Spike Forest

The **Spike Forest** is a major landmark within the Changeling Lands. Most Changelings consider it to be a sacred place.

The Spike Forest consists of large spikes, up to a hundred hooves tall, coming off the ground at slopes ranging from a half right angle to completely upright and pointing in seemingly random directions with no predilections. The larger spikes have smaller spikes coming off perpendicular to them.

The spikes are covered in Changeling wax, and the priests add a layer of wax to the spikes every year to maintain them and keep them from eroding away.

## Composition

Archeological digs in the Spike Forest have found that underneath the wax, the spikes were originally made of a concrete-like solid mix mostly composed of limestone and sand.

On-site digging has revealed a thick layer of the same material and large amounts of lead beneath. Nothing else was found, albeit large holes seemed to have been carved into the bedrock to accommodate the lead.

Samples of the materials were broken down into small pieces and sent to various universities for research. Impurities consisting of other heavy metals were found in the lead.

No new digging operations have been performed due to the significance of the site.

## Significance

Changeling priests claim that the place used to have inscriptions made by higher beings relaying the message that the place emits a powerful emanation of magic with the power to kill. Furthermore, priests add that Changelings carry a blessing that renders them immune to the magic.

No magic forces have however been detected emanating from the place or from any samples taken from the place.

## History

It is unknown when the original concrete spikes were built.

One of the most important spikes, known as the counting spike, has a tally mark added every time a yearly waxing is complete, plus extra marks added to its branching spikes every time the count on the main spike is reset.

If the tally marks on the counting spike are accurate, the Spike Forest has been continuously waxed for at least a hundred thousand years, making the waxing the oldest tradition in all of Equus.

Since writing was invented, Erebian Changeling queens have often claimed a spike as their own, using the spike's surface to record their name and exploits. These inscriptions are renovated and maintained during the waxings by the priests. Because of this, there are highly accurate records of the names and ruling years of ancient Erebian Changeling queens.

The largest spikes usually represent more important ancient queens as less respected queens could have their records moved onto smaller spikes after their deaths to make room for more important ones. Hives have historically gone to war over claiming larger spikes for their queens.

There have also been historical attempts to create fake spikes out of only wax without a concrete base, but those spikes aren't respected and are considered only worthy of treacherous queens.

The inscriptions on some of the older spikes are harder to decypher due to evolving languages and writing systems and transcription mistakes. One of the oldest decyphered spikes refers to one such Queen Ogtha, of which little more than the name is known.

## Navigation

The Spike Forest is labyrinthine and its density doesn't allow a straight path. It is highly recommended to ask priests for directions if lost.