Adventures in Arcadayn The Bogmoors (The Hold of Lis) By Tim Emrick Ruler: High King Sezeraku Lis. Capital: Castle Serpentine. Symbol/Arms: A blue-irised human eye impaled on a thin gold dagger. (On banners or shields, this device is displayed on a green or black field.)

Culture Level: Barbarian.

Currency: None; barter or foreign coin only.

Divisions: 8 "baronies": Burris, Drugol, Edmiglan, Isgith, Logelalt, Orgost, Stanhelm, Wudongen.

Government Type: Dictatorship.

Languages: Sivian (M/A), Sakan* (M/A). Some Unseelie Sidhe languages are spoken here: Goblin* (M/A) and Trow (M/A). (* Each of these languages has several dialects which default to other dialects at -2.) "Boggan" (M/E) is a pidgin mixture of Sivian, Sakan and Goblin, which defaults to any of those three languages at -6.

Population: Approximately 160,000 (perhaps 25% being nonhuman or semi-human?).

Racial Stock: The humans of the Bogmoors are a mongrel mixture of North Anidel and East Anidel, with some unidentified strains (which may include a few Unseelie races). They have fair to light brown skin, brown, black or gray eyes (green is rare), and brown or black hair which turns gray early in adulthood. Some groups have a Sakani strain, favoring the darker colorations.

Geography: The Bogmoors range from the Great Sea on the south to the Iron River and upper River Stig on the north, and from the foothills of the Thunderhead Peaks on the west to the Blackwood on the south. The land is mostly flat plains with numerous boggy areas. The largest swampy is the Grey Fens, which surrounds the River Stig for almost its entire length south of Riversmidst.

Climate: Warm and rainy.

Agriculture & Resources: Crops: hemp; food crops are subsistence only. Animals: goats. Resources: fish, gems (chalcedony, hematite, jasper, serpentine), sulfur. (Some additional minerals can be gained in raids into the Thunderhead Peaks.)

The Bogmoors are home to the rare drug zuk, also called "fangberries"; see "Addictive Drugs Available in Arcadayn".

Religions: The Bloodletter Cult has long been established here, and some of the Demon Gods are worshiped openly. (The High King favors snake and dragon idols, which may or may not invoke Zukuvor.) Some other religions may be found here: the primal nature of the Elemental Faiths appeals to many, while Druids are rumored to work in secret to preserve the land from the ravages of the tribes' frequent wars.

Military: Most troops in the Hold of Lis are tribesmen (Green to Veteran), who count as Irregular Infantry (II) or Light Infantry (LI) with small groups of Irregular Cavalry (IC). The High King's elite warriors (Veteran to Elite) are the best-equipped: Medium Infantry (MI) and Light Cavalry (LC).

Nonhumans: Several full- and half-blooded Unseelie sidhe dwell in the Hold of Lis. See "Nonhuman Races of Arcadayn" for details on those allowed as player character races [currently only elfkin].

Other Special Groups: Slavers: See "Slavery in Arcadayn."

Tech Level varies from 2-3. Tribal weapons include axes, small bows, clubs, and spears. (Some groups have captured better weapons; iron and steel swords are highly prized.) Tribal skills include Naturalist, Running, Survival (swamp, plains), Swimming and Tracking. Feathers are worn as decoration by both genders (raptor feathers for warriors, waterfowl for women), so Featherworking is also useful.

Common characters types in Lis are: Mercenaries (p. F117), Rangers (p. F118), Thieves (p. F119), Rogues (p. AN48) and Outcasts and Outsiders (p. AN47).

Magic is feared and hated by most Bogmoor tribesmen--especially with magiocratic Riversmidst sharing a border. Mages (p. M108) tend towards the Hedge-Wizard, Necromancer or Thief types.

Body Art: Tattoos are common here and are used to denote clan affiliation, warriors' honors, etc. Warpaint is used for temporary markings--mission or demeanor (war, friend, mourning, etc.) as well as for intimidation or sacred rituals. Use Tattooing (permanent) or Make-Up (temporary) skill to apply body art properly; Heraldry or Savoir-Faire can be used to interpret paints and tattoos correctly; Disguise can be used to give misleading cues. Successful use of the appropriate warpaint can add +1 or +2 to Intimidation or Savoir-Faire attempts. Some colors and their general connotations include: red (war, intent to spill blood), yellow (friendship, entertainer), green and brown together (camouflage), black and white together (death). Blue [woad] is too common to have a single meaning.

Sakani customs are practiced by some clans with that heritage. Examples include: 1) men shaving their heads except for a queue; 2) tattooing the left side of the face, but leaving the right side clear; and 3) taking scalps (see the Scalped disadvantage, p. CI 84.

History: The "Hold of Lis" is a relatively new name for the ancient wasteland known as the Bogmoors. This bleak, swampy plain was first settled by North Anidel men (the ancestors of the Northlanders), then by the East Anidel men (Dalemen), and possibly even by tribesmen from Sakan (in the northern Outlands) at some unknown date. Various unsavory faerie creatures also dwell here, their origins uncertain.

Until recently, the Bogmoors consisted of several small, xenophobic barbarian tribes who regularly waged war over the land's scarce resources. Outsiders were common--criminals fleeing justice elsewhere could find opportunities for the strong and cunning in this waste. Eight years ago (986 KC; VY 509), a Sakani warrior named Sezeraku Lis appeared in the fief of Isgith. His cunning tactics and considerable personal prowess (he is a skilled monster-slayer) quickly made him warlord of the tribe, and he soon led them against the other Bogmoor tribes (some of which were human, some part-sidhe). Within five years, he had conquered (or forced alliances with) all of the major tribes--an unprecented achievement in this anarchic hinterland. Lis restored a ruined castle in the Gray Fens for a capital and, in 991 KC (VY 514), declared himself High King of the "Hold of Lis." The other nations of Arcadayn were caught by surprise at his rapid rise to power and have yet to determine whether this man poses a danger to their security.

Names: Bogmoor names are usually a given name followed by a nickname or other epithet. Due to the Sakani and Unseelie influence, most names are composed of harsh gutterals and hard consonants.

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