Necroswampers

Country name: Necroswampers

Population: 90% Undead 10% Alive

Capital : Lacking

Goverment: Anarchy of Lich Warlords

**Culture**

It does not take too much thinking to realize that lands Occupied by Necroswampers have no culture of their own. Non-cultists were killed off and enslaved by magic, or forced to escape. Only centers of “culture” are Lich Lords castles and mockeries of towns. There Lich Lords experiment with their magic, create philosophical treaties, and sometimes even invite not undead scholars or artists.

**Religion**

Lich Lords are worshipped by cultists like gods, but they themselves over time, as they lose connection with reality start beliving this charade. On case by case basis they sometimes keep their religion from time being alive, or just loose all religious convictions all together. There is one unifying, almost religious like idea connecting all Lich Lords -they all follow three rules: 1 Rule of Hospitality, if another sentient being is given access to your lands by you, you are responsible for their safety. 2 Rule of Immortality, if another Lich Lords existence is endangered, you can’t sit back and allow it. 3 Rule of Greatness, if one of Lich Lords manages to convince another about their superiority, they have to follow them until their fall. Those rules in fact are failsafe against betrayal created by ancient necromancers, and written into ritual of lich transformation. Lich is physically unable to break them, if he used this original ritual to transform, but no one know about this fact, so no one tried to create new ritual.

**Organization**

Lands of Necroswampers are considered dangerous not just because undead roam the swamps and ruins. Its land destroyed by warfare between Lich Lords – warlords occupying Necroswampers lands like their personal fiefdoms, even though they have no king to offer their loyalties to. Each of them is prideful, vengeful, and full of betrayal. Each Lich is content keeping to his land, with exception of raids into lands of the living, for more experiment fodder. Periodically Necroswampers are unified by Lich (King ™) Necrolord who tries to use unified power of Necroswampers to do his bidding. Lack of Necrolord for long times leads to decreasing of power of Necroswampers, and country right now is middle of such period of renewed anarchy.

**Origin**

Necroswampers were created in third era, by men influenced by rock lying in the valley of what are now cannibal cults. They were just small tribe, but as they heard rock speak, they gained power over the dead. Rending bone from flesh, souls from bones, creating monsters from it all. They quickly mastered power over death, but lost control over their lives. Tribe feel into war, and only 16 men stood at the end. Some of them left in peace, one to the west, two to the north, one into treant empire, and two into rams head. 10 remaining Necromancers were witness to vanishing of meteorite they worshipped, and realized that they have so much more to learn, because meteorite hid many secrets now it wont be able to tell. They all created ritual. It was horrific, most monstrous thing they created, but it worked. They stopped to age, stopped to breath and crave. All that remained was steel will, and crystal clear intellect. They ruled together, and to make sure crimes of the past won’t repeat, they made lich transformation ritual in a way that made it impossible for them to endanger each other. But as spell grew weaker with centuries, they started to forget, became separated, and one after another died in demented state, only to be replaced by cultists, necromancers from far away, and many more kinds of people. Each joined cycle of first great activity, of growing in power and subjugating each other, and then failures, to end in land of mental prison.

**Diplomacy**

War with anyone who is not lich lord, and can be reached since atleast 3000 years, but unless Lich Lords are united under Necrolord, most of their power goes into keeping their armies "alive".

**Geography**

Land of Necroswampers is most dangerous and wild region of Drache Marshes. Air rich in posionus gases makes it impossible for normal flora or fauna to exist. Because of this only foul necromanced creatures roam the land.

**Economy** Necroswampers don’t trade, they don’t plow the land and they don’t mine the earth. Cultists gain what they wan’t from raids, Lich Lords know alchemical ways of creating gold, and use it each in their own ways.

Guide to Rulers of Swamp of Necromancers

1 - The Eldest

Only lichlord that exists since creation of lich transformation rite. Once shaman of hist tribe, later first necromancer who made whole continent tremble. Now in demented state, while he is still respected by his peers, he is more of symbol than real person.

2 - Rezz'rak the Exiled, formerly known as Rezzaern Rakkan.

Long ago, Rezzaern Rakkan was a talented mage who used his powers to protect his village and the people he loved. For decades he was able to save those who were at death's door and shielded his home from any danger. Unfortunately his powers couldn't solve every problem.

First it was his neighboors, died from a raid. Then his cousins perished in a overwhelming bandit attack. His aunts and uncles died of grief a year later... and finally his wife and sons fell due to a plague.

Struck with despair, he went around the world to find something that could bring them back, anything. It is when he came to the Midland an old man accosted him, his voice as soft as silk but with a cold and inhumane intent.

"I have heard of you, young man. I know of what is ravaging your heart. You are not the only one who came to our land in search of an asnwer... on the mysteries of life and death. Nor will you be the last."

His name was Orokhen. He was no mere man, but a Lichlord in disguise.

Centuries ago, when he assassinated his previous master before ascending to lichdom, he didn't account on one last trick from his previous mentor after his demise.

Orokhen's phylactery has been tampered, and was deteriorating. Each year passing had him falling deeper into madness, before being eventually consume by oblivion.

Before such fate occurs, he sought to find a worthy apprentice. Unfortunately, his previous one was more inclined towards destruction and conquest than the study of necromancy. Rezzaern however, was eager to learn so he could "save" everyone. A perfect apprentice indeed.

The years have passed and while Rezzaern never gave up his goal to save everyone from death, he started to forget who he wanted to save originally, his reasonning beginning to contredict itself sometimes or even being non-sensical.

It is when his master was on the brink of insanity, attacked by his former apprentice, did Rezzaern Rakkan attempted his own journey to Lichdom. While both student and master were down, Rezzaern struck both of them down, took out their skull and made new phylacteries for them bound to the skulls.

To increase his power and to never lose his master and rival ever again, he grafted the skulls onto his body, becoming a powerful Lichlord inheriting the armies of his master and rival.

Over the years, Rezzaern Rakkan changed his name to Rezz'rak and took many apprentices. However, before each of them managed to grow too powerful and eventually tried to betray him, he struck them down, created phylacteries out of gems and incrused the gems upon his skull and the skulls of his former mentor and rival... perhaps turning them into liches was a way to "save" them? Nobody knows for sure as now dozens of souls fight to control the Lichlord.

3 - Tavren

This lich lord is an oddity like the others. Much of his time is spent in a dream-like state, projecting his consciousness out into the worlds and all parallel to this one. Rather than simply increasing his knowledge of the arcane he craves an understanding of the purpose of life. Ghostly apparitions flood his lands and all who live there must vigilantly fend of possession by spirits of all kinds from this world and others. His cultists are an odd collection of raving lunatics, singing lullabies to him in his slumber, only stopping for the bare necessities. Singers of unique talent but little means, are often kidnapped from other lands and forced into his choir.

4 – Jonuk

While still interested in asserting dominance over the other lich lords, he also is facinated in the mental and physical limites of his creations, and experments with them to try and make them preform tasks such as painting, playing an instrument, juggling, and even thievery. He has had some success.

5 - Rasewat the Neverliving - Prophet of Death

One of the more eccentric necromancers he treats undeath as a religion. Unlike many other Necromancers or Litches he did not start his journey to Litchdom as a mortal, but rather as an undead. Having died millenia ago as an Impoverished farmer in the Drache Empire, he was resurrected, merely 400 years ago, but unlike other undead skeletons he was not a mindless drone he had full sentience and all his memories. Trough centuries he learned how to become a Litch, and he achieved his goal when he enslaved the Litchlord who originally revived him. Only decades later he ascended to becomming one oft he major Litchlords.

His specialization is odd, it's "Equality in Death" or simply "All are Equal in the Eyes of Death". Rasewat uses his powers to spread a cult of undeath within the Zyphyr Mountains, the Marsches of Drache and (predominantly) The Treant Empire. The new necrotic faith was taken up quickly by the Treant Vassals who eternally live in the shadow of their masters. quality is an interesting prospect.

Now Rasewat, spreads his cult amassing wealth and power abroad. And creating many undead with full sentience and free will akin to how he once came to be. The only undead he uses are animals of various sorts which are the slaves, and protectors of his land.

6 - Lexaneth, the living death

Long ago he was a powerful mage obsessed with immortality and beauty (his own above all else), whose lichdom was only a back up plan in case he ever dies.

His nickname came from the fact that he has numerous ways to bring himself back to life, some of them includes restoring his body to living flesh and bones to the prime of his youth. Now he might have dozens of different ways to bring himself back from the grave. Body doubles, homonculus, reincarnation, necromancy, artefacts and what not... while not the strongest, permanently getting rid of the cold would be an easier task than to get rid of him.

7 - Twins, Thomerlion and Themera

Brother and sister and self proclaimed Baron and Baroness of Ruin.

Both share equally their power and authority, they sit on the same throne and never leave each other's side. While they wear the same clothes, they do have different golden masks shaped like the faces they had when they still lived. Thought one must be cautious as they like to exchange masks to confuse outsiders.

While each of them enjoy their own little hobby, the one they share is collecting rare remains and corpse parts from all over the world. Their most prized possession however is local. They have deep beneath their castle the bodies from previously overthrown liches, like Eraak the Red who used to be the one ruling this territory before the Twins arrived. Unfortunately for them, the Rule of Immortality prevents the destruction of another lich, which is why the fallen rulers are locked up in steel sarcophagi, kept out of harms way.

Thomerlion is known for his hatred of the Grand Duchy of Komjátina and launched multiple raids upon the vampires and their serfs. Some people have theorized that perhaps the Twins are surviving nobles from the Duchy, but it is very unlikely. Throughout the years the brother did manage to accumulate quite a collection of vampire skulls and ashes.

Themera is sadistic as it is rarely seen. She has a special room inside the dungeons, where she can torture and experiment upon living subjects, the later often used to improve her skills on the former. She has a pool in which she swims after having it filled to the brim with fresh blood, where she uses unholy rituals to create servants of blood or flesh constructs.

Both of the Twins have recently acquired an interest towards Lexaneth and all his safeguards against permanent death. Though no one knows how, the Twins have lost a bet against their neighbor and conceded to his superiority.

8 - Balthazar the Enlightened

This lichlord even during his life was one of most briliant Alchemists in Republic of Morloux, and maybe even on whole planet. He was first to recreate (albeit in inperfect state) material making up armor of stone giants, and that alone made him famous. But as he grew older he wanted to focus on ways to extend his life, but because of militarization of Alchemists in Republic, he was forced to search knowlege abroad.

He crossed ocean searching for knowlege, and traveled everywhere from Qu-Fi throught Radmir to Ecilev, and it was there when he learned of Dead Alchemy Society. This illlegal organization was made up of greatest minds in all of Midlans, Eastasia, Rams Head, and was recruiting as far as celestial empire. He joined it, at first disqusted at thought of working with undead, but due to his death coming closer, he accepted their company, and quickly rose throught alchemist side of organization. When he was offered seat in the councill as Royal Alchemist he declined, deciding to instead focus on learning dark arts. After centuries of training he was offered seat on the council, but not only as representative of one of two organizations within, but as head of council. He agreed, understanding that accepting this would allow him to become lich, and stop worring about immortality.

Since then he menaged to bring stability to society, at the cost of his own personal achievements. Politicking bores him more and more, but he knows he can't just return to times before he became head of organization. Because of this he will try to keep status quo for as long as he is able.

12 - f'Tah-an-Arok

Deeply reclusive lich even by the standards of the area. He's mostly concerned with learning as much as he can by means of books about magic, and has built up the most extensive library on the topic on the whole continent. He sends agents out to acquire everything that they can, by trade, petty theft or even outright violence. But he rarely goes through his trove to actually see what mysteries he has collected; after all, it contains not just truths but also many lies and misunderstandings, yet the more he reads the harder he finds it to discern what is true and what is false. He also abhors the very idea of determining the truth of anything through experiment or otherwise his own experience: the very thought of doing that makes him panic and send out for yet more books that he will hoard away.

What secrets might be held, hidden, clasped tight by this undead obsessive librarian? Maybe the true nature of Gloria and Etalia? Maybe the true nature of Miracle? Maybe the method by which the curse over Komjatina is self-maintaining? Maybe the nature of the ritual used by the Treants? All this could be found in there, but getting to find it and read it is surely one of the greatest feats any wizardly bibliophile could contemplate.

13 - Méléagant, the Architect of the Black Towers

Also known as the Black Stone Mason and lord of the Ever-expanding City resides. Once a servant of a demented lich, he received an order from his master that he is carrying to this day, long after becoming lord of the land himself.

He was tasked with building the greatest, tallest and most imposing citadel Gloria-Etalia has ever witnessed. Its towers, over one hundred, cast shadows over the city.

The city is always expanding, always shifting, always torned down and rebuilt. Walls are erected, to be fell and rebuilt further away a decade later. Quarters of a city are always subject to change, as if the madness of its ruler is living among the stone, even the earth itself that its populace walk upon.

Sewers and labyrinths are entangled in a sickening dance below the ground. Some reach their corridors out of the city, but beware those mad enough to tempt fate inside them, for if being lost through those tunnels won't be the end of you, what lives or unlives beneath the surface are horrors beyond nightmares.

14 - Sandro de la Etalia

    Youngest of lichlords, once bastard son of one of great houses of ecilev, that after experiencing everything life had to offer wanted to create lasting legacy for himself. Now as a lichlord since an century he consolidates his forces, and draws plans that would allow him to become another Necrolord, that would unite warring nercomancers, and push back mortal nations to edge of extinction.

Other dreads of the Marsches:

Fyrrnallam, the Infernal Omen.

This was the name of the powerful beast that has ravaged the land millenias ago. It fell during one of its heat, inside what is now known as the Necroswampers, at the frontier between the land and The Marshes of Drache. While it lived, this monster could darken the very sky leaving only desolation and burning ruins wherever it went.

After centuries of eternal rest, ambitious beings brought back the dragon from the cold grasp of death and to a new unlife. It is said that three of the original 10 Liches united their power to awaken this monster. While not much has been recorded from this time, the first three masters then made way for a new one, who then was overthrown by another... for each necromancer that owned Fyrrnallam who perished, the dragon gained more and more sentience... and freedom. Its last rider was Hal-Hazir, a nomad from the desert and Necrolord.

When the Infernal Omen broke free of its chains, he not only devoured the corpse of Hal-Hazir but also his phylactery and rallied under its wings the army of the now vanquished Necrolord.

Since those times legend arose between necromancer cults: if lich lord were to dominate or kill Fyrrnallam they would become greatest Necrolord to ever be.

Dead Alchemy Society

Secret organization uniting powerfull dark mages and alchemists. Its separated into two sides: Kings Alchemists, and Queens Mages, best of both parties form council of 13 members, counting Lich Lord thats role is to unite them in goals. Symbol of Dead Alchemy Society is two stright lines going vertically throught circle, and it represents alchemic reaction needed to create simplest poisons