6 Flamerule, 1368: A Bridge Too Far

Morning
In an effort to get better acquainted with their travelling companion, Merle, Stago casts a comprehend languages spell, giving him and the other Common-speakers five minutes of talk-time with Merle to attempt to build a simple vocabulary list.

Unfortunately, there's abit of confusion. Merle wants to teach the party her language and the party attempts to teach her the Common Tongue. After a frustrating few minutes a dozen words and phrases are set down in an ersatz phrase book.

Merle asks to see the wand and Stago hands it to her with some hesitation. The five and plans are made to resume travel. The realize by consulting the map that not far ahead travel to Shandar's keep means moving off the main trail and onto a rough path which reduces movement by half.

Around midday, the party finds itself on the edge of a cliff. They are at a chasm that is 50 feet deep and 100 feet wide. At the bottom is a small and shallow stream. The chasm extends for miles in either direction, and the only way across is a rickety, worm-eaten, frayed, rope-and-wood bridge. Only two people can pass abreast, but no one thinks that's a good idea because they don't think that the ropes can handle the wait of more than one person crossing at a time.

Selina sends the cats over, and they get across with no incident. Stago does the same with his dogs.

Selina gets ropes and ties them together, fixing one end to a large tree on our side. She walks across with no difficulty. She ties the other end of her rope to a tree on the opposite side. Holding onto the rope, Merle walks across with no problem, as do Stago and Elessaria.

Routunious, however, anxiously crosses the bridge which creaks shudders under his weight. Several wooden planks crack under his step. There is a discussion about what to do about Tick-A-Tick. Routunious is unwilling to leave Tick-A-Tick on the other side.

"If the decision to leave him were made before I crossed, I would never have crossed at all." He told them flatly.

"Then you'd be wanting to scamper back to the other side now?" Stago asked, pointedly.

"As that is no longer an option...the bridge is clearly not trustworthy...we'd best find a means of ensuring that Tick-a-Tick gets to this side safely." Routunious responded.

Selina goes back across and makes a special harness with the hemp rope, now in 20 and 30 foot sections. She attaches it to Tick-A-Tick, then ties a special release knot on the rope on this side of the chasm, crossing back to the side where the rest of the party stands anxiously.

Routunious blesses the endeavor and Tick-A-Tick crosses the bridge without incident. One astonishing fact comes to light...Tick-a-Tick actually weighs less than the priest.