Laerthir consists of low-lying wetlands and swamp and incredibly dense forests Laerthir boasts a history preceding the Coming of the King. The political ties between the royal family and the curent steward of Rubreks as well as the long shared history of the two nations secured Laerthir's aid on the side of Rubreks in the Seventh War of the Eye.

Perhaps because of its size, much of the land within Laerthir's borders is actually considered uninhabited wilderness, with the greatest clustering of peoples located in the eastern expanses of swamp that butt up against the sea. This uneven population distribution is attributed to the relocation of the capital after the Coming of the King and the Fall of Lost Pharros, an explanation corroborated by the rare interview with Captain Zaragrim of the Royal Guard over the ages. The exact location of the ancient capital remains unknown, despite periodic attempts by explorers to find it and the Old Captain's hazy memory of those days. Countless adventurers have attempted to tame the wild and haunted western reaches of Laerthir, but few return and none report anything pleasant.

The principal god of the region is the known as Sunken Serpent or the Primordial Worm, with whom the First King Laertes is said to have formed the contract that even now binds the royal family. Blessed with extremely long life and the authority of ancient sorceries, the royal family themselves are subject to reverence for their vast knowledge and mystical prowess. The Great Shrine of the Serpent lies deep beneath the Royal Capital of New Pharros, itself covering the bredth of a great depression into which flow the many waters of the swamp in shimmering waterfalls.