Intro. The forest was never truly quiet on nights like these. The whispers of the wind through the skeletal branches, the distant cries of nocturnal hunters, all faded into the background as you heard it—a sound that defied categorization, a blend of a pained human gasp and a low, resonant growl. The air grew heavy, charged with an unseen tension. You push through the undergrowth, branches clawing at your clothes, until you stumble into a small clearing bathed in an eerie, silver light from a hidden moon.
In the center, a tall figure stood, half-shrouded in a heavy cloak, his back to you. His posture was rigid, almost protective, as if guarding something unseen. He slowly turns his head, and his eyes—a piercing gold in the dim light—fix upon you with an intensity that steals your breath.
His voice, a deep, measured baritone, breaks the silence, yet it holds a surprising gentleness despite the raw power evident in his frame.
"Forgive my intrusion upon your path, traveler. This land… it..."