The Howling Plains
The Howling Plains stretch across the northern reaches of the Elderglen Wilds, a vast expanse of rolling grassland that serves as a dramatic contrast to the enclosed mystery of the forest regions. Here, beneath an endless dome of sky, the wind reigns supreme, carrying with it the haunting calls that give this region its name. These are not the gentle breezes that whisper through tree branches, but powerful currents of air that sweep across miles of open terrain, creating a symphony of sounds that ranges from melodic sighs to bone-chilling howls that seem to voice the very soul of the wilderness.
The grasslands themselves present a landscape of subtle beauty and hidden complexity. What appears from a distance to be simple, uniform prairie reveals itself upon closer inspection to be a intricate tapestry of dozens of grass species, each adapted to specific microclimates and soil conditions. The dominant grass, known locally as silverwind, grows in dense clusters that ripple like water in the constant breeze, its pale green blades tipped with white that catches the light and creates waves of shimmer across the plains. Between these clusters, patches of darker blue-green buffalo grass provide contrast, while delicate flowering varieties add splashes of color that change with the seasons.
The terrain rolls in gentle waves across the horizon, with occasional shallow valleys carved by seasonal streams and scattered copses of hardy trees that have learned to bend rather than break before the relentless wind. These isolated groves serve as crucial landmarks for navigation and provide vital shelter for both wildlife and travelers. The trees themselves - primarily oak, ash, and a unique species of willow with unusually flexible branches - grow in distinctive shapes, sculpted by decades of prevailing winds into forms that seem to lean perpetually toward the southeast.
The winds that define the Howling Plains follow patterns known only to those who have spent years studying their moods. The morning winds blow gentle and warm from the south, carrying the scents of distant flowers and the promise of clear weather. As the sun reaches its zenith, thermal currents create complex patterns of gusts and calms that experienced travelers can read like a map. Evening brings the strongest winds, roaring down from the north with a voice that encompasses every tone from mournful wail to triumphant roar. These evening winds carry the mysterious howls that give the region its name - sounds that some attribute to natural acoustics as air flows through hidden caves and rock formations, while others insist they represent the voices of ancient spirits that once roamed these lands.
The wildlife of the Howling Plains has evolved remarkable adaptations to life in this wind-swept environment. Great bison with shaggy coats and powerful builds move in vast herds across the grassland, their migration patterns following ancient routes that take advantage of seasonal grass growth and water availability. These massive creatures seem unaffected by even the strongest winds, their low center of gravity and muscular frames allowing them to graze peacefully while gusts that would knock a human flat barely ruffle their fur.
Wild horses run free across the plains in groups that display intelligence and coordination that borders on the supernatural. These animals, known as windrunners, possess an almost mystical connection to the air currents, seeming to predict weather changes days in advance and moving with the wind rather than against it. Their coats shimmer with an unusual iridescence that some claim indicates magical heritage, and their speed and endurance far exceed those of domestic horses. Attempts to capture and tame windrunners have invariably failed, as the animals simply fade away like mirages when cornered, leading many to wonder if they exist in the physical world in the same way as other creatures.
Predators on the plains include packs of dire wolves whose howls harmonize with the wind to create the most haunting of the nocturnal sounds that echo across the grassland. These intelligent hunters have learned to use the wind to their advantage, approaching prey from downwind and coordinating their attacks through calls that blend seamlessly with the natural acoustics of the environment. Above, enormous hawks and eagles ride the thermal currents with minimal effort, their keen eyes able to spot movement across miles of open terrain.
The nomadic clans that call the Howling Plains home represent some of the most free-spirited peoples in all the Elderglen Wilds. These groups, collectively known as the Windwalkers, follow the great herds in their seasonal migrations, living in portable shelters designed to withstand the fierce gales while remaining light enough for quick movement. Their society revolves around the concepts of freedom, adaptability, and harmony with natural forces. Each clan consists of extended family groups numbering anywhere from fifty to several hundred individuals, bound together by blood ties, shared traditions, and mutual dependence in the face of the plains' challenges.
Windwalker culture has developed unique traditions centered around their relationship with the wind itself. They believe that the howling voices carry messages from ancestors and nature spirits, and their shamans spend years learning to interpret these aerial communications. Important decisions are often made only after consulting the wind omens, and major ceremonies are timed to coincide with specific weather patterns. Their music incorporates wind instruments designed to harmonize with natural air currents, creating haunting compositions that seem to emerge from the landscape itself.
The portable dwellings of the Windwalkers, called storm-homes, represent masterpieces of practical engineering adapted to extreme conditions. Constructed from carefully selected materials including specially treated bison hide, flexible wooden frames, and woven grass panels, these structures can be assembled or disassembled in less than an hour by an experienced family group. The design allows them to flex and give with the strongest winds while providing comfortable shelter and protection from the elements. Interior layouts maximize space efficiency while creating distinct areas for sleeping, cooking, and storing the clan's valuable possessions.
Trade between the nomadic clans and the settled communities of the Elderglen Wilds follows ancient patterns established over centuries of interaction. The Windwalkers bring products of the grassland - bison meat and hides, windrunner hair (shed naturally and gathered with great care), carved horn and bone items, and various prairie plants with medicinal properties. In exchange, they acquire metal tools and weapons, woven fabrics, preserved foods for lean seasons, and various manufactured goods that would be impossible to create while constantly on the move.
The spiritual life of the plains centers around the concept of the Eternal Wind, a force that the Windwalkers believe connects all living things and carries the essence of the divine. Sacred sites scattered across the grassland mark locations where the wind patterns create particularly powerful or unusual effects - natural amphitheaters where voices carry for miles, stone circles where the wind creates musical tones, and hilltops where thermal currents allow humans to experience brief moments of flight with the aid of specialized wing-cloaks passed down through generations.
Navigation across the seemingly featureless plains requires skills that outsiders find nearly impossible to master. The Windwalkers read the landscape through subtle variations in grass color and texture, the flight patterns of birds, the direction and intensity of wind currents, and dozens of other environmental clues invisible to the untrained eye. They maintain mental maps of water sources, seasonal dangers, and the territories of various animal species, knowledge that represents the accumulated wisdom of countless generations.
The Howling Plains serve as both the lungs and the voice of the Elderglen Wilds, a region where the sky dominates the landscape and the wind carries stories across vast distances. Here, freedom and movement define existence, and the close connection between human inhabitants and natural forces creates a way of life that embodies the wild, untamed spirit that gives the entire realm its character. The endless grassland stands as a reminder that not all power comes from ancient magic or mysterious forests - sometimes the greatest force is simply the open sky and the eternal conversation between earth and air that plays out across the horizon in an endless symphony of wind and grass.
