Table of Contents

Cultural Groups

Regional Customs

Flora and Fauna

Military Factions

Criminal Factions

Important NPCs

Cultural Groups

The Car'mingn

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Dominant Religion: The Main Pantheon, but with special importance on Ginma
Preferred Colors: Browns, Blues, Greens, Reds
Main Art Focus: Tapestry, Quilts, Carving
Way of Recording Events: Oral, Written, and Tapestry
General Appearance: The Car'mingn are a tall and stout people with hardy demeanor. Their hair is typically wavy and ranges from black to blonde with reds occurring as well. They usually have blue or green eyes and average six foot or more in height.
Preferred Weapons: Greatswords, Great Axes

The native human population of Lilicors, remnants of the civilization that occupied the area before it became a swamp, are seen as a somewhat barbaric sort, engaging in civilized trade as much as raiding and piracy. They had existed in primarily a nomadic state except for a few settlements that would exist for maybe a few years at a time when defending a resource or the need to recuperate, up until the formation of Lilicors, which allowed for them to establish a more permanent home. While still nomadic, they tend to hover close to Lilicors rather than travelling out as far as King's Valley, and because of this they no longer raise any livestock or creatures that aren't native to the Marsh Flats. They get along well with the other populations of Lilicors which has led to many a union between the orcs and the humans. The children born of such unions don't belong to just one group or the other, rather they are accepted by both groups, holding a sort of "dual-citizenship". These half-orcs have also enabled the other peoples of Lilicors to be more trusting of the humans as they are seen in a "one-of-us" kind of light.

The Car'mingn as they call themselves wear a combination of hides and wool fabrics that help protect against the creatures of the swamp and the massive fluctuations in temperatures between the swathes of land within their migrating grounds. Favoring green, blues, and browns that allow them to hide amongst the drab and watery appearance of their homeland. The rainfall within the swamps and dangerous insects help facilitate the need for traveling cloaks or thicker wool kilts depending on the season. They tend to accessorize with wood paints and jewelry of brass or copper that have intricate personalized designs, generally reflecting the stories of their ancestors or their own past deeds.

The Car'mingn are able bodied warriors and fiercely loyal to those they call friend. Having had several skirmishes with the future denizens of Lilicors and the swamplands in the past, they have come to an agreement of respect by virtue of martial ability and the necessity for mutual survival within the hostile landscape they call home. Car'mingn warriors tend to favor bows, spears, great swords and a combination of dagger and shield when engaged in close combat. Their shamans focus on the spiritual world, the earth and water domain, and the connection between animal and man.

The Palugen

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Dominant Religion: Animism, Emphasis on Ginma as the Spirit of the Earth
Preferred Colors: Dark, Earthy Hues & Shades — Olive, Fern, Soil-Tones
Main Art Focus: Leatherwork, Bone carving, Pottery, Weaving, Alchemy
Way of Recording Events: Oral
General Appearance: The gremlin of Palugen are a small and lithe people who have adapted to the marsh over many years of specialized living. The skin tones of the Palugen vary from a neutral moss-tone, to warm charcoal-tones, with hair colors varying just as much. They are thick-skinned— with clawed webbed fingers and toes— curved noses, and a long, knobbed tail which juts from their lower back similar to that of a crocodile. Palugen are excellent swimmers, and often use their tail to propel them beneath the murky waters, or hold them steady when climbing the deadwood trees. Sharp teeth often jut from between the Palugen's lips, and their eyes are cat-like in appearance; with thin, narrowed pupils and wide irises that are often amber in tone. They stand anywhere from three to four feet tall; although, half-Palugen individuals sometimes tower over their counterparts, and sport a various number of different traits from each side of their bloodlines.
Preferred Weapons: Javelins, Spears, Slings, Bows & Arrows, Shortswords

Amongst the tangled mangroves of the Hauntwood lies a village full of the Palugen— gremlins who have long since adapted to the humid wetlands of the Marsh Flats. The Palugen are a large community who have long settled in their homes among the deadwood trees; oral histories of the town date back to when the Marsh Flats was once a lush and beautiful land; before the Luna Sea threatened to swallow it whole. Stories tell of a time when the Palugen occupied the Moonglade as fae and fairies— but when the wars came to their home— they fled in search of peace. They found it in the groves of what would become the Hauntwood in time; and as centuries passed, as the land drowned and the environment changed; the fae and the faeries which made up the population of the Palugen changed as well.

Now the gremlins of the Hauntwood, the Palugen still hold fast to their fae roots; their evidence of such comes in the birth of mana-wielding gremlins who may harness the earth and the water; the remnants of knobs on their shoulder blades which they believe once were wings; and their unique connection to the spirits and nature of the Hauntwood itself that goes beyond the usual respect and admiration that comes with their beliefs.

The Palugen of the Hauntwood believe that from the earth they have come, and from the earth they will return. While ancestor worship and respect is prevalent among them; it often takes form in the worship of nature itself with the belief that the dead have become spirits of the earth. Many gremlin believed to have considerable fae heritage partake in training from the Storyteller in their youths in order to master the art of calling upon the spirits themselves for guidance; not all gremlins are able to do so, but there is a considerable number of heavily spiritual gremlin who hold the ability to call upon their ancestors for help and guidance— manifesting their appearances physically from the earth itself. Those who have this ability are titled Spirit Callers among their community— and they are often those who lead and take part in burial rituals, funeral rites, and festivals dedicated to those who have passed.

One unique concept from the Palugen comes from their belief in “lost fae blood”; and while the Palugen community consists largely of gremlins, it is not necessarily abnormal to find other individuals among them— those of who the Palugen consider “lost fae”, or those faeries who separated from the Palugen fae long ago during the war, and who have adapted and evolved differently than they had over time. Many Palugen believe that the “lost fae” will find their way back home, and are very accepting of them once they have passed a number of tests from the Palugen’s Storyteller to prove their bloodline— as such, it's not uncommon to find orphans, spouses, or individuals living amongst the Palugen of varying other races.

They care for their own, and are an extremely community-based civilization.

The Palugen live in homes built within the hollowed interior of the deadwood trees of the Hauntwood which often house multiple families; whereas the first floor of the tree is unoccupied to leave room for flood waters to rise and fall without damage to the interior, families of Palugen can be found past spiraling staircases, up to the very tops of the mangroves. Hearthmoss — a type of moss which releases both heat and light, and grows exclusively within the Hauntwood’s depths— is used prominently over fire within the Palugen community due to its ability to retain its light and heat even beneath the swampy water of the marsh. Hearthmoss, one of Palugen’s few intriguing plant exports, may be bound and hung from branches or ceilings; tied to sticks to create torches; or used in multiple other ways to create both heat and light without risk of extinguishing.

Because of their location, the Palugen are forced to barter for most goods not naturally found within the swamp; and while the Palugen are talented hunters and excellent fishers; they must obtain most seeds, nuts, fruit, and vegetables from outside sources. Luckily, the Palugen have a great amount of trinkets, exports, and arts to trade: ranging from exotic animal hides, fish or vegetation located only in the Hauntwood, fine wetland potteries, along with intricately woven rugs, baskets, and even armor created from reeds and linens. Most importantly, however, is a trade secret that lies exclusively with their Storyteller— their leader, archivist, healer, and alchemist— in an alchemical treatment which prevents the rusting of metals in humid environments like their own.

The Palugen leader refuses to explain, teach, or pass on the treatment to anyone save the next training Storyteller— making this one of their rarest and most unique bargaining tools.

The Palugen are not necessarily hostile gremlins— but they can be defensive and protective of their own, in addition to their land, and the way that outsiders may treat it. Everything— from the earth, to the sky, to the spirits themselves— are considered under the umbrella term of "Ginma". Warriors of the Palugen come armed with bows & arrows, and slings; with the most talented fighters amongst them often wielding spears and short swords in addition. Their armor is woven by reeds and linens, ensuring that the Palugen are nimble and will not sink into the bog. Occasionally, the Palugen can be seen riding Bogskippers— insects which can zip across water and moss as though it is dry land— as mounts. Mana-wielding gremlins are not uncommon, with the most prominent domain seen amongst them being earth and water.

Tautandil Woodworks

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The Tautandil family can trace their roots in Charon to the time of the collapse with their founder, Lashrael Tautandil, stands in legend. Not much is known about her life prior to the stories told, but she is considered the godmother of Woodworking in Charon.

Lashrael was a Sylvan Elf carpenter, specializing in construction with teak, specifically large-scale shelves and tables. As it so often does, the war drove business away from her doorstep, leaving her with few options to support her family. A noble, acting on behalf of the Magic Academy on a whim, contacted Lashrael to preserve the written information and artifacts that would otherwise have been destroyed by the battles and the pillaging that followed. Desperate to keep herself and her family out of the conflict, Lashrael obliged, assisting the wealthy with helping to safeguard their belongings with readily hidden rooms constructed with teak, bleeding crescent, and other expensive woods. As more and more people were forced to flee their homes, they could leave their most precious heirlooms behind without fear of them being discovered.

Such was the efficacy and discretion of the construction that thus earned the Tautandil name a place of honor after the war had ended. Word traveled among noble circles to the relief of those returning home to find their finery and heirlooms intact. Fearing another imminent conflict, anyone who could afford their services flocked to their humble workshop asking for private rooms to be built, and thus, Tautandil Woodworks became the first name in Charonese history to be uplifted to Royal Provider status.

As the years went on, the Tautandil's purchased swaths of forest to continue to plant and harvest more trees to use in their lumber, and they began to specialize in private library construction. From humble reading nooks to multistory rotunda, Tautandil libraries are a piece of exceptional pride in the home of anyone who can afford their service. All the wood is made with the familial teak, hand cut on-site so the measurements will always be to the client's specification. The library at the Mages Academy is one of their crowning achievements, a mixture of Imperial Rosewood, Sacred Mangrove, Bleeding Crescent, and, of course, teak.

The Tautandil family have long been loyal and brave servants of the High King and the Solarian Crown, dedicated to providing the best of service to the nobility to suit their needs. We should all aspire to be as they are.

A hand written addendum is added to this page, scrawled along the bottom.

They saved us with rooms just like that and they did it for free. They're no more servants of the Crown than the dung under my boot. You Rootcutters just pay them for the privilege of having their stuff in your home.

Regional Customs

Interment of the Dead

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Due to the geography of the Marsh Flats, graveyards, cemeteries, and crypts are highly uncommon. The low-lying land and near constant flood conditions make subterranean burial or interment nearly impossible and also very unsafe. Decaying bodies have the potential to contaminate the waters and spread disease and illness, as such, many of the folk who call the Marsh Flats home have adopted various ways of preserving and honoring the dead.


Cremation
This is the most popular option for those who live in Lilicors Village. Cremation ceremonies harbor many of the traditions and processes that are more common in a traditional crypt or cemetery burial, but with the body instead being burned on a funeral pyre until it is reduced to brittle bones and a pile of ash.

Depending on the final wishes of the deceased or the family's heritage, these bones and the ashes are either distributed amongst family members, ground into a find powder to be scattered or turned into a keepsake, or are stored by the family until they can be interred abroad.

Though this is a common practice, it can be a very upsetting event to witness and it is difficult to do properly given the frequent rainstorms and wet ground. To help combat these challenges, Lilicors has a large stone pyre specifically designated for conducting funeral rites and cremating the body. It is designed to produce an intense flame which can quickly reduce the body's matter into ash. They also have curtains which can be raised around the pyre to obscure the sight of the burning body at the discretion of those attending the funeral. 


Return to Nature
Many of the indigenous peoples of the Marsh Flats, such as the Palugen, hold beliefs that the body is destined to return to nature once it has died. While a body left to decompose in the wild would eventually breakdown and get picked apart by the local wildlife with time, these unattended bodies are prime specimens for prospective necromancers. As such, in an effort to avoid break outs of undead, bodies that need to be returned to nature are often transported to areas where the bodies are most likely to be quickly devoured.

Carnivorous plants such as Witcher Pitchers are commonly used to aid in the process of returning the dead back into the natural cycles of the world. After the family, friends, and communities have had a chance to say their farewells, the bodies are moved to known locations of these plants. Gathering in these areas can be dangerous, especially for those with magical abilities, so communities tend to have a voluntary group who are responsible for carrying out the task. It is considered a sacred and honorable responsibility due to the risk and the importance of ensuring the body is handled with respect and dignity. Bodies are sometimes adorned with a small magical item to ensure that the Witcher Pitcher does properly take the body. 

Oozes were also sometimes utilized for this same task thanks to their natural ability to dissolve most organic material, though recent research has shown that this practice has attracted the creatures to settlements, putting locals at risk of being attacked by the ravenous creatures. Lilicors in particular now forbids this practice, instead encouraging locals to turn to cremation instead.

Honoring the Dead

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While honoring the dead tends to vary from family to family, there are a few traditions that are more unique to those who have grown up or live in the Marsh Flats. These traditions often revolve around ancestral worship or blend connecting with nature with mourning and honoring legacies. 


Memorial Trees
Since tombstones run the risk of being eroded away by the rise and fall of the waters flooding throughout the land, lots of folks have taken to making Memorial Trees to honor the dead. Memorial Trees tend to be located near settlements making them easy to visit and maintain. They are large trees that usually have a few natural hollows in them which can be stacked with stones and then house various idols, trinkets, and offerings of food and drink. The trunks and limbs of the trees are decorated with various weaved ribbons, ropes, and lanterns. The trees serve as a places where people can honor and remember those they have lost.

Memorial Trees are commonly used by those who practice ancestral worship and tend to have a shaman, druid, or spiritual medium responsible for guarding the tree and helping those who visit to connect with the spirits of those they have lost. Some have come to criticize the practice of Memorial Trees as encouraging people to connect with the dead, potentially blurring the line between spiritualism and cult activity which could lead to necromantic practices.

If a Memorial Tree dies, it is considered a very bad omen and may signify that some sort of major tragedy will befall the settlement. To harm or steal from a Memorial Tree is considered extremely taboo and blatantly disrespectful to not only those who maintain the tree, but those who are honored by the tree's continued existence. Taking anything from a Memorial Tree is akin to graverobbing and may result in severe punishment.


Lightning Bugs and Fireflies
Ceremonies involving the capture or breeding and release of lightning bugs or fireflies in memory of and to honor those who have passed on is mostly practiced by the Ribbinynh populations of the Marsh Flats and Moonglade, though it is sometimes used as an activity for young children during funerals as it is a more lighthearted approach to mourning. 

Ribbinynh tend to cultivate their own colonies of lightning bugs or fireflies rather than rely on wild caught specimens, though this is likely because Ribbinynh use the insects to not only celebrate the lives of those who have passed on, but also the birth and growth of lives still present in the realm of the living as well. It is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between a funeral and a birthday party in Ribbinynh communities. 

Other groups that use this tradition often catch the bugs in the wild, or include it as part of a longer grieving period. Regardless of how the insects are collected, on the night during or following a funeral, friends, family and community members gather together and each carry the little insect in their hands during a procession. As a group, each participant may choose to utter a prayer or recall a fond memory of the deceased before releasing their insect into the sky.

Necromancy

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The practice of necromancy or raising the dead is looked upon poorly by the denizens of Lilicors. Fear of being haunted by ghosts or overrun by a zombie horde rising from the swamp is common amongst the townsfolk, and unfortunately it is not a completely irrational fear. The Marsh Flats is a popular hiding places for witches and necromancers due to how difficult it is to navigate the area and its lack of military presence beyond Lilicors. 

The indigenous peoples of the Marsh Flats have a more complicated opinion. Many indigenous people in the Marsh Flats practice ancestral worship, or have strong spiritual ties to the dead. Communicating with the dead is considered a sacred right for many tribes, with some of their strongest warriors using their spiritual ties to their ancestors to aid them in battle.

This, however, does not mean they turn a blind eye to the desecration of corpses. While the tribes may be fine with connecting to spirits, the raising of a fallen warrior and bending them to one's will is considered a horrendous, disrespectful, and dishonorable act.

Flora and Fauna

Spike Moss

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Location: Found in the Marsh Flats, usually in the Hauntwood and Black Bog

A dark black moss that clings to the damp trees and stones of the swamps of the Marsh Flats– it’s rather ominous-looking, with thick, black strands clinging together in a spiderwebby mass, almost more like an insect’s lair than a plant. It consistently produces a pale grey mist that is extraordinarily toxic– it’s best to approach when the mist is sparsest.

This is literally one of the least medicinally useful plants I can think of– but it has… other uses. Spike Moss is a very potent source of toxins, making it splendid for the creation of a variety of different poisons, serving as an excellent base for several different types, from numbing poison to… lethal poison. Ah, it’s a bit of a controlled substance, alchemically– be careful with it…

Toxicity: Literally one of the first notes the Consortium makes on Spike Moss pertains to how toxic it is. It is unbelievably poisonous, both to the touch and in terms of the noxious gas it emits– only handle with protective gear, and store very carefully. Contact causes abrasions, inflammation, and even burns to many degrees, and inhalation of the gas can lead to dizziness, loss of consciousness, hallucinations if you’re unlucky, nausea, so on, so forth.

Additional Notes: For the love of the Gods, please only approach this with plenty of protective gear. I recommend gloves and a shield for your respiratory system so you don’t inhale anything– really, full skin coverage is fantastic if possible.

Witcher Pitcher

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Location: Found in the Marsh Flats, typically in the Hauntwood, especially near high concentrations of magic

The first thing you will notice about these plants is that they are utterly colossal, about six or seven feet in height; they are massive the whole way around. They tend to be dark grey, desaturated green, or deep black in color, and are difficult to see; when they have recently eaten, bright runes light up the pitcher part of their structure for which they get their name. They have long tendrils that tend to go inactive, but... not always.

Witcher Pitchers are nasty things; they are carnivorous plants with a degree of awareness that absolutely abhor and covet magic, and will lash out and try to consume any magical creature, object, or entity that gets too close. They produce a syrup that attracts most non-sapient magical creatures, allowing the pitcher plant to close down over them and consume them, but humanoids don't fall for this so easily, which is... where the tendrils come in. They're dangerous and quite violent, but the sap they produce is unfortunately quite useful in alchemy and even some medicine, which is... not a fun time for magically gifted alchemists and doctors. This is another product I feel safer just ordering a shipment of.

Toxicity: Well, I consider a plant that wants to kill and eat any magical thing in its range quite toxic, but no, it is not poisonous or venomous beyond the digestive fluid it produces when it traps prey.

Additional Notes: Witcher Pitchers are entirely non-hostile to creatures who lack any magic entirely; hell, they'll eat your magical items, but they won't go for you if they don't trace any magic in your blood. It's only mages who need fear them, or inherently magical creatures.

Swampkins

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Location: Found in the Marsh Flats, in the Black Bog and Hauntwood

Swampkins are a delightfully odd plant, and I have a particular fondness for them; they are a type of pumpkin that defies all logic, growing specifically in swamps; they ignore the usual delicate water balance required to allow pumpkins to grow, and glow. They come in shades of orange and grey, and their key feature is their carved face that is inherently there, unveiling the glowing core at their center.

Swampkins are a triple threat; they sustain a powerful light core that is useful in a variety of spells and alchemical projects, the oil that can be made from them can heal and ease all manner of internal ailments, and the seeds are absolutely delicious when roasted and seasoned. The leaves and flowers are also useful for serums for external issues, as well, namely for simple bruises and cuts. Their key trait, however, comes with that carved face; the expression shifts in the presence of aerial toxins, with the smile fading as toxicity in the air increases. This can be useful for tracking Spike Moss, or for simply navigating certain dangerous areas, so on, so forth.

Toxicity: None; they are a delicious snack, and are, in fact, fantastic for determining the presence of nearby toxins!

Additional Notes: I have absolutely no idea how they function but they delight me. They have several different colloquial names; Ghost Gourds, Canary Squash, Bog Lanterns...

Military Factions

Lilicors Armed Irregulars

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As being the undeveloped section of Charon, Lilicors Village and the Marsh Flats as a whole rely on the Knight Order of Tegrid to maintain order through their questing knights who frequently travel through the region. If a larger military force is required, a call to arms goes out to the general population and those who are willing and able go to Lilicors Village for organization. Due to the nature of this rallying cry there’s no precise number of individuals who make up the Lilicors Armed Irregulars, but are led by a group of Tegrid Knights that were within the region.

What the Irregulars are armed with comes down to individual or cultural taste. You have people with family heirlooms, tools of the trade, or even just rocks. Bows are the most common form of weapon seen amongst the Irregulars with fishing spears and nets closely in second. Leather and cloth armors dominate the force and there are zero horses to be found. These limitations have forced a strategy that entirely relies on guerrilla warfare tactics. Using the environment to confuse, trap, and deal harm to enemies without ever truly engaging in pitch combat is the core tenet of the Irregulars’ tactics. Be wary when the trees speak, especially if it's in a language you can understand.

Criminal Factions

Important NPCs

The Big Leader, Mayor of Lilicors

Marsh Flats, Goblin-Ogre, Male

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Appearance

Description

Personality

The Big Leader is a unique leader, consisting of a goblin-ogre team. The goblin, known as The Leader, was one of the original people to unite Lilicors and establish a settlement out in the swamp. He is a fast talker and a genius, advocating for the tribes of the swamps to unite. He is accompanied by Big, a massive ogre that acts as The Leaders bodyguard and muscle. The people love this duo, prideful of their growing village.

The Leader is a quick-witted man with a big grin and a lovable personality. He loves the swamps and bogs and wants something better for those who call them home. He is a generous man, caring for the everyday civilians. Big is a less educated man and really does nothing, just standing there to protect their brother.

Marv, Owner of the Fighting Pits

Marsh Flats, Beastkin, Male

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Appearance

Description

Personality

Having lived in the Marsh Flats his whole life, Marv was born into the family business, inheriting it from his late father, Marvanthony. The Fighting Pits have been passed down throughout countless generations of Marv's, becoming a name the community can rely on to place illicit bets or to get the snot beat out of them for a cut. He has two lovely daughters, Marvadene and Marvelle, who are the apples of his eye. They are just as ambitious as their father and cannot wait to carry on the family legacy.

Marv is a jovial man, with a mind capable of doing quick math and a body that has seen it's share of scraps. He isn't one to hesitate when crossed, but if you remain on his good side and don't bring around any annoying authorities, you will be treated far better than in most of the other fighting pits in Charon. Fighting Pits are a cultural touchstone of the Marsh Flats, after all, as are these two rules: If you are good to Marv, he is good to you; and, never bet against the house.

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