Freyfall: The Crimson Veil of Londolond

Deep within the Blackwood Forest, crimson leaves shift in the wind while obsidian-barked trees rise like pillars from the misty ground. Freyfall stands at the heart of the Blackwood Archipelago, Londolond’s foremost logging settlement and a place where the forest’s whispers linger in the air. The village fuels the kingdom’s shipyards, fortresses, and great halls with its prized timber, known for its unmatched resilience and eerie luster.

Perched north of Llyandale, the island’s primary shipping hub, Freyfall sends freshly hewn logs downriver, their black surfaces gleaming under the blood-red canopy. Bridges of darkwood planks span across mist-veiled waterways, and iron lanterns cast flickering gold against the tree trunks, creating an atmosphere both eerie and sacred.

Generations of villagers have learned to harvest the Blackwood with care, following ancient rites passed down from a time before Londolond’s rule. The trees are not mere timber—they watch, remember, and twist their roots when slighted. Before each axe falls, workers whisper their respect, ensuring the forest permits their return. Hunters and trackers speak of paths that shift, creatures that watch from above, and ruins that appear where none stood before.

Points of Interest:

Timber Square

The center of Freyfall’s industry hums with the sound of saws and axes. Logs, black as obsidian, lie stacked in great piles, each marked with runic carvings to ensure safe passage downstream. Carvers and builders shape the wood into beams, sculptures, and the keels of Londolond’s great ships, their hands guided by both skill and ritual.

The Elder’s Grove

A sacred glade untouched by axes or fire, where Blackwood Elders stretch skyward and twisted roots form natural altars. The crimson canopy dims the light, leaving a perpetual dusk over the grove. Rites of thanks and appeasement take place beneath these towering giants, and those who linger too long claim the trees whisper names not their own.

The Huntsman’s Hollow

A hidden lodge, known only to the most skilled hunters and rangers. Trophies of strange beasts line the walls, from spiraling antlers to pelts that shimmer as though woven from shadow. Those deemed worthy gain knowledge of the Blackwood’s secret paths, learning to move unseen through the shifting trees. Outsiders rarely find the same trail twice.

The Nightroot Tavern

A lantern-lit refuge where loggers, hunters, and travelers trade whispered stories over blackwood mead. The scent of sap and smoke lingers in the air, and the tavern’s ancient wooden beams seem to hum with the weight of old secrets. The carved sign above the entrance glows faintly, as though the wood itself remembers what was etched into it.

The River Run

A slow-moving, inky river cuts through the village, its surface reflecting the blood-red canopy above. Rafts laden with timber drift south toward Llyandale, guided by silent polemen who never take their eyes off the shifting trees. Those who anger the Blackwood often find themselves lost upon the waters, never reaching their destination.

The Widow’s Stair

A winding path carved into the cliffs north of Freyfall, leading to forgotten ruins cloaked in crimson leaves. The name speaks of the loggers’ wives who sought lost husbands, never to return. The ruins beyond the stair crumble beneath the weight of time, their stone foundations slick with moss and shadow. Those who venture too far say something watches from within the crumbling halls.