Bramblewood Forest

A dense forest that forms the southern border of Ket. The further one travels off the path that cuts through it, the more dangerous it becomes.

This large, dense forest grows in the plains between the Banner Hills and the southern Yatils. At one time it grew up onto the slopes of the Yatils, but the foothills and northern lowlands were cleared for farming over the centuries. Thornward is on its southeast border. Yarpick trees, commonly called daggerthorns, are abundant here. Cultivated yarpick "nuts," the inner seed of their small fruit, are nourishing either whole or ground into meal; these are sold in Ket, Perrenland and the Baklunish nations.
Strange, evil nonhumans and fell monsters lurk here. A single main road pierces the forest; patrolled by Ketite soldiers and fortified against foreigner soldiers and predators alike.

Evening in the Bramblewood Forest

The Bramblewood is a huge, primeval forest. The creatures within it are dangerous to encounter, with little or no caution nor fear of humans or other humanoids. Ket claims control over the outer edges and the Irafa Road that cuts through the heart of the Forest, but constant military attention and power are just enough to maintain even this tenuous control. All travelers into the Bramblewood quickly become aware of the dangers: wyverns, wild and wood elves, behir, ogres, androsphinxes, ettercaps, dire creatures of all types, and giant vermin of many species—all of these creatures exist in huge quantities. Staying outside overnight is mortally dangerous.
The military divides the Bramblewood into three zones:

• Areas controlled by Ket: anywhere up to five miles from the edge of the forest, as well as the Irafa Road. Travel in this area is still dangerous for the average traveler, but usually is without incident for heavily armed adventurers or a military squadron.
• The Near Bramblewood: anywhere from five to seven miles from the edge. Extremely dangerous for the average traveller—not many survive. A well-armed party can expect caution on the part of creatures and Forest inhabitants, at least in the daytime.
• The Deep Bramblewood: Even well-armed parties will be hard-pressed by constant attacks from monsters, both day and night.

These zones are only approximations—very dangerous areas can be found near the edges of the forest, while some travellers report areas of benign activity well within the Deep Bramblewood. Maps of the Forest are largely useless, since game trails and even riverbeds seem to change with the season. All sages agree that the Forest itself is slowly growing, despite the work of numerous Ketite woodcutters on its periphery, and several small hamlets have been overtaken by the Forest in recent years. Whether this is the work of some dark intelligence or just a natural cause is unknown.

Ket

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Type

Forest, Temperate (Seasonal)

Included Locations

• Irafa Road

Location in the Flanaess

Darlene Map