The wizard wondered, seemingly oblivious, into the dense green jungle. His eyes were fixed on his map, and every so often he conjured some kind of magical needle that you guess acts as a compass. From the amount of cursing he does trying to get it to work, you suspect that a real compass might have been easier. Eyes down and focused, his apprentice has to nudge him slightly this way and that in order to avoid the many trees that appear in his way. As you journey ever inward it starts to become distinctly hotter and more humid, and sweat soon drenches everyone's cloths, creating a most delicious meal for all the flies and mosquitos that seem to follow you incessantly. Luckily, you have not yet come across any of an extraordinarily abnormal size, but when they bite it's like they have tine openers on there feet. Darren appears to have prepared a spell in advance, as any bugs that come near him vanish in a puff of flame. Apparently it's 'not safe' to enact the spell over more than one person, so you'll just have to put up with it.

After hours and hours of hacking through ridiculously dense jungle that seems determined to trap you forever, you come to a large swamp. Darren looks somewhat bewildered when his foot sinks up to his ankle in thick mud, glancing curiously around him. "This wasn't here before." He pondered, "I must have taken a wrong turn. Ahh yes, we're here, not here, as I thought, we must have been cut off and circled round here..." He continued to narrate your mis-adventure, interspersing it with sharp jabs at the map. Alison looked round apologetically. Darren, however, lost none of his enthusiasm. "Well, come on then, let's get to it!" Just before anyone might try and kill him, another voice rings out over the swamp. "Lost, are you?" An elf, of all things, seems to glide through the trees towards you. Far from being hampered by the dense undergrowth, it appears as though he is accustomed to it. "Can be deadly, out here." While possessing his natural, arrogant countenance, he is otherwise dressed far more appropriately for the environment, wearing a thin cotton shirt, tall boots and thick trousers. "I am Thirodaen, of Ulthuan, though I have spent a number of years mapping this gods forsaken jungle. I can most likely take you where you wish, the company would be appreciated. Regardless of whether you let me guide you though, I suggest you camp here. Night will soon fall, and this is not the kind of place you would wish to be caught out."

I don't know about you, but this seems far too convenient. Darren really doesn't care. "A cartographer? Perfect, simply wonderful! I've not been this way very often, as you can tell, but this is quite fortunate is it not? Well, let's camp then, come on, get to it!" Darren lights a fire with magic, since the wood is so damp that no normal method is going to light it, while Alison cooks something in a large metal pot that appeared out of nowhere. Magic does have some perks. While you're eating, Darren wanders out a bit into the jungle, talking to the elf, (Did I ever tell you about the time....), leaving you to your own conversation.