Friday, May 18, 2018

4. The Southern Swamplands.....


The ruined fishing boat drifted south on the tide, along the cliffs of the Southswell and up the bleed that cuts between the kingdom of Middaland to the north and Garlia to the south.   Tumdor, weary from the long journey having had little food and water, disembarked from the wave battered fishing boat.  The ground squelched as he took his first steps, who knows what dangers may lurk beneath the knee deep waters of the swamplands.  A strange mist swirled and the sun faught hard to reach through the mangroves which cast long shadows across the murky water.  ‘And where do you think you’re going?’ said the straggly bearded sailor. Tumdor glared at the sailor ‘I’m not in the habit of keeping company with kidnappers, from here you are on your own’.  The sailor began to retort but paused, remembering Tumdors demonstration of magical power on the storms of the Southswell, and he thought better of it.
The voices of the sailors faded into the distance as Tumdor trudged through the knee deep filth for what seemed like miles. The swamp sapping his energy with every step.  He began to feel his ankles tightening, was it the swamp finally getting the better of him?  Suddenly he was stuck fast, fear soared through his body and he grabbed at his ankles in the panic.  To his horror he felt the scaly, slimy, muscular body of a huge swamp snake.  It was only a matter of time before it pulled him under the surface and into the abyss. Tumdor reached for his wand and searched his pockets for the ingredients for a spell.  He found a vile of giant snot, a bag of ogre dandruff and the head of spear.  He quickly mixed the ingredients and uttered the words in the old
tongue.  The snake began to squirm and fight beneath the surface and then all of a sudden Tumdor was free, the snake nowhere to be seen.  Tired and panicked, Tumdor climbed to safety up a nearby mangrove tree.  He could at least dry off, have some food and rest a while before setting off again.  When he reached a suitable branch he could see over the swamplands, through the murk and mist and could see a light in the distance, not too far away.  What was there? a dry bed? Food? Maybe the next piece of crystal?





*All pictures are used for educational purposes only.

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