Ceaseless Slough
The endless swamp of The Baba. Cursed, icy waters. Inhabitants bereft of all hope.
Seemingly endless to those who have entered, the Ceaseless Slough is a miserable, shifting swampland with frigid, cursed waters. The vast majority of its inhabitants are either beings who have wandered in and become lost, or their descendents who have known nothing else. The waters of the swamp are they key element in this curse: those who fall in find it hard to motivate themselves to leave the realm and those who drink the waters out of desperation forget who they are.
The Slough is the realm of The Baba; she resides within and makes a twisted mockery of rulership, lording over the inhabitants capriciously.
Geography
While not technically boundless, the Slough is much larger than it appears like it should be from the outside. It is almost entirely flat - just a single, craggy hill pokes up to a meaningful altitude above the waters. The rest of the region is made up of small, soggy patches of land that form spiralling patterns few can successfully navigate.
The rough third of the realm that borders the lands of the Winter Court is substantially colder than the rest, a frozen layer providing a more stable - but ultimately more hazardous - place to build a shelter.
Localized Phenomena
At unpredictable intervals, a swell of water washes over the realm. This wave splinters houses, rearranges the landscape and drenches the inhabitants. It does not occur frequently, but happens at the most inconvenient times.
This wave of water is manifested by The Baba herself. When she wishes to perform magic within her cauldron, she does not fill it by bringing it down to the waterline. Instead, she pulls the waterline up to her own position. When she has finished, relinquishing the water causes the shockwave.
Like any other location in the Feywild, The Eldest Tree is visible from the realm. It appears lifeless and gnarled, rather than with its usual vibrancy.
Climate
Most of the Ceaseless Slough remains just above freezing. It has periods of clear weather, but usually exists in a state of relentless drizzle or thick fog. The frigid portions of the realm are substantially colder, with regular blizzards and a permanent sub-zero temperature.
Fauna & Flora
Natural life is sparse. Dark, foul-tasting fish dwell deep in the waters, more bones and scales than meat. Most avians are carrion-feeders, waiting for something nourishing to expire. Claw-shaped trees, seemingly dead, stretch upwards but never grow. Moss rafts trick travellers into thinking there will be solid ground, betraying them to the depths.
In the coldest sections of the region, a wider selection of life survives. Most notably, a tribe of frost giants roam, laying claim to the few possessions smaller creatures hoard.
Worldember 2022
Article Links
Archfey, The Baba, Bag of Bountiful Bread, Ceaseless Slough, Classifications of Powerful Beings, Echo Pastries, The Eldest Tree, Frostbite Jelly, The Hedge, Hollowfolk, Home At The Centre Of The Maze, Languid Lake, Plane of Creation, Recurrants, The Scribes, The Toad Prince, Underbridge, Week of Shadows
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