Taken from the entry on pages 7 & 8...
It is not my place to describe the entire history of the land of Hæth. After all, it wouldn't make for a good journey if I were to tell you such a thing, before we even put on our shoes.
Instead, I will simply mention that there are legends about this place that hang from the lips of every old shrew, a legend buried in every crevice of every stone. I will tell you there is a tale of the Slobbering God, and the Heavenblade used to kill her. I will tell you there are stories of the Lightning Dancers and their twirling bodies, stories of the North Wind God and the one brave mouse who stood against him. And there is, too, the tale of the great death that all dragons feared and faced.
These tales live on to this day in the land of Hæth, but they are not mine to tell. More importantly, there are some facts you'll need to know about the Hæthland for your own journeys. And this may be the most important part of it all.
The Hæth is a
beautiful and boundless land, full of life and soul. It is composed of small communities separated by vast stretches of wilderness, and these communities are connected by dirt paths, waterways, and the rare hot air balloon passage. Beauty lives in endless shapes and forms in the Hæth: everything in this land holds the capacity to be appreciated and admired. Gods and spirits can be found everywhere, from the small, forgotten gods hidden behind rocks and waves, to the fish-headed crossroads daemons and even the great sky gods themselves.
The Hæth is a
land of animal-folk. I've seen pigeon merchants, squirrel musicians, gecko fishermen, and at least one very distinctive bartending toad. In the Hæth, you can't assume much about someone based on their look. Both meat-eaters and herbivores are likely considerate and kind, and even the smallest mouse can have a lion's heart. The families of the Hæth may look fairly similar to one another, or they may look wildly different (and it's frankly none of your business to inquire where familial lines end and begin).
The Hæth is full of buggy livestock, pets, and wild creatures. From herds of chubby bumbles to stag beetles the size of houses, from the striders dancing across water to moon-lit carrier moths carrying letters from tower to tower, bugs and animal-folk live together in harmony. You'll encounter plenty of these buggy creatures throughout the Hæth, and while they tend to do their best to make clear both their look and role in Hæth, interpret generously and use your imagination to fill in the gaps.
The Hæth boasts a widespread culture of hospitality. A traveler who arrives in a new town will always be able to find some sort of lodging (even if it's sleeping in a barn with some bumbles) and will always be given food and water of some sort. There is, however, a trust within this hospitality — if you hurt or lash out at your hosts, they'll have no problems kicking you out. But if you're kind and mean well, you'll be welcomed with open arms.
In the Hæth, we'll be meeting people who are fundamentally good. This will not be true of all the places you go in your life, but on the journey contained within this book, nearly everyone can be trusted to be kind. The exceptions are the mighty — generals, lords, heroes, soldiers, and all those whose souls have become weighed down by power. While they may still be good, that goodness has likely been poisoned by struggle. Thankfully, folks of this nature are exceedingly rare nowadays, and most everyone knows to give these lonely conquerors a wide berth.
The Hæthland was recently caught in war, but is no longer. There is no violence here anymore.
