The evening passed slowly and come the early morning the brave adventurers were feeling little bit more rested.   Having mended our wounds and pride the night before in camp we were awoken when our camp watch detected something on the periphery of the camp.  Eyes of creatures started staring in from the edges of the darkness, hinting at creatures of the night looking to have a tasty snack.   The party scrambled to its feet and light spilled from the clearing lighting up the night as Merrick popped up a light cantrip.   We were unable to see anything specific in the woods.

Wrenaldo opens up his senses in a brilliant move and comes to understand that there if a fey creature, not that far away from us obscured.   Moving and closing quickly on the startled Fey, Wrenaldo smacks them out of their invisibility and the Hag becomes visible to the party.  Leaping on this opportunity a Fairie Fire spell is cast and then the Hag is blistered in her back with a guiding bolt from Merrick.   In the flash of an eye, the hag went from being startled to dead, this clearly was a good omen for the day ahead.

Slogging back into the swamp, using the same techniques as the day before we find our way back to the clearing where we had been attacked the day before finding it pretty much undisturbed.    We make our way cautiously around the water, plotting a path to avoid the shore where the undead 'ambush preditor humanoid thing' is waiting to try to kill anything that gets into its line of sight.   We use some clever minor illusions to get the creature to come out of the water at a place of our choosing and after some well timed saves and applied damage the creature falls to the ground dead.    Relived to have that thing out of our lives we settle in to try to find the spider.

The entire glade is centered around a mound that seems to have 3 or four entrances and we make our way to one of those and make our way carefully down into the darkness.   Upon reaching the first large room we see a chamber with what appears to be a well, an altar and in the distant corner there is a wolf like beast.  We have a spirited battle for the room and are jolted into action again when we are also attacked by some vicious slime that seems to be living down in the well.   The halls is quiet and much to our nervous chagrin there are a number of tunnels branching off.

We explore the tunnels further and eventually find our way to a fairly large treasure room where we are engaged in combat with more of the wolf creatures but we are able to dispatch them.   Oh my! We have found a treasure trove.   The room is full of interesting trade goods, some very impressive gnomish armor and some other items of significance and note.  We pack up as many of them as we can, fairly certain that we have managed to clear out the source of the decay in the swamp or at the very least willing to go claim a measure of success to the Gnomes who sent us here. 

As night fall hits, we camp back at our same camp up in the woods where we had found the hag the night before and enjoy our first restful nights sleep in some time.

Sneaking out from the gnome village, watched by our ranger guide we made our way out along a mountain ridge towards the troubled area.   Our guide pointed out the mining colony of the humans to the north and eventually we made our way to the far side of the valley.

Settling into camp, we decided to take a markedly slow approach to digging into the mysteries of the swamp.  We camped above the swamp with our ranger guide and we quizzed him as to what terrors the gnomes had heard were found in the swamp itself.   He let us know of numerous large creatures which inhabited the woods and walked us through what they knew of the place.  Granted they didn't know too much but they definitely knew of large snakes, giant spiders & toads as well as wolves and jungle cats all of which seemed warped by something in nature.

Making our way to the swamp we started to cast ritual magic to detect where the animals were in the swamp and almost followed a 'radar' like approach to finding out where the  major issues would like.  We located giant snakes, spiders and toads as we made our way through the swamp itself.  We noticed that there were several parts of the woods where there was odd and warped fungus growing between the trees and in those areas the corruption of the woods seemed extremely prominent.   

The first one of these we came upon was very thickly grown over and we could see some form of an old altar up there, we decided to press on but the next time maybe we didn't make as strong a decision or choice.

We came upon a clearing where we knew a giant spider was hiding.   We got into the clearing and were greeted with a view of some still brackish water, a man made bridge and a mound that appeared to have some form of caves going into it. 

From out of the bushes a large dog like creature burst on us and we engaged in a heated battle.   The battle was pretty vicious with spells flying and distractions abound,  unfortunately in D&D distractions tend to = bad and we were set upon by some form of an undead putrefied creature who made its way out of the brackish water.   The wolf fell and the party was nearly overcome  by the undead creature.   With several people down and unconscious, we managed to fight the creature back and bead a retreat back to a camp on the other side of the swamp.

Licking their wounds, hurt and demoralized the party decided to return back to the swamp the next day, more prepared with what would be ahead.

In a quiet month, we all spent our time digging through Tazzleford, making connections but mostly working on our skills and abilities.   This was a huge piece of effort that kept us very busy and we really had very little time to deal with much else besides our training.

In our final week before departure Merrin decided to look for some helpful options that might help the refuge on the south shore of the lake.   Merrin arranged for transport for a few people to go south and help the community and we arranged to smuggle them south.   One is named Rollo, he's a bit of a nutcase but he's also a pretty good shipbuilder and a carpenter.   Merrin had a good discussion with him and in return for getting our of town he's agreed to help with the community.

In addition, we picked up a leatherworker and his young family and decided to help them duck out of town and end up with a new start and new names.   His family was in terrible debt and they were all about to get thrown into debtors prison and relegated to servitude.

We sailed south as a group and delivered thew new members to their community, talked to Odkirk and the other village leaders and they agreed with the potential benefits.    After dropping them off, visiting with Shade and seeing the progress made we took off to the hill country north of South shore to try to track down Stump, an odd little druid to whom we had made a promise of help.

We traveled up the river and we were able to see several places that had dangerous camps.  We eventually came upon some ruined docks and a path which was mostly overgrown.   We followed this path and eventually we saw a very odd tree looking over the path with 'stuff' hanging from the branches.   We decided to lay low and march quickly up the road.

Arnik became aware that we were being followed and magic was enacted to prevent things from following us.    Not ten minutes after we figured that out, we saw a few older looking humanoids wearing red caps with sharp weapons skulking up the path behind us.    They looked very similar to the creature that murdered the entire village north east of here and we decided to remain hidden.   Sometimes it's best to just avoid the fey, especially the really crazy and powerful ones.

We continued to travel south west and finally we met up with Stump.   Stump was happy to see us and helped to escort us off towards the south, throug a number of forests and paths and eventually to a hidden community of his fey forrest gnomes.    

We were told about their issues and they accepted our offer to try to clear up the problem which was just near their encampment.   We were given a few items and a guide to bring us there and after a days rest with the gnomes we broke out, and started to head up towards where we had most recently heard their nearly invisible issue resided.

We found ourselves in the woods, three captives in hand, with a column of transported half-orcs.

Merrin got right to work, questioning the captives with the ease of long practice.  Matters discussed included who they were, where the destination camp is, and why there were hired goons waiting for us in the woods. Answers to the first two questions were easily obtained.  The third required a sigh, a grimace, and a slow, methodical, laying out of inquisitorial tools on Merrin's part. Answers came fairly quickly after that.

It turned out that the Tall Trees Company was put on alert by the previous logging camp's missing inhabitants, and suspicious because of the party's association with Traven. The company has, in its employ, some free transported who have attached themselves to Traven and who provide intelligence: the party was seen on several occasions.  Good drawings had been provided to the guards, and warnings were provided that trouble might occur on the road.

After a frank discussion among the party members, in their presence, about what to with the now very inconvenient captives, the guards suggested that their lives were basically over if they had to return empty-handed. Cutting their throats and dumping their corpses in the woods for animals to eat was discarded as not the right thing to do, so off everyone went deeper into the woods. Much effort was put into concealing the direction of travel of the large group.

The efforts at trail-removal seemed to be effective (or perhaps the knowledge that dozens of now-free half-orcs roamed the woods), as no retribution was encountered during the rest of the day's travel, nor at night during camp. The mood in camp that evening was quietly pleased, but sombre: the rescued folk were asking "what now?" The question of the captives weighed on everyone as well, and during another discussion about their fate Wrenaldo saw one of their heads snap up.  The ex-guard's eyes unfocussed, and he cocked an ear as if listening to something in the woods.

Wrenaldo stopped to listen and smiled in recognition.  "I think our problem is solved."  He walked over to the guards, and asked the other two if they could hear "that music," too.  The others glanced at their companion, who was absently tugging at his knots trying to stand, and listened carefully.  Their eyes lost their focus on this world.  Wrenaldo untied them, and let them start wandering off into the woods.  He cast a backwards glance at his friends and mouthed, "I'll be back soon."

After a short walk through the woods with others, they emerged into a clearing on the other side of which two solid trees stood like sentinels.  The four continued to follow the music, crossing between the trees and emerging in the place of which Wrenaldo has lately dreamt.  Green figures emerged from the woods and escorted the three into the valley below.  One stayed behind, and said quizzically "We did not expect to see you so soon.  Do you bring these three in offering?"

On being reassured that the men were not about to be sacrificed, he replied with a thoughtful "Yes."

"Wait here."

On it's return, the creature gifted Wrenaldo with an acorn.  Wrenaldo, being the noble person he is, tried to decline. It was explained that sleeping with the acorn under his pillow would simply cement a relationship between the Dryads and Wrenaldo, and that it was his choice to pursue it or not.  Wrenaldo took the acorn, thanked the creature, and returned to the party.  He chose to sleep with the acorn, and awoke with new knowledge and a new sense of purpose. He appared to have found a new path to travel: a previously unnoticed, but, once seen, welcoming track through the woods.

The next morning, the group broke their fasts and headed in the direction of the burned-out village which was discovered during the last rescue mission.  The goal was to set this group of farmers up in the fertile, hidden, valley.  Morwen, with some obvious trepidation, returned to the village and sniffed about for evidence of the obvious smell of corruption that had been present before.  She was quickly assaulted with the stench, and observed that the village was in considerably worse shape than it had been in several weeks before.  A quick decision was made to simply move on.

The mood among the larger group went from nervous to depressed as a rain squall rolled in that evening. Not much progess towards the road was made, and camp was set early. Cold and wet, many went to bed immediately after a meagre dinner.  During the next day's travel, Loria, scouting ahead, happened upon a herd of deer just short of the road.  She skillfully shot one, and got to work processing it. Once everyone else arrived, there were smiles at the prospect of 400lbs of meat to be shared around.  Camp that night was much more pleasant, and made even more so by the amazing flavours Merrin was able to coax out of the fresh kill.

Many ideas about the disposition of the half-orcs were hatched, and tried or discarded on the road to Port Tanner. Farming an unfamiliar forest with no tools or local knowledge was, understandably, unappealing. The village which had previously taken in other transported could not accommodate a group this large, nor would they be able to hide them if head-hunters came around; if they were found to be harbouring fugitives, everyone would be back in manacles. As the party didn't want to be readily associated with a large group of recently liberated transported, going into Port Tanner with everyone was a non-option.

Eventually, it was decided that the larger group would wait on the lakeshore south of Port Tanner, while supplies and tools were purchased. Then everything would be ferried to a safe place near the southern end of the lake, where a new community could be set up.

Several days of boisterous, obvious, drinking and carousing were organized so that the part would be seen to be definitely NOT be hanging around with half-orcs. Then, at significant expense, though Merrin negotiated a tremendous discount, supplies for a new village were purchased.  A great site was found along the shore of the lake, around 70 miles east of Southfort.

Soon after arrival, Tal — whom Morwen had been teaching for several weeks — was initiated into the local circle of Druids, and Morwen promised her an introduction to Dunwick, a resident druid who lives between the new village and Southfort.

And there we left off.

After equipping and supplying the half-orcs, the party sets out to escort them to Blawtro and deliver them to the Talltrees Trading Company, but with assurances that rescue will come shortly afterwards.  Loria, the parties new recruit, heads off scouting while the rest of the party travels more slowly with the main body of transported.

Camping on the first night, the group encounter a strange group of man-high lizards with extensive natural camouflage.  They sneak up on the campsite, but don't attack, although they startle Loria badly.  Morwen is able to communicate with them using Speak with Animals, and they prove to be somewhat intelligent, bargaining for food in exchange for guarding the camp at night.

The lizards also mentioned that they were on guard against the "dead tree spirits" in the vast clearcut nearby.  Luckily, no dead tree spirits appear during the night, and in the morning the group moves on.

They aren't so lucky on the second night.  Upon waking in the morning they discover that one of the half-orcs is missing.  The others don't believe that he would have left on his own, so a search begins.

After some tracking, the trail of the lost prisoner is found, heading up into the hills to the south.  Morwen, in wolf form, also encounters an odd, rancid rotting-vegetation smell in the area.  Several miles into the hills, they discover the shredded remains of the missing half-orc.  He is half-eaten and bound to a tree with tangled roots and vines.   The rotting stench is thick around the corpse.  More tracking identifies that the stench trail goes further south into the hills, but the party decides not to follow.

Everyone returns to the road after burying the remains and the group continues on to Blawtro.

After delivering the Transported to Port Tanner (and to the small village outside Port Tanner), the party took a ship back to Southfort, intending to return to Blawtro and collect their reward from Traven for rescuing the Transported from the logging camp.

Upon reaching Southfort, the party spread out to take care of their own affairs.  Arnik was able to gain access to the Colonial Governor's library and found a number of old Exploration and Survey books that detailed several interesting locations in the Southlands.

Merrick headed to the Temple of Mael, to inquire about any work he might do for the temple.  Luckily (perhaps) the Temple did have a job that needed to be done.  The Temple had accepted a contract to transfer a group of Transported to one of the trading companies in Blawtro.

Merrick, being of a suspicious and mercantile mind, decided to do more investigation as to the circumstances of this contract.  It turned out that the transported were a group of half-orcs, imprisoned in extremely dubious circumstances and likely very dangerous.  Being a stout soul, Merrick negotiated a very favorable rate to perform the task, and headed off to inspect the prisoners.

He found them in a fairly bad state.  Sick with fevers, filthy and with inadequate clothing and food.  They were also suspicious and hostile.  Luckily for Merrick, he had Wrenaldo with him, too.  Wrenaldo, a half-orc himself, is both charismatic and empathetic, and his brave conduct and healing magic quickly disarmed the simmering violence of the prisoners.

After purchasing blankets, clothes and supplies, and healing the sick prisoners, some discussion on the logistics of moving them was discussed.  The party decided on two courses of action.  First, hire a few more guards to assist in the event that the half-orcs turned hostile.  Second, try to get the active assistance of the half-orcs.

The first course of action was only partially successful.  Loria, an elven ranger, was hired, but other guards weren't available.  The second course was much more successful.  Tal and Odkirk, the de-facto leaders of the half-orcs, were convinced that the party meant them no harm after Wrenaldo volunteered to stay with the prisoners by posing as a prisoner himself.  That, combined with the food, medical care and clothing, turned the half-orcs fear and anger into respect and hope.