Entering Shaema/Mal'rock
As this morning's fog starts to thin, the river slows and widens. The shores become waterlogged until at one point the boundary between river and land disappears. The Xapuri river is no more.
"We've pretty much arrived." Says Batbayar. "Welcome to Shaema."
Everything smells of spoiled fruit and ass. Not much to see though. Just murky water with rotten plants protruding from its depths. Here and there a skeletal tree rises. A few javelins nesting on their tops and scanning the water beneath.
The trees become denser.
It's not enough to just let the barge float on its own aynmore. Batbayar lets Ake take the oar and in a soft and quiet voice directs him where to go.
"Between those two big ones and immediately make a hard right" "Not there, there is a big root just under the surface" "Straight ahead to those leafy ones."
Here and there you see a lone crocodile, apparently just floating there.
It takes some time for you to notice the giant apparition coming out of the mist, but when you see it you can't take your eyes off it. When seeing a fully grown garos'thuja tree for the first time the mind tends to have trouble processing how far away the tree stands. The first clue of its actual size are the dots sailing above and around the gargantuan canopy. Whatever the size of those birds, they seem mere gnats on an ogre.
With the giant tree leading him Batbayar leads you to a path hacked in the trees. 45 minutes later and here you are. The tree so significant it has a name - Mal'rock. Anywhere else the docks would be seen as a wonderful piece of construction, but in the shadow of the colossal tree, it takes you a moment to appreciate it. The Maloni hobbits really made sure people spread tales of its grandeur. The docks are the largest and sturdiest you've ever seen, and there are several barges already tied to it. Seems you are not the first guests to arrive.
As you get closer you see the docks are a bustle of excitmenet. People carrying goods everywhere, and in the middle of it a hobbit Berkey that looks ready to snap from tension.
Berkey says hello to Batbayar, asks if his passengers are good people. Asks them of their buisness. Welcomes them. Instructs them where to unload their wares if they have some, and where to set up camp.
