Southern Ardea
The Lush Cape
Roads, homes, markets and even skyscrapers stand among the untamed trees and grasses of Southern Ardea. Whether out of a desire to live in tandem with the natural world or failure to conquer it, this nation has learned to cooperate with countless species of flora and fauna that call this land their home. It’s not uncommon to see rush hour traffic impeded by migrating rothé or to find apes climbing through an open unattended window.
Amidst all this life, there are some who see it all as a means for profit. While poaching wildlife and exploiting the land for resources are both forbidden, traders have found ways to go undetected—and so too have those who hunt them in return.
Baalwa• Cape Remara • Dodano • Isle of Nexus • Hundelok • Kitmisto • Taparoco
Baalwa
Once the southernmost point of the Thri-Kreen hunting grounds, traders quickly swept in once valuable minerals were discovered just under the surface of the wetlands. Baalwa continues to be a popular site of laborers looking for work, so long as they can stand the stink of mildew.
Cape Remara
The seat of Southern Ardea’s monarchy, Cape Remara is an astoundingly wealthy city. While the royal family enjoys the greatest of Remara’s luxuries, this wealth is not restricted only to the upper echelons of society. The average residents of Cape Remara have access to quality education, fine food and drink and the region’s most extensive museum collection, the famous August Treasury.
Dodano
While most Aarakocran settlements lie in high, hard-to-reach places, Dodano sits comfortably at the edge of Lake Waha. The Dodano Aarakocra share little in common with the rest of their species. For one, most are incapable of flight making the easily accessible lakeside town perfect for them. It also makes them well-situated for trade. Dodano is the most developed of the Aarakocran settlements.
Isle of Nexus
The Isle of Nexus had been abandoned long before industrialists swept in hoping to pillage the wetlands for valuable resources. Most crews never make it back and those that do return empty-handed. The Firstfolk call the Isle of Nexus “Enkéta,” a word which to them means “restless.” They believe the island is the place where our world connects with the worlds of life and of death, not as a bridge but as a sinkhole where the many dimensions collapse into one.
Hundelok
Hundelok is among the most welcoming communities in Southern Ardea, but it’s hardly a popular tourist destination. Few beyond the Gnolls can stomach the pungent smell of aging raw meats that permeates the ramshackle town. The Gnolls, however, consider the town to be home to the greatest cuisine in the Strand.
Kitmisto
Surrounded by untamed wilderness, Kitmisto is a sprawling collection of homes, workshops and warehouses. Accessed primarily by a single railroad that cuts through the dense jungle, the town finds itself at an uneasy crossroads between its agricultural roots and modern machinery. Despite its struggles, Kitmisto is famed for its vibrant bustling marketplaces where locals trade goods ranging from handcrafted textiles to musical instruments and more.
Taparoco
Nestled on the edge of Southern Ardea’s lush jungle peninsula, Taparoco is a vibrant town teeming with life and color. Known as the “Jungle Gem,” it is a haven where the wilderness meets whimsy. The town’s architecture is a harmonious blend of nature and artistry; buildings are crafted from locally sourced woods and adorned with vibrant murals depicting scenes of the surrounding jungle and its mystical creatures. Thatch-roofed huts and treehouse lodgings provide unique accommodations for tourists.
