Qivys nods.

"Thank ya fer tryin' lass." he tells Boko. 

Qivys hurries along with Gerrard and Boko once they start for the boat.

Boko looks at the tideline and then the causeway and the door. She briefly informs them of the interaction at the guardroom, and the possibility of pursuit or at least eyes on them.

Peri:

"I told you, we stay til the sky lightens," he grumbles at Kei. "It hasn't even been an hour yet. Of course it was a fool's errand; that's why they went and we didn't. But we're not leavin' our fools behind. Not til we have to..." His frustration at having to wait for the others, his concern for their safety, and his irritation at Kei's weaselly willingness to ditch them is beginning to eat into Peri's tranquility, already pretty thin at the best of times. Just for spite -- karmic justice, he tells himself -- he uses his Mage Hand to pick up the crab Kei had kicked and place it gently on the bard's pack. Watching to see whether or not it pinches him provides a distraction from his worry, though he is still careful to watch for danger.

Boko, Gerrard, Qivys, and Oceanus carefully retreat across and under the sluggish, foul waters of the river mouth again, and surface near the rocky cove on the east side of the river. They find shelter without incident. They see some activity on the dark island fortress as dim figures are examining the causeway and shadowed climbers are exploring the rock face above it.

Oceanus bids his goodbyes. "I need to report to my people. I will return to Saltmarsh in time for the final assault," he says quietly, in Elvish. 

As Gerrard, Boko, and Qivys begin to make their way east along the marsh edge paralleling the beach they pass the wreck. Butter's head is gone, but the wreck remains as it was. 

The sky is beginning to lighten.

Hearing about the possible pursuit, Qivys keeps looking back and around as they go.

Perception: 1

Peri:

Peri squints at the eastern horizon, trying to decide whether the night sky really is beginning to fade. He's not sure whether he wants to be lighter, so they can go, or not, to give his companions more time. When he notes the disappearance of the faintest stars nearest the horizon, the sinking feeling in his gut tells him he'd been hoping for more time.

He blinks eyes that seem to have gone misty -- just tired, is all -- and removes the folded boat. "It's time," he says to Kei, then wades out into the cold water. He swims out past the breakers, out until there's a full five fathoms beneath them, and softly whispers the boat's command word. As it opens into its smaller form, he climbs aboard and offers the bard a hand up. He looks out one last time in the direction of the wreck, hoping against hope to see four non-sahuagin heads.

Kei 

The breaking dawn, or the Saltmarsh equivalent, lightens not only their surrounds but also Kei's mood. They'd made it safely through the night. He stands to full height for the first time since they'd arrived at the small rocky cove. Surely that bird has gone. Fussing about in the dim light, Peri's words come as music to his ears - "It's time". He grabs at his pack and let's out a squeal. Somehow a crab had made its way onto his bag and was now defending it with all its might. He rubs at his finger as a rivulet of blood drips onto the sand. He waits for Peri to summon the boat before wading into the cold water. "Good riddance " he scoffs to their makeshift hidey hole. 

Boko bids Oceanus farewell and thanks him for his help and continued assistance, assuming she can understand him at all. She then asks the others, as they walk, how far Kei and Peri meant to hide and prepare to launch the boat. 

Gerrard:

”just past the shipwreck, out of view of the Sahuagin lair,” answers Gerrard, though as he sees the lightning of the sky with the incoming dawn, he adds, “But we’d best hurry.  They were planning to sail with the dawn.”

Peri:

Peri works silently with Kei to step the mast and rig the sail. The horizon is readily distinguishable now, a distinct line separating black waves from indigo sky. Soon it will lighten enough for a sail to stand out against the sky; they need to be out of range of the island before that happens. He grabs the halyard, ready to hoist the sail, and gives the shore a last forlorn scan. There! Something moving along the shore! There's no way to be certain whether it's another sahuagin patrol or their wayward companions, not at this distance and with the swamp scrub in the way.

"Psst, Kei! Someone's over there! D'you have a way to get their attention? A flashin' light, or that Message spell or somethin?"

Kei 

The halfling must really have want a meeting with the pointy end of a trident. "Seriously? I think the lack of sleep is making you see things". Kei turns back to the shore to placate his colleague. Sure enough, there was movement. "Fine" he grunts as he begins the exact hand movements that allow him to send a short probe towards the shore. He pictures Gerrard's face in his mind and sends his message out.

@ Gerrard

 He waits for a response which if he's honest, doesn't think will come.

Gerrard:

Trudging through the muck in sodden clothes, Gerrard suddenly hears Kei's voice.  Looking up and around him, he sees a dark shape on the water as the sky lightens.  "Yes, Master Kei, it is I.  Is that you and Master Peri on the water?  We can swim out to you."

The party reconvenes on the strange little arcane craft. It's a tight fit for five without issuing the second command word. Its single triangular sail catches the southeasterly breeze effortlessly as they begin to tack their way eastward up the coast and away from the silent sahuagin stronghold. A gloomy morning pall heralds the cold morning. There are no signs of pursuit nor of immediate danger.

Unless you have other business, the party returns to Saltmarsh, passing a few weatherbeaten members of Saltmarsh's various fishing companies' crafts as you enter the bay. It was a slow slog to the east, and so the day is already beginning to darken when you finally tie up in the harbor. 

Commander Clay exits the wharfinger's shack to greet you. "Where's Tom?" she asks, flatly.

Welcome to Level Eight. (Please update your character sheets accordingly!)

Gerrard:

Resting as much as he is able on the way back to Saltmarsh. Gerrard nonetheless pitches in when he is needed.  He asks Boko to relate what she found while they travel, asking questions as needed to help him understand the situation.

At Commander Clay’s brusque question, he responds, “Missing and presumed dead, given the state of his ship and crew,” says Gerrard sadly, “We came upon the ship broken upon the shore.  No sign of Tom was nearby, but Mistress Boko heroically scouted the Sahuagain fortress looking for him.”

Commander Clay grunts. "We'll need a full report. Tonight. Our forces are nearly ready to strike. All information is valuable right now. We'll feed you and clean you up at the barracks." She shouts something short and incoherent to somebody behind her in the shack, before turning again to you. "Follow me." She begins to head up the hill toward the tower.

Boko relays all she discovered on the sail back, and if someone has paper, she attempts to sketch out a rough map. 

She shifts into her giant octopus form to guard/patrol around the boat as they leave, helps to sail/navigate, and also takes a rest. She’d really like to sleep and thus is not excited about proceeding directly to the barracks for a full report, but she understands. She will conceal nothing and relays everything she saw.

Gerrard:

Gerrard will follow as well once he has helped secure the boat.  He intends to be fully truthful as well, indicating that contact with the tribes of the aquatic prisoners they rescued might be in order, as they may help fight the Sahuagain.

Qivys follows along. 
"Ya might want ta rethink about this assault." Qivys says as they walk along. "There's a dragon close by an' it ain't tha friendly type by my guess." 

Kei 

Kei never thought he'd be happy to see the gloomy outline of Saltmarsh, but as they approach the docks he can't help but let out a sigh of relief. Home. He helps secure their little boat as the others disembark. 

At the Commanders question he is just about to blurt out about Butter's head and the disembodied foot but Gerrard's report seems more appropriate. He resigns himself to following along quietly lost in contemplation of the strange images he had run through his mind during the voyage home.

Perii:

Peri is quiet on the journey back, his joy at seeing these friends well tempered by the knowledge that they had come withing a whisker of leaving them behind. And while there hadn't been any sign of Tom -- As I bloody well told 'em there wouldn't! -- Boko had done a pretty thorough scouting of the above-water portion of the fortress. Still it was good to be well clear of that island, and even Saltmarsh seemed welcoming by comparison. He trudges along behind the others, the fatigue of the night's scouting and a full day of sailing catching up to him.

As the group passes the Wicker Goat, he nudges Gerrard. "I'll catch up in just a minute. I need to reclaim somethin' real quick." He pops into the tavern and asks for the chest he'd left with Lankus. "Don't need to send it off after all," he says. "By some miracle we made it back. I think Lord Brandobaris might be helpin' cuz it amuses Him to afflict me with the companionship of fools." He hurries back out and catches up with the others at the barracks.