The Howling Woods

Image by Siggy Nowak from Pixabay   The Howling Woods are located on the air-seaward side of Confluence. Shielded from the worst of the rains by the mountains to Seawards, they are instead more influenced by the Plane of Air. No matter what time of day or night, strong and disconcerting winds blow through the trees.   This is a forest of patchy, scrubby undergrowth, and resilient, hardy trees that can withstand the harsh conditions. There are few stately elm, beech and oak trees here. Instead, there are densely clustered patches of holly, silver birch, conifers, and hazel, the trees clumped into thick, almost impassable groves as if for mutual support against the climate.   But it isn't the wind that gives the forest it's name. The howling comes from the denizens who live here. The area is home to large packs of wolves, and wolf-kin monsters, who howl at each other to mark territory, arrange combats, or just to locate their kindred.