Murkrun Forest

Overview

Murkrun Forest lies south of Odrun Fell. It is a natural wood that has not been changed by titan-magic. The trees are normal in size and type. Streams run clear. The forest supports common wildlife. People travel here to hunt, harvest wood, gather herbs, and move between regions. There are no cities, towns, or hamlets within the forest. Temporary camps appear and vanish, but nothing is permanent. The forest feels safer than the Shroud to the north, but it is not free of risk. Bandits, hungry beasts, and sudden storms can make travel deadly.

Geography

Murkrun is a mix of hardwood stands, low hills, and marshy pockets where groundwater pools after rain. Old game trails cross the interior. A few cart tracks skirt the edges where the ground is firm. Fallen trees and thickets slow travel off-trail. The southern fringe holds older growth with thick trunks and heavy canopy. The central belt is patchy and easier to move through, with fern beds and blackberry tangles. Rocky shelves rise in the east, forming short ridges with shallow caves. The western edge grades into meadowland used by travelers for grazing animals during short stops.

Seasons and Weather

Spring brings swollen streams and muddy crossings. Summer is dry and warm, with brush fires possible in drought years. Autumn drops heavy leaf cover that hides holes and roots. Winter sees snow on the ridges and ice at river shallows. Fog collects in the low places at dawn and dusk. Thunderstorms roll in from the open south and can fell trees without warning.

Travel and Access

The main travel path runs from the Gate of Tines toward old southern roads. Cudgel patrols sweep the first day’s march when caravan volume is high. After that point, escorts depend on paid contracts and local guides. Waymarkers include carved blazes on oaks, stacked stones near crossings, and colored cloths tied by licensed wayfinders. Most crews set a strict pace: six to eight hours of travel, two for camp, then sentry watches through the night. Cookfires are kept low to avoid attention. Travelers avoid cutting fresh green wood for fuel because of smoke and scent.

Flora

Common trees include oak, ash, beech, and pine. The understory grows bracken, wild garlic, and elder. Mushrooms are abundant after rains; most are safe, but some cause stomach cramps if undercooked. Healers prize willow bark, feverfew, and kingsfoil-like sprigs that grow along shaded banks. Thorn apple and nightshade appear near old clearings and are kept away from pack animals. In the marsh pockets, cattail root and water-mint can be gathered for food and tinctures.

Fauna

Murkrun holds owlbears, boars, wolves, black bears, foxes, and stag herds. Smaller creatures such as badgers, hares, and hedgehogs are common. Raptors nest along the eastern ridges and hunt over the meadows. Large predators keep to deeper glades and hunt at night. Tracks are usually clear enough for skilled readers to identify and avoid. Unlike the Shroud, insects and other creatures here remain within natural size and behavior. This makes the forest a training ground for new hunters and young Cudgel recruits before they take harder work.

Hazards

The main risks are ambush, poor footing, and bad water after floods. Bandit groups operate along the southern roads. They favor choke points, fallen-log crossings, and stretches where brush crowds the trail. Trappers set snares for game that can cripple the unwary. Bracken hides sinkholes and rotten logs. In storm season, windthrow can block a path for days. Disease spreads fast in wet camps; boils and fevers follow careless crews. Fires move quickly in dry summers and can circle back on a camp if winds change.

Law and Custom

Murkrun is under the loose authority of Odrun Fell, but enforcement is practical, not constant. The Cudgel posts rules at the forest edge: no open flame in drought, no slaughter near main streams, and no hunting during posted fawning weeks. Fines are collected at the Gate of Tines when violators return. Repeat offenders can lose transit rights. Guides carry stamped tokens from The Promissory for caravan work. Poachers risk seizure of goods and gear. Shrines and burial mounds are to be left intact. Those who disturb them draw anger from locals and attention from patrols.

Resources and Trade

Murkrun supplies hardwood, resin, hides, and common alchemical plants. Fletchers seek straight ash and yew for bows. Tanners buy wolf and boar hides. Apothecaries purchase willow, mint, and feverfew. Charcoal burns are licensed at the edge clearings and must be watched around the clock. The Promissory maintains weigh sites outside the forest to record loads and collect duties. Ashcoats accept Murkrun resin as a binder for leather and a sealant for chitin seams. The Barleys sometimes contract for harmless forage plants but do not breed stock here.

People and Behavior

There are no permanent residents, but several groups work the forest in cycles. Licensed woodcutters and charcoalers camp for a week at a time near the edge and rotate out. Independent hunters run traplines for the season. Guides move caravans and carry news. Bandits form and dissolve as leadership shifts. Some are desperate laborers from the Barrows trying to live through a bad year. Others are ex-mercenaries who know patrol patterns. Most avoid killing unless cornered; murder invites large Cudgel sweeps.

Relations with Odrun Fell

Murkrun is the city’s safe ground for basic goods and training. The Hilt uses its trails to drill scouts and teach young crews to read sign and keep watch. The Spindle relies on its steady flow of materials that do not require high risk delves. Compared to the Shroud, Murkrun is predictable. Crews can plan loads, travel times, and margins. This stability supports markets, outfitters, and kitchens across the city. Still, when the Shroud is too active or the tunnels flare with danger, Murkrun grows crowded and tense as more crews compete for the same resources.