The Font of Shadows

The Font of Shadows is an important/unique/whatever feature of Yofga. So I'm going to interrupt talking about the four main cities to talk about it, because I think it's neat. Also, I need a little variety when documenting  campaign details. So that's what this post is about. The Font of Shadows.

The Font of Shadows has existed for as long as there has been recorded history on Yofga. References to it can be found in the legends and stories of very nearly all cultures and tribes on Yofga and it is a place of some value for its connections to the Lujggao. It is also of some religious significance to many of the cults of the gods that exist on Yofga. It is believed by most that The Font of Shadows was the last fortress of the gods when they fought their war against the Lujggao. A smaller number of scholars and other individuals believe that The Font of Shadows was intended as a prison for the gods that was created by the Lujggao before they knew the gods could be slain. There is very little evidence for this, save that the architecture of The Font of Shadows is reminiscent of that found in the four cities of the Lujggao that are on Yofga. It is known that the God of Endless Winter is within The Font of Shadows and has lain there on the verge of death since he fell in the war known as The Death of Seasons.

Like the cities of Yofga, The Font of Shadows seem to be impervious to any force man or goliath is able to bring against it, and it also appears to be completely immune to the magic of studs. There are two major ways that The Font of Shadows differs from the cities. At least architecturally speaking. The first major difference is the material The Font is made out of. The walls and buildings of the cities of Yofga are constructed from a sort of very dark black-grey color stone with a matte finish to it. The material of The Font of Shadows is an almost shiny midnight black material. Almost as if the font is constructed out of a black gemstone of some kind. It does not reflect light or images though. The second difference is that The Font of Shadows appears to be completely sealed. The place has architectural cues that scholars say indicate that it is a fortress and likely contains large open areas for courtyards and rooms, but the entire structure is sealed. Over the many centuries that have been spent exploring the exterior of The Font and the region around it, no entrances, not even tiny cracks, have been discovered.

The dangers surrounding The Font of Shadows are almost as significant as the mystery of the structure, though none of them stem from the structure itself. The first danger is the environment surrounding The Font of Shadows. The structure sits in a scorchedmass of mountains located in the center of Yofga, equidistant from each of the four cities. This region is extremely volcanic and suffers from earthquakes as well as being the origin of razorstorms. The volcanic vents in the area emit searing gusts of often times toxic air in the area. These gusts are the cause of razorstorms, and even if the storm never gains the strength to leave the area, it spills millions of shards of razor sharp obsidian across the area. These obsidian shards can flay the boots and skin from the feet of unwary travelers. Despite these environmental hazards, religious pilgrimages, archaeological studies, and what might be called looky lous still journey to The Font of Shadows. This in turns draws scavengers of both the humanoid and desert beast varieties. Humanoid scavengers are often less than willing to wait for the desert to do the work of killing their targets. Scavengers, usually from the tribes of the desert, are a near constant threat around The Font. Most are motivated by simple greed and the desire to loot high value supplies that city dwellers have brought with them. Others claim that scholars and those who seek the secrets of The Font of Shadows offend the gods or the Lujggao or whatever quaint tribal notion that have of the sanctity of the place. How can dead gods or the cursed descendants of the Lujggao be offended? It is likely that such tribes are merely making noises to appease some internal sense of guilt for their life of theft and murder. 

Though these dangers are significant, they are not particularly strange to the denizens of Yofga. We are all aware of the risks of desert travel and those to be found in dealing with desert beasts and our fellow humanoids. There is one danger unique to The Font of Shadows. Creatures that are only found within a few hundred feet of the structure. Husks. Husks are humanoid creatures that are believed to be some manner of deceased human or goliath. They appear as withered, almost mummified creatures with skin like badly cured jerky. In short, they appear like most corpses found dead in the desert, save that they are moving and are usually howling in what can be assumed to be some form of hunger. They carry very little in terms of clothing an equipment. What they do wear or carry is ragged and ruined and they are as likely to attack with their almost claw-like fingernails as they are with whatever they bear in hand.  Husks are believed to be supernatural in origin, as they have been documented to have some manner of ability to become incorporeal for brief periods of time. These creatures represent a great curiosity and many studies have been done regarding them.

One of the many questions about them is are they alive or are they some manner of unliving dead thing? The general consensus among scholars is yes. It is known that they consume those they slay, but it is also known that they can survive indefinitely without food. It is also known that they will not willingly leave the region surrounding The Font of Shadows and when forced to, they go into a form of suspended animation that they cannot be roused from until placed once again within the borders of the area surrounding The Font. They appear to be resistant to the magic of studs with most spells just being absorbed by them and having no perceivable effect.

Despite the amount of research that has been conducted in the past on The Font of Shadows and the husks found in its shadow, scholars and religious groups still continue to mount expeditions to it in the hopes of unlocking its secrets. The site continues to remain a great curiosity and a place of great significance in our land and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future.