Grunga

Deep in the jungles of central Suto lay Grunga-Grok, the great kingdom of the Smoothfolk. The grung Kilipit dynasty ruled from the city of Periit, a complex of soaring temples and low, stone dwellings that stood for thousands of years in the lowlands of the Firestone Mountains, supported by a priesthood that revered them as living gods. Long past, however, a schism saw a large number of the priesthood turn to the workship of Apyris. In the civil war that followed, most of Periit was destroyed, abandoned, or consumed in the pyroclastic flow that formed the Fire Nests.
The remains of the great civilisation moved their centre of government to the Ranai Delta, where they established a new city-state which they named simply Grunga. Still ruled by the Kilipit, the city now extends over dozens of miles across the delta, built low on a sprawl of rafts and stilt platforms. The Kilipit are still supported by a priesthood, but now seen as divinely inspired emissaries rather than gods, as well as a complicated warrior aristocracy with varying degrees of theocratic and temporal power. The existence of this warrior caste is sustained in large part due to the ongoing struggle with the firenewts on the north-eastern border. The society is supported by the labour mostly of bullywugs and grippli, while the upper ranks are exclusively grung, but the various smoothfolk lineages mingle in the middle classes, who maintain the scholarship, science and arcane lore of Grunga-Grok.
Lacking in stone construction, Grunga’s rafts may look like easy pickings for the Pirate Principalities to the east, but the people of Grunga defend themselves with sophisticated bronze cannons, mortars and explosives, and the services of the Seaguard and the Ranai Artillerists. Based in a line of wooden forts built on static islands in the mouth of the delta, the Seaguard is a mercenary force composed largely of Seafolk and Minotaurs. The main defence batteries are also housed in these forts, maintained and crewed by the Artillerists. Originally a giff mercenary group, the original Artillerists brought family to settle in the delta. There is now a sizeable giff population centred on the sea fort islands, who still provide the majority of the company's gunners.
The smoothfolk of Grunga also claim much of the jungle north of the city proper, but clear of the firenewts' influence. This region, Grunga-Nah (upper Grunga,) sees a mix of uses. The southern fringe is cultivated rainforest, where plants with food and medicinal value are encouraged to grow. Further in, slash and burn agriculture provides the farmland otherwise sorely lacking, but constantly runs the risk of tipping over into permanent and unsustainable deforestation. Although formally part of Grunga-Nah, and patrolled by Bullywug rangers, the deep jungle at the continent's heart is pure, untamed wilderness, to which many druids make pilgrimage, both to commune with such an abundance of nature, and to expand their wildshape repertoire.
Like much of Suto, the economy of Grunga is based on maritime trade, selling the products of their inland territory through the expansive port facilities of the raft city. They export fruit and fish, and also - under rigid regulations - the products of their alchemical expertise. While they have limited use for stone and iron - their buildings are wooden, their weapons bronze and obsidian - they do import limited amounts for the development of smaller firearms.