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GameMastery Guide / Adventures / Wilderness / Environment

Marshes, Swamps, and Bogs

Source GameMastery Guide pg. 222
Swamps are forested lowland marshes that sit at the junctures of multiple sources of water, maintaining a constant seep and flow that filters water from higher elevations. Bogs differ from swamps in several important regards: they lie in declivities that do not drain easily, and they are fed by rainfall, snowmelt, or acidic springs rather than by active streams or rivers. Bogs form when dead vegetation is prevented from fully decaying by the surrounding acidic water, forming a layer of peat, which inhibits further drainage of the area. All swamps support a huge variety of plant, animal, and insect life, though trees tend to be less plentiful. Swamps are humid, dank, and full of treacherous footing: shallow pools give way quickly to deeper pools, and woe to the heavily laden traveler who steps into quicksand without companions nearby.

The following sections of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook can help flesh out marshes, swamps, and bogs. Marsh terrain is described here. When traveling through swamps, one should always be wary of rotten vegetation, which can break suddenly under too much weight and cause falls, as well as quicksand and deep pools of water, which can be spotted in the same manner as quicksand. Falling into such a pool requires a DC 10 Swim check and carries the possibility of drowning. The deep water in swamps, while providing cover, can also hamper movement.

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Marshes, Swamps, and Bogs