The Alfwood
"Here in the forest, dark and deep, I offer you eternal sleep."The Alfwood is the untamed, primeval forest north of the Gaelndor. Long ago it was also the center of a great elven empire that stretched to fill most of the lands of Gaelndor and Soramyre. That empire came to an end with the arrival of humans. Some legends say the humans were a curse upon the elves as punishment for an unknown crime. The exact nature of the crime has been forgotten by nearly all, the details changing from bard to bard, each time the story is told. What is indisputable is that the empire is now reduced to the confines of the Alfwood itself. Although the elves tolerate encroachment on the fringes of the forest, few non-elves who venture into the forest’s depths ever return – although whether they fall to the arrows of the elves, or are claimed by something more sinister, is unknown. The good folk of the realms stay as far away from the Alfwood, with the exception of the elves who still call it home. While the conflict with the Nevereve Protectorate and the formation of the Bastion Realms has slightly opened the woods to outsiders, the descendants of the fallen empire are still embittered by their loss and still protect the Alfwood from the non-elven races who gnaw at its edges to feed their cities.
Geography
The forest is home to large trees, including the ornë tree, and standing dead trees, multilayered canopies with gaps that result from the deaths of individual trees, and coarse woody debris on the forest floor.
The topography of much of the Alfwood consists of pits and mounds.
Localized Phenomena
Most of the forest has never been officially charted, including some isolated settlements. This makes it extremely easy to get lost in the woods without an experience guide.
Another interesting phenomena associated with the Alfwood is it's true area size. Aerial observations and calculations based the forest's circumference would put the area smaller than the Soramyre Woods. However, based calculations based on travel from within the forest, the area of the Alfwood is 5 times greater than the Soramyres. Some hypothesize that the woods cause a form of sensory deprivation that when combined with the difficult terrain just make the forest seem larger than it is from the inside. Another hypothesis is that the Alfwoods are a fractal-plane. A space where two planes of existence are infinitely and seamlessly intertwined. This would also explain the monstrosity and fey infestation that's plagued the forest since the dawn of time.
Fauna & Flora
The Alfwood is home to a great range of flora and fauna. It is home to many endemic and rare species of both plant and animals. There that the Alfwood is still home to unicorns and other fey creatures.
There has always been a monstrosity infestation within the forest, but has become worse in recent years.
Natural Resources
The southern outskirts of the Alfwood are used by humans of Gaelndor for lumber and hunting, but still risk being attacked or arrested by elves for trespassing. The elves of the Sidhe Remnant prefer to rely on using stone, reclaimed woods, and living plants to build to reduce their environmental impact.
There are countless springs and small streams within the Alfwood that provide freshwater.
History
The Alfwood is said to be where all elves originated from. If an elf refers to the "cradle of civilization", they are referring to the Alfwood.
Tourism
The Alfwood is still a very unwelcoming place to visit. The Sidhe Remnant does not allow non-elves to travel the woods freely as they must have a trusted sponsor to escort them throughout their time in the woods or else risk execution or arrest. Most elves tend to turn a blind eye to trespassers for the first mile of the forest edge so long as the trespasser doesn't get to out-of-hand, but there are some elves who don't agree with this policy. If one walks into the woods, they're risking an arrow to the back.
Alternative Name(s)
The Old Woods, Iar taur
Type
Forest
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Contested By
Related Tradition (Primary)
Inhabiting Species
Comments