Encounters in Dwindor Swamp

Posted on July 20, 2023 in Steel-Realms

Encounters in Dwindor Swamp can vary because of the shifting nature of the water and soil in the area. The Black Shore has its own, safer, encounters that reflect its traveled nature. The encounters in Scar Flow and encounters of Dwindor itself overlap at times. The Lizardfolk and Troglodyte as populations of Newtlings of the realms that have been hunted to extinction in many places still thrive here. Their hardened scale or stench secretions keep the disease carrying insects at bay. They have both learned to hunt many of the dangerous species of Dwindor, as well as make toxins or their counters from the flora and fauna. Of course there are the Orrish of Dwindor, though they keep to themselves and avoid contact with the civilized folk venturing into the swamp. These may include some or all Encounters in the Steel Realms (Ustermaya).

Travel in Dwindor Swamp

Most of these are along The Black Shore, the east side of Scar Flow, and Calibans Slurry. It is thought The Witch of Dwindor Swamp can control some of the effects and creatures encountered in Dwindor. Means that empower flying or water walking type travel are typically met with seemingly purposeful encounters with Nosh Swarms, Miasma Fog, and Fetid Winds and the like. Vortexes of mud and slurry vortexes have been known to strike as if guided by a hand as well.

Prevailing Weather: WEATHER FEATURES (The Dwindor “Haze”)

• Land Travel: Miasmatic fogs, winds, tides and undertows prevent effective movement. Every primary travel path along the shore or over water through Scar Flow is considered Difficult Terrain. It is easy to get lost or swallowed in a sink hole. The Black Shore Road is considered a Secondary Travel Path.
  > Secondary Travel Paths are only considered Difficult Terrain when covered in fog and/or rain (seasonal or by weather).
• Flight/Air: Non-native creatures will be buffeted and forced down by aggressive fetid winds, and attacked repeatedly by swarms of insects and the giant bats of Dwindor.
  > Secondary Travel Paths are avoided by the giant bats and bat swarms.
• Swim/Water: The debris on top of the water, ‘islands’ of dirt and mud, sticks, black moss, etc. Currents will force random directions or even steer into hazards. Swarms of Dwindor Ratfish and insects follow travelers in hopes of getting cast-offs or an accident. Travelers get caught in Swamp Bursts and getting The Dwindor Itch is guaranteed.
  > Secondary Travel Paths are absent of the Dwindor Itch and Swamp Bursts.
• Mystical (Instant Travel): Spells and the like which instantly transport, even with fixated places, have a chance of forcing the travelers to appear in mid-air, in the swamp, and some distance away from their intended location. Often in the midst of feeding moor cats or some creature of dangerous capability. Powers which take their practitioner within short sight distances seem to work.
• Scryed Locations/Divinations: There is a good chance they force the practitioner to misread the result or result in a portal through which a swarm of insects attacks or malevolent miasma pours through.

Common Environmental Occurrences

The stench of Dwindor is ever-present. It masks creatures, other environmental factors, etc.

The Dwindor Itch

All manner of derogatory names are given to this effect, but is commonly referred to as “The Dwindor Itch“. It is less a disease or condition than a state of things from being in the water around Dwindor, The Black Shore, and Scar Flow. The insects, parasites, and toxins product an itch, a level of discomfort that has a measurable impact. It is easily alleviated by cleaning and washing. Even those immune to natural or magical diseases find themselves suffering from this malady!

Other Environmental Encounters

Miasma Fog: A dense greenish-yellow fog bank covers the area. Visibility is reduced to 10m; between 10-20 is considered obscured/partial cover. Over 20m cannot generally be seen.
> Any checks or attempts to see things require checks if they did not before, or are at Disadvantage if they required checks previously.

Swamp Burst: An almost inaudible bubble and popping sound followed by a nearly invisible gaseous expulsion from Dwindor, a miasma settles over the area for 15 minutes; Tendrils of yellowish mist raise up as it contacts the surface of the water and bubble a few moments later.
> {Average Difficulty} Hearing/Smell vs. > As it gets close avoid a drifting patch or 1 measure of Exhaustion for an hour.

Sink Hole (water) or Quicksand (land): Suddenly the surface spins as an eddy turns into a funnel and debris, sludge and water are sucked into it. The small vortice swallows everything around it, and collapses making a loathsome sucking sound.
> { x> Easy Difficulty} Strength/Athletics vs. > Sucked under the water taking minor drowning and inflicting the Dwindor Itch automatically.

A Fetid Wind: From the warm and rotting valleys of Scar Flow, The Black Shore, and Calibans Slurry comes a fetid wind that blasts everything in its path. It has the unstopping force of a strong Gust of Wind, and can move humanoid sized objects each round to push them into the water. The water and its contents inflict the Dwindor Itch. The wind seems to have a mind to push them into dangerous spots on both ship and land.
> They may need to make multiple checks to resist falling, tumbling, and going into the water.

Corpse Bloom: A bubbling precipitates a rotten corpse that rises from the depths of Dwindor Samp. It is one of the corpses from the sinking of Westmarch, from a battle between Sea-Kings and Bronzemen, or one of the many victims claimed by the perils of Dwindor. Their memories and voices are those of The Spirit of Dwindor. A stinking cloud is released, and a sound like a whispering of voices is heard that can cause confusion.
> There are times too when a spirit light – a will-o-wisp – is freed from the swamp. These are coalesced life forces of the many things that die and return t the swamp that gave birth to it every day. They attack anything alive and fade within an hour.

Common Event and Happenstance Occurrences

The “Spirit” of Dwindor

At some point, every traveler along the Black Shore, through Dwindor itself, or eastern Scar Flow will come to grips with the constant horror that is Dwindor.

Waiting for a moment, assessing the area, you are struck by the presence before you. A slow mournful moan rises to a wail over several seconds. Something out in the swamp answers it with a snarling howl. A breeze stirs around your ankles, gathering twigs, dried moss, and dirt making it feel like a foul creature is climbing your leg. A warm dome of air settles over you, making it difficult to breathe for a moment, and then your eyes water from something borne on the breeze. The buzzing of insects rises in crescendo and falls, then rises again. Swarms of them can be seen in all directions rising up and moving through the air from one patch to another. Faintly your hear bird calls over the top of chuffs and muffled growls… you think. There is constant movement in the water – was that the flash of eyes!? Everywhere around you contributes to a subtle paranoia that grips you… forcing you to shake it off, but you fear closing your eyes for even a second. You desperately want to go home. Your skin crawls, as mites and bugs bearing who knows what plagues crawl into every crevice and opening in your clothes and armor. Given the constant banks of miasma and fog, its hard to tell the sun’s exact position at times, or where sounds are coming from exactly.

This is Dwindor. Some call it Mighty Dwindor – for it is alive of its own accord, never slowing, ever moving, its breath a sibilant hiss of miasma and dying curses. How many countless corpses are sunk in its depths? Each bubbling pop is a corpse bloom, carrying the last breath and dying words of its victim. Its very existence is like a macabre poem personified.

No matter how often you come here, you will never get used to it.

Creatures and Strange Entity Encounters

In Dwindor, things grow bigger than normal. Swarms of smaller creatures follow them, and they seem to work together. The Orrish of Dwindor do NOT prey on other humanoids entering their territory. They try and create as little disturbance as possible – out of sight, out of mind.

• Troglodyte: A band of hunters along The Black Shore or Calibans slurry.
• Lizardfolk: A band of hunters along The Black Shore, the lowlands of Scar Flow and the Wonald Delta.
• The feared Mud Python of Dwindor – an apex ambush predator.
• The dreaded Moorcat of Dwindor.
• The Giant Leeches of The Black Shore and Calibans Slurry.
• The Mud Wasps – the angry swamp wasps of Dwindor (normal swarms and giant variety) that menace anything that lives without fear.
• The flesh-eating Rat Fish that eat things to the bone and then consume that, leaving nothing.
• Giant Catfish
• The Nosh Swarm of Dwindor – massive insect swarms that eat things to the bone leaving only bleached remains.
• The giant owls of Scar Flow.
• The giant swamp rats and swarm of rats they travel with carrying disease.
• @Night: Swarms of bats, feeding on plentiful insects. There is also the giant bats of Dwindor – said to be servants and spies of the Witch of Dwindor!

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