Forest Folk

The Forest Folk (derisively known as Barkspeakers) are the peculiar Folk who dwell exclusively within Blackwood. Their origins are shrouded in mystery although they believe that the very forest itself had them break away from the trees in order to defend against outsiders. Scholars at The Kuriosum believe this origin myth to suggest creation by an Awakened Primordial . There are many known clans of Forest Folk within Blackwood who routinely war with one another over territory and sacred scales.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Forest Folk stand slightly shorter than Fey although their hunched stances make them appear considerably shorter at first glance. Their lean builds belie their impressive strength gained from millennia fighting the constant battle for survival among the perpetual darkness of Blackwood. What little skin of the Forest Folk that is visible is a milky white with pale grey blotches. The rest is covered by winding growths of bark, weeds, fungi, and vines as if the very forest itself grows upon them. This helps give Forest Folk an uncanny natural camouflage within their native environment making them excellent at ambushes and guerrilla warfare. The forest also grows within as their very voices crack and break like the snapping of branches. Their sensory organs are typically large allowing them to see, hear, and smell very well within the darkness of the forest. Their teeth naturally grow flat but most Forest Folk have been found to file them into sharpened points to provide yet another means of defense in their dangerous environment. The final, and most dangerous, aspect of their anatomy is the glands within their chest in which they store a toxic bile. This bile contains thousands of small seeds and can be regurgitated at will as a defense mechanism. Any creature which inhales or swallows it will begin to contract Barklung: a debilitating and painful disease of the airways.

Growth Rate & Stages

Forest Folk young tend to grow into maturity very quickly at around 10 or 11 years. This growth period is where they will begin cultivating the mass of flora over their skin as well as developing their bile sacs. Just as they mature early, Forest Folk tend to not live as long as most folk, often dying in their 50s. Strangely they do not slowly age over their entire lifetime but tend to deteriorate rapidly towards the end of their lives. This is identified by the flora on their skin beginning to wilt and die to the point where their final weeks are spent naked before finally succumbing to death.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Despite their strong senses and numerous defense mechanisms Forest Folk do not hunt or consume animals. They exist on a diet of insects, plants and fungi that grow in abundance within Blackwood.

Geographic Distribution

• Blackwood