Darkwood Forest (Endhaven Supplement)

Flag of the Griffon Empire.

Summary

Mildly Mythic, Moderately Wild

The Darkwood Forest is the primary source of darkwood throughout the planes. In ages past, darkwood was an unusual but widely available tree. Through simple harvesting, these slow-growing trees (a species of sequoia) have become extinct in most localities. As their value rose, their worth in gold ensured that when any were found, they were quickly harvested.

Statistics

Name:	Darkwood Forest
Planar Size:	Medium plane
Influences:	None
Ruling Organization:	Order of the Darkwood Forest
Government Type:	Council of Elders
Other Organizations:	Darkwood Retreat
Capital:	Trading Post
Languages:	Common, Sylvan
Religion:	Charystan Pantheon
Patron Deity:	Hart
Resources:	Darkwood
Important Locations:	The Conservancy Trading Post

History

The Darkwood Forest

THREE EMPIRES

After the War of Good and Evil, the Order of the Darkwood Forest established a conservancy over a large stretch of Darkwood Forest. They manage harvesting, support growth, and kill poachers. For generations, the order has stocked the forest with dangerous creatures. The order both defend the wood, and retaliate against those who would cut down their trees. Once the Griffon Empire collapsed, the Order endured, defending this forest by itself.

RECENT EVENTS

The conservancy faces two primary issues: poachers and everyone else.

Poachers are the lesser threat. Poacher have learned how to plane shift into the conservancy, and using custom magic, fell and remove a tree from the conservancy. The Order has ramped up the Darkwood Avengers to find these poachers and crack the darkwood trading ring.

The other problem of the Conservancy is the sheer, omnipresent value of the Conservancy. The other empires and nations covet this place. If it were not for the sheer, overwhelming defensive capability of the conservancy, these nations would have invaded and seized the Conservancy already. The Conservancy is very aware that sooner or later, they will need to seek an alliance.

Planar Information

The Darkwood Forest is located in temperate hills. This area is frequently blanketed by mists and fogs. The hills are usually steep and rocky. The forest itself covers approximately thirty square miles.

Darkwood is a species of conifer related to the Sequoia.
Darkwood trees can reach 1,600 years age.
A mature darkwood tree weighs 70-1,300 tons and fetches 100,000-2,400,000 gp on the open market (500,000 average).
The conservancy is approximately 30 miles square.
There are 30 darkwood trees per acre in the conservancy (or 14,400 darkwood trees per square mile).
The conservancy is 900 square miles, or 576,000 acres.
There are approximately 13 million darkwood trees over the 30 square mile conservancy.
Total worth of the conservancy is estimate at SIX BILLION gold pieces in darkwood alone.

GATES AND LANDING POINTS

There are two landing points in the Conservancy. One landing point and gate are at the Trading Post. One landing point is at the lair of Parthenon, the great wyrm brass dragon.

CLIMATE AND TERRAIN

The climate of the forest is very moderated, usually cool to warm, but rarely hot or cold. The terrain is hills.

FLORA AND FAUNA

The dominant flora is the darkwood tree, a species of sequoia. Below the canopy is a rich diversity of plant life, predominantly ferns.

Animal life is dominated by forest game but does include other creatures.

Animals include: 3e SRD:Ape - 3e SRD:Ape, Dire - 3e SRD:Badger - 3e SRD:Badger, Dire - 3e SRD:Bat, Dire - 3e SRD:Bear, Black - 3e SRD:Bear, Brown - 3e SRD:Bear, Dire - 3e SRD:Boar - 3e SRD:Boar, Dire - 3e SRD:Brain Mole - 3e SRD:Eagle - 3e SRD:Elephant - 3e SRD:Hawk - 3e SRD:Leopard - 3e SRD:Lion, Dire - 3e SRD:Monkey - 3e SRD:Owl - 3e SRD:Raven - 3e SRD:Snake, Constrictor - 3e SRD:Snake, Giant Constrictor - 3e SRD:Tiger - 3e SRD:Tiger, Dire - 3e SRD:Weasel, Dire - 3e SRD:Wolf - 3e SRD:Wolf, Dire - 3e SRD:Wolverine - 3e SRD:Wolverine, Dire - Budgerigar (3.5e Creature) - Dire Half-Dragon Ape (3.5e Creature) - Dire Panther (3.5e Creature) - Eximus (3.5e Creature) - Fox, Red (3.5e Creature) - Panther (3.5e Creature) - Parrot (3.5e Creature) - Peafowl (3.5e Creature) - Rabbit (3.5e Creature) - Red Bird (3.5e Creature) - SRD:Ape - SRD:Badger - SRD:Black Bear - SRD:Boar - SRD:Brown Bear - SRD:Constrictor Snake - SRD:Deinonychus - SRD:Dire Ape - SRD:Dire Badger - SRD:Dire Bear - SRD:Dire Boar - SRD:Dire Tiger - SRD:Dire Wolf - SRD:Dire Wolverine - SRD:Giant Constrictor Snake - SRD:Hawk - SRD:Legendary Bear - SRD:Legendary Tiger - SRD:Leopard - SRD:Lizard - SRD:Megaraptor - SRD:Monitor Lizard - SRD:Monkey - SRD:Owl - SRD:Raven - SRD:Tiger - SRD:Wolf - SRD:Wolverine - Spinosaurus (3.5e Creature) - Squirrel (3.5e Creature) - Squirrel, Flying (3.5e Creature) - Stegosaurus (3.5e Creature) - Toucan (3.5e Creature) - V. Rex (3.5e Creature)

Politics and People

The Conservancy is governed by the Order of the Darkwood Forst.

GOVERNMENT

Darkwood Retreat:' The natives of the forest have their own government separate from the Order of the Darkwood Forest. This government is so that the inhabitants can rule themselves. This includes fey (dryads, sprites, etc), treants, and wild animals. There are an estimated one dryad per one thousand trees (approximately 130 thousand), and one treant per square mile (approximately nine hundred). Darkwood Dryads are noteworthy for their unique abilities in forest warfare.

When the forest wishes to discuss and issue, Parthenon or one of the esteemed council elder calls a retreat. Many from the forest then attend the meeting. The elders of the forest talk about the issue, and the attendees usually follow the recommendations of their elders.

Any inhabitant or visitor to the forest is allowed to attend and speak at meetings.

NOTEWORTHY ORGANIZATIONS

See: Order of the Darkwood Forest.

POACHERS

With the forest worth so much, poachers have equipped themselves for tree-stealing raids using very expensive magic items. The favored tactic of poachers is to fly in invisibly, cast warp wood or move earth to fell a tree, then cast a combination of spells to shrink and section the trunk apart. The profits from these trees allow poachers to commission increasingly rare and powerful magic items. Poachers frequently change tactics, always seeking to safely and efficiently steal more wood per raid.

IMPORTANT NPCs

Great wyrm brass dragon Parthenon.

Major Landmarks

TRADING POST

Most trade that happens with the forest happens with a trading post lying just outside the forest.

RETREAT GNOLL

This small hill is used to conduct the government of the forest.

THE CONSERVANCY

These underground caves are the home of the Order of the Darkwood Forest.

Adventure Hooks

Stop poachers
Stop Darkwood Avengers from revenge killings
Help defend the forest
Steal wood from the forest

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