Pud sends Rizzo up ahead to scout the bridge. He asks her to fly high first and scan from above and then to swoop down and report back. 

“You know the deal, if you see any bad guys, screech loud. Be safe little Riz.”

Perception check: 21

(OOC: Rizzo’s perception check should be a 21. I accidentally rolled Pud’s perception, but Rizzo has a +4 compared to Pud’s +3)

Ben:

Guiding Morning Star forward slowly, Ben swings wide to the left of the Royal island he knows is to the north, aiming to come up on the west side of the chattering bridge and hopefully stay out of sight of the king’s retinue. Moving slowly through the water and trying not to make much sound, he hopes the chattering of the heads will mask their approach and their careful approach will give Rizzo plenty of time to scout.

Matilda is split about what to do but finally elects to stay and keep Titaani company.....

She begins sorting through all her collected knick knacks, " Are any of these magical Titaani, do you think?"

"Hmm, I don't know. Pud's better at that kind of thing than I am," Titaani says, sitting cross legged on the platform with the wand in her lap. "Maybe I can tell you once I get my focus back."

If Titaani is able to have a short rest here, she will attempt to attune to the wand. 

As Matilda, Titaani, Horatio, and the others wait and rest (not quite a short rest yet), Ben and Pud guide Morning Star through the strong-smelling lake waters through the fog. It's a long, slow swim. They can see very little, and navigate from Ben's memory, Morgort's sketch, and the faint sound of music to their right. (Ben and/or Pud: make a Survival check to test your sense of direction! Also: both of you roll a stealth check.) Rizzo flies up to scout. Its sharp eyes see no threats from above.

Morgort rambles on about the wells to the others. "When Zybilna ruled over our domain, them wells served as gathering places. All sorts of creatures bartered and shared gossip there. But then Bavlorna and her kin corrupted the wells with magic so that vile water burbled up to saturate Hither and transform it into this festering swamp. And now there's these little lights – kinda like the one we saw up in her bedroom – but they're the spirits of creatures that drowned when Lorna flooded their realm, see? They both fear and shun the hag. The lil' lights find cheer in the prospect of Bavlorna’s ruin, so they'll definitely find some real comfort in learning of her death. In any event, we gotta get out of Downfall, and soon."

Ben:

”Pud, what do you and Rizzo see?  Can you help get us to the bridge without getting too close to the royals?” asks Ben.

(Help on Survival for Pud).

"What? They drowned? That's awful!" Titaani replies to Morgort, her story immediately distracting her from the wand. "What an evil woman. I'm glad she's dead, and I hope that those little lights can find peace now. How could anyone do such a terrible thing?"

Pud whispers to Ben.

"Uh...honestly, I dunno where the heck we're going. Neither does Rizzo. Good news is, she didn't spot any threats in the area."

Survival check: 11 w/advantage  

Stealth check: 9

Minutes pass as Pud, Ben, and Morning Star swim through the ill-smelling, fogbound lake, somewhat disoriented. They eventually see a shoreline. Approaching, they pull themselves up a set of rickety wooden steps leading up from the lake to a slimy wooden deck six feet above the water. The deck clings to a blackened ruin of some once-significant structure that evidently burned to the ground fairly recently, although the coals are cold. The only thing standing is a blackened timber attached to a clothesline extending out into the fog. It is hung with a variety of frayed, patchwork garments. There is no one around.

Ben:

(Belated Stealth Check:  7 )

”I remember this place,” says Ben, “We tried to put out a fire here.  The bridge should be this way.”

Getting his bearings, he asks Morning Star to remain here for the moment and leads Pud to the Chattering Bridge.

Pud nervously follows Ben. He looks up at the burned out structure, wondering what this place must've been. 

If there's a window or opening in the wall, Pud will try to take a peek in. He's very curious, but also quite nervous about skulking around here. He'll also squint and strain to make out any details off in the fog

Perception check: 23

There's little left of the structure but a few blackened timbers - no walls, windows, or doors to speak of. It looks industrial in nature, but what industry, Pud can't guess. Off to the east, he can just make out a flat wood-plank bridge, spanning an arm of the lake, lined on one side by rows of bullywug heads on wooden spikes.

One of them eyes Pud and Ben approaching. "Oh...." it groans. "Look at these two soggy rats. This place is going downhill fast..." 

Ben sees no signs of Clapperclaw the Scarecrow, who came to their rescue after their first fight with Bavlorna.

Meanwhile, back on the stairwell over the lake, Morgort continues chatting with Titaani. 

"I'm glad she's dead, too. They say that Zyblina had a magic cauldron which could control time itself. Perhaps Bavlorna and her hag kin stole it somehow. Zyblina hasn't been seem in ages, and look what Bavlorna has done to this land!"

Ben:

”Greetins, honored kings, perhaps could you tell me where Clapperclaw is?  I had hoped to return one of his possessions, if I could,” says Ben respectfully.

Persuasion if needed:  20

"Wow? Zyblina could control time? Thats amazing!" Titaani responds. "Do you know anything else about the archfey? I'm supposed to be representing one, but I still feel like I know very little about them."

Hearing Ben address the heads as kings, Pud bows deeply out of respect. 

"Did I address you??" asks one head, indignantly, of Ben. "I don't recall addressing you!"

"This place has become a mockery, ever since my reign came to an end," cries another.

"Your reign was a mockery!" remarks a third.

"What did he say? I didn't hear him!" cries another, from the back.

"The human was babbling about Clapperclaw," shouts another.

"Who's Clapperclaw?"

"You know - that thing with the gourd head!"

The conversation dissolves into a cacophony of voices—some indignant, others sympathetic.

"He's not here!" one finally answers.

"I think that's patently clear!" cries another.

Ben:

”Thank you for your wise words, oh kings.  When he left, did Clapperclaw give any indication where he was going or when he might be back?” asks Ben,  “I wish to return his property to him if I can, for he was kind to us when we needed help, and it is only right that he be reinstated to his proper form.”

Ben pulls out the stag’s head from his bag to show the kings.

Morgort continues to chat with Titaani. "Well, I've never met or even seen Zybilna. They say she would sometimes grant wishes to mortals brave enough to visit her in the Palace of Heart’s Desire - or at least for the lost, the forsaken, the betrayed. Sometimes her wishes would bring happiness, other times despair. Her palace was a sort of destination for those seeking their heart’s desire. She was the avatar of mercy for destitute mortals. The hags served in her court as advisors, they say. But now they rule everything, and ruin everything. Well they did. Bavlorna's not coming back, right?"

"A head?" exclaims one of the severed heads to Ben, incredulously. "Human, this is not the head mausoleum. I am monarch of the Soggy Court!"

Another head guffaws. "Not anymore! Or have you forgotten King Gullop XIV already?"

"The usurper? He paid his price."

"Not to you, you doddering old fool!" cries King Gullop XIV, from the back row, with dark glee.

"Clapperclaw is no subject of ours," another finally answers to Ben. "He comes and goes as he pleases. He'll be back in a few hours, no doubt." 

"Yeah, go ahead, human! Stake that stag head!" cries another head.

"Are you mad?" objects the first head.

"Stake! Stake! Stake!" chant a half dozen heads.

Ben:

”Understood, great kings.  I will stake the head as you desire, though I expect Clapperclaw to reclaim it upon his return.  Thank you for your wise counsel,” says Ben.  He takes the stag’s head and puts it on a nearby stake.

Returning to Pud, he says, “Right, let’s head towards the balloon and pick up a boat to take back to the others.”