Blackvald

North of Morhan in the kingdom of Wolfsbrunn lies the Blackvald. These woods are not often visited by the citizens of the kingdom. The further you go into the Blackvald, the darker it gets, as the sunlight struggles to penetrate through the leaves of the ancient trees. It is as if swimming towards the bottom of a deep well, the world around you becoming darker and darker until you can no longer see if it is day or night. Only by climbing in one of the tall trees you may be able to peak through the leaves and see the sky. Even though logically the Blackvald is relatively small, traveling into it seems to not coincide with what would be expected from maps. As the trees grow in size, it almost feels as if you yourself shrink with every step deeper into the forest.      

Ancient Woods

It is thought that the Blackvald extended much further over the continent of Esca in ancient times. Natural disasters, climate changes and humanoid influences have reduced it to the current size. Because of the ancient nature of the Blackvald and the darkness of the environment, legend tells of strange and terrifying creatures deep within the forest. Some samples of flora and fauna have been retrieved from the forest and scholars have likened these plants and creatures to what fishermen have retrieved from the depths of the ocean. Creatures that create their own light through bioluminescence and plants that do not require sunlight to grow.   Only those attuned and accustomed to the power of nature have made the Blackvald their home. They claim to have found a certain manner of tranquility in the depths of the forest. A feeling of being connected to the ancient forces of nature that they claim is felt in the branches and bark of the trees themselves. These people sometimes return to the civilized world with newly found insights or abilities. But more often than not these people live out their entire lives not going back to the world of man, but instead choosing to live and die between the trees of the Blackvald.  

Do not go into that forest black
You'll lose your way and never come back
Do not go into those woods alone
Heed the warning from this wisened crone

— A fortune teller to a foolhardy adventurer