Umber Swamp

The Umber Swamp is a swampland on the eastern coastline of Thorolund .
Once, the swamp covered the majority of the land from the Claw Mountains to the Sea of Fallen Stars, flooded plains teeming with life in the dark density. At the epicenter of this vast swampland, a great wyrm black dragon named Arngalor resided in a labyrinthine cavern. An alpha male, the dragon fathered and grandfathered hundreds of black dragons that lived in his vast realm, all subservient to the wyrm.
Eventually the human houses of Thrastia united in great hunts into the swamp, chipping away slowly the population of the dragons, waging a great war in the swamp lands. One of the young lords named Naterius lead a great expedition to Arngalor's lair itself with one hundred men, and returned to the surface alone with the wyrm's head, four men's lengths wide and just as long. With the death of the great wyrm, the population of black dragons was continually eliminated, and the swamp slowly receded eastward, rotting away to its current size on the shore.
The recession of the Umber Swamp gave way to the rich river lands and plains that give Thorolund its rich economy. Currently, the Umber Swamp is a wasteland of twisted knarled trees amidst quicksand and stagnant lakes, some of which being sea water. Black dragon hunts still continue, but the population is quelled to such an extent that success is limited.
After Thrastia was dismantled, with Thorolund rising from the ashes, the Thorolundi king built a castle on the settled earth where Arngalor's lair once was, 400 years after the great battle, giving it to the noble family of Naterius Yaroglek, and naming it Blackskull Fort after the massive skull that was mounted above the front gate.

Geography

The Umber Swamp is an expansive dense swamp covering a large portion of the eastern coastline of Thorolund. It is an incredibly difficult location to traverse, with sparse solid dry land broken up by vast fields of bogwater, sinkholes, and massive Darkwood trees spanning for leagues in every direction. Most of the water is fed by the Black River, which splits into a wide delta before it reaches the sea. Much of the eastern bog is salty, running directly into the ocean. Best of luck to the traveler attempting to land in the mangroves.

Natural Resources

Perhaps the largest resource to be gained from the Umber Swamp is lumber. Darkwood is harvested here from the titanic and dense trees that make up the swamp land, towering above the bogwater and forming shadowy canopies. After being worked, darkwood timber becomes a very deep dark brown, almost black, that is incredibly sturdy and resistant to damage. It is also known for its magical properties, useful for wizard equipment and some magic spell components.

Type

Wetland / Swamp

Owning Organization

Thorolund