The Blight of Shattermire

Overview: #

The Blight of Shattermire was a catastrophic event in which Maldrath, the Decayed, unleashed a plague of rot and decay upon Shattermire Swamp. The blight spread rapidly, consuming the flora and fauna, turning the once-thriving wetland into a desolate, disease-ridden wasteland. The event symbolizes Maldrath’s power over death and decay, leaving the swamp forever tainted by his malevolent influence.

Date: #

Mid Age of Decay

Participants: #

• Maldrath (The Decayed) – God of rot, decay, and pestilence
• Blackmire family – Inhabitants and protectors of Shattermire Swamp
• Various Followers of Maldrath – Cultists and servants of decay

Cause: #

The Blight of Shattermire was the result of Maldrath’s growing hunger for power and his desire to spread death across the living world. As civilizations expanded and encroached upon the swamplands, Maldrath saw an opportunity to reclaim the land by unleashing a supernatural plague that would rot the living from the inside out, corrupting the very essence of the swamp.

Story: #

Before the blight, Shattermire Swamp was a thriving ecosystem filled with unique flora and fauna, albeit treacherous. It was home to the Blackmire family, who had long lived in harmony with the land, using its resources for survival while respecting the delicate balance of life within the swamp.

Maldrath, the god of decay, had long been lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. When the nearby towns and villages began draining the swamps for their own purposes, Maldrath’s fury ignited. The decay god, through his cult of followers, conducted a ritual that cursed the swamp.

Rot and disease spread through the roots of the trees, the water turned foul, and the air itself became toxic. Animals and plants withered, becoming twisted, feral versions of themselves, and the Blackmire family found their lands corrupted by Maldrath’s blight. The swamp became a land of death and decay, with few able to survive in its toxic environment.

Maldrath’s followers reveled in the destruction, seeing it as a manifestation of their god’s will. Those who attempted to reclaim the swamp were struck down by plague and pestilence, while others succumbed to madness. The Blackmire family waged a desperate war against the blight but ultimately had to retreat deeper into the swamp, where they continued to guard what little remained untainted.

Outcome: #

• Shattermire Swamp became a wasteland of rot and decay, with its once-rich ecosystem forever corrupted by Maldrath’s plague.
• The Blackmire family retreated into the heart of the swamp, continuing to defend it but now living in a land of death and disease.
• The swamp became synonymous with death, and only the most daring or desperate travelers would dare to venture into its blighted depths.
• Maldrath’s followers gained strength in the aftermath, using the blighted land as a place of worship and power, further spreading their god’s influence across the region.