The Harrowmarsh

I have included here some extra information about the Harrowmarsh. There
has been no information released about the provinces that make up the
swamp yet from TSR of here is some info that I have designed for it. I
am using the description on the Hydra in Blood Enemies for most of what
is below, so if you have the book check out pages 42-45 for a
description of the domain, the Hydrakin, and the Caracdir.

There are four provinces that make up the Harrowmarsh

Province Law Temples Guilds Sources
Waterfjord (0/8)* Hy (0)* - Hy (0)* -
Tory (1/7) Hy (1) - Hy (1) -
Sodden Falls (1/7) Hy (1) - Hy (1) -
Laughaure (0/8) Hy (0) - Hy (0) -

* Fortified Holding

Abbreviations: Hy = Hydra's Guild (Beraek the Hydra)

Here is a brief description of the provinces

Waterfjord:
This province is home to the hydra himself. It is deep in the
Harrowmarsh and is comprised only of swamps. It is the furthermost
province from dry land, and is situated right at the end of the Asarwe
River on the coastline. To move into the province requires a boat or
barge. Armies are unable to invade as they can not move in large enough
numbers to be of any use. It is possible to move troops through the
province but there is no where for them to land without sinking into the
swamp.
The province is home mainly to the Hydrakin. There are thought to
hundreds of the monsters here, as well as large numbers of crocodiles,
and snakes. The province is also home to the Hydra at his tower in
Waterfjord Tower. Although it mainly keeps to itself any who visit are
sure to make their way into the Hydra's stomach. Boats travelling down
the river have also disappeared occasionally.
There are however a few small human settlements in the province, home to
maybe 50-100 fishermen and pirates in each. These settlements are known
as Althlone Island, Younghal Harbour, Drogheda Bay, and Westpoint. Each
is comprised of huts sitting on stilts above the swamp, surrounding a
central platform. Also each village has 5-10 fishing vessels or small
rafts tied up to their houses.
The village of Westpoint is also thought to be home to a mage and
alchemist known as Dwynaa the Bose. This ancient sorcerer is a friend of
the lizard men and trades with them for the animals and plants he needs
to make highly effective and fast acting poisons. He can sometimes be
found in anywhere from Rohrmarch to Binsada selling his wares.

Tory:
This province is the most northern of the four provinces, bordering the
Brecht kingdom of Rohrmarch. Home to the Caracdir it is a place little
visited by Humans. The main Caracdir village is a settlement built onto
a hill, known as Tory. Over 100 of the lizard men live there, and the
village is walled and protected by 5-10 warriors at all times. The
province is still very swampy and small boats or rafts must be used to
move around. The Caracdir use these rafts, or they can swim or wade
through the swamp. A favourite tactic is to hide beneath the swamp with
only a nostril peaking above the surface of the water. This makes the
lizard men almost invisible and they can easily ambush travellers. The
Caracdir eat humans so travellers are advised to take the road north of
the swamp, rather than end up in a Caracdir's stomach.
Although Tory is the only known Caracdir village they are found
throughout the Harrowmarsh and there are thought to be at least a
thousand of them scattered throughout the five provinces.

Sodden Falls:
Once part of Binsada this province has long been abandoned by both
Binsada and the Hydra. As the driest of all the four province it is
rarely used by the swamp creatures that inhabit the rest of the
Harrowmarsh. Many islands of dry earth and rock dot the province so it
is possible to invade and capture it, provided you had enough vessels to
move your troops from one small island to another.
The province is however home to a large number of bandits, who run the
Hydra's Guild (also found in Binsada and Sendoure). This guild is not
owned by the Hydra itself, as the Awnshegh has little interest in other
lands or money. Instead one of the bandits has set himself up as
overlord of the Harrowmarsh. Baraek the Hydra as he is known claims to
be the true Hydra and dresses up in a crocodile skin costume to scare
his followers into believing him. It is also believed that he may be a
Magician or Wizard as much of his appearance may come from illusionary
magic.
Baraek has gathered a reasonable horde of 12 GB together and maintains a
small army of 2-3 units of bandits which he uses to raid ships and
caravans travelling down nearby roads. He also runs a protection racket
among the citizens of the Harrowmarsh that brings in some money to his
coffers. He prefers to remain on dry land though an spends much of his
time in this province or in Sendoure.
Settlements in this province are much large that the other three, with
200-400 living in each. They include Longfjord, Adelaide, Dundalk,
Gweebarra, and Nenagh Birr.

Laughaure:
The least populated of all of the Harrowmarsh's province. This isolated
area of the marsh is also the most dangerous. Large numbers of Hydrakin
and crocodiles roams the swamp eating anything that stands in their way.
Anyone living in the marsh would find themselves open to constant attack
from these monsters.
Despite this a few small human fishing villages exist on the coast.
These are built similar to the ones in WaterFjord province, but are
smaller with only 30-40 fishermen in each. The villages include
Blackwater Sound, Chalky Inlet, and Laoghaire Point.


Well hope everyone finds that interesting. If you have any comments then
please mail me.

- --
Ian Hoskins

e-Mail: hoss@box.net.au
ICQ: 2938300
Home Page: http://www.box.net.au/~hoss/birth.html

>From the Darkness we came.
And to the Darkness we will return.