Wyrmwood (weerm-woohd)
The Wyrmwood is an evergreen forest containing the tallest and oldest trees in all of Solia. Located on the eastern side of the Emerald Sea in Fieren, the Wyrmwood occupies over 200,000 acres (312.5 sq miles / 809 sq kilometers)
Geography
Located on an alluvial plain, the Wyrmwood is a pure redwood forest, with trees climbing over 300 feet (91m) in height. A single large granite batholith occupies the heart of the forest, where the north and south branches of the Moss River converge before flowing to the Emerald Sea.
A number of small clearings filled with various tall grasses around the edges of the forest mark where pastureland was cleared by Falcresti settlers, though the forest remains largely the same as its historical boundaries.
Ecosystem
The great trees of the Wyrmwood cast off their dead leaves throughout the year, which are worked into the topsoil by decomposition. Their shallow root systems rely on the rapid recycling of nutrients and minerals and, combined with the heavy fog from the Emerald Sea and abundant rainfall of the region, allow for massive growth. Subsoils, by contrast, tend to be very low in nutrients, prohibiting the growth of competitive vegetation that requires deeper root systems.
Localized Phenomena
A unique ecosystem exists in the branches of the redwoods: decaying organic matter settles in the branches, giving rise to mosses and lichens, as well as ferns, shrubs, and other plants. Researchers have discovered a multitude of previously unknown plant species, as well as salamanders, beetles, and other small creatures that have never stepped foot on the forest floor.
Fauna & Flora
The aforementioned redwood trees are the dominant feature of the forest, but a diverse collection of undergrowth brings even more character to the woods. Redwood sorrel, rhododendron, bilberry, as well as sword ferns, azalea, and other small shrubs make up the understory, providing shelter and food to a number of endemic wildlife.
Smaller mammals include rabbits, mice, and woodrats, as well as insectivores like moles, shrews, gophers, and voles. These animals are nocturnal by nature, attempting to avoid predatory carnivores such as bobcats, [tooltip:also called cougars]mountain lions[/tooltips], coyotes, and black bears. Smaller predators include raccoons, minks, weasels, foxes, fishers, and stoats. Alongside creeks and rivers, otters play and hunt for salmon, trout, crayfish, and other freshwater invertebrates. While rare, beavers can be found within the forest, creating dams and making small ponds. Elk and black-tailed deer reside in the grasslands and the edge of the forest, with a single massive elk known as the Wyrmwood King, larger than a single-story house, roams the forest.
A wide variety of birds call the forest and its surrounding region home, including flycatchers, warblers, swifts, jays, thrushes, woodpeckers, owls, and grouses. Eagles and hawks are rare within the forest but frequent its outskirts or along the breaks in the canopy afforded by the Moss River.
Supernatural predators include owlbears, drakes, and Mozora, an ancient Green Dragon who makes her home in the batholith, giving it the name "Dragon Rock."
Natural Resources
Looters of the Public Domain by Stephen Puter
Tourism
Hunters frequent the forest, while loggers are common around its edges (see Natural Resources, above). Herbalists scour the understory of the Wyrmwood for supplies.
A druid enclave known as the Circle of Seven makes their home within the western region of the forest, while a number of Golai tribes are scattered throughout.
Deep in the heart of the forest lies Tenthelen a village of Deepwood Euaira that conducts limited trade with the settlements of Havenwood outside the forest's edge, such as Edgewood and Cortair.
Alternative Name(s)
Dragonwood
Havenwood
Havenwood
Type
Forest
Location under
Included Locations
Owning Organization
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