Stoneleaf

The Stoneleaf forest is an oddity, even within the devastated regions of the world. Many forests exposed to the Cataclysm directly were killed by the magical output, mutated by the exposure such as the incendiary Ashgrove or the dust-choked Sandgrove. But the trees of Stoneleaf survived their mutation, transmuted into living stone which grows and bears seeds; and like the other forests, it has become deadly to the careless.

Geography

While the forest primarily exists within the sands of the desert, its northern reaches have begun to encroach upon still green, fertile lands. Most trees would keep the land as it is, fallen leaves, fruits and branches rotting and becoming nutrients for the terrain. The Stoneleaves instead kill the land. The trees grow but instead of soil water, and sunlight they subsist on the soil itself, leeching from it until the dirt crumbles into ashen sand.
The terrain they exist in and leave in the wake of their spreading growths is dry and dead, littered with broken branches and shed leaves; scattered amongst which are the bones of those who attempted to destroy the trees, bleached white in stark contrast to the slate grey all around.

Fauna & Flora

The trees are still alive, and as such the branches are densely packed with leaves of slate; the shape is identical to that of a natural leaf, but as sturdy and unbending as the stone it mimics, shattering when bent. The leaves are harvested when possible for use in spear- and arrowheads, though thick leather is required to safely handle the leaves without cutting down to the bone.
The regular appearance of bones and mauled carcasses proves something lives in or near the Stoneleaf forest. But beyond distant sounds of pained creatures during the night, or strange markings appearing in Shardstand without warning overnight, nothing is truly known about the mysterious inhabitants.

Natural Resources

The leaves of the forest are highly prized for weaponry. They're delicate, and easily broken or chipped when carelessly carried. Many scavengers in the area only gather a handful or so to avoid overpacking the pouches; the leaves can easily slice up and fall from a leather pouch, and the gloves used to gather and work with them often need replacing daily.

History

Stoneleaf forest always had the name. Originally, the trees here grew in soil that was littered with half-buried stones and boulders, trunks splitting open exposed stone as seeds lodged in the smallest of cracks grew and matured. When the Cataclysm came, the trees and stones were transmuted together, and the existing forest came to be.
Now, the trees mature and spread as slow as the stone erodes in the air; but signs of seeds finally being ready to fall are coming to the surface. Many fear that if not destroyed or halted, the Stoneleaf trees will never be halted until the entirely of Bukhisal is converted into dead ash and silent stone.

Tourism

The trees are sought out by scavengers or traders who know the value of their leaves and bark. But those who become greedy, or fail to watch the weather, will never leave the forest depths.

Type

Forest

Location under

Bukhisal