Juma and Click’s players couldn’t make it so when dinosaurs attacked, they went into hiding. We thought Grey’s player was coming, so Grey was involved in the fight even though his player cancelled too.

There was a tough fight with two Yuan Ti warlocks riding zombie dinosaurs. The Yuan-ti were originally invisible but became visible when they started casting eldritch blasts. They were also disguised (as human zombies) but Ariel hit them with a Moonbeam spell which revealed them as Snake People.

Trying to evade pursuit, they discovered a ruined gate leading to a cave mouth. However, Ront is not a “run away” kind of guy, so he raged and charged! For the first time since getting the mask of Wongo, the rage worked in their favour, as he was knocked out by the monsters before he could turn on his companions. Ariel transformed into a bear and joined the attack – took so much damage he was forced to revert to his normal form – then did it again. At one point the bear picked up the unconscious Ront and took him up a tree, but the Eldritch Blasts took down the bear and then KO’d the druid. By then Ront was awake again and carried Ariel to safety.
Grey and Lucretia (off-screen) had run into two other zombie dinosaurs but all met back at the Gate.

Eventually out numbered by more enemies, Lucretia stepped into the cave and vanished (teleport)
The others followed and emerged from a similar gate but maybe 60 miles away and atop a jungle plateau at the edge of the abandoned city of MBala.

Wrinkled crone – Nanny Pupu welcomes them. She has a tent on top of a big rock to keep away from swarms of velociraptors that occupy the city. She seems to live by snares, trapping small birds and mammals.
The city itself is filled with the polished skulls of thousands of the former inhabitants.

Nanny lowers her ladder so they can climb up and join her. Says the Portal will probably re-open tomorrow allowing them to teleport back (it is one-way per day) but admits she has a problem.
A few days ago, some Pterafolk came to Mbala. They asked her if she had seen some heroes with ancient masks! Five of them are using one of the city’s crumbling ruins as a roost while they fly out each day searching the jungle.

She thinks they will attack her so wants them destroying.

Ront immediately agrees to help.

Ariel and Lucretia inspect Nanny’s tent and find lots of rare herbs and ritual implements – looks like she makes potions for the few natives that make the climb to Mbala – love potions, healing and even (probably illegally as far as the Inquisitor is concerned) raising the dead. probably just Revivify which is not illegal, but if you use Gentle Repose on a fresh corpse it extends the time from 1 minute to 10 days. Casting Gentle Repose again adds another 10 days but the Inquisition then count it as Raising the Dead instead of just healing! Because of the distance and difficulty of getting to Mbala, she probably is “raising the dead”.

Because they have already accepted Nanny’s hospitality, Lucretia is willing to let this slide for now. Ariel (very cleverly) asks for a Love Potion in exchange for helping against the Pterafolk. Intending to use it on the King of the Grung to help convince him to make peace. Nanny explains that you have to drink the potion yourself, then the first person (including Grung) you kiss, will fall in love with you.

Assuming that Juma and Click’s players can make it next time, they too will emerge from the portal to join them [Grey is currently Schroedinger’s Ranger – neither existing or not existing – if Frank can’t make it, Grey will have remained behind in the Jungle and there will be fewer Pterafolk]. Nanny says it hasn’t operated for many, many years and some ancient magic must have triggered it. [it seems the proximity of one of masks or the staff may be responsible]