The surge of primal magic that formed the Deep Wilds struck the region like a wave. Massive trees grew from the ground, cloaking the landscape in leaves and creaking wood, forming the dense canopy that covers most of the continent. On the ground, flora flourished, leaving no spot of dirt uncovered in the luscious growth. Even the surrounding seas bloomed to life, filling with uncountable species of fish and corals. This burst was also responsible in part for the rise of the Wood Elves, as the tide of life swept over the neighboring island of Lavrari.
While new and more specially adapted wildlife evolved over the course of the Wild's lifetime, none would ever surpass the original native wildlife, raised to from just abnormally intelligent members of their species into fully sapient creatures. These animals would band together to form the Five Roving Clans, the closest thing the Deep Wild will ever have to a civilization.
The Five Clans are split along their species, but a complex system of body language and short calls allows the members to communicate inter-specially. These Clans, as Ysengrims chosen, are responsible for the defense of the Deep Wilds, as well as the stewardship of the land. They are led as a whole by Greatwarden Faoulan Guol, Ysengrim's daughter. The clans are as follows:
Urufu:
The Wolf Clan is reclusive, and they typically have little interaction with the other clans. These enormous wolves typically wear coats of white, that they stain with pigments they either create themselves or barter with the Monkey Clan for, so that other clans may tell the individual members apart more easily. Predatory and loyal to Ysengrim, they are often the first to repel any intruders that have wandered too far into the forest.
Iguru:
Members of the Eagle Clan are regarded as the "scholars" of the Deep Wilds. They spend years in the mountain aeries, learning the history of the Wilds, as well as any knowledge accrued by the other members over the years, through a rich oral history. They also act as scouts for the other clans, performing aerial inspections of the Wilds and their borders. Feather patterns vary for each individual, and serve as a means of distinction. The Eagles are the largest bird in the Deep Wilds, each with a wingspan over the length of the average man.
Kuma:
Peaceful, unless the Deep Wild's are threatened, the Bear Clan is slow to anger, but ferocious when roused. The members of this clan are typically solitary, but remain loyal and will answer the call to assemble without hesitation. They guard the sacred places in the Deep Wilds, and act as caretakers of sort for their personal groves.
Oshika:
The Elk clan are the fewest in number, but also those held in the highest regard by Ysengrim, for they share the form he had before he ascended to divinity. They are Ysengrim's personal messengers, and his most trusted councillors. Even the savage beasts of the Deep Wilds treat the Oshika with respect.
Saru:
Without the members of the Monkey Clan, the Deep Wilds would be a very different place. They form an interconnected network throughout the treetops, that allows information to be relayed quickly throughout the continent. Their unique physiology also allows for some rudimentary crafting, and their pigments are highly valued among the other clans for dying fur or feathers. The Sara are the only clan that can speak the language of other humanoids, with broken Common being the most spoken, and some elders being somewhat fluent in Elvish, or other languages. They are a sociable clan, bringing messages in between the clans in exchange for the latest gossip.
Savage, and downright deadly to outsiders, the Deep Wilds is largely left to it's own devices. Few expeditions set out, and far fewer ever return, those who survive telling harrowing stories about gigantic beasts, or deadly plants, and this is how Ysengrim likes it.
Nature, in it's purest, most savage form, far away from the ravages of the mortal races.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Regions of Autica: The Deep Wilds; Part I
Originally a rocky, uninteresting continent in Autica's southern seas, home only to the rookery of Austrophethes, an ancient silver dragon, the landmass that would become the Deep Wilds sat largely ignored for the entirety of Autica's early history. Only with the coming of Oldenkeeper Ysengrim would this storm beaten mass become one of the worlds most unique locations.
The immense, jagged reef that surrounds this continent is primarily responsible for it's original lack of inhabitants. For the entirety of Autica's history, up until the end of the Origin war, this continent was mostly inhabited by sea birds, and colonies of marine mammals. Austrophethes, when she was but a whelp, made her way to this isle and carved out her nest in a region free from threats, and she made the continent her own. Over the years, the limited wildlife grew and evolved separate from outside influences, and some of the larger fauna began to show signs of an intelligence that surpassed that of their kin on the other less isolated continents. Austrophethes watched over this interesting path, and nurtured the isolation of the landmass, turning away or destroying ships that made it past the reef.
As the Origin War raged on, Austrophethes grew more protective over her isle, where her children would return year after year to sire their own broods. She feared that if either of the warring factions were to take hold of her land, they would not respect her ancient rookery. Her "dissuasion" of intruders became more and more forceful, and came with less warning with every incursion. Eventually, as the New and Old gods constantly sought a new strategic foothold, Austrophethes was forced into taking the forms of the mortal races, and began to infiltrate their societies, spreading stories of the danger of the southern sea, sabotaging expeditions, and finding her way on to war councils, where she strongly opposed any actions that would press upon the borders of her beloved land.
During this time, Ysengrim was growing disillusioned with the war. His creation, the dwarves, had seemingly given up their original charge to be stewards of the land in, and he saw the destruction wrought by the battles that raged across Autica. While forced to contribute because of his vow of fealty to Mot, he was withdrawn, speaking at length only to his friend, the Old God Roc. He could not understand though, Roc's desire for conflict. Her tempestuous nature, and her wild Halflings were at direct odds to his slower, more methodical pace. The last straw for Ysengrim came when Bismuth slew Roc an entire ocean away, and leveled a large chunk of Rauquan, creating the desert of Rocfell. The combination of the catastrophic loss of life, and the death of Roc drove Ysengrim to abandon the war effort completely. He broke his vow, and went into hiding in the forests of the world.
Violence, it seemed was destined to follow the God however. No matter how far he ranged trying to avoid the fighting, major battles always seemed on the heels of his movements, and with them came the judging eyes of the other God's he had left to fight without him.
When the Origin War finally ended at the Battle of the Split, Ysengrim watched the whole thing, hidden in the form of a normal deer. When the battle ended, and both sides had retreated under Mot's gaze, he picked through the carnage until he found the Godling Ishtu, barely clinging to existence. He understood the importance of the natural cycle of death and decay, and so he took Ishtu with him, to frozen Weawica where he knew a tribe of elves that had also forgone the conflict, and he left her in their charge.
It was during this expedition to the south that he first really noticed the continent that would become the Deep Wilds.
As he wandered the world, he began to inspect this seemingly uninhabited continent. He saw the native wildlife, with all their untapped potential, he saw it's remote location, and ring of impassible reefs. He saw only one problem, the dragons that had already claimed the land, but what are dragons to a God?
So, he claimed the isle for himself, and called it the Deep Wilds, a place for nature to run unchecked, savage and pure, as it was meant to be from the beginning. When he arrived, Austrophethes was furious. She summoned all her power and attacked the God. While the Ancient Silver commanded power far beyond any of her peers, she was no match for divinity. Austrophethes flew rings around Ysengrim, staying just on the edge of his reach, harrying him with her draconic breath, and clawing at his back. For three days, and three nights, she never set down. On the third night, under the light of two full moons, her fatigue got the better of her. Her reaction was a second too late, and Ysengrim managed to wrap the enormous boughs of his hand around her middle, and slammed her to the ground, ending the fight.
Sick of bloodshed, Ysengrim permitted her to live, but banished Austrophethes and her kin from his land. To this day, Silver dragons in their native form are a rarity in Autica. With no land to call their own, they wander among the mortal races, biding their time.
When he had finished excising the last of the dragons from the Deep Wilds, Ysengrim began the formation of his greatest creation. He shaped the native species, and added new ones where he felt it necessary. Once this framework was complete, he retreated to the center of the mass, and there he sunk his massive roots into the ground, infusing the land with his primal divine magic, and creating the Deep Wilds.
The immense, jagged reef that surrounds this continent is primarily responsible for it's original lack of inhabitants. For the entirety of Autica's history, up until the end of the Origin war, this continent was mostly inhabited by sea birds, and colonies of marine mammals. Austrophethes, when she was but a whelp, made her way to this isle and carved out her nest in a region free from threats, and she made the continent her own. Over the years, the limited wildlife grew and evolved separate from outside influences, and some of the larger fauna began to show signs of an intelligence that surpassed that of their kin on the other less isolated continents. Austrophethes watched over this interesting path, and nurtured the isolation of the landmass, turning away or destroying ships that made it past the reef.
As the Origin War raged on, Austrophethes grew more protective over her isle, where her children would return year after year to sire their own broods. She feared that if either of the warring factions were to take hold of her land, they would not respect her ancient rookery. Her "dissuasion" of intruders became more and more forceful, and came with less warning with every incursion. Eventually, as the New and Old gods constantly sought a new strategic foothold, Austrophethes was forced into taking the forms of the mortal races, and began to infiltrate their societies, spreading stories of the danger of the southern sea, sabotaging expeditions, and finding her way on to war councils, where she strongly opposed any actions that would press upon the borders of her beloved land.
During this time, Ysengrim was growing disillusioned with the war. His creation, the dwarves, had seemingly given up their original charge to be stewards of the land in, and he saw the destruction wrought by the battles that raged across Autica. While forced to contribute because of his vow of fealty to Mot, he was withdrawn, speaking at length only to his friend, the Old God Roc. He could not understand though, Roc's desire for conflict. Her tempestuous nature, and her wild Halflings were at direct odds to his slower, more methodical pace. The last straw for Ysengrim came when Bismuth slew Roc an entire ocean away, and leveled a large chunk of Rauquan, creating the desert of Rocfell. The combination of the catastrophic loss of life, and the death of Roc drove Ysengrim to abandon the war effort completely. He broke his vow, and went into hiding in the forests of the world.
Violence, it seemed was destined to follow the God however. No matter how far he ranged trying to avoid the fighting, major battles always seemed on the heels of his movements, and with them came the judging eyes of the other God's he had left to fight without him.
When the Origin War finally ended at the Battle of the Split, Ysengrim watched the whole thing, hidden in the form of a normal deer. When the battle ended, and both sides had retreated under Mot's gaze, he picked through the carnage until he found the Godling Ishtu, barely clinging to existence. He understood the importance of the natural cycle of death and decay, and so he took Ishtu with him, to frozen Weawica where he knew a tribe of elves that had also forgone the conflict, and he left her in their charge.
It was during this expedition to the south that he first really noticed the continent that would become the Deep Wilds.
As he wandered the world, he began to inspect this seemingly uninhabited continent. He saw the native wildlife, with all their untapped potential, he saw it's remote location, and ring of impassible reefs. He saw only one problem, the dragons that had already claimed the land, but what are dragons to a God?
So, he claimed the isle for himself, and called it the Deep Wilds, a place for nature to run unchecked, savage and pure, as it was meant to be from the beginning. When he arrived, Austrophethes was furious. She summoned all her power and attacked the God. While the Ancient Silver commanded power far beyond any of her peers, she was no match for divinity. Austrophethes flew rings around Ysengrim, staying just on the edge of his reach, harrying him with her draconic breath, and clawing at his back. For three days, and three nights, she never set down. On the third night, under the light of two full moons, her fatigue got the better of her. Her reaction was a second too late, and Ysengrim managed to wrap the enormous boughs of his hand around her middle, and slammed her to the ground, ending the fight.
Sick of bloodshed, Ysengrim permitted her to live, but banished Austrophethes and her kin from his land. To this day, Silver dragons in their native form are a rarity in Autica. With no land to call their own, they wander among the mortal races, biding their time.
When he had finished excising the last of the dragons from the Deep Wilds, Ysengrim began the formation of his greatest creation. He shaped the native species, and added new ones where he felt it necessary. Once this framework was complete, he retreated to the center of the mass, and there he sunk his massive roots into the ground, infusing the land with his primal divine magic, and creating the Deep Wilds.
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