View source for The Swamp of Esten

{{Hatnote|This article is about the scenario. For the swamp, see [[Swamp of Esten]].}}
{{Infobox Scenario
|name=The Swamp of Esten
|campaign=The Rise of Wesnoth
|location=[[Swamp of Esten]], [[Green Isle]]
|result=Swamp of Esten cultists defeated.
|belligerents 1=[[Stormvale]] refugees
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Bowman.html Bowmen]
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Horseman.html Horsemen]
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Mage.html Magi]
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Spearman.html Spearmen]
[[Wesfolk]]{{Note pointer|no=1|instance=1}}
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Footpad.html Footpads]
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Poacher.html Poachers]
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Thief.html Thieves]
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Thug.html Thugs]
|belligerents 2=Cultists
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Vampire%20Bat.html Vampire Bats]
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Walking%20Corpse.html Walking Corpses]
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Dark%20Adept.html Dark Adepts]
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Ghoul.html Ghouls]{{Note pointer|no=2|instance=1}}
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Ghost.html Ghosts]{{Note pointer|no=3|instance=1}}
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Skeleton.html Skeletons]{{Note pointer|no=3|instance=2}}
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Skeleton%20Archer.html Skeleton Archers]{{Note pointer|no=3|instance=3}}
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Mudcrawler.html Mudcrawlers]{{Note pointer|no=2|instance=2}}
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Necrophage.html Necrophages]{{Note pointer|no=4|instance=1}}
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Blood%20Bat.html Blood Bats]{{Note pointer|no=4|instance=2}}
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Soulless.html Soullesses]{{Note pointer|no=4|instance=3}}
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Giant%20Mudcrawler.html Giant Mudcrawlers]{{Note pointer|no=5}}
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Wraith.html Wraiths]{{Note pointer|no=6|instance=1}}
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Shadow.html Shadows]{{Note pointer|no=6|instance=2}}
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Revenant.html Revenants]{{Note pointer|no=6|instance=3}}
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Deathblade.html Deathblades]{{Note pointer|no=6|instance=4}}
* [https://units.wesnoth.org/1.14/mainline/en_US/Bone%20Shooter.html Bone Shooters]{{Note pointer|no=6|instance=5}}
|leaders 1=
* '''[[Haldric I|Prince Haldric]]'''
* [[Jessene|Lady Outlaw]]{{Note pointer|no=1|instance=2}}
|leaders 2=
* '''[[Cleon]]''' †
* '''[[Lollyra]]''' †
* '''[[Clurka]]''' †
|prev=[[A Harrowing Escape]]
|next=[[The Oldwood]]
}}

'''The Swamp of Esten''' is the fourth scenario in [[The Rise of Wesnoth]] campaign. It is an optional scenario, and is played if [[Haldric I|Prince Haldric]] chose to travel southeast in the previous scenario. If he did not, the scenario [[The Midlands]] is played instead.

== Background ==

The [[Stormvale|Kingdom of Stormvale]] had been overrun by orcs from the [[Old Continent]], brought to the [[Green Isle]] through gateways opened by the [[Wesfolk]]'s Lich-Lords. Though its king, [[Eldaric IV]], had perished, its populace had been evacuated by [[Haldric I|Prince Haldric]].<ref name="fall">{{Cite|fall}}</ref> Haldric successfully managed to travel through the south pass, and upon arriving at a crossroads, chose to travel southeast to the [[Swamp of Esten]], believing that they would not be followed there by the orcs.<ref name="harrowing">{{Cite|harrowing}}</ref>

The Swamp of Esten had previously been a river road, but was befouled during the Wesfolk War by the Lich-Lords during a great battle. As a result, it became home to a number of Wesfolk-imitating cultists, capable of summoning the undead. Though Haldric's people once needed to clear the swamp twice a year, this had not been done for a while, due to the orcish invasion.<ref name="swamp">{{Cite|esten}}</ref>

== Scenario ==

{{Quote gap}}

{{Image
|image=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/master/data/campaigns/The_Rise_Of_Wesnoth/images/story/trow_story_04a-The_Swamp_of_Esten.jpg
|message=Prince Haldric leads the Stormvale refugees into the Swamp of Esten.
}}

{| class="infobox bordered" style="text-align: left; font-size: 100%; border-style: solid; border-width: 2px; background-color:#EDE1CC;"
! Victory:
|
* Defeat all enemy leaders
|-
! Defeat:
|
* Death of Prince Haldric
* Turns run out
|-
! Gold carryover:
|
* Early finish bonus.
* 40% of gold carried over to the next scenario.
|}

When Haldric arrived at the fog-covered Swamp of Esten with great trepidation, he soon heard the sound of the cultists, and ordered his men to prepare for battle. Shortly thereafter, his men came across a temple, wherein [[Edren|Minister Edren]] resided. Edren eagerly offered to help Haldric clear the swamp of undead. The refugees encountered various undead forces, summoned by [[Cleon]], [[Lollyra]], and [[Clurka]], but were able to kill each of the three cultists.<ref name="swamp"/>

Before Haldric could proceed towards [[Clearwater|Clearwater Port]], he was intercepted by [[Ruddry|Sir Ruddry]], warning him not to continue in this direction, as a large number of orcs blocked their way. Haldric decided that he would take a detour through the [[Oldwood Forest]] before making a break for Clearwater Port.<ref name="swamp"/>

== Notes ==
{{Note start}}
{{Note item
|no=1
|text=The Wesfolk and Lady Outlaw only joined Haldric if he chose to spare the latter's life.
|instances=2
}}
{{Note item
|no=2
|text=These units only appeared on easy difficulty.
|instances=2
}}
{{Note item
|no=3
|text=These units did not appear on hard difficulty.
|instances=3
}}
{{Note item
|no=4
|text=These units did not appear on easy difficulty.
|instances=3
}}
{{Note item
|no=5
|text=This unit only appeared on medium difficulty.
}}
{{Note item
|no=6
|text=These units only appeared on hard difficulty.
|instances=5
}}
{{Note end}}

== References ==
<references/>
{{The Rise of Wesnoth}}

[[Category:The Rise of Wesnoth]]