Wudugast

Wudugast are mysterious spectral entities known to haunt the woodlands of Verrin.
Speculated to be the spirits of long-dead Men of Verrin, they are hooded in tattered cloth and shrouded in a blanket of mist. Those who have seen one up close claim that beneath their hoods their flesh is rotten and falling from their bones. Their approach is heralded by awful screams and cries of anguish, and sometimes even mournful songs in an ancient tongue. Where they wander, trees contort into unnatural shapes, animals bray and squeal, and streams flow the wrong way.
Strangely, Wudugast were seen in Verrin long before the arrival of the race of Men. The implications this may have for the nature of the Wudugast are unknown. Some suggest that they are necromancers who delved too deeply into dark magic, corrupting themselves in the process.

Civilization and Culture

Common Myths and Legends

Such is their rarity that Wudugast are often dismissed as mere rumour among the scholars of Verrin. However, those who find themselves face to face with one are quick to disagree with such statements.
Wudugast are thought to bring death, destruction and bad fortune to the family of the one who looks upon them. A famous, if unproven example is the case of King Cynric, who caught a glimpse of a Wudugast whilst marching with his army to the Battle of Dracwynne Ford. The army was routed and almost entirely wiped out by the Giants, and all three of the King's brothers were killed in the battle.

Ahzuk Akashtar Moranimti!

-According to the scholar Ascian, he heard a Wudugast repeating this phrase over and over as he walked the woods at night. Consulting ancient tomes, he roughly translated it as 'The forest, the sky, my death!' The meaning of this nonsensical phrase has yet to be determined.