Shogun of the Swamps

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Marshlands, East Schrade, Old World

A thick mist hangs over the marshlands as morning arrives; however, the sun is incapable of breaking through the rain clouds that envelop the sky. Water droplets fall from the heavens, soaking the landscape and its inhabitants, and causing some to be more miserable than others.

Some species are forced to move to higher ground or into trees to avoid the rising water levels of nearby lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams brought on by the rain. From atop the hills, cliffs, and mountains which are scattered throughout the area, temporary waterfalls appear, eroding soil and stone in the process.

For millions of years, these forces have been responsible for carving out the cave systems, craters, and channels that litter the region, creating a strangely beautiful mosaic in this swampy land. The millennia of storms, floods, and landslides have also designed some of the area's most unique formations, adding to the marshland's mystique.

A stream of water trickles down into a hillside, it drops into a cave and slams into its walls, further chipping away at the stone before sliding out through an ever-widening crack leading back to the surface. Whilst the water continues its journey, the trickling almost acts as a soothing lullaby for Razor, a fully grown Shogun Ceanataur.

With the rain continuing to pour down outside, Razor is lucky to have been able to find this cave last night, as he's now able of continuing his slumber uninterrupted

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With the rain continuing to pour down outside, Razor is lucky to have been able to find this cave last night, as he's now able of continuing his slumber uninterrupted. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning crashes into a nearby cliff, shattering the calm, and abruptly waking him from his sleep as the strike from the heavens causes a landslide to occur. Mud and water rush down to the valley below, carrying away plants and rocks as it goes, and causing a deafening roar that now fully awakes the Shogun Ceanataur.

As if to announce the following events, a mighty boom of thunder echoes across the land as a downpour begins, causing the already flooded bodies of water to overflow, submerging the lower areas around them, while the higher places are turned into islands. Trees growing in the surrounding regions become beacons in the ever-growing expanses, stranding some arboreal animals.

Even from within his cave at higher elevations, Razor can still feel the effects of the sudden heavy rainfall. The previous trickle that was leaking through the cavern's ceiling has now become a gushing spout, causing the Shogun Ceanataur to step back slightly from the abrupt burst of water. Despite having a crack in the wall to drain the excess fluids, new puddles are still appearing on the floor.

The water isn't much of a bother for the Shogun Ceanataur, after all, in this environment, it's expected that he'll have to get wet at some point; however, the fact that puddles are forming is somewhat troubling, as it means that the cave is taking on more water than it can drain. The hole in the ceiling is far too small to be letting in so much water, but as Razor continues stepping back, one of his legs makes contact with a stream coming from the cavern's entrance. It still isn't enough to completely submerge the cave, but it's still more than what he's comfortable with, causing him to exit the subterranean system.

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