“The heartblood river was called that for the red color that the waters used to run.The city of Carsei was built on the river and it was plagued by a lich. Causing the river to run red. It’s abandoned now.” Cleatus said as he packed up camp. “We’ll have to cross the river, can everyone swim?”

“I can,” Odelia said as she got into her armor.

“So can I,” Haagut had changed his face to the halfling again and was kicking dirt over the campfire.

“Shaynen! I’ll bet you can’t swim, eh?” Cleatus yelled jovially. Shaynen had been laying in the same spot, staring into the leaves of the trees since Haagut woke him up. His head just fell to the side to look at Cleatus with dead eyes.

“Yeah… I know how you feel.” Cleatus laughed after a while. “Uh, y’know how most cats don’t really like water?”

“Oh no, Cleatus you’re not-” Odelia sighed.

“Yeah. I’m not really exempt from that either.” Cleatus laughed awkwardly. “Shaynen knows what I’m talking about!” Life returned to Shaynen’s eyes as he looked at Cleatus with a hesitance.

“N-no, I know how to swim..” He said quietly. “But I’m sure Odelia wouldn’t mind carrying you over the water.” Odelia threw a sharp look at Shaynen.

“Well there also might be a bridge in the remains of Carsei,” Cleatus said.”At the very least that might be where the water is the shallowest.”

“All right then.” Odelia agreed. “We head for lich city.”

Travel through the High forest was fairly uneventful if quieter than normal. Three days in, the party camped.

“I’ll take last watch,” Shaynen said immediately after the fire had been built. He threw his bag down in a little corner and fell on it heavily. Choosing to sleep instead of meditating.

“Ah…’ll take first,” Cleatus coughed.

“Second.” Odelia called. Haagut didn’t have time to even open his mouth.

“Right.” He coughed afterward. Odelia found herself a nice defensible spot and got comfortable. Haagut hesitantly took his hat off and held it as he curled up to sleep. Cleatus scaled a tree and kept his lookout.

As he listened he heard the sound of rustling and began smelling something off. With an unsettling feeling he jumped down from his tree and slunk into the underbrush. Silent as the grave he slipped between the branches. Following the sound to a pair of undead ghouls ripping into a well dressed corpse. He pulled his bow free and nocked an arrow. Waiting.

One of the ghouls lifted their head and turned their head toward the camp. When they stood up Cleatus shot the arrow. It sunk into one of the ghoul’s shoulders, Cleatus then turned and ran toward camp.

“We’ve got trouble!” He yelled. He jumped onto a rock that led into the camp and strung another arrow. Shaynen woke up first. He jumped up and grabbed his quarterstaff and ran to where Cleatus was standing with his bow drawn. As Odelia ran up behind him he saw the two ghouls running toward the camp. Odelia ran ahead of him with her staff out. One of the ghouls ran up to her, but she was ready. She smashed it in the chest and shoved it back. They other ghoul jumped out from the brush. Tackling Odelia to the ground. Sinking its chipped teeth into Odelia's shoulder.

Odelia choked breathlessly as their muscles seized up and they were paralyzed. Shaynen and Cleatus acted immediately. Shaynen smashed the ghoul as hard as he could with his staff. Cleatus shot an arrow with enough force that the ghoul was thrown off Odelia. Haagut ran up and brought out a stick. He shook it and a dry shaking sound came out of it. He pointed it at the remaining ghoul and spoke a foriegn word at it. Casting Turn Undead. The ghoul jerked and turned and ran. Cleatus pulled back another arrow and shot an arrow into the running ghoul. Hitting its knee and crippling it. Shaynen jumped over Odelia and ran down the path. Leaping over the ghoul as it gave final death spasms from the ghoul Cleatus crippled.

He ran to the one Cleatus had knocked back. Hitting it hard enough to knock his head around. Haagut leaned down to Odelia and began trying to heal her wounds.

"Just give a shout when you can feel something," Haagut cleared his throat and began shaking a stick over Odelia's body and casting Cure Wounds. Shaynen walked over to Cleatus as he jumped down from the rock vantage point. Shaynen watched Haagut healing Odelia.

"Odelia just… can't stay on her feet, huh." He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Mm," Cleatus hummed. Looking around the camp for any other dangers.

"I think… maybe.. this was a bad idea." Shaynen said quietly.

"What?" Cleatus asked.

"I said maybe we should turn back." Shaynen said a little louder.

"What? Why?" Cleatus looked at Shaynen.

"Well look," Shaynen huffed. "It's all my fault that this happened. I'm the reason we're here." Shaynen reached into his pack and pulled out a health potion.

"Here, this is what I was going to give you. It's worth over 30gp so.. here." Shaynen handed the potion to Cleatus. The Tabaxi man's ear twitched as he took the potion.

"Oh… thanks. Look it's really not worth getting upset over." Cleatus shoved the potion into his own bag. "There's always a risk of death. Y'know I think it's better to die having done something then live doing nothing." Cleatus clapped Shaynen's shoulder and headed back up a tree. Odelia got to her feet and stumbled back to her camp spot and fell to the ground. Haagut walked over to Shaynen.

"Odelia is out for the night. You want to switch your watch with her?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah, sure." Shaynen nodded. Haagut yawned and found a little ditch to curl up and call asleep in.

Shaynen sat down by the fire and stared into it.