Geography

Heshel is a large and sparsely populated land. There are no great cities, and little trade flows through it.

The coastline is dotted with fishing villages, but they are all tiny, consisting of no more than two hundred inhabitants, and few in number. The only settlement approaching the size of a town is Mto Kinywa, in the north east of Heshel, at the mouth of the great Zambize.

The Zambize is one of the great rivers of the Southlands, and it forms the northern border of Heshel. Extending from the river is a large area of ill-favoured marshes, home to small tribes of lizard and frogkin, who are expert in the use of camouflage and renowned users of poison. Those that risk passage on the Zambize have learnt to stay anchored well into the river at night, and post alert and competent guards. The only safe stopping point is Pahali Majini, a port village far up the Zambize, on the Nubian side of the river.

Along the western border of Heshel is Kongasa, the great southern forest that runs for the entire length of the Southlands. Amongst the trees and into the grassy plains extending from the forest more small tribes of Lizardkin can be found, nomads that move from place to place, following the seasons, seeking water and hunting game.

In the plains of the west is found the only known ritual circle in Heshel, known by the locals as Mvua Mata Daraja (Rainbow Bridge).

The south is a contested landscape, as Snake-kin from Shemil mount raids across the plains and desert, striking from nowhere to kill and burn, before retiring to the desert.

The centre of Heshel is barren desert, familiar to all Southlanders. It is practically uninhabited, with only small trading caravans plying the routes between the small oases, bringing items from the forests to the coast, the swamps into the forest, and food from the coast to the embattled tribesmen of the south.

Recent History

Since 1108 Mto Kinywa has been controlled by House Fang, and they have worked tirelessly to develop the town and bring civilisation to the area.

At about this time, the unrest in the South grew. Attacks by the Snakekin became yet more violent, and more common. The difference was that the Snakes brought their families with them, and attempted to move North, rather than the simple raids they once performed. Investigations on behalf of the Faction showed this movement was forced by large unliving armies marching behind the Snakekin, the armies of Entropy encroaching on the Southlands from the east.

Towards the end of 1108 the Rainbow Bridge circle spontaneously reactivated. The Entropic armies swept northwards, and managed to taint it by the middle of 1109.