Sunken Fields

For a botanist such as myself, the Sunken Fields is a particularly challenging location. It is home to an unprecedented variety of unique and interesting vegetation, the same of which can be said about its fauna, with the added caveat that it is quite deadly indeed.
— Tobias Vintag

Geography

The Sunken Fields is a dense swamp situated between Mirewood to the west, The Verdant Ocean to the south, Lake Trika to the north and the great plains to the east. The closes settlement to the region is Rille, located on the eastern shore of Lake Trika. While most of the swamp is waterlogged and boggy, there are islands upon which great, twisted mangroves grow. Without their sinuous roots, the islands would no doubt disappear into the water. Other areas of the swamp look solid enough to walk upon, but these areas are treacherous at they are often nothing more than floating mosses and grasses that will fool anyone but those used to the environment. When traversing the swamp, a shallow canoe is the preferred mode of transportation. While the water isn't very deep in most places, capsizing should be avoided at all costs due to the abundance of leeches and aggressive eels.

Fauna & Flora

However dangerous it is, many hunters, foragers and herbalists visit the Sunken Fields, repeatedly if their first visit isn't fatal, due to its abundance of rare plants and creatures. Many types of wetland herbs, mosses and orchids thrive in the perpetually humid environment, which also plays host to several species of insects, most notably dragonflies, only found there. It's also rumoured to be the home of the elusive Candelight Butterfly, although this is still to be confirmed. Much like everything else that makes its home in the Sunken Fields, the plants that grow there have developed innovative defence mechanisms. For example, there is an orchid which is bioluminescent, so that the nocturnal wasp which pollinates it can find it easily, but its nectar is incredibly poisonous to most everything else. As mentioned above, there are also a number of species of leeches, as well as at least two different types of eel, which are of note. They seem to survive very well in the shallow waters of the swamp and are fiercely protective of their territories, a cause served well by their needle-sharp teeth. They feed on smaller fish, amphibians and small rodents when they are able to catch them. Due to the abundance of insects and small amphibians, the canopies of the mangrove trees host many different species of birds, though not all of them are permanent residents, something for which they should not be blamed. The most notable inhabitant of the Sunken Fields is the Carnost. This incredibly large, predatory bird is very much a real danger to anyone venturing into the swamp, especially when their offspring is young.

Type

Wetland / Swamp

Owning Organization

The Protectorate of Vanelle

Inhabiting Species