The Rose Forest

Levels 10–13

Built by Aelyn

Smaller and less dangerous than the forest of ancient guardians to the south, for a long time the Rose Forest was a comparatively safe source of game or pelts for the folk of Hillock Hills. Overseen by the Lord Menkin and his family from a small but luxurious castle in the north of the wood, dangerous creatures such as ogres or goblins, not to mention any common brigands were quickly compelled to leave by the lord and his men, efforts likely assisted by the ancient elvish shrine located somewhere on the wood's western side. Though Lord Menkin himself died in a battle with a marauding orc, quickly followed by his wife a short time later, most people expected the young Lord Menkin to take up his father's duties, and matters to continue largely as they had before. 10 years ago however, everything changed. Servants and men-at-arms fled the castle en masse, telling tales of ghosts and monsters. Hunters in the wood began to encounter darker creatures, such as stone gargoyles which attack without warning. Now, only the bravest hunters dare the forest, and even then just at its edges, the wild roses that grew in such profusion have become thorny and strange, and a shadow haunts the depths of the wood, though whether the shadow emanates from Lord Menkin's castle or somewhere else, it is hard to say. Newbies Tree House HOUSE HALL 200 200 Kextra Some say that the newbies house, or "society for neophyte adventurers", to give it its proper name, predates even Lucius's ascension to patron god of adventurers. Indeed, Keyqua, quest mistress of the guild is rumoured to have known Lucius when he was a mortal man and joined him on several of his legendary journeys. Built into the branches of a large tree in Hillock Hills in the fashion of elven dwellings, the Newbies house, as it's now known, is an organisation bent on assisting those new to the adventuring profession with training, equipment and advice. Though in the past some acolytes of Lucius have seen the newbies house as a bunch of secular upstarts, trying to impinge on their sacred duty, the current acolyte of Hillock Hills maintains that the more help available for those who've chosen such a hazardous trade as adventurer, the better, and will frequently direct young adventurers towards newbies as a way of quite literally, learning the ropes.