The Dead Marshes

What is known concerning the Dead Marshes's history is only through heresay and unverified sources, or from oral history from what was once the lakeside villages (and what became Keylara).  Recent investigations have been difficult, as any who enter the Marshes must undergo difficulties that not many wish to endure simply for curiosity or research purposes.   What is known is the following:   The Dead Marshes encompass a wide area of of nearly 18 miles wide and 10 miles across, and is almost nothing but a near treeless bog.  The trees that do exists appear as if dead, but do not rot. Likewise, the adventurers who have braved the swamps and returned reported strange dreams and nightmares in which the voices and appearances of human soldiers becon the dreamers to run away and that there's nothing of value here. The dreams include moments of intense battle between men in red cloth and armor with a gold dragon against men in silver and blue defending the land and keep. The further in the marshes they traveled, the more intense the dreams became.   More disturbing, the travelers reported looking into the shallow pools and seeing the bodies of the men of both armies, very much dead, but not decayed. They were pale with death and often with terrified or pained expressions, very few looked calm. Touching the bodies or removing them from their resting place only made matter worse. The dreams would intensify for all companions and deprived of sleep, they would begin to show signs of madness. The wise turned back. The unwise never returned from the Marshes.   Common Wildlife: The only living creatures in the area were the carrion birds resting on trees. Ravens and Saraks (vulture-like large bird with dark green feathers and cold blue eyes) are common, though none of the birds seem to be dining on the bodies in the area.   Common Flora: Notably few things grow in the area and mostly only along the fringes of the marshes.     Pale Bulbs are easy enough to collect since they grow in shallow pools of water near the preserved bodies. They have a broad and bright green leaf that rests on the water's surface with a white flower above it. When the flower is budding, the bulb is mature and can be pulled from the water. It is used to make antipoison potions and poultices and when beaten makes a useful pulp that when cooked makes a base paste for any poultice. Do not eat raw.   Helm's Crocus is a pale pink flower that grows in many regions, but is especially helpful in the marsh because it only grows in solid ground. It indicates where is safe to stand/walk.   Dead man's stones is a unique plant the grows at the edges of the pools of water. They look like rock hard stones of a dark brownish-reddish color that grow at the water's edge. But each stone is quite soft and if stepped on or disturbed, they release a noxious gas that can cause different reactions to different people (ancestry based). If plucked carefully and properly gathered, they can be boiled to harden the outside to a manageable level. Once dried, they can be crushed and used to create poison.