Gregolyn too surveys the wall, to better assess how climbable it is...
Gregolyn figures that the wall is indeed an easy climb. He then turns to the group and speaks; "This is no mere fence Anadyr! I have fractured a law or two in my time. I may not be proud of it, but I know how to play the part of the second-story man. I think it would be best if I attempted the climb."
"But it is not my wish to step on any toes, so if you really want to..." Gregolyn says to Anadyr with a smile...
"Working at the Tankard and reading didn't prepare me for climbing a crumbling tower, so I'll let one of you go first." Jali turns to Anadyr and says with a wry smile, "No rope? Whatever shall we do? Too bad this long, braided piece of silk I'm currently tying knots into will not function as one."
Anadyr smiles at Jali and bows to acknowledge her barb. With a chuckle and smile in his voice he says, "Why, dear Jali, my sister taught me to never assume anything where women are concerned." Twinkle still in his eye, he then turns to the rogue, saying, "Are you quite sure? That resembles a latch right there..."
He chuckles slightly at his own joke, then says a mite more soberly, "Indeed, Gregolyn, I do not doubt that you are the more skilled climber, though I may have downplayed my own history somewhat. Still, I was not weakened by spider venom, and was somewhat worried about your shoulder... However, I am more than willing to let you take the risk, if you prefer."
With his attention upon Anadyr, Gregolyn says; "You are correct. That overgrown arachnid did put a slight damper upon my style! Still, I do not think it should adversely affect a climb such as this too much..."
Gregolyn pauses to think for a moment, and then pulls a single copper coin from his pouch and says; "Tell you what, I'll toss this coin, and you call it. Whoever wins makes the climb! Fair?"
Anadyr's eyes sparkle at the idea, "Leaving it to chance? Now that is something I can appreciate. I call crown."
Gregolyn shows the copper penny to his companion to assure him that it is not some trick double-sided coin, and then flicks it into the air. He catches the coin as it falls, and quickly slaps it onto his left forearm and removes his hand to reveal it...
Seeing that the coin's reverse side is facing up, Gregolyn says; "Desna laughs! Lucky me..."
Gregolyn waits for Jali to finish knotting her length of rope...
Marius smiles for the first time since the adventurers entered this place. "It is my understanding that gamblers make their own luck. But I'm sure this was strictly to chance." He chuckles. "Need any assistance with that, Ma'a-...Jali?" Guard got your tongue?
Jali replies to Anadyr, "If you refuse to believe your own eyes, then I fear you have taken your sister's lessons a little too far. Pity." She finishes knotting the rope and hands it to Gregolyn.
Gregolyn takes the rope from Jali and thanks her with a nod of his head...
He then adjusts the coils, and secures the rope around his shoulder and head...
Gregolyn moves to the foot of the wall under an opening in the tower's second floor and looks straight up.
He swallows his trepidation and focuses while he locates a suitable holds for his hands and feet...
In silence, Gregolyn begins to climb...
Anadyr watches Gregolyn to ensure there's no sleight of hand involved in the coin toss. "Well, it would seem I called incorrectly. Of course, considering the risk, I'm not sure who just won."
He then steps aside to let Gregolyn examine the handholds while Jali finishes braiding the rope. He then turns to her with a smile and slightly apologetic tone, "You misunderstand - I believe in the rope... I just did not want to assume that I would be permitted to use it."
As Gregolyn prepares himself for the climb, Anadyr draws an arrow and looks to the skies.. Let's hope there aren't more spiders, or worse. He'll be quite exposed while he climbs.
Gregolyn begins to makes his way up the collapsed section of wall using cracks and ledges where applicable. Making progress at first, he looses a grip and takes a controlled slide back down to the bottom. No injuries are sustained.
Gregolyn, more than a little embarrassed, tries to regain his composure and dusts himself off...
"Well, THAT could have gone better!"
He turns to Anadyr; "You care to give it a shot?" he says as he offers the bard Jali's knotted rope...
Marius looks alarmed at first when Gregolyn begins to slide down the wall, but is relieved when he finds that the slide was controlled enough. Noticing his embarrassment, Marius attempts to comfort Gregolyn. "Don't worry. Happens to the best of us. Perhaps luck gave you the favorable coin, but the unfavorable result."
Anadyr looks concerned as Gregolyn slides back down the wall, "Are you all right? Is it your shoulder?" Once he's assured himself that Gregolyn didn't injure himself, he nods at Gregolyn's assessment and says, "It's not your fault, that hand-hold shifted when you grabbed it. Loose stone, I guess."
Well, Anadyr, you said you could do it... I guess now you have to prove yourself...
Anadyr takes the offered rope and looks up at the tower, trying to plan his route: "Sure, I'll give it a shot. If nothing else, I know not to grab *that* rock on the way up..."
Anadyr succeeds in completing the free climb, and is able to sure the rope at the top.
The crumbled tower has inadvertently converted this room into half a deck like platform, still holding firm. Anadyr sees two closed doors leading to the tower interior.
Jali tugs on the rope to ensure it's well secured, then takes a deep breath and hauls herself up.
Gregolyn watches as Jali climbs the rope, looking for any sign of it giving way...
Satisfied, he moves over to the rope and begins to climb...
"May Desna smile upon me!"
Anadyr looks down to ensure that his companions are proceeding... I hope Gregolyn's shoulder does not interfere with the climb...
He then turns to face the doors... I wonder if there's any sign as what's behind them... maybe I can figure out what's going on before they get up here...
He then takes a moment to give them a better look, and then pauses a moment to listen at each.
Marius takes up the rear, testing the rope for stability before climbing the rope himself.
Jali climbs as if she was an expert.
Gregolyn slips even with the rope, but again avoids injury. The third time is a charm as he successfully scales the wall to the second floor.
Marius takes the rope last and begins a slow and deliberate yet successful accession to the top
The doors are constructed of solid wood planks, and the intact half of the room is as sturdy as ever. Anadyr hears nothing at the south door, but when he puts his ear to the north he is certain he can hear something scratching the floor in the room beyond.
Once Gregolyn is on the second floor, he moves to a spot in-between the two doors and sits down, his back upon the wall...
Sighing heavily, he says (though more to himself than anyone in particular); "Small wonder this entire tower did not come crumbling down upon my head when I first entered. Desna laughs indeed!"
He pulls a deck of cards from a belt pouch and begins to mindlessly shuffle them as he watches his companions in silence...
With his companions arriving, Anadyr steps away from the door and whispers to them, "There is something scratching behind the northern door. We'd best make ready."
Marius lowers his voice after listening to Anadyr. "Scratching? If it's scratching loud enough for you to hear, it's more than likely dangerous." Marius stands ten feet north of the door, and nocks an arrow, pointing his bow at the door.
"Another overgrown animal hoping to make us its dinner, perhaps?" Jali says. She wipes a bit of sweat from her brow and smiles determinedly. "Not today." She stands to the left and behind Marius and prepares to make the next opponent she sees have an unlucky day.
Gregolyn, puts away the deck of cards, and stands. As he does so, he says; [b]"Perhaps I should check the door for traps?"[b]
He then moves cautiously over to the door and examines it...
Cursing to himself, Gregolyn stands back and readies his shortbow...
Anadyr steps back to stand near Marius, readying an arrow and pushing some of his magic into the bow...
Jali looks at her companions and says, "Well, it's not going to open by itself. I hope." She steps forward and opens the door, then quickly moves aside to let the others see in.
The door is free of traps, at least as far as Gregolyn can tell. After setting up your positions Jali pushes the door open and slides over.
Near the far side of the room a three foot long lizard with bright green scales and a yellow underside hisses. You otherwise quickly notice the room is full of shelves and puddles of water.
Gregolyn upon seeing the lizard, mutter; "This tower is just full of surprises!"
He raises his bow, at shoots the lizard...
Anadyr raises his bow, the training Sakor drilled into him responding even as his mind reels, A lizard? Here? What's it been eating? Other than us, I mean. Trying to appear outwardly calm he says, "Oh, look, a pair of boots!" and then fires as he exhales.
Jali sighs when she sees the lizard. Another beast trying to kill and eat them, no doubt. Who would've thought this tower would be full of so many carnivores? Well, animals could be just as unlucky as people. The lizard looked similar to one she'd read about in a book...
Marius grunts to himself as he lays eyes upon the lizard. "Blasted thing...Let's see how you like my bow!" Curiously, Marius was beginning to feel more relaxed with each new challenge. Though still tense and alert, the initial fear of battle that he felt when he entered this tower seemed to be draining away from him. He found himself growing excited for each new challenge that the fortress threw at him. Perhaps now you understand what it is to be an adventurer...
The lizard scurries towards Anadyr with wide eyes and a dopey tongue wagging. As it moves through the door and sees the rest of you, it jumps with excitement, delivering an electric discharge that zaps Anadyr.
Marius fires and sinks his arrow The wound, however, was not to a vital area.
Anadyr takes a five foot adjustment and shoots, but misses.
Gregloyn also adjusts backwards 5'. His shot is not on target, and ricochets off the wall.
Jali identifies the threat as a common shocker lizard. Normally they are found in groups, and rely on a delivering charging shock of energy when threatened. She then casts her misfortune onto the small monster.
The lizard turns to Jali, and jolts her with a shock.
The lizard than stands it's ground, waiting to shock again.
Marius backs up, nocks another arrow, and lets it loose. He then realizes something. "Gregolyn! There!" He points at the area diagonal to the lizard, where Gregolyn and Jali would be flanking. "Jali! Are you alright?"
Anadyr winces and tries to shake off the effects of the jolt. That... was..... unpleasant... I'm feeling a little thickheaded...
Shaking his head, he steps back and brings up his bow, surpised at its heaviness... Better help them, especially if they are setting up to flank... He continues to move back , and reaches into himself to find the magic. He exhales once, and in his usual light-hearted tone, begins to taunt the lizard, "That was positively shocking, Boots... Or should I call you Sparky?..."
The sight of the lizard shocking Anadyr was something Gregolyn had never seen before, and he was quite frankly, un-nerved by the event...
Upon hearing Marius's words however, Gregolyn snaps out of his stupor and nods to him, saying; "I'm on it!"
Gregolyn then moves to the spot where Marius had pointed in order to flank the creature...
If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you can combine one of these actions with a regular move.
Jali jumps as the shock rips through her body. "Ahh! Stupid lizard!" In reply to Marius, she says, "I'm okay. Let's see how it likes this!" Chuckling to herself, Jali lets loose one of her more powerful tricks.
Marius adjusts, fires, and misses.
Anadyr moves back and inspires courage.
Gregloyn delivers a wounding shot before moving up.
Jali extends misfortune and begins casting Cause Fear.
The lizard bites Jali doing damage, but she maintains her concentration.
The lizard appears to be terrified.
The lizard turns and flees back into the puddled room.
Concerned for his companion, Gregolyn calls to Jali; "Are you alright?"
"I've had about enough of this walking pair of boots!" Gregolyn says before sending another shaft speeding towards the electrified lizard...
Misfortune attack roll:
"It's getting away! Dangerous beasts like you MUST be put down!" Marius shouts as the creature moves into the other room. He follows, nocking another arrow and firing at the lizard as he comes in range.
EDIT: For clarity.