Ar Briwer
A massive swamp outside of Naoned at the mouth of the Liger River.
Geography
The Ar Briwer is a large stretch of wetlands on the Southeastern encompassing most of the Barony of Gwenrann, located at the estuaries of the Liger and Gwilen Rivers. The region is largely considered to be constrained to the Northern banks of the Liger River, but similar terrain is found to the South in the Viscounty of Retz. The Ar Briwer is located to the South of the Naoned Plateau.
The exact boundaries of the Ar Briwer are a subject of some academic discussion, ranging from the entirety of Gwenrann, Retz and the Lordship of Mitaud to merely instances of Faewylde in Blackmire. As a result, many use the term to describe the wetlands in general, rather than the specific magical active regions that give the region its notoriety. According to the cartographers of the Lavigerien Guild, the official boundaries of the region stretch from Andennspire along the Ar Mor Bras in the West, to the hamlet of Cordemais, the eastern edge of Naoned.
Ecosystem
Once a vast forest, maritime incursion drove out early settlers and flooded the region. Over time alluvial deposits, carried by the rivers flowing through the soft soils, formed banks that allowed the wetlands to form. The region is defined by 4 distinct ecosystems within. Herbaceous marshes, dominated by low-lying shrubs and grasses, springs up along the major rivers. The marshes can be found in fresh, brackish and saltwater varieties as they near the sea. Woody swamps, forested areas of thick vegetation and trees are also common throughout the region. Lastly peat-filled mires of rotting vegetation are common in the region, remnants of the ancient coastal forest.
Each of these wetland areas also includes small hilly areas, providing islands of dry ground for settlements and construction. Canals and locks have become common along some of the more-traveled waterways.
Localized Phenomena
Following the destruction of Ys, a massive tsunami filled with unimaginable magical power slammed into the Ar Briwer region, ripping a tear in the Veil, destabilizing the region and flooding it with Faerie magic. The region remains a major Bleed to the present.
Thick banks of Feth Fiada roll in from the sea on regular basis, immersing the area in a dense white fog. Navigation is nearly-impossible along the myriad of waterways and paths twisting through the forested swamps and depressed peat-bogs. Those who become lost often stumble into pockets of Faewylde, sealed off from Bedouar. Ruins lost to time can be found here, including the Fortress of Ranrouët, a vast blackstone fortress rising out of the mist, home to the Redcap Assassin Order and the countless towers of alchemists and arkanists sequestered from the real world. Cut off from chronos, time flows oddly in the region, with relics and offshoots of long-dead civilizations holding out in these isolated pockets.
Fae-Fire and Will-O-the-Wisps are common in the area, spectral lights floating above the swamps and enticing travelers deeper into the wetlands to untold wonders or horrible depths dragged down by the sucking morass.
Fauna & Flora
The Sluagh are a major threat in the region. Herla Shades roam the mists in their unending wandering, lone riders along the empty trails or boatmen drifting along the channels. Hordes of Fear Gorta and Isfont live deep in the forgotten ruins and woods, attacking those unlucky enough to trespass on their domain. Armies of Draugr],(species:1f29a1c5-a769-45bb-9492-c36f2db487a4) risen corpses in the service of necromancers, wait in forgotten tumuli to be dispatched for the dark machinations of their masters. The drowned spirits of the @[Iannic-ann-ôd wander the coastlines of Whitemarsh, their cries of "Iou! Iou!" cutting through the surf.
Alraune are common in this region, springing up in the execution grounds of abandoned villages and castle courtyards, luring victims in with the sickly sweet aroma of their nectar.
The cries of the Bugul-Noz can be heard in the deep mists at night, warning others at their approach as their boats drift along with the current. Similarly, Yan-gant-y-tan are often encountered along the desolate roads cutting through the wetlands.
Dobhar-chú, giant and territorial otters and Lavellan, poisonous water-rats, are found in the larger waterways, attacking those who wander to close to their dens. Villagers in the region warn of straying to close to the water's edge for fear of attacks by these monsters. Kelpies are found throughout Blackmire, dragging down their prey to the center of the morass of the peat-bogs or deep ponds.
Natural Resources
The wetlands have provided ample resources for exploitation in the region. The town of Gwenrann sits over two distinct regions, Whitemarsh in the west, named for its prolific salt marshes and Blackmire, a region dominated by peat-bogs.
Saltworks dominate Whitemarsh, channels and pools dug throughout the region to facilitate the production of salt.
Peat-harvesting is the primary industry in the Blackmire region, with teams working to cut out strips of the plant-matter to sell as fuel. In addition to the peat itself, the occasional discovery of mortas, fallen trees preserved and petrified by the bog, marks a boon for the local community, as this high-quality hardwood lumber is constantly in demand and is viewed with the same prestige and quality as luxury imported woods.
Reeds, rushes and buckthorn are harvested regularly across both regions, providing material for thatching and basket-weaving, providing the region with a stable cottage industry.
Leeches are harvested in this region for various uses. Eels are similarly hunted in large quantities by various techniques. Eel-pots are placed in areas of open water, while sand-eels are dredged from sandy and muddy areas in the shallows. Large eels can also be harpooned with a special spear.
Flat-bottom boats, known as chalands are the primary method of transportation through the flooded area, propelled by shunting poles.
History
The Ar Briwer has a long history of both attempted settlement and magical instability. Dolmens, cromlechs and tumuli are found throughout the region, as well as evidence of pre-Imperial settlement. Maritime incursion forced the human abandonment of the region, but the formation of the wetlands allowed some to return generations later.
A sizable community had arisen on the edges of the powerful Kingdom of Kernev, existing until 49 SI with the destruction of Ys and the devastation of the surrounding region. The settlements suffered greatly in the initial wyldstorm and the ensuing chaos following Ys's fall. Magical instability wreaking havoc on the region, and the increased activity of the Korrigan further drove away settlers.
The region experienced its next notable settlement during the reign of Budig II, High King of the Bretoned, drawing support from the Kingdom of Gwened and its colony of Naoned, becoming a backwater, but politically stable region. Following the sacking of Gwened by Conomor the Cursed and the Bloodmoon, the region was pillaged by the Garwaf Sea Dogs and Conomor's Korrigan allies, as well as displaced soldiers from Gwened. The fortress of Ranrouët, as well as many smaller keeps and towns were overtaken and left abandoned.
The region became a hotbed of Formorian activity during the regional occupation of Hastings Fireforged, the magical instability of the region growing more dramatic, with Formorian holdouts continuing to raid along the Liger and Southern ar Mor, the Feth Fiada and maze of creeks and mires protecting them from direct reprisal, until the construction of Andennspire by the Southern Church and Akitainia, beginning an extended campaign between Akitania and Hasting's Fireforged followers.
While the region has been spared further catastrophic events, it nonetheless continues to mark a bloody history of military conflict between Gwened, Naoned and Akitania.
Alternative Name(s)
Blackmire
Type
Wetland / Swamp
Location under
Included Locations
Owning Organization
Contested By
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