The lands of Skaggs and Sloggs appear dramatically different. Skaggs is a broken highland of rough arid hills, nearly bereft of flora and fauna, and with few residents. Sloggs is swampland on the verge of being subsumed by ever present brackish water, teeming with dangerous wildlife of all kinds. The Skaggen are focused on the divinity and manifest perfection of humanity. The Sloggers believe in the natural law above all others. These beliefs rigidly rule them, despite the obvious failures they create in each society.. Constant hostilities exist between the Skaggen and the Sloggers, as both sides blame the other for the inhospitable state of their homes. These beliefs are reinforced by the leaders of each side - Cress Auren of the Skaggen and Paythen Wenrick of the Sloggers. Cress and Paythen dwell in their demesnes deep in their lands, extolling their beliefs to their people and encouraging debased practices: Cress espouses relentless honing and cannibalism to achieve human perfection; Paythen proclaims the nature god “The One Who Skulks” will bring victory, if only it is summoned with enough living sacrifices. Neither place is safe for outsiders, as both leaders and their people see them as useful means to tip the scales. Cress and the Skaggen feast on human flesh (called “the divine morsel”) to further “perfect” themselves; Paythen and the Sloggers sacrifice them to bring forth their mythical nature god.