Bawmache

A ranger of the wetlands, a bawmache is one who breathes parfum de marais and communes with the swamp and her lifeforce.

Range: The Wetlands

Like all rangers, bawmache have a territory they are bonded to. For the bawmache, this is always a wetland of some kind, or part of one. In order to commune with one, they must be accepted as part of it. This requires living in the swamp for a year and a day without causing undue harm or neglecting to fight for it. As such, one must be well acquainted with the swamp before becoming a bawmache, and they must have trained in surviving there on their own. If they manage this, toward the end of their year there, they will sense the call of the swamp's genius loci. The original bawmaches live in Dunmarsh, where the genius loci of the swamp is called the Alligator Spirit (though technically, she is a greater elemental), but this varies by location. Most genius loci reflect the predominant lifeform of the wetland. The genius loci will be in a central location. The bawmache must make a blood oath (spilling their own blood into the swamp water) and eat the fungus they find in the area.

First Vision

They will then sleep, unprotected, in the swamp water, and they will have a vision of their territory. They will then awaken, wild and feral, and eat ravenously, inhaling the parfum de marais from all around them, and then partake of more fungus and another dream.

Second Vision

Their second vision will be a "green dream", a dream-quest to find their animal companion (an alligator in the Dunmarsh, for instance). When they awaken, their companion will be there to protect them.

Fungi

The fungi of the wetlands varies by region, but there is always the variety of hallucinogenic mushroom full of parfum de marais called the posh de grenooly (frog's pocket) mushroom. This will only appear around the genius loci (it may have other names in other parts of the world).

Bonded to the Wetlands

When they awaken, they will feel everything in their territory all at once. This takes some getting used to, so most go a little mad at this point until it becomes manageable. Once they are in control again, they will be able to exert some influence over the swamp around them. The first thing they will do is form boots from the mud of the swamp. Then they will find in the water where they spilled their own blood a weapon, usually a machete or other short blade. And finally, they will carve their own swamp boat - often a pirogue in the Dunmarsh.

Companions

Different regions have different dominant lifeforms:

• Aginaqtuq: [queen maud's bay] a massive bird sanctuary, this swamp in southern Palhur is a cold one where thousands of bird species live. The rangers there bond to water fowl of various sorts.
• Dunmarsh: [gulf coast/everglades] alligators are the primary animal here, and the one most strongly associated with bawmaches. They are fearsome and loyal to the ranger.
• Eastern Palhur: [amazon river basin] caimans are the primary animal. They are defiant and vicious against those who threaten their territory.
• Jùdà De Zhǎozé: [chinese wetlands] the wetlands of southeastern Dabusen are known for the various eels that serve the bawmache there.
• Sông Ngòi: [mekong river delta] the massive river delta in Vada'dar is where many varieties of lizard are most common as companions.
• Ya Kati Ya Moyo and other Taggaran swamps [ngiri-tumba-maindombe] the massive wetlands in western Taggarus where crocodiles dominate. They are more independent, but they will guard the ranger in dire circumstances. Other Taggaran wetlands tend also to be dominated by crocodiles, but one in central Taggarus is known for the black mamba. Hippos are also known companions in Taggarus.

Powers

A bawmache must maintain their powers by leaving an offering or blood sacrifice to the genius loci every year. Powers include but are not limited to

• Fungi speech
• Animal speech
• Plant speech
• Waterwalking
• Quicksand sense/control
• Protector vines
• Ensnaring vines
• Direction sense
• Vegetation maze
• Poisonous breath
• Call swamp beasts
• Immunity to disease
• Insect repellant
• Regenerate in mud
• Waterbreathing

If a bawmache remains steadfast in protecting the swamp, the swamp will help them. Their powers may weaken as they use them, as anyone might get tired, but they can regenerate them without resting by eating fungi.

Aroma

Due to living in a swamp and wielding parfum de marais, bawmache usually smell like the swamp. Enemies of the swamp will find it repugnant. Friends of the swamp get used to it.

Inventory

The inventory of a bawmache varies by culture, but the original bawmache have the following:

• Machete: machetes or other blades used to chop through the swamp are vital.
• Boots: boots made of swamp mud allow them to walk on water, sense danger, and feel intrusion into the swamp.
• Pirogue: their pirogues will propel themselves.
• Rifles or bows: bawmache sometimes will have bows or rifles which they soak in swamp mud to make them part of the swamp.
• Parfum: the aetherial swamp gas can be captured in bottles and released when needed. It will leave a noxious odor to anyone not part of the swamp, can explode or illuminate if lit, and will poison or cause confusion in enemies.

Diseases

Bawmaches are usually resistant or immune to common diseases in the swamps, but they do know how to treat them.

Variants

Aside from the cultural variants around the world, some variants include

• Accordionist: an accordion player who helps soothe the beasts of the swamps.
• Chercheur: one who seeks out the secrets of the swamps and finds those lost in the deep wetlands.
• Cusiner: prepares spicy foods that make one have visions in the wetlands.
• Fawchon: swamp hermits with deep wisdoms.
• Weykohl: weave swamp greenery into rafts and floating vegetation platforms.

Persecution

Bawmaches often suffer at the hands of invasive companies who wish to use their lands for things that will cause pollution or habitat loss, and thus, they find themselves often at war with local ruling classes.

Skills

Some common skills include

• Survival
• Animal care
• First aid/medicine
• Hunting
• Fishing
• Trapping
• Swimming
• Boating
• Mycology
• Botany
• Zoology
• Ecology
• Tactics
• Hallucinogenic compounds

Stats

Modiifers from base of nation/species:

PRO +3
ATH +2
STR +1
AWA +4 in swamp, +1 out
WIL +1 in swamp, -2 out
STH +2 in swamp, -2 out
PRS -2