The following morning the group loads up a large barge agreeing to take the Tian women south along the river and then head further west towards Tymon.
Awkwardly navigating the river Thistle keeps Vognar on task as they pole their way down stream. After their first day of travel the group lands on the northern shores of the river several miles from Gralton. Darkness drapes over the adventurers early, unbeknownst to the group, two river alligators crawl onto the riverbank to snack on their horses.
Tazjh jumps up instantly heading for the disturbance, north of the wooden raft, however south two more of the reptiles creep up attacking the Lythars' horse south. Lythar fires his bow, Thistle flings magically conjured stones as Kyle stands in front of the Tian noblewoman to protect her.
"Cayden bless you all" the drunken priest calls out emboldening his fellow warriors with holy might.
Vognar growls grumpily for Conri to 'STAY' and charges into the large reptiles nearly killing the beast in a single blow. The beast will not surrender its life so quickly and it's maw snaps shut over the Ulfens' leg bringing the big man to the ground, threatening to drag him to the river depths.
Conri runs to the defense of his master, although a pup, her sharp fangs dug deep gouges into an eye out of the great beast killing it.
"Guud Dog, Conri ... Gud dog" Vognar praised, his disobedient, pet which might have just saved his life.
Kyle noticing copias amounts of blood seeping from Vognars leg runs over calling upon the divine power of Cayden to stop the bleeding healing some of his wounds.
"Cayden heal you my friend", the blonde cleric prayed.
"I am grateful, I owe you a drink" the Ulfen replied grateful.
There levity broken by yet another alligator crawling on shore threatening to kill Lythars new companion. The elven warrior fires an arrow sinking it deeply into the new assailant.
A stones throw up river Tajzh, Thistlebark, and Kyoko who have mortally wounded an alligator which is finished off by a lucky shot by Kyle, just in time for a second to swim upon them as well. Lythar feeling Vognar and Kyle have this well in hand leaps to his other companions aid.
Vognar cuts the bonds of the horse so it may flee , turning he roars enraged by his wounds, flipping over the newest beast on its back, the soft vulnerable underbelly of the reptile exposed. Flailing about with its massive tail attempting to right itself, the barbarian plunged the weapon deep into the creature which thrashed its last and is still.
Lythar dropping his bow, draws keen elven blade from over his shoulder wading into the knee deep water to kill the alligator. Thistle heals Tajzh and continue to attack the hungry creature. Movement above them all as ferrel roar of the Ulfen is heard crashing down into hip deep water, upon the last of the beasts driving his great weapon hilt deep into the beast ending its existence.
The group regards the bloody, gore covered barbarian with astoundment.
Lythar breaks the silence with levity, "You really should watch that temper of yours Vognar".
As if a cue the great man falls forward as if exhausted and rests for a moment before composing himself and beginning to skinning the alligator carcasses.
Rewarded for their efforts Tajzh and Conri are given alligator meat and entrails the rest Vognar sends down stream, only to hear more of the beasts follow their dead kin and tear them apart hungry for blood.
The group heals and rests longer the next morning but fortified by the excellently cooked and smoked reptile meat Thistlebark prepared.
***
Second day down the river is uneventful other than some tea Kyle gets knocked out drinking, given to him by the Tian noblewoman, for his horrible singing that evening. Thistlebark trades for some of his personal stock of tea for a dose of this new herbal sedative.
***
At noon on the third day the group finds themselves stopped by a tow chain across the river and six men in armor with a druid of Seven Arches barring their way.
Politely the Seven Arches defenders disallow any elves or half elves from entering their lands. Shocked and outraged the group asks why but are told its is not safe for them, pressing them further only results in polite rebuffing.
Not wishing to make enemies the group decides to part ways with the Tian women who now head south, while they head north around the Seven Arches territory, then west to Tymon.
***
Lythar draws his bow and begins firing, while Kyle makes his way out of the writhing fora empowering his companions with Caydens might.
Tajzh always the first into melee claws and snaps at a lizard man, while Vognar, enraged and free to move rushes to a lizard creature felling it with a single blow, freeing Thistlebark to attack.
Lythar and thistle eventually free themselves from the entangling vines as the enemy shaman attempts to hide in a summoned fog cloud.
Before long the group finishes off the lizard men but not before being wounded. Kyle praises Cayden as holy power pulses outward from him healing all his companions. Thistle makes poultices to heal the remaining wounds whle the rest of the group polices bodies and equipment.
Tired and on edge the group sleeps in again hoping the next few days of travel are safer than the last four.
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