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Eloise gives a little shriek because all of a sudden, the ladder ends. She just has the time to grab firmly with her hands to stop herself from falling. Slowly, her eyes adjust to the dim light and she sees she is in a high domed room that occupies the whole area of the keep, just like the level where they entered.

(Is she hanging above the ground? If so how far is it down?)

Elois has no way of telling hof far down the ground is, because it is nearly dark. It could be as high at the bridge or even higher (10 meters/30 feet). The wall is rough enough to find footholds, it's about the same kind of stone masonry as the outer walls she climbed with Thelma. so she is safe and can climb up the ladder again. However, going down would be difficult because she can#t see what she's doing (and going down is always more difficult than going up).

Suddenly, a female voice from below asks: "Who are you?"

"Errr don't be alarmed." Eloise shouts down as convincing as she can. "Erika?" She asks, "I need light down here!" She shouts upwards.

"I can make light" the same voice says from below Eloise, and she hears the sound of flint and steel. Soon after, the faint glow of an oil lamp fills the cavernous room. Shadows dance on the walls and move towards Eloise. "And yes, my name is Erika.Who are you?"

Looking down, Eloise sees a plain young woman with lank hair in a simple dress, holding out the lamp to the side so she isn't blinded by the light.

"Thank you, that's much better! I'm Eloise, I heard of the castle so I thought I might take a look. There are people looking for you.. you know." (Can she see the floor now? Roughly how far is it? And is she able to climb down?)

1d100=30 Climb walls passed easy!

Eloise climbs down to meet Erika without trouble.
"I wish I could climb like you" Erika greets her enviously. "Who is looking for me?" she asks.

"I have had lots of practice, my Sister taught me." The young girl says with a grin, "A man called Volker was looking for you, I think he was a little worried." Moving closer to the girl she scans the room. "Why are you here?"

Erika presses her lips together. After a moment's pause, she says brusquely: "I can't believe Volker didn't tell you the whole story. He tends to talk too much, not too little." She turns away, her voice had become thick during the last words.

"Oh he said.. I just wanted to hear your side of the story." She grins, edging forward, "We need to get you out of here."

Christopher looks down into the lower room, then calls down: "Is that her?"

"Yes." She responds shouting upwards, "That's Christopher, he's ok but a little serious."

"Is she hale? And have you an easy way out of there?"

Dale nudges Thelma and whispers. "Your sister has made a new friend." He listens to the exchange if possible.

Stik wrote:"Is she hale? And have you an easy way out of there?"

(Just waiting on a reply from Erika herself..)