I'm looking at the map with the planks over water, and unable to tell which ones are "shaded" and which ones aren't. Am I the only one with this problem, or am I "shade" blind?
I do not have my copy of the actual magazine with me, but the web enchancement does not appear to have any shading on the copies of the maps they provided. I would say choose the planks that you feel would make the party's life most difficult.
I believe they wanted the party to end up travelling across both earthen areas along the left wall. So they would start at D6, then head along the left path to the first earthy area, then Directly "north to the next earthy area. Then accross the top most beams to the outcropping leading to D8. This would mean the party would not be able to just cut accross to the next area, and gives the water encounter more time and area to work with.
Stan
There is one piling in the center of the pool that has three planks leading out from it in different directions (South, Northeast and Northwest, I believe). These are supposed to be the shaded planks in question.