"Bogs are caused by water.

Springs, underground streams, or the spread of a river across a big area.

Iron bogs are always from water coming up from deeper down, carrying iron particles with it, dissolved into the water.

As the water lays in the bog a few things happen.

You get the formation of peat, for one.

It would be nice to find a peat bog.

Good soil, and makes a nice slow-burning fire.

Look for spongy moss and a lot of decayed vegetable matter.""But for the iron, the telltale signs are an oiliness to the water and maybe some red tinge to exposed rocks.

The iron slowly accumulates.

Sometimes it's just pea sized nuggets, but you can get very large chunks if the area has been undisturbed for a long time.

In ancient Europe, the first iron weapons were made of bog iron and the Vikings used a lot of it.

It was also found in the Americas in the early days of exploration.

Not as good as a mine, since the quantity is limited, but it was easier to work with and didn't have the sulfur of the mined ore.""This stuff you have isn't bog iron.

It looks like it, but it's dark steel ore.

Hard as hell, a tier 2 material.

I can work it, but just barely.

I'd be really happy with you boys if you find some big chunks.

My blacksmithing is lagging behind with all this building I have to so.

Let's just say I'd be happy to make some nice dark steel axes with iron wood handles.

Now those would cut down a tree fast."

=*=

Having been giving a lecture on bog iron from Jorges, the two lumberjacks made plans to enter the area of warring trees again.

They circled further around the city, climbing tall trees to find a quicker route to the meadow that the one they had taken the day before.

They found a path in the form of a dried stream bed.

It had recently had water in it.

The shallows were dry, but the largest of pools were still there.

The fish were worried and hoping for a big storm so they could escape downstream.

The forest slowly changed from the mixture of oak, holly, sassafras, apple, and rowan to a wood completely comprised oak trees.

Either the other trees hadn't been invited, or they had chosen to not be part of the war.

The trees were growing close together, but the two lumberjacks had no trouble walking to the meadow.

The squirrels left them alone, and trees seemed to pull branches out of their way.

Even without the streambed, they could have walked through the forest easily.

As they neared the meadow, a quest box appeared.

Rejoice Brothers! No longer shall the Iron Lords of the Hickory ignore us, content to live their long lives free of fear from axes and fire.

They shall share the magic waters of their sacred spring or they shall die!

The age of the Hickory is ending.

This is the age of the Oak!

Though you are sap-handed tree-slayers, the Brotherhood of Oaks accepts you.

You too have struggled against the Hickory and felt the wrath of their Iron Branches.

Join us and be rewarded.-Assist squirrel scouts to plant 20 acorns.

     Reward: 1 magic acorn-Uproot and slay 20 Ironwood Saplings.      Reward: 5 magic acorns-Cut down 10 Ironwood trees.

(Repeatable.)    Reward: 7 magic acorns -Fell the evil BarkRoar, oppressor of the forest   Reward: 100 magic acorns and you may join the forest forever!