Swamp Loggin

The group has been left with a decision to make.  Enter the swamp to search for the fallen Hydra's treasure or head back to Hanset.  The group had decided to split.  Phae would travel back to Brownsville, report to Captain Pierce and collect Pas.  Raddick and Nera headed back to Hanset to see if the Duke needed any assistance.  The rest agreed to brave the swamp.
     They made it only a few meters up the winding pine needle ridge before a black swarm of bird sized mosquitoes enveloped them.  Some covered up in orange peels others used thick black mud for insect repellent.  The pine ridge came to a decline and ended in ankle deep water.  The swamp water slowly crept up as they made their way.  A trail had been forged through the swamp with short walls of smoldering stumps jutting out of the water on either side.  Any trees still intact reached out in all directions with thick green vines. 
     Along with a burnt path the Pyrohydra had dredged out a trail through the swamp that now left our heroes in black, chest deep water.  Auren tracked ahead of the group, quietly displaying his orange bandanna out of his back pocket so that the rest can keep up.  The swamp was quiet, very quiet.
     The narrow stretch of water opened up to a large lake.  It was shaped like an oval roughly 100 yards by 30 yards.  It was surrounded by cypress, cattails and mangroves.  Directly across the lake rose a large stately Mangrove.  The cattails in front of this mangrove had been trampled down exposing a large rotted out hole.  
     Auren spots something large in the water on the north end of the lake.  Scanning the tree line he sees a large burning eye surrounded by reptile skin.  Fox tracked to the opposite side of the lake and spied a row boat off in the distance near a narrow inlet.  He is also aware that something large has been following them through the swamp.  Whatever it was, it might be on their side.  It had plenty of opportunities for a sneak attack.
     As they moved around the lake Fox and Auren halted the group.  Fox turned around and notified the group, "Head out!"
     "We gotta go," Auren followed up.
     They had noticed a Skull Dragon across the lake.  Squealing and growling suddenly echoed out across the water.  Auren shuddered at the distinct sound of baby hydras squealing.  Amid the thunder of noises Fox heard voices.
     "Let's get outta here, it's not worth it." a gruff Scurvy Pirate voice called out.
     Feeling the same way, the group leaves the swamp.

The thing about Hanset...

Hanset was buzzing with activity.  The last of the farmers loaded up their wagons to join the mass exodus on the King's Highway.  Soldiers and militia hurriedly prepared the small town for impending doom.  The Duke of Hanset made his way through the mayhem to greet the troupe.
     "Welcome friends."
     "I am Lord Shinkleboo and here are my men." Fox extended a welcoming hand.
     "How was your trip?" the Duke smiled.
     "The trip was just fine," Fox scratched his head, "we would have been here much sooner if it wasn't for that scurvy pirate.  That black-toothed bugger dimdoored on us, our apologies."
     "Black teeth, you say?" a concerned look took over the Duke's chubby face.  "I know the man.  He has killed many of my men, sadly he is not a pirate.
     In an attempt to add to his series of exceedingly bad choices, Auren, decides to disclose the nature of his new pet to the Duke.  The bond was small but it did exist between them.
     "By the Lords!" cried the Duke.  "That must be what they are after!  You must return the baby to the parents, they will stop setting fire to our town."
     Auren stumbled through a lengthy argument, defending his position that the baby in no way contributed to the actions of the adult Pyrohydras in the swamp, who were currently rampaging towards the city.
    In preparation for battle the group stays the night.  Fox readies his poison, Groth, his spears and Auren collects rats for his new pet. 

The next morning Fox and the crew find themselves at the edge of the swamp.  Just past the treeline, approaching flames are visible, and the loud cracking of trees echoed out into the clearing.  A teary-eyed Auren placed the caged baby in the center of the clearing.  Groth quickly went to work digging out three large traps between the swamp and the baby.  The group waited as the baby started to coo and the crashing in the swamp moved closer and closer.
     Three large cypress' at the edge of the swamp snapped and flew to the ground with such force that it sent tremors.  The creature blasted into the clearing.  It raced through the trap and slid to a stop at the caged infant.  The Hydra stood 4 times the size of Groth, stretched out for over 20 feet and roared with all five of it's angry heads.
     They began their attack with ranged weapons; Auron and Fox with arrows, Groth with his spear and Phae cast his enlarging spell on Groth.  Groth charged in a fit of rage, screaming with his sword in the air.  Bringing it down, he released one of the Hydra's heads from it's captivity.  The head fell to the ground with muffled thud.
     Feeling the confidence of battle Auren charges behind Groth severing a second head.  Phae reaches up and conjures a Scorching Ray blast which turns part of the hydra to coal.  Smoke rises from the first bloody stump followed by bubbling.  The hydra drops back and writhes in agony as the stump sprouts two new heads.  Lurching forward the creature lets out five high pitched screams and attacks Groth.  One head at a time takes a shot at the green brute.  As the creature steps forward an angry Groth removes another head.
     Auren is overcome with magic, compelled by a force deep within, he begins to chant.  An icy burst rains down on the Hydra and baby freezing them both. 

Auren weeps.  (like a teenage girl)

The group recovers some magical Hydra stuff (23,000 : 3285)

Epilogue: While resting back at Hanset the group is woken in the middle of the night to a commotion out in the street.  A group of soldiers has gathered at the tavern doorsteps where the bloodied hindquarters of a horse lie.  "This is the work of a devil." said one of the soldiers.  "Just outside of town a guardsman was found half eaten." said another.

ADVENTURE AWAITS!

The Pirate Who Got Away

The group traveled west on the  Kings Highway towards Hanset, all were mounted atop horses except groth who guided his own wagon down the road.  The road was much busier than ever before with caravans, lone wagons, farmers, women and children all traveling in the opposite direction.  Auren slowed his horse to ask a young farmer what the exodus was about.
     "The swamps are ablaze," replied the young man, "all of the farmers are leaving Hanset, the crops have burned and the barns and houses are next."
     "There must be something to these swamp fires after all." Fox rode up next to Auren.
     "Indeed." Auren replied.
     Auren spotted a figure off in the distance.  Moving up the road was a cloaked figure steering a wagon through the bottleneck of farmers.  The cloaked man stood out from the rest, his wagon moved with purpose rather than salvation. 
     "Halt sir!" Auren shouted.  The wagon came to a stop as farmers hustled by.  "I represent Lord Shinkleboo, where are you headed farmer?"
     "I travel from Seawell and am in quite a hurry." replied the hooded figure.  It was clear by his tone that he did not care for Lord Shinkleboo.
     "What are you carrying that causes you to be in such a rush?" Auren asked. 
     "I am traveling to Stret with a delivery for my masters." growled the hooded man as he gripped the reigns.  Auren continued with non-essential questioning to distract while Fox silently moved to the back of the wagon. 
     Fox pulled back the flap and peered inside.   The wagon was dark and musty.  Unable to see anything he slipped in the back and came across a steel cage being covered by a quilt.  Inside the cage was a wiggling and writhing serpent.  It was unlike anything Fox had previously seen.  It had arms and legs like a salamander.  The creature stirred and sneezed a small burst of fire that singed the edges of the quilt.  Fox decides to let the party know and makes his way out of the wagon.
    Auren sees Fox's feet hit the ground, "Be on your way sir."  The driver lurches forward and cracks the reigns.
     "WAIT, hold that driver!" Fox scrambled towards the front of the wagaon.
     "HALT, again!" Auren screamed at the driver.
     The hooded man cracked his reigns even harder a second time and stood up as both horses reared high.  The hood slipped down revealing a scurvy pirate.  He squinted in the sun showing a gnarled toothless grin.  The stallions stomped the ground and took off dragging the wagon with them.  Farmers dove this way and that, some were trampled by horses while others were sucked under the wagons wheels.  The chase ensued.
     Sitting atop his horse, Phae stared intently, he raised his hands in the air and cast a spell nauseating the pirates horses.  Auren fired off an arrow directly into a horses hind quarters.  Both rode their horses surgically through the mess of injured farmers.  Groth hops out of his wagon and begins to stride through the mob with even less care for farmer safety.  Fox and Auren come just short of the wagon while Groth speeds ahead.  The pirates horses wildly try to part ways as they speed up on the massive green half-ogre standing in their way.  Unable to escape their harnesses, the horses and wagon careen off the Kings Highway.  Crashing a dozen feet below, the wagon splintered sending the steel cage rolling down the embankment.
     Farmers flocked to the crash site.  "Who was that man?",  "Did you see the dragon?",  "He started the fires.".
     "Calm down people, Lord Shinkleboo and his men have this under control." Auren stopped his horse and dismounted.
     Groth hopped down off the Kings Highway and placed his large green foot on the back of the scurvy pirate, pining him to the ground.  After ending the misery of an injured horse, Fox tends to the crate and notices something new in the daylight.  The creature has two heads and is bleeding.
     Seeing that the wagon appears to be under control, Auren decides to tend to the wounded farmers on the highway.  He heals a few minor cuts and scrapes before coming across a woman in labor.
     "Do not worry ma'am, Dr. Baron Vonn Puddleduck, at your service." and with that Auren delivered a baby.
     Meanwhile back at the wagon a struggle develops between the pirate and Groth.  The green man swings to incapacitate the pirate but misses.  The limey bastard slips free as Groth swings again to subdue.  The Pirate dodges the blow and steps back.  Fox rushes to assist, but arrives too late.  The air next to him opens up into nothingness, the Pirate steps through, and disappears.
     "Where did he go?" Auren slipped down off the highway.
     "Dimension Door." Fox stated as he slumped in frustration.
     "What do we have here?" Auren skirted over to the crate and his eyes went wide.  "A Pyrohydra!"  The two headed creature cooed and it was love at first site.


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