There is no dry patch of land unless you head all the way back to Telemy Hill. Everything save for tall trees are submerged underwater.

Gan-Re is happy to press on, possibly towing the boat to assist the others rowing, and take regular rests perching in trees as required.

"If'n there ain't no land for us ta rest, we've got no choice but to get to the bandits and deal with there leader, aye? Ah dunnae want to go all the way back to the Hill." Finley says, "maybe th' water will keep th' bandits at bay!"

The party pushes on an ice boat where Val needs to refresh the boat as it melts

After 4 hours you arrive at the Brigand's Tollway. A foggy flooded marsh stretches out before you. Rickety causeways made of wooden planks form a wide, web-like structure above the bog. Three hundred feet away, many of these causeways converge on an enormous, ivy-covered tree stump that rises a good ten feet above the twenty-foot-high fog bank that enshrouds it. There seem to be a mechanism of pulleys and gears that decided the height of the rickety causeway.

The wooden causeways are 5 feet wide and in poor shape. The brigands’ base is located on an enormous tree stump, 80 feet in diameter and 30 feet above the surface of the water

What do you do?

From where you are you already see movement of 5 Harengon on boats of their own near the stump. Right now you are just at the edge of the map so they have not seen you yet.

DO you try to row and pull up your ice boat next to the stump or walk onto the wooden causeway?

Gan-Re says in a Whisper "I say we sneak in, if Val can use her spell, grab the leader and either convince them to mend their ways or fight our way to one of the boats and take the leader hostage. Or we can take them out one by one, but it will probably be hard to do that without killing them.” Gan-Re readies his Javelin, he considers using his staff but there are a lot of them.

To clarify the party is at the bottom right where you see a wooden raft on the map.

Quote from Weathervision >>

A foggy flooded marsh stretches out before you. Rickety causeways made of wooden planks form a wide, web-like structure above the bog. Three hundred feet away, many of these causeways converge on an enormous, ivy-covered tree stump that rises a good ten feet above the twenty-foot-high fog bank that enshrouds it. There seem to be a mechanism of pulleys and gears that decided the height of the rickety causeway.

The wooden causeways are 5 feet wide and in poor shape. The brigands’ base is located on an enormous tree stump, 80 feet in diameter and 30 feet above the surface of the water

(OOC: Clarification.  How high are the causeways above the level of the water?  Is this like a normal pier where we could reasonably step from a boat in the water and onto a causeway?

Also, do we see any way to get to the top of the stump without flying?  It sounds like the entire base of the stump where it meets the water is covered in fog.  Do the causeways seem to ramp upwards toward the top of the stump?  Or do they just end at the water level?  Do we see any sign of stairs or a pulley system to raise harengon and goods from the water level up to the top of the stump?)

Perception 12, in case it's needed

“Stealth is th’ best, aye. Ah’ll follow yer lead as stealth isn’t my forte.” Finley closes his helmet and checks the small gems on the palm of his right hand and it gives off a small spark. “Ah’m good to go.” He says as he looks around.

You would need to climb onto the causeway as it is 5 ft above the water.

Yes there is a way up, but you would need to get closer to see it and no its not the causeway that slopes up.

From where you are the causeway is blocking some of the stump. Get onto the causeway and then you can get a better look.

"If you think that you can scout my friend go ahead. Call us if there is trouble and we will come" Gan-Re says to Val.

"Aye, be me guest, Lady Val. Even with my modified armor I'm afraid I cannae make it across very easily and quietly. Ah will be right behind ye if'n something were to happen." Finley nods, staying low as he can.

Valrieth nod sand gets out her star map.  She sits in thought, studying her star map for a minute.  She finally seems to reach some sort of conclusion because she nods and looks up.  Her focus snaps back into the real world around her again. Taking a deep breath, she says, "OK.  I'm going to try to gather some information: how to get up on top of the stump, how many brigands there are, and whatever they're talking about.  I can take the form of a common animal for about an hour.  That form won't really help if the brigands attack, but hopefully they either won't notice or won't bother a small, common animal if they do notice me.  If they do attack me in that form, I'll revert back to my regular form, and they'll hopefully just take me prisoner.  But if you suddenly see a whirlwind or that radiant, glowing form I took when we were fighting the giant snakes yesterday, that means that I'm in danger.  Hopefully, you can come help or rescue me in time!"  Val pauses there, thinking.  It's hard to read her expression, but you guess that she's probably thinking about facing all of the brigands on her own. 

Finally, Val says, "To make sure that you two have as long as possible to use the 'boat,' let me create a new one.  The ice will change back into water after 1 hour, but hopefully, I'll be back by then to create a new boat of ice.  If I'm not back before that happens, make sure that you're on dry land or have gotten up on the causeways before the ice reverts to water.  And if I'm not back before the ice reverts to regular water, that means that I've been captured...or...um...worse, and I probably need you to come rescue me."

If they don't have any other questions or concerns, Val takes the following actions.

1. Cast Shape Water to refresh / create a second ice boat.  That boat should last for 1 hour (unless it melts naturally before then).
2. She asks Finley and Gan-Re, "Once I transform, could you get close enough to the causeway to lift me up there or maybe just to make a 'ramp' from one of the oars for me to climb up there?  Then find somewhere to hide near here so that I can find you again when I come back."
3. Cast Guidance on herself, praying that her Stars keep her safe on this scouting expedition.
4. Uses wild shape to transform into a common animal.  (OOC: @Weathervision: my preference, in order, is a squirrel, raccoon, or cat.  The cat is the only one that has game stats, but I'm not sure whether that's important since this isn't really for combat.  A squirrel would presumably be the best climber and would be tiny, hopefully drawing less attention from the brigands.  Raccoons probably have stats similar to a cat, but I assume that raccoons would be more common in the swamp than a cat.)
5. Once Val is up on the causeway, she'll move along the causeway toward the stump at a slow speed, trying to be stealthy (not making undue noise, stopping to pause from time to time to listen and sniff like a wild animal).

Stealth 24, with a bonus fromGuidance and using the cat's stats (stealth+4)  

A squirrel is a fine choice

Val's form shrinks and changes into a small squirrel and moves onto the wooden causeway. She then heads towards the stump needing to jump over holes and broken parts of the causeway she eventually arrives at the stump and sees a light illuminated an alcove where withing you see a mechanical lift with a lever for the brigands and goods, but as a squirrel she does not need to use it and slowly climbs onto the top of the stump.

on top of the stump there is and encampment of patchwork tents surrounding a carved wooden throne. Which is empty at the moment. There are 2 harengon on lookout as they scan the causeways for their next victim. None of the harengon seen so far have a scarf on.

Val what do you do?

Adgon Longscarf is nowhere to bee seen.

So far all of the brigands have ignored the squirrel

"Ooh, ah hope this works." Finley whispers to Gan-Re, the full metal helm giving his voice a tinny tone.

Quote from Weathervision >>

Val what do you do?

Adgon Longscarf is nowhere to bee seen.

So far all of the brigands have ignored the squirrel

(OOC: Where are the 2 harengon guards relative to Valrieth, the throne, and the tents?  Based on the map above, it looks like the tents are on the northwest part of the stump, and maybe that's the throne in front of them?)

Valrieth will head toward the tents, trying to act as squirrelly as possible.  If no one is paying attention, she'll bound along.  If the guards are looking her way, she'll creep along in fits and starts, like a squirrel trying not to attract attention.  In either case, she'll stop from time to time to sniff the air while flicking her tail or pause to scratch while she looks around.  (Val's a druid and a hermit, so she's definitely spent plenty of time watching wild squirrels and maybe even imagining what it would be like to be a squirrel.)  She's trying to get close enough to the tents to see whether the tents are currently empty or whether there are more brigands inside the tents.  

• If the guards are on one side of her (along the perimeter), she'll move in the other direction along the perimeter of the stump, toward the tents.
• If the guards are on opposite sides, looking out, she would have to pass in front of a guard if she tried to get to the tents by following the perimeter of the stump.  In that case, she'll move across the middle of the stump toward the tents.

If she hears talking, she'll freeze, scared-squirrel style, and listen to whatever they're saying.

If anyone makes a move to "get the squirrel" or attack her, she'll bound / scamper as fast as she can dash toward the tent in the middle.

"I have faith in our friend. Also if she is caught then we always have Gan-Far" Renic pats his Javelin

The tents are empty and there simply bedrolls and some cups, candles, and other assortment of items that have no value.