Tarja takes the lead for part of the journey, retracing the steps that they'd taken the previous day. Travel was much faster now that they didn't have to carefully track!

Prior to arriving at the statue, Tarja would shift to wolf form to try and smell whether there had been any new visitors along this path recently. (Perception 13 - at a pretty long distance from the statue, just keeping a nose out for anything different. Shifting when they're an hour or so out, since the wild shape lasts for 2 hours.) (Assuming nothing jumps out at us earlier along the journey!)

The marching line stretches out a bit as Tarja leads more quickly today without the need to track while Gundren slows things down closer to the rear with Zeke.  Despite a few extra breaks for a sweaty, disheveled Gundren after some of the steeper climbs, overall the pace is a bit quicker than the previous day and the early start earns the party a mid day arrival at the river fork within sight of the previously discovered statue.  Gundren fares a good deal better on the downhills towards the river and, despite looking like he could pass out at any moment, seems as eager as ever for the quest ahead.

At the river fork Tarja finds no new scents of recent visitors to the statue.  A light rain continues to fall as you decide on your next move.

Elra keeps an eye on the sky, "Let's hope it doesn't get any worse."

When the party was setting off and Garaele stopped her and Tarja, Fae would bow her head in a respectful thanks to the Cleric for providing them each with a potion of healing. “Thank you Garaele.” Seeing her wrapped in thick wool should have prompted the wizard to think about the weather to come, but they needed to set out.

Fae remained quiet, following along the familiar path with the eager group. The light rain made her robes damp and one breeze after another would send a cool chill across her skin. The scholar still felt the trek from the day before, but refused to let it gnaw at her spirite. She’d focus on keeping up, and keeping warm. Any time they’d stop, she’d gravitate towards some cover, bouncing in place or rubbing her arms to keep some body heat.

As Tarja stops at the river fork, and the rain continues, Fae would pull out her waterskin. Finally breaking some of her silence, with a gentle smile, the wizard would encourage Gundren, and the others to hydrate as they decided their next steps. She’d pace in place a little bit to keep warm and to avoid standing in place too long on tender feet.

Seeing Fae fighting off the cold on their breaks, the tiefling would be sure to hover nearby, letting his infernal heritage help shed some of the chill from the frail but powerful wizard.

Once they got back to the statue, he'd nod as she encouraged everyone to take a break for food and water, quickly gnawing down some jerky and swallowing a bit of watered-down wine before setting off to check the party's backtrail once more.  He was confident that the more learned members of the party would figure out the riddle on the map - he just needed to make sure they didn't get ambushed before they could get to Arvel.

"Ah yes, the river fork!" remarks an excited Gundren.  "Where is the statue?  I must see this secret it holds!"

"Here."

Ethan points towards the statue heading over to it, to show Gundren.

"Look, see here?"

Ethan points out the hidden hand pointing along one of the two river forks.

"This could be a part of the riddle."

Quinn, who as been following the group from above, continues to scout the surroundings from his position a couple of meter above the groups heads.

Feeling herself start to gravitate towards the warmth Zeke was giving off, she'd also take advantage of shelter by his wings should he have them out a little. Snacking from her own rations, she'd glance his way, watching the way their own diligent sentinel kept watch.

Purple hues would then follow Gundren and Ethan approach the statue. Eyes falling over it once again from a fresh perspective, she was confident in it's stature. "It's the sentinel." An assured smile would tug at her lips to encourage Ethan.

"Yeah."

Ethan nods at Fae and pulls out his design book and flips to the back where his copy of the map and riddle are.

"Yeah, see here, "hides the truth", the hand that is pointing is hidden, so that would be it."

Ethan looks along the river fork that the statue points to.

"That's the way to go next."

Ethan looks to Tarja first and then Fae, Zeke and Elra, for confirmation, before looking back at Gundren.

Detecting no sign of any more visitors, Tarja returns to dwarf form. She looks over to the statue pointing south and tries to survey the landscape again, matching it up to the map in her head.

Well, if the sentinel is hiding the truth here, we should follow where he's pointing. Maybe the map is mirrored, or perhaps the first section is reversed and the rest is right.

Tarja checks in on whether Gundren's able to head onward, along their proposed path, or whether others have other ideas.

Gundren eagerly splashes through some river water to get to the statue.  He looks at it with a wide grin and satisfaction on his face.  "Yes, yes, I think you have it right.  Off to the next one!  Tharden and Nundro will be waiting for us at our destination!"  He takes one more long look at the sentinel, pleased to finally be on the trail, before declaring himself ready to move on.

Elra nods, "Sounds good. We need to hurry."

Zeke nods his head as Elra speaks up and takes one last look at the far river bank, his vigilance bordering on paranoia.  

The party sets off against the current of the southern river tributary, thus heading in an east / south east direction.  It proves to be a small river at best, rarely more than 20-30 feet wide and littered with smooth, rounded stones.  The travel is considerably more difficult, whether it be hopping from wet stone to wet stone up river, wading through the water via unsure footing, or avoiding the water altogether and having to push through thick brambles on parts of the shore line or dense forrest beyond that.  Large droplets of water drip from any trees overhead and otherwise the light rain litters the flowing water with its tiny impacts where the water is now bubbling up around rocks and sudden small drops in elevation.  Gundren struggles here even more than before as he slips off of rocks and splashes his way upstream.  Soon you can see that he's shivering a bit, his boots fully soaked.

All the while Zeke spots no danger save for the wet and cold.

(OOC Anyone want to say or do anything, or press on until the next notable location, event,etc.?  I might as well take some Perception checks while we're here.)

During the next leg of their journey, Fae was already a little nervous from before, not wanting to fall into the river again so she focused really hard on keeping up. There were definitely a few times she slipped and fumbled, biting her tongue from not wanting to let out a complaint. The wizard definitely sympathized with Gundren's struggle, and as terrible as it may be to admit, she was a bit thankful that he was making more noise than her. Though, the longer they splashed upstream, the colder she got and if Gundren was shivering, she would be too. Feeling numbness threatening her hands and feet, Fae would flex her fingers and wiggle her toes to keep checking on her mobility as they trudged along.

Elra follows the party, tempted the whole time to try and talk to Arvel again, but not wanting to risk needing her magic for later on. She turns her worry for their missing friend to Gundren, doing her best to help him without making it seem like he doesn't know what he's doing. "I've been thinking," she says out loud for Tharilim and everyone else to hear, "why's he so interested in the mine? I mean ya, it's probably full of really cool stuff. But... what's his end goal?"

Tarja makes her way through the underbrush and along the river, helping Gundren as she could. She was far more accustomed to this sort of travel than he was!

(According to the map, what's the distance between the first and second statue? Roughly. Like, an hour's travel, a day's travel? Would likely change when she changes to wolf form again, since she'd probably use it for approaching the second statue)

Zeke maintains his place in the rearguard, covering the party's trail and making sure no one is following them.  He's becoming increasingly worried about Gundrun's ability to keep up with the party over the length and breadth of this journey - they had only just gotten started and their benefactor was already flagging.

Tarja thinks that it could be as little as a few hours distance between the first and second statue on the map, although also knows that the map may be inaccurate.  The current conditions, terrain and Gundren's struggles could extend that time.

Gundren replies to Elra "my dear Ms. Elra, who WOULDN'T want to find the legendary mine of the Phandelver's Pact?!  It is said to hold many secrets, great wealth and great power!  I'm sure there are many individuals and many groups who have sought it for a long time.  Good thing I got my hands on that map, and had heard the riddle of sorts to put it together with.  This will be the greatest Rockseeker venture yet!"

Tharilim chimes in "are we seeking out more danger?"  "If so I am both nervous and a little excited.  I won't let you down, Elra!"

The party carries on down the challenging wet and rocky route for another hour without sight of anything particularly interesting.  Expecting this journey to take potentially several more, there is likely little concern over having missed anything.

"What kind of power, it's a mine, shouldn't it just be riches and resources?"

Ethan continues on along with everyone else, Quinn flying above keeping watch.