Description:

Beyond all the coves and beaches of Narnvak lies a wilderness which is largely untouched by human hands. All the mist that rolls in from the coast gathers in the moors, hiding the heather that grows here and the many rock outcroppings that dot the area.
The moors are bordered by a thick marsh that leads into a coniferous forest. Between the twisted roots of these ancient trees grow thistles that can grow as tall as a Tokota’s eye.

Landmarks:

• The Wolf’s Den - At the heart of the forest lies a large tor. An entrance carved out of the south side leads into a cave deep inside. The floor of the cave is littered with animal bones. Those who find themselves here do not linger as there is often a sense of being watched.

• The Sleeping Giants - If you venture far enough into the moorland, you will find a series of grassy tors, each with a single, large stone stood on top of it. No-one’s exactly sure what these ancient obelisks are, but seen at a distance, they look eerily like a graveyard.

• Udu’s Marsh– Named after the coastal deity thanks to its ever present misty blanket, the Marsh is sat between the moorland and the forest. Visitors must cross the marsh if they wish to continue on their journey, there is no way around it. Those that do travel this far are reminded to stay on the path lest they find themselves dragged to the bottom of one of the many pools or trapped within the boggy ground. Some say that there are lights within the marsh, whether to help or hinder those that cross it, is unknown.

• The Ranger’s Hut– The only manmade structure within the entire area. If you’re lucky, you’ll find it occupied by a very helpful ranger called Steve, who’ll be more than happy to set you back on the right trail. When Steve’s not home, travellers will often find his tame wolf in residence, though there’s an intelligence behind those eyes that’s somewhat unsettling.

Lore:

The Full Moon – No-one goes out onto the Moors or the surrounding landscape during a Full Moon, unless they have a death wish.

Red Moon Rising – If you see a red moon, the wolves have killed that night.

Werewolves – There is an ancient tale of two brothers. They entered the forest to track deer to take home to their family to see them through the winter. As they tracked a doe, they unknowingly entered wolf territory. As night began to fall and the Full Moon began to rise, the younger brother fell down a steep embankment, breaking his ankle on his way down. Before his brother could find him, he found himself staring into the maw of a giant white wolf. The younger brother begged with the wolf to spare his life. The wolf was angry, thirsting for blood. The older brother reached them and realised that the wolf was the deity Orom. He joined his brother’s pleas but she refused, accusing them of murdering her pups. The older brother told her that they respected the wolf and that they would never do anything quite so mindless and, in any case, they weren’t such great hunters. Orom considered this for some time before finally relenting. The younger brother took a chance and asked if Orom would teach them the wolf way to hunt, that way they could better feed their family, as she would have taught her own pups. Grief and rage still lingered within the wolf deity’s chest but she agreed. She instructed them to drink the milk she still carried for her murdered offspring. The brothers did so and, under the light of the Full Moon they were consumed by the power of the wolf. Orom then showed them how to hunt. After their first kill, she told them to return at the next Full Moon and she would complete their training on the condition that they told no-one.
When the brothers returned at the next Full Moon, they had kept their word, keeping their secret, however, they were followed by their best friend. Just as they had before, they drank Orom’s milk and were once more consumed by the power of the wolf. After the transformation, the friend emerged from his hiding place, seeking out his own share of the power. Orom fled at his appearance and the brothers blocked his path to her. He became enraged and attacked the brothers, killing the younger one, the older one in turn killing him. Fuelled by the same rage and grief Orom had felt at the loss of her pups, the brother raced back to his village where he slaughtered all that crossed his path. He did not stop until he was confronted by a small girl. She stood before him without fear, only love. Somewhere deep down, his human heart began to beat again as he stared at his sister. He allowed her to stroke him and climb on his back. They fled into the forest in search of Orom but they never found her. The brother remained cursed to roam the world as a wolf at every Full Moon, his sister staying by his side, making sure he didn’t kill any more humans. They built a cabin in the woods together where they remained until the sister grew old and died.
Overwhelmed by grief again, the elder brother left the cabin to find somewhere else to live in the skin of a wolf. He felt alone. He came across a lone hunter, his gun trained on him, the ancient rage that had flowed through both he and Orom surged through him once more. He bore down on his prey but as his teeth sank into his neck, he remembered his sister and the promise he had made to her and he could no longer kill this human. He dragged the hunter to a cave beneath a tor where he tended to his wounds as best he could. The hunter survived the rest of the night and the day that followed, though he did not wake. By nightfall and the second rise of the Full Moon, he became a wolf, just as the brother did. The pair formed a tight bond and from that night on, the brother swore he would only ever give others the power of the wolf and never kill. It is said that the brother’s children still roam these lands and people are warned never to venture this place during the Full Moon.

Original location inspiration by Scribbles-ARPG
Location art by USERNAME