The two children delight with cheerful smiles at the magical effects that Silver casts, changing the water droplets into snowflakes and tiny, shimmering ice crystals. The display obviously helps distract them from their fears, and you get an approving nod and smile from Fivin, who clearly enjoys seeing the happiness on their faces. 

Moving on, you continue descending the trail down alongside the cliff face, dropping in elevation with each passing minute. At this point, you're about 60% down, and you can see the ground getting closer. Even though you're still very much exposed, having come this far, you feel a little less anxiety now that you're getting closer to the bottom of the butte and are that much more removed from the unseen threat that apparently lies above somewhere. 

Soon you come to the next bridge, and Silver can see that it has been almost fully repaired. Somehow, the two halves of the rope bridge have been pulled up by ropes, joined once again in the middle and tied off securely at either end. You can imagine that it indeed took some ingenuity, rope work and magic to complete this repair, as was described by Lumen, who especially praises Chrys's deft climbing and rope skills. She merely shrugs and issues some barely audible grunt, before prodding everyone along. 

"We ain't got all day, lets finish this off and get these kids down, so's we can figure out how we're gonna deal with you know who up there. We take too long, and somebody might notice them missing kobolds, get curious and take to the sky. We sure don't wanna be here on this here cliff if that happens."

With the bridge fixed, it's an easy crossing. You all make it over the gap and continue along, descending the easy trail with haste. 

When you're within 50 feet of the bottom, you reach the last gap... the one where you can see that the wooden bridge that used to hang over a narrow but steep gully has been totally destroyed. This is where Chrys climbed around the gap on the steep, but featured rock face, with a rope tied to her. Once she reached the other side, she belayed Lumen across, who found the climb to be much more difficult than Chrys made it look. Lumen flailed quite a bit and at one point slipped and fell, scraping his hands on the rough stone. 

Chrys was able to arrest his fall with the rope, and after regaining his composure, Lumen was able to finish the climb. However, Nym opted for a different strategy. Looping a section around her torso, she gave herself a running start in an attempt to leap across the 15' gap. 

Unfortuatnly, Nym had sailed through the air with less momentum than she would have hoped, 

Recognizing that she's going to fall short and plummet down into the rock filled gully, they both grab the "railing ropes" with one hand and extend their free hands as they lean out as far as possible. 

As Nym nears the other side, she throws her own arms out, and just as her body begins to lose altitude. Seeing that she wasn't going to make the distance, Chrys and Lumen both reached their arms out and manage to lock hands with their terrified friend, but just barely. They were able to safely pull her up, where she flopped onto the other side with a few bruises on her body, and an even bigger bruise on her ego. 

Both Fiven and Vesper tried something totally different. They lowered themselves down into the gully, and then Chrys, Lumen and Nym used their combined strength to easily get them both across the gap and up onto the bridge one at a time. 

With no-one left to belay her from her side, Kess sat down on the edge of the bridge, scooted the last few inches, and then, in an impressive display of acrobatic skill, dropped off the edge, and did a daring swing across the gap. After stopping herself from hitting the opposite rock wall with her feet, everyone else pulled her up to the other side of the bridge.  

And, during her own trip up, earlier in the day, Silver had used magic to help her leap across the gap.

Soooooo... With now that we've recounted your first attempt, how are you going to get across this time? 😀

Surprised that Silver seemed to recognize the bird immediately, she wondered if it showing where hand and foot holds were, helped the firbolg up originally. Her display of magic lifted not only the children's spirits, but Nym as well, grateful for the ease in tension. Though when she saw the puffy white flakes in the air she marveled at it, reaching out to touch one. "This is snow, yes?" She asked with bright curiosity, amazed at how one of the flakes immediately melted on her fingertip. "My druid friend explained it and other weathers but I've not seen snow in person yet." 

As they continued, the drow somehow felt more anxious going down than she had going up previously. Perhaps it was because she was looking at the ground more often and seeing how far it was from their feet. Though they were getting closer at least. Glancing at the gap, she recalled vividly how her first attempt went and felt a little queasy. Managing a rueful smile, Nym suggested, "Why don't we try what Vesper and Fivin did?" They had certainly faired better than herself and Lumen's attempts. The children's safety was paramount, though the idea of trying to toss them across once someone was on the other side to catch them did cross her mind... 

"Yes indeed, this is snow," Silver says with a smile, as the last flakes melt away. "Or at least, frozen flakes of water. Real snow would come from the sky, I suppose. I apologise if this appears insensitive, but your friend had to explain... weather? That could only be explained by your living underground, am I correct?"

 At the final gap, Silver dwells on the challenge. "On my way up these stairs, I used magic to jump over this gap. However this time that would only help me, and I am reluctant to use up my magic when we are likely to be drawn into a battle soon. I had thought that perhaps if someone took a running jump, I could use some lesser magic to create a burst of air to push them the last few feet... although that would require timing and aim on my part that I am not sure I possess, and the risk is too great. What is it that Vesper and Fivin did?"

Chrys explains that after she climbed across the gap last time, they were lowered out on the rope, and pulled up from the other side. Then, the last person, (Kess) jumped across. Chrys suggests that the rope could be fastened at both ends, this time, allowing the last person to cross, going hand & feet over hand instead of jumping. Then you could leave the rope up for when you’re ready to head back up to the keep.

With that in mind, Chrys ties the rope around her waist and climbs back across the gap, moving swiftly and efficiently, remembering the hand and foot holds that she used last time. Once on the other side, she ties it off and waits for whoever is next. 

Silver eyes up the rope with some hesitation. "I should go last, in case the rope is unable to take my weight."

After Chrys secures the rope on the other side, you begin the process of getting everyone else across. Vesper goes first, followed by Fivin, traversing across the gap using hands and feet while hanging upside down. Then, with Chrys's suggestion, you uncoil Nym's rope and send it across with Lumen, who ties it to the other side. Then, using the other technique, you tie Faen and Syllin into the rope one at a time, slowly lower each of them out over the gap, and have them get pulled up to the other side by Chrys and Lumen. 

Both of them prove to be very brave, and the task is safely completed with little effort. 

Next, Kess crosses, followed by Nym, and then finally Silver, who, thankfully discovers that even though the rope sags down quite a bit, it does indeed hold her weight. After you're all across, you leave the two ropes set up, and then continue down the rest of the trail.

After descending the lower section of the Sky's Ascend, you finally find yourselves at the base of the enormous cliff, where Fivin breathes a sigh of relief that you were all able to make it down safely.

((Sorry DM, just wasn't sure how to proceed, as silly as that sounds!))

Kess smiles at both of the children as they reach the bottom.

"You were both very brave to endure what you have thus far," she says with a smile, visibly relieved herself that the crossing hadn't ended in tragedy. "We still have a ways to go yet, but I think the harder part is behind us now..."

Had one of these precious little ones fallen... no, Kess didn't even want to think about that; there was no point in thinking about that, because they hadn't fallen. For right now, she was just praising the Seldarine for their good fortune; not only did the mad oppressor of the keep in Duskbringer seemed to be out and about or otherwise given to her madness, the Pie Pals, along with Fivin, had managed to assure the children were safe. They were safe! The weight of the journey was starting to set in, but it was a weight of relief as opposed to exhaustion.

Now... it became a matter of reuniting parents with children. Faen and Syllin were safely in arm's length and able to be protected... that's what mattered.

She looked up and around for a moment, just to be sure all was right in the world. What time was it, anyway? And how was the weather faring?

Kess uses her elven eyes to see what they see: 10 (Perception)

Looking around, you find yourselves beneath the magnificent butte once again, in the large clearing at the edge of the woods where you approached earlier. Next to you, the stream flows thick and fast, and the sound of cascading water echoes against the steep wall behind you. It looks very much like it did a few hours ago, and you see or hear nothing that would cause alarm.

"So," Silver breaks the silence as they take in the upwards view once again. "Where are you due to meet the children's parents, and the other survivors? Is it far?"

Fivin answers, "As Aelar had said, he and Lia, the childrens' mother, were going to rest a few more days, the return to the keep. They will be traveling by elk, and they are well versed at moving quickly through the forest, so my guess is that they will arrive here in another day or two. Perhaps more, but in any case, it would be best for all if the dragon was no more when they make their return."

The old elf's voice becomes more quiet and grim and moves closer to you and speaks so that the children can't hear him.

"I am so thankful for all of you to have brought Faen and Syllin away from danger, but the dragon must be dealt with, or these children will have no home. I can take you to the place where I hid for a day before you arrived this morning; it's only a short distance inside the forest. Once we're there, I can protect the children if you choose to go and immediately deal with Duskbringer, or else we can all wait for Aelar and Lia to arrive."

"However, the sooner she is removed from the keep, the sooner we can all wait with much more safety and comfort as we wait for them to come back. With all the pain those two have endured through this entire episode, with our entire tribe decimated, with Lia's grave injuries ((remember, she had lost an arm)) and with her not knowing the fate of her children, they, and these two children, who are the future of our tribe, deserve to see their home restored, even if it has been damaged."

"My apologies," says Silver. "I do not know this Aelar. I fear this is a prior part of this endeavour which I was not party to. However, it is good to hear they will be there soon. Taking the children to your hiding place is a good idea."

Glancing around at the rest of the group. "Would everyone then be willing to come with me to face the dragon? The whole idea makes me feel nauseous, I will be honest, but I fear Duskbringer must be dealt with."

Ducking her head a little at the pointed question that was right on the mark, Nym eventually answered, pulling back her head for a moment to show her dark as night skin and white as moon hair, lavender eyes wincing at the sunlight as it hit her before pulling back up her hood. "Yes. The Upperdark. But still underground. I'd only very rarely venture out until I met Duaric, that's my druid friend. I'm glad I did. People are a lot friendlier than I'd feared." Glancing at her companions before she offered a tentative smile at Syllin, hoping that the child's view of her hadn't been tainted. 

At Silver's pointed question concerning the two elven children's parents, she pursed her lips, not being able to remember if they knew of their father's demise and not being the one to say anything. As Fivin didn't mention it, she too kept quiet on the matter. Keeping her voice as low as the older elf, Nym murmured, "You likely will be able to hear some of what goes on. But in case not...if you don't feel that your hiding place hidden enough, I urge you to take them back and meet Aelar and Lia before they reach here." The sword woman's expression was grim as she spoke before meeting Silver's eyes. "I will not let you face the dragon alone. Same as yourself, I cannot turn my back to her evil, though I fear it's the last decision I might make." Taking a breath she turned to the group that had saved her from the clutches of the hag and showed her that topsiders didn't bear all of those like her kind ill will. "You don't all have to go." She hadn't known these people, these Pie Pals long enough to understand their origins or yearnings in life, but... "I know you're good people and you want to help. Just make sure it's something that you truly wish to do. Do not feel pressed upon." The drow tried to draw herself up and look more sure of herself than she felt as she tried to assure, "We'll hold our own." Nodding at the firbolg with a tight smile. 

"It'll at least make a good story," Lumen says, after listening to the others talk themselves up to going after the drake, and nodding to himself and glancing at Chrys, who he's known the longest. "If we don't return to tell it ourselves, then tell it for us?" he says to the elves. "I'd say we'd have more luck trying this while the dragon sleeps. Can we find out if it does that during the day or night?"

Fivin says that he knows little of dragons and when or where they sleep, but he reminds you that back at Dauric's tree, he had spoken of an underwater cavern beneath the loch at the base of the keep. He said that it does not lead anywhere, but that if the dragon had discovered this hidden grotto, it might offer her a safe place to recuperate from her injuries. 

"I ain't gonna lie, never fought a dragon before, an' I don't know how it's gonna end up," Chrys says gruffly to Silver.  "But, we made it this far, didn't we?  I ain't turnin' back now, not when a mad dragon's on the loose terrorizin' the folks 'round here.  We don't deal with Duskbringer now, someone's gonna have ta deal with that plague later.  'Sides, we got a score ta settle for what she did ta the elves here."  She grins, crossing her arms.  "'Think o' the braggin' rights we'll have once we git this done.  Ain't nobody gon' blink an eye at us 'Pie Pals' when they hear we're the 'Pie Pals, slayer o' dragons', right?"

Fivin gives you a bit of a strange look when you refer to yourself as the "Pie Pals," as does Vesper, which she usually does. You know that all along, she's been suggesting that perhaps there's another name that be more befitting an adventuring party, but for whatever reason, and mostly due to Krackle's and Chrys's fondness for the name, it has stuck well. 

At any rate, Vesper does indicate her resolve to slay Duskbringer, agreeing that if you don't take care of that diseased wyrm, she will surly cause pain and destruction for many more people in the coming years of her long dragon life. 

The young sorceress asks, "I suppose I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be... but do we have a plan?"

"We need to find where it is, and we need to try to remove distractions, like those kobolds, who could harm us when we find it. Was it up on the second floor? Or sleeping somewhere lower in town?" Lumen says, glancing briefly, gently, at the kids, who know best.

Chrys frowns.  "Well, las' time it found us, not the other way 'round.  An' removin' the kobolds we did in the tower didn't bring it down on us, makin' me think, Duskbringer ain't home right now.  Maybe the thing ta do is shake down them kobolds that *are* in the tower an' find out where it's hidin' at.  An' when them kobolds try ta feed it.  I ain't never heard of no dragon-worshippin' kobold that didn't offer gifts ta their heroes this close by.  Maybe we can set an ambush usin' their regular schedules."

Lumen nods at Chrys' suggestion, and readies himself for some kobold-shakin'.

"If it is in this underwater cavern," chips in Silver, "I'm not sure what we will be able to do other than wait for it to finish healing, or exit to find food. Is there some way we could lure it out?"