On Nature: The Trouble with Guldorand

Many druids will spit venom at Cordor for being Arelith's worst settlement in terms of its negative effect on nature and the general well being of the island. However, I would argue that the true culprit to carry that title is Guldorand.

Unlike Cordor, Guldorand expanded over a much shorter timetable and as it did, it caused unparalleled devastation to the Skull Crags and the island, at large. For the purposes of this book, I will be going over some of the main elements of Guldorand's negative impact.

[First Expansion]

During one of the first major expansions of Guldorand, an astonishing number of trees were cut or uprooted to build new homes and establish a lumber trade by sea. While no ferry went to Guldorand at this time, ships were still able to dock there, at their own expense.

The loggers removed some of the Skull Crag's oldest trees which significantly disrupted the soil so much so that all Ankheg tunnels on the mountain were compromised, causing them gather at the mountain side, instead.

As can be expected of Guldorand, rather than realize their folly and correct the disruption, they considered the Ankhegs a nuisance and summarily killed all of them. Now, Ankhegs are rare, if seen at all, on the Crags.

[Second Expansion]

A later expansion of Guldorand saw the loggers eager to fill the need for lumber in their settlement and all across the island. This caused them to cut trees without forethought causing the death of a dryad.

While Guldorand has made symbolic attempts to apologize for this act, it is important to note that one does not cut down a dryad tree by accident. Dryads are bound to their tree and will fight with all the wrath they can muster to protect it which can only mean that the loggers fended off or killed the dryad before destroying her tree.

This was not their only act against nature and fey-folk during this time. Loggers went as far down as Minmir lake to chop trees. However, they were met with resistance by the nixies that called the lake their home. Instead of taking this as a sign to back off, the Loggers went about murdering nixies in the area which they considered a nuisance to their work.

As a result, nixies at lake Minmir became scarce. That paved the way for Naga to inhabit the waters and become a menace in the area for some time.

[Attack on the Sky Grove]

Ever since the loggers settled on the Skull Crags, they have been at odds with the Sky Grove. Unlike other Groves on the island, the Sky Grove had the least 'security' in terms of settlement patronage, enchantments or artifacts which made its resources easy picking.

Unfortunately, wood was not the only resource that Guldorand was interested in; they dragged tons upon tons of stone down from the mountain. One location they could easily get stone from was the Sky Grove. The Sky Druids had long been attempting to combat the loggers of Guldorand which had earned them more than the title of nuisance. Instead they were a 'threat'.

Now you might think, how did a group of loggers stand up to these druids? Naturally, in the beginning, they did not. However, after a time, Alyssa Darkwind ushered Guldorand out of a logging camp and into a logging settlement which prompted adventurers, over the years, to make it their home. Arelithian adventurers are known for their abrupt and effective violence.

The Sky Druids had tried to preserve their Grove however the unrelenting pillaging plunged the Grove from sacred land to cursed land. Druids that have lost their sacred ground or region in such a systematic and malicious way can find their hearts darken, twisting them until they become Lost Druids.

This is exactly what occurred with the Sky Druids; they have been seeking vengeance ever since. However they were not the only ones to be twisted. The ancient spirit that guarded the Sky Grove had seen and been subject to such repeated horrors that it became crazed.

[Research Note: At this point, there is little beyond a miracle that could restore the Sky Grove. Instead, attempts should be focused on freeing the Mad Spirit of the Mountain and helping the Lost Druids of the Sky Grove move on. While this would remove the last elements of guardians in the area for a time, it would also allow newer, saner guardians to take their place.]

[The Weatherstone]

During one of Guldorand's expansions, they uncovered the Weatherstone. It is rumored to have been made by the Sky Druids while others say that the faithful of Talos built it. Nevertheless, it is a powerful instrument that was left in Guldorand's hands.

At the early stages, it had a Guardian; a mist dragon that was meant to ward off the curious and the dangerous however Guldorand put a bounty on the dragon which prompted adventurers to hunt it down.

This left the Weatherstone wide open for tampering and resulted in one incident that caused an island wide winter for almost an entire year, disrupting crops, mating and birthing seasons and killing animals and humaniods alike. The island's naturewalkers came together to ensure that this could not occur again through an undisclosed ritual.

[The Guldorand Crypts]

Aside for logging, Guldorand is known for a legendary romance. Although, I would characterize it as more of a tragedy. A Guldorand citizen named Gustav fell in love with a woman. She wished for them to live together forever and took that to the extreme, becoming a vampire.

Gustav, on the other hand, did not wish to join her on her new path which caused him to wile away in the Logjam and her to lock herself with in the Guldorand crypts. She would exit only to haunt him, trying to persuade him to turn.

It was during this time that she kept different kinds of undead, many of which were sourced from Minmir. However, many years later, when Gustav threw himself from the cliffs of Guldorand the Vampire bolstered her armies to those more formidable; thralls and vampires.

Guldorand was occupied with their economic efforts that they left the threat of undead unchecked, even when it plagued one of their own. By letting it fester for so long, they allowed a nest of vampires to expand to the force it is now.

[The War for the Mountain]

The most important expansion that Guldorand felt it needed was easier access. Arelithians aren't partial to the caravan due to its wait times and the nearest portal to the settlement was often thwart with danger. To achieve this, they believed they needed a ferry.

So when Amn arrived promising one in exchange for lumber, they did not think twice. However Amn's need was great; they planned to take as many trees as they could transport which prompted a war. The Lost Druids stood against them and were summarily cut down.

The Heartwood Grove stood with the Lost Druids. As did the likes of Banites, Underdarkers and even some necromancers. Some argue that they saw the destruction being wrought and wished to spare the mountain. Others say that they saw a war brewing and picked the side most likely to harm their enemies.

Naturally, with the Lost Druids known as such a long standing threat, known as savages, and the fact that darker factions had joined the fight, Guldorand earned the rest of the island as allies which only escalated the fighting. All attempts at negotiation, from either side, failed miserably.

Ultimately, Amn and Guldorand succeeded in their devastation. The result saw a majority of the Lost Druids murdered, reducing their presence on the mountain substantially. The removal of so many trees destabilized the ground prompting landslides that continue even today.

Finally, the loss of habitat caused a drastic drop in wildlife diversity in the region; spiders being one of the few that could thrive.

[Conclusion]

Guldorand expands whenever they feel threatened or lacking. Whenever they do, they cause further damage to the mountain. In my opinion, the healthiest thing for the mountain would be the loss of Guldorand however this is an unrealistic goal due to their resilience.

To lose the mountain completely would cost the entire island as every other region would alter to compensate. This much change will, most likely, cause more destruction as settlements try to adjust to the occurrences.

It is in the island's benefit to help the Skull Crags heal.

Written by: Spiritwalker Corbin