Everyone runs over to Kalkamedes as he fights with his dwarven roadblock. The skirmish becomes a tangle of hands and Kalkamedes is very squirmy and difficult to manage. The dwarven grip never fails and eventually Meredith can claim both of his wrists without injuring him. Kaydence takes this time to tie a very fashionable knot that is also very sturdy.
Meredith picks up Kalkamedes's fighting body and begin. It is a long tedious struggle. Kalamedes kicks furiously as he is ushered around the bog to safety. He is dropped down after he is clear of the bog and continues walking without skipping a beat.
before we continue I am giving a moment to allow any actions that you guys would like to take.
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Meredith sighs deeply, "That was too close, Brother. I wish I knew what was going on within your soul to compel you through so much danger. I can only hope we are near to your destination... if there truly is one, that is"
She then grabs the end of the line, wrapping it about her forearm a couple of times. After she is sure that she has a good grasp on the tether and that everyone else is ready, she unties the bonds at his feet and hands. Turning to the group, she gives a tired smile, "Let us pray that this night does not continue to be such an uphill battle."
After the two scouts lead the way off into the night, she runs her hand across the pommel of Kalkamedes' sword.
It is beginning to look more and more as if Iomedae truly does hold this venture in ill-favor. I wonder why...
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Orik sweating heavily from holding the former paladin, drinks mightily from his waterskin, and wipes his hand across his bushy beard.
"I hope dis fella gets where he's a'headin' right quick. This bizness is gettin' oold fast."
He readies himself and takes the shield position just in front of the walking sleeper.
Kalkamedes’s path winds westward into a steep mountain pass that climbs several hundred feet. The surface levels out only to terminate fifty feet ahead with a precipitous drop into a thirty-foot wide canyon.
Near the drop off it will have some moderate sized boulders.
Can you make a survival check Untrained?
Yes. Perception checks can also be used.
Zotu, Meredith, and Orik are able to identify boulders that will be safe to use.
So how would you like to handle this mini cliff?
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Meredith pulls Kalkamedes up short, and calls out to Leorin and Kaydence, "Can either of you see any trails along the sides that we could traverse down, and perhaps back up?"
She takes a calculating look across the gap, "If not, I can see only two other options, lower Kalkamedes down and the pulling him back up the other side... which will take a lot of rope I don't think we have."
She then looks around at those around her, "Or we can make a one rope bridge, put a harness on Kalkamedes, and scoot him across the gap if we can secure a line on both sides. Anyone happen to have a grappling hook or something else we can use?"
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Frederick speaks up. 'I have a grappling arrow here. My pa always used to say, "Be prepared, Frederick. Guess the ol coot was right for once.'
Frederick sticks his torch into the ground, ties one end of his silk rope around one of the boulders Meredith has pointed out. He quickly ties the other end to the special grappling hook and readies his bow.
'We'll need someone to crawl along this line with another rope or two, in order to make a secure rope bridge. I'm afraid I'm a bit all thumbs at that sort of thing.'
"Now, what am I shooting at?"
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"You know, I've got a bit of an idea." Frederick yells back to the approaching party. "Drop that caltrop in front of Kalkamedes! We need more time to get this rope bridge up. He'll forgive us!"
Frederick quickly takes off his own armour, packing it quickly and efficiently into his bag.
He double checks that the silk rope is secure to both the boulder he is next to and the grappling arrow and takes careful aim at the boulder directly opposite him, across the canyon.
Grappling hook feels secure in both places. Is the one I noted correct?
So a quick look at the rules. Climbing a wall with a rope is DC 5, move 1/4 your speed. Fail by 5 you fall. The other action is an acrobatics check, which I have nothing to base it off of, but will be in the DC 10-15 range, fail by 5 you fall.
If anyone wants to weigh in on this please do, open for a rules lawyer answer. But before characters decide the suspended tight rope walk let us all be in agreement, 7d6 fall is a character killer.
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"Bah, nae roop bridge'll keep mae from fallin't tae me death if'n I try it. Better tae make a wee harness and lower a few doon, then bring our sleepin' friend, then lay on 'im in the between and haul 'im oop de other si' when wae cain."
"I doon see any oother thin's workin' wifou' someun' gettin' hurt quiet a bit, includin' mae."
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Orik begins pulling off his heavy armor and bundling that and his gear atop his shield, tying the pack off with rope and lowering it down ahead of his climb.
Before descending, Orik takes the two lengths of rope and ties knots in them every 5 ft or so, while this shortens the rope a bit, it also makes climbing down (and up) much easier as it gives natural hand/foot holds.
Once that's done, he sends one of the nimble types down and helps lower the trussed up Kalkamedes to the ground below.
Are any other party members going down first to receive Kalkamedes?
Kalkamedes fights against the rope bonds as he is lowered into the canyon, but they stay strong and do not budge. Orik and Meredith easily lower the sleepwalker down to safety. As soon as his feet touch ground he begins his march across the canyon, stopping only when he collides with the wall of cliff face before him. After two of these collisions he attempts to break his bonds again, while trying to climb.
Kalkamedes's attempt to break the bonds was useless, as well as his wobbly attempt to climb the 70 foot cliff face in front of him with bound wrists. He placed a foot on the wall and fell landing on the hard canyon floor. You know that if he was to succeed even getting a little ways up the canyon it could be devastating.
To speed this up and make it less confusing I am assuming that everyone has taken their armor and possessions off and has lowered them to the canyon and will have them pulled up the other side. Since no one has a negative strength score everyone can just take their time on the ropes climbing as they see fit safely and without a chance of falling. Orik and Meredith will climb the far side of the cliff face and pull the tied up Kalkamedes up safety.
During the accent up Kalkamedes breaks his bonds and his hands are now free, he fights with the harness but reaches the safety before he can wiggle free from it. He immediately starts to walk towards his mystery goal.
Roll :-)
Meredith is able to easily dodge the closed eyed swing as she grabs him again starting the grapple.
He is pinned.
For ease everyone is safely across, the gear has all been collected but no armor is worn by anyone; Kalkamedes is pinned and is waiting to be tied.
From the sack that Meredith's gear is in a concerned tinny voice says; Thank you so much for watching my friend and keeping him safe. You are all doing a very good job, I was getting worried you would let him get hurt. If I may suggest trying to pull the sleeves of his night shirt down a little to prevent any more rope burns on his wrists, they look raw and painful.
Oh yes master paladin straight to the detect evil, you can never really trust anything now of days. But seriously mind his wrists.