Kenaya

38

In the middle of the Shadowmoor region of Avalair lies the settlement of Murkshire. Resilient individuals established a safe resting place for travelers and provided the basic supplies needed to survive in the cursed moors. One of the heartpieces of Murkshire is the Whisker-Inn—a place of refuge for travelers who prefer a soft bed to a tent or the open sky. At first glance, the inn may appear a bit gloomy, but it offers luxurious rooms, comfortable beds, and excellent food at all price ranges. The inn is run by Kenaya, a member of the Cursed Clan—a name given to those who have been corrupted by the magic of the cursed moors and turned into a dark version of themselves. Long ago, Kenaya was a cat-person who was lured into the swamps by the Moor-Souls. She barely survived but was forever afflicted by their dark magic. When the Moor-Rescue Guild and the Curse Research Institute were founded in Murkshire, Kenaya and a small group of others from the Cursed Clan saw it as their duty to support the settlement, hoping to spare others from their fate and perhaps one day discover a cure for their kind. Since Kenaya lacked knowledge in research, she decided to provide travelers and visitors of Murkshire with a cozy place to stay and opened the Whisker-Inn. #Shadowmoor: A haunted marshland filled with eerie mists and ghostly apparitions. The Shadowmoor is a place of fear and superstition, avoided by most travelers. In Shadowmoor, you can find Cursed Ruins, remnants of an ancient civilization lost to dark magic.

Kelpie

39

In Avalair, in the region of Shadowmoor dwell the Kelpie, malevolent creatures resembling horses, their bodies covered in moss-green to deep green scales, with algae-like manes and tails, along with gills and sharp teeth. Don’t be fooled by their appearance—Kelpies are dangerous predators and cunning hunters with high intelligence. They often cover themselves with grass and mud to blend into the marshes, lying in wait for unwary prey, which they drown in the swamps. Shadowmoor: A haunted marshland filled with eerie mists and ghostly apparitions. The Shadowmoor is a place of fear and superstition, avoided by most travelers.

Dr. Elric

11

In the middle of the Shadowmoor region of Avalair lies the settlement of Murkshire. Resilient individuals established a safe resting place for travelers and provided the basic supplies needed to survive in the cursed moors. One of the heartpieces of Murkshire is the Elven-Hospice—a medical facility founded by the somewhat eccentric elven doctor, Dr. Elric. Dr. Elric is skilled in Spirit and Earth magic, and despite his peculiar mannerisms, he is an excellent doctor who tends to all those in need of help. He is a joyful soul with a flair for the dramatic and carries a certain air of arrogance. His presence rarely goes unnoticed, as it’s often accompanied by a grand entrance, cryptic phrases, and elaborate gestures. It is nearly impossible for others to predict what Dr. Elric will do next, and few can truly grasp his motivations. However, despite all of this, Dr. Elric is a highly valued member of Murkshire's community. There is one thing people can always count on: when medical help is needed, Dr. Elric is always there. #Shadowmoor: A haunted marshland filled with eerie mists and ghostly apparitions. The Shadowmoor is a place of fear and superstition, avoided by most travelers. In Shadowmoor, you can find Cursed Ruins, remnants of an ancient civilization lost to dark magic. #Murkshire: In the the central area of the Shadowmoor region in Avalair lies the settlement of Murkshire, surroundet by an high rampart and a few warchtowers to ensure safety. In Murkshire's middle in a high signal fire placed to lead travellers the way to the camp. It began as a safe camp for travelers, but over time, a few resilient individuals settled there, establishing shops and other facilities—thus, the settlement was born. The heart of Shadowmoor consists of: -The Troll Tavern -The Whisker-Inn -The Guild for Moor-Rescue & More -The Elven-Hospice -The general store "Murkshire Supplies" -The Curse-Research Institute

Xardas

13

Xardas is a tribute for the wonderful Xyphale ------ Xardas, the Dark Mage of Shadowmoor, a conundrum wrapped in arcane robes. He's got that debatable moral compass, but damn, does he dig into the forgotten magics of yore. Part of the 'Ruin Diver' squad, he delves into ruins so deep, legends are just footnotes. If there's an ancient, dark secret to be found, he's your guy—or not your guy, since he might just forget his 'good side' for research. ------ Xardas, a Dark Mage of great wisdom and power. No one knows how old he is, because he doesn't talk about it. He probably doesn't know himself. Many years ago, Xardas was an instructor at Avalair's Mage Academy, but he always aspired to greater things. And so he was drawn to Shadowmoor, to the ruins of the former capital of Shadowmoor, in the south of the island. The name of this city has long been forgotten, but even today the ruins bear witness to a place of great power, but also great catastrophe. The ruins, partly submerged in the swamp, still contain powerful traces of dark magic, as well as dangerous knowledge. Knowledge that Xardas wants to learn. He founded a group, the Ruin Divers. A group consisting of eager Dark Mages, but also adventurers. They study and map the ruins of this ancient city and uncover knowledge. Xardas himself is obsessed with power, but not evil. However, his morals are sometimes very questionable. In order to achieve his goals he is at least willing to make sacrifices.

Moor-Rescue Guild

6

In the middle of the Shadowmoor region of Avalair lies the settlement of Murkshire. Resilient individuals established a safe resting place for travelers and provided the essential supplies needed to survive in the cursed moors. One of the heartpieces of Murkshire is the Guild for Moor-Rescue and More, an organization that employs teams to search and rescue those lost in Shadowmoor. It also takes on various missions and contracts from the surrounding area, passing them on to adventurers. The guild is led by Aaron, the former Alpha of a werewolf pack in Gloomwood and is a crucial hub for search-and-rescue missions, escort services, and various other contracts. #Shadowmoor: A haunted marshland filled with eerie mists and ghostly apparitions. The Shadowmoor is a place of fear and superstition, avoided by most travelers. In Shadowmoor, you can find Cursed Ruins, remnants of an ancient civilization lost to dark magic. #Murkshire: In the the central area of the Shadowmoor region in Avalair lies the settlement of Murkshire, surroundet by an high rampart and a few warchtowers to ensure safety. In Murkshire's middle in a high signal fire placed to lead travellers the way to the camp. It began as a safe camp for travelers, but over time, a few resilient individuals settled there, establishing shops and other facilities—thus, the settlement was born. The heart of Shadowmoor consists of: -The Troll Tavern -The Whisker-Inn -The Guild for Moor-Rescue & More -The Elven-Hospice -The general store "Murkshire Supplies" -The Curse-Research Institute

Murkshire

4

In the the central area of the Shadowmoor region in Avalair lies the settlement of Murkshire, surroundet by an high rampart and a few warchtowers to ensure safety. In Murkshire's middle in a high signal fire placed to lead travellers the way to the camp. It began as a safe camp for travelers, but over time, a few resilient individuals settled there, establishing shops and other facilities—thus, the settlement was born. The heart of Shadowmoor consists of: #The Troll Tavern #The Whisker-Inn #The Guild for Moor-Rescue & More #The Elven-Hospice #The general store "Murkshire Supplies" #The Curse-Research Institute #The region Shadowmoor: A haunted marshland filled with eerie mists and ghostly apparitions. The Shadowmoor is a place of fear and superstition, avoided by most travelers. In Shadowmoor, you can find Cursed Ruins, remnants of an ancient civilization lost to dark magic.

Will-o'-the-Wisp

4

Mischievous Will-o'-the-Wisps can be found in Shadowmoor and Gloomwood in Avalair, often taking the form of small, flickering flames to mislead or confuse people. Unlike the Friendly Will-o'-the-Wisps of the Verdant Wilds, these Mischievous Will-o'-the-Wisps are wickedly playful nature-spirits and focused solely on their own amusement, with no regard for others. #Gloomwood: A dark, dense forest shrouded in perpetual twilight. The Gloomwood is a place of shadow and mystery, inhabited by elusive creatures and practitioners of dark magic. #Shadowmoor: A haunted marshland filled with eerie mists and ghostly apparitions. The Shadowmoor is a place of fear and superstition, avoided by most travelers.

Melora

2

Melora is a mage of Shadowmoor. She has dark magic but also earth magic. A unique combo since she is a necromancer and is adept at raising the dead. She can also create nightmares out of the landscape and trees or grow extremely rare plants like the blue lotus. Shadowmoor is one of the few places that grows the blue lotus. A flower that is used in many medicines and potions. Even magic academies purchase from her. She lives in an old manor in a small town called Midian. Her home is behind a large body of freshwater called Black Moon Lake. Directly across is the Dreich Ruins, dark and forbidding for most. But not for Melora. It is the source of her power. The ones that originally inhabited the Dreich Ruins were ancient ones- beings once revered. Melora’s ancestors have studied their ways for centuries. There is also a small college near the town that teaches mages the art of necromancy and other dark arts.

Marvin

2

Marvin the cook is a celebrity in Murkshire. He once lived in the Verdant Wilds and worked there as a passionate cook in one of the largest crossroads taverns in the region. One day he went on a trip to Shadowmoor. The purpose of this trip was to get hold of rare ingredients to improve his cooking skills, but he was kidnapped and held captive by bandits.  The troll Ulvar and his orcs rescued Marvin and brought him to Murkshire. A safe place in the middle of the dangerous Shadowmoor. Marvin was grateful and decided to stay, much to Ulvar's delight. The two quickly became friends and the orcs were also friendly and protective towards Marvin. Marvin is not a fighter. On the contrary, he seems rather fragile and has a gentle and sweet personality. And he always judges others by their character and not by their appearance. This means that Marvin is not in the least afraid of the people from the cursed clan or of the orcs.  In the evenings, Marvin cooks in the Troll Tavern and in the mornings he takes care of breakfast for the guests in the Whisker's Inn. Thanks in part to his cooking skills, the number of visitors to Murkshire is increasing rapidly. People from other small settlements regularly come by to eat there. Groups of adventurers even change their routes to make at least one stop in Murkshire. And nobody messes with Marvin, because the orcs look after their little cook well. Mess with Marvin and you'll have a whole horde of orcs on your tail.