Fireseek 10-14, 591 Common Year

Shortly after noon the Javan Queen casts off to return to Westkeep. Chief Rahk, Oro, three other lizardfolk warriors as well as Fingol and Gar lead the march into the depths of the Hool Marshes. Chief Rahk sends his warriors out to the flanks and rear to keep watch for any Deathwalkers or any other hostile force.

Indranil sets Apone’s squad in the lead of the human/half-elf party, with Rain and Aramek in the back of the squad to guard Adelina. Indranil and Lorindel follow the rest with their bows stowed unstrung for the march.

After several hours of slogging through mud and mire they come to a relatively dry hummock and begin setting up camp.

“Sir Indranil,” Fingol says after the day’s march, “I would like to keep with the chief. Besides, being reptilian, it may be helpful to the lizardfolk if Father Gar and I help with the watches. Perhaps, I’ll know better after the first night, but it could be that they get lethargic in the cool of the evening.”

“Of course Sir Fingol,” say Indranil.

Fingol turns to his mercurial friend, “Father Gar, I’ll give you the first pick of watch schedules.”

“Thank you, Sir Fingol,” replies Gar. “I need eight hours of solid sleep and a dawn meditation to replenish my magic milord, so I will take first watch.”

Fingol volunteers to take the last watch of the night, thinking that the lizardfolk would have the most trouble with this one, since it is actually coldest just before dawn as cold air is pushed down by the warm of the rising sun. Chief Rahk agrees and sets Oro on the midnight watch.

After camp has been made, Indranil sets up the three watches for the night.

After hearing that she will be on the first watch, Newt grouses to no one in particular, “I thought avoiding a watch assignment would be too much to ask. Anyway, I did say I’d do what I can to help.”

Rain laughing says, “If you see my name on a watch schedule, just assume you are right there next to me, Newt.” and smiles.

“Yes, Lady Rain” says Newt playfully. “Of course I’d never forget to stay close to you. Heh heh.”

Fingol notes that Father Gar seems a  bit agitated. “First time in the scouting group?”

“Yes, milord,” responds Gar.

“Out here, feel free to call me Fin. It’s as much name as I ever wanted.” Fingol shrugs. “But I wouldn’t let the Cudgels back in town catch you being so informal.” Then appearing to remember something, “…or any of the guardsmen.”

Gar chuckles quietly. “Yes, Sir Fin, agreed. Especially one certain guardsman.” Gar smiles innocently.

The next morning Fingol bums back one of the trail bars from Newt. He ties it up in a tree as he says the “Blessing for the Day’s Road.” He makes sure it’s visible to anyone taking the trail, but out of the reach of bears and such. Hikers call finding food left this way, “Trail Magic.”

Fingol approaches Aramek later, “Aramek, I have a decent guess as to what that mystery potion might be. The one we took from the assassin Noch, that is marked with the word ‘Pass.’ It might be a potion for the spell ‘Pass Without Trace.’ It is one of the blessings of rangers and druids. I would think it would be a part of Noch’s plan to escape pursuit from any surviving rangers after his attack. Anyway, one of us may need it, if we will be skulking around in these marshes.”

Aramek nods his head, “That is what Sir Ragnbjorn said. Sorry I thought he told the rest of you.” Aramek brings out the potion to hand it over.

“Oh, I’m not claiming it,” Fingol responds. “I just wanted to let you know of my guess. Someone may need it sometime in this expedition.”

Early in the first watch, after everyone else has retired, Rain says to Aramek and Newt in a low voice, “Hey Newt… have you met Snoop yet?”

Newt says, “I don’t believe we’ve been formally introduced. Isn’t Snoop the ferret I saw on my rescue day?” With a smile, Adelina asks, “Good man Aramek, would you be kind enough to make the introductions?”

Xalakae use detect thoughts for s/he has found it to be a super easy task on animals, though s/he also realizes that Snoop is smarter than any animal she has ever encountered before – human smart in fact, though of a simple intelligence. S/he hopes to get on Snoops’ good side and thus on Aramek’s good side. Fortunately, Snoop’s mind opens to hierm and s/he finds that Snoop enjoys boiled eggs in particular.

Aramek asks Snoop to come up on his shoulder to meet Adelina and he complies. He senses her magical nature and seems at ease as he allows Adelina to touch his head.

In the dripping sweet voice only a girl can use while petting fuzzy animals, Adelina says, “Ooh, Snoop! You’re such a cutie! Aren’t you just the sweetest little thing!” and spends some time snuggling and playing with Snoop.

After the first days march, the expedition leaves behind the natural levees formed by the banks of the Javan River. The ground lowers and they find themselves marching through water that is at some points up to their waists. They realize that without the lizardfolk to guide them they would have no way of weaving their way through this vast labyrinth of swamps, marshes, and bayous. For hours upon hours they slog through muck past fields of reeds and the occasional copses of moss covered cypress and tupelo-gum trees.

Even on those parts of the path, if it can be called that, above the water level the ground is soggy and when their feet disturb it, it releases the sour reek of rotting vegetation. The rotting smell is ever present, interrupted only by areas of worse smells: when they enter an area where wild boars have turned over the soil releasing its stench, or when they pass the rotting carcass of a deer. The shrubs and trees along the path have big dark leaves, many laden with moss. The humidity is very high and the winds have all but died away: anything that gets wet is difficult to dry. Thus the smell of wet leather, damp hair, and soggy clothes becomes a constant.

On the fourth day the air thickens and darkens as the weather changes and the temperature drops. In fact, it becomes quite chilly, and the lizardfolk become very sluggish. The humidity adds to the chill and makes everything from clothes to weapons feel slimy and unclean. At one point an owl hoots disconsolately somewhere in the grey, sunless landscape, and with no clear landmarks to be seen, it is almost impossible to be sure which direction is which. Of the human members of the expedition, only Fingol and the Marinus brothers would have a hope of finding their way back to the Javan River.