The Forest of the Maze Makers

"We are of the Eldblud my dear, you and I. If you wish to know who you are, and who your people were, you must go home. Break the Emperor's law, leave the walls of the city, enter the forest. There you will find the magic of the world, and there you will find the answers you seek. There you will face trials. There you will discover power. If you survive, you will have become powerful. You will fear no one. Then you will truly be of the Eldblud."
-Zarali the Blind - Prophetess of the Stump

The Forest of the Maze Makers covers the northern half of Valsgard. Stretching from Ringvolstad in the west all the way to Kunska in the northeast and all area to the north of the Fog Mountains. Impenetrable lands of the terrible forest where in evils most ancient lie. The forest stands dark and deceptive, confusing and drawing even the most seasoned Valsgardi Berserkers to their death.
The creatures are monstrous and even the plants themselves are formidable foes. The natives that dwell within have forged pacts with the darkness and the call the horrors to fight at their side. Great mazes hewn from stone and forest hide their cities and allow for ambush. They move silently and invisibly in their realm, these beasts in the image of man most foul. Beasts half man half animal, spectres tall and fair dwelling in the very trees themselves, small dark men nearly invisible among the forest call foul magics to their aid.
In the forest, the ferocity of the Berserkers proved no match for the formidible natural defenses. The imposing size of the Berserkers that would turn the tide of battle against smaller enemies worked against their ability to move through the forests quietly and with any agility. In his wisdom, Milo the Bonebreaker, declared the forest to be abandoned, the forest became forbidden for all Valsgardi to enter.

Geography

The forest lies densely packed with great ancient trees reaching hundreds of meters into the sky. The terrain is rough, mountainous, and pockmarked with cave systems beyond counting. Rivers cut deep wide paths through the forest, and pools and lakes gather among the massive root systems. The light of the twin suns are swallowed up by the vast canopies overhead, leaving the forest floor to be shaped by the thick, gnarled roots of the ancient giant trees, and covered with countless species of ferns, mosses, and fungus. Life within the forest is shrouded in darkness, leaving little wonder the Valsgardi fear it so.

Fauna & Flora

The forest is teeming with life of many varieties, home to many sentient species.

Sapient creatures

Kobocha Mushrooms -

Artist - Ramos Sumka
The Kobocha live in colonies in dead rotting trees, and soft duff layer of the forest floor, they build their own cities by colonizing fallen trees and transporting duff in which they drop their spores. They do not interact with most other life forms in the forests as they do not speak, it is unsure how they communicate, but it is clear that they do. Possibly telekinesis. The largest of them are around 20 cm in height. They are hunted by the Foukka Shamans to be used in their ceremonies where the Foukka will gently squeeze them until they secrete the black ink-like fluid covering their orange/red caps. The Foukka will lick the inky black fluid, or collect it for future use. The fluid gifts the consumer with vivid long lived hallucinations
Lyra Gliders -

Artist - Riker Creatures
These pale furred small mammals who can glide from tree to tree by outstretching their limbs creating a parachute with their fur. They live in family colonies high in the trees and have close relationships with the Foukka, they trade items, the Foukka give the Lyra ground goods such as roots, seeds, ferns, and vegetables that are only found on the ground, and medicines created by the Foukka. The Lyra give the Foukka canopy goods, special plants, nuts, barks, and leaves grow in the upper parts of the canopy that can be made into various potions, salves, tinctures etc.
Locynth -

Artist - Greg 'CRAOLA' Simpkins
Highly secretive creatures, fierce warriors, live in tree colonies which they fiercely protect. Carnivorous hunters who want nothing to do with the “giants”(all humanoid species). Like a nest of hornets trespassers are usually unaware of their trespasses until they are being attacked with slings and arrows. Known for their extreme agility and climbing abilities. Often referenced by the non human races in relation to their own speed, agility, climbing abilities and ferocity. In the past they have been hunted for their beautiful pelts, hence their fierce protectiveness.

Cernos –

Artist - Toly Kivshar
Ancient beings- tree like in nature, elusive and mysterious, worshiped like a god. Protector of the forest. The cernos are believed to be immortal.

Ulfnir –

Artist - Jakub Rozalski
Dark, giant wolves corrupted and used as a weapon by dark sorcerer to cause destruction. Inhabited by the mind of the sorcerer.
Wytch(female) - Wyrlok (male) -

Artist - Dario Jelusic
Valsgardi runaways seduced by the lure of magic and power, retreated into the forest in attempt to harness the magic, but the Valsgardi do not naturally have magic, so their magic derives from heinous unnatural sources. Their magic is black, and their life is corrupted, leaving them barely human. Sets traps and lures to catch travelers to harvest their life energies.
The Wandering Chaos –

Artist - Rogier Van De Beek
One of the supreme gods that walks the realms of the world with the only goal of inspiring chaos, madness and ruin. Responsible for corrupting every being they come into direct contact with, it is preceded by a shuffling noise and clicking of canes against the ground, it is important that travelers pay close attention to the sounds around them, for if they wish to avoid the wandering chaos, they must have a keen sense of hearing.

Non-sapient creatures

Fyrm –

Artist - Rune f b Hansen
Giant earth eating worm with a mouth 20 meters across when open, their length isn't known but some have been seen that are at least 200 meters long. Thought to be responsible for the extensive cave systems found throughout the mountainous areas. Believed to be gods of fire and earth. Revered and worshiped by the fae folk from all over the continent, particularly the Eld Blud and the Teva. Like meeting a god, if you happen to cross paths with one, there is nothing you can do to protect yourself, your fate is decided by the worm
Glyrm –

-photographer unknown - real insect on earth
Another sacred elemental worm. These are the worms of earth and light. They are praised and worshiped for bringing light into the darkest places. Caves are their natural habitat, but they have been taken from the caves and successfully raised and used for lighting in many Valsgardi homes.
Bristleback –

Artist - Benjamin Laine
Ferocious, mean pack animals. 1M tall at the shoulders. Tusks are very sharp. Have been known to be used as mounts for Eldblud, Alfir, and Foukka, although exceedingly rare.

Gandelk –

Artist - JB Delaune
Giant elk, strong and proud, docile in nature with the exception of the breeding season of rut. The woodswalkers have learned from the Alfir how to tame them and ride them.
Grimhog –

Artist - Ryker Creatures
giant hedgehog, 1 meter tall on all 4 legs, 2 meters when on 2 legs – common animal to tame and ride for the forest folk, due to their gentle nature and ease of companionship. Their gentle nature does not suit them to be very brave creatures, so often times warriors would choose other mounts such as the Bristleback, or the Gandelk, provided they were tall enough to ride them.

Plants

Commonly harvested and utilized plants
Waggle Moss-

Artist - Rayan Bouayx
Moss that sways back and forth as if it were happy, when touched it retracts into itself like anemone in tide pools. Causes a tingling sensation when touched, harvested for use in poultices and analgesic if consumed it causes the consumer to become disoriented and dizzy, thus waggle name.
God Ferns -

Photographer unknown
Enormous ferns that grow over 2 meters tall. Used in thatch roof making, fiddleheads are harvested when young for food source, and armor resource.



Surveillance/ Trap plants
Listeners of the wood -

Artist - Olesia Goiko
These are magical surveillance plants, they are used to over hear things that would never be said aloud near the listener. Planted deliberately by wytches or wyrloks.

Watcher of the wood.

Artist - Olesia Goiko
Magic plant used by wytches and wyrloks as surveillance for their lairs, and spying. if travelers should happen to find these, run away, you have been seen and you are very near a source of dangerous magic
Lace Petals -

Artist - Olesia Goiko
the petals of the flower are covered in intricate patterns made from holes, the centers emit light and the soft melodic sounds, intended to lure victims close, when touched, the spores are released, which are toxic to most living creatures, and they fall unconscious immediately. If they are being cultivated they can be used as a trap for those unable to hunt, or used for the kidnapping of unfortunate travelers, wise forest dwellers know to avoid the sounds of the forest, but naive travelers may just be enticed and find themselves locked in a witches hut, or worse.

Natural Resources

Bright Crystal -

Artist - Olesia Goiko
Found in the various cave systems throughout Valsgard. Produce a soft blue glow and emit audible melodic humming, making them highly coveted form of light in the wealthier households throughout Valsgard. Difficult to access, difficult to harvest, and highly coveted cause their price to be very high. Many people have left the safety of the cities in search of these crystals in hopes of attaining great wealth, despite the risks of excommunication that comes with breaking the Emperor's law of leaving the cities.

Ygdrasili Redwood -

Artist - Sam Neilson
The giant ancient trees are harvested for lumber. Deep red coloring and rot resistence make it an ideal material for building construction and ship building. The only trouble, the trees grow in the forest, and these trees have many protectors. The Foukka, The Alfir, the Cernos, just to name a few. The majority of the Woodswalkers efforts are spent protecting the harvesters and millers of the trees. Thankfully for them the trees are so large they are only taken one at a time, and most often they are already fallen over.

History

500 years ago, the Warlord Milo led his fleet of longships across the Storm Sea, and landed on the southern shores of the land he would eventually name Valsgard. His most fearsome warriors, the Berserkers led the charge into these new lands clothed only in the skins of the Great Cave bears from their home island Skandia, armed only with dual war axes, and shielded in the rage of their gods.
The Forest of the Maze Makers nearly ended the conquest of Warlord Milo Bonebreaker before it even truly began. The settlements along the shores were easily won by the imposing Valsgardi and their superiority of combat. Bonebreaker called for the building of a wall closing of access to a small peninsula of land jutting into the bay near the site of their landing, and there the Warlord declared himself Emperor Milo Bonebreaker, and his site became known as Ringvolstad, and this land became Valsgard, named for the conquerors clan. No longer did the Valsgardi try to wage conquest into the forests and would only await the attacks from the forest men. Milo vowed to kill all who attacked, and enslave the rest.
In the 500 years since Milo's arrival, slavery has been outlawed, the clan of Woodswalkers have been established, and they alone are allowed to freely travel the forests. To everyone else, the forest remains forbidden, unless in the company of Woodwalkers, whose services are for sale at a very high cost. In the event an exceedingly brave traveler leaves the cities unattended, they have forsaken their claim of citizenship, and with it, the protections of the Woodswalkers and the Emperor's men.
Over the years, through war, slavery, famine, and plague a large number of the natives belonging to the race of Eldblud have found themselves living among the Valsgardi in their cities. Their population was the most rebellious of the native peoples, and thus suffered the most from the wars, driving them nearly to extinction. They have been disenfranchised, and relegated to the lowest rung of the societal system. Barely seen as people.
Some among them have managed to keep their histories and ways alive. Largely they are caught in the status quo of getting enough to eat and staying safe and have little care of who they were. The old ways have all but disappeared with them, and in time, they too began to fear the forest. It was then that their war was truly lost.

Significant Locations in the Forest of the Maze Makers.

Artist - Avant Choi
Tor -
Largest of all the Foukka Enclaves, Tor sits as the central hub for their culture. Clan gatherings take place here, court is held here, and it is the home of the royal family. The Foukka are a peaceful people, mostly, and thier way is to be one with the forest, so the village is largely ceremonial in nature, although the old, young and sick keep permanent residence under the roof of the great hut.

Artist - Rafal Banasiak
Nagrindr – Gates of the dead.
Entrance into the Eldblud labrynt

Artist - Nathelie Yong
Eldblud Labrynt –
Huge maze hidden deep in the forest. At the end of the maze lies the entrance to the last stronghold of the Eldblud.

Artist - Ilya N3Biros
Thioth Gaetir –
The Last stronghold of the Eldblud. The place they retreated after the Valsgardi Conquest. Nearly impossible to find, even harder to access, after solving the mazes, one must descend into the mountains via trecherous caves in near total darkness with only glyrms and bright crystals to allow any light.

Artist - Ihor Reshetnikov
Talwyd –
Alfir hometree they have manipulated its growth through magic and made it suitable for their village and it has been their haven for centuries. Sacred place, surrounded by a pool of healing waters, protected by magics that repel the darkness and attract the light. If you are able to find it, you are already deemed worthy because the protective magics that surround the tree.

Artist - Avant Choi
Dedwyd –
Dokalfir settlement, in which their home tree has died, and it is unclear if they were the cause, or not, but they haven't interacted with the other Alfir settlements in centuries and were presumed dead, until a traveler brought news of lights being seen coming from within the tree. The most likely scenario is that the tree was visited by the wandering chaos.

Artist - Avant Choi
Ringvolstad - The Capitol of Valsgard. The jewel city.
The great city of Ringvolstad was built on the site where the first Emperor declared his title, and named the land Valsgard. It is here that the civilization was born, and it is here that the civilization is managed. Within its walls the expansions over the centuries have lead to more beautiful and larger constructions the further away from the first districts you get.
While the population is mostly Valsgardi, there are citizens from the other nations of, Wu Lin, Mahua Rel, and Kal'Atiz, as well as non human inhabitants of the Eldblud. These Eldblud are the holdovers from the genocide of their people and were at one time slaves, now they are largely servants and beggars, although some have managed to rise to merchants and even Woodswalkers.

Kunska - Temple of the Shamans.
Those Valsgardi that receive the calling at a young age, will, of their own accord, break the Emperor's law and enter the forest and begin a pilgrimage to find the temple. It's location is not known exactly by the Valsgardi, as tradition dictates finding it to be the first trial of worthiness. It is here that initiates are educated in the ways of herblore, history, magic, and the gods.
Only the Valsgardi that are born with some connection to the magic of the earth ever hear the call. The call comes to them in the form of dreams where gods will touch them on the forehead and tell them to fly. Upon completion of the trails their education is finished and they are sent back out into the world as Volvi(male) and Volva(female) what they do next is up to them and the gods.
Some return to their cities and act as healers, seers, and advisors. Other travel the lands in search of knowledge and pursuit of the wills of the gods. They are the only law breakers who are easily let back into Empire life in the cities.

Alternative Name(s)

The Dark Forest of Maze Makers is also known as The Black Forest, The Beast Realm, Djevelheim

Type

Forest