"Sounds good. Thanks Sheriff, we'll see you again when we come to collect that bounty.
As you take your leave, Sheriff Hemlock tells you to take care and wishes you the best of luck.
Hannah suggested to Yuki that she see Veznutt Parooh, at The Way North, about a map. Does Yuki want to go there, or meet up with the others first?
"Well, if the guard has no maps we can use, Veznutt definitely will have some in that library of his. I got a rough description of the way to our swampdweller, but a map would definitely help, so lets see if we can find an affordable one.", Yuki explains when they meet up, already heading towards The Way North while talking.
Talene nods in agreement with Yuki, "We do not want to be lost out there!"
The groups reunites outside the Garrison House and walks over to the Way North, named for the fact that it's all the way up at the very north end of town. When the step inside the shop, they find it is packed with an chaotic explosion of books and scrolls, all either maps or devoted to maps, map-making, or geography. Table and shelves overflow with the items.
Veznutt Parooh, a gnome with radiantly bright red hair is puttering about inside. When you inquire about a map of Brinestump Marsh, he replies cheerily that there are no maps of the Brinestump. It's never been fully explored, much less mapped. He is curious to know why you would want one.
"Wait... but it's so close to Sandpoint, why is it not fully explored yet!? ...Is it dangerous?"
Yuki, there is a witch that lives there right?"
"Why we would want a map? To not get lost, I suppose. I mean, that's a very widespread use of them, no?", Yuki attempts to answer the gnome's question, then continues: "Could be a witch. it's definitely a halfling living there. Maybe he'd be willing to act as a guide, if we manage to find him."
"Ah, so you plan to go there eh?" replies the gnome, either ignoring or not catching onto Yuki's snark. "I do have many collectors and enthusiasts who come here for my maps, so your intent wasn't completely obvious. It is a dangerous place and I would say it remains largely unexplored because nobody finds any value in doing so."
"But maybe we could come to an agreement to change that? If you are going there anyway, I would like to commission you to gather information I need to make a map. Would this interest you?"
"I would have expected that at least a rough map would exist. If we're going there, I suppose we could as well try and help map it out if there's trouble in the future. What terms do you suggest?", Yuki asked, pondering. Some extra payment would be nice, especially if they got it for what could well be considered another service to the community.
But if his demands are unreasonable, it could be safer to decline...
Inari shrugged. They were heading out there anyway. No reason not to gather information for this guy.
Vezneutt grows excited at the prospect of collecting information for a new map. As he talks he becomes more animated. Smiling broadly and gesturing with his words.
"Well, the Brinestump doesn't cover a large area, there is no need to go through it to get to anywhere at all, and it's treacherous. The only people who go in are a few of the farmers who fish there, and they follow the paths carefully. As much as I would like to make a map of the area, I can't claim it serves a practical purpose."
"BUT! The place is a blank spot, and I do like completeness. I would very much like to make the map, even if it were a rough one. My requirements aren't great, and I don't expect you to have the skills of trained surveyors."
"I would need the swamp traversed to it's boundaries in all directions. This would be an easy task except for the terrain. Really you see, the swamp is the delta area of the Soggy River, where it flows into the sea. Of course the sea marks one boundary. The rest is encircled by low bluffs rising up to the Ashen and Bleaklow Moors. There will be little topography to note since the entire area is barely above sea level. I also doubt there will be many features to make note of, only the waterways and their courses and the trails. Of course if you do come across any other features, describe their location and nature, but in such a morass there should be little or no construction, or natural features. Although I do hope you surprise me there!"
"Distances can be marked as paces, that will be sufficient, and more precise measurements of distance would probably be too great a task. So to summarize, you should walk it mapping the courses of waterways, trails, and any other features, and take note of distances as you walk. If this is something you would be willing to do, I will pay you 200 in gold, which would be 50 to each of you. What do you say?"
"It does sound decent enough. But no guarantees, we don't know how much trouble we'll run into. As you know, it's not only a blank spot but also a dangerous one. We can try and do what you ask, as that's some good money you offer. But obviously we won't be able to spend it if we're dead."
Yuki thinks on it some more.
"Though I have to say, I find it hard to believe that you, a lover of maps, was able to accept a blank spot so close to your own home for so long, when there ARE farmers knowing some of the paths. You never even started trying to map it out? An unfinished map would still be better than none at all, and would greatly improve our chances of getting the distances right..."
Veznutt looks at Yuki with a gleam of amusement in his eyes.
"Alas dear, I have never been there myself. I was well past my youth even when I came to Sandpoint many years ago. And there are goblins there. All I can tell you is there are two trails I know of, The Old Fish Trail and the New Fish Trail. The Old Fish Trail went out of common use years ago because it passed too close to the Licktoad goblins and became too dangerous. The New Fish Trail is the one everyone uses now. I hope that helps" he shrugs.
"As Yuki said, our safety has to come first. We will do our best to map the area for you Veznutt".
The next morning arrives with perfect weather for a journey. The sky is cloudless, but the sun is not too warm. This is an encouraging beginning since the party has several hours of walking ahead of them
As the little group gathers at the inn and departs, the town is waking up along with them. Shops are opening, people are on the streets beginning to go about their day's tasks. Passersby on the streets usually greet Talene and Yuki with a "good morning", and sometimes the less well known Mari and Inari as well.
You cross the south bridge out of town and follow the Lost Coast Road as it turns south. The road winds along following the coast at some distance. Occasionally when the road comes close to it, you can catch a glimpse of the sea beyond the bluffs that overlook it to the west.
To the east you first pass low hills dotted with stands of forest. Beyond this the Devil's Platter, a massive limestone escarpment, dominates the view. It's steep and rugged sides keep any but the most determined from climbing to the plateau above. And in any case the Devil's Plateau is home to the Birdcruncher goblins, legend also places the lair of the Sandpoint Devil there as well.
After a couple of hours walking, the Lost Coast Road turns east, hugging the wooded lower flanks of the hills as it rounds the inlet where Cougar Creek empties into the sea. After crossing the creek the road turns south again, and the much smaller limestone Ashen Rise can be seen to the southeast. The hills give way to flatter, more open uplands, and farmer's fields sometimes come up to the road.
During your time on a road you pass a few people going the other way. This morning they are all local farmers, traveling to town for one reason or another, in one case bringing a wagon loaded with baskets of potatoes, carrots, and parsnips to town for sale.
Another couple of hours brings you to the place where the New Fish Trail meets the road. The trail is well worn enough to be found easily. Some more walking down the trail brings you to the edge of the bluffs above Brinestump Marsh.
As you look out over the marsh, it's easy to follow the line of the bluff around it and out into the distance. It might even just be possible to see the other side if the view were clearer, but mists and fog rising off the marsh obscure your view of the far southern end.
Immediately below you is the tree canopy which, along with mist, hides he ground below from view. The trail goes down, switchbacks zag-zagging back and forth to lessen the angle of the trail's descent, and to make walking in the increasing mud less slippery. The bottom of the trail is out of sight behind tall grasses and reeds, then after that trees.
It is about mid-day. What would you like to do?
"Hum, the traveling took longer than I expected...it's already mid-day. If we eat lunch, then go in, we'll have about 4 more hours of daylight before we need to think about setting up camp."
Yuki looks at the fog-covered swampy area, then shudders:"And I don't think camping down THERE would be a great idea. So how about we eat a bit, then try and follow the new fish trail, see where we end up, then take it from there?", she asks the others.
Mari's riding with them on Flax, her hammer strapped to the saddle for the travel; the shaggy riding wolf seems to lope a little faster than the others, seeming to be enjoying his time out past the patrol route, though his nose perked up and he starts looking more wary when they came closer to the marsh. Mari leans down to pet Flax's side, trying to ease him a little, before glancing to Yuki. "That sounds like a good idea, though we have to be careful. We don't know what's in there, and what comes out at night; even if we're not in the Marsh proper, sommin might jump out and get us." She's clearly echoing Flax's sentiment about the Marsh; her previous bravado forgotten now that she realised she's actually going into something probably more dangerous than she's ever done before.
"Works for me." Inari shrugged.
"Agreed Yuki, we certainly want to camp out here and as Mari said, away from the swamp if possible".
"Good, lets do this, then!", Yuki states enthusiastically while retrieving food from her backpack. She was kind of scared, kind of insecure about this...but if she kept telling the others things would work out, maybe she herself would also belief that it was a good idea to come here...
"A'ight, keep close then; Flax will probably smell sommin coming before we see it." With that, Mari and Flax go forward a few paces, out in front, this time making sure her lucerne was ready to draw in case she saw anything.
The trail down to the marsh is steepest at the top and messiest at the bottom. The distance down to the marsh is only about 40’, but the trail's switchbacks make the distance you travel longer.
Mari leads the group down on Flax, who, with four legs, has no difficulty with the steep inclines or the increasingly sticky mud. The rest of the group has to walk carefully so as to not lose their balance and tumble forward down the rest of the way. At the bottom, the ground becomes mushier and it is more difficult to step without sinking into soupy mud.
As you go onward and under the canopy the light dims considerably. While the tree canopy overhead isn’t unbroken, it is complete enough to reduce unobstructed daylight to dapples on the ground with an occasional bright shaft. Up on the moor there was a constant breeze, but here the air is still and muggy. Mist clings to low places even though it is the afternoon now. Between the dense foliage and the water, sound is a bit muted from a distance, and slightly amplified up close. This makes it hard to track where exactly sounds are coming from or how loud they actually are.
You quickly realize that travel will be slow going. As you begin to orient yourselves to your surroundings, you realize the new fish trail meanders as it links together spines of slightly higher ground. Sometimes it is firm, but as it transitions from one high spot to another it can get boggy, with your feet sinking in as you walk. The trail itself is not too hard to follow, but going off-trail on either side of you would vary in difficulty. Sometimes there are ponds or reed stands that would require swimming, wading, or hacking to move through. Other times the ground is firm enough, but the trees and undergrowth would require you to use your arms to push your way through. Beds of leaves on top of water, or thick water grasses can make it difficult to figure out what kind of ground you’re stepping on before you put your foot down.
Mostly you hear the occasional bird, and there are plenty of insect noises. Sometimes something rustles in the undergrowth, but except for a raccoon once, you never really catch sight of whatever is producing the rustling.
More light and pleasant sounding swamp than yours.
After about a half-hour of walking you are all soaked from the waist down, and sweaty from the waist up. You have also come to an old wooden bridge that crosses the largest stream you have seen so far, at a guess about 20’ wide. The water is brownish and flowing sluggishly. The bridge hasn’t seen any recent upkeep. It’s green with moss, slightly swaybacked, and missing a few floorboards.
"This is not as much fun as I thought it would be." Inari griped, uncomfortable in his soggy clothes.
"That bridge doesn't really inspire confidence. I brought some tools. If you give me a bit I might be able to reinforce it."
Flax's pale fur is, before long, all dirty and muddy, though the wolf does not seem to mind at all; in fact, he seems to relish in the mud, taking a little bit longer to have fun splashing around. Mari rolls her eyes and nudges Flax onward now and again to keep him going at a good clip. Once they came to the bridge, Flax lopes towards the stream, eyeing it inquisitively.
Mari, herself, hums and glances back to Inari, lounging on Flax's back as she eases up, though she's still trying to get him to pull away from the stream. "That sounds like a good idea; I don't wanna hafta go into that water. Might be sommin in there, or, worse comes to worse, we'll all get real wet an' soggy."
"I am just glad you thought to bring your tools Inari, it would have never occurred to me. While you do that Mari and keep and eye out and Yuki and I will try to start making a map of what we've seen as off trail paths. If nothing else, some coin from making a map will help us in the long run".
Yuki rolls her eyes..."Really now? I have to remind you for two weeks, every day, before you fix the leak in the roof. Then you come across some unmaintained bridge in the wilderness and start fixing it by yourself?"
Yuki shakes her head, not quite as understanding as the others:"This is the new fish trail. Some of the fishers living around the area use it to get to the bay area, and fish there. I am certain it's save! And even if the bridge IS broken, that's what, 20 feet across?"
As if to demonstrate that it's safe, Yuki enters the bridge, confidently but cautiously, and attempts to walk across.
Yuki impetuously walks out onto the bridge and... finds that while the bridge may not be much to look at, it is quite sound. If the occasional missing board is stepped over, and a bit of care is taken not to slip on the moss, it is not a problem to cross over it.
While talking to Inari about the bridge, Talene catches what she thinks is a flash of white, as if something darted among the bushes near the river's shore on the opposite side. It seemed to be several meters upstream.
Mari, you notice that Flax is also staring upstream. (S)he doesn't growl, but his/her hair is standing up.
"Yuki", Talene hisses. "Something is across the bridge do you see it?"
Yuki quickly turns around, her training allowing her to end up in a basic defensive stance before her turn is finished.
Carefully scanning the undergrowth, but not seeing anything out of the ordinary, she asks:"Is this a prank, Talene? Tell me it is one, please...or come over and show me, the bridge is safe enough-"
Yuki will remain alert until such time the others made it across, only relaxing when she feels they are all united again.
"Think it will hold us all?" Inari said, worried. He moved to the edge of the bridge with his spear ready.
Mari leans over and tries to calm Flax immediately. "Easy, boy... Shh..." She leans back and glances at the others. "Flax senses something too - I'll go next. If all goes well, Flax can probably scare whatever it is away. Hopefully it's just a curious animal."
With that, Mari nudges Flax forward onto the bridge, trying to steadily move across. "C'mon, boy... that's it, easy and calm."
The test of the party crosses the bridge to join Yuki on the other side of the stream, Mari and Flax going first. The bridge gives you no problems. As you do so you watch off the trail on the upstream side into the forest. None of you see or hear anything else though.
Talene heads in the direction of what she saw, "It went this way, had a full head of white hair. No joking here Yuki, your sister is the prankster in our group!"
"Lets not leave the path." Inari said as Talene started moving.
That feels like the sort of rule that really ought to be followed. he thought to himself.
"That'll make mapping the place exceedingly hard, Inari...but I agree, lets not get spooked...probably was some badger at a weird angle or something like that, who fled because it was afraid of us."
She doesn't sound entirely convinced, before adding:"This place is kind of creepy, it's no good being afraid of shadows, here."
Talene pauses as the others warn her off, "No, no I don't think it was just a badger. But since we are losing daylight. it's probably not wise to enter too much further into side paths my friends. Desna protects me better when I don;t walk into weapons and aggressive foes in the dark".