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-----A look of concern crosses Gimplefwick's face at the mention of the forest turning suddenly silent, "Arrr, we'd best pull the rope up after us when we all get up there. I don't want any sudden surprises following us up there."
-----If everyone is ready to go, then the Dread Pirate quickly checks over everyone's gear to make sure it's all properly secured and darkened. He then sighs and checks his own gear, leaving everything but his cutlass, rope, and sling attached to the pony. He then pauses, tucks a potion into one of his various pouches, and nods that he is ready to go.
-----Sarah nods at Dread’s comments. The mud on her face went on pure black, making her face somewhat blend in, if not the rest of her body. The effect is somewhat eerie. "Sounds good. Let's go."
-----Also nodding in agreement, Sol says, "Dread, unless we can take control o' the gate early, then ye may want t'leave the rope hanging. If we get separated, and some o' ye need to get out...the rope may be the only option."
-----Quietly now, everyone gathers their things and prepares for the walk toward the stronghold. One by one, they then leave silently moving off through the trees.
-----The adventurers follow Raven taking the advice of the Dread Pirate. Sarah glances nervously at the sky. "There are men walking on the battlements now," she quietly says. Minutes later, they come in sight of the castle giving it a wide berth as they make their way around to the wall opposite the gate.
-----They then pause to double check with what they carry and to scan the area around them. Everything in the forest now seems normal with the usual sound of insects chirping in the undergrowth. Minutes later, satisfied that nothing is amiss, the party moves on to the place Raven selected.
-----They slowly and carefully emerge from the trees, approaching the dark wall. At that point, Raven stands beside Gimplefwick and points out the piece of timber that sticks out from the wall near the small tower.
-----Sol grins easily and adds, "Ok pirate, this is yer part o' th' show. Take it away!"
-----Seth smiles at Dread’s suggestion of him going almost last up the rope. He silently hunkers down trying to hide the fear in his eyes.
-----The Dread Pirate shoots the warrior an angry glance and makes a shush sign with his finger to his mouth. Gimplefwick then grabs his coil of rope. With a fluid motion, he launches the coil upward while standing on the other end of the rope. The noose on the rope finds the protruding wood from the wall and slips around it. With a quick tug, Gimplefwick secures it.
-----Nodding, Kazel steps forward and motions that she go first. With hardly a pause, the half-elven girl grabs the rope and glides swiftly up. Smoothly, she ascends, and at the top, she carefully reaches up, grabbing the top of the wall. Pulling herself up, she peers over the top of the battlement and with a graceful motion, her form disappears over the top.
-----In the next moment, she peers over the wall at the rest and motions for them. Sol ascends next, followed quickly by Raven. Everyone then watches carefully as Sarah takes to the rope, but the mage makes the climb with no problem, mimicking what she saw the others do.
-----A tense moment occurs when Rinda, halfway through her climb, begins to slip. Luckily, she catches herself and Kazel quickly maneuvers atop the wall to see if any guards have noticed any commotion. Everything remains quiet and soon the huntress, Seth and Gimplefwick have joined everyone behind the battlement.
-----Everyone can now see that they are atop the middle of the wall section. Kazel, with her bow drawn, quickly points out two guards stationed at the tower at one end. At the other end, it looks like two or three guards are there.
-----The adventurers look down on the courtyard around the keep. Two guards walk around there, occasional looking toward those on the towers. The keep rises up in front of them, concealing them from any light from the moon. So far, it seems the party has been undetected as they stand in the shadows.
-----Once they all attain the battlements, the Dread Pirate swiftly coils the rope up and tucks it into the shadows along the wall. He pointedly gestures at it, so that everyone will know it is there, in case of the need for emergency retrograde maneuvers. He then looks at Sol, as though to say, 'alright, we're up here. What now?'
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