Kiniram Wetlands
As the rivers running off the Torverns and across Ulmera reach the flat landscape of the Zetrea basin, they slow down and widen out to form the Kiniram wetlands. Unlike the wide-open grasslands of Zetrea, the Kiniram’s densely forested cypress swamp is still relatively unexplored. Towards the coast, the cypress trees are slowly overtaken by mangroves as the water in the swamp turns salty.
What is hidden within the depths of the swamp is the subject of much speculation and countless rumours. Many expeditions have ventured out into the Kiniram’s waterways, with many of them never returning, and those that do having turned around well before they got deep in.
Settlements, Towns, and Cities
There are no towns or villages of note within the wetlands or along its margins. The few people who do call this place home live on their own, content to be free of civilization and all its trappings.
Life in the Swamp
Very few people call the swamps home, with those who do sticking close to the forests of Ulmera and the plains of Zetrea. The swamp folk hunt and fish to sustain themselves, with very little of the brackish marshlands being hospitable to farming. While there are rumours of riches deep with swamp, few people believe the stories, with even fewer venturing out into the mire on what is sure to be a fool’s errand. Those who live near or in the wetlands do so to get away from the hustle and bustle of civilization, and they are none too fond of strangers poking around their home.
Points of Interest
It should be noted that these locations are along the periphery of the swamp, as the interior is still very much unexplored.
The Father Maple
Rising to a height of almost 200 feet and a crown spread of close to 100 feet, the Father Maple is a king among trees. Legends say that this maple was the first tree to grow upon the land’s of Ediacara, and that if it is ever felled, great misfortune will befall the land.
Temple of the Forgotten
Standing alone on a raised portion of land in the swamp, close to the coast, is a ruined temple to a god that is no longer remembered. What little remains of the building is covered in vines and other choking plant life, erasing any evidence of who the temple was dedicated, or what it was for.
Ecology
This is just a small sample of the creatures lurking in the swamp.
Catoblepas
A vile amalgamation of hog and dinosaur, the Catoblepas is a beast straight from a nightmare. These creature’s stink is legendary, with the stench able to poison anything, person or beast, that is unlucky enough to smell it, making them easy prey for the monster.
The beast’s territory is a diseased and blighted place, and it is highly recommended to avoid these areas at all costs.
Deinosuchus
Near the coast, where the freshwater of the swamp mixes with the saltwater of the ocean, is the habitat of the massive predator, Deinosuchus. This giant alligator is the apex predator of the region, taking the place of the large theropod dinosaurs that stalk the plains of Zetrea. These monstrous reptiles’ prey on anything that comes down to the waters they inhabit, lurking and waiting right bellow the surface.
Titanoboa
One of the few animals known from the deeper reaches of the swamp, this giant snake is unlike anything else found on the continent. At nearly 50 feet long, the Titanoboa is a sight to behold as it silently glides through the murky waters of the swamp. Feeding on mostly the fish and other reptiles found in the swamp, these great snakes will not hesitate to attack anything it can get its coils around.