Serpent Hollows

Government

Serpent Hollows lodge is the primary lodge of the Íseal and is the seat of their tribe's chieftain. However, there are smaller nomadic lodges that move around the region of the Low Muck. While largely independant, all the leaders of the minor lodges do swear fealty to the Íseal of Serpent Hollows. Often they come together for war or some other calamity, otherwise, they roam far and freely.

Demographics

The lodges of Serpent Hollows cover an area of approximately 16 acres, over a series of homesteads, with a total population of 1000 people. The lodge has 1 Unknown. The peace is kept by 15 warriors on average per lodge.

The environs of the Serpent Hollows lodge is occupied predominately by Fwoarians of the Íseal tribe. While there are some few human traders from places such as Six-Bridges and a few Boggart colonies among the larger lodges, the insular and distrustful nature of the Íseal leaves much to be desired when it comes to diplomacy. The trust of the Íseal tribe is hard won, limiting the diversity of their lodges.

Industry & Trade

Most of the trade that flows into, or out of, Serpent Hollows is directly tied to Six-Bridges. While the Íseal are still distrustful of the caern-rath after the events of the Long Run in the East, it is the closest non-Huldufolk center open for trade. To this end, the Fwoarians of the Íseal tribe trade precious woods, herbs, poisons and animal byproducts for finished goods such as weapons and armor.

It should be stated, however, that the end of the Year of Invasions saw a drastic shift in the Huldufolk and Fwoarian paradigm. While one could not consider these two peoples to be friends, they are at least no longer attacking each other on sight.

Districts

If Serpent Hollows and the Íseal need special materials or resources, any of their minor, nomadic lodges can be sent to the areas in which they are found. This means "districts" of Serpent Hollows are mobile, some even changing from season to season. While this does not help to do much else for outsiders other than serving to confuse them, it does mean the Íseal tribe is an adaptable and mobile tribe.

Infrastructure

What little infrastructure that is built up within the Low Muck is done to purpose or claimed from other tribes' own expeditions. A few tattered watermills built by enterprising folks of Six-Bridges, then abandoned. Most often these areas are not inhabited year-round, rather, the Íseal move into those areas as needed.

Wooden huts and structures on wooden stilts comprised of specially treated hardwood.

Geography

Seated firmly between the often-flooding edge of the ruddy red Cré Nathair, amid the reedy hills of the Low Muck, the entire region is fetid and virulent. When it is not, it is beneath deep ice and snow as regardless of season, winter storms come raging down with frequent intervals from the Gray-Faces.

The weather is cold and wet, even in the summer, but this does not stop the clouds of insects or the knots of poisonous vines.

Various rare poisons, plants, lumber and animals are found in abundance here.

As is the case with most Fwoarian lodges and settlements, its difficult to pin down the true founding date of Serpent Hollows. That said, its possible it existed since the Age of Winter, at least in some shape or another. However, the Íseal tribe of Serpent Hollows did once play a great and vital role in the hostilities between the Ardruids and the Fwoarians. 

Some time in the years before the Battle of Mel Hagga, the Ardruids launched a direct and unforeseen attack. Legend claims they made their way south along the eastern edge of the inisa. This tactic only available as the Screaming Woods had not yet become the hostile nightmare-scape it currently is. Luck, however, was with the Íseal. The chieftain's wife at the time, Unknown, had sent her children northward, there to keep watch against any Ardruid aggressions. They were slaughtered during the initial march south by the Ardruids.

Ní-assa was enraged and took to the battle herself. Such was her ferocity and merciless anger that she alone gave the Ardruids pause. Some tales claim she fought on for a week, others mere hours,  but they all claim she killed Ardruids and their kinsmen by the score. In doing so she became the patron ancestor of the Íseal tribe. Her story a lesson in duty and sacrifice as even Ní-assa could not survive the ordeal.

Since then the Íseal tribe have always been tasked with the duty of sentinels in the north. While their holdings, territory and resources do not make them a prestigious tribe, their vigilance and battle prowess against the humans and Huldufolk in the north gives their words much weight in Ynis-Gwysrin.