"You are in luck, Master Vanara, as I have just the spell for this situation. All we need do is find something secure on the far side and I can tie the rope with my magic. Lucky are you that Hassan is here to solve such problems." Hassan grins.
He looks about on the far bank for a hearty tree or rock to tie the rope to.
The map does little to aid the situation showing neither any particularly appealing routes nor casting its magic very far. It does seem the map knows what is happening though as the pictogram of where the bridge was is marked with a series of hashes and marks that indicate the bridge is no longer functional. Mel does not that the footing planks on either side are unmarred and the ground seems to be illustrated much darker in the rough area (it would seem the map is detailing the stability of the terrain to a certain extent.)
Fjori knows enough of this muck to know that strong arms and a solid rope can get most of you through, all you need is a good anchor. Another method of passing would be to use something sturdy with enough surface area that you could cross before the object sinks (like felled trees or large woven mats of grass).
A few straggly bushes and a half dead tree mark the landscape on the other bank directly across while a few other similar items can be easily seen. The plank on your side (and you imagine the other) that served as the anchor for the bridge seems also quite sturdy as it seems to have been anchored against a large rail into what might be rock that marks the river's edge.
Bart grins at Hassan's solution and slaps the man heartily on the back.
Ajani nods, having totally forgotten Hassan's trick of living rope. "It seems you are correct, my friend. Here is my rope." answers the Vanara, reaching into his backpack to retrieve the fifty-foot length of rope, offering it to the Qadiran.
"This is confusing..the map seems to show the ground here is..well not perfect, but safer to cross.. We could use that tree over there to secure the rope and then follow the line of the bridge..that might be the safest option"
Fjori grins over at Hassan. "That is an excellent idea. I think either I or Bart should be first across so we have a strong anchor on both ends. What do you think?
Hassan chants a short incantation, gesturing over the rope. He casts Animate Rope, and holds the coiled rope out to Fjori or Bart. "I will command the rope to tie itself, but it must be thrown within a foot or so of the tree. You each have better arms than I."
I need a range touch attack from whoever is gonna throw...
Quillin seems to be a bit touchy today after an uncomfortable night on the beach. He snorts at the Qadiran, "Ah, that old live rope cantrip. I think I looked at that when I was an apprentice. I guess you've found some use for it. Here Smudge, make yourself useful and carry the end of the rope over there."
The gray parrot grabs the end from Hassan's hand and flies across to perch with it on the tree still cackling, "String 'em up. String 'em up."
"It is unfortunate that with all of the time you spent with your nose stuck in a book that you never had the time to learn that spell yourself, Master Quillin. But surely it is well that you did not. The risk of paper cuts alone, it's a wonder that you did not die a thousand deaths!"
"Hmmph! the gnome glares at the sharp tongued easterner, but merely sits on a plank to await the crossing.
Mel waits for the parrot to carry the rope across.
"Well, well we finally found a use for the fleabag then." she comments
The rope is placed, words are spoken and hands waved. One tied rope.
Now what?
Ajani takes a deep breath, reaching out for the roped tied to the tree, giving it a tug to test the knot. After he was reassured, he took a deep breath, staring down at the quicksand. "I will volunteer to cross the rope first. However, I would ask if anyone else has a length of rope that could be secured to me, so that I may be pulled out of the quicksand should the unexpected happen."
Fjori takes the slack end of the rope and wraps it around his waist. He pulls it tight and gestures to Ajani to start climbing across.
Ajani nods, testing the rope one more time before tacking a breath and looping his arms and legs across the rope, simian fingers and toes adeptly gripping the rope strung over the top of the quicksand.
Once he had a good grip, he began shimmying across the rope, being sure not to look down at the quicksand river as he crossed.
Mel goes next as the lightest of the Humans.
Climb
Quillin rises and watches with somewhat unseemly anticipation as the others cross.
Hassan crosses next, more slowly and less surely than the others.
Bart waits, keeping an eye behind them. He will be last to cross.
Just for clarification here are people basically tight rope walking or trying to hand and shimmy?
definitely hand over hand shimmy.
Just for clarification here are people basically tight rope walking or trying to hand and shimmy?
So...who is all across at the moment and who still need to cross??
Ajani clears the rope with no issue and Mel is fast behind, both showing ease with the rope and easily keeping themselves out of the muck. Hassan's traversal is a much slower thing with the sorcerer taking his time and obviously unused to the use of the rope in this manner. After a few painstaking minutes Hassan is across leaving Fjori, Bart and Quillin to cross.
"Heh," Quillin laughs nervously. "You tall folk make it look so easy." Securing the end of the line around his waist he asks Fjori to belay him as he attempts the crossing.
climb
As Quillin crosses the rope an arrow whistles loudly and sinks itself into Fjori's calf nearly bringing the Nord to his knees as he feeds the security rope forward. From up the bank a Rahadoumi pirate, surely one of the sailors taken on by Plugg and Scourge, stands caked in mud and dirt. Seemingly arisen from the quicksand itself, the pirate can be seen moving to knock another arrow.
On the other bank two more bodies arise from the muck just off of the shore of the anchoring board that marked the former bridge. One looks to be an unknown Rahadoumi like the archer across the way and the other appears to be the ever scowling, ever towering, Maheem. Both are caked in muck and wield cutlasses covered in the same filth. It would no doubt make matters much worse to suffer wounds with the filth of this bog on the blades.
Quillin is about 70% of the way across and can spend a round to finish but at present that brings him side by side with the pair of assaulters on the opposite shore.
ARCHER X
Ajani
Hassan
Mel
MAHEEM
Fjori
Bart
Quillin
CUTLASS
Just to be Clearer:
Archer
AH Cutlass F
M Maheem Q B
Order of operations for summoning:
This round --> Ajani Casts (1 round casting time)
Next Round --> Cast resolves, ally appears on Ajani's turn and may act immediately.
Same Round --> Ajani may then make a regular set of actions for this round.
Ajani yelps in surprise as the arrow whistles through the air to bury itself into Fjori's leg, then suddenly there are several foes emerging from the dirt and muck. Ajani takes a quick step away from the enemies, immediately sacrificing his Eagle Eye spell for another. He spends the entire round casting his spell.
One thing I want to be sure is clear is that Fjori and Bart are on one side of the river and the rest on the other (with Quillin in the middle on the rope.)
"I would have wished that we had been friends Maheem. You have cast your lot poorly, to choose to die in a place such as this." says Hassan.
He swings around to place the towering Rahadoumi between himself and the river of quicksand and summons a , trying to blow the man over backwards into the sand.
The tall Rahadoumi remains firmly entrenched the blast seemingly not able to push the large man from his spot on the shore. He does not cry out either but merely cocks his head at Hassan while his eyes follow the other attacker.
sense motive
Quillin curses his precarious situation as he watches the action around him. He keeps mum for the moment so as not to draw any greater attention to his bird on a wire routine.
Mel Raises her Crossbow and lets fly at the archer.
However the shot goes wide. She then moves to whatever cover she can get to
As Mel casts her bolt over the river of muck the always silent Maheem simply turns and walks to the the other Rahadoumi attacker. The sailor from the the Man's Promise wears his complete shock openly as your peer from the Wormwood lifts the man of his feet as a blade is buried into his torso.
The Rahadoumi falls to the mud gasping his last breaths as Maheem looks down at his blade and whistles a catchy Quadiran sailing song.
Fjori
Bart
Quillin
Cheered by the sight of Maheen gutting one of the enemy, Fjori grimly holds onto the rope.
Get a blasted move on ya scrawny parrot perch! I'll not drop you, but I do not wish to be a pincushion either!"
climb
Quillin starts nervously as Fjori yells and manages to get his arms all tangled up in his haste. A moment later, he flops into the mire.
Next rounds action..
Mel reloads her Crossbow and snaps off another shot at the archer which only manages to wing him..
16 if Bart moves into melee with him on round 1 Damage