Information

Gwydion has a minion!

Eira the Lifesabe

Gwydion

The Glade Tigrean

Age: 16 years, 5 months, 3 weeks

Born: September 25th, 2009

Adopted: 1 year, 5 months, 1 day ago

Adopted: October 16th, 2024

Statistics

• Level: 15
   
• Strength: 37
   
• Defense: 37
   
• Speed: 37
   
• Health: 39
   
• HP: 39/39
   
• Intelligence: 22
   
• Books Read: 22
• Food Eaten: 0
• Job: Unemployed

Introduction:

Welcome Apprentice!

Before embarking on your journey as a Hunter, you must gather your most important weapon against the supernatural: knowledge! Though we have physical weapons and tools at our disposal, the main thing that will keep you alive is the understanding of exactly what it is you are facing. With that being said, let's get started!

In this dusty old tome, you will be getting your first history lesson on the Vale of Hungry Shadows, or as it was known long ago; The Enchanted Forest.

I.

Once upon a time, there was an Enchanted Forest teeming with wondrous and fantastic creatures. This woodland was a blend of warm golden hues and refreshing greens, a realm brimming with vitality and joy. It was home to melodious Lain, ever-helpful Popoko, wise and shimmering Mahar, and mischievous yet eerie Ghostly.

Fableton was founded by three Urubu brothers. They each came to the edge of the Enchanted Forest and built themselves a house. One built his house of straw, one built his house of sticks, and one built his house of bricks. One day the Wolf came out of the forest. I'm sure you all know the tale of huffing, puffing, and blowing down houses. Which, of course, is why every house in Mournstead is now made of brick and stonework. Today, the Three Brothers Construction business is recognized for some of the finest brick and stone work in town. Our cobblestone roads have lasted for over 300 years, and to this day, there isn't a windstorm in existence that can topple our homes. It is probably also not very surprising that every home in town sports the image of a wolf skull somewhere in its decor.

As new homes were built, a vibrant community blossomed, captivated by the aura of creativity and wonder that permeated the area. Other inhabitants of the forest emerged, and the welcoming townsfolk embraced them warmly. This joyful exchange sparked lively festivals and celebrations, honoring the enchanting creatures that infused the lives of the people with delight, playfulness, and creativity. Across the community, people found inspiration in every corner, expressing themselves through song, storytelling, poetry, and art.

The town was a vibrant tapestry, its buildings bursting with color and unique designs that captivated the imagination. It beckoned visitors near and far, offering a haven for stories, art, and a hint of magic. Despite the spirited debates and disagreements that often filled the air, a joyful camaraderie prevailed, with laughter, dancing, and collaboration weaving the community together.

However, the forest had more than one dangerous creature. It wasn't long before three gruff brothers encountered a troll beneath a bridge. A young lady wearing a red hood and her grandmother had to be rescued by a hunter. Children had to be warned about a mysterious gingerbread house deep in the woods. It soon became clear that beings that spread happiness existed alongside those who evoked dread. Where some offered healing, others could unleash illness. In this magical forest, light and darkness maintained a delicate, uneasy balance. This is the nature of magic, as a force capable of influencing the world for good or for ill.

The hunter who saved the young girl soon teamed up with the troll slaying brothers, and the red hooded girl, to found the first group to help protect the citizens of the town from the more hostile creatures. This is the origin of the Hunters. As the town grew, so did the Hunters. As they grew into a skilled paramilitary faction, they began establishing protections in town against the occasional hostile creature that slunk from the forest when the sun went down.

The origins of the first true monster remain a mystery. Yet, just as the Virtues wield tangible magic, so too do the Vices. This fearsome hound was infamous for its choice of prey, hunting the shadows that lurked within the hearts of humanity. Stalking his targets, he instilled fear and spread terror in its wake. Then, on one fateful day, the creature made his move.

The first victim, a sinful man, was slain. His body showed signs of a brutal beating, matching the fading bruises on his wife. However, it was clear that she was not the one who killed him, as he was found alone in a locked room. The word "Wrath" was carved into his forehead, his fists clenched in anger, his face frozen in a twisted expression of rage. A paw print was burned onto his chest, directly above his heart. When a spell was cast to determine the cause of his death, it was revealed that his soul had been ripped from his still-screaming body and devoured.

The Hunters realized that they would need to step up their game, and formed: two teams to serve as protectors against the fearsome and perilous. Among them, one man stood out, accompanied by two companions, delving deep into research and exploration. Venturing into the heart of the forest, they sought to uncover its hidden power. Though the details of their journey remain a mystery, the forest itself was transformed by their efforts.

There was a loud, maddening crack that was not thunder, which reverberated with a deeper, more ominous power. Chaos erupted as enchanted animals bellowed, howled, and screeched in a frenzied panic.

The once vibrant and cheerful buildings transformed into dull, gray structures. The lively days and nights, once filled with joy, creativity, laughter, and spirited debates, have given way to a pervasive silence. This oppressive silence has smothered the stories, songs, poetry, and art that had once thrived, leaving them unheard and forgotten.

The forest had lost its golden warmth and refreshing embrace of green. A chill now permeated the depths, and the enchanting light had faded away. Ominous winds whispered through the underbrush, where sinister shadows crept and slithered. No longer did the forest invite townspeople to linger, dream, and craft their stories. Instead, it loomed menacingly, posing threats and inflicting harm - like a wounded beast, the forest lashed out at anyone who ventured too far among the barrier of trees. Over the past three centuries, the forest has steadily deteriorated. The smell of death and decay began to waft from within the forest. Once healthy plant life slowly turned diseased, or dead and rotting.

An oppressive pall of darkness, malice, and horror now pervades the land. As night descends, this sinister force spills out from the treacherous depths, stalking the streets and threatening the safety of the townsfolk. The valiant Hunters battle to protect the terrified townsfolk; a battle that they seem to be slowly losing. People began dying, especially those who committed too many vices. Sometime in the first century since the forest became cursed, Fableton was renamed Mournstead, as the people mourned loved ones lost to the darkness of the forest.

The townspeople long to flee to a safer haven, yet the untamed forest stubbornly bars their escape. Even if they attempt to run, an unseen force compels the desperate residents to remain - for though it reviles their presence, it still requires them to sate its hunger.

II.

Since the beginning, Mournstead has needed a basic, yet thorough collection of manuals on the creatures of Coed Y Gwydion. (coy-d eh GWID-ee-on). Ah, I suspect that I have confused you, as it is not a commonly known name, even now as I pen these words. Coed Y Gwydion, or The Trees of Gwydion, is better known as the Enchanted Forest or, as it shall soon be known, The Vale of Hungry Shadows. The dusty manual you hold in your hands is one of the most powerful weapons that can be given: knowledge! Though we have an arsenal of tools and weapons to fight against the darkness that creeps within the Vale of Hungry Shadows, they wouldn't be any good without a basic understanding of exactly what you are fighting and what they are weak against. Any hunter worth his or her silver-infused weapon knows the habits and habitats of these beasts backward and forward, and I expect no less of you.

These Creature Compendiums will have to substitute for the lectures you would have expected from a classroom setting. I expect you to read them and learn well. Your mentor will teach you how to protect yourself physically, but what you find in these books is just as important as how to fire a crossbow or use a sword.

The monsters described in these books aren't the kind that you feared were hiding under your bed. No, my dear students, these monsters are quite real. They walk our town's streets in the dead of night. They wait alongside well-traveled paths. Some of them, I dare say, even live among us.

Whether they are Good, Neutral, or Evil, can be defined by whether they are violent toward humans or not. Not all monsters need to be feared, and some still enjoy helping our kind. There are many, however, that are lethal enemies of humanity, with no way to contain or control them. These creatures cannot be reasoned with; your only option is to kill them, and even that is not a permanent option. They don't feel pity, remorse, or fear; they're monsters, somehow pre-programmed with a specific reason to kill. Whether that reason is because you broke an arbitrary rule, or just because you taste good with ketchup, they behave strictly based on these reasons.

These tomes have been specially prepared for students who would like to begin their basic schooling and are ready, as junior and as yet unblooded members of the Hunters, to begin their life's work. I conclude my introduction by wishing you every success and hope that you stay your course on this long, difficult, but deeply honored path in life.

Chapter Notes:

Magical and Protective Substances:

1. Holy wood:

Oak - Oak trees are considered sacred by many cultures and can symbolize protection, renewal, and purification.

Ash - Ash trees were thought to have protective and healing properties, especially for children. Ash sap is collected in the spring and a teaspoon of a drought made with the same is usually given to newborn babies to ensure protection and health. A bassinet of woven ash branches will repel all but the most powerful creatures.

Hawthorn - Hawthorn trees are associated with protection and are often planted near houses and holy wells to ward off lightning and storms. Also associated with fertility and love, with a small stem kept by women to attract a husband.

Aspen - The aspen's Greek name, Aspis, means "shield" and aspen wood is often used to make shields that protect the wearer from physical and psychic harm.

Willow - The willow tree brings good luck, and people knock on its trunk to bring good fortune. Some believe that the willow tree could enhance psychic abilities.

Yew - The yew tree represents death and resurrection, and a tree planted by a spring is said to give healing qualities to the water.

2. Protective Metals:

Copper - a soft, malleable, and ductile metal. It is specifically believed to be a conductor of energy in the spiritual realm, mirroring its conductivity with electricity in the physical world. A good alternative to iron as a conductor or rod, but too soft a metal for direct physical combat.

Iron - Iron is an unusual metal good for grounding supernatural energies, especially spiritual and magical ones. Some creatures can be restrained or pinned with chains or a staff wielded by someone with decent physical strength. Wearing jewelry is one of the best lightweight ways of protecting yourself from magical energies without walking around in a heavy and noisy suit of armor. A pair of earring posts, a thin ring band, or a small iron charm around the neck can be effective.

Silver - Silver has been used as a symbol of protection and purity for centuries. Silver wards off evil spirits, and beings of darkness. Mirrors were traditionally backed with silver (and some still are today), so they wouldn't interact with vampires, the undead, or evil supernatural creatures, meaning that their reflections could not be seen. Evil beings can also be restrained, and even burned, by chains or weapons made with a good quality silver alloy.

3) Other Substances

Talismans - a new addition to the Hunters' repertoire, these magical white objects are now worn by all of the town's citizens. Made of an unknown white substance and powered with protection spells cast by an enchantress, the talismans do many things: 1) they help to hide the wearer from view by hostile creatures, 2) they partially protect the wearer from the biting cold, living shadows, and whispers heard in the forest, 3) they slow down an attack from a monster if multiples are worn at once. The talismans have a limit, and grow warmer when in the presence of a monster strong enough to counteract their protective effects. Against an extremely powerful creature, talismans are known to grow searing hot and even become scorched and useless if care is not taken.

Salt - It is often used by Hunters to repel ghosts, demons, hellhounds, and other supernatural beings. Salt may be loaded into a shotgun cartridge and fired at a creature, forcing it to flee in pain. Salt can also stop evil supernatural creatures from entering a room if a hunter simply spills a line of it in front of all entry points, like windows or doors. It can also be poured or spilled into a circle around a victim to create an area of protection that keeps spirits from attacking. A creature can also be encircled by salt to prevent it from escaping.

Holy water - created by blessing a source of water with a rosary in hand. Once the chant is complete, the rosary is dropped into the water, and it becomes holy water. It is common for hunters to carry a silver bottle of holy water with them. Holy water cannot kill most of the forest's creatures, but it can hurt and burn it.

Sage - is renowned for its purifying properties. When burned as a sacred smoke, it is said to cleanse and purify space and energy, and evil spirits cannot stand it.

Cinnamon, ginger, and cloves are known to repel the evil and foul. They are also the majority ingredients of Pumpkin Spice. Remember that when you hear people complaining about Pumpkin Spice; now you know why.

4) Weapons

Stakes are sharpened pieces of a material, usually wood with supernatural properties, that can be used as a weapon. Silver is far more expensive and therefore less likely to be available.

A mace, a club, or a baseball bat made out of protective wood is a good way to strip supernatural creatures of their power and reduce their strength.

Arrow shafts made of these woods and tipped with silver are especially potent. The rare dagger carved from any of these woods can be useful as well but beware of overconfidence in its powers when using such short-range weapons.

Silver-infused weapons: swords, arrowheads, crossbow bolts.

Iron staffs are good for grounding out supernatural power the way a lightning rod grounds lightning. Wearing iron jewelry can also protect a person from the effects of ranged magic, though its weight can be cumbersome.

Past Rules for Living in Fableton

1. Do not wear red hoods into the forest.

2. Cleverness is as important as strength.

3. Stay away from edible looking houses.

4. Do not enter houses in the woods without permission. Bears don't like rude intruders.

5. Do not eat porridge in someone else's house without being invited, even if some is just right.

6. Always invite the dark fairies, and treat them well, at Christenings.

7. Do not steal out-of-season fruit from a witch's garden. Offer to purchase it fairly.

8. Make sure the stepmother can get along with your daughter before you marry her.

9. Keep your promises to frogs; a kiss isn't that hard to do.

10. Don't dismiss the power of magic beans.

11. Bestial appearances can hide handsome princes.

The Current Rules For Surviving In Mournstead

1. Do not enter the Vale of Hungry Shadows. The forest is cursed, angry, and aware. Nearly everything is hostile, and hungry.

2. Curfew begins at sunset and ends at sunrise. Daylight is relatively safe as long as the rules are followed.

3. If you heard something, no you didn’t. If you saw something, no you didn’t. If something is following you - walk, don’t run, or else it becomes a hunt. Do not speak directly to it unless you are properly armed and prepared to fight. To do otherwise invites danger or death. Call the Hunters as soon as you are indoors.

4. Wear a talisman at all times: showering, awake or asleep.

5. Locations within town are forbidden for a reason.

6. Be aware of your surroundings. Creatures are not restricted to the forest.

7. Maintain the salt circle and wards.

8. Trust your instincts: if something feels wrong, it probably is.

The Rules The Monsters Obey

1. Children are protected; they can be frightened or intimidated, but cannot be harmed or killed.

2. Every monster has a magic type and a weakness to certain substances.

Pet Treasure

Mace

Whole Sage Leaves

Horn of Plenty Mushroom

Hedgehog Mushroom

Cinnamon Incense

Whole Cinnamon Sticks

Sand Spirit Stick Incense Bundle

Oyster Mushrooms

Whole Cloves

Pumpkin Carriage

Gourd Witch Curious Mushrooms

New Years Bovyne Nursery Rhyme Puppet

Bag of Beans

Spring Willow Twig

Unearthed Bones

Fallen Leaves

Enchanted Beans

Teeny Piggy Triplets Plushie

Zombie Club

Magical Mushroom

Pumpkin-Eating Bear

Ground Cloves

Silver Ore

Impish Tailypo

Whispering Spirit

Bearded Bear

Quiver of Arrows

Charlie Crossbow

Porcini Mushroom

Silver Incense Burner

Decay Poison Shroomy

Wooden Stake

Decapitated Puppy

Protective Sage

Enchanted Rose

Bronze Incense Burner

Matsutake Mushroom

Rose Incense

Ground Cinnamon

Shiitake Mushroom

Button Mushroom

New Years Pherret and Manchu Nursery Rhyme Puppets

New Years Wyllop Nursery Rhyme Puppet

New Years Noktoa and Feli Nursery Rhyme Puppets

Troll Fighting Oatmeal Playset

Gray Ballet Slippers

Copper

Baseball Bat

Dappled Mushrooms

Smoldering Fallen Leaves

Autumnal Fallen Leaves

Bebe New Bear

Good Witch Golden Curls

Willoat

Baaaaaa

Iron Incense Burner

Red Garden Bridge

Carefully Crafted Goat

Ordinary Spinning Wheel

Fairy Tale Riding Hood Plushie

Fairy Tale Wolf Plushie

Fairy Tale Mother Goose Plushie

Fairy Tale Beanstalk Plushie

Decapitated Puppy

Holy Water

Shinwas Blessed Water

Mushroom

Marsh Mahar Mace

Sage

Iron Ore

Salt

Morel Mushroom

Cedar Incense

Dried Sage

Willow Twig

Bones

Bolete Mushroom

Dead Person

King Trumpet Mushroom

Ginger Root

Ground Ginger

Tainted Peppermint Candy

Chipped Tea Set

Hen of the Woods Mushrooms

Bloody Wooden Stake

Midnight Discarded Heel

Bone Club

Skelihaund Skull Fragments

Pet Friends