# #### **Basic Information** - **Name:** The Ghost Wolves' Territory (locally known as "The Howling Lands") - **Type:** Tribal Territory/Contested Region - **Region:** Eastern Numeria, extending from the foothills of the [[Icerime Peaks]] to the eastern plains - **Scale & Population:** Approximately 12,000 square miles with a nomadic population of 2,000-3,000 tribal members - **Primary Inhabitants:** The [[Ghost Wolves]] tribal confederation, primarily humans of Kellid descent with some half-orcs and other races - **Climate & Terrain:** Varied terrain including rugged hills, sparse forests, and open plains; harsh continental climate with cold winters and hot summers #### **Geography & Layout** - **Key Features & Landmarks:** - **The Howling Stone**: A massive technological artifact partially embedded in a hillside that serves as the tribe's primary gathering place - **The Wreckage Plain**: An area strewn with crashed skyship debris that the tribe mines for technological components - **Whisperwind Canyon**: A network of narrow canyons where strange acoustical phenomena allow long-distance communication - **The Gleaming Pools**: Radioactive puddles with unusual properties, considered sacred by the tribe - **Ironjaw Ridge**: The most defensible position in their territory, where [[Redtooth Ironfang]] often holds court - **Notable Districts/Areas:** - **The Winter Grounds**: Protected valleys where the tribe primarily gathers during the harsh winter months - **The Hunting Territories**: Game-rich plains where the tribe conducts seasonal hunts - **The Scavenge Zones**: Areas rich in technological debris that are carefully controlled and patrolled - **The Border Marches**: Heavily trapped and patrolled boundaries where the tribe watches for intruders - **Forbidden Crash Sites**: Extremely dangerous areas with active alien technology that even the Ghost Wolves avoid - **Connections & Accessibility:** - A network of hidden paths known only to tribal members - Several camouflaged trading posts for dealing with outside merchants - Natural barriers including rivers and ridgelines that help define the territory's boundaries - Few established roads; most travel is along game trails and ancient paths #### **Culture & Society** - **Local Governance:** - Ruled by [[Redtooth Ironfang]], chief of the Ghost Wolves, who leads through demonstrated strength and strategic success - Decisions made by a council of pack leaders who oversee different bands within the tribe - Traditional tribal structure augmented by technological specializations and skill-based authority - Disputes settled through ritual combat or contests of skill, with Chief Redtooth as final arbiter - **Economy & Trade:** - Based primarily on technological salvage, hunting, and limited agriculture - Barter system within the tribe, with technological components serving as valuable trade goods - Controlled trade with outside merchants through designated meeting points - Raiding as a supplementary economic activity, primarily targeting [[The Technic League|Technic League]] caravans - **Religion & Beliefs:** - Blend of traditional Kellid animism with reverence for technology - Belief that technological artifacts contain spirits or essences that can be harnessed - Shamanic traditions that incorporate technological elements into rituals - Worship of "The Metal Gods" - believed to be the entities who sent the technological gifts to Numeria - **Laws & Customs:** - Strength and contribution to the tribe determine status - All significant technological finds must be presented to the tribal leaders for assessment - Reverence for both traditional survival skills and technological adaptation - Coming-of-age rituals include recovering a piece of technology from dangerous territory - Strong emphasis on loyalty to the pack above individual desires - **Languages Spoken:** - Hallit (Kellid language) primary among tribe members - Common for trade and dealing with outsiders - A specialized technical jargon used when discussing technological matters - Some tribal elders understand fragments of alien languages from technological interfaces #### **History & Lore** - **Origins & Founding:** - Formed approximately 20 years ago when [[Redtooth Ironfang]] united several smaller tribes under his leadership - Named for their ability to move like ghosts through territory supposedly controlled by the [[The Technic League|Technic League]] - Gradually expanded through absorption of other tribal groups and strategic conquests - Solidified their current territory after the decisive Battle of Screaming Valley against [[Organizations/Economic & Trade Organizations/The Steel Hunters]] - **Major Historical Events:** - The Great Unification under [[Redtooth Ironfang]] - The discovery of The Howling Stone, which became their central gathering place - The Battle of Screaming Valley, which established their dominance in the region - The Technic Plague, a mysterious illness that affected those with technological enhancements - Recent discovery of a crashed skyship that significantly enhanced their technological capabilities - **Current Conflicts or Issues:** - Ongoing struggle against [[The Technic League|Technic League]], which seeks to control all technology in Numeria - Territorial disputes with [[Organizations/Economic & Trade Organizations/The Steel Hunters]] over prime scavenging grounds - Internal tensions between traditionalists and those embracing more technological integration - Resource scarcity in traditional hunting grounds forcing more dependence on technological solutions - Mysterious technological plague affecting some tribe members with extensive enhancements - **Rumors & Mysteries:** - Whispers of an ancient bunker beneath the territory containing pre-cataclysm weapons - Strange lights seen at night in the Forbidden Crash Sites - Reports of ghostly figures that appear to be neither human nor mechanical - Legends of a sentient technological entity that communicates with certain tribal shamans - Rumors that [[Redtooth Ironfang]]'s jaw enhancement is slowly altering his mind #### **Notable NPCs & Factions** - **Key Figures:** - **[[Redtooth Ironfang]]**: Chief of the Ghost Wolves and strategic leader - **Shaman Vex**: Spiritual leader who interprets "messages" from technological artifacts - **Kara Swiftstep**: Master hunter and head of tribal scouts - **Forge-Hand Torven**: Expert in repurposing and maintaining technological components - **Elder Nara**: Keeper of tribal history and traditions - **Factions or Power Groups:** - **The Pack Leaders**: Sub-chiefs who control different bands within the tribe - **The Tech-Touched**: Those with significant technological enhancements - **The Old Ways Faction**: Traditionalists who resist excessive technological integration - **The Young Wolves**: Ambitious younger warriors eager to expand territory and influence - **Major Monsters or Threats:** - Malfunctioning security robots from crashed skyships - Mutated wildlife affected by technological radiation - [[The Technic League|Technic League]] retrieval teams hunting for artifacts - Rival tribal groups seeking to claim territory or resources - Strange technological phenomena from poorly understood alien devices #### **Additional Notes** - **Vibe & Inspirations:** - Post-apocalyptic tribal society meets sci-fi scavenger culture - Mad Max aesthetic combined with traditional tribal elements - A people adapting to survive in a world of dangerous and poorly understood technology - The tension between technological advancement and cultural preservation - **Adventure Hooks:** - Recovery mission for a specific technological artifact in Ghost Wolf territory - Diplomatic mission to negotiate passage or alliance with the tribe - Investigation of the mysterious technological plague affecting enhanced tribe members - Hunt for a rogue Technic League operative hiding in the territory - Exploration of a newly discovered crash site with unknown dangers