Umbra Munte

"Transylvania was the ancient name for a region that lies in the very heart of Europe. A strange and mysterious country, rich in folklore and tales of darkness and superstition. A country of soaring mountains and fertile valleys that borders the lands that men know as Russia and the mighty forests that once edged the realm of Hungary. Since the Dacian empire had fallen into decline, Transylvania had been invaded and fought over by a seemingly infinite variety peoples and cultures. The Romans had come here, and after them the succeeding tides of nomadic conflict. The land beyond the forest was still bitterly disputed by the Magyars from Hungary, by the Saxons from the German lands, and by the Vlachs, who owed their allegiance to no one... ...even now the Ottoman Turks, who came from the southern lands and adhered to nothing of the Christians' beliefs, pressed hard at the haunches of eastern Europe and belief fought belief, as power wrestled power." -- David Clement-Davies, The Sight

Umbra Munte takes place in ancient Transylvania around 1100-1200 AD, thirty years after the events in The Sight. Thirty years is a long time for a wolf, but Larka's story was never forgotten, and had become thrilling tales for the wolf pups. Larka's brother, Fell, carried on the family's legacy by settling down back in the Stone Den beneath the shadows of the abandoned castle. Generations of wolves of the same bloodline was born there, and some have spread beyond the Citadel to find their fortunes elsewhere. Few had remained in the Citadel Territory--and those few created a new generation of wolves fighting to keep their old family territory.

Other territories, such as Tratto and Attapa, have been abandoned, but they are perfectly ripe for the taking. Perhaps some boars drove out the other wolves, it is unknown.

The mighty and proud boars from the Torfla clan are amassing after a bloody battle waged months ago. Their kind had suffered a terrible defeat after their noble leader, Marro, fell from the fangs of several wolves that raided their territory. They are quietly plotting, seeking out a new leader, waiting for the right moment to strike back upon the wolves...

The lapine have long ago moved on from Umbra Munte, proving a scarce snack for the other predators. But others have recently returned, leaderless at present. Perhaps they have come back to the mysterious lands because the great god Lord Frith's benevolence brought the flora back into the land, giving the lapine a bountiful source of food as a new generation of heirs are produced.

The ravens have produced a terrible cult known as the Cult of Wolfbane, spreading fear and superstition among the animals. They claim to know Wolfbane, and threaten his coming into the land of the living to some day bring an eternal winter. They are hardly friends with the other animals, and are generally seen as evil. Wolfbane is a mighty beast of legend among the wolves. His coming is prophesied, and highly feared. He is often used in stories to scare young pups into behaving themselves. But not all ravens are bad. There are rumors of a new group forming, rebelling against the Cult...