Background
Once long ago the area known today as Trelindor Swamp was a verdant valley. A group of lizardfolk discovered the valley and claimed it for themselves by building a city. Massive stone bricks were dug out from a nearby quarry and hauled back to the valley by boggard slaves. The lizardfolk worshiped the sun and had their slaves construct temples to honor their ever-present god. The continued expansion of the city became intrinsically linked with approval from the sun god. As the city grew more opulent, hundreds of boggards would die making each new buildings even taller.
For the lizardfolk, the end of their grand city seemed to come without warning. For the boggards, it took generations of prayer to end the cruelty they endured as slaves. The sun was blocked by dark clouds for an entire week before a deluge of rain began and did not stop. The rain leads to flooding and mudslides which buried the city and most of its populous, lizardfolk and boggard alike. The local environment transformed from a lush valley into the foreboding marsh known today. The lizardfolk survivors considered the devastation a punishment from their sun god. They decided to stay in the swamp as penitence for their perceived sins. Most of the boggards slaves fled, but a dedicated few vowed to remain and avenge their ancestors by exterminating the last of the lizardfolk.
Adapting to life in the swamp was difficult for both the lizardfolk and the boggards. A new routine developed with the lizardfolk keeping to themselves and fighting off occasional raids by the boggards. It took the arrival of twin black dragons to shake both races out of their slump. Abraxel appeared to the lizardfolk, promising to lead them to reclaim their former glory. Quaring offered to help the boggards finally defeat their hated lizardfolk enemies. Abraxel and Quaring are in cahoots and playing both races against each other. Neither dragon truly cares about the lizardfolk or the boggards, they’re using them as game pieces for their own amusement.
Inhabitants
The lizardfolk operating under Abraxel are known as The Black Scale Tribe. They paint dark swirls on their scales using mud and charcoal for camouflage and intimidation. Much of their time is spent scavenging for resources in half-sunken ruins of their former city. Abraxel is the unquestioned leader of the tribe and gets first claim on any treasure before it is distributed to the rest of the lizardfolk. The Black Scale Tribe rarely interacts with travelers or traders from outside the swamp. Abraxel claims they have no need for outside help or influence, it is lizardfolk alone who will eventually defeat the boggards.
Rather than a single large tribe, the boggards are broken up into many smaller gangs. The gangs compete with each other for food and resources but do come together when fighting lizardfolk. Quaring often ferments conflict between different gangs by whispering rumors to the gang leaders. She believes conflict is good for the boggards since it allows the strong to rise to leadership positions while the weak are exterminated. The boggards have no qualms about help from outside their gangs. They often seek out exotic weapons or magic items from traders passing through the swamp. They use these items in their fights with the lizardfolk as well as among themselves.
Recent Events
The elven princess Leirala has gone missing. She and her escorts never reached their intended destination and were last seen skirting the edges of Trelindor Swamp. Leirala is a skilled magus, so a simple kidnapping is considered unlikely. Additionally, neither of the Black Scale Tribe or any of the boggard gangs have made ransom demands. Her father king Northel believes her entourage may have ventured into the swamp and become lost or trapped. He is offering a reward of 500 GP for any information on Leirala’s whereabouts as well as a 1,000 GP reward for delivering her to safety.
The simmering hatred the lizardfolk and boggards have for each other has given rise to a new enemy. A mire brute now stalks Trelindor Swamp attacking anything and anyone that gets in its way. Abraxel and The Black Scale Tribe are openly seeking out ways to control this fearsome creature. They see it as a possible weapon they can use in their war against the boggards. Quaring and the boggards have quietly promised a reward for help defeating the mire brute, but have been vague about the specifics. No one knows exactly what caused the mire brute to appear and this has some worried that another may soon arise unless action is taken.
A recent earthquake has altered the topography and uncovered an ancient lizardfolk temple dedicated to their sun god. It is believed to contain caches of magic items that date back to the city’s founding. No one has been able to enter deep into the temple to search for these items because of the temple’s guardians. The long dead lizardfolk inhabitants of the temple have returned as fire phantoms and burning skeletons. The guardians patrol outside the temple while the sun is out, but retreat to the temple interior during overcast days and at night. No one is sure exactly how many guardians there are, because no matter how many are defeated, more appear to replenish the ranks.
Drag & Drop Encounter (CR 7)
The opening clashes of combat erupt from beyond the hillock startling away a flock of birds. Four lizardfolk have established a defensive perimeter around a wagon half sunk in a patch of mud. The wagon’s crew and horses lie freshly killed, their arrow wounds still dripping blood. Three boggards are attempting to drive the lizardfolk off so they can scavenge the wagon themselves. The lizardfolk have numbers on their side but are unwilling to press the attack and risk losing any of the wagon’s salvage. Both sides are focused completely on the wagon to the exclusion of everything else. The boggards are drawing in deep breaths and are preparing to let loose their terrifying croaks.
