The Gyésanti Swamps
Veiled by thick, humid air and a delicate fog is a land of pestilence, rot, and decay. Stagnant waters support a sheet of scum and slime, disturbed only by rising bubbles that pop on the surface and release a burst of putrid odor. Bent, warped, and spindly trees rise out of the stagnant water, coated in gowns and garments of moss, lichens, and mushrooms all vying for space as they pry themselves beneath the bark. Yet, as the cycle of decay marches on, there is beauty hidden within. A dryad emerges from the husk of her rotting tree to paint the land with moss. A neat line of mushroom folk chitters and sing as they putter along the branches that crisscross the swamp. And the Gyésar, for which the Gyésanti Swamps are named, embrace the rot and decay and call the swamps their home.
Basic History
Era of The One. In the early years of history, the swamps at the heart of Jalasar were uninhabited by true, sentient humanoid life. Veiled by fog and plagued by pestilence, not even traversing the swamps was worth the risk. Ancient stories told of bottomless pools of water that drowned passerby or how the vines animated to choke and suffocate their victims. Each story carried with it an aspect of truth. For beneath the thin fog and the scum-covered stagnant water, shadows lurked… waiting to ambush any oblivious prey that wandered near. In this era, the swamps were the domain of the Kel’Nok.
Rise of the Pantheons. The Creator ventured into the swamp in the dead of night. There, The One bestowed a gift upon a half-rotted, withered changeling woman who had chosen death. Eresh became a goddess of death, an embodiment of the rot, decay, pestilence, and decay that lurked beneath the fog of the swamps. With a new warden, the swamps became more hostile to humanoids. The fog thickened and the putrid scent intensified. The Kel’Nok were more easily provoked, more aggressive. The only sentience that prevailed within the swamps were the Mushroom Folk who, although incapable of worship, followed the “trail of Eresh” like devoted companions. Any humanoid or creature not native to the swamps that dared step foot within her realm of pestilence was either beset by agonizing rot or was gleefully consumed by the lurking Kel’Nok.
The Plight of the Gyésar. To the West of Eresh’s swamps was the domain of Mevetés. There, reptilian races thrived, including a diversity of dinosaurs. In the marshes and the wetlands, the Lizardfolk – favored of Mevetés – and kobolds tamed, trained, and weaponized the creatures of their lands. They began to harass and torment a small group of people, the Gyésar (or “Bog Children”) that resided within the swamps in the Eastern part of Mevetés territory. Unequipped to fight back and desperate, the Gyésar leaders chose to flee through the fog-covered bog of Eresh. In all Gyésar stories, half of their people were devoured by Kel’Nok before the onslaught was halted. In some stories, it was a Rot Dryad that intervened on the Gyésar’s behalf, and it was her tears that moved Eresh. In other stories, a desperate Gyésar called out to Eresh and sold his soul to the Rot. Soon after, Eresh herself halted the Kel’Nok attack. Over a century, the Gyésar shifted from the edges of the swamps to the heart of Eresh’s domain. They acquired resilience to the rot and pestilence of the swamp, found the beauty that lied within Eresh’s rotted heart, and allowed the moss, lichen, and other fungus to paint patterns upon their flesh.
The Traveling Rot. Despite finding peace and a form of prosperity within the Gyésanti Swamps, the land was still harsh and did not provide all that the Gyésar needed to thrive. Under the cover of darkness and the protective veil of Eresh, the Gyésar formed caravans around their arthropod companions (“Stilt Bugs”) and traveled the continent. There were many who saw the arrival of the Gyésar as an ill omen, as a sign of rot, disease, and plague. There were also many who saw the truth of the Gyésar: herbalists, healers, and plague doctors. In exchange for their services, the Gyésar acquired the goods and materials they needed. However, on many occasions, the ever protective Eresh lashed out at those she felt had cheated her kin. Once a secluded goddess, Eresh’s actions caught the attention of others, mainly Malachor and Hadúr. One sought to impose restrictions on Eresh, who reluctantly acquiesced. The other sought to woo her, sending his faithful to her Swamp… to die.
Vast Interlude. For many centuries, the Gyésar traveled far and wide. The gifts they received from Eresh granted them access to areas others could not or dared not tread. After every journey, the Gyésar would always return to the rotted heart of the swamp. On rare occasions, the Gyésar would escort outsiders to the steps of Eresh’s Temple. These visitors were most commonly gift bearers from the Headless Hall or a traveling follower of the Unknown Abyssal Lord.
After The Barrier (>0 YAR). Hostilities rose between the continents of Dremora and Jalasar. In response, the smaller continent put up a magical Barrier to shield themselves from predation at the hands of the larger Jalasar continent. Soon after, the rising tensions on Jalasar turned inward. The Lizardfolk of Mevetés began to invade the fringes of Eresh’s territory and actively hunted the Gyésar that attempted to pass through their lands. Across the continent, paranoia grew and people barred the Gyésar access to their lands for fear of an imagined plague.
And then Hadúr was killed. Shortly after, a small group of Gyésar made the first journey to the lands of the Abyssal Lord. They never returned. Every month, another group was sent… and the Storm Wars raged. Despite many attempts at striking up a peace, Eresh could not be placated.
Eresh’s Self-Consuming Rot (~450-500 YAR). Still enraged at Hadúr’s death, Eresh was volatile... and then Mevetés struck. The nature spirit himself led a raid into the Gyésanti Swamps. As Eresh saw half her people fall, her ire soared. The clash between Mevetés and Eresh was brutal. And the rot that Eresh released was potent and far-reaching. It consumed everything... even her kin. And the miasma covered the Gyésanti Swamps that day.
Eresh’s Self-Consuming Rot (~450-500 YAR). Still enraged at Hadúr’s death, Eresh was volatile... and then Mevetés struck. The nature spirit himself led a raid into the Gyésanti Swamps. As Eresh saw half her people fall, her ire soared. The clash between Mevetés and Eresh was brutal. And the rot that Eresh released was potent and far-reaching. It consumed everything... even her kin. And the miasma covered the Gyésanti Swamps that day.
Politics
The political structure of the Gyésanti Swamps was flexible and primarily built upon who was most suited to deal with the task at hand. In the Kel’Nok Mire, the only permanent settlement in the Swamps, shaman and the rot-touched (also called “swamp-speakers”) were looked to for guidance and oversight on day-to-day affairs. Beyond the shamans, Caravan leaders held significant sway as they were responsible for their caravan’s safety and for maintaining the caravan’s good standing with Eresh.
Economy
Within the Swamps, there was very little use for gold, but the Gyésar recognized its importance when trading with other regions and peoples. As such, gold and other currency was occasionally used within the Swamps. More commonly, however, the Gyésar exchanged services. An herbalist would treat a wound in exchange for assistance with fitting their caravan’s Stilt Bug with a new saddle.
Although the Swamp was a harsh place, it did produce various goods for trade, including a diverse array of non-sentient mushrooms, lichen, and mosses which could be used in food, beverages, medicines and other remedies, dyes, and more. More commonly, however, the Gyésar traded their knowledge and skills as herbalists and healers. Remedies made from the bark or lichen growing on a Gyésar had tremendous healing properties and, if made properly, granted resilience against diseases and poisons.
People
The inhabitants of the swamps were called the Gyésar (“Bog Children”), a group of short, gangly people that shared characteristics with dryads, humans, and goblins. Their skin tones ranged from tan, to gray, to a faint green. Many had bark-skin limbs, dark roots over their body, or patches of lichen growing directly from their flesh. Those who did not develop a “symbiotic limb” often tattooed themselves with bark, fungal, and root-like patterns. They tended to live nocturnal lives, traveling and working under the veil of night, while resting during the day. They were particularly resilient against poisons, disease, and necrosis, which allowed them to travel. They had a kinship with decay and saw the beauty in “ugly” aspects of nature. By extension, they saw beauty in Eresh.
Religion And Culture
The Gyésar sought to live in harmony with the rot, decay, and pestilence that naturally infused the Gyésanti Swamps. This commonly manifested in their appearance and clothing. Generally, the Gyésar kept only a few sets of garments and took pride in how their clothes showed the signs of wear and tear… of decay. If nature claimed a portion of their clothes, they allowed it to spread. For the Gyésar knew better than to command Eresh.
Those blessed and adorned with “natural rot” (bark-skin limbs, lichen growths, etc.) often wore clothes that revealed these additions, particularly if that individual was serving as a mouthpiece of Eresh. Jewelry and other ornamentation, such as headdresses, was often constructed from the bones of animals. Skulls of creatures, notably the Kel’Nok, were prized possessions. Finding such a skull was believed to be a sign of Eresh’s favor.
Path Markers – The Gyésar took great care in carving and constructing their path markers through the Swamps. Built primarily from the spindly, warped trees of the Swamp, the markers were equally as distorted, and no marker was the same. Each was adorned with symbols of decay and rot with skulls mounted and affixed to the top of each. If a Gyésar died during a journey, they were brought to the nearest path marker. There, at the base of the marker, the body was arranged and left to be claimed by the Swamp in whatever manner was deemed fit by Eresh. The Gyésar believed that the symbols on the path markers would guide the soul to its temporary resting place prior to being formally claimed by Eresh.
Swamp by d1eselx
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Included Locations
Related Reports (Primary)
Rot Dryads
The first to enter and remain within Eresh's domain (as something other than corpses) were the Rot Dryads. They were most often mortal women who fled into the swamp as a last resort; they had chosen death over their circumstances. Instead, their souls were melded with the essence of plant life, most notably the trees, within the swamp. Although Eresh stopped making Rot Dryads after accepting the Gyésar, there were a small handful that were still alive in the years before Eresh’s fall. The Gyésar had mixed opinions on the Rot Dryads. Some saw them as wise elders and benevolent manifestations of the Swamp. Others saw them as a testament of Eresh’s cruelty; a torture prolonged beyond the natural scope of life.
Myr by Cory Godbey
"Rottings"
Occasionally, a farmer would request a “rotting” from the visiting Gyésar. This practice involved the Gyésar inviting Eresh into the land. Her temporary presence would speed up the process of decay across the field. If done properly and not interfered with, the field would be unusable for a season but would be three times as fertile the following year. The start of the plague-bringer rumors surrounding the Gyésar may have begun with failed rottings where farmers, their kin, or their community did not listen and failed to adhere to the Gyésar’s instructions to leave the field alone for a year.
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