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Black Forest
May 20, 2026 at 03:46 AM
Added gameplay screenshot
The Black Forest is a foreboding woodland area situated within the Roberts Estate in Hernand, the opening region of Pywel where much of the early main story takes place. It sits among the holdings of House Roberts, a long-established merchant family whose territory in western Hernand includes working industrial sites and a noble manor. The forest itself is known less for any settlement or landmark and more for the dangers and folklore surrounding it: a place where dense trees cling to sheer cliffs, people routinely die in falls, and locals whisper about a disembodied Voice that lures the grieving into the woods.
Black Forest lies within the Roberts Estate in western Hernand, part of the same cluster of House Roberts holdings that includes Bluemont Manor, Bluemont Cask House, Perwin Quarry, and Fort Perwin. The approach to this part of the estate from the City of Hernand runs south through Perwin Quarry and Perwin Gate before reaching Fort Perwin itself, placing the forest within the broader southwestern reach of the region.
The defining feature of the area is its terrain. Dense stands of trees grow directly along sheer cliff faces, and the combination of thick vegetation and unstable drops makes navigation hazardous. The dense trees clinging to the sheer cliffs are the site of frequent fatal falls. Travelers who stray from known paths can easily lose their footing, and the canopy hides how close the edge truly is until it is too late.
Black Forest is best known for the local legend of The Voice. According to folklore, those who lost loved ones here would one day claim to hear The Voice before wandering into the woods and vanishing without a trace. The story frames the forest as a place of grief and quiet obsession, where bereaved survivors return again and again until one day they do not return at all.
Whether The Voice is a literal supernatural entity, a manifestation of guilt, or something deeper tied to the Abyss-touched phenomena that appear elsewhere in Pywel is not made explicit. The legend functions as a warning: the forest has already taken people through falls, and those left behind seem marked for a second, stranger kind of disappearance.
Note: Despite the similar name, the Chapter 9 main mission An Unknown Voice is set at Crookstone Crag in a different region and is not related to the Black Forest's Voice legend.
Black Forest is part of the Roberts Estate, the collection of lands held by House Roberts. House Roberts is a long-established merchant family based out of Bluemont Manor, led by Count Roberts with support from Erich and Leon Roberts. Their wealth comes from industrial operations across the estate, most notably the cask house and the quarry, along with the military presence at Fort Perwin.
The forest sits inside this network of holdings but is not a commercial site. Where the cask house produces goods and the quarry yields rare Fortitude-rich stone, the forest appears to exist as untamed land on the edge of the estate. Its cliffs and reputation make it unsuitable for the kind of work House Roberts is known for, which may be why it has been left to folklore and fatal accidents rather than cleared or developed.
Location | Connection |
|---|---|
House Roberts stronghold south of Hernand, site of the Crimson Nightmare boss fight during the Strange Red Smoke faction quest | |
Winery and storage facility south of Bluemont Manor, overrun by Bleed Bandits during the First Trial of Trust quest | |
Quarry owned by House Roberts, rich in rare stones of great Fortitude | |
Seat of House Roberts and starting point for the House Roberts faction questline |
Watch the edges. The forest's defining hazard is fall damage from concealed cliffs. Move slowly when the canopy thickens and keep an eye on terrain rather than the horizon.
Approach from the broader Roberts Estate paths that also lead to Bluemont Manor, Perwin Quarry, and Fort Perwin, rather than climbing up from below.
Bundle the visit with House Roberts quests. Since Black Forest currently has no standalone quest, it is most efficient to explore it while already in the area for the First Trial of Trust, Strange Red Smoke, or other House Roberts faction work.
Treat The Voice as flavor rather than a mechanical hook. There is no quest prompt that triggers from hearing it.
