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This book is for Rick Richards, my brother, who came back fromthe Island of Misfit Magic Items with a wand that shoots jelly;Connie Richards, my mom, who shops at the Winn-Pixie; ErnieWhitmarsh, who started a 1d12 Step Program for obsessedgamers; Bill Broussard,who was invisible whileunder the table;Ben Bivona, who uttered those immortal barbarian words “meno like magic” for the first time; Brad Shields, my uncle, whoplayed an elf named Keebler; and Kether, my daughter, whoseimagination isunbound by convention. Special thanks to Caroland her magic marker that never runs out of ink.

“I didn’t spend all those years role playing and not learn a little something about courage.”~Ecks Philehs, Sage of the Dulmoors

Dedication

Dreadmire Swamp

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“Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.”~Publilius Syrus, Thalasian Navy sailor

Foreword

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Dear Readers, I want you to feel like you are adventuring in a real swamp. At the moment it is very real for me, because as I sit downto write this Hurricane Katrina is bearing down on a very big swamp called south Louisiana. Loud, scary winds are whipping aroundmy house. The fence has been flattened and many branches have fallen from the trees. Reports are coming in that the New Orleans areais severely damaged. My childhood home in St. Bernard Parish has suffered catastrophic damage from a 20 ft. storm surge. Such is thepower of nature, which is somethingI hope to convey in this tome youare now reading.

It occurs to me that if you arereading this book then you are mostlikely a muka, an outlander to theswamp. Practitioners of juju, the folkmagic, probably already knew youwere on your way, looking for thatperfect gaming accessory.

But I will never say this book isperfect. I was always struggling withmyself, grappling to find the perfectbalance between saying too muchand saying too little. The book inyour hands is the culmination ofpainstaking, fasc inating, andso metimes tedious res earc h,including visits to real marshes andswamps. Verisimilitude was my goal.

Dreadmire Swamp is alsodesigned to be fun, and so you willfind unusual and interesting ideasinside its pages. I wanted to createmore than just a swamp accessory; Iwanted a full swamp campaignsetting that could easily be ploppedinto any world you wish, like thegeneric games from the 70s.

In many ways this book recaptureswhat was lost from the 1970s - thatsense that the writers love the gamefor the sake of the game, a conceptthat dwindled in the brain drain ofthe late 1980s, the business oriented1990s, and the corporate blandnessof the new millennium. I wanted toinclude in its pages all the gratuitousflavor and subtext you would haveexpec ted from thos e d isc o eraauthors . It is a gamers ’ b oo k,designed by a gamer for gamers. Ithas a lot of cool stuff, reworkedconcepts, freaky neat ideas, as wellas nods to some old stuff that neverquite went where you wanted.

From concept to completion, thisbook took approximately 15 years toproduce; 10 years to research, 3 yearsto write, 1 year to edit and 1 year toillustrate. By taking time we wereable to make sure everything was justright. I wanted to offer you thefascinating experiences I had livingin a swamp for most of my life, crafted into fantasy game form. Now, open this book and plan to have fun, because fun is what thisbook is all about (well, and verisimilitude). Welcome to Dreadmire Swamp!

Randy Richards

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Credits and Copyrights .................... 1Dedication ....................................... 2Foreward ......................................... 3Table of Contents ............................. 4

Chapter 1: Swamp DescriptionIntroduction ................................... 9Regional Geography ...................... 9The Thicket ................................... 10The Backswamp ............................ 11The Perdition ................................. 11History of a Haunted Swamp .......... 11

Encounter TablesEnvironment & Natural Hazards ..... 12Animal Encounters ......................... 14Weather Sub-Table ........................ 14Swamp Encounter Tables ............... 14Aquatic & Amphibious Encounters .. 15Faction Encounters ........................ 16Land & Amphibious Encounters ...... 16Environment & Natural Hazards ..... 17Plant Encounters ........................... 18Undead Encounters ....................... 18Vermin Encounters ........................ 19Disease Sub-Table ......................... 20

Chapter 2: People & PlacesNew Skill (Wave-Slide) ................... 22

Omnibus of Regional FactionsAlligataur Colonies ......................... 22Anthroach Tribes ........................... 22Arable Republic ............................. 23Arachane ....................................... 23Bayou Punters ............................... 23Caterpygmy Nests ......................... 23Creeps .......................................... 23Cribbets ......................................... 24Darkhoppers .................................. 24Derangers ..................................... 24Dravage ........................................ 24Dwarves, Mud ............................... 24Elves, Alluvial ................................ 25Elves, Wild .................................... 25Evile, Cannibals ............................. 25Fritillary ......................................... 26Giant Eagles & Giant Owls ............. 26Giants, Mire ................................... 26Halflings, Bayou ............................. 26Halflings, Bushfolk ......................... 27Heath Rangers .............................. 27Hill Clans ....................................... 27Lizardfolk ....................................... 27Lizardfolk, Tchefuncteaux ............... 28Marshfolk ...................................... 28Moor Knights ................................. 28Mountain Nomads .......................... 28Mushroom Folk .............................. 28Neanderthals ................................. 29Nomenary Gnomes ........................ 29Quag Druids .................................. 29Reed Faeries ................................. 29River Ferriers ................................ 29Serpents ........................................ 29Thalass Emirate ............................. 30Treants .......................................... 30Werecreatures ............................... 30

Faiths & Deities of the SwamplandsBaromet, Aerie of ........................... 31Daelune (Undead Moon) ................ 31Ealune (Night) ............................... 31

Easol (Day) ................................... 31Forces, Continuum of ..................... 31Ichorus, Larder of ........................... 32Leacon the Ducklord, Nest of ......... 32Leucopraxus, Fungi Deadwood of .. 32Lorelei, Bethel of ............................ 33Lucent Dragon, Dominar of Dragons 33Magic: Arcane Atheists ................... 33Marais, Fen of ................................ 33Modan, Lava Tunnel of ................... 34Orchidae, Garden of ...................... 34Pleroma, Godhead of ..................... 34Qualm, Hive of ............................... 34Tsombi’s Den, Conventicle At ......... 35Verdurzuzu, Copse of ..................... 35Vorace, Underwater Cave of ........... 35

Born on the BayouGazetteer of Notable LocalesAmandla ...................................... 36Greaux Bridge .............................. 36Crescent-On-The-Marsh ............... 36Dalrymple Inlet ............................. 36Dawlin ......................................... 36Dullbone ...................................... 37Iota .............................................. 37Istrouma ...................................... 37Oarnin ......................................... 38Pier Part ...................................... 38Mudhole ...................................... 38Shorn .......................................... 38Swathmire Island ......................... 38Vacherie ...................................... 39

Notable Halfling EstablishmentsAqadie Inn/Swamp Mama’s .......... 39Blessed Oracle ............................ 39Childrest Cheese ......................... 39Chefehdeaux Woodworks ............. 39Elph’s Scroll & Ink ........................ 39Hedgewiz Charms ........................ 39Kensingteaux Cartographer .......... 39Live Bait Tavern/Reel Inn .............. 39Ogarsh’s Pelts & Skins ................. 39Pedafast Apothecary .................... 39Rujereaux Roper .......................... 39Serpentarium ............................... 39Simoneaux Mill ............................ 39Soraparu Honeymead Apiary ........ 39Torshire Latifundia ........................ 40Totem’s Tatau Shack .................... 40Trading Tree ................................ 40Wirthmore Armors & Antiquities .... 40

Celebrations ................................. 40Traditions ..................................... 40Alligator Eisteddfod ...................... 40Spiderweb Wedding ..................... 40Behavior ...................................... 40Speech ........................................ 40

Collectanea Of The BizarreAerolith Swamp ............................ 41Ambrosia Moss ............................ 41Angel Swamp .............................. 41Bayou Dragon .............................. 41Big Frog Lake .............................. 41Buoyant Foot Bridge .................... 42Cyclogenesis Pylon ...................... 42Cypress Deadfall ......................... 42Cypress Stones ............................ 42Druid Castle Of Scrogswamp ........ 42Floating Monastery ...................... 42Foot Pirates Of The Bay ............... 42Ghost Ships ................................. 42

Haunted Tar Pits .......................... 43Hellrose Place ............................. 43Hibernaculum .............................. 43Invention Graveyard ..................... 43Jeningus Oil Hole ......................... 44Light Knight ................................. 44Magma Marsh .............................. 44Monkey Hill .................................. 44Moors Of The Minimals ................ 44Moss Monster Madness ............... 45Nachtigall .................................... 45Ole Floating Tidal Mill ................... 45Phantom Knight ........................... 45Plant Menagerie........................... 45Portal Of The Ages ....................... 45Resurrection Cave ....................... 45Ronin Hood ................................. 46Rot Bog ....................................... 46Sanctuary Totem .......................... 46Serpent Island ............................. 46Scablands ................................... 46Sinkholes Of Greaux Bridge ......... 46Spring Of Youth ............................ 46Straw Woman .............................. 46Templars ..................................... 47Topiary Grove .............................. 47Toppled Obelisk ........................... 47Tunnel Of The Ancients ................ 47Twins Of Corruption ..................... 47Vampirate Among Us ................... 47Weevil People .............................. 48Wind Pillars Of Lost Souls ............ 48Zeitgeist ...................................... 48Zhu-Rou ...................................... 48

Chapter 3: AdventuresThe Great Bayou Halfling Boat Race 49Bog of the Fungus Demon ............... 59Secrets of the Sinking Citadel .......... 73

Chapter 4: Local CharactersArseneaux Hammertow .................. 89Olav Timberlight ............................. 89Angiss The Prophet ....................... 89Tinkin “Tink” Gulldander ................. 89Atraieaux Luckyfoot ....................... 90Salia Kindertree ............................. 90Pygrym Rustkettle .......................... 90Stubbs Trefaldar ............................ 91Baxum Feggestahd ........................ 91Kancethedrus Evilbane .................. 91Bosephus Bilgewater ..................... 91Wynter Soakwood .......................... 92Badeaux Shortshanks “Gator Bone” 92Seraph Margolis ............................ 92Trafalga Skullcrusher ..................... 93Grahluk Lemminkainen .................. 93Risloneaux Deglaises .................... 93Melwraith Geismar ......................... 93Merkansa Miller ............................. 94

Chapter 5: New MonstersNew Stats ........................................ 95New Languages............................... 95Abysmal Ooze ............................... 95Alligataur ....................................... 96Amphib (see Aphid, Giant)Anthroach .......................................

96Aphid, Giant .................................. 97

“One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.”~Hovace of Aerolith Swamp, Reed Faerie

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Aquaduck ........................................ 97Arachane ......................................... 97Arcane Leech .................................. 98Augnan Fighting Dog ....................... 98Baromet’s Stormwort ........................ 98Beacon Mushroom (see Fungus, Macro)Beetle, Chaos .................................. 98Beetle, Darkling ............................... 99Beetle, Deathwatch .......................... 99Beetle, Mayhem............................... 99Bladderwort (see Plant, Monstrous)Black Grass ..................................... 99Blood Bee ....................................... 99Bloodworm (see Girthworm)Boatworm (see Shipworm)Bog Dog .......................................... 99Bore Worm....................................... 100Bub Bub Tree ................................... 100Bushwhacker ................................... 100Butterwort (see Plant, Monstrous)Buzzombie ...................................... 100Cadence Bug ................................... 100Caterpygmy ..................................... 101Catfish, Monstrous ........................... 101Cobblestone Rust (see Fungus, Micro)Cockroach, Monstrous ..................... 102Constrictor Serpent (see Serpent)Corkscrew Pitcher (see Pitcher Plant)Corpse Flower ................................. 102Creeplow, Giant Owl ........................ 102Cribbet ............................................ 103Cyclops Serpent (see Serpent)Darkhopper ..................................... 104Deadeater ....................................... 104Demon, Fungus ................................ 105Demon, Ooze ................................... 106Demon, Smut ................................... 106Demon, Speed ................................. 107Devil, Verdurzuzu ............................ 107Dinosaur, Lethocerus ........................ 107Dinotherian ...................................... 108Displacer Yeast (see Fungus, Micro)Dragonhunter ................................... 108Dragon, Brack ................................. 109Dragon, Slime .................................. 110Dragon, Temporal ............................ 110Egg Nest (see Fungus, Macro)Elemental, Marsh ............................. 110Elf, Alluvial ....................................... 111Enemy’s Blood ................................. 111Exoskeleton ..................................... 111Fallowjack ....................................... 111Fetish Servant ................................. 111Fire Ant, Giant ................................. 111Flame Moss ..................................... 112Flytrap (see Plant, Monstrous)Fritillary ........................................... 112Frog, Foul ........................................ 112Frog, Frigginthing ............................ 113Fulminate Puffball (see Fungus, Macro)Fungus, Macro

Beacon Mushrooms ..................... 113Egg Nest ..................................... 113Fulminate Puffball ........................ 114Gillovoid ...................................... 114Indigo Temporal ........................... 114Living Building ............................. 114Netted Rhodotus .......................... 115Parachute Veil ............................. 115Replicant Jellyroll ......................... 115Rooting Graylings ........................ 116

Shelf Razor .................................. 116Snare Cup ................................... 116Spiky Scarlet Cup ......................... 116Truffluppagus ............................... 117Weathergem ................................ 117White Marasmius ......................... 117Wind Mycena ............................... 117

Fungus, MicroCobblestone Rust ........................ 118Displacer Yeast ............................ 118Planar Lichen ............................... 118Slave Mold ................................... 118Purple Mildew .............................. 118

Ghast, Quaking ................................ 119Ghost, Tactilus ................................. 119Ghoul, Scrub ................................... 119Giant, Mire ....................................... 119Gillovoid (see Fungus, Macro)Girthworm........................................ 119Gloom Swan ..................................... 120Gnome, Wikiwiki .............................. 120Golem, Bile ....................................... 121Golem, Hydro-Aluminum .................. 121Golem, Mushroom ........................... 122Golem, Sinew ................................... 122Goliath Pelican ................................ 122Grow Gris ........................................ 123Guardian ......................................... 123Hellrose ........................................... 124Hippogoose ..................................... 124Hortus ............................................. 125Illuminar .......................................... 126Indigo Temporal (see Fungus, Macro)Jacalily Bird ..................................... 126Jaenis Thornbush ............................ 126Jelly Curd ........................................ 126Jelly Quasit ...................................... 126Jelly Wraith ...................................... 126Knarlweed ....................................... 126Lady Waterbug (see Quickmud Ladybug)Land Bladderwort (see Bladderwort)Leaf Bludger ..................................... 126Lightning Bug ................................... 126Living Building (see Fungus, Macro)Lizard, Whip ..................................... 126Lizard, Leapin’ ................................. 127Luna Moth, Giant ............................. 127Luquipod ......................................... 127Lycanthrope, Monstrous ................... 127Lycanthrope, Tyrannarat ................... 127Lycanthrope, Weregator ................... 128Magi Cicada ..................................... 128Mangry Tree ..................................... 129Mantis Shrimp (see Shrimp, Mantis)Marsh Pitcher (see Pitcher Plant)Melanoma Moss .............................. 129Methane Tree ................................... 129Mimetic ........................................... 130Mosquito, Monstrous

Wildwood Mosquito ...................... 130Saltmarsh Mosquito ..................... 130Golden Mosquito .......................... 131Quagmire Mosquito ...................... 131Phantom Mosquito ........................ 131Snow Mosquito (see Wildwood)

Moss Monster .................................. 131Mudbug ........................................... 131Mummifungus .................................. 132Mushroom Folk ................................ 132Netted Rhodotus (see Fungus, Macro)Ogre, Half-Merrow ........................... 133

Ogre, Merrow Mage ......................... 133Ooze, Aquatic ................................... 133Ooze, Blood Pudding ........................ 133Ooze, Gelatinous Sphere (see Aquatic)Ooze, Green Pudding (see Ice Pudding)Ooze, Ice Pudding ........................... 133Oozoid ............................................ 133Orsel ............................................... 134Oyster Clamper ............................... 134Parachute Veil (see Fungus, Macro)Paradoxis Polliwog .......................... 134Pitcher Plant (see Plant, Monstrous)Planar Lichen (see Fungus, Micro)Plant, Monstrous

Bladderwort ................................. 135Butterwort ..................................... 135Flytrap ......................................... 135Pitcher Plant ................................ 136

Pollenrose ....................................... 136Puffball Phylactery ........................... 136Purple Mildew (see Fungus, Micro)Quag Creature ................................. 137Quickmud Ladybug .......................... 137Quixote ............................................ 137Rainbow Vine ................................... 138Reaper Swarm ................................ 138Reed Faerie .................................... 138Replicant Jellyroll (see Fungus, Macro)Rhinoceros, Saltwhite ....................... 139Ripper ............................................. 139Rooting Graylings (see Fungus, Macro)Serpent ........................................... 139Shelf Razor (see Fungus, Macro)Shepherd’s Purse (see Butterwort)Shipworm ......................................... 140Shrimp, Mantis ................................ 140Shroom ........................................... 140Skeletal Juggernaut ......................... 141Skeleton, Marrow ............................. 142Slave Mold (see Fungus, Micro)Sleeping Willow ............................... 142Slime, Black .................................... 142Slime, Lantern ................................. 143Slime, Marine ................................... 143Snake, Sludge ................................. 143Snake, Springjack ............................ 144Snare Cup (see Fungus, Macro)Stalking Flytrap (see Flytrap)Sundew (see Butterwort)Sodsucker ....................................... 144Somesuch ....................................... 144Spider, Amazing ............................... 146Spiky Scarlet Cup (see Fungus, Macro)Spoonbill Catfish (see Catfish, Monstrous)Spore Parrot ..................................... 146Swamp Rabbit ................................. 147Swamp Rat ....................................... 147Swarms ........................................... 147

Amphibious Swarm ...................... 147Armada Ant Swarm ...................... 147Carnivorous Worm Swarm............ 147Flybiter Fish Swarm ..................... 147Leech Swarm............................... 148Mosquito Swarm .......................... 148Ranunculus Swarm ...................... 148Roach Swarm .............................. 148Silver Swarm ............................... 148Swamp Rat Swarm (see Swamp Rat)Termite Swarm, Monstrous ........... 148Xodakite Swarm........................... 148

Tendraculos (see Vampire, Tendriculos)

“When faced with a choice between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.”~Nalumchek Thistof Southshank, halfling rogue

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Timorous ......................................... 148Trill Flower ....................................... 148Troll, Half-Scrag ............................... 148Trumpet Pitcher (see Pitcher Plant)Truffluppagus (see Fungus, Macro)Tup Bug .......................................... 149Turtle, Map ....................................... 149Turtle, Sawswiper ............................ 149Turtle, Treecreeper .......................... 149Unliving Brain .................................. 150Utoak .............................................. 151Vampire, Mushroom Folk ................. 151Vampire, Tendriculos ........................ 151Viper Serpent (see Serpent)Waterwheel (see Flytrap)Weathergem (see Fungus, Macro)White Marasmius (see Fungus, Macro)Wiltwort ........................................... 151Wind Mycena (see Fungus, Macro)Wraith, Monstrous ............................ 151Xodakite .......................................... 151Zombie, Bayou ................................ 151Monster Recipes

Recipe for the Corrupted .............. 152Recipe for a Swamp Creature ....... 152

Monster TemplatesCreating a Faded Soul ................... 154Creating a Fungus Replicant .......... 155Creating a Mojeaux ........................ 155Creating a Swamp Mummy ............ 155

Swamp Mummy, T-Rex............... 156Creating An Unseely Fey ................ 156

Unseely Nixie ............................. 156Unseely Brack Dragon ................ 156

Chapter 6: New Juju ItemsSwamp Juju Items.......................... 157Fear Juju Items .............................. 164Nature Bard Juju Items .................. 165

Chapter 7: New Juju SpellsBard Spell List................................ 166Cleric Spell List .............................. 166Cleric Domains .............................. 166Druid Spell List............................... 167Paladin Spell List ........................... 168Ranger Spell List............................ 168Sorcerer/Wizard Spell List .............. 168

Spell DescriptionsAcid Plants .................................... 169Adhesive ....................................... 169Algae Bloom .................................. 169Amber Imprisonment ...................... 169Animal Sense ................................ 169Animate Dead Plants ..................... 169Animate Undead Plant Or Insect..... 169Animate Undead Swarm................. 169Anti-Aquatic Cloud ......................... 169Aquatic Creature ............................ 170Bestow Natural Curse .................... 170Bestow Progressive Curse ............. 170Blades of Grass ............................. 170Bloated .......................................... 170Callum........................................... 170Commune Arcana .......................... 171Cone of Water ................................ 171Conjure Missilry ............................. 171Control Currents ............................ 171Corrosive Grasp............................. 171Crabformation ................................ 171

Create Greater Undead Plant or Insect . 171Create Undead Plant or Insect ........... 171Cricketfrog Long Jump ...................... 171Curse of The Beast ........................... 171Cuttlefish Camouflage ....................... 172Deadoak ........................................... 172Detect Deeper Thoughts ................... 172Discover Wildlife, Greater .................. 172Discover Wildlife ............................... 172Dissolution ........................................ 172Dream Dispersion ............................. 172Dream Commune .............................. 172Dumbstruck ...................................... 172Egret Legs ........................................ 172Enchanted Forest .............................. 172Endothermic Mold ............................. 172Evacuate .......................................... 173Flash Flood ....................................... 173Flotsam Buoyancy ............................ 173Freezing Point .................................. 173Frog Climb ........................................ 173Fungal Corpse Animator .................... 173Fungus Biceps .................................. 173Gelatinous Slime ............................... 173Granddaddy Long Legs ..................... 174Humanoid Formation ......................... 174Insect Size ........................................ 174Insect Size, Greater ............................ 174Insect Size, Mass .............................. 174Jetsam Dunk ..................................... 174Lily Boat ............................................ 174Limbs To Snakes ............................... 174Lizard Tongue ................................... 175Lycanthropox .................................... 175Manacles .......................................... 175Mire Fire ........................................... 175Moisture Barrier ................................ 175Moss Monster ................................... 175Mudbug Snap ................................... 175Mystic Outcry .................................... 175Natatorial Gift .................................... 176Necrobacillosis ................................. 176Necrobiosis ....................................... 176Nectoplasmic Form ........................... 176Oil Sheet .......................................... 176Palliate ............................................. 176Palliate, Greater ................................ 176Piscatorial Organs ............................. 176Pelican Pouch ................................... 176Pheromone Message ........................ 177Pollen Cloud ...................................... 177Poxy ................................................. 177Primal Scream .................................. 177Propulsion ........................................ 177Pudding Acid ..................................... 177Quagmire ......................................... 177Quagmire, Mass ............................... 177Raise Dead Plants ............................ 177Reed Transfixion ............................... 177Reintegration .................................... 178Reverse Water Damage .................... 178Riptide .............................................. 178Sense Emotion ................................. 178Shard Spray ...................................... 178Siphonoplax ...................................... 178Slow Death ........................................ 178Spittlebug High Jump ........................ 178Splash Down ..................................... 178Spew Spores ..................................... 178Spoonbill Feeding ............................. 179Stagnant Water ................................. 179

Storm Surge ...................................... 179Straw Fetish...................................... 179Thermocline...................................... 179Torpor ............................................... 179Torpor, Diurnal .................................. 180Torpor, Greater ................................. 180Transmogrify .................................... 180Tsunami ............................................ 180Twinspeak ........................................ 180Underwater Speech .......................... 180Violet Burst ........................................ 180Water Bomb ...................................... 180Water Bomb, Greater ........................ 180Waterbug Walking ............................. 181Water Fall ......................................... 181Water Toxification .............................. 181Waterlogged ...................................... 181Water Proxy ...................................... 181Waterspout ....................................... 181Wave Action ...................................... 181Whirlpool .......................................... 181Winged Wonder ................................ 181

Chapter 8: New ClassesAlchemist.......................................... 182Balladmonger ................................... 183Darkworker .........................................

185Deathslayer ...................................... 187Druin ................................................ 188Eldritch Cleric ................................... 189Freak Knight ...................................... 189Hidewalker ....................................... 190Houdoan .......................................... 191Lightworker ....................................... 193Magi ................................................. 195Marshwarden .................................... 195Muckranger ...................................... 196Nature Bard ...................................... 198Physical Medium............................... 198Phyxius ............................................ 199Sorcerer Druid .................................. 200Tatau Warrior .................................... 200

Chapter 9: New OrdnanceLethal Weapons ................................ 201Non-Lethal Weapons ........................ 203

AppendicesA: Swamp Ecology ............................. 205Local Geography ................................ 205Regional Weather ............................... 206Concordance of Swamp Fauna & Flora .. 207Lexicon of Common Bugs ................... 208Lexicon of Common Flowering Plants .. 208Lexicon of Common Trees & Shrubs .... 209Other Common Foliage of Dreadmire .. 210Bayou Names ...................................... 210

B: Totem Animals ................................ 211C: Wetlands Glossary ......................... 212Watercraft Guide ................................. 212Wetlands Primer ................................. 213

D: Index of Places ............................... 214Map Index .......................................... 217Sectional Maps ................................... 217

E: Language Matrix ............................. 221F: History of the Universe ................... 222G: Bibliography ................................... 223H: Legal ............................................... 224

“Do not meddle in the affairs of Hidewalkers, for they are subtle and quick to anger.”~Ein Tolka of Muckdemon Island, wood elf Hidewalker

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CHAPTER 1: SWAMP DESCRIPTIONINTRODUCTION

The swamp was not always a swamp. Before the high time of necromancyseveral millennia ago, it was a vast plain of windswept grasses in the shadowof the mountains. Over time, the rivers shifted, forming an alluvial plain.A large forest grew, attracting wood elves and fey, orcs and arachnids,green dragons and woodcutters. This is the way the forest remained forthousands of years. Nearly 500 years ago, a great earthquake wracked theland, and Marais, the newgod of the wetlands, was created.So powerful wasthe upheaval that the rivers ran uphill for a time, and lowered the alluvialplain several feet.Ashallowvalley formedand began collecting runoff fromthe Ophel Highlands,Agnathan Mountains,and Lorgrave Mountains, as wellas backwash from Merganser Estuary. The estuary, freshets, bajada, alluvialplain, and river overflows merged, becomingthe feared Dreadmire Swamp.

The name of the swamp varies from culture to culture, the swamp isknown by dozens of other names. Translated from the Aboriginine tongue,the human aborigines called it Elder Heath, a name created long beforethe swamp had festered its dense growth and deep mudflats. Local gnomesrefer to it as the Misty Moors, their ancestral name for it. The swamp isgenerally called the Sinking Forest by the nearby elven population, SoggyBottoms by the Bayou Halflings, Forlorn Swamp by the Mud Dwarves,andMonster Mire by the Thalass Emirate. It is known as Dismal Fen, HarshMarsh, Wildwood Quag, and Cradle Swamp by River Ferriers, HeathRangers, Mire Giants, and Quag Druids, respectively. The Hill Clanscollectivelyrefer to it as Mudflat Impasse. Since its largest neighbor is theArable Republic, in this book we will use their name for the swamp, whichis Dreadmire. Whatever you call it, it is both a lovely and dangerous place.

As any Quag Druid would tell you, not everything in the swamp is ashorrible as the residents of local nations would have you believe. KalendraPickaxe, a Mud Dwarf, is just such a druid, and in her words, “Sure,Cradle Swamp is a dangerous place, but so are the mountains. There ismuch natural loveliness even in a harsh environment.” Kalendra issomewhat biased, surviving in a less hostile area of the swamp. Aheathranger, Dolo Lightwind, has another perspective, “I wish the farmers wouldunderstand that Wildwood Quag is a dichotomy, where on one hand it’s arefuge for dangerous creatures,and on the other it’s a forest of inestimablebeauty and complexity, providing herbal cures and natural balance as awatershed for the entire region.” The halflings that dot the bayous ofDreadmire are of similar mind, although a bit more cautionary, “Da keyta livin’off de Soggy Bottoms is ta be ‘ware of ya surroundin’at all times,”says Goodeaux Undermarsh, “‘cause if ya stop too longs ta smell de waterlilies, a monster eat ya every time.” All of the above inhabitants ofDreadmire, however, live in the Thicket, the more peaceful area of theswamp. It is undisputed that the Backswamp interior is deadly in theextreme, spawning unholy monsters never before seen even in the wildestnatural lands.

Not much has been known by muka concerning the interior ofDreadmire, at least not until recently.Ahalfling professor from ExcelsiorCollege of Natural Studies, sage emeritus Professor Ineus Shortfellow,has recently produced a detailed and thorough compilation on the swampand its surrounding wetlands. His book and accompanying hand-drawnmaps are the culmination of nearly seventeen years of research andinterviews with the Bayou Halflings, Marshfolk, Heath Rangers, WildElves, Quag Druids, Moor Knights, curious gnomes of the bordering hills,human Hill Clans, nearby Mountain Nomads, and even the unpredictableLizardfolk. The tome is a magnum opus, as its title, “Cyclopedia of SwampEnvironment and Cultures,” reflects. The swamp manual you hold in yourhand was derived and paraphrased from that extensive work, and containsnumerous insights and follow-up research based on fact, rumor, mythand revealed secrets of the swamp region. The Appendix section containsa direct excerpt from the manual.

REGIONAL GEOGRAPHYDreadmire is surrounded by freshwater marshes, wet prairies, soggy

savannahs, marshy ponds dominated by giant cutgrass, pickerelweed,green arrow arum, giant plume grass and spider-lilies — prime habitatsfor alligators and insect larvae. These moist expanses have lots of grasses,sedges and other plants maintained by frequent, natural fires.Around thesemarshlands are peat-filled tree bays, waterlogged copses up to five mileswide, containing standing water for most of the year. On the southwestside of the tree bays,within the floodplain,are several hardwood bottomlandforests, where stately oaks, hickories, cottonwoods and sycamores tower

over a sparse understory of flowering herbaceous plants, vines, woodyshrubs, ashes and maples.

Cutting through the centerof Dreadmire are two riversthat merge: the slow-moving (1mph) Fowl River that slogs eastto west, and the muddyMeanderRiver that flows (3 mph) northto south. These wide (Meanderreaches up to 35 miles wide, andupto 200 ft.deep; Fowl up to 15miles wide,75 ft. deep),alluvialrivers move their sluggishwaters to the sea, carrying richorganic matter, along with fishand invertebrates, into the floodplain swamp from two sides. Both riversare aggrading, having formed scores of oxbow lakes and loess sheetsalong their ancient pathways amidst dangerous currents.

Fowl River feeds from theint ense r unoff of largemountain range to the west, anarea dotted with ephemeralponds and streams. The largerstreams can be tracedbackto themountaintops where the livelywaterways roll and tumble overrock-strewn bottoms, forminggorges, waterfalls and scenicpools throughout the HighlandForest of mature oak, hickory

and pine. Animals such as black bears, shrews and flying squirrelsoccasionally migrate to the swamps below in search of food or warmerclimate. The Jagged Forest, the highest area of the mountains, is occupiedby mountain and hill giants,using Fraser firs and red sprucetrees for kindling and shelter.

The head of the MeanderRiver is beyondthe scope of thissupplement, lying over 3,000miles to the north, and carryingship traffic through hills andfarmlands downriver. At theoutlet of the Meander River arebays that allow sea creaturesaccess to the swamp. Brackishestuaries that form here are spawning grounds for an impressive array ofseafood, including blue crabs, striped bass, shrimp, oysters and bluefish.Beyond this is Cay Bay, bordered by marsh periwinkles that are habitat

to mollusks,crustaceans, insectlarvae, and fishes ranging fromspotted sea trout to pinfish.Away from the river flow, thecoastline is a spotty mixture ofsalt marshes, tidal mudflats,maritime forests of mangroves,and sandy beache s ofwindswept yardangs protectedby barrier islands.

The mountains to the westhold sophisticated tribes ofcrag-dwelling tribesfolk, as

well as cliff-dwelling Neanderthals. These high peaks stop abruptly atthe edge of the swamp, crumbling into sharp drops above steep cliff faces.The local mountain dwarves operate a dozen or so copper and ruby minesbelow Caldera Swamp, whichwinds through crumblingcalderas (a clan of these dwarveswas forced to flee into the swampmany years ago, nowliving thereas the MudDwarves).Most of thesmaller adjacent volcanoes have

Fauna Fact: Fowl River is home to atleast one family of elasmosaurusdinosaurs, often mistaken for giantsnakes as they swim partially exposedalong the water surface. An infestationof chuul plagues the eastern end ofthe river, as do giant constrictors andtheir naga mistresses. Dire bats roamthe skies, feeding on MonstrousMosquitoes and harassing boat folk.

Fauna Fact: Meander River is thelocality of giant catfish that can toppleboats and swallow humans whole.Sahuagin and sea lions, while rare, dooccasionally wander upstream toharass shoreline villages. Down thelength that intersects the swamp, boattraffic may experience attacks fromstirge, vargouille, and wy vern,depending onthe time of day (or night).

Fauna Fact: The coastal saltmarshesand maritime forests are the habitatof Serpents (new monster) and direboars. It is known that at least onegiant shark roams Cay Bay.Patrolling tidal mudflats are giantcrabs and crab folk tribes, as well asthe nest of a Goliath Pelican (newmonster). The barrier islands arehome and larder to a breed of dire ratsand highly poisonous snakes.

Fauna Fact: A few species of flyingdinosaurs, kin to pterodactyls, glidethe skies between the mountainspeaks. In the shadow of the peaks,Big Frog Lake is known for itspopulation of distinct amphibians.

Fauna Fact: It is said that a giantalligator roams the wet prairies,predator to black bears, alligators,bucks and Marshfolk. Scrag trollsambush Creeps (see Omnibus ofRegional Factions section) , andCreeps ambush wayward travelers.Shambling mounds hide well amidstthe plume grass, as do gray oozes aspecies of aquatic gricks. A blackdragon makes seasonalforays over thesoggy savannahs topick off easy prey.

“I am not a vegetarian because I love animals. I am a vegetarian because I hate plants.”~Larjess Sulwater, Druin

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Aborigine LegendFiveworldsand fivesunswerecreated,oneafter theother.The first worldwas destroyed because itspeople summoned monsters thatate themand their sun. The secondsun saw its people turned into insects due tolackofwisdom.The thirdsunhad itsworlddestroyedby fire,earthquakes,and volcanoes,because the people didnotmake sacrifices to thegods.The fourth world perished in a flood that also drowned its sun. Beforecreating the fifth world, the gods met in the darkness to see who wouldhave thehonorof igniting the fifthsun.Thegod Modanvolunteered, andso the othergods built abig fireon topofa pyramidand Modanpreparedto throwhimself into the flames.Four timeshe tried to leap into thesuicidalfire, but each time feardrove him back. Then the lowliestof all the gods,Easol, threw himself into the fire. The newsun,Easol, rose into the sky,giving light toour world. Modan was so ashamed that he curledup intoaball and became theworld.

Nuberia; there are also two continental fragments,Avalonia andArmorica;and eight microcontinents,Albiga, Cardiff,Esox, Llanelli,Merovech, Rhyl,Sion, and Tethys. The vast Panthallassic Ocean occupies nearly half of theSilurian’s world, dotted with thousands of islands, and a vast shallow areaknownas the Forgotten Sea(thought to entirelycover afifth great continent).The two smaller oceans of Iapetus and Rheic are sandwiched between thefour great continents. Laurentia is predominantly covered by the PaludialSea, a body of shallow water that runs nearly through it’s enter length,dotted bythe Island Mountains. Dreadmire Swamp is but a small bit of landonthe tipof SouthLaurentia,set betweenthe Paludial Seaandthe PanthallassicOcean. Beyond the Ophel Highlands and Agnathan Mountains to the east,lies the Sea of Mud, a vast mudflat that borders the Paludial Sea. TheNorth Pole is bitter cold, as would be expected, but oddly the South Pole iseven hotter thanthe equator.Silur Unas is orbitedbytwo large moons,Ealuneand Daelune, which in turn are orbited by seven smaller satellites, Cavus,

Fossa, Mercan, Narsus, Regolith,Tribol, and Umbraphilia; all of whichorbit the sun,Easol.Adark sister planet,Macula, is saidto also orbit the sun verynear Silur, as well as a score of planets,planetesimals,andprotoplanets orbitingmuch farther away.

THE THICKETThe more peaceful section of the

swamp is called the Thicket. Thisincludes the entire southwest end of theswamp and the border area round theBackswamp — a periphery thatgenerally stretches approximately 15miles into the interior — is much likeany swamp you could visit in the realworld. It is only as dangerous asignorance allows, hostile environmentnotwithstanding. Alligators and blackbears hunt amidst the oaks, tupelo, baldcypress and hackberry trees, eatingwhite-tailed deer, raccoons, opossums,skunks, frogs, crabs, fish and othercommonanimals of various sizes (unlikecrocodiles, alligators very rarely attackpeople). Common bats catch insectswhilst birds sing their mating tunes.

The people of the bayous harvestswampmoss,crawfish,shrimp, crabs andoysters while avoidingcottonmouthand copperhead snakes, biting flies, black widow spiders, stinging wasps,andangrybees.Mosquitoes are eatenbydragonflies (knowas mosquito hawkslocally) andbutterflies dart fromflower to tree limb along withthe horsefliesandcaterpillars.Lizards and skinks can be spottedat the edges of the bayous,as can common garter, king, and rat snakes. In the water, whirligig beetlesspin in circular patterns,attempting to avoid the predatory fish.

There are familiar wetland avifauna, such as the crab-plover, egret,goose, heron, ibis, laughing gull, marsh owl, oystercatcher, pelican,sandhill crane, spoonbill, stilt and wood stork, as well as more commonbirds like the barred owl, blue jay, crow, dabbling duck, dove, eagle, falcon,hummingbird, loon, passenger pigeon, and woodpecker. From moths toants,mice to locusts, and foxes to squirrels, the Thicket is a fairly mundaneand subtle place. Avoiding dangers such as sinking mudflats, poisonousplants, rotten wood, disease, and the drowning waters, merely requiresenvironmental knowledge. Here, it is people, the Creeps, which are thepredominant killers. Any venture within the swamp, even the Thicket,should not be undertaken without a guide and a guard. Guides can befound in the ranks of the Bayou Punters, and some halflings or Marshfolk.Rangers and druids may decide to guide those worthy of their specialnature, and even Lizardfolk can be hired for the right price (if one canstand the smell). Moor Knights make excellent guards.

Beyond the outer swampborder is astretch of 12 miles of heath,a prairieof moist meadows and thick, low grasses. In the Arable Republic, these areareas where the heath rangers roam, resting in camouflaged campsites thatare inconspicuous even to the humanmilitia. This human militiaof theArableRepublic, officially labeled the “Moor Knights,” patrols the heath and the

longsince collapsedandflooded,forming aseries of caldera lakescalled The Cauldrons. Inside oneof the two remainingcones is theUnderground Forest, its 23,000foot deep floor lined with lushvegetation, including mobilecarnivorous plants (as well as direanimals and a multitude ofdinosaurs). The other remainingcone has no surface vegetationof

any kind, and is effectively a desert of obsidian rocks and deep ash. ThisObsidianDesert is controlled by three warringtribes, two lamiatribes, and atribe of red-skinned humans guided by alammasu. Native human Hill Clansalso live within the hills near the swamp edge, as do curious gnomes. Thehills themselves are immense wherethey begin across the gap between themountains and the hilly regions,decreasing to rolling hills as theyapproach the swamp and dry flatlands.The territories of the surroundingcountries are filled with ranchland,farmland, and deciduous forests. Thewestern edge of the mountains andhills is the Paludial Sea, a shallowseathat stretches for hundreds of miles.

A broken and rocky salt expanseextends for many miles at the east endof the swamp, s eparat ed by theLorgrave Mountains. The Great SaltSwamp is at the center of the largestsalt flat in the world (6,400 sq. miles).The desert is the remnant of LaguMinin, an inland sea that evaporatedafte r the last i ce age . Orc saltharvesters are frequent visitors, anddwarven salt miners are residents. Thearea is plagued by bulettes, gnolls,harpies, lamias and salt ghouls thatroam the broken plain, preying on thehuman remnants of a sea nationdestroyed by the loss of the inlandwater. There is a lammasu that livesin salt-encrusted ruins of displacedsea elves, and a sphinx is known to live along the mountain range thatwas once a series of islands in the sea. If properly coaxed, the sphinx tellsof a salt demon controlled by a witch-queen, Salina, that keeps factionsof the Natronese tribes warring with each other. The Great Salt Swamp isa collection of playa marshes, shrub swamps, salt pools, scrub swamps,and mangrove swamps separated by rolling salt dunes. The natives avoidthe place, citing “walking trees” as the reason, which may refer to themangrove treants known to live there.

For those that wish to explore lands far away, the planet of Silur [itsproper name is Silur Unas, which means “one tribe” in the Aborigininetongue] possesses four great continents, Baltica,Gondwana, Laurentia, and

Republic scouting report, 14th day of Blood Moon:“As we quitted the defile, a sudden turn in the trail presented

to our astonished gaze what at first sight looked like a vastfrozen sea, stretching away to the right as far as the eye couldreach in one vast glistening expanse. A more carefulexamination proved it to be nothing more than salt formed intoone immense sheet of dazzling brilliancy, while here and thereupon its surface, pools of water, showing up in the most intenseblue, were visible. A peculiar haze hangs constantly over thewhole scene. At the center, we discovered the Great SaltSwamp, which, lying at a low level in the Lagu Minin desert,receives into its bed the drainage from an immense tract ofterritory. All the tidal rivers flowing into it are more-or-less salt,and carry down to it annually a great volume of water. Thefierce heat of the desert during the summer months causes arapid evaporation, the result being that the salt constantlyincreases in proportion to the water, until at last the groundbecomes caked with it. We tried to ascertain its depth, but itwas so hard that even with iron spikes we could only detach afew chips. We encountered natives during our trek across theimmense salt flat, who said the salt layer was several feet thick.Crossing this astonishing expanse by moonlight, in order toescape the blinding glare of the sun, we estimated its breadthas eighty miles. This sea of solid rock-salt is probably withouta rival in the world. The salt swamp at its center is even moreunusual and foreboding, so we avoided it with great effort.”

The Gauvhan and Murgrettle expedition, entry 764

Fauna Fact: A large freshwater lake,Big Frog Lake, at the western edgeof the swamp, rests downwind of anactive volcano, and so parts of thelake are frequently covered in ash.Pirates use the lake for hiding, andCribbets hunt the pirates for food andwealth. A legendary colossal blackfrog lives in the lake’s deepest parts.

“A city is where they cut down the trees, then name the streets after them.”~Sharalenth of Angel Swamp, elven Quag Druid

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surrounding farmland on their side of the swamp. In the Thalass Emirate,no one patrols the edges of the swamp, but at its worst section lies DismalAcropolis, along wall-fort manned bysoldiers on probation.These forlornsoldiers endure their punishment, returning home with mosquito bites,skinrashes and memories of a forlorn experience. The fort-wall is mountedwithscores of ballista pointed at the swamp, built to keep monstrous nastiesfrom wandering into civilized lands. The location is perfectly selected,built at the exit of a natural animal trail where many creatures (and people)exit the swamp.

Travelers on foot can wade through the Thicket at the rate of 8 miles ina day. By punting on a bateau boat (new), an expedition can traverse 15miles, presuming 16 hours of travel and 8 hours of sleep. Becoming lost isquite easy for greenhorns in this nearly trackless environment. Rangersand druids knowthe animal paths over dry hummocks, increasing walkingspeed to 12 miles in a day if one accompanies a party.

THE BACKSWAMPThis interior of the swamp is pejorative as one gets closer to the

Perdition. Here is where you begin to find monstrous spiders, centipedes,wasps, beetles, ants and bees. Huge vipers and giant constrictors slitherthe countryside, eating monstrous toads and giant frogs. Gargantuanalligators stalk dire deer, competing with the shocker lizards and voraciousblack bears for food. Large bats swoop and dart, eating giant mosquitoes.An elasmosaurus dinosaur indiscriminately crushes shrubs and trees in itspath, but gives a wide birth to the black dragon residing within. Foul Frogslie in wait for unsuspecting prey, their bodies hidden beneath the mud andwater. Mudbugs await those who travel isolated bayous.

If visitors brave the dangerous beasts, the deep interior reveals horrorsthat are more sophisticated. Ettercaps create cunning traps ensuring theunwary never get a chance to draw their weapons. Mire giants can befound eating the flesh of aquatic grick and owlbear. Stirges are commonhere, as are spider eaters and an amphibious variety of krenshar.Shambling mounds rest on shallow water surfaces, disguised as vinesand duckweed, while tendriculos await prey in known animal paths.Poison ivy assassin vines stretch down to grab their next victim.Hungry scrag trolls might be tracking Lizardfolk, or a will-o’-wispmay attempt to lead a party astray. After an aquatic ankhegdiscards the body of its latest victim, monstrous carrioneaters finish the meal. Treants may helpprotect the innocent,but in Dreadmire they are few and far between.

The Backswamp o f Dreadmire is fi lled withabominations. Here is the lair of a black dragon, a nest ofharpies, and the submerged cave of a medusa and a water naga.It is said aranea guard the home of a summoned hydra and thattrained howlers are at the disposal of a gang of athach.Roaming packs of chuul avoid the purple worms and theirstaple food source, the gray renders. Gray oozes aresomewhat common here, as are black puddings and ochrejellies. It is knownthat the fabled Goliath Pelican makes its homewithin the Backswamp, as do the evil Serpents. Although GiantEagles keep watch from above and Giant Owls patrol below, it isseldom of any use. The evil presence is too pervasive there.

Travelers on foot can wade through the Backswamp at the rateof 5 miles in a day. By punting on a bateau boat (new), it is possible tomove 12 miles per day, presuming 16 hours of travel and 8 hours of sleep.Rangers and druids knowthe intermittent animal paths over dryhummocks,increasing walking speed to 8 miles in a day if one accompanies a party.

THE PERDITIONAt the heart of this dense swamp lies an area of evil that perverts nature

into wicked monsters, dire, voracious animals, and twisted, dangerousfauna. This area is now known as the Perdition by sages, the HauntedSwamp by locals, and Deadmire by nearby nations. [Note: It is not markedon any maps in this book because its borders are constantly changing.]

Over 500 years ago, there was no swamp at all. This entire area was alush forest of conifers, liveoak, elderberry, magnolia and sweet gum. Theaboriginal peoples had lived in harmony with the wood elves and gnomesfor a thousand years. Warnings began to surface from prognosticators andtribal seers that disaster was imminent. Although not the apocalypse thatwas foretold, it did set a series of events in motion that spelled doom forthe region.

Carved onthe side of one ancient temple can still be reada fewfragmentsof text in Sanskrit,“…a goddess angered…transgressions… great flood…trees sinking... elves gone… plague upon the land…” and so on. A great,earthquake shifted the rivers and lowered the forest several feet, forming ashallow valley that began collecting runoff from the higher elevations.Over time, most of the plants of the forest were drowned.Amarsh formed,and soon after a swamp grew. The elves left. Then the evil came.

Slowly, the druids caring for the Sinking Forest, as it was then called,were disappearing. Suspicious rangers went to investigate, but some returnednone-the-wiser or not at all. Rumors circulated about a growing evil withinthe swamp.Magical diseases beganto appear, suchas Dire Theriosis (refer toDiseases section) andYellowFever, difficult for even spells to cure. Darkercreatures arose, including witches, harpies, merrow ogres, Anthroaches,Lizardfolk, Serpents, and a black dragon. The dragon’s wrath was terrible,melting the nearby villages andfarms withits acid breath.Aplague of locustsand mice followed, infesting the surrounding lands. Afterwards, the swampwent silent. For a hundred years, fewfell creatures were seen or heard fromoutside the swamp. Then normal animals began to transform into bizarrecreatures and undead plants stalked the wetlands. Fear spread once more.

Travelers onfoot can wade through the Perditionat the rate of 4 miles in aday. By punting on a bateau boat (new), it is possible to move 11 miles perday, presuming 16 hours of travel and 8 hours of sleep. Rangers and druidsknowlittle of the Perdition, so theyare of little help for navigation purposes.

HISTORY OF A HAUNTED SWAMPTichiba was a practitioner of dark druidic forces previously unknown

to most of druidkind. She was a Druin – an evil druid that harms nature toabsorb its life force (see New Classes appendix).As her powers grew, herevil attracted others of her disposition, and they all plotted and waited.

She and her demented allies animateda sizeable forceof giant exoskeletons, buzzombies, fallowjacks, andundead swarms. Her grand plan was to disintegratethe forest, inflicting upon it adeadly undeadvermin

plague that would kill all animals and vegetationfor a hundred miles. She may have been successful,

too, if not for a giant owl.Creeplow, as the natives called him, is a

powerful giant owl that makes itshome within the forest. Creeplowmet the undead swarm head on asit entered his territory. Theseabominations had already created a

swath of damage across the forest.The ensuing batt le was horri fic,

enjoined as it was by Treants, Giant eaglesand other giant owls. In the end, the “Battle

of Flora and Fauna” was won, but at a greatcost, as Creeplow was the only survivor. The

Druin, sensing her defeat, let loose a wave ofexplosive energythat consumed her.The resulting

explosionwas unfathomable inscale,knockingdownthe ancient cypress forest, creating adeadfall of trees —

some of which were 20 feet wide — in an area nearly 12miles indiameter.

Creeplowretreated, disheartened but satisfied for the moment thatthe forest was safe from immediate further harm. The forest, he knew,would slowly heal and recover. Saddened by the loss of family andcompanions, Creeplow made his way to the epicenter of the devastation.There, Creeplow rested in the only tree left standing in the blast area. Hebrooded for decades, even refusing apotheosis sponsorship offered byLeacon (newdeity). Unwelcome visitors were chased away or eaten.

Acorruption of Tichiba, a dark energy, lingered and festered, formingas an allip, and wandered slowly to the deepest reaches of the forest,babbling all the way back to Tichiba’s lair. Here the thing settled into thehusk of an enormous, lifeless oak shell of rotten wood and fungus. That iswhere it would have ended, if not for the green hag, Ursuline.

Nearly a hundred years passed before Ursuline arrived. Ursuline had novisions of worlddominationor defilement. She was anArtifice Hunter (newprestige class) in search of a powerful magic item known to have been inpossessionof Tichiba before she was defeated.Although Ursuline uncoveredthe witch hammer (newmagic item) deep within a cave, she never returned

“History is little more than the register of the crimes, follies and misfortunes of mankind.”~Ghoret Harnesse, Deranger

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with her prize. Passing the dead oak tree, Ursuline grasped one of its lowbranches. The tree began babbling and grabbed her. The hag swung thewitch hammer at the attacking tree, hitting the trunk.An unusual catalystof magical forces was brought together, draining the unsuspectingUrsulineof a bit of her life, empowering the tree. Ursuline was shocked anddisoriented for a moment, but that was enough for the evil tree toimmobilize her and drain the rest of her life. The hammer was dropped atthe foot of the tree as Ursuline desiccated into dust. She was dead, and anew evil was born — the Somesuch (new monster).

ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL HAZARDSEven without the monsters that stalk among the mosses and cypress

trees, the Dreadmire would be a dangerous place to travel. In all regionsof the great swamp are wet plains of sinking mud, quaking bogs grownover pools of water, and pockets of swamp methane that can erupt withoutwarning in the presence of fire. Anyone travelingthr ough Dreadmi re must contend withenvi ronmental hi ndranc es. Fo r detailedinformation on terrain and travel within a swamp,refer to “Marsh Terrain” in the DMG.

Animal Hai l: While it is not an everydayoccurrence, animal hail is a local oddity whereinsmall animals, especially amphibians and fish, rainfromthe sky for 1d4 rounds.Usually these animalsare dead, having been picked up by a waterspoutandcatapultedinto the upper atmosphere for hours,then dropped in a random location. Such hails havebeen reportedupto 100 miles away fromthe swampperiphery. These hails cause no damage unless theanimals are still alive (i.e. poisonous snake hail).

Aquatic Swarm: Aquatic swarms (MM Swarms)made up of aquatic animals such as Armada Ants(newmonster),carnivorous fish(piranha),swimmingvipers,bitingfrogs,Oyster Clampers (newmonster),snapping turtles, Flybiter Fish (new monster) andstinging waterbugs. Corrupted (new template)swarms are knownto imbue otherwise normal critterswith strange group powers.

Blackwater: Water in any swamp or bayou can appear dark and oily,creating an ominous appearance. Blackwater is not normally dangerous,however, and can be consumed without harm. The black color is due tothe saturation of cypress tree sap excreted into the surrounding water. Insome of the more sinister areas of the swamp, blackwater becomescorrupted and toxic, causing all sorts of curses and potionlike effects.

Black Rainbow: During the winter months, often after intense storms,there sometimes appears a “black rainbow” that offers various shades ofgrayto black. Worshippers of Baromet often panic whenit is spotted againstthe sky, because its presence erases all spells from their minds (untilregained later through prayer) and suppresses their weather predictionabilities for 72 hours. Marshfolk speak of the black rainbow as the“moonbow”, a portent of “ancient enemies of the Wind God.”

Blood Rain: In the spring months, approximately 5% of rain storms thatoccur in the swamp are infused with red water droplets that literally causepanic or fear.Adropof bloodrain that touches the skinof acreature causes anaffect similar to a fear spell.Asuccessful Will save (DC 17) avoids this effectfor 24 hours, after whichif the same creature is exposed again it must makeanother Will save. Sometimes blood rain is referred to as “rain of terror.”

DarkGrass: Blackgrass,also called needlerush, is ubiquitous inthe marshregions. Its dark tips are as sharp as needles, causinga painful prickor cut toanycreature that bumps against it. Falling into apatch of these rushes causes1d2-1 points of thrustingdamage if a Reflex save (DC 12) fails.

Dread Fog: Amysterious, thick fog frequently rolls in above the watersand lands of Dreadmire. This fog temporarily suppresses the memories ofsentient creatures caught within it, starting at the moment they entered thefog. The amnesia affects all creatures that fail a Will save (DC 15), and lastsuntil the fog is either gone, or the creatures leave the foggy area. Once acreature leaves the foggy area, experiences that occurred in the fog are irre-vocably forgotten. No known spell cangain these memories back, includingwish and miracle.

The cause of these palpable fog banks is unknown, but they are most cer-tainly unnatural, as no divinations can penetrate objects or creatures caught

within (treat as if hiddenby an obscure object spell). Onanygivennight thereis a 70% chance of dread fog (an effect similar to an obscuring mist spell)occurringin a1 mile radius of arandom location.During the day this chancedrops to 10%. On moonless nights, dread fog occurs nearly everywhere inthe swamp.

DreadFogis also associatedwith FogFever (newdisease); anillness broughton by skin exposure to the fog if a Fortitude save fails (DC 12). Creatures canspreadthedisease throughtheirbite,at the first onset of symptoms.

Dread Humidity: There is little mysterious about the humidity ofDreadmire, which remains 90-100% year round. Moisture accumulates oneverything. Sweat drips to the ground instead of evaporating from the body,slowing down the natural cooling process of many creatures. If paper is notstoredina hermeticallysealedcontainer, it corrodes quickly,becominguselesswithin 4d4 hours of continuous exposure to air. Unless coated with specialoils, ferrous metal begins rusting within 4d4 days continuous exposure to

air, and becomes useless within 4d4 more days.Exposed wood rots and becomes useless in 4d4years, except cypress tree wood which is immuneto water corrosion. Alchemical salves can protectpaper, ferrous metals, wood and other materials,but are rare and costly.

Earthquake: Earthquakes are almost non-existent, the Dreadmire having only experienceda single one in recorded history (modern rating9.6 onthe Richter scale). Before this Great Quake,the region was at an elevation of 90 feet above sealevel, but afterwards sank to 5 feet belowsealevel.

Floating Marsh: A floating marsh developsfrom an anchored marsh that builds up a layer ofhumus over many years. As the original humusbecomes thicker, the buoyancy of this matincreases. Duringa high-water periodthe roots tearloose from the bottomandfloat. It is estimated that70% of all marshes are actually floating marshes,under which are thriving communities of aquaticanimals.Floatingmarshes can support the weight ofan adventuring party without tearing, and the water

underneath is usually only a few feet deep so it is not often hazardous totravel per se. However, some monstrous predators have learned to swimunder floating marshes and listen for easy prey above.

Gaseous Cl oud: Anomalous clouds of toxic vapors can leak from theground in all parts of the swamp. These clouds are more than just swampgas, causing a variety of effects. Results of exposure range from deathdue to poison, asphyxiation, or weird potionlike effects.

Giant Hai lstones: Giant black hailstones occasionally rain down inDreadmire typically during winter months, frequently in the eastern sectionof the swamp. Hail stones ranging from 6 in. to 2 ft. in diameter are notunheard of in the swamp. Adirect hit causes 1d6 damage for each 6 in. indiameter of the hailstone.

Insect Cloud: Clouds of bitinginsects (not Swarms – see Swarm entry),such as mosquitoes,black flies, horseflies,gnats, andevenstranger bugs,arefound throughout the year in the Dreadmire,but theyare most commoninthespring and summer months. All types of biting insects congregate in denseclouds that infiltrate many parts of the swamp.Creatures in the midst of sucha swarm are absolutely miserable, suffering countless non-lethal bites andstings on any exposed skin.

A flying insect cloud lasts 1d3 hours, and a cloud that lasts more than 1hour deals 1 point of temporaryConstitutiondamage to all affected creatures.Acloud can be dispersedby agust of wind spell or anyareaof effect spell thatdeals damage. Acreature damaged in a cloud is covered in itching, painfulwelts andacts witha -1 conditional modifier to attacks andskill checks for 24hours. A Heal check (DC 11) relieves the itching, and any level of magicalhealing removes the welts and irritation.

Mazuku: The volcanoes to the east pose grave riskof asphyxiation frompockets of invisible carbon dioxide. The Mountain Nomads called thesepockets mazuku, which means “evil wind.” Mazuku can form hundreds ofmiles away from volcanically active areas. In dryareas they typically appearas shallow, grassy depressions that the gas pools in. Inwetland areas theycanbe identified by bubbling water.The hardest manifestation to avoid is a smallhole in the ground in which gas is leaking out very quickly, causingasphyxiation to those nearby. Acatastrophic event, such as a landslide, can

Swamp inhabitants refer to full moonsinstead of months, using the old druidnames* for them:

Season Name of MoonMidwinter Cold Moon

High Winter Hunger MoonLow Spring Worm MoonMid-Spring Fish Moon

High Spring Flower MoonLow Summer Short Moon

Midsummer Thunder MoonHigh Summer Blood Moon

Low Autumn Harvest MoonMid-Autumn Hunter Moon

High Autumn Frosty MoonLow Winter Long Moon

*If using Gregorian calendar months,midwinter corresponds with January, highwinter with February, and so on.

“The fool does think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.”~Creeplow, giant owl

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