The Eighth Step: Sundown Swamp

[Peeker]

After a long march through sunlit hills and vales, something had to make the trek harder. It is a warm and glorious spring now, except that in the shadow of the dwarven mountain range there are particularly dank and marshy bits that have not yet gotten the message. It can be uncomfortably humid and warm here at times, but the sun is not strong enough to burn away the fog and the damp. Expect to be knee-deep in mud, shivering one day and sweating the next! Luckily the swamps aren’t completely uninhabitable – we’ll stop to make camp in dry patches and on trade roads whenever we can, but it’ll be slow, sloppy going sometimes, as well!

The elements at work here are mud and flora – bright flowers, thick vines, old grandmother trees, and everywhere a sense of growth in the decay, vitality in the muck, life bursting forth – the ugly side of spring. There may be occasional crews of laborers repairing something that went wrong in the winter, but you shouldn’t expect to see many people coming from the north (which is the direction you’re heading in) this early after the thaw.
There are hints of civilization however. Old stones with elven writing, covered in thick layers of moss. Trees and flowers growing into natural pathways. Ruins of great beauty lost on the bottom of boggy lakes. A small community of Elysian Elves still calls the Sundown Swamp their home and you might witness them walking over bogs without sinking in, not bothered by any of the annoying insects which buzz around. Their songs might be heard from a distance. They are beautiful and careless. But following them could be risky - they have chosen this exile after all. On your way you might encounter a pleasure barge of the Elysians or even be invited into their enclave.

You'll be crossing the swampland on your way to one of the larger and more profitable river-routes of the Family of Kingdoms - The Pike is a powerful artery of trade and not always the easiest to cross, but it’s your next major milestone. For now you are only seeing the muck caused by its tributaries, coming down from the mountains with you and getting bogged down on their way to the headwaters of the mighty waterway – just like you are!

As far as magic swamps go, this one is pretty tame – no poisonous manticore or hydra nests, just snakes, frogs, and will-o-wisps – those magical fairy-lights have a powerful compulsion, and can often encourage surprisingly naughty behavior from their unsuspecting victims for their own inscrutable purposes.

Activities in the Swamp

More travelling! Fight the elements and make good time in uninhabitable terrain – everyone has a perfectly good reason to get out of this muck and back to comfortable travelling again. Pick interesting herbs, fight off pesky obstacles, and find your way back to terra firma!

Spanking in the Swamp

Will-o-wisps’s are the most mischievous force in the swamp, but that doesn’t mean when someone claims they’ve been attacked by a Wisp that they’re telling the truth! The ghostlights tend to fill innocent bystanders with powerful compulsions which seem specifically-tailored to get their rears reddened.


It is hard work keeping things working in the swamp – whether you care about clean laundry, dry mechanicals, proper protocol, or good manners, the muck gets into everything. Expect tempers to flare and discipline to be immediate if you make a mess of someone else’s careful work!

Adventures in the Swamp

-Its a swamp! Getting anywhere can be an adventure, which means that getting off the beaten track may be more rewarding than usual – after all, isn’t it more likely that good things will be hidden where no one wants to go looking for them?


-Mudslicks, snake attacks, hungry plants, or slippery roads can make for a challenge to overcome – don’t forget to let your GMs know if you have a clever idea!


-There’s a certain presence in the swamp, of damp earth and rot and bad luck, all mixed up with magic. You may have a friend or two who’s sensitive to it, or who might need you to keep a close eye on them while you’re travelling through…

The road ahead:

Will be a huge relief. We’re not going to be arriving at a giant spa, or anything, but the Pike is another welcome sign of civilization, and the terrain will get better, as will opportunities for trade, hunting, and weather conditions as we get closer to a real summer… after a few dozen more rainstorms, at least!