"I will go first to check that the pitons and rope are well set. I am the most qualified amongst us." Then Horace thought better of himself. "That is unless you bigger people had somebody else in mind?"

Kneeling next to Karl, Urthgar seemed to be deep in conversation with the huge animal. After a while, and several instances of nearly having his nose bitten off, he started making a makeshift hammock, and swung the huge dog onto his back. "We are ready young Hobbit - lead on"

"I should follow the hobbit," replied Feral as Urthgar got his dog all tied up, "If I fall I will take anyone with me of my size. I might just miss the hobbit. Besides, if there is a fight to be had at the bottom, best that I am there first to defend the rope, than there last and find others who have gone before me beset by the enemy."

"Mister Feral, Mr Urthgar this is my job alone. I need to see if its possible for us to use this way or if we have to think of another. You must all wait here but be prepared to haul me up. I will give four sharp tugs on the line. If you get that signal please haul away like your lives depended on it. I must go ahead as the way maybe too difficult for you bi..er..untrained climbers." Replied Horace as he made ready to make his climb.

"Could someone hold Sally for me?" He held out the little bundle of fur. "And here's her shrew snacks...."

Requain Ondoher, all calm appraisal, watched the conversation with some amusement. He had barely moved, the whole time. He watched the darkness of the pit from the strong support of a floor beam, seemingly fairly confident that it will not give way beneath him.

Others looking at the scene through his eyes found it incredibly disconcerting for through Ondoher's eyes the pit appeared to be full of dim stars, the silver reflections from dark metal that seemingly only he could see.

"If you wish to be hauled up at speed Master hobbit then we shall have to rig a pulley here at the top, hand over hand would be too slow. Perhaps a falling counterweight, that would be fastest though we would have to ensure that you were not pulled through the retaining ring at the top, since small as you are I doubt you would fit without some grievous alteration." Ondoher it appeared allayed his sense of duty with a dark sense of humour.

"I’ll hold sally while you climb down. I’ll be going last regardless, while we want a good climber leading the way, we also want a good climber at the rear also." Elenugeth reached out to take the small shrew and the shrew snacks and gently cupped the animal in one hand. "Do not worry Master Hobbit, she will be safe with me." He half stroked the shrew gently then sniffed the shrew snacks and grinned. "The snacks safety though I cant guarantee, good luck Horace"

“Merly, how far did you fall before you managed to stop? It might make a difference as to how we go down, I would prefer not to leave most of our ropes left tied off here, and unless some one knows the art of climbing down head first there is going to be some real problems putting pitons into the wall, just shoving them into the old holes will not hold any but Sally, they will need a slight tap.” Rav warned. “Pitons are usually used to climb up a wall not down, going down is usually done by belay or just climbing down a fixed rope.”

Ondoher gazed into the abyss of the pit then shook his head. "I think we need to consider alternatives. I don't think half of us would reach the bottom, even if we have enough rope to reach. Someone should talk to our patron about another way in. I'm going to have a look outside."

With that Ondoher headed back to the bridge and the chasm there, apparently with a mind to head back to the entrance.

Horace listened to all the discussion, nodding at some, frowning at others; he smiled as Elenugeth took Sally. He took a deep breath before he responded. "We have more rope on the ponies, I think? Plus I believe I need to go ahead, setting the ropes, hammering the pitons and seeing how far this climb will be. I do not know how strong some of you big people are as climbers. Many of you are wearing heavy armour and carrying huge weapons! Let me go ahead, prepare the way, see how difficult the climb is, and return more informed as to what our difficulties will be." He paused, “My Mom always said, ‘weigh twice, bake once!’ and I am in agreement with her!"

Tawl appeared to come out of his reverie and take note of his surroundings once more. He looked at the hobbit then to Ondoher’s departing back “I think that I am in agreement with Ondoher, it would be better to seek another way into the other levels....a safer way that will allow us to fight if
attacked, not easy targets clinging from a rope for any passing wizard or archer!'

Tawl carefully started to look around the room and headed out to the entrance of the room whilst searching again for a hidden way in.

Hammrin listened to all the conversation of climbing down and the use of pitons. He stared at them with his mouth open, nose scrunched up and eyes crossed for a short time. He blinked and his face returned to its normal relaxed state, his eyes darting glances at the others. "Of course pitons are for climbing up! I just thought you might want to climb back out of there a little easier if you decided to climb down," he said hoping the others would buy his story.

"Personally I'd rather not go down there, let’s take the path of least resistance first," he said pointing to the hole in the ceiling, "If we can knock out that rubble it would be an easier climb and we could always return here if need be. If you are set on going down into this pit, maybe we could tie all of our ropes together and send Sally down first. She would be a lot easier to pull up if we find we are short of rope." Hammrin gave Sally a wink and a nod, "That's my brave girl."

"Hmmm" Merlothrien said, “Urthgar, could I take a look at the Arkhand a moment please? I don't know if we'll be able to contact Khand but I'd like to see if I can glean any other information from it while we decide what to do.”

“Wait!!!” Urthgar’s rumbling voice resonated with the stone. “I may have another way - I can find what is on the other side of that fissure, my mind has recently been too occupied with current events to consider the situation. Wait here for me, Karl - stay with them and guard them.” The Hound gave a brief wag of its tail.

Urthgar stepped over to the fissure and concentrated. Far off, barely distinguishable dwarven chanting was heard in everyone's head. The stone immediately in front of Urthgar rippled as if it was a stodgy liquid.

Taking a deep breath, the large Beorning stepped into the wall, the stone oozing around his body until he disappeared within it. The stone wall rippled once again but this time looked solid. Anyone looking through the Animist's mind window saw him swimming through the rock before he emerged on the other side of the split room.

His face peered through the fissure looking down at the rest of the party but his eyes drifted over to Karl and their eyes locked. The war hound whimpered momentarily before trotting over to the wall where Urthgar had entered.

Urthgar concentrated again causing the same ripple to appear. The dog leaped into and through the wall. Urthgar’s mind window closed but when it reopened again the dog was safely on the other side and staring down the corridor that lead out of the room, watchful of any threat.

Realising this might be the quickest, most silent way down the rest of the party followed suit. Each time Urthgar had to concentrate while they swam through the rock.

Ondoher, seeing that everyone was now through the wall stopped his vigil, having spotted no signs of anything untoward. He was the last through into the chamber.