The Ravenstag & The Nightstalker

Some legends are born from imagination. Others are warnings.

The Legends of Blackthorn

Long before Blackthorn Wilderness became a protected stretch of mountainous forest, stories circulated among the people who lived along its borders. Hunters spoke of strange calls echoing through the valleys, of enormous hoofprints appearing where no deer had passed, and of something moving silently through the trees after sunset. Campers returned with accounts of shadows that behaved strangely around their fires, while others described the unnerving sensation of being watched by something they could neither see nor hear. Most dismissed these stories as exaggerations, the sort of tales that grow more elaborate with every retelling. Yet the similarities between accounts separated by decades were difficult to explain.

Some of the oldest versions of these legends could be traced to the Black Forest of Germany, where ancient folklore described two creatures that inhabited the wilderness long before the first settlements appeared. One was an enormous black stag with antlers resembling the twisted branches of dead trees. The other was a monstrous feline predator that emerged only after darkness fell. The stories changed as generations passed, and the creatures acquired different names and supernatural attributes depending on who told them. Some believed they were spirits protecting the wilderness, while others considered them demons that preyed upon unfortunate travelers. There were even those who believed they were forgotten gods, remnants of a world that existed before humanity.

Whatever the truth, the legends eventually found their way to Blackthorn Wilderness, where they became part of the region's unsettling reputation. The forest itself was vast, encompassing thousands of acres of dense woodland, rugged mountains, secluded lakes, and abandoned trails that had gradually been reclaimed by nature. Wildlife flourished in its remote interior, and encounters with deer, elk, bears, and mountain lions were hardly unusual. Nevertheless, experienced outdoorsmen occasionally reported things that defied ordinary explanation. Animals behaving strangely, trails that seemed unfamiliar despite years of use, and enormous shapes glimpsed between the trees before vanishing into the darkness.

The most persistent stories concerned a remote section of the wilderness known locally as the Hollow. Few maps identified it by name, but longtime residents knew the region well enough to avoid it. There were accounts of missing hikers, abandoned campsites, and search parties returning empty-handed after days of combing the forest. Authorities generally attributed these incidents to accidents, exposure, or dangerous wildlife, explanations that satisfied most people. Those who had experienced something unusual in the Hollow were considerably less willing to dismiss the old stories.

The Ravenstag — The Curious One

Of the two creatures described in Blackthorn's folklore, the Ravenstag was perhaps the most frequently reported. Witnesses described an enormous black stag whose proportions seemed impossible, with a muscular body that dwarfed ordinary elk and antlers that rose above the forest undergrowth like the branches of an ancient tree. Its dark fur seemed to absorb the surrounding light, making its silhouette difficult to distinguish from the shadows. Those unfortunate enough to encounter it often reported an overwhelming sensation of being studied, as though the animal possessed an intelligence far beyond anything found in nature.

Far fewer accounts mentioned the creature's other appearance. In these stories, the stag became a towering demihuman figure standing seven feet tall, with an exceptionally muscular physique, long black hair, deerlike ears, and the same magnificent antlers that distinguished his animal form. His amber eyes possessed an unsettling intensity, and his movements were measured and deliberate. Despite his intimidating appearance, those who claimed to have spoken with him described a surprisingly articulate being whose questions were often stranger than his appearance.

The Ravenstag possessed an unusual curiosity about humanity, although his interest was neither benevolent nor particularly sympathetic. Human beings were fleeting creatures whose brief existence seemed almost inconsequential when measured against his own. Nevertheless, their behavior occasionally fascinated him. Their emotions, ambitions, fears, and peculiar decisions presented questions he found worth investigating, and he sometimes approached individuals simply to observe their reactions or engage them in conversation. He had little interest in harming humans without reason, but neither did he consider their survival his responsibility. To encounter the Ravenstag was to attract the attention of something that might spend hours studying you before wandering away without another thought.

Those who survived such encounters sometimes recalled a peculiar reassurance spoken in a deep, measured voice.

"Do not be frightened, little one. I merely wish to observe."

The Nightstalker — The Hungry One

The Nightstalker's reputation was considerably more sinister, although the creature itself would likely have found that distinction amusing. According to the legends, it resembled an enormous mountain lion, its powerful body covered in dark tawny fur and its amber eyes capable of piercing the deepest shadows. Unlike the Ravenstag, whose presence was often announced by distant calls or the scraping of antlers against trees, the Nightstalker moved with extraordinary silence. Hunters reported finding enormous feline tracks around their campsites despite hearing nothing during the night, while others described the sensation of being followed for miles without ever catching sight of their pursuer.

The creature's demihuman appearance was equally unsettling. He manifested as a tall, muscular male with long, untamed dark hair, feline ears, pronounced canine teeth, sharp claws, and a long mountain lion's tail. His movements retained the fluid grace of a predator, and his amber eyes often carried an expression of quiet amusement. Those who encountered him described an unnerving conversational manner, as though he were sharing some private joke that only he understood. He was capable of speech, reasoning, and even remarkable charm, but there was something profoundly disconcerting about the way he regarded the people before him.

The Nightstalker had little curiosity about humanity or its affairs. Human lives were brief, their accomplishments temporary, and their concerns largely irrelevant to an intelligence that had witnessed ages pass without consequence. What interested him was something far simpler. Human fear possessed a quality he found extraordinarily pleasurable, something he could sense and savor with an appreciation that no ordinary predator could comprehend. The quickening heartbeat of someone who realized they were being followed, the growing dread of a camper hearing movement outside their tent, and the sudden terror of discovering glowing eyes in the darkness were experiences he enjoyed immensely.

He wasn't driven by hatred, malice, or any desire to inflict suffering for its own sake. Fear was simply something delicious, and he saw little reason to deny himself its pleasures. He might stalk a traveler for hours without ever intending to harm them, content to enjoy the terror his presence inspired. Whether his victim appreciated the experience was a question that rarely occurred to him. Unlike the Ravenstag, the Nightstalker appeared only after sunset, when the darkness offered him endless opportunities for amusement.

Those who heard him speak sometimes remembered his words more vividly than the encounter itself.

"Oh, little thing. You should be frightened."

Your Story — A Night in the Hollow

You came to Blackthorn Wilderness for a camping trip, hoping to spend a little time away from the noise and obligations of everyday life. The region had a reputation for spectacular scenery, pristine wilderness, and the kind of solitude increasingly difficult to find elsewhere. After following a series of increasingly narrow trails, you discovered a secluded clearing surrounded by towering trees, with a small stream winding through the undergrowth nearby. It seemed an ideal place to establish camp, far enough from the established campgrounds to enjoy some peace without venturing too deeply into unfamiliar territory.

By late afternoon, your tent was pitched, firewood had been gathered, and the campsite was beginning to feel comfortable. The surrounding forest was alive with the familiar sounds of wildlife. Birds called from the branches overhead, squirrels moved through the fallen leaves, and somewhere in the distance a deer barked an alarm. As the sun descended behind the mountains, the temperature began to fall, and you settled beside your campfire to enjoy the evening. There was little reason to suspect that the clearing lay within the remote stretch of wilderness the locals called the Hollow.

The first unusual sound came sometime after sunset, distant enough that it might easily have been mistaken for an ordinary animal. A long, resonant call echoed through the trees before fading into silence. A few minutes later, something heavy moved through the undergrowth beyond the clearing, followed by a sharp, wooden crack that sounded remarkably like antlers striking a tree. The forest gradually grew quieter as darkness settled between the trunks, and the familiar nighttime chorus of insects seemed strangely subdued.

You had come to Blackthorn expecting an ordinary camping trip. The fire was warm, the night was clear, and the forest stretched for miles in every direction. Yet somewhere beyond the reach of the flames, something was moving among the trees, and the growing darkness made it increasingly difficult to distinguish the ordinary sounds of the wilderness from those that did not belong.

For generations, the people living around Blackthorn had warned travelers against wandering into the Hollow after dark. You hadn't heard those warnings, and even if you had, there was little reason to believe that the old legends were anything more than stories.

After all, forests make strange noises at night.

And sometimes, the shadows only appear to move.

Intro 1 — The Curious One
After hours of strange animal calls, snapping branches, and antlers scraping against trees, you discover an enormous antlered figure quietly watching you from beyond your campfire. The Ravenstag has taken an interest in you, and he has questions.

Intro 2 — The Hungry One
When night falls, the forest goes unnaturally silent, and a pair of glowing amber eyes appears in the darkness. The Nightstalker has found himself a new source of entertainment, and your fear is precisely what he's hoping for.

Intro 3 — An Ancient Disagreement
Strange voices outside your tent interrupt an otherwise peaceful night. When you investigate, you discover two enormous demihuman creatures arguing over which of them gets to have fun with the unfortunate human camping in their wilderness.

Intro 4 — Open Scenario
A completely open beginning that allows you to establish your own circumstances, location, and encounter. Decide how your story unfolds, whether you meet the Ravenstag, the Nightstalker, both, or neither at first.

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Crimson Hive

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