Semuanya’s Bog
Realm of Semuanya
Location: Outlands / Ringlands
Semuanya’s Bog, nestled on the far shores of Tir fo Thuinn, is as primal as the eponymous power. This dismal swamp is a realm that echoes with the ancient, raw essence of nature, untouched and untamed, a haven for creatures that embody the spirit of survival and adaptation.
The bog is a sprawling expanse of murky waters, thick mud, and dense vegetation. It’s a labyrinth of waterways, islands of dense foliage, and hidden pockets of dry land. The air is heavy with the scent of decomposing plant matter and rings with the distant calls of unseen creatures. Fog hangs low over the waters, shrouding the fen in a veil of mystery. The chant goes that dinosaurs, relics of a bygone age, roam the deeper parts of the bog.
Lizardfolk are the dominant inhabitants of this realm. They move through the swamp in hand-carved floating punt logs with a grace and ease of millennia spent adapting to this environment. These lizardfolk are fiercely independent, living in small, scattered communities, each deeply connected to the land they call home.
It might surprise your average planewalker, but this dismal swamp, for the lizardfolk is a paradise. It’s a place where the trials of life are reduced to the simple, essential acts of surviving and thriving. The challenges of the swamp life are straightforward and honest, a contrast to the complexities and deceits of more “civilised” realms.
The bog’s remoteness also make it an ideal refuge for those seeking to escape the wider multiverse. Desperate outlaws and independent-minded planars find solace here, away from prying eyes and the troubles of their past lives. However, these newcomers must learn to respect the bog and its inhabitants, lest they become prey to the many dangers lurking in the murky waters.
In the Wasteward regions of the bog, down towards the Lower Planes, the swamp transitions into chilly, damp fens. According to the planewalker Leir the Explorer, there’s a gate in these parts that leads to a proto-plane he calls Nether. He says it’s a pit of quicksand than you have to jump into. Forgive me for being skeptical but quicksand pits are a jink a dozen in those parts, so good luck finding the one that’s really a portal. Challenging enough, even without the giant mosquitoes that swarm the area trying to turn you into their next meal.
The chant goes that in the darkest part of the bog lies a sleeping power known as the Deep One. Semuanya seems to be protecting her—the cutter lets her remain in their realm after all—but it’s a mystery why.
Semuanya’s Bog is more than just a physical location; it’s also a manifestation of the deity’s philosophy—representing the raw struggle for existence, the beauty of survival in its most unadorned form.
Canonical Sources:
- On Hallowed Ground [2e] p91,177
- Manual of the Planes [5e] p84 (description of the power and his realm)
- Player’s Primer to the Outlands [2e] p31 (brief mention of realm)
- Planescape Campaign Setting: Sigil & Beyond [2e] p16, 27 (brief mentions)
Source: Jon Winter-Holt, mimir.net