1st Chapter: The Adventure Begins

[Solomoriah]

There are bushes a rope can be tied to, but how much weight they will support is not immediately obvious. Ordinary (non-thief) characters probably cannot climb down without a rope.

[Longman]

With his 50' rope held by Hengist (and hopefully another able-bodied character as backup), Ranald attempted the steep climb down to the cave mouth, muttering all the while.

Appelz, pares, all kin' of airs, up top up mop, bargles in esrty diznt it, wot?

[Clever_Munkey]

Since Faylen has iron spikes can we say that we tied the rope to one, then hammered it into the ground before he started climbing? If not then she will do it once he is safely down.

[Solomoriah]

Does anyone want to assist Hengist in holding the rope? The ground appears too soft to hold the iron spike, though it might or might not hold in the mixed limestone/sandstone cliff face.

[mTeasdale]

Bothan will prove the group how strong he is and will help with the rope.

[JMatt85]

Neirin (the Halfling!) would like to help as well.

[Clever_Munkey]

Bothan and Neiran seem strong enough so Rowan will begin discussing with Faylen, and anyone else not working who wishes to join, about how to get the last member down.

Well, we could might be able to spike it to the rock, or I could just climb down last.

[Longman]

Let's see what's down there first, says Hengist, huffing a bit. It might just be a dead end. Anyway, I thought we were only looking to make sure there wasn't something living inside, which might trouble us later. If it's empty, maybe we'd be better off going in through the stairs Ranald found. No need for climbing, that way. Just a bit of digging.

[mTeasdale]

Bothan look towards Ranald : "Hurry up small boy, or we may drop you in that damn hole. I'm starting to get hungry and I'm tired of holding that rope while you look at that hole doing noth..."

Alphonse look at Bothan : "Hold that rope and shut up Bothan. You know what happened the last time we found ourselves in a group of adventurers. I warned you, I won't let it happen again"

[Solomoriah]

Ranald carefully climbed down the rope. As he got close to the cave opening, he could see that there was a trail leading up to it from somewhere along the shoreline to the south; the trail was hidden from view for anyone on the clifftop.

Inside the cave opening he could see that the stone had been deliberately cut to make a neat ten foot wide corridor leading back into the cliff. The natural entrance had been left nearly untouched, so as to better conceal the tunnel from casual onlookers.