Blackbranch Forest
"There are as many stories about the horrors of Blackbranch Forest as there are grandmothers in the republic."
In the southeastern part of the country lies its largest forest: The Blackbranch. It gets its name from the color of its gnarled, twisted trees that seem to stretch forever in every direction. Scholars have verified that some sort of enchantment is placed upon the woods, making it severely unfit for the common life.
This enchantment has several effects: Every tree that gets cut down grows back within two weeks. Wood gathered this way withers within hours and, should it be burned, produce the most foul-smelling smoke. Anyone who removes a larger part of the forest is stricken with a terrible illness which kills them slowly over a month's time. Those who die within the forest are, over the course of a few minutes, engulfed in dark wines. It is believed their souls are forever trapped within the roots of the forest. But the enchantment, or curse as most call it, is not the only thing that makes the forest dangerous. Strange, deadly beasts roam between the trees. Spirits of the dead call to those who would venture through it. And old, long-forgotten, gods whisper forbidden secrets to those who would traverse the grounds. These are but a few of the reasons that most people stay away from it as best they can, but also the reasons why daring adventurers seek it out. The parts of rare monsters fetch a good price, dead spirits need to be set free, and the whispers of an old god are just directions to a shrine in need of pillaging. In the hearts of common people, however, the forest represents the horrors that the world has to offer. It is for this reason that the leaders of the country have not taken any action to try to have it removed. Fear is not an emotion anyone can avoid, every person will have something that they are afraid of. Better than that the people of the republic fear the dark, haunted forest than that they start fearing each other. Or worse, that they should fear their government.
In the southeastern part of the country lies its largest forest: The Blackbranch. It gets its name from the color of its gnarled, twisted trees that seem to stretch forever in every direction. Scholars have verified that some sort of enchantment is placed upon the woods, making it severely unfit for the common life.
This enchantment has several effects: Every tree that gets cut down grows back within two weeks. Wood gathered this way withers within hours and, should it be burned, produce the most foul-smelling smoke. Anyone who removes a larger part of the forest is stricken with a terrible illness which kills them slowly over a month's time. Those who die within the forest are, over the course of a few minutes, engulfed in dark wines. It is believed their souls are forever trapped within the roots of the forest. But the enchantment, or curse as most call it, is not the only thing that makes the forest dangerous. Strange, deadly beasts roam between the trees. Spirits of the dead call to those who would venture through it. And old, long-forgotten, gods whisper forbidden secrets to those who would traverse the grounds. These are but a few of the reasons that most people stay away from it as best they can, but also the reasons why daring adventurers seek it out. The parts of rare monsters fetch a good price, dead spirits need to be set free, and the whispers of an old god are just directions to a shrine in need of pillaging. In the hearts of common people, however, the forest represents the horrors that the world has to offer. It is for this reason that the leaders of the country have not taken any action to try to have it removed. Fear is not an emotion anyone can avoid, every person will have something that they are afraid of. Better than that the people of the republic fear the dark, haunted forest than that they start fearing each other. Or worse, that they should fear their government.
Type
Forest
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