Spuviv Swana (Beastlands)

Spuviv Swana (Beastlands)
''Welcome to our lands, Sons and Daughters of Man! You will find your stay here most enjoyable. We have chains and shackles plenty to fit your wrists and legs. Here, you can find your true purpose in life, to serve your Beast Lords as you once made our fore bearers serve you. And do not fear, we are not so barbaric as to eat your flesh, we are far more civilized than that. However, I'd stay on the roads and near to my protection, for our Crocodilian brethren have no such prohibitions on the consumption of man-flesh. (Kchuth'lik, Pacoderm Chieftain)''

Summary
Located in the south eastern quadrant of the Mainlund, the Beastlands are the name given to a track of land starting at the southern ring of the Shara-doc, stretching southward through arid grasslands, into the temperate forests near the Blood Sea, and finally south into edge of the tropical forests of the Gray Coast and the GreatRiver Delta. The lands have no formal national identity, and are people with a collection of sentient, intelligent animalistic races, the decedents of awakened animals from a bygone, unknown era. The beings here remember the time before their sentience, when humans and dwarves used them as beasts of burden, or as meat animals, and are violently inclined when it comes to human or dwarven contact. A race of monstrous elephant-men known as Loxodons serve as the current overlords of the lands, leading tribes of clans of assorted species, feuding with each other, enslaving any humans or dwarves found in the area, and generally lording over the lands.

Geographics


The northern edge of the land starts adjacent to the Shara-Noc mountain range. In this highly elevated area, a race of sentient yak-men, named the Yithraki, are the predominant group. They move in and out of the mountains, bartering (and sometimes attacking) the humans of the Shara-noc region. The Yithraki pledge a meek allegiance to the Loxodons who are not suited for mountainous terrain,and whom depend on the Yithraki to trade with the humans for goods that the humans produce. The mountain peaks can be extremely cold, with the valleys scorching hot, and the yak-men are masters at dipping into both terrains to avoid contact with other peoples when needed, like when they have taken human captives to be sold in the slave markets and are avoiding detection. Various small ancient dwarven settlements, long since depopulated, serve as makeshift camps for Yithraki passing through, as the Yithraki have no interest or skill in town-building, but the skeletons of the towns serve as decent way-points for their long voyages.

In the middle section of the land, arid grasslands turn into shrubby, patchy forests as you move south. In this region, most of the denizens live within a few miles of one of the several major rivers that cross the land. The dry dusty spaces between the rivers are sparsely populated with a few small tribal villages, and bands of Wemics and Gnolls, but the larger settlements are nearer to the water. In these river spaces, the Loxodons naturally exist, dominating their smaller brethren and lording over all whom enter their realm. Serving as their scribe are the Tortles, large bipedal terrapins, who are the only major ethnic group with a common written language, a hieroglyphic-based script. Also here in large numbers are a sub-group of Lizardmen who live mostly primitive, aquatic lives, known as the Crocodilians. They are one of the few predatory-style animals who are tolerated here, as they have a special pact with the Loxodons and with the Griffs, a species of intelligent hippopotamus-like beings, known for their temper and cruelty.

Further south, as the region turns into the Green Hell of the GreatRiver Delta, the Rhinocians are massive, horned beings who serve as the defenders of the region. Whereas an Loxodon might attempt to trick a human caravan, binding them into servitude through subterfuge, the Rhinocians are more apt to attack on site. In this region as well are beings like Rakhasas, Griplis, Bullywogs and other races more known in the West. As the lush forests turn into jungles, the beast men of Spuviv Swana do eventually yield the territory to the savage Pushtani humans, although the groups do constantly fight skirmishing border wars. The beastmen have learned that it is pointless to take Pushtani slaves however, as the tribal humans are not domesticatable and would much rather die fighting than be shackled.

The various towns, villages, and river oasis points form a loose confederation, but have no national identity, and no national currency, religion, or even language, although most major groups can understand (if not speak) the spoken language of the other major groups. The land has no king, but the middle grasslands are the center of power. An ancient human and dwarven city, now named Ejaipbert, sits in the middle of the region. The various chieftains come here to meet and discuss political and trade matters, and bazaars and markets sprout up around the skeleton of the town. The people of this land do not produce coins, and do not particularly value gold, so all trade is done by bartering. The city is the site of many of the ritualistic combats that the Loxodons fight amongst themselves for dominance. They consider the idea of standing armies that might sack a village to be an "abomination of man" and do all of their fighting in ritual combat instead. Young Loxodon males especially spend a large amount of time in this city, proving their worth by fighting other males, and gaining notoriety here before setting back out into the general area to try to claim a village or river oasis as their own. Shamanism and witchcraft are the only thing resembling formal religions here, with various charms and trinkets being sold as wards against curses and spells.

Slavery


Slavery of humans and dwarves (both referred to as "men") is common in this area. The slaves are not worked to death (usually) but are more of a status symbol for affluent Loxodons, Tortles, and Rhinocians, who use them mostly for demeaning and menial work, or do to work that the animalistic races are not suited for, such as metal-working, or working with textiles. The Crocodilians are apt to attack men with the intent to consume on sight, but are easily held in check by the herbivore animals. The Crocodilians help protect the area, especially in the southern, tropical regions, from any foreign invasions. Not that there are many of those, as the region does not hold much natural material that the Lands of Men covet. In the past, both human and dwarven settlements near the area have attempted invasions of both pure conquest, and also to stop the taking of captives, when it escalates. The Mushiff humans of the Footlands have more contact with the Loxodons than any other group, although the contact is somewhat limited. The Mushiffs on very rare occasion will sell slaves to the beastmen, always covertly, as this practice is supposed to be banned in the Western lands of Men. The Mushiffs treat these exchanges extremely cautiously, given the quickness in which they can find themselves enslaved, but the temptation to barter with the beast-men, who see no value in gold when they find it, can be hard to resist.