(Too bad we’re sorcerers instead of wizards so can’t just copy spells :p)

”Yah,” Froskan responds to Katrina. “I had the same teachers available as you did I imagine, and frankly, most of them weren’t spectacularly helpful. I know a couple minor spells, but would love to find someone that could teach me more, especially more powerful ones.”  He thinks back to the fight. “That healing spell of yours seems super useful. I know I sure appreciated it back there. What other kinds of spells do you know?”

((Haha yeah.))

"Oh, Cure Wounds?. It's not the strongest, but it's better than, well, dying," Katrina laughs. "Other than that, [Tooltip Not Found], and Create Bonfire, I only really know things that were useful around the farm. Mending doesn't really do much in battle, but at least I never have to get a professional to repair things for me. Spare The Dying always came in handy when cattle wandered off somewhere dangerous and got hurt. It at least gave me time to get them back home to get properly treated. Then there's Detect Poison And Disease. Not that I thought someone would try to poison me or anything. I mostly used it when I thought there might be a snake around in the fields that I didn't want to step on. And lastly..."
With a smile, she points at Froskan and casts Message. "Since this one is a long range spell, I used it mostly to talk to the others working in the fields witout having to yell to them when they were far away."

"Me? I'm a marine.. Somethin happened to me commander.. And..." Jack stops with a sad look in his eyes, then shakes himself awake. "Never mind that! As ye saw, most of us had magic. Do you have somethin up yer sleeve?" 

Froskan responds through the spell, "Whoa, that's cool!"

"By all means, take a seat. How are you feeling?"

Jupiter smiles at Reverie, making some space for her next to him. 

(I will be off-line for the next 6 hours, but wanted to get the next encounter set up.This wraps up the evening conversation, but you are encouraged to continue small-talk and banter and role-play with the other members of the party, even during fights.)

You finish eating and have a peaceful sleep.

Third day of travel

The caravan rolls over marshes, and eventually into the Silvanus Swamps. The pace slows significantly. While the wagons don't have to go through the heart of the Swamp, the neighboring hills and ponds mean you can't avoid it entirely. Merle (head merchant) is troubled. The Swamp has been less travel-friendly in recent years, and this is the worst he has seen it, wild growth and foreboding shadows. The lead wagons have been menaced by crocodiles and giant frogs, but you haven't needed to fight, so far. Wagons in the rear have been sinking into the mud while your wagon rolled over firm ground. Wheels have been breaking at an unexpected pace.

That night's sleep is unpleasant. A cold drizzle keeps you damp, croaking of frogs and buzzing insects make it hard to sleep, and swarms of biting bugs are relentless.

Scouting ahead

Early on the fourth day of travel (a day before the full moon), it is still misting and cool. Merle comes with a request. The caravan has halted yet again to fix more broken wagon wheels. He has asked your group to patrol ahead during this down time.

"I had sent my usual scouts ahead, and something has gone wrong. They've marked off the best route, clearing some dangerous plants, avoiding mud holes... But now they came back terrified and refuse to go forward. They see a light deeper in the swamp, and ominous noises, and are worried that will-o-wisps will attack them... These are brave people that I have relied on. I've never seen them afraid, without something actually in front of them.

"I'll try to bring them back to reason. Until then, please scout ahead of the wagons, and make the path as safe as possible for the caravan to travel."

What the DM needs from you

1) What is the party normal marching order? Two orders please: single file, and two-wide. (In future encounters, I'll assume these orders, if you don't say you want different.)

2) Any special actions or precautions you want to do, either before or as you are marching forward in the swamp?

Jupiter treads carefully, ensuring not to make too much noise during the scout ahead.

If possible - Stealth - 24

(I'm happy to go anywhere in marching order but as we have some heavily armoured individuals I'll slot myself in the middle.)

Jack keeps an eye out, for the dangers ahead could be deadly. He readies Dissonant whispers for the first will-o-wisp he sees and starts softly beating his drum.

(I'd prefer two wide, and put me at the back.)

((As an 8 hp Sorcerer I'd prefer to be at the back, but tbh I think Katrina's more likely to be near the middle. She's not dumb enough to take point with her stats, but too eager to be in the rear.))

Despite the forboding atmosphere of the place, Katrina doesn't seem worried. It really does take a lot to make her concerned. Though, just because she isnt worried doesn't mean she charges ahead without preparing. Before the group sets off, she casts Detect Poison and Disease so that no poisonous creature can amush them.

(The seasoned guards won’t go scouting, so let’s send out the ignorant village kids instead that don’t need know better!!! :p)

froskan also tries to move as quietly as possible while they scout ahead. 

Stealth: 15

(I’m also all for being in the middle)

Quote from VanderLegion >>

(The seasoned guards won’t go scouting, so let’s send out the ignorant village kids instead that don’t need know better!!! :p)

 (I’m glad you mentioned this. Merle was going to be a nice guy, but it makes more sense that the head merchant is trying to squeeze too much work out of the underpaid new hires. Reverie’s blacksmith pal is a better choice to be a new ally of the party.)

 

Quote from LKing >>

Before the group sets off, she casts Detect Poison and Disease so that no poisonous creature can amush them.

 (I think I know what the marching order will be, based on what you four have said, but I want to give a little more time for Reverie, Af, and Theren to voice their thoughts.)

The spell lasts for 10 minutes, so it fades while your group is still scouting, but it has proven useful early in the trip. You have found where the previous scouts have marked a suggested path, along drier ground with less vegetation. There is a thick patch of ivy and brambles where they carved the word "avoid" into a nearby tree. Your spell confirms that the oily liquid on the ivy is poison. You come across clear pools of water that look inviting to drink, but are filled with disease.

Just before Katrina's spell ends, you see a white light up ahead. At this distance, you can't make out what it is, through all the plant life. Descriptions of the will-o-wisp speak of blinking, hypnotic lights; the one ahead of you is steady. The trail markings have stopped, so this is where the previous scouts turned around. Katrina has your group go carefully around a 15 ft. patch of lichens and ferns in the middle of a small clearing, as she detected poison. Hidden in the undergrowth were thorns, 2 inches long, tough as iron, and oozing poison. These would easily pierce through leather and cloth shoes, and make people violently ill. You find safe ground to the side, wide enough for the wagons, and mark the path.

You continue towards the light. It is about 300 ft away, and noticeable mostly because of the darkness underneath the thickening tree canopy. (It might be a lantern? You aren't certain.) The trees and undergrowth are much thicker than you would have expected in Autumn, with many of the plants not expected to be growing in a swamp at all.

You are startled when you notice a humanoid body behind a bush, but it is your imagination. The thick intertwining vines and shrubs made it seem like a body.

"Not really, I don't know any spells." Theren says to Jack as they walk along. "...sometimes I can slip through shadows and appear somewhere else" he adds hesitantly. "But usually only if I'm in trouble or feel threatened".

Theren walks along with Jack at the back of the group, drawing his weapons at the mention of danger and keeping an eye out behind them. As he walks he tries to stick to the shadows and naturally alters his gait so that it's more soft and agile, like a stalking cat.

Stealth: 14

(Since Reverie is a paladin and have a heavy armour, which is a chain mail, she could be in a rear.)

"Yesterday was fine but now... I don't know... a bit uncomfortable around this place," Reverie replies to Jupiter, wandering her gazes as she walks into the place that scared the other scouts. Later on, she decides to use her Divine Sense as she feels it would be helpful. According to Merle, his scouts are the brave people and very helpful about checking the safer path for the caravans until the incident happens to them earlier. Something is very off around this place.

Unless there are objections, I think the single-file marching order is (front-to-back): Reverie, Jupiter, Af, Froskan, Katrina, Theren, Jack.

The double-file order (which you are currently using in the swamp) is: Rev-Jup, Af, Fros-Kat, Ther-Jack

The map is 10' to a square. Your party (Group in the upper right) is about 160' from the light (star to the left). The trees and darker areas are considered rough terrain for movement (half speed). Your group has been staying on the lighter areas, which are free of bushes and other thick vegetation.

Reverie and Jupiter walk forward (towards the left of the map). But the next three people behind them start to sink into quicksand, on what should have been firm ground! Af, Froskan, and Katrina sunk 3 ft, are restrained, and are continuing to sink.

Jack steps forward to help them, but Theren grabs him and tells Jack not to move. Jack has stepped on a plant root (an inch wide), which wasn't there when the five people ahead of him walked over the same ground. The root is trembling, like it is under pressure. If Jack puts more weight onto it, or takes his foot off of it, it might break. (He doesn't know what that will trigger.)

Theren tries to determine what is going on with the plant root and what the correct course of action might be, with a view to help Jack get off it without anything bad happening.

Investigation: 20

Theren: Success... You see that both sides of the root go underground, but it looks like it connects to some large nearby vines. Lots of thorns.

You notice a decent sized broken tree limb nearby. With a successful "Sleight of Hand (DEX)" check, you could use that branch to weigh down the root, sliding it in place as Jack slides his foot off. (Kind of like "Raiders of the Lost Ark", when Indy replaced the gold idol with a bag of sand.) After everyone is a safe distance away, you can let go of the branch and see what happens... Your other choice would be to make a running start at Jack, tackle him off the root, and hope that you both land far enough away (and quickly enough) to not be affected by whatever happens with the root. (Athletics or Acrobatics check).

Katrina looks around frantically, trying to find something close by she can grab onto and use to pull herself up. Not an ally, unless they offer help, since she doesn't want to pull them in with her.

((Note: Katrina is only 5ft tall, so if she keeps sinking at that rate she's probs going to go under next turn. Assuming Katrina does find a vine or a solid piece of ground to brace herself against, what sort of check should be made to see if she's successful? Strength, maybe?))

"Just stand still Jack, I think I can get you off this without it reacting" Theren says, trying to grab the branch and use it as a counterweight.

Sleight of Hand: 18

 Froskan tries to remain calm as he starts quickly sinking into the sand.  He also starts looking around for something he can try to grab onto to stop the sinking.  If he doesn't find anything that looks like it'll help, he looks down and casts Ray of Frost at the quicksand at his feet, hoping to freeze it to stop his sinking until they can figure out a way out.