Summary of Nordheim and the carrion woods:
[hider=Not a sheet]
Deep. dark. Impenetrable. The carrion woods are a massive forest that smother the north. It is a dark oppressive place where the dead find no rest, but are instead animated by the forest as vengeful spirits, monsters of flesh and vine, root and bone, who drown those who disturb the forest in a tide of undeath. Legends say that the forest is home to a nature goddess, ancient as the trees themselves. Once both she and the forest where beauties to behold, emerald jewels of the continent, admired and respected by all. Yet the elves could not stand by and leave such a beauty unclaimed and so aimed to take it for themselves. With axes they tore down her trees to decorate their homes with its splendorous wood. With bow and arrow they hunted its beasts for their furs and scales. 

Worse still, they built a great tower in her depths, to steal away her power. Enraged at this final, personal slight the goddess unleashed her fury upon the elves, killing most and binding the rest to her will, transforming them into the ashen skinned Drow. The forest came alive and using plant puppeted corpses tor asunder who subsequently attempted to enter, be they Muhakim or Muha. Tides of dead things began to emerge to asail the living sweeping north into elvish lands or south into the tribe lands until the day Muha fell. 

When the last great civilisation fell the woods grew quiet. Elven kind had brought itself low and so nature could rest once more. For a thousand years the woods have slumbered, but even now only a fool would take an axe to its trees, for to do so would be to rouse the woods ire once more. 

Nordheim meanwhile is a former dwarven colony found on a small peninsula jutting out into a bay. It is controlled by a democratically elected high council itself lead by two similarly elected Jarls. The region was settled by the dwarves raiders in the wake of the elven empire’s fall Nordheim became a fortified port city out of which further raids and conquests where wagged. As of present day the dwarves now control swathes of coast that are now dotted with smaller dwarven communities. The dwarves practice a form of ancestor worship/magic, where the spirits of the dead are bound to artifacts and can be summoned to aid the living in times of need.

The thing that links these two regions are its natives. Centaur, satyr and harpy tribes called the region home before the dwarves arrival but where unable to oust the stunty sailors upon their arrival. The initial bouts of dwarven conquest are now far in the past, and though bad blood still lingers the natives and colonists have formed a peaceful working relationship as their two cultures have mingled over the decades and their economies co dependent. The generally the dwarves dominate the coast, while the beastfolk dwell further inland.

They suffered mightily at the hands off the carrion woods in days gone past, but their own history says that the carrion woods where not quieted by the fall of the elves, but by a druidic hero who braved the depths of the woods, using strength, cunning and wit to win over its drow protectors and brought peace to the goddess’s blackened heart. 

Since that day many of the beastfolk now worship the forest god rather than fear it, and some even live with the drow within its twisted depths. The worship is a harsh one, occasionally requiring sacrifice, yet it has kept the woods at peace for centuries. Only now do the woods stir once more, slowly wakening, angry and hungry, though none can say for sure why this is the case.

[/hider]