After getting past the mud mephits and ghouls, the party is able to backtrack out of the dead end they were in, and after a couple of hours of investigating and studying the terrain, they can find a route of solid footing through the mire.
Before long, the landscape starts to change. What had been bog and sodden mire has started to rise into the hillside, mixing in spines of cooled lava and pits of molten earth with the soft earth. The challenge is starting to be one of picking out an open route, or a navigable one more than simply a firm path. With the flows of old lava and collapsed hillside, the way is difficult to see and predict even though it does seem to be steadily rising. Occasionally, there are large areas of mostly flat terrain that take on more of the aspects of a straight swamp again, but eventually the hill intrudes, and you are forced to scramble up and around more obstacles.
These pockets feature bog-like features, with large cassocks of land that may or may not be solid at every step. There is a thick floating swamp grass that clumps against the firm ground, and seems to exist in a constant state of flux between solid and liquid. There are grim, low, dark trees that have sparse vegetation on them, but are thick with stiff, nettled branches.
These pockets are useful bubbles of activity in the otherwise bleak environment. The fetid waters and vegetation harbor small groups of monsters. The beauty of this odd location is that there can be fire-based, elemental monsters encountered as easily as typical swamp dwelling creatures. Most of these encounters are with individuals, or small groups of 2 or 3, but occasionally the path you are following will touch on a more habitable section of the swamp that can feature a small village of lizard folk or similar creatures.
These villages are isolated and insular. They may be friendly to adventurers if approached with good intent, but they will always be cautious. Given their survival in extreme conditions, they are also tenacious once engaged in combat.
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