Magic is thicker in the air of the Valen Wilds than in other regions of the world. The woods seem more alive here, the animals more intelligent, and the border between the material and immaterial realms thinner. It is a land where spirits rule just as readily as mortal kin, and beasts usually reserved to myth live and breath. It is also a land of old wounds and terrible corruptions, with whole regions falling to twisted beasts and barren soil.

The three natural borders of the Valen Wilds are the Bystra and Wda rivers to the West, and the foothills of the Spine to the East. The western region along the rivers has been cleared and turned to farmland and villages, rich valley soil sustaining many settlements over the generations. These lands, called the Marches, are divided into territories amongst Lords and Barons. The March Lords and Petty Barons do not get along, and alliances are constantly being broken and reformed. The region has not seen outright war for many years, but skirmishes are common, and disaster always feels nearby for the commonfolk.

The further East one goes into the Valen Wilds, the less hospitable the forest becomes - at least to mortal kind. Spirits and beasts of all sorts roam here, the foul and the beautiful, living by their own rule under the shadow of the Eldyr Tree. The forests directly surrounding the Eldyr Tree are often called the Vale, in remembrance of the gods who once called this area home ages ago. [1] Others call it the Balewoods, as the lands are so far lost to corruption that nothing grows there. The closer to the Eldyr Tree, the more inhospitable the area becomes, the green forests turning to blight and the beasts there going mad with ancient anger that seeps out of the land itself. While outposts and tribes can still be found in the deep woods near (but not in) this area, the forest folk are resistant to noble rule, and few band together into anything greater than a village.

The Valen Wilds are occupied primarily by evergreen forests, though the landscape is varied throughout the region. Along the riverbanks to the West, grassy meadows and young groves fill in the gaps between populated farmlands. Fences and roads partition out the territories of lords. In the East, old growths make a dense weave overhead, roads narrow into foot paths, and settlements become sparse. And at the roots of the Eldyr Tree, the green turns to balewoods, and few but the brave and the desperate dare to venture into those thorns.

Over the centuries, many a sovereign has tried to extend their rule into the heart of the Valen Wilds, and these failed attempts scar the land as ruins and abandoned forts. Villages along the river banks are centuries old, some built right on top of more ancient ruins. Stone and lumber are the preferred building materials, and architectural sensibilities lean towards the pastoral. Even the most industrious towns are integrated into the natural landscape, with lots of green space between buildings.

In the western woods, settlements tend to be smaller, and communities more isolated. Tribes and towns govern themselves, and those foolhardy enough to call themselves masters of the woods often get taught a lesson by the roaming spirits and beasts. The communities that live and thrive in the harsh woods have a more harmonious relationship with nature, their abodes woven into the forest itself.

The Valen Wilds are ancient, a landscape of myth in many neighboring cultures, with the Eldyr Tree at the heart of those myths. Humans remember an untamed land of dangerous spirits and forgotten relics. Elves and orcs alike recall the splendor of the gods and the bounty they once resided in, while the kobold clans of the nearby Spine revere and fear the looming woods in equal measure.

Once, gods called the Eldyr Tree home, creating spirits and nurturing life in all its forms. The gods are now gone and only the children of those first spirits remain, lesser in strength and no longer protected from the corruptions of the mortal plane. The god's names have been forgotten by most, and few worship them anymore. For as many people of the Wilds that still remember the forest's ancient origins, there are just as many who only fear the corruption of the land without understanding it.

The Eldyr Tree - See the Eldyr Tree lore page.

The Balewoods - a stretch of blighted land surrounding the base of the Eldyr Tree. Nothing grows here, and even the Knights of Anathaeum, protectors of the wilds, find it next to impossible to traverse.[2]

Mires of Lant - Long ago, an ambitious explorer named Lant led a party of adventurers and mercenaries into the wilds, in hopes of making a fortune. Only the ruins of his fortress remain as testament to his folly. Story says that on moonless nights, you can find the spirits of those long lost adventurers wandering about the old fortress ruins, looking for a way back home.[3]

Kitwick - A small town known in the Marches known for their artisan candles and textiles. Once ruled by the Baron Estefall, the Baron was recently found dead in his throne room, his castle abandoned.[4]

Kankon - Within the foothills of the Spine, lies a settlement of goblins. The goblin tribe is known for their metalwork, and their settlement sits atop a vein of valuable ore. [5]

Astenvale Monastery - See the Astenvale lore page.

Gwinholm - A settlement, its people recovering from a yet unnamed calamity and in need of supplies. [6]

Kirktu - A primarily human village with friendly relations to both the Knights of Anathaeum and nearby orcish tribes. They are known for their leather craft. The spirit Okkos, in a corrupted state, currently plagues Kirktu's people. [7]

Belgrave - Once a bustling town with promise of growing larger, Belgrave's populace was decimated overnight by a fearsome monster. Now it lies in ruin, its future uncertain. [8]

Footnotes:

1. ^https://chroniclesrp.net/threads/door-to-door.4192/
2. ^https://chroniclesrp.net/threads/days-most-dark.4052/
3. ^https://chroniclesrp.net/threads/for-whom-the-ghouls-groan.4140/
4. ^https://chroniclesrp.net/threads/petty-lords-and-pettier-problems.3904/post-115063
5. ^https://chroniclesrp.net/threads/upon-ragged-peaks.4050/
6. ^https://chroniclesrp.net/threads/seeking-aid-of-the-dawn.3953/post-104202
7. ^https://chroniclesrp.net/threads/seeking-aid-of-the-dawn.3953/post-104184
8. ^https://chroniclesrp.net/threads/for-tomorrow.4222/