Crimson Marshes

The Crimson Marshes are a region in the south of Arding, once place for numerous battles over the ages.

## Background

Once, the *Crimson Marshes* were an area of fields, in the south of today’s Arding. There, during the Third Age, the first Human settlers fought a decisive battle against the native Tor-Vii. From there, they banished the giants from the continent Vona and founded the free city of Sigurvad in its centre, despite the curses, the Tor-Vii put upon the land during their retreat.

Later during the Third Age, the tensions between the nations of Berland, Galawin and Haalfinia rose. In Sigurvad, as a neutral city-state, they meet to discuss their future on the continent and avoid war. But disaster struck and a bloodbath followed, starting the Three-Corner-War. Over the period of the conflict, Sigurvad was captured several times, being destroyed in the process. Being the centre of the conflict, the fields were so saturated with corpses and blood, that an oozing swamp formed around the city ruins. Years, after the War was over, the swamp slowly dried out again, turning from the *Crimson Marshes* into the *Crimson Fields*.

In the Fourth Age, the Valkarian Empire landed on Vona, starting to take over the continent by force. Too late, did the several nations band together, to fight the invaders upon the *Crimson Fields*, once more ending in disaster and feeding the ground as well, rebirthing the *Crimson Marshes*. The United Army were slaughtered on the fields, to break the last resistance. As Vona was under control of the Empire, the *Marshes*, once again, started to dry up. When the Crusade arrived from the South, seeking to liberate their northern brethren, the *Crimson Fields* were alive again. There, the Crusaders faced the Legions, carrying the victory for the Humans this time and feeding the war-ridden ground, as it has grown custom. In the battle, the leader of the Legion-Army was killed, dealing a decisive blow against the Empire's forces on Vona. Eventually, the Crusaders ended the Valkarian Occupation.

Today, in the Fifth Age, the area is once more the *Crimson Marshes*. Locals believe the very ground to be evil and wicked, and that one day, when the *Marshes* turn to the *Fields* again, war will come to Vona once more, until the hunger of the *Crimson Land* is stilled once more.

## Description

The *Marshes* are covered in an unnatural aura, born from all the death and blood saturating the former fields. The ground is constantly wet, with the water having a rust-brown colour, deeper in the swamps. A constant fog clouds the area, making the Marshes into a death-trap by not letting its victims go.

Amongst the swampy waters, the remains of soldiers and their wars can be found. Old armour, standards and corpses. When the swamps starts to dry up again, folks belief is, that another war and another battle on the *Crimson Fields* await Vona. There, the blood of the fallen, will feed the swamp again, turning it back to its putrid self.

Somewhere, in the centre of the *Marshes*, lies the sunken ruins of the city of Sigurvad. The former "Free City" is a mere graveyard and a memorial to a time of peace. Some Marsh-Wanderers proclaim, to have seen the city in the distant, a black shadow in the fog, constantly following. It beckons one to come towards it, only for the person to disappear forever. With this hallucination comes its ability to apparently move, always trying to get into the view of its victim. If one wants to survive it's prowling, the gaze should be adverted, to not tempt the unholy city to pounce.

Revenants and Spectres also wander the swamps. Besides supernatural properties of the swamp, it is also home to giant gnats, Worms lurking in the murky waters and grotesque mould-growths, further in its centre. It is even rumoured to exists constructs, made out of dirt and mould, moving about the fog and mimicking Humanoids. But that myth has never truly been confirmed.

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