Lochside

**Lochside** is a remote settlement in the Wetwoods swamplands of Faerûn. It is home to around 160 inhabitants and is self-sufficient with extremely limited external trading.

There are two active temples - the long-established Temple of the Green Father, and the newer and smaller Temple of the Raven Queen. Lochside has no more than thirty buildings which are spread out over five islands connected by bridges. Besides the two temples, there is a semi-open gathering space where town meetings and festivals take place.

Children from the swamplands grow up fearing the otyugh: a mythical monster with enough appetite to swallow you whole. Adults view the otyugh folklore as educational tales, warning youngsters not to venture too deep into the wetlands. But recently the swamp community of Lochside is shaken up by the rapid disappearance of their children. A gulf of superstition has taken hold and the inhabitants of Lochside have started to dump all their waste in the swamp in the hopes of satisfying the otyugh's appetite, yet the children keep disappearing.

## History

The swamp village of Lochside was founded hundreds of years ago, in the middle of kobold territory. Since the first settlers defeated the kobolds, life in the remote area was peaceful. Inhabitants lived a simple hunter-gatherer life and prayed to the Green Father, the god of the wilderness that supports them.

By 1488 DR, the kobold community have reclaimed parts of the swamp, which resulted in a mounting pressure on the food supply. Prayers to the Green Father to end the famine weren't answered and Allard, the elder priest of the community, slipped into a depressive episode.

In reaction to the growing despair, Ben, the second son of Allard, started preaching a different faith. He was exposed to the teachings of the Raven Queen when he traveled for a few years, and her message of death as an integral part of life has resonated with the experience of everyday life during the famine. Ben's preaching attracted a following, and a large circular temple to the Raven Queen was built on the southern island of Lochside.

When adventurers Veil of a Mask and Musashi Wang visited the village they found that it was gripped by starvation and devastation over the recent pattern of children disappearing. Many feared the legendary otyugh was eating children, some accused newly resurgent kobolds of kidnapping them, and others were suspicious of the new Temple of the Raven Queen.

They found that the Temple of the Raven Queen had been secretly sacrificing children in an effort to restore the balance of nature which was out of balance due to the resurrection of the kobolds and alleviate the famine. Indeed the kobolds had also been kidnapping children, however they were being treated and fed very well and the kobolds were actually keeping the children safe from followers of the Raven Queen.

Whilst out in the swamp they tracked down and killed an otyugh, but Musashi Wang was killed in the battle. There was no evidence that the otyugh had been eating children.

When confronted back in Lochside, Ben fled the village.

## Places of interest

### Temple of the Green Father

On the western island of Lochside sits the most majestic building of the village. Allard leads the village as he is the eldest priest of the Green Father. He is supported by three other village elders who advise him.

The temple is manned by the Earthen Guard, a group of Green Father faithful that advocate for living off the land and sustainable hunting practice.

### Temple of the Raven Queen

Ben, son of Allard, began preaching the message of the Raven Queen during the famine of 1488 DR and built a temple in her honour on the southernmost island.

In the autumn of 1488 DR, Ben witnessed a heavenly golden light descend on a few bloated kobold corpses that he discovered in the swamp. He watched from a distance as this light resurrected the kobolds. This has led Ben to believe that the entire original kobold population of the swamp has been resurrected.

Ben struggled to come to terms with this notion because the Raven Queen teaches that the dead musn't be revived. Resurrection is seen as a great sin. When it is used, the Raven Queen urgently demands another life to be given in return. Ben views the famine as an eternal winter caused by a displeased Raven Queen.

Trying to balance the checkbook of life and death, Ben started to kidnap and sacrifice local children.

### Musashi's Shrine

After his heroic death battling the otyugh, Wang Musashi was buried on the western island, which itself was renamed Wang Isle in his honour. A small shrine with most of his possessions sits in a peaceful clearing.

### Swamp

Home to a large number of creatures and beings such as kobolds, bullywugs, and crocodiles.

The kobolds that have returned to the swamp are indeed resurrected by a gold dragon, Vimrul, gathering minions. The dragon noticed the sacrifices in the Lochside community and commanded the kobolds to protect Lochside's children. The kobolds have started to lure Lochside's children to an old swamped ruin south of Lochside. The ruined high elven structure is a framework of ancient stone that has partially sunk into the muddy swamp floor.

The children are well fed and receive survival teachings and thorough martial training. The goal is to raise a small group of local freedom fighters, loyal to the dragon, that can rid their hometown of the dark influences of the Raven Queen.