Nolari Forest

Yes, the name means Forest Forest. Whoever named it wasn't very creative.

— Scholar of the Ancient language

Nolari Forest is a massive woodland located in the center of Wennovi. Some consider it to be a single, vast forest, while others argue that it really is a collection of forests, as some areas have distinct traits. For example, the types of trees that grow in each region, from cold-climate species in the north to subtropical species in the south:

Northern

Maple varieties, including sugar maple

Spruce, firs, hemlock, & cedars

Birch varieties

Central

Hardwoods: oaks, walnut, beech

Poplar, ash, birch

Pines + spruce

+ many more

Southern

Pines

Magnolias & gum

Elm, hickory, & ash

Cypress groves & subtropical plants

Eldahi

Nolari Forest comprises nearly the entirety of the Eldahi Nation. Long ago, it have may extended much farther into what is now Salaris, but today, the forest almost marks the border of Eldahi, a border they protect so fiercely that in some places, the forest appears to just end, instead of gradually thinning as most woodlands do.
Scholars, historians, cartographers, and academics refer to the forest as Nolari Forest but throughout Imbria, inluding within Eldahi, the word Eldahi is most commonly used to refer to both the country and the forest (and the people). Their sense of nationality is so inextricably linked to the land and forest that they are spoken of as one and the same.

Eld Nolari (Old Forest)

In some regions of Eldahi, the people refer to the forest as Eld Nolari, meaning Old Forest.
Nolari Forest is an old-growth forest. In fact, some Ancient texts, dated thousands of years ago, refer to woodlands in this area of Wennovi. Many of its trees are known to be well over 400 years old, while some are suspected to be over 1000.
Eld Nolari has all the characteristics of old-growth woodlands: areas of fallen trees and debris, multi-level canopies, natural clearings, and in many areas, wild, dense undergrowth than can make travel very difficult. Futhermore, it is a critical ecosystem that is home to many, many species of plants, animals, insects, and microbes.

Tree Oak by Image by Csaba Nagy from Pixabay

Some of the older trees, like this oak, are protected by the Eldahi and forbidden to be cut down

Lia slipped beneath a large, low-hanging branch and worked her way to the base of the massive oak tree. She sat on a raised root and rested against the trunk, settling in amongst the lichen.
The oak's gnarled branches extended far in each direction, some even digging into the ground, and few plants grew beneath it. It almost felt like the tree sheltered and protected her.

While living within the forest, the Eldahi people preserve as much of the trees and wildlife as possible, even to the point of building minimal trails and roads. They densely populate their villages and towns and spread out their logging activities to avoid depleting any one area or endanger any tree species.
Their goal is to protect the forest, its inhabitants, and its ecosystems. In doing so, they believe they preserve and strengthen their connection to the land, their ancestors, and even their magic.

Naresh Nolari (Ancestral Forest)

The Eldahi practice a form of magic called ancestral magic, which often involves the practice of several types of magic. It relies on a connection to one's ancestors in the spirit realm. The connection to the spirits, and consequently the user's access to magic power, will be stronger on ancestral or family lands and weaker further from these lands.
Because of this and their connection to their land and ancestors, the Eldahi fiercely protect their borders, the forest, and the creatures within. While they hunt, mine, and log as needed, foreigners are absolutely forbidden from these activites, and the penalty for poaching is severe -- Harvesters have been poaching Magimandi so aggressively that if caught by Eldahi within the forest, the sentence is often death.
Trespassing is also punished harshly. Visitors, merchants, and ambassadors are warned to remain on clearly marked trails, trade routes, and rivers.

"What are you waiting for? It's getting away!"

"No. No way. I am not going in there."

"This is the job! Let's go!"

"No. You go. If the magimandi don't kill you, the Eldahi will."

Geography & Travel

How do the Eldahi even live in that forest? It's dark and creepy. And where do they even live?

— Citizen of Salaris

Nolari Forest is often thought of as a very dense, nearly impassable forest, and in some areas, that is true. However, this massive forest also contains natural clearings, new growth, rivers and streams, trails, and hills.

Notable River

Trade Route

Forest Path by Momentmal from Pixabay

Alternative Name(s)

Eldahi
Eld Nolari (Old Forest)
Naresh Nolari (Ancestral Forest)
Great Woods

Type

Forest, Temperate (Seasonal)

Included Locations

• Eldavi

Included Organizations

• Elder Council

Related Ethnicities

• Eldahi People

Related Tradition (Primary)

• Magi-bites

Related Traditions

• Wearing and Hanging Scales

Old-growth / primary forest

Location

Wennovi

Owning Organizations

Paltetia (west of the Great Divide)
Eldahi (east of the Great Divide)

Geography

Open full size

Major geography of Wennovi

The Great Divide

The Great Divide forms border of Paltetia and Eldahi, running through Navari Forest. It is a magical barrier designed to keep Paltetia and Imbria entirely separated, and it is guarded on both sides.

The Great Woods

Navari Forest is known as the Great Woods in Paltetia, and is believed to encompass much more of Imbria than it does.

The Great Woods is an impassible forest full of strange and dangerous creatures. No one could live there. It's illegal even to go in there, unless you're one of them Hunters, don't you know?

— Paltetian citizen

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Famous Forest Fauna

Prized Resource