Zanek of The Whispering Mire

Inhospitality reigns where briny winds of the Eastern sea meet the eternal fog of the swamps. Long before the Dras arrived here, the once rugged hills and lush valleys had been forgotten, drowned by dark waters. The Whispering Mire is known to have a firm and mossy foothold, fighting an eternal battle with the sea.

These lands have a way of drawing unwary victims into the darkness, luring them with dancing shadows and distant echoes. Elders pass on tales of caution to their progeny. “Do not trust flickering torches and dimly lanterns. The winds will use them to play tricks on your mind.”

Zanek’s Garden is at the center of this area, a safe haven for travelers. Founded by an unmarked named Zanek, the settlement started off as a waypoint for travelers to the north and grew to the size of a small village under Zanek’s rule.

Folklore goes back to these early days, with warnings that still reverberate to the present - Never let the swamp lure you into the darkness. Many of these tales have been recorded by a local scribe named Zanon before finding their way to the Owl Library of Delmunÿa.

One tale goes as following:

It was the time of Terrarn. The days were getting shorter and food was getting scarce. Dried berries and edible plants were locked in the storehouse while fish could still be caught.

Zanek had always been both adventurous and stubborn - the latter trait gaining the upper hand as he aged. He had not been amused with the current diet and had left the village before dawn, to go hunting in the swamp.

After being gone for an entire night, Zanek returned to the village the next day, empty-handed. This was quite surprising. He was old, but he remained one of the most experienced hunters in the village. Yet something else was off.

Zanek was.. different.

Sure, his appearance was unchanged. An uncanny small posture, with long dark hair tied at the back. Eyes that had turned mauve with age.

All of his mannerisms were the same. He still had the same limp when he paced around the village, picked up twigs to fiddle around with and still presented his sly smile when he nodded at his neighbors.

But something was off. And while the villagers whispered of this behind closed doors, nobody was able to say exactly what had changed.

Exactly two weeks had passed since the old Drasean had returned from his failed hunt. The nights were at their longest and the fishermenn were up and about before dusk. Zanek had perched himself on the dock, looking out over the sea.

Shortly after sunrise, one of the young children staggered to the village center with an expression of confusion and fear. Barely able to utter the words, she told the gathered people: “Zanek has no shadow..”.

At first, they laughed it off. But their pace revealed slight concern, as a handful of Menn walked the meandering path to the docks. As they reached the last corner, they froze in their step as they saw Zanek. Still perched on the dock, surrounded by long shadows of wood poles in the rising sun, Zanek failed to cast a shadow.

Noticing their presence, the old Drasean turned his head. His eyes pierced the small crowd as they stood silent. For a moment, he hesitated, as if he wanted to say something.

Then, before any of the bystanders could react, he stood up and sprinted towards the far end of the pier. As he got close to the dark waters, Zanek bent his head, arms and knees forwards before stretching his body in an unnatural fashion, catapulting himself into the depths.

The villagers rushed down to the docks, to see if they could drag the crazed elder from the water. Yet upon reaching the sea, there was no trace of the old Usher.

Upon returning to the village, they were surprised to find Zanek, wandering around like nothing had happened. When questioned, the old Drasean did not recall any of the events at the docks, claiming to have just returned from his hunt.

“A failed hunt”, he reluctantly admitted. For what seemed like an endless night, he had been chasing.. something that had crawled out of the sea.

A large, twisted shadow, leading him deep into The Whispering Mire.