Drex

Drex Perception:  13

19

Drex, Gordon and Locke all hear Faith's words, but can't quite make them out at this distance. However, the orc remains relatively motionless, and if you listen closely you can tell he simply continues to mumble variations of "No kill," and "Please, mercy."

(( End of Encounter! ))

(( Had anyone gotten a low score, you would have misunderstood Faith... possibly to the team's detriment. However, it appears clear that as circumstances currently stand, the orc has no intention of attacking, so officially combat is over. Everyone can roleplay how to handle him at your discretion (or until the next encounter times in.) ))

Faith makes his way over until he is within easy distance of the group and is apprised of the situation. 

“Oh,” he says. A surrendering orc is unexpected, though this is the only one he has met … not counting his dead companion. 

“What do you think he will do if we release him?” He looks at his martial companions, and rushes to clarify. “I do not mean that we should kill him, if we have accepted his surrender we must be faithful to the offer we have given him. But I do not know how we might easily transport him to the city as prisoner.”

Faith turns the ring on his finger absent mindedly. Four hours would not be enough, he thinks. 

Drex

"I do not wish to deal with a prisoner for the way back" states Drex.  "We should release him and if we see him again it might not go well for him.  Let's move on my friends."

Drex cleans his blades but keeps them handy.

Locke nodded to the others. "Agreed. I see no need to keep him prisoner." He turned to the orc, and stepped on his great axe. "You may go," he said, pointing back down the mountain while keeping his foot firmly planted.

The creature looked up, and with a somewhat resigned expression nodded, then bowed a couple of times before standing up and scampering off.

"Shall we?"

Drex

"Certainly...I'm ready to move out."

Drex takes a path different than the orcs or follows anyone else if they lead.

Gordon is fine with heading out. He'll follow everyone's lead. 

Faith clicks his fingers, his eagle appearing. For a short while it will tail the orc from on high, in case of treachery. Faith follows the others. 

The party heads back up the mountain, passing the fallen bandits within mere minutes and then finally approaching the walls surrounding the keep at the summit.

The worn path up the mountain leads directly to a large iron double-door in the wall that opens outward, fifteen feet tall; while it appears to not be so overgrown with flora (and rust) as to no longer be functional, pulling on it seems useless. Surprisingly, there is an oversized keyhole on the right door, and it feels as if the locking mechanism it hides is what is keeping the doors from opening. There are no inscriptions, no writing, no artwork, nothing to indicate who the place is meant for, and nothing suggesting any alternate entry. Fortunately, there is a battlement along the top of the thirty-foot-high wall, suggesting that if you could hook a rope onto a crenel and climb, you could find a safe way down the other side. Also fortunate, the stone walls themselves are worn and cracked in many places, and it might just be possible--if risky--to climb even without rope.

(( What will the party do? ))

(( Anyone who attempts to climb will, unless you have a climbing speed, need to make an Athletics Check. Tossing rope up to secure a handhold is a separate Athletics Check, with a much higher DC if you don't have a grappling hook (since you'll need to wrap around one of the merlons.) If the rope is secured, climbers get advantage on their check to climb.

Yes, picking the lock is also an option; it will require a Sleight of Hand check, with advantage if you have proficiency with appropriate tools (and the tools.)

The party is also free to attempt some other method of breaching the walls or door. ))

Drex

Drex says, "Let's work together to get a rope up there to help our climb.  Unless anyone has thieve's tools I can borrow for me to try and unlock the door.  If we work together it might be easier. I've got the 50' Hemp rope we can use to lasso the stone with.  Let's have someone real athletic give it a try."

“My familiar can take the rope to the top of the wall,” Faith frowns, “however, it’ll be unlikely that it can tie it on.”

Of course there was the one trick that he had been working on. He weighs it up, it is worth forgoing the comfort and solace in camp tonight. 

[If you’re happy, Faith can enter his genie ring and be flown up by his familiar, then step out, secure the rope, and lower it.]

Quote from NycrolB >>

[If you’re happy, Faith can enter his genie ring and be flown up by his familiar, then step out, secure the rope, and lower it.]

(( That would be fine; no checks would be required to secure the rope in that case. ))

Locke shook his head. "I don't have any tools for dealing with the lock on the door," he began, "but if someone were to make it up to the top of the wall, however they did it, they could secure the rope for the rest of us." He cast a questioning glance toward Faith, wondering if he had any magic that could assist such a tactic.

Faith calls his Eagle, and directs it to carry his ring to the top of the wall. From his compatriots he takes the rope, and then in a rush of mist he vanishes, sucked into his ring, which the eagle immediately takes in a talon and carries to the top of the wall. 

Faith reappears the same way, and lets down the rope, after securing it to a solid crenellation.

OOC Long story on the thieves' tools LOL....Bone head move though LOL.

Locke raised an eyebrow and nodded to Faith. His magic was definitely useful; it was making their journey through the forest (or really, up the mountain in the forest at the moment,) seem almost easy.

After tugging on the rope to make certain it was secure, he looked at the others. "Guess I'll be the first to test it," he shrugged, before attempting the thirty-foot climb.

Athletics Check: 17

(( @Faith:

 ))

The merchant seemed to be doing well, and made it halfway up the rope before his footing slipped and he fell. Fortunately, he managed to grab the rope again before hitting the ground; and it didn't look like the rope burn was too bad.

Locke's face was blank as he stared at the rope, then held it out for someone else to try.

(( Adventurers can make as many climb attempts as they like, until they succeed; however, very low rolls may result in the loss of HP via fall damage. ))

OOC- Is it base roll or with advantage?

Quote from Cwreando >>

OOC- Is it base roll or with advantage?

(( Since the rope is secured, it is an Athletics Check with advantage. ))