A Keep On The Borderlands: Arrival

[Axel]

Sh'aah stared at the climb, sighed and started his ascent. "Wait," he said, gesturing to the rope over one shoulder.

On reaching the top (hopefully!) he paused for a moment, looking for a large tree or boulder to secure one end of the rope. Having done that, he tied a small stone onto the other end and threw it back into the cliffside hole. Lastly, he squatted near the top-side rope and settled in to watch the gate. And wait.

 

[Dr Simon]

Sh'aah manages to make fast the rope just below the gate tower. Above, he can see shapes of dwarves atop the curtain wall, but here he hopes that the angle is such that a casual glance from above won't reveal his position.

OOC: Who's next? Fife, Cassie and Rexun won't do anything unless told to do so. You can decide an order and I'll adjudicate what happens...

 

[jkason]

"I'm loud and clanky. I shouldn't go up until we've got enough up there to cover us. I prefer to be vanguard, but when only one getting through means they can cut the rope, I don't want to risk stranding anyone," Bastian whispers. He points to Fife and Rexun, then jerks his thumb upward to send them up the rope. He waits to see if Cormoroy wants to precede him.

[sblock=ooc]My thoughts were as above. Bastian would probably send the dwarf up before himself, if only because he'd be nervous leaving a relatively unknown quantity with Arcata. He'd push for Arcata to be one of the last up, but probably ask Cassie to stick with her so she also wasn't alone at the bottom of the rope.[/sblock]

 

[Shayuri]

"Fife, you go next," Arcata says after a glance at Bastian. "Then you, Brother. Then Rexun, Bastian, me and Cassie." She seemed to either read his intentions in his face, or came to the same conclusion simultaneously; the unknown quantity should always have at least three other people to watch him at either end.

 

[Dr Simon]

The group climbs up Sh'aahs rope one by one, and hide as close to the foot of the tower as they can once they reach the top. Fife has not trouble. Comoray and Rexun are clumsy, but take their time and make it with a minimum of noise. Bastian dislodges a stone, perhaps loosened already, and it clatters down the mountainside. There are noises of consternation from on top of the wall.

Arcata follows quietly, and Cassie hurries on behind, her haste making more noise.

"They're coming down," whispers Fife, and Rexun nods assent, giving the trooper a quizzical look.

 

[jkason]

"Then I think it's time we made for cover before they get here," Bastian whispers, desperately casting about for the best place to get out of sight quickly and make their escape.

 

[Dr Simon]

The only way to get to cover really is back down the pass for a half mile or so before the slope on the uphill side, covered in trees, becomes shallow enough to reasonably ascend.

 

[Axel]

Sh'aah grunted as the humans pointing out the obvious and he tied up the rope. "This way is Fort." he gestures back down the slope before slowly moving off. Not sure what the plan is...or where the Lady wants to go. Is a shepherd's shack not too far off I think, though don't know how soldiers will go on upfill... No food...no bow... Long walk.

 

[Shayuri]

"We can't just head straight back without supplies," Arcata muses. "We should head for water first. A pond or river or lake or whatever's nearby. Animals should be more common near water, so we can do some hunting as well."

She glances up at the wall. "I hope those dwarves don't have horses. We have to move faster...this is our head start. Let's make the most of it! Sh'aah, any idea where the nearest water is?"

 

[Dr Simon]

"You say you have your horses left behind?" says Rexun. "So Haxmar is horses having, but we are not good riders being. I think he will not them use."

You do recall on theway up that there were some streams running down from the uphill side of the pass, channeled under the roadway to cascade down the valley side. The nearest one was about a half-mile down the road.