“Jens isn’t here!” Ted proclaims, “We’ve got to run after them! There’s a horse over that way! They must have gone there!” He points frantically in the direction Echo saw the horse. 

As he climbs up on to his horse, he mutters aloud, “I wonder what Echo can see, he’s been gone a while, I hope he’ll be back soon.”

Ragnar sees how much this latest carnage affects Vanya and the others and sets about dealing with the dead quickly and respectfully.

He brings the bodies out of the tent and sets about creating a pyre out of the remnants of the tent and other broken and damaged combustibles that are lying around.

"Setting the dead alight is honorable where we come from," Ragnar says with a nod to Erika, "but I agree with Erika, even if it wasn't this would be the best way to send them on their way. We can't be too careful after what happened before."

He works on getting a fire going.

"Are you okay with this?" Ragnar asks Gen-ga and Zira.

Quote from Killilli >>

“Jens isn’t here!” Ted proclaims, “We’ve got to run after them! There’s a horse over that way! They must have gone there!” He points frantically in the direction Echo saw the horse. 

As he climbs up on to his horse, he mutters aloud, “I wonder what Echo can see, he’s been gone a while, I hope he’ll be back soon.”

OOC: The horse was the one Vanya stopped. There isn't another.

Areon doesn't see anyone else but he does notice Zira looking towards the arches distractedly. Zira conjures Astrid and sends rhe flying cat over to them. He lurks there while Gen-ga helps Ragnar with the bodies. Gen-ga then says a prayer that the Raven Queen greet these souls on their transition before turning to Zira for the plan. Once the party finishes the pyre and light up Zira speaks.

"Who's ever missing from this camp...that did this is in the ruins," Zira explains with Alistair nestle in her arms. Zira then points to a rope clearly visible about 40ft away at the arches tied to a piton hammered into the stone. "Whether their still alive themselves I don't know. When do you think this all happened," she gestures at the campsite now free of debris and bodies. 

Medicine or survival checks.

Ragnar thinks back to other bodies he's seen, trying to mentally compare the freshly dead to those that have been lying in the open for awhile, remembering what the elements will do, and which insects will move in quickly.

Survival Check: 15  

"I'm no expert on the dead, other than most have less blood than the living," Ragnar says. "But the horse hadn't made it far when we came across it. I would be surprised if this happened very long ago."

Areon notices the bodies look like they've been dead less than a day. The attack was the night before. There's also a trail of blood out of the tent barely visible but it's consistent droplets disappearing towards the ruins accompanied by tracks made by something like a reptile, a dragon born without boots unlike Gen-ga. Areon then notices the other horses to the slain party are dead as well not far from the tent behind a pile of rubble nearby.

Ragnar can tell the bodies have not beem dead for long, least than a day. They have been striped of armor and weapons. 

Once the bodies have caught of the pyre Zira presses the group to move out.

"It's still early we have several hours before we would have to rest," Zira begins. "Any objections to getting started," she asks the party.

Ted had been harassing everybody to hurry up all through the burning. “The living still need our help! We might have a chance to save them!” He moaned, although once the bodies set fire, he said a few words solemnly. 

“It’s a shame you had to go like this. It’s a shame you didn’t get a heroes funeral for your attempts here. And it’s a shame you never saw through your goals. I’ll remember you, keep your memory alive, and I’ll see your mission completed.”
As Zira suggests they leave, he perks up. “No, no, of course! We need to get moving! Wouldn’t want to rest here anyway, it didn’t turn out too well for these ones.”

Ragnar remains silent as Ted says a few words for the dead, thankful that he does so. The power of the Storm Lord may pass through Ragnar, but he is no priest.

"Let's go," Ragnar says. "As Tedbane suggests, there may be others to help. But from the looks of this, I think we're more likely to find the assailants than survivors."

Ragnar approaches the entrance way and the rope. He looks over the edge to see what awaits them below, reaching up and pulling on the rope at the same time to test it's strength and to make sure it's secure.

Perception: 10  to see if any hazards are visible below.

Survival: 21  to check the rope is secured and will take their weight.

Approaching the ruins and the rope that descends Zira pauses turning to the party. 

"Vayna will remain with the horses as planned. I am sorry there isn't another companion to aid you but I think you seem capable of hiding if things turn...sour," Zira says seemingly back into business mode. "The rest of us will descend the rope or tie our own," she adds. "We have the climbing harnesses in the packs there and I think we'll set up base camp at the bottom of the rope somewhere and then lower more equipment down after establishing the area is clear of dangers," she explains as Gen-ga nods.

"I knew what I signed up for," Vayna nods. "Good luck below," the dark elf says with a weird almost smirk. "It's taken plenty of lives down there as much as up here I should add," she says darkly before moving off to set up the hobble and line for the horses as Gen-ga moves to begin up packing the gear for the "dig" below.

Zira seems calm as she dictates orders to the group. She tells Areon to help with the animals, Ted to look for traps or other obstacles near the base of the crater then will climb into, and directs Ragnar aided by Erika set another line to descend.

"Let's move people," Zira adds for good measure.

Ted nods, clicking his fingers twice. “Come on Echo, where are you?“ (2 actions, to send Echo to a pocket dimension and reappear next to him - didn’t see Echo returning on the posts which was meant to be after he found any signs of life)

He gets down on all fours, leaning his head over the edge of the crater precariously, hoping he’ll be able to see the bottom. Perception 11

Ragnar tugs on the existing line once more.

"Seems secure," he says to Erika as they begin to string up a second descent line. "Wrap this end around there and hold it tight while I see if I get a good anchoring knot done up."

He steps around Ted to get better access to tie off the line.

Survival: 12  w/ adv from Erika's help 13  

Quote from Killilli >>

Ted nods, clicking his fingers twice. “Come on Echo, where are you?“ (2 actions, to send Echo to a pocket dimension and reappear next to him - didn’t see Echo returning on the posts which was meant to be after he found any signs of life)

He gets down on all fours, leaning his head over the edge of the crater precariously, hoping he’ll be able to see the bottom. Perception 20

  OOC: I assumed you'd send Echo. Did you roll for him? If so I missed that post. I'll accept the 20 for him because meh why not!

Echo adoesn't see humanoids but he does see the semblance of a camp at the base of the rope about 30ft away. There's tents pitched, a blacken cold fire pit, and elements of travelers gear, nothing too essential, left behind. Everything there has a healthy layer of dust however like the camp had not been used in weeks.

Areon notices there's numerous foot prints too all over the campsite and below where the rope drops and coils onto the crater floor 75ft down. There's also splashes of dark dried crimson on the side of one of the three pitched tents.

Ragnar is very confident his line will hold and can start sending people down.

OOC: Who wants to check the seemingly abandoned rope?

Ted opens his eyes, shaking his head. “Gee, that feels funny. So...” he claps his hands together rubbing them as he paces before the group. “Looks like somebody’s already had the same plan as us, there’s a camp down there, looks like it’s been a while since it’s been used though.” Picking up the rope he smirks at the group as he tugs at it “Race to the bottom?” 

(OOC - Ragnar had checked the other rope - post #979)

Ragnar looks down at the camp Areon has spotted below.

"Something has gone very wrong here," Ragnar says.

He then looks over at Ted and chuckles as he looks at the rogues lithe frame. "The only way I will beat you is if I jump."

With that he grabs on to the rope he tied and starts down to get a head start on Ted.

Athletics (if needed): 24   

OOC: Apologies for the delay. I need athletic checks from everyone as well as a climbing order. Who's taking which rope and if multiple people are climbing down the rope at once or waiting for each person to ascend.

Gen-ga takes the party's rope and begins to climb down. They have trouble for a few seconds about midway down but shifts in their harness and continues to descend. Once they are below Zira motions for another to descend.

"Areon why don't you stay up here and help me assemble the gear to drop down after the party gets below. You can be a look out," Zira adds.

OOC: Everyone gets advantage due to the harness.