"Did say anything about where there was a climbing route up?" Henal says as he starts looking for a route up.

"I don't think they'll expect us to come from above".

The only way up would be to climb horizontally along the cliff face, out of the statue's niche and then up. It would be dangerous, not only because of the cliff but also because of the strong wind...

Whilst Kobal, Hoskar and Salen keep watch on the entrance to the Cave of Echoes, the rest go to examine the cliff face.

After climbing out of the statue's niche, they'd have to climb a bow shot or so up to where it looks like the mountain top is, or at least where it flattens out a bit.

"One slip and we're cactus" points out Leaper as he looks down to the ground some two hundred metres below.

He's right, for any fall would be fatal....

"I'm sure I could make it..." Ohanzee says looking up. "Though that would leave me alone up there as it doesn't look too clever for those with less climbing experience."

He sighs and turns back to the tunnel "Shame the pure breed harpies aren't about to persuade them to fly us up there."

"I think I could make it too." Amara said "I mean I slipped on the way up once, but if we take precautions we should be fine."

"Even just a couple of us coming in another way could surprise them as we can't risk losing anyone falling off." Henal says looking out at the climb. The rest of us attacking the way the expect us to would seem to guarantee the others surprise them.

From deep within the cave comes the sound of drums soon joined by the eerie notes of wind instruments.

Ohanzee considers the climb again as the wind buffets him wondering whether to remove his heavy armour. He decides though that whilst the added weight might be somewhat of a hindrance, it will be beneficial to be heavier in the gusting wind, harder to get blown off of the cliff.

He looks at Amara "Are you sure about this? Leaper you coming or going in through the tunnel with the others?"

He ties the end of the rope about his waist "Don't suppose anyone has any charms to improve a man's natural dexterity? Keep the rope without slack but not tight."

Another gust of wind catches him and he frowns the bursts into a spontaneous song stamping and scraping his feet along the ground akin to a rhino bull

Storm Bull,
On your day we hunt
Chaos scum
With a smash and grunt

These hills you made
Bashed Chaos to stone
In these hills lives Chaos
Calls this place its home

To get to them
This hill we climb
Don't blow us off
Let our hunt go fine

Blow us on
Blow us up
Blow us inside
Don't blow us off

Storm Bull,
On your day we hunt
Chaos scum
With a smash and grunt

As the song finishes there is a mighty gust of wind that flattens everyone but Ohanzee, who instead is picked up and flung off the ledge, past the statue and out in to the storm.

The long length of rope tied to his waist begins to uncoil from the pile on the ground, snaking after him, it being mere seconds before the end will follow.

The air is filled with the smell of Bull....

Henal makes a snatch for the rope as it flys away but stumbles and fails to catch it. He looks up at Ohanzee soaring through the void.

"Be careful of the Storm Bull even when you are fighting chaos".

Rangers begin to scrabble for the rope as it snakes across the ledge, first Henal, then Leaper fail. Next comes Glama who with a magnificent leap, dives for it, stumbles and with a loud cry vanishes over the edge...

"WOOOoooooo_ooo...." Ohanzee's more than surprised voice, like his body gets dragged away lost in the winds.

...and although he tries to react encumbered as he is by the heavy shield of Emesh-Ga, Hoskar is far too slow in his dive to try and grab...well...anything, really. In fact, stumbling, he only narrowly avoids a slide himself; scrabbling frantically and in undignifed fashion to keep a hold on the rock.

From his vantage place on the edge of the lip Hoskar watches as Glama smashes into the ground far below....

Behind him lie the rest of the Rangers, each apart from Amara unable to grab either rope or friend.

Luckily Amara has in her hands the end of Ohanzee's rope, which with the help of her friends is quickly anchored.

Meanwhile out in the storm Ohanzee is seen to fly far over the river canyon and then as if flung by an invisible hand soars up and out of view.


The rope goes up and after the hapless brave, to be left dangling down over the Statue's niche, one end presumably in Ohanzee's care, the other in the hands of those left behind.

Henal seeing Ohanzee vanish from sight and the rope dangling down to where it is secured wonders if the Raven is able to help the others get up there.

Rikki call Tulox to fly up and see where Ohanzee is and if he can secure the rope for us to climb up.

The message is soon relayed down to a very distracted sounding Tarnessh, who begins calling his Hawk

"Tulox?...Tulox?"

The rope is tugged a couple of times

Amara made sure the rope was fast, before using it to climb to the top where Ohanzee was waiting.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:05, Mon 19 Oct 2015.

Seeing the Raven suddenly airborne, Kobal rushes to the others and joins in keeping a secure hold of the rope.

Then, when Amara starts to climb up after Ohanzee, he remains at the base, keeping a firm grip on the rope to help her ascent.  He looks around to see if any other of the Rangers will follow.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:48, Mon 19 Oct 2015.

Leaper lies down, joining Hoskar to peer over the edge at where Glama lies.

"Poor bugger. We'll have to let the others know, they can go get him."

Standing he then asks "Are we all going up, or splitting in to two groups."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:13, Mon 19 Oct 2015.

Henal joins Hoskar and Leaper looking down.

"Glama has been taken up by Storm Bull to fight chaos now, but we have to do our fighting down here. I'll go up with Ohanzee and Amara, but some of us need to fight from this side to keep the harpies distracted".

"On you go, Henal," says Salen, his head bowed low in respect for the lost Glama. "We'll take this end. Glama's sacrifice will not be in vain."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:18, Mon 19 Oct 2015.

As Amara joins him at the top Ohanzee is grinning from ear to ear unaware of the fate that befell Glama "By Raven did you see that? I never thought that my prayer would be answered in such a fashion, or at all for that matter!"

"Best I hoped for was that the winds would lessen enough that we could climb with less risk of getting blown off. Wait till I tell your brother!"

He's buzzing after his "flight" but calms enough to ask "Who else is coming?"

Amara frowned "Storm Bull blessed us in this undertaking, but at a cost. Glama was taken from our number to join his voice. I would not take such joy in this. For although we clearly have the boon of Storm Bull, he has taken one of our number. I am not happy at how often we need to part ways with those who choose the mantle of wandering ranger." Amara said sighing heavily. "We have no body to return to the Earth Temple. We can only be consoled by the fact that when Storm Bull roars, Glama's voice will be in that number."

"I'll stay and approach them from this way," says Kobal.  Better to head straight at the harpies, as a bison charges.  None of this skulking about like Ravens.

"It's a shame we can't give due rites to Glama now, but first Tarosh needs us.  We must look after the living first.  Even if we're not able to find his body later, we can give the Golden a proper sending off on his Last Ride later."