The PCs opened the scrolltube to find a small note written in Minkaian. Kiku read the note but kept the details to herself until she could share them with Ameiko. The explored the rest of the cave, killing a giant amoeba before heading back to Sandpoint.
Ameiko responded to the news by gathering the caravan; Koya was fascinated by the book and Sandru asked the PCs to find bognuts when they returned to Brinestump—Ameiko wanted them to find the other shipwreck. Shalelu advised them to speak to Walthus, the Warden of the Marsh, on where to find the nuts.
The PCs negotiated passage back to the marsh via Sog’s Bay on Captain Gus’ fishing boat so that they could row to the other wreck. They explored the Kaijitsu Blossom, recovered its nameplate, and then rowed up to Walthus’ shack. This time, their forced exploration of his shack caused a grim transformation in the halfling who changed shape into a stunted faceless stalker and attacked. The creature almost killed Gelden but the PCs managed to defeat the monster and pull Gelden back from death’s door. They discovered the real Walthus, heavily injured and holed up in a secured room upstairs. He was overjoyed at being rescued, gave them a reward, and showed them where to find bognuts. The PCs gathered several sacks of bognuts and headed back to Sandpoint, deciding not to risk an exploration of the witch Old Megus’ section of the swamp.
The party took care of upgrading equipment and other purchases and then set off on the caravan toward Brinewall Castle. They overnighted at Windsong Abbey, trading for Windsong Ale, and then arrived in Galduria and trading there.
Vaylenchek, a gnome from Whistledown, recognised Cusp and decided to hide out on their caravan, paying for passage. The PCs decided not to turn him over to the authorities when Lexia Harken arrived but to help him evade detection by using a favor from another Varisian caravan and subsequently owe Brando, that caravan’s leader, for helping them hide the book. They set off, taking Vaylenchek with them and studying the folio, discovering that it had magical protections to ward idle examination. Just outside of Wolf’s Ear, the met an old farmer called Hortus and listened to his story of a corrupt official in the town.

Starday 17 Desnus to Moonday 19 Desnus.

After Gelden’s successful recruitment the PCs entered Brinestump Marsh, visiting Walthus, the halfling Warden of the Marsh, but gaining no guidance; killing the Soggy River Monster and solving the mystery of the disappeared; and finally capturing the goblin Chief Gutwad who now languishes in Sandpoint Jail awaiting interrogation by Shalelu when she returns from the Mosswood and her dragon scouting.
After returning with their successes to Sandpoint, the PCs returned to Brinestump to investigate the locations indicated by the crude fan map, finding:

• the burnt-out wreck of the Kaijitsu Star, and recovering its nameplate, written in Tien, and
• the Witch Walk, and then the trail that led to the caverns. They entered, killed the spider and then defeated the skeletons, recovering the treasure and discovering but not yet opening, the mithral scrolltube in Whispering Shrike.