Deepwoods

West Deepwoods in orange and East Deepwoods in purple

The **Deepwoods** is a large primeval forest located in the southeastern portion of Cannor. It is neighbored by Escann to the north, Dostanor to the west, and Serpentspine Mountains to the south and east. The woods noted for their unusually strong connection to the Feyrealm via the Verdant Veil.

## History

### The Second Great Cleansing

*Full article: Second Great Cleansing*

The Deepwoods' beginning starts with the end of the Oldwoods, an ancient primeval forest the once spanned all of Escann. At the behest of Castan Beastbane, the Castanorians of Early Castan's Empire began what would be known as the Second Great Cleansing. Year after year, the Castanorians set about burning various parts of the Oldwoods and slaughter the various inhabitants of the forest, such as the Centaurs and Satyrs. After the span of many decades, the Cleansing culminated with the burning of the World Tree, cursing the surrounding grounds for the centuries to follow and severing the link between the Oldwoods and Feyrealm. What forest remained when soot settled would come to be known as the Deepwoods.

### The Day of Ashen Skies

*Full article:* Day of Ashen Skies

The connection with Feyrealm was not destined to forever be severed, though. On the Day of Ashen Skies, calamity threatened not just Prime Material Plane, but also the Feyrealm itself. Through the actions of the archfey known as the Eldest, a protective ward was created to shield the Feyrealm from magical impact. As a byproduct of this ward, the Verdant Veil came into being, surrounding the Deepwoods and restoring its ties to the Feyrealm.

### The Greentide Invasion of the Deepwoods

*Full article: Greentide Invasion of Deepwoods*

## Geography and Wildlife

The Deepwoods is defined by its nearly impassable flora and foliage. Cutting through this greenery are nine distinct "groves", each with their own distinct ecosystems and geographical traits. These groves are divided into what is considered the "West" Deepwoods and the "East" Deepwoods.

### West Deepwoods

**Mountain Grove**

The Mountain Grove is uniquely the one place where the land pierces forest's canopies. It is one of the few sources of notable mineral wealth and rock. Much of the foliage here is remains largely mundane and flora is comparable to that over other mountain biomes in Cannor.

**Lake Grove**

Dominated by Silent Lake, the Lake Grove is considered one of the most tranquil groves, second only to the River Grove. The lake itself is fed by the Ellyn River and is notable for wide variety of aquatic life unique to the Deepwoods. These creatures vary in the degrees of influence by the Feyrealm, but on the whole hold no significant threats to life or limb. The southern shore is noted for a swampier character, with looming mangrove-like leviathans towering from the waters, creating a tangle of roots far more perilous than the open waters.

**Bone Grove**

The Bone Grove is defined by its rich soil due to extensive bone debris that litter the forest ground. Because of this, the both the forest floor and canopy holds an unusually thick density of foliage compared with other parts of the Deepwoods. The creatures here also notable for frequently being Fey-marked and are often extremely dangerous to those from civilization. Chief of these dangers are the Bone-hoarders whose mere presence has been known to cause extreme mental duress and even death.

Apparitions of creatures long dead are also known to make an appearance, though they are sometimes quite capable of interacting with the present world.

**Thorn Grove**

The Thorn Grove lies near the center of the Deepwoods and is considered to be the grove closest to the Feyrealm. The both the flora and fauna here is defined by brambles and spines, with even the trees take on a warped and thorny appearance. Most if not all of the life here has been affect in some way or another by the Fey.

### East Deepwoods

**Hunter's Grove**

The Hunter's Grove defined by megafauna not seen anywhere else in the Deepwoods. Most all predators and prey size in around that of a peasant's hovel or larger. Plant life also takes in at larger size with many of the tallest trees being found in this grove.

**Arrow Grove**

The Arrow Grove is notably the most soil poor of all the groves. Much of the plants here are of great age with their roots barrowing deep into the ground. What few saplings survive typically do so atop fallen ancient trees. The cause such tumbles is due to the limestone caverns beneath which open into a maze of tunnels and gullies. Many of the creatures that reside in the grove make their homes when these limestone caverns and are noted for their carnivorous tendencies.

**Flower Grove**

The Flower Grove is notable in bearing more resemblance to to that of tropical rainforest than the temperate woods seen in other groves and how flora dominates the ecosystem. It is for these reasons the flora here is not only unique to all the Deepwoods but also hold the most diversity. Notably, most of these plants are either extremely toxic or poisonous to civilized life. What animal life does reside in the grove has taken on similar characteristics.

**River Grove**

Widely considered the most pleasant of the groves, the River Grove benefits from the vibrant life magic native to Feyrealm while remaining relatively free of unusual side effects. The soil is by far the most fertile with a number of fruit and vegetables natively taking root. Most of the wildlife here remains as herbivores due to the abundance of plant life. Soft hills cover the southeastern portion of the grove, where the Deepwoods sole source of silver can be found.

**Shadow Grove**

Shaded by the embrace of the Serpentspine's towering peaks on two sides and an impenetrably thick canopy of black leaves above, the grove's grounds are defined by pitch black, with even the Jorkad river's headwaters wholly shaded in their flow. Many of the creatures here have adapted to living in low light or are even blind while the plant life takes on a more carnivorous nature.

### Connection to the Feyrealm

Despite being in the Prime Material Plane, the Deepwoods holds strong connection to the Feyrealm due to the legacy of the Verdant Veil. In many places, the line between planes remains blurred, resulting in the Feyrealm bleeding heavily into the Prime Material and vice versa.

**Gladeways**

While in the deeper, more untamed parts of the Deepwoods the connection between the two planes is fickle and unpredictable, there are four notable locations where travel is consistent and even expedient. These locations are known as the Gladeways and allow for relatively safe travel from one gladeway to another through the Feyrealm.

## Demographics

The Deepwoods is resided by primarily three groups: Wood Elves, Forest Goblins, and Green Orcs. In addition, an assortment of fey, such as the infamous Ashentree Fey, also make their home here. While many of these fey are native to Halaan, others are migratory or hail from the Feyrealm itself.

### Historical

The following are groups that once resided in the Deepwoods but are no longer call it home

* Exodus Centaurs - ousted by Castan Beastbane and Castanorians
* Hags - Ousted by the Archfey before the Oldwoods were even known as the Oldwoods.