Oozemire

Oozemire is the enigmatic settlement of the plasmoid people, nestled deep within the Seelie Swamp. This swampy realm is characterized by its thick mangroves, deep marshes, and the constant eerie glow of will-o’-wisps lighting the murky paths. The name "Oozemire" reflects both the fluid, shapeshifting nature of its inhabitants and the treacherous, wetland terrain in which they thrive. The plasmoids of Oozemire lead a semi-nocturnal lifestyle, hunting under the cold and stagnant conditions of dusk, while harvesting the minimal vegetation available during the warm, humid dawn.
Founded in the year 860 by the plasmoid pioneer, Orrax the Everchanging, Oozemire was established as a sanctuary for the plasmoids seeking refuge from the wider world. Orrax guided the community through the dangers of the swamp, ensuring their survival by teaching them how to live symbiotically with their strange environment.

Demographics

90% Plasmoid 10% Other Fey-Touched Humanoids (including the occasional fae-born or wandering humanoid seeking refuge)

Government

Oozemire is governed by a council known as the Mire Elders. These elders are the oldest and most adaptable of the plasmoids, chosen for their wisdom and ability to manipulate the swamp’s arcane energies. They lead through consensus, ensuring the needs of the community are met while maintaining the delicate balance between Oozemire and its fey-influenced surroundings.

Defences

• Natural Defenses: The swamp itself is one of Oozemire’s greatest defenses. Between the thick vegetation, quicksand pits, and roaming monsters like quicklings and red caps, invaders rarely make it far.
• Plasmoid Guards: The shapeshifting guards of Oozemire patrol the swamp, blending into their surroundings and using their amorphous forms to ambush intruders.

Industry & Trade

Swamp Foraging: The plasmoids harvest rare herbs and magical plants found in the swamp, selling them to traders who dare to visit Oozemire. Potion Brewing: Using the unique flora of the Seelie Swamp, Oozemire produces highly sought-after potions and alchemical ingredients. Arcane Artifacts: The plasmoids occasionally recover ancient, fey-infused artifacts from the depths of the swamp, which they sell or use for their own purposes.

Infrastructure

The architecture of Oozemire is unique. The plasmoids have constructed their homes within the trunks of massive mangrove trees, with some homes submerged partially in the marshes. Buildings are connected through a series of winding, elevated pathways, allowing residents to travel above the swamp’s murky waters.

• Irrigation System: Oozemire uses a magical water filtration system to purify the swamp water for drinking and crop irrigation.
• Elevated Walkways: Wooden and vine bridges stretch between mangroves, allowing safe passage over the treacherous marshes.

Districts

• The Glimmer District: The central area, where the plasmoids conduct trade and gather for celebrations. The district is lit by will-o’-wisps, providing a ghostly glow to the vibrant market stalls and gathering halls.
• Shadow's Edge: The outermost district, near the boundaries of the swamp where the plasmoids hunt at night. It's filled with watchtowers that monitor for monsters or fae threats.
• The Roots: A district beneath the surface, consisting of underground burrows and submerged caverns where some plasmoids live and study magic.

Assets

• Potion Breweries: Known for creating elixirs with swamp herbs and fey magic.
• Weapon Enchanters: Rare and specialized, enhancing weapons with enchantments that offer protection against the fey or swamp-dwelling beasts.
• Swamp Foragers: Merchants who gather and sell the rare vegetation and magical plants found deep in the Seelie Swamp.

Guilds and Factions

• The Mire Elders: The ruling council and protectors of Oozemire, responsible for ensuring the survival and prosperity of the plasmoid people.
• The Feybinders: A secretive faction that seeks to strengthen the plasmoids’ connection to the fey magic that permeates the swamp, often dabbling in rituals that can be risky.
• The Shapeless Order: A group of young plasmoids who seek to explore the world beyond Oozemire, challenging the swamp’s isolationist tendencies.

Points of interest

• The Everchanging Grove: A magical part of the swamp that constantly shifts its shape and layout. Only the most experienced plasmoids can navigate it.
• The Shimmering Pool: A mystical pond at the heart of the swamp, said to hold a deep connection to the feywild.
• The Feybinder’s Den: The headquarters of the Feybinders, hidden deep within the swamp and marked by ancient runes.

Tourism

While Oozemire is not a popular tourist destination due to the dangers of the swamp, some brave adventurers or scholars visit to trade for rare potions, study the plasmoids, or seek out the arcane secrets hidden in the Seelie Swamp.
Celebration  Shifting Shadows - 1st Veritas
The Festival of Shifting Shadows is Oozemire's most celebrated holiday, taking place annually during the longest night of the year, when the Seelie Swamp’s eerie magic is at its peak. This one-night festival celebrates the plasmoids' connection to the swamp, their adaptability, and the mysterious forces that shape their lives.
Origins The festival dates back to the founding of Oozemire by Orrax the Everchanging, who led the plasmoids through the swamp’s dangers. It is said that on the longest night, the boundaries between the material plane and the feywild are weakest, allowing the plasmoids to harness the transformative energies of the swamp to strengthen their shapeshifting abilities. The celebration honors Orrax’s wisdom and the community’s ability to survive and thrive in a dangerous, ever-changing world.
Traditions

• The Night Hunt: As the sun sets, the plasmoids embark on a ceremonial hunt through the swamp. This ritual hunt is not only a test of skill but also a reenactment of Orrax’s early days guiding the plasmoids to safety. Plasmoids shift their forms to blend with the shadows, tracking elusive swamp creatures while avoiding the predatory monsters that roam the swamp at night.

• Shadow Dances: At midnight, plasmoids gather in the Glimmer District under the glow of will-o’-wisps. Here, they perform fluid, shapeshifting dances that mimic the movements of shadows and the swamp's natural flow. These dances symbolize their unity with the swamp’s environment and their ability to navigate its dangers.

• Fey Communion: In the early hours of the morning, the plasmoids offer gifts of swamp herbs, magical items, and harvested materials to the Shimmering Pool, hoping to commune with the fey spirits. The offerings are left to seek guidance and blessings from the mysterious forces of the swamp.

• Form Shift Contest: A friendly competition where plasmoids demonstrate their skill in shapeshifting. The goal is to transform into the most intricate and creative forms, with the winner receiving the Everchanging Crown, a magical artifact said to grant the wearer enhanced shapeshifting abilities for a year.

Significance The Festival of Shifting Shadows celebrates the resilience of the plasmoid people, their deep connection to the Seelie Swamp, and their reverence for the fey magic that flows through their homeland. It reinforces the bonds within the community, honors their heritage, and reminds them of their unique adaptability in the face of ever-changing threats.
Conclusion of the Festival As dawn approaches, the swamp’s climate shifts from cold and stagnant to warm and humid. The plasmoids gather at the Glimmer District to share stories, feast on the creatures caught during the hunt, and celebrate another year of survival. The festival ends as the plasmoids shift from their nocturnal rhythm to begin harvesting the day's rare herbs and vegetation, marking the transition from night to day, and from danger to safety.

Architecture

Oozemire’s architecture is organic and fluid, with homes shaped from the hollowed trunks of mangroves or made from thick roots and vines. Every building seems to blend with the swamp itself, camouflaging the town from prying eyes and making it seem like a natural part of the landscape.

Geography

Oozemire is located deep within the Seelie Swamp, a labyrinthine wetland filled with dark waters, thick fog, and magical phenomena. Mangroves stretch high into the sky, and treacherous marshes are scattered throughout the region.

Climate

The swamp’s climate is damp and ever-changing. At dusk, it becomes cold and stagnant, while at dawn it shifts to humid and oppressive. The air is always thick, and the swamp itself seems alive with strange noises and the occasional whisper of fey spirits.

Natural Resources

• Swamp Herbs: Rare plants that can only be found in the Seelie Swamp, used for potions and alchemical ingredients.
• Arcane Residue: Magical energies left by fey creatures, which the plasmoids can harvest and use to power their spells or enchantments.

Founding Date

860AD

Founders

• Orrax the Everchanging

Type

Town

Population

3000

Location under

Seelie Swamp

Characters in Location

• Mirewarden Quo'laq