Western Forest
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The Western forest of Moskova is one of the main natural locations where Seeking for the Lost Northern Stars takes place. It is one of the most prolific regions speaking of human settlements and wildlife.
"The wind was roaring like a furious dragon. The forest of tall conifers, which in the sark was drawing gloomy figures with its shadows, was covered by an immaculate blanket of snow. After so many months the eagle dressed in white: the mighty winter had come to Moskova."
Geography
The Western Forest is mostly located on a plain ground which is part of the Timur Plateau, however, it is close to Sentinel Mountains and is a zone of a temperate climate, where summers are warm while winters can get snow. It is also close to the Timur Steppe, and is located near Barkistán. The forest extends vertically, so is also closed to Nodvragoda, a city which is northernmost than Barkistán. Some small spots of the forest even reach the region close to Ulán Shang Kov, the capital city.
The forest is crossed by several rivers, such as Reka Op and Reka Hash, two not too deep rivers that are mentioned in Seeking for the Lost Northern Stars. Many of these rivers are born in the Sentinel Mountains, and reach the sea.
Regarding the shape of the land, the most populated area of the Western Forest is located in a plain, but most of the forest is located close to the Sentinel Mountains and the near plateau.
Op River by Gege16 through Artbreeder
Sunrise at Sentinel Mountains by Geraldine Escriva (Gege16)
Ecosystem
The Western Forest is mainly a Temperate Decidious forest, however, there are several coniferous spots. Temperatures vary in a range between the 15°C-35°C during summer, while in winter the common range is between -10°C-15°C. Since it is close to the steppe, the humidity tends to be lesser than in the Eastern Forest. During winter, Winter Storms can be huge and leave a huge amount of snow, however, snowing can begin in fall. The forest is populated by a wide biodiversity, which includes animals, plants and fungi. Most of the animals tend to hibernate during winter, but most of the bird species migrate to the south or other countries.
Fauna & Flora
Fauna
The fauna of the Western Forest is pretty varied since it includes mammals, insects, reptiles, birds among other groups of animals. Some of the most representative mammals of this forest are wolves, deers, moles, bears and tigers, however, tigers tend to be more elusive than other species. Among birds, it is possible to find owls, sparrows, crows, cardinals and golden eagles among others. Golden Eagles are a symbol not just of this forest but also of Moskova itself. Asides normal animals, it is possible to find magical creatures like Sirin, Demons among others. Even Messengers of the Stars can roam through this forest, one example of this is Megrez.
Flora
Just like the fauna, the flora of this forest is also pretty diverse, and it ranges from trees to flowers, bushes, weeds and creeper plants. Some common trees are larches, pines, firs, maples among others. In the case of creeper plants and bushes, there's a pretty famous plant which only grows in this forest, the Lyubitel {Larch lover}. Lyubitel is famous thanks to the curative properties of its berry, but also because it is impossible to grow outside the forest. Those traits made it subject of illegal commerce among the cities. The western forest is known because of the beauty it has in any moment of the year. During fall, it is dyed of orange, yellow and red; while in summer and spring most of the flowers bloom. In the case of winter, many of the decidious trees lose their leaves but the evergreen ones keep their folliage and can get covered in a "blanket" of snow.
by Gege16 through Artbreeder
by Gege16 through Artbreeder
by Gege16 through Artbreeder
Type
Forest
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
Related Traditions
Inhabiting Species
Natural Resources
All the cities and towns that are near the Western Forest get resources from it. It provides human settlements with mineral resources from the mountains such as stones, metals and jewels as well as fruits, wood and wild animals used for hunting resources like furs and meat. The water from the rivers and lakes of this region is also very important for the closest settlements and the forest also plays an important role in the religions and beliefs from tribes that live within its bordes, like the Evsk Tribe.
Tourism
The Western Forest is near some interesting touristical spots such as Barkistán its central market and some rivers and ponds where people can swim. By the way, despite being a place of immeasurable beauty it is also a place where dangerous things can await for distractful voyagers, such as wild animals and Demons.
Demons, huh. Do smaller settlements have militia to help defend/hunt in case some are detected nearby, or do people just turtle up?
Too low they build who build beneath the stars - Edward Young