Forbidden Land

A dense jungle covers the island. It is unknown if anything lies beyond the thick trees, but legend tells of a sparkling lake at the center of the island.

In the days before we walked upright, we roamed the vast jungles of our ancestral home.

First, the howl of the Winds taught us the sound of words. It gave us a voice so we could collaborate.

Then, the crash of the Waves taught us the importance of power. It gave us a will to conquer.

Finally, came the Storm, that put us in our place.

— The Forgotten Tale of Oposs

Not much is known about the history of Oposs, as its inhabitants seem to regard the present as the most important. But this cultural obscuring of history likely has a different source.

The Beastfolk originated on the isle now known as the Forbidden Land. They lived like other civilizations would: growing, evolving, and competing along the way. However, unlike the Elemental Peoples, the Beastfolk were immortal. As their bodies gave out, their spirits remained and continued to thrive amongst the living as they had before, as long as they stayed on the island.

Until the Beastfolk discovered they could harness this power. By consuming the souls of the dead, the living gained powers that could warp and bend reality to their will. This was Opossian magic, and it was wielded by powerful shamans. It wasn't long until the entire island, and all the Beastfolk that lived upon it, were subjugated by despotic shaman god-kings. A few tribes managed to flee across the waves, where the shamans couldn't reach, and settled on the main island of Oposs.

The god-kings were cruel, consuming all souls that roamed, tearing kin from kin. Some of the most wicked even slew their subjects, so that they may have more souls to add to their feast. Using this power, they would command their subjects to return to work, and the bones dutifully obliged.

Ever-hungry, the shamans waged terrible wars, creating powerful weapons for their armies to wield and casting even more vicious spells to rend their enemies. In the end, but one god-king remained; bloated with the spoils of his victory, he challenged the Skies and the Seas, and Storm responded.

The ones that fled decreed that never again would anyone be allowed to set foot on the isle.