The Jungle Kingdom of Xotlan

In the heart of the Tandalin Jungle, nestled beneath the towering canopies and woven through the dense, verdant undergrowth, the ancient kingdom of Xotlan once flourished in breathtaking harmony with nature. The Xotlani were a people whose deep connection with the jungle’s soul gave rise to their extraordinary mastery of herbalism, shape-shifting magic, and the sacred communion with the spirits of the forest.   Their cities were living, breathing wonders. Majestic structures formed from ancient trees and winding vines, their roots entwined with the very earth, while their leaves and branches reached toward the sky as if in reverence to the spirits they worshipped.   In a land where magic flowed as freely as the rivers that carved the jungle’s heart, the Xotlani lived in a tranquil balance, knowing the language of the earth and the whispers of the wind. But despite their wisdom and connection to the natural world, they were ultimately undone by their own ambition.   It is whispered in the deepest groves of the jungle that the Xotlani once ventured into the heart of the Murkwood Marshes, where, in their pursuit of untold power, they unearthed an ancient force long buried beneath the marshes.   Spoiler For Heroes For Hire
In their arrogance, they struck a fateful bargain with Rangda, the Demon Lord of Nightmares, whose power promised them dominion over life and death. But as with all pacts made in darkness, the cost was steep, and when the Xotlani could no longer hold up their end of the bargain, the wrath of Rangda was swift and unforgiving.   In a cruel twist of fate, Rangda's vengeance was visited upon the innocent—transforming the kingdom's children into twisted, wretched creatures, forever cursed to roam the jungle as hags. These cursed offspring became the progenitors of what would later be known as the Bog Witches, their powers drawn from the very darkness the Xotlani had sought to control.  
 
  The once-prosperous kingdom of Xotlan was consumed by ruin, its people scattered, and its cities swallowed by the relentless growth of the jungle. Now, only crumbling temples, overgrown ruins, and the echoes of ancient spirits remain, whispered to contain the lost and forbidden secrets of a people who sought to master forces beyond their understanding.   Adventurers brave enough to venture into the heart of the Tandalin Jungle may yet uncover remnants of Xotlan’s glory—and perhaps awaken the ancient magic that still lingers in the dark corners of the jungle, waiting for those bold or foolish enough to seek it.
“In the twilight of Xotlan’s glory, I heard the jungle weep as ancient trees bowed under the weight of their own magic. Their song turned to silence when the shadows claimed their children, and by the next dawn the kingdom was no more.”   — Thrumbleaf, Elder Ent of the Whispering Glade