Zone: Deep Woods

Deep Woods

The dense forests of the Deep Woods have remained safe from the Stonefang attacks over the past half-century; Stonefangs don't fear much, but they do fear Stalkers, and there are plenty of those to be found in the Deep Woods. The Stalkers have claimed this region since the beginning of recorded history, and nobody on bad terms with the Stalkers dares to enter the Deep Woods.

The forests themselves are replete with a variety of carnivorous plants and even more carnivorous animals.  Even Berserkers are hesitant to venture into the Deep Woods. Berserkers are showboats and always display their risk-taking prowess, but most who enter the Deep Woods are never seen again. And it's certainly difficult to show off if you have vanished.

A recent phenomenon has killed off a significant portion of the forest, however. A strange red liquid began bubbling from the ground quite recently, and there doesn't seem to be an end to it. Its source is unknown, but it has recently begun overflowing and converging with the rivers that travel to the flood plains just southwest, which is causing huge problems for the wildlife there as well. The Ascendants who live on the east side of the Barren Valley's eastern mountain range live close to this red liquid, and some of them have reported seeing strange hallucinations and hearing voices after exposure to it. A tribe of Ascendant elders has been attempting to discover the source of this dangerous substance to put an end to it, but no solution has revealed itself as of yet.

Meanwhile, the Gleagski Clan of Gluaglians has taken a foothold along the southern coast of the zone. Although they normally stick to deep water, the Gleagskis have been pushed onto land after Reabl, one of their younger and less intelligent members, startled a massive nest of hibernating Gruffpac Eels at 5,000 feet while attempting to steal their eggs to sell on the surface. The school of 40-foot-long constrictors angrily devoured half the Gleagski Clan -- including Reabl -- before the day was through, and the remaining Gleagskis have set up shop along the Deep Woods coast while they wait for the swarming eels to calm down. So far it has been two years; Gruffpacs aren't known for their forgiving nature.