Everwood
"Aye, you can see it from here. And that is about as close to the Everwood as you want to get. I know some folks will tell ya it is safe enough at the edge. But too many people and livestock go missing if they start mucking around near it. Some big beasts in there for sure, you can see them shambling around in there from time to time. Bad smells come out of there when the wind is right - rottin' smell and worse. And young Kana's girl, she swore she saw a skeleton just ambling around that busted tower about half a mile from here. So yeah, it just ain't safe going near it. The only trick is, I swear to you, it is spreading. Damn wood is getting bigger each year. I'd bet my prize chicken on it, I would."
- Farmer Neddy of Spring Blossom
Geography
The current geography of the Everwood is a mystery. While some old maps of the area made in the Second and Third age have survived The Cataclysm, most question their accuracy to the current situation. What is known is that the edge of the wood seems to spread with each year, slowly encroaching in all directions, and headless of local environment. Naturalists and druids agree this is a source of concern. Some powerful magic must be at work.
The wood touches The Grand Duchy of Kadmos, the Rift, the Wilderlands and Theosian Empire . A few scouts have flown over the wood hoping to get a better idea of the geography but are often thwarted by the ever present mists and vapors that fill the forest. There have been sightings of hills, canyons and even a low chain of mountains within. Most intriguing is that the Sky Lake appears to still exist, but the scout only got a small glimpse of the water before it was swallowed by fog again. How large the lake is now is anyone's guess.
Ecosystem
To this day, the Everwood is an obviously magical forest touched by the powers of the nature gods and the goddess of magic herself, Yeno. Because of this, the forest is filled with plant and animal life that doesn't look like it would appear in a temperate forest. Deciduous and coniferous trees mix freely, and there are reports of towering tropical trees and lush flora more often found in the Iri Islands. Typical forest animals of the region can be found here: bears, wolves, squirrels, foxes, rabbits and the like. But some have seen giant boars, towering elk and one declaring that he saw a massive spider the size of a halfling house. A recent traveler even claimed to have met a centaur who offered to sell him some magic herbs and then trotted back into the forest after the transaction was complete.
Localized Phenomena
Everwood seems to be filled with mist and fog at all times of the year. Most travelers think it is merely an optical illusion, the canopy reducing light and obscuring a clear view within. But folk who actually dare to enter the wood report that the haze and mist are real. The properties of the mist vary, sometimes it appears to be a cold fog. Other times a wispy etherial haze. Sometime a noxious vapor with the smell of decay floating on it. Most locals agree it is unnatural and fear it when it appears to spread from the woods and into the surrounding land.
History
The Everwood was once the center of elven civilization in Reluria during the second age. Called the Eternal Grove at that time, the forest was a massive expanse that spread far across the face of the continent. Surviving tales speak of the elves ruling from an ornate and complex palace of amber floating above the Sky Lake at the center. It was said to be a domain of pleasures and delights.
The wood itself was filled with bounty. Anything would grow here, and animals thrived. First Folk who lived in and around the forest were treated as guests and friends to the elves. It was a time of plenty. But all that changed with the emergance of The Chaos Elves. The Eternal Grove became the center of conflict between the elves still faithful to Yeno and those aligned with Chaos. The whole forest suffered and portions were destroyed as things escalated. Eventually, Ashtyr intervened with her folk lead by Red Talon.
With the fall of the Chaos Elves, the Eternal Grove diminished, contracting in upon itself. During the third age, it was called Elfwood, and was the primary dwelling place of Yeno's folk. There isn't much mention of the amber palace upon Sky Lake at this point, and no one knows if it survived the rampage of the Chaos Elves. Instead, the elves seemed to live in smaller communities scattered throughout the Elfwood and in other forested areas in Reluria. The human lead Tyrian Empire maintained diplomatic relations with the Elfwood and its communities, but many thought it was to keep an eye on the elves and prevent them from embracing Chaos again.
Like everything else on Cadash, the Elfwood was impacted by The Cataclysm which signaled the end of the Third Age. Magic within the Elfwood went wild, and there are stories of elves being pulled into darkness, exploding into flames and whole settlements vanishing before astounded eyes. Less than a year later, the elf population had fled the Elfwood, dispersing across the continent. Those who remember that migration will only say that magic within the Everwood was warped and twisted. A poison had entered the place, turning it into the Rotwood among some druidic circles.
As time passed, elven communities would send rangers and scouts to find out more about their ancient home. Few ever returned, and when they did, their minds were broken, their bodies sick, and most died soon after. It was enough to keep most communities of elves from returning, and many have left Reluria all together seeking life in The Guild Islands or traveling south to Ejo .
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