The Fellreev Forest

The Fellreev Forest is one of the largest woodlands in all the Flanaess with the Vesve being larger and the Adri being of similar size. The Vesve is more important to Iuz, since the hated Highfolk and forces of Furyondy lie therein, waiting to be crushed, but the Fellreev also holds opposition to Iuz and his forces simply cannot hope to occupy this vast area of cover, refuge and security.

The Fellreev is a mixed forest of alder, birch, fit, oak, scrub oak, and some sablewood and pine. Carnivorous plants, especially hangman trees, are not uncommon in the depths of dense forest. The flora of the Fellreev do not provide much sustenance. There are few fruiting trees, wild tubers, or yarpick with their nutritious nuts here. The Fellreev's animal life such as squirrels, rabbits, foxes, bears, small deer, a few timber wolves to the north, wild dogs, otters and water rats along the Artonsamay and Cold Run are likewise only fair hunting at best. The shores of Lake Aqal teem with wildlife, but the huge monsters there are too great a hazard for most hunters to risk hunting there. So, surviving in the Fellreev is not easy, especially for those who have fled into it for refuge and lack woodland foraging skills.

Why is the Fellreev important to Iuz? The forces therein are not numerous and they do not have the strength to mount battles against Iuz's armies. They are, in truth, not much more than a nuisance. However, there are three particular reasons why the Fellreev is important. First, there are repeated rumors that one Hierarch of the Horned Society escaped there. The rumor is quite true, and Iuz knows it, but he is unable to scry the location of the escapee. Second, Lake Aqal is a mysterious, magical location, swarming with huge monsters, and anyone able to discover and use the magical forces responsible for the great size of the monsters might become powerful indeed. Third, there is the great necropolis of Nerull's Bane. Any potential source of 20,000 undead troops is of obvious importance!

This chapter first describes the peoples of the Fellreev and then notes how different groups of Iuz's forces strike against them, from their various bases. A guide to locations and settlements follows.