Last time you explored some more of the Puzzle Canal, finding lots of dead ends. You came to an island that Meskavio said had some odd ruins on it. There you saw a 30m pillar with a 2m diameter bronze ring strung thru the tapered top. Otherwise, just lots of goats on that island. You inspected it and Gregor found a weird bronze circlet that seemed to be a miniature version of the hoop on top of the pillar. Naturally, you climbed it. Caernak got to the top and could see around the canal, including a weird red glow to the west, and an ivy-covered wall to the east, as well as more passages to the south that seemed to lead where you had been looking for, but in a circuitous fashion.
Tarranyr climbed up after Caernak and tried to map, but was boggled by the complexity of the hidden maze and dumbfounded. Then it got ugly. Six gargoyles took flight from an island to the east and there was no time for Caernak and Tarranyr to climb down, so they hunkered down and the group shot arrows at the high-flying gargoyles, downing one. The gargoyles stayed up high and dropped large rocks on Tarranyr and Caernak. The rocks were inaccurate but were striking with much force (6d6). Tarranyr took cover in the bronze circlet. A seventh gargoyle, glowing with magic, swept down out of the sun at Gregor and dashed his brains out, then was struck down by arrows and Caernak's dwarven spearstick (impale to the head!). Soon after, Tarranyr was hit by a rock, maiming a leg, and it got worse. He realized that he had improperly tied himself to the top of the tower, and fell. Pleas to Orlanth and Storm Bull and other possible safety nets failed, so Tarranyr crashed to his death, pulverized. A few more arrow shots convinced the remaining gargoyles to flee, but the damage was done -- both people were mauled beyond resurrection.
I'm saddened about Tarranyr; he was a great character and was headed for more greatness. Sami and I had lots of fun stuff planned for him. But I feel that his death was very reasonable. You were in Puzzle Canal, one of the worst places in the Rubble, and (as Sami later noted to me), you were trying to do a dangerous thing, map the canal from above. Now the myth of the canal is proven: it is very risky to be high above the canal, especially to map it. Would you try a stunt like this again? Now, probably not. Given that you are not master climbers, are using bronze age knowledge and technology, were stressed out and hurried, and were in a notoriously bad place in a compromising situation, I think it was not a vainglorious or unrealistic death. If Tarranyr or anyone had fallen off a ladder at home or something because of a fumbled devise, I'd be more lenient, but fumbling any roll in the Puzzle Canal should have very bad results. Nuff said.
Meskavio felt for you and hesitantly offered to conduct a reincarnation ritual on Gregor and Tarranyr's bodies, buried on the island. He explained that it was an odd earth/storm magic from Nochet that enabled the spirits to be reborn in a different body, with memories of their former lives. He shocked you by revealing that he was a dragonewt in a former life! (explains the left-handed thing!) You took what you could from the bodies to keep or return to authorities, and watched the four Esrolians dance their bizarre ritual. They remained to guard the site from scavengers and would meet you at their former hangout pool the next day. Meskavio said that he got murky visions of what Gregor might become, maybe something nearby, and felt strongly that something good had happened to Tarranyr, but his spirit was blown far away by Saint Orlanth's winds.
On the way out, you were assaulted by a bloodthirsty vough and her six brollachan demons, but you easily took care of them. You also met some newtlings who had come in looking for good fishing, a hideout, and the blessed River Voices. They were overjoyed to meet you and you directed them toward Meskavio's pool for safety, where they could meet you the next day and join your troupe.
Then you made it out, and we stopped there. You showed the bronze circlet to Bendrath and he was quite intrigued; clearly a God Learner artifact of some sort. He offered to investigate it and help you find a competent mapper. Unfortunately Flintnail prohibits its Rubble Trackers from being hired to go to the Puzzle Canal (deemed suicidal), just like going to Troll Stronglands at night, or into the Garden.