Deepstep Hollow

> *"Deepstep Hollow is a fine place to make camp. Place your wagons around the edge of the forest but never drive through unless you want to get stuck. Pitch your tents within the shade of the canopy trees but don't go too deep. The forests themselves are rich with game and natural springs, but be wary. If you don't watch your step the earth will swallow you whole."* -Caravan master, Hearth on Wheels
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Deepstep Hollow is a large forested region in the northwest corner of the Midlands near the Ashed City-States. The forest is noted for having a very broken landscape filled with large ravines and cave systems dotting the landscape. This forested area is inhabited by a small local population.

* Deepstep Hallow is near several trade routs due to its close proximity to both the Family Hearthland and Ashed Confederacy.

## Landscape

The landscape of Deepstep Hollow is a temperate forest area located on top of a broken landscape of

ravines that open up to the maze of limestone caverns that stretch deep into the earth below the surface level. The mosses and shrubs that grow around these areas often cover up these openings in the earth making it a very hazardous landscape. It has been given the name "Watch Your Step Hollow" by various travelers that have passed through the region.

The land itself is uneven, often with large shelves of rock and earth jutting up from the ground, evidence of past tectonic activity. Rivers are present in the northern regions flowing into the south. Underground springs often make it to the surface of this landscape giving it very lush vegetation.

Canopy trees cover this landscape as well, the ancient roots sometimes going in through the top of an earth shelf only to come out the side back into the earth again below. This gives the interior of the forest a somewhat humid climate compared to the surrounding areas.

## Ecology

Being located in the Midlands, Deepstep Hollow is home to a lush variety of life being located in a **temperate forested** area.

### **Flora**

**Shadwood trees**-Large canopy trees with broad thick leaves concentrated almost entirely at the top. They cover the forest and give it its dark, shadowy appearance

### **Fauna**

**Glider Squirrels**-A species unique to the Hallow, the squirrels have evolved the ability to "glide" for extremely short distances between trees or over openings in the ground.

**Claw footed deer**-A species of deer that has grown the adaption of having somewhat hooked hooves that can be used to climb steep terrain or get themselves into and out of holes

## People

> *"I swear to you the Hallow is haunted. I was on my guard shift, just getting ready to turn in for the night but still wary. We had had reports of items in the camp going missing and we were on the lookout for thieves. I caught a glimpse of something stalking into the camp and followed it. I found all of our missing items stacked in a neat little pile near everyone's tent. I saw something move towards the edge of the camp and I gave chase. Damn wind blew out my lantern and I went to re-light. All I saw in the forest were eyes. Red eyes in the dark." -*Caravan guard traveling with Hearth of Wheels
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   Deepstep Hollow is home to a small population of semi-subterranean albino humans endemic to the region. They are not a well known people as they mostly do not travel outside of their forests except on rare occasions with the Hearth of Wheels. They are a major source of rare alchemical and medicinal ingredients farmed in their underground burrows.