The Putrid Tide

Location

Flooded Causeway (Ai image)


The Putrid Tide is the name given to the unpredictable groundswell of water within the Morgunt's Marshlands on the coast of Loch Morgunt. Situated in the region of Lowside, the marshes cover a vast area south of the loch.

The strange and changeable rise of water is so dangerous that the swamps have acquired the nickname of 'Green Hell'. Very few clansmen have made their homes in this wilderness. Only the notorious Reiver Clans have been able to settle in this formidable environment.

It is still one of the less populated areas of Alven. To this day, very few guides can be found to navigate the dangers of the swamps. Countless lives have been lost trying to find a way through it and establish a decent route from Glashelm in the west to Hollyholm in the east in a bid to bypass the sailing on Loch Morgunt.

No clan has yet managed to tame its wilderness. The Reivers are very jealous of their knowledge regarding the swamp and have been able to keep its secrets up to now.

Phenomenon

On a superficial level, it seems that water in the Morgunt Marshes follows wild and unregulated patterns. Water can rise from the ground or hidden springs at an alarming rate, suddenly making what seem safe causeways and dry patches of land life-threatening.

Not only does the water rise quickly and without warning, but it can also create strong currents and eddies which can sweep away men, horses and even whole wagons.

However, the tides can be predicted with a deep knowledge of the ground, seasonal weather trends, and lunar cycles. Experts such as Reiver Scouts can decipher these complex natural patterns, and no one should venture inside the Marshes without such an experienced guide.

Eddies, Gases and Fools' Lights (Whispershades)

Fool's Light or Whispershade (Ai image)

The sudden flow of water often raises the marsh gases, which are usually trapped below the water's surface. The gases are a well-documented phenomenon created by the decomposition of vegetation. They are noxious to human health and easily flammable. At night, the Morgunt Marshes can lit up with Fools' Lights.

The lights seem to dance on the surface of the water. From afar, they can be taken for lanterns and a sign of habitation. These lights have caught the unwary travellers in their traps countless times, so much so that in folklore and legends, they have been portrayed as evil, vengeful spirits called Whispershades.

Secrets of the Marshlands

Tidal Wave on Loch Morgunt (Ai image)


What the Marshlands hide is even more fantastic than what the Alvenites think. Two millennia ago, a massive explosion below Loch Morgunt created a tidal wave that pushed most of the water of the underground hidden lochs to the surface.

This explosion was created when the underground laboratory of Archweaver Mittentoe exploded and took out a sizeable portion of the underground ridge below Loch Morgunt. The explosion created a thick shelf of fused stones below the swamps, which makes it difficult for the waters to seep through to the layers below.

As a result, the Marshes are very susceptible to flooding. In addition, the uneven terrains and strange, sometimes magical, configuration of the ground layers are prone to create massive quick-sands, eddies and currents.

The remnant of Mintenwoe's warren-like complex is still yet to be discovered. However, as more and more expeditions are sent to the Marshes, it might not be long before some enterprising explorer and scientist discover the magical artefacts from that ancient time at the bottom of the swamps.