RPG Resources for Swamps and Marshes

Table of Contents:

Marsh Town: Sights and Sounds

Marsh Town: Business

Marsh Town: Folk of Interest

Marsh Town: Hooks, Complications and Opportunities

Swamp/Marsh: Uneventful Day's Travel

Swamp Dressing

Swamp Random Encounters

Marsh Features

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Marsh Features

Marshes have many terrain features that can make encounters and battles within them exciting and interesting. Many of these features offer canny combatants distinct advantages in battle.

Stealth and Detection

Detection Range: The maximum range at which a character can make a Perception check varies dependant on the terrain type:

• Marsh: 6d6 x 10 feet.
• Swamp: 2d8 x 10 feet.

Bogs

Bogs are the main terrain feature of swamps.

• Bogs (Shallow): Squares of shallow bog have mud or standing water about 1 ft. deep. It costs 2 squares of movement to move into a square with a shallow bog; the DC of Acrobatics checks in such a square increases by 2. Bogs increase the DC of Stealth checks by 2.
• Bogs (Deep): A square that is part of a deep bog has roughly 4 feet of standing water. It costs Medium or larger creatures 4 squares of movement to enter a square with a deep bog, or it can swim (DC 10 Swim check). Small or smaller creatures must swim.

Quicksand

One of the most dangerous of lurking perils in a marsh, such areas often entrap careless travelers.

• Size: A typical patch of quicksand is 20 feet in diameter; the momentum of a charging or running character carries him 1d2 ×5 feet into the quicksand.
• Spotting Quicksand: A character approaching a patch of quicksand at a normal pace making a DC 8 Survival check spots the danger, but charging or running characters don't have a chance to detect a hidden patch before blundering into it.
• Effects of Quicksand: Characters in quicksand must make a DC 10 Swim check every round to simply tread water in place, or a DC 15 Swim check to move 5 feet in whatever direction is desired. A trapped character failing this check by 5 or more sinks below the surface and must hold his breath or begin to drown. Characters below the surface may swim back to the surface with a Swim check (DC 15, +1 per consecutive round of being under the surface).
• Rescue: A rescuer must reach the victim with a branch, spear haft, rope or similar tool and make a DC 15 Strength check to pull the victim. The victim must then make a DC 10 Strength check to hold on. If both checks succeed, the victim is pulled 5 feet closer to safety. If the victim fails to hold on, he must make a DC 15 Swim check to stay above the surface.

The water in a deep bog provides cover (+4 AC, +2 Reflex) for Medium or larger creatures. Smaller creatures gain improved cover (+8 AC, +4 Reflex). Medium or larger creatures can crouch as a move action to gain improved cover. Creatures with this improved cover take a –10 penalty on attacks against creatures that aren't underwater. Deep bogs increase the DC of Stealth checks by 2 and tumbling is impossible within.

Paths and Trails

Narrow trails often wend their way through a swamp.

• Causeway: A causeway is a steeply-sloped raised path built to provide a way through the swamp. The causeway is built from a pile of stone, each roughly a foot in diameter, overgrown with coarse marsh-grass. The top of the causeway is 10 feet above the surrounding marsh, 10 feet wide and allows free movement. Climbing or descending the causeway does not require a Climb check, but is considered difficult terrain (it costs 2 squares of movement to enter each square). Creatures at the top of the causeway gain the benefit of higher ground (+1 on melee attacks) against creatures on the causeway’s slopes.
• Trail: Trails in a marsh often twist and turn to avoid boggyareas. On the trail, movement is without penalty.

Undergrowth

The bushes, reeds and tall grasses of a swamp can provideconcealment and cover from enemies.

• Hedge (Narrow): Narrow hedges are raised tangles of stone, soil and thorny bushes. It costs 3 squares of movement to cross a narrow hedge and it provides cover (+4 AC, +2 Reflex).
• Hedge (Wide): Wide hedges are 5 ft. tall and fill an entire square. It takes 4 squares of movement to move through such a square, but creatures making a DC 10 Climb check reduce this cost by 2. Wide hedges provide total cover.
• Undergrowth (Light): Vines, reeds and tall grass covers much of the ground. It costs two squares of movement to enter such squares and such undergrowth increases the DC of Acrobatics and Stealth checks by 2.
• Undergrowth (Heavy): Dense thorn bushes and other tangled growths make movement difficult. It costs 4 squares of movement to enter such a square. It is impossible to run or charge through heavy undergrowth. Characters in heavy undergrowth gain concealment (30% miss chance) and a +5 circumstance bonus on Stealth checks.

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From Marsh Town: Sights and Sounds from Campaign Backdrop: Marshes and Swamps by Raging Swan Press.