Early the next morning we made our way to the edge of the cliff to try and find a way down. There were ghouls stationed along the rocky path at the top but we sneaked past under a field of invisibility then into a thick mist that covered the swampy river delta. Once we got to the bottom of the escarpment we headed into the foggy wetland heading North for Jozht. Without the benefit of a clear view, my hearing became heightened. Sounds of birds and other wildlife kept us all on edge. Half way through the day and the fog hadn't even looked like lifting. We got to a very muddy area where two streams joined so we moved across to a small outcropping covered in scrub and were ambushed by a ghoul patrol. 'Come quietly and no one needs to get hurt.' shouts the leader. We knew better than to talk with the undead and on first inspection this group didn't seem to be out of our league. The battle was on. At first things happened like a normal fight but once some of the enemy started to be taken down things took a turn for the worst. Bursting out of the water came something bloated and horrible – a massive corpulent ghoul intent on eating the bodies of the fallen. It set to feasting and we assumed would be distracted for a short time but the creature consumed a whole body in a matter of seconds then another came lurching up to attack from another flank. To make matters worse, whenever one of these swollen creatures took a sharp hit, it spilled some of the fetid stench from within, sickening those close by. The fight seemed overwhelming and we almost came to grief several times before the tide eventually turned and we finally defeated them. By the evening we had made it through the worst of the swamp and managed to find a patch of dry ground to make camp. Being so much further North darkness came much sooner than usual and we spent the night praying to not be discovered. Once daylight had started to break we headed off again. A few hours later the fog began to lift and the walls of Johzt could be seen in the distance. With our destination in view, our spirits raised knowing we were about to complete our mission. At the city gates there was a small issue with bureaucracy but Avgost blustered and bullied us through. Jozht, City of Fish , is now part of the Wolfmark and is Jarl Skuti the Whelp’s fledgling kingdom on the southern side of the Nieder Strait. Jozht straddles the River Proslowka estuary, and its people take pride in its well-maintained harbor. We arrived in the smaller, western section of the city. Dominated by shipyards, residences, and craftsfolk, it is home to one of the city’s “dwarf-towns”—rowdy districts where Jozht’s 3,000 reaver dwarves drink, brawl, and sleep it off—and the large new temple to Thor that serves the reavers and sailors. Small boats constantly ferry people, livestock, and goods between the two halves of the city, one of which we took over to the larger, eastern section of the city that houses the well‑fortified Town Hall, which stands on a wide central square. To the south lies the busy Godsmarket, a large open-air market surrounded by temples to Wotan, Perun, and Yarila and Porevit. Two more boisterous dwarf-towns are located on this side of the estuary, one in the southwest corner and one in the northeast. Avgost took us to his favourite inn to get settled before insisting we accompany him to the town hall to meet with local dignitaries. The meetings became very tedious and we were of no real consequence so a few of us decided to take a look over at The Temple of the Shield Maiden.
