a setting idea (i wrote this at 3AM so please excuse any grammar errors)
The Deep Forest of Dread
The jagged peaks of Eryn-Baradh tower over you, their sheer walls have but one opening, a pass known as the Gateway to the North. Beyond which lies a deep valley between the north and south ranges of the Eryn-Baradh, within this valley there is a mysterious and dark woods. “ill omens surround this place,” your guide tells you “most that venture into that place are never seen again. Those few that do return could only do so because they had the sense to turn back before going in too deep, before going to the depths of no return. Those lucky few tell tales of a dark oppression in those woods, some evil thing that turns the will of the forest against you and eats away at your very spirit.” he pauses for a moment “It is not wise to venture this way. Though, if you have hopes of being the first to brave the true horrors of this darkness and live to tell the tale, I will not stop you. But be warned! Most of you may go to your deaths, and those that survive may be driven mad. I will go no further than this point, I truly wish you good fortune in this, may you live to see the light of the sun again at the other side of that cursed land!” with that he walks away, leaving you to decide whether or not you are willing to make this journey.
You look into the woods and see that there is a very steep downward slope leading into almost complete blackness, and you cannot see how deep it leads down. You begin to descend the slope. After a while, your eyes begin to adjust to the darkness, you note that the bark of the trees has become significantly more grey, then almost white. The opposite is the true for their leaves, they have now become such a dark green that they now appear black. You are still going steeply downwards, and the farther you go the taller the trees become, they also seem much thinner and frail. A growing sense of dread looms over you. Eventually, after around 3 or 4 hours, the ground flattens out.
Looking around, you see that there are no paths, no undergrowth, and no sign of wildlife. empty. The ground is completely bare, save for a thick layer of nearly black, withered, soggy grass.
Looking up, you see the pale tree’s narrow and bear trunks reach high into the air, far, far too high before the lowest limbs eventually split off from the trunks. Such seemingly frail trees should never be able to reach such monumental heights, but in this dark and twisted valley the kind light of the sun is but a far memory… so in their fight for survival they desperately climb higher and higher, stealing what little light would reach this dark place. The air is damp and smothering, and it is cold, so cold and dark… you cannot shake the feeling that you’re deep beneath the ocean, trapped in the cold unforgiving depths, in which no one can hear your cries for help, and nothing will heed your pleas for mercy. This is a place of death and isolation.
Welcome to Nûr-Eryngae.
[[feel free to give any feedback! :-) I'm curious about what you all think of it]]
The jagged peaks of Eryn-Baradh tower over you, their sheer walls have but one opening, a pass known as the Gateway to the North. Beyond which lies a deep valley between the north and south ranges of the Eryn-Baradh, within this valley there is a mysterious and dark woods. “ill omens surround this place,” your guide tells you “most that venture into that place are never seen again. Those few that do return could only do so because they had the sense to turn back before going in too deep, before going to the depths of no return. Those lucky few tell tales of a dark oppression in those woods, some evil thing that turns the will of the forest against you and eats away at your very spirit.” he pauses for a moment “It is not wise to venture this way. Though, if you have hopes of being the first to brave the true horrors of this darkness and live to tell the tale, I will not stop you. But be warned! Most of you may go to your deaths, and those that survive may be driven mad. I will go no further than this point, I truly wish you good fortune in this, may you live to see the light of the sun again at the other side of that cursed land!” with that he walks away, leaving you to decide whether or not you are willing to make this journey.
You look into the woods and see that there is a very steep downward slope leading into almost complete blackness, and you cannot see how deep it leads down. You begin to descend the slope. After a while, your eyes begin to adjust to the darkness, you note that the bark of the trees has become significantly more grey, then almost white. The opposite is the true for their leaves, they have now become such a dark green that they now appear black. You are still going steeply downwards, and the farther you go the taller the trees become, they also seem much thinner and frail. A growing sense of dread looms over you. Eventually, after around 3 or 4 hours, the ground flattens out.
Looking around, you see that there are no paths, no undergrowth, and no sign of wildlife. empty. The ground is completely bare, save for a thick layer of nearly black, withered, soggy grass.
Looking up, you see the pale tree’s narrow and bear trunks reach high into the air, far, far too high before the lowest limbs eventually split off from the trunks. Such seemingly frail trees should never be able to reach such monumental heights, but in this dark and twisted valley the kind light of the sun is but a far memory… so in their fight for survival they desperately climb higher and higher, stealing what little light would reach this dark place. The air is damp and smothering, and it is cold, so cold and dark… you cannot shake the feeling that you’re deep beneath the ocean, trapped in the cold unforgiving depths, in which no one can hear your cries for help, and nothing will heed your pleas for mercy. This is a place of death and isolation.
Welcome to Nûr-Eryngae.
[[feel free to give any feedback! :-) I'm curious about what you all think of it]]