Sailing south up the mighty Rheggen River from Wientäler intrepid travelers will enter the large and mostly wild state of Schwartzwalden. Primarily known for its deep, dark forests and rather slow-paced take on life, it is home to dwarves as well as elves with a number of humans that claim to be running the place. There are a few towns and decently sized cities scattered across the landscape that tend to lead credence to the dominance of humans, but the majority of the land is untamed and to most that blunder into it, it can also be acutely unsafe.

In addition to dragons of almost every description Schwartzwalden is home to a number of poorly defined horrors. Adventurers have a habit of entering Schwartzwalden with noble aspirations and lofty goals only to vanish with nary a trace. Undead are the only monsters not routinely encountered in this mystical land of intrigue and treachery, but it seems a haven for all manner of lycanthropes and other woodland beasties. It is considered to be a splendid location for all types of reputation building if one can last long enough in the chaos of the mountainous woodlands.

There is a ruler of Schwartzwalden in the form of King Kesselreg VII, a marginally barbaric fellow with a penchant for overeating and napping. He rules from the family castle in the heavily fortified city of Glomner in the far southeastern corner of Schwartzwalden. Although he is often locked in traditional contests with the King of neighboring Kastallia, especially in the construction of ornate castles, King Kesselreg VII has an almost idyllic existence. Schwartzwalden has no outside enemies of any significance and they haven’t been to war since the collapse of the last Imperium. At best the people of the land are going to engage in spirited bar fights or rally around a banner to drive out some monster from their community using pitchforks and torches. What if any actual defense the King could rouse to fend off a real invader might never be known.