TEXT: i
  
  The Swamp Daughters of Marshsund
  Authors: Oliver Korpilla, Mattia Giardini
  Cover Art & Design: Bernd Jans
  Cartography: Dyson Logos, Oliver Korpilla
  Layout: Oliver Korpilla
  Playtesting: Kasia, Pietro, Hanno, Balbina, Tom, Adam
  This product is based on the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game, published by Goodman Games.
  This product is published under license. Dungeon Crawl Classics and DCC RPG are trademarks ofGood-
  man Games. All rights reserved. For additional information, visit www.goodman-games.com or contact
  info@goodman-games.com.
  For further licensing information please see the Appendix.
  This product contains a map drawn by Dyson Logos with permission ofthe creator. Dyson releases his maps free ofcharge
  for non-commercial projects. Check out his blog for more information at http://rpgcharacters.wordpress.com - and also
  check out his maps! Support him on Patreon ifyou like what you see: http://www.patreon.com/dysonlogos.
  Several maps accompanying the electronic version ofthis product were created with Hexographer. Hexographer is a
  trademark ofInkwell Ideas, Inc.
  Artwork from MonkeyBlood Design has been used in making one ofthe maps in this product.
  Visit http://monkeyblooddesign.co.uk to learn more.
  All other interior art ofthis product was taken from the public domain.
  Ifyou have further questions, you can contact us at mount.parnassus.games@gmx.net.
  Acknowledgements: Thank you, Joseph Goodman, for all your support so far. I also want to thank my players / playtesters
  for their aid in shaping this. Kudos to Bernd for doing an awesome cover on short notice.
  Copyright © 2014, Oliver Korpilla.
  
  Introduction
  1
  Background
  1
  The Lay ofthe Land
  1
  Hooks
  2
  Factions
  2
  History
  2
  The Stakes
  3
  The Swamp Daughters
  4
  The Town of Marshsund
  6
  The Roving Inn
  6
  The Market Place
  6
  House ofthe Town Elder
  8
  The Town Guard
  8
  The Gustaffsson Family Home
  8
  The Njörnsen Family Home
  9
  The "Gallows"
  9
  The River Docks
  9
  The Drying Racks
  9
  The Swamp
  10
  Ambiance
  10
  Colligors
  10
  The Lost Boat
  10
  Places ofFocus
  11
  Cave ofthe Ritual
  12
  Three Leaning Stones
  12
  Encounters near Marshsund
  12
  Staying Supplied
  14
  The Anchor
  16
  Area 1: Regular Entrance
  16
  Area 2: Worker Quarters
  16
  Area 3: Bat Cave
  16
  Area 4: Krakenmoss under a Trapdoor
  16
  Area 5: The Shaft
  17
  Area 6: The Slab
  18
  Area 7: Make-shift “Crypt”
  19
  Area 8: The Not-So-Secret Door
  19
  Area 9: Cave ofDepravity
  19
  Area 10: The Bloodstone
  19
  Area 11: Frog Spawn
  20
  Aftermath
  21
  Epilogue: Who dunnit?
  22
  Appendix
  23
  NPC Sheet: Bredda Gustaffsson
  23
  Open Gaming License
  24
  Table of Contents
  Monsters & Encounters
  Maps
  Swamp Daughter
  4
  Artur and Holmgrimm
  8
  Ogurr and Thjolf
  8
  Geitir and Hakon
  8
  Bear
  13
  Abomination ofBobugbubilz
  13
  Swamp Zombie
  13
  Man-Bat
  16
  Krakenmoss
  16
  Area Map
  11
  Dungeon Map
  17
  
  1
  Introduction
  In this module I hope to provide a colorful mix: There's a
  hex crawl. There's encounter tables. There are NPCs to
  interact with. There's a dungeon. There's multiple factions
  with valid interests. All for you to mix and match according
  to your players' tastes.
  On several instances I have included rules for situations re-
  levant for the adventure. These are suggestions, feel free to
  ignore them ifthey do not match your preferred style of
  play.
  Background
  This chapter introduces you to the area, the main factions,
  and the dilemma at hand.
  The Lay of the Land
  The great river runs from the south northwards to the sea.
  Along it passes through a prosperous town ofmerchants,
  wide grasslands and acres, and finally into a huge swamp.
  The northern climes make the swamp treacherous, but the
  big stream was always navigable, and trade passed on the
  stream to its delta where a major port resides.
  The merchant town is named Ashdale, after the trees that
  line the fertile valley. Its rich farms and orchards made the
  town content, but it was trade that made it prosper. From the
  grasslands livestock is brought to town to be slaughtered,
  the meat, leather and hide are sold up and down the river.
  An eastern tributary to the great stream brings trade from
  hill and mountain, including timber and ore. The river
  traders bring from the north things like amber, furs, seal and
  whale oil, and from the south more refined goods like cloth.
  The traders ofAshdale became rich and made one oftheir
  kind town leader in each generation, taking the title of
  Lord-Mayor and answering only to the king.
  The great stream is called Garrach along its more northern
  shores. At its widest it measures up to 200 feet, but it varies
  wildly in both width and depth. It moves slowly, in fact in
  most parts slow enough to be traversed upstream with little
  extra effort. In Ashdale a major bridge has been built, con-
  necting the land trade routes as a hub to this other important
  vein through which goods and gold flow. Smaller communi-
  ties line the river, mostly earning their living with a mix of
  farming, tending livestock and fishing. Life is simple and
  without major upsets along these shores, and ifprotection is
  needed, Ashdale is close enough, yet far enough to not exert
  too much influence.
  The picture starts to change when the river nears the area
  named Dystermarsh. For about 35 leagues along the river
  there is a soggy, treacherous land ofmarshes, sinkholes,
  small lakes and minor tributaries. This land is mostly hostile
  to human habitation, no roads cross through it. In summer it
  harbors mosquitoes and gnats, in winter there is bitter cold
  and ice. While wild life abounds, so do creatures that can
  become very dangerous to travelers and settlers, and dry
  land for building is rare and the river and its tributaries
  change, sometimes even creating wide shallow lakes when
  downstream dams block up water.
  Before the river enters the Dystermarsh it passes through a
  forested line ofhills into Lake Bragudin. Along its western
  shore is the last human settlement in these parts south ofthe
  vast mire. This settlement is Marshsund. Originally settlers
  there eked out a meager existence by fishing the lake, and
  
  2
  hunting and trapping in the forest and the nearby swamp. Its
  riverside docks serviced the odd boat, but this never was
  enough to consider Marshsund truly prosperous.
  Beyond the Dystermarsh lies Walvishead, the biggest port
  on the bay. Northern trade sailors often pass their goods
  through here. Though belonging to the same realm, Walvis-
  head enjoys a degree ofindependence, due to being mostly
  isolated from the south through the swamp. Even though its
  elite often looks to the sea when it thinks ofopportunities in
  trade and challenges to its safety, the traders ofboth Walvis-
  head and Ashdale have been nurturing their bond for mutual
  benefit.
  Hooks
  The Lord ofAshdale’s daughter has been abducted on her
  trip to Walvishead. The Lord has promised a reward to the
  heroes for her safe return. It could be as high as 1,000 gp,
  but be sure to adapt to the basic economy ofyour own
  campaign when announcing the amount.
  Adventurers could come to the Lord-Mayor's attention as
  follows:
  •
  Having done a heroic deed in nearby lands.
  •
  Being caught at mischiefwithin Ashdale or the
  surrounding domain.
  •
  Being brought in by another major campaign NPC.
  Adventurers might learn ofthe reward as follows:
  •
  Public notice that heroes are wanted by the lord.
  •
  Tavern rumor.
  •
  They might encounter the lost princess' distraught
  entourage when traveling the river Garrach.
  •
  Barge People might tip them offto recent events when
  seeking passage.
  Factions
  The Swamp Daughters
  The Swamp Daughters are extraplanars not quite in phase
  with this world. They need three new female inductees
  every 27 years into their hive mind to stay stable. They
  made a deal with the people ofMarshsund, and in return
  help the Marshsunders control the trade on the river.
  The Lord ofAshdale
  Lord Ernest Gehrenburg IV. is the elected Lord-Mayor of
  Ashdale - an office his family managed to hold on for four
  generations in a row. He wants his daughter back and deal a
  blow to the upstarts ofMarshsund.
  The Village of Marshsund
  The villagers as a whole enjoy the prosperity that the deal
  with the Swamp Daughters brought them. Most therefore
  agree with the deal, some submit to its necessity and only a
  select few consider resisting it.
  The Barge People
  Along the river Garrach’s length the Barge People ply their
  trade, providing transport for goods and passengers, but also
  being merchants themselves. Going upriver on the slow-
  moving Garrach and navigating the Dystermarsh is still
  hard work, and the boat clans and crews resent giving toll to
  the people ofMarshsund which cuts into their own
  earnings. They will try to assist anyone trying to undo the
  cause.
  History
  The Swamp Daughters are extra-planars unknowingly
  bound to this world by a magic device hidden under the
  marshes. Followers ofBobugbubilz attempted to bring their
  demon patron into this world. They located a suitable
  bloodstone to act as anchor centuries ago, but the stars
  weren’t right. They did not know that and continued their
  depraved rituals. The fervor ofthe worshipers lasted long
  
  3
  enough to charge the bloodstone with the necessary energy
  to act as a dimensional conductor, but the veil between the
  worlds wasn’t weak enough.
  The Anchor was set offby an adventuring company that
  passed through Marshsund 108 years ago, the Band of
  Rovers. They passed into the Sund (as the southern Dyster-
  marsh is called) and were never heard ofagain. They peri-
  shed at the portal stone meant to bring the Toadfiend,
  unwittingly triggering the magic it held within. But without
  the proper ritual and with the site in decay for at several
  hundred years, the unfocused energies in the stone projected
  the Swamp Daughters into this land.
  The Swamp Daughters are only one halfoftheir kin. They
  hope for return to their extra-planar home. The men oftheir
  race were left behind, but their hope is that they can return
  to their home plane before there is no chance to truly sus-
  tain their kind by birthing new young ones. After their
  arrival they noticed that this world drained their hive mind’s
  more subtle energies. They found a solution before their
  mind would deteriorate any further - inducing local women
  into their commune, merging their consciousness with three
  existing Swamp Daughters. The consciousness firmly
  rooted in this plane counteracts the deterioration. The
  women become full part ofthat mass consciousness and
  drop their physical form. The experience is kind ofblissful,
  and before the bond becomes permanent the women get
  glimpses ofit while being held in the Cave ofthe Ritual.
  The Swamp Daughters appear as two-dimensional shades.
  They experience a low level ofbliss at all times and have a
  unique way to perceive this world. The sometimes dreary
  Dystermarsh appears to them as pleasant, bathed in many
  colors and hues we don’t know of. Their unaffectedness by
  physical needs and conditions makes their home bearable.
  Still sadness fills the hearts ofthe Swamp Daughters. They
  either grieve for their lost men or for losing contact with
  their loved ones in this world. Their motivation is to con-
  tinue to exist, and ultimately to return to their home plane.
  Their consciousness is ofa different morality, but they
  made a deal with the local folk. They need to replenish their
  kind every 27 years, and they could take their “victims” by
  force. However, a smart former leader ofMarshsund made a
  deal with them, for protection and for the benefit ofthe
  town, ifnot for all ofits people. Three girls will be taken
  from every generation, but the Swamp Daughters will make
  the river Garrach unnavigable for all except those under
  their protection. Part ofthis is the shifting ofcurrents and
  the marsh itself, part ofit is confusion in the minds ofthe
  travelers.
  The villagers started to enact a toll for their service as
  “pilots” through the southern Garrach. Neither the lord of
  Ashdale nor the Barge People were pleased - as it cuts into
  their share ofthe trade profits. When 97 years ago a de-
  tachment ofmercenaries was sent to bring Marshsund to
  heel by the then-ruling Lord Gehrenburg I., the Swamp
  Daughters confused the minds ofthe soldiers, leading some
  to die in the swamp, some to be ambushed by the villagers.
  A small group was left to return and report their misfortune.
  Ever since the Lords ofAshdale left Marshsund alone, the
  toll not being worth more bloodshed. Until the Swamp
  Daughters abducted Jolinde, daughter ofLord Ernest
  Gehrenburg IV. They took her from the barge meant to
  deliver her and her entourage to Walvishead. Instead of
  being introduced to potential suitors she is now being held
  by the Swamp Daughters, to some concern ofthe villagers.
  On the one hand, it means one less oftheir kin. But what
  trouble will it breed?
  The agents the lord sent ahead weren’t able to penetrate the
  wall ofsilence. Pressing adventurers into his service is his
  last gamble before more blood is spilled. He already plans
  to assemble armed men to attack Marshsund, regardless of
  the warning tales handed on in Ashdale’s chronicles. Ifthe
  adventurers free his daughter first, there will be a reward
  and further bloodshed can be prevented.
  The Stakes
  •
  The Swamp Daughters need to return to their home
  plane or renew their kind or they will perish as a race.
  Their very sanity and survival as a race is at stake.
  •
  The Lord wants his daughter back. He will escalate the
  conflict ifhe does not get her back. His reaction might
  become very unfavorable should the party fail and
  return to his lands.
  •
  The Marshsunders have arranged themselves with their
  livelihood as pilots and the village has prospered. Some
  
  4
  families, however, detest what they consider an “unho-
  ly bargain” and will try to undermine it. Especially
  those meant to make the sacrifice.
  •
  The Barge People will render assistance to anyone
  whom they perceive as likely to end the toll. Removing
  the need for the toll would increase their prosperity and
  make them likely allies in future adventures.
  The Swamp Daughters
  Within the hive mind ofthe Daughters exists everything -
  individuals, groups and the whole, all at the same time. It’s
  possible to communicate with individuals and groups, but
  they won’t betray the whole - there is a built-in defense
  mechanism. They will however express different shades of
  helpfulness and opinion - especially the consciousnesses
  derived from humans. These have introduced a flurry of
  human emotions into the collective, including the greater
  potential to be sad. The collective fears it will gradually
  succumb to these emotions and lose its bliss and higher
  abilities.
  They appear as two-dimensional shades. Normal weaponry
  passes right through them without harm. In order to harm a
  Swamp Daughter at all, a weapon must be charged with
  negative energy (see the spell Chill Touch on pg. 98 ofthe
  DCC rulebook). Swamp daughters have limited control of
  their environment. Their attacks are purely energy-based -
  they ignore all armor and go straight for the essence. Only
  the agility modifier and an appropriate Luck bonus provide
  a higher AC than 10. Adventurers will see the hands ofthe
  attacking shadow pass right into their body.
  Swamp Daughter
  You're looking at a shadow, but nothing is casting it. It is
  simply a female silhouette, and it seems to have no depth at
  all. You turn your head back and forth, but it remains
  oriented towards you.
  Stat Block (DCC) – Swamp Daughter: Init +4; Atk +2
  Essence Touch (d6+1); AC 14; HD 3d6; hp 13; MV 30’
  float; Act 1d20; SP ignores armor (only agility and lucky
  bonus count), may not be harmed by physical weapons or
  physical effects including elements (like e.g. a Fireball),
  weakness: negative energy, may pass through matter, extra-
  planar traits, planar stain (on natural 20 causes minor
  corruption in target); SV Fort +1, Ref+3, Will +5, AL N.
  A note on attempts to banish or turn the Swamp Daughters:
  They cannot be turned by any cleric - they are neither evil
  or good, nor are they abominations ofnature. They simply
  do not belong to this plane. Normally they could be ban-
  ished by the appropriate spell (see Banish on pg. 269 ofthe
  rulebook), but the Anchor prevents this. It will appear that
  the spell works with the correct manifestation, it will how-
  ever only dislocate the entity in question within the area
  marked by the Places ofPower.
  Their true weakness is that they are only at certain times in
  phase – and can only then interact with the world. The
  hours ofdawn and dusk, specifically.
  Ifthe swamp daughters are denied the “sacrifice” ofthe
  three women, their hive mind will start to destabilize. The
  cohesion ofthe hive mind lessens and random collections of
  consciousness will infuse individual bodies and wander the
  swamps in varying states ofmadness and agony. Some of
  these will take to attacking travelers. The process will take
  about a year.
  Releasing the Swamp Daughters through Divine Aid (see
  rulebook pg. 31) is possible as a DC 24 casting action. Cle-
  rics do not receive the +3 bonus from Places ofFocus.
  Also: You're no fun anymore.
  Interacting with the Swamp Daughters
  Ifthe adventurers deal honestly with the Swamp Daughter
  collective, it might help in their quest. The Swamp Daugh-
  ters will honor the deal with the village as long as it is nee-
  ded, but they clearly prefer free return to the plane they
  originated on.
  When roleplaying Swamp Daughters, always let them speak
  in plural. They speak Common. Let the players learn ofthe
  true nature ofthe Swamp Daughters (and the meaning of
  “sacrifice”) by asking the right questions. This would
  include the PCs using the term “sacrifice” which might
  yield a response like “Nothing has been lost. They are still
  
  5
  contained within the whole.” Describe that every word
  spoken echoes and reverberates in a variety offemale
  voices.
  The way Swamp Daughters are bound to this plane can
  complicate communication. They cannot directly point a
  direction as they are two-dimensional in appearance. They
  can waft in the right direction, but this is harder to interpret
  than a pointed finger. It might also induce nasty headaches.
  They could also try to make an arrow into the dirt – at dawn
  and dusk only, however. They generally do not use human
  or demi-human terms to label distances, but they use
  Common to describe places, so they can label the swamp,
  the river, the town, the forest, etc. They have no conceptual
  terms for directions like north and south, but they can use
  terms like “across the river.” Combine this together and this
  makes getting spatial information out ofthe Swamp
  Daughters a challenge.
  When being asked how they perceive the world, they will
  use terms like “swirls ofcolors” and “focal points of
  energy.” Their vision works completely differently and
  cannot be fooled with most spells as they perceive energy
  directly. Sunlight is such an energy and the consciousness
  ofa being is another. When asked what the player
  characters look like they might say “more colorful than
  others” - my basic assumption is that adventurers are a very
  special breed ofperson to say the least.
  When asked about their home plane they describe it “a
  different state”, “a place ofunion with the other” and “the
  whole.” It becomes apparent that it was a very desirable
  place. They will describe the men oftheir race as “always
  present and available to complement us.” The moment of
  being torn apart and brought here they describe as “the
  juncture.” Ifcharacters press further they will ask ifthey
  can touch the speaker. Allowing to do so will result in the
  following experience:
  The entity wafts towards you without making any sound.
  She simply seems to grow, but it is the perspective fooling
  you. Then, you can't quite explain it, something touches you
  and passes into you. Within a moment you feel … different.
  For an instant you feel joyful, then you realize a hundred
  other minds are with you, within your own mind, around it,
  percolating it. As this feeling begins to scare you and
  becomes too intense it suddenly ceases, and it is strangely
  quiet again, until the only voice you recognize is the sound
  ofyour own thoughts, as before. For a moment you are both
  relieved and sad for the loss.
  Any character touched in this way can from then on tell the
  presence ofa Swamp Daughter even in perfect or magic
  darkness. He can also tell when the Swamp Daughters are
  gone from this plane. Further repercussions are up to the
  Judge.
  Possible Clues:
  •
  The Swamp Daughters do not know what binds them to
  this plane, but can roughly pinpoint the area where they
  cannot go – within five miles ofthe anchor. Since the
  player characters do actually have no maps and have to
  deal with the aforementioned communication difficul-
  ties, the best they can get is “west across the river” -
  not from the hive itself, but as revealed by the Judge as
  a summary ifthey try to deduce it from their
  interaction.
  
  6
  The Town of Marshsund
  Marshsund is situated on the western shore ofthe Garrach
  right where it enters the Dystermarsh at Lake Bragudin. A
  wooden stockade surrounds all buildings, there's a gate to
  the south, to the north and towards the river docks in the
  east. The swamp almost borders town in the north, to the
  south the forest does the same. The older part ofthe village
  surrounding a central stone building is built on a hill.
  Wooden houses have been erected more recently closer to
  the river. The Garrach is known to change its path in this
  area dramatically once every few decades, and only “upper”
  Marshsund is “built to last.” Upper Marshsund has a low
  wall ofstones, which could be expanded to a stockade if
  needed, and in fact was the fortification ofthe much smaller
  Marshsund ofthe past. The hill inclines upwards from east
  to west, and therefore has a steep side on its western end.
  The Roving Inn
  Owned by Dorbras and Merowind Persson. Features an orc
  cleaver the Band ofRovers traded in over the fireplace.
  Visited by Barge People, travelers and villagers alike. The
  inn could end up being the stage ofa brawl to reveal the
  hidden animosities between the factions.
  Merowind Persson knows a lot about people around and
  feels sorry for her friend Bredda Gustaffsson who mourns
  the loss ofher daughter. A silver tongue might elicit a clue,
  or ifspoken to with compassion she also might yield
  something.
  Possible Clues:
  •
  Merowind might reveal something about Bredda's
  sorrows.
  •
  Barge people might be able to tell that Jolinde was
  taken near the first eastern tributary downstream. This
  is a good place to start for the players. Tales ofthe
  abduction spread like wildfire amongst the Barge
  People, so they can give a cursory description ofthe
  Swamp Daughters.
  •
  Michael the Woodsman (see below) can be encountered
  here at night and might chat over a beer.
  •
  The inn is named after the Band ofRovers, who
  mightily impressed a Persson ancestor. The party can
  learn about the band's composition (see Area 10: The
  Bloodstone on pg. 19) and that they never returned
  from the Dystermarsh.
  The Market Place
  A few stalls and wares spread on blankets – not much ofa
  market, but it will do in a pinch.
  Astrid Gundarkin, the fish peddler: Astrid’s husband is a
  fisherman, her sons are pilots or fishermen. She is invested
  in the current way things are, has no daughters and will not
  give clues.
  Bowinn’s assorted baubles: Bowinn Randquist is a traveling
  merchant who’s staying in Marshsund for a few weeks,
  selling mostly to travelers making a stop here. He’s not a
  villager, but maybe he saw something odd on his journeys?
  (Ifthe party never met the entourage ofthe princess he
  came on the same boat as them.) Bowinn sells gear from the
  equipment table, trinkets and the odd exotic (non-magical)
  item at prices ranging from 1½ to double the price from the
  ones given in the DCC rulebook. His wares are spread over
  several blankets and he folds them up as sacks every night.
  He stays in the inn and can be encountered at dinner, but
  will not stay up for long.
  When Barge People are in town, various goods are sold
  from small stalls with wheels. This includes conserved
  goods at reasonable prices and perishable goods from
  upriver for rather unreasonable prices (three times the
  normal). Almud and Hilda Njörnsen (see pg. 9) are sent
  by their mother to shop here for bread, salted meat and the
  occasional honey wine. They are always encountered
  together as their mother ultimately distrusts the
  traders as “nomadic folk.”
  Michael the Woodman: Michael seems to be easy to figure
  out. He earns his living by trapping and hunting in the forest
  south ofMarshsund and sells hides, bowstrings, arrows and
  other such things at the market. As someone who moved
  into the village only four years ago, he's considered an
  outsider and does not know about the true nature ofthe
  conspiracy, only that something is afoot. He's keen on
  becoming a hireling and traveling with the party. That is
  
  7
  
  8
  because he is a long-term agent ofthe Lord ofAshdale. He
  makes his reports on his visits “to my folks further south.”
  He knows Annika and Gunnilla are missing.
  Possible clues:
  •
  Barge people might talk about Jolinde's abduction.
  •
  Michael knows two ofthe girls are missing.
  •
  Almud and Hilda might reveal that they miss their
  sister.
  House of the Town Elder
  Egmarr Malmssen is the current leader ofMarshsund. He is
  very invested in the way things are as are most families
  living in Upper Marshsund. While not an unkind man, he
  has put pressure on the two families involved - the
  Gustaffssons and the Njörnsens.
  Note: He wears a magic amulet that makes him immune to
  mind-altering magic. The amulet seemed like a wise invest-
  ment to a previous village elder. It blocks spells like Charm.
  Ifthe intentions ofthe PCs become clear, he will visit the
  Gustaffssons and Njörnsens to urge them to silence - ifthe
  party doesn’t do so first. He might also take a skiffout into
  the marsh to warn his allies, the Swamp Daughters. He is
  not beyond banishing a severely misbehaving party from
  town.
  Possible Clues:
  •
  Players might overhear the elder talking to his trusted
  guards, revealing details. Especially ifthey use stealth
  or invisibility to do so or rouse guards or townspeople
  with the right remarks to set offtheir alarms.
  •
  The elder might try to hush the Gustaffssons or the
  Njörnsens. Ifshadowed this might lead to revealing
  further details.
  The Town Guard
  Marshsund has 6 people acting as full-time guards. Other
  villagers know how to use arms and a mix oflevel-0s will
  come to the guards’ aid ifneeded.
  Artur Kiaranson and Holmgrimm ofthe Spear are the town
  elder’s most trusted guards and accompany him when he
  goes into the swamp. They are very loyal and know the way
  to the Cave ofthe Ritual, as they helped escort the two girls
  there. Artur is afraid ofthe Swamp Daughters and has a bad
  conscience over delivering town girls to them. They can be
  found patrolling town during the day or standing in front of
  the common hall. Artur can be found drinking in the Roving
  Inn every odd day – a bit too much ever since his
  conscience became burdened.
  Stat Block (DCC) – Artur and Holmgrimm: Init +2; Atk
  +3 spear d8+1; AC16 (chain mail & shield); HD 2d12; hp
  15, 14; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP crit range 19-20, crit table III,
  crit die 1d14; SV Fort +1, Ref+1, Will +0; AL L.
  Ogurr Ragnaldson and Thjolfthe Rascal man a high outlook
  in Upper Marshsund during nights. Roll which one is
  encountered.
  Stat Block (DCC) – Ogurr and Thjolf: Init +1; Atk +1
  spear d8, +1 short bow d6; AC14 (studded leather armor &
  shield); HD 1d12; hp 8, 7; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP crit range
  19-20, crit table III, crit die 1d12; SV Fort +1, Ref+1, Will
  +0; AL N.
  Geitir Greybeard and Hakon Geismarr are older men
  touring the city wall at night with a horn to signal alarm.
  Roll which one is encountered.
  Stat Block (DCC) – Geitir and Hakon: Init +1, Atk +1
  short sword d6; AC 12 (leather armor); HD1d10; hp 5, 4;
  MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP blow horn - will try to wake up
  village for 1 action; SV Fort +0, Ref+1, Will +2; AL N.
  Possible clues:
  •
  Artur and Holmgrimm know the location ofa Place of
  Focus and where they delivered the girls from the
  village.
  The Gustaffsson Family Home
  Bredda and Thjore Gustaffsson are upset with the order of
  things. Their daughter Gunnilla was one ofthe two girls
  taken away. She was the only child ofthe elderly couple.
  Being late parents to an only child, both are especially
  
  9
  attached to Gunnilla. Bredda Gustaffsson is described in a
  NPC Sheet (see Appendix). The Judge can delegate playing
  Bredda to a player by making use ofthe instructions found
  there.
  Thjore represses his griefby spending as much time out of
  town hunting and trapping as possible. Both live in a little
  shack on the northern part oftown facing the swamp, near
  the northern gate.
  Possible clues:
  •
  Bredda might reveal something about her missing
  daughter, the conspiracy and the role ofthe town elder.
  •
  The elder might be observed trying to hush Bredda.
  The Njörnsen Family Home
  The Njörnsens – Haltmut and Gunda – also lost one oftheir
  daughters: Annika. They live with their remaining two
  daughters Almud (13) and Hilda (11) in a big house in
  Upper Marshsund. Haltmut is a pilot, as is his son Gunnar
  (currently out to Walvishead). Almud and Hilda miss their
  sister Annika. Haltmut is taking out his griefas anger and
  would prevent any stranger from talking to his remaining
  girls, which he is interchangeably protective ofor being an
  overbearing father to.
  Possible clues:
  •
  Haltmut Njörnsen might be observed losing his temper
  to his remaining daughters. Clever players might set up
  this confrontation by talking to Almud and Hilda first,
  either openly or by confirming the girls' concerns about
  their loss.
  •
  The elder might be observed trying to hush the
  Njörnsens.
  The “Gallows”
  Two man-sized rusty cages are dangling offthe steep, rocky
  hillside on the west side of“Upper Marshsund.” Both are
  empty. Should a player character get caught trying any
  mischief, he might be locked in one for a day to cool his
  temper. There's not much to see here except a stretch of
  swamp, which might also bring some pesky mosquitoes.
  The River Docks
  Resting on logs driven into the lake, docks made from
  wooden boards are located on the western shore, just out-
  side the eastern town gate. Barge people will guard their
  boats here and react badly to people snooping around at
  night. Ifplayers look for passage or for a chat, this is a
  good place to start.
  A little negotiation can lead to renting a boat suitable for
  rowing with space for six to seven people for 4 sp a day. An
  advance for three days is required.
  Possible clues:
  •
  Barge people might talk about Jolinde's abduction.
  The Drying Racks
  Also on the north part oftown are racks drying the hides of
  animals and conserving fish. The smell mixes quite remar-
  kably with the one ofthe swamp during the summers.
  Bredda (see pp. 8 and Appendix) sells furs and leather here.
  Possible clues:
  •
  Bredda might reveal something about her missing
  daughter, the conspiracy and the role ofthe town elder.
  
  10
  The Swamp
  The following hex map shows the primary terrain
  encountered in each area from the all-knowing perspective
  ofthe Judge. Each hex approximates a distance of2 miles.
  Travel speed is...
  •
  1 hour per clear, light forest or grass hex,
  •
  1 hour per water hex with a boat,
  •
  1½ hours per dense forest hex,
  •
  2 hours per hex ofswamp.
  An appropriate DC12 INT check for an occupation like
  hunter, trapper, etc. or the elfclass reduces travel time by
  ½ hour per hex.
  Naturally, near Marshsund one is safest, in the deep swamp
  and near the Anchor it is most dangerous. This can be used
  to an extent to actually triangulate the location ofthe An-
  chor. Don’t make it too easy to guess by rolling rarely or
  openly. Roll all the time. Don’t give away clues why
  you’re rolling.
  Ambiance
  Use the following short notes whenever you want to add a
  little ambiance during the adventure.
  •
  Croaking offrogs.
  •
  A swamp snake slithering away.
  •
  Hollowed out, blackened tree stump.
  •
  Mosquito bites - harmless, annoying, foreshadowing
  a bigger swarm.
  •
  A PC falls into a water hole, quickly retrieved by
  comrades, drenching clothes and equipment.
  •
  An island ofdriftwood, interlocking sticks. Safe for
  resting, but not good for making a fire on.
  •
  Emphasize the feeling ofnever really drying up due to
  fog at night, humidity during the day and sludging
  through watery mud.
  •
  Less swamp, more marsh. Walking on sodden grass turf
  with occasional sinkholes.
  •
  Drudging through sludge, not deep but draining
  strength when the characters have to pull their feet
  out for every step.
  •
  A dried-out area ofthe swamp. Waters drained away,
  the sun dried out the dirt. The smell ofrotting grass and
  sun-baked mud fill the air. Lizards bask in the sun.
  •
  Stork-like birds stalking the marsh, sifting the silt with
  their elongated beaks.
  •
  Carrion crows collecting over a larger dead beast, flies
  thick in the air already.
  •
  Fishes coming to the surface to catch flies and other
  insects.
  Colligors
  Colligors is a small hamlet ofa few houses built in the
  marsh, some on poles, some on a small patch ofdry land.
  Its inhabitants usually don’t have much to do with outsiders.
  They are rumored to have webbed feet.
  At least Marshsunders say so, even though most ofthem do
  not mention Colligors on their own. There’s also some truth
  to the rumor – the ancestors ofthe Colligorsans were
  worshippers ofBobugbubilz. Even though that knowledge
  is lost in time, all ofthe inhabitants carry some minor taint
  they inherited. Inbreeding took care ofthe rest.
  Not used to dealing with outsiders, the Colligorsans are
  unfriendly and unhelpful. They have no use for silver or
  gold, but may be willing to trade for something useful to
  them.
  Abominations ofBobugbubilz are often spotted near
  Colligors. They leave the villagers alone and the villagers
  might have seen them but do not view them as dangers.
  The Lost Boat
  When these parts were temporarily part ofa wider river
  valley, this now-rotting boat was used by fishermen to do
  their work. Then a natural dam downstream broke, and what
  once was a large, shallow lake became once again part of
  the swamp. The boat got lost when exploring one ofthe
  remaining gullies, the crew killed by abominations ofthe
  swamp.
  
  11
  Encounters are highly likely in the hex the boat is in.
  Rolling 1-12 on d20 will result in a hostile encounter.
  Roll 1d6: On 1-3 on d6 Swamp Zombies (the dead
  fishermen) are encountered, on 4-6 Abominations
  ofBobugbubilz. See pp. 13 for further details.
  The boat can be restored by the spell Mending (see pg. 147
  ofthe DCC rulebook) with a roll of24 or higher.
  Places of Focus
  Unusual trees, rocks or a pool, these magical places are the
  areas where Swamp Daughters are most likely to be en-
  countered. These places mark an area wherein the Swamp
  Daughters reside most often. The power is projected here
  from the west – by the Anchor.
  
  12
  These places make the skin ofwizards, clerics and elves
  crawl. Detect Magic (pg. 260 DCC rulebook) confirms that
  the places are special, Detect Evil (pg. 259 DCC rulebook)
  does yield nothing – the places themselves are neither evil
  in nature nor particularly dangerous. Casting near a Place of
  Focus actually grants +3 to any Wizard or Elfspell rolls.
  Casting magic on the place itselfmight have unpredictable
  side effects. On any attempt to alter a Place ofFocus
  through magic require the player to make a roll on the
  Mercurial Magic table (pp. 111 ofthe DCC rulebook). The
  usual effects ofLuck apply. Places ofFocus cannot be
  altered by anything but the strongest magical effects –
  probably 30+ on the spell roll, depending also on the spell
  used and the specific effect. In the end the result is up to the
  Judge.
  The Swamp Daughters can leave this area and cross the
  river, but they cannot come closer to the Anchor than 5
  miles.
  Cave of the Ritual
  This is where the Swamp Daughters hold their future
  sisters. It is a natural cave, and the abductees spend most of
  their time in a low-level communion with the Swamp
  Daughters. There's always at least two Swamp Daughters
  present for every girl.
  The effect ofthe communion is similar to a Charm spell.
  The girls are friendly towards the Swamp Daughters and
  not afraid. They do not leave voluntarily. In a sense they are
  not in danger, in fact becoming a Swamp Daughter makes
  them immortal – or almost for all practical purposes.
  Becoming a Swamp Daughter is not a bad prospect, all in
  all, and the girls know it. The Lord's daughter might be
  most amenable to be convinced to leave in any case.
  Their captors bring water and a selection ofvarious berries
  and other nutritious plants both at the hours ofdawn and
  dusk, when they are corporeal. Given the constant exchange
  ofenergy between the hive and the girls their physical
  needs are reduced.
  Three Leaning Rocks
  Ifadventurers explore the forest they might find the Three
  Leaning Rocks on a plateau on top a tall, forested hill.
  Overlooking the forest and the swamp, these three rocks are
  leaning against each other. Each is easily 60 feet tall - and
  they overlook the surrounding trees even. They can be
  climbed safely - that means they won’t topple - but it
  requires a DC15 check for climbing sheer surfaces.
  Anyone making the climb is allowed a DC12 spot check
  (INT, allow modifier for elven senses +4 ifapplicable) to
  detect a major landmark in the swamp. Roll d6: On 1-2 it is
  Colligors (describe huts), on 3-4 it is the hill hiding the
  Swamp Cave and on 5-6 it is the rocky island under which
  the Anchor lies. Indicate only the rough area on the player
  map - after all, the party does not have a map!
  Sleeping under the rocks provides prophetic dreams
  unrelated to the current adventure, but feel free to hook
  your own next adventure here.
  Encounters near Marshsund
  An encounter happens on the following conditions:
  •
  Outside the Swamp: 1-2 on d20 for every hex.
  •
  East ofthe River: 1-4 on d20 for every hex.
  •
  West ofthe River: 1-6 on d20 for every hex.
  •
  Up to 3 hexes distance ofthe Anchor: 1-9 on
  d20 for every hex.
  •
  Roll once for every full rest in the wilderness. Increase
  encounter range by 2 (1-4, 1-6, 1-8 and 1-11 respec-
  tively) ifresting with a fire. Ignore any results that
  imply Insect Swarms when a campfire is lit.
  
  13
  The Forest
  Encounter table for the forest (roll 1d4):
  1.
  Trapper, lumberjack, woodman, hunter. Not hostile.
  2.
  4-7 (1d4+3) Kobolds (see pg. 419 ofthe DCC
  rulebook). Hostile but cowardly.
  3.
  4-7 (1d4+3) Wolves (see pg. 431 ofthe DCC
  rulebook.) Hostile only on 1 on d4.
  4.
  Bear mother with cubs. Hostile.
  Bear
  You make your way through the forest when your good luck
  runs out. You not only encounter a brown bear, you encoun-
  ter a mother with cubs! Driven by instinct she charges you
  instantly.
  Stat Block (DCC) – Bear (1): Init +3; Atk +4 claws (d8);
  AC15; HD 4d10; hp 23; MV 40' walk, 20' swim; Act 2d20;
  SP can pin one opponent – this is a grapple attack at +4
  modifier, +8 vs. halflings (see pg. 96 ofDCC rulebook),
  apply +1d die shift for attacks vs. pinned creature, Act goes
  down to 1d20; SV Fort +4, Ref+2, Will +2; AL N.
  Ifthe party flees, the bear will pursue for a short while, then
  retreat to its cubs.
  The Swamp
  Encounter table for the swamp (roll 1d6):
  1.
  Peat cutter, trapper, hunter, fisherman in a boat. Not
  hostile.
  2.
  1 Man-Bat. Hostile. See pg. 16. Replace with 1 Insect
  Swarm from pg. 419 ofthe DCC rulebook during days
  or ifalready killed.
  3.
  3-5 (1d3+2) Abominations ofBobugbubilz. Hostile.
  4.
  3-5 (1d3+2) Colossal Leeches (see pg. 420 ofDCC
  rulebook). Hostile.
  5.
  Struck by a poisonous swamp snake. Character with
  lowest Luck score must make DC14 Reflex save or be
  bitten by a Swamp Adder (see Poisons in Appendix P
  on pg. 446 ofDCC rulebook under entry “Adder” for
  effect). Alternate character on subsequent repetitions of
  the same event.
  6.
  3-5 (1d3+2) Swamp Zombies. Hostile.
  Abomination ofBobugbubilz
  Frog men covered with fetid pustules.
  Stat Block (DCC) – Abomination of Bobugbubilz (3-5,
  1d3+2): Init +1; Atk +2 claws (d6); AC12; HD 2d6; hp 7;
  MV 20’ walk, 20' climb, 30’ swim; Act 1d20; SP can stay
  under water 10 minutes without breathing out, pustules will
  spray an attacker with acidic mucus - evade Refsave DC12,
  1d4+1 damage when failed, drag under water (only in sur-
  prise round) - Refsave DC12, 1d6 Stamina damage from
  drowning, breaking free is Strength check with DC 8 + AC
  Bonus; SV Fort +1, Ref+0, Will +0; AL C.
  These abominations will often attack from an ambush. They
  try to drag their victims under water, trying to break free is
  impeded by the armor worn (= weight). When the creature
  is hit – damage must be incurred – the pustules will emit
  squirts ofacidic mucus.
  These creatures can be turned by neutral clerics that
  worship nature and by lawful clerics. Chaotic clerics and
  clerics ofCthulhu need not apply.
  Swamp Zombie
  The swamp stirs, and from it rises a thing in a shape that
  might be human… ifit weren't for all the moss, reeds and
  dirt covering it. It shambles threateningly towards you.
  
  14
  Stat Block (DCC) – Swamp Zombie (3-5, 1d3+2): See
  DCC rulebook, pg. 431.
  Staying Supplied
  Traveling through the swamp is an arduous and time-
  consuming task. A character eats a half-ration in the mor-
  ning and evenings – at the least. Rations can get lost or
  spoiled ifcharacters fall into sinkholes or into other accu-
  mulations ofwater – Judge's discretion.
  Food can bought as follows:
  •
  At the normal rate in Marshsund.
  •
  At double the rate from Barge People on the Garrach.
  (Reduce to 1½ ifthey perceive the party as helpful to
  their ends.)
  •
  At triple the rate from any hunters, trappers, fishermen,
  etc encountered randomly.
  •
  Can be traded for in Colligors.
  Beyond that, food can be caught with an appropriate
  occupation. Being an elfalso helps. All others can try but
  roll the reduced d10 skill die (see pg. 66 ofthe DCC
  rulebook for details). Hunters, trappers and all elves make
  their skill check at d20. Being an elven forester or falconer
  grants a +2 bonus to the skill check – in case ofthe falconer
  only ifthe falcon is still alive. A rat-catcher might be appro-
  priate in the swamp as well – at the Judge's discretion and if
  anyone wants to eat the catch.
  Hunting, trapping or fishing is possible – each takes one
  hour. Fishing is only possible in hexes bordering lakes, on
  rivers, but also while traveling on boat. In the last case
  fishing does not consume extra time, but the roll DC is 4
  higher and can be attempted every hour. (Try fishing from a
  boat while it is being rowed.) Hunting with a bow is an
  Agility roll, all other ways to hunt, trap or fish are Intel-
  ligence rolls. Two or more characters can hunt simul-
  taneously, resolve all rolls separately.
  Let the players roll. The results are as follows:
  •
  Beating a DC10 means supplying only oneselfwith one
  meal.
  •
  DC12 means supplying three people with one meal.
  •
  DC14 means supplying six people with one meal.
  •
  Rolling a natural 1 means one gets lost or attracts a
  monster. Judge's discretion.
  •
  Rolling a natural 20 means one makes a major catch –
  bringing down a moose or a fish that really was “this
  big.” This exceptional specimen easily feeds 8+1d4
  people for a day.
  
  15
  A meal is the equivalent ofa half-ration in fresh catch.
  Fresh food spoils within a day unless preserved. Brought
  some salt? Smoking the food is also possible, but takes an
  extra hour at a campfire.
  The cleric spell Food ofthe Gods (pg. 262 ofthe DCC
  rulebook) can be extremely helpful at a time like this.
  Divine Aid (see DCC pg. 31) can do the same in a pinch,
  but comes with the additional disapproval.
  Going hungry means taking Stamina damage every day that
  no food was consumed at all. 1 point ofdamage on each of
  the first two days, 1d4 on every subsequent day. Going
  hungry means rest does not provide any healing.
  Starvation damage to Stamina heals like any other ability
  score damage, see pp. 93 ofthe DCC rulebook. Reaching 0
  Stamina is the equivalent of“bleeding out” - the character
  needs immediate healing to survive or dies. Permanent
  ability score damage occurs, but no scar is left behind.
  “Recovering the body” is not appropriate for starved
  characters.
  
  16
  The Anchor
  In a remote area ofthe swamp, in the middle ofan island
  with craggy rock cliffs, lies the entrance to the portal mine.
  The cultists drove into the very stone several tunnels,
  connecting to natural caverns. Deep inside the rock shelf
  they found what they were looking for - a living bloodstone
  that could be converted to a portal anchor.
  Ifthe players dredge around in the swamp and dirt around
  the island, human bones will be found in several locations.
  Area 1: Regular Entrance
  After you hack away a thicket ofweeds and bushes, you see
  that this is the entrance to a man-made structure. It looks
  like a mine ofsorts. The floor is wet with little puddles
  collecting more water here and there.
  This area poses no special danger, but ifplayers were to run
  here they have to pass a DC 8 Reflex save. Ifthey run
  inside – like when being chased by a monster – slipping on
  the floor might cause them to tumble into the the central
  mine shaft – and towards certain death. This can be avoided
  by making a DC 12 Reflex save. Be sure to remind players
  oftheir ability to burn Luck.
  Area 2: Worker Quarters
  Beyond a brick arch lies a room in disarray. Rotted wooden
  furniture dominates. This must have been the sleeping
  quarters ofwhoever once excavated this. This place can
  house a dozen at least.
  The furniture is no good for anything except making a fire,
  but the room is defensible enough to serve as a temporary
  camp. Between the debris 7 sp and 37 cp can be found, as
  well as the odd metal item, rusted and with wooden handles
  rotted and broken. The coins show the faces oflocal nobles
  long dead and could be used to date the site – should any of
  the characters have the Hobby Archaeologist occupation.
  Area 3: Bat Cave
  Climbing down the hole is easy enough. You notice that
  some ofthe wall is covered in what seems like guano. You
  see a tunnel branch offright below you.
  Ifcharacters follow the branching tunnel they end up in
  the lair ofan exceptionally big Man-Bat. Bones ofsmall to
  medium animals are strewn in here, but there is also what
  seems to be a nest made oftwigs and reeds. The cave itself
  seems to collect no water.
  The Man-Bat is present at night it is home on 1-2 on a d6,
  during the day it will always be home. Handle dawn and
  dusk like the night. The Man-Bat is not present ifit has
  been slain as a swamp encounter.
  Man-Bat
  Stat Block (DCC) – Man-Bat: HD 4d8; hp 17. For all
  other stats see pg. 421 ofthe rulebook.
  Area 4: Krakenmoss under a
  Trapdoor
  Ifthe characters exercise care, they evade the trap hidden
  under the trapdoor. Ifnot, the character leading the way
  falls in ifa DC15 Reflex save is not made.
  This is no regular floor, but stones piled on a wooden
  trapdoor, its hinges cleverly concealed. As it gives way, it
  reveals bed ofslimy-looking green weeds. Suddenly their
  stems all rise up and try to grab whatever they can! At least
  he fell soft.
  Krakenmoss
  Slimy-looking green tentacles with spikes, flailing around,
  trying to grab whatever flesh they can reach.
  Stat Block (DCC) – Krakenmoss: AC 8; HD 2d6; hp 8; SP
  1d6 damage per round ofexposure, DC 12 Fort save or
  additionally 1 point ofStamina damage due to blood loss,
  attacks agains the moss are only half-damage for non-fire
  physical attacks; SV Fort +2, Reflex automatic fail, Will
  immune; AL N.
  
  17
  These weeds are able to subsist on minerals and water alone
  – iftheir environment is sufficiently wet. Krakenmoss also
  has tentacle-like shots that react to body warmth by trying
  to attach, grab, spike and rend. Its tendency to supplement
  its diet with the odd kill makes the Krakenmoss a plant of
  choice for the more musty dungeons in the land. Kraken-
  moss does not catch fire unless doused with oil.
  Area 5: The Shaft
  In this room there is a hole at the center. A 10' wide shaft
  descends down into the darkness, its walls irregularly
  carved from rock and earth. A large wooden crane sits next
  ofthe hole, dangling from it on a rope is a rusty metal cage,
  surely meant for being lowered down. As it slightly shifts
  back and forth, you sometimes hear a creaking noise.
  Dripping water echoes in the deep.
  In spite ofhow it might appear on the map, the crane is
  easily accessible. The crane's wooden structure is comple-
  tely rotten, and so is the rope attached to it. Attempts to use
  it destroy it – and unwise attempts lead to falling into the
  shaft (Reflex save DC 15 ifplayer action makes preventing
  this conceivable) or trying to evade being crushed by the
  collapsing crane (DC 12 Reflex save or 2d6 damage). If
  anything falls all the way down it rouses the Abominations
  in Area 11: Frog Spawn.
  
  18
  The shaft has irregular, climbable walls. Climb checks are
  made at DC 10, see also pg. 67 ofthe rulebook.
  It's 30' down to the first branching tunnel, another 30' to the
  next, and further 40' and 10' to the final ones, respectively,
  and another 10' to the bottom. Halve falling damage for
  falling into water, halve the number ofbroken bones as
  well, round down, with a minimum ofone broken bone if
  any 6 came up. See pg. 96 ofthe rulebook for more info on
  falling damage.
  Area 6: The Slab
  In the center ofthis room is a stone slab hewn from the
  same rock as the floor. It is, in fact, a part ofthe floor. The
  slab is carved with many symbols and discolored with a hue
  like rust.
  The color, ofcourse, stems from dried blood. A Read
  Languages check (see pg. 36 ofthe rulebook) or any other
  sensible means will deduce this is a blood altar dedicated to
  Bobugbubilz. Any wizard or elfwith this patron will
  instantly understand this fact. Ifthe chaotic alignment
  tongue is used in game (else use Demonic/Abyssal) and a
  PC can speak and read it (see pg. 18 “Intelligence” and pp.
  440 in the rulebook for more details on languages and the
  ability to read) this writing can be read by making a DC 10
  Intelligence check. It describes, at length, how the sacrifice
  ofthe life force and blood is meant to serve Bobugbubilz
  and then lists 47 “sacred” names ofthe Toadfiend.
  Ifa spellcaster has Bobugbubilz as a patron and memorizes
  all these names, his Luck goes up by 1 once. Alternatively
  he may increase his original result on the Patron Bond spell
  check permanently by one (see pp. 148 ofthe rulebook) and
  act as ifthis has always been the case.
  
  19
  Area 7: Make-shift “Crypt”
  Inside this room are at least three dozen sealed pots. The air
  smells slightly ofresin.
  Waste not, want not! While digging for the bloodstone, the
  cultists caught several poor victims, drained their blood to
  be used on the stone, and feed most oftheir bodies to the
  beasts ofthe swamp, particularly their beloved amphibians.
  However, the organs they preserved – please find enclosed
  guts, brains, hearts, livers, kidneys and spleens in various
  pots, conserved with a strange liquid, the containers
  sealed with resin.
  Area 8: The Not-So-Secret Door
  The shaft ends here, abruptly, in a dead end.
  Even a cursory inspection reveals that water trickles
  through a hole at the bottom, and that there is a shaft
  beyond. The hole opened by part ofthe wooden secret door
  rotting away. This door was at one time covered in dirt and
  then a crust developed, thickened by trickling water. Now it
  doesn't open. It can be forced with a DC 12 Strength check.
  Unfortunately that is bad idea. There is a high likelihood
  (DC 15 Reflex save) that doing so ends in dropping down
  the shaft beyond. Any smarter plan for opening the door is
  surely welcome and should pose no major problem to
  execute.
  Area 9: Cave of Depravity
  This cave has been covered from wall to wall with primitive
  paintings. They seem to depict sexual acts, and also lots of
  toads and other amphibians are painted everywhere. In fact,
  they might be involved somehow … Your curiosity is sud-
  denly cured and you have a strong desire to be somewhere
  else. And take a cleansing bath.
  Have you wondered by now where the Abominations of
  Bobugbubilz came from? Well, look no further. On second
  thought, better don't look.
  Area 10: The Bloodstone
  As you explore this tunnel further, you see a rickety bridge
  spanning over a 20' gap. Beyond it you see a weak, purple-
  reddish glow. The croak ofa frog echoes from the water
  below.
  The bridge is sturdy enough to carry one person at a time –
  unless it is an extremely encumbered person at the Judge's
  discretion. In the later case – or when two walk at the same
  time – the bridge collapses, leading anyone on the bridge to
  take 1d4 falling damage and tumbling into Area 11: Frog
  Spawn, disturbing the Abominations hiding down there.
  Ifthey pass safely, they find at the farthest point the portal
  stone - the Anchor. It is what keeps the Swamp Daughters
  on this plane.
  As you approach you see that the glow illuminates a small
  cavern, within it an unshapely stone, apparently the source
  ofthe light. The light seems to slightly pulse. Your attention
  is drawn to something else, though. Standing next to the
  stone is what looks like the statue ofa halfling. He wears no
  clothes, one arm reaching out, the hand fused to the stone
  itself. A grumpy-looking dwarfin a long chain shirt, grab-
  bing the halfling's other arm, else in the same condition. A
  tall warrior observes both with an expression ofhorror and
  surprise. And finally a less imposing and older figure, his
  hand forming some sort ofwarning gesture. His expression
  seems mostly indignant and annoyed beyond measure. The
  whole spectacle seems like frozen in time forever. Some
  clasp metal items, but most ofthem seem to have rusted
  away. Some items lie on the floor.
  Meet the Band ofRovers, partially fused to the bloodstone
  veins in the floor by the eldritch cascade ofenergy they
  triggered. Their equipment has largely rotted away under
  the conditions, but some items sturdy enough or imbued
  with magic survived.
  Some equipment can be salvaged:
  •
  A dwarven shirt ofmithril chain mail because it does
  not rust.
  •
  The head piece ofthe dwarf's mace. It is a magic item
  that can give offa green-ish light at the strength ofa
  
  20
  torch indefinitely. The word to invoke and douse it is
  inscribed in either the neutral alignment tongue (if
  used in your game) or in gnomish. Calling forth or
  extinguishing the light is a free action.
  •
  A little pouch that turns out to be a bag ofholding with
  an opening the size ofan orange. The bag contains 383
  unique marbles (each ofa different design) that the pre-
  vious owner collected for reasons only known to him.
  The Anchor stone can be easily destroyed by hacking it
  apart with tools like a mattock or a pick, but a mace might
  do in a pinch. It glows with a purple-reddish hue that also
  fills the room, but is otherwise quite harmless to the party.
  Ofcourse they don’t know that. Read this:
  As the stone crumbles apart, you see it was porous inside.
  From each pore runs a liquid like blood. The eerie glow
  fades. The statues suddenly seem to have transformed into
  dry, gray sand, and already their appendages and parts of
  their upper bodies fell to the ground as ifnothing is keeping
  them together anymore.
  Ifthe party has no light sources, modify accordingly.
  As soon as the stone is destroyed, any abominations in Area
  11: Frog Spawn will go into a frenzy and attack anyone
  coming nearby with no regard for their own lives – they
  also will not make morale checks and fight to the death.
  As soon as the Anchor is gone, all Swamp Daughters
  instantly leave this plane ofexistence. Allow wizards and
  elves to notice that something has subtly changed, without
  saying what. Any player characters that made more intimate
  contact with the Swamp Daughters feel the loss ofthe bond.
  Area 11: Frog Spawn
  The Abominations ofBobugbubilz (see pg. 13) feel attrac-
  ted to the stone and spawn in the pools below it. Each area
  houses 4-7 (1d4+3) ofthese creatures. They will not attack
  unless disturbed. Ifthe Anchor in Area 10: The Bloodstone
  is destroyed, they will try to attack characters passing by
  and follow them through the shaft. The abominations climb
  at a movement rate of20'. Describe them like geckos in this
  respect.
  
  21
  Aftermath
  Ending 1: They freed Jolinde
  Some parties might decide to detect a weakness in the
  Swamp Daughters, and extract Jolinde while the Swamp
  Daughters cannot do much about it - during the hours of
  day or night. And this can easily work.
  Depending on how the players go about it the Swamp
  Daughters might be able to find a suitable replacement. The
  deal continues, everyone licks their wounds. The villagers
  might be put offbecause another one oftheir kin will have
  to be “sacrificed,” not knowing that this saves them from
  the ire ofLord Gehrenburg. The Barge People gained
  nothing. The Lord might be willing to add an extra to his
  reward for any useful information.
  Ending 2: They freed Jolinde - but with a catch
  Lets say they took their sweet time and still ended up
  freeing Jolinde, but doing nothing else. The swamp
  daughters have no time to find a replacement to finish the
  ritual. Or lets say the players use the divide between the
  families in the village and tell them all about the Swamp
  Daughters and the limits oftheir powers. Anything that
  deprives the Swamp Daughters ofsuitable recruits
  basically.
  In this case the Swamp Daughters will become unstable
  and a hazard to travelers in the southern Dystermarsh. The
  people ofMarshsund lose their business, and the Barge
  People’s lives have become a lot more exciting, maybe
  requiring them to hire wizards, clerics or elves to aid them.
  The whole situation takes a turn ofthe worse and might
  require another adventure to resolve - or another group of
  adventurers.
  Destroying the Anchor will remove the insane Swamp
  Daughters, but their race is doomed. In general all adven-
  turers oflawful or neutral alignment should lose 1 point of
  Luck ifthis outcome comes to pass. With the undoing ofthe
  Swamp Daughters an unknown power has achieved a major
  goal in its scheme spanning many planes ofexistence (see
  below).
  Ending 3: Jolinde becomes a Swamp Daughter
  Jolinde became a Swamp Daughter and they did not find or
  destroy the Anchor. The villagers ofMarshsund remain in
  their status quo, as do the Barge People. Lord Gehrenburg
  will probably have no desire to see the adventurers ever
  again. He will also plot bad things to happen to those who
  he makes responsible for his loss - this includes both the
  adventurers and the Marshsunders. Not everything involves
  sending an easily spotted armed band ofwarriors… and the
  Swamp Daughters are not enough ofthis world to stop a
  scheme that involves assassins, a malignant wizard or the
  use offire on a town built with wood…
  No matter ifthey destroy the Anchor after the fact or not,
  Jolinde remains a Swamp Daughter. Giving the Lord Geh-
  renburg all possible information might mitigate the worst,
  but the more he learns, the more likely he is to strike out
  against Marshsund – trading the party's safety against the
  safety ofthe villagers.
  Ending 4: They released the Anchor
  The Swamp Daughters are gone. The girls can be rescued or
  might return themselves. Marshsund will have to change,
  but most everyone else is happy. Still, traffic will pass
  through Marshsund, only the toll and the occupation of
  “pilot” is a thing ofthe past. The village's young people
  will orient elsewhere for a livelihood. And the party better
  avoids the place in their future travels.
  
  22
  Epilogue: Who dunnit?
  It seems an awful coincidence that the Band ofRovers
  arrived at the stone when the stars were right. The portal
  had lain undisturbed for centuries. Furthermore, only half
  ofthe race ofthe swamp daughters was brought through.
  While magic is an unpredictable and dangerous thing with
  a will ofits own, this all seems a little too focused.
  What kind ofentity or group would set up such an elaborate
  scheme? Did they mean to eradicate the race ofthe Swamp
  Daughters forever? And how would such schemers react to
  a party possibly resolving the situation? And what power
  could be powerful enough to fool the followers ofBobug-
  bubilz and misdirect their efforts, and reap what they
  sowed?
  Answers to these questions might have impact on your
  campaign, and the answers you come up with might provide
  some long-term villain scheming way beyond this current
  adventure.
  
  23
  Guidelines:
  1.
  Hint at the nature ofboth dramatic poles during conversation.
  2.
  Resist pressure or manipulation by the Player Character unless they successfully discover Pole 2: The Family and use it
  as leverage.
  3.
  Reveal the Secret ifand only ifthe PC has convinced the NPC to reveal it through roleplaying.
  The Secret: (fold over to hide from player until reveal)
  The Gustaffssons have only one daughter, Gunnilla. Gunnilla was given to “the Swamp Daughters” as part ofa deal that is
  renewed every generation. Three girls are given by the town elder to the Swamp Daughters and never return. This has
  something to do with how the village makes its money. Bredda does not know who or what the Swamp Daughters are. Her
  daughter was chosen several weeks ago and has not returned.
  Appendix
  NPC Sheet: Bredda Gustaffsson
  Background: Bredda is the wife ofThjore. Thjore traps animals for their hides, Bredda prepares them and sells them either
  as raw material or as various finished products, including bags and clothes.
  Visual first impression: Black hair with a white streak, braided at the back, with a white lock interweaved with black in the
  braid
  Mannerism: Pauses for a short while after each sentence. Often resumes speaking when the other party assumes she was
  finished.
  Conflicting dramatic poles:
  Pole 1: The Community
  •
  Loyalty to the community offellow villagers
  •
  The community wants to keep its secret
  •
  The secret is important for the community’s economic
  fortunes
  •
  Betraying the community could mean exclusion or
  endanger survival
  Pole 2: The Family
  •
  Loyalty to her own small family
  •
  Keeping the secret means a personal loss
  •
  Keeping the secret means giving up hope
  •
  Bredda is in griefover something burdening her
  conscience
  
  24
  Open Gaming License
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
  The following text is the property ofWizards ofthe Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards
  ofthe Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved.
  1. Definitions: (a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have
  contributed Open Game Content; (b)"Derivative Material" means copyrighted material
  including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages),
  potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation,
  abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c)
  "Distribute" means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit
  or otherwise distribute; (d)"Open Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes the
  methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the
  Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly
  identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this
  License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically
  excludes Product Identity. (e) "Product Identity" means product and product line names, logos
  and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines,
  plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions,
  likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or
  audio representations; names and descriptions ofcharacters, spells, enchantments,
  personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments,
  creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic
  designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity
  by the owner ofthe Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content;
  (f) "Trademark" means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a
  Contributor to identify itselfor its products or the associated products contributed to the Open
  Game License by the Contributor (g) "Use", "Used" or "Using" means to use, Distribute, copy,
  edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material ofOpen Game
  Content. (h) "You" or "Your" means the licensee in terms ofthis agreement.
  2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice
  indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms ofthis License.
  You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added
  to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or
  conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.
  3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of
  the terms ofthis License.
  4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors
  grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of
  this License to Use, the Open Game Content.
  5.Representation ofAuthority to Contribute: IfYou are contributing original material as Open
  Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You
  have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
  6.Notice ofLicense Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion ofthis
  License to include the exact text ofthe COPYRIGHT NOTICE ofany Open Game Content
  You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and
  the copyright holder's name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE ofany original Open Game
  Content you Distribute.
  7. Use ofProduct Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an
  indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement
  with the owner ofeach element ofthat Product Identity. You agree not to indicate
  compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction
  with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another,
  independent Agreement with the owner ofsuch Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use
  ofany Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the
  ownership ofthat Product Identity. The owner ofany Product Identity used in Open Game
  Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
  8. Identification: Ifyou distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which
  portions ofthe work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
  9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of
  this License. You may use any authorized version ofthis License to copy, modify and
  distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version ofthis License.
  10 Copy ofthis License: You MUST include a copy ofthis License with every copy ofthe
  Open Game Content You Distribute.
  11. Use ofContributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content
  using the name ofany Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to
  do so.
  12 Inability to Comply: Ifit is impossible for You to comply with any ofthe terms ofthis
  License with respect to some or all ofthe Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or
  governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
  13 Termination: This License will terminate automatically ifYou fail to comply with all terms
  herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days ofbecoming aware ofthe breach. All
  sublicenses shall survive the termination ofthis License.
  14 Reformation: Ifany provision ofthis License is held to be unenforceable, such provision
  shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
  15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards ofthe Coast, Inc.
  System Rules Document Copyright 2000 Wizards ofthe Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet,
  Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
  DCC RPG, copyright © 2012 Goodman Games, all rights reserved, visit www.goodman-
  games.com or contact info@goodman-games.com
  The Swamp Daughters ofMarshsund, copyright © 2014 Oliver Korpilla.
  This product is based on the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game, published by
  Goodman Games. This product is published under license.
  Dungeon Crawl Classics and DCC RPG are trademarks ofGoodman Games. All rights
  reserved. For additional information, visit
  www.goodman-games.com or contact info@goodman-games.com.
  Open Game Content: All text is hereby considered Open
  Game Content and subject to the license above.
  
  25
  
  26
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeon Crawl Classics/DCC Adventures & Settings/The Swamp Daughters of Marshund (DCC)/The Swamp Daughters of Marshund (DCC).pdf