Fern Leaf Forest begins to the east of the Crescent Mountain Range, stretching all the way to the surrounding oceans. This northern expanse is often frigid, with long winters, but the forest offers shelter and sustenance, allowing Mycorzians to access some of the glacial mountain plants from this side of the Isles. The forest begins as a scattering of evergreen trees that grow denser, taller, and closer together the farther north one travels. Tall and ancient redwoods and giant sequoias form a huge canopy that protects the forest floor from the winds and snow. Beneath their boughs is a dense underbrush of various berries and ferns as far as the eye can see.
The forest's northern edge ends abruptly at the Lantern Glow River, marking the border between Mycorzha and the ominous Frostfire Forest. Just past this river the evergreen trees loom impossibly high, and the underbrush becomes a dense, tall thicket of thorns forming an impenetrable wall. The shadows all seem darker and almost feel as though they are alive. Those who stare into the Frostfire Forest across the river report a chilling sensation - an uncanny feeling of being watched. Locals warn that the woods beyond are not to be trusted.
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Fern Leaf Forest begins to the east of the Crescent Mountain Range, stretching all the way to the surrounding oceans. This northern expanse is often frigid, with long winters, but the forest offers shelter and sustenance, allowing Mycorzhans to access some of the glacial mountain plants from this side of the Isles. The forest begins as a scattering of evergreen trees that grow denser, taller, and closer together the farther north one travels. Tall and ancient redwoods and giant sequoias form a huge canopy that protects the forest floor from the winds and snow. Beneath their boughs is a dense underbrush of various berries and ferns as far as the eye can see.
The forest's northern edge ends abruptly at the Lantern Glow River, marking the border between Mycorzha and the ominous Frostfire Forest. Just past this river the evergreen trees loom impossibly high, and the underbrush becomes a dense, tall thicket of thorns forming an impenetrable wall. The shadows all seem darker and almost feel as though they are alive. Those who stare into the Frostfire Forest across the river report a chilling sensation - an uncanny feeling of being watched. Locals warn that the woods beyond are not to be trusted.
During the warmer months, many journey to Fern Leaf Forest to forage for fiddle head ferns or favorite berries that prefer the cold weather. Some nomadic clans migrate between here and Luna Valley nearby, leaving to the Valley for the winter months to hibernate. The trees here grow quickly, and so it became a major source of lumber on the Isles, giving rise to the building of the Darkwood Port. Clans help to cut and process lumber, leaving it at the port, where trade is then overseen by Wynn, a stoic moose who remains here year-round. Few others stay through the winter, despite the abundant fish in the river and berries in the underbrush, for it is said that in the deep cold the shadows of the Frostfire Forest grow too long and begin to stretch across the river's supposed safety.
The end of the season is marked by the migration of the fish who spawn at the hot springs of the Glow Cap Caverns, named for the bio-luminescent algae that grows in the sulfur-rich waters. These fish, having fed on the glowing algae, shimmer like lanterns beneath the surface. As they journey upstream to lay their eggs, Mycorzhans gather along the riverbanks to watch the beautiful glow. Many cast their wishes upon the luminous fish as one would upon a shooting star, believing the fish will tell their hopes to the Isles.
The same geothermal forces that nurture this glowing algae also feeds the hot springs that pool outside the caverns. Over time, Mycorzhans carved small enclaves into the stone, creating natural basins to soak in the mineral-rich pools. The steam carries the smell of earth and sulfur, and on cold nights the glow of the cavern waters casts flickering light onto the walls.
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