- Suggested Level: 2–4
- Quest Giver(s): Cerris Fenwild, druidess of Reedwatch
Summary
South of Reedwatch lies a fetid bog where ancient standing stones, half-submerged in muck, form a ring. In recent weeks, villagers have reported whispers drifting on the wind—mocking, eerie voices that taunt, threaten, or speak in riddles. Most dismiss it as swamp gas or nerves… but Cerris Fenwild believes something older is at work.
In truth, a crack beneath the bog has opened, allowing Mud Mephits to slip through. These minor elemental beings are drawn to the chaotic seepage leaking from below—a faint, buried pulse of Zargon’s ancient corruption. The mephits echo its madness without understanding it, twisting elemental mockery into prophetic fragments.
Reaching the Bog…
The bog yawns wide, silent but for the bubbling of stagnant pools. Green slime clings to the edges of ancient stones like rot to bone.
Then, faintly, a whisper:
“A god forgotten… hungers still…”A ripple breaks the water’s surface. Something giggles… and sinks.
Objectives
- Investigate the source of the whispers in the bog.
- Defeat or banish the Mud Mephits causing the disturbance.
- Optionally: Consecrate the stone ring (DC 14 Religion or Nature).
- Study the whispers (DC 15 Arcana or History) to uncover fragments of primordial prophecy.
Scaling Combat Encounters
| Party Level | Enemies |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | 1 Mud Mephit |
| 3 | 2 Mud Mephits |
| 4 | 2 Mud Mephits + 1 Quasit (chaos-warped minion) |
Condensed Stat Blocks
Mud Mephit
Small elemental, CR ¼
- AC: 11 HP: 27 Speed: 20 ft., fly 30 ft.
- Claws: +3 to hit, 1d4+1 slashing
- Mud Breath (Recharge 6): DC 11 Dex save or blinded 1 round
- Death Burst: DC 11 Dex save, 2d4 bludgeoning (mud splash)
Quasit (Chaos-Aligned)
Tiny fiend, CR 1
- AC: 13 HP: 7 Speed: 40 ft.
- Claws: +4 to hit, 1d4+3 slashing
- Shapechanger: Turns into bat, centipede, or toad
- Scare (Recharge 4–6): DC 10 Wis save or frightened 1 min
Rewards
- If banished (not slain):
Beory’s Harmony — Each party member gains advantage on one Nature or Survival check per day for 1 week. - If prophecy is studied:
Players learn cryptic fragments tied to Zargon’s resurgence and the Unraveling Threads of Chaos. May grant inspiration or future insight. - Optional Treasure:
One of the stones has a small petrified charm embedded in its roots:- Stone-Tethered Fetish: When dropped in water, points toward Reedwatch like a compass. Once per long rest, grants advantage on saves vs fear in swamp terrain.
Prophecy Fragment Table (Roll d6)
| d6 | Whispered Fragment |
|---|---|
| 1 | “The Horn stirs beneath the stone… broken, yet never silenced.” |
| 2 | “Roots wither, waters curdle, balance shatters when veins run red.” |
| 3 | “A god forgotten hungers still. Feed it fear, and it wakes.” |
| 4 | “When stone splits and silver bleeds, blood will follow in its wake.” |
| 5 | “Eight veins unravel, threads of chaos through earth and soul.” |
| 6 | “The river carries more than water… it carries whispers, waiting.” |
Lore Payoffs
❖ Flan Faith Connection:
“The earth remembers,” Cerris tells the party. “And it grieves when the veins of the world are split. We do not dig into the root unless we ask permission first.”
This reflects the Flan reverence for balance and stewardship, and stands in contrast to the miners of Cragford/Highmere.
❖ Zargon / EEG Foreshadowing:
The whispered phrases from the mephits can be recalled much later during cult encounters or visions:
“You remember what they said in the bog… the Horn stirs… the veins run red…”
❖ Political Intrigue:
- Rumors may be twisted by anti-mining agitators or EEG cultists masquerading as druids.
- Cragford merchants might try to use this as proof that “the land curses us for digging,” furthering paranoia until the truth is uncovered.
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