The Forlorn

Species/ Culture Name: The Forlorn
Place of Origin: The Forbidden Marshes
Physical Characteristics: The people of the marsh resemble normal humans and giants, but tend to have discolored skin usually a sickly purple or yellow. Deformities, and warped features are very common among marshlanders although not completely universal. In most the changes only make them unatractive, in a few however they look more like beasts than any of the sentient races
Form of Civilization: Tribal
Population: 5,000-20,000
Magic-Users: Yes
Religion: The forlorn worship the festering god. Patron of the spurned, the revolting, and of rot. Some love their god, but most simply fear his wrath; to appease him they deposit all the luxuries of the outside in moldy pits filled with unspeakable things, sacrifice one of their own each year by exiling them into the marsh, and in some extreme cases bathe only in the marsh’s most toxic waters.
Cultural Traits: The Forlorn are a varied collection of independent tribes that have very little in common. For instance among one tribe cannibalism of a deceased relative may be seen as a sacred act, among others it may be seen as disrespectful to not allow the corpse to rot, in still others that merely appease the festering god it may just be seen as gross.
What is universal among nearly all Tribes is their hardy nature, as to live in such an inhospitable home filled with discarded abominations and ancient terrors requires such. All tribes also have witches trained in dark lore, and mages wielding simple yet effective elemental magic. Bone tools are also favored among many tribes.
Background: Long ago many kingdoms sent their most hated criminals and deviants into the Marshes. Even then it was known as a place of great and ancient evil, and those who survived their exile long enough to form tribes became the first of the Forlorn. As time went on many kingdoms stopped sending their exiles into the marshes as many wise sorcerers began to realize that by doing so they were feeding something something that lurked just below the surface of the vast marshes.