Hidden in the shadows of the
Lonely Marshes lives a large population of
Swamp Elves and
Swamp Gnomes. They are part of the
Keepers of the Swamp, tasked with maintaining the rivers, ponds, moss patches, plants and trees that grow in the wetlands of Hesli. Just everything that a swamp contains is preserved by the keepers. Being the keepers of the Lonely Marshes, they are also called The Lonely Keepers by some of the other groups. Still, these people are far from lonely.
The nomads of the swamp; fascinating elves and gnomes that take their task seriously. Who gave them this task, I have no idea. Should you ever come across these Keepers of the Swamp, just be respectful to them and they will help you.— Tales of the Long Lost Wanderer
Life in the Swamp
There are two distinct ways of living in the wetlands as an Eneb Tireloica. One instance is living in stable and permanent towns, often providing services or working as a merchant. The other is trekking through the marsh in
Puddlets as nomadic tribes in search for valuables for the market while maintaining the wetlands.
Masters of the Trade Hubs
The swamp has a lot to offer, both to its inhabitants and the people outside. Within the
Lonely Marshes, there are two major trading hubs that the Eneb Tireloica run:
Mo and
Abeko. In these settlements, merchants can trade the materials that have been gathered by the nomadic families wandering the wetlands. In turn, the elves and gnomes receive goods from outside the swamp that they would normally never obtain. Merchants can also make use of the services provided in these hubs. Especially clothing made from refined silkweed is popular among
High Elves.
For adventurers who want to wander through the swamp themselves, the towns are the perfect places to stay safely overnight. It is in the nature of the Keepers to teach outsiders of the marsh to help them safely cross the space. That includes teaching them which local foods they can forage, which paths to take to avoid danger, and preparing them in general for the possible animals they can encounter. If a swamp elf or gnome considers the group honourary, they might help the adventurers to obtain a
Swamp Floater to make travelling easier.
Nomads of the Swamp
Those who wander through the wetlands in search for the trading resources, are the nomads. Living in
Puddlets, they often travel in tribes consisting of one or two families. Everyone has a task to perform in the tribe, usually suited to their abilities.
The head of the tribe is the oldest son of the newest generation with children. He has to lead everyone to a safe and habitable space within the marsh, close to a new set of harvestable supplies. The oldest generation teaches the children everything about the swamp and educate them in the
Ways of the Keeper. The generation between the oldest and newest perform one or more of the following tasks based on their knowledge and physical capabilities: maintaining the wetlands, foraging trading resources, providing basic services to the encampment such as cooking and making clothes, scouting for new habitable space.
To find a new habitable space, the tribe head takes a few tribe members with him and sets out to find a new location, while leaving another member in charge of the current encampment. It can take multiple days for the scouting party to find a suitable space for their people. Once the group has found something, two will start setting up a new camp. Meanwhile, the tribe head will return to the current encampment with the remaining members of the party. The entire tribe will pack up their homes and belongings and make their way to the new place. It is an infinite cycle.
Nursery
According to old texts, there is said to be one or more nurseries within the
Lonely Marshes. No one but the Protectors of the Eggs know where these nurseries are, and with good reasons.
These nurseries have been created to help future parents take care of their eggs. Their nomadic lifestyle makes it especially difficult to tend to an egg that needs to stay in the same place. Therefore, after the
infusion ritual, one of the parents will go to one of the many Protector of the Eggs outposts to inform them of the new arrival. A protector will travel with the parent to their partner. Once the egg has been laid, the parents have a moment to embrace it. The protector will take the egg in a special pouch and bring it to the nursery. At the nursery, the protectors will guard the eggs and ensure that no hungry
Ooni will snatch it away.
The nurses at the establishment take care of the eggs. They prepare the nest and ensure that a fresh supply of swamp water will flow by the eggs every day. With their magic, they keep the moss beds at a comfortable and optimal temperature for the eggs. The nurses send the protectors out to find the parents at regular intervals to keep them updated about the status of their eggs. Once it reaches a month from hatching, the parents are encouraged to find a place in the swamp where they can reside for at least three months for their hatchling to gain footing.
Once the eggs are close to hatching, one protector will leave the nursery to find the parents and bring them the news, while another prepares the egg for transportation and sets off when they receive word that the parents have been found. Usually, the egg is delivered roughly a week before it actually hatches.
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