The Nest

The Nest is the Wiiv tribe's main community. It rests within the Escarpment, a tall cliff in the Labyrinth of Trees.
The entrances are nondescript caves in the base, usually concealed by foliage. The Labyrinth hides the pathways to them, so outsiders rarely stumble onto them. If they do, they are met with armed guards and threats.
They tried that the first time with me. As Death's Consort, however, their threats didn't work. They pointed their spears at me, then dropped them and ran. I still don't know what Erse did behind my back to make them so afraid, but whenever I show up, they let me in, however snarly they are about it.

--Verryn, Syimlin of Passion

Research:

The Evenacht Pact

by our interested hero,
Lorgan the Curious

In this Research Document:

all images by Shade Melodique
unless otherwise stated

The Nest on maps is not really where the Nest is at. We know that the Escarpment can be seen from Riverbank Road, but once one enters the Labyrinth, the towering rock disappears from sight. Due to this, mapmakers believe it's in the general area of the red mark, but a specific locale eludes them.
For a readable map, click here.

History

What we know about the Nest is sparse. I've spoken to Verryn about it, as scholarly works on Greenglimmer lack information.
The Wiiv began as a Hoop tribe. The Hoop is a depression between the Elfine Highlands and the Uprise Mountains in northern Greenglimmer. Sources differ about when, exactly, the Wiiv moved into the Escarpment, but it seems to coincide with their disastrous invasion of Kjivendei.
Rumor says Strans of Twisted Vines took pity on them and led them to a cave entrance he promised would protect them from ghost revenge. Verryn thinks the caves were already used as a shaman ritual site, and that the greater tribe moved in after Kjivendei. So many of their warriors died, they no longer had protection against the rainforest in their outdoor dwellings, and the caves provided the shelter they needed.
Well, and the caves are near the Bendebares, a grove of trees sacred to Strans. So maybe there is something to the Strans myth.

The Escarpment as home appeals to the superstitious forest dwellers, who think elfine whizen can spy on them from the air. Yes, ghosts can float, but they usually don't soar above the treetops and conduct reconnaissance. Winds and Ether forms don't get along well.
This belief has been around in some form or another since Kjiven created Greenglimmer, some forty-thousand years ago. That's a LONG time for something like this to linger, and I ponder why. It seems something more than fear and resentment of ghosts is at play.

The Interior

The cave system is vast, and Verryn says it was naturally made, though the Wiiv have altered the environment by removing speleothems and carving niches for individual homes. Ladders and rope bridges provide access to large caverns, many of which have water running through them. Food preparation takes place in caves above the rest, where long chimneys take the smoke out of the community.
The caves are mild, so the residents don't have to worry about fires for heat. Light comes from gourds the shamans have placed magic within, and hang from thick nails above head-height. Painted cloth and colorful, knotted ropes hang throughout, and each family abode has a painted mark above the entrance to tell others who resides there.
There are traders, but they sell from their homes. There is no central market for goods other than food; food is solely made and sold in the kitchens, and there may be some prohibitions on where to eat it, though that's speculation based on Wiiv customs from before Kjivendei.
The system is large enough to hold thousands. We have no idea what the current population is, but Verryn thinks maybe fifty-thousand. Not all are Wiiv; other tribes decided the Wiiv would protect them from the ghostly invaders, and reside with them. This may seem like a huge number for a cave system, but they run the entire length of the Escarpment. They have room for more.
Verryn also says, due to the numbers, the community has a sewage problem. As far as he can tell, they collect waste in large gourds, then dump them in the rainforest nearby. Sometimes one can follow the stench to the general area a cave entrance sits. That they put up with this inelegant system says a lot about their motivation to remain hidden.

The shaman chamber and the warleader's cave are off-limits to every mortal but selected Wiiv. Verryn's been to the warleader's cave because they could not fend off Death's envoy and he needed to speak with the being about a criminal they gave sanctuary to.
He said it's gruesome. Heads of enemies, some fresh, some skulls, line countless shelves that ring the cave. Incense attempts to cover the stench of decay, but fails. The warleader sits on a throne carved from wood and draped with rotting vines, and they hold an enchanted spear. The fear of the underlings in the being's presence permeates the air, and they remain prostrated, refusing to meet their eyes.
Verryn said the warleader demanded he lower his gaze. He knew, if he did so, he pledged fealty, so he refused. The being let it drop when they realized their insistence, and his refusal, made them look weak.