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| Proper Name | The Aswanar Wildlands |
| Ruler | None |
| Population | 3,937,500 |
| Population Density | 3 - 4 people per square kilometer (10 people per square mile) |
| Demographics | Aswani 95%, 5% Other |
| Languages | Aswani 90%, Other 10% |
| Capital City | None |
| National Colors | No formal colors or standards. |
| Year Founded | No formal founding. Discovered in 1872 CY |
| Currency | Trade and barter. |
| Natural Resources and Manufactured Goods | Various plants, plant based dyes, lumber, wool, fur, leather, ivory, wood carvings, fish. |
| Wealth | Poor. |
| Government Type | Provincial (Tribal) |
| Government Stability | Unstable. |
| Allies | None |
| Enemies | Fire Isles |
| Technology Level | Primitive |
| Primary Religion | The Vaesh |
| Other Religions | None |
| Climate | Tropical |
| Total Land Area | 1,055,000 square kilometers (407,340 square miles) |
| Arable Land | 20% |
| Terrain | Jungle and dense rainforest |
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The Aswanar Wildlands are collectively a realm of jungles, swamps and thick forests. This region is the homeland of the Aswanar Tribes - a loose coalition of primitive tribes. The aswani are a primitive mammalian humanoid species. They are fur covered, slight of frame and have long tails. Their mammalian snouts have jagged teeth. Large erect tufted ears frame their bestial faces. The long arms and short legs are capable of quadruped or biped movement. They are not strong, but are very fast and dexterous. They are able to run very fast. They have outstanding senses – better than most animals. They can smell or hear a hunter coming a mile away.
The aswani are fairly primitive. They live in tribal communities, very close to nature. They are the dominant race of the jungles and rainforests of eastern Qeshir. Aswani tend to be very superstitious. They fear and dislike magic. They have a sort of natural “detect magic” sense. They can “smell” magic. Aswani jealously guard their territory against evil, imperial intruders. They fight with claws and fangs. They are very low tech. Only the simplest tools and weapons. On occasion, aswani are hired by groups as scouts and trackers.
The geography of the Aswanar Wild Lands is a varied mix of jungle and rainforest with rolling hills and broad leaf forests intermixed. The coastline is tropical with white sandy beaches, rocky beaches in places and palm trees. Some low mountains lie to the west. The Aswanar Wild lands have a number of volcanoes, especially in the mountainous western regions. Several of these volcanoes are quite active.
The eastern fourth of the Wild Lands are known as the Salt Marshes. This part of the swamp has a high salt content with brackish, mineral laden water, sulfurous stench and thick swamp gas. These marshes are putrid and choked with rotting, twisted vegetation. It is a horrible place that the aswani avoid.
A staggering variety of fauna and flora can be found throughout the Wild Lands. It is noted as having several indigenous species of plants and animals which bear potent toxins and venoms. Thousands of species of lizards, snakes, birds, insects and small mammals fill the ecosystem here. The brontagan swamp serpent is the world's largest snake at over 100 feet long and close to a ton. Lions, panthers and other predatory cats prowl the grasslands.
As most scholars consider this to be a thoroughly uncivilized region, there has been little effort to document it's history. For the most part, it seems that this region has known only tribal warfare, punctuated by periods of tribal cooperation, for centuries. The only truly significant event of the area was the arrival of the great sorcerer who settled in the central island of the Sea of Ash centuries ago.
This region is considered by most to be barbaric and uncivilized. There is no central government, no great walled cities. Only tribal lands and great chieftains. There are no roads here, no tax collectors or any other trappings of a central government.
No formal legal system. Within a tribe, a chieftain decides the law.
Each tribe can muster at least 30% in able bodied men.
In this wild land, there is no formal currency. All transactions are trade and barter. Trades include sea shells, polished stones, bone carvings, weapons, leather armor, food, animals, etc.
It is tradition that hunters and other aswani loners out in the wilderness post signs for their fellow aswani. These markers use a set of symbols that say things like "fresh water 200 yards ahead", "poison snakes in next valley", or simply "danger ahead". It's not a formal or organized system. Just tradition. They do it for each other. Some markers are signed by the hunter that created it. The code consists of about 290 symbols (each represents a single idea or concept) which are combined into various ways.
The aswani have a strong dislike for magic and an uncanny ability to sense magic. Therefore, they have no great wizards, no shamans and no mystics. They have no arcane items, no schools of sorcery and no laws governing magic in their realm.
Salus Feshar, High Chieftain of the Ybara Tribe
Eldest and wisest of the Council of Chieftains who rule the largest of the aswani tribes, the Ybara.
Shalmar the Ancient, Warlock Shaman
An ancient hermit of the a mixed and indeterminate race. He lives alone in the Salt Marshes in the ruins of a stone keep. Rumored to be a powerful worker of magic. Feared and respected by the aswani.
There are no great walled cities or towns in the Aswanar Wild Lands. Most aswanar are at least partially nomadic. No permanent structures exist here although there are some ancient ruins.
Aswanar are mostly hunters, herders and nomads. Villages are small and usually mobile. Permanent settlements are rare.
This page last updated Wednesday, December 24, 2008. Copyright 1990-2009 David M. Roomes.
