Tarton replies in common to the leader, "Are you the one called Ts’serh’stchah? I am not hiding behind silence. I was waiting for you to approach as you had instructed before speaking more. To answer your questions, even though you have already decided to not believe what I say, we did not know that this was your hunting ground before we arrived here and it was already too late in the day for us to continue on when we discovered you had claimed this area.

As for me striking to kill, it is not my habit to cause what I hunt to suffer needlessly. Therefore I try to kill them as quick as possible. This is my first time encountering giant lizards like this and didn't know they could be driven off. As you saw, when I finally realized they could be driven off, I only focused on those threatening us, not trying to kill those fleeing. As for those not loose yet, you cannot deny they would have attacked us when they got free. I wanted to encourage them to flee before they attacked us, or at least make them decide to flee sooner, before they injured me and my friends. As the only way I know of to drive them off is to inflicting wounds, that is what I did."

Tarton stretches his back and shoulders before continuing with a smile. "For myself, I look forward to this little test you have for us. Though I do warn you, if the purpose of this test is to purify the individual, if it is not more powerful than what is inside me, all those present WILL regret it, including myself." 

"ooh, that sounds dramatic." Artifex stifles a laugh. Then, rather unhelpfully, remarks "Your tarìne owes me an arm by the way."

A faint smile flickers across the leader's face for a moment and is gone.   He seems privately amused about something, perhaps ...  None of you is sure you know enough about lizardfolk to interpret the gesture. "Truth of Semuanya is one.  That you will learn.  And that words must be weighed ere the one in which wisdom is found can be known.  The robed one there, who sees without seeing" he points at The Black Rose, " has a glimmering, but still hopes to hide among the many-words.  More you will learn at ''Osssl'th."   He gestures with his two-tined spear to the warriors who follow him, and they immediately lower their own weapons until the blunt ends touch the ground at 'parade rest'.  They back away a little, leaving a wide corridor.  The feathers atop the leader's spear bob as the tip points at you, then down the avenue thus opened.  The gesture is much more than a simple invitation.  "Our bank watchers say you come in boats.  These we will care for you.  When you are hatched anew, if truth of Semuanya in you then with such you treated; boats and all in boats returned as they were when we find them on shore."  Gwrgi stirs at last; she nods slowly, once.  "I am of the Upright; and this I will prove.  With these I will go, and with them egg and hatch once more; for I am of the Million-Eyed who hold that there are infinite hatchings."  A slight look crosses the leader's face in response, but only those who speak Draconic have enough Insight to try and roll that ability to interpret the look (DC 12).  Then he nods in reply and raises the spear to a 45 degree angle between earth and sky.  It still points down the path by which you came, though.

The Black Rose started to walk down the path that the lizardfolk pointed out, finding no need for more words after the leader's comment.

Tarton climbs down the fence without a glance at his weapons at the bottom and follows The Black Rose down the path pointed out. Just as The Black Rose has decided to remain silent for being called out for not talking, Tarton has decided to not stop talking the whole trip as he is quite annoyed at being accused of hiding behind silence and then being called 'many-words' and basically being told he is not wise to talk so much. Tarton is sure both comments were directed at him and he has decided to be as annoying as possible in return. "Where I grew up, you were considered wise by the questions you asked, not by how elegant your speech was, how well you could argue a point to try and prove your point, nor how heavy your words were. People that would say 'I have had a vision of the downfall of your village! It is now being destroyed by the Giant Queen who came out of the west and is eating your clan! ' would be seen as foolish, even though their words were heavy with supposed bad tidings. In any case, I do not claim to be wise. The truth can be spoken by anyone, not just the wise, and it is foolish to think otherwise. Or that is how it works where I come from.

But enough about words and their meanings and who is wise because of what they said. I'm tired of all that. What I want to know is where are your bank watches and how did they hide so we couldn't see them? I would like to learn how to hide like that! And I'm assuming you are all excellent swimmers, living on the river banks and all. How fast can you swim? How long can you hold your breath? How deep can you dive? How do you see under the water when it is murky? How far can you see under water? Can you smell your prey while under water? Do  you use scent to track when you hunt on land? Are your leaders chosen by how strong they are and that is why you are not the leader even though you feel you are smarter and wiser? What is the biggest beast you have hunted? What beasts live around here besides the giant lizards? What is your favorite beast to eat?"

He keeps this up the entire trip, giving in to his curiosity.

-------------------------------------------
Insight check in log: 22

Artifex follows the others down the trail, choosing to talk plenty as well, though in a way that seems more nonsensical than curious. "Perhaps we're to be shown to the queen of hearts, as was my friend Alice. Or maybe we fall through the wall of the world, into it's backrooms." They continue muttering this nonsense to themselves, occasionally seeming to direct their speech at various plants, at one point winking at a nearby tree and shushing it, as though it has just told the flora a secret. "Sailing the seas with a sparrow, perhaps we shall end up Knowhere at all."

Follows everyone sticking to the back not wanting to interfere with anything 

After what seems an eternity of stillness, Ts’serh’stchah leads you along the path you came by, back to the central clearing of the three which string along the mucky eastern bank.  From there the lizardfolk accompany you back to the spot where you left your boats.  They are silent and guarded, but not rough; and they offer you rough dressings and herbal compresses for the wounds you sustained in your battle with the lizards (benefits equivalent to a short rest).

The lizardfolk have a large log raft drawn up next to your boats; nine long poles and several coils of rope lie on the bank nearby.  Ts’serh’stchah speaks at last, breaking the long silence with which the lizardfolk had heretofore responded to any attempts to communicate.

"Our village north from here, on west bank.  Pit of Rebirth in heart of all, as is right.  If you still same mind, board raft with us.  We tie your boats alongside."

"If not, take boats back to Llandovion and do not return until you willing be tried before Semuanya."

Looks at the lizard folks with slight curiosity 

Tarton, not getting any response from his attempt to be annoying, finally quiets down and silently steps onto the lizardfolk's raft and sits where instructed. Only as individual questions come to him on the way to the village does he voice the question, no longer trying to find questions to ask just to be annoying.

The Black Rose followed and sat down in the boat as well, remaining quiet.

Artifex sits in the boat as well, fingers trailing absentmindedly through the water. They hardly seem to be paying attention a this point, staring off into the forest, a smile dancing across their expression, one that seems to welcome whatever may come next.

Gets on a boat

The day only seems to grow more misty as you step aboard the lizardfolk's raft and your boats are secured alongside; so far as you can see, ytheir contents have not been touched.   Ts’serh’stchah nods once in silent approval, noting that all have chosen to board.  You think you see a little surprise as Artifex steps aboard; and he looks more closely at Tarton than he yet has as the halfling settles into an uncomfortable cross-legged silence.  There is a veiled concern in that look; there might be a hint of pity, but the cold reptilian eyes are too hard for any warmblood to read, and Gwrgi says nothing.

Taron wants to test his pick pocketing skills on the Lizardfolk because they seem sharp eyed, but he doesn't want to cause any problems. He gets a bit antsy until he decides to pull a couple of pebbles out of his pocket and practice switching them from hand to hand and up his sleeves stealthily. After calming down a bit, he starts thinking about how he was looking forward to having dinner and going to bed. Then after trying to hold the question in for a few minutes he asks, "When we get to our destination, will there be time for an evening meal, or is it straight to the pit to see if we will become something else's meal?"

Ts’serh’stchah chuckles drily; he seems to slowly be getting over his initial distaste at the halfling's wordiness.  "Food you will have.  And not become.  We are not followers S'sessinek.  You will only ... shed old life in rebirth pit.  Like snake casting too tight skin.  Sometimes needs ... help."  He emits another chuckle, but his reptilian vocal chords strip the sound of any emotional context whatever to anyone but Gwrgi.  And Gwrgi has settled crosslegged into the center of the raft in regal silence.  If anyone but the lizardfolk try to speak to her she shushes them peremptorily, clearly trying to maintain an image of detached superiority.

The raft pushes off from shore, and the lizardfolk pole it slowly and steadily north upriver, gradually quartering across the current towards the farther shore.  The mist has now thinned and risen a little; you see five dark specks lazily circling in the air above as you proceed.  The lizardfolk are not reacting to them, but sometimes cast a wary eye upwards.  (two PER rolls please ;)

Artifex leans back, closing their eyes with a sigh. "I do quite adore floating down the river. One this beautiful is perfect for a nap. I can almost imagine Tantalus struggling to drink from it's waters"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nat 1

And 6

As the Black Rose sat in the boat, he remained quiet and focused his senses, listening keenly to the movements, words, and tone of the Lizardfolks when they spoke. He also tried to remain aware of his surroundings as best he could, remembering the advice his father had once given him: "A mole deep in its tunnels underground sometimes senses more than an eagle high in the sky. Use what you've got and make the best of it."

------------

I do not know how much he can detect being blind, but he might hear something or maybe know something is going on based on the reactions of the lizard folks and the party. Anyway, here are the rolls:

Perception 1: 8
Perception 2: 21

--------------------------
I assumed you wanted 2 perception checks total from the party, but if I'm wrong and you want two from each character then here are Tarton's. Ignore if you already have the 2 from the party you needed.

9
26 (nat 20)

Doesn't like being surrounded by water