Moonpine Forest
"The trees whisper under the moon, their silver glow guiding the lost and the damned alike."
A vast and haunting expanse of towering pines, Moonpine Forest is an ancient woodland stretching across the northern reaches of Everwealth, where the cold breath of The Cloudrend Mountains sweeps down across Lough Icewind, filling the trees with an ever-present chill. While rich in common oaks and pines, it takes its name simply, from the Moonpine Trees, a species of tree whose needles shimmer with an ethereal silver hue under a full moon. In the dead of night, the forest takes on an otherworldly glow, casting pale light across the frostbitten ground, earning it a near-mystical reputation among both locals and wanderers alike. Nestled between Catcher’s Rest and Rootthorpe, the forest serves as the backbone of their timber industries, providing an endless supply of strong, durable wood for shipwrights, builders, and craftsmen. However, it is also a treacherous place, dense, filled with unseen predators, and prone to sudden freezing gusts that cut through even the thickest cloaks. To those unfamiliar with its depths, the Moonpine Forest is both mesmerizing and menacing, a land of quiet beauty, bitter cold, and the ever-present feeling that something unseen is watching from the shadows.Geography
The Moonpine Forest stretches for miles, its dense canopy blanketing the rugged, uneven terrain between Lough Icewind and the lower foothills of the Cloudrend Mountains. Its trees grow tall and thick, creating an almost unbroken sea of green, save for the rare gaps where Everwood trees from the nearby Grandgleam take root. In these areas, the flora grows unnaturally lush and vibrant, a reminder of the magickal forces that ripple through Everwealth’s oldest landscapes. To the west, the forest thins slightly as it reaches the outskirts of Catcher’s Rest, where logging efforts have created a more structured presence of roads and settlements. To the south, the woods press against Rootthorpe, its timber industry dependent on the seemingly endless supply of strong pine and oak. The land itself is riddled with shallow ravines, twisting streams, and frostbitten clearings where the wind howls freely between the trees. In winter, heavy snowfall blankets the entire forest, burying the undergrowth beneath layers of thick, pristine ice.
Ecosystem
The Moonpine Forest is a harsh and unyielding land where only the hardiest creatures thrive. Large predators such as bears and mountain lions prowl the woods, their numbers bolstered by the abundance of prey among the trees. Snakes, some venomous, nest in the roots of the larger pines, hibernating beneath the snow in colder months. The Moonpine itself plays an integral role in the forest’s ecosystem. Its softly glowing needles are known to attract nocturnal insects, which in turn feed the owls and foxes that hunt beneath its boughs. However, few herbivores linger too long within the deeper reaches of the forest, as the thick canopy offers little in the way of clearings for grazing. Wolves, ever-watchful and always hungry, move in coordinated packs through the trees, a near-constant threat to both wanderers and hunters alike.
Ecosystem Cycles
The Moonpine Forest is a land of constant motion, its creatures and foliage shifting with the turning of the seasons. Spring sees the return of small game, hares, foxes, and birds migrating from warmer climates to nest among the pines. Summer is brief but bountiful, with the underbrush thickening and the predators at their most active. Autumn brings the first whispers of frost, the trees shedding their needles in preparation for the long, grueling winter ahead. Winter, however, is the forest’s true ruler, a season of absolute silence, where deep snow buries all but the tallest trees, and the only sounds are the occasional crack of ice or the distant howling of wolves. It is during this time that the Moonpines shine their brightest, their silver glow casting haunting light upon the snow-covered ground.
Localized Phenomena
- The Moonlit Veil – During the full moon, the forest is bathed in an eerie silver glow, the light from the Moonpines reflecting off the snow, making the entire expanse feel almost dreamlike.
- The Icewind Howl – Freezing gusts from Lough Icewind sweep through the trees at night, creating a mournful wailing sound. Locals say it is the voice of the drowned calling out for warmth.
- Frostbloom Glades – Patches of Everwood growth within the forest produce flora that blooms even in the dead of winter, creating vivid oases of color against the stark white landscape.
Climate
The Moonpine Forest is dominated by cold. Summers are short and mild, but the majority of the year is spent in varying degrees of frost. Autumn arrives quickly, its chill seeping into the trees before most of Everwealth even feels the season’s first bite. Winter is long and merciless, turning the forest into a frozen labyrinth of ice-laden branches and snow-covered paths. Rainfall is frequent but light, with mist often clinging to the lower reaches of the trees, particularly in the mornings. The real threat is the wind, cutting, unrelenting, and capable of freezing exposed skin within minutes when it comes off Lough Icewind.
Fauna & Flora
- Moonpine Trees – Towering pines that glow faintly under a full moon, their needles reflecting an eerie silver light.
- Cloudrend Lynxes – Large, thick-furred cats that hunt among the branches, their coats blending seamlessly into the snow.
- Icefang Wolves – A northern breed of wolf, larger than their southern kin, with thick coats and an uncanny ability to move silently through the frozen underbrush.
- Luminara Moths – Large, slow-moving moths drawn to the glow of the Moonpines, their wings shimmering like glass in the moonlight.
Natural Resources
- Moonpine Timber – A sought-after material for high-quality furniture, shipbuilding, and luxury craftsmanship, known for its durability and pale silver sheen.
- Everwood Growths – Small patches of magickally rich flora, used in rare alchemical concoctions.
- Icebloom Sap – A resin harvested from cold-resistant trees, used for preservation and waterproofing.
History
The Moonpine Forest has existed since before recorded history, its ancient pines standing as silent witnesses to the passing ages. Its timber has long been a valuable resource, first harvested by early settlers of Catcher’s Rest and Rootthorpe, whose lumber industries remain reliant on its supply to this day. However, for all its economic significance, the forest has always held an air of quiet unease. Tales of vanishing hunters, silent predators, and unnatural lights moving between the trees have long accompanied its reputation. During the Schism, the forest was used as a natural defense, its thick terrain shielding rebel forces who sought refuge in the frozen wilds. Some say that remnants of old camps still linger, buried beneath the snow, waiting for time to finally claim them.
Tourism
The Moonpine Forest is not a place for the casual traveler. Its beauty draws artists and scholars eager to witness the moonlit glow of its namesake trees, but few stay for long. Hunters and trappers are its most frequent visitors, drawn by the promise of pelts and game, but even they tread lightly. The forest’s reputation as a place of silent dangers and unseen eyes keeps most wanderers at bay. The only real hospitality can be found in Catcher’s Rest and Rootthorpe, where weary travelers can rest before continuing their journey. But few who pass through the forest at night ever feel truly rested again.
Alternative Name(s)
'The Silver Bough' 'The Ghostwood', 'The Luminous'.
Owning Organization
Inhabiting Species
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