Antaeus
Home to a permeating evil that twists the minds of many who sleep under their stars, the ghosts of mad druids still roam the lands, and oftentimes whispers can be heard from shadows. The land is much darker here and a fog blots out the midday sun, causing it to appear as a black star. Those who prefer the darkness brave these lands and call it their own, at their own risk. Those who travel through Antaeus swear that unnatural horrors from an unnamed realm roam the lands at night.
Melinoe Expspiravit‘s Knowledge
- The land is mostly wet smelling, much like a coastal town. While the woods are mainly silent, there are large creatures residing there. The stars are also very different here, appearing more similarly to malignant eyes or lights, and occasionally there will be no stars at all.
- The fog that saturates the land is piercingly cold and seems to be drawn to heat sources, sapping the life from it - which will also cause torches and campfires to burn out quicker. It also glows an eerie bright green at night and emits a faint chiming sound.
- The most readily available threat in Anteaus are the creatures that wander the woods, particularly at night. This includes the undead, direwolves, owlbears, direbears, chimera, manticores, etc. Mainly they are found in the most densely wooded and fog-covered areas.
- Some areas may smell sickly sweet. If you experience this, get out of the area immediately as it is generally a warning that there are horrific creatures ready to consume you.
- It is not uncommon for people to suffer insanity in Anteaus. Often they will claim that there is a Black Goat with seven eyes and four horns that watches them from the edge of the forest. The Black Goat entity is not uncommon since everyone dreams about it, though it doesn’t necessarily communicate to everyone in dreams, it has been known to “touch” people.
- People suffering from insanity will often also speak of eyeless fish at the bottom of the ocean who “know all the secrets. They know the cold and they know the dark.” However, these stories generally come from those who are in the throws of insanity to the point where they often will walk out naked into the woods, only to later be found dead (usually after having gnawed their own tounges off) from either heart attack or having to be put down by villagers.
- There are no traditional graveyards in Anteaus, only ash fields - as the dead must be burned to prevent them from coming back as undead creatures. However, it is not uncommon for residents to grow trees as makeshift markers where the ashes of their loved ones reside.
- Despite there being no evidence of it, older Anteans will claim that there was once a mighty kingdom in Anteaus and that Brierwell Estate is all that remains of the mythical empire.
- There is also no central government in Anteaus. It is believed that the closest thing that exists is Lucien Riess, the last recorded lord of the Brierwell Estate. However, no one has heard from Lucien, or anyone from the Brierwell Estate for that matter, in many years.
- It is also not uncommon to see shadow figures in the forests of Anteaus. These beings seem to be able to communicate with the dead, and will often draw them to various locations. This can serve to alert the living.
- The best way to survive Anteaus while traveling is to use fire as a distraction rather than a light/heat source. It attracts the fog, which in turn attracts the creatures that reside inside it. It is also important to avoid areas with heavy mist, traveling at night, traveling on the paths (as they tend to be traps), or eating any fruit you may find - especially if it looks normal, as it is likely to poison, transform, paralyze, or worse.
Information Given By The Temple Of Nine
- There are notes dating back before Long Night when it was an Untamed Land filled with druids who bolstered the wilderness with rapid and wild growth. Before the Demon Djinxxor and a number of eldritch horrors caused the druids to go insane, the Demon-possessed Archdruid manipulated the Ascendants to allow his corrupted Circle to remain until the upheaval of long nights end.
- Antaeus came to be after the many Settlers who attempted to find kingdoms in the land failed. It was named Anteaus after an ancient demigod who drew strength from the earth and challenged any who passed, which seemed appropriate for the challenging nature of the land.
- Xaos the Undying revised and re-discovered a number of Necromancy spells following the sundering of the Ley Lines while residing in Antaeus, an excerpt from his infamous libram reads “Feel that twitch in your spine? That is where he exists. The faceless, nameless horror of a thousand maws. The dead and buried god, who cursed the ancient soil of Antaeus. Drove the druids mad, clawing at their own eyes screaming out, “Neh’Resh T’Naga ilg ultithar” even torn into countless pieces, name stricken from every record, the herald of Infinite Night influences the waking world.”
- There are numerous theories on the fog in Antaeus, though it is known it is somehow key to the raising of the dead in the land and now in Fane. The trees, or perhaps the soil is the source of the fog, as Mistmire, which is barren of trees, and the soil is similarly tainted by Mysterium, yet produces no fog and so has no undead issues.
- The fog has been rumored to be the creation of a foul eldritch horror, powerful witch, necromancer, or other dark magi. Though other stories sourced from Antaeus, say it is the breath of a dead god buried under the land, whose dreams are so disturbed that it causes the dead to stir and waken.