The Knomes of Knarlwood
Who are the Knomes of Knarlwood?
Following the creation of the Great Shroud, the Knome species had a choice: reinvention or extinction. Lithe and agile, alert and calculating. This race has found ways to navigate and thrive within the increasingly wild forests by developing an intimate understanding of their surroundings. They have successfully built a civilization by leveraging the most basic of available resources whilst retaining respect for the heart of these wildlands.
Those unfamiliar with the Fallen Kingdom could be forgiven for viewing it as a harsh, basic location with limited obvious trails, routes of passage or opportunity for structure and growth. But to the Knomes, this is home. A place where one can move freely and where your kin can prosper, providing you know where to look. At one with their environment, they have come to respect the inner forces of the forest, knowing that they can both help and hinder in equal measure.
This sage wisdom has enabled a select few – only the greatest of elders and their carefully selected leaders – to channel the hidden powers of the woodland. To the uninitiated, this may seem like witchcraft or black magic, but to the Knomes it is a way of life. A sign of the mutual and carefully maintained respect between the forests and their inhabitants. A tool with which to help overcome the oppression of the ever-present murkiness.
But what exists beyond the Shroud? For all that the Knomes have developed, a keen curiosity can be felt within their encampments. Stories, passed through the ages, speak of a flourishing Konior. A place of riches and innovations; of colour and of ease. Where life’s focus was said to be not of day-to-day survival, but one of forward-thinking.
If the creatures of Knarlwood could experience this place for themselves, what possibilities could it offer? Inspired by this prospect, patrols continually probe the grey boundary for signs of weakness. Their efforts have so far proven futile, but the smallest opening is all they need...
Alto Mage Zizka
Knome Hunter
