Boko follows the edge of the river bank northward into the great swamp, remaining low behind the slightly elevated row of scrub along the river's edge. Trying to follow the war party.
Following the river is easy in some parts – dry, hardpacked sand beds adjacent to the river which are completely clear of brush and water – a difficult in others: steep, muddy banks with thorny brush overhanging deep channels of icy black water. A cold, dank-smelling wind surges from the east, cloaking the sounds of your slow progress.
Somebody roll a Survival check, with or without help, to track the sahuagin party at a safe distance, while traversing the edge of the river and avoiding hazards.
Everyone roll a Stealth check, to remain undetected from the war party (as well as the worm harvesters, as you initially pass them.)
Realising that their best chance of following the war party is at a distance, making it harder than usual, he offers Boko not only Help but some words of encouragement.
The party carefully follows the sahuagin on a northerly course parallel to the sluggish, foul-smelling Javan River. You soon parallel and then pass the location of the worm-harvesting duo without attracting attention.
The sahuagin war party quickly outpaces you, but they are making no attempt to be stealthy, and leave an easy-to-see trail. Their choice of trail, though, is often wading through the muddy bog itself, so you find yourself alternating between the easier ground along the river and retracing your quarry's actual footsteps.
This does not appear to be a short journey, however. You find they are traveling hard and fast nearly due north, roughly parallel to the river. An hour passes, then two, as you go deeper and deeper into the Hool Marshes. Pools of water that seem easy to cross hide deep natural wells and layers of mud. The land is full of tall, sickly trees and great swarms of biting insects. The four sets of tracks continue to lead you north.
The Hool marshes are vast, you have heard; it would take days or weeks to cross it. None but the desperate usually venture into this place – it's been known as a hiding place for outlaws or raiders. Eventually, if you continued in the direction you are headed, you might reach a place known only in rumors and stories: the Drowned Forest, associated with death and rot.
Already the terrain has taken a turn for the worse. The smell has worsened, for one, and large mats and piles of decayed vegetation rest between fungus-covered, leafless trees.
"Why would they be headin' ta tha Drowned Forest?" he asks quietly. "If'n my guess is right this ain't no huntin' party. It's leadin' a good distance from their keep so, what's ahead that they might have an' interest in?"
Qivys ponders as he goes. "Is this some secret way ta Saltmarsh?" he asks. "Is this their scoutin' party? If'n it is we should try'n stop 'em so as ta keep tha main group from gettin' intel on what tha army's doing."
"Best I can reckon it, we're headed way north of Saltmarsh. Unless they're takin' a roundabout way to come at it from inland, that's probably not where they're goin'. Even if they were goin' round, we're a coupla days' west; it'd make more sense for 'em to head northeast. What's this Drowned Forest place have in it? More aquatic critters they might be allied with?"
((I don't know how far we want to follow. If we're out too long and the captain decides to leave, we do have the Boat-in-a-Box to sail back to Saltmarsh. And whether we keep following these guys or we decide to turn around now, we should probably angle southeast back to the coast rather than risk running into any more sahuagin patrols.))
”Let us follow them for a bit longer. If they have allies or another base here, we must get the information to our invasion forces,” responds Gerrard in a whisper.
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
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Qivys follows along, trying to keep as quiet as possible.
Boko follows the edge of the river bank northward into the great swamp, remaining low behind the slightly elevated row of scrub along the river's edge. Trying to follow the war party.
Following the river is easy in some parts – dry, hardpacked sand beds adjacent to the river which are completely clear of brush and water – a difficult in others: steep, muddy banks with thorny brush overhanging deep channels of icy black water. A cold, dank-smelling wind surges from the east, cloaking the sounds of your slow progress.
Somebody roll a Survival check, with or without help, to track the sahuagin party at a safe distance, while traversing the edge of the river and avoiding hazards.
Everyone roll a Stealth check, to remain undetected from the war party (as well as the worm harvesters, as you initially pass them.)
Qivys Stealth Roll: 10
Kei
Stealth roll in Avrae
Boko will accept help navigating…
Survival: 12
Stealth: 16
Gerrard:
Gerrard focuses on hiding and following, knowing he isn’t great at survival.
Stealth: 18
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Kei
Realising that their best chance of following the war party is at a distance, making it harder than usual, he offers Boko not only Help but some words of encouragement.
A - Help action
BA - offers a d8 BI to Boko
Will take that inspiration, thanks!
7
Peri:
Stealth: 21
Stealth:
Qivys: 10
Kei: 19
Boko: 16
Gerrard: 18
Peri: 11
Oceanus: 14
Survival:
Boko: 12+7=19
The party carefully follows the sahuagin on a northerly course parallel to the sluggish, foul-smelling Javan River. You soon parallel and then pass the location of the worm-harvesting duo without attracting attention.
The sahuagin war party quickly outpaces you, but they are making no attempt to be stealthy, and leave an easy-to-see trail. Their choice of trail, though, is often wading through the muddy bog itself, so you find yourself alternating between the easier ground along the river and retracing your quarry's actual footsteps.
This does not appear to be a short journey, however. You find they are traveling hard and fast nearly due north, roughly parallel to the river. An hour passes, then two, as you go deeper and deeper into the Hool Marshes. Pools of water that seem easy to cross hide deep natural wells and layers of mud. The land is full of tall, sickly trees and great swarms of biting insects. The four sets of tracks continue to lead you north.
Qivys tries to guess where this war party might be heading, assuming he has some idea of the layout of the land itself.
Insight: 9
Boko does the same, having ranged in the wilds quite a bit herself.
Insight: 10
She doesn’t want to follow too far, mindful of the long day, the treacherous swamp, the lack of rest, and the waiting boat captain.
The Hool marshes are vast, you have heard; it would take days or weeks to cross it. None but the desperate usually venture into this place – it's been known as a hiding place for outlaws or raiders. Eventually, if you continued in the direction you are headed, you might reach a place known only in rumors and stories: the Drowned Forest, associated with death and rot.
Already the terrain has taken a turn for the worse. The smell has worsened, for one, and large mats and piles of decayed vegetation rest between fungus-covered, leafless trees.
Still the four sets of tracks lead north.
"Why would they be headin' ta tha Drowned Forest?" he asks quietly. "If'n my guess is right this ain't no huntin' party. It's leadin' a good distance from their keep so, what's ahead that they might have an' interest in?"
Qivys ponders as he goes.
"Is this some secret way ta Saltmarsh?" he asks. "Is this their scoutin' party? If'n it is we should try'n stop 'em so as ta keep tha main group from gettin' intel on what tha army's doing."
(Yes - is there anything near the Drowned Forest?)
Peri:
"Best I can reckon it, we're headed way north of Saltmarsh. Unless they're takin' a roundabout way to come at it from inland, that's probably not where they're goin'. Even if they were goin' round, we're a coupla days' west; it'd make more sense for 'em to head northeast. What's this Drowned Forest place have in it? More aquatic critters they might be allied with?"
((I don't know how far we want to follow. If we're out too long and the captain decides to leave, we do have the Boat-in-a-Box to sail back to Saltmarsh. And whether we keep following these guys or we decide to turn around now, we should probably angle southeast back to the coast rather than risk running into any more sahuagin patrols.))
(Yes agree pulling out seems smart relatively soon…)
Gerrard:
”Let us follow them for a bit longer. If they have allies or another base here, we must get the information to our invasion forces,” responds Gerrard in a whisper.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"