Richwood Forest
The Richwood Forest is a densely wooded region of the Duchy of Hekmo. Located in the east-central portion of the Duchy, between the Hokloth River to the west and the border of the Duchy of Len Doa, just north of the Calas River, the forest is more than 1,200 square miles of thick, ancient hardood forest located within low hills and gentle vales.
Once renowned for the quality of oak and hickory that the forest produced, the region is now very quiet, with only occassional timber harvesting conducted at need.
Geography
Located between the Hekloth River and the Calas River, the forest covers many hundreds of square miles of low hills and valleys.
Climate
Cold winters with significant snowfall and warm, humid summers. The worst winter storms can bring more than 5' of snow in a single storm, and many roads and passes through the hills and valleys of the forest become completely impassable. The same sort of storm experienced in summertime can bring heavy rain driven by gale-force winds that can knock a man off his feet.
Fauna & Flora
A dense growth of oak, hickory, elm and ash trees. Previous generations had seen thousands of guilders worth of specialty hardwoods harvested from the forest for shipbuilding, bridges, towers and castles but more recent times have seen the industry fall off.
The forest teems with life. Elk, deer, bear, bison and boar roam all through the woods, and rarer species such as Megaloceros, Dire Wolf, and even Mastodon have been spotted in just the last few years. Birds and fowl abound, as do all the small game animals typically found in temperate forests.
Natural Resources
The wealth of the forest is the timber. Ancient oak, hickory, ash and elm are found throughout the area, as are towering spruce, white pine and cedar in the lower valleys. While not found in many years, older residents recall a time when the very rare and valuable Yew Beard could be found in significant amounts, as well.
Some residents of the region suspect a real untapped wealth in mineral resources just under the surface of the rugged forest floor. There are seveal streams flowing out of the forest that have produced trace amounts of copper ore, and one solitary Halfling is convinced he has found a stream that produces gold dust.
Type
Forest, Temperate (Seasonal)
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Owner/Ruler
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