The High Forest The Time of Troubles & Era of Upheaval Inspired By Ed Greenwood

The High Forest, also known as the Great Everwood, is a vast, ancient woodland in Northwest Faerûn, a remnant of a distant era when elves, giants, and dragons ruled a continent covered in green. It is one of the largest forests on Toril, bordered by the Nether Mountains to the north and the High Moor to the south. The air within its bounds is thick with the scent of old growth and carries an ever-present, wild feeling of being watched, an atmosphere thick with untapped magic and history.

The forest is a dangerous, largely unexplored wilderness, a place of constant competition among many forces. The most prominent powers are the powerful treants led by the ancient Turlang, and growing numbers of wood elves who seek to reestablish the lost kingdom of Eaerlann.

They contend with numerous orc and gnoll tribes that flow in from the Spine of the World, as well as an alliance of demon-spawned fey'ri elves from the notorious ruins of Hellgate Keep.

The geography of the High Forest is rugged, featuring frequent changes in elevation, coursing rivers, and a dense, often impenetrable canopy. The majestic Star Mounts, some of the highest peaks in Faerûn, rise from the very center of the forest, their snow-capped summits often visible from miles away. These mountains are the source of several vital rivers, including the Unicorn Run, known for its waterfalls and fey communities, and the Heartblood River.

Among its many notable locations is the fabled Grandfather Tree, a monumental, magically protected oak held sacred by the Uthgardt barbarians and druids alike. The eastern region contains the unsettling Dire Wood, a forest-within-a-forest ringed by pale and petrified trees, saturated with residual arcane energy from the fall of the Netherese archwizard Karsus. Strange phenomena and two liches named Wulgreth are said to originate from this corrupted locale.

The forest floor is littered with the ruins of three successive elven civilizations, their delicate spires and ancient temples now swallowed by the relentless wilderness. These ruins, such as those of the sun elf realm of Siluvanede, offer fantastic opportunities for adventurers seeking ancient artifacts or forbidden knowledge. Passageways like the Endless Caverns and Drygully Tunnel connect the forest depths to the dangerous Underdark, adding drow, dragons, and fire giants to the list of potential threats.

Few humans venture deep into the woods; those who do are typically rangers, druids, or members of the Harpers, used to a self-sufficient existence in an environment where they are rarely welcome. The High Forest is a land governed not by human laws or trade caravans, but by ancient magic, primal nature deities like Mielikki and Eldath, and a brutal, beautiful balance of competing forces.