The Midderlands

Book excerpt: A green-hued, dark-fantasy, old-school mini-setting and bestiary set in a twisted middle-England. Situated in the middle of Havenland is an area known by the ancestors as the Middle Havenlands. They don't use that name much anymore, preferring to talk lazily, and skip letters. In strange accents, often misheard and little understood by those outside of the central region, they call it 'The Midderlands', and themselves 'Midfolk' or 'Midderlanders'. Everywhere though, the Midderlands is tainted by a green-tinged menace that rises from 'Middergloom', the deep and mysterious realms beneath the surface. It affects nature and order. Sometimes subtly and sometimes catastrophically. Middergloom is often described as hell bathed in green fire and flames. Green-tinged, viscid slime; noxious, acrid vapours; and miasmas of hopelessness creep upwards from below. Amongst them, viridian-coloured demons, lime-green tentacles, and other malachite horrors claw their way to the surface to wreak havoc. The Lords of the land are always working to keep things at bay. They fight endlessly as if holding back a torrent of despair. Things stir in this viridian-hued landscape. Evil eyes blink and watch. Teeth and claws scratch and sharpen. Gaping maws slobber and drool. All is not content in the Midderlands.