Mistmarsh

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Greyhawk Location
Mistmarsh
Mistmarsh01.png
The Mistmarsh as depicted by Anna Meyer, 2019.
Type: Wetlands
Region: Domain of Greyhawk
Races: Lizardfolk

A broad, shallow swamp teeming with reptile life, the Mistmarsh fills the lowlands west and south of the Cairn Hills. Lizardfolk claim certain areas of the deep marsh and wandering ghoul packs are a danger throughout. [1]

Description[edit]

The Mistmarsh is an area of wet ground, grassland, shallow streams, and strange hazards that rests in a bowl-shaped depression in the middle of the Cairn Hills. The marsh is over sixty miles across[2] at its narrowest point. It has no clear border, as it is surrounded by a fringe area of drier grassland.[2] It is named for the harmless mist that lingers from two hours before sunrise until midmorning, and again for several hours after sunset.[3] When there's rain or high humidity, the mist persists 24 hours a day.[3] The mist limits visibility and also seems to muffle sound.[2]

The waterways are either too shallow for boats[3] or too infested with crocodiles.[2][4] Small ponds are common but never very deep.[2] The drier parts are muddy (often calf-deep on a human) and occasional “islands” of mangaroo trees are really just great tangles of roots and branches that require climbing rather than walking.[2] These factors make travel slow in the Mistmarsh, limiting exploration to its fringes except for dedicated adventurers or those with magical means of bypassing its obstacles.[2]

Mosquitoes, gnats, and other insects are a near constant presence in the Mistmarsh.[3]

History[edit]

In the springs of both 584CY and 585CY there were unusually aggressive forays from the lizardfolk tribes of the Mistmarsh, striking against outlying farms and raiding for livestock. So much so, in fact, that two patrol keeps had to be built (one to the north, the other south), to quell the expansion of the lizardfolk; Blackwall Keep and Marsh Keep.[5]

In Night Watch, which is set in a possible future, the lizardfolk of the Mistmarsh all but disappeared and are almost urban legend and are believed to be extinct.[6]

Geography[edit]

"...the Ery River backwash [is] partially responsible for the existence of the Mist Marsh ... To the north and the east, and to the far southeast, the Cairn Hills [rise] to ominous heights, creating the huge bowl-shaped depression that, with time, had become the Mist Marsh."[7]"

Resources[edit]

Hunting at the perimeter of the Mistmarsh is quite common; small wild boar, deer, and waterfowl —ducks, geese, and swans in vast numbers— are all relatively easy to stir up.[3]

There's even one particular rare species of duck in the Mistmarsh which yields the sweetest and richest duck meat in all the Flanaess. Capturing a pair for breeding is incredibly valuable on the open market.[8]

Rumors and legends[edit]

See Also[edit]

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), p.153.
  2. a b c d e f g ""Part Two: Into the Mistmarsh"". Dungeon #126 (Sep 2005), p.27
  3. a b c d e The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.27, Gem of the Flanaess.
  4. COG, p.27, Gem of the Flanaess.
  5. From the Ashes (1992).
  6. Night Watch (1990), p.202. "The last remains of that ancient and feared reptilian race had for centuries maintained its last known lair in the Mist Marsh. At one time, the entire swamp had been their preserve .... Slowly, though, they had retreated deeper and deeper into the marsh. Most people thought they had died out altogether."
  7. Night Watch (1990), p.198.
  8. From the Ashes (1992), p.19, 88-90, Campaign Book.

Bibliography[edit]

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Index is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, and his work as continued and updated by Eric Johnson, Richard DiIoia, Jason "PupickDad" Jacobson, a French fan group, and numerous other fans over the years. The wiki page for the EGI has a list of sources, full product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic Type Description Product Page/Card/Image

Into the Mistmarsh Adventure Adventure - Located in: Mistmarsh, From the Ashes: References Card
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, The City of Greyhawk: Gem of the Flanaess 10, 16, 27, 28, 30, 32
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, Dragon magazine #191 65
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, Dragon magazine #271 77
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, Dragon magazine #359 76
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, From the Ashes: Atlas of the Flanaess 61
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, From the Ashes: Campaign Book 1, 13, 17-19, 23, 24, 28, 76, 88-91
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, From the Ashes: References Card #14
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, Living Greyhawk Gazetteer 149, 152, 153
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, Oerth Journal #11 61,62,64
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, Oerth Journal #24 11
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, Oerth Journal #29 29,30
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, Player's Guide to Greyhawk 28, 33, 40, 49, 51
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, Slavers, AD&D 2e 7, 47
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, The Adventure Begins 50, 55, 59, 64
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, The Adventure Begins: Adventure Maps 2, 5, 8, 16
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, LT3 The Doomgrinder IBC
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, LT1 The Star Cairns 3
Mistmarsh Geographical feature Marsh, WGR1 Greyhawk Ruins 16
Mistmarsh, Hermit of Non-player character From the Ashes: Campaign Book 28, 29
Sweet as the Mistmarsh Verbal communication Phrase, Player's Guide to Greyhawk 49
The ruins of Mistmarsh Adventure Adventure - Located in: Mistmarsh, Oerth Journal #11