The Island of Moog, situated in the southern part of The Ravaged Sea, is a wild and perilous land whose reputation is one of both wealth and ruin. Its two islands, the main landmass of Moog and the nearby smaller Island of Vervalst, make up the heart of this treacherous region. While Moog draws adventurers, explorers, and fortune-seekers with the promise of riches, it is also a land fraught with dangers, where even the strongest struggle to survive.
Geography:
Moog’s main island is an untamed jungle bordered by jagged mountains and thick with mist. It is crisscrossed by rivers that serve as the primary means of navigation through the dense, dangerous jungle. Without established jungle paths, overland travel is nearly impossible, as the forest itself seems to resist those who try to traverse it on foot. Adventurers and explorers often begin their expeditions on the rivers, hoping to avoid the deadly undergrowth where massive dinosaurs, ravenous beasts, and even worse dangers lurk.
Vervalst, the second island, lies just off the main coast of Moog, but unlike its larger counterpart, it offers little in the way of riches or shelter. Its barren, rocky terrain is a false promise to those who come seeking fortune, filled instead with poisonous snakes, jagged cliffs, and hidden hazards. Many who attempt to establish camps or expeditions on Vervalst are swiftly met with misfortune or death, earning it the nickname "Counterfeit."
Cities and Towns:
There are many ruined cities and town, some since the zombie apocalypse, while others are more ancient. The living settlements include:
- Seregon. Your home and a thriving metropolis
- Kishar Fields. A satellite agricultural town that exists to feed Seregon
- Helderdink. A town that holds its own against the zombie apocalypse
- Appledorn. A gold rush town that's frequently on the verge of collapse
Dangerous Settlements:
- Dungrunglung. A village of grungs
- Skullmound Beastfolk (Ur-Ghom). A village of beastmen
- Matolo. A highland village of cannibals
- Hrakhamar and other Moog Dwarf mine locations
Mercenary Camps:
The Ravaged Sea:
The Ravaged Sea, which surrounds Moog, is nearly as dangerous as the island itself. It is filled with fungal blooms, vast, drifting mats of fungus that float on the water and are unnervingly attracted to ships. These blooms harbor zombies, the cursed remnants of crews long dead, reanimated by the same dark magic that plagues Moog itself. These zombies, often hidden among the fungal masses, board ships, slaughter their crews, and drag them down into the sea’s depths, ensuring that the ships become part of the undead fleet. Because of this, sailors wisely avoid deep water, sticking close to the shorelines for safety.
Climate and Travel:
Moog’s tropical climate is harsh and unforgiving. Summer, the hot and rainy season, is almost unbearable, with frequent downpours turning the jungle into a sodden, humid quagmire. In contrast, winter brings cooler, drier weather and is considered the best time to travel or conduct expeditions. However, even during the relatively milder winter months, the dangers posed by the island’s wildlife and undead threats remain ever-present.
Navigating Moog is a task that even seasoned explorers struggle with. The Ithosian Talons, a famed mercenary group, have tried to make progress into the heart of Moog’s jungles, establishing camps deep within its wilderness. Despite their best efforts, the zombie apocalypse that haunts the island makes further exploration near-impossible. Zombies roam the jungle at night, emerging from hidden swamps and decayed ruins to attack any living creature they encounter. Only walled compounds with heavy defenses stand any chance of making it through the night unscathed.
Inhabitants and Factions:
The island is home to a variety of creatures and people, many of whom live in constant conflict with their environment and each other.
Moog Dwarf: The Moog dwarves live in an Underdark settlement, beneath the mountains of Moog, where they mine gems and precious metals. They avoid much of the surface chaos by retreating to their subterranean strongholds, relying on their skill in stonecraft and fortifications to keep them safe from the island’s many dangers.
Beastmen: Roaming the wilderness, the Beastmen are savage, animalistic creatures that threaten everything and everyone on the island. They attack without warning, raiding settlements and killing travelers who venture too close to their domains. Their sheer brutality makes them a constant danger to the people of Moog, particularly the Nosgar Tribes, indigenous peoples who dwell in the island’s remote regions.
Nosgar Tribe: The Nosgar are indigenous peoples who have lived on Moog for centuries, surviving despite the island’s many threats. In recent years, they have come under increasing pressure from an undead scourge known as the Red Flux, a plague of undead that threatens to wipe out their way of life. The Red Flux raises the dead into a state of restless hunger, transforming fallen Nosgar warriors and villagers into mindless servants of undeath. The Nosgar fight tirelessly to defend their lands and their people, but their numbers are dwindling.
The Zombie Apocalypse:
The zombie apocalypse that plagues Moog is one of the island’s most insidious threats, and it has drawn adventurers from across the world to Seregon, the main city on the island, in search of answers. Many believe that the source of this apocalypse lies deep within the island. Whatever its origin, the zombies make travel and exploration nearly impossible. Their numbers seem limitless, and even those who are slain often rise again, adding to the ever-growing hordes that wander the jungle.
Economy and Industry:
Despite its dangers, Moog’s wealth continues to attract miners and treasure hunters seeking to exploit the island’s natural resources. The The Walraven Consortium, a powerful guild, controls most of the island’s deep mining operations, extracting precious gems from the mountains and the jungle’s depths. These gems are the backbone of Moog’s economy, fueling the wealth of Seregon and making it a desirable location for both legitimate enterprises and less savory dealings.
In addition to gems, gold mining remains a significant draw for adventurers and prospectors. Many of the island’s rivers and mountains are rich with surface-mined gold, and although the process is dangerous, it offers an alternative for those who seek fortune without risking the short and deadly life of an adventurer.
Monsters and Beasts:
Dinosaurs remain the dominant predators on the island, revered by some of the island’s lizardfolk and feared by all. Massive carnivores like the Tyrannosaurus Rex prowl the jungles, while herds of herbivorous dinosaurs move through the open plains, occasionally clashing with the predatory Beastmen. Moog is also home to Serpentmen, Pterafolk, and the elusive Rakshasa, each faction vying for control of the island’s resources and using the dense jungles as cover for their operations.
Adventurers and monster hunters come to Moog from all corners of the world, hoping to claim trophies from the island’s exotic and dangerous creatures. These safaris are perilous but offer the chance for wealthy patrons to hunt wyverns, hydras, and other legendary beasts, although they often hire mercenaries to do the actual hunting while they take credit for the kills.
Disease and Dangers:
Moog is a land riddled with disease, making survival an ongoing battle even for the most prepared. The most infamous illness is Amber Fever a deadly fungal infection spread through spores in the jungle, causing fever, madness, and eventual death. Other diseases are rampant, including:
- Shivering Sickness, contracted through insect bites, which causes intense fever and uncontrollable shaking.
- Blue Mist Fever, an illness caused by inhaling the strange mists that settle in the jungle, leading to lung damage and slow suffocation.
- Brain Flukes and Throat Leeches, parasitic creatures that infest travelers, leading to gruesome deaths if not treated quickly.
The Island of Moog remains a land of extreme contrasts—offering both great opportunity and great danger. From its riches in gems and gold to its deadly diseases and undead apocalypse, it is a place where few survive long, but those who do may return with unimaginable wealth and power.