I forgot, you went straight to the Temple Barge on your return to visit and had a brief chat with Che'en, then went your separate ways agreeing to talk about plans for the coming weeks at the fort that night (day 22).
Here's what happened when you met Che'en, after a joyous greeting by assembled river creatures awaiting your arrival at the Barge: [just the Cradle folks are here, not Blu, Ji, Dorgon, etc. but you will pass news to the fort people soon enough]
You are brought into Che'en's tent on the barge and he comes out of meditation with a start, then gives a weak smile and says: "Oh, good, good. You're back at last. I've heard such exciting things about your exploits, Caernak and company. And it's so nice to see new recruits among you, Brighteye must be proud. Come sit with me, wash your hands in my basin and we will speak."
"I am sorry that I have not been more help, or have acted in interests that might conflict with your own lately. I hope that I have not caused too much trouble." Pause, with puzzled looks from some people in the group. "Perhaps it is of little consequence now, as soon I will no longer be Chief Priest of Zola Fel at the Temple Barge." Another pause as he sighs with deep emotion.
"Few others know of this, but you must. My kind goes through The Changing at my age, and there are signs of its approach on me." He takes in a deep breath and holds it, and you see ridges along his neck that look like the beginnings of gills, and you see decorative flaps and fringes developing on his head. His skin color is changing, too, to a more orange-brown and darker hue.
"Soon I will go back to my home pool and join the elders of my folk in continuing our traditions, until someday I fade and return to the Cycle. You will not see me again once I leave. I am drawing my career as River Priest to a close at the next holy day here, which I am aware you will not be present at, assuming you go chaos-hunting down south again. So this is our farewell, bittersweet as it may be."
"A new priest has been chosen and you will work well with him, I am sure. He is a landsman and a wise young man of great scholarship and integrity. You will meet him soon, if you don't already know him." [John does not have notes on him at office; more details later]
"But as my farewell to you, I wish you great things. I sincerely hope that someday the river washes away the sins I have committed, and with it the chaos that you have fought bravely. In my dreams I see hope for peace and happiness... perhaps these dreams do not mislead me. But I am not a part of this future and will not see it myself. I leave troubled, in troubled times, and I am partly to blame. If I have one wish it is that I am remembered as one who strove for ideals that he saw as important, even if in hindsight they were misguided. I give you my blessing and hope that the ideals you strive for will produce better results than mine."
Che'en bows deeply and falls into silence, fading in and out of attention to your questions, but he tries to answer most of them.
In brief, what he'll say to obvious things is:
1. Puzzle Canal? River daughter? Do what you think is right. You are trusted. The Grey Eel will be ready on command. Bendrath has offered the loan of the Grey Company trader Sergio if you need mapping skills. Arrangements have been made.
2. No extra river resources are presently available.
3. Other river priests and acolytes are engaged in questing to find food. The cult has agreed that the River Voices are not needed for these quests. However, in the past Puzzle Canal has been a source of food from the river, so your mission there may prove very useful.