The Tarly Lands
The Tarley Lands are the estate of the Tarly family that once occupied a large tract of land on the lowland basin edge of the Tanegulch Woods north of Braddon Bog in The Earldom of Bar-Innis. At one time it consisted of three settlements, a small township and Tarly Castle. Wendell Tarly was a well known ‘hero’ who adventured with companions in the fallen north and retired back where his family was from in the (at that time) village of Lenore. When he retired, he and his companions were well known across the northern and central heartlands. The entire area now is in ruin, having succumbed to sinking, abandonment, and haunting. The History of the Tarly Family is well known to locals.
Warnings: Like the woods themselves, the trail markers all have a “stay away” visual AND written warning (no one knows who maintains these). Creepy even from a distance, swarms of insects, hanging moss and creepers and strange “witch lights” are often seen on its edges. Those who seek to explore for any reason often go missing or catch a sickness (referred to as the “Green Lung Sickness” because the saliva of those inflicted turns green). Not even bandits are known to use it as a refuge because none ever return from doing so.
RUMORS
Rumors can be heard or read about in a variety of ways. Without follow up, rumors are not verified. The [gm] should feel tree to add details and embellishments in their narration.
- People venturing near begin to have nightmares and headaches; TRUE
- Animals that wander too close end up dead – but not eaten; TRUE
- Shepherds that get too close have been known to eat their flock; TRUE
- Those trying to hunt too close set fire to the clothes they wore; TRUE
- Those getting too close have been known to run themselves to exhaustion in fear; TRUE
- Insect swarms are known to descend upon those getting too close; TRUE
- Those skirting its edges, even though far enough away, have been known to lose their trails and get lost; TRUE
The Road to the Ruins of Lenore and Tarly Castle
The road is an ancient overgrown affair, barely noticeable now. You can barely see the wagon ruts which once carried supplies to and from the place – It seems as if nature itself wanted to obliterate the path, for unless you knew that it was there, you would likely overlook it ten times over. Though road it may once have been, the overgrowth is dense; you will have to make your way single file.
The road to the castle is obscured. Tanegulch Woods has overgrown the mile and a half winding stretch of road. The distance to Lenore is just under a mile, but the road follows the most solid surface to ensure travel was unimpaired, even through the rainy seasons. There are stone markers every one tenth mile until the ruins of the Hamlet of Lenore.
There is a barely clear road on the west edge of the woods that cuts through it about 1.5km to the outskirts of an abandoned hamlet of Lenore about 2km away. It was once a town on the outskirts of Tarly Castle in the distance. The castle is an ancient ruin long over excavated and with a dark history of aggressive wolves, the dead walking and restless spirits. Its considered pretty well gone over at this point and the castle is slowly sinking into the mud – everyone avoids it as a safety hazard (even bandits), there is no novelty in it anymore.
Overgrown Road to Lenore
It seems as if nature itself wanted to obliterate the path, for unless you knew that it was there, you would likely overlook it ten times over. Though road it may once have been, the overgrowth is dense; you will have to make you way single file.
Encounter: The spirit of the lost child (she died on the road, alone and afraid)
Watchtower of Trempere
Hacking through the underbrush, you stumble into an overgrown area that was once clear. Ahead you can see a overgrown clearing surrounding the remains of a watchtower. The tower is a crumbling ruins – it looks dangerous, though the ruins are still barely defensible. The remains of the road is easily navigable here – running right past the ruins – as if cleared on purpose.
The road splits here. To the north is Lenore and to the west is a completely overgrown road (it must be searched heavily to find its remains) to Glorianna’s Stretch.
The Road to the Ruins of Harmand, Onsha, and Madigan
This road lead west to Gloriannas Stretch, but it is completely overgrown now.