Griboli Forest

A large jungle that is home to a host of dangerous plants, animals, and people.

Geography

Griboli covers almost half of the continent of Mocar and contains hills, mountains, rivers, and lakes. The rivers running through it provide the best, and in some cases only, access to the deeper parts of it.
From the right locations individual mountains and ranges can be seen poking out of the sea of green, but even these landmarks are frequently obscured by the heavy rainfall that covers the forest on a near daily basis.

Ecosystem

The forest is rich in plant and animal life with many species only found in certain sections of the forest. Despite the large amounts of plant life the ground is relatively unfertile requiring a constant churn of growth, death, and decay to support new growth.
Hundreds of different types of insects swarm through the forest, some relatively benign but many of them highly dangerous as they feed on or lay their eggs in vertebrates. Even some plants feed on animals rather than trying to draw nutrients from the soil. While animals in other parts of the world may view humanoids with some trepidation the predators in this forest view them as a larger meal and will happily hunt anyone foolish enough to venture into their territory.

History

Griboli has been cleared and then regrown over the ages with lost ruins aplenty in it's depths. It was originally home to the Locelie and they were the first to clear sections of it to build their temples and make space for their slaves to grow food. After the locelie were overthrown the slaves abandoned the centre of the forest and made for the rivers and coast where it was easier for them to live.
As the settlements of the former slaves developed they cleared more space along the banks of the rivers and gradually cleared roads to the hills and mountains where useful ores could be found. Maintaining these cleared took constant effort and whenever a settlement failed due to famine, disease or invasion it would be overrun by the forest within a decade.
During the second age when The Alliance began spreading it's reach Griboli became a prime target for exploration. The number of unknown plants and animals with potentially useful properties prompted expeditions by the Colleges of Magic and numerous bands of adventurers went in to see what treasures they could uncover, frequently led by Ruin Guides. The influx of people (and funds) prompted the locals to start clearing the forest, selling chunks of what they claimed was obviously fertile land to those arriving for overseas. When crops started to fail they just cleared more of the forest, selling the wood and then the land.
Some weren't content with the edges of the forest, and somewhere in the depths, the Colleges of Magic built Siantrin Tower.
All of the clearing of the forest came to end with the War of Ascension and during the years of darkness that followed the forest reclaimed much of it's lost land. Some attempts were made to clear some of the forest during the third age, but these efforts were again undone by the second years of darkness.
Some settlements have grown up along edges ofthe forest during the fourth age, but no concerted efforts have been made to clear it back. The settlements range from those who wish to make use of the plants and animals from the forest through to those who make use of the dense plantlife to hide from the authorities.

Type

Forest, Jungle (Tropical)

Included Locations

• Siantrin Tower

Related Reports (Primary)

• The Lost Heart
• The Serpent Ruins

Inhabiting Species

• Duthinium
• Farniths
• Locelie
• Shadow Panther

Related Plots

• Library by the Lake
• The Lost Heart
• The Serpent Ruins

Related Materials

• Fladathae

Home to Raiders

The lack of trails, thick vegetation, and dangerous animals make the forest a haven for those who don't wish to abide by the law. Numerous groups of raiders make their home in the forest, where it's dangers shields them reprisal. Many of these groups have become skilled at avoiding the forest's dangers and some even make use of the plants and animals to set traps for those foolish enough to venture beneath the trees.

Multiple Names

Griboli is so large that it has multiple names depending on who you ask. While old records refer to it as Griboli, those living in places like Calebridge refer to it as Pudarig Forest.