Hey! I was just looking for some odds here.
In the game I've been playing we recently got transported to the Feywild. My character is always looking to challenge himself (willing to risk his life on it) and wants to climb a tree that is over 1000ft tall.
The entire forest is considered "sacred" by the eladrin we encountered there. They refused to let me climb it. However, they were impressed when they found out our party had slain a witch that had been causing them trouble lately. They said they may allow me attempt to climb it after they have sent a runner out to confirm our story.
We are questing while that happens so I expect an answer when we get back.
Long story short-
I'm a level 8 goliath barbarian and I want to know what my odds of success are from climbing a 1000ft tall tree. The PHB says that a rough surface is DC 20, but I'm guessing it is slightly more difficult that a "brick wall."
I'm allowed no climbing equipment and my final bonus is 17 to the skill, plus I get to roll twice for it. The DM will likely increase the DC slightly and say every roll is more than just half my movement (I don't want everyone to watch me make 500 rolls).
What are my odds of success? Even on zero I'm going to try.
This just screams SKILL CHALLENGE!!!1 to me 
That would be much more interesting then just rolling a crapton of Athletics checks...
Include Endurance (cause it's a long way up), Acrobatics (avoiding fruit and/or branches that fall down), maybe Perception or Nature (to not put your weight on dead branches) in addition to Athletics (duh)
Find a few fun things you run into while going up so high.
Failure means you come tumbling down, lose a bunch of healing surges and become the laughing stock of the Eladrin, and success means they are really impressed with you and will treat you favorably.
Something like that.
This just screams SKILL CHALLENGE!!!1 to me
That would be much more interesting then just rolling a crapton of Athletics checks...
Include Endurance (cause it's a long way up), Acrobatics (avoiding fruit and/or branches that fall down), maybe Perception or Nature (to not put your weight on dead branches) in addition to Athletics (duh)
Find a few fun things you run into while going up so high.
Failure means you come tumbling down, lose a bunch of healing surges and become the laughing stock of the Eladrin, and success means they are really impressed with you and will treat you favorably.
Something like that.
I'm the DM in question so IF this comes into play, thank you.
I don't run skill challenges by the book exactly, but these are some very good ideas.
To be honest I don't think they'll treat him "favorably", but probably better than the "kicked puppy" type reception his gruff around the edges(He has eaten roasted gnomes) Barbarian has been treated thus far.
Consequences will vary based on when and by how much he fails, but a lethal fall is certainly on the possibily list.
Oh noes! You are helping him more than me! So long as it was all athletics I had it, my other skills that would be attributed are ok, endurance being my next highest on that list. Of course this might not even matter if those prissy eladrins don't want me to climb their tree anyways, but that would be an awesome quest reward.
I actually really like that idea though, it could make it much quicker and much more interesting for me and the three players that are sitting out (narrow it down to five or six rolls). I don't think that will be a problem though, I bet they are going to be on the edge of their seats hoping I fall. Thanks!
PS- don't say what you decide to do nowiwantmydmg, I want to be surprised!
Hey I just reduced the lethality for you, falling from more then 100ft is probably lethal for any low level character 
Hope you'll have fun, let us know if you live
I agree to go for a skill challenge, but keep in mind that many high DCs are a lot harder to reach over time than several moderate ones.
I'd say if he fails just at the end and starts to fall, give him one or two Athletics checks or Saving Throws to catch on to some of the numerous branches for reduced damage. Breaking living branches is likely a bit of a negative to the Fey though.
Maybe there's something up top that will "prove" he made it, like young leaves or some weird magic fruit that only grows on the top, that giving to the Eladrin may help smooth things over.