Silent Wood

A grim, cold, and haunted place, surrounded by unnatural silence and chill.

South of the borders of Port Harmony, the Silent Wood is a haunted forest, cold with an everpresent chill that flows from the mountains that border them. Filled with stalking predators and unquiet spirits, most folk avoid the woods out of an abundance of caution. In recent years, however, the Khandarian people have decided to try and claim this land as their home.
The largest threat in the land besides the large hunting cats, powerful cave bears, and everpresent threat of exposure, are the haunting ghost-like entities known as the Breath Stealers. These seemingly mindless gheists flit silently between the dark canopy and forest floor, seeking to still the last breath of dying creatures who cross their path. Such victims have their lives and their voices stolen, used by the Breath Stealers to lure in new victims who seek their lost kin.
Due to these dangers, the Silent Wood remains largely uncharted, and few who now live know what secrets the forest holds.
In the early weeks of the Spring of 1024, things remained much the same as they had for the Khandarians of the Silent Wood. They seem to have been spared much of the calamity that is apparent across the rest of the known world, which is no small mercy considering the horrors the Breath Stealers continually inflict on the Khandarians. The leaders of the people of the Silent Wood have made some progress in mounting defenses against the Breath Stealers, and have managed to keep the borders of their settlement safer than in previous months.
9/1024 - The Khandarians of the Silent Wood have made strides in their defenses against the Breath Stealers attacks. Using enchanted charms, Khandarian defenders are at least given warning before the arrival of the spectral attackers. However, the appearance of a new threat has caused great concern. Several times over the last weeks, powerful breath stealers covered in strange runes have swept past all magical defenses to attack the Khandarians. They take significantly more effort to bring down, and wield strange magics unlike their lesser kin. The Khandarians make redoubled efforts to locate the source of these creatures before they can grow even stronger.

Cultural Dress
Due to the everpresent chill, survival in the Silent Wood requires pragmatic warmth. leathers, wools, furs, and pelts are all commonplace, both for protection against the elements and the claws of predators.

Kingdom Skills
No Home, No Master: The caster enters a deathlike trance, and recuperates. Takes 10 minutes.