Melanthios scratches his chin, trying to think if the name Lady Valindra means anything to him.

History?: 4

Melanthios instantly thinks of a particularly flirty shopkeep back in ... which town was it again?... but it makes no sense for HER to hire someone to track down a Soulmonger. Or was that shopkeep called Lady Malindra instead? In either case it doesn't really explain much of anything of this current situation.

“I would appreciate the escort. Safety in numbers. Are you heading back to port now?” 

(sorry for playing with myself a bit..)

Qawasha says, "It's up to my employers..."

Undril replies, "I would still need to get to Camp Vengeance as soon as possible. I guess I have a free spot in my canoe now."

Irma says, "We need to end this curse. The sooner we do that the sooner we can start resurrecting people again. Nothing we can do to help Koris though."

.....

and so the party jumps back into their canoes and keeps paddling upriver. The middle of the river seemed safest as the winds picked up even more and every few minutes a tree was either seen or heard break down.

But progress was made and by late afternoon the worst of the storm had passed. Qawasha suggested a camping spot under a massive freshly fallen tree on the south side of the river that allowed them a few more minutes of daylight to set everything up and prepare for the next night in the jungle.

Day 4 on River Soshenstar.

The night was uneventful.

 ... and the morning was fine if a bit hotter than usual. What made the day a living hell was the heatwave that followed the cyclone the day before. It was made worse by the river heading directly south for miles and miles and miles, giving them little respite via shadows.

Everyone needs 2 gallons of water for the day or the extreme heat will cause some rolls to be made.

Irma can Purify Food and Drink twice, which should help.

Lorahana will use create water when needed and if I have the spell slots each night where they don’t get rain

Melanthios will . . .not cast that because he doesn't have spellcasting yet.

(Level 1 rangers . . .)

Same with Anzir. He has a flask of holy water and a waterskin. Maybe we can try getting some water from the local flora?

Would Aurok know anything about how to safely obtain water in this heat? 

Poole's not very happy in the heat, but she stays quiet for most of the day's travels. 

OOC: I need to remind myself of the preparations we took to bring supplies etc...

Quote from nschrock >>

Would Aurok know anything about how to safely obtain water in this heat? 

 He would know not to drink the river water. Raincatchers are the most popular or just finding broadleaf vegetation after a rain.

Between Lorahana, Qawasha and Irma there is the ability to create or purify enough drinking water to carry them throughout the day.

Having experienced Death, Wind and Heat in the last three days and mostly survived, the party can consider themselves somewhat of an experienced jungle travelers, at least when it comes to rivers.

Welcome to Level 2! 

Day 5:

 The next day goes past uneventfully. The heat wave has passed and the whole jungle is foggy from all the moisture in the air. The river seems to narrow at certain spots, but then widen once again.

Qawasha estimates that they are halfway to Camp Vengeance by now.

----

Day 6:

 The travel is becoming second nature to the adventurers, everyone having grown callouses for the oars.

After yet another light bend in the river there is a few wisps of smoke visible in the distance on the right side of the river. Qawasha looks somewhat confused and motions everyone to paddle extra quietly. Upon getting closer there is a small beach area on the same side of the river and seemingly three canoes tied off there.

Nobody is in sight and by your estimation the source(s) of the smoke should be about a hundred feet in the jungle. The only other remarkable thing seems to be a huge anthill a few feet behind the canoes.

Qawasha shrugs his hands in a motion, "Do you want to look into it or should we continue?"

(Just to be clear—we can level up to 2 now?)

(I know my character was brought in at level 2, so I think it’s safe to assume the group leveled)

Aurok will look back at the others. “I’ll admit I’m curious, but I’m not sure there’s any value to stopping here. Still, discoveries are often made in the strangest places.”

(Yup, feel free to level up to level 2)

Anzir spends a few days quietly drinking. He is clearly angry about not being there to help Yoris. But by the end of the the third day his heavy cloud lifts and he once again seems at peace.

As they look at the canoes, Anzir considers the possibilities. "Hold up. What if they have a map?" he says. "Or rain catchers?"

Poole has mainly been talking to herself and jumping at jungle sounds. She hasn’t taken the evisceration well. When they pass by the settlement, she looks up and offers to go scout if they land the canoes. She won’t go too far in and she will go slowly.

As you quietly pull up to the shore nearby and climb out of the canoes then first Poole and then others notice tripwires running between the nearby trees, attached to some skulls and shells, possibly filled with pebbles. As long as the eyes can follow these tripwires they seem to curve around to the left and right, seemingly an alarm system for whatever lays beyond.

Once noticed these are easy to avoid by just stepping over them.

Qawasha, wegepygmie and Undril are staying back watching and guarding the canoes, but others are free to move forth.

Peering through the trees and around some bushes you notice a larger hut on the left side and some more huts deeper in. The view is too obscured to spot any movement.

Red indicates the area you landed in.

Are the huts now revealed to be what we thought were anthills earlier? Poole is happy to sneak ahead as a scout, sticking to bushes and foliage, crouching low, eyes open.

Melanthios will scout ahead as well, blending into the trees on the left side.

Stealth: 25

Wow Melanthios continues a run of excellent rolls!

Poole stealth:23

Poole perception: 20