Session 52: "A river runs through it?"....or...."Just messing about on the river!"

10th Day of Snowmoot, Wineday

The group decided to hit the 2 locations selling arms and armour. Armour and weapons bought, the group headed to the docks for the rendezvous with the captain of the 'stately yacht' tasked with travelling them to Stone Bridge.

The group departed Yartar on the black barge, 'The Elusive Eel', a fine barge, so they were told. The skeleton crew of 4 would crew the ship with the group having to take turns on the oars when needed. It would take some 3 days to reach Stone Bridge, 140 miles down river.

Their mounts safely in the hold, the group stowed their gear in the large cabin at the rear of the barge. The upper deck was quite open, the lower main deck was covered by a low seaboard in which 2 large opening either side provide access for the large sweeps, oars, to be pushed through to help propel the barge if the wind should drop. A large lateen sail on a single mast and boom stands in the centre of the main deck.

The Elusive Eel leaves Yartar heading south.

The first day was uneventful, although the skies continued to darken behind them to the north. It was as if the blizzard of 4 days ago was building up to strike southward. 

On the evening of the 1st day out of Yartar, whilst Grog was on watch, Bandur, Bron and Hagnulf slept onboard, the rest of the group and crew slept on shore in tents. Grog went to investigate a splash when a huge, reptilian head burst through Grogs empty tent, eyes covered the snapping jaw just missed him. Fargrim, instantly awake and armoured ran out the back of his tent and away from the behemoth. Zindra, jumped out of the back of her tent and sent an arrow just wide of the mark. Bandur and Hagnulf made it to the upper deck as Bron snored loudly from below.

Bandur struck with both his hands axes, deftly thrown both hitting the crocodile in the head, one lodged firm the 2nd bouncing off. The behemoth launched itself through the camp tents as it headed for Fargrim. One of the crew was slow in getting out of his tent and was crushed underneath the giant crocodile. Arrows from Zindra and Hagnulf slammed into the crocodile, Grog struck from behind as Fargrim finished it off with a mighty coup de grace smite.

Bron woke to the commotion, late, as Grog was discussing how to skin the crocodile to preserve the skin.

Sleep disturbed, the group drifted back to sleep, on the barge this time. Grog continued to skin the crocodile and Hagnulf took watch. It wasn't long before Hagnulf saw two shapes in the water, he fired an arrow into one, and a 2nd as it climbed onto the upper deck this was another giant crocodile. Zindra was awakened first and joined Hagnulf on the upper deck as a 2nd creature, not as large as the giant crocodile, walking on its hind legs that had climbed onto the the barge at the front charged and grabbed Hagnulf in its jaws. Zindra shot the large crocodile in the head and managed to grab her arrow before it slid, dead into the water.

Zindra identified this creature as a Khumat

Fargrim, slipped between the upright creatures legs and attacked it from behind, it let go of Hagnulf as Bandur attacked from below. Between Zindra, Hagnulf, Fargrim and Bandur the 3rd creature was dispatched. Dawn broke and the sun rose to reveal the decks of the barge covered in gore.

11th Day of Snowmoot, Thunderday:

Burying the fallen crewman was impossible in the rock hard ground. The crew gathered stones and he was given a sailors funeral on the river. The group tired from a long night, and Grog and Bandur feeling slightly exhausted, they all succumbed and slept in the large rear cabin, well large for a barge.