The tributaries that feed the Sellen are often broad, shallow waterways that fill flat ground between the countless small hills of the River Kingdoms. Bridges are many in the region, but fords—where roads meet streams and rivers in “wet crossings”—are far more numerous. Blackstones Ford is named for the many visible black stones in its water; large stones and boulders are rare at fords, but this crossing is otherwise typical: a particularly shallow part of the riverbed links two halves of a dirt wagon-road, with a guideline of stout rope to mark the best path through the river. (Some fords lack a rope, and trees are instead felled on both banks to point along the line of the route to take for the easiest crossing.)
Important fords like Blackstones that are strategically located on trade roads or have good camping or established market areas inevitably accumulate discarded refuse (broken wagon wheels, barrels, boards from old crates, and the like) and are accompanied by some form of shelter, usually simple sheds or shanties. Blackstones has both: a lot of trash, mainly odd wood scraps too rotten to be useful as firewood, and half a dozen scattered sheds, all dirt-floored wooden structures now in great disrepair. Erected by traders who soon discovered that such a fixed, public location made them easy targets for any troublemaker—human or monstrous— who happened along, the sheds were soon abandoned and are now used by travelers as overnight shelter.
For about a decade, a succession of “masters of the ford” tried to charge tolls to all using the crossing, but they had to be well-armed, formidable thugs to even contemplate this livelihood—and all soon encountered travelers who found it far cheaper to butcher any master and his men than to pay a toll.
In recent years, knife-sharpeners, ironmongers, and wheelwrights have set up temporary shop at Blackstones, staying a few days and then moving on to other fords. Such trade has faded since various monsters began to prey on passing travelers at Blackstones. Most such beasts were soon slain, but Blackstones Ford has now begun to attract a reputation for unknown, formidable, persistent danger; it’s considered a place not to tarry or camp near by night, lest travelers just disappear.
The Disappearers
Blackstones Ford is now home to a band of cautious and cunning monsters who work together to lightly harvest vulnerable travelers—those too few to defend themselves or raise an alarm, or who can be lured away from their party—while avoiding pitched battles against strong, ready foes.
This “adventuring band” of eight monsters hails from a distant underground area where they were summoned and then changed by many spells cast on them by mad drow wizards, who kept them caged as experimental subjects. They lost any fear of daylight, gained short-range telepathy with their fellow captives, and became able to speak and understand a smattering of Elven and Undercommon.
The Disappearers are led by Iluith, a dark naga of malicious schemes and coldly clear-headed patience and foresight, who calculates consequences and risks, and clings to his “considered outcomes.” He never acts out of anger or to obtain revenge, only to exact whatever take in victims and booty can be managed with minimal risk of loss to the band (or chance of triggering a successful hunt for retaliation). Iluith personally considers most of his fellows expendable, but he is very careful to keep this opinion utterly secret from other band members.
Iluith most values Dreeth, a cloaker that spends most of its time flattened on the ramshackle roof of the largest Blackstones shed, posing as part of that roof. Dreeth is the aerial spy and “pouncer” of the band. Though Dreeth’s demeanor can best be described as permanently peevish and pessimistic, the drow spells quelled its paranoia and made it willing to work as part of a team, even eager to trust and bestow loyalty on Iluith.
Kaladryn is the band member considered next most useful by Iluith, largely because of his nigh-fanatical loyalty to the dark naga (his only friend during their long mutual captivity). Originally a svirfneblin, Kaladryn was transformed by the drow spells and fused with mindless, subterranean snake bodies into the likeness of a marilith. Kaladryn capably wields an array of deadly weapons acquired from victims of the Disappearers and is fully proficient in uses of his marilith body (constriction, tail slap, and slams), but he lacks all demonic abilities and spell-like powers. Iluith usually induces Kaladryn to pose as the leader of the Disappearers in all combats, while he himself remains as hidden as possible and uses magic from afar.
The least useful Disappearer is Oront, a cyclops employed in battle or to overthrow and immobilize wagons and carts during attacks. Oront is far less brutish and stupid than he seems; he has a cruel sense of humor and a long, keen memory for smells, names, and faces.
The other four group members are its busy, oft-deployed “swarmers” and spies: a pair of chokers and a mated pair of tengus (Arainth and Rareezra). The tengus resent Iluith’s controlling influence and often play pranks, but they are so ruled by their pride that Iluith can easily sway them with flattery and rewards.
A wounded or weary party of adventurers is a favorite target of Iluith, who generally seeks to “vanish” party members in such a way as to make their companions think other nearby beings are responsible.
The tributaries that feed the Sellen are often broad, shallow waterways that fill flat ground between the countless small hills of the River Kingdoms. Bridges are many in the region, but fords—where roads meet streams and rivers in “wet crossings”—are far more numerous. Blackstones Ford is named for the many visible black stones in its water; large stones and boulders are rare at fords, but this crossing is otherwise typical: a particularly shallow part of the riverbed links two halves of a dirt wagon-road, with a guideline of stout rope to mark the best path through the river. (Some fords lack a rope, and trees are instead felled on both banks to point along the line of the route to take for the easiest crossing.)
汇入赛伦河的支流大多宽广而浅，填满了河域诸国数不尽的丘陵间的平地。这地方到处是桥梁，但更多的是道路经过小溪与河流时形成的浅滩，所谓“湿渡口”。
黑石滩得名于水中许多清晰可见的黑色石；大块的石头和岩石在浅滩上很少见，但这个渡口是个例外：河床特别浅的地方将一条肮脏泥泞的道路分成两半，结实的导览绳标记了过河的最佳路线。（有些渡口没有绳子，取而代之的是两岸的树被砍倒以指出最容易通过的路线）
Important fords like Blackstones that are strategically located on trade roads or have good camping or established market areas inevitably accumulate discarded refuse (broken wagon wheels, barrels, boards from old crates, and the like) and are accompanied by some form of shelter, usually simple sheds or shanties. Blackstones has both: a lot of trash, mainly odd wood scraps too rotten to be useful as firewood, and half a dozen scattered sheds, all dirt-floored wooden structures now in great disrepair. Erected by traders who soon discovered that such a fixed, public location made them easy targets for any troublemaker—human or monstrous— who happened along, the sheds were soon abandoned and are now used by travelers as overnight shelter.
For about a decade, a succession of “masters of the ford” tried to charge tolls to all using the crossing, but they had to be well-armed, formidable thugs to even contemplate this livelihood—and all soon encountered travelers who found it far cheaper to butcher any master and his men than to pay a toll.
重要的渡口——比如黑石滩——大多挨着贸易道路、良好的露营场所或者集市贸易区域，因此不可避免的会产生垃圾（破车轮、木桶、废旧的板条箱残片等等之类的东西），通常也设有各式各样的庇护所——大多是简陋的棚屋。
黑石滩两个皆有：大量的垃圾（主要是腐烂的木头，并不能当柴火烧）；6个分散的棚屋（满是尘土的木头框架已经年久失修）。这些棚屋大多是行商建的，不过他们很快发现这种固定的、谁都可以去的房子，很容易被那些路过的不速之客——人或者其他怪物——占据，这些棚屋很快被遗弃了，现在大多是旅行者用来当过夜的地方。
近十年来，接连不断的有声称自己拥有河滩的人试图向所有使用渡口的人收费，但只有那些装备精良，力量强大的暴徒才会考虑这种营生，并且很快都会遭遇那些觉得干掉这个拦路团伙比交过路费便宜的多的冒险者。
In recent years, knife-sharpeners, ironmongers, and wheelwrights have set up temporary shop at Blackstones, staying a few days and then moving on to other fords. Such trade has faded since various monsters began to prey on passing travelers at Blackstones. Most such beasts were soon slain, but Blackstones Ford has now begun to attract a reputation for unknown, formidable, persistent danger; it’s considered a place not to tarry or camp near by night, lest travelers just disappear.
近年来，黑石滩逐渐吸引了磨刀匠、铁匠、制轮工匠之类的在这建立临时商铺，呆上几天后再去别的滩地。但是在越来越多怪物开始在黑石滩捕食旅行者后，这种贸易几乎绝迹。大多数野兽很快被干掉了，但对黑石渡的印象逐渐变成未知的、可怕的、充满危险的，旅行者晚上最好不要在那里过夜，不然可能看不到第二天的太阳。
The Disappearers
失踪者
Blackstones Ford is now home to a band of cautious and cunning monsters who work together to lightly harvest vulnerable travelers—those too few to defend themselves or raise an alarm, or who can be lured away from their party—while avoiding pitched battles against strong, ready foes.
This “adventuring band” of eight monsters hails from a distant underground area where they were summoned and then changed by many spells cast on them by mad drow wizards, who kept them caged as experimental subjects. They lost any fear of daylight, gained short-range telepathy with their fellow captives, and became able to speak and understand a smattering of Elven and Undercommon.
黑石滩现在被一群谨慎且狡猾的怪物占据，他们成群结队，轻易的就能狩猎那些弱小的旅行队伍——因为人数太少而无法保护自己或者发出警报，或者被从队伍中引诱出来。它们尽量避免与那些看起来强壮、装备精良的冒险者起冲突。
这支 “冒险团伙”由8个怪物组成，它们都是从遥远的地底区域来的，在那里他们被一个疯狂的卓尔法师召唤出来，并且作为实验对象用大量法术改造。他们不再畏惧阳光，彼此之间能够短距离心灵感应，能够听懂并且说一点点精灵语和地底通用语。
The Disappearers are led by Iluith, a dark naga of malicious schemes and coldly clear-headed patience and foresight, who calculates consequences and risks, and clings to his “considered outcomes.” He never acts out of anger or to obtain revenge, only to exact whatever take in victims and booty can be managed with minimal risk of loss to the band (or chance of triggering a successful hunt for retaliation). Iluith personally considers most of his fellows expendable, but he is very careful to keep this opinion utterly secret from other band members.
“失踪者”首领是Iluit（以鲁斯），一个邪恶的黑暗娜迦，恶毒、阴冷，敏锐且深谋远虑，精于算计，并且执着于实现他的“计划结果”。他从不因为愤怒或者报复而行动，只是精确的计算着如何以最小的损失（或者最不会招致报复）的方式谋得最大的战利品和受害者。在以鲁斯看来，大部分同伴是可以牺牲的，不过他很小心的在其他成员面前隐藏着这个观点。
Iluith most values Dreeth, a cloaker that spends most of its time flattened on the ramshackle roof of the largest Blackstones shed, posing as part of that roof. Dreeth is the aerial spy and “pouncer” of the band. Though Dreeth’s demeanor can best be described as permanently peevish and pessimistic, the drow spells quelled its paranoia and made it willing to work as part of a team, even eager to trust and bestow loyalty on Iluith.
以鲁斯最宝贵的东西Dreeth（坠斯？德丽丝x），一个蛰伏伪怪，大部分时间它都摊在黑石滩最大的那栋摇摇欲坠的棚屋顶上，伪装成屋顶的一部分。坠斯是这支队伍的间谍和突击手，尽管它总是看起来脾气暴躁又怨天尤人，卓尔的法术遏制了他的多疑和偏执，让它愿意作为团伙的一员行动，甚至渴望信任并且将忠诚献给以鲁斯。
Kaladryn is the band member considered next most useful by Iluith, largely because of his nigh-fanatical loyalty to the dark naga (his only friend during their long mutual captivity).
Originally a svirfneblin, Kaladryn was transformed by the drow spells and fused with mindless, subterranean snake bodies into the likeness of a marilith. Kaladryn capably wields an array of deadly weapons acquired from victims of the Disappearers and is fully proficient in uses of his marilith body (constriction, tail slap, and slams), but he lacks all demonic abilities and spell-like powers. Iluith usually induces Kaladryn to pose as the leader of the Disappearers in all combats, while he himself remains as hidden as possible and uses magic from afar.
在以鲁斯看来，Kaladryn（卡拉丁）是团队里最第二有用的成员，很大程度上归功于卡拉丁对黑暗娜迦的狂热忠诚（他漫长的囚禁岁月里唯一的朋友）。卡拉丁原本是一只地底侏儒，后来被卓尔用法术改造，与无灵智的地底蛇身体融合，成为了类似于六臂蛇魔的东西。卡拉丁能够很好的使用“失踪者”从受害者那里获得的致命武器，并且能熟练使用他六臂蛇魔一样的身体（压迫缠卷、尾击、挥击），但他没有任何恶魔的力量和类法术能力。在战斗中，以鲁斯都会让卡拉丁假扮“消失者”的首领，他自己则尽可能的隐藏起来，在远处施放魔法。
The least useful Disappearer is Oront, a cyclops employed in battle or to overthrow and immobilize wagons and carts during attacks. Oront is far less brutish and stupid than he seems; he has a cruel sense of humor and a long, keen memory for smells, names, and faces.
“消失者”最没用的成员是Oront（奥隆特），一个独眼巨人，在战斗中充当打手，或者阻拦推车和马车。奥隆特其实远没有他看上去这么愚笨，他有着残忍的幽默感，对于气味、姓名和相貌有着敏锐而长远的记忆力。
The other four group members are its busy, oft-deployed “swarmers” and spies: a pair of chokers and a mated pair of tengus (Arainth and Rareezra). The tengus resent Iluith’s controlling influence and often play pranks, but they are so ruled by their pride that Iluith can easily sway them with flattery and rewards.
其他4个成员是各自忙碌听从部署的“工蜂”和间谍：一对锁喉怪，一对情侣天狗（Arainth艾瑞斯 and Rareezra拉瑞左拉）。天狗们厌恶以鲁斯的指挥，经常给他找不痛快，但是他们太过骄傲，以鲁斯能够轻易的用奉承和奖赏来控制他们。
A wounded or weary party of adventurers is a favorite target of Iluith, who generally seeks to “vanish” party members in such a way as to make their companions think other nearby beings are responsible.
以鲁斯最喜欢对那些受伤或者疲惫的冒险者下手，很多时候他们会把同伴的消失归咎于这附近其他的生物。
在河域诸国最大也最深的沼泽里，这个蜥蜴人村落是其中典型的族群。在沼泽深处，被水环绕的小岛上，聚集着用泥巴和木头糊成的小屋，看起来就像一堆又一堆活的沼泽植被（因为小屋上面确实长着这些东西）。蜥蜴人总是用漂浮的杂草来隐藏自己的家园，这些移动的“岛”包围在真正的实土小岛周边，使得外人很难绘制沼泽区域的地图，或者在它的深处冒险。
This lizardfolk village is physically typical of such communities found in the largest, deepest marshes of the River Kingdoms. It’s a cluster of mud-and-stick huts that look like mounds of living swamp vegetation (because that’s what grows all over them), on islands in open water at the heart of a marsh. These solid islands are surrounded by moving “islands” of foating weed that the lizardfolk shif about constantly to conceal their homes, making it difcult for intruders to map the marsh or easily venture near its heart.
奥苏档案【秘密】
Orthult（奥苏特）与其他蜥蜴人部族不同的地方在于它的居民愿意和其他哺乳动物交易，并且允许这些危险的生物靠近它们的居所。奥苏特的蜥蜴人暗地里为逃亡的河域居民提供食物、藏身处，并且广泛的帮他人保管那些赃物或者值钱的东西，通过这些生意蜥蜴人赚了很多钱。作为回报，他们接受能够与河域居民以物易物的货物，包括钱币、宝石、武器——包括格式各样的战斗用魔法物品和“炸弹”——以用来对抗袭击者。
蜥蜴人生活在 “里”奥苏特。在这里，他们捕鱼，饲养的昆虫和蠕虫，多汁而宽大的杂草叶，以及其他蜥蜴人食物，远离那些会危害到食物供应的拜访者。在几个岛屿之外（依然是沼泽深处），是“表”奥苏特，那里拜访者可以花钱获得住宿、隐藏的物资。
“表”奥斯特村被全副武装、警觉的守卫保护着，以及几只幼崽和年长者来伪装正常，所有蜥蜴人都时刻关注着拜访者的动向和物资。其他蜥蜴人则不停地在沼泽边缘巡逻，审视所有靠近的生物，防止有人对沼泽下毒或者施展有害的魔法。
Theorth MercantiLe Secret
Orthult difers from other lizardfolk settlements in the willingness of its inhabitants (known as the Orth) to trade with mammals and allow such dangerous creatures near their homes. Orthult makes a tidy income by quietly ofering food and hidden refuge to Riverfolk on the run from pursuers, and by storing stolen or avidly sought items or valuables for a wide range of clients. In exchange, they accept goods that can be bartered with Riverfolk, including coins, gems, and weapons—including battle magic of various sorts and “frepot bombs”—that can be used against future attackers.
There is a “real” Orthult where the lizardfolk actually live. Here, they tend their fsh, captive insects and worms, succulent broadleaf weeds, and other lizardfolk fare, away from visitors who could readily endanger this food supply. Several islands away, yet still in the heart of the marsh, is the “show” Orthult, where paying guests can fnd accommodations and goods are hidden away.
The “show” village is stafed by shifs of armed, alert Orth guards, plus a few younglings and elders to aid in the ruse, all of whom keep close watch over the guests and goods. Other lizardfolk constantly patrol the marsh’s fringes, observing all who approach and watching for any attempts to poison or harmfully enchant the marsh.
奥苏档案【机密】
在沼泽岸边，有着通向小洞穴的隐秘通道，每个洞穴里都有用来囚禁怪物的笼子。奥苏蜥蜴人对于圈养野兽和使用它们的力量非常熟练，并且多年来与商人讨价还价以获得野兽和笼子。蜥蜴人会定期巡视这些关起来的东西，满足它们的需求，检查笼子和锁链，确保这些东西不会逃跑。
当面对闯入的不速之客时，沼泽外围附近的蜥蜴人巡逻队施放野兽让它们在特定的区域活动，来袭击或者干扰入侵者。
目前，他们在结实的木笼里囚禁着一只锈蚀怪，另外还有一条凶暴狼獾、一条王蜥、一只枭熊、一个双头巨人、一头凶暴熊，以及一条沼泽蟒（超大型蟒蛇）各自关在巨大的钢铁笼子里。还有4个笼子是空的。奥苏们希望能搞到另外4个不会飞、不会游泳、讨厌水的家伙（这样就只会乖乖待在他们划定的区域，而不是逃跑到沼泽深处）。
A Deeperorth Secret
On the marsh shores are concealed burrows that tunnel into small earthen caves, each of which contains a cage used to imprison monsters. The Orth are well aware of the ways and powers of their captive beasts and have bargained with traders over the years to obtain the beasts and the cages. The lizardfolk see to the needs of their imprisoned monsters regularly, and ofen inspect the cages and fastenings to ensure none of their captives get free.
When unwanted intruders must be dealt with, Orth border patrols on the marsh’s outskirts release specifc monsters to maraud as they will within a given area, hopefully attacking or distracting the intruders.
The current menagerie includes a rust monster in a stout wooden cage, as well as a dire wolverine, a monitor lizard, an owlbear, an ettin, a dire bear, and a swamp boa (a Huge constrictor snake), each housed in a massive steel cage. Four more such cages are empty. The Orth are eager to acquire four additional monsters that can’t fy and either can’t swim or prefer to avoid water (so they will stay in their appointed areas rather than escaping into the marsh’s depths).
奥苏档案【绝密】
奥苏特蜥蜴人最厉害的秘密武器是Norauth the Withered （[枯萎]诺拉斯）（守序中立，男性人类法师），一名年长、孱弱的人类法师，住在里·奥苏特和表·奥苏特之间的小岛上。全天候由蜥蜴人精心保护着。诺拉斯被他的对手诅咒了，现在已经无法移动、站立或者转身，这个诅咒在缓慢的侵蚀着他对身体的控制。
现在诺拉斯已经无法行走了——他的腿肿的像是灌了铅一样废物，他的脊柱也非常脆弱，没有别人的帮助甚至无法坐起来。他在奥苏蜥蜴人做的摇篮椅上生活，当他需要休息的时候，蜥蜴人会把椅子放平，吃饭、在桌边工作或者“站立”施法的时候则把椅子立起来。这个区域很宽敞，被马蹄形的土墙包围，一端有个带屋顶的小隔间（存放着由蜥蜴人保卫的诺拉斯的法术书、施法材料、魔法实验装置），另一端则是露天的。
诺拉斯坚持不懈的试图干掉这个逐步杀死他的诅咒，或者至少减缓它的进程。在此期间，他的一切需求都由奥苏蜥蜴人满足，作为交换，他同意用他的法术保护沼泽不受任何攻击和魔法的侵害。他有3件魔法物品：一个手掌大小的石头“灯笼”，当他触摸时会发光（他可以通过在心中默想来改变灯的亮度或者熄灭它，只要灯在他的视野范围内）；2瓶治疗重伤药水，只有紧急时候才会拿来使用（比如他在战斗中受伤）。
如果没有这些蜥蜴人，诺拉斯只能爬着行动，不过他看起来细弱的手臂其实非常强壮，他意志比之更为坚定；他能拖着他那孱弱轻薄的身躯，靠抓着支撑物站立，并且可以轻易施放那些不需要移动的咒语。他非常感激奥苏蜥蜴人的帮助，努力保护它们，时刻准备好强大的进攻和防御法术。他花费大量时间在魔法实验上，以求解除诅咒，这些在沼泽中心产生的法术效果可能引起PC的注意。
诺拉斯乐于执行奥苏蜥蜴人酋长（Kurguluk，科格鲁克，一个大型，精明的男性）或者其他“十六人议会”（执行酋长的决策，也能够罢免酋长）长老的指令。
The Deepestorth Secret
Orthult’s most secret weapon is Norauth the Withered (LN male human wizard 6), a human wizard of great age and infirmity who dwells on a tiny isle between the real Orthult and the “show” village, waited on day and night by attentive lizardfolk. Norauth fell victim to a curse cast on him by a rival that he has thus far been unable to remove, halt, or reverse; it very slowly withers away his body from the toes upward.
These days Norauth can no longer walk—his legs are mere rubbery, useless remnants and his spine is so weak that he can’t sit up unaided. He lives in a cradle-chair the Orth built, which they lay down when he wants to sleep and place upright on various surfaces when he wants to eat, work at a table, or “stand” in his spellcasting place. This area is a large, fat space surrounded by a horseshoe-shaped earth berm; it has a small roofed alcove at one end where the Orth constantly guard Norauth’s spellbooks and components needed for spells and magical experiments but is otherwise open to the sky.
Norauth is driven by the desire to defeat the curse that is gradually killing him, or even simply to slow its progress. In the meantime, all of his wants are seen to by the Orth, in exchange for which he has agreed to defend the marsh with his spells against any determined assault or magical intrusion. He has three magic items: a hand-sized “lantern” stone that can glow with light when he touches it (he can alter its brightness or cause it to go dark by silent will, if he’s close enough to see it) and two potions of cure serious wounds he’s been saving until dire need (such as being wounded in battle).
Without lizardfolk aid, Norauth can only crawl, but his gaunt arms are very strong and his will even stronger; he can drag his emaciated, very light body upright by clutching onto supports, and he can readily cast spells that don’t require moving about. A diligent guardian who’s very grateful to the Orth, he always has formidable ofensive and defensive magic ready. He spends a lot of time magically experimenting to try to break the curse, and such spellcastings rising from the heart of the marsh may well attract PC attention.
Norauth happily takes commands from the current Orth chiefain(Kurguluk,a large,prudent male)or any Orthelder from the Council of Sixteen, which relies on the chiefain—whom the council can dismiss—to enact its decisions.