The Dreadmoors

"The mists are swift. They creep up on you, and before you know it, you're being hunted by the horrors which call that place home! I'd stay away from there, dear. If you value your life, of course."

Dora Goodacre, Landlady of the The Cloak and Tater Inn, Littleton

The Dreadmoors are located in central Elvara, north-east of the City of Malvarron, south of Grayspire and south-west of the halfling settlement of Littleton-On-The-Moors. The area is completely flat and devoid of any development by the Elvaran people.
Believed to be the area where the ancient city of Mathidon stood over a millennium ago, the Dreadmoors today yield little in the common psyche beyond fear.

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A Veiled Plain

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Little is known about the Moors because most people refuse to go near them, and those that have are reported to have disappeared. Even the Empire's roads and trading routes travel around the Moors rather than through them, because it is considered far too dangerous.
As you approach the moors, the mists thicken until you can't see anything beyond the wispy grey wall in front of you. Even the glow of your own skin in the moonlight is completely invisible in the impenetrable fog.

"They don't call it the Dreadmoors for nothin' yer know..."

A Gruff-Sounding Halfling, Littleton

According to Eldeth Cordell, when the Empire of Mathidon was destroyed in 1 A.E. and the city fell to the Alliance, the Dreadmoors became an "Uninhabitable wasteland" (see: The Common Man's Guide to Astaeria).
However, many tales and stories entrenched within local Elvaran Folklore tell a different story, the most interesting being that the land beneath the moor is alive, humming with dark magical energy. Some say it is a portal to the Ebonveil, whilst others say it is home to terrible creatures, cursed to roam the moors for all eternity.

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Blood Wolves

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Blood Wolves, though rare, are native to the Elvara Forest. They have an overly keen sense of smell and are attracted to the scent of wounded animals, pursuing them for and easy meal, hence why they are nicknamed 'the Vulture on Four Legs'.
They are very efficient hunters and can smell blood from at least three miles away, though rarely will they attack a person and often pursue small mammals, birds and reptiles.
Some locals have stated that they have seen similar, larger beasts around the outskirts of the Dreadmoors during the day time, with some even fearing that the creatures have been feasting on unassuming passersby, or worse, absorbing the dark magic of the Moors.

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The Undead

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The Malevenant spirits of Mathidoni people, killed during the war are also said to roam the moors, each looking to take revenge on the members of the Alliance who ensured the their deaths, and the fall of their empire.
As the sun dissappears below the horizon, it is said that the sound of wailing and screeching can be heard anywhere within 5 miles of the mists.

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The Shadow Bringer

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Out of the general rumours and beliefs surrounding the moors, there is one which is specific to the Dreadmoors -- the story of the Shadow Bringer.
The Shadow Bringer is a large humanoid creature which is able to disguise itself as anything and anyone.
According to popular legend, it preys on lost souls found roaming on the Moors or lost in the mists.

Some say he is a demon, one of Baelor's creations and is surrounded by packs of flesh-eating horrors who aid him in his bidding.
Others say, he deliberately leads travelers astray, even children, and that once you see him it is too late for you. He is too fast and will feed on your life essence, leaving your spirit to roam the Dreadmoors for eternity.

Type

Moor

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