The Denwoed

Denwoed, the Dark Forest, the Northern Forest, Enchanted Wood... this place has many names and many secrets. It's also where the majority of the adventure takes place in Ashes. But, since the last few blog post have been about the general world, we'll have to zoom in a little. So, in the world of Ada, on the continent Divi, in the territory of Khos, right up near the base of the North Mountains... is the Denwoed.

Really, the name of the forest is just "Denwoed," since that's the name the fairies gave it shortly after the rebellion and Diov's exile. Somewhere in all the time after that, the "the" just worked its way into human vernacular and stuck. But regardless of what you call it, the forest is undeniably full of magic- from the creatures who live there, to the sounds of the trees as they move in the wind, to the hidden glens and pools of still water. It's saturated with it. If you remember from our earlier history lessons, the general population held a deep distrust of any magical creatures after the carnage of Diov's rebellion. In many cases, the creatures were hunted- either out of pure fear or for some sort of profit or sport. While the fairies and dragons could find refuge by returning to the Kingdom of Light, the other creatures had to carve out their own niches across Ada. Denwoed quickly became one of those places, since it wasn't suitable for human settlements with the dense trees and close proximity to the harsh mountain climate.

Many of the people in Khos are suspicious of the forest and will avoid it the best they can. It's an arrangement that works out quite well for the forest's inhabitants. The centaurs, griffins, and pixies live together peacefully, often enjoying visits from fairies and the occasional dragon. Of course, there are darker creatures that live beneath the trees as well. Fae, trolls, and wyverns are what really makes the forest dangerous. They are always ready and willing to lead those who come unprepared astray.

Still, the forest isn't as terrible as some make it out to be. For the most part, its inhabitants are creatures of light and it's your typical pretty, enchanted forest. Just... don't go alone. Maybe light a fire at night. It will most likely be just fine.