Ardengloom
An ancient wood that is known by all. Long ago, the primordial forest used to envelope all of Druskenvald. In present day, it is nothing more than towering gnarled trees; the last barrier between civilization and the unknown. Within the heart of the wood, terrors have been sung in its umbral heart.
The province is built of dark forests, twisting shadows, and echoes of the long-dead feyfolk that once resided. Within the forests now lies a shrouded society settled mostly by gnarlborns.
Provincial Folklore
The Ancient Elderwoods:
There stands the oldest and largest trees in Druskenvald appropriately titled Elderwoods that have faces of knotted wood and cracked bark. Should harm come to the wood in which they are rooted, they weep viscous, amber sap in response to that shared pain. Itis believed that within each Elderwood is a soul of a long-dead Fey- the last remnants of a once-mighty oaken empire.
The language shared between the Elderwoods are now long gone. Folk in Ardengloom now communicate the will of the woods through subtle shifting of leaves or swaying of branches, while those attuned to the Old Ways may even hear their voices in the wind.
The Mists of Tirna Feth:
On nights when the moonlight pierces the dense canopy, a soft, blue mist forms on the breeze and billows into the surrounding forests. They're known in legend to blanket the wood in an eerie dew that were thought to be the lost souls of the feyfolk that once prospered in Ardengloom. Most who find themselves caught in the mist are trapped. They lose their concept of time and place and few are able to escape the mists and tell tales of being helped or hindered by confounding fey spirits or following the ghostly luminance of a will o wisp
Noteworthy Folk
Elder Gallows:
The oldest and largest of all who walk the woods. The lord of Ardengloom is so old that his true name is lost to time. Only timeworn trees and Elderwoods may remember it, but never dare to say it.
Among his knotted branches, nooses hang as a reminder of the fate that befalls those who encroach upon and dare to defile his primordial realm. He is bitter toward outsiders and fellow lords of the Crescent Court as a witness to the centuries of destruction to the forests. His contempt is controlled by his unmatched patience, for he knows that he and the forest will outlast them all.
Sister Silhouette:
Known as the Witch of Ardengloom, Sister Silhouette twists the shadows of the dark forest into extensions of her form, enveloping and snuffing out the life essence of travelers that lose their way in the woods. Her shadows are capable of blighting mighty Elderwood trees and corrupt the primordial fey spirits that cause black sap to run like tears down rotten bark. She collects the sap to fuel her lantern so that it may eventually cast her shadow across all of Ardengloom.
Location Location Location
Gloaming Glutch:
The capital of Ardengloom that is a flourishing city built into the trees themselves. Gnarlborn and other species may call tangled roots or even towering canopies home. Great rings of standing stones are found on the forest floor covered in moss and lichen. Here, the Old Ones, hold what's called the great Gnarlmoot. Led by Elder Gallows, the group gathers to discuss solutions to the problems plaguing the province.
The concept of currency is foreign here. Goods are bartered at grand treetop markets, and the entire way of life for the gnarlborn is predicated on a system of honor and respect. However, those who violate the laws and customs of the gulch find themselves facing merciless justice. The bones of countless trespassers are forever lost among the roots of the Elderwoods.
Maze of the Dreamers:
The maze is overgrown, built into the forest from stone, earth, branch, and bush, and shrouded in mystery. Passing through the emerald archway, unwary travelers are confronted with miles of labyrinthian, enchanted woodland murmurs with the faint song of beasts, birds, and the old gods of the forest. The lost are doomed to wander endlessly or be consumed by grasping brambles, choking ivy, or the gnashing jaws of the impossibly ancient creatures within. Those who brave the labyrinth and best its challenges will arrive at the Green Dream; the dwindled ethereal realm of the few surviving fey folk from the lost ages of Druskenvald.