The Perilous Forest

Gareth leans on the pommel of his saddle as he examines the lay of the land.

"I think it would be prudent to spread out and approach from more than one direction. Obviously, we have to avoid the lake and the swamp but we might be able to ford the stream or even walk within or along the banks. Or, come to think of it, perhaps some of us could let the horses swim the lake, but that might prove to be a little risky."

After searching the area, you find a trail that leads into the swamp. From there, you need to pick your way carefully lest your horses flounder in the muck. The Picts accompanying you seem superstitious about the swamp and hang way back, but it isn't too terribly long before you come across a hovel. Bones and other charms hang from branches around the area, a dead snake lies on the ground before you. The hovel itself seems cursed, like only someone who has given up on life would live inside such a dwelling.

There appears to be no signs of life, other than the murky hate of the swamp, all decay and rot yet oozing with insects, amphibians, and snakes.

"I will go inside this hovel. Maybe someone can accompany me while the others stay with the ladies and the picts?" proposes Sir Wilfred.

"Yes Sir Wilfred, you shouldn’t go alone. Who knows what we’ll find in there. But I think examining the place for clues of any sort before burning it down is a good idea. I’ll accompany you."

Wolstan mislikes this terrain, treacherous as it is for their horses, and he nods at the plan. "I shall stay back to protect the Countess and her maid. Search that hovel, kill that which dwells within, and then burn and scatter the loathsome place. Every bit of it."

The man's sword rings free from its scabbard and his shield is on his arm. His visor stays up, so that his senses remain keen.

Entering the hovel, you hear if not see the scurrying of swamp creatures fleeing behind countless things under the roof. Snakes and mice, bugs and spiders.

The hovel contains a multitude of herbs and plants hanging from the rafters, enough that you would need to duck to pass through it. There are a number of work surfaces, crude tables mostly, fashioned by impatient and unskilled hands. Upon the surfaces you see junk, objects (plants, powders, rocks, wood shavings, animal bones, ...) of dubious value in partial stages of strange preparations.

The one thing that does come to view however, are a pair of pewter tablets. Both have been carved with markings in treescript, mystical pleas to the spirits and gods.

"I will stay back and watch for the witch's return then with Sir Wolstan. Good luck to you sirs." Gareth is already scanning the countryside.

Sir Wilfred was an early adopter of the new faith, and disliked anything occult. However, something might have transpired from the folks he was surrounded with when he was younger...

... and maybe he was listening more than he should to that old hag who lived nearby and was visiting the castle from time to time.

...

Sir Gregor and Wilfred exchange ideas and come to the conclusion that the pewter tablets are curse tablets. These are curses prepared by witches usually to control animals or influence people.

Gregor also discusses what to do next with Sir Wilfred.

"Do you think if these tablets melt in a fire that razes this hovel back into the swamp, any curse they enact will be broken?"

As he confers with Wilfred he urgently looks around the room for any oils, lamps, and other flammable materials and quickly begins to gather them in the center of the hovel's floor.

"That might be. In any case, finding someone able to actually read them might prove more harmful than productive. Let's get rid of them!" answers Sir Wilfred. Then he proceeds to help his companion.

"Why would the witch have left the tablets behind if not to protect this hovel? I say we take them away but not destroy them. I think that the opposite could be true if we destroy them, Sir Gregor. The curses could be set loose."