Faarowt

The druidic conclave of Faarowt, populated by dye and drug obsessed burnouts wo believe that they're literally ascending to higher planes of existenceThe Sun Payus is a river that flows through the lands of the Faarowt druids. Its waters are used in a hallucinogenic rituals by the druids, as it contains chemicals excreted by the colourful trees at its banks. Whenever a female druid dies, she is put on a boat that sails down the Sun Payus, which leads into a huge underground grotto, which the Farrowt believe is the beginning and end of all earthly creatures, thus reinforcing the process of reincarnation.
== History ==
In ancient times, this region was ruled by a small coalition of Faerie Lords, not unlike those found further to the west that once ruled the various iterations of the First Elven Empire. The humans and fey of the region worshipped them like gods and referred to them as the “Bright Ones”.
The Khenomeric Empire was able to bully this area into submission via threats of magical devastation, but only just barely, and had little effect on the region other than Faarowt sending some minor tribute to the Khenomeric Empire in exchange for being left alone. Later, as the Khenomeric Empire collapsed, some members of the Green Order took refuge here and helped bring a bit of discipline to the instruction of magic.
Since then Faarowt has mostly been mostly isolationist, with the sole exception being the unusual decision to intervene in one of the Orange Marquisantes’ many civil wars. The reason for this is largely unknown. Officially it is for trade reasons and to spread the faith, but it is more likely just the result of one of the Bright Ones odd whims.
== Government ==
The nation is essentially a theocracy, with the three main Faerie Lords being worshipped as gods known as the Bright Ones. The Bright Ones are Child of Flowers, Jeberjebus, and Vapouria. Senior druids tend to be dedicated to only one, but junior druids are sometimes dedicated to two or all three, and everyone has high respect for the others no matter which is their primary focus.
Most folk are considered druids to at least a certain extent, with hierarchy determined by a mix of age, magical ability, and persuasiveness. The most respected druids are invited to join the Great Druid Council, who are the second highest authority in the realm other than the Bright Ones themselves. Unlike most gods, and even many Faerie Lords, the Bright Ones travel their realm regularly, and help sort out disputes if they feel like it. 
The Bright Ones aren’t exactly known for their authoritarianism or strict morals though, and seem fine letting their followers get high, make brightly colored art, and other, less savory activities.
== Economy ==
The region is sparely populated, with most humans living in tiny farming communities scattered among the vast forest, while other humans and most fey live off the land. There are a few trading and fishing communities along the coast that are almost big enough to be considered towns, though much of the population of such communities are foreign merchants, middlemen, and aspiring converts.
== Foreign Relations ==
=== Orange Marquisates ===
During the “Green Head” uprising the druids broke their long standing isolationism and helped a rebel faction of farmers in this nation. Since the conflict never really got resolved, the druids still sometimes provide “military aid” in return for certain substances and tolerance of their gradual efforts to convert the territories they assisted.
=== Golden Sea of Wheat ===
The druids of these two nations have a reasonable amount in common including similar languages, ethnicity, and the fact they both worship eccentric gods. They get along well.
=== Florinth ===
Although not often seen as a druidic nation, Florinth has a lot in common with Faarowt including worship of Faerie Lords and heavy drug use. The two nations get along well, though day to day contact is limited.
=== Other Druid/Fey Affiliated Nations ===
The druids of Faarowt have at least a certain amount of respect for foreign druids, or anyone who worships Faerie Lords or nature affiliated gods. The Great Druid Council maintains contact with many such organizations, often via magical means.
=== Bomihald ===
The druids are fairly indifferent to this unusual school located on the edge of their land, though sometimes nearby junior druids and students will get in brawls for training purposes.
=== Fyrd ===
The two nations generally ignore each other, though some in Fyrd worry the druids will intervene in one of their disputes the same way they intervened in the Orange Marquisates.
=== Woodcutter Cities ===
The druids don’t like the idea of cutting down large numbers of trees, but for now, no lumber operations come anywhere near their borders.
=== Luden ===
Narcotics from Faarowt are sometimes sold to Luden for silver, because even nature loving druids occasionally find a need for silver.
=== Forest of Getting Lost ===
The druids benefit from the protection the forest of getting lost provides, and some say they help maintain and enhance its defenses.
=== Lucy’s Land ===
The druids consider Lucy’s Land to be just another stretch of no-man’s land along their borders.
== Geography ==
Much of the region is covered in mixed forest and has a somewhat cool climate, though the druids never really seem to notice.
The largest river is the Sun Payus, which although may seem like an ordinary river, often causes hallucinations in those that drink from it due to certain tannins of plants that grow along its edges. Sometimes certain female druids are placed in boats after death and allowed to sail down the river. It is said they end up in a grotto deep underground from which Jeberjebus will send them along one of several other rivers that bend realities and enter other planes of existence to continue the cycle of reincarnation.
=== Additional Geographic Notes ===
Faarowt has no provinces or other obvious administrative divisions. Instead, it has some vague regions defined by geography and history. Nor does it have any obvious government structures. Instead, most guidance is provided at the stone circles where the druids oversee religious ceremonies, give sermons, and (sometimes) gather village elders and other respected community members together to make decisions. There are thousands of stone circles scattered throughout Faarowt, most of which are simple places where a mid-tier druid can see to the needs of those living nearby. However, some stone circles are larger, more elaborate complexes where like-minded druids can gather in large numbers to debate, make decisions, and receive instructions.
==== North Border ====
This region was traditionally a no-mans land between Faarowt and the marquisates. Those who lived here knew that violence could flare up at any time for a number of reasons, so the area was sparsely populated. Since the Green Head Uprising, it is seen as much safer, but still few people live here, and the few prominent druid circles are mostly famous for violence.
* Dubhain Circle – The druids of this circle were infamous for their brutal tactics during the countless skirmishes of the North Border. Since the Green Head Uprising, most of the druids have relocated to other borders or to the allied marquisates, but they still meet here periodically.
* Faoileann Circle – The druids of this circle have an unusual fondness for explosives and fireworks, both for their combat potential, and also for how interesting they look when viewed under the influence of hallucinogens.
==== The Highlands ====
This region is covered in rocky foothills and low mountains, as well as the Gormain Lake which covers a significant portion of it. The region has long been overlooked by the rest of Faarowt. The reason for this is unknown, but is perhaps because there is simply not much of interest to the Bright Ones in that direction. The inhabitants are mostly humans, and live in a handful of small communities in almost complete isolation from each other.
* Gormain Lake – Almost no one lives along the shores of this large lake all year around, but some do travel here for fishing during certain seasons, staying at crude shacks or camping in the open. An isolated population of rusalka live in the lake, as do a few pondlings.
* The Lodge Circle – This stone circle is located in shallow water near a two story lodge which is perhaps the largest building in The Highlands. Druids of Jeberjebus sometimes stay there when they want isolation. The circle is sometimes used for ceremonies by fishermen.
* The Sunset Circle – This small stone circle is mostly noteworthy for being near the edge of a cliff that offers stunning views of the surrounding area. Despite the common use of hallucinogenic mushrooms for rituals, accidental deaths are surprisingly rare. 
* Yozhaag Circle – This small stone circle is pretty typical of the ones found in The Highlands. It consists of a few standing stones servicing a few local inbred families that live off of potatoes, mushrooms, wild game, and potent but crude alcohol.
==== The West Coast ====
The West Coast is an unpleasant, rocky area prone to storms and the occasional sea monster.
* Aidor – This Khenomeric coastal fort was eventually expanded into a small harbor city that was used to support Mareador in its various colonial efforts. At times, it was even the capital of its own small province. However, it was located along a particularly rocky and inhospitable stretch of coast that produced little goods, and therefore relied heavily on government spending by the wider Empire to keep it operating. It was swiftly abandoned once the Khenomeric Empire lost control of Mareador province. Its most noteworthy feature is the rare bioluminescent algae that glow when disturbed by ships or wave action. In modern times only ruins remain.
* Mareador – This Khenomeric coastal city was the end result of decades of gruelling wars by the Khenomeric Empire to forge a route to the northwestern ocean. Although attempts to use this port as the centre of an ocean-based colonial empire were largely unsuccessful, it remained the provincial capital of the province of the same name for many centuries. The Khenomeric Empire abandoned the city and province following the Battle of Empires, but Mareador survived as an independent trade city for several centuries before most of the remaining population migrated to The Fungest. In modern times the city is in ruins but sometimes fishermen and smugglers build small communities among the ruins of the harbor.
* Mutara Island – This island has long had a cursed reputation, though the nature of the original curse is long forgotten. The Magoclergy used this island as a site for a number of highly unethical magical experiments and several ancient dungeons, ruins, tombs, and ritual sites remain dangerous to this day. A small number of druids live on the island to keep an eye on the slumbering evils, however, they rarely intervene when foreign adventurers and tomb raiders go poking around the Khenomeric sites, as it rarely ends well for the intruders.
* Roise Island – The druids of Faarowt have never been noted for their naval prowess, but in ancient times they did settle on a number of islands, with Roise Island being the largest. The inhabitants are known to be wild, aggressive, and hedonistic by Faarowt standards, perhaps because of the high percentage of fey, or perhaps because the inhabitants have to deal with more foreign trouble-makers like pirates, smugglers, and wannabe conquerors, compared to other druids.
* Suten-hi – This small Khenomeric port town has outlasted nearly every other Khenomeric port city, town, or village mostly because many of them adopted Faarowt culture even when the Khenomeric Empire was at its peak, and later on felt little reason to leave when the Khenomeric Empire withdrew. In modern times, it is sometimes used to drop off goods being transported overland through Faarowt, but most goods entering Faarowt from overseas take the Cyclio-Wububao-Senbu route instead.
==== The Crossings ====
This region gets its name from the fact it connects many of Faarowt’s other regions, as well as features several large roads (by Faarowt standards). Since roads fall in and out of use frequently in Faarowt, there are many more overgrown roads good for little other than being footpaths than there are roads suitable for carts and horses. This sometimes creates the impression the whole area is covered in old roads, though this is obviously not even close to being true given the sheer size of the region.
* Azizi – The Khenomeric Empire lost control of this border fort even before the Battle of Empires, causing it to be abandoned for several centuries. But it eventually it was settled by Florinthian outlaws, joois, “Khenomerics” (from Kowloon) and other riffraff. It has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times since then, which has lead to an odd mix of cultures and architectural styles. These days it is the main eastern port of Faarowt and mostly exports drugs, but also some foreign goods from out west that were carried overland from Cyclio or Suten-hi for transport further east, plus some pamphlets from Wububao. 
* Domhan Rioga – This stone circle is made of pale colored rock to emphasize the lurid colors of the paints, dyes, and powders splashed over them. The nearby village is large by Faarowt standards and specializes in the production of dyed robes and clothing for other druidic communities.
* Frog Circle – As its name suggests, this stone circle stands have submerged in an enchanted swamp filled with frogs, toads, and mushrooms that are giant, hallucinogenic, and/or bioluminicient. Mushroomites, pondlings, nymphs, and fungal goblins make up a large portion of the population.
* Magailleach – This sprawling complex of stone circles and platforms is physically one of the largest religious sites in Faarowt, but it is only used by a small number of locals. No one remembers why it was built so large.
* Mud Flat Circle – The ancient builders of this stone circle took Jeberjebus’s affinity for water and earth very literally when selecting their construction site. The circle is located on a stretch of frequently flooded mud flats at the base of a large waterfall. A small village nearby hosts several crude cabins and barns used for storing books and scrolls containing all sorts of knowledge including geography, politics, biology, and philosophy, but also lore more specific to the druids like theology and the metaphysical ramblings of senior druids high on hallucinogens. A small tavern by the road mostly exists so druids can bug travellers for more knowledge.
* Senbu – Another abandoned Khenomeric border fort lost prior to even the Battle of Empires. For much of its history it has been empty or sparsely inhabited, but since the Green Head Uprising, it has often been the location where the north-south and east-west trade routes meet. The trade routes are used by a mix of caravan crews (mostly from the allied marquisates and Florinth, but also a few joois) and “professional travellers” (bored nobles, globetrotters, those seeking enlightenment, adventurers, explorers, foreign druids seeking new ideas, etc.) For a small town mostly made up of shabby inns and crude stables, Senbu is actually a pretty interesting place. 
* Troll Circle – This small circle is unusual as it is home to a group of furred trolls who have converted to the druidic faith and have adopted a pacifist lifestyle that revolves around the usage of green weed and hallucinogenic mushrooms. 
* Weed Circle – This stone circle sits in the middle of a large field of green weed. Green weed is a mild relaxant and hallucinogen that is grown and used in nearly every Faarowt community, as well as some other parts of the world. Green weed flourishes in Faarowt without any care, and travellers rarely have to wander for more than a few minutes before finding some growing in the wild.
==== The Valley ====
Considered the core of Faarowt’s civilization (such that it is), this region is home to the sacred Sun Payus river, as well as many of Faarowt’s most ancient and respected druidic circles. 
* Centifrog Circle – The stones of this stone circle include many carvings of the rare centifrog, found throughout central Faarowt, but are most common here. Several other rare, brightly colored amphibians can also be found here in abundance, which makes this circle a popular pilgrimage point for “frog-lickers”.
* Cirkehket – When the Khenomeric Empire decided to split the Mareador province into four provinces (Mareador, Faarowt, Aidor, and Western Dogrillu), a new city was built to serve as a capital of the Faarowt province. It was located at the entrance of the Sun Payus river in hopes that it could connect the troublesome region to the more established provinces further east along the Labyrinth Bay. However, trying to build along their sacred river just alienated the druids even further. Not long after the Battle of Empire, the druids (with the help of outcast Khenomeric mages) unleashed powerful destructive magic on the city that razed much of it. Sporadic and feeble attempts by the Khenomeric Empire and its successors to reestablish Cirkekhet were generally easily beaten off, with no successful attempts made for nearly two millennia. Now a ruin in modern times.
* Finnabair Circle – This circle is known for its powerful spellcasting traditions inherited from exiled Green Order mages. They have helped keep invaders from establishing a foothold in Cirkehket for millennia.
* Glaisne Circle – This stone circle is mostly famous for the small village nearby that specializes in making the brightly colored dyed feather trinkets that certain druidic factions are fond of.
* Maorloahog – This stone circle and the inhabitants of the surrounding region have a somewhat ominous reputation among their fellow druids. They have become so obsessed with mushrooms they have become part mushroom themselves. This is not uncommon in other parts of Faarowt among the more mutable races like goblins and wood elves, but here it affects all races and has been taken to extremes. The terrain is a fungal forest that would not be out of place in The Fungest, except with even more lurid colors.
* Sun Payus River – This large river is highly sacred to the Faarowt druidic culture. Drinking from it causes hallucinations due to certain tannins of plants that grow along its edges. Sometimes certain female druids are placed in boats after death and allowed to sail down the river. It is said they end up in a grotto deep underground from which Jeberjebus will send them along one of several other rivers that bend realities and enter other planes of existence to continue the cycle of reincarnation.
* The God Circle – Although the druids primarily worship the Bright Ones, they acknowledge the existent of many other gods from other cultures. This large shrine is maintained by many druidic circles and consists of dozens of painted totem poles depicting every god, demigod, demon lord, or senior faerie lord the druids are aware of from around the world, even the ones that are likely just different cultural interpretations of the same god. Aside from the three Bright Ones, the most significant gods in Faarowt’s mythology are Gaia (impartial creator goddess, similarities to the Earthmother, Ulgnah, The All-Creator, etc.), her three daughters Forlaitha, Sadva, and Aobhunnun (strong similarities to Freggya/Zolovara/Aoghm of the Zemylander Pantheon and Aurelia/Solstara/Nuit of the Wheat Gods), and Oengus (similarities to Onba and Razvratnik). The Bright Ones are said to be the offspring of the three daughters and Oengus.
* The High Circle – This complex of stone circles and platforms is one of the largest and most sacred. On the rare occasions two, or even all three Bright Ones want to meet with senior druids from across Faarowt, it is often here.
* The Sacred Grotto – This grotto is the end point of certain elaborate funeral rites given to senior female druids. What actually happens here is kept strictly secret, but it features heavily in Faarowt’s mythology as an entrance to many other dimensions that allow one to escape endless reincarnations in this plane of existence.
* Urthuile – This stone circle is one of several used by druids keeping an eye on Old Aidor.
* Wamailladh – This stone circle surrounds a massive oak tree, which is visible for miles (but only if you climb a tree or a rocky outcrop as much of the surrounding region is heavily forested). 
* Yiftach – This rundown village is home to a lynx-like joois clan who mostly work as peddlers and junk merchants in the southern half of Faarowt. They once lived in Fyrd, but left after being blamed for a bog-yam blight there two decades ago.
==== The South ====
This region borders on the Golden Sea of Wheat and Florinth, and as such has the most amount of cultural overlap. 
* Bomilhald – This unusual academy sits a few kilometers within the borders of Faarowt for a range of legal reasons, but also pays taxes to the local lord in Florinth for extra protection. Officially it is run by a charity that provides a basic military education to young mixed race girls escaping persecution, but unofficially many of its inhabitants are highborn bastard children sent here as punishment, to get them as far from home as possible, or in some cases because they are at risk of assassination to avoid possible challenges to lines of succession. Although life at Bomilhald is basic, and few who graduate from here will acquire much in the way of wealth, many of the inhabitants still have some of arrogance from their privileged early childhoods and have a reputation for stirring up trouble in both Faarowt and Florinth. 
* Fire Circle – The druids who gather at this stone circle tend to be pyromaniacs. The first hint is the circle itself, which is fairly ordinary looking except everything is covered in soot. Thanks to cultural overlap with the Golden Sea, large scale bonfires and effigy burnings occur on Oraast, Albtene, Ithal, Ulghnasadh, Hainsam, and Yeul, but also on a number of other holidays as well. Many druids of this circle are knowledgeable in fighting undead, hags, and witches, which helps keep the Golden Sea’s more questionable inhabitants at bay.
* Flower Circle – This stone circle is known for their obsession with brightly colored flowers, though they are hardly the only one. The druids from here and other major circles along the Florinth border are tasked with driving out bandits and other potential troublemakers from Florinth. They also sometimes launch patrols out into Lucy’s Land, and on occasion have observed Lucy and her friends from a distance.
* Straw-Butt Circle – It has become a long standing tradition for the senior druidess of this minor stone circle to be a Bomilhald dropout with a chip on her shoulder and a fondness of brawling. Her followers tend to be minor druidess and local hotheads (all female) who have taken it upon themselves to retaliate against anyone from Bomilhald they see as causing too much trouble. Sometimes mock fights are also organized between the two groups for training purposes. The circle’s unusual name is a form of self-mockery, as many of the less sophisticated inhabitants of southern Faarowt use straw as toilet paper, a tradition that is often mocked by the Florinthians, and in particular some of the highborn inhabitants of Bomilhald.
* Straw Circle – This stone circle features an unusually high level overlap between the Faarowt and Golden Wheat druidic traditions. The Bright Ones don’t seem to mind as long as none of the darker traditions seep across the border. 
* The Border Stones – This long stretch of standing stones forms the border between Faarowt and the Golden Sea. No one remembers who erected them or why, but they do seem to discourage some of the more evil inhabitants of the Golden Sea from crossing the border. They may or may not also be the reason that the terrain sharply switches from forest to wheat fields at the border. Although some patches of wheat can be found many kilometers within Faarowt, and some clumps of trees can be found in the western portion of the Golden Sea, the biome change at the border is still clearly to distinct to be nature.
== Demographics ==
=== Humans ===
The indigenous humans in the region are close relatives to the people of Florinth, but look different as their bloodlines contain a wide range of fey rather than just water nymphs.
=== Half-Elves ===
Many humans have significant enough wood elf heritage to be considered a separate race due to their longer lifespans, pointed ears, quick reflexes, innate woodcraft, and various other reasons.
=== Wood Elves (aka primal elves, etc) ===
Like their cousins to the west, wood elves are plant based fey, but able to reproduce with nearly anything, thus creating a wide range of mixed races. Wood elves in Faarowt have an unusual appearance due to the affects of drugs on their bodies, and often are covered in bright colored flowers, leaves, fungi, or simply have glowing (sometimes semi-transparent) skin of one or more different colors.
=== Other Fey ===
A wide range of other fey live here like nymphs, dryads, river merfolk, gnomes, satyrs, centaurs, goatfolk, pondlings, rusalka, vodyanoi, mushroomites, and fungus goblins.
=== Half-Drow ===
There are some half-drow in the region, mostly descended from northeast drow that came to the surface for whatever reason.
== Religion ==
Worship of the Bright Ones is the main religion. Ever druid has a certain amount of respect for all three Bright Ones, but often focuses on just one or two. Drugs, bright colors, and belief in reincarnation on another plane are common elements to all three though.Child of Flowers is popular with the more warlike druids, particularly dryads, nymphs, and wood elves. Anyone who doesn’t know how one can fight with flowers hasn’t had rose bushes grow from one or more (or all) of their orifices. She is associated with the elements of fire and plant.
Jeberjebus is popular with the more “wise” of the druids, particularly gnomes and centaurs, but also aquatic fey like pondlings. He is said to control access to various other dimensions, each more surreal than the next, and also has control over life and death, which he or his senior druids have proven on more than one occasion by resurrecting a particularly valuable follower. He is associated with the elements of water and earth.
Vapouria is popular with the more degenerate druids, who love sensation for the sake of sensation. Followers include more sensual fey like nymphs and satyrs, as well as spore producing fey like mushroomites. She is associated with the elements of air and spore. 
The few foreigners in the region tend to worship their own gods unless they are converts.
== Military ==
There is no standing army, but the druids are hardly pushovers. Thanks to the powers of the Bright Ones, many possess powerful magic. Some types of spells are fairly common like shape shifting into animals and plants, controlling plants, transformation, and causing hallucinations, but other magic is specific to the most powerful druids of a particular Bright One, like reincarnations performed by the most senior followers of Jeberjebus.
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