Northeast Region: The Ratlands

The jungles of the Snake and Elephant kingdoms get swampier in south and give way to a massive marshy region with patches of dry land and occasional small mountain ranges poking out of waist-deep water. There is no clear way of defining the shoreline of the Ratlands. It is more like a cluster of islands that one can walk between, and with patches of jungle growing out of the water, than a solid landmass.
Any overseas trade requires docking at one of the two accessible port cities, Hubentau or Besar Bandara, and having goods shipped to and from the port by skiff. Guarding these shipments through the lawless jungle swamp is a high-risk job that attracts young warriors looking for adventure and action. The interior swamplands and some of the southern “shoreline” are home to various wizards and warlords who thought to carve out domains in a region nobody else wants. The interior is also home to many bandits as well as exiles from the city who betrayed or fought the local powers. One palace in the interior belongs to The Rat King who claims to be lord of the entire Ratlands, but no one outside the walls of his palace appears to recognize the title, at least on the surface. Although the palace was once home to the Serene King of the Rats, the monastic order that appointed monarchs for the Serene Kingdom of the Rat no longer exists.
Despite the hostility of the terrain, there are several cities in this region (Tochuot, Hubentau, Chuongeo, Tambun, Besar Bandara) and many small non-human communities. Tochuot is the most orderly and peaceful city in the Ratlands, ruled by a Serene Prince with the backing of the Candishitu. This city is all that remains of the Serene Kingdom of the Monkey. Hubentau, midway up the Ratlands coastline, is somewhat less peaceful than Tochuot, but considerably more lawful than the remaining Ratlands cities. It is ruled by a merchant's guild, which not only manages the coming and going of goods, but also recruits skiff guards and employs a naval fleet to keep the shipping lane from Baghadeesh open. The other cities are run by gangs who are in constant competition for dominance. Besar Bandara has worked out a relatively successful truce between its factions, but the other cities are in a state of near-constant war. What these cities are best known for abroad is their plethora of martial arts trainers and fighting clubs.   Races: Nezumi, Human, Lizardpeople, Spirit Folk, Korobokuru, Hengeyokai, Guijuda, Vanara (Bandar, Orongo)   Common tongue: Nezumi   Classes: Samurai, Fighter, Bushi, Wokou, Kensai, Gunslinger, Survivalist, Youxia, Mariner, Ohia, Islander, Minstrel, Merchant, Thief, Detective, Assassin, Ninja, Yakuza, Reverend, Votary, Shukenja, Witch/Warlock, Witch Doctor, Wudang/Baksu, Jhakri, Oracle, Monk, Serene Knight, Sohei, Wu Jen, Magic-User, Illusionist, Sage-Mentalist, Sage-Magician, Scholastic Sage, Sifu, Martial Advisor, Sadhu, Alchemist, Mechanist