Choice Results are at the bottom of the page. Goodluck.

After trekking through the swamp for most of the day and night, sweat dripping off your face and down your neck. You start to wonder where all the trolls have disappeared off to? The blighted creatures would never pass up an opportunity at a free meal, especially ones that have wandered so deep into their territory. Yet you haven't come across a single troll. Not that you mind, but you do wonder where all the creatures have gone.

Trolls by nature were unscrupulous beasts that live for the sheer pleasure of killing other creatures, they were notorious throughout the Dwarven and the Minotaur lands for raiding and pillaging villages of all their livestock. You'd also heard stories of a time long ago, when the trolls had followed Kings to war against the Minotaurs for seventeen long grueling centuries. Which only ended, when the werewolves from the Isle of Neeven had come to the Minotaur's aid, halting their march inland and forcing them back into their filthy swamps.

But all of that had happened years ago, back during your father's time. The odd thing was, in the stories you'd heard tell by dwarven scholars was that before trolls had gone to war there had been a great stillness within the swamps. Now you don't necessarily believe for a second that a troll army was gathering within the swamps, but the swamp was never this quiet...

Gorrack his ever watchful gaze shifting back and forth uneasily, had his battleaxe out and was looking worried, maybe he too was starting to realise the danger they had gotten themselves into.

While Lorna on the other hand was more interested in the insects and creatures that inhabited the swamp, pausing every now and again to study them. Even going so far as to try and catch one of cliks in her fist, but judging by look of disappointment on her face, she still hadn't succeeded in catching one yet.

You however, never liked insects, cliks, mugz, grubers or blooters they were all the same to you. Although blooters to your mind were the worst with their green pustulent bodies that were able float in the breeze. Allowing them to stalk their prey silently, before gently landing on their backs to latch onto their flesh and never let go, their tube like claws sliding into your skin like needles.

You've lived through that experience once in your life, while out scouting the forest for a company of adventurers looking for troll loot, but never again. Which was probably the main reason, you really didn't want to come back out here into the marshy swamp.

Keeping your head on a swivel, your eyes darting left and right, watching for any signs of the god awful insects, when Gorrack holds up a fist and points to a large patch of ground that looks a bit like an island in the middle of the swamp.

Glad to be heading towards dry land even if's its only for a short break, you hurry a little careful to not slip on the slippery surface of the stones beneath your feet and release a huge sigh of relief upon reaching firm soil beneath your feet.

Wading out from the mucky green water that has utterly drenched your clothing and left you smelling like rotten eggs. You walk over towards a distracted Lorna, who is sitting cross legged beside a large upturned stone, staring at something in her her hand and take a seat not far from her.

You then tug off the small sack you've been carrying around on your shoulder and pull out some dried hob meat to suck on, until it's soft enough to start chewing. The cold breeze chilling your bones.

Gorrack deciding to keep watch, leans up against a massive tree trunk, his battelaxe back in it's sling, but never far from his hand.

After awhile of staring out into the darkening marshland, you begin to wonder what Lorna's looking at? So you lean over to see what's in her hand and flare your nostrils in disgust, upon seeing a dead clik in her palm and blurt out, "Seriously, why?"

Lorna without looking up at you, continues to study the tiny insect. "Why?... well why not? Cliks only exist in the swamplands and yet they produce an inky substance that is pretty much used in every single potion that's ever been made on our world. Haven't you ever wondered how the potions you use to heal your wounds works? Well, it's because of these marvelous insects."

Losing your appetite from seeing her play around with the dead insect, you toss aside the meat you were chewing on and stand back up to walk over to Gorrack. "You see anything."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Gorrack nods his head and points towards an overgrown tree several miles away from where you are that must be at least fifty feet tall and ten feet wide with long sweeping branches that stretch out for miles overhead. Having never seen the legendary Hearth Tree before, you cannot help but feel awe at it's great size and strangely unnatural beauty that entrances you.

But what has you licking your lips hungrily is the treasure chest that is nestled inside the hollowed out part of its tree trunk, which glints invitingly in the starlight, urging you to walk towards it.

Wishing with all your heart to be away from you here, you clear your throat. "Hrrmmm, well I think it's just about time we get going again." Gorrack nods his head an agreement and gestures a hand towards Lorna, who reluctantly gets back up, pocketing her insect.

Moving together as a group, you walk back into the smelly swamp. However this time you decide to take the lead pushing off ahead of Gorrack, who snorts his nostrils amusement and shakes his head at your eagerness.

Choosing to ignore him, you wade out deeper into the green frothing water that now reaches your arms and struggle your way forward. Insects buzzing all about, causing your arms to flail every now and then to get rid of them. The stillness of the swampland somehow closing in around you to make your mind wander. Your thoughts returning to the demoness and her plans to use you against her brother. Which to your mind still sounded absolutely ridiculously, after all why would a demoness need you to do something she should be able to do herself?Or why not send one of her minions? It just didn't make any sense.

Wiping the sweat from your forehead, you briefly look up to make sure your still moving in right direction and curse underneath your breath.

Thousands of glowing lights shine in the distance, stretching for many miles in both directions, blocking their path forward. You think briefly of going around, but that could take a lot more time. Turning you hold up a finger to your lips to make sure your companions stay quiet, and cautiously walk towards the light.

Much closer now to the lights, you can make out hundreds upon thousands of campfires on islands like the one you were on before but much larger with thousands of trolls moving about the camp site. Sharpening weapons on grindstones and equipping themselves in armor made from the bark of the swamp trees, clearly preparing for war.

Stung by the revelation that you had been right all along, you try to come up with a plan of action to get past the creatures.

1. See if Lorna has a spell that can distract the camp?

Pausing to allow Gorrack and Lorna catch up to you. You wait in the stillness, before whispering, "Any chance you have a spell that could distract the camp, while we slip through to the other side?"

Lorna bites her lips pensively and brushes a hand through her messy hair. "I can create a bright flash of white light that could blind them for awhile, but it won't last for very long. We'd really need to be close to their camp, if we'd want a chance to get across without getting surrounded." 

You don't really like the idea of getting any closer, but this does seem like a solid plan that just might work and they wouldn't need to backtrack their way through the swamp to go around the camp. 

(If you would like to continue simply read on, however if your worried this plan may not work. You now have the option of turning back and selecting another choice.)   

Nodding your head to Lorna, you slowly edge your way towards the troll's campsite, doing everything you possibly can to make no splashing noises as the water ripples around you. With the stench of blood growing thicker and thicker in humid air, you realise that most of the trolls have daubed themselves in war paint to mark their faces and arms. The carcasses of three dead borels lying in the middle of their camp with their stomachs torn open reveal where the blood has been taken from. Large bearlike creatures with green scales instead of fur, long white fangs and lidless big white eyes, these placid creatures were primarily found in Orkeylium. 

Gorrack grunting with disgust at the death of these harmless creatures, moved his hand to battle axe, only to be stopped by Lorna with a cautioning look of warning. 

Glad you didn't have to do anything to stop the great big orc's rampage, you signal Lorna to use her spell. 

She lets out a deep intake of breath, before pointing to her eyes and mimics closing them shut, then looks at you. Taking her hint, you snap your eyes shut tightly and hear Lorna softly incanting her spell, then see a brilliant flash of white light that almost blinds you despite having your eyes closed. Tears spilling down your cheeks and the air around you becoming much warmer. You hear loud grunts of shock and fear among the trolls in the camp and screams of outrage.

Feeling a hand upon your shoulder, you quickly open your eyes to see chaos in the troll camps with the hulking green skinned trolls attacking each other in a blind fury. Wasting no time, you hurry towards the shoreline of the island in front of you, avoiding trolls that run into the swamps. Your feet finally touch down on firm soil beneath your feet, which allows you start sprinting across their campsites, trolls all around you forcing you to draw your weapon and hack down those that get in your way. Receiving, nicks and cuts from the savage creatures that are slowly beginning to regain their sight.

Stabbing your weapon into the chest of another troll that can see again, you whirl through the camps, which seem to roll out without end. Gorrack and Lorna struggling to keep up with your frantic pace as they battle their way forward, when at last you break free and out of the swamp.

Battle Results

- 50 Health Points

Companion Reputation, (+1 Gorrack and +1 Lorna are both pleased with your actions.)

Loot

None