Twisted Forest

The Drachensgrab Hills have always been an enigmatic and foreboding land, a place steeped in ancient dread and whispered legends.

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Some believe a slumbering power lies beneath the hills, stirring the land with its malign will. Others speak of an unclean air that seeps through the valleys, a remnant of some ancient blight. But among all the peculiarities of this land, none are as disturbing as the so-called Twisted Forest—a name both misleading and terrifyingly apt.

A Forest of Stone

The Twisted Forest is no forest at all, but rather a vast collection of eerily humanoid stone pillars. These pitted gray monoliths dot the hillside meadows like gnarled, leafless trees, yet their resemblance to contorted figures frozen in agony is undeniable. Some stand no taller than a goblin, while others loom like ogres or greater horrors. Their twisted upper extensions evoke arms raised in silent screams, and the weathered patterns on their trunks resemble tormented faces, staring eternally into the void.

Despite their great age, the stones remain bare of moss, lichen, or bird nests, unlike the surrounding natural rock formations. Worse still, the ground between them is littered with bones and rusted weapons—not from a single battle, but from many across the ages. Some of the skeletal remains are ancient, little more than dust, while others are fresh enough to tell a recent tale of horror. The source of this grisly display is no lurking beast or wandering predator—it is the stones themselves.

A Deadly Curse

Those who touch the stones often die, go mad, or suffer a fate far worse. The goblins of the Pomarj, in their early conquests, learned this the hard way. Hoping to plunder what they believed to be treasures hidden within the pillars, a large warband entered the Twisted Forest—never to return. Later, those who dared to examine the site noticed more stone figures than before, and a new serpentine formation, over thirty feet long, now stretched between the pillars. Some say it was not there in past centuries.

A Living Prison

Any evil creature that enters the Twisted Forest must make a harrowing choice: flee or risk becoming stone themselves. Those who fail to resist the curse are fully aware of their surroundings, yet unable to move or speak, trapped in an eternal nightmare of stillness. Attempting to damage the stones brings only agony to the trapped souls, while the stone itself remains impervious to harm.

Worse still, these imprisoned minds are not powerless. When a living being touches or strikes one of the pillars, the trapped soul may attempt to switch bodies. Some perish instantly, their new forms unsuited to the shock. Others, however, escape—unleashed upon the world with new bodies, new faces, and their old, terrible knowledge intact.

The Suloise Curse

According to the ancient writings of Uhas of Neheli, the Twisted Forest is the result of a terrible curse. In ages past, a cruel and powerful sect of Suloise mages fled across the northern coast of the Azure Sea, seeking a land where they might build an empire of cruelty and domination. For a time, their power and wickedness allowed them to succeed in every vile endeavor—until they butchered an innocent Flan tribe in a manner so grotesque that it drew the wrath of the Flan gods themselves.

As punishment, the Suloise sorcerers were cursed to never leave the valley where the massacre took place. Instead, they were transformed into twisted pillars of stone, monuments to their own wickedness, to serve as a warning for all who might follow in their footsteps.

Yet, over the centuries, some of the original prisoners have escaped. Perhaps their knowledge of dark magic allowed them to twist the curse, creating a means of possession through physical contact. Now, the Twisted Forest is no longer a prison solely for the damned Suloise, but a growing collection of victims—goblins, ogres, and even a red dragon, all now trapped within the petrified ranks.

A Hidden Threat

The exact location of the Twisted Forest remains shrouded in mystery. Ancient records place it somewhere deep within the Drachensgrab Hills, yet few who search for it ever return to tell the tale. Some believe it to be near Hakentos, the smallest of the cursed peaks, where worshippers of the Earth Dragon claim a great and slumbering spirit dwells.

Could it be that the Earth Dragon itself laid this curse upon the Suloise? Or is there a far older, darker force, still feeding upon the souls trapped within the stones?

Treasures and Terrors

Legends persist that great treasure lies within the Twisted Forest—relics of the Suloise sorcerers, waiting to be reclaimed. But to seek them is to court a fate worse than death. What could be gained by unearthing the secrets of the cursed stones? And more importantly... what might be unleashed in the process?