Ancestral Grove

The Ancestral Grove, or Town of Lights is a town hidden deep inside the swamp part of the Barrowood. It is mainly inhabited by Gripplie, who rarely accept foreign visitors, and in most cases, those visitors are not allowed to stay for very long. The Town of lights has a long tradition of living very close to nature and is led by a council of druids. Their influence reaches far beyond the border of the woods.

Appearance

The Ancestral Grove is hidden in a hole in the ground, water streaming down is lead into an underground cave by a muddy, slow flowing river, that surrounds the town. The buildings and even the floor of the Grove are made of stone, wood and living plants, that the druids created over several decades. Small balls of dim light float around everywhere. The Gripplie think, these balls are remains of the Ancestors, wo watch over them and protect the Grove and the forest, as they are only found in the forest and concentrated heavily on the grove. The grove is covered in plants of all colors, most beeing rather dark, but beautiful, or glowing dimly. The gripplie cultivate many different herbs and mushrooms and even managed to change some to fit their needs.

The Council of druids

The Council of druids rule the Ancestral Grove and the forest around it. They consist of the seven most capable and idealy wisest of drudis, but time has proven that is not always the case. The druids make the laws and judge over the people of the Barrowood and anyone who enters it. They also define what a druid has to learn and what is forbidden spellcraft. Violations against these rules are often harshly punished.
Porl Legushlu was a member of the council before he died. He streched the rules by summonig a Hodag, which eventually killed him and many other members of the tribe. His son and apprentice Dogo was banished for it, accused of having poisoned his fathers food.

History

Long ago, when the first Gripplies arrived at Barrowood, they discovered a huge hole in the ground, in the middle of the swamps, that was protected from the water of the swamp by a slow and steady stream, that lead into a cave. In the area around the hole they saw the dim balls of light, floating in an everlasting dream. Inspired by this beautiful display of nature, yet unknowingly what led to this phenomenon, they decided to settle right in this place. In the first years, the people of the gripplie tribe inhabited the area around the hole, untill they started constructing a platform inside the hole. Unwilling to disturb the nature and spirit of the place, they commited themselves only to use materials they would find close by in nature. Druidic skills that always have been quite common among the tribe, helped. Years later, the Grove was finished and the Gripplie moved away from the swamp lands and into the grove. Over the decades and centuries, the people created their own story, to where the dim lights came from. In 4712, it is a common believe that they are the souls of the ancestors, that watch over the druids and protect them. Hence they call the Grove "Ancestral Grove" and the lights "Spirits".

Type

Town