Post by Kenneth New on Jun 12, 2011 17:08:53 GMT -5
Hylas Wood
Stretching almost 200 miles along the coast of the Sea of Endymion, straddling the border between Morava and Acheron, the Hylas Wood is a stretch of old growth forest and swampy forests more than 50 miles wide. Once home to a thriving elven nation, it is now mostly overrun by sergalla and other monsters.
Southern Hylas Forest
The southernmost 25-40 miles of the forest is part of the Moravan Swine Holds (q.v.).
Udeshky
The coastal city of Udeshky was once the jewel of Greater Morava, a city situated on three hilly islands sitting in a shallow swampy lagoon. In 1041, it was overcome by a massive Labyrinth Intrusion. Overnight, the Shadow Tower appeared–a massive structure of scotolith with a quasi-organic appearance. It is ruled by the Shadow Lich, a powerful undead necromancer whose five undead agents terrorize the surrounding territory. Overnight, the people of Udeshky were slain by shadow energy and raised as undead. The streets and canals of the city are empty by day, but swarm with ghouls, zombies, wights, vampires and other fell beings at night. The city holds a small fleet of ships, the remains of the Khryseonite navy sent to destroy the Lich during the Shadow Crusade (1082). The wreckage of the Aluquandreth, the last of the great airships of Quastinor, lies somewhere in the swamp outside the city as well. It too was lost in this ill-omened expedition.
Hylas River
The Hylas river is a rushing torrent as it falls from the piedmont into the Petty Baronies, but it widens into a broad, meandering river way shortly after entering the forest. It forms a series of shallow lakes as it wends its way towards Udeshky and the Sea. This region is peopled mostly by lizardfolk and their elven allies (refugees from the sergalla incursions). There are two lakes and several smaller ponds and tarns where the river widens and flows around elevated islands.
The largest of these is the Black Lake, just 30 kilometers west of Udeshky. This lake is 18 kilometers long and 10 kilometers wide. The island on the center is home to an extended family of dragons. They’re not friendly, but they keep a wary eye on Udeshky and often destroy undead attempting to move upriver.
The second largest lake is Lake Tirandael, situated a bare 25 kilometers inside the borders of the forest. Much smaller than the Black Lake, Tirandael is only 12 kilometers long and 6 kilometers wide. The shallow island (also called Tirandael) is the site of the only elven city to have survived the sergalla incursions intact. Connected to both shores by long causeways, Tirandael was the linchpin that connected North and South regions of the elven nation. Now it is a city under siege. Regular sergalla attacks destroy the fabulous floating farms of Tirandael and kill many citizens. Nonetheless, it has survived and serves as the center of the elvish and lizard folk alliance dedicated to resisting the sergalla.
Other denizens of the forest
It has been estimated that dozens of dragons inhabit the deeper forest, as well as hags, dryads, gnomes and other creatures. The most populous groups, however, are the gnolls, the lizardfolk, the elves and the kith.
Most of the sergalla in the forest are followers of Grr’n’gau. They revel in demonic destruction. Many of them are also worshippers of Humba’agh the Black Mother, a primordial sometimes worshipped by other races as Humbaba, the Black Goat of the Woods. It is rumored that they’ve been making common cause with the Cult of the Primordial Eye. The other group of sergalla eschews this demon and follows a more primal path. They are pressed on both sides. Hated by their brethren and distrusted by the elves and lizardfolk, most of whom make no effort to distinguish between the two groups.
The lizardfolk of the Hylas River are an ancient, but primitive people, living in harmony with the primal spirits of the land. They were longtime foes of the elves, whom they saw as interlopers in their territory, but have become reluctant allies since the sergalla incursions. Now they can be found in their many villages surrounding the swampy waterways and in the elven town of Tirandael.
The Hylatian elves have mostly been forced to flee the forest, seeking refuge in the Petty Baronies, the Swine Holds, Athon and Elocia. Those who remain are forced to fight constantly for their survival. They have become grim and determined, making alliance with many former enemies.
The kithauri of the Hylas River no longer travel to the sea, but limit themselves to the territory between Madder Lake (in the Petty Baronies) and the Black Lake inside the forest. They are friendly with the elves, lizardfolk, hags and dragons that inhabit the region, but have many conflicts with the gnolls. Since they’ve become isolated from their kin, the Hylas River Kith have become more friendly with other races. The elders arrange for groups of young males to travel to the Rivermouth in Elocia to meet up with the Inarion River Kith every spring. As is customary among the kith, it is the young males who marry into the other tribes. In exchange, many Inarion River Kith make the return journey to Madder Lake where they marry into the Hylas River clans.
Stretching almost 200 miles along the coast of the Sea of Endymion, straddling the border between Morava and Acheron, the Hylas Wood is a stretch of old growth forest and swampy forests more than 50 miles wide. Once home to a thriving elven nation, it is now mostly overrun by sergalla and other monsters.
Southern Hylas Forest
The southernmost 25-40 miles of the forest is part of the Moravan Swine Holds (q.v.).
Udeshky
The coastal city of Udeshky was once the jewel of Greater Morava, a city situated on three hilly islands sitting in a shallow swampy lagoon. In 1041, it was overcome by a massive Labyrinth Intrusion. Overnight, the Shadow Tower appeared–a massive structure of scotolith with a quasi-organic appearance. It is ruled by the Shadow Lich, a powerful undead necromancer whose five undead agents terrorize the surrounding territory. Overnight, the people of Udeshky were slain by shadow energy and raised as undead. The streets and canals of the city are empty by day, but swarm with ghouls, zombies, wights, vampires and other fell beings at night. The city holds a small fleet of ships, the remains of the Khryseonite navy sent to destroy the Lich during the Shadow Crusade (1082). The wreckage of the Aluquandreth, the last of the great airships of Quastinor, lies somewhere in the swamp outside the city as well. It too was lost in this ill-omened expedition.
Hylas River
The Hylas river is a rushing torrent as it falls from the piedmont into the Petty Baronies, but it widens into a broad, meandering river way shortly after entering the forest. It forms a series of shallow lakes as it wends its way towards Udeshky and the Sea. This region is peopled mostly by lizardfolk and their elven allies (refugees from the sergalla incursions). There are two lakes and several smaller ponds and tarns where the river widens and flows around elevated islands.
The largest of these is the Black Lake, just 30 kilometers west of Udeshky. This lake is 18 kilometers long and 10 kilometers wide. The island on the center is home to an extended family of dragons. They’re not friendly, but they keep a wary eye on Udeshky and often destroy undead attempting to move upriver.
The second largest lake is Lake Tirandael, situated a bare 25 kilometers inside the borders of the forest. Much smaller than the Black Lake, Tirandael is only 12 kilometers long and 6 kilometers wide. The shallow island (also called Tirandael) is the site of the only elven city to have survived the sergalla incursions intact. Connected to both shores by long causeways, Tirandael was the linchpin that connected North and South regions of the elven nation. Now it is a city under siege. Regular sergalla attacks destroy the fabulous floating farms of Tirandael and kill many citizens. Nonetheless, it has survived and serves as the center of the elvish and lizard folk alliance dedicated to resisting the sergalla.
Other denizens of the forest
It has been estimated that dozens of dragons inhabit the deeper forest, as well as hags, dryads, gnomes and other creatures. The most populous groups, however, are the gnolls, the lizardfolk, the elves and the kith.
Most of the sergalla in the forest are followers of Grr’n’gau. They revel in demonic destruction. Many of them are also worshippers of Humba’agh the Black Mother, a primordial sometimes worshipped by other races as Humbaba, the Black Goat of the Woods. It is rumored that they’ve been making common cause with the Cult of the Primordial Eye. The other group of sergalla eschews this demon and follows a more primal path. They are pressed on both sides. Hated by their brethren and distrusted by the elves and lizardfolk, most of whom make no effort to distinguish between the two groups.
The lizardfolk of the Hylas River are an ancient, but primitive people, living in harmony with the primal spirits of the land. They were longtime foes of the elves, whom they saw as interlopers in their territory, but have become reluctant allies since the sergalla incursions. Now they can be found in their many villages surrounding the swampy waterways and in the elven town of Tirandael.
The Hylatian elves have mostly been forced to flee the forest, seeking refuge in the Petty Baronies, the Swine Holds, Athon and Elocia. Those who remain are forced to fight constantly for their survival. They have become grim and determined, making alliance with many former enemies.
The kithauri of the Hylas River no longer travel to the sea, but limit themselves to the territory between Madder Lake (in the Petty Baronies) and the Black Lake inside the forest. They are friendly with the elves, lizardfolk, hags and dragons that inhabit the region, but have many conflicts with the gnolls. Since they’ve become isolated from their kin, the Hylas River Kith have become more friendly with other races. The elders arrange for groups of young males to travel to the Rivermouth in Elocia to meet up with the Inarion River Kith every spring. As is customary among the kith, it is the young males who marry into the other tribes. In exchange, many Inarion River Kith make the return journey to Madder Lake where they marry into the Hylas River clans.