@before sheriff
Gryf nods, as he steps forward. "You should not antagonize the Pack. We have our fights but that doesn't mean we won't be ready to fight, when we go on the hunt there will be nothing to distract us." He gazes at Friday. "Now as the Sheriff said we should be on our way, we all move as a pack and this will be no problem."
--
Why wait, if everyone is ready let us grab our gear and move to the swamp." He looks to the others to see their opinion.
"Let us hope." he replies to Gryf, his still flat.
Valeria could only hope that their wolf pack analogy would hold true. Xel clearly thought otherwise, though, but found it rather difficult to voice those thoughts with Valeria's hand clamped around his beak and holding the rest of his body pinned under her arm. The fact her face was pretty impassive while doing this, despite Xel's struggling and muffled protests, made it clear that it wasn't the first time she'd had to do this.
"I just need to grab the rest of my gear, can't go trudging around a swamp dressed like this, huh?"
As the party turns to leave, Sheriff Hemlock speaks up again. "Oh, one more thing--10 gold pieces per fresh goblin ear. 300 gold if you bring back their chieftain's head."
Haru runs home and returns shortly with her backpack, ready to go exploring.
"Let's take a look at this map... hmm..."
Daud tentatively peers over Haru's shoulder as she studied the map, not that he didn't have any faith in her skills, he just wanted to look at the landmarks incase he got separated from their guide.
The map lists several well-traveled roads that normally would take a couple of days to follow if one were to take them to the Marsh. However, your wanderings with Shalelu have made you aware of many obscure (yet safe--you and Shalelu made sure of it) trails that would make the trip to the swamp faster. In fact, if you were to take those trails, you'd be able to get to Brinestump Marsh by nightfall today.
Valeria met back up with the group soon after Haru, now dressed in a sleeveless tan dress made of thicker material to provide some small measure of protection. A sturdy belt wrapped around her waist with her spellbook chained to it, an extra precaution in addition to the book's shoulder strap. Like most of her outfits, the skirt was slit high up one side, showing a pair of strong, thigh-high boots. She now also carried a staff, a simple thing but still reliable enough for when the answer to a problem was whacking somebody upside the head.
"Shae and I have traveled these paths before. There's one here..." -- she traces a slender finger along a barely-visible line on the map -- "...that will get us there by nightfall. Should be safe as well."
"Thank you." he humbly says with a bow to their survivalist as she plots out the group's path.
"I'm sorry?" Xel said, "Are you suggesting we go trudging through a dingy swamp, in the middle of the night? A swamp full of homicidal goblins and more insects than there are drunkards at an Ascension Day festival?"
"Actually, I think Xel has a point," Valeria said, "is going in at night a good idea? Goblins can be sneaky enough at the best of times, dealing with the cover of night is just going to put us at greater risk."
All the waiting around is getting to Gryf, he has stood back while the spoke and looked at the map but it's time to make a decision. "If we get to this shack by night fall there won't be any problem we can camp next to it or inside of he lets us. I don't want to waste anymore time ok this. If we are to work together we need to decide we could talk about this for hours."
"If we are to work together we also shouldn't go rushing in. There's a time for charging blindly and a time for thought. Right now it's the latter."
Valeria looked over the map again. "Actually," she said, thinking, "Gryf might not be wrong. If we can stay with Proudstump for the night, we should be fine. He's not that far into the swamp."
I would prepare yourselves for some time in the swamp. If this Proudstump is a hermit, that is - he values his privacy and solitude, he may not be receptive to strangers showing up at his door.
But we can make do quite well in the wilderness, several of us have experience in these conditions.
I am ready to leave when you are.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The party sets out from Sandpoint, the afternoon sunlight at their backs. Normally, the journey along Lost Coast Road to Brinestump Marsh would take at least a day, maybe two at most. However, thanks to Haru's navigational skills, the party is able to cut the travel time down to a little over half a day by taking lesser-known, but more direct travel paths.
Night has fallen by the time the party arrives at Brinestump Marsh. The moonlight illuminates the well-worn trail the party is on , in contrast to the eerie gloom of the swamp. The surrounding area is silent, save for a few chirping crickets.
Not knowing much about the area, other than being marshland, Friday follows along behind Haru.
Haru has skill at tracking, but still finds herself too distracted to notice things she doesn't already expect to be there.
She's moving along with her head full of excitement at going on her first mission without Shalelu.
Gryf is oblivions to the tracks, his eye's are on not on the road but on their surroundings never wanting to be caught out. The swamps are a different place, there are creatures and dark things that lurk in the water. "We're making good time, it's been quite quiet always... let's hope that is a good sign."
"Since you have stated the obvious it will now most certainly be not." Friday dryly adds.
"Oh gods, don't start on that 'jinxing it' nonsense," Xel remarked, "What next? Applying the laws of narrative causality to real life?"
Friday simply shrugs. Sure, why not?"
"All the world's a stage, as it says in the Melodies," Haru comments, referring to the Shelynite holy text.
"But is this a comedy or a tragedy?" Friday quips, his voice and throat starting to adjust to the amount of talking he was doing that day.
Starting to stumble in the darkness Friday will turn his head to Valeria. "I hate to impose, Miss Valeria, but you can work magic correct? Can you do anything to help the rest of us see better?" his voice flat and low again it also sounded slightly apologetic.
"Oh; right, sorry I forget how hard it is for humans and such to see in the dark."
She pulled a spare piece of cloth out of her pocket and tied it around her wrist before touching it with her other hand and whispering a few words, causing the makeshift wristband to shed illumination.
"How's that?"
Valeria's cloth sheds dim light for 20 feet around her. The party can see the trail to Walthus' home, albeit dimly.
Daud gratefully bows towards the spellcaster. "My thanks."
"Since you have stated the obvious it will now most certainly be not." Friday dryly adds.
Marten raises an eyebrow at Dauds response but says nothing in return.
He speaks little, but what he does say is usually antagonistic. I wonder why.
The thought distracts Marten from the trail but he dismisses it with a shake off the head and as night draws in he reaches to his belt for his club and casts a simple incantation that allows it to glow like a jar of fire flies.
I don't think it's far now, but if the ground gets any worse we should set up camp. The last thing we want is for someone to misstep into a bog or quicksand
He speaks little, but what he does say is usually antagonistic. I wonder why.
"I have unusually good night vision, so I'll take the lead. I can see as well as Shalelu -- probably some non-human blood in my family line somewhere."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Gryf grits his teeth at Dauds response. We'll see how well his word work against the goblins he's making no friends here.
As it gets dark Gryf takes out a touch and lights it up. "My brother is right, if we still have the trail we keep moving forward."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Gryf's torch provides more illumination for the party to see by.
The trek through the Brinestump Marsh is... discomforting. The moonlight is unable to pierce the canopy of trees here, and a light fog swirls around the party's feet as they walk. After about twenty minutes of walking the sound of chirping crickets stops altogether.
...
...
*splashsplashsplash*
What was that?
With a start Friday will throw his hand up and back in a regrouping motion. "Something's coming." he says flatly as he moves up and points his spear into the darkness at the sound of splashing.
"Where? What direction?" Haru whispers to Friday, drawing her bow.
"Over there. Can you see anything?" he replies over his shoulder to Haru as he points his spear to the southeast, putting himself to the front incase anything jumps out.
"Let the darkness draw back its cloak to reveal the secrets of this marsh," Haru whispers.
Haru concentrates, and causes four torch-like globes of light to appear in the darkness to the southeast.
Haru peers out into the gloom to see if her magic has revealed anything or anyone.
Wary of the tactics of intelligent pack animals, Marten turns the other direction from the noise and, reaching down to find a small stone, casts light upon it in place of his club, and tosses it 30 feet or so onto the trail, ensuring that their potential escape route is also partially illuminated.
Does anyone see anything? It could have just been a Dire Rat but if it isn't, let's be ready.
Gryf places his torch in the ground and takes out his Axe.
"Let it come!" He growls out as he moves around the group staring off into the darkness ready to strike at anything that comes out of the darkness.
Marten peers into the darkness, straining his eyes to the gloom for any sign of the approaching creature.
The lights shine in the darkness, revealing...
...a rather confused green-scaled lizard sitting at the edge of a rippling stream.
And a large, dark shape lurking in the water. What appears to be a scaled snout is poking out of the water like a log.
It starts twitching.
Marten squints at the lizard, trying to make out its colouration and whether it is a threat to them and more importantly, if the snout belongs to a hungry crocodile
"Hydras aren't native here?... Are they?" Friday tentatively asks the others.