As the elf expertly climbed the side of the pit, even with water pouring into it, he argued with the small gnome that looked down at him. He managed to get up the side and stand on the small ledge next to the door only to realize that, not only was it a very thin ledge that was curved to slope into the pit, but it was covered in water also. Riaharan lost his balance and slipped from the ledge, grasping the door handle only just in time to keep him from falling back into the slowly filling pit.

During this time, Tram managed to study the pit trap and found no other traps around it, though the door itself was distinctly out of reach as it was at least a full 5 feet across the pit to the door (and ledge where it was indented into the wall) from every angle. It was unfortunately impossible for him to figure out a way to help the elf dangling only a few feet away. He saw no other doors in the room.

Valerick and Seigfried stood in front of the other door in the entrance room. The rain seemed to be pouring in through the tree still, because they were getting only more wet by the minute. They heard no response to their calls about to the others. Whether something had gone wrong, or something had gone right, they couldn't know. They did, however, have an intriguing discussion about smoke...in front of Roy, no less.

The words Valerick spoke rang very true to Seigfried. It hadn't occurred to him that there could be a roaring blaze behind the door. Instead, he only matched the scent to the torches he'd seen in these rooms. If it was only torches, the room was dry. If it was a roaring blaze, they might be stepping into a worse situation, with possibly even deeper water. This was a cave after all. Who's to know which door leads to which elevation. You'd need a dwarf or something for that .

Valerick and Seigfried's actions were much quicker than those of the others, so it's only fitting that one more thing might occur, and it did. As strange as one might see it to be, a few rocks came rushing through the downed tree in the door. One of them smacked Roy in the chest, making him back up further, all the way against the wall beside Valerick (-2hp). Clearly this cave wasn't as protected as they had at first pictured.

(If the door is steel, then this never happened.)

"Hold on Riaharan, and watch yourself," Tram says while drawing his bow. "I'm gonna give you something to grab on to, just don't put all your weight on it." He takes aim for as long as it takes for him to be confident with his shot, then shoots an arrow at the door, close enough for Riaharan to grab it, but far enough away so as not to take a chance hitting him.

(a stationary door should conceivably be an easy target)

I grab onto the arrow and, without putting my full weight onit, use it to host my self up and open the door.

Siegfried cursed his senses. It tended to blind his reasoning a bit.

"Perhaps you are right... we should probably join the others before they get too far ahead. Surely they are quite a bit ahead of us by now. By the looks of Roy, this room is not getting any safer."

He saw a flash as his nose once again dulled to the world around him. His eyes returned to their dull metallic grey color as he readied his spear.

"Shall we?"

Tram stared at the door, sizing up his aim as he knocked his arrow. Whether it was the wet clothes he was wearing, or the stress of aiming at his teamate. Either way, the shot didn't go quite as planned. The sound of a thwang was followed quickly by a thud, that sank an arrow in the door, less than an inch above the elf's head. Riaharan stared at the gesture and couldn't be sure if it was to be helpful or not.

The elf chose to use the arrow to ease his climb. He might have made it if it hadn't been for that choice. He tested it with his weight, trying not to put too much weight on it. Unfortunately, his mind must have associated it with elven arrow strength. This was a gnome sized arrow. It snapped under his weight.

It took all of his climbing skill to hang on after the faulty maneuver, but he nailed it and hung from that door handle still, but safely 10 feet from the water below, now just over a foot high in the pit (natural 20, good roll). The water flowed steadily, and didn't appear to be getting lower in any direction. Fortunately, it didn't seem to be getting higher either, except in the pit below.

The other two heard none of this. The raging storm was bringing all kinds of debris through the tree, and even the rain was pounding them by this time. Fortunately, they weren't bludgeoned too terribly yet. When Seigfried suggested moving, Valerick followed blindly, and they rushed into the room with the others, to open upon quite a scene. The gnome was weilding a bow facing the elf. The elf dangled from a door handle over a pit, into which the water was spilling. Less than 2 inches from his head, an arrow, clearly from the gnome's quiver, was in the wall, broken off not far from the head.

Unfortunately for Roy, he caught sight of something very peculiar just as the others were leaving, and approached it when it happened. The tree in the doorway, rather suddenly backed out, allowing the wind and rain to rush in at high speed. The blinding weather brought his hand up to cover his eyes as he peered out into the rain, stepping closer to the cave entrance. He had only just managed to see it when it happened...

The tree came flying back in at him. It didn't stop at the door this time, but floated all the way in, pushing Roy in with it. The young man was completely unable to protect himself as small branches sliced his face. His arms were locked down almost immediately by the larger branches that bruised his body. His legs were stabbed by sharp leaves. His face was pelted with soil and rock. He might have made it, had the tree not pushed him all the way back. His back was slammed against the stone wall, and the tree branches stabbed into him, the sharp point atop the trunk tearing his chest open, visibly stopping his heartbeat. Visible, at least, for those who could see through the tree.

Updated Map!!!

"Okay, that didn't work," Tram sighed, holstering his bow. He looks back to the others. "Hey, we could use a little help over here!" he shouts over to the others. The sash around his waist could be used as a rope perhaps. He had used it before for that exact purpose, but only for about 5 feet. Still, it might be worth a shot. But he would wait. Even if he through the sash over, chances are he would be pulled in too considering his size.

"Hey, what was that noise?"

"Any other good ideas, or shall I try to open the door?
I mean things can hardly get worse for me.
Where''s Roy?"

Siegfried was caught a bit off guard. This was definately not what he had planned to see.

"I thought sure you guys would be a little further by now." He muttered with a bit of a smirk. Something about preparing for ambushes he said a while back snuck into his mind. He was a bit happy with his smug self.

At the elf's comment, he turn to see Valerick behind him... but no Roy. A glance backward showed a tree had cut them off. He rushed back out.

"Roy! Roy!" he called, only to hear the wind picking up. "Can you make it through? Can you at least make it to the second door?" he bellowed as loud as he could, and hoped his words carried to his companion on the other side of the tree.

Siegfried took his sack and rustled through it rapidly, taking out his set of climbing gear and tossing it to the gnome. "Use that. I have to go back for Roy."

And with that, the young martial adept raced back into the first room, making sure not to get himself killed or cut off from the others in the process. He felt his eyes instinctively flash as his senses became sharper again in search of the one left behind.

"Thanks, but where the hell are you going," Tram says as he quickly reaches for the rope. He looks over to Riaharan dangling off the doorknob, then down to the rope, then back to Riaharan, then over to Valerick with a half unsure smile.

He throws one end of the rope over to Valerick saying, "Alright, I got a wacky idea. I say we pull the rope taunt and both carefully walk around each edge of the pit," leaning his head forward, "obviously not standing on the edge, but at a safe distance. Then we walk towards the wall keeping the rope taunt so Riaharan can grab it. Maybe he can even open the door at the same time. How does that sound?"

(Considering I can "push or drag" 431 pounds, half of Riaharan's weight should be a cakewalk. Let me know if I'm wrong, because my character is NOT doing this action right now, mearly suggesting it.)

Valerick steps on the rope tossed to him by the small creature to keep it from sliding away. Then he put his weapon away and picked up his end. "Are you sure you can hold it? I don't know what your race is capable of."

*He looks small to be pulling opposite me, I don't want to pull him into the pit.*

"Perhaps, . . . the Elf can pull himself out with the rope." Valerick suggests, using the new word.

"Sounds a good plan. But are you shure you can support me Tram?"

Tram grabs his end of the rope and starts walking around the pit, at least five to ten feet from it's edge. He digs his feet into the ground and while gripping the rope, he digs one of his spiked gauntlets into the wall.

"I say we go for it... very slowly, with him gradually putting on weight, just to see if either one of us start sliding. I know I can hold his weight, but you never know. This is all of course assuming you don't have a better idea. In the meantime, "Hey Siegfried!!!" Looking back, "I'm still wondering why he threw the climbing gear to the short guy. Eh.. that's my life."

I start putting my weight slowly onto the rope one foot at a time.
"No, no better ideas. You OK with this so far.

It was a tough move for Riaharan, who's skill in a climb was only his strength. The two held the rope opposite each other, somewhat timidly. Each person saw the other as a weak ally at best. It was a shock as it all started to work. Riaharan's first step onto the rope was timid, but heavy. The two tugging on the rope were easily able to hold him. It was the second foot that threw everything off. The small gnome had no difficulty standing, but the Maenid slipped allowing the rope to slide lower, below Riaharan's feet. It was enough to trip him up. The elf fell. The water splashed as he smacked his head on the wall when he landed. The two looking down at him realized he wasn't moving.

The other man took on his strange stance again and charged into the room behind them full of trees. Seigfried...yes that was his name. He fought his way into the tree pushing branches aside with his spear. He smelled the air. Aside from the wet bark, the hint of maple, and the scent of his ally, he smelled something metallic, but stronger than the scent of his weapons. He pushed aside more branches. It was, unfortunately, more difficult than he at first thought it would be. The tree branches were wet and smacking him in the face as he worked his way through them. He opened his eyes once to look for his ally through the trees and saw him, motionless, only a few feet away, heavily blocked by the tree that Siegfried found himself working through. It was then that his eyes widened because he realized what the metallic scent actually was. His ally was bleeding, profusely. The tree was covered in his blood. Unfortunately, that move cost him, as a sharp leaf smacked him in the face and did a bit of damage to his left eye (-1hp). It was during his fit that he heard the splash behind him.

"Damn it!" Tram yells, "Are you okay, Riaharan?" No response. "Damn it! One hell of a day." He moves over to Valerick shortening the length of rope throwing his end in the pit leaving the other end with Valerick. "I certainly don't want to do this, but I'm the lightest. Don't let me down... or drop me down for that matter. I don't care if you have to tie the rope around yourself ten times and lie down on the ground clawing at the floor. Don't drop me. I'm going for Riaharan before he drowns down there." And with that said Tram gets a firm grip on the rope, then slowly and carefully lowers himself into the pit bracing the climb against the wall.


(I'll just take 10 on the check)