Stoneheart Forest

This thick woodland is a remnant of the vast continental forest that once covered nearly the whole of Akados. It is a thick and ancient wood whose innermost depths remain largely unexplored and hazardous to the unwary. Its thick boughs have historically helped protect Bard’s Gate from hostilities by southern nations, as well as, produced even worse threats to the city’s continued existence. The height of this sort of activity occurred during the time of the bard Duquaene who led a coalition of adventurers nearly five centuries ago into its depths to bring to heel the demon-summoning sorcerer Ecech. This action both ushered in the true age of prosperity for the city and finally secured the trade road running through the forest’s eastern eves. Today the forest road is heavily patrolled by large troops of Waymark cavalry, and its fringes watched by the rangers of the Longhunters.
Despite this presence, the relative safety of the road doesn’t extend much more than beyond sight of it through the thick boles and undergrowth of the forest. It is rumored that the elven rangers known as the Farseekers of Twilight maintain a small hold in the forests northern reaches, but none outside this group know its location or even the truth of its existence.
The forest itself extends northward and westward into the Stoneheart Valley where it crosses the Tradeway. Its reaches here are less thick and wild than those of its southern extent, but are known to be infested by stirges, wolves, manticores, and various varieties of giants.

Type

Forest