Fringe Folk

Fringe Folk, as one might expect, is the name given to those humans who stubbornly live along the edges of the Black Forest, eking out a meager existence while under constant threat from the horrors that lurk out of those tainted woods. The reasons Folk have for staying are as numerous as they themselves are. Some refuse to leave behind their ancestral plots, others are drawn to the Black Forest like moths to a flame while yet others wished to become Seekers but could not make the cut. Fringe Folk tend to be pragmatic and fatalistic, not taking a single day for granted, and you won't find a better, more reliable friend than a Folk. They make clothes and accessories from the remains of the misshapen beasts that crawl and scurry in the rotted underbrush of the forest, and regularly embark on expeditions inside the borders of the forest, much to the vexation of the Seekers.

While it may not seem to be so to an outside observer, there is actually an unspoken hierarchy among Folk, which is based on several factors. The most important of these factors is the location of their homestead. The closer to the Black Forest, the more respected a Folk is among his or her peers, with those whose homes are within the borders of the forest, in the Death's Head Orchard or even the outskirts of the Gutmire being the the most respected of all. The second factor is seniority, both when it comes to individual age and the time the family of a Folk has settled the plot of land they call home.

In this way, certain families hold more sway over the few collective decisions that Folk make in moots held annually, or even more sparsely should there be no pressing need.

My father refused to leave the family plot behind, but I wasn't keen on waking up to Hatelings coming through the doors and windows, so I left.

Haven't seen him since.

–A Druvenian street vendor when asked about his family

Encompassed species

• Human

by AI-generated

_{A Fringe Folk woodsman}