Faunel

Faunel serves as the entrance into the Beastlands and is one of the strangest of the Outlands gate-towns. Because of the wild nature of the plane, a permanent settlement almost seems contradictory. However, there are still those that seek to carve out a life on the frontiers of civilization, and those folk find themselves as residents of Faunel. The town itself is migratory, its inhabitants move from home-to-home depending on the seasons. These are quite similar to the seasons found on many material plane worlds, as the weather begins to turn the settlers move on and rebuild elsewhere. Often these are done in the ruins of long-abandoned towns or cities from some unknown eon. Over time, these seasons come quicker and quicker until the town itself becomes entirely nomadic, wherein the "town" finally slides into plane itself. When this happens another settlement in the region becomes the new gate town, seemingly chosen by the Plane itself, and the cycle begins anew. Being late in the cycle, Faunel remains stationary for only a few months before its leaders see portents and prepare their people to depart. In a similar fashion to the town, the portal to the beastlands is also migratory. When Faunel settles in a new area it is always near a water source, and this becomes the new entrance to the Plane. When the town migrates or a new gate town springs to life, the portal becomes inactive and reappears once it has again settled. Because of this it can be difficult to find the portal, as the closer a gate-town is to sliding into the plane, the more wild and nomadic the town becomes.

Government

The Wylders are the primary leaders of the town, and base themselves around the gate itself. Although a few live in partially renovated buildings, the Wylders mostly live in tents. The senior Wylder in Faunel is Istin Laverian, a half-elf ranger, and the closest thing that there is to organization in the town comes from him and his council of four advisors. Still, they do little more than sit in judgement on those accused of crimes, and direct the affairs of the Wylders in Faunel (and to a lesser extent, everywhere that isn’t the Beastlands). Laverian is one of the most trusted aides of Karleona, the leader of the Wylders, and vigorously pursues her policy of exterminating the Vile Hunt; this task occupies much of his time.

Inhabitants

Most of the humanoids live in the jungle or desert part of the town, though there is a small community of lizard folk that have taken to the swampy areas. Some of the residents of Faunel are animals or beasts of one variety of another, many of them petitioners from the Beastlands, and they tend to live in the area that most suits their temperament and pattern of life. For most of the population of Faunel, life is simply about survival, and society is a word that they might, possibly, have heard of. Even for the humanoids who have moved there from other places, the major feature of the day is finding food without becoming food yourself. The only real law in Faunel is that killing an intelligent (talking) creature is a capital crime. Still, there are traps to be set and plants to be collected. Meanwhile, not all of the large predators are intelligent, and there are isolated cases of people being killed by alligators in the swamp areas, or tigers in the jungle portion of the town. All of which is fine, as far as the residents are concerned; merely nature working normally. The lack of real organization from either the Wylders mean that people who come to the town are allowed to do pretty much as they wish, provided they don’t upset the residents. Traders find that, with no duties to pay, business can be good, if they bring something that the residents want, so surprisingly Faunel usually has a fairly thriving market in operation, though usually what is sold there is limited to wilderness survival aides.

Locations

Faunels current location resembles nothing more than a broken down city, abandoned several thousand years ago. If the city were intact, and full, it could probably house around 50,000 people. Most of the buildings are at least partially destroyed, and nature has reasserted control over the stonework. The town can be split broadly into three main areas, each showing a different face of nature reclaiming the city. To the north, in the route through which most visitors to Faunel approach, the terrain is dry and arid, and the wind blows dust through an abandoned desert town. Although many building here are stone, there are quite a large proportion of wooden buildings here as well. In the eastern part of the town, swamp is slowly taking back the buildings, some of which are now at least partially submerged. It’s still warm, but much damper, with a constantly high humidity. Mosquitoes buzz through the air, and all manner of insects and other small creatures scrape a living in the undergrowth. The remainder of Faunel is jungle, with vines and creepers growing on the remaining stonework, and trees pushing their way through roofs.

1. Gate Pool

The most significant feature of any gate town is, of course, its gate. The one in Faunel, regardless of where the town has settled, lies in a pool near the center of the town. In theory, passage through it is simple; you enter the pool from the north side, and submerge yourself completely under the water for three seconds - you will then find yourself (dry) on the Beastlands. The key is a leaf from any plant. The reason that it is only simple in theory is because in order to enter the pool you have to pass Wrath. Wrath is a living statue who constantly guards the gate, and seemingly teleports between the newly opened Gate pools. Rumours abound as to the original nature of Wrath; most hold that he was once a mortal of some variety. The statue appears to be of a very large human, though that is not held to be any real indication of Wrath’s origins. His transformation into a statue is usually held to be intentional, though some say it was a punishment. The likelihood is that the only person who really has even more than an inkling of the truth is Wrath himself, and he isn’t talking. Two things are certain about him; he is known to have been guarding the gate in Faunel for at least 500 years, and probably longer, and that he always questions those who seek to pass him as to their intentions whilst on the Beastlands. He does not react to the answers that he receives, but those who lie to him, or honestly admit to intending to do something that isn’t approved of (hunt, usually) tend to find that life is very much more difficult on the Beastlands than they had expected. How, or even if, Wrath makes this come about is a matter of mystery. Those who attempt not to answer him, or to sneak past him to the gate, find that he is more than willing to use physical force in order to ensure that things are done the right way. His prowess in combat has come in useful recently, as the Vile Hunt appear to have targeted Wrath as being well worth destroying. Wrath appears to have his own agenda, which whilst it is always for the interests of the Beastlands and for Faunel, do not always coincide with the interests of other residents of those places.

2. Centre of Eternal Dreams

Run by a gnome called Alvesti Starn, a former member of the Signers, this is a common stop for those preparing to enter the Beastlands. The Centre, also known as Dreamhome, is a place one can purchase supplies, get healing, receive tuition on the Beastlands and obtain gate and spell keys. Alvesti seeks to unlock the secrets of dreaming and how they may allow one to better attain their goal of pure instinct; it is in dreams, they say, where thought completely gives way to ones internal guidance, and where ones will is most fully imposed on the land around them. There a person truly is the center of their reality.

3. The Green Market

Lying to the west of the main square, the Green Market is an informal place where traders can bring their goods for sale to anyone who passes by. It takes a special sort of trader to succeed in the Green Market, however, because many of those who purchase items have no real interest in money. Consequently, a barter system operates at the market, and haggling is expected. A trader really has to be good, however, to know whether those five wolf pelts that the Wylder is offering you is worth more or less than the quiver of arrows, pack of iron rations and axe that she wants from you.

4. The Fossil Lodge

Created from furs and leather draped over the ribcage of an absolutely enormous creature, this is the closest thing to a home to the Verdant Guild. A large central room has numerous cots and fur beds prepared for visitors, and the Verdant Guild is always willing to host those who share similar goals. Istin Laverian calls this his home. He is chiefly in charge of the goings-on around Faunel while the factions leader, Karleona, is away. Another common sight around the Fossil lodge is a rabbit by the name of Leopus. Leopus had been a member of the Sensates in a previous life, and upon dying went to the Beastlands. By a odd twist of fate, Leopus wound up in Faunel. Whether by the divine will of some Lord of the Beastlands, or by simple chance, Leopus has rejoined the Sensates and acts as a sort of ambassador at the Fossil Lodge for the faction.

Type

Large town

Population

7738

Location under

The Outlands