"Who says we have to?" asks Thard. "We are looking for a direction for adventure. Let's enjoy being near a water source. We'll have constant access, but anything in the Garden that might want to cause trouble will also need water. We could walk in circles on the open plains for nary an encounter, but with the river our chances for interesting encounters increase - and plants need water as well. We were told we'd find more of them.

"Now, normally going upriver if you are near a source will deal with more mountains and more specialized vegetation. Heading downriver normally leads to wetter lands and greater biodiversity. I'm good following the river either way."