92575_RAA_BeastsBotanical-Vol2_R1_PROOF

beasts & botanicals Vilden of the Grasslands • introduction • In the soft embrace of a land enchanted by the warmth of a seem ingly eternal spring, where the air carries the fragrance of budding blossoms and the sun paints the landscape in warm hues of gold and amber, lies a realm of beauty and wonder. Here, amidst the rolling hills festooned with vibrant wildflowers, roam colossal shaggy crea tures whose footsteps shake the Earth and whose deep bellows can be heard for miles upon miles. These majestic entities, reminiscent of creatures from tales before the birth of gods and kings, traverse the verdant plains with a grace that belies their immense size. With horns that spiral like shadows on crescent moons and fur as soft as the petals of a freshly bloomed rose, they are the gentle giants of this idyllic realm. Across the backs of these gentle titans sit small domed houses of woven grass on plat forms of root and vine, homes inhabited by an avian people known as the Vilden of the Grasslands. Despite the tranquil appearance of the landscape and the creatures that inhabit it, an ever-present sense of anticipation hangs in the air, like a shroud draped over a mirror one moment after death for fear of what comes next—if the whispered lore of hermits and sages are to be believed. The warm winds seem to carry echoes of half-forgotten stories, weaving intricate patterns in the minds of those who dare to listen. As you traverse the neck-high grass, each step sinking you deeper into the rich, red earth beneath your feet, a strange sensation tugs at the edges of your consciousness. It’s as if the very ground upon which you tread is alive with a whispered voice, murmuring secrets that seep into your dreams like tendrils of crimson smoke tinged with blood. Here, amidst the whispers of the grass and the secrets of the soil, where the Great Shaggy Beasts wander and the Vilden shepherd

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