Lux Tenebris: The Narnola Swamp

The Narnola Swamp covers almost 5000 square miles along the southern coast of Nur.  It is a swampy morass, birthed where the Narnola River and the brackish waters of the Gulf of Promises meet and mix. Most of the terrain is impassable, except by boat, but there are solid paths that lead through the swamp known by the natives. Most of these paths, however, are circutious and indirect, so travel by boat is often quicker, easier and safer.

The Narnola Swamp

The swamp is home to a wide variety of creatures. Most are quite average (rats, poisonous snakes, swarms of insects), but some are more deadly. Something about the swamp seems to enhance ordinary creatures and it is not uncommon to encounter giant versions of ordinary animals, such as rats, spiders and crocodiles. More rarely, truly monstrous creatures are encountered, such as shambling mounds and water elementals.  Centuries ago, a black dragon called Arranir claimed the Narnola Swamp as his territory but he met his death at the hands of a party of adventurers. Only one adventurer survived to tell the tale, and he died shortly afterward. But locals tell tales of a ghostly dragon seen moving through the swamp on dark nights, still hunting for the adventurers that killed him.

The Narnala Swamp is inhabited. Although most of its residents are human, the swamp is famous, some would say infamous, for being one of the few places in Nur with a native population of goblins.

The goblins of the Narnola Swamp are known as webfoot goblins. They have lived there so long that they have adapted to the terrain, and can move across the swampy ground with little difficulties. (In game terms, swampfoot goblins can move across swamp-type, difficult terrain with no penalty to their movement speed.)

The history of the swampfoot goblins is curious. When humans first arrived in the area, moving inland from the coast, the swampfoot goblins were already established in the swamp. Their own oral histories hinted that they had fled V'resh centuries before the humans, but there was nothing in their history to tell why they had left.

Most of the goblins in the Narnola Swamp live in or around the village of Iono. Iono is the goblin word for 'home' and about three-hundred people reside in Iono.  About 80% of Iono's population consists of webfoot goblins, while the remainder consists mostly of humans. The buildings are mostly small, reed huts built on wooden platforms or in the branches of trees. Although Iono is built on high ground, it does occassionally flood during the rainy season.

Iono is led by Iximor Grom (L9 Goblin Champion).  Although Iximor grew up in the swamp, he left for a while, traveling along the western coast of Nur, working as a professional gladiator. Eventually, he returned home and became the de facto leader of Iono.  He doesn't care much for the folk outside the swamp, or interlopers who would seek to prey on the swampfolk.

The only other community of any size in the swamp is Nymyra, a village of about 450 residents. Nymyra's population consists largely of humans, but there are gnomes, goblins, halflings and others residing in it as well. Strife and conflict are rare among the population. Appropriate since Nymyra means 'harmony.'

Like Iono, Nymyra is built on high ground. Unlike, their neighbors, however, Nymyra seldom floods. Buildings are constructed as either log cabins, reed huts or clapboard houses. A stout wooden palisade surrounds Nymyra to keep out predators.  The single gate is guarded all day and closed at sunset.

Nymyra is led by a five-person council, its members elected every three years by village residents. Residency requires someone to have made their home in the village for at least one year.

The current head of the village council is Dorum Aleman(L8 Human Wizard). Dorum owns and operates The Green Swan, the only tavern/inn in the entire Narnola Swamp. In his youth, Dorum felt a calling to serve Iorne, the goddess of magic. He served as an accolyte in her temple in Moontree, before receiving word that his father and elder brothers had died of fever. Dorum left the temple to return home and care for his mother and the family business, but retained the favor of Iorne and is quite the competant wizard.

There are other settlements in the swamp, but they tend to be small and somewhat isolated. The swampfolk are very self-sufficient and require very little from the outside world. However, there is some trade and commerce.  The swamp produces plants and animals that are used in certain arcane spells, and there is the occasional party of adventurers who venture into the swamp and need guides and transport.