The Empire of U’ooze

The Mire Menace · Siege Snails

Riding on their titanic hydra snail fortresses, the swamp gnomes slowly spread their empire… very slowly…

The Empire of U’ooze is made of loose confederations of gnomes, sprites and bog-fairies who call the deep swamps their home. Though they call themselves an empire they are constantly fighting amongst themselves and live exceptionally short lives of intrigue and backstabbing cruelty. They have strong caste systems that are enforced with tradition and ritual. They take all they need from the swamps they inhabit; making clothes, food and shelter from the plants and creatures that live there.

The Empire’s beastmasters can enter the minds of the countless creatures that call the mire their home, guiding tongue-toads to swat airships from the sky and sending colossal dragonflies as flying troop transports. The most powerful of these harnessed monstrosities are the hydra snails. These foul fortresses of slime and shell sprout three ugly heads, two of which are devastating weapons while the last central head is harnessed to the magical will of a beastmaster.

Riding atop their slimy hydra snails, this mire menace seeps slowly from their swamps to snatch more sparkstone for themselves. In battle the siege snails slide across the ground leaving a trail of thick sticky slime that emits an acidic fog, blocking enemy mechs from crossing. When hurt, the snails can shrink into the safety of their hardened shells and rapidly heal their flesh. Perhaps one day the swamps will flood the entire world as the bog-fairy prophets claim.