La Forêt des Secrets / The Forest of Secrets

La Forêt des Secrets is Mordonia’s most sprawling and enigmatic woodland, a vast and winding expanse steeped in arcane residue from the Age of Pandemonium. Ancient magic still lingers in the canopy, warping space, drawing strange creatures, and bewitching travelers who enter without guidance or intention. The forest’s layout is famously disorienting, its narrow paths twisting through moss-covered ruins, lonely cottages both abandoned and inhabited, and areas where the veil between worlds feels unnervingly thin.
Two major lakes anchor the region: Lac de Rubis, to the north, empties into Ataraxia Bay, while Lac de Saphir, to the south, connects to both The Aortic River—flowing west past Hearthaven to the The Sea of Antiquity—and east toward Mortho’s Mire in the The Swamp of Repentance. These lakes, linked by the Rivière Émeraude, are not only geographical keystones, but also central to many myths, said to house water spirits and creatures of forgotten power.
Numerous secrets lie buried beneath the dense forest floor. Hidden tombs, sunken temples, and ancient dungeons await brave adventurers, but the forest is not without its well-known landmarks. Closest to Hearthaven stands the Oakshade Sanctuary, a vine-wrapped ruin used as a proving ground for many up-and-coming adventurers. Further in lies the Harmonious Academy of Bardic Knowledge, now a hollow shell of its former glory. Once the cultural epicenter for bards across Mordonia, it was abandoned after a devastating magical dragon attack. Whispers claim that the melodies of ghostly students still echo through its haunted halls.
At the very heart of the forest, nestled among the elevated glades, is Champilet, the forest's only major settlement. This picturesque town is home to the Pompuffs, peaceful, whimsical Pomeranian-like creatures known for their culinary expertise, musical traditions, and high standard of living. While a convenient stop for forest explorers, Champilet also attracts members of the elite and nobility, who visit for rest, seclusion, and a taste of the arcane charm the pompuffs preserve.
La Forêt des Secrets is one of the oldest and most storied regions in Mordonia. It remains a place where time feels frayed, where ancient magic weaves with the present, and where even the bravest tread with caution—drawn in equal measure by wonder and the unknown.