Old Garl is thin and pallid, his skin drawn tight across sharp bones as though time has stripped him of all warmth. He does not blink. He speaks only in a dry rasp. The air around him carries the faint chill of something long buried.

Beneath Sharkfin Bridge, the Bridgefolk of Saltmarsh treat him as a harmless eccentric — strange, quiet, always there at dusk. They do not see what he is.

Garl is undead.

Decades ago, he fled the Drowned Forest after rising from death. Somehow he endured, lingering in the shadows beneath the bridge while the river carried on without him.

Now the gnolls have returned to the forest. They raid travelers bound for Burle and prey upon fishermen along the Kingfisher River. Something in the drowned woods is stirring again — and Garl remembers just enough to be afraid.

See the Bridgefolk Rumors

• Starting Location: Under Sharkfin Bridge

• Levels: 4

• Old Garl’s Whispers. At first glance, Garl is a harmless eccentric. He mutters in a rasping whisper, speaking half to himself: “River dogs… dangerous. Drowned I did, in the drowned forest.”
  He nods upriver as if warning the party, repeating “river dogs” with a vacant stare. If pressed, he warns them not to drink the forest water, but his memory frays quickly, and he soon lapses into silence. (The “river dogs” are gnolls.)

• Tracking Him. If the characters shadow Old Garl during the day, they discover he walks the old paths upriver into the drowned forest. His trail leads directly to the gnoll encampment and, eventually, to the cursed pool.

A fetid mist drifts over the drowned forest, a small clearing of rough canvas shelters. You count a snarling pack of gnolls, numbers as many as a dozen, their yellow, matted fur slick with swamp water and their eyes burning with feral hunger. They move restlessly, some gnawing on marrow bones, others barking at one another.

At the edge of the camp, three travelers are tied tightly to half-submerged stakes encircled by a carpet of violet fungus. One of them is still alive. His eyes bulge in terror, the deadly caps are close enough that a single move would send clouds of poisonous spores into his face. Another is unmistakably dead, her flesh beginning to gray, and yet her body remains strangely still. The third captive twitches with milky eyes, yanking at the stake, undead.

All around, the air buzzes with flies, which reeks with blood and rot.

Cursed Pool Effect

• Anyone who drinks from the pool rises as undead after death in 1d4 rounds.

Victims

• Female victim (tied to stake): Did not drink. Will remain dead if killed.

• Merchant prisoner: Drank from the pool. Will rise as undead upon death.

• Undead bound at stake: Previously drank; already risen.

Gnolls

• 6–8 gnoll warriors + 1 gnoll pack lord.

• All have been drinking from the pool.

• Any slain gnoll will rise as undead shortly after death 1d4 rounds.

• They pay little attention to their captives unless directly threatened.

Hazards

• 1d4+2 Violet Fungus surround the captives.

  • Attack nearby creatures.

  • Create dangerous terrain during rescue attempts.

The forest suddenly parts to reveal a strange, unnatural calm: a circular pool of water, perfectly still and clear. The pool spans fifty feet across, its surface mirror-flat. Around the edges, smooth black stones glisten beneath the water.

As you step closer, whispering voices seem to rise from the water itself. Your name is faintly called, carried on a haunting breeze that only you can hear. The voices are soft, coaxing, as if the pool remembers you, beckoning you to drink deep of its pristine waters.

• Aura (100 ft): Faint whispers call creatures by name, luring them closer.

• At the Edge: DC 16 Wis save or compelled to drink (success = immune 24 hrs).

• Water: Cool, refreshing, no immediate effect.

• Curse: If the drinker dies, they rise as undead in 1d4 rounds.

• Surface: Perfectly still; no ripples, no disturbance.

• Location: ~100 meters from the gnoll camp.

• Gnolls: All drink from it; slain gnolls rise as undead.

• Cure: The Sea Herbalist on Sharkfin Bridge knows the remedy.

Finding the gnoll camp in the drowned forest is no simple task, the forest itself is a living hazard. Thick, swampy undergrowth, tangled roots, and sudden pools of dark water slow travel and obscure the path (Difficult Terrain). The dense canopy filters sunlight into a dim misty gloom (dim light). Sounds carry strangely and muffled, and unseen eyes watch from the shadows.

To capture the sense of constant peril, consider using the Ghosts of Saltmarsh random encounter tables (see below).

Grim Clues: Additionally, the players may come across grim clues hinting at recent gnoll raids; broken arrows, torn clothing, bones, and shattered personal belongings. Perhaps faint tracks lead deeper into the swamped wilderness, signs of struggle or hasty flight.

Tracking: Consider tracking gnoll tracks. Wisdom (Survival) checks, DC 15. (DMG 2024 Chapter 2: Running the Game Tracking has some good suggestions)

Old Garl: For a guided trail, Old Garl can serve as a cryptic, reluctant guide. If the party chooses to follow his daily wanderings into the Drowned Forest, he may lead them closer to the gnoll territory, though his undead nature and fragmented memories might also bring unpredictable dangers.

Drowned Forest Random Encounters

The gnoll camp is located to the east of the Dunwater River, deep within the Drowned Forest, roughly parallel to the Burle. These savage raiders prowl along the west side of the Kingfisher River, striking swiftly and violently. Under cover of night, they sometimes cross the river to prey on unsuspecting travelers and scattered settlements. Their attacks are brutal but opportunistic, favoring easy targets and lightning raids.

Feel free to weave their raids into other scenarios, using their dark presence as a recurring threat haunting the borderlands between forest and river.

Battle Map Suggestion.

Several maps could serve this encounter, and DM Andy provides a number of excellent swamp options. One that works particularly well is Fetid Swamp: Fallen Tree, which features a log bridge spanning the Dunwater River. This setup creates engaging tactical choices: the log can be contested, possibly knocked into the river, or simply used to add tension and movement to the fight. Of course, DMs should feel free to use whichever swamp map best suits their table.