Ancient Forest
Geography
Resting on the Vilothric Basin, the Ash Stone and slate outcrops have made a wonderfully diverse realm for the forest. Though technically not part of the Azure Coast, it is considered one in the same entity for the purposes of mapping. The forest drops off sharply as it reaches the cliff base on the eastern edge of the Galus Peninsula. It is a strange mix of karst foothills dotted with innumerable cave systems from the snow melt from the peaks of the Vilothric Mountains to the west. While mixing in slate plates that seemed to have slid from the mountains before the forest began to grow. Though these slate plates are truly massive geographic landmarks, there are two distinct features about them.
The First being that the slate plates make up the majority of the escarpments found within the wood, in large concentric rings emanating from the ruins of Skjalich. Though what caused this landslide after the Ash Stone had formed is entirely unknown. The escarpments range in height from a dozen feet or so to many hundreds of feet tall. These cliffs are located in the middle of the forest, nearly dividing it in half as it slowly looses height as it nears the sea. The second marks the official border between Glacian territory and Willowbrook.
The geologic formation the forest is largely an outwash of sedimentary rock and former talus piles. Loosing altitude as the hills have eroded over time to wash away into the Western Channel of the Southern Seas.
Ecosystem
The Greenwall is a temperate cloud forest that experiences all four seasons. As the air currents drifting in from the Southern Seas crash against the Mountains, they bring many storms against them, depositing thick layers of snow and rain. Though these currents shift depending on the time of year. The forest has been largely untouched by man for a few different reasons, but has led it to mostly be old growth, where the roots stabilize the karst cave systems below. Without the trees, the Ancient forest would be far more treacherous to traverse, as cave-ins still happen with some regularity. Without the support from the life above it, there would be both few caves and fewer hills throughout the region.
While the meltwater from the mountains fills the uncountable ephemeral streams, its nature as a karst system, as well as known for it's escarpments, lends to a forest filled with waterfalls. These streams disappear at times, to reappear at somewhat random intervals. Though the abundance of water in the forest has led to an extraordinary amount of biodiversity. Ranging from tundra-dwelling highland creatures all the way to subtropical birds of paradise migrating from Estile.
The caves have lead to very niche species to evolve into what they are today, as in each cave there is a new unique biome to explore. Sightless fish, glass fish, bioluminescent life, curtain moss, and untold amounts of insects. The caves at many times share underground systems filled with water, though many attempts to explore these systems leaves many missing persons. Each wellspring holds claim to its own biome, though it has been observed that the greater underwater network does share species as they move from wellspring to spring.
The Cloud forest consist largely of hardwood species, Oak, Mahogany, Willow, and Beech trees being the bulk of it, though alders, cedars, aspen, and walnut trees are common enough. The difference being that these mammoth trees dominate the sky, the largest of them being an immense Mahogany tree called the Matriarch. The old one is large enough that twenty men are needed to encircle the trunk.
Ecosystem Cycles
In the Season of Life, this spring, the forest comes alive as the snow melts from the branches. As the herbaceous plants take advantage of the precious light that will quickly become rare as the trees begin to bud. The forest floor becoming an enchanting forest of flowers and herbs, bird song twittering constantly in their out symphony of courtship. This is the time of year that many enter the woods to harvest medicines, wild herbs, and food. Even the Goblins of the Skullbrood Clan historically found themselves far busier with doing the same thing. Making the roads quite safe to travel. This time of year is marked by few storms in the region, as the air comes from the much-drier Great Meadow region.
In the Season of Heat, this summer, is a time when the forest grows dark. As the trees are in full foliage, this also happens to be the time of year when many of the fauna begin their courtship. As such, hunting is usually done at this time as the Season of Life is too bountiful to bother with the arduous task of hunting down larger game in the hills. Though sunlight does make its way to the floor, it's generally too weak to allow for much undergrowth. Travelers on the roads note that the beams of light streaming into the forest give it a surreal, magical feeling, though much of that magic is lost as soon as they remember they are in Goblin Territory. As such, at risk of being raided on the roads. This time of year is marked by hot and humid air, as the forest does a wonderful job holding the air still. Frequent thunderstorms roll over the forest to begin their head-beating against the mountains.
The Season of Harvest, this autumnal firefall is commented on the world over. As the forest begins to change colors, the world shifts its attention for the coming winter. Though the breathtaking vista of the forest seeming set a light as earned the time of year a regional name. The Fire Fall, as this time of year is nearly cloudless until the latter parts. At all times, the sun streaks down in a backlit glory that few could pass the chance to witness. As the growing amount of light in the forest continues, a second run of late blooming flowers and herbs springs up at its chance to propagate future generations.
The Season of Waiting is an apt term for the winters here. As the coast is wracked by hurricanes forming over the warm ocean to make landfall in the cool air of the Peninsula that flows from the Great Meadow. These hurricanes deposit the bulk of the water in the region as they pass over the forest to stall against the mountains. Dropping dozens of feet of snow as they go, usually the region receives four or five of these storm systems before the cycles begin anew.
Localized Phenomena
As the Karst systems erode away, subterranean cave systems collapse causing localized earthquakes in the region.
Hurricane season is not the time of year where any should be attempting to make a journey through the forest, though the Goblin clan is mostly dormant as they enjoy their spoils of the year sequestered in the caves, the risk of sink holes being unable to bear the weight of the snow is a constant risk. There is little to no warning as the snow covers the hole rather well, with far too little time to react as one falls into the darkness.
Alternative Name(s)
Venere Bois, Greenwall, Goblin Territory
Type
Forest, Cloud / Water (Subtropical)
Location under
Owning Organization
Inhabiting Species
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