Introduction
An unknown area of Blackmarsh Castle's domain, hidden on an isolated piece of land south of the Black Marshes. Still the land has been populated over the last few hundred years and an established major town called Honem has been surviving in the bleak wilderness against such horrors as bandit raids to Fomorians, fish men kidnappers and the cruel winters of Hyperborea.
The Shattering: In the time of the 'Shattering,' the area was little disturbed, the stray dæmon entered the area, but most of the fighting was contained in the Southland or to the the north of Blackmarsh Castle. The Shattering ended some hundred years ago and had continued for half a century or more. The now town of Honem would have been no more than a small hamlet and of little importance to raging dæmons, if they had known it existed.
Alzarém: Alzarém (al'zar-eem) is a magical substance, much like a metal-like substance that takes many forms (mostly crystallized). It could be a meteorite nugget, or an iridescent rock; some rare sources of alzarém take other forms and can be found by those who know what to seek. What all these items have in common is they are infused with pure magic. Alzarém can be used in the casting of spells or the creation of magic items. Alzarém allows a user of magic to cast spells without losing it from memory. The alzarém is consumed in the process. One alzarém for a first level spell, two alzarém for a second level spell, three for a 3rd level spell and so on. One alzarém is worth 100 gp towards the creation of a magic item. The referee can use alzarém as treasure usable towards the creation of a magic item (scrolls and potions) in place of giving out more gold pieces.
Peoples: The people of the land consist of Kelts, Kimmerians, Kimmeri-Kelts, Common Men and a few Hyperboreans. Sometimes the rare Viking adventurer may pass through, but mostly the area is maintained by the locals and is unknown to most of the rest of the Grey Coast. Some of the locations here are just small hamlets, too small to be placed on any major map.
Andronikocian Lake
A small lake hidden deep in the swamps, this stagnant pond is poisonous and best avoided. From those on high, it can be seen like a shimmering haze through the mist covered marsh in the high sunlight, almost beaconing to the curious, but it is populated with giant frogs and other bizarre creatures. The frogs in winter freeze in a strange death-like state under the frozen water and when it thaws, the giant frogs emerge, unscathed and ready to start feeding again on the denizen of the swamp.
Black Marshes
A dreary place, full of danger, yet not regarded as an immediate threat by those of Blackmarsh Castle, it serves as a border against many of the real danger surrounding the city and keeps them at bay. Within its swamps harbours giant frogs, fish-men, pterodactyl, the rare crawler from the slime, swamp-feeders, and a primitive human culture called Quagkin, amongst many other denizens.
Black Stream
Named after the marshes in which this wide waterway enters. This water are actually clear and bring refreshing waters from the northern Westwall mountains.
Darkwood
A small wood on the centre of sparse plains. Here brigands and bandits hide, beasts, best left to the dark places roam and strange tales of ancient horrors are told of in the smoked filled taverns of Honem.
Darzol Lok
A fresh water lake gaining its water via the Black Stream from the Westwall. Fish from the Grey Sea return here nearly every year to spawn; except when the land is covered in snow and ice in the time of Nightfall or the Year of the Bat. There is local fish that never leave the loch either allowing for a constant food source.
Kilzan Lok
Much like Darzol Lok, this lake gains it fresh water from the Westwall via the Ógán Burn. It also has multitude of fish in its depths, plus a hidden tribe of fish-men that use Volopol Island's swamps as their home.
Loch Leag
A fresh water loch, though presumed tainted by some due to the ill-feeling it radiates, this was once the location of great magic and some say that the alzarém deposits in the area has enchanted the loch, but whether for good or bad, none can say. The Keltic word leag, means ruin due to the ruins of the Magician's Enclave that once was close by. The small stream called Zilapol Creeks leads away from the loch to the Black Stream and Kilzan Lok.
Murazar Dike
A deep trench that forms around the side of the southern edge of the Black Marshes. The was man-made canal in ages past built by the Hyperboreans and signs of it construction can be seen in the shape of moss covered masonry in Hyperborean design, but the reason for it construct is unknown except in the old tomes in Blackmarsh Castle which state its use in a time gone by; before the 'Mountain that Fell,' the Hyperboreans had built the canal from the now river Lanis to the sea for quick passage of trade goods. Most of the canal is lost and hidden under the soil, but a part has formed in conjunction with a natural source from a pond within the marsh which funnels black water back on itself and channels it into the Darkzol Lok. The water is slightly tainted near this outlet, though the fresh water of the Ógán Burn eventually dilutes this and make the water drinkable.
Ógán Burn
Another major waterway into the Black Marshes from the southerly Westwall mountains.
Smoking Bay
'The Mountain That Fell,' created the Smoking Bay and for a century afterwards, pillars of steam rose from the waters and were seen for hundreds of miles away. The pillars of steam have since subsided, but the name remains. The sea bottom is a confusing maze of rubble with many areas unexplored. Many sea creatures have moved in to take advantage of the chaotic terrain to hide.
Volopol Island
A small island in the middle of Kilzan Lok; half covered in marsh, which is home to a tribe of fish-men.
Zilapol Creek
This creek passes through the Darkwood to join with the Black Stream on its way to Kilzan Lok. Its source is Loch Leag further to the south. There is a 1-in-100 chance per day of finding a piece of debris alzarém in the water bed.