Porcom Marsh

Covering a peninsular of about 125 kilometres long and 30 kilometres at is narrowest, the Porcom Marsh is an area of low-lying land that is almost entirely salt marsh with occasional slight rises. Made up of mangrove trees and grasses, it has a very low human population, mainly around the edges in tiny fishing communities, but harbours other creatures in its interior that have proven resistant to eradication. The main inhabitants are lizardfolk, with smaller populations of Bullywugs; the transient nature of some of these populations has led to the hypothesis that there is a naturally occurring Portal in the marsh that leads to a much larger swamp in another Plane, but so far it has not been located. There have also been sightings of giant crocodiles, trolls, at least one shambling mound and, very rarely black dragons, although the restricted nature of the area would not permit much territory for such a creature.
The edges of the marsh are difficult to define precisely, especially around the coast, where mangrove trees and reed beds slowly shift into shallow water before becoming the sea. In the north, it's more clearer, with the Perfield River delta being the most obvious geographical sign. Beyond the river delta, the land rises quickly towards the forests of inland Newia.
Crossing the marsh from north to south is the Causeway, a roadway elevated up from the marshlands arounds it, usually on stone or wooden piles, but occasionally on a large earthen bank. It is wide enough for two carts to pass easily and there a number of wider spaces were encampments can be made. Attempts have been made to set up more permanent buildings such as inns, but eventually the hostile environment renders it pointless. It is not known who first constructed the Causeway; the human town at the southern end, Rothesto, is rumoured to be built on both elven and halfling ruins, but most of that is now underwater, so it is impossible to say. Rothesto is a small, but important port town, with a significant fishing fleet and the only place where one can get a boat to Hardenland Island, a small isolated community off the coast of Orbach.

Alternative Name(s)

The Swamp

Type

Wetland / Swamp

Owning Organization

Kingdom of Newia