Greatwoods

The Greatwoods are a large expanse which encompasses much of the northern part of Woleseat Freehold in the Commonwealth of Pem, as well as parts of Eparchia. The Greatwoods are traditionally home to large-scale lumber operations, with several logging camps dotting the landscape. The region was also home to pioneering use of semaphore lamp towers, used by woodsmen to transmit information across the expanse of wilderness and to give early warnings of forest fires in the area.
The area is defined primarily by an abundance of spruce trees and, aside from sparse tracks used by woodsmen, a lack of roads. However, the region was once home to the city state of Paramacca. The ruins of this ancient city remain to this day, however the area is currently restricted indefinitely to tourists by the Pemblish Strategium due to safety concerns. Also notable are the famous megalithic structures known as Stony Head and the so-called 'Dog's Head' (thought by scholars to more likely to be a much-eroded depiction of the extinct Eparchian lion). These ancient stone sculptures stand on the edge of the Eparchian Mountains overlooking the ruins of Paramacca, however they clearly outdate the city, and are of unknown origins. Despite the creators of the sculptures being unknown, the heads have been appropriated as symbols of Pemblish nationalism since the 2nd Century BGE, held has examples of a mythical Pemblish past, with Stony Head notably appearing in Pemblish 3rd Class stamps.
Local folklore says that in the old days, the Greatwoods were filled with ghosts and fairies. In Eparchia and the Freehold of Woleseat, it is believed that to enter the forest it is necessary to carry a small pouch of sea salt hanging from your belt. The fairies which inhabit the trees of the Greatwoods are said to be addicted to salt, and if encountered the traveller should trade the salt for safe passage through the rest of the woods. 
Category:Places
Category:Geography