Immersive Ink

This all sounds fantastic! So let's see, we need to purchase:

• timber
• rope enough to make a rope ladder that will reach from top to bottom
• enough spikes to make ourselves a 2nd anchor below the top of the pit in case our top anchor (the timber) is tampered with
• grappling hook and extra rope for emergencies

Wiglaff & Grampus will do some practice throws with a Franklin-weight bag -- they are strength 16 and 15 respectively and could probably toss him up a fair ways!

And finally, if the DM will allow a retroactive memorization, Wiglaff will memorize these 1st level spells: detect magic, hold portal, sleep

(We found slew the owner of and looted complete 1st thru 3rd level spellbooks in the last adventure, so we have hold portal available!)

Once we've got all that set up, how's this for a plan of action?

Wiglaff will cast darkvision on himself. With the ladder secured at the top, he'll cling to the end and the party can lower him slowly (and mostly silently) down, with another rope alongside for signalling (one tug for "pull me back up", two tugs for "come on down"). Once he gets to the end of the chute, if the ogre room is empty he'll cast hold portal on one of the doors (reducing the chance that they get disturbed while descending), and then signal that it's okay for the rest of the party to come down.

Next comes Grampus, who can hammer the safety spikes into the chute wall on his way down. Then send the hirelings down to add some muscle at the bottom, and then the rest of the party. Rhod and Aldbane can descend last, as they are quite tough and can best withstand any attacks that take place while they are isolated on level 1.

Adjustments or alternate plans?

Sounds good to me!

Aldbane agrees with that plan!

Fantastic plan, nice work acodispo!

One final detail is that Franklin purchases some type of sack or satchel for carrying his dog Sconces safely down the ladder.

Woohoo, let's go!

if the DM will allow a retroactive memorization, Wiglaff will memorize these 1st level spells: detect magic, hold portal, sleep

of course!

I like it all!

You descend the stairs to the dungeon, and open the doors to the first, large, pillared room. You discover it being searched by a dozen kobolds, who turn, weapons ready, at the sound of the dungeon door opening

Grampus gets an arrow ready to fire and wonders if a sleep spell would be good here?

One thing about kobolds, Grampus and Rhod get 4 attacks / round against them, and Franklin gets 3 attacks per round