Alfurwald
In the dusklight glow of the ever-draped mist, golden light peaks through the statuesque woods of the distant wald. The beams of light cast the forest as warm, inviting, tranquil, even. The crew is set on edge even so. Tomorrow, the men will go ashore in search of blooms and berries for Leonan's next ambitious project. I will stay behind, to watch and wait in hopes they return with stories and secrets, as well as supplies. Were I yet a younger man, I too would test my mettle against the dense woods of the Alfurwald. But if even a tenth of the tales hold true, this aching body would never make it out of those shadowed woods. | Zulhan, Scribe of House Willowmight
Geography
Covering much of the southeastern isle of Alwena, the Alfurwald remains shroud in mystery to even today's most learned minds in Chalon.
A handful of historic documents preceding the Shrouding include rare firsthand accounts of merchants and adventurers alike traversing the expansive forest and the natural, winding paths interlocking the half-dozen elven communities who call the forest home. Many of these tomes, most displayed in private collections, are not widely circulated. Thus, trade accords from empirical documents serve as the primary sources by which historians piece together their narrow understanding of the region and its longstanding history. As a result, the rare sighting of an unfamiliar elf within the walls of Chalon is oft followed by a crowd of curious minds eager to probe the traveler for any secrets or accounts of life in Alwena and the isolated elven cities within Alfurwald.
At present, only the rocky shores and northernmost acres of the Alfurwald are ever explored by small mercantile expeditions.
Fauna & Flora
Even through the mist-shroud waters off the coast of Alwena, the vivacious and looming forest fills onlookers with equal measures of wonder and worry. Eons old trees stretch to the skies with jagged branches, towering over even the most praised of vessels to trek the Dela Sea. Among the roots of these natural monoliths, flowers bursting in vibrant hues each bloom in their respective seasons, luring onlookers into a false sense of serenity and safety. Though few documented ventures record verifiable details, it is widely believed far more ensnaring blossoms await deeper within the wald's groves.
Natural Resources
Despite folklore stories depicting the many dangers of venturing too far into the Elves' Wald, Chalon merchants frequently sponsor expeditions into the daunting forest in search of the beautiful and rare ingredients which provide the vibrant dyes of the most enviable fashions in the Grand Capital.
In the summer months, plump crimson elderberries grow amongst the roots of the oldest trees of the woods. With fall blooms the rich blue Nemesia which blossoms for only a few tenday in the shaded groves scattered through the otherwise dense forest. In winter, the white and pink dogwood blossoms are sought after by the tailors of Chalon as the city's season of balls and festivities crescendo into full swing. Lastly, spring offers a fresh bounty of the marigolds and camellias necessary for depicting the iconic purple and gold crests of Chalon's legacy.
Campfire tales tell of ancient, towering trees within the heart of the Alfurwald which preserve magics of previous eras within their rings, but no recorded expeditions have ventured so deep into the wald to provide any supporting evidence of these legendary claims.
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