Fen March

Land
Fen March is bordered on the north by Trickling Dart of Trebachas and the barony of Dun Artan. It is bordered on the east by Whispering Reeds of Trebachas, while the south and east are surrounded by the Sea of Veils. It is one of the lowest and flattest areas on the isle. The surface has an average elevation of about 100 feet (30 m) above sea level. From the north the land slopes gently downward toward the coast. The lordship is greatly indented with bays and inlets and is dotted by marshes, shallow brackish lakes, and lagoons. Much of land is extremely low-lying and marshy and is largely uninhabited. The highest point only reaches 535 feet (163 m) above sea level.

There is, in the southeast, a swamp of some twenty square miles. Below sea level, it invites in saltwater, and submerges a number of trees and navigable only by small canoes. Unexplained, the temperature drops nearly fifteen degrees in the heart of the swamp, creating a nearly perpetual fog that lies over the surface of the water and makes the area even more dangerous to traverse to those unfamiliar with it.

Climate
The climate varies with some regularity by its distance from the Sea of Veils. Summers are hot and humid; winters are mild. July temperatures average from 81° to 90° F (27° to 30° C), although it has been known to reach temperatures as high as 109 °F (43 °C) on the coast. Temperatures average between 55 °F (13 °C) and 70 °F (21 °C) in winter, although it has been known to infrequently drop as low as 22º F (-5º C), allowing for the rare fall of snow or sleet. Annual precipitation varies from about 15 inches (381 mm) in the west to 30 inches (762 mm) in the east. Much of the rain is brought by summer thunderstorms, although the wetlands depend on the rivers to bring them their vast majority of their water.

Overlooking the Grey River

Edge of Fen March Swamp

Heart of Fen March Swamp

While attempts to drain and terraform the swamps and marshes ended in failures and disappointment, the export of reptile skins and reed baskets from the Marches long allowed the people to establish some outside trade. The tribes of the March dedicated most of their efforts to cultivating the soil, fishing and developing the domestic arts. The women wove a strong cloth from common weeds and the barks of certain trees native to the area. These women made everything needed for the Tribes' daily living.

The Tribes’ greatest skill lay in the art of weaving baskets. Wild cane gathered from the swamps is split by the teeth of basket makers, dyed in vivid yellows, reds and blacks, and woven into two layers, producing beautifully intricate baskets of unique designs that were capable of floating. They also make baskets from bulrushes and a number of other reeds, depending on the purpose of the basket. Fen Marchan baskets, by the time of the Great Schism, had reached such a degree of development that it might be placed among the higher arts. Now, those baskets are nothing more than artifacts of a dead way of life.

Nearly all of Fen Marchan tradition was wiped out in the Great Schism of 508, except a few old folk stories including one about a crocodile man who was once a man, transformed after raping a tribal priest's daughter, and one about how the curves of the Grey River are evidence of a battle, the last lying place of a giant, demonic snake.

The only true lingering memories are a few simple drum-led dances learned by half-breeds who managed to survive. The more elaborate songs and dances were all lost with the tribes.

• Bird Language — The people of Fen March, in a lingering tradition from the tribes, claim to be able to tell if they are going to have company, rain, good news or bad news. They have a tiny bird called a "kich", when good luck was coming your way, the little bird has a small squealing call that sounded like "kuee suya." When predicting rain, this bird sits on a branch, bobbing its head and making a call almost like it was trying to say rain, "kring kring." If cold weather is coming, it sits perched very still and call out "kui kiki." If their little friend would just hover in the skies, seeming afraid to come down, it would mean high waters or floods.

Fen March has a striking variety of natural vegetation, although most of it is low-lying. A small prairie region lies in the north, blending with the larger plains found in its northern neighbor, Trickling Dart. Swamps and marshes of saltwater, freshwater, and brackish varieties are found throughout Fen March, dominating much of the landscape.

There are also a number of varieties of water hyacinth (vital for the leeching out of heavy metals that would poison the water from the metal mining in Dun Artan) and papyrus. There are also a number of ferns, hanging mosses, and Cypress trees that grow, partially submerged in the lower parts of the lordship, although these stands of trees are infrequent and serve more efficiently as storm breaks than for habitation.

There are hundreds of varieties of water bird that winter in the Marches, including grey herons, cormorants, egrets and ibises. There are also wild horses here, mainly descendants of the first horses brought to Guardian.

Other animals include frogs, turtles, tortoises, mongooses, and deer. To the north, there is a variety of small wolves with short coats and large ears, known as Fen Wolves. Crocodiles, while still present in those freshwater stretches nearest the river, are growing increasingly rare due to tribal reliance upon them for their meat and skin. There are also a number of crustaceans and fish that make the swamps and marshes their home.

Fen Wolf

Crocodile on the Bank

Fen March Crabs

Papyrus