The Black Folklore of Fra

The world is historical France, deliberately blurred in time (from the late Middle Ages to the 19th century depending on the region). Technology is pre-industrial (melee weapons, rare gunpowder, printing presses, stagecoaches). Magic exists, but it never manifests openly. It takes the form of: family curses, cursed places, forgotten pacts, prayers granted incorrectly, sins that take physical form. Most common folk deny or rationalize the supernatural. Monsters hide in forests, marshes, ruins, and along old roads. Distinctive Element: Magic does not create—it warps what already exists.

France is divided not politically, but folklorically. Major Mystical Regions Black Brittany Menhirs, ancient forests, haunted coasts. Home to: the Ankou, korrigans, night washerwomen. The Veiled Massif Central Isolated mountains, extinct volcanoes, closed villages. Lands of: werewolves (garous), Beast of Gévaudan-like creatures, cursed hermits. The Western Marshes (Vendée, Poitou) Constant fog, black waters. Lair of: the Vouivre, will-o’-the-wisps, vengeful drowned spirits. The Northern Mists Cold plains, abandoned mines. Whispers speak of: nutons, headless knights, spirits of old wars. The Alps and the Wild South Treacherous passes and cursed roads. Domain of: dracs, white ladies, hermits who have bargained with “something”. Major cities (Paris, Lyon, Rouen, Toulouse…) are shielded by faith, routine, and forgetfulness, but never truly safe.

There is only one dominant race: Humanity. However, some humans are marked: The Cursed Descendants of families struck by an ancient sin. The Touched Individuals who survived a supernatural encounter (they attract the strange). The Watchers Secret orders, priests, scholars, or peasants who know the truth. Folkloric creatures (korrigans, nutons, dracs…) are not playable races, but ancient, territorial, and distrustful entities.

Ancient medieval oaths are breaking, releasing the curses they once contained. Church and State attempt to suppress the supernatural, often worsening it. Trade routes become impassable due to “bandits” that are not human. Entire villages vanish without trace. Noble families give birth to heirs who are… different.

Magic functions through: words spoken with faith or hatred, objects heavy with history, places where crimes, vows, or betrayals occurred. It always demands a price: madness, misfortune, hereditary transmission, attracting monsters. No one “casts spells.” One triggers a curse—often unknowingly. Religion Christianity dominates. Saints sometimes intervene… ambiguously. Old pagan beliefs survive as superstitions. Some priests know. Others refuse to see.

There are no visible other planes. But there exist: The World Beyond the Veil: realm of restless dead. The Margins: places where reality frays (ancient forests, crossroads, ruins). Monsters do not come from elsewhere: They are born from France itself.

The Age of Pacts When humans and entities bargained openly. The Age of Steeples Faith pushed the strange to the edges. The Age of Denial (current) The supernatural returns, more violent because it was forgotten. Ruins, abandoned chapels, and standing stones remain.

Local currencies (écus, sols, livres). Haunted roads inflate prices. Guilds seek “capable people” for escorts. Certain cursed objects circulate as commodities.

Local justice, often arbitrary. Adventurers are seen as: mercenaries, madmen, or necessary but dangerous. Being accused of witchcraft destroys a life, even without proof.

French Folklore Creatures : Ankou Vouivre Drac Werewolf (Garou) Night Washerwomen White Ladies The Beast of Gévaudan (or its heirs) Human Antagonists : Rural cults protecting ancient entities. Nobles maintaining curses to preserve power. Fanatical priests who prefer burning to understanding. Ultimate Evil : Oblivion The more humanity denies the supernatural, the more violent it becomes.