The Aillaisian Marshlands

The western realms of Istaria are generally considered by those in the east to be arid and barren. Even in the cooler northern regions of the Mardhelm Empire, any land far from a lake or river is windswept scrub land. In the south, life become even more difficult as the arid climate mixes with warmer temperatures to create an even more inhospitable situation. The peak of this trend occurs in the Khastis desert, considered by many to be completely uninhabitable. There is an exception nearby that has lead to the rise of a great nation. In the central plains of Chisolm runs the Cadeuvie river. Unlike most flowing bodies of water, the river does not empty into the ocean. Rather, it branches as it runs through the plains into smaller and smaller streams, all of which seep water into the landscape creating a lush marshland. The capitol of Chisolm, Ailaise, grew in this region over two thousand years ago as migrants fleeing the ravaging hordes that would one day become the northern Mardhelm Empire settled here. They learned to work the wet soil, and soon farms and orchards of all sorts sprang up.

Geography

The marshlands lie in the flat plains where the Cadeuvie river runs from north to south. The land rises gradually as one travels south into hills and rocky outcroppings. leading to the halt of the river's flow and causing it to branch out across the plain. The main river splits into four other rivers of notable size, and from there into hundreds of smaller streams. These all dissipate eventually into the soil, giving birth to a wetland in the center of what would normally be an arid plain. So close to the desert in the southeast and surrounded on all other sides by scrub land, it is truly a marvel to behold.

Fauna & Flora

The marshlands are peppered with copses of trees, most of which grow along the banks of the main river and it's offspring. Farther out, the wetlands are covered with a sea of high grasses, reeds, and fruit-bearing native plants. Many of these have been domesticated, and one cannot go far in the marsh before they see a group of cabins sitting above the wetland on stilts surrounded by acres of neatly arranged rows of crops.

Natural Resources

Today, Ailaise stands as not only the capital of a nation, but a gathering point for a bounty of produce harvested from the marshlands. The output of the region is regarded for a wide variety of fruits grown in the wetlands, many of which are used to make fermented beverages. These products, ranging from wines to distilled liquor, are the chief export of the region and have turned Chisolm from a frontier curiosity of the region into the economic and cultural powerhouse that it is today.