By royal decree of Her Illuminated Majesty Queen Dorytta the Fair, fifth Horse Queen and second of that name, Commander of the Black Army, Beloved of Khors, Lady of Cronepisht, Lady of the Argent, and Marchioness of the Margreve, the crown hereby founds the Margreve Forestry Service (MFS) in this the year 733 HY.
To commemorate this great event, the MFS is releasing a forest guide resource for pilgrims, travelers, and merchants so that you may all enjoy the wonders of the Margreve as Her Illuminated Majesty in her benevolence so allows. Travel guides can be found in all Margreve-located coaching inns as well as the MFS commission office in Runklestad.*
| Your extended guide to travel in the ancient wood, The Old Margreve, is now on sale in the Kobold Press store! |
The MFS’s Definitive Travel Guide for Your Next Margreve Pilgrimage
The MFS is pleased to name the following destinations as the safest visits in the region. Travelers may note that a MFS kiosk has been placed at each destination with a commemorative seal stamp depicting the scenic views and wondrous experiences native to that area.
5. Salt Springs, Eastern Margreve
Nestled in the heart of the Eastern Margreve, the Salt Springs are just a day trip away from humble Levoĉa Village. Witness the impressive geysers as well as the uniquely formed pillars of salt that result from the natural phenomena of underground mineral springs.
Forestry Service Bulletin. Planar confluxes have been charted in the area, likely caused by ley line disturbances. Unfortunately, salt devils (see Tome of Beasts 1) have been reported rising from the springs. Please do not engage in any bartering services with the salt devils as we cannot fully ascertain their intentions at this time. For any MFS deputies in the area, a bounty has been issued for the successful banishment of all salt devils and for every collapsed planar conflux. (Methods and proofs of flux collapsing to be determined by deputies.)
4. Ruins of Genezek Kraj, Western Margreve
Dominating the center of the Margreve’s Western heart lies Genezek Kraj, an enigmatic campus of temple ruins rumored to house untold secrets beneath the stone and foliage. A little known fact about Genezek Kraj is that it is the site of the largest concentration of Derende trees of all varieties within the entirety of the old Margreve. Bird watchers can take special delight in observing blackbirds, ravens, and other distinctive avian creatures that congregate among the local branches and ruins.
Forestry Service Bulletin. Local cultists “mercenaries” calling themselves the Mar’Grieved have been spotted in the area, engaging in activities yet unknown. Travelers are urged to approach with caution until their intentions can be assessed. An All-Call has been issued to MFS deputies to respond to the potential threat of the Mar’Grieved and to take any appropriate measures as needed.
3. Briarblack Hill, Western Margreve
If points of historic interest pique your curiosity, look no further than Briarblack Hill, just three ravines over from the Witch’s Teat Inn. It’s believed that a mighty dragon known as a zmey (see Tome of Beasts 1) was slain here and its bones still feed the hill and all that grows upon it with draconic energy. Be careful of the painfully sharp briars that grow on and around the hill, especially if you are short of stature or thin of skin.
Forestry Service Bulletin. It’s steel adder spawning season again—and really, when isn’t it?—and the wily serpents love to amass beneath the safety of the briars. Any MFS deputies with an affinity for handling animals are asked to wrangle spawning serpents before any shadow fey arrive with their own corruptive influences. Accounts that serpent spawning will awaken the zmey bones beneath the hill are purely speculative at this time.
2. Palewood, Central Margreve
Just to the west of where Dead Druid’s Run feeds into Grandfather’s Tears stands the Palewood, a limestone formation that stands head and shoulders above a copse of white birch trees. This limestone formation has been used for generations as a place to observe the Old Ways and atone for sins by placing representational effigies. While startling to observe, the Palewood is a spiritually significant site, worth the trek the behold.
Forestry Service Bulletin. Ever-present hooligans “mercenaries” the Mar’Grieved have been spotted in the area with shovels, pickaxes, sacks, and barrows. An All-Call has been issued to MFS deputies to respond to the halt the Mar’Grieved activities and maintain the integrity of the Palewood.
1. Djurdja Falls, Eastern Margreve
Djurdja Falls, o Djurdja Falls! It is the MFS’s humble opinion that Djurdja Falls is without a doubt the most beautiful sight in the Margreve’s Eastern heart, if not the entirety of the old wood. Water from the Cloudwalls mountains streams tips over the edge into a colossal and wholly uncharted cavern of fathomless depths. What does the water feed into down there? Where does the inky darkness lead? Though the MFS cannot sanction any attempt to plumb the truth of Djurdja Falls, the commission still ascertains that this destination is the best the Margreve has to offer.
***Priority Bulletin***. A wraith bear (see Tome of Beasts 2) has been spotted in the area, agitating local wildlife and dragging visiting pilgrims to a watery doom. Travelers are advised to approach with extreme caution and engage at your own risk. MFS deputies are needed to assess the wraith bear’s condition and determine a path to resolution. This is a Priority One assignment. Compensation will be tripled upon resolution. MFS deputies wishing to respond must deliver a last will to MFS Chief Kobold Kit Szramnot at the MFS commission office in Runklestad or newly appointed Deputy Punara Leif.