We spent 7 days heading from Fort Beluarian to Port Nyanzaru, wealthier than we were before, and decided to investigate this "Heart" the Flaming Fist had discovered. They gave us it's general location, and we set off. This first stretch took us to the River Tiryki.

DAY: 21 - 28
DAYS LEFT: 52
PACE: NORMAL
FOOD/WATER: 73

Rolling for encounters: 5, 16, 1, 15, 12, 1, 16, 12, 4, 13, 19, 1, 10, 9, 2, 16, 11, 1, 6, 8, 15.

ENCOUNTERS! 50, 53, 4.

During the first day of travel, again we could sense eyes upon us. The Yuan-Ti were definitely upon our trail, wondering what we were doing perhaps. We were surprised to find them so close to the Fort, but again, they did not attack us. Only observe. Whevever we spotted them, they fled.

A flock of axe beaks, one afternoon, startled us greatly, charging through the jungle and slashing at us as we dove for cover. Some of us suffered scratches and minor injuries, but at most the worst damage was a horrible jump scare.

Later on in the week, we came across the den of a Kamadan, a sort of leopard creature. It was guarding it's young in a small cave, and since it didn't attack us, we decided to leave it be. We had more pressing issues at hand.

DAY: 28 - 35
DAYS LEFT: 45
PACE: FAST
FOOD/WATER: 66

We spent the next seven days finally using our skiff to travel down the River Tiryki. We settled into the small craft, but it was spacious enough. At times, we mused how adventuring life was exciting and full of adventure, but we didn't truly realize just how large this jungle was till it sank in it would take us a week just to travel it's length.

Rolling for encounters: 6, 16, 11, 15, 1, 2, 1, 4, 3, 16, 5, 9, 7, 17, 16, 1, 9, 13, 13, 14, 20.

ENCOUNTERS: 51, 2, 61, 65, 84, 25
14, 46, 71, 84, 36, 99

A most harrowing experience came upon us early in the week. We spotted Chultan cannibals feasting upon undead bodies during the day from the skiff. Watching them from the shore, they were unarmed and were not able to attack us at our spot along the river. We saw that they had blue triangles painted on their foreheads. That night, from a vision, Zyn explained that her Grandfather had heard of these type of cannibals before - one that worship Dendar the Night Serpent. 

The next few days were uneventful. From the shore, we heard shouting one early evening. We saw another band of explorers, thankfully friendly. They waved to us, but due to a heavy humid rainstorm, couldn't hear what they were saying from our positions.

One day, we noticed up in the sky large flying dinosaurs. They seemed to follow us as we sailed down the river. At times we were on guard in case they attacked us, but they did not, and we continued down the river in peace that day. 

Another swarm of insects decided to attack us for an easy meal. We were able to fend them off once again. We were becoming very adept at jungle exploration - partially due to Kisune's survival skills, among other things.

More flying dinosaurs up in the air. These ones looked different. They looked like large serpents with wings - beautiful colors. Zyn was lying on the floor on the side of the skiff sunbathing when she spotted them. Never having seen anything like them before, she was amazed.

Towards the end of the river journey, Kira noticed a large group of men traveling in the jungle along the river. From their uniform, they appeared to be Zhents. It was a large group. They looked us over but after that, paid no mind to us. It's like they were looking for someone and we were not them. Whoever "they" were.

"Oi Kira, how does anyone live here with the bugs an' the cannibals, an' whatnot?" 

Zyn didn't spend too much time on boats, so she was happy to be on one. She most of the week on lookout, sitting cross legged on the top of the skiff. at times, she would be seen either at the edge sunbathing or performing martial exercises. She was generally cheerful, focused, and disciplined, but it was clear the bug bites and the weather were annoying. The nights were not nearly as hot as the days, and she made an effort during those days to talk to the rest of the team.

Kitsune was interesting. She seemed to come from a place with a raven, or something.

Asha had a tough girl attitude that was amusing. Zyn had the urge to either arm wrestle her or have a drinking contest with her. It was like talking to a dwarf all the time, which didn't bother Zyn at all. She was rough around the edges, but once you got to know her, not so putzy.

Kira was a source of constant glee and wonder, and Zyn got along with her very well. She was happy, playful, endearing, and was eager to do nearly anything in any situation. It was like a breath of fresh air. It was like having a little sister. And the bat was a night creature. Just..like her..

Astra had an enormous family and plenty of stories to tell. Being someone who spent most of her life either training, not interested in her parents business, and not usually on ground, she found Astra as a source of entertainment, wisdom, and curiosity. The snake was pretty bad ass, too.

Kira grins. "That's what make it special! Yeah, there's bugs, and cannibals, but there's also some awesome people. And the jungle..." She scratches Kia under the chin. "The jungle's a lot, but if you can really connect to it, it's incredible too. There's nothing like climbing through the treetops with some fuzzy friends! Or feathered ones."

"Those Yuan-Ti make me nervous." Zyn mentioned casually. "That's twice now we've been spotted exploring the jungle." She quickly, suddenly, slaps her hand on her pale forearm, handing the mosquito to Kia. "The animals are nice to look at, that's for sure. So far this has been quite the adventure!" 

"Personally, I don't find gettin' eaten by bugs to be somethin' special but whatever. Oi, Zyn, who made those chain-sickle things that yer usin'? I've never seen somethin' like tha' before."

Kira hands the mosquito to Kia, who promptly swallows it down, looking pleased. "The yuan-ti are pretty worrying." she admits with a frown.

Zyn was lost in thought for a moment when Asha spoke, she looked up at her and smiled shyly. "Oh, these?" she held up the blade ends. She looked at them lovingly for a moment.

Oh! Can I tell the story?

No Grandfather, plus..they can't hear you.

Oh, right.

"They used to belong to my grandfather. When he was young, he was a farmer, like his father before him. When violence was the only option, he dual wielded them as a Kensei. The stories he would tell me about what he did with them were amazing. Apparently, the sickle ends are dwarven craftsmanship - a gift from an old friend. Truly fine quality. Over the course of time the handles "whittled down", so he claims - nothing left but the blade ends.." she chuckled. "When he died I attached them to the chains in my gloves as a modification, and use them as weapons to honor him. While I enjoy spinning them around and attacking from range, I can punch and kick, too."

"He always taught me to never rely on it completely, however, even as a Kensei. The entire body is a weapon, not just my modified gardening tool." she smiled.

I would have told the story different.

"They are." she said to Kira, watching Kia devour the insect. "I have the feeling they're up to no good. Maybe..it has something to do with those cannibals we found and the marks on their heads." Zyn said, concerned.

"Your granddad must've had a pretty good friend. Personally if I had something well crafted, the only thing I'd worry about is staying strong enough to use it."

"Yes, he was always talking about his friends. The dwarves were good to us - at least, the ones we knew. My father who was full drow had to spend many years as a businessman back home to earn their trust. It wasn't easy." Zyn said, slowly unwrapping the chain from the glove. It rattled gracefully to the floor. Zyn held it by the blade respectfully as gravity took care of the chain. "While it does take some strength to swing and launch the blade, I think you'd be more than capable to handle it. You are stronger than I, you wield mighty mace and hammer. I am very fit, yes, but the muscle I have is built from a different discipline and expression."

She offers you the blade and chain, and even when it's not attached to her glove, the blade is super sharp and very durable - but it's not as heavy as you'd think. Even a casual looping swing, it feels good in your hand, it's balanced perfectly.

"Swing it, if you'd like, and try to hit that branch over there with the blade edge." she nods towards a large tree along the riverbank. "If you hit, I buy you a drink. Deal?"

"Deal." Asha gives the sickle a few practice swings before giving it an earnest swing towards the branch.

Attack: 18 Damage: 5

"Now you owe me a drink."

Zyn laughed, wiping her forehead because of the heat. "An excellent hit! Next time we're at a bar, first one is on me." she promised.

Kira giggles as the pair talk about Zyn's weapons. "Those're pretty cool!" she agrees. "And you're deadly with them."

"Thank you!" she flushed, reattaching the chain to her gloves. "All I would need is a cute pet like Kia or uh.." Zyn struggled for a moment to remember the name of the nope rope and bird. "Faust!" she blurted. "Yes. A pet like Faust or Kia to round off everything. Don't you think? I never had a pet living in Undercity. My parents always told me they were a distraction."

This entire time, Kitsune has been curled up in a ball, sitting in a corner of the skiff, furiously scribbling in a scroll.  You surmise that she's listening to your fascinating stories, and recording them for some odd reason.  You've caught her drawing fanciful pictures of the flora and fauna as you float lazily down the river, as well as quite beautiful renditions of each of you all, with paragraph upon paragraph of mysterious writing in some unknown script underneath each caricature.  She's an odd duck, that one.  Harmless, but odd.

There've been a few days where you woke up in the morning to find that Kitsune was nowhere to be found onboard the small boat, only to reappear running through the jungle and swinging on a vine to nimbly jump back into the skiff without making a sound.  When confronted, she'd only admit to scouting ahead.  "I like traveling at night.  It's comforting.  The confines of this small boat unnerve me!  And I find that the quietness of the jungle at night allows for one to enjoy this beautiful, strange land of Chult without the tumult of noisy creatures awake during the day."

Continuing, "Plus, I've been spying on those Yuan Ti who are following us...they're very curious beasts.  Curious indeed.  They appear to be harmless, for now, but I believe they're controlled by some powerful being...a god?  I don't know.  I don't fully understand their language, but they keep saying its name.  Ras Nsi."

Kira scoots over to Zyn. "Do you want me to introduce you to someone?" she whispers with a grin.

Upon hearing her name being called, Faust sits herself atop Zyn's head and tilts her head to the others. Her lavender colored eyes stare at Astra for a time as he was scribbling in his journal, writing down the little tales they told, similar to Kitsune. The wizard would lift his head and return the stare, only to shake his head to her with a chuckle making it past his lips. "They certainly can be~"

When Kitsune speaks on Yuan Ti, he pipes up again (though first noting down the name 'Ras Nsi'. "They are curious , aren't they? I wonder if we could possibly make friends with them... As for their language, I believe I could possibly help with translation with a spell of mine..." He sets down his journal and takes out his spell book from his bag, flipping through its contents for a moment. "Yes, yes, I can definitely help with translation the next time, though the spell itself takes some time to cast. They always run away before we can really do anything, so that may be an issue... Hrm..." His brows furrowed in thought as he cupped his chin with his index finger and thumb. "Wonder if we could track them down the next time..."

Zyn turned to Kira. "You mean, like, introduce me to an animal friend? How?" But she was startled at the name Kitsune mentioned. "Ras Nsi. How in the spirits would you know that name?"