Brinestump Marsh — Home Territory

Campaign route through Brinestump Marsh and beyond

Brinestump Marsh

Map: Shipwreck in Brinestump Marsh

Module 1 map: The Kaijitsu Star shipwreck in Brinestump Marsh

Overview

The salt marsh southwest of Sandpoint on the Varisian coast. Home territory of the Licktoad tribe. Dense, hostile, and full of things that kill goblins. The party traversed it twice in the opening campaign beats — once to the Kaijitsu Star, once returning.

Geography

• Southwest of Sandpoint along the Varisian coast.
• The Licktoad village is deep within the marsh.
• The route to the Kaijitsu Star runs roughly one mile along the southern bank of a creek, taking about an hour.
• The marsh extends to the coast; at the coast, open beach and tidal terrain are accessible.

Known Hazards and Encounters

Lotslegs Eat Goblin Babies Many

Giant spider (CR 1). Dwelling in treetops along the creek routes, roughly halfway between the Licktoad village and the Kaijitsu Star. Has developed a taste for adult goblins. The party defeated her. Her lair — a deadfall of old trees 200 feet south of the creek — contains wrapped bodies and valuables.

River Crossing

A crossing requiring skill checks. Rrrahah Bäähh kept someone from drowning. (The module describes the route as a creek navigation with deep-water pools to skirt; the campaign accounts for an actual crossing with skill checks. Both are canon.)

Crocodile

A crocodile was encountered and killed during the marsh transit. No module source for this encounter — confirmed original campaign content (either GM-improvised or from an unextracted source).

Beach and Night Camp

After emerging from the marsh toward the coast, the party made camp on the beach. Encounters came out of the dark. By morning, all eight were still present. No module source — confirmed original campaign content.

The Kaijitsu Star

The first ship. A two-masted Chelish sailing vessel driven aground decades ago, mired in a shallow swamp pool near the coast. The name “Kaijitsu Star” is written in Tien on the bow — no goblin can read it. Now Vorka’s lair (see Vorka).

The ship was thoroughly ransacked after Vorka’s death. A red chest in Vorka’s cabin contained fireworks — the tribe’s requested haul. The party also found a map of the marsh here, which they used to locate the Kaijitsu Blossom on their second expedition. An ivory fan with a map on its reverse was also present; its significance ties to distant events (not yet played).

The Kaijitsu Blossom

The second Kaijitsu family ship. Found during the party’s second expedition from Licktoad Village — the route was longer than the first. confirmed — T3

A skeleton aboard the ship — a ship’s officer or similar rank on the Blossom — gave the party a mithril sword handle. The handle contains a rolled paper. The party has not read the paper. This is a live plot thread. confirmed — T3: “das skelett das uns auf dem schiff den mithril schwertgriff gegeben hat, war Offizier oder sowas auf der Blossom”

The undead from this ship are connected (imagined — GM-designed backstory) to the destruction of Licktoad Village. The village was destroyed by an adventuring party that followed the same trail the goblins had taken. The content of the paper, and how it connects to the village destruction, remains unknown to the party.

See lore/items/notable-items.md for the sword hilt entry. See lore/locations/kaijitsu-blossom.md for the ship file.

Notes

• Humans generally avoid Brinestump Marsh.
• The marsh’s hazards include giant bugs, wild dogs, giant snakes, and giant frogs in addition to the named encounters.
• The name “Kaijitsu Star” is written in Tien on the bow. No goblin can read it. The ship’s backstory connects to the Jade Regent AP through its former cargo; this has not been played.