Green Oak Forest and Woodcutter Cities

The **Green Oak Forest** covers a massive area of the land, and it provides with most of the wood necessary to build ships for the region. It's well connected with the Princedom of the Platinum Strait and the Orange Marquisates, who dedicate a lot of money and efford to control the woodcutter towns and cities that surround the forest. The **woodcutter cities** have also grown used to build ships and wood related crafts, though the competition with the bigger kingdoms and their small size makes them unable to fully develop into an important power.

In the middle of the forest there are the **Blue Lakes**, which are most of the year completely frozen, and during summer the water from the mountain glaciers will make them swell in size. During those days, fishermen from around the area will gather to try and get a golden trout, notoriously difficult to catch any other day of the year.

## The Woodcutter Cities

The Great Green Oak Forest of Littlestep is one of the biggest extensions of greenery in the world. The massive extension of forest covers more than a third of the subcontinent, and it forms a key cornerstone of the local economy. The forest is composed of dozens of different kinds of tree, but the most common of them are oak trees. The region is also notable for the lack of big monstrous predators. There are wolves, bears, lynxes and some matryoshka cats brought over from Zemyland, but in general, the dense vegetation makes creatures bigger than bears simply unable to move fast enough to catch their prey. This means that the region is surprisingly favorable to human habitation.

The origins of the Woodcutter cities are very diverse. Most of them originate from different periods and have very distinct cultures, though they share a common way of live in the exploitation of the forest. For the most part, the cities have preferred to stay aside from the world’s politics, keeping their attention either to local affairs or to trade with the outside.

The growth of the Woodcutter cities is slow. Once a patch of forest is cut, the cities will try to grow some agriculture in them, often with failure. It is not well known why is this the case, and many guanologists over the decades have visited the Green Oak Forest to study the nature of its soil. It would not be until three hundred years ago when the druid Brisitamius the Bearded actually found the reason for this phenomenon. Apparently, many of the species in the forest have some chemicals within their roots that slowly poison the land, making any vegetation not belonging to their species unable to easily grow in them. That allowed the expansion of agriculture in some of the cities, but by then, the economy of the region was pretty well established. Most of the inhabitants of the Woodcutter cities live off hunting, fishing and of course, woodcutting and woodcrafting.

In recent years, however, the cities of the east are increasingly worried about the expansion of Avangar, and fear that the empire could threaten their independence. The Woodcutter Cities have plenty of treaties with each other, but they all know that, even with their strength combined, fighting Avangar would not end in victory. The expansion of the Platinum Princedom is likewise seen with mistrust, but the sharing of Avangar as a potential threat has kept the Woodcutter’s relations with the Princedom much stronger than those with Avangar.

## History

The expansion of the Woodcutter cities is difficult to study. For one, the original settlements in the Green Oak Forest have been swallowed by the forest centuries ago, not by sorcery or catastrophe, but by the difficulties of making a living in the forest. The wood from the green oaks is one of the best in the world, and its quality is highly appreciated everywhere, but the green oaks’ seemingly toxic roots make growing agriculture in the area a very difficult task. Once you cut down a portion of the forest, it can’t just be replanted for agricultural purposes. The land will continue to be just toxic enough for most crops, but not toxic enough to the forest to start growing again. Not even husbandry is recommended, though lately the imports of drunig goats have increased, thanks to their incredible resilience and ability to feed on pretty much everything organic. Thus, most of the original settlements were eventually abandoned, and once the people left, the forest simply reclaimed the land.

The small inklings that would eventually became the current Woodcutter Cities were initially just small ports. Different groups of fishermen from around Littlestep began building small settlements throughout the coast, setting up fishing docks where they could repair their ships from long periods at sea. They initially had no interest in the forest other than for seasonal hunting, when the weather made fishing too dangerous. Only after they began growing in size and population did the cities began looking at the Green Oak Forest as a possible source of revenue in and of itself. The problem was, once again, finding enough food for a developed town. Fishing and hunting can only get you so far when the population starts growing into the thousands, and as such, their growth was very slow. The small areas that conform the land around the Woodcutter Cities had to be grinded over and over throughout the decades to be of any agricultural use. Constantly, and with major efforts, the lands became cleaner and agriculture became possible, though the citizens of the regions have to keep the forest from claiming back the land, removing roots that could poison the lands again.

The origins and cultures of the Woodcutter Cities are very diverse, but we can follow clear differences from the northern Woodcutter regions, the southern Woodcutter regions, and the eastern Woodcutter regions. The northern regions of **Neuweisstërrloft** and **Niebelgersennt** come mostly from the Orange Marquissates, moving eastwards following the fish and wanting independence from their overlords and their taxes. The eastern regions of **Brussglof** and **Bründelbloff** come from a mix of littlestepian tribes, like elyrians and vilgans, making their home either near the rich Iebrum River, the Labyrinth Bay or the Red Lake. The southern regions of **Naffnsterrling** and **Roohr** came from the south, fishermen from all sides of northern Giantstep.

Their growth was slow, but steady, and once stable populations became big enough to start significant exports of wood to the rest of the step, contact was immediately established with each other. They knew they sat on possibly one of the most lucrative business in all Littlestep, and immediately recognized that collaboration would bring them more profit than competition, and thus they started signing trade agreements. Woodcutter guilds became strong institutions in the cities, and they quickly built roads through the forest to connect each region through land. Cultural exchanges soon followed, creating a mix of cultures all focused on the growing exploitation of the forest and how to turn the land near the cities into arable soil. This was not done just out of the goodness of their heart: most of the innermost parts of the forest laid undiscovered, and the lack of agriculture meant that hunting was very important, having to travel deeper and deeper for prey. It is during this period that is believed most dire creatures in the outermost parts of the forest became extinct, retreating to the Blue Mountains and the deeper parts of the forest to survive. However, all of these exchanges did not mean that a political union was on the table. The cities were fiercely independent and very protective of their laws and tradition, even if they respected those of their neighbors. Even when the small agricultural settlements became small cities of their own, the talk of a Woodcutter State was not on the table.

This all changed with the arrival of Gragorovich the Tyrant. Around the same time the elyrians began fighting an invasion from the south, mercenary warlord Gragorovich Yliss began a campaign of extortion to the eastern Woodcutter regions. Starting in Bründelbloff, he began recruiting an army of thugs and ne’er-do-wells, first to try to ask for protection money from the woodcutter guilds, and then, seeing as their reaction was very passive, began actively trying to control the politics of the cities of the region. Bründelbloff was not ready for this. Gragorovich had brought many men with him, and the war in the east was attracting a lot of adventurers and outlaws, and the local authorities simply didn’t have the necessary manpower to stop them. It would only take two years for Gragorovich to unofficially take over Bründelbloff, and start pushing his newfound influence into the other regions.

The other Woodcutter Regions began preparing to reinforce their independence, but the actions of Gragorovich had not passed unnoticed. Following his example, dozens of wannabe warlord began doing the same in the different regions, and even some attempting to exert their influence over the inhabitants of the forest. While these groups were less successful than Gragorovich, they took a lot of effort to suppress, leaving Gragorovich carte blanche to concentrate his power and extend his influence in the rest of the regions. Many of the smaller warlords began joining Gragorovich, both for protection from authorities and to increase their own influence. After a couple of years, Gragorovich had become the de facto ruler of most of the Woodcutter regions, becoming the richest person in the Woodcutter City States, and building his castle near the city of Bragoburg. All the while, Gragorovich began pulling all of the strings he could to start turning the Woodcutter Cities into the Gragorovich Kingdom.

This situation lasted for years, but problems soon began appearing for Gragorovich. Crime had skyrocketed during the years of Gragorovich’s rule: plunder and abuse were the norm, and that is without counting the extortion of all businesses. The populous’ fear of the criminal syndicate started turning into hatred, and that turned into small underground movements against the thugs and gangsters that were trying to replace the rule of law. Gragorovich’s forces began receiving attacks during the night, and when they investigated the events, the population denied hearing anything about the incidents. This led the criminal syndicates to set examples out of the population, which only enraged the civilians more and more. Gragorovich’s problems did not end there. His takeover of the Woodcutter Cities had been badly received by the nearby nations, since the price of oak wood had soared since he took over. However, an open declaration of war was not really possible. West of the Green Oak Forest, the elyrians were still deep in their war, the Orange Marquissates were too divided to launch a campaign to intervene in the Woodcutter Cities, and at that point the Platinum Princedom hadn’t yet arrived to Littlestep. The rest of interested powers were too far for a military intervention, seeing that paying the extra costs was still cheaper. However, they began more and more to fund movements against the criminal syndicates of Gragorovich, and used their diplomatic efforts to keep Gragorovich from concentrating even more power.

The final straw would come one unassuming day. Over the years, Gragorovich had taken quite a liking to hunting, and he frequently went to the forest in search of game. In particular, he enjoyed forcing the lone hunters and woodcutters living in the forest to participate in the hunts with him, always making sure he got the bigger number of animals, or else. On that day, folk tales said that he happen to come by the house of a lone woodcutter and his two sons. Gragorovich invited the lone woodcutter to hunt with him, and the woodcutter, having heard of the things that could happen to those who refused, agreed.

Gragorovich used hunting dogs and gunpowder muskets, whereas the lone woodcutter could only use his old bow. However, it quickly proved that the woodcutter was the superior hunter, always keeping his score just above the tyrant. Gragorovich began imposing more and more restrictions on the woodcutter, and even ordered some of his henchmen to sabotage him, to no avail. Feeling mocked and insulted, Gragorovich ordered the woodcutter to climb the tallest tree in the forest, and that he could only come down if he managed to hunt down a great beast from there. To add insult to injury, he was only allowed to bring a single arrow at the top of the oak. If he ever thought of coming down before doing the deed, his hunting dogs and his henchmen would make sure to destroy everything he owned, and even threatened his childrens’ lives. Fearing for his children, the woodcutter agreed to climb to the top of the highest oak in the forest, and while Gragorovich began searching for prey, the keen eye of the woodcutter managed to spot an albino deer. With proficiency and great skill, the woodcutter managed to land an impossible shot on the creature’s neck, which enraged Gragorovich to no end. He ordered his men to burn the woodcutter’s house down and to chop down the tree the woodcutter was standing in. At that point, the hunting party was attacked by a couple of bears, that had come to the site smelling the captured game. The hunting party, distracted by the feud between their boss and the lone woodcutter, could not react in time, and quickly abandoned his boss in fear. Gragorovich had to run away to save his life, whereas the children, young as they were, knew how to deal with wild bears, and safely reunited with their father.

The tale of Gragorovich’s humiliation quickly spread throughout the land. The rumors of Gragorovich the Tyrant, the Powerful and the Lord of Bragoburg, the man who bragged that no beast could instill fear in him, running away for his life was very well received gossip for the Woodcutter regions. Once the tavern songs about the incident reached Gragorovich’s ears, he ordered the search and capture of the lone woodcutter’s sons. The Tyrant’s goons searched every inch of the Woodcutter regions, to no avail. The pillage and destruction they unleashed while searching for the boys and trying to suppress the story of Gragorovich’s cowardice only grew more and more rage into the hearts of the men, and thus the stories became more and more humiliating for Gragorovich. He eventually got so fed up that he took two random children and tried to have them executed in place of the woodcutter’s children. However, his grasp over the realm was not fully closed yet, so he still had to deal with the laws of the land. This meant a trial, a very publicized trial so that anyone could see what could happen to those who defy and male fun of Gragorovich. However, right before the kids were shot in the public plaza, a group of woodcutters armed with bows and axes stormed in and rescued the children.

The attack was a complete shock to Gragorovich, who had not seen this coming. Having grown too comfortable in his position of power, he couldn’t react in time to stop the freedom fighters from taking the children safely to a hidden location before the bulk of Gragorovich’s goons could arrive. Enraged by this defiance, he ordered the town to be razed to cinders. This act of wanton destruction was the thing that finally made the people rose up in rebellion against the tyrant. After years of fearful obedience, the Woodcutter Regions began throwing away their shackles against the overlord. Parties of random woodcutters and hunters attacked from all sides the mercenaries and hired thugs, driving them away. The rebellion spread like wildfire, and in less than a year, the reign of Gragorovich the Tyrant was over. The city of Bragoburg was stormed by freedom fighters and Gragorovich’s fortress burnt to cinders, with the remains being dismantled all but a singular tower to remember to never let anyone else take their liberties from them. Legends say that Gragorovich himself was laid low by a lone arrow in the back, while he was trying to take a ship to flee from his Bragoburg stronghold, and his body was taken by the sea currents. Other legends say that the man who shot that fateful arrow was none other than the original lone woodcutter, taking his shot from the highest tree in the area.

Since then, the Woodcutter Cities have enjoyed and prided themselves in their independence, celebrating their freedoms, rights and traditions defended for centuries now.

## Society and culture

The Woodcutter cities pride themselves in their traditions. Many of those are a mix of those from the original settlers’ nations, but many more originated within the Woodcutter regions. Each of them have different holidays and celebrations, such as the “Carnival of Animals” in Neuweisstërrloft, or the “Great Homebeer Competition” in Naffnsterrling. Many of these celebrations attract many people from the other regions, and that helps foster a sense of unity and cohesion. The most important celebration in common, though, is the “Hunt for Golden Trouts”. During summer, the glaciers within the Blue Mountains begin melting, increasing the size of the Blue Lakes at the center of the forest. This period is the time when the famous golden trout begin their reproductive cycle. This fish, usually pretty rare to find due to its intelligence and ability to avoid fishermen, will appear in their tens of thousands. Like driven by a mad desire to breed, they will ignore any danger to reach the mating areas, usually blocked by ice. This annual event attracts thousands of fishermen to the lakes, crossing the entire forest to reach the lakes, where they then will jump on their boats and try to catch the trouts. This event is also used as familiar bonding, since parents will bring their kids to see the beautiful views and teach them how to fish, rewarding their efforts with the exquisite taste of the golden trouts. Net fishing is forbidden, though, considered something unsporting and disreputable, not to mention showing lack of talent.

The Woodcutter cities themselves function in the shape of communal organization. The citizens swear to defend the cities from harm and to uphold their law and traditions, and in turn, they are guaranteed permission to participate in the workings of the city. Most of the ruling class come from the merchant, artisan and woodcutter guilds, with the local priesthoods having an important role as well. These groups manage the day-to-day administration of the cities, but they also have to base their rule on the traditional courts of law, who register law and tradition in written format to avoid power abuse. The ruling councils of the cities have to obey the law and traditions of each city, guaranteeing their freedoms and making sure they are not infringed in any way. However, this system is not perfect, and there is frequent political discussion and discord, with many groups either protesting or pressuring certain factions to follow their choices. Respect of their traditions also causes a lot of strange situations, such as the “Old Hat Decree of Newelglenhemm” in the Brussglofian city of Newelglenhemm. It says that an unmarried man cannot get out of the street without wearing an old hat, least their indecency make them unable to find a wife. However, this also makes them unable to get out of their homes to buy a hat in the first place. So parents give their male children old hats from the moment they are born, and are ordered to always wear it on their head. This has resulted in an enormous market for old hats, gathered from all Giantstep, where they can get a second lease on life. Wandering travelers sell and rent hats to youngsters who have lost or can’t access a hat in time, and a young maiden taking the hat off a young lad is considered a way of marriage proposal that, if blatant enough, can be binding by law. Many such laws are present in the Woodcutter cities.

Outside of the cities themselves, there are thousands of families living in the forest itself. Most of them live in small cottages, living off the land by hunting and chopping trees. They are essential for the Woodcutter cities economy, since they are the ones who know the forest the best. They are the one exploring the depths of the Green Oak Forest, finding new paths to traverse through the wild and to find the highest quality trees for special requests. They are also tasked to hunt down dangerous predators once they appear, such as bears or wolves. That is especially important since these animals tend to prey upon the roads used to connect the Woodcutter regions, which are vital to the region’s trade.