The fellowship left the newly named New Hollowsreach to smiling waving villagers and promises to be back for the Day of Quiet Graves next Springrise. Nirvea decided to leave town with them for a time and maybe find out what happened to the Raven Sisterhood she had fled a decade ago when Rust Inquisitors laid siege to their hideout.

They head east along the river in search of the lumber merchants that Yawin had originally procured the lumber for his barrels and his boat.

Day 1

Clear day of traveling. Nice weather and open roads ahead of us. Had a nice dinner prepared by Galivan and got a good night's sleep.

Day 2

Came upon an unexpected sight: a dense fog of blood mist moving across the land. Galivan decided to try and connect with the mist telepathically only to hear the screams of a million starving demons in his head for a brief moment before he had to break off contact.

The party turned north and prepared to head through the wilderness. They found themselves coming face to face with what at first glance appeared to be a massacred caravan. After Shayla reported back to the group, Brollo scoffed and said "That's classic road bandit scam of getting kind travelers to stop and offer aid only to be ambushed by the "victim" and stripped of all their valuables. I'm not interested in losing any of mine. We should go around them if we can.

The group agreed and as they were leaving they noticed some of the "victims" taking a break from "dying" to have lunch.

The group made it to the edge of the forest ready to head through, but Shayla wasn't having it: "Don't be idiots, we're not going through an unknown forest at night after traveling all day. That's how you end up something's midnight snack."

The fellowship deferred to her experience and instead some spent the afternoon gathering fresh water and hunting dire field mice. Galivan collapsed into his bedroll before the camp was even set up and slept for half a day offering no help to set up camp or cook the food.

The watches that night were mostly quiet, except during Galivan's watch. He was minding his business tending the fire when he heard a male voice singing in the woods nearby. As ever, Galivan's curiosity had him trying to find the source of the singing. A moment or too later he tracked it down to a large tree, but when he rounded the other side of it the singing stopped. Before him was a fox that stared at him silently with large eyes.

Galivan tried to connect with it telepathically and the only thing he heard was the sound of a weary old warrior doing a spot on impression of a fox noise. Galivan did not hesitate to immediately...run back to camp crash through the shelters and cooking circle the others prepared wrecking the camp in the process after snapping a little from all the weirdness.

"THERE'S A FUCKING FOX THAT'S STARING AT ME. WAKE UP YOU LAZY BASARDS AND HEEEELP!" he screamed at them in a flurry as he half dragged them out of their sleep back to look at the fox.

The others saw the fox and it appeared as any other fox would. "Awwww, it is very cute Galivan, but you didn't need to wake us up for this."

"There's weirdness happening here, I'm telling you!" Galivan raved at them.

Brollo seeing the concern on Galivan's face, decided to trust him and used some food to create some bait and lured it closer. After having some of the food the fox began being playful and climbing on Galivan and tagging along with the party.

"I think he likes you, Old Grey" said Kena as the fox found a home in the robes he was wearing and nuzzled into his beard. Galivan grumbled incoherently as they marched on.

Day 3

After making it through the forest, the group arrived on the hill overlooking the Port of Scathmire for the first time and took it all in:

Stretching out from all sides of the town is reedy marshlands and half-sunken trees, the ground underfoot spongy with tide-silt and crushed salt fern. Weathered boardwalks stretch through the marshlands to the city. Insects buzz around in clouds, staying in one place along the boardwalk and waiting for travels to be forced to walk through them.

Port Scathmire, more a sprawl than a town,with the oldest parts built on the ruins of some ancient city that stood here before the shattering of the Blush.

Portions of the city lay half sunk and ruined, old buildings standing out against the bright stone and fresh wood of the newer building being erected for the recent arrivals. The whole port clings to the shore of the Scathmire Cove at the edge The Blush. Like a barnacle that’s decided to bloom.

People are everywhere, but Halfings and Goblins seem to be present in the most numbers. Halflings in wide sashes argue atop crates. Goblins push overloaded wheelbarrows down warped planks, pursued by bickering birds. Well dressed Alderlanders discuss walk among the streets observing construction. Somewhere, someone is chanting a counting rhyme in a tune not unlike many halfling drinking songs to encourage the construction work on a new building.

The oldest part of the town wraps around the port lined with a mix of shanty towers leaning against each other for suport and old stone buildings left over from whatever great civilization had been here long ago.

The largest building in town rust-red weathered peak of The Splintertooth Stop. Standing at the coast, it leans over the port like it’s listening in on the city below it.
Beyond it, gulls wheel above the smoke-stained banners of market barges, the drydock shrines, and the construction barges slowly dredging the cover deeper and wider.

The whole place feels like you are constantly being watched by someone, in a way that doesn't feel unfriendly so much as culture clash from living in the country to “city”.

Journeying East from New Hollowsreach