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After donning their armor once more, the group made their way with the Lizardfolk to their camp, Effie getting carried by way of the Eleeven tree cage she had been put in. Contrary to expectations, they were left entirely unbothered by the Lizardfolk when they got there, most ignoring them entirely. After getting Effie out the cage, the group sought out the captives, who seemed to be well looked after, with all but one of them free of the cages and able to come and go as they pleased so long as they didn't try to leave. Reassured the guards were not being mistreated, the group went to negotiate for the guard's release with , the Lizardfolk chief, and Hissain who appeared to be his advisor.
Like the rest of the Lizardfolk in the camp, they were not met with hostility, but instead by thoughtfully made discussion. The chief told them that he would release the guards, but only if the group helped them first. The Lizardfolk, it seemed, were in some dire situations after trolls decimated their previous camp, killing the majority of them. They were attempting to get to another camp to the far south of the swamp (Hex 152 169), as eventually the trolls would find and kill the rest of them if they did not have the safety of numbers and defenses. To do this, they wanted the group's help. After a great deal of debate, the group managed to negotiate the release of the guards, who would stay and help defend the Lizardfolk while the group went to find the restless spirit, Emberlost at the lighthouse which had been their main goal, before returning to accompany the Lizardfolk to their people. The speedy retrieval of the spirit was critical to their war against the Cult of Talos, and delaying doing so could have cataclysmic results for their task in the Mere. 
Pine sent a message to Rhogar Merrygold in Leilon, letting him know the situation with the guards, and was told in return that a representative of the Doryu family was in town. The group decided that they had no time to stop in town, however, and instead planned to head directly north, hoping to make up for the time they had lost while wandering in the swamp. Setting up extra defenses by the way of sturdy plant growth to help disguise the Lizardfolk camp, and conjuring supplies to help feed the Lizardfolk, they left in good spirits, pleased with the preparations they'd put in place. This good cheer was dashed, however, when they found themselves in a dire situation: combat with a hydra.
Already aware of the time between them and the lighthouse, and guessing how dangerous the encounter might be, the group attempted to outrun the creature, trying to delay, befuddle, and even trying to negotiate with it, but nothing seemed to work. The group were soon in the heat of battle, and one that was not going well. The beast dove below the water on which they were standing, and launched devastating attacks that decimated the heroes, as each of the heads were savage in their desperation for food.
In the chaos of battle, the group saw one of its heads regenerate and become two, and knew that this was a fight that was only going to become more difficult. With the aid of Arya teleporting him away from the range of those biting maws, Pine managed to banish the creature, and the group fled north once more, as fast as they could, while the spell held the hydra in another plane. Wounded and tired after their desperate run, the group nonetheless made it safely to solid ground once more. The perils of the swamp were behind them, for the moment at least, as they set out towards the lighthouse.
Ho ho! Our heroes now faced the most dangerous of foes - managing one's time! Their reputation had grown, the cries for help becoming ever more numerous. And while they travelled their enemies made their moves and their devious plans. They could only be in one place at one time and they faced not one, not two but three factions with their own wants and needs. Now, most bards would handwave the travel but not I, we will follow their journey step by bloody.... [The writing ends, fallen ink staining the bottom of the page.]