Swamp Dressing One-Pager
Many secrets and dangers lurk in the world’s noisome, fetid swamps. Sunken civilisations, primitive lizard folk tribes and more all await adventurers brave enough to dare the sucking mire.
You can download this material for free as a .pdf and .txt file by hitting the button at the bottom of this post. You do not need to give us your email or set up an account.
Minor Events
A faint, bobbing light begins to glow from deeper into the swamp.
Mosquitoes swarm about the party.
The buzzing of flies fills the air.
The party comes across a wild pig stuck in a patch of quicksand. The pig is partially submerged and exhausted from its struggles.
A sudden wind sighs through the surrounding reeds and thick grasses.
A sparrowhawk flies overhead before diving into a nearby thicket. It emerges moments later, clutching a wriggling mouse.
A small, non-venomous snake slithers through the grass by the trail.
A lizardfolk warrior hides in a deep pool. As the characters approach, it submerges and waits for them to pass.
Dead fish float on the surface of a wide pool.
A small flock of wading birds stand in a shallow pool watching the party.
The smell of smoke borne upon the breeze reaches the characters.
A marsh bird transfixed by a slender arrow suddenly falls at the party’s feet.
Dressing
A low bank of thick, cloying mud emerges from the mire. Animal tracks mar its surface.
The dirty water hides a deep pool. Unwary characters may fall into it.
A partially collapsed, abandoned hovel squats atop a small hillock.
Faint mist hovers above the swamp.
The sound of splashing emanates from behind a thick tangle of reeds and tall grasses.
As the characters pass a tree, a sodden, rotten branch gives way and falls into a puddle.
A dry hummock rises above the swamp’s waters; several small trees grow atop it.
An area of deep bog surrounds a large pool of stagnant water. Many small fish swim therein.
A narrow, raised trail cuts through the swamp for about a half-mile.
Wide drag marks cut across the trail—a large slithering or crawling creature passed this way several days ago.
A jumbled mass of bones and rotting equipment marks an ancient battle site.
Bloodstains cover the trail and lead into a nearby muddy pool.
Uneventful Days
A network of narrow streams and dense stands of reeds slow the party in the afternoon.
Thick fog covers the marsh but burns away by mid-morning. The day is hot, and the air is still.
The party spies a distant giant, winged beast in the morning, but otherwise, the day is agreeably empty of danger.
The party stumble over the tracks of a large party of lizardfolk around midday but find no actual lizardfolk. It rains in the afternoon.
Drizzle falls for much of the day, and the characters see no dangerous predators all day.
The party rest on a low hill of dry ground around midday and plod on through dense reeds for the balance of the day.
Campsites
A ramshackle hut set on low poles stands above the muck. The house is abandoned but still has most of its roof.
A stretch of wooden causeway extends over a pool of muddy water. The causeway is dry and relatively clean.
Two willow trees stand on the flanks of a slight rise. The trees’ low branches provide concealment.
A part-sunken, part-flooded tower stands in a shallow pool. The lower level and cellar are flooded, but the upper levels are habitable.
Fringed on three sides by muddy pools, this low rock promontory is easily defensible.
The remains of a small lizardfolk village comprising several crude huts stand at the confluence of two streams.
Credit
This is a short system-neutral extract from Wilderness Dressing: Swamp by Creighton Broadhurst. Wilderness Dressing: Swamp is available from Raging Swan Press in 5e, Pathfinder First Edition and OSR editions.
Get the Free Download
Download this post by hitting the button below—you’ll get a zip file containing a lightweight one-page PDF and a superlight text file for your digital GM’s folder or virtual tabletop (VTT).
If you’ve found this resource useful, please let me know by leaving a comment. And also leave a comment if you have a suggestion to make this kind of post better.