Legends of the Vale

Small Gods and Folk Heroes

Saints, folk heroes, and legendary figures are also revered, sometimes as agents of a deity, sometimes just as powerful and charismatic heroes of yore. Some are old gods whose time has passed; others are mighty elemental spirits, powerful fey, or lost and forgotten things. Although they lack the power of the High Gods, these figures can still have worshipers and grant spells, although most have only a small handful of true clerics. They tend to be more broadly known as names out of songs and legends, morality tales and ballads of forgotten heritage.

Unlike the true gods, small gods and their kind occasionally meddle in the lives of mortals, and can even be found walking the land in mortal guise at rare times.

There are many small gods; only a few are listed here.

• Black Anna: The queen of the hags, this ancient elven outcast haunts the land, searching for children to eat.
• Rond the Iron Hunter: A mighty hunter of witchfolk, he wields a cleaver of supernatural iron which cannot abide the touch of evil. It is said that he tricked this cleaver from Asmodel. All the races claim Iron Rond as their own.
• Silver Jon: A bard of legendary skill, believed by most to be a halfling, Jon does battle with evil beings wielding a fiddle with silver strings.
• Uktena: A mighty horned serpent; wise, cunning, and deadly venomous. Associated with waterways, and said to have powers of transformation and healing.
• The Witch-King: Said to be a powerful witchfolk of ages ago who was slain by a mortal hero, his spiteful spirit lingers in dark and forgotten places. The Witch-King is believed to command the witchfolk, and on occasion to bargain with mortals, searching for his lost bones.

Dangerous Creatures

The witchfolk are a persistent danger to the Vale. Witchfolk are believed to be mortals consumed by their sins, those who made bargains with unspeakable powers, or cast dire, corrupting spells for fiendish purposes. Witchfolk encompass a number of creatures, including trolls and hags (which can be male or female). Most are ugly, powerful, and cunning, and some are willing to make bargains with mortals. Many witchfolk have a secret weakness, often related to whatever caused their downfall.

Where the dragon flies, serpents may be spawned. These reptilian beings vary from small, venomous snakes to winged horrors that speak the tongues of mortals; they are said to grow from the Dragon’s blood and spittle. Serpents may be large or small, cunning or dull. The more intelligent a serpent, the more magical and malicious it is; some are little more than dangerous animals, while others are sinister masterminds of horror. Certain types of serpent seem to breed true, resulting in such monsters as wyverns and basilisks.

Although blink dogs are benign, and occasionally helpful to travelers, the snarlyow is a different story. Appearing similar to a large and powerful blink dog, snarlyows are savage and vicious, exhibiting a sort of feline playfulness with their prey. They are capable of "blinking" like their more benevolent cousins, and can also disappear entirely.

Tailypo is the name of a frightful beast resembling an enormous, fiendish squirrel with a long, luxuriant tail. Tailypos are mischievous and curious, but possessed of an incredible capacity for vengeance; if a mortal somehow offends a tailypo, the beast will track and torment them to the end of their days.

Unique Creatures

There are a number of creatures believed to exist in Nentir Vale and the surrounding lands: unique and powerful entities, told of in fireside tales. One such is the Dragon of the Dawnforges, a reddish-gold creature that breathes fire, the only true dragon in the region. Powerful and arrogant, greedy and wise, the dragon is said to respond well to flattery.

One particular wyvern, a deep brown beast with massive horns, is known as Oakhorn. Oakhorn lairs somewhere in the northern spur of the Harken Forest, emerging on rare occasions to steal a sheep. The venom of his tail is deadly, but he is usually content with livestock, so those who hear of him take cover until it is safe to emerge.

Another serpent-spawn is the Beast of Lake Nen, a monstrous water serpent said to dwell in the icy depths of the lake. Although rarely seen, its deep-throated, haunting calls can be heard from the lakeshore on moonlight nights.

A third is the so-called Lamdon Worm, after the gnomish family who first fought it. A dull-witted creature possessed of incredible regenerative powers, it can be cut to pieces and still live. Said to be fond of milk.

The Snallygaster is a flying monster, described as having the head of a crocodile with a sharp beak on a bird's body. A massive creature with a 25-foot wingspan, the Snallygaster is nevertheless a stealthy flyer, known to swoop down upon unsuspecting victims on moonless nights. It is said to have a peculiar hatred for wolves.

Deep in the Witchlight Fens, the Hydra is said to dwell: a monstrous reptilian creature with seven heads. The local swamp rat goblins swear that it exists, and will not stir from their pole-mounted huts for any money on nights of the full moon, when the beast roams the swamp.

A dreadful hybrid monster known as the Chimera is believed to roam the hills north of Hammerfast, a three-headed beast with the heads of a dragon, a lion, and a goat. Its origin is unknown, but tales are many. Some hold that it was cursed by the gods, or is their vengeance in mortal form. Others blame the dark goddess Tymath, or the witch-hag Black Anna.