> [!infobox] > # The Southern Reach > ![[Beachmarsh.jpg]]<span style="display:block;text-align:center;">[[Beachmarsh.jpg|Show to Players]]</span> > ###### Information > | | | > |---|---| > |**Region**| [[Zalfaria]] | > |**Mayor**| [[Eldrin “Black-Eel” Voss]] | # Overview Perched at the **southernmost tip of the continent**, **Beachmarsh** is a humid, fog-laden settlement flanked by two sprawling **marshlands**. The town itself is built on a mixture of **solid ground, elevated walkways, and stilted structures**, adapted to the unpredictable flooding of the swamps. Though it may seem uninviting to outsiders, Beachmarsh thrives as a vital **crossroads for smugglers, traders, and travelers** looking to avoid the heavily taxed northern ports. Despite its reputation for harboring **pirates, recluses, and outcasts**, Beachmarsh is a town of **deep traditions, expert survivalists, and secretive commerce**. # Geography & Layout - **The Marsh of Wailing Reeds (West Marsh)** – A thick, foggy swamp known for its eerie, wind-blown reeds that produce a haunting wail. Home to reclusive swamp-dwellers, venomous creatures, and rumored ghost lights. - **The Blackroot Fen (East Marsh)** – A darker, muddier wetland filled with ancient mangroves and deep bogs. This marsh is notorious for swallowing entire structures and hiding illicit hideouts. - **The Drowned Docks** – A constantly shifting collection of piers and floating docks where traders, smugglers, and fishermen do business. - **The Tidewood Walks** – Wooden walkways crisscrossing the town, keeping pedestrians above the marshy ground. - **The Marshgate Ruins** – The remnants of an ancient stone fort, half-sunken into the swamp. Some say it hides lost treasure; others believe it’s cursed. # Industry & Economy Beachmarsh survives on a mix of **fishing, foraging, and underground trade**. Its **strategic location** between land and sea makes it a haven for those looking to conduct business away from prying eyes. - **Fishing & Swamp Foraging** – The town produces exotic fish, shellfish, and marsh ingredients used in potent tonics, poisons, and remedies. - **Black Market Trade** – Many smugglers and fence merchants call Beachmarsh home, dealing in goods deemed illegal or heavily taxed elsewhere. - **Ship Repairs & Salvage** – Skilled shipwrights use driftwood, swamp trees, and scavenged ship parts to maintain vessels at a fraction of the cost of major ports. - **Bog Brewing & Alchemy** – Local apothecaries and swamp druids create powerful potions, hallucinogens, and unique alcoholic brews from rare swamp flora. # Culture & Traditions - **The Swamp Lantern Festival** – On foggy nights, locals light floating lanterns to navigate the town, honor lost souls, and confuse hostile spirits said to dwell in the marshes. - **The Smuggler’s Oath** – A whispered code of loyalty among traders and seafarers who rely on Beachmarsh’s secrecy and protection. Breaking the oath results in exile—or worse. - **The Bog Trials** – A coming-of-age ritual where youths must navigate the **Blackroot Fen** alone and return with a rare herb, creature, or artifact. # Government & Leadership Beachmarsh follows a **loose council rule**, with power split between various influential figures rather than a single governing body. - **Eldrin “Black-Eel” Voss** – The closest thing Beachmarsh has to a mayor, Voss is a former smuggler who oversees trade deals and keeps order among the town’s more unruly residents. - **Hara the Fenwitch** – A mysterious healer and alchemist, rumored to be far older than she looks. Some claim she communes with spirits to guide Beachmarsh’s fate. - **Dagger Jack Varyn** – A local enforcer and feared duelist who ensures that the Smuggler’s Oath is upheld. He has no patience for betrayers. - **Mara Tidescour** – A shipwright and salvage master, responsible for maintaining Beachmarsh’s hidden drydocks and ship repair trade. # Notable Locations - **The Sunken Shanty** – A half-submerged tavern known for its potent **Bogbrew Rum** and clientele of pirates, sailors, and outlaws. - **The Hollow Mast** – A hidden auction house where rare and illicit goods are bought and sold. - **The Swamp Chapel** – A crumbling temple dedicated to **Nixzotl, the Dreamer**, where sailors and swamp folk seek visions before long journeys. - **The Black Market Piers** – A lawless dock where no questions are asked—so long as the coin is good. - **The Bone Row** – A desolate stretch of swamp where criminals and oathbreakers are left to sink into the mire.