The encounter with Denfast the farmer and his farmhands seemed to decide the debate over whether to continue on the road to the Lyrchwood or to investigate the ever-growing New Mire. The group left the road to follow Cutter Brook to swampy ground and Denfast's recently abandoned farm.
The ground remained no damper than expected for most of their traveling time that day. They passed a number of smaller farmsteads that had yet to fail or flood. Cattle grazed in the fields, and the crops were green and healthy here. For those who knew of such things, this was clearly excellent agricultural land. Chauntea smiled easily on these farms, for now at least.
"I don't suppose anyone here is expert -- or at least trained -- in hydrological engineering?" Arachne asked in general. "It seems to me that Cutter Brook ought to be draining this mire and --" Frequently during the journey, she had been hopping down off Puddlejumper's back and running to the edge of the Brook to look at it. Getting back up on Puddlejumper had required more active aid from Pug. "-- admittedly, I don't know anything subtle to look for, but I haven't seen any obvious obstructions, like a dam or something like that. I had a friend at University, Hazeltine of Procampur. He said you could use wind-powered mills to pump dry lands that were subject to flooding. Of course, that required that you had somewhere convenient to pump the water to and also that you had a reasonably consistent supply of wind."
Pug was more than happy to help Arachne up and down from Puddlejumper. His hand probably lingered in hers a bit longer than it took to help her up if anyone bothered to notice. He also began to instruct her in the proper way to ride, mount and dismount.
Aloysius strolled along next to Gala and seemed content to chat with her and observe what he could about the native plant and animal life. At one point, he asked Gala, "Other than a fondness for the sunrise, what can thee tell me of Lathander? Isn't that thy lord's name?"
Gala smiled at Aloysius. "Yes, Lathander is his name, though he is also called Morninglord, as you might have guessed due to his fondness for sunrise. He's actually the god of all new beginnings, Aloysius. Spring, Birth, Youth, Creativity, Vitality, Self-Perfection, and Athletics. He hates the darkness that evil brings and gives me strength to fight those creatures dead and yet not dead that fear the light. I serve him above all things." She looked at Aloysius to see if she had bored him. "Er, any other questions?" she asked.
Aloysius had hung on each of Gala's words. "All beginning new, eh? Hmmmm........In sooth, gentle one, methinks Stargazer be making a beginning new of sorts. Nary afore hath I ventured far into the world, or spent time with others. 'Tis not unpleasant, though I fear I have much to learn."
As the party continued south late in the day, they began to notice an increased dampness in the ground on which they walked. By the time they came to the large abandoned farmstead that belonged to Denfast, Arachne's predictions of acres of muck had come all too true. People and horses were having to move slowly as the mud clung to their feet and legs. It was amazing that the farm families had held out here as long as they had and even more amazing that they had somehow manuevered those two heavy laden wagons out of here.
Jana dismounted as soon as riding became potentially dangerous for her horse. His name seemed to vary, depending upon the situation. "C'mon, Dammit" seemed to be the name of the moment. She slogged through the muck with the others, feeling especially grateful for her long legs. "Are there many brigands and orcs about," she asked, more to make conversation than anything else.
"Not many, but not safe," he said, pulling the collar of his shirt to one side, revealing an arrow scar. His breeches had also recently been repaired, and before getting caked with mud, showed a large blood stain on his thigh.
After Kaileer gave the summary answer, Arachne offered one that she thought perhaps a strategist might appreciate: "We encountered brigands several days ago in the Lyrchwood. That's west of here. I'd guess about half a day away, even allowing for awful terrain. From our fight with the brigands, we were still able to reach Milborne the same night. The orcs we fought were in the Thornwood. That's east of here, perhaps a full day away or even more. I don't know whether you've gotten a look at a map of this area. The sheriff has one. According to the maps we've seen, there are hills between this mire and the Thornwood. The interesting thing about the orcs we encountered is that we were with a local ranger when they attacked us. Kuiper. He did not recognize the heraldry they bore on their shields. It was a composite death's head with arrows through the skulls, I think. There was a druid also with us. The orcs were unfamiliar to her also. The only known location for orcs locally is in a dale on the other side of the, um, the big river that runs by Milborne. "Anyway, I'm feeling that the mire is likely to be harboring something evil not only because it is growing and noxious, but also because of its proximity to the other bad things we've met."
The fields of mud were full of dead crops, but in some spots these were already being replaced by vines and rushes and other things more suited to growing in the soggy soil. There was a large farmhouse as well as a few smaller cabins in the immediate surroundings. Two big barns completed the picture of a once prosperous farm, and the few pieces of abandoned, rusting farm equipment demonstrated the dire straits to which the place had fallen.
Kaileer kept an eye open for the blue monsters the boy mentioned, though he half expected it to be some childish phantasm caused by too many stories.
"Not think girl be here." Kaileer stated as he continued to scan the area for any dangers.
Aloysius surveyed the abandoned farm. "Squire's, and Arachne's, earlier words hold true. Methinks it best to convene in one of yonder barns and plan how best to solve this riddle." As he carefully plodded through the mud, he offered Gala his arm. "Sturdy be not Stargazer, kind one, but avail thyself of what might have I lest thee should topple into this quagmire." His expression was not one of flirtation, but of genuine concern about the possibility of Gala sliding in the mud.
Gala thanked Aloysius and took his arm. "Thank you, Aloysius. I hope we are able to find out what is causing the mire to spread like this. How odd." Gala's real worry of course, was that she would slip and pull them both into the mud.
"Indeed, Galaret," Aloysius said. "Methinks this swamp we making a beginning new that bodes ill."
After a brief look around the farm, the group adjourned to one of the barns to discuss their plan of action. Darkness was begining to fall; it came quickly due to the late afternoon storm that the group had slogged through a few hours earlier. A thick fog rolled in with the night, giving farm an eerie, haunted look. They were greeted by the unpleasant smell of moldy hay as they entered the barn. There were no suprise in here;only a few muddy stalls that stood empty, and a ladder that led up to the hay loft.
"I think it would be best if we all, save Puddlejumper and Horse/Dammit, stayed in the loft tonight." Pug piped up "I suppose it would be logical for Jana to take Torro's place in the watch regimen. As for what to do tomorrow, I'd vote for finding the source of this growing wetness. It smells like evil magic to me. Besides, I've never seen a blue monster before." Pug finished with a grin.
Aloysius nodded in agreement. "Aye, naught can we do in the darkness. Besides", the magic-user looked out at the incoming fog, "things foul do roam the bog this night. Feel it I do."
Maisar Nods his head in agreement with Pug's suggestion.
Arachne had gone with Puddlejumper to inspect the mouldy hay. "What do you think?" she asked him, holding some up to his mouth. "The loft sounds fine to me," she called to the others. "For sleeping. Watchers maybe should also come down and keep our hoofed friends company-- I suppose we all knew that already. Now, how were we proposing to _find_ this source of the growing mire? Guess which way is the middle and slog --"She glanced at Jana. "-- I mean march -- that way? Incidentally, I think Puddlejumper and Dammit might do well to remain here if we are going to go looking for the center of the mud. They're even more likely to get mired than we."
"I have a suggestion: What if I have a go at making an aerial survey at least of the immediate area. I might see something we'll want to investigate. At the least, I might make out which way is the most mired. I promise to be quite cowardly -- I can be quite good at that -- and report back rather than try to investigate anything alone. I know some of you don't like Kaileer or anyone else undertaking these solo expeditions, but given the muddy ground around here, I think this is worth trying.
Azrun looked at Arachne puzzled, "Aerial survey? I was not aware that gnomes could fly. Could you enlighten me on this misconception, miss." Azrun looked around the barn and the loft, "This should serve as a good shelter. All we have to worry about are barn rats and someone coming and setting the place ablaze while we're sleeping. Of course the chances of that happening are probably the same as us getting shot by arrows while we're on the road." Azrun flashed a smile. "So who can tell me what went on while we were seperated?" He looked at the group.
Arachne, who'd gone to the barn door to consider again how much light she'd yet have to work with, muttered, "Dash it! I hadn't realized the fog was so thick. Might try the thing as a bat, but -- Mmm? What?" She turned to Azrun. "Didn't I tell you --? Oh. I beg your pardon: That was at Kuiper's. Well, the fact is that _this_ gnome can fly -- by not remaining a gnome. I --" She glanced worriedly at Jana. "I hope neither of you two will be upset; the others accepted it pretty well. I can shapechange. Nothing so smooth and speedy as a doppelganger or were, mind you. At least, I understand from stories that they can transform themselves quickly and easily. "It's slow for me and a lot of work, but I can do it. At Kuiper's I was considering transforming myself into a bird -- a pretty small gnome still makes a pretty big bird -- and surveying the area. We went exploring the Hog's Brook instead. I'd thought to try the same thing here, but with all that fog out there, I doubt I'd manage to see anything but mist."
"Not a lot," Arachne sighed, deciding that an evening flight would be fruitless. She went over to the ladder that led to the loft, intending to test how awkwardly spaced its rungs would be for her. "We reached Kuiper's farm from Thurmaster by forcing ourselves to march through the rest of the day and most of the night. Fortunately, we didn't suffer for that. Kuiper was very generous, alloting us space in his beds and on his floor to rest. He'd not seen Jelenneth and his belief was that the only plausible place to go looking for her between Milborne and Thurmaster was the Hog Brook in the Thornwood. So, rather late the next day since we'd slept in, we set out to search there. We didn't find her; we didn't even find a scrap of evidence that she might've gone that way. I'd never thought she did, but empirical evidence ..." She gave up trying to justify the Hog Brook expedition. "Anyway, we really didn't accomplish much at Kuiper's. Azrun, did you learn anything at all by staying the night in Thurmaster?"
Azrun looked quite surprised and intrigued, "Doesn't bother me at all. It sounds quite interesting actually. Maybe sometime whe things aren't as dire, yeah right, you could tell me more about it." "As far as the weather, you're correct. I think it would be best for us all to rest up for tomorrow. For us to get two nights fully rested will be nothing short of a miracle. Maybe we can start tomorrow with your survey of the area."
Azrun shook his head, "Unfortunately no. As you remember I was in quite a sour mood, which I apologize for. This whole business with Jenelleth and her young man has brought back ugly memories that I would rather forget. I hope you do not hold my mood against me." He stood up and looked around the area in the loft, "Does anyone have some spare rope we can tie off up here as an additional way down. I would hate for us to only have one way down from here if things were to go wrong."
Maisar stayed his silent self as the time went by, and when the party reached the farm Maisar stayed in the back of the party.
"It's as good as done." Pug said pulling a coil of rope from his pack and climbing the ladder to the loft. Assuming he found something to tie it to up there, he deftly climbed up and down on the rope several times to test it then pulled it up into the loft. "Well it looks like you and me on first, Arachne."
Azrun the turned and went off to a quiet corner to write. He looked backed at Arachne and whispered to himself, "Shapechanger......hmm" He smiled at her and went off to write before realizing that it was really too dark for that.
Aloysius walked over to Azrun briefly, and the two men exchanged quiet words.
"I'll take 2nd watch with Azrun," Arachne said. "He and I can argue about what we should be doing next. That ought to keep me awake and, um, reasonably alert, sort of. And, Gala, I never make it to your dawn ceremonies anyway. If you all let me sleep in a bit in the morning, I _think_ I should be all right.
Aloysius went over the side door, and made sure it was securely shut and latched. (Getting any assistance that his "mighty" muscles might need!). When it came time to bed down for the night, Aloysius climbed into the loft with the others not on first watch and moved as far away from the loft doors as possible. He pushed a hay bale (again, with assistance if necessary) over by where he was going to sleep, and then layed his daggers on top of it in a neat row for easy access. Finally, he removed his hat and his robe, folded them up, and placed them beside the hay bale. "Galaret," he called, "please awaken me so I can be with thee at thy morning service."
"You have last watch," Arachne reminded him. "If you _do_ require awakening for Gala's ceremony, you'll be answerable to all of us."
The magic-user flashed the PSF at Arachne. "Did I say 'awaken'? Nay, 'twas not my intent. Gala, simply come and GET me, that's what I meant." The magic-user held the PSF as he looked around to see who else had caught his gaff. With that, the mage settled in and quickly proceeded to rattle the interior of the barn with his trademark snore.
After a few minutes of the thunderous wheeze, Arachne went looking for Pug. "Pug, please tell me you have something constructive to suggest for silencing Aloysius," she asked. "Otherwise, I am strongly tempted to put him outside until he can learn a self-controlling cantrip or something."
