The Whispers of West Barisea

There is almost no one left in the kingdom that remembers a time before the shadows of the forest haunted the western borders of Barisea. Those who have lived beyond two centuries can recall a time when the western forests were the most beautiful on the southern continent, so beautiful that they rivaled the tended woods of Ithliond and gave rise to whispers that they were just as beautiful as some forests of the fae realms. It is unknown how it came to be the way it is now where the shadows can kill and the tree trunks seem to breathe and where, in some parts of the forest, the trees are merely legs, long and spindly and near indeterminable from the woods surrounding it bearing a creature born of nightmares.

The Whispers

It is said by many in Barisea that those who try to venture into the forests never return. Of course, while there those that do, it is only in form as to many close relations of the person, it is very clear that whoever returned was not the person that left. While posession has been ruled out, some people believe that a powerful force lies in the forests that can alter memory entirely, manipulating and modifying events in one's life and implanting strong ideas in their head and a belief in the gods of the forest-- gods, that none recall ever hearing of within these lands.
While the news and rumors were more cautionary tales that were spread far and wide by those who lived on the very edges of the forest, they are barely more than whispers now as scarcely a new word or update has heard from those towns and cities. Reports from aerial familiars and scouts as well as divination mages have revealed that the towns and cities are still there and that they are simply going about life as if it were normal. However, some familiars and scouts swear that they occasionally see some people have two shadows and wonder whether or not this may have something to do with it.
For now, many people consider the Old Milaus to be the true border of Barisea where are all trade with the western citizens begins and ends and never do people linger long or dare venture down the path at nightfall.

Last City Standing

There used to cities and towns within the forests themselves, even small villages devoted to upkeeping the small section of forests that they were given to them by the kingdom. However, no word has ever been received by any other settlement other than the small city of Faith in the middle of the northwestern coast.
Whatever word is received from there details strange beasts that circle the city perimeter and monstrous trees that seem to linger on some invisible border. While the people know that the rest of the forest can't be resettled, they hold on to hope that they would one day see the day when they can step out of their gates without bloodshed. And so for now, they remain as a port city hoping that a ship coming in may one day hold adventurers willing to help them fight back... sooner rather than later.
No one knows what magics are keeping the creatures of night at bay, but many believe that with the upcoming rift cycle, the protections will not last long and it is only a matter a time before the last stronghold in the west falls and truly everything about the forest will be lost.

by Canva