The Whispering Madness
The Whispering Madness is a semi-sentient swamp between The River Kingdoms and The Arid. It is clearly defined, so much so that on the Arid border there is a literal straight line where sand ends and muddy water and dark shade begins. It is the home of the Jianro and the extinct Kelbo. The swamp is so named because it occasionally 'talks' through wind, which always sounds like dozens of people whispering in just as many languages. It has exhibited magic or psionic powers. It is the subject of hundreds of horror stories and plays. The swamp is worshiped as a god by the Jianro, who call it Zhaoze Muqin.
Geography
The Whispering Madness is a swamp that is thick with trees growing hundreds of feet tall. The trees are often separated by giant mudpits, quicksand, or stagnant ponds and even a few full sized lakes. The areas between the trees are all wet muck that sucks or 'grabs' at things walking through it. It is impossible to tell how deep a mudpit will be before stepping into it.
Fauna & Flora
The weeping trees are the most famous plant in the Madness. Creeping ivy, assassin vines, scythe trees, quickmoss, and spearflowers are commonplace dangers. Thousands of varieties of mushroom grow as well. Shambling mounds and violet fungi often surprise visitors by moving.
Alligators and swamp leopards are predators that feed on humanoids. Mammoth neji are what most naturalists think of when the Madness comes up. Swamp striders, spoonbills, arboreal hounds, skunk apes, and six-winged bats are also iconic native creatures.
Natural Resources
The vegetables that grow beneath the muck are rich in nutrients. The locals trade almost exclusively in fish. Rare materials do occur in the Madness, but the local population of Jianro are extraordinarily protective of the swamp's secrets, as it allows them to maintain a monopoly on firework technology.
Alternative Name(s)
Zhaoze Muqin
Type
Wetland / Swamp
Owning Organization
Related Ethnicities
Inhabiting Species
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