Marsh of Many Scales

This marsh is oppressively hot, filled with danger, and very hostile. Rafts are the primary means of tronsportation for those unfamiliar with the area, as the locals are able to move through the water and across the ground with ease. The landscape is akin to many close-set islands separated by narrow waterways. Some of these waterways have currents, while other water simply sits there, stagnant. These pools and areas of standing water frequently become breeding grounds for insects and pests that carry deadly diseases. 
The terrain and nature of the area make it difficult to build using heavy materials, leaving the people here trapped in a simpler architectural age. Most of their buildings are wood and rope, but the damp character of the region helps to prevent and mitigate any fire that gets out of hand. 
The Biethtìre of a more reptilian persuasion primarily reside here. They are a strange and brutal people, and among some of the only in Chenravo to openly practice slavery. Due to tribal arguments over land and resources of the marsh, some tribes have been hard at work creating more swamp. Their shamans call down torrential rains, while their workers dig deep trenches and plant swamp life to further spread the wetlands. Neighboring regions have not taken this lightly, and diplomacy seems to have wholly failed. Those that have attempted military intervention have managed to slow but not stop the spread of the marsh, with the exception of Concabor. Concabor has managed to prevent further movement of the marsh into the Lindral Forest. The Yuan-Ti are also found here. while some of their number populate the Great Jungle of Gerule, others are here.
Slavery is a massive practice here. While slaves are mostly owned by the leaders of tribes, shamans, and other important people. The more important a person is, the more slaves they are likely to have. Some of the most influential chieftains have upwards of twenty to themselves, with their family collectively owning many more. These slaves are not usually biethtìre, but other races that have been captured or trafficked in the Marshes. Kobolds in particular are popular due to their small stature and meek personalities. Slaves have a variety of duties, from manual labor to housework to more intimate matters. While there is a variety of ways in which the slaves are treated, many of the owners are harsh and exacting. 
The people here are split into a number of tribes. A tribe is usually around 100 to 150 people, but some larger tribes exist as precursor empires. This number does not include slaves. There is a lot of infighting with in tribes and between tribes. This was one of the reasons that tribes began working to expand the Marsh. Unfortunately, while that relieves much of the pressure for the tribes near borders, the interior tribes still have little space, and are keen on taking any opportunity to gain more.

Geography

The marsh itself is a massive wetland, curved around the north shore of Scalebright Lake. It is often difficult to tell where the inland sea begins and the wetlands end. While it has worked to expand all of its borders, it has had the most difficulty with the Obsidian Strip. The hard volcanic rock of the region has made it difficult to plant wetland vegetation and collects the water without absorbing much of it. 
Their border with the Goldengrass Plains has developped much more rapidly, however. The rich dirt and the grassy vegetation both lend themselves well to the kind of environment these Biethtìre are trying to expand. The riverlands, with their established water sources, are also easy to convert for the reptilian Biethtìre workforce. On the Harcnor Grasslands, goblins have set up wards and traps that make the expansion more difficult. The border with the Lindral forest has been where the Biethtìre have encountered the harshest resistance. That area is controlled by Concabor, which believes in solving geopolitical issues with extreme violence. Concabor is responsible for the destruction of no fewer than six tribes that tried to encroach on its terretory. 
The ground here is soft and often waterlogged. Lakes of shallow standing water are common across the surface of this region. It is also fairly flat, with the elevation hovering right around the water level of Scalebright Lake. When there is flooding in the marsh, large chunks of the wetlands become submerged. To counter this, many of the buildings that the Biethtìre construct here are raised above the ground.

Ecosystem Cycles

In the winters, the northern reaches of the swamp have been known to freeze over. Many of the animals in this region migrate south or hibernate. Some Biethtìre also exhibit similar behaviors, hibernating deep under the mud and ice. Even in the summers, however, the marshes aren't very green. The grasses have a range of colors from tan to dark brown.

Climate

Generally speaking, most of the Marsh enjoys warm weather year round. The lizard like Biethtìre in the area value this greatly, as it keeps them from feeling sluggish or sleeping half the year away.

Fauna & Flora

Most of the vegetation in the marsh are different varieties of algae and grasses. Most trees here drown, though there are a few Mangrove copses dotting the landscape. In many places, the grasses are the only thing holding the ground together. They play an important role in providing not as wet land for building and the life cycles of different creatures. 
Flora, however, is much more varied. There are species of frogs, snakes, insects, and lizards that are endemic to the region. Many of the pests carry dangerous illnesses and diseases that can cause chronic conditions. There are poisonous and venomous types of lizards, frogs, and snakes found in this area.

Tourism

Due to the open practice of slavery in the Marsh of Many Scales, there are few people that come here for any kind of vacation. Those who do come have to be constantly on guard to make sure that they are not a biethtìre's next servant.

Surrounding Areas

Obsidian Strip
Goldengrass Plains
Batreene Riverlands
Harcnor Grasslands
Mlilm Riverlands
Lindral Forest

Type

Wetland / Swamp

Inhabiting Species

• Lizardfolk
• Yuan-Ti