Hither was one of three realms that made up the domain of Prismeer in the Feywild,[1] following the Hourglass Coven's overthrow of the archfey Zybilna.[2] Comprised of an enormous swamp, it was ruled over by the hag Bavlorna Blightstraw.[3]
Description[]
Following the landscape becoming saturated into a swamp by Bavlorna, the realm was made up of large expanses of thick marsh and muck, with fetid water that fluxuated in elevation,[3] and pockets of marsh gas that smelled of rancid cheese and made a sound of stifled laughter when their iridescent bubbles popped. The marsh gas could inflict various magical effects upon creatures, usually lasting no more than an hour, such as incessant hiccuping or spontaneous development of warts across the body.[4]
Also dotted throughout the realm were half-sunken sites,[3] the occasional site of ancient battle between elves and fomorians,[5] and wells ringed by hewn stone that measured 10 feet (3 meters) in diameter.[3] Known as O'wells, these ancient wells of lost origins were once gathering sites for fey, places to gossip and engage in barter. When Bavlorna took control of the region the hag corrupted the wells with her foul magic, turning them into the sites from whence the swamp's sludgy waters sporadically arose and disappeared.[3]
Flora & Fauna[]
Plant life in the swamp included and numerous mangroves with tangled roots,[3] brambles,[6] cattails, tall grasses,[7] ivy,[8] and truffles.[9]
The wildlife that could be found in hither included giant constrictor snakes,[10] giant cranes,[11] giant frogs,[12] giant snails, mud mephits,[11] reptiles, and other bird species.[5]
Cosmography[]
A stylized map of Prismeer, with Hither in the center.
Like all of Prismeer, the realm of Hither was partitioned off from the other shattered-realms by a shimmering, silvery mist. This mist blocked the path of all who walked the edge of Hither's boundaries, disorienting them and causing travelers to end up back where they had started. If one attempted to fly over the mist, their destination would seem to stretch on for untenable miles, never growing closer no matter how far they went.[13]
Only the Hourglass Coven and their minions were able to freely travel through the silvery mists between Hither and the other domains of Prismeer.[13] Another way to enter Hither was through a magical mirror in the Witchlight Carnival's Hall of Illusions,[14] which deposited the traveler atop a broken bridge named the Queen's Way.[2]
Inhabitants[]
The O'wells scattered throughout Hither were host to will-o'-wisps, the spirits of creatures who had drowned in Bavlorna's initial takeover. Unlike the typical wisp, these creatures were of a chaotic good alignment,[3] and were tied to the wells, being unable to move more than a few hundred yards away from them.[15] Fearful and evasive of Bavlorna,[3] these will-o'-wisps were eager to aid anyone who professed interest in avenging them, going so as to grant their would-be avengers a boon.[15]
The major groups that made up Hither's populace included the ostentatious bullywug society the Soggy Court,[7] the notorious bandit Agdon Longscarf's band of harengon brigands,[16] and a nomadic group of hobgoblins.[4]
The harengons traversed the swamp by means of giant snails as pack animals[11] and skiffs,[17] whilst the raggedy dress hobgoblins did so on stilts. They scavenged the eggs of birds and reptiles for sustenance or for trading with the settlement of Downfall.[18]
Notable Locations[]
- Brigands' Tollway
- A series of old, rickety wooden cat-walks and causeways that encircled in a web-like structure a gigantic tree stump tree stump, measuring 30 feet (9.1 meters) tall and 80 feet (24 meters) in diameter. It was the base of operations for Agdon Longscarf and his harengon brigands, whom from its safe vantage point would pressure anyone attempting to reach Downfall to pay a toll.[16] It was once the site of a gigantic tree that Zybilna had grew to act as a prison for the notorious bandit, but following the Hourglass Coven's takeover his loyal harengon brigands chopped it down.[19]
- Downfall
- The major settlement of Hither, a collection of outbuildings and ruins that surrounded the cottage home of Bavlorna Blightstraw.[7]
- Inn at the End of the Road
- Hither's sole inn and a mobile building that wandered the swamp on fleshy legs.[20]
- Queen's Way
- A decrepit elevated causeway that once led to and from the Palace of Heart's Desire. Towering over much of the landscape, the causeway was constructed of pale stones that held a faint internal glow.[15]
- Stream of Visions
- A 10 feet (3 meters) river that flowed from Downfall. Those who gazed into its reflective surface sometimes glimpsed a vision of something that was occuring in that town.[5]
- Slanty Tower
- A decrepit leaning stone tower overgrown with brambles. Crowned with a crenelated roof, it stood 50 feet (15 meters) tall and measured 20 ft (6.1 m) in diameter. Inside a spiral staircase led up to its top.[6]
Notable Inhabitants[]
- Clapperclaw, a childsized scarecrow and disloyal minion of Bavlorna who guided people between the realms of Hither and Thither.[13] He was considered one of the best guides of the swamp.[9]
History[]
Sometime in the late 15th century DR, Talavar a knight-errant of Titania the Summer Queen traveled to Prismeer in order to beseech Zybilna's aid in the Seelie Court's ongoing battle with fomorians. However, when he arrived Talavar discovered Prismeer's shattered state and was trapped by Bavlorna within a magical silver birdcage. One of the local bullywugs, Wigglewog, felt sympathy for the faerie dragon's plight and fled with his cage in one of Bavlorna's hot-air balloons. The duo didn't get far before a terrible wind sent them careening down to the Slanty Tower, leaving Talavar dangling from its crenelations.[6]
Around that same time, Hither was being visited by Telemy Hill, a strange sentient hill that traveled throughout the Feywild.[21]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
References[]
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 5, 36, 38. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 37. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 61. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 66. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 67. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 68. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 74. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 72. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 71. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 69. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 64. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 76. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 38. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 30, 37, 55. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 62. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 71–72. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 73. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 66–67. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 73. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 65. ISBN 9780786967278.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 69. ISBN 9780786967278.