The Menagerie

The Menagerie is a recent addition to the political landscape of Centurna. The Menagerie is a recently settled fey settlement in the southern edge of the Flamewood along the coast. Led by a one-headed ettin wielding a relic given to him by Maudrin, Balyog is physically powerful as most Ettin are, but has a wisdom which is less common among his kind. Blessed with some druidic magic and on a quest from the goddess, he planted his relic and the Menagerie has become a beacon for scattered fey creatures as a community is beginning to form. But everything is not benign, as not every fey creature that has its sight on the Menagerie and the magical land it rests on have good intentions.  

Inhabitants and Exports:

What was originally one of a few lumber camps around Melgrave, the Menagerie was special because the piece of land it sits on was originally from the Feywild, which got shunted physically into the material realm of the Shattered Isles. While scattered fey creatures are slowly finding there way to the settlement, currently a herd of centaurs is the largest population that has settled in the camp and is starting to turn a work camp into a livable village. After the centaurs, the next largest group are the satyrs, who known for wandering have been coming in and out of the community singing songs and spreading news of the communities founding throughout the Tyranic hold and searching for more fey making their way to the settlement. The third group of fey currently in the Menagerie are a race of fey known as darklings, which while mainly nocturnal serve as night guards and night-shift labor force when the centaurs need to sleep. They have a passion for physical art such as paintings, sculptures, and pottery, but exposure to light weakens and ages them apart from a few known as elders.   While the community is establishing itself, it has little to trade to other settlements currently. They do have plans to start a winery and an apiary to create liquors from the Feywild for trade to the local communities. Apart from this, some settlers of the Menagerie have been offering their unique skills and labor force to Melgrave to build good relations with what will one day be their primary trade partner.  

Important People:

Balyog the Ettin: Balyog is originally from the northern hills of Centurna, where a small population of ettin still survive to this day. Originally, Balyog was the non-dominant head of the body, and was forced to do every whim and command of the dominant head, Trayal. It wasn't until a hunting accident and a nasty fall broke Trayal's neck that Balyog was able to fully take control of the body, as Trayal never recovered beyond the occasional moan to show he still lived in a comatose state. Balyog was exiled from his society, and became a goat herder living on his own until Maudrin gave him a new purpose. Balyog became the Menagerie Tender, and moved south into the Tyranic Hold to found the Menagerie. He is currently trying to learn common so that he can speak with the nearby community of Melgrave more effectively.   Annis the Dryad: Annis was a simple dryad living in the southern Flamewood, who was just a fey creature afraid her tree, and thus her life, would be chopped down by the lumberjacks of Melgrave. Dryads can only move so far away from their trees before they reach a limit they cannot pass, but with her tree stride ability and fey magics she serves as an effective scout and watcher of the Menagerie's territory. One of the first inhabitants of the Menagerie, she is Balyog's second in command, and serves as his first lieutenant.   Tito the Stave-Master: Currently, Tito is the only eladrin who has made their way to the Menagerie. More importantly, Tito has a unique set of skills in the creation of magical tattoos and staves. These staves can be used to create protective wards, move trees and heavy objects, and many darker arts that make stave-masters a source of awe and fear among the courts of the Feywild. They have been known to curse fey into other forms on the orders of Archfey, making them the source of many dryads, dullahans, redcaps, and more. Tito serves as the magical advisor and second lieutenant of the Menagerie. To make personal amends for unknown actions, he is using his knowledge of staves to perform the rituals and tattoos needed to let the darklings walk in the day again.   Anselm Roerich: A cleric of Abel, Anselm has joined the Menagerie in trying to repel the Night Mother's dark fey attempting to take the settlement and the relic at the heart of it. Anselm is never seen outside of a custom set of armor, but his knowledge of fey and human cultures make him a good envoy in the diplomatic dealings between the Menagerie and Melgrave. When not dealing in diplomacy and translating for Balyog or Annis, Anselm is leading efforts to fend off the Night Mother.