Luiren
Luiren was a nation on the shores of the Great Sea, nestled between Dambrath and Estagund.
The nation was flooded and known as the Gulf of Luiren during the Spellplague. In the century since that great disaster, the waters receded, and now stories told by travelers from the south tell of halfling communities that survived as island redoubts.
Geography
Luiren was a hot coastal country with about 600 miles (970 kilometers) of coastline on the Great Sea.28 Most of the coastal area was made up of plains, but heavy forests took up the northern, northeastern, and western areas.14 The land of Luiren was a lowland with a large and deep Hambone Bay at its southern end's center. It was bordered by the Toadsquat Mountains to the north, with the long Traders' Way splitting off towards Luiren.29 A large forest called the Lluirwood encircled the farming lowlands within its 9 miles (14 kilometers) band of thickly forested land that stretched for over 300 miles (480 kilometers) from east to west with its eastern part being a lush wet jungle.24 South of the Toadsquats was the Southern Lluirwood that closed off the country's western border. Between the Lluirwood and the Southern Lluirwood, on Luiren's western border, was the Ammathvale, a small open valley, spanning roughly 100 miles (160 kilometers).30 Luiren's major wetland was the Mortik Swamp, on the Krenalir Peninsula, to the Hambone Bay's south. An elongated Isle of Quelthiir, a 100 miles (160 kilometers)-long and 10 miles (16 kilometers)-wide sandbar, with low hills and sea grass with only the occasional stunted tree was considered part of Luiren. It sheltered the bay from the Great Sea's storms.30
There existed a longe gate in northeastern Luiren that connected the hin country to the furtherest northwestern of the Five Shires on the world of Mystara. Some believed the gate may had been destroyed by the 15th century DR. It once was used by Elminster Aumar, the Old Mage of Shadowdale, but apart from hin merchant, the gate remained widely unused and unknown.
Climate
During the summer months, the temperatures in Luiren could exceed 110 ℉ (43 ℃).33 The summer heat and humidity were hard to handle by those not used to the south. Thankfully, the constant breeze from the Great Sea made Luiren summers tolerable. Winter months were characterized by heavy downpours that made land travel and trade hard. Most caravans paused their terrestrial routes during the three rainy months. However, summer rains were beneficial for Luiren's abundant fruit crops.24 This weather was due to the Toadsquat Mountains standing in the way of humid air moving inland away from the sea. Updrafts were caught and turned up, becoming black clouds that brought seasonal downpours.
Fauna & Flora
Lluirwood was a wild forest of monstrous dangers of predatory and environmental nature.24 Luiren had a significant population of ebony trees.16 The region also had plantations of many fruits, including limes,2 oranges, lemons, bananas, papayas, passion fruits as well as pineapples. All could be found between Beluir and Chethel. Rhubarb plants grew in the southern part of the Lluirwood.18 Trees not typical to the Shining South, like Oaks, maples, rowans grew in the forest of Luiren, as well as more common southern plants like kudzu and cypress.35 But not all trees found in Luiren were harmless vegetation. The dreaded dark trees inhabited the Shining South ever since they were created circa 1100s DR and they could be found in the Granuin Forest of Luiren.36 At least one yuan-ti community and a beholder in its forest fortress inhabited Granuin as well.
The region's only large wetland – the Mortick Swamp, located on the Hambone Bay, was home to many dangerous pests such as giant ticks, various spiders, wasps, and other insects, all served as a food source for the swamp's giant frog population.35
Terrifying creatures known as the tall mouthers hunted for their favorite food – halflings, in the border wilderness of Luiren. The tall mouthers inspired a popular hin saying, "he got mouthed," which meant an adventurer had perished.37 The Lluirwood was home to many dangerous creatures such as stirges, giant spiders, flying snakes, rhino beetles, and others, in addition to such mundane beasts as deer.35
Lurien was home to a small-numbered and reclusive humanoid species known as "marshwiggles," or sind. As the name suggested, sindar lived in Luiren's and Veldorn swamplands. They avoided contact with outsiders and were known to rig complex alarms against outsiders in their habitats. The species was uninterested in trade or travel with other cultures.
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