Legends & Lore: Goran, Werewolf PetThis week, we'll focus on the sad tale of [mwcard=MW1C17]Goran, "Werewolf Pet"[/mwcard].
To tell his story, we'll also have to talk about another notable of Etheria, a warlock whose raw ferocity causes discomfort even among his own order: Savinius Moltentongue. But first, a little geography to set the stage.The Darkfenne is a strange place, a mixture of the remnants of old twisted magics and feral, savage fauna. The southern reaches, closest to Straywood Forest and Westlock are swampy and difficult to traverse. The middle marshes are overgrown with the ruins of lost strongholds and cities, destroyed by mage battles and pure V'tar power long before the Pellian Empire, still the demense of the Bog Queen (
http://forum.arcanewonders.com/index.php?topic=13190.0 for more about the Darkfenne). But in the northeast reaches of the Darkfenne, the swamp recedes and the soil becomes jet black, teeming with odd, lumious trees and constantly hanging mist. In this unforgiving environment live the Tribe of the Howl, a predatory kingdom of werewolves and other shapeshifting creatures.
Within his Tribe, Goran was a prince, son to the Werewolf King Gnarzul. For many years, Gnarzul had maintained the borders of the Tribe, sending members of his Tribe to patrol their lands and deal with the encroaching undead servants of the Bog Queen who wandered to close to their territory. His son Goran grew in might and prowess as he hunted with many packs, ultimately leading hunting packs on his own, and establishing himself as the future alpha and King-to-be.
Little did he know that the biggest threat to his future would not come from the Bog Queen, but from a stranger to Darkfenne, the Warlock Savinius Moltentongue.
Unlike many Warlocks, who tend to live at fringes of civilized societies, Savinius was an explorer in his own right, and he was drawn to the lost secrets hidden in the depths of the Darkfenne. (As a side note, Savinius is also known as "The Curseweaver" for his creation of a curse-plague which he leveled against a tribe of barbarian Horselords known as the Allani, demanding yearly tribute from them in exchange for temporary relief from the dark magic).
On one of his expeditions, he stumbled into the territories of the Tribe of the Howl, and crossed path with a hunting pack led by Goran. Rather than run, Savinius unleashed a blazing tide of hellfire and demons, slaying all but Goran and one other werewolf of his hunting pack.
With a snarl, Goran commanded his packmate to return to King Gnarzul, to tell him of the intruder, and to bring the remainder of the pack to tear Savinius into tiny, tasty bits. He then attacked Savinius himself, using all his guile, cunning and prowess.
Sadly for Goran, Savinius was more than a match for the Prince of Werewolves, and rather than slay his foe, he placed a powerful curse on him, bringing him under his absolute control as a "pet", the greatest trophy of his Darkfenne expeditions.
He waited until King Gnarzul and his forces returned to the scene before teleporting away, leaving the King with a last look at his son, broken and bound in hell-summoned chains.
