The Forest of Night

A deep, foreboding forest located south of the Segoltha River river.  Officially still part of the Zoluren Province and under the control of Prince Roger Vorclaf , but unofficially the beginning of the Elven Lands under the control of Morganae, the Undying Queen  and home of the Elven cities of old, as well as the capital city of Leth Deriel .

Geography

Approaching the Forest of Night is like finding a wall of brambles directly in your path; there is only one clear way to enter the forest, and it quickly becomes deep and dark, lending credence to it's name as the Forest of Night.  Thick, lush overhead canopies allow little light to stray to the forest floor, in some cases nearly a hundred feet or more below.  Massive, ancient trees as far as the eye can see, with no discernable end to their branches and root structures.

Ecosystem

The Forest has not been completely explored or surveyed by anyone, except perhaps it's local denizens the Elves, and they generally don't share that information with outsiders.  There are a number of beasts proven to live within the forest, including, but not limited to:

• Bears of several varieties
• Several varieties of Faerie and Psuedo-Dragons
• Elk, Moose, and other Cervids
• Owlbears
• Couatls
• Giant Snails
• A number of semi-sentient plant species that take a variety of humanoid forms

There are rumors from a number of merchants and travelers about a number of drake or wyvern sightings, though no beast has been brought forth as evidence.  In years past, a great Green Dragon named Odhossyn the Ferocious made his lair within the forest, but he has not been seen in nearly 300 years and is believed to have either abandoned his lair during the Lyras wars, or to have died and his lair still undiscovered.

Localized Phenomena

Rich in the arcane, the Forest of Night is a focal point for many of the converging Ley Lines of the world.  Because of this, the veil between the Material Plane and that of the Shadowfell and the Feywild is extremely thin, allowing inter-planar travel between these realms with very little effort.

Because of these anomalies, creatures from these planes are often seen in a plane not their own, having slipped through the veil and now walking in a place strange and unfamiliar to them.  Shadow creatures and fey creatures are often seen amidst the forest, attacking travelers and wreaking mayhem on caravans and merchants passing through.

History

The Forest of Night was a nearly impassable barrier for Lyras as she worked her way northward, and, as such, was the site of more battles and skirmishes than any other place during the war.  In it's prime, nearly two dozen large Elven cities existed within it's branches, but as Lyras marched forward, these cities were either sacked or simply slipped into the Feywild using powerful teleportation magics, not to return to the Material Plane.  Only Leth Deriel , the Bastion Which Never Fell, resisted Lyras and her armies, standing firm in the face of undeath and destruction.

Tourism

The Forest itself does not draw alot of tourism, though many historians travel there to study and witness the ancient battlefields and ruins of Elven monuments and cities.  Thousands of travelers pass through the forest every year, as the Southern Trade Road crosses directly through it on it's way between River Crossing and Shard and all points in between.

Type

Forest

Location under

The Forest of Night

Included Locations

• Leth Deriel
• The Forest of Night

Owner/Ruler

Morganae, the Undying Queen

Inhabiting Species

• Elf

Related Myths

• Lyras