The Mere of Dead Men
Stretching between the Sword Mountains and the Sea of Swords, the Mere of Dead Men is a sprawling saltwater swamp cloaked in mists and foul vapors. Once fertile land, it was drowned during an ancient cataclysm in 615 DR, when a great earthquake and tidal surge swallowed villages, castles, and keeps. What rose in its place was a treacherous morass of half-sunken ruins, quicksand, and waterways choked with reeds and rot.
History and Canon
The Mere was long infamous for the lich Iniarv, whose tower once stood amid the marsh. His fall left ruins that have since been claimed by darker forces. In the centuries since, the swamp became a haven for brigands, monsters, and worse. By the late 14th century DR, the swamp was best known as the domain of the twin black dragons Voaraghamanthar and Waervaerendor — collectively whispered of simply as Voaraghamanthar. Locals still insist the twins are alive and scheming, even if no one has seen them in recent years.
Current Threats
- The Cult of the Dragon : The cult has reestablished a stronghold in the ruins of Iniarv’s tower. Their champion is a young adult shadow dragon, a creature they claim was "blessed" by the swamp’s own corruption. Adventurers whisper the cult uses the Mere as a staging ground for raids along the High Road and as a breeding ground for dracoliches.
- The Hag Coven: Deep within the bog, a coven of three hags holds sway over waterways and lost trails. Bargains with them rarely end well; their curses have blighted generations of fisherfolk and merchants. Yet, some desperate souls still seek them out for forbidden knowledge.
- Lingering Dragons: Though unseen in decades, rumors persist that Voaraghamanthar has not left the Mere at all. Some say the twin black dragons walk unseen, merged into the very swamp itself, their will stretching across the reeds and fog.
Relation to Fort Leilon
Being the closest settlement, Fort Leilon keeps constant watch along its western approaches. Patrols often vanish when scouting too far into the Mere. Merchants dread traveling the High Road south of Leilon, where raids and strange sightings increase the closer one comes to the swamp. The people of Leilon see the Mere as a place of endless death and rebirth — every time an enemy is thought destroyed, another horror crawls back out of the muck.
The Mere of Dead Men — Field Notes
Terrain Hazards
- Swamp Gas: Flammable pockets, DC 13 Con save or poisoned (1 hr).
- Quicksand & Mire: DC 15 Str save or restrained; sinking 1d4 ft/round.
- Rotting Water: Drinking causes DC 12 Con save vs. disease.
- Heavy Fog: Heavily obscured beyond 30 ft; Perception checks at disadvantage.
Travel Rules
- Speed Halved: Overland travel takes twice as long.
- Navigation DC 14 Survival: Fail = party is lost (1d4 hrs).
- Random Encounter Check: Roll 1d12 each 2 hrs (on 1–3, encounter).
Superstitions
- “Whistling calls the dead lights.”
- “Best to feed the swamp a coin, lest it take your boots.”
- “Fog hides more than trees — it hides time.”
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