Jhivantane:
Deep in the swamps of northern Amys there is a land which is noted here for the purpose of warning adventurers to enter it at their peril, for it is ruled by human necromancers who regard anyone entering unasked (and even with an invitation there is a risk..) as fair prey. Their capital city of Oglat might best be described as a lair, for it is a foul and shadowy place, lying low under great mossy trees and creeping vines. The smell of death is everywhere and there is much activity, but it is the shuffling of undead feet that one hears in the night, and the daylight is filled with the guttural cacophony of the Goblin tongue, spoken by the minions of the Masters. The whole of the realm is situated on a broad boggy marsh, the delta of the River Shatt. This might have been a gateway to the heart of the continent if it were not for the terror which has closed its mouth for a century. Instead, caravans and ship convoys would far prefer to risk the hazards of an ocean journey to safer ports, or the delays of the overland route than face the prospect of the Guardians of Jhivantane. If the foolhardy, or the desperate, do make an attempt to enter or cross this realm, they will note the presence of great towers situated on the few patches of high ground which dot the marshes. Here gather groups of necromancers in council, to conduct their grisly experiments and to further their research into the darker side of earth magic. It is rumored that they have developed spells, potions, and weapons which would reduce the best efforts of many a kingdom's mages to inconsequentiality. No one knows, for those brave spirits who have entered Jhivantane to investigate have never returned. A few highly experienced adventurers have made quick sorties into the swamp for certain rare herbs and animals, spell components, useful to all spellcasters, and many have actually returned. Just one or two of the rarest or these components can command prices that would make an adventurer wealthy for life. If unauthorized travel must be considered, the visitor should be warned that the entire land is full of snares and spell defenses, mazes, and labyrinths made of permanent circles which herd the unwary into traps from which there is no escape: poisoned wells, trained snakes and scorpions, and the ever-present hordes of goblins and their ilk. These are the perils of the daylight hours, even the goblins refuse to venture out after dark. During the night as one waits and watches for the far away dawn, the damp, foul smelling air is filled with the glowing eyes of night-creatures and the howls of the swamp's nocturnal denizens, and the screams of the unlucky. The fortunate victims of Jhivantane's lords bear the silent mantle of death.
by Mme Zara, Guildmaster, Ravenholt Astrologers Guild
Editor's note: Thank you to Morris for pointing me towards this text. Also, thank you to Ember's Library, for it was from there that I copied the text.