The walk back across the ford to the drop-off point on the shore is not long, but your ride is long gone. Captain Sal will need to be contacted for a lift home, unless the party is prepared for another long marsh slog back to Saltmarsh.

You'll likely need to spend a night in the lizardfolk den. Valignat offers you a place to sleep in their bunkrooms. While sparse, they contain actual beds and no mud or insects whatsoever.

Dwal 

Dwal will find a place for him and Bjorn and settle in, hoping the hospitality of these lizardfolk is real and they are not just keeping us around to have a fresh meal.

Peri:

"Oh fickle-hearted woman, not waitin' for her sailor to return. Well, I'm not hikin' back to town tonight. I'd be honored to accept Her Queenliness's hospitality."

Gerrard:

Gerrard is more than happy to have a clean, dry place to sleep.  He asks, "Brother Fiercehammer, do you think that Bjorn could fly to Saltmarsh and let them know we are ready to be picked up, or should we just go overland in the morning?"

To Valignat, the young noble says, "Thanks for your guidance and hospitality.  Hopefully we will soon join in battle together against the Sahuagin foe."

Kei 

"No treasure. No reward. No heroes welcome. I'm beginning to think this adventuring isn't all its cracked up to be." His complaints aired to anyone who will listen. "Not only that, but now we must spend another night away from the comfort of our own beds. And in a cave none the less." His voice trails off, realising he is actually voicing his thoughts.

The sour bard takes his place on a vacant bunk. With tongue fairly in cheek he bids all a good night. "Oh good night fair adventurers. May the morrow bring more than this sorrow". Strange how in a moment of pity his rhyming improves immensely.

((OOC: If I'm not mistaken, if we were to travel overland back to Saltmarsh we would have to go through the area the gnolls' were camped. Maybe, once we've all had a good Long Rest, we should go that route and do some sleuthing?))

(Correct. But it's a twelve hour hike east back to Saltmarsh along the shore, through the marsh. The Gnoll encampment was relatively close to town - less than an hour's hike through the scrub west of the town.)

The night passes uneventfully and quite comfortably, considering you last two nights' sleep. It is morning. (You have had a long rest. You can state now whether you summoned Sal and her ship the night before.)

The two lizardfolk diplomats report to the party, ready now to travel with you back to Saltmarsh. They are equipped similarly to Valignat.

((I forgot about the envoys. We probably need to make sure they get safely to Saltmarsh before we go poking any anthills.))

OOC:  Gerrard wanted to have the ship summoned, but had no way to do so.  He suggested it to Dwal, so more or less up to Bjorn and him, I suppose.

(I'll go ahead and push the narrative here, and let Leapingmountain get some rest.)

Bjorn delivers a message to the Saltmarsh guard at the Tower requesting pickup from Capt. Sal.

And indeed she and her mate return late this next morning. The five of you, plus Garurt and Vyth, are promptly delivered back to the city through choppy grey seas without incident, arriving in the early afternoon. Sal gives a wary eye to the two new passengers but bites her tongue and succeeds in holding any ill-advised comments.

Farbern greets you at the docks with a small contingent of heavily-armed guards. He greets the two lizardfolk cordially but looks to you for explanation. ("Who are these creatures and what do they want?" he asks you privately.) Garurt and Vyth are stiff and inscrutable, and in halting Common ask politely to see their leaders.

Kei 

In reply to Farbern's query "Seems our most noble of nobles has managed to organise a peace treaty. These are the representatives from the lizard people. Gerry will fill you in one the particulars, there was lots of grunting and coughing that I couldn't understand." He mimics draconic in a poor fashion to further illustrate his point. "One thing is certain. We've more to worry about than the lizardmen." He deliberately leaves the finer details out. One, to build the tension and two, that conversation is probably best kept for the Council.

Dwal

Happy to get back to the boats "Can't believe I am thinking this" Dwal thinks to himself. Dwal will settle in for the trip back to the town. 

"So yer lordship, what's yer plan to convince the townsfolk to side with the lizards?" he asks Gerrard.

If Dwal has the time he will cast Detect Magic as a ritual on this staff.

Gerrard:

     As they sail back towards town with the lizardfolk ambassadors, Gerrard responds, "I don't really have too much of a plan, Master Fiercehammer, other than to speak the truth and hope the elders make good decisions.  My hope is that the town council is reasonable enough to sense that having allies half a day's sail away is better than having enemies just as close.  If we can convince them to send us back with the commandeered pirate ship, the lizardfolk's weapons, and a few brave souls to join in their fight, I'll call it a victory, though I expect they will be reluctant to send out warriors with the assault from Xolor's forces so fresh in their minds."

...later, as we arrive in port...

In conversation with the ambassadors as they arrive in port, Gerrard translates for Garurt and Vyth as Farbern speaks.  Anxious to prevent another fatal misunderstanding, he is grateful when his human allies use words instead of crossbow bolts this time around.  About to address the captain's concerns, Gerrard blushes slightly as Kei speaks about him in glowing terms, simply adding by way of introduction, "Garurt and Vyth are ambassadors for Queen Othokent, the leader of the lizardfolk tribe."

As the ambassadors make their request, Gerrard nods and says to Farbern, "Quite right.  Captain, Let us go to the council at once, if they are ready to receive our report."

Peri:

Peri is fairly quiet on the ride back to town, and maneuvers to remain downwind of Captain Sal. While readying his gear for the trip he had noticed the hides they'd harvested weren't smelling too fresh, and his clothes had a pretty swampy smell as well. Not in the best condition for wooing, he decides to avoid the good captain.

As they pull up to the dock and see the armed guards Peri steps forward to place himself between their honored guests and any trigger-happy guards. But seeing that Farbern has things in hand, he edges aside to let the talkers do the talking. When Gerrard suggests going directly to the Council, Peri interjects, "Uh, I imagine it may take a bit to round up the whole council. If we have a little time I'd like to get these hides over to Kester's before they get any riper. Maybe Lord Feldren can entertain our visitors and we can meet up at the Council hall?"

Farbern nods, either because this makes sense to him, or because he is putting on a convincing show for the lizardfolk.

"Thank you, my friends. We will be good hosts to these visitors. I will call a Council meeting tomorrow night. Please be there. I believe we owe you some pay, and we will undoubtedly have questions. Right now we will find a secure location to make our visitors comfortable. Anything else I need to know? What are the terms of the peace, as you understand it?"

Farbern prepares to escort Garurt and Vyth up the hill to the barracks with his squad of soldiers.

(Aside: Earlier, Dwal had determine that the odd staff is indeed magical. It requires attunement by a Spellcaster, and will take further study and meditation to determine its full nature.)

Gerrard:

     "The Lizardfolk do not wish a war with us and seek only to reclaim their homeland.  We provided a service to their queen and she has proposed an alliance, sending these two as ambassadors to represent her interests," replies Gerrard.  "Let's make sure we treat them well," he adds, translating for the lizardfolk if they need it.

The lizardfolk, while far from fluent, can speak basic, if heavily accented, Common. Nevertheless, Gerrard's translated comments put Garurt and Vyth at ease.

Farbern and his crew, together with the lizardfolk emissaries, depart, with additional reminders for you to meet with the Council at noon tomorrow.

It is midafternoon. The cold, damp wind smells of thin, acrid smoke.

Gerrard:

OOC...Uh...BATH!

The Lizardfolk now in the custody of the Guard, you have just over 24 hours before the Council Meeting.

Besides a bath, do you have any downtime plans? Is Peri going to try to sell the skin? Is everyone staying at the cabins?

((Peri will try to sell the skins, and recognizing Kei's skill with the talking stuff, would ask him to come and help with the haggling. Then they should probably try to sell the pearl necklace -- I think he checked it for magic, but if not he'll do that first -- at the place Gerrard sold the other loot. He also has some potions to pick up from the QM of Iuz. Is everyone ok with deducting the cost of the potions from the party funds?))