Quest The Secret of the Swamplands

[Vice]

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"There... that was not very trying, was it? We will go onward, and in the swamplands, your clothing will likely be ruined, but the idea of going forward and truly discovering what exists in these swamps is more attractive than preserving a nice outfit, is it not?"

The smile graced her features as she looked towards Edmund for a moment. Then, Lessiya motioned for Edmund to carry forward and into the casinor. Verena and Adi had assisted in whatever capacity they were capable of, carrying the hooks and extra sail that Marius directed for them to go after before the Draer man cast off from the shores. The casinor sailed forward as he raised the sails, the wind pushing it forward. Marius turned the tiller, calling out for everyone to duck and keep to a seated position as the boom shifted and with it, the casinor turned fully into the river. Marius was obviously a sailor of merit, directing the casinor smoothly into the river, currents pushing the ship quickly through the river as the Draer straightened the doom and furled the sails.

"Don't need the wind too much for this. We'll keep goin' just as well with the currents. We should be at your destination in a few chimes, Lessiya. It'd be a bit faster if the mercenary didn' bring all his stuff with him, but I guess it's better to be prepared."

Lessiya nodded in understanding, but she seemed distant. The woman's eyes were fully closed, her hands folded together as a deep breath filled her lungs. She seemed almost entirely disconnected from the world, though when she spoke, her tone was sharp and concise, clearly showing her dominance in the situation,

"There's no hurry, Marius. We have all of our people, and it looks as if the progression of our journey requires talking, regardless. We need to form our entry formation into the swamps. It's a very dangerous territory, and we plan to deeply carry into it. Adi, Alexander. I suggest that the both of you take point, as you both know how to use a weapon. Verena, stay close to me, in the middle. Edmund, when we enter the forest, stay in the back and watch for pursuit."

It was, in her opinion, the most logical approach, but they've yet to arrive to the swamps.

"Anyway, Marius. How much longer do we have?"

"Six chimes, Lessiya."

The woman nodded before leaning back against the casinor's cabin door.

"Does anyone have any questions regarding this voyage? Best to ask now before it's too late."
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[Verena Lorak]

When Lessiya and the man returned, Marius announced that they were ready to go. In mere moments, they would leave for an adventure. Verena twisted the ring around her little finger, the gesture seeming almost nervous. She had been warned not to go to far without an escort, but that should be no trouble. Her fellow adventurers seemed capable and she would guess that Lessiya was quite the competent mage.

Verena braced herself as the boat called the casinor lurched forward. It wasn't as if she never went by boat, but still, the swaying made her nervous. After doing what she could, Verena settled on her side of the boat. The cool air from the water was a nice change from the summer heat. She stared down at the water for a while, yearning to reach out and glide her fingers across the water - if she didn't know that there might be granidiles swimming about.

"There's no hurry, Marius. We have all of our people, and it looks as if the progression of our journey requires talking, regardless. We need to form our entry formation into the swamps. It's a very dangerous territory, and we plan to deeply carry into it. Adi, Alexander. I suggest that the both of you take point, as you both know how to use a weapon. Verena, stay close to me, in the middle. Edmund, when we enter the forest, stay in the back and watch for pursuit."

The Lorak nodded dutifully at the placement. It made sense in a way. It would seem that she was probably the least experienced in combat of the sort.

"Anyway, Marius. How much longer do we have?"

"Six chimes, Lessiya."

Six chimes? That was certainly much faster than she had expected. Verena was relieved though. Coursing down the river felt exposing. She eyed the trees and greeneries closely, trying to discern what the shadows hid. She was a little more than tempted to use her Auristics, but it was not the best of ideas with her current condition.

"Does anyone have any questions regarding this voyage? Best to ask now before it's too late."

"You mentioned that you had an idea of what might lay in our path," Verena started as her intense gaze settled on Lessiya. "What do you propose it is?" So far, that was the only question that bothered her. She had little to no idea what to expect from this little adventure. Especially, considering that people had actually disappearing for traversing the place.

[Edmund Morealis]

Was the comment Lessiya made about the thrill of adventure outweighing the ruin of his attire meant to be taken at face value? Was it a joke as he suspected, or was it meant to be reassuring? The way she delivered the comment made it difficult to tell whether her intent was sincere, which left Edmund feeling a little uneasy. It bothered him when he could not discern intent well, especially since he would have to leave his reaction ambiguous. At the very least she had not made the connection between him and his sister. For the moment. Lessiya's smile did reassure him somewhat that future friction would be unlikely, but Edmund was not nearly that optimistic. He was confident that something would come up to hinder their relationship in the future. Hopefully such an instance would not jeopardize the mission. Pushing all thoughts of friction to the back of his head, Edmund followed Lessiya to the casinor where the others had been waiting. He offered no explanation to them for his actions or their delay, since they did not need to know, though he did bow apologetically to them all before taking the seat assigned to him. Though he had been on the river many times using the Draer's regular ferry services, this boat that Lessiya had requested bore little semblance to the little gondolas that Edmund was used to. Yet another element that he felt completely useless in. It was beginning to look as if his presence on this little adventure was nothing short of extraneous: he knew nothing of where they were going, the events that had transpired, the vessel they journeyed within, and even the power he did bring to the table was a shallow imitation of those that Lessiya had. The only thing that appeared to be in his favor was the fact that he had been invited by Lessiya, when there were likely to be a number of interested parties. The ride upstream was uneventful for the most part. With the wind catching in the boat's sails, the Draer was having an apparently easy time directing them against the current. There was plenty to talk about, but it seemed that no one wanted to ask the questions that were on everyone's mind. Frankly, Edmund was not expecting the lack of comment on the Morealis insignia on his scarf, but he did not mind. If anything he was glad that there were no questions directed at him, as he knew as little as the rest of them. Only Lessiya had any pertinent information worth knowing, a fact of which Edmund was very well aware. Some time into their journey, the Draer - whose name Edmund had missed - began to speak. "It'd be a bit faster if the mercenary didn' bring all his stuff with him," said the man, looking ahead up the river, "but I guess it's better to be prepared." "There's no hurry, Marius. We have all of our people, and it looks as if the progression of our journey requires talking, regardless. We need to form our entry formation into the swamps. It's a very dangerous territory, and we plan to deeply carry into it. Adi, Alexander. I suggest that the both of you take point, as you both know how to use a weapon. Verena, stay close to me, in the middle. Edmund, when we enter the forest, stay in the back and watch for pursuit." "Understood," Edmund replied. He would have nodded, but that would have been pointless. At least he would be serving some purpose during this expedition, even if only as a watch dog. With the confirmation of their impending arrival, Lessiya turned to address those she had recruited. "Does anyone have any questions regarding this voyage? Best to ask now before it's too late." "You mentioned that you had an idea of what might lay in our path," asked the woman with the lighter shade of brown hair. "What do you propose it is?" "And similarly, what should we be looking out for?" Edmund asked. If he was meant to keep his eyes open, it would be best to know how to spot whatever they were looking for. "What have we come here to find? Are there any phenomena or objects you want us to put special effort into identifying?"

[Alexander Hamish Moore]

Alex listened intently to the instructions he was given, and while he couldn’t think of any questions to add, he certainly was curious to know just what was lurking in the swamps. What exactly had claimed the lives of six other men, trained men. He had never taken point before. He was being trained to take such a role on the caravan, but he had never really finished his apprenticeship to the caravan’s scout. He wouldn’t be taking point alone, however, and that was a relief. And a little time to spend next to the woman with the vibrant eyes would be welcome.

Alex stood carefully, the boat seemed to be kept afloat by the hopes and wishes of people who didn’t want to drown. They only had 6 minutes on the boat, so Alex wanted to be as ready as possible, as quickly as he could. He quietly pulled out his hunting knife, he kept is tucked into his belt. The sheath had a little copper buckle, he had hoped that if he was ever stopped for a weapon check that the band would count as peace tied. He pulled the knife out, it wasn’t as big as a dagger, the blade was only about a hand’s length, and about three fingers wide. It was as sharp as he could keep it, but he sometimes had a difficult time learning the proper way to sharpen a blade. But it sharp enough to break the little leather strip he had on the hilt of his longsword.

He fastened the sword to a weapon harness. The leather scabbard was dull, and worn. The blade was in decent condition, again it was as sharp as he could get it. There were a few spots of rust on the blade, he hoped to kepp those spots hidden. It was rather embarrassing to have a blade that wasn’t well maintained. The blade itself was thirty inches long, while the hilt and pommel were 5 inches. The sword fit well in his hand, and wasn’t too heavy or bulky. It was easy to carry in the forest, and road, and rarely snagged on anything. Its weight was almost comforting while hanging off his hip.

He checked the arrows in his quiver, twenty in total were snuggled into the small leather quiver with his father’s name stitched into it. The arrows had steel tips, and hawk feathers for fletching. These were his pride and joy, he hated shooting them sometimes, and would go through a lot of trouble to get them back. He gently pulled on the quiver to make sure it was secure on his belt.

Now, was his favorite part of preparing. A smile came over his face as he picked up his short bow. It was a little yew self bow. It was old, but not worn out, Alex took care of it as best he could. Replacing the bow would be expensive, so he was very careful with it. He took the string in his right hand, and butted the strung end of his bow on the side of his right foot. He pulled the string until it was taut, and then slowly, and gently bent the top part of the bow down, and fitted the loop around the top of the bow. He picked it up, and checked the bow for signs of stress, but found no such marks. He set the bow back down, and picked up his pack, and slung it tightly over his shoulder, and distributed the weight with straps on the bag. He was ready for whatever was in the swamp.

[Vice]

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Two had asked questions, two remained silent. Curiously enough, it was along the lines of status, as well. The Freeborn neglected to speak and the Dynasts had the same thought. How utterly predictable. A smirk materialized upon Lessiya's features as she turned, sitting herself upon the deck of the casinor as she formulated her thoughts.

A momentary pause, a deep breath. The young woman seemed to be reaching into the depths of a trance before she replied. Eyes still closed, her lips parted, her body still as if to give the impression of talking to the dead,

"I cannot say with utter certainty what we will find. The swamplands are treacherous and harbour in them a power that is as of yet untapped. We will likely encounter atrocities, beasts. Perhaps the Rujaro. But what I am looking for can be most closely equated to a pattern. Keep your wits about you in the--"

The casinor shook as Lessiya continued her explanation, and Adi Skyglow, leaning upon the bulwark rather than sheltering herself in the casinor, would fall to the wayside. Luckily, the currents would drive her straight into the riverbank. The woman would survive, if with minor injuries.

"That is... most unfortunate. In any case, to answer your questions, my friends... I know very little of the threat that we are going to face. I know not if it is a creature or a man that has spurred such interest, but I have received reports from within the swamps. I sent a servant, a Kelvic into the lands ages ago and it came back with a most... interesting report. Of course, you must understand that this is all a matter of confidence.

Some of you may not be used to taking orders. Others may not take faith in my ability to lead an expedition, but this is my charge. I hope that each of you will follow my commands, for our survival, as a unit, depends on it. Is that understood? If so, then say 'I'."

Lessiya pursed her lips in thought as each one of the three faces before her were examined in turn. A faint sensation, a whispering breath in her ear was cast. The young woman raised her hand to her breast, as if short of breath as her eyes widened. A grin materialized, a shiver of pleasure coursing down her spine. It was only a moment's flicker, but she had clearly expressed... something. And she was very unwilling to share details as to what it was.

"We're almost here. Marius, how much longer?"

"Two chimes."

"Everyone, ready yourselves. We will arrive soon."
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[Edmund Morealis]

Lessiya was not exactly a very forthcoming individual. There was something about they way the woman spoke that reminded Edmund of the dynastic politics he often had to keep himself abreast of, how she would talk at length about peripherals - telling her team what they might encounter - while taking her time to get to the answers. Though she claimed not to be sure of what they would find, it was very clear she had some idea, otherwise she would not have dragged them each out here into the middle of the swamp.

Still, Edmund sat dutifully silent and listened through Lessiya's preamble. Being an adequate leader of slaves at Blacksugar meant that he knew what was qualities were valued in a follower. He obviously was not the paradigm, but he could keep quiet and obey like any trained mutt.

Then the boat was sent rocking.

Edmund, ever wary, had taken a position closer to the center of the craft, and so the tilt of the vessel did not endanger him as it did some others. Unfortunately, it looked as if one of their number was not so lucky or careful, though it was not as if he could remember the name of the woman who washed into the river. His eyes followed her for a bit, before safely concluding that she would most likely be fine. Though the sudden loss of one of their expedition was... concerning.

Not that Lessiya seemed to care. Her indifference toward the happening was also concerning, yet somehow reassuring. Concerning in that she did not seem to mind who exactly was accompanying them, and reassuring knowing that the sudden subtraction did not bother her noticeably.

So she had already done some preliminary research beforehand, Edmund thought to himself. Then this foray's purpose is for more extensive research, which would make sense as she is intending to write a book about this. Edmund could not help but remain puzzled, however. There was still something that Lessiya was refusing to share, and he could not yet think of a reason for her to do so. Edmund and the other two were here to help, and he could not think of what Lessiya stood to benefit from sending them in almost blind. Although she may just be waiting to tell them, which Edmund hoped was the case. Quite dearly so, in fact.

For now, though, Lessiya called for some final confirmation from her confidantes that they believed in her leadership, to which each of the three made their own form of verbal acknowledgement. Edmund's was rather clear and exactly what Lessiya asked for."I, ma'am," he stated, falling back into silence quickly.

Then there was that... action. Lessiya said nothing of it though, so Edmund refrained from asking. If anyone else desired to, that was their business, but Edmund for his part was content to remain patient. He would ask his questions later on their return trip, and possibly later if he could find this enigmatic woman once more.

With merely two chimes left, Edmund felt far too uncomfortable just wandering into the swamp unprepared. His nature and usual role was that of a leader, which required to know as much as was possible as early as possible so that the best decision could be made. Even as a follower, he desired to know more about what he should have been watching for, as this was his first experience in the swamp proper. It might have been that he was underestimating himself a tad, though, as he trusted that he was intelligent enough to make good judgement calls like an adequate watchman. He would likely know what things to inform Lessiya of and what things were not worth mentioning.

So contrary to all his natural habits, Edmund remained silent for the remaining two chimes to their destination. He was hoping for more information, be he simply had to let go for now. That was something he needed practice in. Just this once, he needed to stop being a control freak.

[Verena Lorak]

“I cannot say with utter certainty what we will find. The swamplands are treacherous and harbour in them a power that is as of yet untapped.”

Verena pursed her lips as she listened to Lessiya’s explanation. She was not entirely distraught by it, considering that she plunged into countless situations blind. However, most of the time, said situations were connected to other people’s safety, not her own. As a Dynasty, Verena had not had many chances to be particularly adventurous. Once or twice, but that was as far as it went.

“We will likely encounter atrocities, beasts. Perhaps the Rujaro. But what I am looking for can be most closely equated to a pattern. Keep your wits about you in the--”

The casinor shuddered and tilted. Adi had been sitting next to Verena and the next tick, she was gone. A huge splash followed and the healer straightened as she realized that her fellow traveler had been practically thrown off the boat. No one seemed particularly distraught since the waters were somewhat calm, but the young woman worried anyway. At least she could spot the moment Adi Skyglow reached land.

They had not even reached their destination and one of them was already out of the journey. Verena doubted it was a good sign for things to come.

Lessiya continued on, completely unfazed by the accident. “Some of you may not be used to taking orders. Others may not take faith in my ability to lead an expedition, but this is my charge. I hope that each of you will follow my commands, for our survival, as a unit, depends on it. Is that understood? If so, then say ‘I’.”

Despite her twisting stomach and the jittery feeling crawling down her skin, the Lorak was not about to change her mind. And so she said “I.” She had no problem about who was in charge and she decided that Lessiya was skilled enough to become a leader. Searching for reassurances, she ran her fingers across the sheathe on her thigh. Her lack of skill would not offer much protection, but it was something.

“We’re almost here. Marius, how much longer?”

“Two chimes.”

“Everyone, ready yourselves. We will arrive soon.”

Two chimes. That was all the time she was getting for a moment of peace. Verena knew that once they stepped off the casinor, her mind would be whirling with the various threats and possibilities they might face.

[Vice]

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The simple confirmation from both Dynasty members and the Freeborn was all that Lessiya had asked for. She cast her gaze upon each of the participants in turn, a momentary grin flickering upon her features as the casinor set itself onto shore. She felt the shudder flow down her spine, eyes cast forward before she stepped forth from the boat without a moment's hesitation. Once she and the rest of the explorers were out of the casinor, she turned around to speak to them once again,

"The mouth of the swamps, as I'm sure all of you know, is rife with dangers and I would rather have some inkling as to where we will begin. Verena Lorak, I request that you assist us. However limited in prowess you are, some inclination as to whether there is a danger nearby is better than none at all. Edmund, while she does so, look for a suitable entrance into the swamps. One that isn't littered with splintered wood or sodden with excess waters. Alexander, go with him."

Lessiya was prepared, but she had very little inclination to believe that the Dynasty members were, as well. She did not reflect on it, but rather stepped forward and stepped into a clearing, flooded and splintered as she had told Edmund to avoid, but she had very little intention of going further. She closed her eyes and pressed her hands to a nearby tree, a tremor coursing her form for a moment before she brought Res from the depths of her form. She employed its use, dispersing it as a gas, spreading it thin into the clearing before absorbing it back into her body.

"It looks that this way is safe, but difficult to navigate. How unfortunate."

The sorceress stepped back and regrouped with the explorers. In their own pursuits, the adventurers would find three distinct paths. The first swerved wildly, and was flooded, sounds and screeches of nature filled the pungent air of the swamps with sounds. The second was dark and sullen, vines present upon a wet, but not flooded base of shrubbery. The third was linear and completely barren in nature, a path formed and littered with small sticks. Obviously the work of a human being.

"Did you find anything? Any of you?"
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[Edmund Morealis]

Dismounting a proper boat was not something was used to, and the squelch of mud beneath his shoes was not a pleasant sensation. Right now, he really wished he had invested in some more active attire, but it was too late to undo the past. All he could do at the moment was hope that this would wash out.

"I will find us an entrance," Edmund affirmed to Lessiya, turning to scan the thickets before them. He began to wander into the swamp and parallel to the shore of the river, letting the Freeborn either lag behind or walk beside him, not paying the mercenary much attention. Under normal circumstances Edmund would not be so rude as to nearly ignore someone outright, but in this instance it was imperative that he do his best to fulfill his role in the team. Whatever was out here claimed a number of lives already, and if not every person remained cautious the same fate could befall any one of them. Even all of them, should the group function catastrophically. But before then, they would indeed have to find a way into the swamp.

Nonetheless, being out here was an experience that Edmund reveled in greatly. Rarely had the studious fellow ever found reason or time to go outside and explore the lands outside of the Blacksugar manor, and so being this far out from anything of human construction was a mildly exhilarating experience for him.

There was no time for sightseeing on this trip though, even as Edmund's eyes scanned the rampant green growth that appeared to be stuck crawling between the bowed and twisted trees. Gnarled branches reached out as if to snare his sleeves, a verdant growth that somehow seemed sickly despite its excessive foliage. Not only did they resemble claws reaching out, however, but also a woven wooden wall with which to block out any intruders, a thicket that was the boundary between the world of civilization and the world of the swamp. Do not dare to tread, they appeared to be saying. Those who were not denizens of the swamp did not belong there, and those that ventured forth would usually do so at their own risk.

What perplexing situation have I stumbled upon?

Then, something caught Edmund's attention. Up ahead of where he was walking was a break in the trees, larger and more uniform than elsewhere that Edmund had found. As he stepped out into the clearing, it came to his attention that it was in fact a trail, one which led directly from the shore and into the swamp in a linear fashion, not at all like that which Edmund had been expecting to find. Whilst the dynast noticed the sticks on the ground, it did not appear to the dynast as if it were an old path since it had yet to be encroached upon by the local flora. Despite his best efforts, from where he stood Edmund could not see where it was the trail lead, and questions began forming in his mind.

For what purpose would people be traveling this deep into the swamp? was the first thing that Edmund wondered, and a number of possibilities bubbled up into his thoughts. Few of them were ideal.

Before he had the chance to foolishly venture forth, Edmund turned back toward where the party had disembarked, finding his way back to the shore easily thanks to the trail he had stumbled upon. From there, he saw Lessiya already waiting for him, and the others were no doubt nearby as well. He went to where they would be meeting, and waited for the leader of their expedition to ask before speaking his piece.

"There is a man-made trail not far from here," Edmund informed Lessiya, pointing back in the direction from which he came. "It leads directly into the swamp, and seems to have been cleared for that purpose. I think it is in common use as well. What purpose it has or to where it leads I could not tell, but it is most likely the easiest access we will have to the interior of the swamp." Edmund lowered his finger, turning back to their leader. "The pertinent question should be whether we want to use it or not. It appears to be in use, so I do not know whether we may encounter others on this path, or perhaps make ourselves easier to spot for any predators in this swamp."

With his piece said, Edmund waited for the others to report their findings if they did have any. When all was said and done, he could not let things sit.

"If I may," the Morealis cut in before Lessiya could answer, "we should take the man-made path. If nothing else, that is the path most likely to be taken by the victims. We should investigate where it leads, and it is probably a good deal safer than just traipsing about the bog."

[Alexander Hamish Moore]

Alex had been into the unknown before, he had left his home many times. He had never done so alone, and in joining this group, he was putting himself in the most dangerous of unknowns. He smiled, and let this thought go. He didn’t think any of them had malice in their agendas. But, he still felt a slight nagging in his mind, as they continued to near their destination. He was no closer to understanding what exactly they would be facing, and though he kept this to himself, he rather liked the mystery. Where is the excitement in facing something you know everything about? Everything was dangerous in the swamp, from the smallest insect, to the unsuspecting mud trap. While Alex didn’t know the area very well, he would do his best to help his comrades navigate the treacherous landscape. Any other danger they faced would be much harder for him to deal with. He didn’t know how his abilities fared amongst those in the boat, but he hoped they could all defend themselves.

The boat shifted, and rocked, as the woman called Adi fell overboard. Alex stood to try and catch her, but she was already swept away to the shore. He cursed his lethargic reaction, but there was nothing to be done. The woman with the bright eyes safely made it to shore, however.

Alex could draw no more information out of the group that remained on the boat. Everyone seemed so preoccupied with their own thoughts. Whether they were mentally preparing themselves, or praying, or just trying to wrestle their own thoughts on the lack of information, Alex couldn’t say. Nor did he have time to ask, the two chimes were gone, and the boat arrived at the mouth of the swamp. Alex noted game trails, mostly small and narrow paths, made by small mammals to and from the river. As the boat slowly came to a stop Alex carefully jumped over the side- not so different than hopping out of a wagon. His boots sunk slightly into the soppy ground, and he made no efforts to hide his footsteps or lessen the splash.

He reached over the side of the boat, and gathered his gear, and slung his gear over his shoulder, tightening the straps, and belts around his shoulders and waist. He fetched his shortbow, and listened carefully to the instructions he was given. Finding a path that wasn’t overgrown, wet, or hard to navigate would be difficult. Alex studied the clearing they had stepped in.

As Edmund began his search for an entrance, Alex had knocked an arrow, and held himself at the ready. The bow wasn’t easy to draw back, and it certainly would be impossible to hold drawn for more than a few chimes. He kept his eyes scanning the edges of the clearing, if he wanted to get an arrow off before the situation became too dangerous he needed to be on his toes. Keeping another person safe, while also looking for a path was difficult, but he would do his best to fulfill both tasks as well as possible.

Alex watched briefly as Lessiya leaned against a tree. She looked rather labored, but it was only a brief moment before she regained her composure, Alex had no idea why or what she was doing, but he gave it no more thought as Edmund walked across the clearing, in search of paths. Alex scanned the clearing, opposite of the direction they entered the clearing in. He spotted three paths, two of which seemed like high traffic game trails. Perfect specimens of what Alex pictured when he thought of such a thing. Then, there was a third path, one man made, and very well maintained. Some one made that trail recently, or took care of it very often to keep it in nearly pristine nature.

“There are two game trails leading from this clearing as well. All the paths might be heavily used by various animals, including predators.” Alex added quietly, standing near Edmund, watching for anything that might jump out of the bush.