136

You follow the stream until it enters a long corridor of towering trees that descend towards the bank of a swift-flowing brook, a tributary of the River Syad. You stop here briefly to bathe your faces in the icy water and to stare at the mass of blue-green giant trees that fill the western horizon.

‘The Mordril Forest,’ says Paido, a note of trepidation in his voice. ‘It was once a wondrous forest, a place of light and goodness. The trees grew strong and the birds and beasts were the fairest of any forest breed. But the Mordril has grown dark and dismal of late. The Danarg encroaches, feeding its sickness to the soil and poisoning the saplings and the creatures that dwell there still. It is a doomed forest, doomed to become part of the Danarg swamp.’

You remount your horse and cross the brook. As you climb the opposite bank you notice a set of freshly made tracks in the soft earth.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Pathsmanship, turn to 256.

If you do not have this skill, turn to 342.