Swallows
Swallows is a large wetland that extends from the outskirts of New Carydam to Halfpeach. The main road between these two settlements runs right through Swallows.
Geography
Extending roughly from New Carydam in the east to Halfpeach in the west, and from The Outlawed Hills to the north and Brannok's Patch in the south, Swallows is an extensive wetland system best described as a marsh.
Ecosystem
Fed by a massive underground aquifer, the water of Swallows retains a healthy organic component to it year round. It is rich with moss and supports several different species of fish, including the hearty Fenfirk, prized for its meat and its leather-like skin.
Nourished both by the waters of the wetlands and the vegetation that flourishes therein, all matter of other creatures can also been found wandering the wetlands, including crocodiles and rabbits, bears and panthers.
Ecosystem Cycles
While Swallows teems with life throughout the Keshloamic Calendar year, it is especially active during Vision, where much of the nutrient-rich grist of material that has filled its channels is now readily available for consumption. Insects (giant and otherwise) swarm its expanse during this time, providing a particularly ample food source to those that consume insects (and more food for the creatures that consume those creatures).
Fauna & Flora
There are several rumors of wild dryadleaf fields dotting the Swallows, and those that gather these precious plants guard the location of their harvests with vigilance sometimes bordering on the violent.
Natural Resources
Swallows has been a functioning food source for surrounding communities for generations. Much of the moss that grows on its waters is edible, and the wetlands themselves act as a filtering agent for the water, providing a source of fresh water.
The decaying organic material--known to those that gather it as swallowsgrist--is also used both as a source of fuel and, when thoroughly dried, as a building material.
History
It is known that, while there isn't currently an organized settlement in Swallows, it has been the site of such activity during the Unknown Eras. Various ruins--some more substantial than others--have been discovered. The artifacts recovered from those ruins sometimes fetch a generous amount of gold at auction.
A recent treatise on these ruins, Ghosts of the Fen: Swallows in the Unknown Eras, by the controversial scholar Errik Vestrothil, has seen modest success.
Tourism
In addition to the standard array of hunters and fishers venturing through Swallows, the wetlands has also seen the arrival of archeological tourists in recent years. Probably encouraged by Vestrothil's book, these "archeologists" are especially attracted to "unspoiled" ruins. As such, guides of the Swallows are now more in-demand than ever, especially if they know of where rich troves of artifacts may be found.
Several organizations, especially in Halfpeach, have been started to push against this tourism, resulting in recent tension between those with guiding interests and those who prefer a less ecologically damaging approach.
Alternative Name(s)
Halffen, The Outlawed Fen
Type
Wetland / Swamp
Owning Organization
Related Reports (Primary)
Related Reports (Secondary)
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