Marquesus

The Horned Marquisean Desert Wyrm is an apex predator found in the arid regions of Marquesus, especially the Aleksi Leo desert. It often makes its home in caves and other natural formations when it isn't hunting for prey during the day.

### Level

Plains
 Mountains
 Desert
 Wetland
 Forest
 Coastal

### Inhabitants

Balawaorib Giants
 Humans
 Seastrider

Marquesus is an ancient continent with ecosystems ranging from temperate to arid and deserted, populated by many civilizations throughout the ages. As the chief home of the Levonian Empire and the legendary Phoneci Nupa Iri, Marquesus is a land that is steeped in history central to understanding many of the international affairs of Ombs.

**Environment**

Most of Marquesus is moderately humid, regularly reaching tropical climates and varying levels of rainfall. The Northernmost region of Marquesus - closest to Veyard - is a brisk and cool, peopled with mountains that occasionally see snowfall, but rarely any extremes. It’s not an exaggeration to say that most Marquesans have never seen snow. Periodic flashfires during their mid year season are more common.

The most arid region of Marquesus is that which comprises the Aleksi Leo Desert and the neighboring lowlands; in the heart of the Aleksi Leo is a giant volcano that is still active. Further South, the climate becomes increasingly tropical and virtually alien, populated by naturally-occurring springs along with frequent rain and storms bolstered by the active coastal waters that bury most of the SubAleksian tip of Marquesus in harsh wetlands and swamps. The pull of the multiple moons of Ombs has a similar effect, generating fierce and vicious tides that can swallow most buildings at their worst and a barrage of smaller waves that invite marine predators at their best.

**History**

Marquesans have consisted of multiple Indigenous groups, from the legendary progenitors known as the Phoneci Ga’ez Nupa Iri, to the giant ascetics scattered across the Aleksi Leo desert. Humans -known as Marquesians - have lived spread out throughout the continent, with the Empire of Levonia being one of the most renowned. Lesser known kingdoms have arisen over time, with most remaining relatively obscure in influence and never attaining the status of the major world powers in Marquesus historically. While a minor few settlements from other nations have been established in the past, some have also come with controversy and as tidings of conflict, especially in regard to Veyard, a northern nation that the Levonian Empire has extensiv le and brutal history with.

**Politics**

Most of the kingdoms and governing powers have historically been feudal in Marquesus. Others, such as the Phoneci Ga’ez Nupa Iri, were imperialistic and spanned beyond Marquesus, deep into the Southern reaches of the Swarm and neighboring islands. Speculation holds that their society may have actually been several independent but interconnected kingdoms rather than a single one, a sentiment which reflects elements of contemporary politics that Seastriders no doubt may have inherited from their ancestors.

The mountain-daring Balawaorib Giants form clans in a sovereign kingdom known as Dzodzetoa, which has remained fairly stable and resisted colonization from other neighboring societies for centuries without failing. During harsher times they have sometimes been forced to ally with the Levonian Empire in response to Veyardan aggression and have had tense if not hostile relations with the latter as a result.

**Culture**

**Religion**