OK; it seems as if everyone heads to the circle.
After entering the circle, with a dizzying pop you all disappear from the audience chamber, and then appear in a strange windowless room, circular in shape, with a domed roof and roughly 120' across in diameter. The walls are a windowless, black stone. Stairs in the far corner lead down, and the walls are lined with bookcases containing leather-bound tomes.
Inside the room, suspended from the center of the ceiling is a strange contraption of orbs and discs roughly 60' across; a brass orrery. It is in motion, spinning about itself on multiple angles.
The orbs (and the discs) of the orrery have writing on them in a script none of you understand, and each also contains a crystal, each crystal a different color from the rest. One of the orbs, one with an olive green crystal, oscillates strangely.
A table is laid out under the orrery; on it is neatly laid out all of your adventuring gear.
In front of the table stands an impossibly handsome youth, dressed in white robes that leave one shoulder bare, and wearing a wide brimmed hat that sports small wings. He bears no weapons other than a golden rod; it looks like two snakes coiled around each other, it is also crowned with a pair of wings.
As you take all this in, Laeral appears next to you. She motions towards the youth and states:
'Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to Blackstaff tower. May I introduce you to our guest - Hermes; Herald of the Gods of Olympia'. He has some information to share with you.'
Anyone proficient in Religion and/or Arcana can make a check on either (or both) skills for me now (as can the Bard due to Jack of all Trades, even if not proficient).
Also feel free to tell me what you all do at this point.