LXXXI. The Hool Marshes

For two more days the adventurers continued tracking the cart. At the end of the second day, they found that the track appeared to cross the Javan River at the site of a ferry. The ferryman was back on the west side of the river, so they queried him about recent crossings.

"Could you tell us if our friend has passed this way?" bluffed Fiora in her best bluffing manner. "Little fellow. Hunchback, poor dear." She gave the ferryman the description of the hunchback’s appearance.

The bluff worked. The ferryman replied, "Well, I haven’t seen anyone who looks like that. Are you sure that’s what he looked like?"

"He had a horse and a cart," added Fiora.

The ferryman thought for a moment. "Hmmm, nobody like that," he continued, "but there was a horse and cart that crossed last night." Fiora and the other adventurers looked at one another, but said nothing. The ferryman described the driver of the cart in more detail. The adventurers didn’t recognize the description.

"How much to cross the river?" Fiora and Troy both asked.

"That’ll be one gold piece per person," he replied. "Horses included."  The adventurers grumbled, but paid up.

The Javan River was about a quarter mile wide at the ferry’s location. The party prepared for any surprise attacks, but nothing unexpected happened and they made it across safely. Once on the east bank of the Javan, the party disembarked and looked around. To their left, they could make out a forest in the distance: the Dreadwood. To the south, open space, but misty. There were many tracks in the area around the eastern ferry dock, but only one recent cart track was apparent. It led south.

"This way," Adam indicated. He mounted up and headed south. The rest of the party, and the extra horses, followed.

By the end of the day, the party had gone about fifteen miles from the ferry dock. They decided to camp for the night. Sitting around their campfire, the adventurers conferred.

"A stranger crossed the river," observed Troy. "And the hunchback was not seen by the ferryman."

"Yet we have tracked the wagon from Longspear," Adam pointed out. "How shall we read this riddle?"

Zzyggy pondered the barbarian’s question. "There were other tracks beside the wagon’s at one point, before we were ambushed in the canyon," the gnome noted.  "A horse approached, then left." After a moment, he cried, "I’ve got it!" He jumped up and announced, "Someone on horseback came up to the wagon. He got in the wagon, and the hunchback got on the horse. Then the hunchback went back to Longspear, while the wagon, with a new driver, continued south."

"But who’s driving the wagon?" asked Fiora.

"I’d say it’s either the person behind all the disappearances, or his agent," Zzyggy conjectured.

"Either way, we have to stop that wagon!" urged Adam. The rest of the party agreed, and with that, retired for the night. No problems occurred, and everyone got adequate rest.

The party foraged for food the next day. Adam bagged lots of game. Zzyggy also found food and water.

The party covered about five miles the next morning, when the terrain began changing to a marshy environment. At the edge of a large bog, the adventurers spotted a wagon in a nearby thicket.

Troy and Graves went to investigate the wagon. "This looks like the hunchback’s wagon alright," said Troy. "It looks abandoned," added Graves.

The party investigated the area around the wagon. They spotted a trail leading into the marsh.

"Looks like the horse was let loose, or taken away, into the marsh," said Adam. He rode in the direction of the trail, waving to the others to follow him.

It was a warm, muggy, hazy day. Visibility was decent, about one hundred yards. "Where are we now?" Fiora asked. "North-central Hool Marshes." answered Zzyggy. "A dangerous area!"

Adam and Troy went hunting again, and came back with provisions enough for the rest of the day. The party ate their fill of roast rabbit and wild onions, then mounted up and continued on their way. Forward, Marsh!" said Fiora. The other adventurers groaned.

As they followed the trail further into the marsh, footprints became readily visible. It looked like someone was carrying something heavy. The ground grew progressively soggier. Soon Adam dismounted. "Better walk the horses," advised the barbarian, "so they wouldn’t sink too far into this wet ground." The others followed his suggestion.

Toward the end of the day, the party found a thicket of trees. They tethered the horses, then climbed into the trees. After an uneventful night, they resumed tracking their quarry, then camped for the night. That night, Zzyggy had a throbbing headache. He lay in a stupor until dawn, and woke in serious pain.

On the following day, the party was marching through a very boggy aream when Adam, Troy and Fiora noticed things rising from the bog. Before they could react, a crocodile surfaced and bit Adam! The creature severely mangled his leg, and he cried out in pain. The pain quickly turned to rage, as the angry barbarian swung back at the attacking reptile. The creature managed to avoid Adam’s blow.

Fiora repositioned herself to set up a flank against the crocodile. As she moved into place, Troy swung his mace at the reptile. The creature hissed as the mace drew blood. It opened its jaws wide, bit Adam again, then clamped down on the barbarian’s leg and tried to drag him under the water! Adam struck back at the reptile with his dagger, as Fiora tried to skewer the thrashing creature with her rapier. But she missed badly, then fumbled her rapier and slashed her own wrist instead!

Troy rushed to the crocodile’s side and swung with his mace, battering the reptile. Zzyggy’s magic missiles blasted the crocodile. But the damage inflicted was not enough to stop the reptile from submerging, with Adam in its jaws!

After futile attacks from the adventurers, which did nothing to prevent the crocodile from further savaging the barbarian, Fiora and Troy finally managed to strike the creature. When Zzyggy ran up to the crocodile and cast shocking grasp, the reptile at last released Adam from its jaws and sank, dead, into the swamp.

"Not so fast!" Troy roared at the sinking corpse. He pulled it back out of the water and recovered a handful of the crocodile’s teeth, as trophies of the struggle. "Now you can go," the fighter said, releasing the creature’s remains back into the water.

Onward slogged the adventurers, still following the wagon track. As the day ended, the land starting to rise and dry a bit (although the ground was still soggy). A thicket nearby provided a convenient campsite. Adam took the opportunity to quaff four cure light wounds potions. After eating some of their trail rations, the adventurers retired, exhausted.

During that night, Graves and Zzyggy were stricken with severe headaches. Adam became nauseous. Troy, however, felt fine, even a little tougher!

In the morning, most of the party felt worse than they had the day before. "What . . . what happen?" mumbled Graves, almost incoherently. "No know," said Zzyggy, also groggy. "Maybe this foul swamp water, diseased," the gnome guessed.

Bad as they felt, at least the adventurers’ wounds had healed up a bit. After morning rations, the party resumed their journey into the hostile marsh.

After about an hour, the adventurers approached a sizeable eyot emerging from the surrounding marsh. "Let’s stop here a bit," Troy suggested. "Might find something." Zzyggy added, "At least a few trees to rest under. My head still hurts."

So, the party paused when they reached the dry ground surrounding the eyot. Troy looked around the area, and climbed up the near side of the little hill. Part way up the side, the fighter called out, "Here! Come on up!"

He had found the entrance to an underground tunnel!