Emerged from the Swamp

The Hales is a much beautiful site, not usually greeted by monstrous abominations, this however is the case. Aedwinians consider them Swamp Creatures, but no one understands who they are and where they come from. They inhabit jungles, swamps, or desolated areas in general, and do not like being provoked and are very territorial. How did they happen to be though?

## Origin

Long ago, would lie a kingdom far east of **The Winterlands**. This kingdom would go under the name of the **Kingdom of Qoch**. The Qoch would be a very poor and corrupt kingdom, constantly being hassled and owing debt to bandits all across. The Qoch have been in debt to a power-faction of raiders, who go under the name of **The Fallen Angels**. The Fallen Angels had been a faction for over 45 years, establishing and building settlements and concentration camps to kidnap and slaughter civilians, travelers, or kingdom dwellers. The Qoch, in paying debt to The Fallen Angels, who have a far superior military, had decided to strike a deal with The Fallen Angels. Every year, a few citizens, specifically young children or the youth as it is what the Fallen Angels seek, would be taken and given to The Fallen Angels for their military or whatever intentions they would happen to seek. *The Fallen Angels would build a strong military force over the 45 years they had been active by abducting young children specifically, so they could be brain washed into soldiers for The Fallen Angels.* A while ways from the Qoch Kingdom, would lie a desolated swamp, notorious for death and murder, called the **Dreaded Farlands**, there would lie major Fallen Angels activity, as they'd work and construct a stronghold that would span for half a mile, this stronghold would be used to hold young children taken from the Qoch kingdom, or any others that were consider criminals to the Fallen Angels. This stronghold would eventually go under the name of **Oldingham de Steinberg**. This fortress of monstrosity would be filled with death and misery, as kids and adults alike, would be tortured and eventually killed there for over 38 years, if they were lucky, they'd be enlisted into the Fallen Angels' military force. The oldest of the prisoners at Oldingham would look unhumanoid, as people would describe them as looking like monsters, swamp creatures, they would be used to covering themselves in Swamp Fungi or Dirt that was scattered around their cells in the stronghold. These prisoners would have faced almost a life-time of consistent physical abuse, mental abuse, and even worse. The newest prisoners were considered Fresh Meat by inmates and guards alike. However, these new inmates from the Qoch would be spared a life time of torture. A fellow traveler from The Hales would come across the distressed kingdom. After becoming friends and close to the king, **King Javier** and the man would come up with a elaborate plan to breach the stronghold and free all the inhabitants there, and to trial The Fallen Angels there for their crimes. After rallying military forces from The Qoch and nearby kingdoms, a large-scale war would occur. This battle would be remembered as **The Breach of Oldingham**. After breaching the large stronghold, hundreds of prisoners would be freed, lucky to see the daylight and to never have to be held with chains and abused ever again. The Fallen Angels however, were not eradicated, but this was a HUGE blow to their faction. The escaped inmates, specifically the oldest, most withered and deformed ones would rally together and migrate South-west, as refugees of the battle.

## The Arrival

After The Breach of Oldingham, a group of the oldest, most experienced Oldingham inmates would band together and travel in a big pack. The group would not have an official name, but were constantly named Swamp People or Swamp Creatures, despite them actually being human. The group would head South-west of the Qoch kingdom, until arriving in The Hales. Once settling in the Hales, they'd begin to establish a home in the Aedwin swamps, where conflict and disagreement would happen between the refugees and Aedwin's people, a such of racism, discrimination. The group would send a man named Hungo to check out the swamp, however, conflict would immediately emerge as rumors go around of a swamp creature eating people alive and terrorizing travelers, leading to King Nikolas sending a group of guards and people to hunt down this supposed swamp creature. Hungo was captured and was revealed that he wasn't actually a threat, but was executed by The Swamp Man. Hungo however, survived death and told his group. A day later, the group would begin to take over the swamps, establishing a home there, a native home.