Singing Forest

Worth a trip to Venleif just to hear the forest... and to shop. We need more time off...

Situated across the Aeclind River Basin and opposite the Green Barrier, the Singing Forest occupies a long meandering breadth of central Aemark Kingdom running north to south. The woods are so named for the sorrowful and sometimes eerie melody echoing off the mountainsides, which is a phenomenon attributed to the shape of the upper boughs, and needles, of the Aeclind pine. Other than its unique sounds, the woodland is home to mostly small game, but also a large population of bears.

Geography

Singing Forest by Wombo ("Haunting Woods Forest
Melody Green")

The Singing Forest is split by the river into two swaths and again to a third smaller section nearby the Elven Conclave. The northern portion is borders the Daymark Hills along its southwest edge, the Fields to its northwest, and an aether vent directly to its north. The waterway runs beside its entire length.
The southern woods are bordered primarily by the Nightmark Hills and the Aeclind on the western and eastern sides, respectively. Though the chitin wheat plantations are to its immediate south, only a tiny slice is actually located next to it. The smaller section near the Conclave includes irontrees amongst the pines and is nestled in between the Green Barrier and the convergences of the two eastern tributaries of the river.

Nearby Settlements

Over the centuries, the Singing Forest was not significantly logged due to the superstitions of the local populace. Its haunting song contributes to uninformed fear despite a distinct lack of evidence of anything supernatural or magical. The three major settlements constructed along the woodland's edge include a mix of lumber from the Daymark Forest, stone from small quarries in the Hills, and pine from the local trees (in differing ratios by town):

• Venleif: The Aeclind remains the most important natural resource to the trading hub and the forest is closer to a tourist attraction than a source of materials or sustenance. Owing to the merchant and noble traffic passing through, and the high-end establishments overlooking the valley, Venleif has a vested interest in preserving the state of the area.

• Grand Arcane Academy: There are few reasons for wizards to venture into the woodland other than to enjoy nature and the scenery. The needs of the institution are provided for by trade with Venleif and the extensive aetherline network established from the nearby vent. Students are common at the water's edge, though the potential for an encounter with a displeased bear is non-zero.

• Elven Conclave: Of the three settlements near the Singing Forest, the Conclave makes the most use of it. Bears and other game provide a significant source of meat for elves (along with other animals on the slopes of the Barrier). The limited expansion of the town is reliant on high-quality lumber processed from Aeclind pines. Though the irontrees were more important in the past, since the fall of Aeleatir and the loss of their leaves and treetop housing, they provide little.

Though the research encampment located at the aether vent to the north is not an officially recognized settlement, scholars and supporting roles enjoy the tones of the forest as a topic of intellectual debate and inspiration.

Ecosystem

Though the Aeclind breaks the woods in two, the ecosystem of the northern and southern portions are only marginally different. Both of the major forests house a robust number of bears, which occupy the apex of the food chain. Even so, they feast on the river's fish rather than hunting the small game roaming the forest floor. Nonetheless, they are well-known for their fiercely defended dens and domains, contributing to a concerning number of incidents with local hunters (who should know better than to anger them).
Blood hawks from the mountains are also a common sight within the woods, descending from the sky to snatch rabbits, mice, and other rodents with uncanny accuracy. The crimson avian are not above harassing humanoids for encroaching on their preferred hunting grounds, though such harassment is rarely more than the piercing, shrill call issued as they swoop in a show of force.
Unique to the Elven Conclave's nearby woods, animals from the Green Barrier sometimes descend to hunt during periods of famine or starvation. This includes wolves or mountain lions, which pose an issue for hunters given their ferocity and desperation.
Despite the similarity across its footprint, the different swaths of the woodland have unique weather patterns and some consequent effects on their respective regions.

Northern Singing Forest

Venleif benefits from bordering the northern Singing Forest because of the greater volume and frequent occurrence of the refrain reverberating from the woods and moutains. The winds cross the fields pass through the treetops, causing the precisely shaped pine needles to emit the morose sound, further enhanced by the rocky slopes and open air of the river valley. The town itself is placed adequately, but the Leif family grounds are situated best to take advantage of the reverberations. Visiting nobles are often seen drinking fine wines on the terraces overlooking the Aeclind and enjoying the music of nature.

Southern Singing Forest

Owing to more limited winds, the southern region of the woods does not reach the volume of its other half. The Nightmark Hills dull the speed of the air as it moves towards the Barrier. However, the resulting whispers of the song create a potentially more somber experience and certainly one more prone to superstition and myth. Stories of lost maidens or spirits are widespread among the residents of villages neighboring the forest and at the northern edge of the fields. The Grand Arcane's students entertain themselves with legendary tales borrowed from the locals, but with appropriate embellishments for their own amusement.

Type
Forest

Geographic Location
Aemark Kingdom - Location

Owning Organization
Aemark Kingdom

The Bewitching Beds

Come to the Bewitching Beds inn to engross yourself in the ever-present and exuberant melody of the Singing Forest. The experience is one of a kind and sure to entice even the most stern of companions.
Did... did I read this right? Well... I supp-... Sure, I guess some people would like it... Ar-are you okay with this one, Sheyla?

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