A. In Tarrish

At the Vind Hall, Athron volunteers to help with the search for the Freeman when he learns that Archmater Retta Pierce was a passenger. Broc – who has been unable to read any of the postings on the Notice Wall – is relieved to be able to respond to a spoken call for adventurers, and agrees to join the party for a 30gp payment and a share of the salvage. Duran, eager to be even further from the Middle Redding, hires on for the same terms. The group is also joined by Cassick, who agrees to participate in the search for a month’s time for 30gp, with the option to leave if he wishes after that time has elapsed.

That evening, Vermillion approaches Berrin and Boeden at the Laborin’ Goose and asks to travel with them. When questioned, he tells them that he has been hired by another customer to attempt to retrieve a set of jewelry that was being shipped to Tarrish on the Freeman.

The next morning, the party gathers on the docks to board the Checkered Dog, a small fast ship chartered by Berrin to make the trip to Seawell as quickly as possible. The party does not socialize much on the ship – Athron and Broc spend most of their time over the next three days being ill over the side of the boat.

B. The Trip From Seawell

In Seawell, Boeden confirms that the Freeman and a number of other ships have failed to arrive as expected. Rumors have started that there must be something wrong with the lighthouse on the east side of the peninsula, which guides ships through the passage between the coast and the coral reef that lies off-shore. The Checkered Dog must return to Tarrish – and because of the failure of ships to travel east, no one in Seawell is willing to make the trip west. The party also learns that the local lizard-folk have been acting up lately, testing the fortifications of Seawell.

The party stands on the dock, debating whether they should hire horses for the trip overland. An elderly bypasser overhears. Although the waters are at their lowest now, he tells them that horses would find it difficult to pass through the swamps. He also tells them that horses would likely just be a good dinner for the crocs – an animal unknown to most of them.

The bypasser and a friend exchange a few jokes about the biggest crocs they’ve seen, warning the PCs to watch out. The group decides to continue on foot, traveling directly east for 2-3 days.

Broc takes the lead, scouting for the firmest ground and finding it on the hummocks of grass. However, when he steps on and stirs up a nest of vipers – one of which bites Boeden – he decides to lead the party on a slog through the mud. The first night, Athron sheds his armor and climbs a tree to sleep – and finds himself wrapped in a constrictor, freed only when Boeden unwinds it and the others kill it. The next day, the party comes upon a stream approximately 15 feet wide. Boeden jumps it and pushes a tree down to provide passage for the others.

Broc attempts to swim, and has to be pulled to shore by Boeden. All the others except Cassick and Athron cross. Athron again starts to remove his armor – and a party of six lizard-folk (which has been tracking the PCs) attack, wounding Duran. A fight ensues, during which Boeden mostly stands and watches (which will be something that the players will poke Mike about repeatedly in the future). Broc swims back across, Vermillion crosses the fallen tree again, and Duran shoots from the far shore. At the end, Broc again swims back over – and is attacked by a crocodile, which is driven off after taking serious damage from the PCs.

That night, Vermillion is attacked by a panther while he is patrolling around the campsite. The PCs easily dispose of the cat, and its hunting partner.

DM’s Note: This photo used under Creative Commons license.