Greenbrae Forest
The Greenbrae Forest is a vast area of rough hills covered in ancient hardwood forest. The expanse covers nearly 800 square miles of forest, much of it completely unexplored. The forest is located within the Wards of Rolar and Molir, and the few settlements and habitations located within the forest are parts of these Wards.
The Greenbrae is a truly ancient wood. There are yew and oak specimens known to be more than 1,200 years old. There is also an elder male Treant that locals have named Old Knotty that several Gnome scholars have estimated to be older than 4,000 years. Old Knotty has been haunting the interior regions of the forest since time immemorial. As old as the Greenbrae is, some have speculated that the only known structure to be found within it is even older. There exists within the east-central area of the forest a giant stone circle that some experts have estimated to be even older than the forest itself.
Only the southeastern and far western fringes of the Greenbrae are inhabited by civilized people. In the southeast there are a number of villages and one small town administered by the Ward of Molir, and the Shire of Greenbrae is found in the western-most extremes of the forest and is administered by the Ward of Rolar.
Geography
Steep, rolling hills covered by towering old-growth hardwood forest. Overstory is heavy and dark, making the interior of the forest constantly shadowed and gloomy. Ground is rough and uneven throughout most of the region, broken only by random areas of bog, mire and stony gulches thick with vines and brambles.
Localized Phenomena
Roughly 20 miles east of the Shire of Greenbrae there is a particularly large and ancient stone circle located in a natural clearing deep within the forest. The stones of this circle are massive, the smallest weighing at least 70 tons. The circle is said to measure more than 30 yards across its middle. The truly remarkable feature of this stone circle, however, is not it's age or size. It is the fact that within its center no living thing can be found. There is no grass, no moss, no insects and even the soil is dry and utterly lifeless. No birds can be heard singing near the circle, and animals do not venture near. No one knows why.
Climate
Wet, humid summers and cold, dry winters. Heavy spring rains can cause serious random flooding events and low-lying areas can become bogs and swamps seemingly overnight. Forest litter and humus become thick in many areas, making travel by foot or horse problematic at best,
Fauna & Flora
Towering stretches of old-growth oak, beech, yew, elm and hickory. Large groves of ancient and tall spruce and white pine keep large regions of the Greenbrae green all year through. Natural ground springs make for large areas of mire where tamarack and cedar dominate the landscape.
The fauna of the forest is amazingly diverse. Seemingly endless varieties of small game abound, including hares, rabbits, squirrels, mice, partridge, pheasant, dove, quail and grouse. Predators such as wolves, fox, lynx, badgers and bears are also plentiful. Rarer and more deadly beasts such as smilodon, dire wolves, cave lions and cave bear are routinely encountered, as well.
One ancient and often avoided creature living in the forest is the elder Treant locally known as Old Knotty. It is a truly old being, standing fully 25' tall and with a shoulder width of more than 7', some have estimated Knotty to be more than 4,000 years old. The most recent encounters with the creature have resulted in Knotty totally ignoring his observers as he carefully scraped forest litter and leaves away from small saplings emerging from the forest floor.
Natural Resources
The wealth of Greenbrae is in its ancient trees. Besides the seemingly endless supply of rare and specialty hardwoods, there is the wealth found in what grows on and from the trees. Yew Beard can still be found in much abundance deep in the forest, as can the rarest and most precious mushrooms that grow from the fallen trees and branches. Saps, fruits, nuts and acorns of the rarest types can be collected from within the dark recesses of the woods by those brave enough to attempt the search.
Alternative Name(s)
The Greenbrae
Type
Forest, Temperate (Seasonal)
Location under
Included Locations
Characters in Location
Inhabiting Species
