The rider, Rydairwyn, replies to Lyra, "Indeed that's Vintu. Same one that created all of this," he gestures at the rough foliage on the road. With a sorrowful look he says, "Was supposed to be able to trap targets while we moved swift like lightning around them. Fat load of good that ended up doing." Rydairwyn's demeanor then changes to a more sinister delight, "He will be a fitting sacrifice to Sess'innek before we move on."

When Lyra suggests he goes off to take on Vintu himself he shakes his head, "While it is true actions make leaders my first action must be one of leading the charge. Vintu is a powerful caster and to face him I shall need my minions."

As Lyra examines the remains of Mr. Longbow she's able to find a vial of poison within his quiver. ( poison, basic (vial) this in case tooltip breaks)

[[ His stat black was a slightly modified Yuan-Ti; so gonna kinda handwave the difference between his usage of poison and the basic vial's as "he knew special stuff." ]]

Fenric is easily able to get on the good side of the lizards. The one he's talking to noms happily on the jerky. "Us carry walky monkey's things for meat." it says contentedly. Fenric also able to wrangle in the longbow lizardman's lizard easily too. "Know way to home den. Us bring you?" they ask.

[[ Giant lizards using [monsters]giant lizard]/monsters] statblock. ('24 stats intentional) ]]

As Zephyr looks over the area with detect magic nothing in particular seems to stick out to him, though he has good evidence to further his suspicions of the panflute wielder having been a bard.

[[ Since Rydairwyn is with you to give the info an alternative way, I believe that the growth from plant growth being instantaneous would mean it's not magical and therefore not detected by the spell. ]]

Quote from VitusW>>

Vintu is a powerful caster and to face him I shall need my minions."

Zephyr also speaks Draconic.  (He was taunting their opponents in Draconic during the fight, for example.)  While he was initially focused on his ritual casting, he catches this comment from Rydairwyn and asks, "Soooo...our friend here has minions of his own?"  He speaks in Common since Komus has rejoined the group and speaks neither Elvish nor Sylvan.

When Lyra informs him that the party are the "minions," Zephyr initially looks annoyed.  But he agrees that it's better to have the lizardfolk fighting each other even if the charmed lizardman thinks that he's their leader.  He asks Lyra (in Sylvan this time, to ensure that Rydairwyn cannot understand them) about the Enchantment that she put on Rydairwyn to ensure that he understands what could cause the spell to end.  He doesn't want to be in the middle of a fight when Rydairwyn turns against them!

[[ Giant lizards using giant lizard statblock. ('24 stats intentional) ]]

As Zephyr looks over the area with detect magic nothing in particular seems to stick out to him,

[[ OOC: Except for the Enchantment on Rydairwyn!  🙂  It looks like the key difference between the 2024 version and the old 2014 MM version of the Giant Lizard is the 40-ft speed? ]]

though he has good evidence to further his suspicions of the panflute wielder having been a bard.

Zephyr informs the others that the pan flute lizardman was some sort bard, too.  "Like Lyra," he says (in Common).  "Well, not just like Lyra, obviously!  Anyway, it's a good thing that you silenced him right at the start of the fight!  If we can lock down this Vintu, maybe you can silence them too."

Zephyr asks how large the "hunting party" that Vintu is bringing to them so that they can be properly prepared. (He'll ask Lyra to ask, or he could just ask in Draconic himself.)

Zephyr asks everyone whether they should ride out to meet that hunting party, "Or should we just set up here and plan to fight them when they arrive?"  He sees pros and cons with both plans.

With a smile, Lyra puts dark harmonica to lips once more and as she welcomes Komus back with her Minor Illusion voiced singing accompaniment.

"Through toil and battle's blood
'Midst the fear and alarm
You did not desert us
Our brother in arms."

She quickly remembers that she and the monk share no language other than Common, which the charmed lizardfolk would understand, so she hopes Komus will pick up on her indirect hinting, having (probably?) experienced the mind tricks Lyra likes to play with her enemies in the past.

"We slew all the lizardfolk ambushers here, save for their mounts and two others.  This one," (she points at Rydairwyn, under the effects of Suggestion) "who, in a fortuitous turn, now views us as his new band and is ready to 'lead' us to slaughter his former fellow raiders.  And second, what now appears to have been a tough-looking sentient giant lizard spell-caster named Vintu who fled, potentially to warn the rest of the band, a group led apparently by one 'Izzo Gruut.'  I think our lizardfolk friend believes we should make haste to intercept Vintu before he reaches the others if we can.  Shall we pursue?"

(In response to Zephyr's queston, in Elvish, Lyra states her understanding that the Suggestion effect will last many hours, but will end early if she is forced to focus at length on other magic such as Silence or drops her concentration, though she is not bad, +7 CON Save, at avoiding that misfortune.)

Lyra hands the poison, basic (vial) to Fenric with a quick explanation in case the archer would like to apply it to his arrows as the now-deceased Mr. Longbow had, and presumably accepts the pan flute formerly belonging to the now slain lizardfolk bard.  After hiding the corpses from casual view behind trees, she is ready to go, shooting a hopeful look at Fenric, in case the ranger has convinced the giant lizard mounts to help us as well.

"Need more food for your reptilian rapprochement, Fen?" grins Lyra as she passes over 4 of her rations (subtracted from inventory) to the ranger.