Book 8: Act 1 - The Troubles of Men

Othniel · Post by **Othniel** » Fri Dec 13, 2019 10:57 pm

"I agree. I do not know these lands except by reputation, and I do not wish to try the water in the dark. In the trees, at least, we can climb to safety at need, though I hope it does not come to that. Nothing should have tracked us, so any ill meetings will be by chance." Glirion runs his hand along the edge of the boat he sits in. "It pains me to leave the boats behind, but I believe it to be the wiser choice."

Blubbo_Baggins · Post by **Blubbo_Baggins** » Sat Dec 14, 2019 10:01 pm

"I agree," replies Finn. "Though the forest is not safe, along the eaves we will at least have an escape to our boats, or firm ground if we need it. Plus, a fire would be nice, and it will be hard to start in this wet fen."

Finn begins to wonder if an overland route would have been better, but he is thankful to be on the water again, even if it means they must pass through this nasty place. He imagines that in bringing lumber to Lake Town from the East Bight, they would need to widen the water ways and to create a canal of some kind, that the passage up and down the marshes would be made easier.

Post by **Vardaen** » Tue Dec 17, 2019 5:34 pm

Varuthil, an elf of Mirkwood, suggests you head into the forest to seek dry land for the night, and the company agrees, much to your dismay. For several more miles you paddle along the river through the fens and marsh as the trees grow closer and closer and soon you slip under their eves. By the time you reach the tree line the sun has sunk west behind the black mat of Mirkwood. You find the fen do not give way to forest, no it is the exact opposite. The trees of Mirkwood grow up out of the water, with only small hillocks here and there of dry land. You instantly regret your choice to enter into Mirkwood as night falls. Now you must contend with this dark and tainted forest, the night that reaches out with its cold fingers, AND the Long Marshes all at the same time. The shadowy canopy of the wood seems to silence the sounds of nature from the buzzing of insects to the chirping of birds, leaving you with only the noise of your own breathing and the paddling of the boats.

You are forced to stop sooner than later as the lead boat beaches itself in a thick muddy patch that Finn had thought was a dry hillock but in the darkness he was mistaken. Your scout, Glirion, manages to find a sad little spot to make a fire, but you curse attempting to leave the boats, and find it may just be better to stay in them than risk the mire. Still, you gather some wood, set a fire, and camp for the night rather miserably. Morning brings little joy, the sun seems muted through the trees, it brings no warmth, and doesn't offer you hopes of getting dry. With its arrival the biting insects wake as well and are a nuisance. It is the deep oppressing forest itself that makes you question why you've set out on this mission in the first place.

You have no choice but to paddle on, through the Long Marshes and Mirkwood at the same time.

Muskrat · Post by **Muskrat** » Thu Dec 19, 2019 7:28 pm

Varuthil apologizes to the others: "It was my suggestion that we shelter here for the night--it turned out to be a poor suggestion. I apologize." Her tone is cold and unapologetic, but that is no different from how she normally speaks.

Othniel · Post by **Othniel** » Fri Dec 20, 2019 12:17 am

"It was worth a try," Glirion is as miserable as the others, but he figures misery is best tolerated by having others along. May as well make the best of it. "Perhaps we'll find dryer ground tomorrow."

Blubbo_Baggins · Post by **Blubbo_Baggins** » Fri Dec 20, 2019 6:58 pm

"I don't think trying to make camp in the fens would have been any better," says Hild, who has been very quiet throughout the whole journey. Typically the woman was quiet, but for whatever reason she had been more withdrawn since Laketown.

"Ah, at least we have a fire," says Finn, who though he's more serious than usual, still seems cheery given the circumstances.

In spite of his resilience, Finn is thankful to get back on the boats again and downriver. The sooner they were through the Long Marshes, the better.

Post by **Vardaen** » Fri Dec 20, 2019 8:52 pm

The fellowship, a bit miserable, has to move on. For another day you paddle down the river, or what you think is the river. The narrow swift Running River is gone. Its a wide flat marsh and bog with narrow patches of moving water. Its all Finn and Glirion can do to keep the boats from being tangles in roots or low hung branches or beached on mud bars or thick patches of bobgy earth, but they do it, and you keep moving, and other than a few minor 'beachings' that you are able to clear with your paddles you don't get stuck and you don't get out of the boats into the freezing cold waters of the Long Marshes.

Varuthil is on edge, and some time late in the afternoon, under the shadow of Mirkwood she notices that you are being followed, but who or what she doesn't know.

Muskrat · Post by **Muskrat** » Fri Dec 20, 2019 9:34 pm

Varuthil says softly to the others, "Don't react, but ... we're being followed. By who or what I don't know, but we're being followed. Maybe there's some place we can turn behind some brush to be hidden and try to see who's following us?" Her hand itches to move to her bow, but she doesn't want to let their pursuers know they've been spotted.

Othniel · Post by **Othniel** » Sat Dec 21, 2019 2:28 am

"If something is following us, it's doing a good job putting up with the same difficulty as we, so the need must be great," Glirion suggests, just as quietly. "We should press onward and look for such a place to hide as you suggest and ambush our followers."

Wbweather · Post by **Wbweather** » Mon Dec 23, 2019 5:48 am

Gerwald has traveled so far with little to say. If he is miserable, he keeps his feelings to himself. For now he tells himself and the others that eventually the fens will come to an end and the river will carry them swiftly again. "Let us be prepared so that we are not ambushed, but let us also hope that what ever is following us is just as anxious for us to leave this place as we are. I'm not sure we could ambush whatever follows us. I assume it knows the landscape better than we do and if it is following it has the advantage of knowing where we are and what it is facing. We can occupy ourselves with getting out of here or we can stop and deal with our follower."

Fellowship of the Dice

Book 8: Act 1 - The Troubles of Men

The River Running: Into the Long Marshes

The River Running: Into the Long Marshes

The River Running: Long Marshes of Mirkwood

The River Running: Long Marshes of Mirkwood

The River Running: Long Marshes of Mirkwood

The River Running: Long Marshes of Mirkwood

The River Running: Long Marshes of Mirkwood

The River Running: Long Marshes of Mirkwood

The River Running: Long Marshes of Mirkwood

The River Running: Long Marshes of Mirkwood

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