Frostmire Fen

From PathfinderWiki

The Frostmire Fen is a cold, stinking marshland located in the northwestern region of the Sarkoris Scar known as Frostmire. It was best known during the time of the opened Worldwound as the realm of the fungus queens who worship the demon lord Cyth-V'sug.12

Geography

Frostmire Fen is a frigid marshland over 150 miles long from north to south, and anywhere from 50 to 100 miles in width. It borders the hills known as the Wolfcrags to the north and northwest and the former forest called the Shroud of Unicorns to the northeast. To the east it borders the twisted canyons of the Sarkoris Scar of the Wounded Lands. The Riftshadow is located to the south and the Sarkorian Steppe to the west.12

Most of the rivulets and streams of the Fen eventually feed into the Sarkora River that flows through it in a generally southern direction.12 The constant cold winds that blow through the region keep much of the Fen frozen for most of the year, with the exception of the areas around the many sulfurous hot springs that dot the wetlands which are a major source of life-sustaining heat, making them natural centers of both plant and animal life.2

History

Even before the opening of the Worldwound in 4606 AR, the Frostmire Fen (except for the city of Dyinglight) was largely uninhabited by the Kellid human tribes that lived in Sarkoris. Small clans of marsh giants dwelled here, always in competition with the humans and the fungus queens who lived around the sulfurous hot springs. Thanks to a divine warning from their patron (the Empyreal Lord Pulura), the Kellid tribes evacuated Dyinglight before the demonic onslaught.3 The marsh giants left the Fen for the abandoned Dyinglight soon thereafter, leaving the swamps to the fungus queens and their minions.4

Inhabitants

The Frostmire Fen during the opening of the Worldwould was the uncontested domain of the fungoid followers of the demon lord Cyth-V'sug. All life in the marshes centered around the hot springs, as the northern climate keeps most of the remaining water frozen for most of the year. Most of the animals who dwelled in Frostmire Fen and did not succumb to the fungus queens' corruption took on fiendish characteristics in the last few generations.42 This includes the fiendish marsh giants who live near the fens that surround Dyinglight.5

Fungus queens

Fungus queens loyal to Cyth-V'sug while the Worldwound was opened held the only remaining centralized power in Frostmire Fen, as the desolate region was of little interest to the demonic hordes who fought against the Mendevian Crusaders far to the east and south. They once had competition from the local bands of marsh giants who made their home here as well, but they migrated to the abandoned city of Dyinglight soon after the opening of the Worldwound.

Each of the fungus queens laid claim to a small patch of marshland centered around one of the many sulfurous hot springs that dot the area. The fungus queens in turn were led by their high priestess, Enivuni. The fungus queens slowly corrupted and transformed the flora and fauna around them.42

Shadow Spring

A small settlement of degenerate and insane humans lives in a tiny village surrounding one of the northernmost hot springs of the Fen.6

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 James Jacobs, et al. The Worldwound, inside front cover. Paizo Inc., 2013
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 James Jacobs, et al. “Chapter One: Worldwound Gazetteer” in The Worldwound, 8. Paizo Inc., 2013
  3. James Jacobs, et al. “Chapter One: Worldwound Gazetteer” in The Worldwound, 6. Paizo Inc., 2013
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 James Jacobs, et al. “Chapter One: Worldwound Gazetteer” in The Worldwound, 7. Paizo Inc., 2013
  5. James Jacobs, et al. “The Worldwound” in The Inner Sea World Guide, 200. Paizo Inc., 2011
  6. James Jacobs, et al. “Chapter One: Worldwound Gazetteer” in The Worldwound, 9. Paizo Inc., 2013