Mandrake

Mandrake is the villainous leader of the boggans, a race of tiny vermin-like supernatural creatures with the physical qualities of both insects and amphibians, whose goal is to destroy the forest guarded by tiny humanoid warriors known as the Leafmen (especially his arch-nemesis Ronin) and take over their kingdom. Mandrake embodies rot and decay, something that is a normal part of nature's cycle, but he seeks to throw off the balance of the forest in favor of excessive decay. The long-term consequences of such an imbalance are not of any particular concern to him.

Personality: Snide, ruthless, cunning, and greedy. Hell-bent on conquering the forest and shifting the balance of growth and decay in his favor. He can be calm, collected, and affably evil, but once his anger is roused he can become positively vicious. Mandrake's greatest flaw is probably that he will rarely ever accept responsibility for his own actions, he much prefers to foist blame for bad outcomes or bad decisions onto others. However, he is also passionate, loyal to the cause of the boggans, and fiercely protective of his few loved ones, such as his son Dagda.

Skills: Mandrake's strength and agility make him skilled in both archery and melee combat. He also has dominion over animals of the dark, able to command beasts such as grackles, moles, bats and similar creatures. Mandrake is almost never seen without his royal staff, which is made of twisted and gnarled wood, and is as long as he is tall. It serves as a focus to channel his powers of decay through, and it can poison, rot, or even kill any living thing with merely a touch. If Mandrake wills it, a single strike can wither a full-sized tree, or reduce a creature to nothing but bones.

Appearance: Mandrake possesses a vaguely human-like build, towering over a Leafman (although to a human's perspective, they would only be an inch or two tall). Thick black brows sit above gleaming yellow eyes, a flat nose, and a mouth of sharp teeth. He has a broad chest and a slightly lanky build, with four digits on each hand. His skin is blue-grey and speckled darker across his cheekbones and arms. He wears a bat-skin pelt around his neck and his shoulders, a tunic of rotten leaves over his chest, and a loincloth of moss.

Dagda: Mandrake's young-adult son, as well as a General of the boggan army. Dagda idolizes his father and wants to follow in his footsteps, though this often leads him to act in reckless or overzealous ways in an effort to impress Mandrake. However, Dagda is not quite as cunning as his father yet, preferring a brawn-over-brains approach to things. Among other boggans, he is not at all afraid to throw his weight around, wielding both his royal status and his physical strength to intimidate his subordinates. He is more heavily-built and has a more hunched stance than his father, with a lighter reddish tint to his skin and orange eyes. Dagda primarily fights with a longbow, and though he has some control over decay like Mandrake, his powers are not fully-fledged yet. Where Mandrake wears a bat pelt, Dagda wears the skull of a rat and a cloak made from its pelt.

The Boggans: Boggans are a race of froggish, insect-like goblin beings native to the swampy realm of Wrathwood. They exhibit a wide variety of builds, ranging from small and skinny to broad and hulking. Some smaller boggans have mosquito-like wings, but all of them are amphibious and as dangerous in water as they are on land. Boggans hatch from eggs into an insectoid larval state, but soon after molt into a form closer to their adult stage. While they are generally aggressive, relatively unintelligent, conniving, and prone to infighting, they can exhibit restraint when necessary, and can be dangerous opponents when fighting in a horde. They make their arms and armor from bone and bark, and respect strength and ferocity in their leaders. Boggans often utilize ambush tactics for both battling foes and hunting prey, relying on camouflage and traps. They are also known for taming and riding animals such as grackles or bats.

Wrathwood: Mandrake's homeland and his kingdom. A swampy island within the sprawling expanse of the Leafmens' forest. A perpetual fog hangs heavy over the swamp, and the plants appear to be stuck in a constant state of decay. Fungi, slime molds, and mosses cover much of the terrain, and the sickly-grey mud underfoot hides sinkholes that can trap the unwary. The animal life found here is hardy and adapted to the swamp, mainly consisting of insects, amphibians, and small fish. At the very center of Wrathwood stands an enormous dead tree-trunk, which the boggans have made into their fortress-hive. The rotting tree and the roots below it are riddled with tunnels and cavities, making it a cozy and secure lair for the boggans and a labyrinthine nightmare for anyone else stupid enough to enter. The very center of the tree is hollow, serving as a sort of open-air courtyard from ground level to the highest tunnels. The boggans' trained bats often roost here.

Moonhaven: The people of the greater forest, and the enemies of the boggans. Moonhaven itself is a city carved out of white, moss-covered stones on the banks of a large, spring-fed pond. Led by Queen Tara, Moonhaven maintains the balance of life and death in the forest. Their standing army is a fighting force known as the Leafmen, though as a whole, the various sapient species that call Moonhaven home are referred to as Jinn. This encompasses anything from tiny elven humanoids to flower-like plant people to talking animals. The people of Moonhaven value justice, honor, and peace, although to outsiders they can sometimes come across as arrogant, holier-than-thou, and bossy - especially the Leafmen. The Leafmen themselves are an elite fighting force clad in leaflike green armor and wielding longswords, fighting staffs, and longbows. The Leafmen train hummingbirds to carry them, relying on their high speed and agility to quickly traverse the forest or outmaneuver an enemy. These birds, though small, are known to be as fearless as their riders.

Ronin: Ronin is the General of the Leafmen, as well as Queen Tara's good friend and confidante - perhaps more than a friend. He is also Mandrake's archnemesis, and the two have clashed in combat many times. Ronin has sharp, hawkish features and close-cropped grey hair. He is stoic to the point of humorlessness, but a brave and honorable warrior. Like the rest of the Leafmen, he wears green armor and carries a katana-like blade. His second-in-command is a man named Finn.

Queen Tara: A kind, just, and generous ruler who cares deeply for her citizens and uses her powers over plantlife to ensure the health of the land. The forest's lush, beautiful state is largely due to her influence, as she can undo Mandrake's rot with a touch of her hand. Though wise, she also has a playful streak, especially with Ronin. Tara is tall and stately, with dark skin and hair, and typically wears a dress made of green leaves and white petals. Mandrake's hatred of her is not quite as personal as his grudge against Ronin, but he'd still happily see her struck down.