The Chetwood
Description
The forest known as the Chetwood rises on the back of Bree-hill, extending for about thirty miles to the north and covering about the same distance from the Greenway to the west to the Midgewater Marshes to the east. While to an outsider walking along its eaves the Chetwood may appear wholesome and full of light, its inner regions are as old as the Old Forest; both are remnants of the ancient woodland that once covered all the land. But no one living in the Bree-land ever ventures far into the woods, and no one dares to ask what lies deep beneath its green canopy. Why should they stray far into the woods, when they can gather their firewood and building materials close to home? Moreover, the southern reaches of the Chetwood have always been a refuge for the folk of the four villages, in times when their land was overrun with Orcs and Evil Men. There are hidden cabins and caves in those parts of the wood where the Bree-landers once stored supplies in case they had to flee their homes. These days, few people bother care about those cabins and storehouses, but some of the older, more eccentric folk still hide a portion of every harvest in the wood, like squirrels. Of course, it is scavengers like squirrels and mice who benefit the most from the tradition — there are few large animals in the southern portion of the Chetwood, but plenty of birds and small game. Despite the confidence of the Bree-landers and the pride they take for the quietness of their woods, the northeastern Chetwood is a darker place. There, the ground slopes down slowly towards the boggy morass of the Midgewater Marshes, and unwary travellers can find themselves waist-deep in mud if they step off the wrong tree-root. Here, too, are old patches of the forest where the trees sleep uneasily, and remember the axes of Angmar and the evil of Men. Even the woodwise Rangers of the North know it is best to avoid such places in the spring and autumn, when the trees, and their guardians, are at their cruellest.
Type
Forest
