Utar ignores the dwarf and zeroes in on Danae.

"What ails you, Danae? What respite can this Tormite offer you?"

"I..." she winces, "I am not sure, Utar." She raises a hand to her forehead and states: "I feel feverish."

@Utar: Please roll a medicine check.

In the background, Rolf continues: "Three lizardfolk clans are having some sort of contest whereby the winner is the clan with the most captives. It has been going on since the drums began a tenday ago, and appears to end in a few nights, or so they are hoping. Most everyone believed there was only one lizardfolk clan, not three, but I learned their names: Murkmarsh, Dusk-Dusk, and Rootwater."

"That's ten people taken by one group out of who knows how many from one of three different tribes," Neya calculates out loud. "A direct approach would be more than difficult."

"That's ten people taken by one group out of who knows how many from one of three different tribes," Neya calculates out loud. "A direct approach would be more than difficult."

(Sorry for double post)

"Hmmm, not a good sign."

Utar aproaches Danae and urges her to sit.  "So we have fever, may I?" Utar waits for consent before laying a hand on Danae's forehead trying ascertain whetehr she exhibits a raised temperature.

"This is not my specialism within the Temple but perhaps my skill is up to teh challenge.  Now, any aches or pains to report?"

Medicine - 8

She nods in agreement to Utar's offer. "Just some general aching."

Utar confirms Denae's raised temperature and suspects she contracted some sort of swamp disease. She had been wearing repellent, so it must have been some other sort of delivery mechanism. She seems to be mildly exhausted.

Meanwhile, Rolf seems incapable of stopping to speak: "So, anyway, Have you heard the drums? I noticed the lizardfolk can recognize different patterns in them. I think the drums call out the leading clan somehow... Well, they are bound to start soon." He looks upward, trying to tell how much time is left before sundown. "Any minute now..."

Noticing Doozey's facial expressions, Denae snaps at the halfling: "Are we not here to save people, Mr. Badger?" She then groans in pain.

Doozey hadn't even flinched, but instead just met Denae's expression with a stern one of his own. "Yes. Save'm. But not just from lizardfolks. And we'll be doing'em no favors if we pull out one or two at a time like that without an answer prepared for getting them back safely, Ms. Coppertongue." He crosses his arms. "'Fortunately this time its working out, but we need to stay mindful of what we can and cannae do." On that note, the halfling's attention returns to the others, or more pointedly towards Rolf...

"Mn. Not long now at all." The stoutling agreed with the dwarf once he said his piece. "I'd say on the plus side the darkness might be to our advantage. But given how much the gloom takes over this place, could just as well they have enough a knack for deal'n with it." Biscuit lets out a low, defeated sounding "Boof" in agreement and nods grimly.

"Nevermind things being even more complicated." This he says while looking to Denae, prior to turning on Utar. "Don't s'pose ya Torm granted ya the means of fix'n her up right quick, Mr. Utar? 'cause if not, we'll need to figure that one out as well." He says frankly, then struck up a thoughtful pose. "Hmm.. Now there could be there's a local plant we can find that'll at least ease the symptoms, but, uhm, we'll definitely lose some time trying to find it the dark -- But! Still an option." Doozey offers. "But apart from such things, including I guess getting Rolf here supplied, could be that we can ambush the next group of seekers, and get the two for one deal of thinning their numbers and confiscating their -- Oh! Actually! Rolf! Did the lizardfolk make mention of any dangers surrounding their islands?"

Trying to keep an upbeat tone for the benefit of the patient, Utar answers, "He certainly did! Now Danae, before we begin, would you like to sit?"

Carefully placing a hand on Danae's forehead, Utar begins a short chant to Torm, his free hand pulling on Torm's divine power as if drawing it from the very air.

Casting lesser restoration and ending the effects of the disease on Danae.

"How do you feel now, Danae?"

Denae breathes in the blessing granted by Torm through Utar and releases a sigh of relief. “Just like the healers back home,” she says, likely in an attempt to compliment. She stands up and confirms that she is feeling much better.

The way this disease works, once it is removed, so are the associated levels of exhaustion. Mind you, this is not necessarily true for other diseases. 

“Well, quite possibly, I, Rolf, would say.” The dwarf answers Doozey’s question. “Before the contest, something powerful attacked the lizardfolk villages and killed a powerful lizard king called Scalecrusher. My captors wouldn’t stop mentioning that… ” He thinks a bit more and adds: “The circular current too… I guess that could be another hazard.”

"Let me know if there is anything further I can do, or if your symptoms come back, or if you get new ones."

Utar turns and makes sure the rest of CRAP hear him. "That goes for all of you. We can ill afford to be at anything less than full fighting strength given what we likely face."

At this point Utar seems to notice the dwarf that has bee standing with the party.  Having been focussed elsewhere he attempts to at least try to learn his name... What is it... What is it... He's said it enough... That's it!  RALPH!

 Doozey can't help himself. He squints at Rolf, trying to puzzle out if the man's repeated mention of his name is just a tic, or... something else at play. Such as, or so he'd imagine from his studying the ways of the Grey Hunter, a sort of not so subtle way a young shapeshifter might remind themselves about the 'character' they are portraying at any given moment.

-Insight: 13.

Split as his focus might've been, he still nodded along to the new intel, and even gave Utar a thumbs up. Still, it would be close a minute before he appears to fully withdraw from his own thoughts to address the party. "So, how are we feeling about a little ambush? We won't have much more time to get something together, and there's still the matter of.. 'Rolf', here. If we make a detour to set him up at least somewhere safe-ish first to wait things out while we see about the rescue operation, we can pretty much abandon trying our luck ambushing anything 'till they're returning tonight. And I don't want to alarm ya, Rolfe. But even with a few rations and a torch, we're still a couple days out from the nearest civi. So, it, uh.. it'll be pretty rough going if wanting to head out on your own tonight."

Neya turns to Utar and Denae, "Considering the activity of these tribes, I think the best time to do something is at night. If the leading clan is being called out, tonight, then the other tribes' attention might be largely occupied."

"If we get closer, I will be able to do some scouting of the islands. Maybe I can pinpoint where they are keeping everyone?"

Denae nods at Utar, in full agreement. She seems better now and is ready to follow the group’s lead. 

@Doozey: You see a moment of doubt in the dwarf’s face. He is considering whether his name is indeed Ralph, after Utar mentions it. No, no… his name is Rolf. He nods in certainty now. 

“I can wait right here.” Rolf affirms. “Denae said you’ve camped here overnight, so it’s relatively safe, right?.” Rolf asks. “Gotta a club or knife to spare?”

To Neya’s last point, Rolf adds: “The Island of The Lizard King. That’s what they called it. Or at least that’s what my broken Draconic helped me understand.” 

"Eh.. sure. And seeing as how we've got a ways to go getting close anyhow, any other addendums can wait a bit longer." Doozey affirms. "But before we do, eh, Rolfe. If ya don't mind lower your head a bit-..." If Rolf complies, Doozey has his hands out and waiting to hold the dwarf's head by both sides and gently turns it while trying to give him an impromptu medical examine. Once self-assured (or not) at no other poison or craziness about, he pulls out a spare hunting knife and offers it to the dwarf, prior to then motioning for Denae to take point on leading the way. Though along the way, if Denea fails to ask or Neya forgets, he bluntly suggests of the latter to empower the former.

-Medicine: 5

As they approach and skies darken, Neya swipes her hand across her eyes, giving irises a slight glow.

"Biggest problem right now is the waters around the islands," Neya says, "The may be more than the currents or sickness lurking."

Rolf complies and Doozey performs his examination. There is no evidence of contamination, virulence, or tinkering. The dwarf seems healthy, apart perhaps from sounding repetitive on the subject of his own name.

Neya magically grants Denae the power to see in the dark and, once a knife trades hands and all looks ready, the Sister leads the way as ordered. Based on recent memory and her own navigational expertise, she has no problem finding her way, especially now that she can see so well in the dark.

Due to backtracking, CRAP is still a bit ways off from their target, enabling the night to arrive before they do. The drums begin and they are the loudest the party has yet heard. They are close.

A bit more than an hour of travel passes, maybe even closer to two. Denae confirms that you have now reached a spot closer to the islands than she had in the her recent solo approach.

Those of you who can see in the dark get the following description: ahead you see a series of wooded islands in an expanse of muddy water. A slow current seems to revolve around them like a massive eddy. Waterbound trees continue the canopy over the water. There is an irregular line of crude wood huts built partially in the water along each island’s bank. Many are damaged or knocked over and look abandoned. 

Neya analyzes the information, "Experiencing that mode of vision, myself, that means the shore is no more than 60 feet from us, yes? How much rope do we have?"

“Aye,” Denae confirms. “It seems the closest point in the nearest island is indeed no more than 60 feet way. I have 50 feet of hempen rope on me, and a mean shot with a longbow.” A twinkle in her eye reveals she meant that last bit as some sort of archery challenge. 

Utar chimes in after Danae throws down her challenge to Neya, "I've another two lengths of hemp rope on me, you know, if you don't want to see your rope arow flop into the water and be carried off by the current."

Doozey chuckles. "Aye. Though it would've made for an amusing sight, if but for a wee moment." He said with a smile in his voice. "But in all seriousness, I take it the plan is to tie one end over here, Neya does her shadow jumping thing to further secure the line on the other end, and then we tight rope across? Or am I missing some critical nugget." Biscuit starts to Boof fairly loudly in agreement were it not for two halfling hands' timely clasping closed the beasts mouth.