parent nodes: The Adventure | The Beast | The Journey
Once near to it, it isn't hard to find this behemoth of an alligator. It is like 13 or 14 feet long, and easily looks like it would be capable to destroying the commune, or at least causing serious damage and destruction to it.
This alligator is a giant alligator as found in the american alligator stat block. It is going to be a tough fight for the party.
If the party needs to flee and come to fight it again, they are free to do so. The behemoth will largely not heal from its wounds, but it may attempt to pursue the party.
Once defeated, the party is free to partake in eating meat from it, as well as attempting to take back pieces of its scales, teeth and such.
The journey back mirrors that of the journey to.
What comes next, is of course between you and your players, but of course, there's plenty to look to for where to go from here.
Was this alligator the beast from Hopkins vision?
If not, what was? Are the humans presenting a threat?
Did a fellow mink implant these visions in Hopkins to cause the party to leave the commune for a couple of days? Was it an attempt to just outright kill the party?
Are nefarious things at foot in the commune?
Is another group of mink wanting to dismantle what you have built for yourselves in the commune?