Forstfel

Located to the east of Twilight Forest, Forstfel or known in Sylvan as 'Forest of Frost', is a region locked through mountains and facing the eastward sea. Cold winds blow down from the north and chill the land for most of the year into a harsh winter. Containing large valleys and a near endless sea of conifer trees, the land of Forstfel is challenging to survive in with the weather freezing the very air one breathes and the beasts searching for their neck meal amidst the snow and ice.

## Forstfel

### Inhabitants

HumanHalf-elf

Half-Orc

Orc

Goblin

Bugbear

Kitsune

## Geography

Dotted by various rocky hills and twisted fjords that let out to the sea, the land of Forstfel is craggy along the northern reaches and along the western border with sweeping fields of snow dusted conifer trees. Rivers carve through the twisting hills, creating several large lakes and waterfalls as a few small mountains can be seen isolated from the chain that wraps around Forstfel.

There are small 'rifts' within the Forstfel, so far two have been identified, one to the north and one to the western edges of the mountains. Many folks stay far from them, the evergreen and weather becomes particular overgrown, intense and nigh impassable without proper equipment and reason, the conifer trees there grow near double in size of their nearby relatives and shimmer with a pale blue energy during winter, and a deep green during spring and summer. The rifts themselves seem to shimmer and gaze into a realm of pure ice, snow and massive trees that reach the sky, it is believed by the few oracles and sages that speak of them that these rifts lead unto the fae realms themselves, where the layers between the two planes are nigh nonexistent.

### Weather

The weather in Forstfel is generally cold through the months of Lamashan until Calistral, leaving the land in six months of long, cold isolation. The remaining months have a brief thaw from the relentless freeze, allowing for growth and verdant greenery from the forest in which the various beasts and tribes that live within the region may forage and brings in new animals to hunt.

A regular sight through the nights are the twisting dancing lights in clear skies, the nebulous lights that twist, bend and wrap through the dark, ebony sky like ribbons are said to be the spirits from the fae realm dancing above in the cold, moonlit nights.

## Inhabitants

The inhabitants of Forstfel consist of various tribes that live within the region. Making up a handful of tribes underneath a clan banner, scattered throughout the region, only a small handful of tribes hold some form of a stationary settlement within Forstfel, as the scarce resources during winter time forces most of the tribes to remain on the move in search of food and supplies. Small skirmishes for land and hunting rights happen, though fatalities and outright war is rare among most of the tribes, though a few have stood independent and openly raid and attack any other tribes that get too close on what they feel is their hunting grounds.

The wildlife in Forstfel is just as precarious as the winter that encroaches on the land; wyverns make their nests in the high cliff sides and mountains doting around the region, dire wolves, bears and other large, twisted creatures stalk through the forest floor in search of their next meal. Although rare, the occasional ice elementals maybe seen dancing about the region on the windswept snowy plains, rumors of why these 'spirits' visit Forstfel is rumored to speak of ill omens of the cold death they bring. There have been, on occasion, a creature native to the fae realm, sometimes hostile, sometimes friendly as it is hard to tell within the complexities of a faerie's mind. Pixies, Satyrs, Hags, Werewolves and the like have been seen stalking through the woods, or charming it through whimsy and music, all the same many of the tribal inhabitants steer clear of a fae, lest they be in a foul, or particularly vicious mood.

It is rumored that within Forstfel, stands trees unearthly and magical in nature, standing tall as pure white snow with branches that twist and tangle around the area of where it stands, blocking anything from growing within 40 feet of it as a few of these smaller branches break out and around the immediate area around the tree. The tribes taking to worshiping these trees as they hold many charms along the branches and trunks, at night it is said they glow a pale white illumination that can be seen from miles if given the right vantage point. Several of these trees seem to be found near the two rifts of the fae in unusual clusters of 4 to 5, when viewed from a distance.

## Places of Interest

#### Hag's Hill

There is a hill located in the north section of Forstfel that many do not tread, those that do bring offerings for the Lady's of Hag's Hill, as legend goes, powerful witches that have turned into the way of a coven. Collected offerings from the few tribes crazed or desperate enough to stay up there appease their capricious nature and allow them to stay in peace. Though every so often, they call upon a young man or woman to be offered, and are never seen again.

#### Boudicca's Falls

Located in the south western portion of Forstfel lays a cliff named Boudicca's Fall where four rivers converge and create a massive river that cascades over the falls and into the valley proper. Named after a legendary druid that was said to protect the forest in a time of corruption and darkness, in the aftermath of the waterfalls, on a lone river island stands a massive oak tree that defies the weather, having brilliant blood red leaf and sap along its twisted branches all year long.

#### The Field of Gods

Or given its more common title 'The Moot Field', is a large open field dotted with a few large hills where once every year during Erastus for two weeks, many of the collective tribes gather to host the Moot. Games, competition, dancing and rituals for a good winter are done to appease the spirits of the forest and to show the various tribes promising hunters, craftsmen, scouts, medics and the like. On the more political side tribal Chieftains meet in the large hill to discuss hunting grounds, trade and aid for those who have had a poor summer as the leaves begin to turn their many colors, signaling the coming of winter soon.

### The Rifts

Within two known locations, one within the far northern reaches, and the other laying to the western mountain edges of Forstfel lay two knows anomalies simply referred to say the 'Rifts'. The land there teems with fae magic, the trees grow upwards to 60 feet in height, seeming to give off a blueish green hue around as underneath the undergrowth grows thick and twisted the closer one gets to the rifts. The one to the North is Jotun's Fall where a massive waterfall cascades down into a river, the rift nestled behind it with a small, carved out cave hums as ice collects and coats the ceiling, walls and floor of the cavern all year long. The one to the West lays with a large open field with snowbloom growing year round, during spring a thick mists surrounds it, clinging to the ground as it stretches up several feet from the forest floor as the snowblooms give off a soft, white glow from within.