(OOC: @_Grimnir_ - see the map of Thither that @weathervision posted to the OOC private message thread.  Both Loomlurch and Little Oak are north of the Wayward Pool, and the route down the river is the same until we get to the place where the stream branches off the main river toward Loomlurch.  We could get on the raft and make the decision once we reach that point.

Updated to add...
The party walked from Nib's Cave to the river.  Before / after the long rest, it took 4 hours to chop down trees and build a raft, and then it took 3 hours just to float from there down to area near the Wayward Pool.  Then we spent a couple of hours trying to hike through the woods toward the Lake, always ending up back at the river.  At this point, I expect that the party will be sleeping in the forest again.  If the scale is accurate, and the rate of travel is consistent, I doubt that we could reach Loomlurch or Little Oak before dark.)

(OOC: @weathervision - At this point, I think that the party has given up on the Wayward Pool for now and is going to float farther west on their raft.  We'd like to get closer to Loomlurch and Little Oak before it gets dark.  We'll make a decision once we hit the big split in the river, but it's unclear whether we'd even make it that far before dark.)

The party hops back onto the raft and pole their way down the river which after some time splits with one branch of the river heading north. The party then heads north and it is soon dark. 

Now do you wish to camp at the riverbank or somewhere more inland. 

Quote from Weathervision >>

Now do you wish to camp at the riverbank or somewhere more inland. 

After spending most of the day getting lost / magically turned around in the forest, Valrieth votes for camping near the riverbank.  She offers to mold earth, either creating a low earthen wall around their campsite or perhaps mounding the dirt up so that they're sleeping on a little hill.

Lerak happilly accept Val's offer and will help as much as possible to prepare the camp as best as possible, mainly trying to make the camp invisible to prying eyes (Survival 19)

"Lemme know if ye need any help with setting th' camp up, Lerak." Finley nods, "Ah do think tha' we could go back to that forest when we aren't in ah rush. Ah do appreciate it tha' you all are willing ta go along with this crazy situation ah got meself into."

Lerak camouflages the camp for the night and the party rest. Now the next the day the party once more hops onto the raft. The river soon splits with one heading to the northwest and the other Northeast. 

Which way do you go? 

Lerak slows down the raft and asks Val "Val, can you use your card are your divination skills to have an idea of the path we need to choose ?"
Lerak will also try to sport any danger in both direction (perception: 20)

Quote from _Grimnir_ >>

Lerak slows down the raft and asks Val "Val, can you use your card are your divination skills to have an idea of the path we need to choose ?"
Lerak will also try to sport any danger in both direction (perception: 20)

"Oh!", Valrieth says, "No, I didn't prepare my star charts for that spell today. I thought that we might get to Loomlurch today, and I was focused on a different divination to help us find the painting once we get to Loomlurch."

Val isn't sure how big of a detour Little Oak would be.  She's eager to find out more about Loomlurch before they try to steal a painting there, but she's not sure that they'll have time.  (At mid-day today, it will already be 4 days since Finley made his bargain.)  Of course, if they discover some key information about Loomlurch at Little Oak, it might help them steal the painting more quickly or at least get back to Downfall in Hither more quickly once they have the painting.

In the absence of any information, Val leaves the decision up to Finley: "What do you think, Finley?  Directly to Loomlurch?  Or check first whether anyone at Little Oak can help us?"  

It takes another day of traveling by river before the party comes near Little Oak. As they move deeper into the forest, they see 6 creatures around a crudely dug hole 60ft ahead of the party. 

What do you do? 

"It might put us behind, but ah think any help could get us through this, aye?" Finley sighs, "It could work out in the long run, maybe someone there can get us ta Loomlurch and out faster than we could?"

OOC: Just to be sure, are we on the raft and the creatures on the banks of the river ?

Quote from _Grimnir_ >>

OOC: Just to be sure, are we on the raft and the creatures on the banks of the river ?

OOC: I think that the party has already left the raft and started walking through the woods to find Little Oak: "As [the party] moves deeper into the forest, they see 6 creatures..."

Quote from Weathervision >>

What do you do? 

Does Valrieth recognize what these creatures are for a change?   Nature 4

Quote from Ben_Evolent >>

Quote from Weathervision >>

What do you do? 

Does Valrieth recognize what these creatures are for a change?   Nature 4

OOC: Heh.  Yet, again, Valrieth knows nothing about flora or fauna!  😜

Valrieth says as quietly as her Fey Bargain allows: "I wonder what they are!  Lerak, do you think that you could sneak closer to see what they're doing?  What's in the big hole?" 

If Lerak agrees, Val casts guidance on him, praying that the soft earth muffles his footsteps and that the wind blows his scent away from the creatures.  She gives him advice: "Be nice!  Most animals won't attack if they don't feel threatened.  If they prove to be hostile, see if you can retreat back to here, and I'll try to entangle them."  Then she'll try to find a some bushes where she can hide and still watch the creatures.  Stealth 18

Lerak looks at Val with doubt. "Are you sure ? I mean they have big claws and sharp teeth..." Lerak wonders if these things eat rabbit and what they would do if they saw one that is 2m high. He looks with attention at the animals, trying to remember if he knew anything about them. (Nature without guidance: 16). He then try to adopt a friendly position and advance slowly to see what the creature are doing

Stealth (with guidance): 24
Animal Handling: 7

"devilish deals seem to Doggedly chase us away from fun" ilifir says, chuckleing at his own joke as he tries to get a better idea of what they are

2 (flat if history, +2 for arcana, +3 survival, +1 perception, honestly not sure what it would be)

A nature roll would help you identify the creatures.

Val finds a nearby bush to watch. 

Lerak knows them to be Blink dogs that have the ability to teleport. 

Lerak approaches silently and now closer he sees the shallow hole containing the body of a dead blink dog laid out on a reed litter. The dogs howl sadly while solemnly placing gifts for their deceased companion to enjoy in its afterlife.

(nature is also flat roll, so 16)