Jofi

Jofi is a largely uninhabited and pristine wilderness near the city of Brana. Free of human influence, only the songs of wild birds are heard deep within. Nature rules here, and the music of the Idrans holds no sway.

Fauna

Jofi has more than its fair share of fauna. The apex predator is the leopard, but there are also myriad rodents, birds, and fish that call the jungle home. It wouldn't be a jungle without insects, and the jofi mosquitos are notorious for both their size and their persistence. Beetles of all hues, several species of ants, and more than a few spiders also make the jungle their home.

Birds

The Jofi jungle is alive with the sound of birdsong. This can be quite disorienting to citizens of the Idran Empire that are used to relative quiet in their environment. There are high-pitched trills, low hoots, and every noise in between. There are innumerable species of birds that make the Jofi jungle their home, though none have found the like of the mythical parrot described in the tale of Parro and the Bird. Still, the range of melodies that are heard within the jungle have served to inspire many a composer over the years. Ifna Composer has been known to take long walks within the Jofi jungle when he needs to reprime his creativity. 

Jofi Deer

Jofi deer are silent, wary creatures that call the jungle their home. They spook particularly frequently with sounds from above due to their natural predator being the Jofi leopard. The Jofi deer are small, quick, and agile. They can run through the underbrush without much difficulty due to their flexibility and quick reflexes. As such, hunting parties of the Fiej must bring down many of the creatures if they hope to feed the village.

Flora

The jungle is lush with verdant growth that drips from the tall trees. Jofi is thought to contain more types of plants than any other part of the Idran empire. The trees reach towards the sky letting only dapples of light reach the ground. Vines twine around the branches and dip all the way toward the ground at times. Beautiful flowers blossom in a rainbow of colors. Ferns give the forest floor a soft, whispering quality. They grow in all shapes, sizes, and colors, but the most well known is the Jofi Fern which has been used heavily by the Fiej in cooking and making clothing.

I step under the darkness of the canopy and am immediately in a different time and place than I was just a second ago. There is a dark, damp quality to the air but everything around me teems with life.

— Dawn Writer Scova

by Jondolar Schnurr

by brewbooks

by Barbara Rosner

by Marina Pershina

Natural Resources

Although Jofi remains undeveloped, the Fiej and other inhabitants of Brana have come to depend on the jungle for wood, traditional medicine, food, clothing, spices, and oils.

Culinary Wonderland

Meals in Oja would lose most of their luster without the provisions that come from Jofi. Although avocados grow along the length of the Jecal river, avocado salad would be impossible to construct without macadamia oil and the combination of spices harvested from plants native to Jofi. Due to the rarity of these ingredients, meals like avocado salad are only enjoyed by the privileged in Idran cities.

Medicinal Teas

Several different herbs are known among the Fiej to be useful in folk remedies for everything from a toothache to nausea. The Fiej do not share these recipes with outsiders, so very little is known about them despite the interest of several Idran healers.

by WikiImages

by Javier Contreras Sales

Geography

Jofi lies north of the Jecal river to the east of Brana. The entire jungle is set on a gentle slope starting at the feet of the northern mountain ranges and eventually meeting with the river on it's southern border. Idran explorers don't know the extent of the eastern reaches of the jungle because all attempts to explore it ended in disaster.

Exploration

The jungle is so dense with plants and wildlife that a Fiej guide would be necessary to explore it safely. The Fiej refuse to lead the Idrans through the jungle as the area is sacred to them and their way of life. Many Idran exploration parties have gotten lost in the jungle, poisoned by unfamiliar plants, or killed by leopards without Fiej guides. The only successful exploration was that of Windstrom Expedition, which stayed on the southern edges of the jungle.

Further Reading