Alton stares at Symon for a moment. "...Now how the blazes did you get a grappling hook? ...Yes, it would work much better, though I may still use a piton to make sure the rope is secure." He says before taking the grappling hook gratefully, stepping away from everyone to twirl it. "...I hope I actually can get it up there though, I'm dexterous, not strong." He comments.

Strength to huck the grappling hook up to the ledge: 2

And the grappling hook falls to the floor. "...See what I mean?" He says with a blush on his face.

"here, let me try" Dale comes up to heave the grappling hook (Strength Check) 22

 "There, that might do it?" (OOC depending on DM lol)

You throw the hook onto the ledge, which is covered in rubble, but it grabs onto a small hole covered by the rubble.

Darius grunted at the success. In truth, he'd been hoping they'd have to find another way. He hated heights, and had so far managed to not reveal that little flaw to his teammates. True, it was only thirty feet up a sheer rock wall, but still....

Alton shrugs as he takes hold of the rope and starts climbing. As soon as he gets to the top, he first produces a piton to secure the rope to the stone better, rather than relying on the hook directly. Of course, this is a bit loud but he at least *tries* to time the hammer beats out to sound less blatantly 'mortal made.'

(personally I'd argue it's a performance, but uh, DM call!)

(I would say just still stealth)

Quote from VeloElo >>

(I would say just still stealth)

 (OH! alright then!)

11

(...the dice are not really with me today it seems...)

Symon starts to roll up his sleeves, "This might get a bit ... interesting methinks."  He will keep an eye on the opening in case something pops out with malice aforethought. If it does, he will blast it with a fiery bolt. "I have never been much of an alpinist, about the only thing I am use to climbing over are large tomes, some of them are actually larger than I am.  Makes one begin to wonder how the heck anybody could pen such monstrosities, much less even want too.  I mean, for the Pits of Hell's sake, who needs something that takes three average people to lug around.  You know, if I had my way, everything would be miniaturized, easily stuffed into one's pocket; course if you wanted to, having it magically expand to a larger size, for those who have poor eyesight, would not be that difficult, really.  Just the wiggle of the fingers, a bit of desiccated frog dust and an appropriate word or two and, voila, big book!  Hmmm, you know if one happened to fall into a large body of water, say a raging river, a turbulent torrent, a savage sea or, maybe, a chaotic cataract, thought the latter might be a bit dicey, one could whip out a bodice ripper, do the dweomer thing and, poof!, a life raft. I tell you, magic is fun...occasionally; it is not just fireballs and lightening bolts and walking corpses. Say, how's it going up there Alton?"

"Well, Alton is definitely making enough noise up there, so he's still alive, which is one thing, on the other hand, every blasted creature in the cave will know where we are," speaking directly to Symon, "well, if you can't carry it, is it worth having? And all that sounds good in theory, but I find it much better to deal directly with the situation, like swimming rather than trying to make a raft appear out of thin air, and not sure a big book will cut it at that" Dale looks slightly dubiously at Symon, thinking he may have to work hard to protect some of the squishier members of the party.

"...Well, the rope is secure." He mutters to himself as he produces his thieves' tools and starts carefully checking the tunnel ahead for traps. "Rope is fine, nothing living up here. Checking for traps." He calls down, irritated with himself.

Perception: 23

"Hmmm, Dale, I was wondering...about 'quaffing' I believe it is called. Is it true that quaffing ale, or any fermented beverage for that matter, requires that at least a third of said beverage soaks into the quaffer's beard?  Which brings up another point, does a quaffer have to have a beard to truly quaff a fermented beverage?  Have you ever had mead?  I tried it once, nearly knock my socks off, but, I must admit, much, much tastier than fermented mares milk.  You know they drink that stuff out on the Salt Steppes?  And they do quaff the stuff, seems like one could be forgiven the mistake of thinking they were trying to drink their bath water, although fermented mares milk does not smell anything like bath water, I'll tell you, whew! No it does not, not even the bath water of a sweat-sodden orc grunt could even come close to the odor that wafts from a drunken steppe horseman after they have been quaffing all afternoon."

Symon looks askance at Dale, "Sooo, about quaffing...?"

Darius had heard Symon's rambling before, and just kept quiet, glad that it wasn't directed at him this time. Deciding he'd rather face his fears than discuss quaffing, he grabbed the rope, tested it with a sturdy tug, then began climbing.

(( Athletics Check: 6 ...and there's that fear of heights! ))

"Maybe we should have a drink off when we get back to town?"Dale enquires gently.

"I'm not sure what fetid swamp water you've been drinking, but I'm sure a good ale shouldn't be knocking socks off........" (Dale takes this all very genially, and not getting riled up)

"Anyway, if you're getting it on your beard, it's a waste of good ale (and it's a bugger to clean out)" Dale chuckles.

Dale waits for Darius to head up before going up himself Athletics Check: 18

 Dale is happy to wait at the top and help people up if required.

Both Daruis and Dale climb up, one going a lot slower then the other. There is no traps.

Alton leans against the cavern wall then, arms folded all cool-like as he awaits the rest of the party... Gaze focused further down the tunnel. "Y'know... Given I am small, you'd think I'd be better at the whole spelunkin' thing." He jokes, a wry grin on his face.

Darius, concentrating far more intently than he needed to be after climbing up, simply nodded in response. "Hope nothing attacks us in this lil' passageway," he says, trying to peer further in. "It'd be a messy fight."

(( While waiting for the others, Darius will try to see what he can further down. Perception Check: 6 ))

(( EDIT: Um... just to warn you guys, apparently whenever editing your posts... YOUR ROLLS NOW CHANGE! No warning, no "manipulated results" text. Ugh. ))

"Well, I suppose," Symon says in a low, somewhat hesitant voice. "Looks like it's time to rise to the challenge."  He will grasp the rope and commence to climbing.

Athletics   9

"Oh! Crap!  Well that wasn't good."  And he tries again.

Athletics   14

You also climb up.

"Not sure the view is much improved, but at least the potential for being drowned has been greatly reduced, unless I am mistaken," Symon says to no one in particular. "Although the potential for breaking a bone or two falling has increased in probability, to compensate you understand; what's known as the 'Law of Conservation of Uncertainty'.  As the percent chance of any particular uncertain event decreases, the percent chance of another, equally uncertain event, increases, almost in direct proportion, only then 'Mazornick's Ambiguous Principle' comes into effect, which essentially says that the occurrence of no two uncertain events happening simultaneously can be ruled out."  He looks done the tunnel in front of the party, "And it would appear that here are at least three potential 'uncertain event' that could happen in our immediate frame of reference."  When the last of the party in up, Symon will ask for his grapple back, saying, "I had no idea at the time I bought this if it would be of any use, but one never knows; that also is a manifestation of 'Mazornick's Ambiguous Principle', ah! Magic in action, fascinating.  Mayhaps we'll need it again."

"...Symon? Stop talking wizard and just talk Common." Alton says with a small smirk as he retrieves the rope through his piton and hands the grappling hook back to Darius before taking his piton back out. How? Crowbar.

"Well then. I'll go ahead and start making our way forward then. I doubt we'll run into any traps, but... goblins." The halfling draws his shortsword and keeps his thieves' tools in his other hand as he makes his way forward, keeping an eye out for any further tricks.

Traps perception: 18