Fenfolk

Hard-eyed survivors of the treacherous wetlands. They keep old lore, brew potent concoctions, and trust their instincts for survival. Their relationship with the swamp is not one of conquest but of hard-won mutual respect — they adapted, thrived, and learned to read the marsh rather than force it to retreat.

What they say about "The Shrouding"

The story they tell children

What adults believe is true

What they think the Fog People are

The one detail that is actually true

Society

Structure

Fenfolk society is loose and consensus-based. There is no central ruler or capital. Small clusters of families occupy distinct areas within the marsh, cooperating on defence and trade rather than pledging allegiance to any authority. When a decision affects the group, it is discussed until everyone agrees — though those with greater earned status or recognised wisdom carry more weight in the conversation, not by rule but by respect.

Leaders

There are no fixed leaders. Fenfolk defer to whoever has the relevant experience — the best hunter leads a hunt, the most knowledgeable herbalist decides which remedies to prepare. Elders, including the lore-keepers called Tellers, act as consultants to anyone who seeks their counsel. They guide, they remember, they advise — but they do not command.

Commoners

Most fenfolk are herbalists, hunters, fishers, or weavers. They live in stilt-huts or houseboats woven from living branches. Every fenfolk learns to identify at least a dozen medicinal plants by age twelve. Literacy is uncommon — lore is kept orally, passed word-perfect across generations by the Tellers. Status is earned through deeds that benefit the community and marked by ornaments of swamp nacre, a shimmering material gathered from rare marsh creatures. The more nacre one wears, the more one has given.

Cities

Fenfolk do not build cities of stone. Their largest settlements are canopy-towns — platforms and huts lashed high in the branches of ancient swamp trees, connected by rope bridges. Markets are held on rafts. The largest canopy-town, Mossrest, is said to house two thousand souls and is visible only from the water.

Secrets the elders keep

The Tellers know the swamp is slowly changing — water rising, plants failing to flower. They have no solution and no certainty, only observations passed between them in quiet moments. They hold this knowledge not to deceive but because sharing it without answers would cause worry without purpose.

Attitudes toward other folks

Naming conventions

Given names

Luta, Venn, Kora, Moss, Tallow, Sedge, Brack, Rill, Wisp, Elm

Epithets

Fenfolk earn epithets from deeds or natural features. Examples: Venn-the-Slow, Kora-Reads-Water, Moss-Who-Found-the-Light

Typical character concepts