Far Eastern Abanasinia

The lands surrounding Xak Tsaroth are widely varied. Bordered on the west by the Eastwall Mountains and the east by the New Sea, this narrow strip of land contains mountains, swamps, and windswept coastal plains. There are a number of ways the heroes could arrive here. If they are flying on the pegasi from Darken Wood, the pegasi will land and drop the heroes off at the western end of the Forsaken Pass. If the heroes are traveling the Sageway eastward, they will also enter the Forsaken Pass. If they walk the plains to the coast south of the Eastwall Mountains then turn north, they’ll enter the region through the Dire Wood and Cursed Lands of New Sea. Places to Visit in Eastern Abanasinia
AB 25: Forsaken Pass
The Forsaken Pass rises from a pleasant meadow in the foothills of the Eastwall Mountains. The mountains are rugged but not as high as in the Kharolis range; only a few peaks lie above the tree line. The pass winds through seven miles of heavily wooded terrain; aspen and conifers line the trail through the pass. Large wildlife includes mule deer, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and elk. Predators the heroes will need to watch out for are mountain lions and wolves; Plainsmen who have ventured up into the mountains have also reported owlbears. The only structure in the pass is an ancient fortification that once defended the pass’ eastern approach. Most of its walls have long since collapsed to rubble, but characters searching the ruins will find unmistakable dwarven runes carved into the rock, runes of blessing and protection. Any magic they once might have had has long since dissipated. The pass has rarely been traveled since Xak Tsaroth fell. The trail is widely overgrown and almost vanishes in places. The trail through the pass is 7 miles long and comes down from the mountains into the Swamp.
AB 26: Dire Wood and Cursed
Lands of New Sea Inundated by a towering wave of seawater in the wake of the Cataclysm, this strip of land between the Eastwall Mountains and the coast was ruined. The once rich topsoil washed into the sea; now it is covered in forests of ironclaw trees. The New Sea coastal woods are devoid of settlements, and few large animals make it home. Birds, snakes, insects, and small mammals make up the majority of the fauna in the region. This is difficult land to traverse. No roads survived the Cataclysm, and no trails have been made through it. The mossy ground is almost perpetually saturated with ponds and streams dotting the landscape.
AB 27: The Swamp
Close to the ruins of Xak Tsaroth, the wet, mossy ground of the ironclaw forest gives way to marshes and swamp. The ironwoods grow thinner, broken up by fetid bogs and stagnant, algae-covered ponds. The foliage of the ironclaw trees blocks out the sun, casting the land in permanent twilight; at night, it is nearly pitch black as not even Solinari’s brilliant light can penetrate the tenebrous canopy. Even in this dank, terrible place, vines grown thick; travel is difficult through the swamp of Xak Tsaroth. Still black waters encircle islands of soggy ground. Narrow land bridges or slimy fallen logs connect the islands. Occasional ripples on the scum-laden ponds indicate that something lives beneath the surface.
The Cursed Swamp around the sunken city of Xak Tsaroth has festered here on the shores of the New Sea for over three hundred years; in that time it has become home to all manner of monstrous vermin. Its most recent resident, based in the Xak Tsaroth ruins, is the black dragon Khisanth, or Onyx. In some ways, she has only made the fetid waters worse for her presence
The swamp is traversable overland across a series of islands in the marsh. The islands are scattered throughout the swamp; however, workers from the occupying dragonarmy unit have constructed a series of improvised bridges, connecting islands together to create a serpentine but navigable path through the swamp. This path leads in a generally southwesterly direction from Xak Tsaroth itself. Some of these bridges are made from vines, some from fallen trunks of ironclaw trees, and some from a combination of both. Traversing the swamp will require the heroes to pick their way through these island chains, either following the draconians’ bridges or building rafts and attempting to cross the waters themselves.

XT 1: Swamp Ruins
The exposed roots of ironclaw trees twist through the mud and swamp water. Vines, trees, and ferns block vision beyond a few feet. The ground is soaked and spongy. All is in shadow; the sun only briefly glimmers through the jungle overhead. Ruined infrastructure juts from the underbrush: broken foundation stones, shattered columns, ancient carvings. Many creatures passed through this area within the last three or four hours. The tracks look faintly reptilian—if the heroes have met draconians before, they’ll recognize them.
XT 2: Waters of the Swamp
Green scum covers the dark swamp water. Sour, metallic smells float on the air. Any hero or NPC who drinks any swamp water will be exposed to Blinding Sickness.
XT 3: Vine Bridges Thick vines, woven into strong ropes, stretch like a long spider web between two sections of land. Each end is knotted around several ironclaw trees. Slimy mosses cover the ropes.
XT 4: Battle of the Fallen Ironclaw [EL 12]
The soaked ground slopes into the stagnant pools of the swamp. Here, a giant ironclaw tree has fallen, spanning the waters to another section of ground. Thick, slick green moss drapes the log.

XT 5: Broken Bridge [EL 4]
Amid drooping vines and mosses, a bridge spans two sections of ground. Its ornate wooden latticework, carved to resemble vines, is broken in many places. This bridge is guarded; two hooded figures stand on the north side.
XT 6: Temple of Baaz [EL 10]
Massive ruins rise from the jungle undergrowth. Small broken towers pierce the cover of trees with their jagged points. Ferns and bushes sprout through the flagstones in a plaza surrounded by small shacks and lean-tos. A huge bonfire blazes at the far north side of the open square. Beyond the fire, set in the remaining half-shell of a crumbled dome, a huge black dragon stands, its wings outstretched to blot out any sunlight which fought its way through the thick jungle canopy.
XT 7: Tower of Truth
A graceful tower, beautiful even in crumbling decay, rises from the waters of the swamp. Finely carved and polished stonework walls still glint beneath the encroaching mosses and undergrowth. Although the wooden floors and rafters have long since rotted away, a carved stone staircase circles up the interior of this tower to a stone floor at the top. The tower provides a view of all the surrounding swamplands; a cluster of ruins lies to the northeast—this is the Plaza of Death.
XT 8: Breeding Pool A pool of black water stands amid the towering jungle trees. Not even the mighty ironclaws grow in this water. Five leathery egg shells lie on the shore, in a nest made of dead grasses. All of them are cracked; each egg shell is about 2 ft. long.
XT 9: Swamp Falls
The soggy jungle floor suddenly ends in a 1,000-ft. cliff. Water from the swamp trickles down the stone bluff to a turbulent coast. The New Sea spreads to the eastern horizon, covering what was once a fertile plain.
XT 10: Fallen Obelisk
Read or paraphrase the following: Amassive stone obelisk lies beside its broken pedestal base. Unfamiliar spidery script covers the face the spire. Though it would have clearly reached a staggering height when standing, now the obelisk spans a broad pool of swamp water, a bridge between two sections of ground. The letters are Kharolian, but the language is Istarian. The Great City of Xak Tsaroth Whose beauty surrounds you Speaks to the good of its people And their generous deeds. The gods reward us In the grace of our home.
XT 11: Plaza of Death [
Emerging from the dense jungle, a broad cobblestone street runs south to north among the ruins. A roadway branches to the west, where the fluted columns and relief carvings of ruined buildings list wearily. A large cobblestone courtyard lies to the east amid crumbling structures. Beyond the courtyard are four tall free-standing columns: no trace remains of the building they once supported. In front of these pillars, a huge well plunges into the earth. Vapors rise from the well. To the north of the well, a single building stands whole, although time and weather have worn its outer walls.

XT 12: The Great Well
The well plunges into darkness, from which a fowl air rises. Steam and the heavy odor of rot make it hard to see the bottom. The masonry shaft of the well drops 100 ft. before it opens into the ceiling of a vast cavern beneath the swamp. On the floor of the cavern, some 800 ft. below, lie the shattered remains of Xak Tsaroth. Much of the city slid into this cavern at the time of the Cataclysm. It is the best preserved part of the ruined ancient capital. The well sits directly over the central plaza of the ruins.
XT 13: Temple of Mishakal
This small domed temple stands intact above the cavern of Xak Tsaroth. Through the golden doors is a floor made of beautiful mosaic tile. Inside stands a statue of Mishakal, the goddess of healing. Her face is sad, yet hopeful.