Bograth

Bograth is avoided by most of the other Moonlands inhabitants. It is a terrifying land of swamps, fens and quagmires. Sickly gnarled trees grow out of the listless brackish water, and slimy moss frequently hangs from their branches. Whatever land exists is mostly fetid mud flats. The plants are limp and bitter, and even the air is still, smelly and dank.

Some of the unpleasantness surrounding Bograth is possibly due to the corruption of the region's founder, Grath. Sometime after the Moonlands were created, Grath was corrupted by the Core. While the details have been lost to history, Grath's corruption was reflected in the land he helped create.

Geography

Bograth occupies a peninsula just to the south of Paradise Sea, extending eastward from the mountains of Kybar's Teeth. It extends northward along the shores of Paradise Sea, and borders Paradwyn just to the north.

Small rivers from Kybar's Teeth flow into Bograth, broadening into a huge marsh. Water flows slowly through the region, creating pools of stagnant water. Various algaes and oozes grow in the slow moving water, and various pests, vermin and bacteria are a common hazard of the region. In other areas, the water flows under the surface, creating dangerous areas where a careless misstep could send a hapless traveller through the soil to the muddy water beneath.

Near the eastern reaches of the peninsula, the overhanging foliage give way to broad mud flats, covered with smaller vegetation. To the north, the land begins to dry out as it reaches Paradwyn. The region extends upward slightly, into the foothills of Kybar's Teeth. The entire region is cooler than expected, primarily because the overhanging vegetation blocks most of the daylight. It is particularly chilly near Kybar's Teeth, as the terrain begins to rise.

The entire region is usually covered by a cloud of fog, rising from the various pools. The air currents, which run east to west, rise over the mountains of Kybar's Teeth, leaving Bograth with mostly stagnant air. On the rare occasions when the winds part the fog, sunlight warms and dries out the region slightly. This usually only happens when the main cloudband of Arderial is nearby.

Cities and Sites

Bograth has few actual towns or cities of any size. Most of the inhabitants live in small villages of a hundred or less. These are well-hidden from outsiders

Qui Yolzik

The largest city of Bograth, and de facto capital, is Qui Yolzik. It is located at the eastern end of the peninsula. However, Qui Yolzik is still a small village compared to other towns in the Moonlands.

Qui Olabra

Recently renamed, Qui Olabra lies near the border with Paradwyn. It is the second-largest village in Bograth, and is usually the first village of any size that a visitor encounters. Olabra controls the town, though not overtly. The town lies on a muddy river that flows into the Great River, which separates Bograth and Paradwyn from the Weave.

People

Because of their social isolation, Bograth citizens are not particularly socially adept either. Bograthians use magnificent-sounding titles for themselves. Whether this is compensating for inadequacy or that they truly feel so superior is hard to tell.

Bograthians do not worry about patrolling their land, or keeping unwanted creatures out. The region itself is a strong enough deterent in most cases. In addition, both the magi and creatures of Bograth are less concerned by the Core taint than any other region. Core creatures sometimes seek shelter in Bograth, and they are as welcome as any other creature.

Flora

The flora of Bograth is dank, smelly, and frequently twisted. Trees with twisted roots provide lairs for many of the Bograthian creatures. Bushes and shrubs provide undergrowth for the creatures to hide in. Fungi, mosses, and other lower forms of plant life are common.

Many varieties of flora produce a foul smell or produce sounds to ward off creatures. There are fruits and nuts which grow in Bograth, but most have an unpleasant taste to a non-Bograthian. Some varieties of plants are poisonous, or at least nauseating.

Fauna

Bograthian creatures are frequently nasty and unkempt, just like the Bograthians. Most Bograthian creatures tend to be small, but make up for their size with numbers and attitude. Almost all Bograthian creatures occur in large numbers. Swarms of dream creatures or vermin are common.