Not all the glitters is Glidbem

Nel's offensive strategy proves to be a bit much for the gnomish scholar who back up and tries to evade the blows but fails and receives a couple good knocks before she can retaliate to push the youth back. Afterward you continue only for a couple more minutes, this time slower and softer to avoid any more bruises

Hank listens and nods and you get the impression he wasn't really expecting much from you and ask just in case.

The night passes and fortunately it is quiet and uneventful. Unfortunately this actually make the crew and captain even more certain that something will happen before you can make it to the expeditions base, now calling itself New Paphos as it has grown into a seed of a town. You break your fast with the rest and the crew uses their poles to push the boat along the shallow river to speed your way. They all begin to relax a bit as you draw nearer to your destination.

It is at this point that the river around you suddenly erupts into multiple waterspouts. The crew reacts immediate to try and maneuver the boat away from the torrents of water spraying up into the sky. Only when you hear Hank call out do you look ahead and your heart it filled with dread. A swirling vortex over 30' across and growing is ahead of you and pulling the boat towards it. The crew struggles but all is vain as the boat is drawn ever closer to the whirlpool. Amidst all this the guards begins shouting something and several are looking and pointing in your direction. Then, with no further warning two rush strait at you grab your arms and move to toss you overboard. One screams as if to convince himself and apologies to you Women are bad luck on boats! We need to offer a sacrifice to the river spirits if we want to live

You nimbly sidestep their clumsy attempt and Ned calls out in alarm and scrambles for his training club. Hank roars in anger but yells at the crea to watch the boat as out of nowhere he flourishes and suddenly is armed with a long cutlass. The two other guards seems undecided but at least they stay back as Hank jumps to your aid slashing at the guards as you fumble for your staff but manage to connect with one of the guards.

It is at this point that several crewment shout in increased alarm and a quick glance it all you have before the world turns topsy turvy. The whirlpool has expanded enormously and the boat tips as it rushes around its perimeter. The two guards fall from the boat, distracted as they are by their foolish attempts but the rest drop to the boat grabbing for rope, the boats gunnels, or anything solid. You catch a flash of Hanks anxious face and the boat heaves and you are thrown up into the air. A small cry alerts you as you see Nel jumping at you, rope in hand.Roll a save to grab the edge of the boat, then another to grab Nel if you fail the 1st.

Glidbem misses the boat but Nel and her grab onto each other as the entire boat is pulled below the river surface. Together you and Nel tumble from the boat clasping each other tightly. The roat snaps taut and you barely manage to hold onto the boy as you all into the side of the whirlpool. Fortunately the Nel seems quite adept at tying ropes and it holds as you are dragged after to boat. Unfortunately everyone onboard is too busy to pull you back on board.

Around you is a whiling darkness that begins closing in on the boat, spinning you faster and faster but you barely register this as you are pulled roughly down into the dark depths of the river. You are about to give up hope when suddenly you realize that the suction is no longer down but instead it is pulling you sideways. Just as you realize this there is a fierce collapse of the vortex tunnel and though you and Nell manage to hold onto each other as you are slammed about this doesn't save you from the rocky walls that now surround you. The force of the collapsed vortex pushes you along and up and with a splash you find yourselves in a dark caverns with an air pocket.

At first all is dim until a trickle of light seeps out from your robes and reaching in you pull out your amulet that is emitting a dim light not. Possibly it has been glowing for a while but you were otherwise preoccupied and did not notice. As you sputter and breath in the stale air you realize the boat is not to be seen. Nel pulls the cord and a frayed end is all the sign you have that you were once tethered to the boat. A faint breeze tickles your cheek and you conclude the cavern mush have an outlet, somewhere. . . .

You move along the shoreline to explore the cave. The faint light barely enough for you to navigate but before you get too far you hear splashing sound from the water behind you. Turning you see to forms bobbing on the surface of the water back towards where you came in.