Missing Tribute Caravan
A swamp caravan carrying salt, lamp oil, and medicine has vanished on the causeway. The local marshwarden hires the party to find the survivors before the crocodile king’s collectors claim everything.
Campaign Overview
The Crocodile King's Mire
A vast swamp has been seized by an iron-willed crocodile king whose rule is felt in every flooded road, broken shrine, and half-sunken village. Travelers vanish on the causeways. Marsh-folk pay tribute in silver, fish, and secrets. Something older than the crown stirs beneath the bog, and the king’s appetite is growing.
In Act I, the party arrives on the edge of the mire, learns how the king’s tax collectors and beasts keep the swamp cowed, and begins tracing the source of the kingdom’s strange obedience. The tone is humid, uncanny, and oppressive, with flashes of brutal humor and primal danger.
The campaign begins as a survival mystery and becomes a fight against a ruler who treats the swamp like his personal larder.
Player Handout
Welcome to the Mire
The swamp has a king, and the king has teeth.
In the flooded lowlands, boats travel with flags of surrender, reed villages pay tribute, and anything that splashes too loudly may never splash again. The locals whisper of a crowned crocodile in a black-palace of mud and bone. They also whisper that the king’s laws are simple:
- Bring tribute.
- Do not lie to the river.
- Never bleed in the water.
You are drawn to the mire by missing people, stolen goods, a plea for help, or the promise of treasure hidden in the king’s flooded dominion. Whatever your reason, the swamp will notice you quickly.
Free Act I Preview
The Crocodile King's Mire
Act I is a swamp-side introduction and pressure-cooker opening: establish the crocodile king’s rule, give the party a local reason to push into the mire, and end with a first direct threat from the king’s agents. Focus on atmosphere, local fear, and simple goals: rescue, retrieve, and survive. Keep the central mystery light in the free preview; the king’s true nature is hinted through tribute, carved scales, and hypnotic obedience among swamp creatures.
Adventure Hooks
The Drowned Shrine Map
A scholar or temple keeper offers a map to a half-sunken shrine said to contain proof of the crocodile king’s rise. The route crosses territory where tribute is demanded from all who enter.
Act Structure
Act I: Tribute in the Flooded Lowlands
Recommended level: 1-2The party enters the swamp under pressure from missing caravans, broken trade, or a plea from locals. They confront the crocodile king’s collectors, uncover a hidden shrine clue, and survive their first serious attack from the mire’s defenders. The act should feel like an opening descent into hostile, intelligent wilderness ruled by a cruel sovereign.
Objectives
- Learn how the crocodile king controls the swamp
- Rescue or recover missing tribute goods
- Find the route to the king’s inner marshlands
- Secure at least one clue about the ruler’s power or location
Mire Gate Arrival
The road ends where the swamp begins. Beyond the last dry stones, black water gleams under a veil of mist, and reed huts lean away from the flood as if afraid of what lives inside.
Open with rumors, fear, and immediate atmosphere. Let the party meet desperate locals and learn that tribute has become harsher. Introduce the crocodile king as a real threat, not a distant legend.
Checks
- DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) to read local fear and spot who is hiding something
- DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) to gain a volunteer guide or information
- DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) to notice tribute marks on crates and boats
Clues
- The crocodile king’s collectors are organized and numerous.
- People fear both the king and something he answers to.
- A sunken shrine or toll gate is tied to the missing caravan route.
Transitions
- Leads to the Reed Toll Gate scene
- Points the party toward the flooded causeway
Pressure of the Toll Collectors
Reed poles creak in the wind. A painted crocodile crown hangs over the waterway, and masked collectors wait with open hands, as if all travelers are expected to kneel.
This is a social test that can become a combat encounter. Let the party choose between bluffing, paying, threatening, or fighting. The encounter should reveal the swamp king’s bureaucracy and reach.
Checks
- DC 12 Charisma (Deception) to pose as official envoys
- DC 11 Charisma (Intimidation) to force the collectors to back down
- DC 12 Dexterity (Stealth) to slip past in a side channel
Clues
- Collectors carry stamped tribute tokens, not random loot.
- A route slate or ledger mentions a sunken shrine.
- The collectors are afraid to disobey a higher authority.
Transitions
- Leads to the Causeway Ambush encounter
- Opens the path to the Sunken Shrine of the Jaw
The Drowned Shrine Clue
Carved crocodile jaws frame the altar, and old floodwater laps at its base. The shrine feels less abandoned than silenced, as though something beneath the stone is listening.
Use this scene to deliver the campaign’s first solid mystery answer: the king’s rule connects to an older sacred site. Keep the clue specific enough to act on, but leave the larger truth hidden.
Checks
- DC 11 Wisdom (Religion) to interpret the shrine’s symbols
- DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) to uncover hidden compartments
- DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) to move safely across slick stone
Clues
- The shrine predates the crocodile king.
- A carved route points to a mud-palace deeper in the mire.
- A token or signet suggests the king has legitimate ceremonial authority, not just brute force.
Transitions
- Leads to the Shrine encounter
- Provides the route to the final approach of Act I
Milestone: The party reaches level 2 after uncovering the shrine clue and surviving the first direct confrontation with the crocodile king’s forces.
Villain Character Sheets
King Razzak of the Black Mire
Completed
King Razzak of the Black Mire presents himself as a sovereign of perfect manners and absolute appetite. He does not greet visitors as threa…
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King Razzak of the Black Mire Character Sheet
Motivation
Razzak wants absolute control of the swamp’s waterways, tribute routes, and buried sanctuaries. He believes the mire is his birthright and that every living thing in it must either serve or be swallowed.
Personality
Royal, predatory, and theatrical. He speaks as if every meeting is a court audience, but his politeness is a thin skin over hunger. Portray him as amused by fear and deeply offended by defiance.
Resources
- Reed toll collectors
- Pack-trained crocodiles and swamp beasts
- Tribute ledger networks
- A hidden mud-palace deep in the mire
- Relics and symbols that exert local authority over marsh folk
Battle Plan
Razzak prefers to let servants weaken intruders while he watches from safe water or high ground. If forced into combat, he uses terrain, bodyguards, and sudden water attacks to isolate targets, then retreats to reclaim the battle on his terms.
Defeat or Redemption
If defeated, his rule can collapse, but the swamp’s power vacuum may be dangerous. Redemption is possible only if the party proves the crown is binding him to an older swamp force and offers a path to break it.
Running Notes
Recommended party: 3–5 players
Session Zero
This campaign uses horror-adjacent swamp themes, predatory animals, authoritarian rule, and pressure from hostile locals. Confirm player comfort with drowning risk, animal attacks, and oppressive rule. Use lines and veils for body horror, religious corruption, and intimidation. Encourage characters with reasons to protect travelers, oppose tyrants, or seek hidden ruins. Make clear that retreat and negotiation are valid strategies in the mire.
Scaling Guidance
For 1st-level or cautious parties, reduce one enemy in each combat encounter and let local allies provide cover, warnings, or escape routes. For 2nd-level or optimized parties, add one additional bandit to the toll gate, one crocodile to the causeway, or one snake to the shrine. Keep the swamp itself dangerous: slick footing, water hazards, and limited visibility should matter as much as enemy numbers.
DM Advice
Start with fear and scarcity, then reward careful observation. Make the crocodile king feel present through symbols, collectors, and creature behavior before he appears in person. Keep water, mud, and elevation changes in play so the swamp feels like a tactical hazard, not just scenery. End Act I with a clear route toward the king’s domain and one strong clue about what he is guarding or serving.
Secrets & Clues
- The crocodile king’s tribute system is also a search pattern for a buried relic.
- The swamp folk obey him partly from fear and partly because old symbols still carry authority.
- The sunken shrine suggests the king’s power may be tied to something older and deeper than his crown.
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Encounters
Causeway Ambush
Encounter Builder
Moderate
Suggested Level: 1–2
A tribute wagon stuck on a half-flooded road is attacked by swamp predators and opportunistic enforcers. The party must cross slick timbers, protect survivors, and reclaim the cargo before it is dragged under.
Creatures
Terrain Features
- Narrow elevated causeway
- Knee-deep water on both sides
- Slippery planks; falling prone is easy
- Dense reeds provide partial cover
Treasure
A lockbox with 18 gp, a stamped tribute seal, and a wet scrap of map showing the next shrine.
DM Notes
Reduce to 1 Giant Crocodile for a weaker party. Add 1 Bandit for 5 PCs or if the party has strong ranged options.
The Reed Toll Gate
Suggested Level: 1
The party reaches a crude toll post where masked collectors demand payment and test obedience to the crocodile king. The scene can turn social or violent depending on the party’s approach.
Creatures
Terrain Features
- Muddy checkpoint with rope barriers
- Wooden stakes and hanging skull charms
- Shallow water channels for movement
- Watch platform with cover
Treasure
A tribute ledger naming a hidden route to the king’s mud-palace, plus 10 gp in mixed coin.
DM Notes
Run as a tense social encounter first. If combat starts, the bandits try to flee and alert nearby allies rather than fight to the death.
Sunken Shrine of the Jaw
Encounter Builder
Moderate
Suggested Level: 1–2
In a drowned shrine, old carvings show a crocodile crown and a sacred oath beneath the swamp. The room’s flooded floor and lurking guardians make the relic feel protected by the mire itself.
Creatures
Terrain Features
- Waist-deep shrine pool
- Broken stone steps and collapsed altar
- Hanging roots and low ceiling beams
- Small dry ledges behind statues
Treasure
A Crocodile King token, 1 potion of healing, and a clue etched into the altar stone.
DM Notes
If the party is struggling, let the swarm be dispersed by loud noise or fire before combat begins. The shrine clue should point to the king’s lair or a stolen relic.
Magic Items
Crownscale Charm
Completed
Crownscale Charm
Uncommon
A bone charm etched with a tiny crocodile crown. While worn, you have advantage on checks made to navigate swamp terrain or resist being pulled into water.
Location
Act I, recovered from the Sunken Shrine of the Jaw
Attunement
False
Reedrunner Boots
Completed
Reedrunner Boots
Uncommon
These water-darkened boots let you ignore difficult terrain caused by mud and shallow swamp water for short bursts, making them prized by messengers and smugglers in the mire.
Location
Act I, reward from the Reed Toll Gate or a rescued caravan
Attunement
False
Teeth of the Tributary
Completed
Teeth of the Tributary
Rare
A shark-tooth knife with a green-stone hilt. Once per day, when you hit a creature in water or mud, you can deal extra damage and force it to reel backward.
Location
Act I, hidden in the sunken shrine altar
Attunement
True by a creature proficient with martial weapons
Player Characters
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