Doozey gave Rathene a dry look in response to her self-assessment and held it for some time. But eventually, he turned away shaking his head before spending some time to review his notes and consider other questions. "Oh? Is so? Hmm... Meya? You have 'e, uh...map?" He'd ask. Though if as the party's primary tracker such had been on his own person, the inevitable revelation of this blunder is one the stoutling couldn't help but chuckle over while fetching it for Rathene.

As far as the matter of Rathene traveling with the group, Doozey simply nods but forewarns not offering to cover for her things get dicey for her town. And yet, it is with a somewhat cheeky smirk that he offers her a card that read: "Although, if a certain someone could find a way to kindle those embers in her heart -- ash covered though they may be after everything that happen, and THEN see things through to the end properly, well... /I/ think that sort of thing would be so encouraging as to be infectious. Then, who knows what sort of good fortune may follow, hm? Besides, freedom tends to taste a touch better when you have one last thing to look over shoulder about in the future."

"It's a long enough journey back to town, so think about it at least."

If Rathene looks to Doozey afterawrds, the halfling just shrug and returned once more to his notes, absently uttering in draconic: "Rai. Remind me, if you were a local of Phlan, yes? Born and raised? If so, does name of Pyre ring bell?"

(And if a persuasion check is needed, see spoiler)

(@Ori: A persuasion check was indeed needed; thanks for the roll.)

Rathene nods at Utar: "Thank you. If you were to arm me, I'd be able to do more than just accompany you into town. I could help in case we get attacked. What do you say?" She looks at Doozey and expands: "This way you don't have to cover for me if things get dicey on the way to Phlan."

While she waits for a decision on the matter, she reads the halfling's next card... "Hmm... Maybe. I'll think about it."

After some more walking, CRAP can see the dock up ahead. As you approach, Branden Yil spots you and waves. He is clearly glad to see you all again. Once upon reach, the merchant's asks: "I see you have a new companion... Is this the prisoner you came to visit? I didn't realize you were planning on freeing her... I... I am not sure I can condone this. A number of caravans have been lost to her group of highwaymen. If we free her in Phlan, they might jail me instead!"

Rathene just smirks back, waiting for your response. She is also waiting for a map.

Utar considers Rathene's request in light of Braden's apparent horror at her presence.  "No weapons for now, Rathene.  We are not under attack and until we are, being unarmed might settle the nerves of our other friend here a little.  You have my word though, I will protect you should we be attacked and see a weapon to your hand."

Turning to Braden, Utar tries to reassure the man further. "Rathene was a Grey Patriot and a former Black Fist and she has been incredibly useful to us in furthering our investigation into the parties raiding your caravans on the Iron Route who are our ultimate goal.  Her price was her release, one which we have chosen to pay. She is unlikely to stay in Phlan given that neither group will welcome her back and consequently she is seeking a new life away from both and likely away from Phlan itself."

Utar pauses to see if the man is following.

"Now, you chose to not accompany us into the prison, so we made our decision without your knowledge or input, and given conversations with the Grimshackle brothers inside the prison they likely would have released her to any party willing to pay her ransom, so we were lucky we arrived first and not the Grey Patriots.  So, if questioned, you were not consulted on our actions and we took our decision on  our own initiative in order to further meet our end goals.  We now have valuable information which we would not have been able to gleam otherwise and the Grey Patriots have lost a previously valuable member.  I would hope that you would be able to satisify any questions you might be asked on that basis."

(OOC Persuasion check in case it is needed - 18.)

Survival check:14

Doozey at least appeared to consider Rathene's request. But in the wake of Utar's words on the matter, all the stoutling had to offer her was a hapless shrug and a gesture over to Utar as if to say 'Well, you heard the man'. Soon enough, Doozey found himself looking a touch relieved seeing Utar take point on assuring Braden, as the stoutling himself had no card prepared for the sort of verbal gymnastics it might've taken otherwise. But in an attempt at least to add to Utar's efforts, the halfling snapped his fingers a couple of times to grab everyone's attention, then went the process of undoing his ponytail and shaking out his hair, if but to muss it up all the more.

The end results, or so the halfling hoped with the additional of adjusting his clothing and posture was to give off the sense of playing another character, before then pointing from himself to Rathene. "Eh? I have, uhh, mm.. suff for, uhh, her hair so may even be 'ess 'ocible as well, yea?"

(@Lerus: Doozey's aim is to help Utar. And I think even with the updated rules, since Doozey is proficient in persuasion, he's a viable helper. If otherwise you want a performance or some other check instead for the above, I'll throw in a d20 in another post and you can add the appropriate modifers)

(@Ori: Happy to count it as a help action, although @MB's 18 is already a success.)

Braden's mouth slowly opens as Utar speaks. "That was very well explained. I don't think I can put together a counter-argument." He nods along as to appease his own thoughts. "I have plausible deniability should accusations be thrown my way. Very well, I shall look the other way." He then looks at Doozey and accepts the offer: "Yes, disguising her in some way, even if it is just a small change that might make her less recognizable in town in case we walk past those who apprehended her recently would indeed be helpful." He then gestures to Rathene to accept whatever accessories Doozey is offering and, knowing that she is close to freedom, Rathene plays along. Soon, she has a new hairdo... a simple one but different nonetheless.

While Rathene and Braden come to terms, Raist confirms the presence of a small raft at the dock. The merchant explains: "I successfully negotiated with a passerby from a nearby village or somesuch. He used to transport fish back to his hamlet but was happy to sell it to me." Despite Braden's enthusiasm, you can see that the small wooden raft would just about fit the entire group. The not-so-comfortable ride would also be entirely dependent on the river flow. Traveling downriver should make it for a shorter trip than on the way here, though.

"Does anyone here know how to handle a water craft" raist asks looking at the raft dubiously

Utar shakes his head to confirm that he does not have much experience messing around with boats. "I've been on a boat," he quickly counts on his fingers, "four times, I think. Maybe five tops."

"We have had... mixed success navigating with rivercraft. Not that it prevents us from trying time-and-again."

Rathene speaks up: "I mentioned the gang's longship. It is far from being the same thing but I've picked up a thing or two... enough to help any of you who are willing to take the lead on steering this one."

(OOC: If the group is ready to embark, I'll need a volunteer's survival check. If you are proficient in water vehicles but not survival, you may still add you proficiency bonus to the roll. If you happen to be proficient in both survival and water vehicles, as per the 2024 rules and generously interpreting vehicles as tools, you can then roll with advantage. Alternatively, advantage is also being provided by Rathene's help action.)

What Doozey ultimately offered was essentially a leather string, one of two bottles for Rathene, and -- in his own way, assistance with changing her hairdo. Though if she'd prefered to handle such on her own, and assuming she already had naturally black hair, the bottle offered contained a reddish brown liquid of some sort with a skull and crossbone labling. It also smelled disturbing combination of something faintly foul and metallic... like blood.

Beeeeee all that as it may, Doozey's own response to Raist question is to immediately board the craft, before then -- with his chest puffed out a little -- patting his chest and gesturing to Rathene as if to say 'you can count on us'. So short of any other objections he motions for everyone else to board while began preparations to see the group sailing downriver. 

-Survival: 21. 

Looking again at the dubious raft.   Does a mental count in his head.   Sighs and says to himself. "Not enough room for the small.  Not enough for the large"   and follows doozy onto the raft

Raist is right, it is a tight fit. But with Doozey's confidence and Rathene's help, the group is willing to give it a try.

CRAP drifts down the winding river on the rickety wooden raft, its planks creaking ominously with every ripple of the water. The vessel bobs and sways unpredictably at times, but Doozey manages to use his expertise is all things bushcraft to keep it advancing down the river as hoped. At certain sections the river's speed picks up, its current pulling CRAP past moss-covered rocks and beneath low-hanging branches next to some wooded areas. By the time the party passes by the area still stained with amphibian blood, the sunlight barely pierced the horizon. The occasional splash of cold water and the motion of the raft bumping against hidden obstacles beneath the surface are enough to keep everyone awake, if not on edge. At one point, Rathene crouches near the front, gripping a long pole and trying to steer the group clear of larger rocks.

During a calmer section of the trip, Rathene takes the time to point the location of King's Pyre, as she had promised, on Doozey's map. It is then that Braden catches up on the story a bit, partially from Rathene directly. He is horrified to hear of a truce between Krulek and the sorcerer. He begs you to make for King’s Pyre and sabotage their meeting. He offers to hire horses or even charter a small sailboat in order to facilitate CRAP's approach. He refuses to travel with you this time, though.

As the trip nears its end, you know that Phlan cannot be more than some half-an-hour away. It is pitch dark out here in the outskirts of town.

As most of Doozey's attentention needed to remain on dealing with the boat, any "maintanence" of idle of conversation is something he left to the party. Though granted, the stoutling was hardly much of a chatter box even before the loss of a tongue. There is, however, one -- no, two moments during the journey in which his focus wavered from the task at hand. The first being the field of the hunt, in which only in the second passing did he grimace at the sight, before bowing his head for a time as if ashamed of something. Yet if confronted in the moment, a weak smile and a dismisive shake of the head is all he had to offer before suddenly discovering something new in need of his attention.

As for the second time, Doozey appeared a touch taken aback by the offer from Braden towards the end, but after a moment's more of thinking, before turning to the others and saying, "Boa'm wou' be, eh, swifer, bu' ozz are'm Greys may, uhh... e'spe us or some o'er ei'er way."

Translation:

Due to how dark it  is, Neya keeps her head on a swivel.

"I agree that they might secure the sea cave entrance. But, I'm thinking going over land might be a better way for us to control our approach. Especially once we are within walking distance to King's Pyre."

Perception: 12

@Neya (perception): This is a warm, quiet night. The ride down the river is not quite a comfortable one, but the wooden raft is moving too fast for most of the animals you spot or hear on the riverbanks to pose any real threat (unlike on the way to the jail, when traveling against the current with the help of punting poles). Water fauna seem generally disinterested in you. The main threat are the obstacles on the river itself--rocks, fallen trees, patches where the current speeds up--but Doozey and Rathene seem to have it under control.

Braden joins Doozey in feeling a bit melancholic when passing by the hunt site, but he seems to wipe any concerns off his face when he focuses on the potential mercantile success of his newly recruited frog-meat-peddler. Rathene seems intrigued, but does not have the necessary insightful skill to notice that the group's reactions may imply a direct connection with whatever caused the bloody event.

Braden exclaims: "Horses, then!" He shuffles as he can on the raft as to not fall into the river. "But that is a matter for the morrow. Soon we'll have to find our way into town and, the river-way will be well-guarded at this time of the night. It would be a hard sell to convince them we are traders, given the time and our distinct lack of goods to trade. I should've thought of keeping some of that meat..." He goes silent for a moment, trying to think of a solution. He may need help.

Rathene states the obvious: "I'd rather avoid close encounters with the Black Fist. Any ideas?"

"If we're to get into the city, then we will likely have to risk moving past the Black Fist guards, but I agree, less scrutiny would be preferable, that said," Utar pats a money pouch causing it to jingle pleasantly.  "The Black Fist lower ranks are not above a bribe but the success of that option depends strongly on the nature of the guards involved.  Are you sure we couldn't pass as traders? The guards should be aware of how things are on the Iron Route, could we not pass ourselves off as survivors of an attack?" 

Wheezing again.    "We could try saying you are my guard and we are returning with information for mistress Brandywine with is most urgent I do have the credentials after all"

Utar murmurs his approval.  "I love it when I start to feel a plan come together."