(Every instance below of "lemony goodness" is auto-corrected, but you can get the idea of what word I mean if you look at the "First _____" region of the map
For as long as you've lived, you've heard the myths and legends of Gwog. People don't shut up about it. Or, people won't shut up about how they don't believe in it. You've made up your mind how you feel about it, but you still know the story.
It's said that the first creatures to walk upright, the incredibly ancient ancestors to all dwarves, elves and humans, lived alongside a gargantuan baby, a newborn jötunn. The first civilizations helped raise the jötunn and named it Gwog, and as Gwog grew bigger and began to crawl, and then walk, tribes of dwarves, elves, and humans began to migrate with it. Some tribes believed they should stayed put, or settled somewhere along the way. Each region of the world is named for a formative phase in the jötunn's life. You've grown up in First *lemony goodness*, the place where the baby jötunn was first found (and offered its first "gift" to humanity), however despite its cultural significance, First *lemony goodness* is considered the least desirable region of Gwog to live in. The story goes on that the growing jötunn became so large, it eventually was capable of shaping mountains and rivers.
Some natural formations are named after the jötunn's efforts, and some ancient castles and strongholds are claimed to have been built by Gwog. There are tales of the jötunn being prosperous for civilization, helping safeguard it against wild creatures and monsters, and coexisting in peace, and other tales about the jötunn being a destructive tyrant to be feared by all. There are tales about how armies of dwarves, elves, and humans tried to control the jötunn, and warred with each other to enslave it, and even some tales that the jötunn was just a metaphor of civilization's own progress and discord, and that it never really existed. No one alive has ever seen evidence of Gwog firsthand, but for those who do believe Gwog existed, they say the jötunn swam away into the sea at Last Watch, and civilization was still too young to follow. But golly, who knows?
The daily business affairs and basic needs of the people of Gwog now take the front stage to this old mythos. There are peasants who scrap together a meager existence farming sorghum, and gathering mushrooms in the forests, there are cunning merchants and cruddy pirates who sail trading vessels up and down the coast, crooked mayors who are burned alive by murder hobos, and would-be heroes who go on quests to earn gold and glory, because they don't know what else do with themselves.
It seems that each region where it is said civilization followed the jötunn, the peasants, sailors, heroes, and burnt-alive mayors have done a little better for themselves, but not without its costs. Where it is believed Gwog dug up the earth, jewels and precious minerals have been found, but the caverns and pits became the dwelling places for monsters and demons. Where it is said Gwog planted trees, rich groves have flourished, but the shade of the dark forest hid new dangers. And in First *lemony goodness*, where it is said Gwog took its first *lemony goodness*, life's always generally been pretty shitty for everyone.
These are the 6 hamlets of First *lemony goodness*, and how one of its prominent citizens would describe the place to a traveler.
Thimblepool - "Rope is our main export. Good for trying down your valuables, and tying up the people who have the valuables you want!" - Boss Grundle, Human
Dank Hollow - "Don't drink the water or eat the food, but the weed's not bad." - Turtle the Elder, Dwarf
Moonshire - "I made this gold piece appear from behind your ear, and disappear into my pocket!.. If you're missing a gold piece, I don't know anything about it. Goodbye!" Chief Slynook, Elf
Neverwood - "This year we're celebrating our 100th year anniversary of never trying anything new. There's going to be a cake! No frosting, of course." Polestar the Oracle, Elf
Oldegarde - "If Gwog intended us to follow it all over the place, we would have been born with horses and wagons and ships and dragons growing out of our asses." Sherriff Stew Wart, Dwarf
Ugh - "If you're going to *lemony goodness* on our handcrafting traditions, please do it in one of our handcrafted traditional outhouses." Winston Willowstaff, Warden of the Woods, Human
I requested the players to write a backstory explaining why they left your hometown. Even if they disagree with the general sentiment of their hometown, they still take part of its traditions and beliefs with them. (Sort of like "alignment.") Also asked them to include their character's take on the Gwog stories.
