Kythis and the Dismal Swamps

SETTLEMENTS
Alden (Ahl-DEN): A coastal city below the southern arm of the Kraken's Maw. Alden is well known for its shipping and trade, and as the starting point for travel to many of the islands along the Broken Coast. The city itself was founded by Kaaldren Olwen, a old and wizened retired Admiral of the Redesian naval fleet. After losing his right leg and arm in a skirmish he retired from the navy, and with a large fortune he returned to a small fishing village with several cargo ships and built up a fortified trading town. Supplying the various islands and settlements of the Broken Coast, that are slowly spreading along the hundreds of islands south of the Kraken's Maw.

Black Rock: Built where the Amber Mountains and Argoden's teeth intersect. Black Rock is a dwarven and dvergr mining town that gets it name from the black volcanic stone that it is built from. The dwarves of this settlment were given the mineral rights to this region, and the dvergr needed the volcanic flows and pools to help forge their materials and run their machines. So in return the d'vergr help maintain the lava flow and provide the means to access the rare daimonds and volcanic glass the dwarves seek while the d'vergr provide them with the raw materials they need to build their machines.

Loadstone:

Pearl: Respected and sought after this bastion of information sits above the northern arm of the Kraken's Maw. A massive archive of knowledge, research, and the arcane rests here at the epicenter of this majestic city. Pearl was one of the first cities attacked during the Redesian Crusades after they were viewed as allied to Redes for housing knowledge deemed taboo and dark to the people of Cathedral.

Ramshackle: A city of jury rigging, tinkering, and accidents waiting to happen. This strange city-state is just on the eastern edge of the Black Marsh,  built upon a macabre of stilts, sunken foundations, and ruins that have been swallowed by the swamps the city is a maze of half-hazardly constructed platforms, brides, stairs, and lifts. Held together by wonders of artifice, clever engineering, and sheer luck ramshackle plays host to markets filled with all sorts of minor magic items, tinkering bizarres, and underground black markets.

Redes: Founded by the Mad Mage Treil Redes, this city has a dark and bloody history. Burned and leveled to the ground twice during the Redesian War the city is built upon the ashes of its previous incarnations. Some buildings and structures still remain as reminders of the horrors that were once committed here, but even older than the petty squabbles between Redes and Cathedral are the ruins that rest beneath this crooked city. In its third reincarnation Redes is a center of exotic trade, fishing, and the harvesting and use of various monsters.

Tide: A sovereign island nation just off the coast of the southern peninsula of the Kraken's Maw. Tide is a small city-state centered on the trade and affairs of the races of dryland and those dwelling in the seas below. Reachable by boat; and by a shallow reef that emerges during low tide the settlement of Tide both occupies dryland and sea. With large water tight towers whose roofs and tops are the only thing visible during high tide that stretch to the sea floor and cliffs, and large open air and underwater markets filled with vendors of various races the city is truly a sight to behold.

Three-Falls:

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SITES

• Dismal Swamps - swamp lands and jungles dominate much of the region and in their depths lurk many dangers and ancient secrets forgotten by all except rot. These swamps are filled with man-eating tribes of lizardfolk, bizarre monsters, and ancient ruins haunted with maddened spirits of a older age.
  
  Amber Mountains: Located along the western edge of the black swamps. The Amber Mountains are a mineral rich series of volcanic mountains honeycombed with lava tubes that wind and twist through the mountain depths forming long obsidian coated mazes. Reports of massive hollow caverns filled with crystalline formations and strange fungal pits have been reported. Common dangers of the mountains are the slateblack lizardfolk tribes, a tribe of fire-attuned dromites, and a colony of myconids that have been known to venture out at night to stalk the nearby settlements for slaves.
  
  The Black Step: One of the few patches of dry land in Kythis. The Black Step is a upraised portion of land running along the (insert mountain name) from Dragon's Gate to the Amber Mountains.
  
  The Black Swamps: The black swamps are group of interconnected marshes and fens known for their black waters and dark disposition in folklore and myth. The color itself is the result from the decaying leaves of Hyrdrawood (a mangrove like tree with long reaching roots that thrive on the acidity of the water), but local tribes say the waters were blackened from the blood of a fallen god. The swamps are known to hide alien ruins and various tribes of native humans who worship dark gods and other eldritch horrors long-forgotten by history and the gods themselves.
  
  The Blood Tangle: Further south just southeast of the Rotwood is a massive stretch of wetland and jungle that feeds into the Shallow Sea known as the Blood Tangle. Filled with exotic flora, ancient beasts, and xenophobic tribes of savage humanoids including lizardfolk the Blood Tangles remain untouched by civilized culture. It is believed a ancient city dedicated to sacrifice and tribalistic warfare, from which various humanoid tribes wage battles to capture sacrifices for their savage dieties.
  
  The Chain: The southern coastline of Kythis is dotted with nearly hundreds of small islands. Largely unexplored only a few small port towns and cities have settled upon them. With many of the islands populated by dangerous humanoid tribes, monsters, and ancient curses. Believed to be the top of a ancient mountain range rumors persist that flooded dwarven tunnels link many of the islands and that amid one of these islands is a ancient dwarven ruin filled with treasures beyond imagination.
  
  The Kraken's Maw: Made of two peninsula's surrounding a gulf of water. The Kraken's Maw gets it name from its beak-like shape, and the legends of a powerful Kraken God that supposedly dwells within the gulf.
  
  Rot Wood: Located at the southern foot of the Amber Mountains and right against the Shallows Sea is a dieing primeval forest that stretches for miles. Once a mighty forest ruled by fey and ancient spirits. The forest has become tainted by some ancient evil that lurks within its center. Lurking in the decay undead, twisted plant-life, and evil fey now dwell within its confines. A few hopeful fey living on the edges of its borders seek to reclaim the forest and purge the darkness that has taken over their great forest.
  
  Silkwood: Located on base of the southern peninsula of the Kraken's Maw Silkwood is rich in valuable timber. However families of Ettercap have made harvesting the timber troublesome. Local logging groups often hire out adventures and mercenaries to protect woodcutters from the ettercap and their giant pets.
  
  The Web: Smack dab in the middle of Kythis are three fresh water lakes, from which spiral out a multitude of rivers that flow in every direction through the swampy lands reaching to the Black Step in the north to the Shallow Sea in the South. Freshwater tribes of merfolk and riverbound halfling caravans ply these waterways offering their services as guides for traders and travelers.
  

RESOURCES

Hyrda Root - A strange plant that grows in the swamps of this region. Despite its poisonous nature the herb is valued for its healing capabilities which have been told to be able to grow back severed limbs if properly prepared by an alchemist.

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[*]The Kraken of Redes - A remnant from the war, a awakened god, or something worse the Kraken is a powerful beast capable of bringing ruin to legions of ship and entire cities with its god-like powers over weather and the sea. But yet it remains in the depths of Kraken Bay hidden away in some underwater cave waiting for a time to bring its wrath to the world.

Edited Black Rock. Added in Dvergr to Black Rock.