On Nature: The Forest of Despair

Arelith's Forest of Despair has been a point of contention or confusion for many druids which causes halted or misguided actions in the region. In this text, I will go over a few major elements that made the Forest how it is today and how that effects druidic work.

[Thoramind]

Long before there were any great threats, beyond beasts, in the Forest of Despair, there was Thoramind; founder of the Arcane Tower. He was known for his impressive feats of wild magic such as building the Tower from it.

However his wild magic didn't stop there. He conducted various experiments to push his limits. One incident is rumored to have gone so far that it permanently changed his gnome assistance into an ethereal gyrosphinx. After enough wild magic incidents, his fellow mages removed him from power.

Nevertheless, the damage to the Forest was done. Wild magic seeped in and as decades past, its effect grew. The trees and ground came to life; the Forest itself became semi-sentient. In turn, this made it increasingly difficult for druids to communicate with the trees or the land.

[Wild Elves and Drow]

The Forest of Despair wasn't always devoid of guardians. Back during the time that Underdarkers roamed the surface settlements, Wild Elves occupied the region.

At first, the Wild Elves were said to be healthy and sane however Underdarkers were dispelled from the surface, to reside strictly in the Underdark. This prompted Drow to use secret tunnels to enter the Forest of Despair. Over time, they corrupted the Wild Elves making them feral.

This paved the way for adventurers to target the Wilds Elves to diminish their presence in the area until they disappeared from the Forest. Although, some speculate that they fled deep into the Forest to parts unknown. Additionally, spiders were introduced and thrived in the region which changed the ecology of the Forest.

[Abyssal Influence]

Perhaps the most dangerous influence in the Forest were Abyssals. The most notable; the Black Wizard. For his Abyssal Lords, he crafted an experimental portal, fueled by people (whether or not they were used as material while dead or alive is unclear).

This portal was notoriously unstable and required constant tending to. His first attempt was set in the center of the Forest however it fell apart after some time. It was then moved close to Old Stonehold but that too came undone eventually. It is said that Talassians may have had a hand in undoing the Wizard's portal to steal it for themselves.

In order to stop the corruption of the second fallen portal from tainting the entire Forest as the first did, druids came together to seal off the location which is marked by a circle of stones. They could not lift the taint because Abyssal magic as well as the Wild Magic has made rituals unpredictable in the region.

[Malarites]

Contrary to popular beliefs, the Malarites didn't take root in the Forest of Despair as their first choice. They were forced there. Originally, they made their roost in Arelith Forest, near the Temple of Silvanus. A curious reader might even find evidence of them there in some of the old tunnels.

However due to the many groups present in Arelith Forest, namely the faithful of Silvanus, the Malarites were ousted. In the other Forest, they found the ground sunken in the center of woods due to the fallen portal and they used the soft ground and disturbed space to build their temple.

During their stay, they brought lycanthrophy, magical beasts, and bloodlust to the Forest. However their greatest impact was taken island wide when they destroyed and diseased Wolfsbane seeds. Allegedly they did this with the aid of Talonites.

There was a time when Wolfsbane grew all across the island and its seeds could be cultivated to grow more. Bands of would-be knights roamed the land, hunting down lycanthropes and their infected; either killing them or using the herb to cure them. Naturally, the Malarites took offense to this, taking matters into their own hands.

For a time, the herb was very scarce. Many Arelithians took up the task to help return Wolfsbane to the island over many years which is why plants can be found today. Legend has it that the herb within the Forest of Despair was unaffected because it was blessed by Silvanus, out of spite, to keep it growing there.

[Research Note: While there have been many Malarite circles in the Forest of Despair, even some that I have worked with, they are not known for welcoming druids (in the conventional sense). Instead they prefer shamans, beast-masters, and avengers which does narrow the pool of available guardians.]

[Research Note II: Unlike other regions on Arelith, studies suggest that no spirit exists in, guards or tends to the Forest of Despair which makes communing with the land or healing it increasingly difficult, if not impossible.]

[Selune]

As is common with city folk, they do not see the extent of their actions well until the damage has been wrought. In the case of Wharftown, the warring parties did not consider what would happen to the region if Selune lost influence there.

With the fall of Wharftown, there is little to keep the Forest from growing and spreading its taint further across the island. Already the Forest has infected the ruins of Wharftown, making rituals of cleansing problematic and dangerous.

[Conclusion]

The problem of the Forest of Despair is multifaceted. Druids must consider all possible solutions to each issue before making attempts toward it, lest more damage is done. It is also important to consider that the Forest may no longer be what it seems; instead it may be a creature unto itself, spawned by the arcane.

Written by: Corbin the Spiritwalker