Action Thread #4 - The Marshes

[Vargr1105]

Day 3 - Late Mid Morning - The Marshes



Musical Theme: Oppressive Marshlands


At the base of the cliff the party enters the marshes, a treacherous-looking mere covered by a tangled mass of warped trees, bushes and other growth. The air is thick with swamp-smell and humid, the soil spongy and dotted with puddles of muddy water and rivulets that move at a snail's pace. The sound of the great waterfall finally smashing into the valley can be heard towards the Southwest, tough the waters themselves cannot be seen.





Truth be said, not much of anything can be seen. For the first time since their reunion atop the mountain the companions find themselves in a region without recourse to landmarks, apart from the cliff to their backs, and one with very poor visibility at that. The gathering mists floating here and there surely are no aid. It is possible, indeed likely, to loose sense of direction and wander aimlessly in this terrain once they delve further into it.

Fortunately, there seems to be a trail emanating from the cliff path that brought the adventurers here, just barely wide enough for a grown man to pass through. For the few dozen yards or so it is visible before being engulfed by green-blackness of the marsh it leads straight as an arrow to the SE, away from the cliff.


Rule Mechanics Update: while travelling through this region unless following a trail, normal rules for Getting Lost in the Wilderness apply. The path only allows single-file movement. The environment is also not conductive to natural healing, so Healing Rates will be affected, assuming a suitable camping spot is found.

[Stonjuz]

The pure undesirability of the muck prompts Stonjuz to say "Go back up the rock and get a good heading for us you scouts, wouldn't wanna get lost in the wilderness or nothin'. I'd rather let the turtle point the way out than to wander around in the swamp aimlessly"

[ragnboneshopper]

Even Thurinor's usual cheerfulness is dampened by the atmosphere of the boggy landscape. "I suppose there is no way but forward. One can't help but feel vulnerable and think that our presence has been marked by passing the watery illusion. Still puzzles me..." he laughs without conviction and turns his attention back to the path. "I wonder, though I have no experience in such places, if one might get a look at the landscape from atop one of these demented trees?"

[Sir Clarence]

"If none of you objects, I volunteer to take the lead now", says Andrin. "I still have hopes to locate some form of animal life here which might give us valuable information, and I'd like to take notice of it as early as possible, before it flees." In case his comrades agree, Andrin slowly starts to move along the path, prodding ahead with his staff to be sure to stay on safe ground. He tries to move as silently as possible and is very aware of his surroundings, trying to get a grasp of the "nature" of this place and, of course, trying to catch glimpses of animal life of the bird or mammal-type.

[Stonjuz]

With Andrin's encouraging words, Stonjuz looks down at the marsh footing, prodding the ground with his staff and sees that some places can be relatively deep. "You know,.... I'd feel better being roped as one . Or at least roped as more than one." Quieter than the previous statement, the dwarf says to the elf... "The Riddle of the River was most likely put in place to protect the pristene river above from the denizens of the mire here."

[ragnboneshopper]

With Andrin's encouraging words, Stonjuz looks down at the marsh footing, prodding the ground with his staff and sees that some places can be relatively deep. "You know,.... I'd feel better being roped as one . Or at least roped as more than one."

Thurinor's smile now returns for real. But I thought I heard you liked the water? Besides, good Andrin here will no doubt warn us of any danger he comes to along the way.

Thurinor seeks out the tallest of the nearby trees and carefully tests his weight against it, curious if the thing would easily be felled if someone were to climb up, but not too keen on making it happen.

OOC: I'm actually fine with any roping precautions the party finds suitable. This does seem like one of those situations where it could keep disaster from happening. Though Thurinor has heard stories of Dwarves in diving competitions that give him pause... (table banter alert!)

Also, Vargr, do the stunted trees look climbable? Or will they topple over? Could the lightest of us ascend one? (I know, probably only one way to find out...volunteers? An occasional ascent could be a way to keep our bearings, and I don't trust this path...)

[zebediah]

"If none of you objects, I volunteer to take the lead now", says Andrin. "I still have hopes to locate some form of animal life here which might give us valuable information, and I'd like to take notice of it as early as possible, before it flees."

That is wise indeed master Andrin, but then I would rather have the two of us scouting ahead if you would. Our individual skills might be complementary to each other in an environment like this.

"You know,.... I'd feel better being roped as one . Or at least roped as more than one."

But I thought I heard you liked the water? Besides, good Andrin here will no doubt warn us of any danger he comes to along the way.

Before you friends joined us we had a similar discussion about using rope and seem to have agreed that the risks outweighted the apparent benefits. If we make sure we all have sufficient rope easily available in case of need we should be able to rescue any of us who happens to give an unfortunate misstep. In any even I must insist that we all stick to the trail as we proceed, not only because it is the only solid indication of a way out we have so far, but also because on such a place it might also be deadly.

[Stonjuz]

Stonjuz notices Ogirdor's disdain, or mistrust, of the rope, so he will spin around to the remainder of the group looking for someone to take the other end of the rope that the dwarf begins to tie around his own waist.

[Vargr1105]

Day 3 - Late Mid Morning - The Marshes


Looking around Thurinor thinks that several of the trees in the immediate area look robust enough to support a fully-grown man with the the skill to climb up one. But none appears taller than the rest to make for a good lookout point.

Ogirdor's suggestion proves impractical once a better look at the path is taken. It is to narrow to allow for two forward scouts to travel side-by-side.

Meanwhile, the dwarf busies himself making a rope-belt.


Let me know when you are ready to proceed and what the final marching order will be.

[Sir Clarence]

"Stay close behind me then, Ogirdor, and try to move as silently as possible under these circumstances." Andrin will then start moving along the path as described before.

[zebediah]

The ranger nods in agreement with Andrin and follows him with spear in hand.

[ragnboneshopper]

Thurinor shrugs at Stonejuz, holds one end of his rope but does not tie himself to it, and falls into step with the others.

[Stonjuz]

Seeing that the elf merely holds the rope, the dwarf says, "Im not too worried 'bout getting seperated from the group so much, but, as'n if you get swallowed up by a swampworm or somethun' ... dont let go." Seeing that no one else is 'roped' in one way or another, Stonjuz shoulders the remainder of the rope, with a sigh of bewilderment.

[Buzz]

"In all honesty, I am under the impression that if one of us is to get stuck in the mud it will be you, Stonjuz." Malone says, "By the way, do you dwarves happen to use canaries in your mines?"

[Stonjuz]

"Canaries? I s'pose they are available to those who wish it. Why do you ask? You don't expect me to be your canary do ya?"

[Buzz]

"I'm not making you do anything, but you are the one with the rope tied around you."

[Ra the monk]

Oz takes one look at the oppressive swamp and sighs There won't be any fish here... With that he takes out his rope and ties a loop on one end, making sure it is handy. He will also pull out his boot knife and keep it in his other hand. As they pass different trees he will periodically.

OOC: Oz' goal is to have a rope handy in case someone, or he falls in, and the knife in case someone needs to get cut loose. He will mark trees every 50' or so with an X at about eye level, in order to mark a trail. He will stick towards the back of the marching order.

[Stonjuz]

Stonjuz sees the rope use manuever that Ozborn displays and realizes that may be the better way. He undoes his rope belt and prepares a way to carry it. One that will not hinder his fighting, nor his footing, yet still be available for quick draw, trying to mimic the loop that Oz has readied.

[Vargr1105]

Day 3 - Late Mid Morning? - The Marshes


The adventurers take the marsh path with the Druid taking the lead. It is hard to keep track of both direction and passage of time within the damp, dark and misty marsh but as far as the companions can tell after loosing sight of the cliffs, their route continues straight towards the SE for what must be an hour or more. Is the waning light due to the sun being low on the skies that cannot be seen, or is the marsh simply getting denser?

Andrin's prodding of the terrain with his staff proves wise. The path's soil is, for the most part, spongy but secure while the edges of it sometimes hide treacherous sandy quagmires that could swallow a man whole. While leading the group Andrin find no signs of birds, but small reptiles and mousy rodents seem common in the swamp and several of them are seen darting out of the way of the party as they travel. Quite a fair number of insects too, of the flying and crawling kind. When late summer comes and the temperature gets more propitious, clouds of mosquitoes could be expected here.

Now the path seems to curve to the right somewhat and leads to a particularly dank and misty area. Andrin and Ogirdor find several tracks on the path, leading along it towards the distance.

[ragnboneshopper]

Thurinor relinquishes the end of Stonjuz's rope with a relieved smile. He watches the rest of Oz and Stonjuz's rope preparations but does not have a rope of his own to duplicate. He giggles to himself, then says: "Two such ropes should be adequate. Shall we proceed?"