The Undead of the Dead Lands
Alpin
: A short while after entering the Razor Spine Forest, I was accosted by a group of insane pixies. After showing proof that I was no enemy of theirs, I eventually persuaded the band to take me to their leader. I was lead to a magnificent tree, which, although it was covered by a thick layer of obsidian, still retained a majestic bearing. The tree was their leader's (known as "Alpin") palace. Because I could not fit inside the structure, Alpin was good enough to meet me outside the palace, something he rarely does, as I am told. The tiny being had many quirks about him. Alpin was neither warm nor cold to me, and he always spoke in riddles. He seemed to possess an uncanny insight, though it was hard to understand him through all the other gibberish he was spouting. Occasionally he would answer a question of mine directly, but Alpin would usually answer my querries with his own question, all this giving me a full impression of how much more wisdom this creature possesed than I.
Poinan
: What I know about the mysterious figure "Poinan" is merely heresay. The information I have gotten from the people I've talked to through my journeys has usually been sketchy and incomplete, and frequently contradictory. There have been a few common elements between what I have been told, points that everyone I have talked to agrees with. The first, and most generally agreed upon is that Poinan is an undead being. It also seems that Poinan (or Parranin, as I have heard him called from time to time) feeds off the life energy of living beings to sustain himself. How he acquires living beings is unknown, but it is rumored that he has a small civilization of humans that he keeps in his underground domain. Where is domain lies is also unknown (::see the Thattsburr entry::), and those who have tried to find it have either failed their mission, or not returned at all. What worries me about this recluse is what I have heard Amion say of him. Amion tells me that Poinan has somehow managed to breach the Undead Barrier surrounding the Dead Lands (my theory is that he can teleport using the Crimson Monolith, but I am uncertain). He went on to say that Poinan's appetite has been growing as of late, and he may be planning to invade the Table Lands to quench his insatiable hunger.
Gretch
Where do I begin with Gretch. To start, if it wasn't for him, the Dead Lands would not be covered with all this obsidian. If it wasn't for him, millions of life forces would not have been snuffed out in such a terrible fashion. If it wasn't for Gretch carrying on Qwith's unfinished work, Rajaat may not have ever found out about Kyron. This abomination was thought to have been destroyed six hundred years ago by his student, Evar'li, however, all that remains unclear now. Undead have been amassing around Gretch's castle for the past ten years, causing many to believe that the death was a hoax--a hoax that would allow Gretch to plot without interruption and gain the element of surprise when he returns... If I were asked to speculate as to what Gretch can and would do when his presence is made known agian, I wouldn't be able to give a precise answer. I am not without theories, mind you. From what I have heard, Gretch was very interested in something beneath the City-State of Kyron. I've learned from the History that there may be a creature still imprisoned beneath the city, but this could quite conceivably be a mere myth. If Gretch were to gain control over the creature and somehow breach the barrier surrounding the Dead Lands, he could wreak some serious havok, especially when considering the lack of several Sorcerer Monarchs and the Dragon to protect the Table Lands.