The Azure Shroud

"The Forest was a place of fear and fascination because it represented the Unknown... The Otherworld was somewhat different, but it could also be right next to you... and the forest, with its darkness and its shadowy spirits and so forth, was one of the most obvious locations of the Otherworld..."

--Cornelius Abadar, from The Mystic's Guide to Evandyr, published in 531 AB.

Beyond the charted paths of the Highlands and deep into the living woods of the west, lies the Azure Shroud. Here, the woods whisper and house ancient powers born long before humankind knew life. Powers from beyond, who knew only other dimensions before Sartova, powers from below, created by Avernus willingly or unwillingly, and powers from the world over. Some desire shelter, such as those who fled the Age of Malevolent Motifs, and some desire power, coming to subjugate or thieve artifacts from the Shroud.
The Shroud is rife with convergence zones... punctures where the presence of the Themes becomes a cacophonous song. The traveler must be wary, lest they slip through and forget that their home is in fact Evandyr, and not the dimensions of higher powers.
The cause of the greatly increased number of convergence zones is unknown, the Shroud is known for it's mysteries. Perhaps even more curious are what the Elves call the Ael'anad, and the Stavs call the World Owls. Living creatures the size of mountains fly slowly over the treetops of the Shroud, with carapace as unbreakable as stone. They are silent, save for a deep and melodious trill that echoes throughout the Shroud for a dozen miles, as they stare astutely ahead with two golden slits for eyes. The lowest apendages of the Ael'anad drift over the tops of trees, but they do not feed, they do not hunt, they do not interact, and they do not falter in their task.
Whatever that may be.

--There are rifts throughout the world... and on dark days, otherworldly beings fall through.

Location under

Voth's Reach Woods