Chapter Five: Bapdis Orjo's Gift of Reconciliation

Hmmm... no streams that head towards the mountain we want to go to, then. At least not without going pretty far out of our way.

Options:

A) head west to the stream and follow it to the mountain (hill? Hill.), although it's not the hill we're interested in looking at right now. Who knows though, could find some cool stuff there. Ooooorrr we could find a demon lord that kills us all. It's a toss up at this point. Point is, we've got an entire week to explore a four-mile-wide island, so we don't HAVE to make a beeline for the eastern hill.

B) ignore streams and head straight for the eastern hill and investigate the smokey caves. Also a fairly decent chance of finding a demon lord that kills us all.

C) We can do... something else???? I'm not ruling out a demon lord TPK here either

Dandy, I assume you mean 'head west.'The eastern hill is the one of interest, with the smoke rising from it.

Based on the map and the stream locations, I agree there's no need to head straight for the smoky hill. In fact, I think we should head to the west, and follow that stream up to the top of the western hill. It would give us all good view of the smoky hill without having to get too close. Also, after putting some more thought into it, without any other knowledge of what the smoke is from, the western hill might be considered more habitable for any people that might live here (e.g., perhaps Pafthinel).

As a reminder, the southern part of the island has that 'swath of marshy grassland'. Maybe nothing of note, but worth remembering.

As far as our next course of action, I'm fine with following the tree line to the west until we run out of beach, and then I'd like to see where the stream empties out into the sea, then follow that up the hill. Seeing the entire length of the stream might be worth it, as there could be clues to find, especially in the form of tracks.

Finally, that strange bird cry came from the west as well. Might even have something to do with the broken foliage Leth examined. Of course, that would be a big bird.

Yeah, I'm in favor of heading west along the treeline/coast to the stream, then following the stream up the hill.

Is there anything we can do do disguise our tracks before we go, in case anyone attempts to follow us?

As far as Perception checks and stuff, Octo, how do you want to handle that? I think we will all be percepting as hard as we can the whole time, so do you want us to just make checks with every post, or will you tell us when and if they are appropriate?

Also, when you say caves, do you mean openings in the side of a rock face leading in, or more like holes in the ground leading down?

Off the top of my head, drag some deadwood, if any, behind us. It'll show a trail, but disguise our numbers. Walk just within the treeline, making tracks less difficult to follow than beach sand.
Octo, just an idea here, but maybe we could start using passive Perception checks when we're not taking the time to stop and actively focus on Perception? They are extremely simple to use; rules on p. 175 of the PHB. Also, the game itself would move along a little more smoothly as we'd have less delays waiting for a check.

Regarding moving through the jungle, I'm assuming we do so at a cautious and stealthy pace, while definitely working the Perception.
Good question. Either way, sounds like they're large enough to go in, and we have rope.

You guys are gonna leave evidence of your passage whether you try to cover it or not; plants are gonna get stomped, the ground is muddy, etc. You don't have to roll unprompted Perception checks, I'll assume you're being as observant as you can and ask for them when necessary.

The "caves" look (and this is gull familiar via Vhezyen's impression here) like large holes in the top/side of the hilltop.

The party begins to head west, following the beach. You can hear chittering and rustling as the island's rodents flee ahead of you, even see flashes of brown fur. After a little more than half a mile, the beach gives way to low cliffs and overhanging trees. You ascend into the forested area to continue heading west toward the nearest stream. You hear the strange cry again, louder this time, and an answering call from further away and to the south.

Fat lizards cling to the trunks of trees, indifferent to your approach. At your feet you start to see flowers with five large, fleshy, warty petals pressed flat to the ground, smelling of rotting meat, attracting flies.

Somewhere to the south, you hear a crashing, branch-snapping sound.

Eventually you reach the end of the stream, a diffuse spread of shallow rivulets in this muddy, overgrown slope.

Let's give the warty corpse flowers a wide berth, if we can.

The tree canopy is too thick at the base of the hill where the sound was coming from, Vhezyen's familiar (does the familiar have a name?) can't see exactly what was causing it.

You hear rustling ahead. A large rat springs out from under a clump of ferns, runs towards the party, and continues on past you.

Sure. After getting some insight on celestial names from here, let's go with Quggyeb. I imagine it might be attached to or from Yibb-Tstll, based on Vhezyen's affiliation with the Knowledge domain and his pursuit of knowledge.

Even if Quggyeb can't see the threat yet, I'd have him maintain a position between us and the sound as a screen/advanced warning of sorts, within telepathic range.

That other rat was in the Zapanim basement. There's definitely more than one rat moving in your direction; you can hear them.

Vhezyen thinks the crashing sound was about half a mile away, maybe more.

I'm still not entirely clear where the Badgerways ended and Hazard began ;)

Mordred hides behind a leafy, mossy tree.

The strange bird-cry comes again, closer this time. Whatever it is, it's close by to the west, and it sounds like it's closing in on your location.