Paludia
Paludia is the smallest kingdom in size, comprising the swamplands on the southeastern peninsula of Danuria and the marshes immediately west of it. Its population is one of the smallest on the continent due to the challenging living conditions.
The swamplands and marshes of Paludia boast great biodiversity and are home to a variety of unique plant and animal species. They serve as the kingdom's primary commodities for trade: arcane and alchemical reagents. Many of these reagents cannot be farmed and require specific conditions to grow, so Paludians have learned to forage the land with astonishing efficiency. The isolationist lifestyle is well-suited for living in the swamplands, attracting alchemists and herbalists seeking these rare resources and a quiet place to experiment with them.
Most of the people of Paludia, especially those in smaller settlements, are xenophobic, distrusting, and suspicious of outsiders. Paludians are also known for their superstitions. Occultists and practitioners of dark arts face scrutiny and fear from the locals. Few tolerate travelers who openly practice or encourage paranormal phenomena, and some may resort to violence to rid themselves of such visitors. This mistrust is rooted in the history of The Culling, which predates the Grand Unification.
The Culling resulted from a truce among the warring tribes of the swamplands, uniting against a common threat during the Age of Strife. Covens and cults were rampant, preying on the tribesfolk for their rituals and experiments. The tribesfolk, fueled by hatred and terror, mercilessly hunted down suspected hags and cultists, leading to the near-eradication of the covens. However, innocent lives were also lost in collateral damage, and the brutality of the Culling resulted in blighted areas known as the Cursed Mires.
The Cursed Mires are localized in parts of the swamp where many deaths took place, inhabited by vengeful and malevolent spirits. Some mires consist of innocent souls seeking retribution for wrongly accused crimes, while others house sinister revenants plotting revenge for thwarted plans of centuries past. Paludians avoid these areas, warning against the foolhardy who dare to explore their haunted depths.
Lichenvale, Paludia's capital, is surrounded on all sides by the swamp and marshlands except on its easternmost border, which has a relatively clear pathway leading towards Folgard. This still doesn't prove the path safe, however, as the magical fallout from the Rending imbues the already dangerous wildlife into truly unspeakable horrors. It's rather common for caravans and other merchants to forego the shortcut, and instead hire armed guards to escort them westbound through the swamp to one of the nearby coastal settlements, opting for sea travel over the treacherous road conditions.
Despite being located south of Folgard, Calduria, with quick access to Zyrnon and Littora from the bay, life in Paludia is harsh. The Cursed Mires render much of the swamp and marshlands inhospitable, and dangerous creatures reside in the deep bogs. Combined with the general distrust of outsiders, Paludia remains largely isolated from the rest of Danuria.
The swamplands and marshes of Paludia boast great biodiversity and are home to a variety of unique plant and animal species. They serve as the kingdom's primary commodities for trade: arcane and alchemical reagents. Many of these reagents cannot be farmed and require specific conditions to grow, so Paludians have learned to forage the land with astonishing efficiency. The isolationist lifestyle is well-suited for living in the swamplands, attracting alchemists and herbalists seeking these rare resources and a quiet place to experiment with them.
Most of the people of Paludia, especially those in smaller settlements, are xenophobic, distrusting, and suspicious of outsiders. Paludians are also known for their superstitions. Occultists and practitioners of dark arts face scrutiny and fear from the locals. Few tolerate travelers who openly practice or encourage paranormal phenomena, and some may resort to violence to rid themselves of such visitors. This mistrust is rooted in the history of The Culling, which predates the Grand Unification.
The Culling resulted from a truce among the warring tribes of the swamplands, uniting against a common threat during the Age of Strife. Covens and cults were rampant, preying on the tribesfolk for their rituals and experiments. The tribesfolk, fueled by hatred and terror, mercilessly hunted down suspected hags and cultists, leading to the near-eradication of the covens. However, innocent lives were also lost in collateral damage, and the brutality of the Culling resulted in blighted areas known as the Cursed Mires.
The Cursed Mires are localized in parts of the swamp where many deaths took place, inhabited by vengeful and malevolent spirits. Some mires consist of innocent souls seeking retribution for wrongly accused crimes, while others house sinister revenants plotting revenge for thwarted plans of centuries past. Paludians avoid these areas, warning against the foolhardy who dare to explore their haunted depths.
Lichenvale, Paludia's capital, is surrounded on all sides by the swamp and marshlands except on its easternmost border, which has a relatively clear pathway leading towards Folgard. This still doesn't prove the path safe, however, as the magical fallout from the Rending imbues the already dangerous wildlife into truly unspeakable horrors. It's rather common for caravans and other merchants to forego the shortcut, and instead hire armed guards to escort them westbound through the swamp to one of the nearby coastal settlements, opting for sea travel over the treacherous road conditions.
Despite being located south of Folgard, Calduria, with quick access to Zyrnon and Littora from the bay, life in Paludia is harsh. The Cursed Mires render much of the swamp and marshlands inhospitable, and dangerous creatures reside in the deep bogs. Combined with the general distrust of outsiders, Paludia remains largely isolated from the rest of Danuria.
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