Great Forest

"The Forest does not waste. Therefore, we too must not waste."

— Orkish saying

  Deep within the Shattered Lands, there is a sprawling rainforest covering the Inner Islands. This is the Great Forest and is the home of the Orcs. Most of the forest is contained within Alcraz, the largest island in the Shattered Lands.   The Great Forest is full of life and is often said to be a living entity, according to Orc legend. It is said that the trees talk to each other and have a floral network. Because of this, Orcs do not cut down the trees in the forest to make cities. They will prune some branches and create some space to make small towns, but they prefer to build their homes around the trees and branches.  

Geography

The Great Forest spans the entirety of the Inner Islands. A network of thick branches and vines connects these islands together and allows animals to traverse the islands with ease. The metre-long branches serve as natural bridges for the Orcs to transport goods. The longest branch in the Great Forest passes through two islands uninterrupted.   Throughout the year, there is a large amount of rainfall in the Great Forest and it often thunders in the region. As the region is just below the Equator, enough sunlight also comes into the region, allowing the plants to grow as tall as they are and produce lots of fruit.   At night, smaller animals and birds will come out to gather food. Ripe fruit will usually drop in the evenings or at night, when not many predators are awake. So they are often the first to enjoy them and their populations usually grow at night as well. In the early morning, the rest of the animals will enjoy the leftover fruits and bring them back to their homes. During the rest of the day, the Orcs will collect any ripe fruits from the trees or the ones left on the floor to cook, eat or sell. To them, no food must go to waste, and fruit is no different.  

Land of Giants

"How many of us do you think could fit in that bowl, miss?"

— A child to a teacher in a museum

  Although the size is normal to the inhabitants and animals in the region, for other mortals, the humongous plants can make it very hard to navigate. The animals are also twice the size of their counterparts in other parts of the world. And everyday items used by the Orcs can seem like landmarks to some. It is for this reason that many rumours about the Great Forest have spread. One popular theory is that the Great Forest is not actually a forest, but a Realm within the Spirit World called the Land of Giants.   Many adventurers and researchers have tried to figure out whether this is the case, but have not come back with a firm answer. The Orcs are very protective of their lands and hardly let people into the Shattered Lands in the first place. So people have taken to studying Orc legends to find the truth. But even these stories are well-kept among the Orcs. So for now, the theories remain theories.  

Spirits

Unlike most places, the Great Forest has a large population of Spirits. The Nelam are tree-like fairies that say they are one with the trees. They have a childlike personality and are often very curious about the world around them. The Spirits live inside small bulbous trees called Nelor Trees.   The Nelam do not disturb the other inhabitants of the Great Forest and prefer not disrupt the natural order of the Great Forest. If a person, usually a visitor, finds themselves in a sticky situation, then the Nelam will use their powers to get the person to safety. However, most people in the Shattered Lands do not know the Nelam exist, as they prefer to remain behind the scenes.