Rada

 Settlement Type: City

Terraine: Mountain/Forest

Population: 13,825; 59% Dwarf, 22% Human, 19% Others

Background:

The city of Rada lies at the southwestern face of the Aetu Mountains. To the east and west, dense forest skirts the mountains, while further west the Faxhadi Swamp begins and the ground gives way to swamp and quicksand.

Rada began as a bandit camp, preying on the trade caravans that used to travel through the mountain passes. However, as time passed, the trade routes shifted and the once-prosperous bandit camp was forced to adapt.  The bandits became farmers and miners, and, over time, the city of Rada came into being.

Today, Rada's population is predominantly dwarven, immigrants who crossed the mountains, fleeing Zadoul for one reason or another. They settled in Rada, and came to dominate the city. Humans make up the next largest ethnic group in the city and most of them can trace their ancestry back to the bandits who established the city.  The rest of the city's inhabitants comprise a mix of elves, ghouls, goblins and stranger creatures.

Rada is comprised of six districts: Falsabel District(1), Prosperity District(2), the Bandits Market(3),Skywatch District(4), the Wrecked District(5) and the Ruined District(6).

Falsabel District is largely devoted to trade while the Bandits Market is the city's commercial and government center. Prosperity District is the sight of various industries, while Skywatch District is predominantly residential. The Wrecked District and the Ruined District lie within the mountains, carved out by the miners centuries ago, as part of a scheme to tunnel through the Aetu Mountains. Unfortunately, their efforts proved disastrous; there were massive cave-ins and tunnel collapses that killed hundreds. To this day, only the most desperate dwarf would seek shelter in those two districts and humans avoid them altogether, believing them cursed.

Travelers visiting Rada will find the city has little to offer sightseers. The closest thing to a tourist spot in Rada is the so-called Thieves Palace in Bandits Market. The Thieves Palace is the site of the city government, and, despite the name, the officials there tend to be scrupulously honest. The building itself is a four-story monstrosity of ostentatious ornamentation, adorned with fake jewels and gold paint. It is gloriously tacky, and every few years someone suggests making changes, but nothing ever comes of these suggestions.

There is growing tension between Rada's dwarf majority and the city's other races. In recent years, the city's leadership has attempted to push through laws that would favor the dwarven majority. These attempts have only partially succeeded and fostered bad feeling among the populace. Recently, this has escalated. Violence between racial factions is becoming common in some areas of the city.

A recent proposal to confine the city's ghoul population to a specific neighborhood led to riots, and the ghoul community to begin withdrawing from Rada. This has led to an increase in undead within the city, causing even more bad feeling toward the city's leaders.

Ma'adi

Settlement Type: Village

Terraine: Swamp/Ocean

Population: 232

Description:

The village of Ma'adi lies in the southeast section of the Faxhadi Swamp, where the sodden earth and cool ocean water meet.  The village is populated by a mix of elves and dwarves, who survive via subsistance hunting and gathering.  They seldom trade with others and are very proud of their independence.

The village is lead by a Priestess of the Sea Mother, and the title has been passed down from mother to daughter for almost five hundred years.

Ma'adi's single claim to fame is that it was the birthplace of Saint Filat, a common man who's piety and good heart earned him the divine favor of the Sea Mother herself.  After the saint was martyred by the Imperial Family of Zadoul, his remains were brought back to Ma'adi. His body was weighted down with rocks and given to the sea.  However, there are local legends that say that on the anniversary of his death, Saint Filet's disembodied hand will rise from the sea and bestow divine healing on those who are truly faithful to the Sea Mother.

Quajih

Settlement Type: Village

Region: Swamp

Population: 157

Description:

The village of Quajih lies deep in the heart of the Faxhadi Swamp. The village is very isolated and receives few visitors. It is largely self-sufficient and surprisingly prosperous.

The majority of Quajih's population consists of Elves. The second largest racial demographic consists of Frogkin, amphibious humanoids with frog-like skin and webbed digits. A scattering of other races can be found within the village confines.

Quajih is ruled by Lady Yazia, a noble elf-lady of advanced years and great cunning. The prosperity of the village can be attributed directly to her governance.

It was Lady Yazia who established Quajih's local industry, the production of poisons and their antidotes. Quajih is quite well known in certain circles for the quality of their poisons, and the efficiency of their antidotes. The materials are produced entirely in town, then transported discreetly to Port Uleca, where they are sold to various interested parties by Quajih's poison-merchants.

Visitors to Quajih are very rare, and most are involved in either the poison trade or the healing arts. Most stay at the home of Lady Yazia, which also houses the poison/antidone production facilities. At the center of Lady Yazia's compound is an enormous tree, with leaves as red as blood.  This tree is the source of Red Death poison, the one poison produced in the village for which there is no antidote available. Lady Yazia herself creates the Red Death, and sells it only to monarchs who agree to pay its exhorbitant price.

Individuals who tamper with the tree meet a gruesome end: nailed to its branches and left to die a slow, painful death. Some say that their blood and suffering nourish the tree, adding extra potency to its poisonous substance. Local superstition holds that on moonless nights, the spirits of the slain poison-theives can be seen, perched in the branches as black-eyed, red-feathered birds. Because of this, no native resident of Quajih will wear red.

Port Uleca

 

Settlement Type: City

Region: Coastal/Swamp

Population: 19,745

Description:

Port Uleca is a city on the southwestern coast of Hura, where the Faxhadi Swamp meets the ocean. The city has a population of approximately 19,745 permanent residents. Humans make up the majority of Port Uleca's population, with Elves comprising the second-largest racial group. 

Port Uleca is an independant city-state ruled by a monarchy, the House of Ziva'al. The current monarch is King Wisha Ziva'al, who despite his age (78) remains sharp of mind and strong of body. He rules the city with a moderate hand, assisted by his advisors and a few officials elected by the city's residents.

Port Uleca is largely self-sufficient as regards the staples of life. They produce their own food and enough of a surplus to trade with friendly nations for items and materials that they do not have. Although veins of swamp-gas have been found in the area, King Wisha has forbidden its mining because of the hazards it would expose his citizenry too. This has led to some contention with some of the city's Guilds, as swamp-gas is a lucrative resource. 

Port Uleca is an old city, built atop the ruins of an even older city. The Ruined Quarter (02) beyond the central city gives a glimpse of how the ancients lived and attracts some scholarly interest from foreign quarters. Of more interest to the casual tourist/visitor, are the two enormous statues(01) still standing at either end of Port Uleca's docks. The figures are fourteen stories tall, made of stone and metal enchanted against the elements, and dressed as warriors. There are old stories that if Port Uleca was ever threatened from the sea, the statues would come to life to defend the city.

Port Uleca is the central trade hub for most of the Faxhadi Swamp. Smaller communities can bring unique items to the city to sell for a profit, and foreign merchants (and sometimes pirates) know they can sell their wares in the port city with little difficulty. 

Fotu'uz

 

Settlement Type: Village

Region: Swamp

Population: 641

Description:

The village of Fotu'uz lies southwest of the Aetu Mountains, in the Faxhadi Swamp. The village is built on a series of elevated wooden platforms connected by well-worn paths and makeshift bridges. Beyond the village the ground gives way to quicksand in several places. In addition, there are many dangerous predators in the area from the Giant Carnivorous Bloodfrog to swarms of vampire-flies that can drain all the blood from an adult human body in minutes.  

Despite these dangerous,Fotu'uz is a busy village. It is the site of a (1)gas harvesting operation. The villagers collect and store a methane-like gas from the swamp that has various industrial uses. Gas-harvesting is a dangerous occupation, and 60% of gas-harvesters die before their fifth year either from poisoning via inhalation of the gas, or by being caught in one of the frequent explosions associated with storing the gas. The companies that run the operation are always looking for new workers and pay reasonably well, all things considered.

Fotu'uz is also the home of the noted alchemist, Ambia Thuro. An aged human sage, Thuro fled persecution in Zadoul, and settled in the Great Swamp. Her workshop(2) in Fotu'uz attracts both students and sages with an interest in the alchemical arts. Convincing Thuro to talk about the subject, however, can be difficult. Mercenaries employed by various factions still sometimes attempt to kidnap the old woman, and she never goes anywhere without her dedicated bodyguards and a few alchemical weapons tucked into the folds of her robes. She prefers to be left alone, to conduct her research and record her findings. Visitors who pester the old woman are likely to receive stony silence or, worse, a world-class tongue-lashing.