Verduran Forest
- This article refers to the forest, which stretches across multiple nations. For the named region of Andoran, see Verduran Forest (region).
The Verduran Forest is the largest woodlands in Avistan, and straddles the borders between Andoran, Taldor, and Galt.[1][2] Despite standing within the boundaries of these powerful nations, the druids of the forest maintain a high level of autonomy within it, especially in Taldor.[3]
The Verduran in Andoran
- See also: Verduran Forest (region)
In the Andoren part of the forest, druids and fey are in a constant friction with loggers and woodsmen, and the two sides frequently come to blows. Logging is a major industry of Andoran, which is comfortable allowing the wholesale logging of forests.[4] Much of the Andoren portion of the forest is controlled by the powerful Lumber Consortium, whose cruelty and greed keep the poor citizens of Bellis firmly in their grasp.[5] In contrast with this exploitative zeal, the inhabitants of the hamlet of Fusil made a pact with the druids and fey-folk in the forest generations ago, allowing them to live peacefully within the forest, as long as they do not cut down a single tree.[6]
The Verduran in Taldor
Thanks to the Treaty of the Wildwood, signed between the native druids of the Wildwood Lodge and the Taldan empire in 3841 AR, a balance was reached between Taldor's need for timber and the druid's preservationist agenda.[3] The treaty considers the forest a semi-autonomous prefecture, and allows for limited logging and hunting in the forest, but only in certain defined areas.[7] The druids' headquarters are located on the Isle of Arenway, at the confluence of the Verduran Fork and Sellen River in the heart of the forest.[8][9] The Wildwood Lodge allowed gnomes to build the settlement of Wispil in the forest in order to establish a lumber industry overseen by the druids. It now provides raw timber for the Imperial Naval Shipyards at Cassomir.[3]
The Verduran Forest once covered most of northern Taldor, before its eastern stretches were cut back by the growing nation and much of the land subsided to form swamps. Today, Blackwood Swamp, the wetlands of the Krearis Prefecture,[10] and Lauchlein Lake[11] stand on the land once covered by the forest.
Creatures of the Verduran
Though the Wildwood druids watch over the forest, it nevertheless presents many dangers. These include ettercaps, savage fey, the occasional dragon, and river pirates along both the Sellen and Verduran Fork,[3] as well as sentient, carnivorous plants and nests of giant vermin.[7] The Verduran Forest is also one of the few forests old enough and large enough to be home to the ohancanus, brutish, giant-like fey that revel in destruction of civilised structures.[12]
Blackwood satyrs are an especially infamous breed of fey indigenous in the Verduran Forest. They got their name from the pleasantly sweet aroma of blackwood tar they exude. Blackwood satyrs take perverse pleasure in following noble lords and ladies during their passage down the Sellen River, playing songs from the river's bank to lure vessels closer and spellbind all aboard.[13]
Settlements
Places of interest
Rivers
References
For additional resources, see the Meta page.
- ↑ Rob Lazzaretti. (2011). Inner Sea Poster Map Folio, p. 1. Paizo Publishing, LLC.
- ↑ James Jacobs et al. (2011). The Inner Sea World Guide, p. 72. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-269-2
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Joshua J. Frost. (2009). Taldor, Echoes of Glory, p. 7–8. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-169-5
- ↑ Hal Maclean, Colin Moulder-McComb, Jason Nelson, Jonathan Keith, and Hank Woon. (2010). Andoran, Spirit of Liberty, p. 9. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-205-0
- ↑ Mike McArtor. (2008). Guide to Darkmoon Vale, p. 39. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-100-8
- ↑ Hal Maclean, Colin Moulder-McComb, Jason Nelson, Jonathan Keith, and Hank Woon. (2010). Andoran, Spirit of Liberty, p. 20. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-205-0
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 James Jacobs et al. (2011). The Inner Sea World Guide, p. 185. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-269-2
- ↑ Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 44. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1
- ↑ Joshua J. Frost. (2009). Taldor, Echoes of Glory, p. inside back cover. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-169-5
- ↑ Mark Moreland. (2017). Taldor, the First Empire, p. 20, 46. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-999-8
- ↑ Crystal Frasier and Richard Pett. (2018). Songbird, Scion, Saboteur. Songbird, Scion, Saboteur, p. 35–36. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-64078-025-5
- ↑ John Compton, Adam Daigle, Crystal Frasier, and Ron Lundeen. (2017). Bestiary. Fangs of War, p. 88–89. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-932-5
- ↑ Amanda Hamon et al. (2013). Fey Revisited, p. 56–57. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-507-5
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