Emberfang Refuge
“Where the world has tried to erase us, we stand, not in spite of the ashes, but because of them.”In the cold shadow of the haunted northern wilds, where the pine forests whisper the names of the dead and the earth bears the scars of countless wars, stands Emberfang Refuge, a settlement that refuses to die. Neither city nor fortress, Emberfang is a living testament to the unyielding spirit of the Canin people, built and rebuilt across nearly nine centuries of blood, fire, and frost. Here, blackened stone walls rise beside fresh hewn timber, and the air is thick with the memory of past sieges, elven reavers, monstrous hordes, Icemin raiders, even the crushing fists of Frost Giants have all left their mark. Yet through every razing, the Canins return, muddy-pawed, wounded, but unbroken, to raise their refuge anew. In Emberfang, survival is sacred, scars are honored, and the howl of the pack is both prayer and promise. To stand within its ash streaked walls is to stand among the defiant, where every ruin tells a story, and every fire burns against the darkness.
Demographics
300 to 400 Canins depending on the season and siege.
Age Breakdown:
- 40% adults (warriors, hunters, crafters, scouts)
- 20% elders (survivors of past razings, often scarred or maimed, hold respected advisory roles)
- 30% youths and adolescents (trained early in survival, combat, and lore)
- 10% pups (very young, rare and fiercely protected, every pup is seen as a spark of future hope)
- 50% male and 50% female. Fairly balanced, Emberfang culture makes little distinction between male and female roles in survival, warfare, or leadership. Both are expected to fight, hunt, build, and lead.
- 60% Core Bloodlines: Families and packs who have stayed across generations, their identities tied to Emberfang’s cycles of destruction and rebirth.
- 25% Outcasts & Wanderers: Rogues, exiles, or survivors from other settlements, often seeking redemption or a last place to belong.
- 15% Temporary Warbands & Pilgrims: Travelers, warriors between campaigns, or Canins coming to honor the fallen or swear oaths at the Ashen Circle.
Government
The government of Emberfang Refuge is informal, rugged, and built on survival rather than law. There is no royal line or formal council, leadership is earned through strength, endurance, and the trust of the packs.
At its head stands the High Fang, currently Jerek of the Broken-Tooth Pack, a war-leader chosen not by vote but by deeds and reputation. Below him, respected figures like the Huntmistress, Howling Seers, and veteran warriors form a loose circle of advisors, offering counsel on defense, survival, and spiritual matters.
Decisions are made in the open, often at the Ashen Circle, where leaders face the voices of the gathered packs. Challenges to leadership are rare but allowed, settled through ritual combat or public oath. While the High Fang holds authority, Emberfang thrives on communal survival and pack loyalty, meaning power is always tempered by the will of the people, and the knowledge that no one survives alone.
Defences
The defenses of Emberfang Refuge are rough, improvised, and deeply shaped by hard experience. Low stone walls, patched with timber and iron scrap, ring the core of the settlement, reinforced with earthen ramparts and jagged barricades made from felled trees and scavenged bones. Narrow chokepoints and winding paths force attackers into tight, controlled spaces where Emberfang’s defenders can strike with brutal efficiency.
Lookouts perch in crude watchtowers or atop ruined walls, while traps, spiked pits, snare lines, and hidden caltrops, are scattered around the outer approaches, especially along old craters and marshy ground. In times of crisis, the Wolf’s Pyre is lit, signaling all nearby packs and warbands to rally. Emberfang’s greatest defense, however, is its people, hardened survivors, expert hunters, and fierce warriors who know every inch of their scarred home and will bleed to the last to defend it.
“We do not pray to Canis with words. We pray with walls, and fire, and the will to rise.”
Industry & Trade
The industry of Emberfang Refuge revolves around self-sufficiency and survival, not wealth. Blacksmiths forge crude but reliable weapons, armor, and tools from scavenged iron and local ore, while tanners and leatherworkers craft sturdy hides from hunted beasts. Hunters, trappers, and foragers provide meat, furs, bone, and rare herbs, which are shared within the settlement or traded when outsiders arrive.
Trade is limited but vital, Emberfang deals mostly in barter with wandering Canin warbands, nearby settlements like Firstblood Hollow, or the rare human or dwarven trader bold enough to reach them. They exchange furs, ironwork, and medicinal plants for salt, grain, finished weapons, or healing supplies. There is no market square or merchant guild here, trade happens by the fire or at the edge of the Ashen Circle, where every deal is weighed against the needs of survival.
Guilds and Factions
The Broken-Tooth Pack leads under High Fang Jerek, known for their resilience and reputation as battle-scarred survivors. The Redfang Hunters, led by Huntmistress Fenya, control the wilds and supply meat, skins, and vital scouting, their word carrying weight in any council. The Howling Seers, a small circle of mystics led by young Vetra Ash-Eyes, interpret visions, omens, and the will of Canis, often holding quiet sway over spiritual matters.
Among the people are the Ash Runners, swift messengers and scouts like Tirra Quickfoot, who move between Emberfang and neighboring settlements, and the Forgehands, blacksmiths and crafters under Old Vhar, whose work arms and shields the pack. Beneath these major groups, a shadowy layer of outcast bands and scavenger circles exists, exiles, loners, and bonepickers like Hallik, bound by necessity more than loyalty, trading services and secrets on the fringes.
While all share the goal of survival, tensions simmer between factions, ambition, old rivalries, and visions of Emberfang’s future make unity a hard-won and fragile thing.
History
The history of Emberfang Refuge is a bloodstained saga of ruin and rebirth spanning nearly nine centuries. Founded over 850 years ago at the edge of the northern wilds, it was meant as a hunting outpost and gathering place for scattered Canin packs. But the land soon proved as cruel as it was sacred.
The settlement’s first destruction came with the Beast Horde Break, when monstrous creatures from the Brokenfang Hills swept through, shattering the young refuge. Over the centuries, Emberfang faced devastation time and again, razed by evil elven reavers seeking trophies, starved by a winter so cruel it turned kin against kin, and nearly swallowed when old tunnels beneath it collapsed.
As the Canins rebuilt, new threats emerged, the Icemin raiders from across the Cold Sea struck in waves, each assault more brutal, while mortal betrayals like the Iron Pact Betrayal and the Ashclaw Incursion carved deep scars into Canin unity. Darker still were moments like the Black Sun Siege, when warlock-led cultists stormed Emberfang under an eclipse, and the legendary Frost Giant Siege, when giants marched from the north, battering the land itself.
Yet through plague, betrayal, and endless assault, Emberfang refused to die. Its people rebuilt with muddy paws and bloody claws, mixing blackened stone with fresh timber, leaving scars standing as testament to survival. Today, Emberfang is less a settlement and more a symbol, a living shrine to the indomitable spirit of the Canins, where every ruin whispers of those who fell, and every wall stands because they rose again.
Points of interest
Emberfang Refuge is surrounded by grim and meaningful landmarks, each steeped in history and danger.
At its heart stands the Ashen Circle, a blackened ring of standing stones where oaths are sworn, leaders named, and the fallen remembered. Nearby burns the Wolf’s Pyre, a massive bonfire pit lit in times of war or mourning, its smoke said to carry the voices of the dead to Canis. Scattered through the settlement are the Scars Of The Past, preserved ruins from each past destruction, where young Canins are taught survival and loss.
Beyond the walls lies the Whispering Pines, a haunted stretch of forest filled with gnarled trees and creeping mist, where hunters track game and sometimes vanish. To the north rise the Brokenfang Hills, jagged and pockmarked from ancient battles, rumored to hide collapsed tunnels and buried relics. Southward, the Marrow Marshes spread, a treacherous, boggy expanse rich with bitter herbs and whispered dangers, where few dare go except the boldest scavengers and seers. Together, these places form the harsh, storied landscape that shapes Emberfang’s fierce identity.
“Stone and ash, blood and howl, the Refuge remembers.”
Tourism
Tourism in Emberfang Refuge is rare and grim, shaped less by leisure and more by pilgrimage, curiosity, or desperation.
Most visitors are Canin pilgrims who come to honor the fallen at the Ashen Circle, seeking to swear oaths, repay ancestral debts, or be blessed by the Howling Seers. Others are wandering warbands or lone fighters drawn by the settlement’s legend of endurance, hoping to join, train, or simply witness the place that refuses to die.
Occasionally, human or dwarven traders, mercenaries, or scholars venture to Emberfang, driven by tales of the Wolf’s Pyre, the haunted ruins, or the scarred land, though few stay long, the cold, danger, and somber atmosphere quickly remind outsiders this is no place for pleasure. Any who come are met with wary eyes, and respect must be earned, in Emberfang, even “tourism” is a matter of survival and purpose.
Architecture
The architecture of Emberfang Refuge is raw, scarred, and purposeful, a living testament to survival against all odds. Blackened stone walls, remnants of past razings, stand alongside newly hewn logs and rough-cut planks, creating a deliberate and striking contrast between ruin and renewal. Nothing here is polished or refined, every patch of scorched masonry or splintered beam is kept as a tribute to the resilience of the Canin spirit.
Buildings form a patchwork of scavenged materials, twisted iron, shattered bones, hardened mud, and rough mortar, shaped into low, defensive structures designed to weather both winter’s bite and the fires of invasion. Tall towers are rare, as Emberfang learned long ago that the higher you build, the harder you fall. Instead, homes and communal halls huddle close to the earth, their sloped, reinforced roofs shedding snow and rain, their walls thick and irregular but strong.
At the settlement’s heart lies the Ashen Circle, a ring of charred standing stones surrounded by open courtyards where packs gather to swear oaths, honor the dead, and share hard won feasts under the open, ash darkened sky. The landscape itself is folded into the architecture, crater pits from old battles have been repurposed into defensive trenches or cold storage cellars, while burnt-out ruins are deliberately left standing, some as monuments, some even adapted into homes, their blackened walls still sheltering the living.
Most iconic is the Wolf’s Pyre, a massive central bonfire ringed with stones and rusted iron. Lit in times of crisis or mourning, its smoke rises high, a dark plume seen for miles, carrying the cries of the fallen to Canis and signaling to the world that Emberfang still lives. Here, beauty is measured not in elegance, but in endurance. Every wall whispers a story, and every ruin bears a name. Emberfang’s architecture is less a design and more a defiant heartbeat made flesh and stone.
“Here, the stones remember every paw that fell. And they remember who lifted them again.”
Geography
Emberfang Refuge is nestled in the harsh northern wilds, where the land is rugged, cold, and scarred by centuries of conflict. It stands at the edge of ancient hunting trails, with dense, haunted pine forests looming close, trees twisted with age, their bark dark and lichens pale, with a breeze said to whisper the names of the dead on moonless nights. The ground around the settlement is rough and uneven, pockmarked with old craters, burnt earth, and broken stone left from past sieges and battles.
To the north and west, jagged hills rise like broken teeth, offering some natural defense but also funneling cold winds and creeping mists that roll in without warning. Small streams cut through the rocky terrain, their waters icy even in summer, feeding into marshy patches along the settlement’s edge. The soil is thin and often blackened, supporting only hardy grasses and thorny underbrush. At night, the land seems to hold its breath, heavy with the memory of bloodshed. Yet in this grim, scarred place, Emberfang Refuge clings on, a stubborn heartbeat in a landscape shaped by ruin and survival.
Climate
The climate of Emberfang Refuge is cold, harsh, and unforgiving, a mirror to the lives of those who dwell there. Long, brutal winters grip the land for most of the year, with biting winds that howl through the pine forests and carry flurries of ice and ash across the scarred ground. Snow blankets the hills and craters, often lingering well into late spring. Summers are short and cool, offering only brief thaws and pale sunlight that struggles to warm the blackened earth.
The air is often damp with mist, especially near the marshy edges, and sudden storms can sweep down from the northern hills without warning, lashing the settlement with cold rain or sleet. Even in moments of calm, the sky above Emberfang often hangs heavy with clouds, casting the land in a dim, gray light. It is a climate of endurance, where survival is a daily battle and where the warmth of firelight and pack bonds offers the only true reprieve from the chill.
Natural Resources
The natural resources of Emberfang Refuge are scarce but fiercely prized. The surrounding haunted pine forests provide hardy timber, though much is twisted and gnarled, requiring skilled hands to work. Small streams offer cold, clear water, though they freeze over for much of the year, and the marshy patches yield edible roots, bitter herbs, and rare medicinal plants known only to the elders and Howling Seers.
Game is sparse but vital, hardy deer, black-furred hares, and the occasional great elk roam the forests, while wolves and other predators compete for the same prey. The rocky hills nearby hold veins of rough iron and stone, enough for simple weapons and crude fortifications, though mining them is dangerous and often draws unwanted attention. Despite its harshness, the land clings to just enough life to sustain Emberfang, a meager, defiant offering from a world that seems determined to snuff it out.
Founding Date
Founded about 870 years ago in 127 B.S.
Type
Village
Population
Approximately 300 to 400 Canins. 200 to 250 permanent residents and 100 to 150 wanderers, outcasts, and temporary residents.
Culture
The culture of Emberfang Refuge is built on survival, memory, and fierce pack loyalty. Here, scars are worn as honors, and every Canin, from elder to pup, is shaped by the weight of past losses and the relentless will to endure. Strength is measured not by domination, but by resilience, cooperation, and the ability to rise after every fall. Stories of past destructions are told openly, often by the fire or at the Ashen Circle, teaching the young the price of survival. Oaths carry deep weight, betrayal is reviled, and even outcasts who prove themselves are welcomed as kin. Life is harsh, joy is rare, but when it comes, in shared meals, victorious hunts, or the warmth of the Wolf’s Pyre, it is savored fiercely, as a defiant spark against a world that longs to snuff them out.“To die here is no shame. To rise here, again and again, that is the true glory.”
Religious And Spiritual Connection
Emberfang Refuge is no temple, but here, worship is action. Every act of rebuilding is a prayer to Canis. Every oath to endure, every choice to return when the world breaks you, is an offering laid at the Wolf-Headed God’s feet. The Howling Seers come not to preach but to listen, to the winds, to the ruins, to the howls that rise at night. They say Canis speaks loudest in the places that bleed.Political Ties
Allies: with Firstblood Hollow, with whom they share training rites and a spiritual kinship, both are seen as places where the blood of ancestors runs closest to the surface. Tensions: often run high with Ashclaw, whose warriors scorn Emberfang’s sentiment, calling it a place for mourners and memory clingers rather than conquerors. Reputation: Fiercely independent, sometimes unpredictable in alliances, yet no settlement can deny Emberfang’s raw endurance. They may stand on the edge of civilization, but they stand.“They bled beside us on the summit, howling songs of battles long dead. We could ask no finer brothers in arms.”
Notable Past Canins
High Fang Varek Ashmaw: A legendary war-leader who united scattered Canin packs to retake Emberfang after its third destruction by evil elven raiders. Known for his brutal tactics and fierce loyalty, Varek died defending the Ashen Circle, his body burned on the first Wolf’s Pyre. His name is still invoked in oaths of defiance. Seeress Mara of the Ashen Circle: A Howling Seer whose visions guided the rebuilding of Emberfang after a monstrous horde nearly wiped it from the map. She was said to hear Canis whisper through the howling winds and is remembered for sacrificing herself in a final ritual to drive the beasts back. Her weathered staff still stands among the Ashen Circle stones.Notable Living Canins
Old Vhar, the Blacksmith: Scarred, one-eyed, and missing half his right ear, Vhar has survived four razings and still hammers at the forge. He is a living archive of Emberfang’s past, and though gruff and sharp-tongued, he is respected as the settlement’s memory-keeper. Fenya Redfang, Huntmistress: Leader of Emberfang’s hunters, Fenya is swift, cunning, and known for her blood-red streaked muzzle. She leads the crucial forays into the haunted pines, keeping the settlement fed and alert to danger. Rumor whispers that she may soon challenge for leadership. High Fang Jerek of the Broken-Tooth Pack: The current war-leader of Emberfang, Jerek is a battered but unbroken figure who carries the title with quiet determination. Known more for his endurance and wisdom than ferocity, Jerek holds the fractured settlement together through sheer will, though some whisper his strength is fading. Vetra Ash-Eyes, Young Seer: A rising Howling Seer, Vetra is blind but said to “see the past and future clearer than the present.” She walks barefoot through the ruins at night, murmuring to the stones, and many believe Canis speaks through her in unsettling ways. Brukk One-Ear, Gate Warden: A hulking, grizzled Canin with only one ear and a nose twisted from old breaks, Brukk oversees Emberfang’s crude gates and barricades. Gruff and suspicious of outsiders, he’s known to snarl threats before he speaks, but beneath his roughness, he is fiercely protective of the young and weak. Few know he was once a wandering exile, taken in by Jerek himself. Tirra Quickfoot, Ash Runner: A wiry adolescent Canin, Tirra serves as one of the Ash Runners, swift-footed messengers who carry word between Emberfang and neighboring settlements through dangerous wilds. Known for her sharp wit and reckless courage, Tirra has survived attacks that killed older, stronger scouts, and she dreams of one day joining Fenya’s hunters. Hallik the Bonepicker, Scavenger: A bent, toothless elder who wanders the ruins muttering to himself, Hallik knows every shattered wall and buried relic of Emberfang’s past. He trades scavenged iron, bones, and lost trinkets for scraps of meat or firewood. Some say he speaks to the dead, or worse, listens when they speak back. Sera Hollowfang, Herbalist: A quiet figure who dwells at the edge of the settlement near the marshes, Sera tends rare bitter herbs and roots used for healing. Once a warband healer, she lost her pack to plague and never speaks of it. Rumors swirl that she communes with darker spirits in the swamps, but none deny her skill when wounds and fevers strike. Karn Redjaw, Tavern-Keeper: Owner of the Split Fang, the only true tavern in Emberfang, Karn is a burly, loud-voiced Canin with a jaw scar that pulls his lip into a permanent snarl. He keeps the ale flowing and the knives mostly sheathed when tensions rise. Karn is known for knowing everyone’s business, and deciding when to sell it. Tessa Brightcry, Pup Keeper: An older female Canin with a soft voice and steel-hard gaze, Tessa tends the few pups of Emberfang with fierce devotion. She teaches them stories, survival skills, and oaths to Canis. In a settlement of warriors and scars, she is a rare wellspring of hope, though even she carries the memory of pups lost in past burnings.Rumors
Canis Walks Among Them: It’s said the Wolf-Headed God himself walks Emberfang’s ruins in the form of a great gray wolf, his glowing green eyes watching the rebuilders each time the refuge rises again. Something Still Stirs Beneath The Ground: Old scavengers claim the tunnels that collapsed centuries ago weren’t natural, and sometimes, at night, you can hear something still moving deep under the Ashen Circle, scratching at the earth. Their Blood No Longer Freezes: According to northern traders, Emberfang warriors drink a secret concoction brewed by the Howling Seers that makes their blood resistant to cold, frost magic, and Icemin blades. No One Dies Alone In Emberfang: Travelers whisper that when a Canin dies within Emberfang’s walls, their spirit lingers until the next howl at the Wolf’s Pyre, and only then do they pass on, carried by the smoke to Canis. They Keep Their Dead In The Stones: Some say the blackened stones of Emberfang are more than ruins, they are the burial markers of past generations, and breaking one is said to bring down curses or vengeful spirits. The Howling Seers See Too Much: Even among other Canin settlements, Emberfang’s Seers are feared. It’s whispered they walk the dreams of other leaders, whispering secrets or curses in their sleep, all in Canis’s name. The Mist Defends Them: A strange fog often rolls down from the Whispering Pines. Some claim it’s enchanted, a blessing from Canis or a remnant of the Black Sun Siege, and that outsiders who enter without blessing become lost… or never return.“They burn, they fall, they rise. We have crushed them a dozen times, yet they stand. What manner of curse binds them to that wretched ground?”
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