The River and the Journey

It was early morning when we set off from Port Nyanzaru, and most of the city was just beginning the bustle of its day. Things at the docks were already in full swing, however. We met Eku by the canoes we were to use, and it was easy to see that while we had been sleeping the night away, she had been busy preparing for our dangerous journey up the River Shoshenstar. The canoes already rode low in the water, laden with the ever-necessary clean water, food, and the other necessities for survival in the harsh environs of Chult.
 
"Quickly, my friends," Eku motioned towards the boats, "we must make use of the incoming tide. Its flood will ease our first day's journey up the river. Quickly, now, we must be off."
 
With that, we boarded our canoes. We traveled in single file, Eku and her canoe leading the way, then mine, and my companions followed. Arryn shared a canoe with the scalebeasts, and Connor positioned his place in line where he could converse with Undril, cleric of Tyr. I do not think he has ever seen a female of his kind, or at least one who favors civilization over barbarity. Her effect on him is something to see. He is all pointy edges and sandpaper most days to most people, but to see him with Undril, it is to see him unarmed. I think he is smitten, but I shall not mention it to him, as I think the subject may be sensitive to him. I hope he overcomes his apprehension and pursues his feelings in this.
 
As we travel with Undril, Connor asks her about the Order of the Gauntlet. She explains that they are a group of adventurers, like minded, and in pursuit of Good. They actively oppose evil in the realm, and right it when they can. Stonehammer appears interested, but I am not sure if it is the Order that holds his attention. The first day passes almost lazily. You cannot be relaxed in the jungles of this land, but this close to the city the danger is somewhat lessened. By nightfall, however, we passed into the jungle and made camp.
 
Our first night passed uneventfully, and we did encounter anything worth noting in my journal.
 
The second day dawned. We broke our fast, collected our water from our raincatchers, dismantled our riverside camp, and reapplying the needful bug repellant to prevent diseases from the airborne pests that make the jungle their home, we set off up the river.
 
Near the end of the day, as the sun was beginning to lower towards the canopy, I felt an eerie feeling, as one being watched. Cautiously, I looked towards the bank of the river as we paddled along, so as not to betray my alertness to any possible watchers. Using peripheral vision, I watched for movement in the undergrowth in the same way I used to keep myself informed of my surroundings in the streets of Athkatla, my home. Patiently, I observed as we paddled up the river. There! Sure enough, the sun occasionally caught the glint of eyes in the darkness. Low to the ground they were and moving with a bipedal grace. Goblins? We had not yet encountered them, though we had heard much about them and their use of poison on the unwary jungle travelers.
 
I needed to communicate this to our guide and my friends, but without alerting our landlocked scout. Relying on the fact that most of the residents did not speak the Common tongue as their native language, I hoped a watching goblin scout would not speak it at all. Without looking towards the jungle at all, I spoke to Eku in the most conversational tone I could, hoping that an observer would not note a difference in our speech and know he was discovered. “Eku, please do not react visibly to my words, but I believe we are being followed.”
 
I then proceeded to describe what I had seen on the banks of the Shoshenstar. After a short pause, Eku must have noticed our watcher, as well, because she said, “I agree, we are followed. Your eyes are sharp, Morgrim.”
 
I passed the word in a similar manner to my companions, and while we lost sight of our observer before much time had passed, the rest of the day’s journey was tense. That night, we set our guard with even more than our usual alertness, expecting trouble. Our efforts paid off. It was not long into the night when we heard something in the darkness. I quickly and silently roused my friends.
 
We decided to call out into the darkness to see who was there. Perhaps parley would trump violence if it were a local Tabaxi, and if not, perhaps if the stalkers knew the ambush was spoiled it would cause them to lose heart. It was the latter, and despite our attempts to find the ambushers, they eluded us and escaped into the trees and darkness.
 
That morning, we set out again, and continued up the river. We conversed amongst ourselves, wondering what Camp Vengeance was like, what welcome awaited Undril, and discussed the near-ambuscade the night before.
We paused our paddling around midday for a lunch meal of dried fish and local fruit that Eku had found. Setting back out, we found ourselves in a stretch of river that was broad and slow, water plants and bamboo occasionally choked the banks of the river which was murky and laden with silt from the interior of the continent. It was not long before Lord Rhogar, my dragonborn companion, called out, “Be warned, friends! There is something in the water that follows us!”
 
It was the first time I had seen Eku startled, her dark-skinned face paled noticeably. “To the bank! Quickly, if you value your lives! It is a river monster!” We paddled for the shore like madmen, as our lives depended on it, and as it became apparent to our pursuit that we knew we were being hunted and risked escaping, the water behind us frothed from a powerful tail. Reaching the shore in the nick of time, we hauled the boats up to prevent them from being carried off back to Nyanzaru and armed ourselves.
 
From the turgid water erupted something that could almost be described as a crocodile, that famed river beast of the southern reaches of Faerun, but longer of limb and easily three times the size of the largest beast I have heard described. It had a mouth full of dagger-like teeth that protruded from its jaw and vertically pupiled eyes that shone like tiger eye gems. The monster did not pause at the river’s edge, but coursed upon the shore on long limbs, tail extended behind it granting balance. This beast was not water bound, but a menace to the land as well!
 
We fell upon it, and while it struggled mightily, we overcame with no losses to our party. Eku informed us that many parts of this creature were valuable, and that she hoped we would consider giving some of the prize to the poor of the port city we have been calling our base of operations. Conferring with my companions, we decided to grant the pelt to Eku, and the only thing we kept to ourselves were some teeth to serve as a trophy. The meat of this beast is quite palatable, and we replenished our supplies from its remains. I took care to learn all I could from Eku about the preparation of meat in the local fashion. If one is to survive the jungles here, it would behoove them to learn the local ways and methods. Too much here is fatal to the unwary.
 
That ended the third day, and we made camp sufficiently far from the battle scene that we would not be bothered by scavengers attracted by the scent of blood.
 
Day four passed, with no more than the normal hardships of jungle travel. The attitude is somewhat relaxed. We make camp that night, and a companionable conversation was had by all. Arryn and Connor retire to themselves to talk.
 
That night, a strange blue mist spread through the undergrowth, seeming to move against the wind, and of its own accord. Alert against the jungle dangers, I ran to awaken my comrades, but before we could properly take cover the mist was upon us. After the mist had passed, our guide told us about the peril we had been in.
 
“Monkey Fever,” explained Eku, “Monkey Fever can be contracted by those exposed to the mist. It is very bad. It can cause hallucinations, even death. We were fortunate.” Or so we thought.
 
Midway through the next day, Undril cried out. “My companions!” she cried. “The Order—they are there, on the east bank!” And she began to paddle with all her considerable might towards the far shore we knew was plagued with the undead’s curse.
 
“No!” yelled Connor, “You are deceived!” and he and Rhogar moved to position their canoes to block her from her doom. Undril protested that they were right there and was angered and confused that we would keep her from her friends.
 
“It is the Monkey Fever,” stated our guide, “she sees what is not there.”
 
Connor reached out and touched the side of Unril’s face, and using the power of his faith, made her sight clear again. While I had seen magic before, destructive and otherwise, it was a moving reminder of the might of the gods to see such a miracle performed. Undril was instantly healed.
 
We continued on our way, making camp and passing an uneventful night. The next day, our sixth since leaving the Port, found us fighting a current in the normally placid Shoshenstar. “A waterfall is ahead,” informed our guide, “we must go a little farther, then we will portage the canoes and supplies to the other side.”
 
As she predicted, we soon came to an area to fast to paddle through and making our way to the west side of the river, we proceeded to unload the canoes. It took a large part of the day to finish the portage, but by the time our travel was over the paddling was easy again. The night was uneventful.
 
The next day found us going past the still smoldering ruins of Camp Righteous. If ever there was a reminder of the hubris of trying to tame the jungles of Chult, it was this. The ruined tents and walls of the camp looked as if they were smashed by an angry god. The fact they lay strewn about the feet of a giant statue carved from the local rock added to this effect. While we briefly consider going ashore to see if anything of value had been left behind in the hasty retreat of the Blazing Fist, Undril reminded us that is not what we had been hired to do, and we passed by with the resolution to consider it again on our way back.
 
Day eight finds us so close to Camp Vengeance we were almost tempted to continue journeying after dark. Prudence won out, however, and we make camp.
 
That morning finally found us at Camp Vengeance, our contract to Lady Undril fulfilled. The camp, I must say, was not much to see, and it was apparent how the intrusion of man was resented by the jungle. The defenses were in disarray, the palisade showing the wear of recent attack. Half-starved men stood atop the ramshackle ramparts, noting our approach.
 
We were brought into camp and are presented to Lord Niles Breakbone, commander of the Order of the Fist forces in the area. He takes a high hand with us, demanding we divert ourselves from our quest to rid M’Bala of its evil to return his diseased and injured men, of which there are seven, back to Port Nyanzaru for treatment, and call for his reinforcement at the camp. We take exception to this, needless to say. We are not under his orders and has no authority over us. Besides, most of the men do not look like they will make it, and a quick inspection by Eku confirms they have succumbed to bad water, parasites, and various ailments of the jungle. We propose a different course to Breakbone: we will work to heal his men and improve the camp. He will not try to send us back to the Port, and we will continue on our way.
 
Lord Niles did not realize we had a Paladin of Moradin in our party and could call upon his power to heal. Connor began healing the sick and injured, and Eku set about educating the men of the camp on how to treat their water and prepare their food to prevent the recurrence of their ailments. Through the next day, the rest of us helped about the camp putting it into better order, and mainly assisting Eku and Connor with their efforts.
On day eleven, our work was done. The sick were healed, and the camp better off. Niles Breakbone, seeing his mission at Camp Vengeance saved, was a changed man. Gone was the high-handedness we saw on our arrival, replaced by an almost effusive gratitude. Arryn represented our interests, and secured for our efforts letters of recommendation from the Order, and writs of safe passage that could be used if we encounter the Flaming Fist who consider the exploration of Chult and the liberation of its treasure their sole dominion. We part now with Undril, but we hope to see her again.
 
Before we set off, the grateful denizens of Camp Vengeance present us with a purse filled with various tokens and treasures as a gesture of their gratitude. A quick glance at the contents shows natural gold nuggets and dust, small, but intricately carved stone figures, and jewelry of native make. It is probably worth two hundred crowns!
 
Day twelve passed uneventfully, but the river is broad and slow, the bottom shallow. We switch paddles for poles, and new muscles grow weary and sore from this unaccustomed exercise. We learn of the Aldani people, cursed by Obtao with the likeness of giant lobsters. We joke, not sure if our guide is having fun at our expense, but she grows angry at our mockery. She tells how they were stricken for their abuse of the bounty of Obtao—they grew rich harvesting fish and lobsters until the lobsters had disappeared from their waters. Their once great tribe retreated from civilization, and now live apart. We are sobered by the story, and her rage, and discuss the Aldani no more.
 
On the thirteenth day, we have entered an open slough, full of narrow channels, marsh grasses, and bamboo thickets. The air is thick with the buzz of the ever-present insects and the calls of frogs and birds. We estimate we are but two days from the plateau upon which sits our goal.
 
It is now a fortnight since we left Port Nyanzaru. The plateau of M’Bala looms high above us on a harsh scrubland. The day passes uneventfully, but the travel is harsh. This terrain presents its own challenges and dangers. We see forms in flight high above us, circling, perhaps eyeing us. The day and night that follows passes otherwise peacefully.
 
Day fifteen dawns. Our supplies are noticeable lighter, but Eku has kept us well provisioned, augmenting our supplies as we travel with local edibles. We will reach the plateau early tomorrow morning. As we travel towards the plateau, it grows to fill our vision. It is during a break for some welcome water that disaster nearly strikes. The flying creatures that had been pacing us finally decided they were tired of us waiting to expire, and one of them, a huge beaked monstrosity, its wings devoid of feathers—leathery skin spanned from its body to its wingtips—dove down on us with a scream of terror.
 
Its cry gave us enough warning, the dumb beast, and drawing my bow, I plant an arrow right in its breast. It continues its headlong plunge towards us, and Rhogar, taking one of his throwing axes made a skillful throw, finishing the monster. Its plunge of attack turned to its fall, and the beast was no more. We take its beak as a trophy, and camp at the base of the plateau.
 
The sixteenth day will have us begin the two thousand foot ascent from the floor of this land to the top of the mesa upon which M’Bala is sited…