ASHANTI'S SWAMP

Travelling South of the Evergreen Forest will take you further into the depths of the woods of The Kreptic Forest and into Ashani's Swamp. The surrounding trees, once lively and green in color, now take on a darker tone and stretch high towards the sky, encompassing the daylight and enhancing the night life. Traversing through the swampy terrain blindly is often advised against new travelers. Even veteran adventurers are never heard from again, said to succumb to the "curse" that is placed there. At the heart of the swamp sits a large, twisting tree, secluded on a small island in the middle of the murky water. The twisted tree is said to store the soul of a mortal female alikhat named Ashanti who was the supposed mated of the Fallen God named Malacath. Because of her treachery towards thekai and all that was holy, she was hunted down and slain. Her soul, however, would remain, forever sealed away inside this gnarly tree. Her hatred towards her fellow mortals' betrayal and sorrow over her beloved would greatly affect the surrounding area; giving the air a heavy, hateful presence that would persist well past her death. There are no living creatures, nor man nor beast can survive in the forest less they succumb to the negative influence and turn into ravenous, rage-filled horrors. Any that do brave to the heart of the swamp are either immediately devoured by the monsters that dwell within or have their minds driven mad, hence the curse of this forbidden cesspool. Amongst the raging beasts, shadowy figures also haunt the area, lilting through the trees, just out of sight. They are thought to be the lingering souls of those who lost their lives to the swamp, but unlike the other mad driven occupants, these shadow figures do not seem to fall under the influence of their home. They do not seek to harm or hold ill will to the living, rather, they remain indifferent to them, either seen observing from afar or following the living with suspicious curiosity. Rumors will tell of there being a certain intellect to a collection of shadow beings. These specific shadow beings seem to be aware of their own existence and and have embraced their conditions upon death, even excelled in that realization. If one were lucky enough to survive the swamp's depths, they will surely come across these elusive phenomenons. It is said that these intelligent shadow beings are what some would call the kreptis. There is a small opening at the base of the tree, giving it the appearance of a mouth. Inside the tree's mouth is pitch black and seems endless. No one has ever entered the tree let alone get close enough to see what lies inside. Because of this, tall tales have been conspired from it being believed to be the mouth of a hellish realm with a fiery pit awaiting at the bottom after a rather lengthy fall. Others speculate that it leads to another world entirely.