Éomarun

“Oh, Varthurst's due south of us,” the innkeeper, who had introduced herself as Bjorga, said. “It’s only about a day’s flight from here, although I wouldn’t recommend trying to make it there in a single flight.”
“Why is that?”
Bjorga flattened her ears against her head. “Because the trees there come to life at night, and if you try to enter the forest then, you’ll never come out again. There are demons in those trees.” “Oh.” Odwyn had heard a few stories about the small, mysterious forest kingdom, usually as the home of some otherworldly monster, or the setting of a hero’s quest. Her mother was among the few who traded directly with Varthurst. Not many dragons found the idea of travelling to such an unfriendly place very appealing.

A small, mysterious forested land nestled in between two larger dragonic kingdoms, at the foot of the Savage Mountains. Little is known about Éomarun, known as the Black Forest among outsiders, aside from rumours and stories. The people who dwell within those dark trees are just as mysterious as the forest they call home. Few outsiders venture in, and those who do often never re-emerge into the daylit world...

Geography

Located at the foot of the Savage Mountains, Éomarun is mostly flat, at least as far as outsiders can tell in the few forays that have been made into the forest, although thickly forested and with a dense undergrowth. A few external rivers wind their way through the forest, although no boat has been able to sail into Éomarun from the outside, so it is not certain where the rivers go once they pass between the dark trees. The seasons do not seem to change too much within that shadowy place, neither does the light change, as the sun cannot penetrate the thick canopy.

Fauna & Flora

The trees in Éomarun are ancient, believed by many to be among the first trees planted at the beginning of the world. Their massive trunks can easily be twice as wide as an Éomarisc dragon is long, and their coiling roots extend deep into the dark earth. The undergrowth is thick, with broad-leafed bushes and grasping vines that reach to ensnare the unwary passerby. The trees and plants often seem to move around, obscuring the path or even trapping those unable to see the shifting leaves and branches. Even if the traveller can avoid the ensnarement of the foliage, they may find themselves victim to the poisonous properties of all growing things in Éomarun.
Even the animals of Éomarun prove difficult to spot by the untrained eye. Much like the dragonic people who dwell within the forest, the Éomarisc beasts can disguise themselves, slipping into the many shadows and even rendering themselves completely invisible. To the unlucky outsider who encounters one of the mysterious beasts, they appear as the stuff of nightmares. Skeletal, shadowy creatures that seek to devour the souls of the unwary. And like the foliage of the forest, the animals too are often quite venomous.

Natural Resources

The wealth of Éomarun lays in its wood and the precious stones and minerals that can be found in its many rivers. Forestwood is highly valued across the land as a wood with unique natural colours, such that they need no paint. Boxes made from Forestwood are also known to have innate magical properties making them resistant to anyone trying to pick the lock. The more powerfully enchanted boxes can even hide themselves from unwanted eyes.
The rivers of Éomarun, although uncharted and unknown to any outsiders, are rich with small precious stone and metal deposits. Gold in particular is a common find, as well as garnet, platinum, ruby, zirconium, sapphire, and even diamond. The stones originating in the rivers of the Black Forest are known to be of a high quality and very receptive to magical enchantment, making them highly sought-after by wizards across the land.
Other resources Éomarun produces are furs and animal hides, which are quite popular in the creation of invisibility or glamoured cloak, and natural dyes, which also often have properties lending to the disguising of the cloth. Bone knives and tools are highly valued outside of Éomarun for their durability and effectiveness. They also tend to be beautifully decorated with intricate carvings. Many Éomarisc plants and herbs are traded in the markets of the outside world.

Alternative Name(s)

The Black Forest, Varthurst (in Svanrod), the Forest (by the Éomarin)

Type

Forest

Location under

The Northern Continent

Owner/Ruler

High Warden

Related Ethnicities

• Éomarin

Characters in Location

• High Warden