Emeldimir

Twig Blights
CategoryValleys
ContinentBrucrumus
RegionHigh Wood Country
MapOhtarion

Emeldimir is a large vale dominated by three blighted forests, the Arirmarg, Gambriath and the Vaharmane. Each came to be known by the name of the three daughters of Melrith. Each of these forests is a dichotomy, a struggle between Nature Energy and Dark Nature Energy, a place half-withered and half-verdant. The beginnings of this happened late in the God Era. A study of energy relationships was undertaken by the Covenant's Civilization Planning Division. Emeldimir was selected because it was far enough away from the war, and blanketed with such magic as to prevent most beings from acting on duty or curiosity.

The CPD's study sought to determine the effects of Nature Energy and Dark Nature Energy in close proximity. Nearing the end of the Demon Spawn War, there were Dark Nature pockets all over lands ravaged by demon invasions. Too many to clean up, too many to monitor, so the study was undertaken to see the possible impacts it would have on the lands and peoples once they were gone. At this point in the war, the Covenant was nearing victory over the Abyssal Hegemony. They carried out studies to determine impacts of the war on those that would come to live on their own after the Angelic Departure (9494 GE - 9500 GE).

The study was never completed. The venerable elder treants of Feyrise tell of a conversation between two of the study leaders; two that would become Nature Gods.

Silvanus said, "It is obvious that these two energies will create wars."

His growing rival Melrith replied, "Which will re-balance the land, which is what you want."

Silvanus could not argue with this logic, plus he liked the rapid evolutions that seem to happen when Nature is faced with adversity.

Even with their departure from the mortal realms, the mortal fey that participated in this study, once followers of Silvanus, Melrith, and others, carried on with the two themes of the study, one works decay and the other on re-growth and vitality. Today, these islands of greenery are called Reserves by some, and Zoos by others. They are part of the larger forests around them, islands of greenery in a sea of decay.

In the Horgon Era, the southern part of this valley was claimed by the Araj Empire. This empire's Theegan settlers, sent here to mine silver, were always at odds with Antokepf, yet never a serious threat. This was because the Theegans were 600 miles from the capital, practically on their own. They sought peace and prosperity, keeping up the act to please their masters in their faraway capital. Nearing the end of the Horgon Era, many of these settlers became enamored with the equine. Nobody is sure how this came about. The Einglach say it is the area's gray and black unicorns who have long played Emeldimir's people against each other. In the Year 43, infuriated by the horse cultists, seeing them forsaking him for horses, the god Krak-Oth cursed all those sincere to zoolatry. The horse cultists were changed into a mockery of what they once worshiped, centaur-like abominations bent on destruction. They became a new race, the Jara. Preferring the open plains to the east, the Jara abandoned Emeldimir. The southern part of the valley, occupied mostly by the Arirmarg forest, is littered with dozens of ruins, villages, towns, forts and castles. Today, most of these are still ruins, lairs for evil fey, the stomping ground of undead treants, or the abodes of bandits, beasts, and monsters.

Early in the Second Epoch, the fey of the valley, along with Antokepf, began using more and more Dark Nature Energy. This was done to combat the unnatural fast-growing forests, the Tendrils, nibbling away at their homelands.