Misery Swamp
Only the foolhardy live in Misery Swamp, and only the idiotic travel through it. The fetid floodplain just east of Sweet Grass Ranch is feared by even the hardiest Natural Ones, and with reason. Rushing water conceals the rumble of massive herds arriving to drink during the drier seasons, when animals venture en masse to find the last reliable water in the region. Needle grass with razor-sharp edges borders the swamp, capable of slicing through hide and clothing alike. Poisonous flowers bloom in patches of deceptive beauty. Bioluminescent mossy lichen glows eerily at night, casting the waterways in a sickly green light that attracts insects in clouds thick enough to choke on.
Enormous fish lurk in the deeper waters. Massive herds of aggressive bison-like animals stampede through the shallows. During certain seasons, merciless insect swarms descend upon everything in the swamp and devour it. The Fort, a small Natural One settlement on the northern edge, survives on floating docks connected by bridges, largely self-sufficient on fish and tools fashioned from the very needle grass that keeps outsiders at bay. The residents are especially wary of traders; visitors are advised not to stop to greet them, a warning that says more about the swamp's effect on its inhabitants than any description of the terrain could.
Enormous fish lurk in the deeper waters. Massive herds of aggressive bison-like animals stampede through the shallows. During certain seasons, merciless insect swarms descend upon everything in the swamp and devour it. The Fort, a small Natural One settlement on the northern edge, survives on floating docks connected by bridges, largely self-sufficient on fish and tools fashioned from the very needle grass that keeps outsiders at bay. The residents are especially wary of traders; visitors are advised not to stop to greet them, a warning that says more about the swamp's effect on its inhabitants than any description of the terrain could.
Geography
Misery Swamp is primarily a floodplain just east of Sweet Grass Ranch in Mountaina. During drier seasons, animals venture en masse to find water in the swamp's remaining pools. The surrounding terrain is lush with dangerous mutated vegetation including razor-sharp needle grass at the borders and poisonous flowers scattered throughout. Pools of brackish water and rushing waterways dominate the landscape. Bioluminescent mossy lichen glows at night across the wetlands. The Fort, a small Natural One settlement on the northern edge, consists of a few clusters of buildings on floating docks connected by bridges.
