Great Jungle of Gerule
The Great Jungle of Gerule is an enormous tropical forest covering over a million square miles. It used to be larger, but when Chenravo sunk what is now known as the Deadlands, the Jungle lost a large section. Due to the thick underbrush and dense foliage, the cliff at the edge of the Deadlands can be hard to spot and can be very dangerous.
It has long been the site of the war between the Gnomes and Orcs. Despite the lengthy war, neither side is doing large scale deforestation. The gnomes like it since the trees help play to their small size, while the orcs like the cover provided by the foliage and undergrowth from gnomish war machines. That isn't to say that their war has been good for the environment. Battles have left detrius and scars deep in the wood. In many situations, it can be hard, if not impossible to recover the bodies of the fallen, meaning that it's possible to find yellowed skeletons littering the jungle floor in places.
While Orcs and Gnomes are the primary inhabitants, there are others. There are several hidden Firbolg communities in areas that are difficult to access by normal means. There are also some nomadic herds of Shifters, and some owlin use the tall jungle trees on the fringes of the forest as roosts. Though origionally from the Marsh of Many Scales, some Yuan-Ti have been moving into the jungle lowlands. Gnomes are also the creators of the Warforged, and as the factories that make them are all in the jungle, that is where many of them live, work, and fight. Recently they have expanded their creation of sentient automatons, and made more support based fighters in the form of autognomes.
It has long been the site of the war between the Gnomes and Orcs. Despite the lengthy war, neither side is doing large scale deforestation. The gnomes like it since the trees help play to their small size, while the orcs like the cover provided by the foliage and undergrowth from gnomish war machines. That isn't to say that their war has been good for the environment. Battles have left detrius and scars deep in the wood. In many situations, it can be hard, if not impossible to recover the bodies of the fallen, meaning that it's possible to find yellowed skeletons littering the jungle floor in places.
While Orcs and Gnomes are the primary inhabitants, there are others. There are several hidden Firbolg communities in areas that are difficult to access by normal means. There are also some nomadic herds of Shifters, and some owlin use the tall jungle trees on the fringes of the forest as roosts. Though origionally from the Marsh of Many Scales, some Yuan-Ti have been moving into the jungle lowlands. Gnomes are also the creators of the Warforged, and as the factories that make them are all in the jungle, that is where many of them live, work, and fight. Recently they have expanded their creation of sentient automatons, and made more support based fighters in the form of autognomes.
Geography
Where the jungle meets the encreaching frost from the north, there is a constant haze of steam. There are pockets of hat and humid air as well as frigid. Here, the two extremes fight each other for dominance, creating an area that is truly a terrible combination of both. Most people try to avoid the area, as there is little value to be gained by venturing too deep into them. The thick mists also make it difficult to spot dangers until it is too late. Those who have travelled through this area have reported a heavy sense of dread and unease, as if they were moments from disaster at any time.
The eastern side is rugged and mountainous. While the jungle is already difficult to traverse, in many of these mountains, it is downright impossible. These mighty mountains hold many secrets for those brave enough to try to survive them. Deep in these mountains are the sources of both the Chanithar and Plendicar rivers, which flow into the ocean. These are both incredibly important rivers that carry nutrients and minerals into their respective rivierlands. These two are often called the Twin Rivers due to their roughly parallel courses.
To the south, while it is still very much a jungle, it is flat when to compaced to the rest of the rainforest. No true mountains or lowlands are in this area, but it is still far from as consistant as you may find in the Goldengrass Plains or the Dwarven Desert. These are also the tamest areas of Gerule. Much of the war has been fought in other areas, and the fauna here are not as dangerous as elsewhere. While none of the jungle would likely be classified as safe, this area is likely the safest you will find.
The west of the Great Jungle of Jerule (or what's left of it) is largely lowlands. Here, you can find lakes and some of the area's more marshy areas. Some of these lakes are incredibly large, but due to the canopy cover, only the most central areas of the largest lakes have any view of the sky. Despite this, the abundant water has fuelled the growth of many plants here that can take advantacge of the excessive moisture. As a result, the canopy is much thicker here, and the forest is darker here than anywhere else. When the Deadlands were created, the western strongholds of the Templum Nekrutan were in this area. As a result, those areas were made part of the Deadlands, removing those sections of the jungle permanently.
Ecosystem
An enormous rainforest, the vegetation here is thick, and it is almost unbearably hot and humid. All manner of creatures live here, from the pleasent and passive, to the violently dangerous. In contrast to the bordering Deadlands, life is everywhere you look. From the smallest insect to the grandest tree, everything is working in concert to create a unique environment.
Climate
The warm and humid weather of Gerule is largely consistant. Spring is the rainy season, where the already high humidity is strongarmed even further, and many areas are prone to flooding. The mountains often see massive mudslides as the twin rivers overflow. In the west, the lakes swell. The rain is good as well; it kicks of a new season of growth, and seems to have a calming effect on the northern maelstrom.
History
When Athneron origionally finished the world, the jungle largely went unclaimed. The Templum Nekrutan eventually settled on the far west of the jungle. It had the thickest canopies, but also the highest humidity. When they spread out, they largely moved west, into the Lindral Forest. Because of this, both areas were significantly affected by the creation of the Deadlands.
Tourism
Tourism in the area is very low, on account of the heat, humidity, and war. While the Gnomish cities are generally safe, few are willing to risk visiting such an area on a whim. Gnomish cities often have the mest artifice work you can find outside of Harkinmont.
In orcish cities, however, you're more likely to wind up dead unless you can prove their strength to them.
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