Tales From The Beer Cart, Part 2 - Swanfleet Swamp Blues

 Ok, I thought the Dwarves had made it to Tharbad right after the Elven ruins, but this post shows another event came inbetween, that turned out to be less eventful.
Still, I feel I must record it for posterity's sake.
Here is a slice of Dwarven caravan life...



After their harrowing encounter in the Elven ruins of Ost-In-Edhil, the road west runs through the wetlands known as Swanfleet Swamp. In Elvish its name is Nîn-in-Eilph.

Its slow going through the bayou...
Strange dark shapes are seen in the mangroves, but they disappear when challenged.

Now when I was just a little boy standin' to my Daddy's knee
My Poppa said son don't let the man get you do what he done to me
'Cause he'll get you 'cause he'll get you now now.

I can remember the fourth of July runnin' through the backwood bare.
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin' chasin' down a hoodoo there
Chasin' down a hoodoo there.

Born on the bayou
Born on the bayou
Born on the bayou

The heat is getting to the Stunties and tempers are on the edge.  Some of the drunk Dwarves are collapsing from heat exhaustion. 

Bugman:  How much further until we are out of this accursed swamp?

Pickles:  Hmm according to his map... Down on the corner, out in the street, Willy and the Poorboys are playin', Bring a nickel; tap your feet.

Bugman: This humid weather has addled either your brains or mine, because you arent making any sense!

Pickles: Im making all the sense! Im saying that I cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis, Pumped a lot of pane down in New Orleans, But I never saw the good side of the city, 'Til I hitched a ride on a river boat queen

Stonewall Jarlson:  I get it!  I can hear the bullfrog callin' me. Wonder if my rope's still hangin' to the tree. Love to kick my feet 'way down the shallow water. Shoefly, dragonfly, get back t'your mother.  Pick up a flat rock, skip it across Green River. Welllllll!

Bugman:  Ok thats it!  We need to stop for some R&R.  RANGERS HALT!  Stonewall see to it that Baron Hawk knows we are stopping for one hour for some shade and refreshments.

Boren the Hunter:  Ratcatcher, come hunting with me.  Let us see what food may be found in this swamp.

Ratcatcher:  I hear this swamp is called Swanfleet because there are lots of swanbirds here.

Stilts:  (pointing) I see loads of them floating over there!  And also some... Swamp pigs!

Boren:  Chefs, get your sauces and roasting fires ready for some good eatings!

The Reaper Dwarves are exhausted as they had to take the brunt of the Ape attack in the last battle.  Several of them are wounded and not combat ready.

Left to Right: Cleric of Clan Reaper, Captain Drogo, Counselor Thadar

Captain Drogo:  Reaper Clan sustained too many casualties in the last battle.  Cleric, please try to invoke some healing spells for the wounded.  Thadar, keep your spyglass on the treelines, I dont trust this place.

Thadar:  Wallace and his highlanders report that dark shapes lurk in these swamps.  We dont yet know what they are, but they have been following us for some time.

Left to Right: Boren the Hunter, Stonewall Jarlson, Stilts

Boren:  Stonewall, I didnt know you were such a skilled hunter!

Stonewall:  An army marches on its stomach they say.  A good Dwarf commander must be able to feed his troops!

Boren:  Bugman is a fine leader, and you are the best 2nd in command for the Rangers.  But someday, I think the Dwarf Kings will recognize your abilities and make you a general of your own army.

Stonewall:  Ha!  General Stonewall... that would be the day...

The Dwarven cooks are busy cooking all manner of swampy meats.
So while the attrition of the swamp has taken a few casualties, the recuperation generated by the army bivouac has evened that out.  The Dwarven expedition force is at about 80% combat effective.

~~~

So there you have the rather uneventful part 2 of the Beer Cart tale.

Still, we got to know a little more about our favorite stunties.
Who knew Dwarves loved Creedence?

Now on to the more exciting events that happened in Tharbad.

Coming Soon:  Part 3 - Breaking Tharbad!