Western Lowlands
| Western Lowlands | |
|---|---|
| Image |  The Ginquil Swamp in the Western Lowlands |
| Location |   |
| Realm | Balúrail |
| Largest City | Têr |
| Population | 1.4 million |
| Size | 136,720 mi² (354,103 km²) |
Introduction
The Western Lowlands are a geographic region of Balúrail covering more than half of it. They are known for their vast swamps and peat bogs and are the center of Tuzquão civilization. Most of the people of the League of Balúrail live there, including in its capital and largest city, Têr.
History
Formation
During the Great Erosion, Aahi forced her way into Dalel, and the western lowlands of Balúrail were inundated. Yairan hardened the earth to halt the erosion, but the water was left with no path to escape. The region became a vast mudflat, which over time divided into the network of swamps, bogs and lakes that remains today.
After the Erosion, the Ascendant Spirit Tahami, the spirit of bogs and swamps, arose from this water trapped within hardened earth. He made his home in the northwest of the region and created the Mifajene, who lived throughout the lowlands for thousands of years.
Human settlement
The Tuzquão first landed at Saindo, in present-day Gostiria, in 201 ME. From there they spread across most of the Western Lowlands, settling on the drier ground and the coast and learning to build on the uneven, waterlogged terrain. They also came under the influence of the Ascendant Spirit Mavai, who has been their main spiritual influence since then. As the Tuzquão expanded, the Mifajene were displaced from most of the lowlands and are now largely confined to the Mifajene Reservation in the northwest.
In recent years Tahami has grown hostile to Tuzquão expansion, and the wetlands have begun to encroach on settled land.
Geography
The Western Lowlands occupy the western part of Balúrail, from the coast east to the Diate River and its tributaries, which separate them from the Eastern Highlands. They include the peninsula of Ivaiê in the southwest and the Mifajene Reservation in the northwest. The land is largely peat bog, with patches of solid ground between the bogs and light forests scattered across the region. The drier ground is fertile and supports Tuzquão agriculture. Most of the rivers of the lowlands rise in the highlands to the east and flow west to the sea.
Swamps
The swamps are vast and often impassable. The major ones are:
- Ganze Swamp, the largest, around the city of Ivaiê, known for the sound of wind moving through its plants.
- Belargae Swamp, between Ivaiê and Arrêr.
- Ginquil Swamp, between the states of Ivaiê and Ezinco.
- Onzirro Swamp, in Ezinco.
- Egoaldigo Swamp, in southern Gostiria.
- The swamp around the House of Tahami, on the Mifajene Reservation, which bears Tahami's name.
Lakes and rivers
Ezinco holds three large lakes, Lake Arco, Lake Onzirro and Lake Lebolur, and the Onzirro River and Minope River. In Ivaiê are Lake Tatube and Lake Donal, from which the Gal flows. Lake Urdim lies north of Lusbá in Gostiria.
Cities
Most of the League's cities lie in the lowlands, on dry ground or on the coast. Têr is by far the largest, with about 300,000 people, followed by Ivaiê (94,000), Lusbá (55,000), Banim (48,000) and Ezinco (30,000). Saindo, in Gostiria, was the first human settlement in Balúrail.
Climate
Balúrail is the coldest region of Méniail, and the Western Lowlands have long, cold winters with extended freezing periods and short, warm summers. Mist is frequent. Ezinco receives the most rainfall in the League of Balúrail.
Flora
- Balúrail Pine – the most common tree in the Western Lowlands.
- Porondo – a fungus that grows on the borders of swamps. Its spores can invade a victim and kill them slowly. It is often cultivated for poison.
- Sejene – the peat moss that makes up most of the swamps in the Western Lowlands.
- Sendive – a valuable fruit known for its healing properties.
Fauna
- Lersuns – a large bird that can swim rapidly underwater.
- Oimãos – a lizard with a venomous bite.
- Quelotoxes – a large insect, territorial and known to attack people.
- Aerbicars – large, peaceful mammals that live in the swamps. Their wide hooves let them walk on peat bogs.
- Oeinsos – deer-like herbivores, hunted regularly for food.
Government and Politics
The Western Lowlands are governed by the League of Balúrail.
Administrative Divisions
The Western Lowlands contain the following divisions of the League:
- the District of Têr, the capital district
- the states of Ivaiê and Ezinco
- most of the state of Gostiria
- the Mifajene Reservation
Economy
The economy of the Western Lowlands rests on the swamps and the coast. Peat cutting is a common occupation, and the swamps yield valuable medicinal herbs and berries. Farming is carried out on the drier, fertile ground, and the light forests supply timber. Shipbuilding and sea trade are centered on the ports of Têr, Gostiria, Ivaiê and Ezinco. Pilgrims to the House of Tahami often set out from the port of Ezinco.
Demographics
The Western Lowlands have about 1.4 million inhabitants, nearly nine tenths of the population of the League. The great majority are Tuzquão. About 60,000 Mifajene live on the Mifajene Reservation. Immigrants from other regions make up a small part of the population of the larger port cities. Because the swamps leave little usable land, settlement is concentrated on dry ground and along the coast, and about three-quarters of the people live in towns and cities.
Transportation
Transportation in the Western Lowlands relies on a patchwork network of roads and on boats. Because of the swampy ground and frequently impassable terrain, Balúrail has no railways, and travel between divisions is often difficult. Roads are often flooded or washed out. The deepwater ports of Têr, Ezinco and the coast of Gostiria connect the lowlands with the rest of Balúrail and beyond.
Culture
Three Ascendant Spirits have their houses in the Western Lowlands:
- the House of Mavai, in Ivaiê, east of the city of Ivaiê
- the House of Tahami, on the Mifajene Reservation
- the House of Sitaivu, on the northern edge of the Egoaldigo Swamp in Gostiria
Mavai's influence is held to shape the Tuzquão character, which is widely described as secretive and conspiratorial but driven to seek out answers. The Mifajene revere Tahami as father and god, build their settlements with his Osia, and hold a yearly festival in his honor. Most Tuzquão regard the swamps as obstacles to be overcome.