Episode Four/Five

Present:
  Alma (Jane)
  Crinsea (Hannah)
  Euwin (Paul)
  Flux-Hand (Liam)
  Laeknir (Mr. Rheam)
  Ponty (Garrett)

The adventurers awake in the River Snake. Apparently, three days have passed while they recover from their unusual procedure. All have been changed in some way, and while none are displaying any overtly monstrous characteristics just yet, neither are they fully human (or elven, or halfling).  The weary warrior Pallando awaits them in the common room, informing them that Paramswarm and Allatar have gone ahead to the City-State to brief the Overlord. 

The group decides to travel upriver on one of the barges that managed to avoid draconic acid.  The crew eyes their passengers warily, but for the most part they are professional, and by the end of the day, they are underway.

Late the next day, drums can be heard from the Dearthwood. Alma recognizes the rhythms as an Amazon war beat, giving credence that an Amazon adventurer has united the Orc clans and become their queen.  Shortly thereafter, four orcish war canoes make for the barge.  Spells and flaming flotsam keep the orc pirates from closing, and the barge escapes into the night.

The barge continues upriver for two more days. The winds die down, and the going becomes much slower.  The adventurers slowly come to accept the new normal, even as they wonder what changes lay further in store for them.  Then, a bump on the bottom of the vessel indicates that the group is not safe yet. The captain tries to run, but a tentacled horror is far astern.  The party offers to jump ashore as the ship nears the right bank of the Roglaroon. With some splashing and tumbles, they make it. In the distance, they can see tentacles tear apart the barge, and they can only hope the crew made it to safety.

The road to the City-State runs through the Mermist Marsh, a desolate bog traversed by the causeway of the Great South Road.  The party reaches the edge of the marsh at nightfall and decides to march ahead, taking advantage of their nightvision.  However, predators come out at night, and two giant frogs needed to be dispatched before the party could proceed to their destination.

They reach the City-State by mid-morning, filthy and exhausted.  Some guards at the gate eye them warily, but after the group pays a modest toll and consents to a cursory search, they are allowed to pass. Just inside the gate, a hooded servant named Gurgi claims to be working for Paramswarm and he offers to take the adventurers to the Balor's Eye, the finest inn in the City. The party bathes and receives the gift of some clean formal clothes for their audience with the Overlord.  A few explore the city, checking in to help wrap up the business of their former patrons and to buy some new supplies. Food and drink flow freely that night, and some of the party crash before they should. The others find members of the Overlord's Squad of elite assassins waiting for them in their rooms. They make it clear that they are to accompany them, unarmed and blindfolded...