Dourin's Grove

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[Drasil Razorfang]

Turns out I had it mostly done so I finished off the last few parts.

Overview

Dourin’s Grove is a relatively small forest nestled against the Sentinels in the Manthrian province of the United Kingdom of Santharia.  Best known for its thick underbrush, twisted trees and general impenetrability, the grove’s interior has not been seen for centuries.  Within this tangled mess is believed to live the ancient, powerful druid, Dourin, from whom the woods derive their name.

Description:

Dourin’s Grove sticks out like a sore thumb among the rippling grasslands of Hylach; an imposing fortress towering over its hinterland.  The massive trees that line its perimeter reach so high that the forest can be glimpsed from over a dozen strals away.  So far up do the trees climb that they seem to touch Injera herself as she rides across the skies.  The rays of her morning glow set the tree tops ablaze in an inferno of reds and oranges while amid the purples and dark blues of his descent, they seem like smoldering ashes.  

When viewed up close, however, the forest’s edge bears a distinct similarity to a fence.  Thick trees rise at semi-regular intervals to form gigantic posts; unsurpassable solid and rooted firmly into the ground.  Between them dangles a mess of vines and creepers woven among each other into a steadfast web through which very little can permeate.  With stems as thick as a man’s arm, these plants serve as the barrier’s horizontal beams, linking together the posts and restricting movement into and out of the woods.

The walls of a fortress and a fence prove apt metaphors for describing the portions of Dourin’s Grove accessible to humans’ relation to the forest’s interior.  What exactly lies at the heart of the center of the forest is currently, and most likely for ever will, remain a mystery.  Legend and oral history holds, however, that the woods were erected as a garrison to serve one of two purposes: a hiding place for the Green Druid, Dourin, or to keep greedy Avennorian and Serphelorian prospectors from exploiting the mineral wealth of the Old Kasth Mine.  Thus, one can logically assume that one or both of these features could be found beyond the grove’s perimeter.

Location:

Dourin’s Grove is most easily distinguished as one of the few patches of dense forest growth separating Manthria’s two largest northern flatlands, the Hylach Grasslands and the Huiscen Plains.  Immediately to the east lie the rock spires of Sentinels whose now-abandoned Kasth Mine is completely shielded by the woods’ impenetrably thick growth.  The grove’s sister-forest, the Kilma Woods, from which it was separated millennia ago when the first trails were bush-wacked by Avennorian and Serpherlorian settlers that would later grow to become the Elverground Road, lies about a day’s ride to the west.  

The only settlement in the immediate vicinity of the grove is Fort Snowcap, a sizable fortification charged with the keeping order and protecting the roads in the northern portions of the Duchy of Huiscen’s Grassen Steading which lie far beyond the immediate reach of the Duke’s seat of power, Chrondra.  As they tend to be uneducated and superstitious, the soldiers manning the Fort have developed a fear of the forest and do their best to skirt around it.

People:

Due to the fact that it is entirely inaccessible to any of Manthria’s races, Dourin’s Grove has no confirmed residents.  If myth is to be believed, however, the forest does house one permanent tenant: the hibernating Dourin.  Exactly who or what one considers Dourin to be varies wildly depending upon the legends to which one subscribes.  However, whether or not he is perceived as a wrathful half-man, half-beast or a benevolent guardian of nature and its creatures, all accounts agree that he is a druid of legendary power and a force not be trifled with.

Climate:

Relatively frequent rainfall, most likely the result of moisture being cradled and deposited by the western face of the Sentinels, allows the woods of Dourin’s Grove to flourish among the otherwise dry and windy climate of Manthria’s northern-most territories.  The humidity of this region is rarely released as rain, however, but rather hangs thickly in the air, rubbing off on everything it touches as beads of condensation.  As such, the Grove seems to almost radiate a hot, muggy haze into the crisp, dry grasslands that surround it.

Though the forest experiences four distinct seasons, they are marked by changes in physical appearance, not by a variation in temperature.  The Grove’s crisp autumns and springs and mild winters thus flow smoothly together; the falling of leaves, bare branches and green buds being the only indicators of the progression of autumn, winter and spring.

The heat of Injera’s rays combines with the oppressively heavy air of the forest to create an unbearably sweltering summer.  Lacking even the faintest breeze to provide ventilation, the humid air trapped by the dense undergrowth cooks to temperatures so high it is a miracle the grove’s flora does not wilt.  The heat does seem to take its toll on the animal-life, however, driving it from the safety of the forest during the day to escape to a more comfortable environment.

Flora:

A wide variety of plant life, ranging from towering trees to invasive undergrowth and thick webs of hanging vines, thrives within this forest.  Massive oak, urban and beech trees scrape against the very sky.  Slung lazily from bough to bough, vines and creepers such as the blanket of Shar and the sweet sip lounge in slack horse shoes, providing a stark contrast to the rigid and imposing trees upon which they rest.  Finally, along the ground, bushes and weeds grow so thick one is hard pressed to find a bare path of soil, making the grove seem as though it is covered in a thick, long haired carpet.

The diverse plant life of Dourin’s grove does have one unifying feature, however.  Whether the tallest tree or the most pathetic weed, all of the forest’s greenery grows to an unnatural size and strength.  Bushes grow as high as a man’s waist; normally dainty and lace-like vines as can be as thick as a man’s arm, and trees become so girthy it takes two or three men to completely encircle them.  According to the locals, these strange features are simply evidence of Dourin’s existence.  Though he slumbers, his magic radiates out and fills the plants and soil, providing them with unnatural qualities.

Fauna:

The dense growth that characterizes Dourin’s Grove makes it inhospitable to most animals despite the relatively attractive climate of the northern portions of Manthria.  Animals small enough to freely wiggle their way through this imposing barrier, however, tend to thrive quite well.  Mice, rats, shrews, moles, and a variety of other small ground dwelling creatures are thus often found scuttling in and out of the forest’s wall as they go about their daily activities.  

Almost equally as thick as the forest floor, the Grove’s treetops have a similar restricting effect of the birds that choose to nest.  Predatory birds, with their large wingspans, are unable to navigate the crowded space and instead choose to roost in more favourable environments.  As a result, small songbirds of all kinds have flourished in abundance among Dourin’s canopy, feasting on berries from the forest and insects and grains from the surrounding grasslands.  Their cheerful songs resonate throughout the wood, painting the otherwise eerie and foreboding trees as the guardians of a paradise hidden within.

When compared to their kin elsewhere in Sarvonia, the creatures of Dourin’s Grove have a noticeably carefree demeanor.  Relegated to one of the lowest rungs of the food web, rodents and small birds tend to be characterized as ‘timid’ in nature; always fearful of some threat lurking just beyond notice, they move with extreme caution and are constantly checking over their shoulders.  On the other hand, those of the grove seem to be well aware of the fact that they have no predators in the immediate vicinity and brazenly saunter about in the open.  Hoping to capitalize on this unusual behaviour, the soldiers of Fort Snowcap have on numerous occasions attempted to hunt these small beasts to supplement their diet, but have had no success.  Arrows fired upon them almost never find their mark and traps lain have their bait stolen without being sprung, leading the more superstitious guards to whisper that the hand of Dourin protects these creatures, shielding and guiding them with his magic.

Resources:

Dourin’s Grove has little in the way of resources for human consumption.  Though it is a rather dense forest, the trees have proven wholly un-useful.  Their unnaturally hard wood and thick bark have a tendency to leave prospective lumberjacks exhausted after a day’s work with nothing to show for it save for a dull or broken axe head.  Furthermore, even if one is successful in securing a few logs, the wood proves to be hardly worth the labor.  The fact that it is often found in awkward shapes and is usually warped makes it difficult at best in construction and crafting, while its wet, sappy interior makes it even worse for burning.

The forest is also completely devoid of larger animals, making it a poor hunting ground for those in search of wild game.  In addition to barring the way of adventurous humans, the web of brambles and thick underbrush also seems to keep out all animals larger than a small rodent.  Unable to find shelter within the forest’s heart, larger animals have long since wandered off to safer habitats or have been trapped and killed.

Myth/Lore

The majority of the Lore surrounding the grove attempts to explain its weird properties.  According to commonly believed legend, the Wildman Dourin, who made his home within the forest in the late 1200s a.S., warped it using druidic magic.  Furious at the slow destruction of his woods by the Kasth miners, and their blatant lack of respect for nature, he resolved to exclude them from it entirely.  This myth states that by manipulating the essence of the flora within his grove, Dourin was able to weave the wall of plants that surrounds the woods.

It is also believed by some that Dourin remains alive even today within the grove.  Granted unnaturally long life by his strange powers, it is said that he makes his home at the wood’s center, living harmoniously with the flora and fauna sealed inside while maintaining his barrier to prevent any new entrants.

Dourin’s grove is also rumored to be home to a number of Pendrowe thought to have aided the druid in his expulsion of the Avennorian miners from the forest.  Since Pendrowe are known to be extremely protective of the forests in which they live, this theory does not seem far fetched.  Some soldiers at Fort Snowcap insist that the grove’s fence of trees is actually an army of these sentient plant-beings defending the forest’s interior and claim that the Pendrowes’ ‘aura of healing’ is what makes the brush indestructible.  A few of these individuals even go so far as to claim that they’ve seen or been attacked by one of these beings move along the grove’s exterior.

History:

Deforestation as a result of Expansion (500 a.S – 900 a.S) – Before 500 a.S, a large forest existed in what would become the northern Hylach Grasslands, creating an impressive natural barrier that blocked north-south transit between the Sentinels and Rimmerin’s Ring.  By 900 a.S., Dourin’s grove and the Kilma Woods would be all that remained of this formidable natural barrier.  

The destruction of what henceforth shall be referred to as the ‘Old Kilma Woods’ is a slow process, occurring over the span of four centuries.  The swelling of the population of Manthria and an increase in internal trade are the root causes of the forest’s demise.  As the population of villages such as Courtford began to increase as a result of their prosperity, their people began to demand more space and wood in order to live comfortably.  Slowly the Old Kilma Woods began to be whittled away, the wood of its trees built houses and its cleared area becoming the homes growing numbers of Avennorians and their prized horses.

Whereas the clearing of the forest for housing and grazing is attacking the woods from its northern and southern borders, the increase in trade hacks away its core.  In order to more efficiently transfer goods from the north to the south and vice versa, the Avennorians living around Kilma began to create new trails through the heart of the woods.  Though these initially started as footpaths, over time these trails increasing traffic caused them to widen into heavily traveled roads.

These human encroachments enrage the Pendrowe of the Old Kilma Woods, the forest's guardians.  Deciding to end the rapid destruction of their forests, the Pendrowe attempt to mount a resistance movement to expel the invaders.  Their efforts do little to impede the Avennorian settlers, however, as their small numbers prevent them from posing a significant threat.

Establishment of Old Kasth Mine (1250 a.S) – When the ground is broken to begin the construction of the first tunnels of the Old Kasth Mine, Dourin’s Grove stands as an independent forest, cut off from the Kilma Wood by strals of grasslands.  Since it is the only remaining woodlands in the area, Dourin’s Grove, named for the wild magic-man who had made his home within the forest, is the primary source of raw materials for the blossoming encampment.  Hundreds of trees are torn down to raise make-shift homes, fortify shafts and serve as fuel for fires and many more animals are slaughtered to feed the miners.  

Dourin Cloisters Himself Away (~1300 a.S) – Furious at the slow destruction of his home, the Green Druid Dourin vows to seal the grove off from further intrusion.  Manipulating the essence of the woods and underbrush at the edges of the forest, he warps them into a tangled, impenetrable wall, sealing himself, along with all other beings who live within the Grove, inside.  Try as they might, the miners are incapable of re-penetrating the grove.  Axes and swords dull and break against the grove’s twisted wood without leaving so much as a dent and fire fails to catch among the dense underbrush.  Deprived wood for their fires and mine shafts and food to eat, the Avennorians are forced to abandon the Kasth Mine.  

A large portion of Dourin's success comes from his ability to successfully martial his allies, the forest's Pendrowe into a unified resistance.  In addition to supplementing their strength with his own magic, he coordinates their efforts against the Avennorian invaders and aides them in erecting a defensible perimeter around the forest's edge.

Founding of Fort Snowcap (1456 a.S) – Approximately one hundred and fifty years later, Fort Snowcap is founded at the foot of the Sentinels, just south of Dourin’s Grove.  Though three generations had passed since Dourin had ruined the Kasth Mining operation, the forest remains as inhospitable to its new neighbors as it had been to its old.  Terrified of the strange woods, the soldiers stationed at the fortress avoid it, afraid to draw the old druid’s wrath.

[Artimidor Federkiel]

As for mini-descriptions: Well, you can just make a post with that title and put all in you have, that would be just fine. I'll grab it then and see to update the main map with it.

[Drasil Razorfang]

All done.

[Athviaro Shyu-eck-Silfayr]

You've got spaces in your colour formatting, so your code is visible and your headers colourless.

[Azhira Styralias]

Would there be rumors of Pendrowe in the grove? With so little human contact, seems Pendrowe would thrive there.

I like to "plant" the Pendrowe everywhere I can. 

[Drasil Razorfang]

Fixed the code.

@Azhira: I agree.  I think they could fit nicely here.  I could add a myth that Dourin himself was a Pendrowe or that after he died he left it to them to guard the grove on his behalf.

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Wow, that was really exceptionally fast, Drasil! There was a good deal already there, so that's why I requested to complete it, but the final touches were apparently done at lightning speed!

And the concept was good already back then, and is good now, having grown to a complete entry with bells and whistles. The Dourin character is interesting, and one can never have enough lore in a place like Santharia, or more precisely Manthria... Adding pendrowes as Azhira suggested - or the possibility that pendrowes are involved in the myth - would also be an interesting addition, so yup, would be a nice extra if you could still quench that in!

Well, what can I say - you've thought about it all, be it the weather or the detailed history, and you've nicely embedded it in Santharian geography, and lore of course. Thus we can see: You haven't forgotten to write great entries...

Aura +1 for getting this done, Drasil!

Ok, and here are a couple of fixes to do that I found as I read through the entry:

The massive trees that line its perimeter reach so high that the forest can be glimpsed from over a dozen strals away.

...seem to touch Injera herself (it's considered female) as she rides across the skies. The rays of her morning glow set the tree tops ablaze in an inferno of reds and oranges while amid the purples and dark blues of her descent, they seem like smoldering ashes.

Thick trees rise at semi-regular intervals to form gigantic posts (I asumme that's the idea)

Immediately to the east lie the rock spires of the Sentinels whose now-abandoned Kasth Mine is completely shielded

The grove’s sister-forest, the Kilma Woods, from which it was separated millennia ago...

...which lie far beyond the immediate reach of the Duke’s seat of power, Chrondra.

However, whether or not he is perceived as a wrathful half-man, half-beast or...

Lacking even the faintest breeze to provide ventilation...

...vines and creepers such as the blanket of Shar and the sweet sip lounge in slack horse shoes

Though he slumbers, his magic radiates out and fills the plants and soil, providing them with unnatural qualities.

...choose to roost in more favourable environments.

Hoping to capitalize on this unusual behaviour

...have a tendency to leave prospective lumberjacks exhausted after a day's work with nothing to show

The fact that it is often found in awkward shapes...

The forest is also completely devoid of larger animals, making it a poor hunting ground for those in search of wild game.

According to commonly believed legend, the wildman Dourin, who made his home within the forest in the late 1200s a.S., warped it using druidic magic.

... it is said that he makes his home at the wood's center

and its cleared area used to house growing numbers of Avennorians and their prized horses.

Whereas the clearing of the forest for housing and grazing attacked the Woods from

Dourin’s Grove, named for the wild magic-man who had made his home within the forest...

- The History section starts of with present tense, but then past tense takes over. The events should all be described in present tense, so make sure to adjust that!

[Drasil Razorfang]

I had fortunately already done all the research and had taken notes on what I wanted to do for the history so there wasn't much left to do.  Otherwise it might have taken me much longer.  I'm not exactly the speediest worker.  :buck

I've incorporated all of the changes and added Azhira's Pendrowe to the Myth/Lore section.

I looked over the history section and I think that the present tense is appropriate for the first paragraph.  In that paragraph I am describing what exists in Manthria now so using the past tense doesn't make sense to me.  I'm not exactly sure how to change it if you still wish me to do so.

[Azhira Styralias]

Looks good to me.

Dourin Cloisters Himself Away (~1300 a.S) – Outraged by the slow destruction of his home, the Green Druid Dourin vowed to seal the grove off from further intrusion.  Manipulating the essence of the woods and underbrush at the edges of the forest, he warped them into a tangled, impenetrable wall, sealing himself, along with all other beings who lived within the Grove, inside.  Try as they might, the miners were incapable of re-penetrating the grove.  Axes and swords dulled and broke against the grove’s twisted wood without leaving so much as a dent and fire failed to catch among the dense underbrush.  Deprived wood for their fires and mine shafts and food to eat, the Avennorians were forced to abandon the Kasth Mine. 

Seems to me that all the logging would have angered the Pendrowe long before Dourin came along. Would history mention stories about the forest fighting back the destruction (and losing) before Dourin came along and used his magic, and rallied the Pendrowe, into finally stopping the destruction.

[Artimidor Federkiel]

As for the present tense issue - I see no problem changing the tense in the rest of the history events. There are some smaller adjustments necessary here and there, though, but otherwise it should work.

I've changed the next two paragraphs for example, changed version looks like this:

The destruction of what henceforth would be referred to as the ‘Old Kilma Woods’ is a slow process, occurring over the span of the next four centuries.  The swelling of the population of Manthria and an increase in internal trade are the root causes of the forest’s demise.  As the population of villages such as Courtford begins to increase as a result of their prosperity, their people demand more space and wood in order to live comfortably.  Slowly the Old Kilma Woods are whittled away, the wood of its trees is used to build houses and its cleared area houses growing numbers of Avennorians and their prized horses.

Whereas the clearing of the forest for housing and grazing attacks the woods from its northern and southern borders, the increase in trade hacks away its core.  In order to more efficiently transfer goods from the north to the south and vice versa, the Avennorians settled around Kilma blaze new trails through the heart of the woods.  Though they initially start as footpaths, over time these trails widen as a result of increasing traffic, and would eventually become heavily traveled roads.

So it should be possible to change the rest as well

[Drasil Razorfang]

I think I did a poor job of explaining myself last time, Art.  Let me try again.

Before 500 a.S, a large forest existed in what is now the northern Hylach Grasslands, creating an impressive natural barrier that blocked north-south transit between the Sentinels and Rimmerin’s Ring.  Dourin’s grove and the Kilma Woods are all that remain of this formidable natural barrier.  

The destruction of what henceforth shall be referred to as the ‘Old Kilma Woods’ was a slow process, occurring over the span of four centuries.  The swelling of the population of Manthria and an increase in internal trade were the root causes of the forest’s demise.  As the population of villages such as Courtford began to increase as a result of their prosperity, their people began to demand more space and wood in order to live comfortably.  Slowly the Old Kilma Woods were whittled away, the wood of its trees used to build houses and its cleared area used to house growing numbers of Avennorians and their prized horses.

The reason I changed tenses is because I'm referring to different periods in time.  I used the present tense in the first paragraph because I am referring to what exists in the region in the present day.  Currently the Hylach Grasslands are where the Old Kilma Wood was and currently all the remain of the Old Kilma Wood are Dourin's Grove and Kilma Woods.

The second paragraph, on the other hand, refers to what was happening in 500-900 a.S.  That is why I used the past tense there.

 In summation, I used the two different tenses because I was referring to different points in time.  Does that make more sense?

If you still wish for me to change it I will.  I just personally found it confusing to have the same tense being used to refer to the present and the past.

[Artimidor Federkiel]

All events in current History tables on the site are written in present tense. This needs to be the case here as well. If you actually refer to something in the future in such an event, you need to write it in a way that the event information is referring to the event date and today's time then has to be treated as the future...

[Drasil Razorfang]

Ah ok!  I get it now.

I have added the Pendrowe pieces to the history and believe I have made all the necessary tense changes.

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Excellent, Drasil! Looks all good to me and is now marked for integration!  Here, have an aura +1 for the effort!

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Last 10 Shouts: Artimidor Federkiel 16 May 2013, 22:20:50 Files have been replaced again, but the question remains how long this will last. SMF support will have a look at the security problem. Artimidor Federkiel 16 May 2013, 17:26:47 It has been hacked. The third time in 3 days. I need to replace the changed files again (won't happen before evening) - and then see what the SMF support recommends as a strategy. Irid alMenie 16 May 2013, 10:06:36 Arti, could you maybe take a look at the RPG board? I got a message from my anti-virus program and now I can't access the column on the right with the list of current threads and the shoutbox. Thankies Artimidor Federkiel 04 May 2013, 13:50:24 Ta`lia of the Seven Jewels 03 May 2013, 19:31:50 got it! The menu to the left is so convenient, that I nearly forgot the old souce... Ta`lia of the Seven Jewels 03 May 2013, 19:23:01 Artimidooor.. could you please add the Northern Sarvonian Tribe's map to the map menu? As you know, my mouse over does not work I could't find it right now, though I know it does exist somewhere. Ta`lia of the Seven Jewels 30 April 2013, 23:32:56 Huhu, huhu, huhu, ..that was my owl.. Shabakuk Zeborius Anfang 23 April 2013, 01:41:31 Hiho! Altario Shialt-eck-Gorrin 21 April 2013, 09:52:11 Hi, Talia Ta'lia of the Seven Jewels 18 April 2013, 17:54:03 Hello!

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