Morrow Valley


 * Baron: Unther Trague


 * Crest: A church in a valley with a lit window
 * Motto: “Stand against the Avalanche”

Overview
Found in the northwest of Vanar the Morrow Valley is a quiet region found along the Nordlache, where the people are mostly concerned with fishing and staying out of the forest. Even the smallest village has a wall to keep out the marauding beasts, and those who live alone in this area are feared as much as the Wargenwald itself.

The people of the Morrow Valley have lived all their lives near the Nordlache and the Wargenwald. It’s hard to grow up here without learning how to sail or how to pick your way through the woods. However, it’s difficult not to gain a certain respect for the darker places in the world. Most of the people have at least a basic knowledge of various protective measures against various spirits, curses, monsters, and the like.

These “remedies” and talismans aren’t always effective—in fact they’re often more rooted in folklore and superstition than anything else—but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that the locals believe they’re true, and it seems every village has their own list of them.

Wargenwald
One of the single largest influences on the Morrow Valley is the Wargenwold, which has spread its shadow over the region for as long as anyone can remember. Its history is filled with tales of gruesome murders and monsters, polluting the trees with their evil.

Wood cut from the forest is known as “Wolf Wood” and burns with dark red flames. The Vanarians believe that the wood attracts monsters, so they generally avoid building with it. Worse, the monsters and spirits can allegedly track a man by scent if they have any Wolf Wood sap on their clothes.

There are many creatures believed to haunt the forest. The smallest are the vicious kobolds. There are also deadly varieties of fey, such as pixies and dryads, as well as deadly plants that can ensnare a victim in their grasp. The most feared monster in the forest is the dreaded “Doomworgen”, also called the Big Bad Wolf; supposedly a warg of immense size and keen intellect capable swallowing men whole.

It has a number of supernatural powersd attributed to it, including breath like a hurricane, the ability to fly or summon fog, and the ability to shapeshift or change its size at will. Nobody knows if the stories or true, or how much of them is true, but what is undeniable is the eerie howls that come from the forests when the moon is out.

Near the middle of the Wargenwald is the Wolf’s Den Inn, a modest inn that gives travelers a brief respite and shelter from the horrors of the forest. Like most of the settlements in the Morrow Valley, the inn does not open its doors after sundown. It is owned by a couple, the Schwartz family, who have lived here for decades.

Local Customs and Problems
The people of the Morrow Valley are considered odd by other Vanarians. Their environment has taught them a respect for the horrors of the night that their countrymen may not possess. Besides that, there is something eldritch about any people that would willingly live within the Wargenwald. Other Vanarians have respect the people of the valley, both for their odd notions of courage and their bizarre pagan practices.

The people who live in the Morrow Valley refer to themselves as sehend, or “sighted”. This doesn’t refer to supernatural sight, but instead refers to being grounded and recognizing one’s place in the world. There is a saying among the locals: “There’s always a bigger fish”—it acknowledges that there is always something bigger and more dangerous out there, and not to take stupid chances.

The Shadow Fair
A holdover from ancient times, the Shadow Fair is held once a year in every town and village within twenty leagues of the Morrow Valley. It takes place during the last full moon of spring each year, and does not begin until the sun drops below the horizon. In order to prepare for the Fair, each village sends a small group into the forest to chop down one tree per crew. They cut the trees into firewood, which they bring back to the village. The Wolf Wood goes to create an enormous bonfire as the sun goes down, done to honor the spirits who dwell in the forest.

The villagers dance and sing around the eerie red flames of the bonfire late into the night, eating rich foods and drinking black beer from a large feast that is laid out near the fire. A small load of pumpernickel bread sits in the middle of table, Lachelndermann (the Smiling Man; another local legend) should he appear. According to local legend, anybody who eats the pumpernickel suffers terrible luck for the next ten years.

At midnight, an enormous wicker man effigy is cast into the flames. Should everything go as planned, the spirits will bless their town for another year. The local temple of the Dawnfather frowns on this practice, but the locals are set in their ways.

Armed Forces
There is no standing army within the Morrow Valley; it just doesn’t have the size or resources to support such a thing. Baron Trague has a private guard numbering about twenty-five, and he can mount a force of approximately 3,000 if the situation calls for it.

Of course, these numbers are for a defensive stand; given that the vast majority of the force is made up of volunteers who would absolutely abandon the effort if asked to mount an attack on an enemy.

Settlements
As mentioned above, even the smallest village in the Morrow Valley has a wall built around it. The Wargenwald’s prevalence across the valley makes the nights incredibly dangerous, and the city gates are not opened after nightfall for any reason.

However, there are usually several small, sturdy cottages or huts near the town gates, intended as shelters for those unfortunate trapped outside after nightfall.

While a number of small villages and hamlets dot the region, there are only two of any size or repute.

Faldendorf
Faldendorf is a mid-sized town situated at the mouth of the Nordlache, in the shadow of the Rimecrown Mountains. Most of the town’s economy centers around fishing the depths of the frigid lake. An enormous earth and wood wall surrounds the town, patrolled by guards with torches each night. The wall cuts off the docks from the rest of the town, and fishermen are careful to be home before the gates close. Unlike many local towns, Faldendorf has a busy nightlife; the townsfolk do not cower in their homes after dark, as they feel the walls are sturdy enough to keep them safe and feel alright going about their business around town after dark. A well-armed militia patrols the streets at night as part of their training, and they all carry whistles to sound the alarm if they get in over their heads.

Especially busy after dark are the local taverns, where the people gather to chat with their neighbors. Favorites include the Wicker Man Inn, the Salty Seaman, or the Chipped Flagon. Tavern-goers exchange news and gossip, and partake in an excellent local stout known as “Blokner’s Medicine”. There is also a local “den of ill repute” called Lady Moira’s, owned by the eponymous dwarven madam known as Moira.

Faldendorf is large for the area and considered both prosperous and safe. Given its port and constant contact with the northern Slazka ports, Faldendorf is known to be a relatively bustling town. The people are close-knit and stoic, though no less superstitious than the rest of the valley. They are pious, and more churches can be found here than elsewhere in the valley. Churches to the Dawnfather, the Lawbringer, the Knowing Lord, the Ocean Mistress, the Wildmother, and the Stormlord can be found here, though the church of the Dawnfather is by far the most influential.

Baron Unther Trague lives in town, serving as Burgomeister as well. He was born and raised here, and he has a deep love and great pride for the town. He has expanded his ancestral hall, now living in a large manor located in the middle of town. It’s tall and stately, constructed entirely from Wolf Wood.

The townsfolk mutter that it’s bad luck to build with Wolf Wood, but Trague is known to be a good and honest man and hold their tongues for the time being.

Trost
Trost lies in the southeast of the Nordlache. It houses a large temple to the Dawnfather, and it is the last resting place of a famed cleric named Sister Stephanie the Loved, who was born in the town and raised at the cathedral. A large statue of her stands in the center of the town’s square.

Trost is the only local settlement that lies on trapping and some logging; it sends lumber across the lake, through a narrow passage in the mountains by ship to a waiting port in Slazka to the north.