-game. For me personally, it's just a way to tell the story of my character from his perspective.

The disarmed trap is an acid trap. I could reset it but chances are someone (here's looking at you, clumsy stone mountain!) might trigger it in the heat of battle. I think it's best to wait and see if Tanea's spell works out. Besides, there may not be sufficient time for me to reset it before the rats arrive.

In the meantime I'll ready my weapons for battle. If some of the rats are still hostile after Tanea's spell has been cast, I'll attack them using either my magically imbued sling (+2 damage) (if they're not up-close) or my shortsword (holding my trusty shield in the other hand).

I have positioned myself behind Siegfried to shoot crossbows at any enemy targets in sight.

In case, Siegfried misses the target after swinging his sword, I can shoot my bows at the enemy.