THE DEAD FOREST
DESCRIPTION - LOCATION - PEOPLE - CLIMATE
FLORA - FAUNA - RESOURCES
The forest extends as far as the eye can see from the top of the raised area that the stadium sits upon. It is thick, though there are clearings in some areas; mainly composed of oak, but interspersed with other conifferous types.
Inside there are few paths that lead through, even though the shade from the canopy has deprived the undergrowth of enough sunlight that it cannot propperly grow there, save for a few patches in clearings. It would be easy enough for a traveler to become lost in the vast expanses of wooded land, were it not for the ever-present form of the Leviathan Stadium that stood on the eastern horizon, visible for miles..
- Description:
The Dead Forest stands as one of the most enchanting in Gaia almost rivaling that of Barton Forest. Though, upon entering the forest, the trees seem to grow sparingly about in casual tranquility, the deeper one journeys into the forest, the more mystic and haunting the scenery becomes. The tall trees close to one another, and some may entwine their branches with another. The roots of trees can sometimes make travel dangerous, slithering crookedly across the ground before diving into the earth, only to angrily surface again. Vines travel up the trunks of many a baych or oak that has chosen to make the forest its home.
The thick canopy sends pools of light dancing across the ground whenever a zephyr chooses to wander through it. Because of the denseness of the forest, the rustling of leaves seems to echo off the tree, and the sound of a distant bird may seem like the seducing song of a dryad or the haunting prayer of a lonely elven spirit. The lullaby of the forest is one that tends to stay with people long after they have departed from the forest. The inner forest is shaded in dark greens, blues, browns, and blacks. Moss grows over the trunks and branches of many trees, while on the outer reaches of the forest, the trees grow with trunks and leaves of lighter hues.
Because of the forest's previous inhabitance, there are some distinct attributes that separate the forest from any other. The Elves were known for their gorgeous tree weaving and vine-training, forming from the forest beautiful homes and exquisite living tapestries from the forest. As though sewn together, the creepers that entwine about the branches of the trees and about one another make out elegant yet haunting designs, the leaves making patterns that change and mold with the passing seasons. Many of these mystifying houses now stand gnarled and knotted, terribly unkempt, and give the wood the eerie feel, as though the empty and twisted homes still hold ghastly spirits. Many birds and rodents may make their homes within these hauntingly beautiful structures.
Also, because of the recent monster infestation, the forest is not a place that one should trek through alone, unless they are experienced enough. The orcs that have taken residence within, make sure of that.
The terrain of the forest can be deceiving: the large numbers of trees that make the forest appear to be trapped within a perennial twilight drop their leaves in fall and may hide dangers on the ground, such as ditches or pits within the ground caused by some burrowing animal or run-off from the nearby High Fores. Overall, though, the ground maintains a fairly flat quality. However, this does not necessarily make traveling through the forest an easy task. One must remember to place his or her steps cautiously as the roots of twisting trees may have roots that break the surface. Vines and low branches can crowd the path. Some travelers find the herin�s way safer; that is, they journey through the treetops along the stronger branches of the trees.
The forest is not easily accessible to many. A small north and south entrance is available. There is one passage to the northwest, cutting through the High Fores. The path is called Firetrail, and was used during the war between the Elves and the Orcs. The path is more commonly used for trade, but is a small path, for while it starts out around 12 feet in width, once well along the road, it has an average of hardly five feet in width, and may offer many dangers from the new inhabitants.
Location:
The forest lies almost tucked away within the natural boundaries of the surrounding landscape. Just northeast of the forest lies the portside town of Latent; to the north lie the Mithral Moutains; to the west the plains of Gaia lay; to the east lies Leviathan Stadium, as well as the sea. The sea also keeps the climate of the forest rather mild.
People:
The only race known to fully inhabit this forest now, are the Orcs.
Climate:
Because the forest is so close to a body of water, the climate stayed fairly mild. Most mornings, fog from the sea will cover the eastern part of the forest like a blanket until the midday sun burns the clouds away. The morning mist gives the forest an mystic feel, and one might expect a unicorn or some other wondrous beast to come wandering out of the forest or to arise from the surface of the sea.
The winter and summer seasons tend to be equal in a year. Usually light showers will start the autumn season, as well as some chilly eastern winds. In the winter, the storms may become violently windy, and though there may be lightning storms over the sea, these storms tend to break up before reaching the eastern shore. Snow is rather rare in the area, though cold winters may produce one or two in a year. In spring, the great storms of winter become gentle showers mixed with an increasingly warm sun. Eventually these showers lessen and lessen into the summer months, which tend to be warm and quite enjoyable for the inhabitants and the travelers who wander through the wood.
Flora:
The forest is a place filled with ancient trees and elegant vines and flowers. Large black oaks grow as though sculpted out of the very earth itself. Their branches, gnarled and twisted, wrap about each other and form into strange structures and grotesque figures. Their entwining branches and thick canopy provide the endless twilight that shadows the forest floor, where nightshimmer vines creep along through the roots that stick like thick worms out of the ground, these vines climbing up various tree trunks and wrapping about them in a shadowy embrace.
Baych and ashwude trees also stand tall throughout the forest, a strange contrast to their more wildly growing brethren. Within the middle of the forest, the shadows rip away most of their light coloration, along with moss, which may turn their elegant trunks a dark blue, sometimes appearing black, usually in the autumn months then the air grows thick with moisture. Near the outer limits of the wood, however, the trees will appear in their natural color, often flourishing into beautiful living statues that give the forest an insidiously tranquil aura.
Bushes such as the goldenbell bush grow about the forests together, sometimes in massive congregations till they appear like waves of leaves and winding branches. In the case that the massive trees of the forest provide a small space of earth, or even a crevice of a tree, shade grasses will grow up elegantly, their soft blades flourishing in the dull light of the wood. These grasses provide food and a nice resting spot for those lucky to not get eaten.
Fauna:
The wildlife in the forest is almost nonexistant, only a few herbivores and insect-eating creatures remian, as anything large enough to be bothered with has already been hunted down and eaten by the newest inhabitants: monsters, demons, and those who are mindless. The power-hungry beings who have been drawn towards the three cities, yet were too inhuman or uncivil to be able to survive within the walls of the city. Now they simply lurk, watching and waiting so that they can prey upon travelers in the hopes of aquiring some fragment of power for themselves and their kin.
Resources:
The dense forest provides a plethora of trees with which furniture, housing, tool handles, and other such products may be made. The oaks that grow within the forest are indeed strong and can be used to build sturdy abodes. The black birch can be used to make elegant bows, though it is more commonly used to make arrow shafts and furniture.
The soil of the forest is very rich due to the ever-active movement of life through the forest. Things that die provide the essential nutrients for things new to flourish in the ever-changing forest. Most anything can be planted to grow within the forest if it is planted in the right place.
"Juunish and Idol didst go walking and then we gots here" :3nod
"Cool!"
**
::As soon as he yells that he stops and sits on a branch watching and waiting to see what will happen next::
That wasn't as much fun as i thought it would be, but i know your not dead! Now get up and follow we are only a few minutes away from your death! 
)
)) ::He wipes it off, then throws a shuriken at the bird, killing it.::
well, that was rather mean...
she turned around and looked at a slightly open area behind them, frowning as a small dark spot appeared in the air Now where did I put it....
" he screamed in panic after scrambling behind the huge stone that had landed beside him earlier; his back pressed up against it as he breathed heavily, trying to calm his rapid heartbeat a bit. "This place is nutz!"
:: ))
And in those moments, some sort of realization hit him. Something inside of him broke. He had made a pact, and a promise. And now it had all gone to hell. He had said he would keep this from happening, keep her from being taken away, from being used in anyone's plans... and he had failed. He had failed miserably. In the moments that Sali froze, Rage did as well, falling to the ground and doing... nothing. He had no other reason to be here, no other reason to fight. No other reason to survive. For all he knew, the world was doomed now, and even those he would lay his life down for were now moments away from destruction... to a force like this, they were nothing. His friends, his family, the ring on his finger, were all worthless now.
"I made... a promise...."
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