As Wrukaog asked the question, Cogwitz turned back to ensure the Sheriff wasn't within earshot.

The orc nods, then glances at his empty bucket with a bit of a frown. [Language unknown: "El redtinhas tahand leble ivehertioave weieos u enctineen dayanture ica o aiesel i tinaveame.

I arble ecelei whiativer n meec, enc se t, iswidi meroev, e wh hi."]

Brindle looks back as Wrukaog and Cogwitz follow him, then doubles back to retrieve his 30ft silk rope and string before quickly following after them again. He stuffs the string into his pocket to sort out later and coils the rope as he hustles after his companions.

"Fifty feet should reach the roof of the chamber below ..."  He considers the options for a moment.  "Shall I lower you down?"

"Sure," Leisha agrees.  Handing one end of the rope to Tesseryn, she loops the other end over the opening and steps into the loop, holding the other end of the rope tightly.  She glances at Cornelius, and then back.  "We can't leave him alone, you know."

Sitting down at the edge of the pit, legs dangling into the darkness in her quick sling, she gives the old man a smile.  "Don't worry, Cornelius -- we'll talk soon.  And you're in good hands with Tesseryn."

While Leisha prepares her sling Tesseryn removes his gauntlets and sets his footing at a corner of the pit.  He takes up the slack and lowers Leisha slowly.  Call out when you wish to be raised.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:25, Thu 25 Feb 2016.

"The passes are treacherous at night," the Sheriff replies to Brindle, the smile never leaving his lips, "safer for you to take rooms at the Overlord's Inn."  He indulgently quells the sudden ripple of laughter from his men with but a quick glance as he watches the Halfling scurry off back towards the shrine.

Behind him trail Wrukaog and Cogwitz, conversing in the Orc's gutteral tongue.  The Halfling taking the opportunity to have a quick look back as Wrukaog finishes his ale and eyes the empty bucket regretfully.

Up ahead the two acolytes have reached the shrine ...

---

Inside, Aurion continues to stare imperiously at the other pair of acolytes while Tesseryn prepares to lower Leisha down the hole he has uncovered.  While the young woman readies the rope, the Paladin continues his discussion with Cornelius.

"Oh we do get visitors ... though more and more infrequently over the years.  There was a caravan came to town only last week.  Lost in a storm, I think someone said.  They certainly must have been in a hurry to make up time, as they left in the middle of the night,"  The old priest sighs.

The return of the two acolytes is punctuated by a single exclamation, "Wha !" and then as Aurion turns towards them and they see the snakes at his wrists they join their fellows down on their bellies on the cold stone flags, making obeisance.  "Master !" the pair chorus, quite dutifully, though perhaps not cheerfully.

By now the rope is prepared and after Leisha has reassured Cornelius once more, Tesseryn carefully and slowly begins to feed out the rope, lowering her into the well lit hole ...

[Language unknown: Hasbutant i ureio llsewe, ll sa... Ch u rom n aciv.  Oupro ic riit ar ofund estallour aineenint es ratithrom.  A lldiar asto thuaststi ou caolicus er.]  Cogwitz was very curious indeed.

Brindle catches up with Wrukaog and Cogwitz again after retrieving his rope and string. He coils the rope back up again as he walks.

[Language unknown: "U ur i an e ngun thoateare nt ai ilal Plou illaek se enni pl se lesoulwhe al trder iltras fo thireaven. P erawilant acreme linbleare en, ei und!"] he says softly so the Sherriff and guards back at the tower won't hear.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:44, Sat 27 Feb 2016.

Wrukoag answers the two halflings, spitting on the ground and pointing behind him in between the last two sentences of his words.

Tesseryn glances over to the door and sees Aurion now entertaining all four acolytes.  He nods reassuringly at Cornelius then stares down at Leisha far below.  "Do you need to go lower?" he asks.

Looking up, Leisha calls back, "Yeah - I'm going to drop down.  Get the others, this looks important."

And with that, she slips her foot out and drops out of the rope.

"Ah -"  Tesseryn was about to advise caution, but instead quietly nods his regard for the young woman's courage ... of course the gods would only send the most capable of people on such an important quest.  He quickly arranges a pew to span the pit and  ties off the rope in case Leisha needs to ascend.  Then he moves past the grovelling acolytes to the entrance to look out for the others and beckons for them to hasten to the shrine.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:23, Tue 01 Mar 2016.

Feeling that he had learned something of value, Aurion shook his head at how the party had gone all hither and yon on his ass.

"Move over towards the others, worms," he says to the mini onions of set.

The drinkers three make their way back to the shrine, Brindle casually appropriating the Sheriff's official rope.  One can only hope that there aren't be any hangings scheduled for today as its absence then would surely be noted.

As they walk, Wrukaog, Brindle and Cogwitz converse in what any native speaker would immediately recognise as Orcish, though their conversation is interrupted by the appearance of Tesseryn at the entrance to the shrine, bidding them hurry.  Sure enough, when they arrive it is immediately obvious that those remaining behind have been rather busy.

The four acolytes have been corralled by Aurion into a nice neat grovelling line behind the last row of benches, while those at the front are in disarray, owing to what the returnees' keen perception reveals to be an open pit in the floor in front of Mitra's statue.  Of Leisha there is no sign, though her dulcet if muffled tones can be heard coming from the pit.

And left to his own devices, Cornelius can be found once more on his knees dusting the feett of the statue of his god.

---

Down below ... having miraculously survived the drop to the ground, Leisha glances around the thirty feet square chamber, her gaze flicking over the door to the south and the opening to the west (beyond which she notes a short corridor with doors to north and south, and, in the dim light, stairs descending) where it lingers. 

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

Taking the briefest of moments to look into the shrine before speaking, "I... will wait outside."

The orc then turns around and stands outside of the door, to the right, taking in the sights.

Tesseryn speaks quietly but urgently with the newly arrived three, quickly appraising them of the situation.  "Aurion has mastered the acolytes; they seem to believe he is a superior of their vile cult of Set, and they have alluded to some sinister plot within this village.  A pit has been opened that Cornelius, the elder priest, believes will lead to the long-buried tower of Mitra.  Leisha has descended therein, although her rope is short and she may be unable to climb out that way.  My climbing skills are poor and I am unable to follow her down that rope."  He pauses for a breath.  "Wrukaog and Cogwitz, I saw that you gained the roof of the grey tower."  He looks impressed with their climbing prowess.  "Did you discover something there?  And Brindle, did the sheriff reveal anything of import?"  He will wait for their response, then return to the pit to hear Leisha's words.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:34, Fri 04 Mar 2016.

Brindle hands over his own 30ft length of silk rope to add to Tesseryn's 50ft length. Hopefully that will now be enough length to reach the bottom of the pit.

"Climbing the tower out there used to be a bit of a game for the lads here. The Sherriff seems to think the best bit was if the climbers failed and fell to their deaths outside the tower. Such a charming chap. Wrukaog and Cogwitz didn't find any way in up there," Brindle reported quietly.

"Few visitors come here and fewer in recent years. The last was a caravan last week, lost in a storm apparently, and they left suddenly in the middle of the night. The Sherriff is keen for us to stay the night at the Overlord's Inn, being 'safer' than travelling through the passes at night, though his men chuckled at that suggestion of safety. So set a guard when we sleep, I suppose."

All is quiet.

Down below, it is indeed still quiet, while up above ...

Aurion continues to keep the four acolytes cowed as Brindle and Tesseryn compare notes, then set about knotting the Halfling's rope to the one on which the Paladin lowered Tesseryn ... and Wrukaog determines he will wait outside after all. 

Perhaps it is the mention of his name, but Cornelius suddenly notices that his shrine is full of people.

"Is it time for prayers ?" the old priest asks, worriedly.

Once the rope is tied, Cogwitz asked, shall I head down there first?

"Not quite yet, Padre. Why don't you fix us something to eat?"

Tesseryn joins Brindle's rope to Leisha's and secures one end to the pew spanning the pit, with the other now dangling to the floor of room below.  He regards the thin rope dubiously, thinking that he is ill-equipped for climbing.  When Cogwitz offers to go ahead he is relieved "Yes, please do Cogwitz.  Leisha said she has found something important down there.  Let us know if you think we should all descend."

While Cogwitz climbs, Tesseryn moves to have a quiet word with Aurion and air his thoughts on the recent discoveries.  "Did these scoundrels mention where these sacrifices occur?  I wonder whether we ought to begin there where the cult of Set is active?  It is difficult to imagine evil lurking in Mirta's long-buried tower, although it does seem to warrant some investigation whilst we are here."

Cogwitz begins his climb down with the rope.  No problem I can help I hope.  Looking down Cogwitz says, I am coming down!

If I can take 10 I will do so.  If not then rolled a 9.

Brindle puts down the other rope on the floor - the thicker, 100-foot long rope that the Sherriff was kind enough to lend them. That thing is mighty heavy for such a little guy to be carrying around! As he watches Cogwitz begin his descent he scratches his head wondering how well he would be able to handle that task himself. He soon comes to the conclusion he would need any kind of advantage he can find so he begins the task of tying knots every couple of feet along that 100-foot long rope.